Daniel and Justin are both sophomores who have worked with Prof. Gourley for the last semester. They are preparing for a summer research project in the White Mountain National Forest, where they will study soil nutrient dynamics following clear cutting.

Daniel:
My poster presentation investigated the sediment of a stream reach that contained elevated levels of total mercury that were found during a wide-scale study of the Park River watershed,. I did not expect that many people,  to come, look at my poster, and ask about my study. Some were definitely challenging but others were very encouraging and absorbed. A meeting with Andy who works at the White Mountain National Forest about an upcoming research project went really well. Once again, I did not expect that many environmental scientists and geologists in one place and a lot of the posters and talks were informative, interesting, and really laid back. I had a great time skiing/snowboarding with Professor Gourley, Professor Bushey, and Justin.

Justin:
At the conference, I discussed our future work with the White Mountains National Forest Department of New Hampshire to determine the levels of nutrients present in the soil of a section of forest before and after a clear cut takes  place.  The primary purpose of the research is to deduce whether there is a sufficient level of nutrients for a healthy forest to regrow.  Many listeners were very excited to see our results over the next few years.  In general, the experience was fun and educational.  Skiing with Professor Gourley and discussing our research with fellow students, Sama and Stephani.