Cameryn Brown (2024 Undergraduate Recipient) is a rising senior at Drew University, majoring in Political Science and minoring in Environmental Studies and Sustainability. At Drew, she takes on leadership roles as President of The Sustainability Committee and Drew's Environmental Action League (DEAL). She spearheads initiatives such as Drew in the Dark, an energy-saving Residence Hall competition, and advocates for recycling and renewable energy reforms on campus. Her academic focus revolves around the intersection of environmental justice and law. She envisions a future where legal principles are instrumental in addressing environmental challenges while ensuring equity and fairness for all communities. Post-graduation, Cameryn aims to pursue her passion further by attending law school. Through her dedication and commitment, she strives to make a lasting impact in the field of environmental advocacy and policy.

Samantha Alaimo (2024 Graduate Recipient) is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Marine and Coastal Sciences at Rutgers University studying Oceanography. Her research looks to establish connections between commercially regulated fish species and the physical features of their dynamic marine environment. This research is community-driven and has involved fisheries stakeholders, like fishers and state government officials. This dissertation work would provide the crucial context needed to understand the distributions and abundances of commercial and recreational targets relative to ocean conditions. By incorporating stakeholder opinions, this research allows for collaboration across parts of the industry that could lead to better management practices and more sustainable fisheries.

Qiufeng Lin (2024 Graduate Recipient) is a PhD candidate in Environmental Science and Management at Montclair State University. Her research interest is innovative water treatment and water reuse technologies for tackling water pollution challenges and enhancing water supply in response to climate change. Currently, she is working as a key member in a U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) project with Egyptian experts to develop resilient water reuse systems to combat agricultural drought. She has received several prestigious awards, including the 2023 Tracey G. Liberi Drinking Water Careers Memorial Scholarship from the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the 2022 John J. LaGrosa Award from the New Jersey Water Environment Association (NJWEA). Her career goal is to become a pioneering engineer, researcher, and educator in water science and engineering, addressing complex water supply and pollution challenges through an interdisciplinary approach.

Danielle Bongiovanni (2023 Undergraduate Recipient) is a rising senior at Ramapo College of New Jersey. She is pursuing a Bachelor's Degree in Environmental Science with a minor in Environmental Studies. Her passion for conservation is matched by her interest in writing. Danielle has been an active member of The Ramapo News throughout her college career, and will serve as the editor-in-chief during the upcoming semester. She hopes to use her skills to support sustainable development that strengthens people's ties to their local resources.

Bridget McDevitt (2023 Undergraduate Recipient) is a rising senior at Rowan University pursuing a Bachelors of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering along with a double minor in Geography and Environmental and Sustainability Studies. With an early love for science, Bridget found her passion for the environment through her hobbies of gardening, hiking, and reading. Now, Bridget currently works on a DOE-funded research project that explores biological techniques to preserve the resiliency of Arctic ecosystems from permafrost thaw. Also, she has researched natural soil-stabilization methods to offset the use of concrete. Bridget plans on continuing her education at the graduate level upon graduation. Bridget’s life-long goal is to develop sustainable solutions for challenging problems to uphold the integrity of society and the environment that it depends on.

Genevieve Ehasz (2023 Graduate Recipient) is a recent Rutgers University graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Engineering and a minor in Spanish. She will continue her education at Rutgers University for the combined B.S./M.S. 4+1 Master’s program in Bioenvironmental Engineering. Her undergraduate research primarily focused on water quality and wastewater-based epidemiology. Recently, she completed a senior thesis titled “Detection of SARS-CoV-2 variants in wastewater by multiplex qPCR” which earned first place in the New Jersey Water Environment Association student poster competition. This summer she will continue working on a microbial source tracking project to identify sources of contamination along the Raritan River. Genevieve is looking forward to expanding her research and knowledge into different fields of environmental engineering. Afterwards, she hopes to pursue a career where she can expand environmental remediation to underserved communities in the US and abroad. Genevieve enjoys nature, traveling, music, and spending time with her friends, family and pets. 

Jaquelyn Cook (2022 Undergraduate Recipient) is a sophomore at Rider University pursuing a degree in Environmental Science. Her occupational objective once she graduates is to become a hydrologist, working to provide clean water to large communities. She has recently worked with a professor to research the rising sodium levels in the Delaware River Watershed, which connects to her campus watershed. She looks forward to continuing and expanding her research next semester as she continues to learn more about Environmental Science.

Amy Cannon (2022 Graduate Recipient) is an Environmental Science Ph.D. candidate and Teaching Assistant at Rutgers University – Newark. She grew up in New Castle, Delaware and attended Delaware Technical and Community College to earn her Associate of Applied Science in Environmental Technology, with a focus on water and wastewater. She completed her undergraduate study at Delaware State University, where she earned her B.S. in Environmental Science, while also authoring seven publications. Professionally, she is driven to undercover innovative ways to clean our water; and her primary focus is eliminating lead (Pb) in drinking water. Her career goals include working with the USEPA in a Post-Doc role and earning a position at a university where she can work towards improving national primary drinking water standards. She is inspired by the legacy of my grandfathers, knowing that their stories were made on the water as well. She enjoys spending time outdoors, reading, live music, and my two beautiful cats. She is committed to leaving this world a better place than she found it. She wants to be part of the solution for clean drinking water for future generations.