Recognizing and Encouraging Students 10/25/2006

As a means of increasing students’ participation in the conference and recognizing their contributions to the field of mercury research, the Madison conference featured a student award program involving more than 200 student presentations that were judged by 130 scientists.

It was hoped that the program would encourage students as they work their way toward becoming professionals, according to Mark Sandheinrich, a biologist at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse who organized the awards program as a member of the conference Regional Planning Committee.

“I think this generation of scientists is looking to help develop and nurture the next generation,” Sandheinrich added.

Awards for outstanding presentations were presented to: Jill Van Walleghem, Freshwater Institute, Winnipeg, Canada; Carrie Miller, University of North Carolina at Wilmington; Melitza Crespo-Medina, Rutgers University; Maria Andersson, Göteborg University, Sweden; and K. Kritee, Rutgers University.