Saturday, November 14 2026 8:00 am – 4:00 pm Accepting abstracts for poster and oral presentations through October 9th!
We are excited to showcase new academic talent! Uncover insights into the natural world and support the next generation of scholars by attending the Student Research Symposium on November 15th. Undergraduate and graduate students from colleges and universities in our region will present their research with posters and oral presentations. The day includes a keynote from a distinguished speaker and a catered lunch. Come for all or part of the day.
There will becash prizes up to $300 awarded for the best oral and poster presentations. Plus, all student presenters will receive a FREE Riveredge Membership just for participating!
Student Presenter: Free! Abstracts submission deadline October 9th. Current Student Non-presenter: Free Supporter by November 10: $5 Supporter after November 10: $7 Children under 12: Free (must be accompanied by an adult) All registrations include a catered lunch! Please indicate dietary restrictions/allergies on the registration form.
We invite college students to submit an abstract of a current or recent year’s research project to present in oral or poster form at our Student Research Symposium. Submissions are welcome in the categories of biology, environmental science, chemistry, geology, and other sciences. The abstract submission deadline is October 9th! There will becash prizes up to $300 awarded for the best oral and poster presentations. Plus, all presenters will receive a FREE Riveredge Membership just for participating!
Please see below for important presentation information.
Presentation Information for Student Presenters
Poster Presentation
Posters should be a maximum size of 44″ X 36″
We will have a tripod easel and poster board set up for you. Posters will be attached to the display boards using binder clips that will be provided.
Poster set-up will be 8:00 – 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 15th, 2025 (the morning of the event).
Alternativity, students are welcome to drop off their posters to Riveredge Nature Center weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. before November, 15th.
Presenters should be available to discuss their posters at the event during the poster session (time TBD)
Oral Presentation
Presentations are scheduled for a 15 minute block (10-12 minute presentation with an additional 3-5 minutes for a question-and-answer period).
Sessions will be moderated and the time limit enforced.
Computers attached to digital projectors will be equipped with USB ports for flash drives. It is best to have multiple copies of your presentation saved in the cloud and on physical media. All rooms will be equipped with a computer, projector, and screen.
If additional equipment, including audio, is needed, please indicate this when you submit your abstract.
questions?
We’re happy to help! Give Riveredge’s Research Manager, Jana Gedymin, a call at 262-375-2715 or email her at jgedymin@riveredge.us.
Saturday, November 15 2025 8:00 am – 4:00 pm Accepting abstracts for poster and oral presentations through October 24!
We are excited to showcase new academic talent! Uncover insights into the natural world and support the next generation of scholars by attending the Student Research Symposium on November 15th. Undergraduate and graduate students from colleges and universities in our region will present their research with posters and oral presentations. The day includes a keynote from a distinguished speaker and a catered lunch. Come for all or part of the day.
There will becash prizes up to $300 awarded for the best oral and poster presentations. Plus, all student presenters will receive a FREE Riveredge Membership just for participating!
Student Presenter: Free! Abstracts submission deadline extended to October 24th. Current Student Non-presenter: Free Supporter by November 10: $5 Supporter after November 10: $7 Children under 12: Free (must be accompanied by an adult) All registrations include a catered lunch! Please indicate dietary restrictions/allergies on the registration form.
We invite college students to submit an abstract of a current or recent year’s research project to present in oral or poster form at our Student Research Symposium. Submissions are welcome in the categories of biology, environmental science, chemistry, geology, and other sciences. The abstract submission deadline has been extended to October 24th! There will becash prizes up to $300 awarded for the best oral and poster presentations. Plus, all presenters will receive a FREE Riveredge Membership just for participating!
Please see below for important presentation information.
Presentation Information for Student Presenters
Poster Presentation
Posters should be a maximum size of 44″ X 36″
We will have a tripod easel and poster board set up for you. Posters will be attached to the display boards using binder clips that will be provided.
Poster set-up will be 8:00 – 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, November 15th, 2025 (the morning of the event).
Alternativity, students are welcome to drop off their posters to Riveredge Nature Center weekdays between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. before November, 15th.
Presenters should be available to discuss their posters at the event during the poster session (time TBD)
Oral Presentation
Presentations are scheduled for a 15 minute block (10-12 minute presentation with an additional 3-5 minutes for a question-and-answer period).
Sessions will be moderated and the time limit enforced.
Computers attached to digital projectors will be equipped with USB ports for flash drives. It is best to have multiple copies of your presentation saved in the cloud and on physical media. All rooms will be equipped with a computer, projector, and screen.
If additional equipment, including audio, is needed, please indicate this when you submit your abstract.
Keynote Speaker
Marissa Jablonski, PhD Executive Director, Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin
Dr. Marissa Jablonski is the executive director of the Freshwater Collaborative of Wisconsin. She is an accomplished water engineer, environmental advisor, and plastics-reduction expert who has worked in more than 45 countries on Earth. Her way of understanding and engaging in complex interactions between human beings and environmental systems, combined with her skills in storytelling and systems processes, make her a much sought after consultant and public speaker.
Marissa lives her life as part of a global community. She is a founding member and mentor to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee student chapter of Engineers Without Borders, and advises on the design and implementation of projects in Guatemala. She also serves as International Coordinator of a Guatemalan-led NGO that builds infrastructure with indigenous communities’ to meet the needs of five groups involved in each project.
After earning a PhD in Environmental Engineering and serving as an instructor of Peacebuilding, Engineering, and Physics at numerous institutions in Milwaukee, Wisconsin she moved to Washington, DC to work in policy. During her time as a 2017-19 AAAS Science Technology and Policy Fellow at USAID, she was both a Public Diplomacy Fellow in the Office of American Schools and Hospitals Abroad and also an Environmental Advisor to the Office of Food For Peace. During this time, she was also asked by the US Embassy of Thailand and the Phuket Hotels Association to serve as an Embassy Science Fellow to design and lead a 5-point model to help reduce their single-use plastics by more than 6 million in 2018.
Marissa is an advocate for minorities and women in STEM fields and served as coordinator of NSF’s FORTE program during 2009-2015. During that time, she also designed an internationally recognized project that engaged with informal dye industries in rural India to affordably clean their wastewater. Marissa’s innovative outlook on research, business, and life has won her many awards and praise from groups that include the National Science Foundation, Philanthropic Education Organization, Mondialogo, and the Karnataka State Pollution Control Board.
Proudly sponsored by
Dennis Miller
North Shore Academy of Gymnastics
Southeastern Wisconsin Trout Unlimited
questions?
We’re happy to help! Give Riveredge’s Research Manager, Jana Gedymin, a call at 262-375-2715 or email her at jgedymin@riveredge.us.
We are excited to showcase new academic talent! Uncover insights into the natural world and support the next generation of scholars by attending the Student Research Symposium on November 9th. Undergraduate and graduate students from colleges and universities in our region will present their research with posters and oral presentations. The day includes a keynote from a distinguished speaker and a catered lunch. Come for all or part of the day.
There will becash prizes up to $300 awarded for the best oral and poster presentations. This year, we’ve increased the award pool, creating more chances to win! Plus, all student presenters will receive a Riveredge Membership just for participating!
Student Presenter: $15 – Register by October 9th to have your abstract considered Supporter registration by November 3: $5 Supporter registration after November 3: $7 Children under 12: free (must be accompanied by an adult)
We invite college students to submit an abstract of a current research project to present in oral or poster form at our Student Research Symposium. This year’s theme is “Signals, Systems, and Seasons.” Submissions are welcome in the categories of biology, environmental science, chemistry, geology, and other sciences, but also in the humanities, arts, and other disciplines where research intersects with the overall theme. Judging and prize information coming soon! To apply, register using the button above and submit the following to Jana Gedymin at jgedymin@riveredge.us. There will becash prizes up to $300 awarded for the best oral and poster presentations. This year, we’ve increased the award pool, creating more chances to win! Plus, all presenters will receive a Riveredge Membership just for participating! DEADLINE: October 9th!
-Email subject line: RNC Abstract 2024_[your last name] -250-500 word description of your research -Name / pronouns -School, major / focus -Indicate graduate /undergraduate level -Working title for presentation -Preference for oral presentation (12 minutes) or poster
“Adventures in Studying the Diversity of Life,” Dr. Gary S. Casper, Director of Biodiversity Programs, Mequon Nature Preserve
About Dr. Casper: Dr. Gary S. Casper was involved with the initial creation of the Mequon Nature Preserve (MNP) through the Ozaukee Washington Land Trust, and continues to direct wildlife studies at MNP. He has over 40 years’ experience in wildlife ecology and biodiversity studies. After 20 years at the Milwaukee Public Museum, he has continued to focus on wildlife conservation in the western Great Lakes region through the UWM Field Station, Great Lakes Ecological Services, and local land trusts. Gary has over 100 publications; his latest book is Field Guide to the Amphibian Eggs and Larvae of the Western Great Lakes.
Gary participates in many ecological restoration projects and biodiversity studies in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Michigan. His team invented the concept of Species of Local Conservation Interest in order to identify biodiversity at risk on local landscapes. He runs biodiversity programs for the National Park Service, U.S. Forest Service, land trusts, and private land owners, and has developed protocols for surveying crayfish, amphibians, reptiles, mammals, and birds that are in widespread use. Gary has pioneered the use of automated bioacoustic systems for monitoring wildlife. Gary enjoys recreating in the Kettle Moraine landscapes.
We’re happy to help answer them! Give Riveredge’s Research Manager, Jana Gedymin, a call at 262-375-2715 or contact her by email at jgedymin@riveredge.us
Come learn all about Wisconsin Birds of Prey! In this course, local raptor experts from Cedar Grove Ornithological Research Station will share their unique knowledge about the identification, ecology, and behavior of Wisconsin’s iconic hawks, eagles, falcons and owls. You will also learn about their long-term ongoing raptor research and how it is accomplished using trapping and banding techniques. Please bring a lunch.
Ages 7+ | Children must be accompanied by an adult
Be sure to sign in to your account in the upper right corner to activate your membership benefits. Membership discounts on programs will be applied to your cart at checkout. If you haven’t created an account with our new system, be sure to create one using the email address associated with your membership.
If you need to check your membership status or you aren’t sure what email address we have on file, please reach out to our Membership Manager, Renee Buchholz at rbuchholz@riveredge.us.
Come hear about Wisconsin’s mushroom diversity, foraging and natural history with Mycologist and Author, Tavis Lynch. After morning instruction, participants will tour field and forest on the Riveredge Property to see wild mushrooms and key specimins. Tavis Lynch has been studying mushrooms for over three decades, is author to several books and teaches several mycology classes throughout the Upper Midwest. He is a regular guest on Wisconsin Public Radio and has been featured on “Around the Farm Table” on PBS. This event is rain or shine, please BYO lunch and dress for adventure.
Ages 14+ | Children under 18 must be accompanied by an adult.
Follow the instructions using the button below to login to your member account for member discounts on programs and events. You can use this login to check your membership status, see your expiration date, and renew your membership as well.
If you don’t see the member price after logging in, need help checking your membership status, or you are unsure what email address we have on file, please reach out to our Membership Manager, Renee Buchholz at rbuchholz@riveredge.us or call the Riveredge office at 262-375-2715.
**Please note that this event has been postponed to Fall semester – keep an eye out for the new date!
Come learn about Wisconsin’s freshwater mussel diversity, ecology and natural history with Jason Dare of Dare Ecosystem Management! After morning instruction, participants will tour streams and rivers on the Riveredge campus to see mussel beds and key specimens in the field. Hip boots will be provided. This event is rain or shine. Please bring a bag lunch and dress for adventure.
Follow the instructions using the button below to login to your member account for member discounts on programs and events. You can use this login to check your membership status, see your expiration date, and renew your membership as well.
If you don’t see the member price after logging in, need help checking your membership status, or you are unsure what email address we have on file, please reach out to our Membership Manager, Renee Buchholz at rbuchholz@riveredge.us or call the Riveredge office at 262-375-2715.
