London Next Stop For Virginia Tech Fulbright Student

BLACKSBURG, Va., July 10, 2002 -- J. Michael Schmidt's association with Virginia Tech began in high school, and it has helped propel him to a Fulbright Scholarship to study environmental policy at University College London.

Schmidt, a Northern Virginia native who earned two bachelor's degrees and one master's degree at Virginia Tech, will be working toward a second master's in public understanding of environmental change during his year in London.

"I've always been very interested in protecting the environment," said Schmidt. "I want to work to bring more scientific knowledge into the environmental decision-making process. It seems that many decisions are now made based upon only public opinion and special interest group pressure. Only by integrating scientific principles into the policy-making process can we really cope with environmental problems that are approaching crisis proportions."

Established in 1946, the Fulbright Program is administered by the U.S. Department of State and awards about 900 grants annually to students from the United States to study in 140 countries. The U.S. Student Fulbright Program is designed to give aspiring academics, young professionals, and artists opportunities for personal development and international experience. The program promotes cross-cultural interaction and mutual understanding.

The Fulbright Program sending students to the United Kingdom is especially competitive, with fewer than 5 percent of those applying being awarded grants.

The rigorous science education Schmidt received from Virginia Tech's Department of Crop and Soil Environmental Sciences and its Department of Biology has given him an insight into the complex chemical, biological, and geological interactions of natural processes and human activities in the environment. Now, he wants to round off that education with an understanding of how social and political activities also affect the environment.

While still a student at Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology in Alexandria, Va., Schmidt undertook a research project mentored by Lee Daniels, a Virginia Tech soils scientist. In the project Schmidt investigated the optimal ratio of municipal biosolids and sawdust to prevent contamination of groundwater.

The research produced interesting results, not all of them scientific. For one, he was the subject of a television network news interview broadcast nationally. Another result that he found deeply satisfying was returning to Thomas Jefferson to mentor the students who carried on the project in the years since he was a student there.

Schmidt credits Daniels with his decision to attend Virginia Tech and guiding him through graduate school. And yet, Schmidt has a clear vision of what he wants his role to be in the future, and he has an intense focus to attain it.

"The program [at University College] will provide me with the background in environmental policy and the skills to be more effective as a scientist communicating to the public and to environmental decision-makers," he said. "We [scientists] cannot stay cloistered in our laboratories."

When Schmidt completes the program in England, he intends to pursue a doctorate in conservation biology or restoration ecology. That, he hopes, will lead to work as a researcher at a university or for a non-profit organization working on issues that threaten species and ecosystems.

Schmidt has excelled in every aspect of his academic life to include numerous honors, scholarships and awards. Among these awards are being named to USA Today's All-USA College Academic First Team. He has also received the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, the Morris K. Udall Scholarship, the EPA STAR Fellowship, and the Phi Kappa Phi Graduate Fellowship. He was named the outstanding graduate for the university's College of Agriculture and Life Sciences when he earned his bachelor's degree in 1998, and he received the Outstanding Student Leader Graduate Award while pursuing his graduate studies.

Schmidt credits his involvement in extracurricular activities with helping him form collaborations with other students and with faculty members. He was president of Omicron Delta Kappa, and co-president of the University Honors Associates. He also served as president of the Environmental Science Student Organization, and as co-head of the Sustainable Development Project.

He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. James R. Schmidt of Herndon, Va. His wife, Elizabeth, completed her degree in veterinary science at Virginia Tech this spring.