Each year the Lakeshore Nature Preserve awards several Student Engagement Grants of up to $1000 each to facilitate the use of the Preserve as a resource for education among UW undergraduates. Any student, faculty, or staff member at the UW-Madison may apply. Groups of individuals may submit a proposal as a team. Every individual or team must have at least one faculty or staff member, who is expected to play an active role in overseeing the project.
This funding opportunity is made possible by the Academic Endowment Fund of the Preserve, established by former UW faculty member Robert M. Goodman and the late Professor Henry Hart. To contribute to the Academic Fund to create more opportunities for undergraduates to engage in learning in the Preserve, please contact the Preserve Interim Director at laura.wyatt@wisc.edu or 608-265-9275.
VIEW THE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Deadlines
The request for proposals goes out in the fall of the year.
- March 1: proposals due.
- April 1: awards announced.
- October 31: grant funds should be expended and a report submitted to the Preserve Director.
For more information please contact:
Laura Wyatt
Interim Director, Lakeshore Nature Preserve
608-265-9275
laura.wyatt@wisc.edu
Past Awards
2024
Exploring Nature’s Classroom: Adventure Learning in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve
Cindy Kuhrasch, Distinguished Teaching Faculty, Kinesiology
Digging Deep: Exploring Soil Health in Eagle Heights Community Garden
Anna Stevenson, PhD student and Research Assistant, Soil Science; Alfred Hartemink, Professor and Chair, Soil Science
Nurturing in Nature: Deepening Roots and Reaching Heights
Prisma Ruacho, Asst. Director Multicultural Student Center Lakeshore
Environmental Assessment Fellowship and The Interactive Effects of Invasive Species and White-tailed Deer on Forest Understory Diversity and Tree Regeneration
Disturbance Ecology Lab I students; George Meindl, Assoc. Teaching Professor, Forest & Wildlife Ecology
Keep our Shoreline Clean: Earth Day Trash Dash and Consistent Conservancy
Molly O’Connor, Outing Club President; Wesley Blashka, Outing Club Treasurer; Grace Parker, Outing Club Ambassador Liaison
Advisor: Pete Buscaino, Hoofer Club Advisor
Collaborative Landscape Indexing Practicum (LEAFCLIP)
Philip Townsend Lab, Forest &Wildlife Ecology
2023
Bird watching educational series: Expanding Bird Observation and Accessibility through Scope Spotting
Audubon Society, UW-Madison (ASUM)
Advisor: Dr. Anna Pidgeon (Professor, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology
Community Science Series: Insect education, engagement, and contribution to science
Celeste Huff, MS student in Agroecology and Entomology and Insect Ambassadors Co-coordinator
Advisor: Dr Shawn Steffan, Department of Entomology
Flowering Phenology in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve
Ronan Montgomery-Taylor, Botany, Honors Biology Certificate
Advisor: Seth McGee, Biology Core Curriculum
Assessing the accessibility of Lakeshore Nature Preserve for individuals with mobility issues using GPS monitoring and GIS
Brianna Stevens, Nina Johnson, Su Jung Bae, The Environmental Design Lab, Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture
Advisors: Edward Boswell, Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture, and Samuel Dennis Jr and Emma Castiblanco, The Environmental Design Lab, Department of Planning and Landscape Architecture
Nurturing in Nature: A playing, growing, reflecting experience for BIPOC students
Prisma Ruacho, Asst Director, Operations and Outreach Multicultural Student Center
2022
Bumble bee colony life stage and pollen quality as factors affecting visitation frequency
Amanda Shalit (undergraduate, Botany, Conservation Biology, Environmental Studies)
Co-Advisors: Dr. Ellen Damschen (Professor, Department of Integrated Biology ) and Stephanie McFarlane (PhD Candidate, Department of Botany)
Environmental Writing and Place: Stories of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve
Noreen McAuliffe (Lecturer, Department of English and Academic Program Specialist, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies)
Hoofer Ambassadors All Out!
Students: Isabel Peterson (Officer of Diversity and Inclusion in Hoofers, President); Kayla Dutton (Hoofers Ambassadors Finance Chair); Isabelle Paulsen (Hoofers Ambassadors Programming Chair)
Advisor: David Elsmo (Outdoor UW Director & Hoofer Club Advisor)
Tree Swallow Nest Box Project: Encouraging Environmental Awareness and Conservation
Audubon Society, UW-Madison (ASUM); Sydney Stroschein (undergraduate, President of Audubon Society, UW-Madison)
Advisor: Dr. Anna Pidgeon (Professor, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology
2021
Wild and Domestic Canid activity in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve
Ali Thompson (undergraduate, Zoology and Psychology)
Co-Advisors: Morgan Farmer (PhD student, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology) and David Drake (Extension Wildlife Specialist and Professor, Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology)
The Efficacy of Porous Pavement within the Lakeshore Nature Preserve
Cole Koffron (undergraduate, UW-Madison)
Co-Advisors: Dr. Nick Balster (Department of Soil Science) and Dr. Anita Thompson (Biological System Engineering, Nelson Institute, Environmental Chemistry and Technology)
Isolation and Characterization of Protective Pollen Actinobacteria
Claire Reichardt (undergraduate, UW-Madison)
C0-Advisors: Caitlin Carlson (Research Specialist, Currie Lab, Department of Bacteriology) and Daniel S May, PhD (Postdoctoral Research Associate, Currie Lab, Department of Bacteriology)
Beginning Birding Educational Series: Using Birdwatching to Encourage Environmental Awareness and Action
Audubon Society, UW-Madison (ASUM)
Advisor: Dr. Anna Pidgeon (Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology)
Student-led Composting at Eagle Heights
Ava Padilla (undergraduate, Botany and Environmental Studies)
Advisor: Tom Bryan (GreenHouse Learning Community Program Coordinator)
2019
Measuring Patterns of Seasonal Diversity of Yeasts in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve
Rachel Schneider (undergraduate, UW-Madison)
Co-Advisors: John Wolters (Postdoctoral Research Fellow and Project Mentor) and Chris Todd Hittinger (Assistant Professor, Department of Genetics)
Forming Connections Using Sweet Potatoes
Savannah Holt (undergraduate, UW-Madison, GreenHouse resident)
Co-Advisors: Malachi Persche (Research Fellow, USDA Dairy Forage Research Center) and Tom Bryan (GreenHouse Learning Community Program Coordinator, UW Housing)
2018
Examining Flowering Times of Native Plants in the Biocore Prairie
Alder Levin (undergraduate, Biochemistry and History of Science, Medicine, and Technology)
Olympia Mathiaparanam (undergraduate, Biology and Psychology)
Advisor: Seth McGee (Biocore Lab Manager)
Writing in the Preserve: Understanding how Nature Impacts Student Writing and Wellbeing
Kassia Krzus-Shaw (Ph.D student, Composition and Rhetoric, English Department)
Lakeshore Nature Preserve Hike and Learn Series: Engaging Diverse Students
Sanober Mirza, Brooke Nelson, Austin Gladden, Yeline Del Carmen (undergraduates, UW-Madison)
Advisor: Cathy Middlecamp (Community Environmental Scholars Program)
Effect of invasive ‘jumping’ earthworms on tree functioning in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve
Kevin Hobbins (undergraduate, Department of Botany)
Co-Advisors: Kimberly O’Keefe (Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Botany) and Katherine McCulloh (Assistant Professor, Department of Botany)
2017
Soil as the Missing Link in Prairie Restoration and Ecological Education
Krista Marshall (undergraduate, UW-Madison)
Co-Advisors: Nick Balster (Associate Professor Department of Soil Science) and Janet Batzli (Associate Director Biocore)
Presentation to Preserve Committee
Measuring Patterns of Seasonal Diversity of Yeasts in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve
Rachel Schneider (undergraduate, UW-Madison)
Advisor: Chris Todd Hittinger (Assistant Professor, Department of Genetics)
Presentation to Preserve Committee
Urban Canid Use of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve and Beyond
David Drake (Extension Wildlife Specialist / Professor Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology)
Wild and Domestic Carnivores in our Midst; First-year Undergraduate Service-Learning and Interdisciplinary Research in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve
Adrian Treves (Associate Professor, Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies)
Presentation to Preserve Committee
2016
Exploring the Wisconsin Prairie Ecosystem: Studying Cold Tolerance of Forbs
Emily Nettesheim (undergraduate, Department of Zoology)
Advisor: Ellen Damschen (Assistant Professor Department of Zoology)
Presentation to Preserve Committee
Survival and Habitat Use of Eastern Gray Squirrels in an Urban Preserve
Jonathan N. Pauli (Assistant Professor Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology)
Presentation to Preserve Committee
Estimating survival, dispersal, and habitat use of Common Yellowthroats and Song Sparrows in Biocore Prairie at the University of Wisconsin-Madison
Matt Hayes (Faculty Associate Department of Zoology and Co-Director of the Biocore Prairie Bird Observatory)
Mara McDonald Emerita Department of Genetics and Co-Director of the Biocore Prairie Bird Observatory)
Exploring Seasonal Yeast Biodiversity in the Lakeshore Nature Preserve
Martin Jarzyna (undergraduate, UW-Madison)
Advisor: Chris Todd Hittinger (Assistant Professor, Department of Genetics)
Presentation to Preserve Committee
Urban Canid Use of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve
David Drake (Extension Wildlife Specialist / Professor Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology)
2015
Survival and Habitat Use of Eastern Gray Squirrels in an Urban Preserve
Jonathan N. Pauli (Assistant Professor Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology)
The impact of road salt on the water chemistry of the Class of 1918 Marsh
Greta Helmueller (undergraduate, UW-Madison)
Advisor: John J. Magnuson (Emeritus Professor Departments of Zoology and Limnology)
Presentation to Preserve Committee
Native Pollinator Conservation Program
Emily Greinwald (undergraduate, Departments of Zoology and Conservation Biology, UW-Madison)
Advisor: Susan Carpenter (Wisconsin Native Plant Gardener, UW Arboretum)
Presentation to Preserve Committee
Propagation Bed for Fruit Cloning
Will Waller (Eagle Heights Community Gardens field staff)
Lynn Hummel (Research Program Manager UW Agricultural Research Stations and Greenhouses)
2014
Coyote and red fox use of the Lakeshore Nature Preserve
David Drake (Extension Wildlife Specialist / Associate Professor Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology)
Presentation to Preserve Committee
Survival and Habitat Use of Eastern Gray Squirrels in an Urban Preserve
Jonathan N. Pauli (Assistant Professor Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology)
R. Scott Lutz (Associate Professor Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology)
Design Development and Baseline Measures for Longitudinal Climate Change Study in the Biocore Prairie
Emma Geiduschek (Sophomore, Biology, UW-Madison)
Co-Advisors: Ellen Damschen (Assistant Professor Department of Zoology) and Janet Batzli (Associate Director Biocore)
Presentation to Preserve Committee