Since 1999, our chapter has awarde d scholarships to support California native plant research by graduate and undergraduate students. This year, we selected our three winners from a wid e pool of exciting research projects happening in the area. The three winne rs will be presenting their research projects on March 4th from 7 to 9 pm. Join us to learn about their work, streamed live on Zoom and YouTube.
Watch the talks at //www.youtub e.com/@CNPSSantaClaraValley">www.youtube.com/@CNPSSantaClaraValley& gt;; or register for Zoom at https://cnps-scv.org/talk-20260304.
Sally Casey Shooting Stars Research Scholarship ;— Named in honor of Sally Casey, this award supports research on native wi ldflowers, native grasses and grasslands, soil carbon, and soil interaction s. This year’s recipient, Yuerong Xiao (PhD student, Stanford University), will present “Hydrological and Ecological Effects of Cultural Burni ng on Native Plant Regrowth in Sierra Nevada Meadows.” Collaborati ng with the North Fork Mono Tribe, Yuerong studies how small-scale cultural burning influences native meadow diversity and soil properties, integratin g Indigenous knowledge with ecological science.
Don May all Conservation Research Scholarship — Honoring Don Mayall, a cha mpion of conservation at Edgewood County Park and Preserve and Coyote Ridge Open Space Preserve, this scholarship supports research on rare plants and serpentine soils. Recipient Kekoa Nelson (PhD student, University of Calif ornia, Davis) will present “Prescribed Fire in Serpentine Grassland s of Varying Restoration Management Histories,” examining how pres cribed burning and restoration strategies affect native and invasive specie s across differently managed serpentine meadows.
Underg raduate Research Scholarship — This year’s award goes to B'Elanna Pho-Marrujo (undergraduate, University of California, Davis), who will pres ent “Reopening a Cold Case: Microbes and Rare Vernal Pool Grass Ger mination.” Her research investigates why adding plant “chaff extract” increases germination in endangered Orcuttieae grasses, wi th the goal of improving propagation methods for some of California’s rares t vernal pool species.
For more information about our winn ers, please read the article in this quarter's Blazing Star. We hope you wi ll join us to support these outstanding scholars.
Since 1999, our chapter has awarde d scholarships to support California native plant research by graduate and undergraduate students. This year, we selected our three winners from a wid e pool of exciting research projects happening in the area. The three winne rs will be presenting their research projects on March 4th from 7 to 9 pm. Join us to learn about their work, streamed live on Zoom and YouTube.
Watch the talks at //www.youtube.com/@CNPSSantaClaraValley">www.youtube.c om/@CNPSSantaClaraValley>; or register for Zoom at https://cnps-scv.org/talk-20260304.
Sally Casey Shooting Stars Rese arch Scholarship — Named in honor of Sally Casey, this award suppo rts research on native wildflowers, native grasses and grasslands, soil car bon, and soil interactions. This year’s recipient, Yuerong Xiao (PhD studen t, Stanford University), will present “Hydrological and Ecological Effects of Cultural Burning on Native Plant Regrowth in Sierra Nevada Meado ws.” Collaborating with the North Fork Mono Tribe, Yuerong studies how small-scale cultural burning influences native meadow diversity and so il properties, integrating Indigenous knowledge with ecological science.
Don Mayall Conservation Research Scholarship — H onoring Don Mayall, a champion of conservation at Edgewood County Park and Preserve and Coyote Ridge Open Space Preserve, this scholarship supports re search on rare plants and serpentine soils. Recipient Kekoa Nelson (PhD stu dent, University of California, Davis) will present “Prescribed Fir e in Serpentine Grasslands of Varying Restoration Management Histories,” examining how prescribed burning and restoration strategies affect n ative and invasive species across differently managed serpentine meadows.
Undergraduate Research Scholarship — This year’ s award goes to B'Elanna Pho-Marrujo (undergraduate, University of Californ ia, Davis), who will present “Reopening a Cold Case: Microbes and R are Vernal Pool Grass Germination.” Her research inve stigates why adding plant “chaff extract” increases germination in endanger ed Orcuttieae grasses, with the goal of improving propagation methods for s ome of California’s rarest vernal pool species.
For more i nformation about our winners, please read the article in this quarter's Bla zing Star. We hope you will join us to support these outstanding scholars.< /p>