Student Research Paper Wins First Place at Regional SWAAG Conference

JONESBORO – An Arkansas State University student recently won first place in the undergraduate paper category at the annual Southwestern Division American Association of Geographers (SWAAG) conference. 
 
Jessica Harvey, a senior environmental science and Honors College student of Lawton, Okla., presented research she had conducted over the summer in Dominica. Her presentation, “Mapping the Coral-Algae Transition Along Coconut Beach, Dominica,” took home the top prize. 
 
"It was a huge accomplishment for not only me, but for the four other students who were part of the project,” said Harvey. “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.” 

SWAAG is a regional conference for geographers from Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Oklahoma and Mexico.  
 
“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,” said Dr. Jason Post, assistant research professor of geography. 
 
Post said this research trip to Dominica was the first of its kind at A-State.  
 
“It reflects strongly on the program and attracted positive attention from departments, students and scholars from around the region. It showcases the innovation and research productivity here at A-State.”  
 
Another Dominica research student, Zhoe Davis, a senior animal science major from Marion, also attended the conference and presented a poster on her Dominica research project. 
 
“This conference was a great opportunity to showcase our new Dominica study abroad program as well as the hard work of our students,” Post added. “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 said she would encourage students to participate in a research trip like the one she and her classmates experienced. 

“I learned a lot of valuable things about myself, which helped me gain a lot of confidence as both a student and researcher,” continued Harvey. “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 added that seeing two students from this trip present their research at a conference of their peers solidifies the need for trips like this one.  
 
“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.”