Congratulations to the 2024 Chrysalis Scholarship Recipients

Amani Adams-Ford is a sophomore at Hampton University majoring in Marine & Environmental Science. Amani grew up feeling a deep connection with nature and has dreamed of becoming a marine biologist since she was four years old. She wants to study the natural behaviors and interactions of marine animals to understand how to best protect them, and she is passionate about making a difference in conservation. On her path to becoming a champion for marine ecosystems, Amani is on track to complete a marine science internship next summer, and the Chrysalis scholarship will allow Amani to enroll in scuba diving lessons and earn her certification so that she is well prepared for the next step of her journey to become a marine biologist.

Danielle Simmons is a native Washingtonian and senior at the University of District of Columbia (UDC) in the College of Agriculture, Urban Sustainability, and Environmental Sciences. Danielle has always been passionate about protecting nature and is the founding director of We Care DC, an environmental community organization committed to wildlife habitat conservation, forest and stream restoration, and implementation of green infrastructure in urban areas of Washington, DC. Through this work, she has hosted an annual youth nature camp at Oxon Run Park in partnership with the Department of Energy and Environment, DC Greens, Friends of Oxon Run, and National Park Service that engages dozens of youths from nearby neighborhoods with an interactive STEM curriculum outdoors. Danielle strives to educate District residents, business owners, schools, and communities in making DC a greener, healthier city for all, and she serves as an environmental justice ambassador with the Department of Interior in partnership with UDC. Her Chrysalis scholarship will allow Danielle to complete her Bachelor’s degree at UDC, after which she plans to pursue a Professional Science Master’s Degree in Water Resource Management.

Field Inclusive is a non-profit founded in 2021 by Lauren D. Pharr, an avian ecologist pursuing her Ph.D. at North Carolina State University in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, and Dr. Murry Burgess, an assistant professor at Mississippi State University studying wildlife biology, urban ecology, and ornithology. Field Inclusive is an amazing organization that strives to provide tangible and actionable improvements in the natural resources by addressing social field safety issues related to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion (JEDI). They seek to support all field biologists in the natural sciences through identifying and addressing field safety issues, developing field safety resources, and supporting marginalized researchers through financial aid and experiential learning opportunities. Field Inclusive envisions a world in which the outdoors feels safe and welcoming, regardless of personal identity (race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, or religion.) Conservation Nation is honored to support this vision, as our sponsorship will allow Field Inclusive to break down barriers for marginalized and historically excluded field biologists and researchers through small research grants and travel to scientific conferences.

Zabreya Okyere is a sophomore Biology major at Smith College. She was raised in Ghana and moved to the United States in high school to continue her education. Her parents sparked her interest in nature at a young age by taking her on “field trips” across Ghana. Coming to the United States was a big step for her, especially because she was leaving her parents and siblings behind, but she has been passionate about seeking a closer connection to nature everywhere she travels. Her interest in nature and ecology was further sparked in high school when she volunteered with Forest Ecologist, Dr. Ruth Yanai, on a project assessing the effects of climate change on temperate trees. Now, as a student at Smith College, she works in the Insect Ecology Lab with Dr. Mariana Abarca studying the effects of climate change on moth and butterfly populations. Zabreya’s project involves habitat restoration for moths and butterflies at the MacLeish Field Station on the Smith College campus in Western Massachusetts, where she is examining the effects of re-establishing native host plants on insect populations. Her Chrysalis scholarship will allow Zabreya to have the experience of presenting the findings of her project at the 2024 meeting of the Entomological Society of America in Phoenix, Arizona.