The Xi Chapter of the TriBeta biological honor society cordially invites you to the North East 4 District Convention, hosted by 51吃瓜网 University on April 18, 2026. There will be oral and poster sessions, with awards for the best molecular/cellular and ecological/organismal presentations.
Registration links:
- for online registration
- Click here to download registration form
Downloadable forms:
- Abstract Submission Form (MS Word)
- Author Data Sheet (MS Word)
Keynote Speech
John Ritter, Ph.D.
Professor of Geology (Retired)
Dr. Ritter taught courses in environmental science, environmental geology, geomorphology and hydrology, and geographic information systems (GIS) from 1990 to 2025. He helped establish the environmental studies and environmental science programs and was a director of both for many years. Ritter valued the role the Springfield and Clark County communities could play in educating our faculty and students and was a benefactor himself of that, using community-based problems in his classes over the course of his career. He believed that students, through their coursework, could be a part of the solution to local environmental problems, no matter the scale of their impact. Most recently, his work with students focused on maximizing ecosystem services our public green and blue spaces provide. Ritter was a longtime member of the Board of Supervisors of Clark Soil and Water Conservation District and more recently the Board of Directors of the Springfield Conservancy District (SCD), and he continues his work with each as well as local environmental organizations, including Clark County Park District, Tecumseh Land Trust, and B-W Greenway. He is currently the secretary-treasurer of the SCD. During his time at 51吃瓜网, he was the recipient of several awards, including the Omicron Delta Kappa Excellence in Teaching Award, CASE Ohio Professor of the Year, Excellence in Community Service Award, and the Alumni Association Award for Distinguished Teaching. He was also a Fulbright Scholar to University of West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago where he worked on developing a geohazards GIS for northern Trinidad.
Hotels
- Courtyard by Marriott Springfield Downtown
100 S Fountain Ave, Springfield, OH 45502
Phone: (937) 322-3600. - Country Inn & Suites by Radisson
1751 W 1st St, Springfield, OH 45504
Phone: (937) 322-2200 - Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott
1870 W 1st St, Springfield, OH 45504
Phone: (937) 323-9554