David Keellings, University of Florida

Dr. David Keellings is an Associate Professor of Geography at the University of Florida. His research focuses on the climatology of extreme events such as heat waves and hurricanes. David has published over 35 articles in journals such as Science of the Total Environment, Earth’s Future, Applied Geography, and Southeastern Geographer. He has received funding as PI from NSF, NIH, and NOAA and his research has been highlighted in the national press. David is a passionate educator who cherishes student mentorship and regularly brings students to SEDAAG meetings. He is also a big Supporter of SEDAAG having served as the Florida State Representative. David attended his first SEDAAG meeting as a master’s student in 2007 and he has been a regular face at the meetings ever since.

Maegen Rochner, University of Louisville

Dr. Maegen Rochner (M.S. and Ph.D. University of Tennessee) is an Associate Professor and tree-ring scientist at the University of Louisville, Kentucky and regular attendee, supporter of SEDAAG, having attended every in-person meeting since 2013 in Roanoke, Virginia (as a master’s student at University of Tennessee). Rochner is also a regular organizer of the dendrochronology special sessions, “Applications in Dendrochronology” at SEDAAG and is chair of the SEDAAG Honors Committee. In her role as a professor, Rochner now regularly supports student involvement in SEDAAG meetings, and hopes to promote stronger attendance from the University of Louisville. She believes that SEDAAG is the best regional meeting and a welcoming, supportive place for students to attend their first conference. Rochner’s research is also focused on the southeastern United States, where she applies tree-ring methods to paleoclimate and human-environmental questions and hopes to establish the Southeastern Archaeological Timbers Network (SeARCHT). Rochner’s experiences in AAG leadership and other service include board membership in both the Paleoenvironmental Change and Biogeography specialty groups; she is the director of the Dendrochronology Field School (DFS, formerly NADEF), and member of Kentucky-focused organizations such as the Kentucky Academy of Sciences and Kentucky Climate Consortium. As a recipient of grants and awards from SEDAAG, Rochner is also excited at the opportunity to come full circle and support SEDAAG, and SEDAAG students, through service.