Student Receives Rachel Carson Award for Scientific Excellence

Rachel Mair (’00 B.S. in fisheries science), a fisheries and wildlife sciences graduate student, received the first-ever Rachel Carson Award for Scientific Excellence from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Mair is a biologist at the agency’s White Sulphur Springs National Fish Hatchery.

The award recognizes service employees who demonstrate superior scientific involvement and application to achieve extraordinary results in fish and wildlife conservation. Rachel received the award for her work developing successful culture systems and feeding regimes for the culture and propagation of endangered freshwater mussels. She successfully cultured the endangered northern riffleshell, spiny mussel, and the oyster mussel.

Mair received the award, named in honor of renowned ecologist Rachel Carson, author of the groundbreaking book Silent Spring, from U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Director H. Dale Hall at a ceremony at the Natural Resources Conservation Service facility in Shepherdstown, W. Va. The White Sulphur Springs National Fish Hatchery will also receive $50,000 in additional operational funds for mussel research in acknowledgement of Rachel’s achievements.

Mair plans to continue working for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service after completing her master’s degree. “I would also like to continue my research on the advancement of freshwater mussel propagation technology,” explained Rachel.