SREL Recognizes Graduate Student Research at 6th Annual Symposium
September 3, 2026
Contact: Tyjaha Steele, (803) 508-0892
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Aiken, SC — The Savannah River Ecology Laboratory (SREL) celebrated the research and accomplishments of its graduate students during the laboratory’s 6th Annual Graduate Student Symposium on Sept. 3.
The full-day event provided an opportunity for SREL graduate students to share their research, connect with colleagues and highlight the range of ecological research being conducted at the laboratory. Students presented their work through poster presentations and oral presentations across three sessions.
SREL also welcomed Dr. Daniel Mead as the symposium’s keynote speaker. Drawing from more than two decades of work in vector-borne disease and wildlife health, Mead reflected on 26 years of arbovirus surveillance in Georgia, including the emergence of West Nile virus in the state.
Georgia’s first confirmed detection of West Nile virus came in 2001, when a dead crow from Lowndes County tested positive during statewide wildlife surveillance. Mead was part of the team documenting and responding to the virus as it emerged in Georgia, providing a firsthand perspective on the state’s early experience with West Nile virus and the importance of long-term wildlife disease surveillance.
The symposium also recognized students whose presentations stood out among this year’s research sessions. The 2026 award recipients were:
- Best Poster Presentation: Annie Beadle
- Session 1: Karin Ebey, A Sex Ratio by Incubation Temperature Reaction Norm for the American Alligator Based on Fluctuating Thermal Regimes
- Session 2: Abigail B. Bickle McKittrick, Exploring the Mode and Tempo of Epigenetic Aging Across Taxonomic Groups
- Session 3: Jackson S. Prosser, Influence of Wetland Hydroperiod on Mercury Bioaccumulation Among Watersnakes and Their Amphibian Prey
The symposium highlighted the breadth of research being conducted by SREL’s graduate students, from wildlife physiology and reproductive ecology to aging and contaminant dynamics. Their work contributes to a broader understanding of ecological systems and the challenges facing wildlife and their environments.
SREL is proud to support its graduate students as they develop their research and contribute to the scientific community. The laboratory looks forward to following their work and the research questions they pursue throughout their careers.
The Savannah River Ecology Laboratory, a research unit of the University of Georgia located near Aiken, South Carolina, studies a wide range of ecological research topics, including contaminant transport and ecotoxicology, wildlife ecology, conservation genetics, and ecosystem restoration. For further information, call SREL at 803-508-0892 or e-mail connect-srel@uga.edu.
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