3141 Chestnut Street • Randell Hall, Suite 235 • Philadelphia, PA 19104-2875 • TEL 215.895.6372 • FAX 215.895.2142 • www.drexel.edu/international

 Nina  Desianti    Graduate  Arts  and  Sciences  (COAS)  –  Biodiversity,  Earth  and  Environmental  Science  (BEES)  2015  Estuarine  and  Coastal  Sciences  Association  (ECSA)  meeting  

Recently,   I   attended   2015   Estuarine   and   Coastal  Science   Association   (ECSA)   meeting   in   London,   United  Kingdom  from  5  -­‐  9  September.  The  meeting  venue  was  in  a  stunning  waterfront   location   in   the  heart   of   London’s   Royal  Docks.   Scientists   and   environmental   policy   experts   from  many   parts   of   the   world   participated   in   this   meeting;  therefore  this  was  a  great  opportunity  to  be  able  to  share  my  work  and  to  learn  from  them.    

I  enjoyed  the  presentations;  much  of  the  research  presented  at  this  meeting  was  of  the  most  advanced  research  methodology  and  novel  scientific  findings.  I  presented  my  research  on  diatoms  as  environmental  indicators  in  New  Jersey  coastal  lagoons.  This  led  to  discussions  with  several  other  PhD  students  who  used  a  similar  research  approach  to  identify  the  environmental  condition   of   estuaries   using   biological   indicators.   My   research   is   unique   among   other  bioindicator  research  because  I  used  diatoms  as  tools  for  environmental  assessment  and  paleo-­‐environmental  reconstruction.  Many  other  researchers  and  I  are  interested  in  eutrophication  in  

estuaries  and  the  problems  which  it  has  dealt  us  within  the  past  decade.   The  meeting   has   allowed   us   to   learn   from   each   other  about   our   research   and   global   issues   in   estuaries   and   coastal  regions.  The  discussion  during  my  presentation  has  also  opened  possibilities   of   future   collaborations   with   other   students   and  researchers   who   are   interested   in   learning   about   abundant  diatom  species  they  find  in  their  samples.    

Aside   from   academic   discourse   and   socialization,  participants   of   this  meeting  had   a   chance   to   enjoy   the   view  of  London   and   its   famous   landmarks   on   a   fabulous   dinner   cruise.  The  Conference  Dinner  was  held  on  the  third  day  aboard  the  P.S.  Elizabethan.  The  Thames  river  cruise  offered  a  beautiful  view  of  London  at  night,  including  its  famous  historical  buildings,  such  as  the   Houses   of   Parliament,   Big   Ben,   Westminster   Palace,  Westminster   Bridge,   and   Tower   Bridge.   It   was   a   wonderful  experience,  especially  because  it  was  the  first  time  I  had  visited  London.    

   

3141 Chestnut Street • Randell Hall, Suite 235 • Philadelphia, PA 19104-2875 • TEL 215.895.6372 • FAX 215.895.2142 • www.drexel.edu/international

 I  am  grateful  to  have  been  able  to  attend   this   meeting   and   I   look  forward   to   attending   the   next  ECSA  International  Conference.  It’s  been   a   remarkable   journey   and   a  great  experience  to  be  a  part  of  a  truly  multi-­‐disciplinary  and  globally  distributed   coastal   and   estuarine  research   community.   Such   a  diverse   outlook   is   essential   for  critically   discussing   and  progressively   addressing   issues   of  outstanding   scientific   importance  in  the  science  and  management  of  coastal  zones  on  a  global  scale.