Undergraduate students and recent graduates represent an increasing proportion of ESA meeting attendees and are an important demographic in the field of ecology. Undergraduates have unique obstacles about how to navigate the steps to a career in ecology, including getting into graduate school, deciding what subject to study, and what a career in ecology looks like. This workshop will: (1) provide a place for young ecology students to meet one another, (2) discuss the graduate application process, and (3) provide advice from current graduate students through a presentation of tips for success and a graduate student panel discussion about personal experiences. Topics covered will include, but are not limited to:

• connecting with potential graduate research advisors
• applying to graduate school
• a day in the life of a graduate student
• moving to new places and meeting new people
• how to transition into a successful young professional alongside other students facing the same challenges