{"id":3646,"date":"2023-01-04T13:50:12","date_gmt":"2023-01-04T17:50:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/lmrcsc\/?page_id=3646"},"modified":"2026-01-27T12:46:43","modified_gmt":"2026-01-27T16:46:43","slug":"scott-gudes-scholarship-recipients","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/wwwcp.umes.edu\/lmrcsc\/fy16\/scott-gudes-scholarship-recipients\/","title":{"rendered":"Scott Gudes Scholarship Recipients"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Scott B. Gudes Public Service Graduate Scholarship in Marine Resource Conservation<\/strong><\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This scholarship is awarded to a master\u2019s or doctoral student pursuing a degree in a NOAA Fisheries related discipline whose research has a strong potential to contribute to the advancement of marine resource conservation and who has played an exemplary role in public service.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The LMRCSC has awarded five Scott Gudes scholarships since 2017.  Recipients were selected competitively based on the following criteria: (1) Full time graduate student conducting research at the LMRCSC relevant to marine resource conservation (2)  Have and maintain a cumulative  3.5 GPA, (3)  Demonstrated scholastic and leadership achievements, (4) Service to the EPP\/MSI Cooperative Science Center and the fisheries community, and (5)  Must be a US citizen and a CSC supported student.  Information on the recipients are presented below:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2026-2027<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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Kayland Huckaby<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Institution<\/strong>: University of Maryland Eastern Shore<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Degree Level<\/strong>: Ph.D.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amount of Fellowship<\/strong>: $42,000\/yr<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project Title<\/strong>: Developing diet profiles of groundfish species in the northern Gulf<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NERTO Title<\/strong>: Diet and trophic level analysis of groundfish species in the northern Gulf<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Current Position<\/strong>: Graduate Research Assistant; plans to complete her degree by May 2027<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Veronica Lucchese<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Institution<\/strong>: University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Degree Level<\/strong>: Ph.D.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amount of Fellowship<\/strong>: $42,000\/yr<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project Title<\/strong>: A socio-ecological network analysis of invasive blue catfish alongside native striped bass and blue crab fisheries to enhance stakeholder participation in decision-making processes<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NERTO Title<\/strong>: Understanding hubs and exclusion- Social network analysis of invasive blue catfish management in the Rappahanock and York River watersheds<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Current Position<\/strong>: Graduate Research Assistant; plans to complete her degree by May 2027<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2024- 2025<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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Chryston Best-Otubu<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Institution<\/strong>: University of Miami RSMAS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Degree Level<\/strong>: Ph.D. (Marine Science)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amount of Fellowship<\/strong>: $42,000\/yr<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project Title<\/strong>: Estimating Fish Abundances and Relationship with Habitat using Baited Remote Underwater Video Surveys in the Biscayne Bay<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

NERTO Title<\/strong>: Spatial modeling of diets, predation, and the pelagic food web of the California Current<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Current Position<\/strong>: Graduate Research Assistant; plans to complete his degree by 2025<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Michelle Fernandez<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Institution<\/strong>: University of Miami RSMAS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Degree Level<\/strong>: Ph.D. (Marine Biology & Ecology)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amount of Fellowship<\/strong>: $42,000\/yr<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project Title<\/strong>: Characterization of fisheries interactions with blue marlin and yellowfin tuna in the Inter-American Seas since the Deepwater Horizon oil spill<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NERTO Title<\/strong>: Analysis of batoid bycatch from the Delaware Bay COASTSPAN (Cooperative Atlantic States Shark Pupping and Nursery) Surveys<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Current Position<\/strong>: Graduate Research Assistant; plans to complete her degree by December 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2021- 2022<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n
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Kasondra Rubalcava<\/a><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Institution<\/strong>: University of Maryland Eastern Shore<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Degree Level<\/strong>: Ph.D.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Amount of Fellowship<\/strong>: $35,000\/yr<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Project Title<\/strong>: Ecosystem Model of the Maryland Coastal Bays: The influence of climatic factors on biomass distributions of fish and macroinvertebrate species, food web linkages, and ecosystem structure<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NERTO Title<\/strong>: Development of an Ecosystem Model for the Maryland Coastal BaysCurrent Position<\/strong>: NOAA National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) Program Management Support with Integrated Systems Solutions, Inc. (ISS).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Kasondra successfully defended her dissertation in fall 2022. She has also co-authored two peer-reviewed publications:<\/p>\n\n\n\n