Nathan Heuver has been awarded the four-year Dr. Henry W. Indyk Scholarship, which is administered by The Lawn Institute (TLI). He is the son of Eric Heuver, Eagle Lake Professional Landscape Supply, Strathmore, Alberta, Canada. A student at the University of Victoria in Victoria, British Columbia, Nathan will be starting his senior year in the fall of 2021 to complete his undergraduate studies in Biology. He intends to further his education by pursuing a graduate degree.

In the career goals essay in his scholarship application, Nathan wrote, “Throughout my time in university, the biological topic of ecology has interested me greatly and I plan to further my education in this field. By furthering our understanding of the ecological processes surrounding us, we are able to better control our environment with a variety of practical applications.”

He witnessed practical applications of biology in 2019, as a summer co-op student for Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada in their ecological entomology lab in Saskatoon. He wrote, “… I was able to see the research that is currently being done to help manage, control and predict insect pest species of agriculture crops.”

Nathan added, “I have also been exposed to a research environment through independent research courses in the Department of Chemistry in Katherine Elvira’s lab and through work-study employment in Julia Baum’s lab in the Department of Biology at the University of Victoria. These opportunities have encouraged independent thought and problem-solving skills, and rewards that I have achieved have encouraged me to pursue science as a career.”

In her letter of recommendation for this scholarship, Dr. Elvira wrote, “Nathan is one of those rare students who is able to learn quickly and adapt to a new environment.” And, “It is highly unusual for a student to be able to perform an independent research project with so little input from me. His work was high quality and very helpful to the group’s research in general.”

Dr. Elvira also interacted with Nathan through his elected role as an undergraduate representative on the university’s Chemistry Equity, Diversity and Inclusions (Chem EDI) committee. Dr. Elvira wrote, “Nathan’s work on the committee is stellar. He is engaged, quick to volunteer to take on tasks, great at communicating in a timely manner, insightful, and obviously committed to the Chem EDI goals …” She called his conduct in both the group and the committee, “… professional, mature and kind.”

Nathan also served two years as a Student Ambassador and Health Educator for the University of Victoria Health Services where he organized healthy living projects for the student community. In addition, for two years, he volunteered as an assistant coach for the fundamentals program of Special Olympics Victoria, teaching sports to 7-to-11-year-old children with disabilities.

In his essay in response to the question, “How has the turfgrass industry shaped your personal character?” Nathan wrote, “For every summer since I was 14 years old up till the summer after my first year at university, I worked to some degree on my family’s farm, Eagle Lake Turf Farms. Though the work was hard, it has had an intangible effect on how I view the world, challenges I face, and my attitude towards demanding work.”

He added, “One of the main takeaways from working on the farm has been my experience working with the ten seasonal workers that our farm employs from Mexico.” Nathan reported that experience allowed him to develop friendships across linguistic and cultural boundaries. It also encouraged him to welcome the intercultural connections of the university environment.

Nathan is adventurous, always seeking experiences that will broaden his outlook and his skills. He loves the outdoors and thrives on exploring new sites for skiing, kayaking, hiking and camping. Prior to the coronavirus pandemic, he had planned to spend the summer of 2020 in an international co-op job through the DAAD RISE Germany program in ecology, seeking to widen his world view. Currently, those plans are on hold. Instead, he will work at the turf farm where he hopes to “apply the experience I have gained and take on more responsibility.”

Article originally published May/June 2020 Turf News