Joan Berish Student Presentation Awards

 These awards recognize graduate or undergraduate students giving the most outstanding oral presentations at the annual meeting. The top three presenters are recognized and receive monetary awards during the Awards Banquet. The student presentation awards were named in honor of Joan Berish following her 33-year career in the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission, during which she led many pioneering gopher tortoise research and conservation initiatives.

Year Award Recipient Institution
2020 Presentation (regular) 1st place Robin Lloyd Jr. University of South Alabama
2020 Presentation (regular) 2nd place Amelia Russell University of Georgia
2020 Presentation (speed) 1st place Nicole DeSha Georgia Southern University
2020 Presentation (speed) 2nd place Leyna Stemle University of Miami
2020 Presentation (speed) 3rd place Houston Chandler Virginia Tech 
2019 Presentation 1st place Rebecca Cozad University of Georgia
2019 Presentation 2nd place Garrett Lawson Archbold Biological Station
2019 Presentation 3rd place-tied Thomas Prebyl University of Georgia
2019 Presentation 3rd place-tied Philip Schulte Auburn University
2018 Presentation 1st place Ivana Lezcano FL Gulf Coast University
2018 Presentation 2nd place Rebecca McKee University of Georgia
2018 Presentation 3rd place Thomas Prebyl University of Georgia
2017 Presentation 1st place Nicole White University of Georgia
2017 Presentation 2nd place Thomas Radzio Drexel University
2017 Presentation 3rd place Thomas Prebyl University of Georgia
2016 Presentation 1st place Rhett Rautsaw Towson University
2016 Presentation 2nd place Nicole White University of Georgia
2016 Presentation 3rd place Tessie Offner University of Florida
2012 Presentation 1st place Mark Margres Florida State University
2012 Presentation 2nd place Kim Sonderman University of Georgia
2012 Presentation 3rd place Jessica McGuire University of Georgia