2025 Graduation Celebration, 50th Anniversary Summer Picnic
June 9, 2025
Jasper Ridge Docent Graduation and Summer Picnic
BIO/ESYS 105: Ecology and Natural History of Jasper Ridge Graduation
Katie Glover and Professor Rodolfo Dirzo began the ceremony enthusiastically recognizing each new docent individually with their shirts, name tag, and official certificate. The new docents of the class of 2025 are: Community members: Geoff Baker, Sheena Sidhu, Amelia Black, Annette Herz, Roger Hine, Claire Seda; and Students: Sebastian Alfonso, Jay An, Atessa Anoshiravani, Harper Baer, Bryan Diaz, Noah Macias, Orianna Min, Jasmine Padilla, Nicholas Rodriguez, Georgia Scarr, Jaden Southern, Rishudh Thakur, Sasha Wang, and Jaime Yu (header picture). To see their profiles and projects, visit the Ecology and Natural History of Jasper Ridge alumni webpage. The excellent independent projects cover a wide range of topics. Pending their review, they will be available in the coming weeks in the alumni webpage.
Geoff Baker - Jasper Ridge as Intervention: Not Just a Walk in a Preserve?
Sheena Sidhu - Dam! Impacts on Streambed Composition and Invertebrate Communities at Jasper Ridge
Amelia Black - Bats of Jasper Ridge 'O'O
Annette Herz - Bats of Jasper Ridge 'O'O
Roger Hine - Evidene of California Buckeye SEEDS Disperal by Animals
Claire Seda - Investigating Possible Leaf Shape Mimicry of Toxicodendron diversilobum at JRBP ('O'O)
Sebastian Alfonso - Heavy Metal Toxicity in Searsville Reservoir
Jay An -
Atessa Anoshiravani - Quercus Carbon: Comparing Soil Carbon Content between Three Oak Species
Harper Baer - Dam! Impacts on Streambed Composition and Invertebrate Communities at Jasper Ridge
Bryan Diaz -
Noah Macias -
Orianna Min - TreeTune: Design of a Remote Adjustment System for Arboreal Camera Traps
Jasmine Padilla - Discover the Hidden World of Insects and Friends
Nicholas Rodriguez - Searsville Insect Survey: Analyzing our small, nocturnal neighbors through black-lighting
Georgia Scarr -
Jaden Southern -
Rishudh Thakur - Leveraging Satellite Data to Monitor Ecosystem Condition at JRBP
Sasha Wang - The Argentine Ant: Guide to the globally-distributed invasive species found at JRBP ('O'O)
Jaime Yu - Fire Management & Soil Water Mobility
Following the docents, Katie and Rodolfo recognized the 2025 teaching assistants, Lydia Villa and Natalie Ward, for their immense and unwavering support every Thursday afternoon the past 20 weeks. Additionally, Rishudh Thakur was also recognized for offering to drive an additional van with Rodolfo and students up the ridge from the main campus every Thursday.
In an unexpected turn, the class of 2025 surprised Katie and Rodolfo! They were both recognized for their individual efforts in leading and carefully crafting such a unique experience of the BIO/ESYS 105 field course. Sheena Sidhu noted all of the behind the scenes hard work and detailed efforts Katie puts into ensuring each student enjoys learning in the class. Noah Macias spoke about the privilege of having a professor like Rodolfo. He valued Rodolfo's ecological and natural history knowledge, but also the important representation of diverse faculty, which inspired students like him in the field of ecology.
Scholar Awards, Excellence Awards, and the Docent Award of Merit
Since its inception in 2021, Jasper Ridge awards the Environmental Education Scholar Award to students who have engaged in meaningful environmental education activities at or related to Jasper Ridge. This year, two students were recognized: Kelly Benitez and Rahsaan McFarland II. Kelly Benitez has developed and participated in environmental education classroom programs with SEEDS Stanford Chapter, the REAL Program at Redwood High School, and the Ohlone College MESA program. Rahsaan McFarland II was recognized for his efforts to expand outdoor environmental education experiences for Black students and youth, including establishing the organization Nurtured by Nature. He has organized and contributed to 20 different events and reached hundreds of participants. For more information about Kelly and Rahsaan, visit our webpage, Jasper Ridge Environmental Education Scholar Award.
Continuing the recognitions, Rodolfo mentioned new awards that two Jasper Ridge docents, researchers, and Mellon grant recipients in his lab received just days before the graduation ceremony. Maya Xu was recognized with the Stanford University Firestone Medal for Excellence in Undergraduate Research. This honor recognizes the top 10 percent of honors theses completed each year in the social sciences, natural sciences, and engineering. Her thesis title is “On Lead Wings: Tracking Heavy Metal Contamination in Pacific Coast Raptors.” To read more about Maya, we invite you to read her experience co-teaching the Ornithology class.
Chrysanthe Frangos was recognized for being elected into the Phi Beta Kappa society. Since 1776, this national honor society has recognized and celebrated students' excellence in the liberal arts and sciences. Read more about Chrysanthe’s scientific and very timely work that was showcased in this news article: Long-term Studies at Jasper Ridge Yield Insights into Oak Ecosystems.
Last but not least, Adriana Hernández and Jorge Ramos unveiled the Award of Merit certificate (Fig. 2) awarded to the entire Jasper Ridge docent community - a special moment in time as 2025 also celebrates the 50th anniversary of the docent class. Adriana read the nomination letter that recognized and honored the outstanding contributions of Julien Wright-Ueda, Dawn Neisser, and the entire docent community in their outstanding efforts that have helped promote the goals of the preserve since 1975. For more information on this award, please read our news post, Docent Community of Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve Recognized with the Stanford Alumni Associates Award of Merit.
Katie also prepared a poster celebrating all docents from 1975 to 2025 (Fig. 2). The poster currently hangs in the dining area at the field station, and we welcome docents to explore the hundreds of fellow docents who have contributed to the preserve. We also welcome corrections, in case you find inaccurate information.
Community Joy with Music, Food and Celebratory Cakes!
The program was joyfully concluded with a musical duo by students, Maya Xu and Jaden Southern, performing the song "Blackbird." (Fig. 3) They both led the singing and guitar, and invited the 80+ guests to sing along with its chorus: "Blackbird singing in the dead of night / Take these broken wings and learn to fly." After the musical performance, all guests celebrated in community while enjoying delicious food and beautifully decorated cakes (Fig. 3 and 4) under our majestic valley oaks.
Congratulations to the new and past docents of Jasper Ridge, and we look forward to celebrating docents again next year!
Figure 2. The Award of Merit certificate for the entire docent community (left); poster listing all Jasper Ridge docents since 1975 (right). Photo credits staff.
Figure 3. Maya Xu and Jaden Southern performing the song Blackbird; Nick Rodriguez and Lydia Villa enjoying the summer picnic. Photos credit JRBP staff.
Figure 4. Delicious chocolate cakes celebrating the 50th anniversary of Jasper Ridge docents. Photos credit JRBP staff.
Jorge is the Executive Director at Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve ('Ootchamin 'Ooyakma).
