Gwyn Elaine Boehringer, a doctoral student in the Environmental Sciences Program at Wright State University, won the 2006 Rhonda and Paul Sipp Wetland Award of $1,000 from the Ohio Center for Wetland and River Restoration at The Ohio State University for her proposed research on trace pollutant bio-degradation in constructed wetlands. She is studying microbial genes involved in the dehalogenation of PCE and it degradation products in wetlands constructed for water quality treatment. Her goal is to develop real-time PCR assays to monitor the expression of reductive dehalogenase genes, and correlate this expression to degradation rates of the contaminants. Gwyn's advisor is Dr. Stephanie Smith. Originally from the Dayton area, Ms. Boehringer received her Bachelor of Science degree from Wright State University in Dayton, Ohio in 1993, and returned for an M.S in Environmental Sciences in 2003. Between degrees, she worked at NCR Corporation in Dayton, Ohio, as an Environmental and Safety Manager.

Anne Elizabeth Altor, a doctoral student in the Environmental Science Graduate Program at Ohio State University and a researcher at the Olentangy River Wetland Research Park won second prize of $500 in the competition to carry out some additional carbon research in the experimental wetlands this spring/summer during extreme drawdowns and reflooding.   Anne received her bachelor's degree in 2003 from SUNY College of Environmental Science in Syracuse, New York.

An endowment to the Olentangy River Wetland Research Park from the Sipp family in the name of Rhonda and Paul Sipp was established at Ohio State University to provide annual awards for students doing research on wetland and river research.    The research can be basic or applied but should be part of a university research effort by a Center institution. Affiliates of the center are from Ohio State University, Shawnee State University, Wright State University, Youngstown State University, Kenyon College, Central State University, and Ashland University.   Details of the program are at http://swamp.osu.edu