Scholarships

The Georgia Chapter of A&WMA is proud to offer information about its student scholarships. The scholarship program is made possible by the generosity of our sponsors, membership dues, and the success of our A&WMA Georgia chapter programs. The A&WMA-GA Chapter congratulates all scholarship winners and wishes them the best of luck in their future endeavors!

2022 Scholarship Recipients

The GA AWMA presented two $1,000 scholarships for the 2022-2023 school year.

“Metabolome-wide Association Study of Prenatal Exposure to Ambient PM_2.5 with Pre- and Early-term Births in the Atlanta African American Maternal-Child Cohort” Zhenjiang Li, Emory University. 

I am a 4^th-year PhD student from Gangarosa Department of Environmental Health, Emory University. My current research focuses on applying single- and multi-omics techniques to illustrate the potential biological mechanisms underlying the associations between environmental pollutants and birth outcomes. More specifically, I use metabolomics and genome-wide DNA methylation data to detect the biological perturbations responding to PM_2.5 exposure in the human body and evaluate their potential associations with preterm and early-term birth. I am highly honored to receive this recognition from the Georgia Chapter A&WMA. As a nearly graduating Ph.D. candidate, I have started preparing to become an independent researcher. This kind of support and encouragement at this point means a lot to me.

“ Modelling and Development of Microfluidic Channels for the Separation and Detection of Bacterial Cells from Food Samples” Sanket Nagdeve from the University of Georgia.  

Past Winners:

2021 Scholarship Recipients

Hemshikha Rajpurohit - University of Georgia - Abstract Titled: “Sustainable Production of Organic Acids from Wood Waste.”

Taekyu Joo - Georgia Institute of Technology - Abstract Titled: “PM2.5 Chemical Characterization Using a New Aerosol Chemical Speciation Monitor (ACSM) System at an Urban Site in Atlanta and Evaluation of Potential Effect on the Indoor Air Quality During Operation of an Oxidant-generating Electronic Air Cleaner.” 

2020 Scholarship Recipients

The GA AWMA presented two $1000 scholarships for the 2020 calendar year.  The winners were:

Christina Kiessling who attends Georgia State University.  Her abstract was titled “Key to Waste Clean Up: Effective Plastic and Petroleum Degradation using Synergistic Mechanism of Microbial Co-Culture.”

Sarada Sripada who attends the University of Georgia.  Her abstract was titled “Sustainable Solid Acid Carbon Catalysts from Renewable Biomass for Fine and Specialty Chemical Synthesis.”

2019 Scholarship Recipients

The GA AWMA presented two $1500 scholarships for the 2019 calendar year.  The winners were:

Pan Liu who attends the Georgia Institute of Technology.  His abstract was titled "A closed-loop green system for coal ash resource recovery and waste reduction".

Thien Tran who attends Georgia State University.  His abstract was titled "Preparation and characterization study of modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes using iron oxide".

2018 Scholarship Recipients

The GA AWMA presented two $1500 scholarships for the 2018 calendar year.  The winners were:

Jessica Bramhall at University of Georgia for the abstract entitled Biodegradable Aqueous Dispersions for Paperboard Coatings

Alexander Waxman at Georgia State University for the abstract entitled Anaerobic Biodegradation of Plastics: Analysis of Degradation Capabilities of Geobacter Daltonii FRC-32

2017 Scholarship Recipients

The GA AWMA presented three $1500 scholarships for the 2017 calendar year.  The winners were:

Cong Luo with the Georgia Institute of Technology for the abstract entitled Ferrates [Fe(IV)] Oxidation for Mitigation of Pharmaceutical Micro-pollutants in Source-Separated Urine: Underlying Mechanisms

Kelsey Laymon with Georgia Southern University for the abstract entitled A Comparison of Biomonitoring Sampling Methodologies for the Assessment of Water Pollution

Merhawi Mihreteab with Georgia State University for the abstract entitled Valorization of Polypropylene Waste via Feedstock Recycling-Coupled Microbial Processes

2016 Scholarship Recipients

The GA AWMA presented two $1500 scholarships for the 2016 calendar year.  The winners were:

Marcela N Moreno with Georgia Tech for the abstract entitled Sustainable Wastewater Systems for Texas Colonias: Alternatives Analysis for El Paso County

Arnaldo Negron-Marty with Georgia Tech for the abstract entitled Microbial Air Quality Assessment Over Atlanta Metropolitan Area

2015 Scholarship Recipients

The GA AWMA presented two $1500 scholarships for the 2015 calendar year.  This years winners were:

Jona Odgen with UGA for the abstract entitled Secondhand Exposure Assessment at an Electronic Cigarette Convention

Yvonne Kienast with Emory for the abstracted entitled Removal of Enteric Viruses by the Emory WaterHub Wastewater Reclamation Facility

2014 Scholarship Recipients

The GA AWMA presented two $1500 scholarships for the 2014 calendar year.  The winners were:

Ms. Lu Xu - Georgia Tech for the abstract entitled “Effects of Anthropogenic Emissions on Organic Aerosol Formation from Isoprene and Monoterpenes”.  She was also awarded a complementary one-year student level membership to the national A&WMA.

Mr. Lucas Henneman - Georgia Tech for the abstract entitled “Impact of Emissions Changes on Air Quality and Acute Health Effects in the Southeast”. He was also awarded a complementary one-year student level membership to the national A&WMA.

2013 Scholarship Recipients

The GA AWMA presented two $2000 scholarships for the 2013 calendar year.  The winners were:

Kaytna Upendra Thaker - Emory

Mariel Friberg - Georgia Tech

2012 Scholarship Recipients

The GA AWMA presented three scholarships for the 2013 calendar year.  The winners were:

Kate Cerully - Georgia Tech - Linking Organic Aerosol Volatility and Cloud Condensation Nuclei Activity

Shannon Capps - Georgia Tech - Elucidating Emissions Sources of Local PM2.5 Concentrations Efficiently

Olumayowa Dayo - Emory - Analysis of Ground Water quality Around Open Dumpsites in Lagos, Nigeria

2011 Scholarship Recipients

Due to the generosity of our sponsors and the success of our AWMA Georgia chapter programs, two scholarships, were awarded this year. The 2011 scholarship winners were:

1) Zhen Lie from Ga Tech and

2) Shunli Wang with the UGA

Zhen is a graduate student at the Ga Tech School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. His research is understanding the impacts of Asian Emissions on US ozone air quality.

Shunli is a graduate student at UGA’s Dept. of Biological and Agricultural Engineering.   Shunli’s research is on poultry processing wastewater treatment and bio-energy production. 

2010 Scholarship Recipients

Due to the generosity of our sponsors and the success of our AWMA Georgia chapter programs, two scholarships were awarded this year. The 2010 scholarship winners were:

1) Kathleen Rugel, University of Georgia

2) Nortey Yeboah,  Georgia Institute of Technology

Kathleen Rugel is working within the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia and her research project was Identifying groundwater/stream interaction in the lower Flint River Basin using multiple stream parameters and remote sensing data sets.

Nortey Yeboah research involved investigating material properties and productive reuse alternatives for:

2007 Scholarship Recipients

The 2007 scholarship winners were 1) Justin Ellis 2) Kevin O’Halloran and 3) Cynthia Tant. All three scholarship winners attended the conference to accept their scholarships, and made a presentation about their research during the luncheon.

Justin Ellis is a graduate student at the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia, where he is studying factors that influence farmers’ interest in adopting sustainable production practices, including market information. 

Kevin O’Halloran is a graduate student at the Department of Chemistry at Emory University, where he is studying transition metal oxide clusters, metal oxide clusters, catalysis, and environmentally friendly chemical applications. The title of Kevin’s research is Degradation of Carbon Tetrachloride Using Polyoxometalates. 

Cynthia Tant is a graduate student at the Odum School of Ecology at the University of Georgia, where she is studying the effects of elevated nutrient concentrations on food webs that are primarily driven by external detrital inputs in Southern Appalachian stream ecosystems. The title of Cynthia’soil research is: Long-term Nutrient Enrichment Effects on Organic Matter Resources and Consumers in Stream Ecosystems. 

2006 Scholarship Recipients

At our 2006 Annual Environmental Conference, three students were awarded $1,500 scholarships each.  Congratulations to John Kominoski, a graduate student at the Institute of Ecology at the University of Georgia.  His research was Effects of changes in riparian tree species dominance on microbial colonization of leaf litter in a southern Appalachian stream.  Our second winner was Kuo-Jen “K-J’ Liao, a graduate student at the School of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology.  The title of K.J.’s research was Sensitivity and Uncertainty Assessment of Global Climate Change Impacts on Regional Ozone and PM_2.5.  Ou third winner was Rama Mohana R Turaga, a graduate student at the School of Public Policy at Georgia Tech.  The title of Mohana’s research was Spatial Resolution, Efficiency, and Equity in Air Toxics Regulation.  

2005 Scholarship Recipients

At our 2005 Annual Environmental Conference, three students were awarded $1,500 scholarships each.  Congratulations to Rick Peltier, a grad student at Georgia Tech in the School of Earth & Atmospheric Sciences.  Rick’s research is in airborne particulate matter.   Our second recipient was Dawn Reinhold, a grad student at Georgia Tech in Civil and Environmental Engineering.  The focus of her research is “Removal of pollutants by Duckweed”.  Our third scholarship recipient was Justin Welch, a graduate student at the Institute of Ecology at the University of Georgia.  Justin’s area of research is in “Developing a State Water Quality Trading Framework in Georgia”.

2004 Scholarship Recipients

Two students were awarded $1,500 scholarships each, for 2004. Congratulations to Tim Carter, a grad student at the Institute of Ecology at the University of Ga. The focus of his research is "Vegetated Roofs for Stormwater Pollutant Management and Urban Heat Island Remediation in Ultra-Urban Watersheds." Tim is planning a career teaching. The other winner is Amit Marmur, a graduate student in Environmental Engineering at Ga Tech. The focus of Amit's research is "Optimization Based Source Apportionment of PM2.5 Incorporating Gas-to-Particle Ratios." In the future, Amit hopes to continue his research or work for the government implementing the results of his research.

2003 Scholarship Recipients

Congratulations to Dan Cohan, a graduate student at the Georgia Institute of Technology School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences. Sheldon was awarded a $2,000 scholarship in 2003 for research in controlling ozone. Also winning a $2,000 scholarship is Jackie Tront, a graduate student at the Georgia Institute of Technology School of Civil and Environmental Engineering. She is researching contaminant interactions in plant systems, with emphasis on the effects of toxicity on pollutant transformation. Congratulations to Jackie!