SCBO Brisbane 2016

Hello! Thanks for stopping by - my name is Heather and I am a Masters of Environmental Studies student at the University of Pennsylvania. My abstract for my capstone (thesis) work was accepted into the 2016 Society for Conservation Biology 4th Oceania Congress which will take place in Brisbane, Australia in July 2016. Submitting research abstracts to conferences is an important part of getting your name out there in the scientific community, and part of the road to publishing original work. If I were able to attend this conference, it would help enhance my CV and PhD graduate school applications. This congress is a large, international conference, and I am honored to be selected to present a poster at it. Unfortunately, at the moment the expenses just to be able to travel to Australia are a little outside of my budget. Any little bit you can donate would be much appreciated! Anyone who donates will get a little something from me to you to say "Thanks!" if I am able to go to Australia. 

A little more about my Masters research...
 

A bioblitz is a twenty-four hour intensive survey of the flora and fauna of a site that provides a snapshot of its biodiversity and a baseline for future comparison. In June 2015, a bioblitz was conducted at Rushton Woods Preserve (RWP) in Willistown, PA. Surveys of aquatic invertebrates, insects, bats, birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, plants, and fungi reveal a rich diversity of species. This year, bioblitzes are planned for June 2016 and September 2016.   A future plan is to conduct a bioblitz at a large-scale, commercial farm to compare diversity by taxa as it may show differential impacts of farming practices. The whole point of this research is to demonstrate that wildlife and farming can coexist, if the farming methods leave minimal impact. 


**Any funds that do not go to the cost of going to this conference will be donated to the Willistown Conservation Trust.**



Conference info: http://brisbane2016.scboceania.org/

Article on the 2015 Bioblitz: http://www.upenn.edu/pennnews/current/2015-06-04/latest-news/penn-team-blitzes-nature-reserve-data-living-species 

Donate $$.. Get...

$1 - a hearty thank you from me when I see you next
$5 - a postcard from Australia
$10 - postcard and magnet
$20 - a baked good of your choice (within reason), postcard, magnet
$50 - aforementioned plus something unique from Brisbane
$100 - aforementioned plus acknowledgement (if you wish to be acknowledged) on my poster
$200 - aforementioned plus an electronic copy of my poster and PDF of my abstract (pending per permission of my thesis readers)
over $500 - aforementioned plus I'll take you out to dinner if you're in the Philadelphia area