Kiernan Beckett, submitted photo
The New York Water Environment Association (NYWEA), a statewide nonprofit organization of water quality management professionals, is proud to announce that it has awarded a $4,000 Environmental Scholarship to Kiernan Beckett, to attend Stony Brook University.
Beckett, 18, son of Jeff and Jody Beckett of Honeoye Falls, NY, is enrolled in the Marine Science bachelor degree program at Stony Brook University, beginning in the Fall 2020 semester. In June 2020, he earned his High School Diploma from Honeoye Falls-Lima High School (HF-L HS). He has a passion for the environment, and served as HF-L HS Green Team Leader and the Long Island Field Organizer and Blog Editor for the New York Youth Climate Leaders. Kiernan is also an Eagle Scout, a First Grade Sunday School Teacher, and Vice President of HF-L Volunteer Readers Club.
Beckett’s decision to pursue a career in sustainability stemmed from his leading an effort to oppose his high school’s decision to switch to single-use polystyrene foam lunch trays instead of reusable trays. He and his fellow students brought their concerns to an environmental teacher, which led to a meeting with the principal, who agreed to the school using biodegradable paper-boat trays as a compromise between reusable and foam trays. Determined to increase sustainability of the lunch trays, by diverting those paper trays from the landfill. Beckett led the Green Team to develop an agreement for the school to partner with an industrial composting operation.
Beckett’s interest in an environmental career relates to the multi-disciplinary approach to solving environmental problems. And he is particularly interested in not just the study of sustainability, but the implementation of sustainable environmental practices.
“There are many aspects of sustainability, from communication to engineering to finance,” said Beckett. “While information about sustainability and environmental solutions is certainly necessary, the ability to act and implement these solutions is paramount.”
Since the inception of its Scholarship Program in 1998, NYWEA has granted over $571,000 in scholarship funding to 214 students. A total of $52,000 is being awarded this year to 10 undergraduate students through the NYWEA Scholarship Program. Details on all NYWEA scholarships can be found at: http://www.nywea.org/SitePages/Scholarships.
Founded in 1929 by professionals in the field of water quality as a nonprofit educational organization, NYWEA has over 2,800 members statewide and hosts several technical conferences each year for environmental engineers, scientists, academicians, students, public officials and others who work in water and wastewater quality management. In addition, NYWEA sponsors a scholarship program, publishes Clear Waters, a quarterly educational magazine, administers wastewater operator training certification, and supports humanitarian clean water projects.
Headquartered in Syracuse, NYWEA has seven regional chapters, 14 college student chapters and is a Member Association of the international Water Environment Federation. For more information, visit http://www.nywea.org.
