The University of Delaware College of Earth, Ocean, and Environment (CEOE) recognized recent graduate student and faculty accomplishments during its Oct. 21 Honors Day ceremony at UD’s Hugh R. Sharp Campus in Lewes, Del.
College alumnus Johannes J. Feddema was guest speaker for the event, which attracted members of the college from both Newark and Lewes campuses. Feddema, who earned undergraduate and graduate degrees at UD, is a professor of geography at the University of Kansas and affiliate scientist with the National Center for Atmospheric Research.
The day’s first honorees were Brian Dzwonkowski and Matthew Strom. They received the E. Sam Fitz Award, which recognizes students who displayed the greatest aptitude for professional development in marine studies during the course of their CEOE studies.
Recipients of the Frances Severance Academic Council Awards, given for exceptional theses or dissertations within a program area, were Christopher Hughes, James Mueller, Felipe Pimenta, and Mustafa Yücel.
Receiving the University Graduate Fellows Award for academic accomplishments were Brian Eddie and Stephanie Stotts.
The University Dissertation Fellows Award went to Andrew Madison, Michael McGinley, and John Van Stan. The award is given to doctoral students for academic achievement, the need to devote full-time effort to dissertation writing, and the likelihood of completing the dissertation within one academic year.
The Marian R. Okie Fellowship, which is awarded based on academic and research excellence and demonstrated leadership abilities, was given to several students. For the year 2010 – 2011, winners were Christopher Main, Joseph Russell, and Bruce Williams. Winners of 2011 – 2012 awards were Justin Gilchrist, Regina McCormack, Robert Poirier, Marysia Szymkowiak, and Michael Torre.
Emily Maung was awarded the DuPont Clear into the Future Graduate Student Fellowship. The award supports efforts to increase scientific understanding of the Delaware Estuary.
The morning ceremony, held at UD’s Virden Center, also recognized awardees of CEOE School of Marine Science and Policy Program Fellowships. Alison Bates, Katherine Bogue, Brandon Boyd, and Alexander Davies were 2010 – 2011 recipients while Joseph Brodie, Sarah Fischer, Katie Kalis, and Lance Noel took 2011 – 2012 honors.
Several students also were recognized for winning awards and fellowships from local and national organizations.
Amardeep Dhanju and Caitlin Snyder were recognized for receiving Dean John A. Knauss Fellowships, which match highly qualified graduate students with host agencies in the legislative and executive branches of the federal government.
Brandon Boyd received a NOAA-NERR Fellowship. Asia Dowtin and Daniel Hubacz won NASA/Delaware Space Grant Graduate Fellowships. Receiving the Center for Critical Zone Research Fellowship was Amy Gartman.
John Van Stan was recognized for winning an NSF Doctoral Dissertation Research Improvement Grant, while Science, Mathematics, and Research for Transformation (SMART) Fellowships went to Elizabeth Bernstein, Cristina Fernandez, and Joseph Senne.
David Marsan received the NSF Greater Philadelphia Region LSAMP Bridge to the Doctorate Program Fellowship, while Nicholas Venti received a Geological Society of America Graduate Student Research Grant.
The Delaware Geographic Alliance Fellowship went to Asia Dowtin and Penelope Wagner earned a NASA Earth and Space Science Fellowship. Autumn Kidwell was awarded an NSF Graduate Fellowship and Dawn Crompton and Blaise Sheridan received Magers Family Fellowships.
Alison Bates received the Delaware Sea Grant Student Award in recognition of research excellence in the Delaware Sea Grant College Program. The Gerard J. Mangone Center for Marine Policy Award went to Joseph Appiott.
Additional student recognitions
- John Van Stan: Department of Geography Graduate Research Award; Outstanding Student Paper Award in Hydrology, Joint Meeting of the American and Canadian Geophysical Unions; Research Grant, Starrett Foundation and University of Delaware Office of Economic Innovation and Partnerships; Travel Award, The Pennsylvania State University’s National Science Foundation Critical Zone Observatory; Doctoral Dissertation Research Award, National Science Foundation
- Daniel Spinosa: Department of Geography Graduate Teaching Assistant Award
- Suzann Pomraning: Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award in Geological Sciences
- Christopher Russoniello: Best Student Presentation Farvolden Award, National Ground Water Research and Educational Foundation through the Len Assante Scholarship Fund
- Yoana Voynova: Honorable Mention, Outstanding Student Talk Award, 2011 Delaware Estuary Science and Environmental Summit
- Emily Maung: Honorable Mention, Outstanding Student Poster, 2011 Delaware Estuary Science and Environmental Summit; Second Place Poster Award for Doctoral Students and Minority Travel Award, 31st North America Meeting of the Society of Environmental Toxicology and Chemistry
- Mrinalini Nikrad: Travel Award, 2011 Applied and Environmental Microbiology Gordon Research Conference; Travel Award, 2010 Marine Microbes Gordon Research Conference
Faculty recognitions
- Fritz Nelson: Francois Emile Matthes Award for Lifetime Achievement in Cryospheric Science, Association of American Geographers
- Peter Rees: Higher Education Distinguished Teaching Award from the National Council for Geographic Education
- Jonathan Sharp: Lifetime Achievement Award from the Partnership for the Delaware Estuary
- Patrick Gaffney: Fulbright, Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand
- Biliana Cicin-Sain: Honorary Doctorate from Busan University, Korea; The Elizabeth Haub Award for Environmental Diplomacy
- Matthew Oliver: Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering
- David Kirchman: Francis Alison Award
- Thomas Hanson: DAAD German Academic Exchange Service Award
- Xiao-Hai Yan: Eminent Foreign Visiting Professor of Xiamen University as named by the Ministry of Education, China
- Charles Epifanio: 2011 Delaware Maritime Hall of Fame Inductee
CEOE is dedicated to advancing the understanding of Earth’s natural systems and the interactions of humans with the environment through engaged interdisciplinary research, teaching, and outreach. The college produces well-rounded scientists and policy specialists who have the broad vision and interdisciplinary background necessary to address the sweeping, interrelated issues that are part of the study of ocean and earth systems.
The college also serves as home to the Delaware Sea Grant College Program, a partnership among federal and state governments, universities, industry, and the public. Delaware Sea Grant focuses on the wise use, conservation, and management of marine and coastal resources.
To learn more about CEOE, visit www.ceoe.udel.edu. For more about Delaware Sea Grant, visit www.deseagrant.org.