Hillary Thalmann

Hillary, a brunette with a bright blue beanie and a light grey down jacket on, smiles at the camera in front of a background of large rocks and bright green rhododendrons. The sculpture of small green men located on Western's campus by the biology building peeks out from the left corner.

Award/Details

2016 Hollings, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration

Although the bulk of Hillary's childhood was spent in Utah, she remembers most fondly her family vacations in the San Juans. Every summer she would “adopt” a different pod of orcas, studying the animals and becoming increasingly interested in Marine Science. After being accepted to Western's Marine Science Distinguished Scholars program, the natural next step for Hillary was to try for a Hollings award. In 2016, she received the Hollings Scholarship and discovered her desire to study the effects of extreme climate variability. As a Hollings fellow, Hillary was also encouraged to think critically and improve her communication, specifically in her field. Furthermore, she graduated from Western Magna Cum Laude. 

Major

BS, Marine Science, 2016
BA, Creative Writing, 2016

What are they up to now

Hillary is currently earning her PhD at Oregon State University in fisheries science. Her Hollings experience helped her to receive the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. Having her research published has supported her goal to one day be an ecology professor.