Awards and George H. Cook Scholars

2026 Senior Graduation Award Winners

Six awards are presented annually by the Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Natural Resources.
The award winners are as follows:

Andie Zou (M. Buell Scholarship for Outstanding Study in Ecology)
Rebecca M. Alabastro (James Applegate Award for Outstanding Student in Wildlife Conservation)
Nicole M. Fiorey (Roger Locandro Award for Outstanding Student in Natural Resources)
Russell L. Gurland (Peter S. Smouse Award for Outstanding Student in Evolution)
Thi E. Vu (Elwood B. Moore Forestry Award)
Carlie R. Johanning (Ning Moeller Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Scholarship (Marine/Modeling))
Kelly M. Wieczorkiewicz (Ning Moeller Award for Outstanding Undergraduate Scholarship (Marine/Modeling))
George L. Thomson (Teuvo Airola Memorial Award in Environmental Geomatics)
Samuel A. Olarsch (Teuvo Airola Memorial Award in Environmental Geomatics)

Past Winners

2026 G.H. Cook Scholars

George H. Cook Thesis presenters, presentation titles, and their advisors:

Andie Zou
Advisor: Suzanne Sukhdeo
Reader: Henry John-Alder
Title: The relationship between fecundity, location, and body weight of Plagiorhynchus cylindraceus in European Starlings (Sturnus vulgaris).

Astur Julian
Advisor: Dana C. Price
Title: A gene catalogue to facilitate molecular nematicide development for Litylenchus crenatae Subsp. mccannii, the causative agent of Beech Leaf Disease.

Cameron DePace
Advisor: Brooke Maslo
Title: The effects of urbanization on scavenger activity in forested ecosystems.

Charles d’Emery-Edwards
Advisor: Allyson Salisbury
Title: An analysis of F. grandifolia phenological timing using machine learning on public datasets.

George Thomson*
Advisors: Myla Aronson and Juan Bonachela
Title: Competition intensity of canopy trees in forest patches of New Jersey.
* Outstanding Senior Thesis Awardee in the Class of 2026

Leah M. Kapps
Advisor: John Wiedenmann
Title: Exploring trends in pet reptile interest during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Russell Gurland
Advisor: Rick Lathrop
Title: Do rock piles function as winter thermal refugia for urban snakes?

Thi Vu
Advisor: Allyson Salisbury
Title: Assessing potential beach leaf disease drivers in Mid-Atlantic forests.