Faculty, students present research at annual conference of women marine scientists
UNE’s Tricia Thibodeau, Ph.D., assistant professor in the School of Marine and Environmental Programs, and Class of 2026 M.S. in Marine Science students Erin Anderson and Jessie Maguire recently presented new research findings at the Society for Women in Marine Science (SWMS) Symposium, held from Nov. 15 to 17 at Stony Brook University in Stony Brook, New York.
The three-day event brought together 115 participants, including undergraduates, graduate students, faculty, and professionals to celebrate the achievements of women in marine science and foster connections to empower their careers.
Attendees came from New York, New England, and as far as California, Minnesota, Florida, Colorado, and South Carolina to attend the symposium, the first in-person event of its kind since a virtual national symposium in 2022.
Thibodeau, currently the president of SWMS since 2022, helped organize the event with the SWMS chapter at Stony Brook University. Thibodeau has been a member of SWMS since 2017, after establishing a chapter at the Virginia Institute of Marine Science during her Ph.D., and aided in planning a SWMS symposium in 2019 at the University of Maryland.
Anderson presented her master’s research on changes in zooplankton community structure in Saco Bay, while Maguire presented her master’s research on forecasting species distribution shifts in the Gulf of Maine.
The symposium kicked off Friday evening with a screening of Picture a Scientist, a documentary highlighting the challenges and successes of women in STEM. Following the screening, participants engaged in a discussion on fostering equity and inclusion in the scientific community.
Saturday offered attendees a schedule of workshops and panels on professional development, exploring career opportunities in academia, industry, government, and nonprofits. Experts shared their journeys and provided advice for navigating career paths in the field of marine science. Panelists emphasized the importance of building networks, adapting to challenges, and finding mentors to guide professional growth.
The symposium wrapped up on Sunday with hands-on training workshops. Marine mammal stranding training, led by the New York Marine Rescue Center, provided participants with the tools to respond to real-world rescue challenges. Data analysis and visualization workshops focused on statistical programming software, teaching attendees to apply advanced techniques in their research. A social media and resume-building session helped participants create their professional profiles to stand out in a competitive field.
SWMS is composed of 20 chapters throughout the U.S., including two international chapters in Africa. 51Æ·²èrecently began its own SWMS chapter this fall with sophomore Olivia Leighton (Marine Sciences, ’27) serving as the chapter president. The chapter has already hosted multiple events including a ‘Slime with SWMS’ activity during Fall Fest and a collaborative movie night with UNE’s American Medical Women’s Association (AMWA).
Funding for the conference travel and research by Anderson and Maguire was made possible through UNE’s College of Arts and Sciences’ MAR/BIO Graduate Student Funds and the Maine Community Foundation.
Erin Anderson and Jessie Maguire
