This scholarship is awarded to a graduate level student studying in a field closely related to the goals of CASFM. Applicants must be enrolled in a graduate program in Colorado and registered to take at least 3 credit-hours of coursework per semester. Eligible programs of study include, but are not limited to, hydrology, hydraulics, watershed management, floodplain management, stormwater management, stormwater quality, emergency response, meteorology and climatology.
Ben Urbonas Scholarship
CASFM has $4,000 available for the 2023–24 academic year. Finished application packages must be received by October 29, 2023.
Ben Urbonas Scholarship Application
The purpose of this scholarship is to promote interest in the CASFM organization and its goals among students and the engineering community. Applicants must be enrolled in a graduate program closely related to CASFM’s goals at a college or university in Colorado and be registered to take at least 3 credit hours of coursework per semester. Eligible programs of study include, but are not limited to: hydrology, hydraulics, watershed management, floodplain management, stormwater management, stormwater quality, emergency response, meteorology, and climatology. The scholarship recipient will also have the option to make a brief presentation on their research project at the 2024 CASFM Conference held September 30–October 3 in Beaver Creek. Registration and three nights’ lodging at the conference are included if the recipient commits to make a presentation by the registration deadline (typically in August).
Selection Process: Three applicants will be shortlisted based on this application and a short essay (up to 500 words; attach to application) describing their personal and career goals and how they relate to the goals of CASFM. Preference will be given to local applicants. Shortlisted applicants will be notified by November 13, 2023. A panel will hold a short (approximately 20 minute) interview with short-listed applicants in mid-November. The successful candidate will be notified by December 1, 2023. Funds will be disbursed by check directly to the student. Previous recipients of the scholarship are not eligible.
Additional Scholarships
Recipients
The 2023-2024 CASFM Ben Urbonas Scholarship recipient is Victoria Lara: As a full-time graduate student at the Colorado School of Mines, I am pursuing a Master’s degree in Hydrology through the Hydrologic Science and Engineering program. I am driven by my passion for understanding and addressing the effects of climate change on natural systems, with an emphasis on biogeochemistry. My professional experience includes working with public land agencies in the realms of natural resource management and civil engineering – roles that I have found very exciting and rewarding. My goal is to continue to work in fields that safeguard our natural resources as well as provide widespread benefits to our communities.
The 2022-2023 CASFM Ben Urbonas Scholarship recipient is Elisabeth Miller. Elisabeth is pursuing her PhD in the Engineering and Applied Sciences program specializing in Hydrology and Hydraulic Engineering at the University of Colorado – Denver. Through her PhD research on the modernization of the Rational Method and work with the Colorado Water Quality Control Division she aims to help develop standards and guidance to support engineers in urban stormwater design. It is her hope to continue this work so communities not only here in Colorado, but around the globe can have access to beautiful green and blue spaces, as well as be protected from flood and storm damage.
The 2021-2022 CASFM Ben Urbonas Scholarship recipient is Heaven McKinley. Heaven is a full-time graduate student at Colorado School of Mines, studying Hydrology. Her interests include watershed modeling in support of flood risk mitigation and investigating the hydrologic impacts of climate change. In her coursework and internship experience, she has enjoyed creating hydrologic models using a variety of different programs, and finding ways to incorporate her commitment to social responsibility.
The 2020-2021 CASFM Ben Urbonas Scholarship recipient is Brenna Shuttleworth. Brenna is a full-time graduate student at the University of Colorado Denver, studying Environmental Science with a specialization in Water Systems. Her time at the Mile High Flood District has fostered interests in fluvial geomorphology and environmental management of fluvial systems in Colorado. She hopes to provide environmental education and guidance to other professionals in order to promote adaptive and holistic floodplain and stormwater management.
The 2019-2020 Ben Urbonas Scholarship recipient is Natalie Collar. Natalie started her Hydrological Science and Engineering PhD candidacy at the Colorado School of Mines in August 2019 and is also a Water Resources Scientist/Hydrologist at Wright Water Engineers, Inc. The focus of her dissertation research will be post‐fire hydrology with an emphasis on evaporative flux disturbance and recovery following wildfire instance. Historically, the planning and engineering community grappled with the implications of fires and flooding in urban environments reactively. She is going back to school to dedicate her career to better understanding the watershed disturbance response on a fundamental level because the tools our future deserves will require it.
The 2018-2019 CASFM Ben Urbonas Scholarship recipient is Katie Kerstiens, an undergraduate student at the Colorado School of Mines. Katie is an undergraduate student in Environmental Engineering and will graduate in May of 2019. She first became interested in stormwater and floodplain work at her internship with Urban Drainage and Flood Control District. Katie is furthering her education and going to graduate school for Environmental and Water Engineering at Mines. After, she hopes to work as a water resource engineer in stormwater management.
The 2017-2018 CASFM Ben Urbonas Scholarship recipient is Ross Mower, a graduate student at the Colorado School of Mines. Ross is interested in green infrastructure techniques to help promote sustainable water resources. Ross is working to further develop his knowledge of hydrology and hydrogeology as it relates to civil and environmental engineering. In addition to school, Ross is working with the City of Denver Public Works/Wastewater Division as an intern and researcher for ReNUWIt. He is specifically working with Professors John McCray and Chris Higgins for RENUWIt and Darren Mollendor at the City of Denver on developing Best Management Practices and Low Impact Development Systems for treating contaminated stormwater.
The 2016-2017 CASFM Ben Urbonas Scholarship recipient is Brik Zivkovich. He is enrolled as a Doctoral Student of Civil Engineering at the University of Colorado Denver within the coordinated joint PhD program at the Boulder campus. His dissertation will focus on improving links and developing software to aid stormwater professionals, city governments, and other municipalities in understanding vegetative management impacts on floodplains and flood hydraulics as well as involvement with a new educational research committee focusing on acid mine drainage remediation.
The 2015-2016 CASFM Ben Urbonas Scholarship recipient is Brad Bettag. Brad is a full-time water resources engineer at CH2M as well as a full-time graduate student. He obtained his Professional Engineering (PE) license in December of 2013 and is pursuing a master’s degree in the Hydraulics and Hydrology program at the University of Colorado at Denver. Brad is interested in stormwater in urban environments, which includes low impact design, urban channels, water conveyance systems, and stream restoration projects within the urban corridor.
The 2014-2015 CASFM Ben Urbonas Scholarship recipient is Tyler Rosburg. Tyler is a graduate student at Colorado State University where he is pursuing a Master’s Degree in Civil Engineering with coursework in hydrology, hydraulics and river restoration. Following graduation in the spring of 2015, Tyler plans to pursue licensure as a professional engineer and hydrologist.
The 2013-2014 CASFM Ben Urbonas Scholarship recipient is Tony Tran. Tony is a Colorado native where he completed his undergraduate degree in Civil Engineering at the University of Colorado at Denver (UCD) in 2009. Currently, he is pursuing a Master’s in Civil Engineering with an area of emphasis in Hydrology and Hydraulics at UCD. In addition, to his academic studies, he is a registered engineer intern in Colorado and is working full-time for a local water resources consulting firm. In the Spring of 2014, he plans to graduate and pursue his professional engineer registration.
The 2012-2013 CASFM Ben Urbonas Scholarship recipient is Henok (Henny) Debesu. Henny is pursuing a graduate study at University of Colorado Denver in Hydraulics/Hydrology Engineering and plans to graduate in Fall 2013.
The 2011-2012 CASFM Ben Urbonas Scholarship recipient is Jamie Prochno. Jamie is a graduate student at the University of Colorado in Denver where she is majoring in Environmental and Sustainability Engineering and anticipates graduating Fall of 2015.
The 2010-2011 CASFM Ben Urbonas Scholarship recipient is Brian Christopher. Brian is a graduate student at the University of Colorado in Denver where he is a candidate for a Masters in Environmental Sciences. He anticipates graduating May 2012.
The 2009-2010 CASFM Scholarship recipient is Jason Messamer, who is obtaining his Masters of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering at Colorado State University. He is currently working on a stormwater sampling project in partnership with the City of Fort Collins, CO in an effort to evaluate the performance of several stormwater best management practices (BMPs).
The 2008-2009 CASFM Scholarship recipient is Steve Roznowski from Colorado State University. Steve graduated with a B.S. in civil engineering from Michigan Tech in 2008 and is now pursuing a master’s degree at CSU under the direction of Dr. Larry Roesner.
The 2007-2008 CASFM Scholarship recipient is Jeffrey Y. Cheng, a PhD candidate in Water Resources Engineering at the University of Colorado.
Rob Rahrs, our 2006/2007 scholarship recipient, graduated from the University of Nebraska with a Bachelor of Science in Meteorology/ Climatology in May 2000, and is currently pursuing a Masters of Engineering degree in Geographic Information Systems (GIS) at CU Denver focused on hydrologic processes.
The 2005-06 CASFM Scholarship recipient is Nancy Steinberger of Loveland, Colorado. In addition to her full-time studies as a PhD candidate at Colorado State University Nancy works part time for Michael Baker Jr.
The 2004-2005 CASFM Scholarship has been awarded to Leif Embertson. Leif received his undergraduate civil engineering degree from Oregon State University in 2001.
Kelly Hargadin is the recipient of the 2003/04 CASFM scholarship, a full-time project manager with the City of Thornton.
The first CASFM scholarship was awarded to Jeremy Shaw, a graduate student in Watershed Hydrology at Colorado State University.