Carri J. LeRoy

The Evergreen State College | Olympia, WA | 2021

Carri J. LeRoy Portrait Photo

This award is a powerful validation of how the practices of providing real-world research experiences to undergraduate, K-12, and incarcerated students – groups that are often considered inexperienced and unqualified to collaborate on scientific research projects - can be transformative and empowering. Furthermore, this award provides a high-profile platform from which these mentoring practices can be communicated and expanded across institutions and professions.

The official biography below was current at the time of the award. Awardees may choose to provide their latest biographical information on their profile page.

Carri LeRoy is a freshwater ecologist who collaborates widely to understand how streamside forests influence river function locally and globally. Her mentoring philosophy involves treating mentees as full collaborators in the scientific process to encourage, inspire, and empower them to achieve their personal goals and pursue professional development. Since 2005, Carri has mentored over 1,800 undergraduate students in course-based research experiences at The Evergreen State College, a primarily undergraduate institution. In addition, she has supported over 200 students in independent ecology research projects. This work has resulted in 16 peer-reviewed research articles with over 30 undergraduate co-authors. As the Co-Director of the Sustainability in Prisons Project (SPP, 2011-2017), Carri expanded science programming to all 12 Washington State prisons, changing the culture of prisons in Washington and spreading the model internationally. She continues to support SPP as faculty signatory on all 10 certificate programs for incarcerated students. In addition, Carri is passionate about science outreach to K-12 students and middle school girls through collaborations with the Nisqually River Education Project and the Mount St. Helens Institute. To summarize this work, she has published papers describing innovative methods to involve undergraduates and incarcerated students in the scientific process. Carri has a B.S. in environmental science and a B.A. in international studies from Oregon State University. She then earned a Master of Liberal Studies in environmental education, a Ph.D. in biology, and did postdoctoral work at Northern Arizona University. She has been a faculty member (Associate Professor) in Environmental Studies at The Evergreen State College since 2005.