The LTER graduate students met twice during the August 1999 ESA Annual Meeting in Spokane, Washington.
The general meeting was attended by 56 students, including 11 Japanese and Korean students and nine students from outside the LTER Network.
Diane Ebert-May spoke briefly about the upcoming LTER Education proposal-writing workshop, post-doc opportunities in teacher education through LTER, and about education in general at the Network level. Diane’s presentation helped all of us to start looking beyond our specific research question to the bigger picture of science and education, and to remind us of the social responsibilities that come with being a scientist. (Learn more about Diane Ebert-May and her work at the Lyman-Briggs School at Michigan State University at http://www.msu.edu/~lbs/animated.html)
Bob Waide spoke about the history of the LTER program and described the funding, governing, and coordinating of the Network, offering a good introduction to the far-reaching aspects of LTER (ILTER, and Schoolyard LTER) as well as a practical introduction to the governing of such a diverse research endeavor. The presentation was especially valuable for the many students who may not be aware that "LTER" is more than just their particular site.
The LTER Student Exchange trip to Japan was among the many interesting presentations.
Also, participants made many good suggestions regarding the format of LTER Graduate Student Meetings. In the future, look for posters on each of the sites, science talks from student representatives, and greater opportunities for interactions.
ESA ‘99 was also the site of the first meeting of the LTER Graduate Student Committee. Co-chairs Christy Tyler (VCR) and Greg Hoch (KNZ) led the meeting of representatives from each site. In addition to the changes to ESA get-togethers, making cross-site research more accessible for students, improving communication between students, and planning for the Y2K LTER All Scientist’s Meeting (August, Snowbird, Utah) were also discussed.
Getting Ready for Y2K
Registration for the ASM will be handled through the general ESA registration process. Each LTER site will have funding for travel, including students. Students must discuss their plans to attend the meeting with the PI at their LTER site. The funding does not include the ESA meeting. Christy Tyler is assembling a tentative number of students who plan to attend. She also needs volunteers to help organize the meeting. Laura Broughton (KBS) has volunteered for general organization and social events. If you are interested in helping, please contact her.
Please review the agenda. If you are interested in helping out with any of these, please volunteer! Check the Web site for more detailed information and updates. These session topics were compiled from LTER student suggestions. Further comments are encouraged. A final summary must be submitted by winter break. Please forward your comments and suggestions to Christy Tyler. In addition to posters, workshops and sessions, many other student-focused activities are planned. Lunch groups will form around discussions on various topics in ecology, led by a PI appropriate for each subject. Suggestions for topics and PIs are welcomed. Other ideas include hikes and field trips in the surrounding mountains, as well as booths for each site displaying general information.