Last weekend was the annual River Retreat, hosted by Martin Doyle. Once we had settled into the cabin (near Boone, NC) and had a second pot of coffee brewing, Martin set the ground rules for our discussions and introduced this years' theme: Extremes. The general goal of the weekend was to talk about big ideas and concepts, but on a individual level it allowed me to think about where my research fit into the bigger picture and elucidated parts that I hadn't thought about as thoroughly. An indirect result was (re)connecting with other students, reminding me of the great source of support and knowledge that they have to offer. To deter getting mired in the details of hydrology, our other 'adult chaperone' was Tim Baird, a social geographer with interests in conservation and sustainability. Tim provided us with a refreshing new perspective, and added to our collaborative desire to discuss extremes with a cross-disciplinary framework in mind. This year was my first River Retreat, and I have to say that when we got back to town I hardly wanted to interact with the rest of the world. A sunny afternoon walk through the Duke gardens was just what I needed, time to soak in my thoughts and sort the ideas swirling around in my head before they dissipated into thin air. The weekend was a great success and a much needed revitalization to start my semester off just right. My thought map of the three days of discussion-
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Science Adventures and the LikeI'm an outdoor enthusiast, trying to make it in the big city of Durham, NC. Luckily I have a great cohort of grad students to enjoy it with! Photos
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