NRES Graduate Fellows to mentor interdisciplinary research in environmental and sustainability sciences

Three K-State scholars will be research mentors to undergraduate students conducting environmental and sustainability research as Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences Graduate Fellows.

Doctoral student Caroline Skidmore, biology, and postdoctoral researchers Kasuni H.H. Gamage and Nicolas Giordano, both from agronomy, have been awarded fall 2025 graduate fellowships by the Natural Resources and Environmental Sciences, or NRES, secondary major program.

The NRES Graduate Fellowship program recognizes doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers who demonstrate exceptional teaching and research accomplishments and are eager to gain additional experience in interdisciplinary instruction and research mentoring.

Each NRES Fellow receives a $1,500 award to mentor student research conducted by small, multidisciplinary teams in the BAE/DAS/GENAG 582 capstone course. Fellows are also eligible to apply for a $500 NRES Travel Award to support their professional development.

"The long-standing mission of the NRES secondary major is to provide undergraduates with a comprehensive interdisciplinary and applied research experience in environmental science, sustainability science and natural resource management," said Shawn Hutchinson, professor of geography and geospatial sciences and director of the NRES program. "The fellows will help guide senior undergraduates in our capstone course and share their passion for collaborative environmental problem-solving."

Applications for spring 2026 fellowships are now open and must be submitted by Dec. 5. Doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers from any discipline whose work relates to natural resource management, environmental sciences, sustainability or human-environment interactions are encouraged to apply. Full details are available at ksu.edu/nres/fellows.