About the Student Award
The JSR Foundation provides scholarship support to landscape architecture students throughout the Rocky Mountain Region (Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, Nevada), and has historically recognized exceptional student projects. The scholarship award includes two possible tracks:
STUDENT PROJECT: To recognize a completed student project that demonstrates excellence in the field of landscape architecture, OR
COMMUNITY SERVICE: To support student work with community organizations, municipalities, and non-profit institutions which would benefit from student assistance with design or research that they would not typically be able to afford.
We're excited to announce the 2026 JSR Scholarship is now open! To apply, download the Declaration Form below. When you're ready to submit, use the electronic application (Apply Here) — your project submission should begin with the completed Declaration Form as the first page.
Award: up to $2,500
Award amount will be determined by board members of the Jane Silverstein Ries Foundation.
Closing Date
All submissions must be received by July 10, 2026. Any submissions received after this date will not be eligible for the competition.
Applicants will be notified of competition results by August 14, 2026.
2025 JSR Student Award Winner
RACHEL THODY
Water Quality Analysis of Natural Beaver Dams and Beaver Dam Analogs in Wetland Restoration in Colorado
Project overview
Rachel’s research explores the biogeochemical differences in water quality between beaver dams and beaver dam analogs.
Relocating beavers or encouraging their return to build their signature dams, and human-constructed beaver dam analogs are a growing practice in the realm of wetland restoration. However, there have been only a few peer-reviewed studies comparing the beaver and human built structures mostly focusing on stormwater or sedimentation as opposed to habitat recovery. This investigation is the first of its kind in Colorado.
MEET rachel
“I grew up in the Pacific Northwest between the Columbia River and Puget Sound, resulting in water becoming a huge part of my life. My childhood was predominantly peering into tidepools on the coast, frolicking through temperate rain forests, and following critters around. From working in salmon fisheries to the occasional encounter with wildlife while out on my adventures, the variety of animals and their habitats have fascinated me and fueled my love for the natural world.
Feeling the relentless burn of wanting to participate in the ongoing call to mitigate climate change and contribute solutions, I discovered landscape architecture as an incredible fusion of science and design. In 2022 at University of Colorado Denver, I started grad school for landscape architecture then added a second master’s in environmental science and organized my own thesis research. My investigation is comparing beaver dam analogs to natural beaver dams in hydraulic performance in wetland restoration by studying their water quality through biogeochemical analysis.
Outside academia, I’m often mountain biking, fly fishing, reading, or planning my next trip to keep learning more about the world”