This February, I was able to attend the 50th annual meeting of the Pacific Seabird Group in La Jolla, California. Hosted by the Scripps Institute of Oceanography, this event took place right on the water, which meant that we could take the stairs down to the beach anytime we had a conference break. Not a bad setting for my first conference!
The conference spanned three full days of professional talks and evening events. Some talks served as warnings of the impact that climate change and human actions have on seabird populations across the world, from mass-die offs to the detrimental impact of plastics. Others provided hope for conservation of species using monitoring projects and various techniques to attract birds to establish breeding colonies. There was a unique theme of talks about indigenous peoples and their relationships with seabirds which was an amazing opportunity to hear perspectives from people I am often not surrounded by.
One evening, in an outdoor tent, I presented a poster about my field work and honor’s thesis findings. At this poster session, I was able to network with professionals and students and answer questions about my data collection process and results. I was also able to learn about the work of others, which expanded my knowledge of what research is being done with seabirds and motivated me to explore how I might further my research experience and education.
One of the events I attended was a mentor/mentee session which allowed students to meet multiple professionals in different jobs including academia, federal positions, and nonprofits. Attending this event opened my eyes to the range of opportunities that are available. Talking to people at multiple types of organizations and multiple career levels and with whom I shared interests built my confidence and made me feel okay about not having a strictly defined future plan. I also attended an early career scientist panel and a discussion about USA jobs, where I was able to absorb lots of information about the process of finding and applying for jobs in the fields of ecology and conservation.
Attending the Pacific Seabird Group conference was an amazing opportunity and I am honored to have attended. It was so cool to see how a passion for seabirds brought so many scientists and conservationists together to share all their research and progress. It was also nice to connect with other students and people who have worked with my advisor, Professor Tasha Gownaris, as well as reconnect with the biologists I worked with in the summer, Linda Welch and Jill Tengeres from the USFWS. So many people were eager to share advice and make connections, which made the conference feel that much more inviting! I am so thankful to the Cross-Disciplinary Science Institute at Gettysburg College, the Gettysburg College Funds for Student Professional Papers and Conferences, and the Pacific Seabird Group for making my attendance possible.
Cross-Disciplinary Science Institute at Gettysburg College - Summer Research 