Bernthal receives National Science Foundation award

MOUNT VERNON – Jamie Bernthal, a junior at Cornell College, was recently awarded a National Science Foundation Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) award and will utilize the nearly $6,000 award to perform environmental policy analysis.

Bernthal, a politics and economics and business major, will work this summer with a policy researcher from the University of Nevada- Reno to evaluate private landowner programs and create a green business certification program.

“I’m very excited. This is a good stepping stone to help me get into public policy,” said Bernthal. “It lets me use facts and data in a way that can make a real difference.”

The 10-week program starts June 8 and runs through Aug. 14. Over the course of the summer Bernthal will complete both individual and group activities on environmental policy analysis.

Bernthal credits his professors Santhi Hejeebu, economics and business, and David Yamanishi, politics, with helping him apply for and, ultimately, receive this prestigious award.

“I certainly would have had no chance getting into this program without their help,” said Bernthal.