Offering Some Good Advice: Get Involved!

SNRe Students at Powershift 2009

Members of the SNRE Student Council attended Powershift 2009 in Washington, D.C. Photo courtesy of David Ellis.

By Mira Mishkin

One prominent theme in this issue of the SNRE Source is student involvement. From internships and fellowships to conference management, SNRE graduates and undergraduates have found unique avenues to share their experiences and build upon their interests.

UF’s campus is filled with opportunities to get involved. There are countless discussions, seminars and conferences to present one’s own research. The variety of clubs and social events should be able to suit every interest on campus. Many of our fellow students are already active and we encourage those who haven’t ventured into the flurry to do so soon! For those who may be unfamiliar with the opportunities available, below are some of the recent activities in which our fellow students have been involved.

Recently, six members of the SNRE Student Council attended Powershift 2009 in Washington, D.C., a national grassroots advocacy conference. We were joined by 11,000 other students from around the country to learn about clean energy and to raise awareness about climate change. We took the message to Capitol Hill and encouraged Congress to pass energy and climate policies the country truly needs.

In addition to the SNRE Seminar Series, held every Tuesday in 112 Newins-Ziegler at 1:55 p.m., SNRE students have presented their research in venues such as the TCD program’s Tropilunch discussions and the relatively new Conservation and Development Forum; both of which are student-coordinated and seeking members to take an active role presenting their research.

To help encourage SNRE students to follow their passion, the SNRE Council conducted two fundraising drives this past year with the proceeds going to travel and research grants for SNRE students. In the fall students sold Sweetwater Coffee “Sustainability” Blends roasted and ground custom to order. This past month, the Council revived the famous SNRE t-shirt treasured by students, alumni, staff, and faculty alike. The sale of these t-shirts has been so positive, that we extended the sale through the end of March. Click here to order yours today!

These fundraisers help support students present papers and attend out-of-town conferences. Coupled with IFAS travel grants, ten students attended (or are planning to attend) the following conferences this year:

69th Annual Meeting of The Society for Applied Anthropology (Santa Fe, NM)
2009 American Association of Geographers Annual Meeting (Las Vegas, NV)
Meeting and Presentation of Research Findings from Summer 2008 and Future Implications (San Martin Region, Peru)

Still looking to get involved: Join the SNRE Student Council

The SNRE Student Council will be having its annual elections for all positions in the near future. Keep an eye out for an email with details (coming soon!). The Council has also been coordinating logistics to start a graduate/undergraduate mentoring program and is looking for participants to join, email the Council if you are interested in either becoming a mentor or looking for one in your academic interest area. There are many opportunities to become involved. Your life at UF will be as rewarding as the effort you put in. Join the SNRE community and become involved today!!

SNRE Student Council
Miramanni Mishkin – President (nitzio@ufl.edu)
David Ellis – Vice-President (david52@ufl.edu)
Crystal Hartman – Treasurer (c.hartman@ufl.edu)
Jillian Jensen – Secretary (jensenji@ufl.edu)