Despite a snow storm that affected much of Southeast Michigan, faculty and researchers from around the country gathered in Ann Arbor for the 6th annual Winter Research Meeting last weekend. The meeting provides an important opportunity for primary investigators, graduate students, staff, and course instructors to collaborate and plan before the rush of spring and summer terms.

UMBS Director Knute Nadelhoffer kicked the meeting off with a "State of the Station" address, framing 2018 priorities, opportunities, and challenges. Other highlights include a discussion on campus climate with LSA Associate Dean of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Professional Development, Fiona Lee, and an assessment report on UMBS programs from Stephanie Shaulskiy, Program Evaluation Coordinator. Last summer, Shaulskiy spearheaded a broad survey research project to measure student engagement, satisfaction, and experiences both with UMBS' traditional courses and its new Transforming Learning Program course extensions.

In addition to the formal presentations, attendees participated in ad hoc working groups around ongoing and emerging research projects at UMBS. Sessions ranged from the much-publicized burn project, current Maple River dam removal efforts, and planning for a potential Critical Zone Observatory (CZO) proposal through the American Geophysical Union.

For more information about current research at UMBS, visit the Research Gateway.
 

Graduate students show off their hand drawn posters at Friday's reception