ACES Graduate Student Recognition

On November 10th 2015, The Honor Society of Agriculture, Gamma Sigma Delta, held a luncheon in recognition of graduate fellows and award recipients. The following NRES students were recognized:

NATURAL RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES

• Festus Amadu

Awards: Norman E. Borlaug Leadership Enhancement in Agriculture Program; U.S. Government’s Feed the Future Borlaug 21st Century Leadership Initiative

• Chad Backsen

Fellowship: Jonathan Baldwin Turner Graduate Fellowship

BS: Augustana College

Advisor: Jennifer Fraterrigo

Thesis Title or Area of Interest: Forests and their long term response to fire in various climate conditions

• Elizabeth Breyer

Fellowship: Dissertation Proposal Fellowship awarded by Social Science Research Council and Illinois Distinguished Fellowship

BS: Reed College

MS: Portland State University

Advisor: Bethany Cutts

Thesis Title or Area of Interest: Urban Ecology, Spatial Analysis, and Social Theory

• Jamie Coon

Fellowship: Illinois Distinguished Fellowship

Award: North-Central Region Sustainable Agriculture Research and Education Graduate Student Grant

BS: Central Michigan University

Advisor: James Miller

Thesis Title or Area of Interest: Restoration Ecology

• Erika (EL) Lower

Fellowship: Jonathan Baldwin Turner Graduate Fellowship

BS: Virginia Polytech Institute & State University

Advisor: Bethany Cutts

Thesis Title or Area of Interest: Intersection of science communication and environmental remediation work

• Anthony Miller

Fellowship: Odell Fellowship in Soil Science

BS: University of Oregon

Advisor: Yuji Arai

Thesis Title or Area of Interest: Environmental Chemistry (specifically in phosphorus related areas)

• Timothy Swartz

Fellowship: Jonathan Baldwin Turner Graduate Fellowship

BS: Messiah College

Advisor: James Miller

Thesis Title or Area of Interest: Conservation ecology of amphibians in an agricultural landscape