The 2020 Bays and Bayous Symposium Student Awards Committee has announced the recipients of the Mike deGruy Bays and Bayous Symposium Student Presentation Awards. Graduate and undergraduate students studying coastal and marine sciences competed for the awards in two categories: 12-minute oral presentation and 3-minute lightning talk.
The presentations were part of the Dec. 1-3 coastal symposium that was held virtually. The symposium theme was “Sound Science, Sound Policy: A 2020 Vision for the Future,” and tracks included disasters and disruptions, healthy coastal ecosystems, living marine resources, resilient communities and economies, and water quality and quantity.
A team of 28 judges evaluated 50 student presentations based on several criteria, including presentation style, audiovisuals, organization and timing, understanding of subject matter and validity of conclusions drawn from research results.
Oral Presentation Winners
The 12-minute oral presentations were pre-recorded, and students and attendees had access to Q&A capabilities on the virtual platform. The winners included the following students:
- First Place ($300): Eric Weingarten, University of Mississippi, Department of Biology, for “Non-linear responses of wetland sediment microbiota to salinity.”
- Second Place ($200): Kara Gadeken, University of South Alabama, Dauphin Island Sea Lab, for “Changes in sediment metabolism and macrofaunal activity throughout the diel oxygen cycle: Early findings.”
- Third Place ($100): Spencer Weitzel, Mississippi State University, Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture for “Availability and assessment of microplastic ingestion by marsh birds in Mississippi Gulf Coast tidal marshes.”
- Third Place ($100): Karla Lopez, University of Texas at El Paso, College of Engineering, for “Enhanced engagement and risk communication for underserved communities: Research findings and emerging best practices.”
3-Minute Lightning Talk Winners
The lightning talk competition required students to explain their research in 3 minutes using only three slides. Symposium attendees were also able to ask questions using an online Q&A feature. Award winners for the lightning talk category included the following students:
- First Place ($300): Christian Hayes, The University of Southern Mississippi, Division of Coastal Sciences, for “Nekton trophic structure in turtlegrass ecosystems across the Northern Gulf of Mexico.”
- Second Place ($200): Carly Jones, University of Alabama, Department of Geography, for “Reconstructing multi-century streamflow records in the Mobile-Tensaw Delta: Early findings.”
- Third Place ($100): Skylar Liner, Mississippi State University, Coastal Research and Extension Center, for “Boat wake dynamics in no-wake zones.”
The Dauphin Island Sea Lab Foundation sponsored the award prizes.
The Mike deGruy Bays and Bayous Symposium Student Presentation Awards are named in memory of Mobile, Alabama, native Mike deGruy, who was a marine biologist and conservationist. As an award-winning filmmaker and television host, he specialized in underwater cinematography and had a passionate love for oceans and educating people about them. deGruy, who felt strongly about the importance of engaging young people in marine science and in relationship with the ocean, died in a 2012 helicopter crash in Australia.
The symposium was sponsored by the Mississippi-Alabama Sea Grant Consortium, Mobile Bay National Estuary Program, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Gulf of Mexico Alliance, The University of Southern Mississippi, Dauphin Island Sea Lab Foundation, Alabama State Port Authority, Hydro Engineering Solutions, Geosyntec Consultants, Goodwyn Mills Cawood (GMC), Neel-Schaffer, Headwaters, Mississippi Commercial Fisheries United, Northern Gulf Institute, Stantec, Dog River Clearwater Revival, Environmental Science Associates (ESA) and Thompson Engineering.