Michelle Chang Participating in the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography 2018 Multicultural Program

Good news from Michelle Chang, REU 2017 Alumnus!"I am very excited to announce that I will be participating in the ASLO (Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography) 2018 Multicultural Program! This program offers diverse and underrepresented students the amazing opportunity to learn about research and development in aquatic sciences. Through the support of the National Science Foundation, this program includes free membership in ASLO and an all-expense paid trip to participate in the annual Ocean Sciences Meeting (OSM) in Portland, OR on February 10-16, 2018. The Multicultural Program will be a great opportunity for me to expand my network with experts in the field of ocean sciences. As part of the Multicultural Program, I will be engaging in field trips, meeting potential mentors, and presenting last summer’s marine debris research results at the annual OSM. This experience is important to me because I have yet to present at a large national conference. Therefore, it would continue to develop my communication and professional skills as a young scientist! I find it so important to disseminate research findings not only to other scientists in the field, but also to the general public as every problem is interdisciplinary. I want to give a big shout out to Dr. Timothy Hawthorne and Dr. Christy Visaggi for supporting me through this application process and overall, my research journey. "Congratulations, Michelle!