2020 KORHNAK FIELD PHOTOGRAPHY AWARD

OUTSTANDING STAFF MEMBER

This year’s School-Wide Staff Service Award goes to Christie Plough. Christie is the SFRC post-award grants advisor. Christie joined the SFRC team in December of 2017. She helps provide support and advisement on all post-award grant management functions including effort reporting, faculty assignment reporting, cost share reporting and grant accounting as well as ensure the unit is compliant with federal and state laws and University policy.

During the last year, Christie developed two custom tools that have streamlined the grant-tracking process, and communications between grant staff and faculty. One of her nominators said, “Christie is what comes to mind when I think of someone going the distance to make sure that our [faculty] and the SFRC at large are successful in their endeavors and protected from missteps.”

A faculty nominator praised Christie’s help with their complex grant problems, and said “Christie facilitates our research and it is very much appreciated. She always maintains a pro-active and positive attitude in helping the faculty and staff.”

OUTSTANDING PROGRAM STAFF MEMBER

This year’s Program Staff Award goes to Christy Horsburgh. Christy has worked in multiple capacities for the Florida LAKEWATCH program since its founding almost 35 years ago. LAKEWATCH is the nation’s premier volunteer monitoring program (2014 National Vision Award - National Water Quality Monitoring Council) and now provides over 60% of the lake water quality data used by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection to assess numeric nutrient criteria.

Through the decades Christy's responsibilities and contributions to the program have grown from field technical work, through data processing and transfer, to fiscal oversight. In addition to ensuring the continuity and quality of the program’s data, Christy’s technical and fiscal experience and expertise within the program have helped to bridge LAKEWATCH through a number of difficult periods associated with legislative budget cuts and changing government regulations.

One of her nominators highlighted Christy’s role during a recent leadership handoff for the program: “She made the transition appear seamless and managed the projects with great enthusiasm. Her diligence, brilliance, positive attitude and absolute enjoyment to work with make her a true asset not only for the Lakewatch community but for Fisheries and Aquatic Science and the University.”

DISTINGUISHED SERVICE AWARD

Dave Conser has been serving Alachua County as the Florida Forest Service County Forester for over 30 years, and still remains just as passionate about his career choice. “I truly enjoy meeting landowners and homeowners, and looking over their forests and trees,” said Dave. I celebrate how every single person and every single piece of land is unique – there is a wonderful ecology in both people and nature.”

Dave graduated from the SFRC with a BS in Forest Management in 1981. He is a Certified Arborist and a Certified Prescribed Burn Manager. On a daily basis, Dave assist residents with forest management advice, provides urban forest advice in towns and yards, carries out prescribed burns, and provides environmental education.

Dave still remains engaged with SFRC, in particular with the Florida Land Steward program. He also plays a key role in the 4-H Forest Ecology Contest, collecting tree and plant samples and teaching youth about plant identification.

OUTSTANDING ALUMNI

Erin Albury was appointed as the new State Forester and Director of the Florida Forest Service in 2020. Erin is a graduate of the SFRC and earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Forest Resources and Conservation in 1991.

Erin began his career with the Florida Forest Service in 1997 as the Citrus County Forester at the Withlacoochee Forestry Center. Following several advancements, he promoted to the State Office in 2015 as Field Operations Bureau Chief and as Assistant Director in 2018.

Erin has more than 22 years of experience in wildfire prevention and suppression, prescribed burning, land management, and all-hazard emergency response on the state and national level. As Director, Erin will lead the Florida Forest Service, with more than 1,200 employees across the state and one million acres of managed state forests.

DIRECTOR'S SERVICE AWARD

John Clyatt received his bachelor’s degree in surveying from the University of Florida in 1982. As a third-generation surveyor, John has been in the surveying profession since 1976 and has held a Florida Professional Surveyor & Mapper license since 1984. He is currently president of Pickett and Associates, a Florida-based corporation offering surveying, mapping, photogrammetry, and engineering services. Pickett has expanded its presence with multiple offices in Florida, as well as offices in Texas, Michigan, and North Carolina.

Mr. Clyatt has been a strong supporter of the SFRC and its Geomatics program for many years. He serves on the Geomatics Program Advisory Committee as well as the SFRC Advisory Board. John is also chair of the Legal Committee of the Florida Surveying and Mapping Society. In this role he helps to educate Florida legislators on the importance of the Geomatics Program to the citizens of our state. John is a cherished Gator alumnus who willingly steps up whenever assistance is needed.

2020 XI SIGMA PI INITIATES

Damian C. Adams, Stephanie Marie Adams, Daisy S. Andrews, Kaylyn Glenn, William Everette Haire, Will Kaklis, Ryan Krammes, Natalia Medina, James Murray, Kathryn Nelson, Stephen Hunter Scully, Micaela Studstill, Visunraya Suepukdee, April Zee

FISHERIES & AQUATIC SCIENCES

OUTSTANDING MARINE SCIENCES UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT

FORESTRY & NATURAL RESOURCE CONSERVATION

OUTSTANDING FOREST RESOURCES & CONSERVATION UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT

GEOMATICS

OUTSTANDING GEOMATICS UNDERGRADUATE STUDENT

Assessment of Coastal Habitat Restoration Using Fish Community Metrics and Juvenile Sportfish Condition

SUPERVISED BY:

Life History and Ecology of Invasive Lionfish Populations in the Northern Gulf of Mexico: Impacts to Native Reef Fish Communities and Their Potential Mitigation

SUPERVISED BY:

Evaluation of Swidden Fallow Potential to Increase Landscape-Level Brazil Nut (Bertholletia excelsa) Productivity in Western Amazonia

SUPERVISED BY:

Environmental Impacts of Transmission Lines and Open Data Standards for Infrastructure Projects in the Brazilian Amazon

SUPERVISED BY: