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As the population of the United States continues to diversify, 2015 GSA-SACNAS STUDENT TRAVEL AWARD RECIPIENTS
partnerships like this one are important in encouraging students
from underrepresented groups to build personal networks within David Ben Ruby Patterson
their scientific and professional communities. The SACNAS
National Conference provides such opportunities for students to Sami Chen Ivory Paulk
interact with other students and professionals from across the
STEM disciplines who come from similar backgrounds, whereas Edward Chew Emily Pease
the GSA Annual Meeting is a place where students can interact
with students and professionals from across the geosciences. Sofia de la Sota John Ramirez
Combined, these meetings provide a unique opportunity for
student participants to network, identify mentors and build a Sandra Hardy Emilio Rivera II
community of support that will further enhance their academic
and career success in geoscience disciplines. Anibal Hernandez-Vega Thooba Samimi

For more information about OTF or to be a mentor, go to Nalani Kito-Ho Ashley Sánchez
community.geosociety.org/otf/home/myhome. Information on
SACNAS is online at www.sacnas.org. You can read about a student Sanjin Mehic Diamond Tachera
experience at SACNAS and GSA at https://speakingofgeoscience
.org/2016/05/02/on-to-the-future-sacnas-and-gsa/. Belen Molina Hector Valencia

“As a Native American graduate student, I am inspired to Alex Mundo Jazmin Villegas
share opportunities with others, which will help increase
representation of underrepresented groups in STEM Megan Murphy Karissa Vincent
disciplines. Since going through the On To the Future
program, I will be eager to inform my colleagues at the Heidi Needham Jessica Whiteaker
University of Arizona and others about this opportunity to
attend GSA and learn more about research and employment Victoria Parker
possibilities in geosciences.”

“I attended a session exploring traditional knowledge and GSA TODAY | www.geosociety.org/gsatoday
climate at SACNAS, where I listened to Dr. Margaret Hiza
Redsteer speak about changing climate conditions in the
Navajo Nation using traditional knowledge and remote
sensing techniques. At GSA, I was able to learn more about
hydrologic changes in the Southwest U.S. when I listened to
Dr. Brian F. Thomas speak on how to identify regional ground­
water recharge episodes using remote sensing techniques at
the “Satellite Remote Sensing Applications in Hydrology and
Geology” oral session. I incorporated the knowledge that I
gained at SACNAS and GSA into my final project in my
remote sensing class on snowpack change in the Southwest.
Having the opportunity to speak with and be taken seriously
by leading scientists in the field was very special.”

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