Megan Kelsall (2019)

“The Wetland Foundation Travel Grant provided me the opportunity to attend the 2019 Society of Wetland Scientists (SWS) in Baltimore Maryland, and deliver not only a poster presentation on carbon source and stability across a salinity gradient but also an oral presentation on carbon in created marshes. As a student about to graduate with her Master’s at Louisiana State University, it was a great opportunity to not only share my research and hear great feedback on my research before my thesis defense, but also talk with other professionals in wetland science about what they do, and network to find my next career. In fact, on the first day I asked a couple of people if I could join them for lunch, and I just happened to be at the right place at the right time because one of those people was hiring a new team, and I have accepted a job offer working on her team doing wetland delineations and permitting – demonstrating the importance of attending conferences that this stage in my career. This opportunity would not have occurred without funding from the Wetland Foundation. It also allowed me to attend many interesting talks, many focused in the mid-Atlantic region which is where I will be moving, making it very relevant conference for my future in wetlands. “