Doctoral Candidate Brett Gerard Receives the 2016-17 Michael J. Eckardt Dissertation Fellowship Award
Brett Gerard, a Ph.D. candidate in the School of Earth and Climate Sciences, has been selected for the Michael J. Eckardt Dissertation Fellowship Award for the 2016 – 2017 academic year in recognition of his outstanding academic performance.
Working with the Senator George J. Mitchell Center for Sustainability Solutions, Gerard’s research examines the characteristics and dynamics of channel beds in the Sebago Lake watershed. According to Gerard, the condition of sediment on the channel beds is one of the primary factors controlling the exchange of water between the river environment and the groundwater system. The exchange plays an important role in maintaining water quality.
Eckardt Fellowships are open to doctoral candidates completing their dissertations in the following Maine Economic Improvement Fund targeted areas: aquaculture and marine sciences technology; biotechnology; composite materials engineering; environmental sciences technology; information sciences and technology; precision manufacturing; and forestry and agriculture. The fellowships are awarded annually by the UMaine Graduate School. Students must be in their final year of doctoral study.