Over 4,000 people attended the 2013 SACNAS National Conference in San Antonio, Texas. The conference featured exhibitors, student presentations, and student poster sessions.
Conference Sessions
The COSEE Network worked to coordinate an education panel focused on career opportunities. Approximately 65 - 70 people were in attendance.
Ocean Science: An Interdisciplinary Science Addressing Global to Community Issues
Location: Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center, Room 209
Date: Friday, October 4, 8:30 - 10:00 am
A panel of ocean scientists will present perspectives on higher education and careers in ocean sciences, particularly as they pertain to exploring, monitoring, and maintaining a healthy ocean. Attendees will gain insights on forging a career path in the ocean sciences. The workshop will include presentations and a question-and-answer session.
Session Chairs
Cory Garza, Assistant Professor, California State University, Monterey Bay
Gail Scowcroft, COSEE Executive Director, University of Rhode Island
Liesl Hotaling, COSEE
Session Speakers
Corey Garza, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, California State University, Monterey Bay
Ernesto Munoz, Associate Scientist, National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)
Claudia Benitez-Nelson, Director, Marine Science Program, University of South Carolina
Conversations with Scientists Session
Location: Henry B. Gonzales Convention Center
Date: Thursday, October 3, 6:30 - 8:00 pm
The COSEE NCO and Dr. Corey Garza collaborated with SACNAS to arrange for several tables within the Conversations with Scientists program to represent the Ocean Scientists. COSEE Network staff and volunteer ocean scientists attended the event to meet with undergraduate and graduate students to recruit them to consider pursuing studies in the ocean sciences. Approximately 75 - 80 students were in attendance
Exhibition Hall Booth
Location: Washington State Convention Center
Dates: Friday, October 4, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. & Saturday, October 5, 8:00 am - 12:00 pm
The booth was staffed by Liesl Hotaling and Romy Pizziconi, National COSEE Office Staff. Staff greeted conference attendees, mostly undergraduate and graduate students and engaged them in conversation to better understand subjects represented by the professors, teachers and students and where they are located. Based on the information gathered, booth staff attempted to connect attendees with COSEE Centers located near their homes and give them information on scholarship, internship, and research experiences offered by COSEE Centers, the NSF REU program and their partners.
For the second year, COSEE partnered with Dr. Corey Garza and SACNAS to create an Ocean Sciences Row on the Exhibit Hall floor. Together, we successfully recruited several organizations, including Center for Microbial Oceanography (CMORE), University of Hawaii; Center for Coastal Margin Observation Prediction (CMOP), and Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations (C-DEBI); Texas A&M University – Geosciences; Oceans of Opportunities - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution.
The following print materials were available for attendees in the COSEE Booth:
REU Ocean Sciences themed program materials
Opportunities and funding/scholarships/fellowships available through the COSEE Centers and related higher education institutions for undergraduate and graduate students
Hurricanes: Science and Society print materials
Sound in the Sea print materials
Ocean Literacy brochure
Ocean Gazing CD
COSEE Center one page profiles
COSEE branded give-aways included:
Pens
An attempt was made to track the number of people who stopped by the booth and the number of people engaged in conversations about the COSEE Network. Over 100 people stopped by the booth and the team engaged with professors, teachers and students in one-on-one conversations. Students were extremely interested in internships and research experience opportunities. In addition, the conversations provided opportunities for explaining how various subject areas could be applied to ocean science research.
