During the spring 2026 semester, nine students completed the Environmental Leaders Fellowship centered on ornithology and environmental sciences. The fellowship concluded with a celebration of the communications projects completed by the students.
Continue reading to learn about the conclusion to a great semester of science education and communication.
The TESI Environmental Leaders Fellowship (ELF) program for spring 2026 was a cohort of 9 students from 7 unique majors with a common interest in the environment. This cohort partnered with Dr. Glaucia Del-Rio, Assistant Curator of Ornithology at the Florida Museum, with a theme of outreach and engagement through the lens of ornithology and connecting with birds in the community. In addition to the bird-related experiences fellows completed, other activities delved into water systems, invasive species, plant ecology, and more. See ELF blogs to learn more about these experiences.
To complete the ELF program, fellows worked on a collaborative project in the form of a blog exploring the research of a graduate student associated with the UF Bird Observatory. Four groups explored four different graduate research projects, condensing thesis topics and background information into a blog accessible to non-researchers.
After completing the blogs, the fellows gave short presentations on their projects at the ELF Program Celebration on April 14th at Pugh Hall. These presentations gave an overview of the topics each group explored and fellows got a chance to share what they learned from the experience.
- Azhalia, Sol, and Melina present.
- Ren and Eva present.
- Hannah and Madison present.
- Maggie and Zoey present.
- ELFs with certificates.
gallery and feature images by Florida Museum/Kristen Grace
This was a great semester of fun and enriching environmental experiences. Fellow Madison Fulton reflected on the skills she gained through the program, saying,
“The ELF program prepared me by giving me real-world experience in environmental research, communication, and collaboration. Through seminars, cohort discussions, and field experiences, I developed stronger scientific communication and teamwork skills. I also learned how environmental research connects to broader issues like conservation and education. Overall, it helped me feel more confident in pursuing a career in environmental science by showing me what working in the field actually looks like.”
All bird banding was carried out under the appropriate required permits.
This project is funded by an Early Career Research Fellowship from the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the Gulf Research Program of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.”
Support for these events was provided by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.
If you are interested in supporting the TESI Environmental Leaders Fellowship, please email Sadie Mills at smills@floridamuseum.ufl.edu.
