DURHAM, N.C. – The Duke University Wetland Center will mark its 25th anniversary with a daylong career symposium for Nicholas School students and invited guests on Monday, Feb. 2, at the Searle Center in Duke’s Seeley G. Mudd Building.

The symposium will include individual presentations and panel discussions on new and emerging careers in wetland science, policy and management, led by former Wetland Center faculty, postdocs, visiting scholars, and masters and doctoral students.

Sandra Postel, director and founder of the Global Water Policy Project, will present the symposium’s plenary address. Her talk will take place during the morning session, which begins at 8:30 a.m.

The event is free and open to all Nicholas School students, faculty and staff.  No registration is required. A complete agenda, including times for each session and panel discussion, can be found on the event website here.

“We hope students and others will come join us for as much, or as little, of the day’s events as their schedules allow,” says Wetland Center Director Curtis Richardson. “We’ve got a dynamic line-up of speakers and presenters.”

Wetland Center members, past and present, slated to make presentations or take part in panel discussions during the day include:

* Scott Bridgham of the University of Oregon
* Christopher Craft of Indiana University
* Jan Vymazel of the Czech University of Life Sciences
* Ryan King of Baylor University
* Charlotte Clark of Duke’s Nicholas School of the Environment
* Steve Faulkner of USGS
* Greg Bruland of Principia College
* Patrick Megonigal of SERC
* Jerry Qualis of the University of Nevada
* Ariana Sutton-Grier of NOAA
* Mark Walbridge of NOAA
* Panchabi Vaithiyanathan of Divers Alert Network
* Lee Barber of Colorado State University
* Mac Haupt of DNRCD
* Kevin Nunnery of Habitats
* Phil Bachand of Bachand & Associates
* Matthew Hanchey of Duke Energy.

Duke President Richard Brodhead will provide a brief welcome at 8:30 a.m., followed by comments by Duke Executive Vice President Tallman Trask III and Nicholas School Dean Alan Townsend, and a history of the Wetland Center provided by Richardson.

Optional tours of on-campus wetland research and educational facilities will be offered during the day. Tour sites will include the Wetland Center’s SWAMP site, a restored wetland-stream-lake complex that treats stormwater runoff from more than 1,500 acres of Duke’s campus and surrounding neighborhoods; the new Duke University water reclamation pond being put in along Circuit Drive; and Duke Environment Hall, the new home of the Nicholas School.

Social activities and networking opportunities are planned for the evening.

For more information, contact the Wetland Center at (919) 613-8009 or randyn@duke.edu.

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