Spencer Tassone was selected to attend the Ecological Dissertations in the Aquatic Sciences (Eco-DAS; pronounced eco-days) symposia this coming March in Honolulu, HI. This symposia is funded by the National Science Foundation and the Association for the Sciences of Limnology and Oceanography; and seeks to bridge interdisciplinary gaps in aquatic ecology. Key elements of the symposia include:
- Fostering sustained, cross-disciplinary interactions among the top new researchers in ecological oceanography and limnology, to the benefit of both the science and the researchers.
- Increasing the success rate of new researchers seeking funding to build their research programs, by familiarizing them with the diversity of available research opportunities, and introducing them to representatives of funding agencies with whom they will interact in future.
- Increasing the likelihood of professional success for these new researchers by:
- Highlighting their initial work through high-visibility, open-access publication of manuscripts originating in the symposium;
- Focusing those manuscripts on interdisciplinary and collaborative aspects of their work;
- Encouraging out-of-the-box conceptualization of collaborative and interdisciplinary projects; and
- Establishing mentoring relationships between participants and established scientists.