From the AGU-URECAS website:

“A planning workshop for a new initiative concerning two-year college student research was held at the American Geophysical Union (AGU) headquarters in Washington, DC July 11-13, 2012. This workshop brought together faculty from two-year colleges, four-year colleges and universities, and representatives from professional societies and federal organizations to learn more about how to support two-year college faculty and students engaged in Earth and space science research and to discuss the development of a program to strengthen the role of two-year college Earth and space science students in the future workforce.”

I was honored to be one of the faculty that applied and was accepted to attend this workshop.  The workshop gave me another opportunity to discuss undergraduate research with a range of professionals from across the nation (even Alaska!).  I was able to share what I have done with the freshmen and sophomore undergraduate research students that I mentor and also share information about the resources CUR (Council on Undergraduate Research) has available to help faculty that mentor students in the first two years.  I even helped share some of the workshop information with live tweeting!