The Bill Glaze Graduate Fellowship in Environmental Sciences IMPACT REPORT Spring 2025
Prepared for PAULA & TERRY BREWER
A Commitment to Research and Innovation Paula and Terry, we are deeply grateful for your unwavering support and extraordinary generosity. Your belief in the transformative power of education leaves an indelible mark on our community, shaping a future where every student can thrive and succeed. As a result, UNT has emerged as a leading institution in scientific discovery, contributing significantly to the advancement of knowledge and the cultivation of a new generation of skilled, forward-thinking scientists. This report highlights the activities and accomplishments achieved by recipients of The Bill Glaze Endowed Fellowship in Environmental Science – a true testament to the profound impact of your philanthropy and the enduring legacy you’re creating at the University of North Texas.
VICTORIA YOUNGBLOOD Ph.D. Candidate, Biological Sciences
BILL GLAZE FELLOW | 2024
Victoria’s graduate school experience was quite a journey, with a global pandemic, the births of her two children and changing research directions halfway through. The Bill Glaze Fellowship was instrumental in helping her round out her time at UNT, providing funds to complete necessary endpoints for her dissertation, as well as funding her travel to the Society of Toxicology conference in spring 2025. This conference will enable Victoria to present her research, network and hopefully secure a post-doctoral research associate position after graduation. Victoria’s research focuses on exploring the impacts of air pollution on hormone signaling and metabolic function. She’s also interested in the potential benefits of treatment with a GLP-1 receptor agonist to mitigate the damage caused by air pollution exposure. She is confident that the Bill Glaze Fellowship will enable her to collect all the data needed to complete her dissertation on this topic.
RACHEL LEADS Ph.D., Biological Sciences (’23)
BILL GLAZE FELLOW | 2023
Rachel is grateful for the Bill Glaze Fellowship because it funded much-needed supplies and enabled her to dedicate time toward her own research. It also served as a springboard for her to be more competitive in the job market and for gaining additional grants. The Bill Glaze Fellowship created a conduit for communicating with a wide range of people, sharing the story of science and why her work is important to the environment, humans and marine life. Rachel worked closely with her mentor, Dr. Aaron Roberts, researching the impact of oil spills on marine life. In fall 2023, she returned to Michigan State University, her undergraduate alma mater, as a research associate in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife where she is currently investigating the impacts of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) on native fish in the Great Lakes region. Rachel uses both field and laboratory assessments to understand the mechanisms and impacts of contaminant exposure on aquatic organisms across multiple levels of biological organization.
MADDY HANNAPPEL Ph.D., Biological Sciences (’23)
BILL GLAZE FELLOW | 2023
Maddy earned her bachelor’s degree in biology from Texas Christian University and planned to attend medical school. Her honors program required her to complete a research project, and she chose an ecological path, studying contamination in spiders. Maddy’s research demonstrated the intersection of industry and science in two ways – (1) measuring the health of the ecosystem in a contaminated site and (2) encouraging pesticide companies to target the bad bugs and not the goods ones. She continued her research through her master's program at TCU and for her Ph.D. at UNT. The Bill Glaze Fellowship enabled Maddy to focus on writing her dissertation during the summer instead of having to teach courses or work in the lab to pay for living expenses. This fellowship enabled her to complete her Ph.D. in a timely manner. It also positioned her for a subsequent three-year paid research position at the California Academy of Science, which provided an additional $20,000 toward research. Following her post doc, Maddy plans to pursue a teaching/research position at a liberal arts school that would allow her to teach 50% of the time.
Your Gifts Make a Difference! Paula and Terry, your investment in the University of North Texas remains a pivotal force that drives transformation and fosters excellence among our students and faculty. We are profoundly grateful for your steadfast support, which continues to shape a brighter future for our institution.
Thank you for being a champion for student success at UNT.
Melanie Hanna Senior Director of Development College of Science 940-369-6149
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