FORT DAVIS — The Chihuahuan Desert Research Institute (CDRI) is pleased to announce the 2024 James F. Scudday Scholarship recipients. With their impressive thesis projects, this year’s scholarship winners are Nicole Dickan and Elle Sutherland.
The $1,000 grants are offered annually to graduate students conducting research in the Chihuahuan Desert region, with preference given to applicants conducting research in vertebrate biology.
Dickan is a graduate research assistant at Borderlands Research Institute at Sul Ross State University, where she researches black bear ecology in the Trans-Pecos region. Prior to her current research, Dickan worked with a wide range of species, including grizzly bears, bobcats, and bighorn sheep.
This is Elle Sutherland’s second Scudday Scholarship. Sutherland is working toward her Master of Science in range and wildlife management at Borderland Research Institute at Sul Ross State University, with an expected graduation date of May 2025. Her research is based on space use and competition in desert bighorn sheep.
James F. Scudday, Ph.D. (1929-2009) was a CDRI co-founder and longtime professor of biology at Sul Ross. Upon his retirement in 1995, he was named a distinguished professor emeritus by the Board of Regents of the Texas State University System, the board’s highest honor for retired educators.
In addition to a full teaching load, Scudday conducted significant research, published in scientific journals, and prepared numerous comprehensive vertebrate surveys for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department and the National Park Service. During his SRSU tenure, Scudday directed more than 100 students in graduate programs and thesis projects. Many of his former students remained in close contact with him during his lifetime.
The Dr. James F. Scudday CDRI Endowed Scholarship Fund was established in 2010 to recognize his many contributions to the field and his passion for teaching. Income from the fund supports scholarships for graduate students conducting research within the Chihuahuan Desert region.
These scholarships are but one way CDRI fulfills its commitment to nature-based education and the support of research of the Chihuahuan Desert region, as well as demonstrating the five-decade connection between CDRI and SRSU.