JONESBORO – An Arkansas State University senior earned first place in the undergraduate paper category at the annual Southwestern Division of the American Association of Geographers (SWAAG) conference.
Jessica Harvey, a senior environmental science and Honors College student from Lawton, Oklahoma, won for her research titled “Mapping the Coral-Algae Transition Along Coconut Beach, Dominica.” The study was conducted during a summer research trip to the Caribbean island.
“It was a huge accomplishment for not only me, but for the four other students who were part of the project,” Harvey said. “I take a lot of pride in being able to get our research recognized by professionals in the field, especially because we all worked so hard to get this research done.”
The SWAAG conference draws geographers from Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma, and Mexico to showcase research and discuss developments in the field.
Dr. Jason Post, assistant research professor of geography at A-State, supervised the trip and praised the dedication of the students involved. “I think it is a tremendous achievement to have our students see their projects through the entire research process, from research design to fieldwork in Dominica, and finally the analysis and presentation upon return,” Post said.
This summer research trip marked a first for Arkansas State and served as a launchpad for the university’s new study abroad program in Dominica. Post noted the program's success and its impact on student development. “It reflects strongly on the program and attracted positive attention from departments, students, and scholars from around the region,” he added.
Another student on the trip, Zhoe Davis, a senior animal science major from Marion, Arkansas, also participated in the SWAAG conference. Davis presented a poster detailing her own research project conducted in Dominica.
“This conference was a great opportunity to showcase our new Dominica study abroad program as well as the hard work of our students,” Post said. “It was also meaningful to me as a professor, as this was the first academic conference for both Zhoe and Jessica to attend and present at. I was truly blessed to have the opportunity to support and guide them through this process.”
Harvey encouraged fellow students to pursue similar opportunities. “I learned a lot of valuable things about myself, which helped me gain a lot of confidence as both a student and researcher,” she said. “I believe that is one of the most important skills you can have. I will never forget all the fun memories I made and the unique opportunities I got to experience abroad.”
Post emphasized the importance of offering more programs like this in the future. “This conference really demonstrated the success of the program as a proof-of-concept and sets the bar very high for future iterations of the program,” he said.