The Clara Carter Higgins Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship
School: Undergraduate, Biology, College of William & Mary

Understanding the Relationship Between Milkweed Nectar Microbes and Nectar Sugar Concentrations that Affect Pollen-Tube Germination 

Barlow will conduct field research on milkweed at Blandy Experimental Farm, State Arboretum of Virginia. Nectar samples gathered from wild milkweed will provide data on sugar concentrations, and observation of pollinator/milkweed interactions will provide insight on pollinators’ impact on plant fitness. Lab work will include a comparison of Barlow’s data to Blandy lab data on nectar cultured with microbes isolated from specific pollinators. Research will determine how different combinations of sugars affect pollen tube germination.

The Clara Carter Higgins Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship
School: Undergraduate, Environmental Science, Brown University

Utilizing Field Genomics Technology to Understand Plant-Herbivore Interactions in Yellowstone National Park

Atwood's research will use field-based gene-sequencing techniques to better understand and preserve the delicate plant-herbivore interactions in Yellowstone National Park. Collaborating with a research team from Brown University and the National Park Service's Bison Management Team, Atwood aims to uncover the food plants that support the annual migrations of large mammals such as bison, elk, and deer. Using a combination of field genomics technologies, including DNA metabarcoding, GPS tracking, remote sensing data, field experiments, and vegetation studies, Atwood will document how the iconic herbivores are interacting with a changing environment.

The Clara Carter Higgins Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship

Demmer Scholars Program—Natural-Resource Policy Internship and Embedded Class

Alsbro will be participating in the Demmer Scholars Program at Michigan State University and will be working as a natural-resource policy intern at Trout Unlimited, a nonprofit committed to care for and recover rivers and streams. An embedded natural-resource policy course will allow Alsbro to see classroom principles applied in practice. Excursions to nearby natural-resource areas, meetings with policy makers, and guest speakers in the natural-resource field will enrich the experience.

The Clara Carter Higgins Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship

Summer Research at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory

Lahn’s project at the Rocky Mountain Biological Laboratory will investigate short-term impacts of temperature variation on plant-pollinator interactions. By expanding on Lahn’s current research with the Brosi Lab focused on plant-pollinator trait matching, Lahn will illustrate how the impacts of climate change might affect plant-pollinator communities. 

The Clara Carter Higgins Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship
School: Undergraduate, Biology and Psychology, Hope College

House Sparrow Propagation Study

This summer Grimes will participate in the Hope College summer research program, exploring how house-sparrow song is impacted by habitat and urbanization. She will study how birdsong travels differently in urban and rural settings, utilizing both field and laboratory techniques. The results of this study will help understand how anthropogenic disruptions are altering the propagation of birdsong.

The Clara Carter Higgins Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship
School: Undergraduate, Conservation Biology & Ecology, Montana State University

Tropical Ecology Research Station Paraguay - Primates:  An Interdisciplinary Study on the Effects of Anthropogenic Structures on Urban Howler Monkey Populations of Pilar, Paraguay Through Local Ecological Knowledge and Naturalistic Observation.

Jakabosky will be participating in Para La Tierra's Tropical Ecology Research program with a concentration on primatology. She will evaluate the effects of anthropogenic structures on black-and-gold howler monkey behavior, locate areas of concern, and evaluate local perceptions of the issue.

The Clara Carter Higgins Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship

Lichen Communities of Bluff Mountain


Bubba Pfeffer is an undergraduate biology major at Appalachian State University whose research focuses on the reproductive habits and systematics of fungi. Forests depend on fungi far more than is assumed. This summer, Pfeffer will conduct a survey of lichen communities on a high elevation forest in Bluff Mountain, Tennessee. Including community, descriptions allow for 
a more functional understanding of lichen ecology than species lists alone. Lichens are important air quality and old-growth indicators and should be included when assessing land conservation status.

The Clara Carter Higgins Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship

Independent Research at University of Colorado Mountain Research Station on Niwot Ridge
 Second-year Higgins Scholar

Nyika Campbell is an undergraduate at the University of Colorado Boulder majoring in ecology and evolutionary biology. Her interests are plant biology and population ecology. This summer she is continuing work on a manipulative field study in Colorado’s Front Range, examining how changing climate conditions affect alpine plants. Her work specifically examines the seedling germination rate of the alpine flower (Geum rossi) in response to warmer weather and early snowmelt across community types. This work will provide an improved ability to predict how plant populations will be affected by climate change across complex landscapes.

The Clara Carter Higgins Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship

Kristen Rabbitt is an undergraduate at Rice University in Houston majoring in ecology and evolutionary biology. For the past year, she has been part of a team working to establish protocols for the analysis of symbiotic algae in the stomach contents of fish. This summer, she will be working in Mo’orea, French Polynesia, to research the potential for coral-eating  sh to disperse an important coral-associated algae. Her research will help contribute to our understanding of coral reef  sh and the role they play in coral reef resilience.

The Clara Carter Higgins Summer Environmental Studies Scholarship

Nyika Campbell is an undergraduate at the University of Colorado, Boulder majoring in ecology and evolutionary biology. Her interests are plant biology and population ecology. This summer she is undertaking a manipulative field study in Colorado’s Front Range to examine how changing climate conditions affect alpine plants. Her work speci cally examines the seedling germination rate of the alpine  ower (Geum rossii) in response to warmer weather and early snowmelt across community types. This work will provide an improved ability to predict how plant populations will be affected by climate change across complex landscapes.