SNR’s EnvironMentors Students Win at Nationals

Nebraska students Nguyen Nguyen, left, and Maddie McAlister, right, were accompanied by Wendy Hunt, center, the coordinator of UNL’s EnvironMentors Chapter. Dominique Mack, the other student who went, is not in this photo.

Dominique Mack, right, explains his project on urban heat islands to a judge at the May 20 EnvironMentors Fair in Washington, D.C.

Maddie McAlister, left, explains adoption patterns at animal shelters to a judge.

Nguyen Nguyen, right, explains his comparison of water from natural and concrete-lined channels to a judge.

Congratulations to the three high school students, mentored by SNR faculty and staff, who took their projects to the national EnvironMentors Fair  in Washington, D.C., on May 20. All three won scholarship awards.

“They were totally surprised when they won,” said Wendy Hunt, UNL EnvironMentor Chapter coordinator. “They had fun and they enjoyed it. Winning just put the cherry on top.”

Thanks also to the SNR employees who took the time to serve as mentors and guide their students to completion: Dave Gosselin, Mary Bomberger Brown, and Melissa Widhalm.

“The experience they got doing the research and contact with the professionals really benefitted them,” Hunt said.

Nguyen Nguyen, mentored by Dave Gosselin, won the $1,000 First Place Award for Excellence in Environmental Science Research with his project, “Urban Stream Water Quality.”

Maddie McAlister, mentored by Mary Bomberger Brown, won the $500 Ronald Carvalho Award for Excellence in Environmental Policy, with “Adoption Patterns of Shelter Dogs.”

Dominique Mack, mentored by Melissa Widhalm, won the $500 Award for Excellence in Energy Efficiency, for “Urban Heat Island.”

This was UNL’s first year of the EnvironMentors program, which pairs potential first-generation college students with mentors in environmental fields. UNL is experimenting with combining EnvironMentors with its longstanding Upward Bound program, which serves a similar group of students.

Recruitment is already underway for mentors for this coming academic year. Mentors will meet with students over the summer during UNL’s Upward Bound program, and throughout the school year for an hour or two a week. If you are interested in serving as a mentor, please contact Dave Gosselin, dgosselin2@unl.edu, 472-8919.