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Field Tours & Socials
Field Tours
Below is information on field trips for AEES 2026, which will take place on the morning of Wednesday, June 3rd (between 8 am and 12 pm). Please note that some of the field trips include physical activity outdoors and will require appropriate footwear and clothing. The schedule and transportation will allow time for participants to return to their accommodations to change before the afternoon conference activities at the Davis Center. If you have any questions or concerns about the level of physical activity for a given trip, please reach out to eric.roy@uvm.edu. Three of the field trips involve bus rides out of Burlington, which are largely scenic and will give you an opportunity to see more of Vermont.
Lake Champlain Cruise + Museum | *Recommended for CED participants
This field trip will include rotation among three co-located “stations” on the Burlington lakefront. One will be a Lake Champlain cruise on UVM’s hybrid-electric research and teaching vessel, the Marcelle Melosira. Another will be a visit to the ECHO, Leahy Center for Lake Champlain. And the third stop will be this year’s site for the CED/AED Workshop. Three groups will move through these stations in different orders. Travel time from the Davis Center is ~10 minutes each way by bus.
Greenway e-Bike Ride
We will take an e-bike tour along the scenic Burlington Greenway along Lake Champlain from downtown Burlington toward Colchester, VT. The ride will be ~5 miles each way along largely flat terrain with some gentle inclines. This will be a relaxing ride on e-bikes. Along the way, we will stop at various green stormwater infrastructure installations, a Lake Champlain beach, and the Winooski River iron bridge. Travel time from the Davis Center to bike pick up location is ~10 minutes each way by bus.
Anaerobic Digester Tour
This field trip will involve a bus trip north to St. Albans, VT to tour the relatively new PurposeEnergy anaerobic digester co-located next to a Ben & Jerry’s production facility. You will learn about anaerobic digestion technology, facility operations, food waste feedstock sourcing, and more in one of the most ambitious states for organics recycling in the nation. Travel time is ~35 minutes each way by bus.
Wetlands Hike at The Watershed Center
This field trip will involve a trail hike at The Watershed Center in Bristol, VT. We will take a scenic route (2-3 miles) with some small rolling hills (no mountains) along wetland complexes, forests, and a reservoir. Along the way you will learn about ongoing UVM wetlands research. Travel time is ~45 minutes each way by bus (longest ride, but scenic).
Mt. Philo Hike
This field trip will involve a hike up a very small mountain with big views at Mt. Philo State Park in Charlotte, VT. The hike to the summit is ~0.75 miles with steep climbing. Then we will hike another 0.75 miles back down. The summit includes stunning views of the Lake Champlain and Champlain Valley. Travel time is ~25 minutes each way by bus.
Socials
Awards Ceremony - Waterworks | June 2, 2026 | 6:00 - 9:00 pm
This year’s AEES Awards Ceremony and Banquet will take place on Tuesday, June 2nd from 6-9 pm at Waterworks in Winooski, VT. Transportation will be provided (~7 min each way by bus).
Pre-Conference Social - TBA
More details coming soon.
Student Social - TBA
More details coming soon.
Early Career Social - TBA
More details coming soon.
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