AWRA Florida Education News

2022 Sanford N. Young Scholarship Recipient

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 21:40:00 GMT

Amanda Chappel, University of Florida. Amanda has eight years of experience in environmental systems and biological research with a focus on coastal water chemistry and wetland soil biogeochemistry. Amanda is a Certified Ecologist and received her Bachelor and Master of Science from the University of South Florida in Environmental Science. Her research background includes quantifying carbon burial and accumulation rates as a proxy for sea-level rise and historic ecosystem dynamics in mangrove forests. Additionally, Amanda has studied nutrient cycling and sequestration in estuarine and coastal habitats and performed extensive mapping and monitoring of both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems as a Scientific Technician with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Research Institute. Amanda's current research focus with the University of Florida's Environmental Engineering Sciences department is studying the ecosystem effects of coastal eutrophication in estuarine systems with the goal of supporting effective management strategies that will advance solutions to minimize anthropogenic impacts on coastal waters. This research also seeks to better understand the influence anthropogenic nutrients have on habitats that are an ecological and economic necessity like mangrove, marsh, seagrass, and phytoplankton communities.

2022 William V. Storch Student Award Recipients (Graduate)

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 21:35:00 GMT

	Osamah Tarabih, University of South Florida. Osamah is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of South Florida (USF) where he is interested in hydrology, ecology, and the ecological responses of altered hydrology. With the objective of mitigating environmental impacts on South Florida ecosystems, Osama is conducting his doctoral research optimizing Lake Okeechobee’s outflow regimes to the St. Lucie Canal, the Caloosahatchee River and the Everglades for the benefit of societal water needs (water supply and flood control) and water quality (nutrient pollution). Osamah obtained his master’s degree from Cairo University studying the impacts of upstream dams on the Nile flows and hydropower in Egypt. Osamah is an active student member of the Florida Section of AWRA, as well as the Vice President and one of the founders of the AWRA student chapter at USF. Osamah wishes to pursue an academic career upon graduating with his Ph.D. degree in water resources engineering.
	Estenia Ortiz, University of South Florida. Estenia is a Ph.D. Candidate in Environmental Engineering at the University of South Florida with research interests in water quality improvement, nature-based solutions, and healthy sustainable and equitable infrastructure. She obtained a BS in Environmental Engineering from the University of Florida in the spring of 2018 and a Master of Environmental Engineering from the University of South Florida in the summer of 2020. Estenia is a Community Science Fellow with AGU’s Thriving Earth Exchange program and is working with the lead community organization in San Ysidro, California - Casa Familiar - to design public green spaces for carbon sequestration and environmental justice. She is also a National Research Traineeship STRONG Coasts Fellow, U.S. Department of Education Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) Redesigning Resilient Transportation and Water Critical Infrastructures Fellow, WEF INFLOW participant and Alfred P. Sloan Scholar. Estenia has interned with the NASA DEVELOP program gaining skillsets with NASA Earth Observations for monitoring water quality along Florida’s coast. She has also interned with the Surface Water Improvement and Management (SWIM) program at the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) acquiring knowledge on local water quality improvement and habitat restoration projects. Through her dissertation work, Estenia seeks to understand the synergies and tradeoffs to the colocation of stormwater ponds and community gardens in order to promote food security, economic opportunity, and clean and resilient watersheds. Overall, Estenia wants to co-create with communities, especially those underrepresented in Science Technology Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) and environmental decision-making, equitable and sustainable solutions to challenges at the Food Energy Water Systems nexus.
	Alex Orfinger, Florida A&M University / University of Florida. Alex is a 31-year-old from Ormond Beach currently completing his Ph.D. in aquatic entomology at the University of Florida and Florida A&M University. He previously earned BS and MS degrees in biology from the University of Central Florida. His doctoral research revolves around the phylogenetic systematics of Trichoptera, or caddisflies, important water quality indicators. Alex also has broad interest and expertise in natural history, taxonomy, ecology, evolutionary biology, and invasion biology of a wide range of taxa, but especially aquatic insects and fishes. When he's not working, Alex enjoys hiking, eating new foods, and traveling with his wife Aileen, dachshund Hopper, and pit bull Blue.
	Megan Kramer, University of South Florida. Megan is a Ph.D. student pursuing a degree in Environmental Engineering at the University of South Florida. Originally from Washington State, she completed her BS in Civil Engineering from Gonzaga University in 2018. Following her undergraduate studies, she served for two years as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Tanzania, teaching secondary school mathematics. Her experiences abroad inspired her to pursue graduate studies in international development and coastal sustainability. As a current NSF-NRT STRONG Coasts Fellow and member of the Watershed Sustainability Lab at USF, she is currently investigating interdisciplinary approaches to improving coastal resilience by harnessing the ecosystem services of mangroves and coral reefs.

2022 William V. Storch Student Award Recipient (Undergraduate)

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 21:30:00 GMT

Lillian Maxwell, University of Florida. Lillian is a junior majoring in wildlife ecology and conservation, as well as microbiology. Since the beginning of 2022, Lillian has been working for the U.S. Geological Survey at the Wetland and Aquatic Research Center in Gainesville, Florida, under the supervision of Dr. Jason A. Ferrante. Their work has focused on using genetic techniques to address the challenges that face the manatee population of Florida. The work that Lillian has done has solidified her plans to enter a graduate program and pursue a combined PhD and DVM program. In her work, she hopes to continue to conserve the life blood of Florida, its water, and to educate others on how they can protect it.

2022 J.B. Butler Science Grant Recipients

Mon, 19 Sep 2022 17:00:00 GMT

	Big Cypress National Preserve (Ochopee) - Lisa Andrews
	Starkey Environmental Education Center (New Port Richey) - Rebekah Jenkins
	Buckhorn Elementary School (Valrico) - Jennifer Bachtel
	Friends of Lover’s Key, Inc. (Ft. Myers Beach) - Louise Kowitch

2021 Sanford N. Young Scholarship Recipient

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 02:30:00 GMT

Taylor Hancock, University of South Florida. Taylor is is a Geography, Environmental Science, & Policy PhD student in a joint program between the University of South Florida and Florida Gulf Coast University. (FGCU) His dissertation research primarily examines anthropogenic disturbances and primary production, with a specific focus on the toxic bloom forming Microcystis aeruginosa and other freshwater cyanobacteria. He started his journey into the field of ecology at FGCU, completing a Bachelor of Science in Biology in 2016 and a Masters in Environmental Science in 2019, earning the title of FGCU’s 2019 ‘Graduate Student of the Year’. While at FGCU, Taylor immersed himself in sustainability, environmental education, and research as the university’s first senior naturalist, a member of various research laboratories studying everything from microbes to megafauna, and co-author of a book chapter on the use of university conservation areas as a living laboratory. Taylor also loves to share his love of the environment and wildlife with his inquisitive five-year-old Leo. Taylor plans to enter academia to fulfill his dream of teaching and encouraging the next generation of scientists while continuing to research issues of disturbance ecology, wetlands, and conservation.

2021 William V. Storch Student Award Recipients (Graduate)

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 02:25:00 GMT

	James Javaruski, Florida Gulf Coast University. James is pursuing his master’s degree in environmental studies. Having lived in Fort Myers for the past 13 years, James has had a front seat to the consistent and widespread development of the area. Wanting to help gather more information on the environmental impacts of this development, he has gotten involved in a variety of projects ranging from tracking the flow of nutrients and pesticides through the Caloosahatchee-Estero Bay watershed to microplastic distributions in Lee and Charlotte County waterways. James’ thesis work focuses on the preservation and potential remobilization of red tide toxins deposited in shallow Southwest Florida coastal sediments. Upon completion of his master’s degree, James intends to earn a PhD in chemical oceanography with a focus on organic toxins.
	Ahmed Nasr, University of Central Florida. Ahmed is a PhD student in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering and is interested in hydrology, coastal engineering, and flood risk management. For his PhD dissertation, Ahmed is researching the broad topic of compound flooding where different flooding drivers (coastal, fluvial, and/or pluvial) occur concurrently or in close succession and thus exacerbating impacts. Ahmed is studying the dependence between those flooding drivers at various coastal locations around the U.S. coastline with several communities in Florida. This will lead to improved understanding and increase resilience in coastal communities. Ahmed obtained his master’s degree in flood risk management from IHE Delft Institute for Water Education in the Netherlands and his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering (with honors) from Cairo University in Egypt. Ahmed is interested in applied research that can benefit the scientific and engineering communities and wishes to pursue a career as an academic and consultant in flood risk management.
	Cierra Braga, Florida Institute of Technology. Cierra is a PhD student at the Florida Institute of Technology studying Oceanography. As someone who has grown up in Florida, the impacts of invasive species on the environment in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats has been a notable topic discussed throughout her entire life. Cierra is currently researching more environmentally friendly applications for biofouling prevention in our marine environment compared to the common chemical-based paints which can leach into the surrounding water column. Invasive species can be transported from one location to another via ship hulls and ballast water, and as such, biofouling is a concern in ports all over the world that have sensitive ecosystems and have the potential to be significantly altered due to the introduction of a non-native organism that lacks local predators. One of these more environmentally friendly biofouling prevention methods that is currently being investigated as a viable application is ultraviolet C light (UVC). Cierra’s dissertation research focuses on using UVC light as a biofouling prevention method and will investigate the impacts of UVC exposure on both target and non-target organisms. In addition to her studies, Cierra has worked as an environmental scientist and as an education program staff member at a zoological facility. Future career goals are to teach and perform research in academia.
	Daniel Schroeder, Florida Gulf Coast University. Daniel was born in and has resided in Fort Myers for the past 33 years. His education, work-life, and residence have been within the same 15 square miles, which has allowed him to become greatly invested in the engineering challenges of the southwest Florida area. He is passionate about the sustainable growth of Lee County and is honored to be working in a profession that is a part of influencing and solving the associated challenges. He leads the civil engineering group at a firm that focuses mostly on water resources projects in southwest Florida. A recent project included a Lee County flood mitigation plan, which entailed the largest regional surface and groundwater modeling effort conducted in Lee County over the past 25 years. Other recent projects include hydrologic and ecosystem restoration, weir and water control structure design, and stormwater management projects. His career aspirations include contributing to sustainable development and management of southwest Florida water resources. He is currently enrolled at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) seeking a Master of Science in Engineering with a concentration in Sustainable Water Engineering. He has completed research on a brackish water reverse osmosis (BWRO) plants in the City of Clearwater, the Town of Jupiter and the City of Clewiston with the purpose of assessing if the water quality changes at the BWRO facility necessitate design modifications before the anticipated design life span is realized. Other research efforts involve analysis of a GIS and ICPR4-Based Approach in Typical Development Analysis for Sustainable Urban Drainage to study the design of an infiltration-based stormwater management option that satisfies land development permit requirements and estimates the associated groundwater recharge benefits.

2021 William V. Storch Student Award Recipients (Undergraduate)

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 02:20:00 GMT

	Farah Aryan, University of Florida. Farah is currently an Environmental Engineering undergraduate student and plans to pursue a master’s degree in Agricultural and Biological Engineering upon her graduation. Farah has conducted research on marsh response to sea-level rise as well as mercury concentration data for fish and humans along the Amazon River in effort to find a causality between human health and mercury concentration. Farah’s current research focus involves environmental justice and water quality in indigenous populations in the Middle East. During her undergraduate career, Farah has worked at the Packaging Corporation of America and General Motors, both as an environmental engineering intern.
	Jenna Brooks, University of South Florida. Jenna is a second-year student in Civil Engineering with a concentration in Water Resources and Environmental Systems. Her research is focused on plastic pollution in stormwater ponds and she is investigating how plastic properties, such as size, shape, and settling velocity, as well as pond characteristics, such as hydraulic loading and retention time, influence the accumulation of microplastics in these systems. Jenna hopes to continue doing research and plans to earn a Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering.
	Madison Mullen, Florida Gulf Coast University. Madison graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and a minor in Climate Change at Florida Gulf Coast University (FGCU) in the Spring of 2021. In Fall 2021, she will start her Master of Science in Environmental Science at FGCU working with Dr. Jo Muller. After joining the FGCU Chapter of AWRA in her junior year, she was appointed President by Dr. Don Duke. During her undergraduate research, Madison analyzed how ponds and wetlands work together to provide flood mitigation at the FGCU campus and concluded that wetlands are primarily responsible for flood mitigation, particularly in the wet weather season. Currently, Madison is working as a co-researcher to investigate how groundwater and water table levels are related to pond and wetland storage capacity for stormwater runoff. The goal for her graduate research is to develop a better understanding of paleotempestology and how it relates to hurricane-like storm events. After graduate school, Madison is interested in working at the intersection of climatology and water resources.

2021 Buddy & Laura Blain High School Scholarship Recipient

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 02:15:00 GMT

Leonardo Torrico, Jupiter High School. Leonardo graduated from Jupiter High School in June 2021 and will be attending Palm Beach State College to study pre-engineering. Leonardo plans to transfer to a public university in 2 years to study Civil, Electrical, and Mechanical engineering to further his goals of developing new and better environmental and water resources instrumentation in the future.

2021 J.B. Butler Science Grant Recipients

Tue, 10 Aug 2021 02:10:00 GMT

	Forest Hill Community High School (West Palm Beach) - Allison Mesang and Erin Nocera
	PSI High at Seminole High School (Sanford) - Matthew Tye
	Independence Classical Academy (Fort Pierce) - Rita Velasquez

2021 Scholarship and Grant Applications Are Now Being Accepted

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 14:15:00 GMT

AWRA Florida awards scholarships and grants to pre-Kindergarten through 12th grade teachers, environmental education centers, high school seniors, and undergraduate and graduate college or university students in Florida. 2021 Applications are now being accepted.

2020 Sanford N. Young Scholarship Recipient

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 16:15:00 GMT

Michelle Platz, University of South Florida. Michelle is a PhD Student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering studying Environmental and Ecological Engineering and Marine Ecosystem Restoration. Throughout her undergraduate education, Michelle discovered a love of research and a deep passion for marine ecosystems. Michelle completed a BS in Environmental Engineering from the University of Cincinnati in the spring of 2017 and a Masters in Environmental Engineering from the University of South Florida in the spring of 2019. Michelle seeks to investigate ecological engineering methods to advance coral restoration monitoring, improve the understanding of physical and chemical drivers affecting reef restoration success or failure, and ultimately help protect the ecosystem services reefs provide.

2020 William V. Storch Student Award Recipients (Graduate)

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 16:10:00 GMT

	Jeremy Conrad, Florida Atlantic University. Jeremy is a PhD Student in the Department of Integrative Biology; Area of Study is Marine Biology.
	Skylar Hooler, Florida Atlantic University. Skylar is a Master’s student in the Department of Geoscience with a focus in hydrogeology and geochemistry. Her current research at Loxahatchee Slough Natural Area aims to characterize and quantify groundwater-surface water interactions and investigate the impact that flow control structures have on this exchange using environmental tracers and other measurements. She is committed to outreach for student involvement in research as a Peer Mentor and Student Ambassador for FAU' Office of Undergraduate Research & Inquiry. Skylar plans to apply to Ph.D. programs to continue research in the field upon the completion of her thesis.
	Kyle Rezek, University of Florida. Kyle is a Master’s Student in the Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences researching water treatment techniques to completely degrade poly and per-fluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS). Kyle participated with the UF Engineers without Borders student chapter design team for two years to create a rainwater catchment system for villagers in Phulbari, Nepal to provide safe drinking water. Kyle is interested in pursuing a career focused on removing emerging contaminants from water supplies to protect public health and the environment.
	Sharmin Siddiqui, University of Florida. Sharmin is a PhD Student in the Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences; Areas of Study are Hydrology and Freshwater Ecosystems and her research involves quantifying the ecohydrological impacts of hydropower development in the Amazon River Basin.
	Osama Tarabih, University of South Florida. Osama is a PhD student in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and is interested in hydrology, ecology, and the ecological responses of altered hydrology. With the objective of mitigating environmental impacts on the Everglades ecosystem, Osama is conducting his doctoral research optimizing Lake Okeechobee’s outflow regimes to the St. Lucie Canal, the Caloosahatchee River and the Everglades for the benefit of societal water needs (water supply and flood control) and ecosystem functions. Osama obtained his master's degree from Cairo University studying the impacts of upstream dams on Nile River flows and hydropower in Egypt. Osama is an active student member of AWRA Florida, as well as the Vice President of the AWRA student chapter at USF. Osama wishes to pursue an academic career upon graduating with his PhD degree in water resources engineering.

2020 William V. Storch Student Award Recipients (Undergraduate)

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 16:05:00 GMT

Ashley Boggs, University of Central Florida. Ashley is studying Biology and Environmental Engineering and is working as an undergraduate research assistant in the UCF Biology Department's Aquatic Biogeochemistry Laboratory. Ashley's research is focusing on the impact of algal blooms and algaecides on freshwater systems.

Robert L. Taylor, University of Florida. Robert is a student in the Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences. His current research is examining the hydrodynamics of submerged aquatic vegetation from the blade scale to the patch scale as a member of the UF Watershed Ecology Lab. Robert is also a field technician and engineering intern at Applied Technology & Management in Gainesville, as well as serving as the UF AWRA Student Chapter Vice President.

2020 Buddy & Laura Blain High School Scholarship Recipient

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 16:00:00 GMT

Sydney Cloutier, Pensacola High School. Sydney is planning to double major in Marine Sciences and Geological Sciences at the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Miami. As part of her International Baccalaureate program, Sydney conducted field data collection and analysis and proved through her research that protection of intertidal marine life and protection of shorelines from erosion could be accomplished by adding rip rap to existing seawalls. Sydney will continue to study implementation of cost effective and ecofriendly engineering strategies to encourage increased marine life.

2020 J.B. Butler Science Grant Recipients

Fri, 31 Jul 2020 15:55:00 GMT

	Big Cypress National Preserve (Ochopee) - Lisa Andrews
	Episcopal Day School of Christ Church Parish (Pensacola) - Jerome Delacruz
	Wesley Matthews Elementary School (Miami) - Zoe Morales
	Lehigh Senior High School (Lehigh Acres) - Julie Ross
	Nature's Classroom (Thonotosassa) - Chris Rusnak
	University High School (Orlando) - Somer Sutton

2017 Sanford N. Young Scholarship Recipient

Wed, 11 Oct 2017 16:25:00 GMT

Carrie Schuman, University of Florida. Ms. Schuman is an Interdisciplinary Ecology PhD candidate at the University of Florida with a focus in fisheries and aquatic sciences. She has a B.S. in marine and freshwater biology from the University of New Hampshire and an M.S. in marine science and technology from the University of Massachusetts School of Marine Sciences. The overall topic of her research is the provision of oyster-provided ecosystem services (ecological functions that can be tied to human wellbeing) in the St. Augustine region of Florida, mainly in the Guana Tolomato Matanzas National Estuarine Research Reserve. Florida provides 10% of the country’s harvested oysters which supports local economy. In addition, oysters contribute to water quality and clarity; sequester carbon; provide microhabitat for small macroinvertebrates that foster productivity of local finfish; and stabilize and protect coastlines from storms and erosion. The first component of her research has been understanding the clearance (filtration) capacity of oysters within the reserve, including how much control oysters may exhibit on controlling phytoplankton growth in the region. The second component of her research involves managing for ecosystem services, including quantifying the provision of those services, and how that provision may change in relation to management activities. To tie these services to human wellbeing, she believes it is also important to understand which services members of the community are using and how they value them. She plans to use focus groups and other social science methods to gather information on what characteristics commercial and recreational oystermen, and fishermen who target finfish near reefs, use to choose reefs, where in the reserve they choose them, how frequently and in what manner they utilize them, and what additional oyster services they may value.

Ms. Schuman’s interests extend beyond research and include scientific education, outreach, and communication; policy; and economics. She has pursued opportunities to foster these aptitudes, including teaching as a National Science Foundation GK-12 fellow during her masters, and writing and blogging regularly to translate science for multiple audiences. She also has been involved with UF’s Tropical Conservation and Development (TCD) certificate program, which learning about conflict management and facilitation and international perspectives on natural resource management. She has engaged in volunteer and leadership activities relating to her studies for over 15 years, including mentoring a Florida State Science Fair first-place awardee in the environmental category, serving on the Coast Guard Auxiliary, and serving as a leader for service learning projects in Nicaragua and New Zealand.

Ms. Schuman foresees many types of opportunities and organizations post-graduation that might support her professional goals. One specific possibility is extension work through a university Sea Grant program.

2017 William V. Storch Student Award Recipients

Wed, 11 Oct 2017 16:20:00 GMT

Samantha C. Dowdell, University of Miami (Graduate). Ms. Dowdell is a graduate of Dartmouth College and is pursuing her Master’s Degree in Marine Affaris and Policy at the University of Miami. She is a John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellow. She serves as the sole student representative on the Marine Ecosystems and Society Academic Committee, where she helps professors determine departmental policies and resolve academic issues, and she is a teaching assistant. She has studied in Bonnaire, China, the Cayman Islands, Costa Rica, the Galápagos Islands, Lesotho, Namibia, Panama, South Africa, and Vietnam. Her internship experience includes work with the Conservation Law Foundation, National Marine Sanctuary Foundation, and Resolve.

Her studies include policy analysis, geographic information system (GIS) tools, and socioeconomic valuation methodologies. As a component of the NOAA Habitat Blueprint Biscayne Bay Habitat Focus Area project, her thesis will identify water quality degradation hot spots and describe the spatial flexibility of Biscayne Bay fisheries and recreational water operations. The overarching purpose of her research is to preserve Biscayne Bay economic and environmental health. Her specific goals are to (1) determine the economic value and spatial flexibility of Biscayne Bay fisheries and recreational water operations and to (2) use this information to increase awareness of the Bay’s value and to encourage environmental stewardship and conservation initiatives.

Ms. Dowdell aspires to a career in public service addressing issues such as domestic and international fisheries management, IUU fishing, conservation of threatened marine species, protected area spatial planning and management, and coastal community vulnerability.

Quinn Zacharias, Florida State University (Undergraduate). Mr. Zacharias is an Environmental/Civil Engineering major at Florida State University. His interest in water resources issues began in high school, when he conducted research on water quality before, during, and after publicly funded restoration efforts in Rose Bay, in Volusia County. Mr. Zacharias presented his findings to the Port Orange City Council, Rotary Club, Audubon Society, and the 2016 AWRA ShORE Symposium. He has engaged in public advocacy efforts through the Environmental Service Program at Florida State University and studied abroad in Panama. His former teacher and mentor in Volusia County wrote of him, “I have been a teacher for thirty years and I have only had a few students who would be such a highly recommended recipient. I work with all ten high schools in this school district and I can honestly say that Quinn is the most deserving student I know and who will become a great researcher, scientist, citizen and role model.” Mr. Zacharias plans to use his engineering degree to work for a government agency on environment-related projects and hopes to own his own engineering firm one day.

2017 Buddy & Laura Blain High School Scholarship Recipients

Wed, 11 Oct 2017 16:15:00 GMT

Alexis Preiss, Windermere Preparatory School, Windermere. Ms. Preiss was the sole recipient of the Volunteer Service Award at her school in 2015. She has volunteered at Dr. Phillips Hospital, as an assistant to biologists at the Disney Wilderness Preserve, and as a peer mentor at the UCF Summer Biology Institute. She has worked part-time at Publix during high school as well. She already has an interest in marine resources, having attended the UCF Summer Biology Institute and taken high school Advanced Placement coursework in marine biology. Ms. Preiss plans to attend UCF and eventually pursue a PhD in marine biology. She wants to use her scholarship funds to help her achieve her goal of graduating from college debt-free.

James Bible, Sebring High School, Sebring. Mr. Bible is an active volunteer at his church, serving as a vacation bible school instructor and traveling to Romania on a youth mission trip twice. He is a four-year varsity first baseman for the Sebring High School team and a nationally recognized sporting clay shooter. He has taken coursework in agriscience foundations, agritechnology, and horticulture and is interested in studying ways to efficiently produce food while keeping natural ecosystems and habitats safe. In his high school International Baccalaureate chemistry class he designed and ran an experiment to test for the effect of herbicides on the concentration of ions in soil and to determine how much of the herbicides ran into aquifers. He plans to attend the University of Florida and major in agricultural engineering.

2017 J.B. Butler Science Grant Recipients

Wed, 11 Oct 2017 16:10:00 GMT

Jessica Arnold, James A. Long Elementary School, Putnam County (Palatka). Ms. Arnold will use the Butler grant to fund a vivarium building project in her classroom. James A. Long Elementary is a Title 1 elementary school in Palatka, FL. This grant will serve 3 writing/science classes of 20-25 students (about 75 students total) in the 2017-2018 school year and will continue to benefit students for subsequent years, since many of the supplies are reusable.

This project will provide students with an opportunity to expand on their knowledge of ecosystems while building a partially closed vivarium system that can support both plants and animals. This will help foster knowledge of the importance of our most precious resource in ecosystems and will offer a real world example of the water cycle. Students will be able to observe and describe each part of the cycle. While creating the terrarium aspect of the vivarium, students will be able to study plant parts and the basic needs of plants. After creation, the students will be able to witness the function of respiration. This vivarium will also teach students the basic needs of living things, life cycles, and food chains through watching their animals grow and thrive in the ecosystem. As many of the items needed for this project are reusable, this project will benefit students for many school years to come.

Megan Baker, Jacksonville Museum of Science and History (MOSH). Education is at the heart of MOSH’s mission. To that end, educational staff develops and delivers unique curricula for diverse groups each year. In 2015-2016, they served 43,788 school children, 450 campers, 1,791 preschoolers, and 997 Boy and Girl Scouts. MOSH has more than 60 years of success contracting with Duval County Public Schools to provide a science curriculum to more than 12,250 students from fifty Title 1 schools. Age-appropriate experiments and hands-on demonstrations are designed for each group.

Funding from the Butler grant will allow MOSH to purchase supplies to support its Ecologics and Environmental Education program. Programs are delivered to Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts Troops, for elementary school campers, and for High School Earth Science and AP Environmental Science students. Classes are based in the Museum's HydroLogics exhibit. HydroLogics is a living outdoor exhibit surrounding the Museum's entrance that introduces visitors to xeriscaping - landscaping designed to preserve the natural ecosystems. Integrated plantings, a visible irrigation system and a series of educational signage initiate the public about sustainable practices and encourage behavioral changes. HydroLogics is the first impression of MOSH, and a natural extension of MOSH's drive to make sustainability part of our community's conversation.

Anne-Marie Davis, Oasis Elementary School, Cape Coral. Ms. Davis will use the Butler grants to purchase supplies to teach a variety of lessons to students in kindergarten through 5th grade. Supplies include solar desalination kits, water filtration its, pH test strips, pH test meter, measuring cups, containers, gravel for filters, charcoal for filters, salt and plastic bags.

Lessons include:

Kindergarten-5th graders will all learn/review the water cycle by making and observing models
2nd and 4th graders will participate in a water pollution simulation
3rd and 4th graders will make water filters in their classes to remove the pollutants
4th graders will make models to demonstrate erosion from runoff
4th grader will experiment with fresh water and brackish water meeting
5th grader will gather water samples to test the PH and experiment on how soil affects the PH of water
5th grader will make solar power water desalination systems

Chris Rusnak, Nature's Classroom, Thonotosassa. Nature's Classroom is an environmental education center that is part of the School District of Hillsborough County in partnership with the Southwest Florida Water Management District. Each year Nature’s Classroom has the district's 6th grade students (approximately 15,000) on campus for a three day field study focusing on the Hillsborough River Watershed. The Butler grant will be used to help purchase replacement nets for the shoreline sampling activity.

Students at shoreline sampling are on an investigation into the health of the Hillsborough River. They wade into the water with a pair of water shoes (purchased with funds received from the award of the 2016 Butler grant) and a net, on a mission to collect, identify and study the macro-invertebrates of the river. Student's then compile data about the organisms and use it to make inferences about the health of the river. The data is also used to teach students about the nature of science and scientific research (i.e. data reliability, variables, forming hypothesis, etc.). The hands on nature of collecting these invertebrates with a net has helped reach students with a variety of learning styles who may otherwise lack engagement with more traditional educational methods.

The Butler grant will be used to replace 20 nets. The nets are very durable, withstanding the constant use by students for many years. The grant funding will help accommodate the increasing student class sizes, allowing each student their own net for exploration. These nets and this lesson have given hundreds of thousands of students a better understanding and appreciation of the Hillsborough River and where their drinking water actually comes from.

Somer Sutton, University High School, Orlando. With the help of the funds provided by the 2016 JB Butler Science Grant, students were able to conduct a six week long experiment modeling the process of cultural eutrophication. Grant funds for 2017-18 will be used to set up additional testing tanks that will become models for testing remediation techniques, including muck removal, algal turf scrubbers and the use of constructed wetlands for nutrient removal.

2017 Scholarships and Awards Approved by Board of Directors

Tue, 15 Aug 2017 00:00:00 GMT

AWRA Florida's Board of Directors approved the Education Committee's recommendations for the 2017 Scholarships and Awards on August 10, 2017. Click here for more information.