Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia Institute of Ecology will hold its 13th annual symposium showcasing student research on Feb. 2-3. The two-day event will feature graduate student oral presentations, an undergraduate poster session and a keynote address given by University of Georgia graduate Jonathan Ambrose, of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. This event is free and open to the public.
“The Graduate Student Symposium (GSS) is considered the premiere academic event at the Institute of Ecology,” said doctoral student and GSS co-chair Sonia Hernandez-Divers. “It is the annual forum in which graduate students present their research, whether in progress or finalized, to the entire ecology community.”
Presentations will begin at 10 a.m. on Feb. 2 in the ecology auditorium, with a welcome address given by Institute of Ecology director John Gittleman. To conclude the symposium, Ambrose will present, “Interactions along the boundaries of science and politics” at 4:20 p.m. on Feb. 3. Ambrose received his doctorate in ecology from UGA in 1986 under the direction of the late Frank B. Golley. He is currently the assistant chief of the Nongame Conservation Section of the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Wildlife Resources Division.
“As Einstein and Oppenheimer dealt with nuclear weapons, this generation of scientists must deal with critically important environmental issues in a political context,” said Gittleman. “In order to manage a safer, cleaner planet, we must respond effectively to questions about how, when and where to apply ecological and environmental information to daily problems. Dr. Ambrose’s talk is timely and we are all excited about learning from his views.”
“It is important for students to hear the perspective of someone who graduated from the Institute of Ecology and now works in the public sector of wildlife conservation,” said GSS co-chair Andrew Mehring. “Dr. Ambrose has decades of experience in natural resource conservation.”
With roots that date back to the 1950’s, the Institute of Ecology at the University of Georgia offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as certification programs. Founder Eugene P. Odum, “the father of ecosystem ecology,” approached ecology from a holistic perspective, and that tradition is continued today. The institute is ranked eighth by U.S. News and World Report for its graduate program. For more information, visit http://www.ecology.uga.edu.
