2011 Udall Fellows Announced
Posted: 5/11/2011
Terrence L. Bracy, Chairman of the Board of the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation, has announced that two Ph.D. candidates have been selected as 2011 Udall Dissertation Fellows. The Fellows were selected by an independent review committee of environmental scholars and professionals.
The Udall Dissertation Fellowship is awarded to outstanding doctoral candidates who have achieved distinction in their scholarly research and who are entering the final year of writing the dissertation. The dissertation topic must be significant and relevant to national environmental public policy and/or environmental conflict resolution. The award covers both academic and living expenses up to $24,000 for the year. There have been 30 Udall Fellows since the first awards in 1997.
Lauren Patterson
University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill
Department of Geography
As a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Geography at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill, Lauren Patterson's dissertation, "Interconnections between drought and water policy in the South Atlantic, USA," focuses on examining drivers of water scarcity in the South Atlantic and exploring potential policy options. Her research interests were fueled by the tensions between residents and politicians, as well as between water conservation and economic development during a recent severe drought. Water scarcity is a growing issue in the South Atlantic and it is an exciting time to contribute research for policy formation and implementation. Patterson received an M.A. at UNC, examining the effectiveness of flood policy and she has worked with local governments through the Environmental Finance Center to address sustainable financing strategies for watershed protection. Relationships and financing strategies are crucial to implement research findings. Post dissertation, it is Patterson's hope to continue to serve society at the nexus of water science and policy.
Caroline Scruggs
Stanford University
Emmet Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources
Caroline Scruggs is a Ph.D. candidate in the Emmett Interdisciplinary Program in Environment and Resources at Stanford University. Her dissertation, "Scientific, Political, and Stakeholder Influences and Interests Surrounding Safe Use and Regulation of Chemicals in the U.S," examines the human and environmental health concerns related to hazardous chemicals, and the need for and availability of chemicals-related information by consumers and chemical users. Of particular interest are U.S. and European chemicals policies and businesses' roles and responsibilities in protecting public and environmental health, promoting information flow along supply chains, and contributing to public knowledge about chemical risks. Scruggs has worked with numerous international organizations and businesses during her doctoral research, and plans to continue working at the interface of science, business, and policy to improve public and environmental health. Scruggs holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in environmental engineering, and has previous experience working on global water quality projects and strategies to remove emerging contaminants, such as endocrine disrupting chemicals, from environmental systems.
About the Udall Foundation
The Udall Foundation is an independent federal agency that was established by Congress in 1992 to provide federally funded scholarships for college students intending to pursue careers related to the environment, as well as to Native American students pursuing tribal policy or health care careers. The Udall Foundation offers doctoral fellowships in environmental policy or conflict resolution and operates the Native American Congressional Internship program each summer in Washington, D.C. In 1998, the Foundation grew to include the U.S. Institute for Environmental Conflict Resolution, created by Congress as the federal government’s only program focused entirely on resolving federal environmental disputes. The Foundation also operates the Parks in Focus program, connecting underserved youth to nature through photography.
The Udall Foundation was created initially to honor the legacy of the late Morris Udall, who represented Southern Arizona in the U.S. House of Representatives for 30 years. Stewart Udall, who also represented Southern Arizona in Congress from 1955 to 1961, is Morris Udall's older brother. The two brothers were leaders in many policy areas, including natural resources and the environment and Native American issues. They worked together on many initiatives while Stewart Udall was Secretary of the Interior and Morris Udall a member of Congress. In 2009, Congress enacted legislation to add Stewart Udall into the foundation, renaming it the Morris K. Udall and Stewart L. Udall Foundation.
For more information on the dissertation fellowship, a list of previous fellowship recipients, and more information on the Foundation and related programs please visit: www.udall.gov or contact Jane Curlin at (520) 901-8565 or curlin@udall.gov.
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