Conference: Increasing student participation in the American Ecological Engineering Society 2024 conference

Virginia Polytechnic Institute And State University, Blacksburg VA

Investigators

Abstract

Ecological Engineering has been defined as “the design of sustainable ecosystems that integrate human society with the natural environment for the benefit of both” (Mitsch, 2012). Ecological engineering incorporates the disciplines of ecology and engineering to solve environmental problems and to design, build, and restore systems that provide long-term economic, environmental, and social benefits. As a field that seeks to integrate knowledge from across diverse fields to address today’s challenges, Ecological Engineering is an example of Growing Convergence Research, one of NSF’s 10 Big Ideas. This conference grant will increase student participation in the American Ecological Engineering Society (AEES) 2024 conference, deepening student engagement and ownership in the Ecological Engineering discipline. The funds will be used to support student activities at the 2024 annual meeting of AEES at Virginia Tech in Blacksburg, Virginia. The conference theme is: Ecological Engineering & Design: Launching a New Era, to emphasize the anticipated approval of ABET criteria, completion of the Ecological Engineering body of knowledge, and updated Certified Ecological Designers (CED) training. This conference is expected to have approximately 200 to 225 attendees, nearly half of which are expected to be university students studying fields related to Ecological Engineering. By providing students with accommodation scholarships, presentation opportunities, and professional networking opportunities, this conference will directly contribute to NSF’s major initiative in Broadening Participation in STEM. Moreover, as the meeting theme is “Ecological Engineering & Design: Launching a New Era", this topic will provide an opportunity for students to learn how their field is advancing and will excite them in learning how the field is addressing some of society’s most pressing issues. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.