Joseph Shostell, associate professor of biology at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus, was honored recently with the Earth Friend Award, presented on behalf of Sony, WTAE-TV and the Pennsylvania Environmental Council. The award recognizes individuals and organizations for accomplishments and outstanding commitment to improving the environment and greening the community.
Shostell was selected because of his “environmental awareness, research and community action.” One of his current projects is the restoration of the Redstone Watershed. An integral part of that effort was work he completed with his students to create a valuable database, including water chemistry and biodiversity information, which will help watershed community groups such as the Greater Redstone Clearwater Initiative to effectively restore and manage Redstone Creek in the future.
"Doing work like this is critical for the environmental health of Redstone Creek, which is directly connected to the well-being of the people who live in this region. This work would not be possible if not for the assistance of many motivated students," Shostell said.