Undergraduate Research featured at IAGLR 2024

By Olivia Schloegel (Johnson), H2Ohio Wetland Monitoring Program, Research Coordinator, Kent State University

This May, LEARN hosted a session at the International Association of Great Lakes Research conference (IAGLR 2024) dedicated to showcasing undergraduate research. Students shared results from projects ranging from remotely sensed surface water extent to wetland nutrient flux dynamics to microbial and fish community response to turbidity. The session was chaired by LEARN leaders George Bullerjahn, Suzanne Gray, Thomas Bridgeman, and Justin Chaffin. “We were very pleased that the IAGLR organizing committee approved our student-focused session on Lake Erie, the presentations were uniformly excellent and provided an important professional development opportunity,” said Bullerjahn.

Audience members commented how the undergraduate presentations often matched the caliber of other presentations at the conference. Bowling Green State University Professor Emeritus, Bob Midden noted, “the undergraduate session at IAGLR 2024 proved that these students are totally capable of giving first class presentations at the professional level.”

For many of the students, this was their first time attending a professional conference. Hana Esber, a Kent State University student who presented her research on remotely sensing water level dynamics at recently restored H2Ohio Wetlands, shared, “IAGLR was my first experience with attending and presenting at a conference. When it came time for me to present, I knew I had a very strong support system for my own research. All of the talks were incredibly informative and inspired me to look further into graduate programs in Great Lakes research.”

To inspire and implement similar opportunities for students, consider joining LEARN’s Undergraduate and Graduate Opportunities Committee (see LEARN committee roles and responsibilities). Email learnetwork@osu.edu if interested.