The Great Plains CESU is pleased to provide the annual Graduate Student Award in recognition of the mission of the CESU system to train students and involve students in partnership research projects. This award recognizes outstanding accomplishments by graduate students in our region who are involved in Great Plains CESU projects.
2024 Winner
Levin Brandt
It’s our pleasure to present our 2024 Graduate Student Award to Levin Brandt. Levin was nominated by Zachary Rigg, Natural Resources Manager at the Air Force Civil Engineer Center at Offutt AFB. Levin's Academic Advisor was Dr. Susan Felege at the University of North Dakota.
As a graduate student in Biology at the University of North Dakota, Levin’s jobs this past season as a Midwest Wildlife Intern on a number of Air Force (AF) Installations were part of a GP CESU funded agreement awarded to Colorado State University, Center for Environmental Management on Military Lands. Levin was introduced to a wide range of ecosystems in Nebraska, South Dakota, Colorado, and North Dakota, as he also participated in interdisciplinary activities like agronomy, forestry, and range science.
Levin’s work at the various AF bases included: Bumblebee Atlas and Integrated Monarch Monitoring Program inventory; Research on drone use and bird harassment; Habitat assessment and plans for AF properties and their adjacent lands to accommodate bobwhite quail and monarch butterfly habitat; Conducting forest inventory to guide timber harvest and provide assistance to mitigate wildfire danger in an urban forest interface; Trapping the federally threatened Preble’s meadow jumping mouse (in photo) to determine habitat production; Deploying acoustic bat monitors to populate the NA Bat database and mark trends of bat activity on AF installations; Capturing the first crayfish inventoried on Ellsworth AFB; Conducting minnow sampling at Minot AFB, which included capturing the first minnow recorded on the installation to help guide future management and potential needs for additional detailed inventory.
Levin’s outstanding performance in his GP CESU agreement funded internship has led to a full-time employment opportunity with the Air Force Civilian Service following completion of his graduate degree. Congratulations, Levin!
2023 Winner
Michelle L. Weschler
It is our great pleasure to announce Michelle Weschler as the winner of the 2023 Great Plains CESU Graduate Student Award. Michelle was nominated by her advisor, Dr. Lusha Tronstad, at the University of Wyoming, for her work involving investigation and reporting of interactions between insects and wind turbines. Her project was funded through a Great Plains CESU funding agreement between the University of Wyoming and the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
In 2023 the wind industry hit a milestone of one terawatt of installed capacity globally. Interactions between vertebrate wildlife and wind turbines are well-known; however, almost nothing is known about insects at these locations, despite insects composing far more biomass than vertebrates. Michelle’s thesis helps in compiling important knowledge about these interactions and by identifying the gaps in our knowledge, all of which is critical as wind power grows rapidly across the globe.
One member of her committee complimented her thesis, saying it was the best written thesis he had ever read (professor at UW since 2002). Her other committee member, who is a wind energy engineer, said that her thesis is very relevant and represents the next biggest challenge for wind energy.
Congratulations, Michelle!
2022 Winner
Denise M. Cameron
Denise M. Cameron is the very deserving recipient of the 2022 Great Plains CESU Graduate Student Award! Denise was nominated by her adviser, Dr. William E Jensen, Professor at Emporia State University, for her outstanding work in “helping with project design, in collecting and analyzing data, coordinating survey volunteers, and presenting results from our collaborative project,” Survey Wintering and Migratory Birds at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve (TAPR). Dr. Jensen went on to say that Denise “is one of the best graduate students I have advised and has been very responsible in managing and prioritizing her thesis work as a graduate student collaborator on this project. I expect that her interactions with NPS and TNC at TAPR will propel her career with either NPS or TNC, or any other agency or organization fortunate enough to employ her talents, and that she will make impactful contributions in natural resources conservation and research.” This project is funded through a Great Plains CESU agreement between Emporia State University and the National Park Service.
2021 Winner
Amy Cochran
On behalf of the entire Great Plains Cooperative Ecosystem Studies Unit Staff, it is our pleasure to award the 2021 Graduate Student Award to Amy Cochran. Amy was selected for the award because of her accomplishments on the project: “Conduct Visitor Use Study at Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve”. Her research project was funded through a Great Plains CESU funding agreement between Kansas State University and the National Park Service. Amy has clearly demonstrated the outstanding qualities we look for in our student recipients of this award, especially with her abilities demonstrated during the time of the pandemic. We are also grateful to Amy’s Adviser, Dr. Ryan Sharp for his continued support of the CESU and its student opportunities by nominating Ms. Cochran.
2020 Winners
Michael Brunson
It is with great pleasure we announce Michael Brunson as a co-recipient of the 2020 Great Plains CESU Graduate Student Award.
Michael was selected for the award because of his outstanding accomplishments on the project: Research to Inform Visitor Use Management Planning at Theodore Roosevelt National Park. His research project was funded through a Great Plains CESU funding agreement between NPS and Kansas State University. Michael clearly demonstrates the outstanding qualities we look for in our student recipients of this award. We are also grateful to Michael’s adviser, Dr. Ryan Sharp, for their nomination of Michael.
Gaimi Davies
On behalf of the Great Plains CESU we announce as co-recipient of the 2020 Graduate Student Award, Gaimi Davies. Gaimi was selected for her research efforts and accomplishments on the project "Ancient insight for Current Bison Management." Her research project was funded through a Great Plains CESU funding agreement between NPS and the University of North Dakota. Gaimi has participated in a multi-disciplinary project that contributes to the conservation of America’s National Mammal, the American bison. The office of GP CESU is grateful to Ms. Davies’ advisor Dr. Igor Ovtchinnikov, for nominating Gaimi for this deserving award.
2019 Winner
Jonathan Knudsen
On behalf of the entire Great Plains Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit Staff, it is our pleasure to award the 2019 Graduate Student Award to Jonathan Knudsen. Jonathan was selected for the award because of his accomplishments on the project: “Ant communities are influenced by burn severity after the Las Conchas Wildfire.” His research project was funded through a Great Plains CESU funding agreement between Texas Tech University and the National Park Service. Jonathan has clearly demonstrated the outstanding qualities we look for in our student recipients of this award.
We are also grateful to Jonathan’s graduate adviser,Dr. Robin Verble, for her nomination of Jonathan. We also received a generous statement of support from our agency partner, Dr Robert R. Parmenter, with the National Park Service.
2018 Winner
Ryan Sharp
It is with great pleasure we announce the winner of the 2018 Great Plains CESU Graduate Student Award to Mr. Ryan Sharp. Ryan was selected for the award because of his outstanding accomplishments on the project: Visitor Survey of Brown V. Board of Education National Historic Site. His research project was funded through a Great Plains CESU funding agreement between Kansas State University and the National Park Service. Ryan clearly demonstrates the outstanding qualities we look for in our student recipients of this award.
2017 Winner
Andrew Taylor
On behalf of the entire Great Plains Cooperative Ecosystems Studies Unit Staff, it is our pleasure to award the 2017 Graduate Student Award to Dr. Andrew Taylor. Andrew was selected for the award because of his accomplishments on the project: “Assess genetic integrity, population status, and long-term viability of isolated populations of shoal bass in Chattahoochee River National Recreation Area.” His research project was funded through a Great Plains CESU funding agreement between Oklahoma State University and the National Park Service. Andrew has clearly demonstrated the outstanding qualities we look for in our student recipients of this award.
We are also grateful to Andrew’s graduate adviser, Dr. James Long, for his nomination of Andrew. We also received a generous statement of support from our agency partner, William Cox, with the National Park Service.
2016 Winner
Jeremy Brunette
It is with great pleasure we announce the winner of the 2016 Great Plains CESU Graduate Student Award to Mr. Jeremy Brunette. Jeremy was selected for the award because of his outstanding accomplishments on the project: Archaeological Inventory of the Platt National Park National Historic Landmark (Platt Historic District), Chickasaw National Recreation Area. His research project was funded through a Great Plains CESU funding agreement between UNL and the National Park Service. Jeremy clearly demonstrates the outstanding qualities we look for in our student recipients of this award.
We are also grateful to Jeremy’s graduate adviser, Dr. Matthew Douglas, for his nomination. We also received a generous statement of support from NPS-MWAC agency partner, Dr. Dawn Bringelson.