The UMCES Student Service Award honors a graduate student who has provided outstanding service to their laboratory unit, UMCES, the University System of Maryland, their community, government agencies, and/or professional societies. The inaugural UMCES Student Service Award is presented to Ms. Christina Goethel. An academic and research standout at UMCES’ Chesapeake Biological Laboratory--culminating most recently in a 2021-2022 Fulbright Fellowship--this award honors her commitment to service across multiple levels. Goethel has served on professional workshops and meeting committees, on a faculty search committee, as a manuscript reviewer for six journals, on committees to organize mental health and social justice efforts at UMCES, and in numerous volunteer and outreach activities. However, her service on the UMCES Graduate Student Council elevates her contributions to an exceptional level. During her tenure as chair, she was instrumental in it becoming one of the most active partners in shared governance. She helped to advance new initiatives supported by the graduate students, including mental health, racial equity, and an UMCES Ombuds program, representing UMCES with distinction in the program, many going on to pursue careers in science and becoming leaders in academia, government, and industry.
The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) Student Service Award honors an UMCES graduate student who has provided outstanding service to their laboratory unit, UMCES, the University System of Maryland, their community, government agencies, and/or professional societies over the course of their tenure as graduate student at UMCES. The award recognizes contributions that are vitally important to the UMCES community and constituencies but are often overlooked in comparison to more traditional academic or scientific achievements. The award is presented by the UMCES Vice President for Education at Commencement, based on nominations from the UMCES community and evaluation by the UMCES Graduate Faculty Council.
In 2021, the inaugural UMCES Student Service Award is presented to Ms. Christina Goethel. While she has been an academic and research standout during her graduate career at UMCES’ Chesapeake Biological Laboratory (CBL), culminating most recently in a 2021-2022 Fulbright Fellowship, this award honors her commitment to service across multiple levels. Since arriving at UMCES, Goethel has served on professional workshop and meeting committees, on a CBL Faculty search committee, as a manuscript reviewer for six journals, on ad hoc committees to organize mental health and social justice efforts at UMCES, and in numerous volunteer and outreach activities at CBL. However, her service on the UMCES Graduate Student Council (GSC) elevates her contributions to an exceptional level.
Christina joined the GSC in 2017 and served as chair from 2018-2020. During her tenure as chair, she was instrumental in it becoming one of the most active partners in shared governance at UMCES. She continued updating and implementing GSC policies and procedures. She helped to advance new initiatives supported by the graduate students, including mental health, racial equity, and an UMCES Ombuds program. She served on multiple other committees at UMCES and System levels, representing UMCES with distinction. She did all this wholeheartedly, calmly, and effectively. Her fellow students and UMCES colleagues enthusiastically supported her for this inaugural UMCES Student Service Award. She has set a high bar!
Ph.D. Marine and Estuarine Environmental Science, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Maryland (Advisor: Dr. Jacqueline Grebmeier, Dissertation: “Time-series focused assessments of changing marine bivalve communities in the Bering and Chukchi Seas”)
2014-2016 M.S. Marine and Estuarine Environmental Science, University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, Maryland (Advisor: Dr. Jacqueline Grebmeier, Thesis: “Implications of Ocean Acidification for Three Pacific Arctic Bivalve Species”)
2009-2013 B.A. Environmental Science and Policy with honors; Minor: Marine Science, Smith College, Massachusetts (Thesis: “Effects of Elevated pCO2 on the Calcification and Morphological Characteristics of the Coccolithophore Emiliania huxleyi: Implications of Ocean Acidification”)
She is a Fulbright Scholar…2021-2022 Fulbright Ministry Affairs Arctic Scholar – Iceland
