Student Wildlife Research Symposium
Join us Thursday, April 13, 2023 at Deer Creek State Park Lodge as we reconnect for the 5th Annual Ohio Student Wildlife Research Symposium as part of the Annual EECO Conference. The Symposium will kick off the EECO Annual Conference once again, which will continue through April 16, 2023.
The Call for Proposals is now available Deadline to submit is February 1, 2023. Any middle or high school-aged student can present a poster on research related to native Ohio wildlife and their habitats. Paper presentations are selected by a panel to fill a limited number of presentation slots. Paper presentations must be completed research. Posters can be either completed or ongoing research. Guidelines are included in the Call for Proposals. Submissions not selected for Paper Presentations will be allowed to present their research as part of the Poster Session. Please see the abstracts from previous Symposiums below for past presentation and poster topics.
Student Wildlife Research Symposium Call for Proposals 2023 [pdf]
Anyone with an interest in Ohio’s wildlife can attend the Symposium. Registration fees apply, discounted rates for students. Registration will open in December or January through the EECO website.
Questions about the Symposium? Contact Jen Dennison, Wildlife Education Coordinator, Ohio Division of Wildlife, 614-265-6316 or jen.dennison@dnr.ohio.gov for more information.
Past Student Wildlife Research Symposiums
2022 Student Wildlife Research Symposium
The Fourth Annual Ohio Student Wildlife Research Symposium took place on March 31, 2022 at Hueston Woods State Park Lodge. The symposium was a little different due to continued travel restrictions by many school districts. The agenda and abstracts can be reviewed here.
2020-2021 — No symposiums were held due to COVID restrictions
2019 Student Wildlife Research Symposium
The Third Annual Ohio Student Wildlife Research Symposium took place April 4, 2019 at Mohican State Park Lodge. The symposium continues to grow and the student presentations are such high quality. Photos can be found below. The agenda can be reviewed here. See above for details on the 2020 SWRS.
2019 Paper Presentation Abstracts
2018 Student Wildlife Research Symposium
The Second Annual Ohio Student Wildlife Research Symposium took place April 12, 2018 at Maumee Bay State Park Lodge. The symposium continues to grow and the student presentations are such high quality. Photos can be found below. The agenda can be reviewed here. See above for details on the 2019 SWRS.
2017 Student Wildlife Research Symposium
The First Annual Ohio Student Wildlife Research Symposium (SWRS) took place on April 6, 2017, at Deer Creek State Park, in conjunction with the Environmental Education Council of Ohio's 50th Annual Conference (EECO). The idea was to host an opportunity for high school students to showcase their research to an audience of their peers, as well as meet biologists and other professionals in the field to learn more about careers in wildlife management and natural resources.
The SWRS featured high-school-aged student presenters and posters on a wide variety of topics. There were also two keynote presentations from Ohio high school educators Sara Laux and Mike Sustin, who both have a lot of experience helping their students conduct research on Ohio wildlife and their habitats. The EECO Formal Educator of the Year award was also given at the end of the conference. It is our hope that this symposium becomes a well-established part of the high school science education community in Ohio.
2017 Presentations
- Effects of acid mine drainage on leaf processing in constructed wetlands
- Vertebrate Survey at the Granville Schools Land Lab
- Determination of Home Range and other Habits of Eastern Box Turtles
- Got Salamanders? Examining the salamander diversity of reforested surface coal mines
- Working with Kids Outside
- Thinking Outside the "Box"