2011-12 deadline: April 8, 2011

Applicants must be a Huxley College undergraduate student unless otherwise stated.

 

Applications for Huxley College scholarships (pdf) require completion of the Huxley College scholarship application (pdf). Applications submitted are kept on file for the current academic year and reviewed for future opportunities.

 

Applications will be accepted through the last day of winter quarter.  Generally scholarships will be awarded spring quarter for distribution in fall and winter quarters the next academic year. Award amounts may vary from year to year and are subject to funds availability.

 

Huxley College sometimes also offers scholarships with special application procedures and due dates.  These opportunities will be announced via the Huxley College Student List Serve. (NOTE: other university oppportunites below.)

Contact information: Huxley College Office (ES 539), (360) 650-2817

 

Huxley College Scholarships (link to listing (pdf))

• Congressman Al Swift Scholarship
• American Water Works Association Scholarship
• Bess Fosse Environmental Studies Scholarship
• Cecil William Westman
• Chuckanut Garden Club/Mary Ruggles Scholarship
• Washington State Federation of Garden Clubs Scholarship
• Western Washington University Foundation Business Forum

 

Other Huxley College Scholarships (link to listing)

• Aaron Edward Gastellum Memorial Scholarship
• Ernst Gayden Scholarship

Huxley College scholarship information & current application (pdf) (PRINTABLE)

University opportunities: WWU Scholarship Center; Fellowships (pdf)

 

Other off campus/outside opportunities:

• Pacific Region of National Garden Clubs 
• The EcoSystems Scholarship Fund NEW!
• Oslo Peace Scholarship 
• National Garden Clubs 
• Nowegian Club Fisheries Scholarship 

 

Sarah Bell

Thesis advisor:  Scott Miles

E-mail address:  sarahsusanbell@gmail.com

Web site or blog:   www.alpinkart.com

Interests:  GIS, Cartography Theory, Spatial Capital, Interactive maps, Statistical Geographical Representation

Research:  Coming soon

Expertise:  GIS, Static Maps & Interactive Cartography

Awards:  2008 NACIS Student Dynamic Map, First Place, Mount Rainier Climbing Incidents

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Lacey Cunningham

Thesis advisor: Grace Wang

Preferred Email address: laceycunningham77@yahoo.com

Professional Interests: Where metals come from…the geopolitical distribution of mineral deposits, mining, metallurgy, and the transnational production line of consumer products.

Personal Interests: Hiking, canoeing, camping, gardening, cooking, sewing, building furniture, and exploring.

Research: DRC Conflict-Free:  A Scalar Examination of the Pilot Certification Scheme for Conflict Minerals (Tin, Tantalum, and Tungsten) from the Democratic Republic of Congo

Expertise: Living in the backcountry and primitive manual labor.  Worked 8 years for North Cascades National Park trail crew (nine this summer 2011), fifth year serving as backcountry youth volunteer coordinator.

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Jeff Guinn

Thesis advisor:  Paul Stangl

Email address:  jmguinn@alumni.indiana.edu

Interests: Pedestrian and bicycle planning, transportation, urban geography, and environmental policy.

Research: My current research, regarding walking and biking, examines previously identified mode choice influences and ask pedestrians and cyclists to rate the amount of influence these factors have on their decision. This research seeks to better understand these dynamic influences, provide a means for encouragement of non-automotive based modes of transport, and guide future studies related to walking and biking.

Expertise: Planning, Environmental Policy/Management, LEED Green Associate

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Lauren Miller

Thesis advisor: Dr. Troy Abel

Preferred Email address: mille334@students.wwu.edu

Interests: Transboundary Conservation, Natural Resource Management, Common Pool Resource Theory

Research: In this study I hope to better understand the trans-border collaborative park governance of La Amistad International Park by addressing how has the park’s unique combination of bi-national jurisdiction and UNESCO designation shaped the geographies of its management? This involves a look at who is managing which space in or around the park, from where, to what extent and how successful is this management? Additionally, this study looks at levels of participation of local communities as well as experiences and perceptions of park management in the buffer zone of La Amistad International Park.

Expertise: Qualitative field approaches to natural resource management, Fluent in Spanish 

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Zeck Koa

Thesis advisor: Scott Miles

Preferred Email address: zeck_donahue@gmail.com

Web Site: www.dunadan.net

Interests: GIS (Geospatial Information Science), VGI (Volunteer Geographic Information), Cartography, Political Geography, IT (Information Technology)

Research: Coming Soon

Expertise: Coming Soon

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Thomas Laws

Thesis adviser: Patrick Buckley

E-mail address: tlaws89@gmail.com

Interests: Urban Planning, Alternative/Sustainable Transportation, Green Cities, and Alternative Energy.

Research: My goal is to examine transit systems in both the US and Canada to determine which policies and cultural ideologies are most effective in promoting more efficient forms of transportation.

Expertise: European Transit Systems, Aerial Photography, Outdoor Leadership, and Water Table Monitoring.

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Matt Paskus

Thesis adviser: Patrick Buckley

Preferred e-mail address: matt@spinningGlass.org

Web site or blog: www.spinningGlass.org

Interests: Writing Screenplays & Software, Family, & Ticket Jackets, & Travel

Research: UNDERSTANDING THE DYNAMIC EFFECTS OF FLIGHT PATTERNS ON LAND USE

Expertise: Transportation/Land Use Analysis

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Austin Rose

Thesis advisor: David Rossiter (Chair), Patrick Buckley, James Loucky

Preferred Email address: austin.rose@hotmail.com

Interests: Historical and cultural geography, geopolitics, cartography, social justice 

Research: The discursive construction of the U.S.-Mexico border through the medium of cartography.

Drawing ideas from critical cartography and social constructivism, I highlight the ways in which maps of this particular border space are not merely objective representations, but rather embody powerful political discourses that have constitutive effects on the identities, and thus treatment, of individuals and collectives engaging in the border region.  This project yields political and social implications as it illuminates the production and definition of a particular aspect of the nation-state for the U.S. and Mexico, the two countries’ shared border space, and illustrates how cartographic discourse influences border policy and can play a major role in how people understand and reconstruct the U.S.-Mexico border.

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Jenn Sears

Thesis Adviser: Andy Bach

E-mail address:  jenn.sorensen at gmail dot com

Interests:  Evolution of agriculture in the U.S.A., dryland farming, GIS, dynamic web mapping solutions, cartography

Research: My research focuses on developing a site selection model in GIS for dryland viticulture in the Walla Walla Valley and immediate regions bordering in Washington and Oregon.  I am looking at areas where Cabernet Sauvignon vines may grow without supplemental water from irrigation.

Expertise: In addition to my work in the program, I am a Senior GIS Technician that specializes in utility (sanitary sewer, water, stormwater, fiber optics) asset management Integration with GIS.

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Paul Whelan

Thesis Adviser:  Andy Bach

Email: mrpaulwhelan@gmail.com

Website:  paulwhelan.wordpress.com

Interests:  hiking, biking, snowboarding, good books, good friends, playing with my dog

Research:  Habitat Suitability Analysis for Wolverines in the Cascade Range

Expertise:  Geomorphology, Climatology, Soils, Water Resources

 

Brenna Forester

Thesis advisor: Andy Bunn

Preferred Email address: forestb@students.wwu.edu

Interests: Climate change science, paleoecology, conservation genetics, alpine systems.

Research: Climate-induced range shifts are being documented worldwide, across ecosystems and taxa. The exceptional velocity of anthropogenic climate change is challenging species responses through dispersal, migration and adaptation. Will species be able to migrate quickly enough to track their climatic niche? Will dispersal limitations impede migratory progress and result in local extinctions? I am addressing these and other questions using species distribution modeling, a correlative modeling approach that relates species occurrence to climate and environmental variables. While these models have great potential for assessing climate change impacts on species and ecosystems, they come with serious limitations. My objective is to address some of these limitations by incorporating phylogeography as an independent assessment of model effectiveness. Calibrated predictive models can then be used to generate conservation and management recommendations that prioritize the maintenance of genetic diversity, the mitigation of extinction risks, and ecosystem stability in the face of climate change.

Expertise: Quantitative approaches to ecological questions and problems; spatial modeling.

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Leslie Parks

Thesis advisor: David Wallin

Preferred Email address: parksl2@wwu.edu

Interests: Mountain goats, landscape genetics, landscape resistance modeling and conservation biology

Research: Although mountain goats (Oreamnos americanus) are not globally threatened, mountain goat populations in Washington have declined by ~70% since the 1950s. Historic overhunting from 1950s through the 1980s is likely the cause of this decline (Rice and Gay 2010, Hamel et al. 2006), but many populations in the Washington Cascades have not recovered and some historical habitat remains unoccupied despite drastically reduced hunting pressure (Rice pers. comm.). Previous work found that anthropogenic factors, particularly transportation corridors, limit mountain goat dispersal among populations. Small, isolated populations are susceptible to genetic and demographic factors that reduce population viability. Mountain goat populations in Washington exhibit lower genetic diversity than populations from the core of the species’ range in British Columbia and Alberta. Anthropogenic activities in the Frasier and Okanogan Valleys in British Columbia may serve as barriers to gene flow between mountain goat populations in Washington and British Columbia. The objective of this project is to obtain a greater understanding of population connectivity among goat herds in Washington and focal areas in British Columbia, identify factors that may be interfering with dispersal among these populations and identify present and historic corridors. If significant anthropogenic barriers are identified, the potential for animal translocation efforts to restore genetic flow and increase genetic diversity will be evaluated. Noninvasive techniques for acquiring genetic date, such as fecal sampling, are often less costly than traditional tissue sampling methods and are also preferable for species that are sensitive to handling, including mountain goats. Scat samples were collected from areas within Washington that were not well represented in previous studies and from southern British Columbia, an area that has not been previously sampled.

Expertise: Integrating population genetics and landscape ecology

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Melissa R.A. Pingree

Thesis advisor: Peter S. Homann

Preferred Email address: pingrem@students.wwu.edu

Interests: Soil science, forest ecology, fire ecology, charcoal chemistry

Research: High-severity wildfires are increasingly common in the western United States. Current climate predictions point towards drier conditions in the west, which may lead to longer fire seasons and more extensive burning. Predicted climate conditions, coupled with dense fuel accumulation from continuous fire suppression, suggest an increase in high-severity wildfires in the western U.S., which have the potential to drastically affect forest soil systems. The Biscuit wildfire of 2002 consumed a portion of the Long-Term Ecosystem Productivity (LTEP) experiment in the Siskiyou National Forest, Oregon. My research takes advantage of the unique Biscuit Wildfire-LTEP study and pre-established black carbon reference materials to evaluate a key fire-related soil component:  charcoal. To my knowledge, it is the first study to measure the concentration of charcoal in both pre- and post-wildfire soil samples.

Expertise: Integration of soil science and forestry to address pertinent and qualitative ecological questions.

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Renee Ragsdale

Thesis advisor: Dr. Ruth Sofield

Preferred Email address: reneeragsdale@gmail.com

Interests: Aquatic toxicology, endocrine disruption, Contaminants of Emerging Concern (CECs), biomonitoring, bioavailability and bioaccumulation of contaminants in freshwater environments.   

Research: I am working in the lab to evaluate the contribution of weak black liquor in biologically-treated pulp and paper mill effluents to bioassay responses in Mytilus galloprovincialis and Ceriodaphnia dubia, and to assess mill effluent parameters that may correlate with biological responses.

Expertise: Ecotoxicology, freshwater ecology, biomonitoring, stream habitat assessment, water quality analysis, whole effluent toxicity (WET) testing, mesocosm studies.

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Ian Fawley

Thesis advisor: John Miles

Email address: ianfawley@gmail.com

Interests: Place-based Education, Experiential/Outdoor Education, Religion and Environmentalism, Pacific Northwest Ecosystems, International Environmentalism and Human Health, Mental Mapping, and Cartography.

Research: Connections between Sense of Place and Environmental Stewardship

Expertise: Non-Profit Outdoor Adventure Leadership including experience in:  teaching map & compass, rock climbing, desert canyoneering, winter mountaineering, caving, backcountry food preparation, ropes course facilitation, and youth-at-risk facilitation; International NGO Environmental Education; GIS (Geographic Information Systems); Cartography; Remote Sensing.

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Kelsi Franzen

Thesis advisor: John Miles

Email address: kelsi.franzen@gmail.com

Web Site: Editor from October 2009-September 2010 for North Cascades Institute's "Chattermarks" blog - see http://chattermarks.ncascades.org/author/kelsi/ 

Interests: Being a keen observer of natural and cultural history of the Pacific Northwest, Nature literature by such authors as Edward Abbey, John Muir, Rachel Carson, Aldo Leopold, Wendell Berry, Theodore Roosevelt, Henry David Thoreau, and others, educating students in the outdoors through experiential and place-based experiences that create critical thinkers rooted in stewardship, outdoor activities like mountaineering, rock climbing, backpacking, canoeing, and nature writing.

Research: As part of the ninth cohort of graduate students in the North Cascades Institute Professional Residency graduate program, a specific research emphasis was not required. However, my educational focus was on that of high school youth leadership and stewardship education within North Cascades National Park and the Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest through a program called North Cascades Wild. My teaching philosophy is rooted in place-based education, with an emphasis on tying in experiential education techniques that utilize a wide array of learning styles to empower youth in environmental knowledge and awareness.

Expertise: Environmental Education for youth, with an emphasis in place-based natural and cultural history and outdoor living skills. In addition, a certification in Leadership and Non-Profit Administration focused on the business aspects of running a non-profit environmental education organization, such as North Cascades Institute. 

To make note: I graduate this March 2011.

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Bret Greenheck

Thesis advisor: John Miles

Email address: bcgreenheck@gmail.com

Interests: Traveling, volunteering, rock climbing, mountaineering, fishing, backpacking, investigating the natural world, sports, gardening, knitting.

Research: Building place-based climate change education through the lens of Mount Rainier National Park. For my comprehensive Field Project, I will develop a climate change curriculum for the Education Division at Mount Rainier National Park.

Expertise: Over the past handful of years, I’ve worked seasonally as a Park Ranger (Interpretation) for the National Park Service. My summer seasons have found me in Grand Teton and Mount Rainier National Park and the winters in Joshua Tree National Park. Through the development of original, thematic interpretive programs--encompassing both the natural and cultural resources of the park--I helped park visitors gain a personal appreciation for resources of the park and ultimately foster a sense of stewardship for them.

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Cassandra Lee

Thesis advisor: Gene Myers

Email address: CassandraJLee@gmail.com

Web Site: http://apertureoverture.blogspot.com/

Professional Interests: environmental education, special education (emotional/behavioral disabilities), multi-cultural approaches to learning, place- and community-based education, children's nature literature

Personal Interests: photography, writing, reading, gardening, hiking/wandering, travelling, creating things from paper, ongoing learning

Research: My thesis explores the relationships between race and approaches to accessing nature, especially the use of public lands by African Americans.

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Jenn Radtke

Thesis advisor: John Miles

Email address: rossandjennradtke@gmail.com

Web Site: http://loavesabound.blogspot.com/

Interests: Environmental Education, Literacy and Justice; Kitchen Literacy and Food (cooking it, eating it, reading and blogging about it); Food Politics; Traveling and Outdoor Adventures; and Science and Christian Theology.

Research: Rather than completing a thesis students in the campus-based program may choose to create a field project. The project I am working on is a curriculum and program to be used in faith communities exploring Christian environmental stewardship. I hope to have the opportunity to implement the program in a local church in the fall of 2011, in the hopes of exploring and celebrating the gifts of the earth with the local community. My educational philosophy is grounded in the teachings of science, ecology, and Christian environmental stewardship, and my methods center on genuine inquiry and self exploration by facilitating very real experiences that connect us to our roots as human beings and to the earth as the source of our vitality. 

 

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Kathryn Rinder

Thesis adviser:  John Miles

E-mail address:  rinderk@students.wwu.edu

Interests:  all things outdoor; knitting; horses; art; cooking

Research:  Residency M.Ed. program

Expertise:  Connecting people with nature and making connections between the environment and individual action.

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Katie Tozier

Faculty adviser: John Miles

Preferred e-mail address: tozierk@students.wwu.edu

Professional Interests:  Despite the overwhelming challenges posed by global climate change, I find hope in the power of environmental education, and intend to help foster a passion for positive environmental stewardship and responsible resource use in future generations. I would love to do this in any non-traditional, experiential education setting with an environmental emphasis. 

Personal Interests:  Oil painting, chocolate, dogs, and good movies!

Research:  How have human-environmental interactions have changed over time? More specifically, are there any major turning points that we can correlate changes in our resource consumption to, and subsequently, the way we perceive the environment in the context of our lives? 

Expertise:  Great experience with hands-on environmental education as an Interpretive Intern through the US Forest Service, Stanislaus National Forest (CA), and presently, as a Graduate Student in Residency with the North Cascades Institute at their Environmental Learning Center (WA). 

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Amy Burgess

Thesis advisor: Steve Sulkin

Preferred Email address: burgesa@students.wwu.edu

Web Site: http://www.msphds.org/profiles.asp?ind=BurgeAmy

Interests: Marine ecology, larval ecology, HABs, ocean acidification, invertebrate biology/physiology

Research: My thesis is designed to contribute to our understanding of the true environmental impact of harmful algal blooms (HABs) in our coastal systems. HABs may play a role in affecting coastal system productivity. This can only be determined if we develop a better understanding of the dynamics of the transfer of algal toxins among components of the food web. There may well be significant consequences that are not being accounted for – or we may find that HABs have no significant impact on system productivity. In either event, the answers will inform the need for management.

My research focuses on the transfer of algal toxins within the planktonic food web. Larval crabs are an important component of the food web linking the microbial loop to metazoans. Encounters with toxic algal blooms could have both population and community consequences related to crab larval success. I want to know if the decrease in survival of larval crabs under toxic algal feeding conditions is due to a toxin being vectored by the prey source or if the prey source is nutritionally insufficient and cannot support normal development.

Expertise: Larval rearing, algal culturing & maintenance, invertebrate biology.

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Anna-Mai Christmas

Thesis advisor: Steve Sulkin

Preferred Email address: christ92@students.wwu.edu

Interests: Crustaceans, Outreach, Climate change science (concentration in Ocean acidification), Ecosystems ecology

Research: The role of sea water acidification of the World’s oceans on populations and communities is a subject of growing concern and attention. In the case of Crustaceans, issues such as calcium dynamics of the molting process and direct effects on survival and development rates of larvae have received at most limited attention. My research will provide evidence for the possible effects of increased ocean acidification on important larval crab processes like dispersal behavior, feeding rates and growth.

Expertise: Epifluorescent microscopy and Crustacean biology

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Clay Bailes

Thesis advisor: Leo Bodensteiner

Preferred Email address: bailesc@students.wwu.edu

Interests: Sharks, Toxicology, Immunology, Virology.

Research: Exposure of Spiny Dogfish (Squalus acanthias) to heavy metals. I am examining how metals are incorporated into the dorsal spines of spiny dogfish and how metal exposure may change over the life of the fish.

Expertise: Shark biology; Environmental toxicology; Water quality analysis.

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