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2023 Presenters and Workshops
PRESENTERS
Mariela Encarnación
University of Oklahoma
Hometown: Caguas, Puerto Rico.
I am a PhD student in Dr. Lara Souza’s lab at the University of Oklahoma. I received my undergraduate degree in Environmental Science at the University of Puerto Rico. My research interest are in global change ecology, plant ecology and remote sensing and my graduate work is focused on understanding the impact of drought on plant communities here in Oklahoma using remote sensing.
Mitchell Nagel
Oklahoma State University
I study the impacts of microplastics on aquatic ecosystems, specifically life history, and competition on various zooplankton species when microplastics are introduced. I enjoy working closely with OSU undergraduates through mentoring and teaching and enjoy assisting them with their research ideas. I also enjoy spending time in the community through outreach at various high school and undergraduate conferences and the local science club at the elementary school.
Andrew Hughes
University of Oklahoma
I am working on a geometric morphometric project for my undergraduate research. We have looked at squirrel morphology in Eastern fox squirrels.
Parker Stoddard
University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
Hometown: Moore, OK
Parker Stoddard is interested in soil quality and health. Her current research is focused on the soil microbiome at the superfund site of Picher, OK. She will continue doing research after undergraduate, at the University of Minnesota in microbial engineering.
Ian Alexander Taylor
University of Oklahoma
As a trained geologist I'm trying to find ways to synthesize ecologic and biologic information from communities that have been dead for millions of years. By using climate proxies, biodiversity data, and geomorphologic analysis, I am trying to determine long term(deep time) evolutionary trends, and what those trends say about biotic responses to climatic and geologic shifts through time.
William Berumen
University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
Hometown: Tuttle, OK
I retired from the US Army in 2014 and I am pursuing a second career in ecology and education. While primarily focused on plant-related research, including environmentally sustainable extraction methods, I have also participated in surveys of bats, antelope, turkey, and reptiles. I am an avid outdoorsmen who has spent a lifetime learning and teaching outdoor skills.
Katie Murphy
University of Oklahoma
Hometown: Tuttle, OK
I’m a Masters student at OU, currently working on my thesis on petrified conifer wood from the Short Canyon member of the Cedar Mountain formation. I have a background in both biology and geology, and love the opportunities for evolutionary interpretations that the intersection of the two provides.
Gina Errico
Oklahoma State University
I am completing my master’s in tropical forest ecology where I study the effects of fungal pathogen spillover from coffee plantations onto nearby tree seedlings. I am interested in how human agency is affecting the future of our forests, and I work towards answering those questions through my research and sharing that knowledge with the public. I currently am a PlantingScience mentor and am creating a blog to highlight the intersection between the social and ecological issues of coffee farming and forest conservation in Costa Rica.
Antigone Burke
Oklahoma State University
Title of Talk: Estimating live fuel moisture content in Oklahoma plants.
Lauren Rosenfelt, MSc Student
University of Oklahoma
Lauren Rosenfelt is a plant biology graduate student co-advised by Dr. Lara Souza and Dr. James Hung and freelance science illustrator. She graduated from the University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma in 2014 with a BFA and minor in Liberal Arts. Her research focus is on ecosystem multifunctionality which encompasses pollinator abundance and diversity, plant ecology, and soil physical and chemical properties.
Dani Kirsch
Oklahoma State University
Hometown: Edwardsville, IL
My research broadly encompasses how freshwater snails respond to chemical cues that indicate predation risk, and whether those responses vary depending on factors such as age, reproductive activity, and the timing of predation risk. My current research focus is on how acute, early life exposure to predator cues at different points in development impacts reproductive output and hatching success as snails age. Outside of my own research, I am passionate about making the use of code-based programs (such as R) accessible to everyone, and I teach a lot of R workshops throughout the year that are designed for novice learners.
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Desi Wilson
Oklahoma State University
My research is focused on understanding how invasive species are adapting and dispersing into novel areas. My current research is on the Mediterranean House Gecko and how they are morphologically, physiological, and genetically changing in these novel areas in the United States
Jamaal Jacobs
Oklahoma State University
I am originally from South Carolina where I attended the University of South Carolina- Columbia. I studied Biological Sciences and did research on marine invertebrates before coming here to pursue my master’s. I am currently working on research using C. elegans here at Oklahoma State University.
Aika Parish
Oklahoma State University
A little bit about me and my research: I am a senior biology student aspiring to become a research pharmacist. In my free time, I love to crochet, spend time with my pets, and watch documentaries. My research involves studying the relationship between the neuroendocrine system and social behavior in male prairie voles.
Antoinette Falkenstein
University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma
The research I conducted was on the food preference with two captive North American river otters at the Medicine Park Aquarium and Natural Resource Center in Medicine Park, Oklahoma. I worked there as a biologist and spent a few months collecting the data for my research during that time. Dr. Jason Shaw and other amazing USAO faculty have been helping me process and write up my finding
and many more!
For more information on these planned talks read the presentation abstracts
Event Descriptions
Workshops
R-Workshop (Sponsored by R-ladies of OSU) Workshop- 1 hour
This workshop will cover some of the basics and biological applications of R software with the help of graduate students who learn and live by this software. R is free and easy to get used to, and with there help you can be an R master yourself!
Mentor/Mentee Workshop- 1 hour
This program is designed to encourage a more one-on-one conversation style in a setting with less pressure than a networking event. This is a conference of students, so a mentor-mentee conversation could be as simple as how graduate school works or as complex as answering the meaning of life (It's 42, by the way). We're all students, so our Mentorship Program allows you to be both a mentor and a mentee. We encourage you to consider being a mentor to someone who may not have attended a conference before and may be looking for a conference buddy.
Wogan Lab Genetics Workshop- 1 hour
OSU's own Dr. Guin Wogan runs an ecology and evolutionary based laboratory and she is kind enough to have her own graduate students give a workshop on the elements of genetic research and the valuable things one could have with the smallest samples. Genetics may be intimidating to many of us, but thankfully the Wogan lab group will be able to help us count some A, T, G, and Cs!
Sign up here: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdwY-dTAOf1f6JMgOrEY8PyzLgX9Kks5ihxJqUiC3boaej3Fg/viewform?usp=sf_link
Social Hours
During the conference, we will be having coffee breaks during which we will be meeting with presenters, faculty, and attendees on the work everyone has been doing this year. Other fun activities during the hours may be included.
Networking Event
Network with students from across the Central US at our networking event! Brain Group Dates with topic prompts will prevent the dreaded Zoom-silence and breakout rooms will be available for impromptu conversations. Participants will be encouraged to leave and join rooms freely so you can connect with as many or as few people as you wish. Breakout room topics will be posted before the conference!