UNH Student Wins NSF Graduate Research Fellowship
Mother of two studying contaminants in salt marsh grass

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DURHAM, N.H. – A University of New Hampshire graduate student in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences has won a prestigious research fellowship from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for her work in environmental engineering.

Alison Watts, of Newfields, is one of only four New Hampshire students to receive a NSF Graduate Research Fellowship this year. Nationwide, 1,021 were awarded from a pool of approximately 9,000 applicants. In addition to full tuition for up to three years, Watts will receive a $30,000 annual stipend.

Watts is researching whether pollutants from sources such as tanker spills, industrial discharges, sewage outflow, and urban runoff can be taken up by wetland plants. “We are growing salt marsh grass in contaminated sediments, then measuring how much of the contaminant moves into the plant,” she said. “This will help us to understand if animals that graze on marsh grasses, such as deer, are being exposed to contaminants through their food, and also if the plants may help to remediate, or clean up the soil.”

The research is being conducted with Associate Civil Engineering Prof. Tom Ballestero. One of several projects within UNH’s Center for Contaminated sediments Research, it is supported by a grant from the Cooperative Institute for Coastal and Estuarine Environmental Technology. With the NSF fellowship, Watts no longer requires an assistantship budgeted into the grant, making more money available for the research.

Her research is already gaining international attention. She won the best student paper award for “Uptake of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Spartina Alterniflora – Evaluating Risk in Salt Marsh Vegetation,” at the 20th annual International Conference on Soils Sediments and Water held at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst Oct. 18-21.

Watts, who has been out of college for many years and is the mother of two young children, said that winning the fellowship was particularly gratifying for her.

“I would strongly encourage other students who think they are eligible to apply,” said Watts. “I would also like to encourage other 'non-traditional' students to apply to this and similar programs. It's very encouraging to win a merit-based award when you've been off the academic track for a while.”

PHOTO CAPTION
Spartina alterniflora, commonly known as salt marsh grass, grown by Watts for her research at UNH's Jackson Estuarine laboratory.

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