Last week, SWS members and fellow wetland professionals, scientists, and students gathered in Spokane, Washington, U.S. for the SWS 2023 Annual Meeting. The meeting theme this year was Wetland Adaptation: From Floodplains to Ridgelines, and presentations aimed to highlight how science can inform design, how design can inform science, and how to relay this information to regulators and policymakers to continue to protect vulnerable wetlands and other aquatic resources.
This year at the Annual Meeting:
- Over 450 wetland professionals attended
- 63 students attended
- 230 Accepted Abstracts
Field Trips
Attendees embraced the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest on the first day through field trips to local restoration and project sites including the Saltese Flats Wetland Area and Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge. Just stepping outside the hotel delivered breathtaking views of the Spokane River.
Plenary Speakers
We welcomed respected scientists and professionals to serve as our plenary speakers during the Annual Meeting:
Dr. Mark Rains, Professor of Geology at the University of South Florida, Chief Science Officer for the State of Florida, and Associate Editor for Wetland and Watershed Hydrology at the Journal of the American Water Resources Association
Dr. Heida Diefenderfer, Senior Earth Scientist with the Coastal Sciences Division at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Faculty Fellow at the University of Washington, College of the Environment
Dr. Margo Hill, Associate Professor, Urban & Regional Planning Programs, Eastern Washington University - Department of Political Science and Public Policy
Dr. Amy Yahnke, Senior Wetland Scientist for the Washington State Department of Ecology
SWS Awards Ceremony
This year, we presented the following awards to the listed recipients during the meeting for their exceptional work in promoting understanding, conservation, protection, restoration, science-based management, and sustainability of wetlands. Here is who received awards this year:
Doug Wilcox Award for Outstanding Associate Editor of WETLANDS: Dr. Alan Dixon
Fellow Award: Dr. Mark Rains and Dr. Jenny Davis
International Travel Award: Dr. Afrah Saad Mohsen
Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Donald Cahoon
Outstanding Educator Award: Dr. Michelle Stevens
Practitioner Award: Ecobot
President's Service Award: Leandra Cleveland, Ralph Tiner, David Bailey, and Vanessa Lougheed
Learn more about the SWS Awards Program.
Ralph Tiner receives President's Service Award
Dr. Mark Rains receives Fellow Award
Dr. Donald Cahoon receives Lifetime Achievement Award
Dr. Michelle Stevens receives Outstanding Educator Award
Leigh Rothermel accepts Practitioner Award on Behalf of Ecobot
Leandra Cleveland receives President's Service Award
Welcome Susan Galatowitsch as President of SWS
The presidential tenure of William Kleindl has come to an end, and at the Annual Meeting this year, he handed over the title to well-deserved Susan Galatowitsch.
SWS is thankful for the wonderful leadership Bill has exhibited during his time as president!
We welcome Susan and are excited to see what she has in store for SWS in the coming year.
Join us in Taiwan for the SWS 2024 Annual Meeting!
Find more information about next year's meeting here.
