Activities for Students and Young Professionals at ERF 2005
Welcome! Over 300 students attend and give presentations at each biennial
conference. The ERF 2005 Organizing Committees have planned events
especially for students and will maintain the ERF tradition of making
the entire conference student-friendly and accessible.
Most people agree that the best part of a Federation conference is
the other people whom they meet there. Many lifelong collaborations
and friendships began at previous Federation conferences. ERF conferences
are excellent opportunities for students in this field to begin to
create their own unique networks of professional contacts that will
be important throughout their careers. We encourage students to take
advantage of the following:
Closed - Student Travel
Awards Available For ERF 2005
Apply by May 31, 2005
Paul Carlson (paul.carlson@fwc.state.fl.us)
Students who need financial assistance to attend the ERF 2005 conference
in Norfolk, Virginia may request travel support from the Estuarine
Research Federation. Awards will range from $150 to $500 per person.
Although an ERF travel award will probably not cover all of your travel
costs, you can use it as leverage for additional support from your
academic department or your employer!
Students— your participation in the ERF 2005 conference is important
to you and to the Federation. So if you need assistance, please apply
for a travel award.
Who is eligible to apply? To qualify for an ERF 2005 student travel
award, you must meet all of the following criteria:
- be enrolled at a university or college for the 2005 fall semester
- be an ERF member in good standing when you apply for this award.
(Join ERF at http://www.sgmeet.com/erf/)
- register for the ERF 2005 meeting when registration opens in April
2005
- be present at the Conference Close-Out party on October 20, 2005
to receive your check
- agree to write and deliver a one-page summary of your observations
and recommendations about student-related activities for future ERF
meetings to the student travel award committee by November 15, 2005
- have never received a conference travel award from the Federation
for past conferences.
How to apply To apply for a student travel award, fill out the online
application. Please note that you may apply for travel funds whether
or not you are presenting a poster or talk at this conference.
Complete the online application (http://www.erf.org/user-cgi/studenttravel.pl)
by May 31, 2005. Award recipients will be notified by June 30, 2005.
Affiliate Society Travel Awards
The ERF affiliate societies (SEERS, AERS, NEERS, GEERS, and
PERS) also provide generous travel awards to students for travel to
ERF conferences. To find out more about these awards visit the societies’ websites
(accessible through http://www.erf.org) or contact the president of
your regional affiliate society.
Judging of Student Presentations
Chris Swarth (jugbay@toad.net)
We encourage established professionals and graduate students to consider
judging student presentations. Graduate students will be assigned to
judge undergraduate presentations.
Graduate students — you can gain valuable experience as a judge
for undergraduate presentations. Sign up on the conference registration
form and choose from the following categories:
- Food web dynamics; Sediment dynamics/benthos;
- Geology/geomorphology; Management, policy and traditional use;
- Water quality/biogeochemistry & nutrient cycling; Seagrasses;
- Global climate change and variability;Restoration;
- Physical oceanography; Wetlands; Contaminants;
- Observatories, remote sensing and mapping; Non-indigenous Species
Judging Form
The Student Judging Form is
now up on website All students have an opportunity to have their papers
judged at the
conference. You can preview the form that the judges will be using
to judge your oral presentation or poster. It may be helpful to see
the criteria that judges will be considering as they hear your talk
or read your poster. The form is located in the Forms and Files section.
Choose to have your paper judged
Chris Swarth (jugbay@toad.net)
When you submit an abstract, you can choose to have your paper or poster
judged. The ability to give effective poster or oral presentations
can tip the balance in job interviews, funding opportunities, teaching,
and a host of other situations. We hope that having your presentation
judged at ERF 2005 can help to refine your skills. We strongly encourage
you to participate.
Cash prizes, up to $500 for first place, will be awarded in various
categories (oral and poster, undergraduate and graduate).
You will receive feedback from two or three established scientists
on aspects of your presentation.
Please request for your paper or poster to be judged when you submit
your abstract. You will also check whether you are a PhD or Masters
candidate or an undergraduate student.
Student Volunteers
Dan Dauer (ddauer@odu.edu)
Students - Volunteer in Exchange for Registration Fee!!
Students! You may apply to volunteer at ERF 2005 in exchange for
your registration for the conference. Besides this obvious benefit,
you will have the chance to work alongside the conference organizers
to see how such a large event works. Typically student volunteers will
run the audiovisual equipment during the conference, work on processing
visual presentations, and assist with satchel stuffing, registration,
the poster hall, selling conference t-shirts and other general conference
support. Training for all tasks will be provided on Sunday morning,
October 16th before the conference commences.
Selection of volunteers:
Your registration fee will be reimbursed in exchange for working 2
half-day shifts. We will be assigning 4-6
hour shifts, and you can work both in one day or split the days. Priority
will be given to students who are ERF members. Non-student applicants
who are recent graduates will be considered only after all student
applicants. Applicants will be notified if they have been selected
or not. Accepted volunteers will be sent work schedule information
once the ERF 2005 meeting program is released.
To sign up for this opportunity,
please fill out the volunteer application found at
http://www.erf.org/user-cgi/erf05volunteerapp.pl
Graduate Student and Post-Doc Career Workshop
Putting Your Science to Work
A workshop for graduate students and post-docs in all fields of science
presented by Dr. Peter S. Fiske.
Date: Sunday afternoon, October 16th
Cost: $20 per person
Description by Dr. Fiske:
" Young scientists in nearly every field are finding today's job market
a confusing and frustrating place. More new Ph.D.s, post-docs and Master's degree
holders are considering a wider range of careers in and out of science, but feel
ill-prepared and uninformed about their options. Some feel their Ph.D. training
has led them to a dead-end.
In this workshop I present a thorough and practical overview to the
process of career planning and job hunting in today's job market, from
the perspective of a young scientist. I cover specific steps that young
scientists can take to broaden their horizons, strengthen their skills,
and present their best face to potential employers. An important part
of this is the realization that most young scientists possess a range
of valuable "transferable skills" that are highly sought
after by employers in and out of science. I also cover all the specifics
of job hunting, including informational interviewing, building your
network, developing a compelling CV and resume, cover letters, interviewing,
and more. With each topic I discuss the particular challenges and opportunities
faced by those with an advanced degree in science. My workshop is up-beat
in tone and positive in outlook."
Student Career Social
Joy Bartholomew (jbarth@erf.org)
or Elizabeth Hinchey (Hinchey.Elizabeth@epamail.epa.gov)
This long-standing ERF tradition not only offers free food and drink,
but also provides students a great opportunity to network with established
scientists and recently employed graduates. This is your chance to
pick their brains about topics such as career options, student internship
and employment opportunities, and job search tools and skills that
worked successfully for them. All undergraduate and graduate students
are invited to this exciting event.
Women's Aquatic Network (WAN) Breakfast
Janet Barnes (barnes@erf.org)
Date: Tuesday, October 18, 7:00 - 8:00 a.m.
Location: Sheraton Norfolk Waterside, third floor Ballroom
Cost: $20.00 per person regular fee or $14.00 per person student fee
(Advance payment via the registration form is recommended.)
This popular
ticketed program features discussions of careers and life choices of
women in aquatic sciences. Students have ample opportunities
to interact with the speakers and with other professionals attending.
This year we are pleased to have guest speaker Cynthia Suchman, Assistant
Director of the Virginia Sea Grant College Program and Dr. Cynthia
Jones, Director of the Center for Quantitative Fisheries Ecology at
Old Dominion University.
NERRS Graduate Student Fellows Reception
Date: Wednesday, October 19, 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.
Nauticus, National Maritime Center, near the Center’s aquarium
For more information on the Graduate Research
Fellowship program please visit their website at
http://nerrs.noaa.gov/Fellowship/welcome.html
Field Trips
Karen McGlathery (kjm4k@virginia.edu)
We have scheduled a variety of fun, informative field trips. Check
out the Field Trips page of this website for summaries. Also, check
out the ERF newsletter as another source of information.
New Funding for Undergraduates at ERF 2005
The National Science Foundation Undergraduate Mentoring in Environmental
Biology (UMEB) program, in collaboration with the Estuarine Research
Federation is providing funding for up to 15 undergraduate students
to travel to the Fall 2005 Conference in Norfolk, VA. For more information
and an application visit http://www.wm.edu/environment/erf/ERF.html
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