Time to Shine!

Less than a month is remaining in this semester, and what a busy, challenging and invigorating semester it has been! Though many activities in this Creative Inquiry are exciting for me, one of my favorite aspects about analysis and organization of data is the moment we actually get to present our posters for various audiences. I had the pleasure of participating in one presentation of the coral resiliency poster with my lab mates in the fall, but since that time, I have presented both at the Ocher Lifelong Learning Center at Patrick Square and at Clemson Biological sciences Annual Student Symposium here on campus. It has been a pleasure analyzing this information and being able to explain it in very different settings-- we engaged with individuals from the community who were not necessarily as informed on these issues through the OLLI Center, and at CBASS we spoke with students and faculty that have made this their career's work. Both experiences provided me with enhancing insights and have allowed me to refine my scientific skills, as well as public speaking and research presenting skills.
At the OLLI Center, I interacted with a musician that writes educational songs for children, and we discussed scientific issues, as well as how to get this information across to elementary-age students. It was very interesting and provided me with a different perspective on how to display our research in a way catered to a young audience.
At CBASS, local high school students were invited to present posters on their experiments through their AP Environmental Science class, and it was enriching to interact with them and offer them advice on their work. I enjoyed looking at these young scientists' accomplishments, and it was encouraging to know that these individuals are passionate about many of the same things I am.
Today, I look forward to presenting this particular poster one last time at the Focus on Creative Inquiry panel in the Watt Center! This event is geared toward current and potential students at Clemson, as well as faculty and administration. Though it is bittersweet to have to retire the coral resiliency poster to the hallway following today's presentation, I look forward to analyzing new data acquired from the field and organize those findings into a new poster that will help convey just how important this research is to the ocean community.