Issue 1, 2012

Environmental Protection Agency Greater Research Opportunities Undergraduate Student Fellowships

 the

GRO Forum

Society faces a number of critical issues that are tied to the 

environment, including air quality and air pollution, natural and humanmade disasters, the need for renewable energy, and the security of 

the Nation’s water and food supplies. “We need to support the next 

generation of environmental professionals to help the Nation address 

these critical issues – not for the future, but for now,” points out 

Brandon Jones, the Fellowship Programs Manager at EPA’s National 

Center for Environmental Research (NCER) in Washington, D.C.

“Supporting the next generation of environmental scientists is the main 

focus of the program and is what drives me,” Brandon says. Brandon 

has come full circle in his career journey. He received EPA’s Minority 

Academic Institution (MAI) Undergraduate Student Fellowship – the 

precursor of the GRO (Greater Research Opportunities) Undergraduate 

Fellowship – in 1990. He now manages five student support programs 

that focus on increasing the United States’ environmental capacity 

through science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). 

“I’ve been given flexibility to be creative in the operations and outreach 

of the program,” Brandon says. His duties include evaluating the 

direction, scientific quality and effectiveness of NCER’s investment in 

long-term student investigator-initiated fellowships. He also works to 

develop the overall strategic direction of the program, linking program 

goals to EPA research programs and strategic goals.

Brandon received the MAI Fellowship while a student at Lincoln 

University, a Historically Black University in Pennsylvania. “I was already 

pointed in the environmental direction but the Fellowship helped in 

providing a real-life experience,” he says. “It wasn’t just something that 

Brandon Jones

I read or watched on television.” He credits the Fellowship for “planting 

something within me that helped propel me forward in my career path.” 

Brandon received his B.A. in biology from Lincoln in 1991.

Brandon subsequently went on to earn an M.S. and a Ph.D. in marine 

science from the University of Delaware College of Earth, Ocean and 

Environment. As he was completing his doctorate, Brandon came to 

the realization that he wanted to explore options outside the academic 

setting. He began considering the option of working in a state or 

Federal government agency. Thanks to a networking opportunity with a 

colleague from the University of Delaware, Brandon learned about and 

was able to secure an EPA student contractor position. He was then 

hired as a project officer for a team working on ecosystem services. 

For his internship, Brandon traveled some 4,000 miles to Anchorage, 

Alaska to research the use of natural wetlands for wastewater 

treatment in rural areas. “It was definitely an adventure,” he says. “The 

Alaskan energy, at that time, was very laid back and relaxed. That fits 

my personality. I enjoyed the experience immensely.” As part of the 

internship, Brandon spent two weeks doing field work with a team from 

EPA’s Western Ecology Division and Oregon State University on the 

tundra in the Arctic Circle. The team collected mosses, lichens, lake 

trout and ground squirrels for toxicological analysis of Arctic atmospheric 

contaminants coming from Asia into North American ecosystems. 

Wilderness living was an adventure, Brandon says, especially getting 

used to the field alternative to morning showers. “Running outside from 

a really hot sauna and diving into an arctic lake will certainly wake you 

up in the morning,” he says.

“Current and future Fellows shouldn’t be afraid to take chances outside 

of their comfort zone,” Brandon says. He also advises them to seek out 

mentors and coaches, not only when they are students but throughout 

their careers. “Focus on networking,” he says. “It really is who you know 

that helps you get your foot in the door but don’t forget that you have to 

perform once you’re there.”

GROing a career

Catching up with GRO Alumni

“ ”

The fellowship helped in providing a reallife experience. It wasn’t just something 

that I read or watched on television.

- Brandon Jones
GRO and MAI alumni follow diverse paths

Cynthia was awarded the GRO Fellowship in 2001, while attending 

Alabama A&M University in Normal, Ala. She has two graduate 

degrees from University of Maryland University College in Adelphi, 

Md.: an M.S. in environmental management and an M.B.A. Cynthia 

previously worked as the environmental regulatory specialist for 

NASA’s Space Shuttle Program. “I was able to combine my passions 

for both the environment and space,” she says. “I was sad to see the 

program end.” Cynthia is now an engineer at the Missile Defense 

Agency, part of the U.S. 

Department of Defense. 

Her career choices may 

seem a stretch for someone 

who studied environmental 

issues. Cynthia says, 

“Thinking outside the box 

and learning to combine 

other interests with an 

environmental background 

can lead to an exciting 

career.” She urges current 

GRO Fellows to keep this in 

mind as they consider what 

they might like to do after 

they earn their degrees.

Cynthia Williams

Currently a doctoral candidate at Auburn University in Auburn, Ala., 

Taconya embraces the opportunity to work with landowners and 

other stakeholders regarding conservation. Specifically, she enjoys 

being able to informally educate them about science. “Having the 

opportunity to interact with them and explaining the goals of our 

research, in a very relaxed 

atmosphere, makes them 

more comfortable and open to 

our research ideas,” Taconya 

says. She was awarded EPA’s 

STAR MAI Graduate Fellowship 

in 2001 while a student at the 

University of Maryland Eastern 

Shore in Princess Anne, Md. “The 

Fellowship helped to stretch my 

curiosity about science and gave 

me the opportunity to develop my 

research skills,” Taconya says. “My 

experience as a Fellow taught me 

that I was capable of much more 

than I ever thought I could do.”

Taconya D. Goar

“Make the most of all your experiences while you are in school and try 

to learn something from everyone that you encounter,” Sherita advises 

current GRO Fellows. “Even if you have a solid plan for what you want 

to do in life, be open to change. You never know what experience may 

come along.” A 2000 recipient of the MAI Undergraduate Student 

Fellowship, Sherita is now a 

labor and delivery nurse in 

Sugarland, Texas. “Every patient 

and every delivery is unique 

and special,” she says. “I truly 

enjoy being able to be a part 

of such an unforgettable event 

in a person’s or family’s life.” 

Sherita is currently continuing 

her education, working 

toward a Master of Science 

in Nursing degree. When she 

earns that degree, Sherita will 

be a women’s health nurse 

practitioner. 

Sherita Bennett Charles

Tahir received the MAI Fellowship 

in 1998 when he was an undergraduate at Texas Southern University 

in Houston, Texas, studying environmental engineering technology. 

He continued on as a graduate student, earning an MBA. As an MAI 

Fellow, Tahir says, “I honestly learned how to think out of the box.” 

He discovered that he had an 

aptitude for doing research 

and reviewing grants, and 

finally decided to apply for a 

grant himself. This led to his 

starting his own business, 

Allen Medical Services, 

which provides financial 

management for children and 

disabled adults with autism 

and developmental delays. 

“Don’t be scared to start your 

own business,” Tahir advises 

GRO Fellows. “Learn how to 

own what you do.” 

Tahir Charles

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This year marks the 30th anniversary of what is currently called 

the Greater Research Opportunities (GRO) Undergraduate Student 

Fellowship program. Originally called the Minority Academic Institutions 

(MAI) Undergraduate Student Fellowship, the GRO program provides 

support to students seeking bachelor’s degrees in environmental fields.
Summer 2012 GRO Internship Projects

Aiden Irish

Alternative Energy Best 

Practices in Region 10

Anchorage, AK

Amy Fischer

Global Climate Change 

Effects on Coastal 

Wetlands

Narragansett, RI

Andrew Reighart

Global Affairs and Policy 

Internship

Washington, DC

Brendan Galloway

Pesticide Program 

Rulemaking Support

Arlington, VA

Brian McConnell

Tracking Program 

Successes in Water 

and Wastewater Energy 

Efficiency

Boston, MA

Brooke Weigel 

Identifying and 

Preventing Nutrient 

Impairments in Pacific 

Northwest Estuaries

Newport, OR

Cara Mayo

Climate Change Effects 

on Coastal Marine 

Ecosystems: Species 

Vulnerability in the 

Pacific Northwest

Newport, OR

Carlos Juan Cruz

Tracking Effects of 

Nutrients from Multiple 

Sources Across Trophic 

Levels and Temporal 

Scales Using Stable 

Isotopes

Narragansett, RI

Catherine Wise 

Real-Time Water Quality 

Monitoring in Urban 

Rivers

North Chelmsford, MA

Clarice Esch

Narragansett Bay 

Coastal Marsh 

Sustainability

Narragansett, RI

Cory Ventres-Pake

Environmental Justice 

Education and Food 

Justice

Boston, MA

Dan Fultz

Tide Channels as an 

Ecosystem Service for 

Estuarine Fish

Newport, OR

Deirdre MacFeeters

Regional and Bilateral 

Affairs Internship

Washington, DC

Elyse Peters

Environmental Justice 

Needs Assessment 

Project

Atlanta, GA

Emily Seelen

Identifying the Role 

of Urban and Isolated 

Wetlands in Maintaining 

Watershed Water Quality 

and Ecosystem Integrity

Narragansett, RI

George Osei

Health Physics Projects 

Assistance

Las Vegas, NV

Gina Chaput 

Nitrogen Management

Boston, MA

Hannah Coe

Ecological Condition 

of Great Lakes Coastal 

Zones

Duluth, MN

Holly Andrews 

Global Climate Change 

Effects on Coastal 

Wetlands

Narragansett, RI

Jackie Blake-Hedges

Pesticide Residue 

Analysis

Fort Meade, MD

Jairo Guerrero

Southeast New 

Hampshire Uranium 

Study

North Chelmsford, MA

Jared Smith 

Human Impacts on 

Forest Ecosystem 

Services

Corvallis, OR

Jessica Johnson

Addressing 

Contamination from 

Abandoned Uranium 

Mines on the Navajo 

Nation

San Francisco, CA

Katie Steele 

Global Climate Change 

and Its Effects on 

Terrestrial Ecosystems

Corvallis, OR

Kelsey Morgan

Tribal Grant Investments 

in Puget Sound: Analysis 

of Progress Toward 

Desired Ecosystem 

Outcomes 

Seattle, WA

Kevin Chen

Synthesis and Testing 

of Materials for Drinking 

Water Treatment

Cincinnati, OH

Kimberly Kiser

Data Analysis Assistance 

with Oil & Gas Emission 

Measurements

Denver, CO

Laura Terada

Sustainable Water 

Infrastructure

San Francisco, CA

Lisa McLaughlin

Implications of the 

Proposed Watana 

Hydroelectric Project for 

the Channel Morphology 

and Ecology of the 

Susitna River

Anchorage, AK

Mackenzie Billings

Ecological Effects of 

Biofuel Plant Species

Corvallis, OR

Max Lehner

Adaptive Management 

Decision Framework 

Development and 

Support

Annapolis, MD

Nessly Torres

Using the Biomimicry 

Methodology to 

Solve Environmental 

Challenges

Denver, CO

Nikki D’Alessio

Economic Support for 

Pesticide Registration 

and Reevaluation

Arlington, VA

Ravin Joseph 

National Lakes 

Assessment -- New 

England Region

North Chelmsford, MA

Roxanne Sanderson

Green Chemistry

Washington, DC

Sam Wallace

Helicopter Monitoring 

Program

Edison, NJ

Tiana Ramos

EPA Green Building 

Research Symposium

New York, NY

Tiorra Ross 

Green Chemistry

Washington, DC

Tyanna Smith

Assessing the Response 

of In-Stream Ecological 

Processes and Functions 

Along a Gradient 

of Environmental 

Perturbations

Cincinnati, OH

Tyler Bleeker

Human Impacts on 

Forest Ecosystem 

Services

Corvallis, OR

Hilda received EPA’s STAR Culturally Diverse Academic Institutions (CDAI) Fellowship for Graduate 

Environmental Studies in 1999. Hilda says that the STAR Fellowship was key to her successfully 

earning a Ph.D. in environmental science and engineering from the University of Texas at El Paso. 

“When I learned that I had been selected as a STAR Fellow, I was beyond belief,” she says. Hilda is 

now the Faculty Staff Coordinator for the Biology, Chemistry and Geology Departments at the El Paso 

Community College Northwest Campus, where she also teaches biology and anatomy & physiology 

courses. “The courses that I teach are very challenging,” she says, “so most of my students struggle 

at first. There is nothing more rewarding then to see them achieve their academic goal.” Hilda passes 

along this advice to current GRO Fellows: “You’ve proven that you have not only a promising research 

project but that you have the potential to carry your project to completion. This is a once in a lifetime 

opportunity, so make the best of it.”

 Hilda S. Taylor

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For GRO Fellows, summer internships provide a chance to explore new parts 

of the country, learn about new subjects, develop new skills, and make 

lasting personal and professional relationships. Internships are not just 

about the students, though, as EPA employees who open their offices and 

labs and give their time to mentor GRO summer interns will attest.

The Region 2 Laboratory in Edison, N.J., has hosted internships for nearly 

20 years in environmental laboratories, environmental monitoring and 

assessment, and rapid bioassessment. Randy Braun and Helen Grebe 

frequently host a Fellow for the Helicopter Monitoring Program, which 

entails daily flights over New York and New Jersey Harbors. Helen considers 

working with GRO interns to be one of the highlights of her career. “Each 

student brings enthusiasm, energy and a fresh new perspective to the 

project at hand,” she says.

Another long-time GRO intern host, Carol Farris, Ph.D., says, “EPA’s Green 

Chemistry Program has been fortunate to have mentored a number of GRO 

Fellows, young people who have aided and enriched our efforts over the 

years.” Green chemistry, or sustainable chemistry, is the design of chemical 

products and processes that reduce or eliminate the use or generation 

of hazardous substances. “By teaching Fellows the philosophy of green 

chemistry and sharing practical examples with them,” Carol says, “we aim 

to influence their careers and their academic institutions to benefit human 

health and the environment, and we have not been disappointed.”

United States

Environmental Protection

Agency

Office of Research

and Development (8723P)

Washington, DC 20460

Official Business

Penalty for Private Use

$300

EPA/600/N-04/198

July 2012

www.epa.gov/ord

GRO students infuse our workforce 

with young minds that provide 

innovative ideas. It is a win-win 

situation for both the student 

interns and EPA.

Randy Braun, EPA Region 2 Laboratory

EPA mentors’ reflections

“ 

” 

GRO and MAI alumni members of the Fellowship peer review 

panel. Front row (L to R) Hilda Taylor, Cynthia Williams, Taconya 

Goar, Sherita Bennett Charles and Audrey Hernando. Second row 

(L to R) Tahir Charles, Ragene Conway and Brent Chavous.

...Continued

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