Confluence 2025
We are excited to learn from early-career researchers affiliated with OSU at the annual Confluence* Symposium!
Registration to attend is FREE and may be done in advance or in person on the day of the event.
WHEN: Friday, April 11th, 2025
WHERE: Peavy Hall on Oregon State University's Corvallis Campus.
*Confluence was previously named the WFGRS-RAFWE Joint Symposium, standing for Western Forestry Graduate Research Symposium - Research Advances in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Ecology.
Schedule at a glance
Visit this link to view the Confluence Event Schedule!
Plenary speakers
Dr. Lori Daniels - morning speaker
Dr. Lori Daniels is a professor at the University of British Columbia's Department of Forest and Conservation Sciences. There, she is the director of the UBC Tree Ring Lab.
Talk title: TBD (topic relates to climate change, fire regimes, and Indigenous fire practices)
April 11 at 9am in Richardson Hall 107
Dr. Debbie Colbert - afternoon speaker
Dr. Colbert is the director of the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. Appointed as director in May 2024, making history as ODFW's first woman in this permanent position.
Talk title: “Bridging Science, Policy, and People”
April 11 at 3:30pm in Richardson Hall 107
Workshops
Offering unique opportunities to exchange ideas, reflect on work, and connect with colleagues, Confluence workshops are free to attend and will have food provided. Please use this link to register for specific workshop(s) you'd like to attend.
Workshop #1: Land Tenure, Power, and Justice in Natural Resource Management
This 90-minute interactive workshop invites Confluence attendees to explore the connection between land tenure, power, and justice in natural resource management. Participants will apply these concepts to create a conceptual map to situate a contemporary natural resource conflict. By the end of the session, attendees will gain new insights into how these forces continue to shape the landscapes we see and the stakeholders we engage with.
Wednesday, April 9 from 2-4pm at Richardson Hall 107
Workshop #2: Passing the Torch: Navigating Early Career Mentorship
Learn from a panel of faculty and researchers who span the spectrum of early to late career, all with extensive mentorship experience, about what it means to be a mentor and how to best support mentees. The format will be ~25 minutes of guided questions for the panelists, ~25 minutes of dialogue with the audience, and ~10 minutes of creating ‘mentorship statements.’
Thursday, April 10 from 2-3pm at Richardson Hall 107
Workshop #3: Resource Roundup (no registration necessary)
Join us for a passive, interactive workshop where attendees can contribute and learn from each other at their own pace throughout the conference. This workshop focuses on building a collaborative list of practical tools in areas like data visualization, teaching/mentorship, professional product development, time management, and campus/community resources. As a result of this workshop, all Confluence attendees will receive a comprehensive document containing all these tools to use throughout their careers. To participate, please stop by the Resource Roundup table at any time during the conference.
Friday, April 11 during the conference on the first floor of Richardson Hall
Auction
We have an amazing lineup of items and experiences ready for your bidding via silent and live auctions. The live auction and evening mixer begins on April 11 at 4:30pm. Some of our exciting auction items include: the famous (or infamous, depending on how seasick you get) Heppell fishing trip (Dramamine, not included), two photography prints from the wonderful Freshwaters Illustrated, guitar lessons from Seth White (impress your colleagues at the next bonfire by whipping out your guitar and playing the first 3 chords of “Wagon Wheel”). Come prepared to outbid your colleagues!
Submit an Abstract
In order to present at the symposium, abstract submissions must be completed online by the end of the day on Friday February 28th 2025.
If you have any questions, please reach out to wfgrs@oregonstate.edu.
What is Confluence?
The annual Confluence Symposium (previously named RAFWE-WFGRS), hosted by Oregon State University’s College of Forestry graduate students, showcases current student research. Since 2023, Confluence has grown into a joint symposium with the Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Sciences in the OSU College of Agricultural Sciences.
The symposium promotes academic achievement by challenging students to present their research and receive peer feedback from a diverse student and faculty audience while also providing the opportunity to attend workshops and listen to keynote speakers. The event facilitates engagement, enthusiasm, and collaboration between participants. Topics span ecology, forest management, forest products, human connections and the relationships between these subjects. WFGRS communicates research projects spanning all three departments of OSU’s College of Forestry: Forest Ecosystems & Society, Forest Engineering, Resources & Management, and Wood Science & Engineering.
Want to present your research?
Submit your abstract here! Abstracts for research at all stages are welcome. You have three presentation options:
- Oral presentation (12 minutes + 3 minutes Q&A)
- Poster presentation
- Virtual oral presentation
DEADLINE TO SUBMIT ABSTRACTS: Friday, February 28, 2025.
If your abstract is accepted, you will still need to register your attendance!
Virtual oral presentation slots are limited and are intended for those who cannot be in Corvallis to present. The format of virtual presentations (live or pre-recorded with Q&A) will be determined after abstract submissions have closed.
Oral presentations will be scheduled for morning or afternoon blocks and poster presentations will take place during a lunch block. Students who choose this option will have the opportunity to give a formal 12-minute presentation of research results with 3 minutes of Q&A at the end.
Students who choose to present a poster will do so in a 60-minute casual Q&A session allowing interaction with attendees.
Want to Attend?
Participation and attendance is free and open to everyone. Register here! Please register before March 11 to help the event organizers adequately prepare.
The one-day symposium is usually held at Richardson/Peavy Hall, Oregon State University, Corvallis, OR 97331. Students who submit a feedback form for a poster or oral presentation by 5 PM on the day of the symposium will be entered into a prize drawing! Digital registration will open soon. After digital registration closes, you may register in person on the day of the event.
The Organizers
The event is co-organized by graduate students in the College of Forestry and the College of Agricultural Sciences.
Event Location
Peavy Forest Science Center
3100 SW Jefferson Way
Corvallis, OR 97333
United States