Athens, Ga. – The University of Georgia Odum School of Ecology will hold its fifteenth annual symposium showcasing student research Jan. 23-24. The free public event will feature graduate student oral presentations, an undergraduate poster session and a keynote address given by Evelyn Gaiser, UGA alumnae and associate professor at Florida International University.
“The student-run Graduate Student Symposium is one of the highlights of the academic year,” said Dean Hardy, GSS co-chair. “The greatness of the event derives from the cross-pollination of ideas among the various subdisciplines within the School of Ecology.”
Presentations will begin at 9 a.m. on Jan. 23 in the ecology auditorium, with a welcome address given by John Gittleman, Odum School dean. To conclude the symposium, Gaiser will present her talk, “Expecting the unexpected: Pandora’s Box of paradox in an upside-down estuary” at 3:45 p.m. on Jan. 24.
Gaiser’s research focuses on measuring community response to environmental change in lakes and wetlands over long periods of time. And according to GSS co-chair Jamie Winternitz, her research is essential in suggesting critical minimum standards for water quality to protect coastal wetlands.
“It is an honor to host Dr. Evelyn Gaiser, whose work is fascinating and important,” said Gittleman. “Community studies of shallow water algae, fungi and associated plants and animals give us both a glimpse into deep evolutionary time and current ecological complexity.”
For more information about GSS, see http://ecology.uga.edu/GSS.
With roots that date back to the 1950s, the UGA Odum School of Ecology offers undergraduate and graduate degrees, as well as a certification program. Founder Eugene P. Odum is recognized internationally as a pioneer of ecosystem ecology. The school is ranked tenth by U.S. News and World Report for its graduate program. The Odum School is the first standalone school of ecology in the world. For more information, see http://www.ecology.uga.edu.