East Bay Chapter 2009 Scholarships
The East Bay Chapter Scholarship and Grants Committee has chosen the recipients of the Chapter’s scholarships for 2009. They are Michal Shuldman, Jae Pasari, and Dave Mrus. Each received $1200 in support.
Michal Shuldman is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Integrative Biology at UC Berkeley. Her current research work focuses on the effects of heat waves on toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia) at three different research sites ranging from San Diego to Mendocino. How a species deals with extreme heat events is important because it is expected that global warming will produce more of them in the coming years. Michal’s research may provide insights into how plants may adapt to global warming.
Dave Mrus is a student at Diablo Valley College. He has both botanical and horticultural interests and was previously a student at Merritt College. His current independent research project is the botany, ecology, and the horticultural potential of chinquapin (Chrysolepis sp.).
Jae Pasari is a graduate student at Environmental Studies Department at UC Santa Cruz and currently lives in Berkeley. He is interested in the effects of nitrogen deposition on serpentine grasslands, which are refuges for many rare natives from invasive grasses, and in the effects of grazing on these sensitive lands. The committee judged that Mr. Pasari’s application was outstanding and awarded him the Myrtle Wolf Scholarship, which is an additional $750.
The East Bay Chapter’s scholarship program is an investment in the future of our native plants and of the California Native Plant Society. The committee expects that the students who benefit from the Chapter’s scholarships will remember the Chapter’s generosity and return to provide it with their knowledge, participation, and leadership.
Please join me in thanking the members of the Scholarships and Grants Committee: Holly Forbes, Susan Spiller, and John Game.
Sandy McCoy