2026 DEI SCHOLARSHIP AWARDEE ANNOUNCEMENT

NWAEP is excited to announce our 3 awardees of the 2026 DEI Scholarships. Awardees receive a year's membership to NWAEP & NAEP and an expenses paid trip to represent NWAEP at the 2026 NAEP Annual Conference and Training Symposium. Scholarship recipients present and answer questions about their research during a poster session at the Conference.

Madisyn Cook, an Environmental Policy major at Western Washington University, centers her work on environmental justice and equity. She investigates how historic redlining in North St. Louis continues to shape health disparities. Through Western Washington’s RISE program she studies community resilience to natural hazards. Madisyn aspires to become an environmental lawyer advocating for marginalized communities, ensuring that environmental protection is a right, not a privilege.

Wise Goodluck Datsomor, a PhD student at Portland State University, began his journey in Ghana, where he witnessed the impacts of plastic pollution on coastal communities. His research now spans continents, assessing microplastic contamination and toxicology in fish species and exploring behavioral change strategies to reduce plastic waste. Wise combines ecological science with social policy to advance environmental justice and empower communities worldwide. 

Jasmine Suarez is a graduate student at Oregon State University and brings a unique perspective from her background in technology security and public policy. Her work focuses on reducing systemic risk and advancing sustainable infrastructure across critical lifeline sectors, including energy, water, communications, and transportation, with attention to how digital and physical systems interact at scale. Examples of her research include examining the environmental and governance implications of AI data center expansion, with a focus on improving infrastructure resilience, identifying resource constraints, and advancing pathways for long-term environmental stewardship Jasmine is passionate about expanding pathways for underrepresented voices in STEM and environmental leadership.