One of three Goldwater Scholars at UW-Eau Claire
Wahl, of Holmen, is one of three Blugolds who received the prestigious Goldwater award this year. The other two recipients are Thomas Benning of Brookfield, a chemistry major with biochemistry emphasis; and Rachel Horejsi, a microbiology and bioinformatics double major from Ellendale, Minnesota.
The national scholarship is awarded to second-and third-year students majoring in STEM fields, and the three Blugolds are among only seven students within the Universities of Wisconsin to earn the $7,500 award for the 2025-26 academic year.
“The recognition of three UWEC students is a testament to the high quality, enriching research experiences that faculty offer students, and the exceptional caliber of the students engaging in collaborative student-faculty research,” says Dr. Erica Benson, executive director of the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
Life goals shaped by undergraduate research
Wahl is a first-generation college student who says that just one year ago she had only loose ideas about career goals, but her research mentor relationship with Dr. Jennifer Smith, associate professor of biology, changed all that.
Wahl has spent two years in various classes with Smith and in her lab conducting collaborative team research into the social behavior of various mammals, including California ground squirrels and dogs.
“My direct connection with Dr. Smith has been crucial to my academic journey,” Wahl says. “She helped me find my place in research and supported me the whole way. Dr. Smith fostered a welcoming, collaborative environment that was fundamental for my development as a scientist. My career plans shifted dramatically after becoming involved in her lab, and I haven’t looked back since.”
Smith says Wahl is “deeply deserving” of this award, based on her academic performance, research skills, creativity and clear trajectory to thrive in research.
“Some students stand out due to their creativity or ability to grasp new concepts, while others may demonstrate strong leadership skills or exceptional laboratory proficiency,” Smith says.
“Jada embodies all these qualities and has tremendous potential to become a national leader in understanding the causes and consequences of animal decision-making in a changing world.”
A dedicated volunteer in the local ecosystem
Wahl says her current plan is to pursue a Ph.D. in ecology and environmental biology, plans that she has become more excited about not only thanks to her research with Smith, but also after conducting community-based ecological research at the Beaver Creek Reserve in Fall Creek.
“I’ve been volunteering there for over a year, mostly working on a long-term study of migrant birds,” Wahl says.
There are volunteers of all ages and backgrounds at Beaver Creek who do meticulous seasonal work tagging and documenting sightings of tagged birds. The database they use includes data collected in Canada, Mexico and many states across the U.S.
“We can see in our data that a bird in Fall Creek was sighted in Ontario last summer, or maybe another seen just days ago in Michigan — it’s really cool,” Wahl says.
In addition to the fascinating migration information the opportunity has shown her, Wahl says that this valuable community-based research is something that she hopes to continue throughout her research career.
“Especially in the field of ecology, interest and investment from the community is essential to seeing concerns and finding solutions, whether that’s in bird species, plant species or really any element of the environment,” Wahl says. “Being part of an invested community of ecologically minded people is transformative.”
