“With the generous support of The Wetland Foundation, I presented my research on the effects of salinity and metals on denitrification across coastal wetlands at the 2016 Society of Wetland Scientists’ Annual Meeting in Corpus Christi, Texas. This was my first presentation at a conference of this magnitude and I am grateful for the opportunity to do so. After my presentation, several researchers spoke with me about my project, one of whom I consider a prominent name in the field of biogeochemistry of wetlands. I received great recommendations on publications to enhance the interpretation of my results.
Attending the conference gave me the opportunity to share the results of my research and also recognize the work of fellow researchers and practitioners. The knowledge and know-how of people attending the SWS Annual Meeting was inspiring and increased my excitement for the upcoming field season. Additionally, I learned about the SWS Multicultural Mentoring Program (SWaMMP) and plan to become involved in this program in the future. Presenting at the SWS Annual Meeting was a great experience and I plan to stay involved with SWS in the future.”