Lillie M. Bradshaw, a doctoral candidate in the Department of Biological Science at Florida State University, was recognized on Mar. 17 by the Ecological Society of America (ESA) for her research and dedication to policy change.
Bradshaw received the Katherine S. McCarter Graduate Student Policy Award, which supports students engaged in advocacy and interested in science policy. The award aims to help students provide actionable insights for resource management as environmental conditions evolve.
“I was super thrilled and surprised. It’s a competitive award, so I was excited to get the opportunity to go do some science policy work in Washington,” said Bradshaw. “It means a lot to me to be recognized by such a huge society in the ecology world, especially for something like science policy. It’s a more niche field where not a lot of ecologists get to make those connections and networking was something that will help my future career.”
Bradshaw’s research focuses on coastal and marine conservation in the Florida Keys, studying how human activity affects ecosystems’ ability to recover from extreme temperature events. She has also worked with the Apalachicola Bay System Initiative at the FSU Coastal and Marine Laboratory, gaining skills she says will benefit her future endeavors.
As part of the ESA award program, Bradshaw traveled to Washington, D.C., where she participated in training sessions on policy, communication, and career development before meeting with lawmakers on Capitol Hill. “Over the past four years, I’ve gotten deeply involved in the Florida State community, and I’m so grateful for everybody here,” said Bradshaw. “Being able to represent FSU on a national stage like this was huge. I was able to meet with Senator Rick Scott’s office where I spoke on the work that I do in the Florida Keys.”
Bradshaw holds a Bachelor of Science in Biology and a graduate certificate in Geographic Information Systems. She has held positions with organizations including Custer Gallatin National Forest, USGS Columbia Environmental Research Center, and FSU Coastal and Marine Laboratory. In addition to her recent recognition from ESA, she earned the 2025 Guy Harvey Fellowship.
Looking ahead, Bradshaw hopes to pursue a career with a federal agency focused on conservation science using her governmental experience as guidance for policy-driven work.
