The CREF Board of Trustees have chosen the winning students to receive a scholarship for the 2023/2024 school year. These scholarships fund university and college students to assist them with their compost-related research projects. It was a hard decision choosing just two students, since CREF received many worthwhile applications. Each student will receive a scholarship worth $4,000 and will also be invited to present their findings at a future USCC annual conference during the CREF Research Track. These scholarships are funded by a number of companies, organizations and individuals. The CREF Board of Trustees want to thank each sponsor for their generous support.
The first student to receive a scholarship is Sai Thejaswini Pamuru. She is a doctoral candidate in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of Maryland College Park. Her project aims to test the synergistic effectiveness of compost-biochar mixtures in reducing nitrogen and phosphorus leaching and in improving vegetation growth and quality.
The next student awarded a scholarship is Daisy D’Angelo, who is currently pursuing a PhD with Ohio State University’s Food, Agriculture & Biological Engineering Department with a focus on compost characterization and utilization. Daisy’s research project aims to examine the role food waste compost (FWC) can serve in establishing and maintaining healthy soils, specifically as a tool for better managing both nutrient and water usage.
To see more about the two students’ projects, go HERE