NEAS April 21st-23rd, Bretton Woods, NH.
The Northeast Algal Symposium (NEAS) this year was all fancy in the Mt. Washington Hotel in New Hampshire’s White Mountains. As usual, the meeting was student-focused and the grad and undergrad presentations were nothing short of amazing. And behold, I presented a fancy poster in sunrise hues.
PSA June 4th-8th, Monterey, CA.
As usual, the annual meeting of the Phycological Society of America (PSA) was a blast. Great Bold Award session, a multitude of other fabulous talks, and of course, a truly epic symposium on terrestrial algae organized by my academic sister Dr. Nicole Pietrasiak (New Mexico State University). Live tweets from the talks added a new dimension to the talks – it is interesting to see a 140 character version of one’s work! #phyco2017
A couple of interesting field trips were also part of this trip – a tour of the Pacific Biological Laboratories once run by Ed Ricketts, a close friend and collaborator of John Steinbeck. What a spectacular intersection of science and literature! http://www.canneryrow.org/
And lastly, I managed to sneak out for a visit to Point Lobos, a wonderful natural area with lively intertidal communities, including the giant green anemone Anthopleura xanthogrammica (the host of symbiotic green algae of the genus Elliptochloris) and whole lawns of gorgeous corallines. 
Looking forward to next year in Vancouver!
