SCMA Scholarship
The South Carolina Mitigation Association (SCMA) formed in 2013 to promote an active and efficient mitigation marketplace that supports ecological function and economic development within the State. Our mission is achieved through participation by industry professionals, including mitigation bankers, environmental consultants, engineers, and contractors, and in collaboration with regulatory agencies and conservation organizations.
2025 SCMA Scholarship Awardees
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Christopher Pettengill is a Ph.D. student of Wildlife and Fisheries Science working with Dr. James Anderson at the James C Kennedy Waterfowl and Wetlands Conservation at Clemson University. His research focus encompasses community ecology, ecosystem functions and services of wetlands, including responses to ecosystem disturbance. During his undergraduate education, Christopher assisted graduate students with projects in community ecology, in habitats including forests, grasslands, and wetlands. He also conducted an independent experiment to determine how aquatic invertebrate diversity in streams correlates with the diversity of riparian vegetation. During his master’s research at the University of Alabama, Christopher conducted a study to determine the effects of beaver dam removal on freshwater insects.
Christopher’s current research project involves determining how oyster colonization will impact the restoration of multiple saltwater impoundments on Little Edisto Island, South Carolina. There is a large emphasis placed on the biotic surveys. Christopher monitors fish communities using minnow traps, crab traps, seines, and cast netting. He takes sediment cores and sweeps with a D-net to collect benthic invertebrates, performs transect surveys for plants using a one-square-meter quadrat, and monitors bird habitat use at the site. The project has only been possible through the cooperation of the landowner and Southeastern Mitigation LLC, and they have provided Christopher and Dr. Anderson assistance both through funding and through their experience working in the local area. Working in the salt marsh is a new experience for Christopher, so he is picking up all the information he can from people who have spent considerable time conducting field activities in this environment.
Dorothy Aldridge is a master’s student at Clemson University, co-advised by Dr. Stefanie Whitmire and Dr. Thomas Rainwater. Her research focuses on modeling the influence of climate on the discharge and distribution of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and microplastics in coastal wetlands. Before starting at Clemson University, Dorothy earned a B.S. in Ecology and Evolution and a B.A. in Environmental Studies from the University of California, Santa Cruz, and worked as a biologist performing tidal salt marsh restoration in the San Francisco Bay estuary. She hopes to pursue a career that integrates research and restoration to inform adaptive strategies that benefit sensitive wetland habitat and wildlife in a changing world.
Claire Leuthner-Barrineau is a rising Junior at Furman University studying Earth and Environmental Science and History. She is deeply committed to protecting and restoring natural ecosystem. Her goal is to become an environmental law attorney. Claire is especially interested in how reintroducing native species into mountain areas can succeed or fail, and what that means for both ecosystems and local economies. She is also Director of Finances for the Furman Mock Trial Team, CoCaptain and Founder of the Academic Team. Claire takes bass lessons and is working toward fluency in Spanish. In her free time she loves backpacking, reading, spending time with family and friends, and visiting new places.
Elizabeth Li is an incoming Master's Student at Coastal Carolina University in the Coastal Marine and Wetland Studies Graduate Program. Her thesis and work will focus on blue carbon accretion and sea level rise indicators in Winyah Bay in the Shen lab. She plans to do research and outreach that will contribute to innovative wetland mitigation strategies in the face of climate change and sea level rise. Prior to attending Coastal Carolina University, Elizabeth graduated from Gettysburg College with a B.S. in Environmental Studies and a B.A. in Classical Studies. Outside of the wetland field, Elizabeth's hobbies include hiking, sailing, and reading.
The 2026 application will open in January 2026.