Welcome to Gustavus Adolphus College’s Student Stories Series!
American Geophysical Union Conference Presenter
Major: Geology; Environmental Studies
What was your career experience?
I was given a chance to attend and present my research at the American Geophysical Union’s annual conference that was held in New Orleans.
How did you get the opportunity/experience? What steps did you take to achieve this?
I applied for a Second-Year Experience at Research (SEAR) Program grant for research over the summer. I worked with my lab partner and professor to submit an abstract to AGU. I also worked during the school year to prepare the necessary information and data for the poster presentation. We practiced the poster and had multiple meetings with our professor to make sure we put our best foot forward in the presentation.
Tell us more about your accomplishment.
This is a nationally recognized conference that thousands of people come to. My labmate and I were presenters for a poster. This is typically filled with graduate-level students, and fewer undergraduates are seen at a conference like this.
Who were some of the people who helped you most at Gustavus to get this opportunity? What did you learn from them?
Erik Gulbranson: This is our PI and was our support system and the person we could go to for help. I learned that everyone is nervous for these types of things, but that being confident in yourself is the key. We know the information and thats what matters the most. Julie Bartley was also really helpful, as she gave lots of good advice on how to present well and effectively.
How did the Engaged Learning Funds help you be able to complete this experience?
This experience was a week-long in New Orleans. Without the engaged learning funds, I wouldn’t have been able to afford the housing, flights, or food needed for the week. Everyone in the Center for Career Development is extremely helpful and ready to answer any questions that arise.
How have you applied things you’ve learned here at Gustavus to this opportunity? (i.e., Career & Self Development, Communication, Critical Thinking, Equity & Inclusion, Leadership, Professionalism, Teamwork, Technology)
Being at a conference this large and talking to so many professors and graduate students meant I had to speak with confidence and professionalism. Whether that was dressing appropriately or being able to communicate in an effective and professional way a lot of those soft skills came through. For example there was different colleges there that I’d go up to and talk with and it was important for me to have effective communication, as some of those professors could be my graduate professors in the future. While presenting I also had to make sure I thought critically about how and what I was saying to paint a picture, I’ve learned this in a variety of classes here at Gustavus.
