The Mary T. Carothers Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship
School: Undergraduate, Biology, University of Northern Iowa

Survey of Vegetation and Wild Bee Communities in Reconstructed Prairies in Northeastern Iowa

Roubik’s research will provide data on prairies and pollinators to mitigate negative effects agriculture may have. Field research will be based on prairie demographics, including plant species abundance, size, and viability; data collected from local bee species including size, quantity, and genome data; and plant identification. Roubik will also compose a pollen library for common prairie plants to create a baseline of understanding for restored prairies and pollinator habitats in northeastern Iowa.

The Mary T. Carothers Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship
School: Undergraduate, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Michigan

Impacts of Accelerated Snowmelt on Plant and Fungal Phenology and Nutrient Cycling at Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory

Falb will examine how accelerated snowmelt and altered snowpack depth impact plant and fungal phenology. Working at Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory with experimental snowmelt manipulation, Falb will collect root/fungal ingrowth cores, soil samples, and nutrient resin cores to analyze belowground biomass and nutrient flux as well as microbial/fungal community makeup. Results will predict the amount of carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus retained and lost in the systems. In addition, findings will show how changing snowmelt timing might impact plant and fungal phenology, abundance, and composition.

The Mary T. Carothers Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship

Preferences of Petal-Cutting Bees

Mead’s undergraduate research thesis will study a Pacific Northwest wildflower, farewell-to-spring, and the leafcutter bees that harvest the flower’s petals for their nests. By comparing leafcutter bee usage of native subspecies of farewell-to-spring to its nonnative subspecies and cultivars, Mead seeks to draw conclusions about the potential importance of planting native varieties of farewell-to-spring for ecological gardening and restoration to facilitate pollinator-plant interaction.

The Mary T. Carothers Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship
School: Undergraduate, Biological Science, University of Pittsburgh

Independent Research in the Carson Lab at University of Pittsburgh

Banks studies seed banks and how they affect the plant population above ground. This summer she will collect soil samples to gauge seed quantity and diversity, studying how those seeds contribute to the plant population in an area that has been disturbed by windstorms, logging, and grazing. This research will give ecologists a better understanding of how forests regrow after major disturbances, and how the diversity of these plants can contribute to the animal population and the overall health of society.

The Mary T. Carothers Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship
School: Undergraduate, Environmental Science and Sustainability, Allegheny College

Field Studies in Costa Rica

McRae’s study focuses on integrating humans into the landscape with sustainable agriculture, energy, water, and community architecture paradigms, utilizing frameworks like permaculture and holistic management. This summer he will travel to Atenas, Costa Rica, to study agroforestry and sustainable agriculture with the School for Field Studies. McRae is very excited to be on the ground with the School for Field Studies faculty and find his niche in the research projects that are ongoing in the surrounding rainforest landscape.

The Mary T. Carothers Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship

Tree Growth & Abundance in Arctic Alaska


Julia Ditto is a junior at Alaska Pacific University, Anchorage, studying environmental science in preparation for a career in field science and scientific illustration. This summer she will join an ongoing research project in the Brooks Mountain Range, observing the advancement of white spruce (Picea glauca) treeline in arctic Alaska. Ditto will collect data on spruce seedling density and vegetation growth while hiking and pack-rafting through the remote Alaskan wilderness. She will also take on the role of “expedition artist,” carrying a watercolor kit to record the journey and communicate the project through illustration.

The Mary T. Carothers Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship

Gabby Ross is a sophomore at the University of Tampa. This summer she will spend a month in the Serengeti with The School for Field Studies, an independent study abroad organization, where she will focus on the biophysical and socio-cultural in uences on the ecosystems of Tanzania. She will record animal behaviors, wildlife consensus data, and various quantitative/qualitative observations that will augment The School for Field Studies’ ongoing research. Her goal is to determine how to effectively use natural resources and sustainable practices to bene t both the economies of the local communities and the conservation of the region’s wildlife.

Funded by MAM-NWJ Foundation, Inc.

The Mary T. Carothers Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship

Autum Auxier is a junior concentrating in zoology at Ball State University, Muncie, IN. She will participate in a marine biology summer research program aimed at converting Algoa Bay, South Africa, into a Marine Protected Area. Auxier will collect gut samples from various species through the trophic levels for marine plastic analysis. Her work will include deploying and analyzing the footage from Baited Remote Underwater Videos, participating in marine stranding surveys, and attaching GPS trackers to adult African penguins. Her data will be combined with many other projects having similar goals.

The Mary T. Carothers Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship

Jane Williams is a freshman at Indiana University studying environmental management. This summer she will be attending a course titled “Volcanoes of the Eastern Sierra Nevada” where she will be studying the geology, natural history, and biodiversity of the Sierra Nevada mountain chain in eastern California. She will be conducting  eld work and designing a research project during her time in the mountains, after which she will submit a research paper. Furthering her understanding of plant life in the area, this course will also contribute to Williams’s research on campus in an environmental science lab.

The Mary T. Carothers Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship

Hallie Fischman is a junior concentrating in ecology and evolutionary biology at Brown University. She is currently studying the effects of Hurricane Irma on sand dunes at Sapelo Island, Georgia. Her project will specifically look at the role of sea oats (Uniola paniculata) in promoting dune recovery. Sea oats are commonly planted in the southeastern US for dune restoration, and this research will inform conservation practices.