2014 Doyle Stephens Scholarship Award

 

Christine Rohal is the recipient of the 2014 Doyle W. Stephens Scholarship.

Christine’s research advisor, Dr. Karin Kettenring, will introduce Christine and provide brief remarks about her research prior to lunch on Thursday, May 8.
“Every time I visit the wetlands of the Great Salt Lake, I am inspired by the diversity and abundance of migratory birds that use this region.  But I see Phragmites as a major threat to the plant communities that these birds need to thrive.  I hope to provide effective solutions for how to remove Phragmites and restore habitat across the lake.  My experiments are specifically designed to provide practical advice to help achieve these goals. ”  

Read more about Christine Rohal and her presentation

About the Doyle Stephens Scholarship Award
FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake has established a scholarship fund in memory of Dr. Doyle W. Stephens.Doyle Stephens was born in Ogden, Utah, in 1944. He received his BS in Biology from Weber State College in 1967, his MS in Entomology in 1969 and his PhD in Limnology from the University of Utah in 1974.Uibel-Great_Salt_Lake At the time of his death in May, 2000, he had been a research hydrologist for the U.S. Geological Survey for nearly 20 years. In 2001, he was posthumously awarded the Governor’s Medal for Science and Technology.Doyle Stephens made significant contributions toward public awareness of critical issues relating to Utah’s natural resources and environment. Of particular importance were his efforts to increase public knowledge and awareness of the Great Salt Lake Ecosystem. As a contributor to the state’s Great Salt Lake Ecosystem project, Doyle’s work on Great Salt Lake shrimp ecology helped increase understanding about population dynamics of the shrimp in the lake and factors affecting the structure and density of the population.”Stephens leaves a broad and deep body of scientific work. His legacy is that his work’s contribution to the environment, to the economy, and to the quality of life in Utah will not diminish over time but will continue to grow,” says Don Leonard, President, Utah Artemia Association.Another colleague observed: “Icebergs don’t happen in the Great Salt Lake, save one. Before he left us so prematurely, we only got to see the tip of Doyle Stephens’ impact on the work of almost every other Great Salt Lake investigator. As time passes, we will begin to understand the extent of Doyle’s work and the encouragement he lent to others to wonder and search along with him.”

Administered by the FOGSL Research Committee, the Doyle W. Stephens Research Scholarship will be awarded to supplement undergraduate and graduate level research projects investigating Great Salt Lake systems. Applications are distributed to local and regional universities and colleges. Applicants are required to submit a letter of recommendation from their advisor or other faculty member, demonstrate academic merit, and show drive and enthusiasm for the Lake. Specific details are outlined on the application form.

The 2013 Doyle Stephens scholarship was awarded to Joel Pierson, whose work focused on nutrient cycling in Willard Spur of the Great Salt Lake. Joel will present his work at a special program to be announced soon. For more about Joel and his work, visit http://fogsl.org/issuesforum/2014/joel-pierson/.

 

DOYLE STEPHENS SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

2003 – Henry Hyochang Lee, Ph.D. student, University of Utah
“The economics of the brine shrimp resource in Great Salt Lake”

2004 – Ashlee Allred, Undergraduate, Westminster College
“Phytoprotective pigment production by Great Salt Lake microbes”

2005 – Carla Koons Trentelman, Ph.D. student, Utah State University

“Place attachment among neighbors of Great Salt Lake and its environs”
2006 & 2007 – Misty Riddle, Undergraduate, Westminster College
“Microbial Influence in the Great Salt Lake:
Identification of Great Salt Lake Microbes Associated with the Brine Shrimp, Artemia Franciscana”
2008 – Christy Cottrell, Undergraduate Weber State College
“Metagenomic diversification of Great Salt Lake Brine Flies”
2009 – Gregory T. Carling, Ph.D. student, University of Utah

“Mercury Cycling in Wetlands Adjacent to the Great Salt Lake”

2010 – Richard Beau Anderson, M.Sc. student, University of Utah

“Recharge source, age, and projected flow path of submarine groundwater discharge to Great Salt Lake”

2011 – Anthony J. Roberts, Ph.D. student, Utah State University

“Origin of Waterfowl Wintering on Great Salt Lake: A Stable Isotope Approach”

2012 – Rebekah Downard, Ph.D. student, Utah State University

“Determining the Impact of Impoundment and Water Management on Wetland Condition around the Great Salt Lake, Utah”
2013 – Joel Pierson, M.Sc. student, University of Utah
“Nutrient Cycling in Willard Spur, Great Salt Lake, Utah”

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