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INSTAAR’s 2026 student and staff awardees honored at end-of-year celebration

A crowd of people sits at blue tables in a conference room and looks up from their paper lunch plates toward the front of the room

The crowd settles in for the ceremony at INSTAAR’s 2026 spring celebration luncheon. (Gabe Allen, INSTAAR)

The smell of good food and the sound of lively conversation drifted from the SEEC auditorium as INSTAARs gathered last week for the annual spring celebration luncheon.

Held each spring to mark the close of the academic year, this year’s celebration also recognized the Institute’s 75th anniversary in 2026.

INSTAAR was founded in 1951 by John Marr, a young ecologist fascinated by the organisms capable of surviving harsh winters high in the mountains. Marr began the institute at the Mountain 91Ҹ Station, which remains an important field station for both INSTAAR and the broader research community in the American West. Seventy-five years later, INSTAAR has built upon Marr’s legacy while expanding into new research areas.

“INSTAAR scientists work across scientific disciplines to study both the causes and the consequences of rapid environmental change,” director Nicole Lovenduski said in an opening address.

After attendees filled their plates and settled into their seats, the ceremony turned to honoring those who have made outstanding contributions to science, community, and education. The following are the recipients of INSTAAR’s 2026 awards, honors, and fellowships.

Click for caption info.

People in casual to business casual clothes smile and chat in front of a sunny doorway
A man reads from a paper into a microphone in front of a projector screen
A young woman stands holding a plaque center stage. To the right is a projector screen that reads "Sarah Crump Memorial Graduate Fellowship: Brooke Chase," to the left an older man stands behind a podium
A woman in a button down and cardigan poses with a woman wearing a tassel, robe and cap and holding a plaque in front of a projector screen
A young woman looks out of frame in front of a projector screen with a photo of her face that reads "Graduate Student Community Award Genevieve Clow"
A man in wire-framed glasses and a t-shirt holds a plaque with his left hand while he shakes the hand of a woman in black with glasses in front of a projector screen
Two women shake hands and hand off a plaque in front of a projector screen
A man in a blue t shirt holds up a glass trophy next to a woman in black with a microphone. Both are smiling and laughing.
A group oses with their arms around each other
A group poses with their arms around each other. One woman holds a plaque in the front.

Martha and John Andrews Graduate Scholarship

The Martha and John Andrews graduate scholarship is less than a year old. When former INSTAAR research librarian Martha Andrews passed away last year, John, along with his family, friends, and colleagues kickstarted a scholarship fund for the next generation of INSTAAR graduate students.

Trisia Tellez received this year’s award. Her research aims to reconstruct past ocean temperatures using a novel proxy: the ratio of minerals in marine fossils. The results could help scientists disentangle the relationship between global ice volume, ocean temperature, and marine carbon dioxide absorption. Tellez is an MS student in the Trace Metals Lab, led by Tom Marchitto.

Sarah Crump Graduate Fellowship

Brooke Chase is the recipient of the2026 Sarah Crump Graduate Fellowship. Chase’s research seeks to understand extreme climate shifts in the Late Quaternary period through the analysis of ice cores from Greenland and Antarctica. She is a PhD student in the stable isotope lab, co-advised by Tyler Jones and Cassandra Brooks.

Sarah Crump's family, seated at the front of the room, beamed as Brooke took the stage to receive her award.

“I really wish I had the chance to meet her,” Chase said of Crump. “I’m happy to be a part of her legacy.”

George R. Aiken Graduate Fellowship

George Aiken spent his 40-year career dedicated to investigations of water quality and aquatic ecosystem health as an organic geochemist with the U.S. Geological Survey.The fellowship in his name supports graduate research on water-related issues.

The first of this year’s Aiken awards went to Indigo Heine, a PhD student in Shaily Rahman’s lab studying stable isotopes in coastal regions. The second went to Adeline Kelly, a PhD student in Bella Oleksy’s Mountain Hydrology Lab studying aquatic ecology in alpine lakes. And the final award went to Kevin Rozmiarek, a PhD student in the Stable Isotope Lab developing new methods in atmospheric hydrology using drones.

Summer Scholars

This year’s INSTAAR summer scholarships for graduate students were awarded to Blanca Hinojosa and Trisia Tellez. Hinojosa is an MS student in Diane McKnight’s lab studying environmental pollution on Indigenous lands. Her research integrates environmental science and legal scholarship to address issues of water contamination, hazardous site regulation, and policy reform.

The summer scholarships will sustain Hinojosa and Tellez’s continued efforts over the summer by providing a half-time research associate stipend.

Outstanding PRA Award

Each year, one professional research assistant is honored for their dedication and insight. These staff members are integral to the function of INSTAAR’s many laboratories, often taking the lead on logistics while balancing research, publications, and mentorship.

Leanne Lestak is this year’s outstanding PRA, a GIS and remote sensing specialist in the Mountain Hydrology Group.

“It is largely because of Leanne’s persistence, organization, and attention to detail that my team’s snow mapping expertise evolved from its early and modest beginnings to an important national program relied upon across the Western U.S.” Noah Molotch wrote in Lestak’s nomination.

Graduate Student Community Award

This year’s graduate student community award went toGenevieve Clow, a PhD graduate from Nicole Lovenduski’s ocean biogeochemistry research group. Clow was recognized for her work with the SEEDS group, which connects graduate student volunteers with K-8 schools to present hands-on science activities. During her PhD, Clow also mentored undergraduate students and taught a Python programming bootcamp for community college students.

INSTAAR’s 2026 graduates

Each year, students graduate from INSTAAR with a world-class education in Earth and environmental research. A few attendees of this year’s luncheon were recognized for completing their course of study. They are:

Blanca Hinojosa, MS, environmental studies

Maya McDonough, MS, geological sciences

Genevieve Clow, PhD, atmospheric and oceanic sciences

Jed Lenetsky, PhD, atmospheric and oceanic sciences

Brianna Undzis, PhD, atmospheric and oceanic sciences

25 years of service

Last, but not least, the luncheon had a special award category this year. Chad Stoffel was recognized for his 25 years of dedicated IT support at INSTAAR. As science has continually migrated into digital spaces, Chad has kept INSTAAR’s technology current and functional.

Aside from professional excellence, Chad is also known for his fondness for the Star Wars movies and jelly donuts. His award trophy came with a side of his favorite treat.

If you have questions about this story, or would like to reach out to INSTAAR for further comment, you can contact Senior Communications Specialist Gabe Allen at gabriel.allen@colorado.edu.

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