5/22/2016  |   13:30 - 13:45   |  304-305

ENGAGING FUTURE FRESHWATER SCIENTISTS AT A REGIONAL STATE COLLEGE Reflecting back on my eight years of teaching at a regional state college in California’s San Joaquin Valley, I am struck by how different my students’ experiences are from my own undergraduate and graduate experiences at an R1 university. The majority of my students live at home and have off campus jobs. Roughly half are the first in their families to attend college, and the majority have career goals in health professions. I will share some of my attempts to create educational environments that encourage my students to think of themselves as scientists. Especially valuable have been class field trips, trips to scientific conferences, and sustained research projects. Transforming the student experience in the classroom from one of passive listening to one that actively cultivates scientific habits of mind also has been effective at engaging students. One of my favorite aspects of my job is interacting on a daily basis with a diverse group of students. One of our greatest challenges is to expand our profession to reflect the diversity of our undergraduates and our larger society.

Matthew Cover (Primary Presenter/Author), California State University, Stanislaus, mcover@csustan.edu;


Joe Zermeno ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Modesto Junior College, zermenoj@yosemite.edu;


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5/22/2016  |   13:45 - 14:00   |  304-305

BLOOMING WHERE YOU ARE PLANTED: SCIENCE AND MENTORING AT AN OPEN-ACCESS COLLEGE Georgia Gwinnett College is a public, 4-year college in suburban Atlanta with an access mission. The college is majority minority, ~21% of full-time students are non-traditionally aged, and half are first-generation college students. We have students with a range of preparation levels, from those who took AP Biology in high school to those who placed into remedial math and English classes. Although the college is still young (founded in 2005), we have already placed students in competitive health sciences programs and have had one alumna receive an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship to study ecology at the University of Georgia. Research is integrated across the curriculum in the science majors, but only a small proportion of students engage in independent research with the faculty, likely because they do not understand what it means to do scientific research as a career. In addition, many students are not interested in leaving the area where they grew up to attend graduate school or work. Mentoring these students requires education about career options and an understanding of what they value.

Elizabeth Sudduth (POC,Primary Presenter), Georgia Gwinnett College, esudduth@ggc.edu;


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5/22/2016  |   14:00 - 14:15   |  304-305

WHAT DOES AN “INCLUSIVE CLASSROOM” LOOK LIKE FOR FUTURE FRESHWATER SCIENTISTS? With pervasive cultural challenges to advancement for underrepresented and underserved communities, an “open door policy” is not enough to promote inclusion of women and minority students in the freshwater sciences. It is our responsibility as scientists and educators to take active steps to recruit and retain students who are traditionally excluded from our disciplines (and our Society). Broadening participation and increasing retention will involve a multifaceted approach that takes place in the classroom, laboratory, and field. In this presentation we discuss strategies to create an “inclusive classroom” that extend beyond the classroom walls. We review challenges and opportunities at a medium-sized private university in California to foster inclusivity and expand opportunities, and discuss our successes and failures in the pursuit of equity and inclusion in the freshwater science classroom. By engaging with educators, scientists, and students on this topic, we will be better prepared to ensure that the next generation of freshwater scientists represents the diversity of human society as a whole.

Kate Boersma (Primary Presenter/Author), University of San Diego, kateboersma@sandiego.edu;


Ruth Hoover ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of San Diego, ruthhoover@sandiego.edu;


Dominik Corral ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of San Diego, dominikcorral@sandiego.edu;


Adam Siepielski ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Arkansas, amsiepie@uark.edu;


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5/22/2016  |   14:15 - 14:30   |  304-305

THE INSTARS MENTORING PROGRAM: SUCCESSES, CHALLENGES, AND LESSONS LEARNED OVER 5-YEARS OF BROADENING PARTICIPATION IN FRESHWATER SCIENCE The Instars Mentoring Program engages undergraduate students from under-represented groups in the study of freshwaters and provides student funding to attend the SFS Annual Meeting. The program offers undergraduate Instars Fellows an opportunity to learn about the many disciplines of freshwater science and to interact with other undergraduates, graduate student mentors, and professional SFS members. Since the program’s inception in 2011, Instars has hosted a total of 63 undergraduates as Fellows and 32 SFS graduate students as Mentors. A broad diversity of under-represented groups, including African Americans, Hispanic/Latinos, Asian Americans, Native Americans, and First-Generation College students have participated, with many alumni continuing into SFS-related graduate programs and some even returning to the program as graduate mentors. Others have transitioned into careers in the freshwater sciences or education. Instars is an important program for the SFS’s Education and Diversity Committee to meet its mission to promote membership diversity. To date, funding has been provided by the SFS for more than $50K with substantial assistance from partnering institutions. In this presentation we outline the many successes of the program and remaining challenges.

Checo Colon-Gaud (Primary Presenter/Author), Georgia Southern University, jccolongaud@georgiasouthern.edu;


Judy Li ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Oregon State University, judyli@comcast.net;


Patina Mendez ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of California, Berkeley, patina.mendez@berkeley.edu;


Tamara Sluss ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Kentucky State University, tamara.sluss@kysu.edu;


Marcelo Ardon-Sayao ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), East Carolina University, ARDONSAYAOM@ecu.edu;


Krista Capps ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Georgia, kcapps@uga.edu;
Research in Krista Capps's lab is dedicated to understanding how anthropogenic activities alter community structure and ecosystem processes (e.g., productivity, decomposition, and biogeochemical cycling) in freshwater ecosystems. Much of her research has focused on the impacts of consumers on basal food resources, community structure, and nutrient dynamics in streams and wetlands. To translate scientific knowledge to actionable outcomes, she actively works with community groups and local, state, and federal employees to develop programs that integrate stakeholder concerns into research planning.

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5/22/2016  |   14:30 - 14:45   |  304-305

“GROWING UP” IN SFS: INSTARS PARTICIPATION FROM MENTEES TO MENTORS The Instars Mentoring Program encourages undergraduates from under-represented groups to pursue post-graduate degrees and careers in freshwater science. The program aims to provide a professional network among participants that includes mentorship by established professionals and graduate students, exposure to disciplinary approaches in science, and guidance in pursuing graduate education and careers in aquatic science. Participation in the Instars program as both mentees and mentors has facilitated our development as young professionals in the field of freshwater science. Our presentation will describe our initial society involvement as Instars fellows (2013). We are currently pursuing graduate degrees in freshwater science and have returned to society meetings in subsequent years as Instars Graduate Mentors (2014, 2015). Key themes in our presentation will include discussion of the benefits of mentoring for career development; the importance of developing networking skills, encouraging guidance, and participation in experiential activities for undergraduates; and the advantages of a peer-mentoring system for leadership development.

Arial Shogren (Primary Presenter/Author, Co-Presenter/Co-Author), University of Alabama, ashogren@ua.edu;
Assistant Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alabama

Janet Hsiao ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Michigan State University, hsiaojan@msu.edu;


Checo Colón-Gaud ( Co-Presenter/Co-Author), Georgia Southern University, jccolongaud@georgiasouthern.edu;


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