Spring Celebration & Awards Night

Nicole Choma, Outstanding Senior, Environmental Science

Nicole is double majoring in environmental science and biology. She is in the Honors College, is a National Merit Scholar and a Westfall Scholar, and is the recipient of a Nevada Undergraduate Research Award and the Sam Lieberman Regents' Award for Student Scholarship. She has participated in multiple research projects and is co-author on several papers from her work with the Gustin Lab. Nicole served as Woodwind Captain of the Wolf Pack Marching Band. She plans to attend graduate school.

Mitch Aikin, Outstanding Senior, Forest Ecology & Management

Mitch is double majoring in forest ecology and management, and environmental science. He received numerous scholarships, including the Doyle Foundation Scholarship, the Sherman T. Scholarship and a Nevada Alumni Association Scholarship. In addition to classwork, Mitch has worked in the Gustin and Leger Labs. During the summer of 2021, Mitch was a restoration crew member for the Walker Basin Conservancy. After graduation, Mitch begins a U.S. Forest Service position doing post-fire vegetation monitoring across the Great Basin.

Brenda Soto Lopez, Outstanding Senior, Wildlife Ecology & Conservation

Brenda completed an Associate of Science degree at Truckee Meadows Communtiy College followed by her bachelor’s degree in wildlife ecology and conservation at the University. She is a member of Pi Kappa Delta and is a recipient of the Marion Thompson Scholarship. Brenda is interested in digital illustration and environmental education. She is biliterate in Spanish and English. After graduation, Brenda plans to travel and then hopes to become a park ranger with the National Park Service.

Helen Kesting, Outstanding Master's Student, Ecology, Evolution & Conservation Biology

Helen is a master's student in the Ecology, Evolution & Conservation Biology Graduate Program, and she will graduate this spring. She is being supervised by Scott Allen, and her research focuses on predicting landscape-scale precipitation routing as a function of remotely sensed vegetation indices. Helen has shown extraordinary initiative and is on track to have two manuscripts published from her work. In addition, she received a Nevada NASA Space Grant Graduate Research Fellowship.

Daniel Nielsen, Outstanding Ph.D. Student, Ecology, Evolution & Conservation Biology

Daniel obtained his Ph.D. from the Ecology, Evolution & Conservation Biology Graduate Program under supervision of Marjorie Matocq. His research focused on how diet specialization in small mammals contributes to the maintenance of species boundaries. He published his work in several high-profile peer-reviewed journals. In addition to his research, he maintained a high degree of service to the University while also furthering his commitment to science communication with the public.