The Midwest Aquatic Plant Management Society (MAPMS) invites both graduate and undergraduate students to participate in our annual conference program. Students may present on research or educational topics relevant to aquatic plant management or closely related fields. Past presentations included biology, chemistry, ecology, genetics, and economics.
Student presentations are automatically included in the MAPMS Student Paper Contest. As part of the contest, a panel of judges from various backgrounds provide feedback to the students about their presentations. Presentations are also scored and the top three students presenters are awarded cash prizes at the annual banquet.
Students that wish to participate must respond to the MAPMS Call for Papers by submitting their abstracts.
Previous Winners:
Student involvement is critical to fulfilling the mission and vision of MAPMS. Four students registered for the 2025 conference in Chicago IL, all of whom presented their research. The following students were awarded for contributing their presentations at the conference:
First Place ($300) Delaney Davenport, North Carolina State University, Response of Vallisneria taxa to combination herbicide treatment.
Second Place ($200) Maxwell Gebhart, Mississippi State University, Herbicide efficacy on invasive Vallisneria x Pseurdorosulata and Vallisneria spiralis.
Third Place ($100) Kara Foley, North Carolina State University, Evaluation of herbicide efficacy on Hottonia palustris (Water Violet).
Congratulations to all the students. We look forward to learning about the progress of their research and anticipate another outstanding group of students and presentations at the 2026 conference in Milwaukee, WI. Please help spread the word about opportunities to participate in both the program and poster presentations.
For more information, please contact:
Dr. Ryan Wersal
Student Affairs Committee Chair
