CUSE Spotlights

Hanna Szydlowski receives award for best poster presentation at an international conference

Hanna Szydlowski, B.S. in Geochemistry, '22 (an S3 scholar)
Award for best poster presentation at an international conference
Annual Meeting of the Geological Society of America, October 26-30, 2021
Title of Poster: Preliminary stable isotope and piezometer data suggest a rapid response of spring discharge to seasonal recharge in a shallow sandy aquifer, Ottawa County, Michigan
Additional authors Professors: Ian Winkelstern, Patrick Colgan.

 Can you share details of your research? How long you’ve been working on it? What interests you about it?

This project really started a year ago in November 2019 when Professor Colgan proposed the idea and showed me what the research would entail—that is how sample taking would work, where the sample sites are, how often it would need to be done, and in general what my responsibilities would be. Due to COVID, the main part of collecting samples did not start for me until late June when field research was beginning to be allowed. However, the time spent not in the field was not wasted, as much of it was spent on reviewing peer-reviewed papers that used the same methods as our research or had similar processes of analysis. This review time I found to be extremely useful as it gave me a chance to explore what others had already done to get a better feel for potential conclusions that could be made and see how their research applied to the area they were studying. While I found this portion useful, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed being out in the field (Hemlock Crossing Park, Ottawa County). I always welcome questions from parkgoers as they walk by and it gives me a chance to practice explaining my project in a way that others can understand while still maintaining some of the more technical concepts.

When you ask about what interests me about this project, a lot of it has come from what I’ve learned during the research process. I’ve taken an interest in some of the more chemistry based aspects of geology, and given that I am a geochemistry major, I’m getting to see how the two fields fit together.

Tell us a little bit about the conference itself—who participates (how many people, from where, etc.). How was attending the conference virtually rather than in person?

There were over 6,000 people who attended the conference with ~3,300 being students! This was a surprise to me. I was glad to see that so many students participated and I wish I could have had the opportunity to meet some of them in person. There were also 66 countries represented (though I do not know the exact breakdown).

Attending the conference virtually was definitely a different experience than how it would have been in person. This was my first time attending the GSA meeting—in person or virtually—so I wasn’t sure what to expect to begin with. It was more of a ‘go at your own pace’ type of conference where there we live sessions/presentations that could be watched but many of them were pre-recorded and could be watched at any time. This is how I spent most of my time at the conference. I watched several pre-recorded presentations on various topics, took online quizzes, and explored some of the career booths, but I definitely feel that the experience in person would have given me the opportunity to be more interactive. However, I am glad that there was an online conference to attend instead of canceling the entire event. It gave me a chance to get a glimpse of what normally happens, and, or course, it gave me a chance to present my research.

 

What can you share about the poster presentation itself? What were the challenges presenting it remotely? What was Positive in sharing it remotely? And of course, tell us about the award!

The presentation was split between a 5-minute prerecorded video and a 5-minute Q&A session. In my session, Undergraduate Hydrogeology Poster Showcase, I was the second presenter, but between the presenter before me and my presentation, there was a tech mishap and nearly an hour delay before the session started again. During the time waiting for my session to start, the nerves that I didn’t realize I had previously started to become more prominent and I had to wait in an anxious state before I got the ‘ok’ that my video was now playing. My nerves didn’t come from the video, but rather the anticipation for the questions that I didn’t know would be asked. I was stuck in a loop telling myself, “What if I can’t answer the questions? I can’t see those watching my presentation, so are they actually enjoying it? How many people are watching?”, but ultimately when the live Q&A portion started and questions were asked, all of those nerves disappeared. While I couldn’t answer all the questions, I still felt confident in my answers, and in the comment section (questions/comments weren’t voiced aloud, but rather typed in a chat section) those watching gave comments and congratulations on a good presentation which boosted my spirits as the next presentation started.

One of the big challenges had to be the tech issues. It would have been different if the issue had not occurred before my presentation, but since it did, that put a strain on my preparedness. Personally, I like to be able to see those that I am presenting to, and not knowing who was watching or even how many were watching was difficult. I did enjoy being able to prerecord my presentation, that made it so I could avoid having technical troubles on my end, plus it allowed me to watch other’s presentations throughout the day as I went about my normal daily tasks. That is the positive of online conferences like this where the main parts of the conference are presentations. You can watch them from the comfort of your home while still working on other tasks.

Regarding the award, I was shocked! I didn’t realize that there were awards that could be won, so when I received the email that I won the top prize for the best poster, I was speechless. I’m extremely honored to have received it; there were so many good presentations and projects that I saw, and to be recognized out of all of them by the judges truly made my day.

What are your career goals? How did being an S3 scholar benefit your research?

Currently, there are a few paths that I am looking into career-wise. I would like to pursue my Master’s degree after undergrad, but I am still trying to determine what specific field of geologic study I want to go into. Ultimately, I would like to end up in a role in environmental law and policy as a consultant, however, I have been interested in becoming a college professor since the beginning of high school, so that may be something I pursue down the line.

Being in the S3 program gave me the opportunity to get into research and see what it entails. I wasn’t sure if research was something that I wanted to do as a career but I could see myself doing something like this in the future. During the whole process, the OURS office was always there to answer any questions or provide support, so it always felt like I had someone to go to for every aspect of the research process. The S3 program really got me started on the research, and without the program, I don’t think I would’ve been able to be as successful as I have been.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

I’d just like to add a quick note to those who are looking into getting involved with research. When I first started, I didn’t think I would be capable of getting this far, but I ended up surprising myself. The same can go for anyone who is apprehensive about getting involved in research. I would say not to hold yourself back. Get involved with those who can help you along; talk to professors, visit the OURS office, and explore the possibilities available to you. If research is what you want to do, then pursue it. :)

Interest Area(s)
Geology-Chemistry, Chemistry, Geology

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