University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee

The Department of Biological Sciences offers a number of scholarships and awards to recognize the accomplishments and potential of students in the major and related fields. Announcements about the awards and the date of application are usually made in March and the awards are presented at the Biological Sciences Awards program in April. Students may compete for any award or scholarship for which they meet the criteria. More information about the awards can be obtained from the Department of Biological Sciences office in Lapham S181.

Ruth Walker Awards:

• Tuition scholarships to continuing undergraduates majoring in Biological Sciences or Environmental Sciences.
• Awards to graduating seniors majoring in Biological Sciences or Environmental Sciences based on overall scholarship and/or an independent study projects.
• Grants-in-Aid for undergraduate or graduate students to pursue their academic or research activities.
  A native of Michigan, Ruth Walker earned her Doctor of Philosophy degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1926. She came to Milwaukee in 1931 as an instructor in botany at the former University of Wisconsin Extension Center, also serving as chair of the Department of Botany. After the merger of the Milwaukee Extension and Wisconsin State College, which created UWM in 1956, Dr. Walker served as chair of the Botany Department until 1960. Throughout her career, Dr. Walker was devoted to teaching, research, and service to the University. She was internationally recognized for her research in cytology and embryo development. Upon her death in 1962, friends and colleagues established the Ruth I. Walker Memorial Scholarship Fund. In 1990, the Walker Fund was significantly enhanced by a gift from the estate of her sister, Jessie M. Walker.

• This award is given to undergraduates (Jr standing or above) in Conservation or Environmental Studies.
  The Hutto-Erdman Conservation Scholarship has been offered to undergraduate students in conservation or environmental studies in conservation or environmental studies since 1972, when the Aldo Leopold Conservation Club provided an initial endowment in memory of Neville B. Hutto and Jerry W. Erdman. The fund has been augumented by additional donations over the years.

• Undergraduate (Jr standing or above) and graduate students conducting research in Botany are eligible.
  Ray Hatcher was an Illinois native who received his Ph.D. at the University of Cincinnati in 1959 and shortly thereafter came to UWM as an assistant professor in the Department of Botany. His research specialty was bryophytes and he traveled widely in the United States, New Zealand, and South America to collect specimens. Dr. Hatcher contributed to the planning and establishment of the UWM graduate program in Botany. He was a gifted musician, playing both the violin and guitar. Other interest included history, literature, and sports. Dr. Hatcher died very unexpectedly in 1967 at the age of 36.

• Undergraduate (Jr. standing or above) and graduate students majoring in Biological Sciences or Environmental Studies with an interest in and contribution to Conservation should apply.
  The Ivy Balsam-Milwaukee Audubon Society Scholarship fund was established in 1982, to be given annually to students who have demonstrated outstanding achievement in some phase of natural science and with an interest in the contribution to conservation. Ivy Balsam was a former board member of the Milwaukee Audubon Society.

• Undergraduate (Jr. standing or above) and graduate students in Animal Biology. Minimum GPA = 3.25.
  James D. Anthony a graduate of the University of Michigan joined UWM in 1954 as professor of zoology. In addition to teaching and research in parasitology--Dr. Anthony chaired the Zoology Department for three years and was involved in the Medical Technology Program. Dr. Anthony was also politically active in local government, serving as Menomonee Falls trustee for ten years and as village president for four. He died in 1976.

• Graduate students in Limnology or Related Sciences are eligible for this award.
  The number of awards and amounts vary.
  Clifford Mortimer received his Ph.D. from Berlin in 1935 and a Doctor of Science degree from the University of Manchester in 1946. In 1966 he was appointed Distinguished Professor of Zoology at UWM, as well as Director of The Center for Great Lakes Studies, a position he held until 1976. His research is in physical limnology and lake hydrodynamics. Upon retirement in 1981, Dr. Mortimer was given the title of Distinguished Professor Emeritus of Biological Sciences. Dr. Mortimer is a Fellow of the Royal Society of London and received an honorary doctorate from UWM. At the age of 94, Dr. Mortimer published a book, Lake Michigan in Motion. The royalties from which help to support this award.

• Graduate students in Immunology and Systematics are eligible for this award.
  Joseph B. Baier received his Ph.D. from UW-Madison in 1932, majoring in zoology, with a minor in medical physiology. He began teaching at the University of Wisconsin Extension Center in 1932 and played a major role in the merger of the Extension Center and Wisconsin State College to form UWM. Former UW President Fred H. Harrington called Dr. Baier “one of the architects of the creation of UWM.” Dr. Baier became the first Dean of the UWM College of Letters and Science in 1956. As an influential administrator, Dr. Baier was largely responsible for seeing to it that the first new building constructed at UWM was Lapham Hall. In addition to teaching, research in immunotaxonomy, and administration, Dr. Baier had a keen interest in watches and clocks. After learning to repair and restore clocks, he became a licensed watchmaker in 1973. Dr. Baier retired in 1975 and moved to Phoenix, AZ, where he died in 1990.

• Awarded to a female graduate student, unless no female candidates are otherwise qualified, who is a Wisconsin resident as demonstrated by having graduated from a high school in the state of Wisconsin, is in need of financial assistance to continue studies at UWM, is a returning graduate student in good standing and is actively engaged in coursework or research and making progress toward degree completion.
  Louise Julia Neitge was born January 12, 1905 on a farm near the small town of Deer Park in northwest Wisconsin. She attended a one-room school two miles from her home to which she traveled on foot and in the winter on skis. She set her sights on enrolling at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. With a little help from her parents, several odd jobs, an occasional scholarship, and eventually some loans, she was able to finance her university education. She majored in zoology, earned excellent grades, and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. In 1927 she was offered the opportunity to pursue graduate study in zoology, but needed to pay her debts and cover other living expenses. From 1927-1931 Louise was a high school teacher in Viroqua, Wisconsin teaching biology, mathematics, and German. Louise Neitge Mather died on December 27, 2004, two weeks before concluding her 100th year. Though her body had worn out, her sharp mind, emotional stability, focus on others and kind demeanor continued to the end of her life. In 2005 her daughter, Carmen Mather Witt, UWM Dean of Students from 1979-1996, established this scholarship in her mother’s name to ensure that Wisconsin women could follow her mother’s dreams in the study of biology at the graduate level.

• Undergraduate (Jr. standing or above) and graduate students in Biological Sciences. Minimal GPA = 3.25.
  Dr. James J. Magnino was a family practitioner in the Kenosha area. He received his B.S. in Zoology from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee 1971. He then studied medicine at the University of Wisconsin - Madison, School of Medicine where he graduated magna cum laude in 1976. Dr. Magnino completed his residency in Family Practice in Mason City, Iowa and thereafter passed his Family Practice board certification. He practiced medicine in Mason City, Iowa before relocating to the Wautoma, WI area and finally to Kankakee, Ill. During his 34 years of medical practice, Dr. Magnino received his certification in geriatrics and did consulting and research work. Dr. Magnino was compelled to create his scholarship fund in honor and memory of his two favorite professors – Dr. Joseph Baier (UWM Biological Sciences) and Dr. Peter Kovacic (UWM Biochemistry) - both of whom he kept in touch with long after they retired from UWM. He was born in Kenosha in 1948 and died in 2005.

• Graduate students researching Freshwater Biology; specifically Oligochaetes or other indicators of freshwater health. Graduate Students in Biological Sciences and the School of Freshwater Sciences are eligible to apply.
  Richard Peter Howmiller, PhD. (1939-1976) was a freshwater ecologist and limnologist who was considered by his peers to be an authority on oligochaetes, small burrowing animals that dwell in the bottoms of lakes and streams. He was the product of the Wisconsin educational system – Pulaski High School in Milwaukee and both the Milwaukee and Madison campuses of the University of Wisconsin. His degrees were conferred by UW-Madison (BS ’63, MS ’66, and PhD, Zoology,’71). As a grad student Dick briefly taught at UW-Stevens Point, and he was a research assistant at the Center for Great Lakes Studies where he studied plant and animal indicators of pollution in Lake Michigan. Upon achieving his PhD in 1971, he became Assistant Professor of Biology at the University of California-Santa Barbara. He, along with his graduate students, pursued oligochaete research which had become his specialty. In 1976 Dick’s life and research were cut short by a fatal motorcycle accident. This award is conferred in Dick’s memory in order to honor and continue the work that he loved.

• Undergraduate (Jr. standing or above) conducting research in Botany.