After thirteen years in existence, the focus of the SEEDS program has been turning to leadership in ecology now that many of our students have gone on to pursue and obtain higher degrees in ecology, and have begun establishing themselves in ecology careers.  Naturally when encouraging leadership in students and alumni, we must consider what the future holds in the ecology profession.   As such, SEEDS has been collaborating with other national organizations and efforts to ensure SEEDS participants are aware of ecology’s frontiers.   The nature of SEEDS is such that students are welcomed to bring their own perspectives to the table and in doing so, we are hoping to prepare students to not only participate in the local and global future ecological research agenda, but to lead. 

Results/Conclusions

Since 2002, SEEDS has directly served 292 students through our national opportunities (leadership meetings, fellowships, field trips, and ESA Annual Meeting travel awards).  When we look at SEEDS Chapters and their outreach opportunities, the number of students and community members served through SEEDS jumps exponentially to over 3,000.  Eighty percent of directly served students have remained on an ecology career path.  SEEDS alumni are now employed in academia, government agencies, and private industry.  Fifty have gone on for a Master’s degree related to ecology, and 20 have graduated.  Sixteen alumni have gone on for a PhD related to ecology and three have graduated.  They are winning awards, learning languages, speaking up, traveling the globe – and preparing for and being ecology’s future.