Ashton is a biology major with a certificate in Underwater Resource Management, driven by a mission to protect vulnerable ecosystems. He currently works with the Center for Underwater Science, assisting with the conservation of artifacts and biodiversity within the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary, Dominican Republic, and Great Lakes. In addition to marine work, he collaborates with a research group focused on building proactive surveillance systems for vector-borne diseases. Following a coral conservation project in Belize, Ashton is preparing for a summer of field research in Grand Cayman and the Great Lakes. Outside of research, he is a certified EMT and maintains a vegan lifestyle as a personal commitment to environmental accountability and animal welfare. He will utilize this award to support these upcoming summer projects as he builds a career in international marine conservation.

Mya is a biology major with a chemistry minor, planning to attend medical school. She currently volunteers in the Reynolds Lab, where she assists graduate students on their research projects studying plant-environment interactions. Aside from research, she serves as an undergraduate teaching assistant for both Biol-L111 and Biol-L112, volunteers at her local hospital, and mentors first-year students as a resident assistant. She is a member of the Hutton Honors College and Phi Eta Sigma-Alpha Lambda Delta. Through Hutton, she has participated in two study abroad programs about agriculture and local food in Greece and a study of urban spaces in Paris.

Kajal works in the Lau Lab where she has an ongoing project working with hog peanut plants. She runs a nonprofit, Radiate Power, which provides free and organic period products to girls in public schools. Kajal plans to attend medical school.