UNI BETA Project
  • Home
  • Research Overview
    • Present-day Earth
    • Devonian Period
    • Early Earth
  • Meet the Team!
  • Progress Updates
  • Past Presentations
  • Topics Clarified
    • History of Life on Earth
    • Life's Beginning on Earth
    • Ancient Earth/Climates
    • Mass Extinctions
    • Great Oxygenation Event
    • Stable Isotopes in Planetary Science
    • Carbon and Water Cycles
    • Pollution
    • Carbon Dioxide in Today's Atmosphere
    • Biodiversity on Earth
  • Gallery
  • Contact

IAS Meeting

4/29/2016

1 Comment

 
On Friday April 22nd, 2016 all students of BETA and Dr. Sebree headed to Grandview University in Des Moines, IA to attend the 128th annual Iowa Academy of Sciences Meeting. Half of the students went up for the morning talks and the other half came after their morning classes to attend afternoon sessions all before the poster session.
The day started off lighthearted when at a coffee stop in Cedar Falls, Jose disappeared for 20 minutes before reappearing with his WiiU.
I ran home to grab my gaming system so we could have something to do at night while the rest of the team was having breakfast. -Jose
After that the morning group started the drive to Des Moines filled with coffee and bagels, ready to attend the meeting. The team arrived in time to see the posters left up from the high school and middle school students who had just finished their poster session.
There were posters from middle schoolers doing some pretty cute experiments. There was one looking into the myth of the dumb blonde with the conclusion that blondes are actually smarter. -Jessica
After looking through the posters it was time for the buffet style lunch which was enjoyed by everyone. They also presented awards to the high school and middle school students. It was very sweet to see the look of pride on the kids' faces- hopefully some of them will continue on to be scientists in the future!
At this point the rest of the group met up just in time for the afternoon talks.
I learned so much! At GSA, most some of the talks went over my head… I had trouble really understanding the point of many lectures. Not because they had no point, but simply because I’m an undergraduate student with a degree in environmental science, not geology. At IAS, many of the talks were geared towards the layman. I came away feeling very positively about what I had learned. -Bobbi
At last it was time for the poster session. BETA decided to bring multiple posters (for more details check out the "Past Presentations" page) and split the team up along with fellow UNI students working on some side projects to make sure all the posters were covered. All the students took a lot out of the experience and left feeling positive about the whole thing.
Picture
Clare (left) and Carissa (right)
My favorite part was the poster session, I think it was really cool how well-represented UNI was at IAS this weekend. The BETA team and the other space grant students had plenty of posters to share with the community and it was cool that we had so much research to report on. A lot of people were very interested in our project so that was encouraging too! I believe that the conference added to my confidence in presenting research! -Carissa
Picture
From left to right: Steven, Brittnie, Katie, and Bobbi
My favorite part of the day was presenting and seeing other people’s research topics. This conference incorporates all fields of science and brings people together under the huge umbrella of science. It was great to talk to fellow colleagues and see the different areas of research that people are interested in. I went into this conference with an open mind to see and learn from people from all areas of science. -Steven
Our presentation went very well, and we had a lot of people who recognized that scientists in the past were trying to discover what we’re discovering, now, fifty years ago! [My favorite part was] presenting and giving our website address to various people who we had talked to, so that they could keep with us on our research. It was last my conference for my undergraduate career, and I really wanted to present one last time with the group!
​-Brittnie
The poster session went really well. A lot of people were interested in hearing about our research and we did a good job of explaining our goals and progress thus far. I wanted to get more practice in presenting research to large groups of people from different scientific backgrounds. It gave me more confidence with presenting and explaining our research to other people. Though we have done this a good number of times at this point, it’s always good to get more practice. -Katie

So many posters! There was really a good collection of all kinds of science research presented at the conference. Biology, physics, chemistry, geology! I think that this is why many of the lectures and posters were easy for me to understand. At the chemistry conference, they had no reason to suspect non-chemists would attend. Here, people had to tailor their presentations under the assumption that perhaps a biologist would be at their talk about geomorphological features in Southwest Iowa... I was much better at speaking this time! -Bobbi
Picture
Jessica (left) and Jose (right)
The poster session was very successful. We had 4 posters and each was visited and from what I heard people were curious about the project and were excited to see more as it came along. This research is really Iowa focused. It was important to bring to a major Iowa science conference to really get the word out about BETA to other Iowans. Plus we thought it would be a receptive crowd and it was. The poster session continued to help my ability to communicate, but in regards to my major, there was a teaching session with talks about science teaching in Iowa which was awesome to attend. -Jessica

We went to present our research to the scientific community in Iowa. At the beginning of the poster presentation I was a little nervous, but as the time went on I was able to inform the audience about the actinometry study. Jessica and I eventually divided the poster into two parts, I presented the background and procedure and explained lamp performance.      ​-Jose
Picture
Tate
After the successful poster session, the group headed upstairs for the banquet dinner where the food got mixed receptions.
The dinner that they fed us was so fancy that us college students didn’t really know what we were eating! But it was fun to try knew things and to accidentally eat dessert first because I didn’t realize that it was dessert! Oops! -Carissa
Then there was dinner, in which everyone was turned off by whatever that cornbread-mushroom-goat cheese appetizer was. -Bobbi
During the banquet dinner on Friday, we had an appetizer that looked like a dish you would see on the show Chopped and no one else at the table liked it except me. -Jessica
With stomachs full of fancy food, the group headed down to the keynote speaker and saw 3-D glasses sitting on every chair so of course Dr. Sebree had to take a picture of the group "acting cool."
Picture
The keynote speaker was Dr. Oliver White presenting information on the Pluto fly-by including current hypotheses and information about the characteristics shown on both Pluto and Charon (one of Pluto's 5 moons). The talk was exceptional and the group had a lot to say about it.
The Pluto talk! It’s so fascinating how geologic processes take place on other worlds. It’s crazy, the things we could never predict. How Pluto’s crust is made of frozen nitrogen ice. And how Pluto’s mountains are made of frozen water, floating on oceans of frozen nitrogen. And how the nitrogen ice acts as a very viscous fluid, and can flow from valleys, into a great ocean… of ice. Also, the cryovolcano they found! It’s so curious. Here, earth’s crust is made of rock, and volcanoes erupt liquid rock. For Pluto, who has a crust made of ice, the volcanoes erupt a slurry of ice! It’s so weird, but absolutely wonderful and curious. -Bobbi
THE KEYNOTE! Dr. Oliver White presented some of the data that has been analyzed by NASA from Pluto. My mind was blown and I had to pick my jaw off the floor after the presentation. We also had 3D glasses to get a different perspective of the images published of the landscape. Seeing the depths of the features was unreal. -Jessica
The Pluto talk was great. It was really interesting how our ideas of what Pluto would be like were completely overturned by a single fly-by. Pluto has so many interesting geological features (ice mountains!) and I’m excited to see what new information comes outs about it in the future. The 3D images of Pluto basically made my night. I loved getting to wear old paper 3D glasses. It brought back some great memories of watching certain movies when I was little. -Katie
After a long day, the group headed to the hotel which had some fun quirks.
Afterwards we went to one of the sketchiest hotels I have ever stayed in. You tried, Baymont. You tried. -Katie
The next day there were a few talks in the morning and a delicious lunch, but it was time for the group to head back to Cedar Falls. It would have been a quiet end to a nice trip except for one small incident...
On the way back, Bobbi almost killed me! Let me explain. She was using buttons that controlled the automatic doors to our van so I could get my bag from the back. Well, she opened the doors just fine, but then as I’m about to get my bag, I don’t know what happened but all of sudden, I noticed the back door was going to hit me. I was like, “the doors are closing!” Then, Bobbi hit the button to make the door open. I’m just glad I wasn’t crushed by the door. I never thought the automatic doors of a van could be so dangerous!   -Steven
The van I drove had automatic-open doors, and I got trigger happy. I almost crushed Steven with the trunk door because I was too excited about shutting it.  Sorry, Steven :(
​-Bobbi
Needless to say it was a great trip and an excellent time for everybody and next year it will be hosted at UNI so you can bet BETA will be making another appearance at IAS then!
Picture
The whole group at the final conference of the first year of the BETA Project
You can expect to hear from BETA and more results from the research soon!
1 Comment

North Central GSA Meeting

4/29/2016

0 Comments

 
Disclaimer: The structure of this post is going to be slightly different than normal. I, Jessica, will not be writing as an omniscient narrator because such a unique experience warrants a different stylistic approach.
To start off, we went to the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in Champaign, IL from 4/17/16 to 4/19/16. The North Central GSA meeting is a regional meeting of geologists of all specialties (researchers, educators, students etc.) and this year was the 50th annual meeting. The group we took included 5 students from the BETA project (Bobbi, Brittnie, Carissa, Katie, and myself), 3 students from the Department of Earth and Environmental Science (Emily, Taylor, and Terra), and Dr. Sedlacek. While the group was a larger group, we all happened to be women as well. This group of entirely lady scientists made for a very unique experience.
I think everyone knew it was going to be a good trip when we had a live concert in the van on the ride there. Bobbi and Terra performed a ukulele version of "Buenos Tardes, Mi Amigo" that was very well received. Later in the ~5 hour drive, all of us started sharing stories.
We were able to have cool conversations about our struggles as women in STEM and society. It was a bonding experience that I am thankful for. -Carissa
Sharing stories of harassment and discrimination on the basis of gender was a very cathartic experience. It was nice being able to talk about that in a van full of people who could relate in some way shape or form from their own experiences. It was a moment in the trip that wasn't expected, but meant a lot to participate in. 
We got to the hotel later than anticipated and so we decided to go directly to registration and the reception. Since the hotel and conference were in walking distance we decided to take advantage of the nice weather. About 100 ft from the hotel we were catcalled by some men honking at us in their truck. Bobbi made a comment about scaring them away by talking about climate change and that lightened the mood considerably. After a precarious journey to the conference location (we followed Google maps, but we found a different route back that was much simpler). The reception was met with surprise from a few of us.
I enjoyed the wide range of style from suits and ties to hawaiian shirts. -Carissa
Saw a lot of flannel. -Brittnie
This was not so much a research convention, but more like a gathering of friends. The community of geologists seems very tight-knit and personal, as well as laid back. -Bobbi
The reception was great and there were plenty of booths in which we grabbed some free items along with vendors- I purchased a necklace made of stones from the Banded Iron Formation!
I hit up the table with stickers of the geologic time-scale three times. I don’t even know where to stick them all. I’m too afraid to use them because I like them so much. So I’ll just continue admiring them and imagine myself sticking them on things. -Bobbi
After the reception, it was around 9pm and there was a unanimous consensus that the appetizers at the reception were not enough to qualify as dinner so we went to Steak 'n Shake for a late dinner and left with some fun stories.
There was a gum-ball machine at steak 'n shake that cost 75 [cents] for these massive gumballs. I put in my 75 [cents], got THREE GUMBALLS, AND A QUARTER BACK. It’s not necessarily a funny story… but I just want people to know that I got THREE GUMBALLS for the price of ⅔ of one gumball...so…. That’s pretty fantastic. -Bobbi

After the eventful first day we had, it was time for the meeting to really kick into gear and on Monday BETA presented our poster in the afternoon session. During the morning we all went to talks that interested us.
I saw a really interesting talk about the unusual fossil preservation of a species of cnidaria - it preserved well in large-grained siliciclastic rocks rather than carbonates, due to its environment and the amount of energy in the environment at the time it fossilized. It was really cool because it wasn’t what you would generally expect when it comes to the process of fossilization. -Katie
After the morning sessions, there was a mentor luncheon. This was beneficial for all of us, but specifically for the Earth and Environmental Science majors in the group.
It taught me a lot about finding jobs in my field, and how to go about meeting people in the earth sciences. It really opened my eyes to what the geologic community is like. -Bobbi
As an earth science major, going to GSA was really beneficial for me. I learned about all the different paths that people who study geology are taking, including environmental consulting, research, and industry. Along this line, I was able to make connections with professionals who provided valuable insight into getting a job in this field. -Katie
Picture
Bobbi and Carissa goofing around before the poster session
After the lunch were a few talks, but then it was time for the poster session. Each of us found the experience rewarding, but often in different ways from how it was received to networking and everything in between.
Picture
I really enjoyed the poster presentation. I had never been to a research conference before, so I was a little nervous to be at our poster and answer questions. But nervousness aside, I really enjoyed this part. I had a lot of fun explaining to people the research that we do once I got the hang of it. -Carissa
Wish we had more data from our research, since a lot of people were hoping to know more about our findings. -Brittnie
I need to practice my public speaking! I froze up a few times and had difficulty explaining some parts of the research to those examining the poster. Even though I stumbled to explain the project, many of the listeners were very kind and forgiving. -Bobbi
We received a large amount of positive feedback about the project. A lot of people wanted to see results, but since it's so early in the process we were not able to give them any information. -Jessica​
I wanted to highlight the work that we are doing in Iowa, and also to talk to others who have worked more in the area to get some ideas from them. For example, we spoke with Jed Day and Brian Witzke, who have spent many years studying the Devonian rocks in Iowa, and that was both encouraging and illuminating. -Dr. Sedlacek
Our poster was very well received, and a lot of people are interested in seeing where our research goes in the future. -Katie
Picture
After a successful poster session, we went to the evening reception and dinner to celebrate before getting some sleep for day 3.
I wish I could have taken the group out to eat at a nicer restaurant at some point. We definitely had a lot to celebrate. -Dr. Sedlacek

Almost everyone attended one specific morning session titled 'Women and Geology: Who Are We, Where Have We Come From and Where are We Going?' which was fascinating and empowering and a session that I wish would have lasted longer.
My favorite lecture was about the first women researchers in Antarctica, and the struggles they had to go through. Even getting to Antarctica was rough, and once they were there, they had to stay 200 miles away from McMurdock base so they wouldn’t “distract the men.” They completed their data collection, despite their natural disadvantages (eye roll), and really opened polar research up for women. -Bobbi
One of the coolest talks in that session was about Ohio State University’s relationship with female researchers going to Antarctica. The process to get the navy to allow females to go there was so tedious it was ridiculous, but hearing about how these female researchers refused to accept the blatant sexism oppressing them was really inspiring. If those women had not succeeded, according to the navy, all women would have been banned from ever going to Antarctica again. -Jessica
It was nice to have a session that highlighted some of the triumphs and challenges that women in the geosciences have faced. One of my graduate student buddies and mentor, Katie Lewendowski, gave a great talk about the role that Ohio State University has played in involving women in Antarctic research. I think a few of our students left that session with aspirations to go down to ‘the ice’ themselves one day. I really hope that they do! -Dr. Sedlacek
Along with the talk from Katie Lewendowski, Beth Johnson provided some preliminary results about the perception of female geoscientists in society. During her talk she mentioned 3 great websites that are all geared towards either promoting women scientists or changing current perceptions of female scientists. I have included the links below.
Trowelblazers
SoapboxScience
Bearded Lady Project
Picture
The group outside of the Cracker Barrel watching the game of checkers
After that insightful session the group hit the road. We stopped at Cracker Barrel for lunch where Terra, Bobbi, and myself were served some suspicious tasting green beans and where Emily and Taylor played a lightning round of checkers at the giant checkerboard outside of the Cracker Barrel. After many hours in the car on the ride back we ended the trip by listening to an hour of Girl Talk which was thoroughly entertaining to say the least.
This was such a unique experience and myself along with the other women in the group benefited greatly from the meeting and the trip associated with it. In the future, I hope BETA can continue to provide these opportunities for women scientists working on the project. No matter what demographic the group setting is, the North Central GSA meeting is a great place to network, learn (so much), and get practice in presenting research to a great group of scientists.
0 Comments

LSAMP IINSPIRE Conference

4/27/2016

0 Comments

 
On, February 5th Brittnie and Jose traveled to Des Moines, IA to present two posters. Brittnie presented the BETA poster and Jose presented a poster over his other research project at the 2015-16 LSAMP IINSPIRE Annual Conference: Embracing the Whole Student Towards Success in STEM​. This conference is held each year featuring a variety of sessions including the poster session at which the poster was presented. Brittnie also had the opportunity to speak on student panels.
My favorite part was how people asked me a lot of questions about research and managing time, when I was talking on the student panel. A lot of students asked for my email and phone number, so that they could keep in touch with me and ask more questions. I felt famous! -Brittnie
The conference also included motivational talks, workshops, and networking opportunities. However, Jose thoroughly enjoyed the poster session.
The coolest thing was seeing people being interested on what I have been researching.
​-Jose

This conference is specifically geared towards underrepresented minorities in STEM fields and provided a real unique experience for the students.
I went to this specific conference because it’s geared for minority students who are in STEM and provide a lot of networking opportunities to connect with other STEM minority students, faculty and staff. Also, the conference highlights how there’s not a lot of support for minority students in the STEM fields, the adversity that minority and first generation STEM students face, and how we can better support STEM students, faculty and staff of color. ​ -Brittnie
The conference itself was an amazing experience and Brittnie really put it best:
I wouldn’t do anything differently. I really enjoyed my time at the conference. -Brittnie
0 Comments

UNI Day at the Capitol!

4/21/2016

0 Comments

 
Way back in February, BETA traveled to Des Moines, IA to participate in UNI Day at the Capitol. Of the team, Dr. Sebree, Dr. Sedlacek, Bobbi, and Jessica attended to represent the BETA Project.
The day started off in an interesting manner. First, Bobbi had carried the large Lepidodendron fossil through the parking lot, through the majority of the building, but once she got to the last 100 feet or so of the journey to the table, a few men grabbed it from her to carry. It was very interesting to see them then struggle under the weight whereas Bobbi had been carrying it just fine. Then, the Chemistry department tablecloth was acquired by another group and, to the dismay of the team, the BETA table was one of very few without a tablecloth. The team quickly remedied the situation with the help of another UNI organization and the team headed to lunch.  One of Jessica's favorite moments was seeing chocolate bars advertising BETA (and other research groups) at a table. The image chosen to represent BETA was of Bobbi doing field yoga in the Rockford Quarry. After collecting some chocolate bars to show to the rest of the team, Dr. Sebree, Bobbi, and Jessica took a stroll around the capitol and met the representative from the district UNI is in. After that, the team got to work.
Picture
Lepidodendron fossil
Dr. Sedlacek joined the group at that time (after finishing teaching in the morning) and the team stood near the table ready to share what BETA has to offer. Notably, the BETA Project was the only research group present at UNI Day. The team handed out cards with the website's address and talked to the interested onlookers. The team handed out brachiopods fossils to those interested in them, especially the children who were there, and it was great to see their faces light up as a result!
Picture
Bobbi explaining the project to an interested onlooker
The experience itself was a great outreach opportunity to let the Iowa legislators all of the cool things UNI is doing along with highlighting BETA's collaboration with NASA.
As Bobbi said, "It helped me water down my jargon in order to help people who don’t participate in research understand what we’re studying, and why." It was an important lesson for the team to learn because if BETA wants to focus on public outreach, the ability to explain the specific scientific concepts is crucial.
Picture



​BETA will be sure to make an appearance in the coming years!

0 Comments

    Overview

    On this page we'll post updates of the BETA Project's progress- stay tuned!

    Archives

    April 2018
    March 2018
    February 2018
    December 2017
    November 2017
    October 2017
    September 2017
    May 2017
    April 2017
    March 2017
    February 2017
    January 2017
    December 2016
    November 2016
    October 2016
    September 2016
    May 2016
    April 2016
    March 2016
    February 2016
    December 2015
    November 2015
    October 2015
    September 2015
    July 2015

    Categories

    All

    RSS Feed

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.