Shelby Ply, of Rolla, was recently honored with a 2023 Undergraduate Student Award in Environmental Chemistry from the American Chemical Society.

The Division of Environmental Chemistry sponsors annual awards for full-time undergraduate students enrolled in chemistry, environmental engineering or other programs emphasizing environmental chemistry.

In May, Ply graduated from Missouri S&T with a bachelor’s degree in environmental engineering. She now plans to complete her master’s degree in environmental engineering at S&T and has already completed multiple master’s courses through the university’s Grad Track Pathways program.

Ply was nominated for the honor by Dr. Joel Burken, Curators’ Distinguished Professor and chair of civil, architectural and environmental engineering. Burken noted her abilities in the classroom, as well as in the research laboratory, where she assisted with phytoforensic testing of 1,4 dioxane uptake into plant tissues and used the plant tissues for environmental monitoring.

Ply is also a star on Missouri S&T’s volleyball court, where she serves as a team captain and has won multiple athletic honors.

About Missouri S&T

Missouri University of Science and Technology (Missouri S&T) is a STEM-focused research university of over 7,000 students. Part of the four-campus University of Missouri System and located in Rolla, Missouri, Missouri S&T offers 101 degrees in 40 areas of study and is among the nation’s top 10 universities for return on investment, according to Business Insider. For more information about Missouri S&T, visit www.mst.edu.