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Hailey C. – Class of 2027 – Billings, Montana

Hailey’s work as an Environmental Studies major at MSU Billings reflects her drive tocombine environmental science, research, and geospatialtechnology in ways that directly benefit Montana communities. Early in her studies, she joined an INBRE-funded undergraduate research project with Dr. Akanga and Dr. Cuddy examining water quality in the Yellowstone River—part of a collaborative effort to better understand the health of the region’s rivers. Her leadership quickly stood out: in fall 2025, Hailey singlehandedly organized the university’s GIS Day celebration, coordinating presenters, panelists, and logistics while also sharing her own research findings from the INBRE project alongside fellow student researcher John. She later expanded her interests through a self-designed project investigating microplastic accumulation in the Tongue River Reservoir and its potential effects on the western spiny softshell turtle—an example of how she brings environmental science and spatial thinking together in innovative ways.

Hailey also serves as a student intern on a statewide geospatial education initiative jointly led by MSU Bozeman and MSU Billings, where she works closely with Dr. Nelson to enhance the Geospatial Skills for Youth Development and Career Pathways program. Through this multiyear initiative, she helps design and pilot lesson plans, prepare training materials, and mentor students during summer camps that teach mapping, GIS, and spatial thinking to middle and high school youth. Her contributions—spanning curriculum development, technology support, and hands-on instruction—have played a key role in expanding the program’s reach to educators and learners in rural and under-resourced parts of Montana. These experiences have given Hailey both strong technical expertise and a foundation in community engagement, shaping her vision to continue linking environmental research, education, and geospatial science in her future work.

John M. – Class of 2027 – Long Valley, New Jersey

John is an honors student in Environmental Studies who plays a central role in our collaborative geospatial research team, contributing to data collection, map design, and interpretation for a project on Yellowstone River water quality. From an early love of science—his first big request was a microscope—he has been drawn to using scientific tools to help the planet, and MSU Billings has given him a way to turn that curiosity into applied environmental and GIS work.

Through the Yellowstone River Project, John has put classroom concepts into practice, applying his environmental and geospatial skills in real-world settings with guidance from mentors such as Dr. Cuddy, Dr. Akanga, and Aaron Schultz. His efforts helped move the project from a course-based idea to conference-ready research, and in 2026 he presented the team’s findings at the American Association of Geographers annual meeting. On campus, he helped organize MSUB’s 2025 GIS Day event, served on a panel about ecoanxiety in today’s generation, and brings that same commitment to his current internship, where he continues to use and refine the environmental and GIS skills that will shape his future career.