Aiyana Awarded Al Gerhardt Memorial Scholarship by Sonoma County Fish & Wildlife Commission

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We’re proud to share that Aiyana Singh, a Biology graduate student at Sonoma State University, 

has been selected as the 2025 recipient of the Al Gerhardt Memorial Scholarship, awarded by the 

Sonoma County Fish & Wildlife Commission during their May 15 meeting.

It honors the legacy of Commissioner Al Gerhardt, recognizing students who demonstrate 

academic excellence and a commitment to natural resource management, environmental 

restoration, or preservation.

Congratulations to Aiyana Singh, 2024–25 COAST Coale Scholar!

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We’re thrilled to announce that Aiyana Singh, a graduate researcher in the Zippay Lab at Sonoma

State University, has been awarded the prestigious Coale Graduate Scholar Award from the

CSU Council on Ocean Affairs, Science & Technology (COAST)!

The Coale Graduate Scholar Award honors the legacy of Dr. Kenneth Coale, a pioneer in ocean 

science and a founding leader of COAST. It supports CSU graduate students conducting marine, 

coastal, and watershed research, helping them acquire the skills necessary to join a highly skilled,

technologically advanced workforce while promoting and supporting CSU research.

2025 Steelhead Festival: Bella Represents SSU Biodiversity Outreach

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Back in March, Bella, an undergraduate researcher in the Zippay Lab, proudly represented 

Sonoma State University at the2025 Steelhead Festival at Lake Sonoma. 

This annual event celebrates the life cycle of steelhead trout and aims to educate the public about 

the freshwater and marine ecosystems these iconic fish depend on.

Aiyana Wins People's Choice at 5th Annual CSU-Wide Grad Slam

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We’re thrilled to share that Aiyana has been named the People’s Choice Award winner at the 5th

Annual CSU-Wide Grad Slam, held on Friday, May 9, 2025, and hosted by California State

University San Bernardino!

After earning first place at the Sonoma State University Grad Slam, Aiyana advanced to

represent SSU at the CSU-wide competition. This exciting event brought together graduate

student researchers from across 22-campuses of the California State University system, with two top

presenters from each campus.

Aiyana impressed judges and audiences alike in the initial preliminary round, where the top two

presenters out of 37 students advanced to the final round. Competing

among 12 finalists, Aiyana captivated viewers with her presentation—and ultimately earned the

People’s Choice Award, a reflection of her impact and connection with the audience.

Congratulations to Aiyana for this incredible achievement and for representing SSU with such

excellence and passion!