When I was in high school, I thought that science was my worst subject. The other subjects came easily to me and required no studying. But in my biology and chemistry classes, I would have to spend hours studying before each exam. I thought that I was bad at science because I had to study. However, my favorite activities have always included hiking and gardening, and I’ve always loved to spend time outside and to learn about the environment. So when I went to college, I decided to pursue my passion and major in biology despite my fears that I was not good at it. In my freshman year at Northern Michigan University, I took my introductory biology courses as well as some of my general education credits. My biology classes were harder than my general education classes, and I was still nervous that I wouldn’t be a good biologist. However the classes were incredibly interesting and the encouragement that I got from my professors emboldened me to keep trying. In my freshman year I also started working in one of my professor’s labs, which helped me to feel like I could be a biologist one day. I worked with my professor on research on Malagasy freshwater crabs for the last three years. Through the project I learned how phylogenetic research is conducted, how to use a digital microscope, and crab identification. I even got to co-author a paper which was published in March. To get to be a part of the research and writing experience, and then seeing first-hand how the review and editing process worked was an amazing experience. Seeing the project through from data collection all the way to publication really helped me to understand how the process of conducting research works within the field of biology. In my sophomore year, I also took an ecology course that required me to do my own research project using camera trap data. Organizing all the data and running the statistical analysis was a bit difficult, but incredibly rewarding. I loved the satisfaction of being able to determine the answer to my research question on my own using statistical analysis. I feel that the research I have done thus far at Northern Michigan University is my greatest achievement because it has given me confidence that I do have what it takes to be a biologist. Getting to work on research inside and outside of the classroom has helped me to feel a lot more confident in my ability to succeed. My research projects have also helped me to apply and utilize the knowledge I have gained in my classes to prepare me for my career. I learned to not base my skills as a scientist on how fast I am able to complete tasks or how little studying I need to do. When I was younger I thought I was bad at science when I had to study, but now I think of how much time and effort I put into my research projects and studying for my exams and I feel proud of myself for how much I have been able to accomplish. I currently plan on going to graduate school after getting my bachelors degree. My dream job is to become a freshwater ecologist and study the interactions between aquatic insects and their environments. I believe that through ecology I can make a positive impact on my community and environment through ecological monitoring and public education. Monitoring freshwater insects can make a monumental impact because they are signals of the ecosystems within which they reside. By determining the species present in an area and their diets, I can determine whether the area has a high degree of sedimentation and how polluted an area is before changes may be noticeable further down the food chain. This can give humans more time to adapt our behaviors at a localized level before those behaviors lead to issues such as loss of biodiversity, food insecurity, and water contamination. I plan to share the results of my studies with members of my community to educate the public on the health of our local waterways and inspire people to reduce their harmful behaviors such as consumption of single-use plastics and fertilizers that negatively impact water quality and ecosystem health.

As a kid, I loved to spend my time outdoors. When I was in elementary school, my classmates and I would visit the local hiking trails on field trips, and I’d listen in amazement as the guides pointed out all the plants and insects we could see from the trail. As I grew, I was fortunate to receive many opportunities to pursue my passion in the environment. In high school I took an agricultural science class, where I learned about the science behind plant functions and the relationships between human actions and the environment. I also participated in an internship where I worked on a research project that studied the impact of snail grazing on algae diatoms. That opportunity helped me realize that I love to analyze data and do research, and led me to choose to major in Biology with an Ecology concentration at Northern Michigan University. As a student at Northern Michigan University I have been able to develop my passion for biology through experiences I have had in my classes and extracurricular activities. Last year I took an Aquatic Insect Ecology class, where I learned to identify local families of insects and how to assess the health of freshwater bodies through stream surveys. I enjoyed that class so much that I decided to join the NMU Entomology Club. Outside of class, I also had the opportunity to work with one of my professors on a research project in their lab studying Malagasy freshwater crabs. I even got to co-author a paper for a scientific journal which was published in March. To get to be a part of the research and writing experience was amazing and helped me to realize that I enjoy the scientific writing process as much as I enjoy being in the field and collecting data. I currently plan on going to graduate school after getting my bachelors degree. My dream job is to become a freshwater ecologist and study the interactions between aquatic insects and their environments. I believe that I am a good candidate for this scholarship because I believe that I can contribute to the field of science through ecological monitoring and raising awareness of ecosystem health. Monitoring freshwater insects can make a monumental impact because they are signals of the ecosystems within which they reside. By determining the species present in an area and their diets, I can determine whether the area has a high degree of sedimentation and how polluted an area is before changes may be noticeable further down the food chain. As a future freshwater ecologist I hope to utilize the data from stream surveys to improve ecosystem health by giving people more time to adapt their behavior at a localized level before those behaviors lead to larger issues such as loss of biodiversity and water contamination. I plan to share the results of my studies to inspire those in my community to think about their own consumption habits, and reduce their consumption of single-use plastics and fertilizers that can have an incredible impact on water quality and ecosystem health. Lasting positive changes can be enacted to improve ecosystem health, but those changes cannot happen if the public does not have access to the studies that inform those changes. Most people are not students or faculty at a university and do not have free, easy access to up-to-date scientific articles. It is up to us students and researchers to be sharing the data from these studies with the people in our communities so that research-based conservation initiatives can be implemented successfully.

From a young age, my two favorite things have always been reading and the outdoors. I have always loved outdoor activities such as gardening and hiking because being in nature has always helped me focus and calm down. My love for nature fueled me to go to Northern Michigan University, where I will be continuing my pursuit of a major in Biology with a concentration in Ecology next fall as I start my senior year. As an avid reader, I have always been a frequent patron at my local library and started volunteering there during my freshman year of high school before I began working there during my junior year. I love working at the library because I feel like helping others and providing access to resources and information is incredibly fulfilling. In retrospect, I believe that this is also why I love ecology. It combines my love of being outside with feeling like I am making a positive impact on my community. I currently plan on going to graduate school after getting my bachelor's degree. My dream job is to become a freshwater ecologist and study the interactions between aquatic insects and their environments. I believe that I am a good candidate for this scholarship because I can make a positive impact on my community and environment through ecological monitoring and education. Monitoring freshwater insects can make a monumental impact because they are signals of the ecosystems within which they reside. By determining the species present in an area and their diets, I can determine whether the area has a high degree of sedimentation and how polluted an area is before changes may be noticeable further down the food chain. This can give humans more time to adapt our behavior at a localized level before those behaviors lead to issues such as loss of biodiversity, food insecurity, and water contamination. I plan to share the results of my studies to inspire those in my community to think about their own consumption habits and reduce their consumption of single-use plastics and fertilizers that can have an incredible impact on water quality and ecosystem health. Throughout my time working at my local library, I realized the importance of keeping knowledge and information accessible to all. I believe that sharing the knowledge I find through research and my studies with others in my community is crucial. Lasting positive changes can be enacted to improve ecosystem health, but those changes cannot happen if the public does not have access to the knowledge that supports the change. I know that personally, many of my family members have stopped using fertilizers and mowing frequently after I informed them how bad it was for insects in the environment. Because many people are not students or faculty at a university, many people don’t have access to up-to-date scientific articles and aren’t hearing firsthand from the professors studying these topics. It is up to students like me to share information and encourage others to share what they know in order to protect our environment and ensure a healthy environment is accessible to all. As I continue with my college experience and career, I will remain an advocate for inclusivity within the field of biology and encourage my peers to reach out to their communities to enact positive change.

As an undergraduate student majoring in Ecology with a focus on freshwater ecology, I understand the urgent need for sustainable practices to combat reductions in water quality and availability. Water quality is increasingly threatened by microplastic pollution as a result of consumerism and single-use plastics. Microplastic pollution affects all aspects of life. Microplastics in groundwater can reduce water uptake, reducing crop yields and food availability. Microplastic pollution in our waterways can lead to fatality or illness in aquatic insects and fish. Toxins in microplastics can also move up the food chain from fish to humans and make us sick, and fine microplastic particles can even enter drinking water through groundwater and wastewater treatment. I plan to finish my bachelor’s degree and then go on to graduate school in order to become a freshwater ecologist and study the interactions between aquatic insects and their environments. I do not want to see a world without the lovely diversity of freshwater life and fresh, clean water. Studies of freshwater ecosystems are vital for protecting our waters. Macroinvertebrates are signals of the ecosystems within which they reside, so by determining the species present in an area and their diets I can determine whether the area has a high degree of sedimentation and how polluted an area is before those changes may be noticeable through changes further down the food chain. This can give humans more time to adapt our behavior at a localized level before those behaviors lead to further biodiversity loss in our water bodies, food insecurity, and water contamination. I plan to use the results of my studies to inspire those in my community to think about their own consumption habits, and reduce their consumption of single-use plastics and fertilizers that can have an incredible impact on water quality and ecosystem health.