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The ASLO LOREX program fosters international research collaborations through professional development training open to all ASLO student members. It provides competitive paid research exchanges opportunities for graduate students. This program is supported by NSF grant #1831075, 2019-2021. Professional development training occurs through webinars, web resources, and conference workshops. The research exchanges allow US-based graduate students to travel to one of seven international host institutions to conduct collaborative research in aquatic science. LOREX participants regularly blog about their experiences and lessons learned.

Just do it!

By Abby Webster Just do it! If you know me, you know I love nothing more than to travel and explore new places. So of course, being in Australia for two months was truly one of the best experiences of my life. I feel like I took full advantage of the awesome opportunity we have through the LOREX program; I ...

To my home away from home: Shalom and Lehitra’ot

By Antrelle D. Clark As I boarded the Delta flight #249 for my 12-hour flight back to the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, I began to reminisce over all of the memories I made and the people I met. I remember the day I found out that I would be spending the summer in Israel. I was filled with so much ...

Umeå, the roaring city

By Vendy Hazukova On October 16, I made my way to the Abisko train station, said my goodbyes, and set forth to the big city of Umeå. Umeå is home to approximately 120,000 people, two university campuses, and despite its northern, rather remote location, there is a vibrant cultural life. For the duration of my stay, I joined the Ecology ...

Work Hard, Play Hard

By Emmi Kurosawa Emmi the "Bush-walker" Hello everyone, my name is Emmi Kurosawa. I am a PhD candidate from University of Massachusetts Boston doing collaborative research with Associate Professor Joanne Oakes here in Southern Cross University (SCU), Lismore, NSW, Australia. I was here in 2020 as a part of the LOREX cohort 1. I'm back for more this time as ...

Everyone Has Different Experiences

By Meredith Theus In applying for, preparing for, and completing my LOREX exchange at the University of Montreal, I had many expectations of what it would be like to be a visiting research student at a new university in a new place with a new language and a new culture (both in and out of the lab). Now that I ...

So Things Can Go Wrong…But That Is Okay!

By Meredith Theus There are many great opportunities and experiences that occur with a research exchange. It’s an opportunity to learn new research techniques, meet other scientists, interact with a different lab group, and experience a new place. At the University of Montreal, I have been learning how to process and analyze dissolved organic matter, working closely with a graduate ...

Slouching towards Abisko

By Vendy Hazukova Over the past couple of years, I have exchanged summers in Maine for field work in the Arctic. This summer was no different: I spent a little over two months in West Greenland studying how lakes respond to climate change and after enjoying the East coast sun for a couple of weeks in August, I have embarked ...

G’day from down unda!

By Abby Webster Walking through the Lismore campus reminds you that you're in a subtropical environment - lots of cycads and eucalyptus trees and sunbathing water dragons. I'm Abby - a 3rd-year PhD student at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF). I traded gloomy Syracuse, NY for sunny Lismore, NSW, Australia and already know my 8 weeks ...

Becoming an International Drone Pilot

I jumped through a whole lot of hoops and paperwork to become an international drone pilot. Getting clearance to fly as a foreign operator in Canada meant I had to pass an in-person verbal and practical exam at the airport. I had to prove I was knowledgeable about airspace restrictions and demonstrate safe flying techniques in front of an instructor. ...

Honorary terrestrial ecologist?

By Danny Szydlowski "You're a PARAFAC master!" declared Mahmud Hassan, the research technician who was teaching me how to measure and analyze the quality of dissolved organic matter. I grinned back at him. It was nearing the end of my time in Montréal, and I had finished nearly everything I had planned to do in Canada. I learned PARAFAC, a ...
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