HWS News
3 March 2025 HWS Students Present Research at American Geophysical Union Conference
Joining more than 25,000 attendees, five HWS geoscience majors recently showcased their research at the annual American Geophysical Union meeting.
Geoscience majors Ava Dimitroff ‘25, Jack Hanson '25, Delilah Heutsche '26, Fiona Howes '27 and Eric Koon '25 joined more than 25,000 attendees in Washington, D.C. at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) Conference, one of the world’s largest annual conferences, where researchers present their latest findings.
During a poster session, the HWS students shared the results from their summer research projects, which explored topics such as sediment cores, algal blooms, atmospheric rivers and paleoclimate patterns in Finger Lakes waters. Their research was conducted under the mentorship of Associate Professor of Geoscience Tara Curtin, Associate Professor and Chair of Geoscience David Finkelstein and Professor of Geoscience and Associate Provost Nick Metz.
“The opportunity to present my research at the annual AGU conference was invaluable—not only in sharing my work with peers and mentors in the field but also in gaining insight into related research,” says Koon, who also used the conference to connect with professionals and explore future research and graduate study opportunities.
Heutsche adds, “I learned so many valuable lessons and received advice from professional scientists on how to be successful.”
Each student’s research focused on distinct aspects of geoscience:
- Dimitroff and Koon analyzed sediment cores to reconstruct water-level changes in Western New York lakes and ponds over the past 11,000 years, identifying periods of low water levels in Seneca Lake and Mendon Ponds.
- Hanson studied how climate change and human activity have affected algal blooms in several Finger Lakes over the past century, integrating sediment cores analysis with archival data.
- Heutsche examined the relationship between atmospheric rivers and ice jam flooding across the northeastern United States.
- Howes investigated whether calcite, a common mineral, could be used to reconstruct past lake temperatures in Seneca Lake, identifying potential limitations in the method.
HWS’ robust summer research program equips students with valuable research experience while developing close mentorship with faculty. These opportunities often serve as a springboard for Honors projects, graduate studies, and careers in geoscience.
“My summer research experience at HWS was one of the best experiences I've ever had,” says Howes. “I gained valuable experience working on HWS' research vessel, The William Scandling, which led me to discover my passion for research vessels and their instruments—something I now want to pursue as a career.”
