2015 March 13 GPSA / ES Research Days!

Usually, on Research Day I'm volunteering. Last year was a lot of fun, volunteering to help organize the College of Science Research day for the second time. This year, I presented my own work.

Presenting my first research related poster: the proposal poster!

There are actually several research days at FAU's Boca campus. I presented in the Graduate and Professional Student Association Research Day, followed by the Environmental Science Retreat that evening. The very next week, I presented again at the College of Science Research Day.

First off, I was a complete wreck when my first judge came around. I was so nervous, so I felt like I knew what I wanted to talk about. I always get nervous and fumble when I have a script, so for some ill-advised reason I decided to wing it. HA! I started over FOUR TIMES. I don't know how well I scored with him (they say we should get our feedback at some point) but if I had spoken as well with him as I did at the end of the day, I would at least be much less embarrassed. By the end of the day I was parched (though hydrating) and had a much better idea about my project! Several people had good questions and valuable commentary. I made some useful research connections. All in all, a very useful experience.

Shane presented this year at both GPSA and COS's research days. Though he didn't win this year I like to think it was a valuable experience for him too... (You know, to not win at something so easily! Last year was his first year presenting and he won!)

Shane presenting his research to a graduate student peer judge.

We were treated to a buffet lunch and our keynote speaker Dr. Dan Flynn, Vice President  of Research at FAU. He spoke on the changing US and world economy and the future of graduate research in that economy. Specifically, there should be more need for us in the immediate future. Hooray!

Neither Shane nor I won our departments, though people tell us there's a "second place" that's poorly advertised until the end of the semester. I suppose we can hold out for that, but I'd rather plan forwards than backwards. I only recognized two of the winners: Congrats Phyllis (a rockin' marine biologist studying tunicates, and answering a wealth of questions for me when my family found a HUGE one on the beach!) Congrats Corey (the ornithologist that made me realize my "liking owls" didn't make me an ornithologist. He really knows his birds!)

Congratulations to the 2015 GPSA Research Day First Place winners!

Afterwards, I had just enough time to wish I had time to take a nap before I presented AGAIN at the FAU Environmental Science retreat. I got to regive my presentation to one of the professors (previously a browser and now my judge). I felt so much better about my presentations. I did get one judge that I felt tore me apart. He seemed willfully confused by my answers to his questions. I am completely fine with being critiqued (in fact, I invite it) but in this case when he left I felt like I had just tried to teach a basic English to an English Major pretending he couldn't read. It was very frustrating. I heard from others that he was about the same to them. I had one judge that I didn't realize was a judge. He listened to me talk with another person, and then halfway through, he left. He came back later to tack his "judged" Post-It note on my board. I was a little hurt by that too. That sort of thing gives me zero feedback, and he didn't bother to hear my whole proposal or ask any questions, nothing. I'd had this professor for a class, and wonder if perhaps he's prejudged my work based on that. I passed the class with an A, but it felt hard-won, but not for ability, for "not irritating him". Le sigh. I did not have that glowing "I learned so much" feeling after this event, though these are the people in my department, and only my department.

Dr. Kingsford presenting on his wetland research in Australia

The keynote speaker at this year's Retreat was Dr. Kingsford, an Australian wetlands ecologist currently at FAU on sabbatical. His work was very technical at first, but still witty and amusing. It was easy to get caught up in the work, even if his wit came off a little dry while delivering it at such lightning speed. I had the opportunity to speak with him about my proposal poster and he seemed a very well spoken and intelligent man, patient and insightful. It was a delight to meet him and hear him speak. I think I startled him when the camera went off, but I wasn't the first to take his picture, just the first to have the camera make a noise and then flash like a traitor! (Hey, at least I don't do the 20-foot-selfie.)

I went home very tired, but feeling like my next shot at presenting, at College of Science Research Day seven days later, would be much better. (To be continued...)

As it happens; a photo of me presenting my research accompanied the GPSA's Research Day event write-up in the University's Division of Research newsletter: "Owl Research and Innovation".

Look Ma, I'm famous!