SUNY ESF Doctoral Student Earns Prestigious Fellowship from Nation's Oldest Scholarly Society

10/19/2026

SYRACUSE, N.Y. – Oct. 19, 2026 - A doctoral student at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) has earned a prestigious national fellowship from the nation's oldest learned society, a highly competitive honor that will support cutting-edge research exploring how urban ecosystems and human relationships with them have evolved over more than 150 years. Kate Henderson, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Environmental Biology, was selected as a recipient of the Nancy Halverson Schless Fellowship from the American Philosophical Society, joining a distinguished group of scholars whose work advances understanding across disciplines.

Founded by Benjamin Franklin in 1743, the American Philosophical Society is the oldest learned society in the United States and supports exceptional scholarship across a wide range of disciplines. The nationally competitive fellowship will allow Henderson to conduct research using the Society's collections and archives as she completes the final chapter of her dissertation.

Henderson's research examines the historical ecology of fish in urban environments, investigating how fish communities have responded to invasive species, urban development, and climate change over time. Her work also explores how public perceptions of urban wetlands have evolved as scientific understanding of the ecological and community benefits these ecosystems provide has grown.

By combining ecological science with historical research, Henderson is bringing a uniquely interdisciplinary approach to understanding how environmental change shapes both ecosystems and human communities.

“I'm honored to receive this fellowship from the American Philosophical Society and excited for the opportunity to work with its remarkable collections,” said Henderson. “My research explores how urban ecosystems have changed over time and how people have understood and responded to those changes. This support will allow me to bring together ecological and historical perspectives in ways that can help inform how we think about and manage urban environments today.”

“The American Philosophical Society's fellowships are among the most respected awards supporting scholarly research in the United States,” said Joshua A. Drew, associate professor of vertebrate conservation biology in Department of Environmental Biology and Henderson's faculty advisor. “These awards often go to historians and scholars in the humanities, making Kate's selection especially noteworthy. Her ability to connect biological science with historical inquiry demonstrates the kind of creative, interdisciplinary thinking needed to address today's environmental challenges.”

Henderson's achievement highlights ESF's commitment to supporting graduate student research and preparing future environmental leaders to tackle complex environmental questions through innovative scholarship.

“Kate's selection for this prestigious fellowship speaks to both the quality of her research and the strength of graduate education at ESF,” said Lindi Quackenbush, ESF provost. “Her work exemplifies how interdisciplinary scholarship can deepen our understanding of environmental change while generating insights that are relevant to both science and society. We are proud to see her accomplishments recognized on a national stage.”

The fellowship will support Henderson's archival research in Philadelphia as she completes her doctoral studies and contributes new understanding of the ecological and social history of urban aquatic ecosystems. Her findings are expected to illuminate how environmental change has reshaped urban waterways over time while offering lessons for conserving biodiversity and building more resilient, sustainable cities in the future.

About SUNY ESF  

The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry is one of the nation's premier colleges focused on the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable future. ESF’s Mission is to educate future environmental leaders of all backgrounds, advance knowledge, and skills necessary to promote scholarship and stewardship of the natural to designed environments, and act both locally and globally to Improve Our World. ESF’s students, faculty, staff, and alumni make a global impact on improving and sustaining the environment. ESF offers a world-class education among a close-knit community of more than 2,000 scholars with common values and a shared sense of purpose. ESF’s tight-knit community is centered alongside Syracuse University in the heart of Central New York and has a system of properties spanning 25,000 acres that broadly represent New York state’s rich ecological diversity for scientific study and instruction.  To learn more, visit www.esf.edu.