GRADUATE RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM
Each year, Ph.D. students in the Interfaces of Global Change IGEP present their research findings during a full-day research symposium held on campus. This event provides a forum for students and faculty to interact and explore connections among research programs, build camaraderie, and celebrate our students’ research accomplishments.
The symposium typically features a keynote lecture, student presentations, a poster session, and a reception. All Global Change Center affiliated faculty and students are invited to attend.
Explore previous and upcoming schedules below.
The 11th Annual Interfaces of Global Change Graduate Research Symposium will be held on April 17, 2026 at the Moss Arts Center.
Fellows who are in their 2nd year or more of the IGC program (admitted Spring 2025 and prior) are expected to present their work at the symposium in the form of a poster or platform presentation. First year IGC Fellows (admitted Fall 2025 & Spring 2026) have the option to present their proposed research ideas as a poster but are not required to do so. Fellows that are presenting their IGC capstone project have the option to also present their personal research findings in the form of a platform presentation or a poster, but are not required to do so. Fellows who have presented before should be sure to submit abstracts on new research findings that differ from their prior symposium presentation(s).
Senior IGC Fellows, in their 3rd year of study and beyond are strongly encouraged to give a talk. Because we can only accommodate around 10 talks, priority will be given to those who 1) have not presented a talk at a past IGC symposium, 2) present result-rich content, 3) present content that is clearly relevant to global change issues, and 4) are furthest along in their Ph.D. program. Awards will be given for the best platform presentations.
FORMAT
Each abstract should contain:
- Title
- Authors and Affiliations (e.g., Department and University), presenting author denoted by an asterisk.
- An abstract highlighting key findings and not to exceed 250 words in length
Format example:
Hopkins, W.A.*1, Dude, T.H.E. 1,2, and Sobchak, W. 1
1 Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech; 2 Dept. of Interior Room Design, University of Abides
PLATFORM TALKS: presentation max time length of 12 minutes, followed by 3 minutes for Q&A.
POSTERS: maximum poster size is 40″ x 60″. An easel and backboard will be provided.
A detailed agenda, including all presentation abstracts, can be found here in April 2026.
The keynote speaker will be announced in the near future.
The 10th Annual Interfaces of Global Change Graduate Research Symposium will be held on April 18, 2025 at the Moss Arts Center.
Fellows who are in their 2nd year or more of the IGC program (admitted Spring 2024 and prior) are expected to present their work at the symposium in the form of a poster or platform presentation. First year IGC Fellows (admitted Fall 2024 & Spring 2025) have the option to present their proposed research ideas as a poster but are not required to do so. Fellows that are presenting their IGC capstone project have the option to also present their personal research findings in the form of a platform presentation or a poster, but are not required to do so. Fellows who have presented before should be sure to submit abstracts on new research findings that differ from their prior symposium presentation(s).
Senior IGC Fellows, in their 3rd year of study and beyond are strongly encouraged to give a talk. Because we can only accommodate around 10 talks, priority will be given to those who 1) have not presented a talk at a past IGC symposium, 2) present result-rich content, 3) present content that is clearly relevant to global change issues, and 4) are furthest along in their Ph.D. program. Awards will be given for the best platform presentations.
FORMAT
Each abstract should contain:
- Title
- Authors and Affiliations (e.g., Department and University), presenting author denoted by an asterisk.
- An abstract highlighting key findings and not to exceed 250 words in length
Format example:
Hopkins, W.A.*1, Dude, T.H.E. 1,2, and Sobchak, W. 1
1 Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech; 2 Dept. of Interior Room Design, University of Abides
PLATFORM TALKS: presentation max time length of 12 minutes, followed by 3 minutes for Q&A.
POSTERS: maximum poster size is 40″ x 60″. An easel and backboard will be provided.
A detailed agenda, including all presentation abstracts, can be found here: 2025 IGC IGEP Graduate Research Symposium Agenda.
Dr. Corey Welch is the Founder/Director, of the STEM Scholars Program at Iowa State University. A former vertebrate biologist, Corey has done extensive field and museum work in Kansas, the Pacific Northwest and Eastern Australia. Prior to his PhD, he taught introductory biology & ecology courses at Haskell Indian Nations University, one of the largest tribal colleges.
After his postdoc, he transitioned to full time student development as a program coordinator of the Biology Scholars Program at UC Berkeley, an innovative nationally recognized program for minoritized and low-income students. In 2016, he established the STEM Scholars, modeled after this program. The mission of the STEM Scholars is to diversify who succeeds in the sciences with a current 252 membership, including 120 alumni that is comprised of 62% Minoritized, 60% low income, 71% first generation, and 70% women. Corey uses the latest STEM education research and his own experience as a first generation, low income, Northern Cheyenne Tribal member to train the next generation of scientists.
Corey frequently gives departmental seminars and conference plenary talks around the country on diversifying the biological sciences from the undergraduate to the professoriate. He spoke in Washington DC at the 2018 March for Science, and from 2016-2021 he served on the National Board of Directors of SACNAS (Society for the Advancement of Chicano/Hispanics & Native Americans in Science). He co-advises the ISU SACNAS Chapter. Since 2016-Present, Corey has been a facilitator and co-developer of the SACNAS Leadership Institutes and in 2022, he was given the SACNAS Presidential Service Award. In 2023, he is the recipient of the ASN/SSE/SSB Inclusiveness, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Award for the three Evolutionary Biology societies. He gives back to his tribal community through an annual N. Cheyenne scholarship to honor his late mother.
Education: Lewis & Clark College, BS Biology
University of Kansas MA, Systematics & Ecology
University of Washington, PhD Zoology
The 9th Annual Interfaces of Global Change Graduate Research Symposium will be held on April 5, 2024 at the Moss Arts Center.
Fellows who are in their 2nd year or more of the IGC program (admitted Spring 2023 and prior) are expected to present their work at the symposium in the form of a poster or platform presentation. First year IGC Fellows (admitted Fall 2023 & Spring 2024) have the option to present their proposed research ideas as a poster but are not required to do so. Fellows that are presenting their IGC capstone project have the option to also present their personal research findings in the form of a platform presentation or a poster, but are not required to do so. Fellows who have presented before should be sure to submit abstracts on new research findings that differ from their prior symposium presentation(s).
Senior IGC Fellows, in their 3rd year of study and beyond are strongly encouraged to give a talk. Because we can only accommodate around 10 talks, priority will be given to those who 1) have not presented a talk at a past IGC symposium, 2) present result-rich content, 3) present content that is clearly relevant to global change issues, and 4) are furthest along in their Ph.D. program. Awards will be given for the best platform presentations.
FORMAT
Each abstract should contain:
- Title
- Authors and Affiliations (e.g., Department and University), presenting author denoted by an asterisk.
- An abstract highlighting key findings and not to exceed 250 words in length
Format example:
Hopkins, W.A.*1, Dude, T.H.E. 1,2, and Sobchak, W. 1
1 Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech; 2 Dept. of Interior Room Design, University of Abides
PLATFORM TALKS: presentation max time length of 12 minutes, followed by 3 minutes for Q&A.
POSTERS: maximum poster size is 40″ x 60″. An easel and backboard will be provided.
A detailed agenda and all presentation abstracts can be viewed here: 2024 IGC Symposium Detailed Agenda & Research Abstracts [PDF].
The IGC Research Symposium is a full day event, occurring between the hours of approximately 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
This year's keynote speaker will be Dr. Linsey Marr, a University Distinguished Professor and the Charles P. Lunsford Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Virginia Tech. Dr. Marr's talk titled, 'High-Stakes Science Communication' will focus on navigating high-stakes science communication during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering valuable insights and lessons learned. Drawing from her experiences, Dr. Marr will talk about the challenges faced in conveying complex scientific information to the public amidst differing perspectives, and evolving circumstances.
Interfaces of Global Change Graduate Research Symposium
April 21, 2023
The Eighth Annual Interfaces of Global Change (IGC) Graduate Research Symposium is scheduled for April 21, 2023, to be held at the Moss Arts Center at Virginia Tech. This annual meeting provides a space to showcase and celebrate the important and impressive work of the IGC Ph.D. Fellows. It’s also a time for Fellows and GCC faculty to interact and explore connections between labs across campus. This year’s symposium agenda will include platform presentations, poster viewing sessions and a keynote speaker invited by the IGC Graduate Student Organization - Dr. Laura Schoenle, Associate Director and Coordinator of Undergraduate Research and Honors within the Office of Undergraduate Biology at Cornell University, and IGC Alumnus 2017, department of Biological Sciences at Virginia Tech.
Fellows who are in their 2nd - 5th+ year of the IGC program (admitted Spring 2022 and prior) are expected to present their work at the symposium in the form of a poster or platform presentation. First year IGC Fellows (admitted Fall 2022 & Spring 2023) have the option to present their proposed research ideas as a poster but are not required to do so. Fellows that are presenting their IGC capstone project have the option to also present their personal research findings in the form of a platform presentation or a poster, but are not required to do so. Fellows who have presented before should be sure to submit abstracts on new research findings that differ from their prior symposium presentation(s).
Senior IGC Fellows, in their 3rd, 4th, or 5th year of study are strongly encouraged to give a talk. Because we can only accommodate around 10 talks, priority will be given to those who 1) have not presented a talk at a past IGC symposium, 2) present result-rich content, 3) present content that is clearly relevant to global change issues, and 4) are furthest along in their Ph.D. program. Awards will be given for the best platform presentations.
FORMAT
Each abstract should contain:
- Title
- Authors and Affiliations (e.g., Department and University), presenting author denoted by an asterisk.
- An abstract highlighting key findings and not to exceed 250 words in length
Format example:
Hopkins, W.A.*1, Dude, T.H.E. 1,2, and Sobchak, W. 1
1 Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech; 2 Dept. of Interior Room Design, University of Abides
PLATFORM TALKS: presentation max time length of 12 minutes, followed by 3 minutes for Q&A.
POSTERS: maximum poster size is 40″ x 60″. An easel and backboard will be provided.
A detailed agenda and all presentation abstracts can be viewed here: 2023 IGC Symposium Detailed Agenda & Research Abstracts [PDF].
The IGC Research Symposium is a full day event, occurring between the hours of approximately 8:30 AM to 5:00 PM.
Dr. Laura Schoenle is a VT Ph.D. Graduate and IGC Alumnus '17. She serves as the Associate Director and Coordinator of Undergraduate Research and Honors within the Office of Undergraduate Biology at Cornell University.
"At my core, I am scientist and that shines through every aspect of my life and work. I use evidence-based approaches to help college students align their professional lives with their values through one-on-one advising and professional development workshops. I support early career scientists and their mentors by creating the infrastructure underlying successful mentoring-partnerships and offering workshops focused on success in research."
In her keynote talk during this year's IGC Symposium, Laura will draw from her diverse background and experiences to speak to the GCC community:
"Centering Culture & Mentorship in Research"
Participation in research can be a transformative experience. At their best, research experiences shape career trajectories, teach professional skills, and help students develop a sense of belonging and identity in their field of interest. The positive impacts of a research experience strongly rely on the lab environment, research culture, and mentorship. We will discuss evidence-based strategies to intentionally build a culture of inclusion, strong mentorship, and research excellence scaling from a single lab to a broader community of practice.
Read more about IGC Alumnus Dr. Laura Schoenle in the "Alumni Spotlight" story featured in 2020:
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7th Annual
Interfaces of Global Change Graduate Research Symposium
April 22, 2022
Graduate Life Center
The Seventh Annual Interfaces of Global Change (IGC) Graduate Research Symposium was held on April 22, 2022 at the Graduate Life Center Multipurpose Room. The event provides a space to showcase and celebrate the important and impressive work of the IGC Ph.D. Fellows. It’s also a time for Fellows and GCC faculty to interact and explore connections between labs across campus. This year’s symposium agenda included platform presentations, poster viewing sessions and a keynote speaker invited by the IGC Graduate Student Organization - Dwight Bigler, Associate Professor and Director of Choral Activities of the School of Performing Arts at Virginia Tech.
Platform awards for Best Presentation were selected for the top three oral presentations. This year’s winners were:
First Place Abby Lewis, “Anoxia decreases carbon sequestration over multi-annual timescales in two freshwater reservoirs"
Second Place Sam Lane, “How does urbanization impact female song sparrows? A comparison of physiological and behavioral recovery from disturbance"
Third Place Daniel Smith, “Inert Fibers and Soil Microorganisms Promote Streambank Soil Resistance to Fluvial Erosion"
Kudos to all the student participants! Thank you to the GCC Faculty and other researchers on campus who came out to show their support for the IGC Fellows.
A detailed agenda and all presentation abstracts can be viewed here: 2022 IGC Symposium Detailed Agenda & Research Abstracts [PDF].
6th Annual
Interfaces of Global Change Graduate Research Symposium
April 23, 2021
Virtual
The Sixth Annual Interfaces of Global Change (IGC) Graduate Research Symposium was held virtually over Zoom on April 23, 2021. Although the forum was a little different this year, this annual meeting provides a space to showcase and celebrate the important and impressive work of the IGC Fellows. It’s also a time for Fellows and GCC faculty to interact and explore connections between labs across campus. This year’s symposium agenda included 12 platform presentations, 12 research power talks, introductory videos from the 12 newest Fellows in the Spring 2021 cohort, and an overview by Fellows leading a new IGC Peer Mentoring Program.
Awards for Best Platform Presentations and Research Power Talks were selected for the top three presentations in each category. The 2021 winners were:
Platform Presentations
First Place Alaina Weinheimer, “Too big to see: large viruses are overlooked players in the ocean’s nutrient cycles”
Second Place Sara Cathey, “Experimental evidence that biodiversity stabilizes communities through asynchrony”
Third Place Kerry Gendreau, Daniel Smith, Joshua Rady & Isaac VanDiest, “V-SCI: Connecting science with local environmental advocacy”
Research Power Talks
First Place Mary Lofton, “Thermocline deepening deepens maximum phytoplankton biomass and affects community phytoplankton community structure in a eutrophic reservoir”
Second Place Sara Richards, “Effects of temperature on contact rates in house finches”
Third Place Korin Jones, “Community assembly in the amphibian microbiome”
Kudos to all the student participants! Your research never ceases to inspire and give us hope for a bright future. Thank you to the GCC Faculty and other researchers on campus who came out to show their support for the IGC Fellows!
Friday, April 23, 2021 (Finalized Detailed PDF Here)
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and in alignment with Virginia Tech’s large event cancellation strategy, we regret that the 5th Annual IGC Graduate Research Symposium was cancelled in 2020.
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April 3, 2020
Interfaces of Global Change Graduate Research Symposium
Graduate Life Center, Multipurpose Room
The fifth annual Interfaces of Global Change (IGC) Graduate Research Symposium will be a great opportunity for IGC Fellows to share their research with the entire global change community at Virginia Tech. The symposium was scheduled for Friday, April 3rd, to provide a forum for students and faculty to interact and explore connections between labs across campus.
Planned Keynote Lecture by Patterson Clark
Patterson Clark was scheduled to deliver the keynote address as part of the 7th Annual Interfaces of Global Change Graduate Research Symposium. Clark is senior graphics editor for POLITICO Pro. He previously worked for The Washington Post as science graphics editor and also wrote and illustrated the natural history column Urban Jungle. At the Miami Herald, he was on the team of journalists honored with the 1993 Pulitzer Prize for Public Service for their coverage of Hurricane Andrew and its aftermath. Before that, Patterson was an op-ed illustrator and news artist for his home-state newspaper, the Arkansas Gazette.
Clark has harvested D.C.’s exotic invasive vegetation for over twenty years, exploring its potential for use as art, food, fuel and fiber. More information about his artistic work utilizing invasive plants can be found on his website at https://alienweeds.com/index.html.
Unfortunately, this was cancelled do to the COVID-19 Pandemic.
8:00 – 8:45 am – Poster set up; refreshments available
8:55 am – Welcome
9:00 – 10:25 am – Oral Presentations Session 1
10:25 – 11:40 am – Poster Session Group 1
11:40 am – 12:55 pm – Lunch
1:00 – 2:15 pm – Keynote Lecture by Patterson Clark
2:15 – 2:30 pm – Break
2:30 – 3:45 pm – Oral Presentations Session 2
3:45 – 5:00 pm – Poster Session Group 2
5:00 – 6:00 pm – Reception; Platform Awards Announced
4th Annual
Interfaces of Global Change Graduate Research Symposium
April 25, 2019
Fralin Hall
The Fourth Annual Interfaces of Global Change (IGC) Graduate Research Symposium was held on April 25, 2019 in Fralin Hall. The gathering provides a forum for students and faculty to interact and explore connections between labs across campus. The day included 12 oral presentations and a poster session by 24 students.
The symposium highlighted the latest research from the program’s graduate student fellows, whose collective work addresses critical global changes impacting the environment and society. This includes problems surrounding climate change, pollution, invasive species, disease, and habitat loss.
Platform awards for Best Presentation were selected for the top three oral presentations. This year’s winners were:
First Place Angie Estrada, “Amphibian translocations: skin microbiome, body condition and disease status”
Second Place Ernie Osburn, “Forest disturbance alters soil microbial community structure and function in Appalachian ecosystems”
Third Place Stephen DeVilbiss, “Effects of freshwater salinization and associated base cations on fecal indicator persistence and bacterial community structure”
Kudos to all the student participants! Your work is truly inspiring, important and impactful to the Virginia Tech community and beyond. Thank you to the GCC Faculty and other researchers on campus who came out to show their support for the IGC Fellows!
Detailed AGENDA PDF
All IGC fellows who are in their 2nd year of PhD study or beyond are encouraged to present their work at the symposium in the form of a poster or talk. The number of oral presentations will be limited to approximately 12, and the number of posters limited to approximately 28. Senior IGC Fellows in their 3rd, 4th or 5th year of study are strongly encouraged to select to give a talk, especially if they have not done so in past symposia. Awards will be given for best talks.
FORMAT
Each abstract should contain:
- Title
- Authors and Affiliations (e.g., Department and University), presenting author denoted by an asterisk.
- An abstract not to exceed 250 words in length
Format example:
Hopkins, W.A.*1, Dude, T.H.E. 1,2, and Sobchak, W. 1
1 Dept. of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, Virginia Tech; 2 Dept. of Interior Room Design, University of Abides
POSTERS: maximum poster size is 40″ x 60″. An easel and backboard will be provided.
3rd Annual
Interfaces of Global Change Graduate Research Symposium
April 19, 2018
Fralin Hall
The Third annual Interfaces of Global Change (IGC) Graduate Research Symposium was held on April 19, 2018 in Fralin Hall. The gathering provides a forum for students and faculty to interact and explore connections between labs across campus. Record numbers were set for participation this year, and the day included 13 oral presentations and a poster session by 27 students.
The symposium highlighted the latest research from the program’s graduate student fellows, whose collective work addresses critical global changes impacting the environment and society. This includes problems surrounding climate change, pollution, invasive species, disease, and habitat loss.
Platform awards for Best Presentation were selected for the top three oral presentations. This year’s winners were:
First Place Ryan McClure, “Hypolimnetic oxygenation increases methane ebullition in a eutrophic drinking water reservoir”
Second Place Tamara Fetters, “A summary of my dissertation work on changes in physiology and life history in an invasive lizard”
Third Place Ernie Osburn, “Soil microbial response to Rhododendron maximum understory removal in Appalachian forests”
Kudos to all the student participants! Your work is truly inspiring, important and impactful to the Virginia Tech community and beyond. Thank you to the GCC Faculty and other researchers on campus who came out to show their support for the IGC Fellows!
Detailed AGENDA PDF
All IGC fellows are encouraged to present their work at the symposium. Fellows have the option of presenting either a poster or a talk. Awards will be given for best talks.
Abstracts for talks and posters should be submitted to Jessica Zielske (jcoker@vt.edu). Each abstract should contain:
- Title
- Authors and Affiliations (e.g., Department and University)
- An abstract not to exceed 250 words in length
For posters: maximum poster size is 40″ x 60″. An easel and backboard will be provided.
2nd Annual
Interfaces of Global Change Graduate Student Research Symposium
April 21, 2017
Fralin Hall
The second annual Interfaces of Global Change (IGC) Graduate Research Symposium was held on April 21, 2017 in Fralin Hall. The symposium provided a forum for students and faculty to interact and explore connections between labs across campus. The day included 9 oral presentations, a poster session, and a keynote address by former U.S. Congressman, Bob Inglis.
The symposium highlighted the latest research from the program’s graduate student fellows, whose collective work addresses critical global changes impacting the environment and society. This includes problems surrounding climate change, pollution, invasive species, disease, and habitat loss.
Platform awards for Best Presentation were announced at the conclusion of the symposium. The winners included:
First Place Tony Timpano, “Effects of coal mining on freshwater salinization and aquatic insect diversity”
Second Place Tamara Fetters, “Life histories and invasions: accelerated laying rate and incubation time in an invasive lizard, Anolis sagrei”
Third Place Laura Schoenle, “Surviving or thriving with malaria: the role of stress hormones in mediating resistance and tolerance”
Congratulations to all the student participants!
Detailed AGENDA PDF
All IGC fellows are encouraged to present their work at the symposium. Fellows have the option of presenting either a poster or a talk. Please indicate your preference by Friday, March 3rd. Awards will be given for best talks.
Abstracts for talks and posters should be submitted to Gloria Schoenholtz (schoeng@vt.edu) by March 31, 2017. Each abstract should contain:
- Title
- Authors and Affiliations (e.g., Department and University)
- An abstract not to exceed 250 words in length
For posters: maximum poster size is 40″ x 60″. An easel and backboard will be provided.
1st Annual
Interfaces of Global Change Graduate Student Research Symposium
April 21-22, 2016
The first annual Interfaces of Global Change (IGC) Graduate Research Symposium was a great opportunity for IGC Fellows to share their research with the entire global change community at Virginia Tech. The 2-day symposium began on Thursday evening, April 21st, with a special Distinguished Lecture at the Lyric Theatre featuring Dr. Josh Tewksbury, Future Earth. A full slate of events on Friday, April 22nd, provided a forum for students and faculty to interact and explore connections between labs.
During two platform sessions, nine IGC fellows gave oral presentations, and thirteen other students participated in the afternoon poster session. Following a reception for faculty and students attending the symposium, three awards were presented for Best Presentation. First place went to Carl Wepking, a Ph.D. student in biological sciences, who studies how antibiotic use in agricultural livestock affects soil ecosystems. Second place went to Cathy Jachowski, a Ph.D. student in fish and wildlife conservation, who studies the effects of land use and parasitism on hellbender salamanders. Third place was awarded to Ryan McClure, a Ph.D. student in biological sciences, who studies how climate change can impact thermal stratification and oxygenation in reservoirs.
The first place award was named in honor of Dean Karen DePauw, for her role in creating a culture of interdisciplinary graduate education at Virginia Tech. “There’s no more appropriate way to honor the person that has supported the growth and interdisciplinary thinking of our community,” said Bill Hopkins, who is the Director of the Global Change Center and a professor of fish and wildlife conservation in the College of Natural Resources and Environment. “Her vision has facilitated new interactions among faculty and students from different colleges and departments, who are working together to solve complicated problems ranging from obesity and infectious diseases, to water pollution and climate change.”
Congratulations, All!
Thursday, April 21, 2016
Keynote Lecture:
Dr. Josh Tewksbury, Future Earth
Lyric Theatre, 4:45-5:45 pm
Private reception to follow
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Friday, April 22, 2016
Graduate Symposium:
All IGC fellows are encouraged to present their work at the symposium. First-year students will give posters on their proposed research/study design; second- and third-year students have the option of presenting either a poster or a talk. Awards will be given for best talks.
Please submit your abstracts to Gloria Schoenholtz (schoeng@vt.edu) by March 28, 2016. Each abstract should contain 1) Title, 2) Authors and affiliations (e.g., Dept and University), and 3) an abstract not to exceed 250 words in length.
For posters: maximum poster size is 40″ x 60″. An easel and backboard will be provided.