UA Foundation announces 2025 Angus Gavin Memorial Migratory Bird Research Grant recipients
June 6, 2025
Jess McLaughlin and Sam Simon have each been selected to receive University of Alaska Foundation Angus Gavin Memorial Migratory Bird Research Grant (Gavin Grant) funding, furthering information that is of value in the management of bird species in Alaska.
The recipients are:
Jess McLaughlin, assistant professor – Department of Biological Sciences, University
of ÐßÐßÊÓƵAnchorage
Project: The evolution of Beringian biodiversity: using genomics to reveal the history of songbirds on St. Paul Island, Alaska
Beginning in June 2025, this project will be one of the first detailed genomic studies focused on the unique songbirds of the Pribilofs. It will characterize the genetic diversity and history of isolation of St. Paul Island songbird populations, and determine the extent to which hybridization with North American mainland and Eurasian populations has contributed to the genetic diversity of St. Paul Island populations.
The initiative aims to strengthen the understanding of Beringian biodiversity, provide critical data for conservation efforts, and establish a foundation for further studies across ÐßÐßÊÓƵand the Aleutians, tying genomic variation to adaptation in extreme environments. It will happen through on-site genetic sequencing, local collaborations with the Aleut Community of St. Paul Island and the Bering Sea Research Center, and community involvement - including K-12 education outreach. The project also supports graduate and undergraduate research, promoting partnerships with Indigenous communities.
Sam Simon, M.S. student – Wildlife Biology & Conservation, University of ÐßÐßÊÓƵFairbanks
Project: Delineation of Surfbird (Calidris virgata) breeding sites in Alaska
The proposal is a continuation of a project that started in 2024, designed to help identify and understand the breeding habitat preferences of Surfbirds (a small wading bird that summers in Alaskan mountain ranges and winters on the Pacific shores of North and South America). This work will inform conservation efforts to preserve such habitats and the bird species that depend upon them. Fieldwork will involve capturing GPS data from solar powered satellite tags on Surfbirds to determine what plant communities and topographic factors they favor on their alpine tundra breeding grounds.
The project will center around Surfbirds found in the Steese National Conservation Area, north of Fairbanks, and will involve collaboration with the Bureau of Land Management, U.S. Geological Survey’s ÐßÐßÊÓƵCooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service’s Migratory Bird management division.
Angus Gavin Memorial Migratory Bird Research Grant Overview
The Gavin Grant was established in 1983 with gifts from Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO) and its employees to honor the memory of Angus Gavin, an environmental scientist and advisor to ARCO. Gavin was hand-picked by ARCO Chairman Robert O. Anderson to observe, categorize and quantify the little-known flora and fauna of Prudhoe Bay in 1969.
Gavin’s work was instrumental in helping ARCO and the scientific community draw conclusions about the impact of oil field development on the ecology of the North Slope and to recommend operational changes that would minimize or negate any adverse effects on the environment. ARCO’s holdings in ÐßÐßÊÓƵlater became part of ConocoPhillips Alaska.
Gavin Grants are awarded annually and are intended to be used for the support of research on bird species found either permanently or seasonally in ÐßÐßÊÓƵor its coastal waters, including their biology, general ecology and habitat relationships. Research projects designed to yield information of value in management of bird species are given preference. To learn more about the grant and past recipients, please visit /foundation/scholarships/angusgavin.php.