Sanford N. Young Scholarship

AWRA Florida offers a $3,000 scholarship to assist exceptional graduate students with tuition, educational fees and/or research expenses. Applications should include a discussion of the applicant’s educational and professional goals, with as much specificity as possible. If support of a research project or program is being sought, a description of the research should be included. Applicants should also have at least one letter from a faculty member in support of the student’s request. Applications must be received by April 14.

The 2023 Application form is available here.

The Sanford N. Young Scholarship may be given for work in any area of water resources science, technology, or management. However, AWRA Florida's Board of Directors may give preference to applicants seeking to continue their education after U.S. military service, as well as those working in areas that combine biological sciences and engineering or that focus on aquaculture or improving the environmental regulatory process. Scholarship recipients will be invited to attend the AWRA Florida Annual Meeting to receive the award and be acknowledged by the members.

AWRA Florida, as a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, welcomes contributions to the Sanford N. Young Scholarship Program, which are tax deductible.

2022 Recipient

Amanda Chappel – University of Florida

Amanda has eight years of experience in environmental systems and biological research with a focus on coastal water chemistry and wetland soil biogeochemistry. Amanda is a Certified Ecologist and received her Bachelor and Master of Science from the University of South Florida in Environmental Science. Her research background includes quantifying carbon burial and accumulation rates as a proxy for sea-level rise and historic ecosystem dynamics in mangrove forests. Additionally, Amanda has studied nutrient cycling and sequestration in estuarine and coastal habitats and performed extensive mapping and monitoring of both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems as a Scientific Technician with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission's Research Institute.

Her current research focus with the University of Florida's Environmental Engineering Sciences department is studying the ecosystem effects of coastal eutrophication in estuarine systems with the goal of supporting effective management strategies that will advance solutions to minimize anthropogenic impacts on coastal waters. This research also seeks to better understand the influence anthropogenic nutrients have on habitats that are an ecological and economic necessity like mangrove, marsh, seagrass, and phytoplankton communities.

Past Recipients

2021

Taylor Hancock - University of Florida

2020
Michelle Platz - University of South Florida

2019
Conor MacDonnell - University of Florida

2018
Miles Medina - University of Florida

2017
Carrie Schuman - University of Florida

2016
Ian Hahus - University of Florida
Felicia Nudo - Florida Gulf Coast University

2015
Alice Alonso - University of Florida
Wesley Henson - University of Florida

2014
Natalie Nelson - University of Florida

2013
Drew Liddick - Florida Gulf Coast University

2012
Yogesh Kahare - University of Florida

2011
Hollie Hall - University of Florida

2010
Miguel Morales - University of Florida

2009
No award

2008
Ruben Kertesz - University of Florida

2007
Stuart B. Norton