Evan Wahmhoff Receives Yamaha Rightwaters Conservation Scholarship
Georgia Southern University just named Evan Wahmoff as the fourth annual Yamaha Rightwaters Conservation Scholarship recipient. Supported by an ongoing endowment from Yamaha Rightwaters, the scholarship awards $5K annually to a student who exhibits outstanding efforts and commitment to improve coastal sustainability. Wahmhoff is currently pursuing a master’s degree in biology through Georgia Southern’s College of Science and Mathematics.
“Evan’s research reflects the kind of science-driven conservation work Yamaha Rightwaters aims to encourage through this scholarship,” said Joshua Grier, Sustainability Program Manager, Yamaha U.S. Marine Business Unit, in a news release. “By studying crayfish diversity and freshwater ecosystems in the Altamaha River Basin, his research contributes to a deeper understanding of biodiversity in the southeastern United States and helps inform future conservation efforts. Healthy freshwater ecosystems play a critical role in overall environmental health, and supporting students like Evan helps advance the scientific knowledge needed to protect them for future generations.”
Contributing to Marine Research
Wahmhoff earned a Bachelor of Science in Fisheries and Wildlife with a Concentration in Conservation Biology and a minor in Science, Technology, Environment and Public Policy from Michigan State University, according to the news release. His work at Georgia Southern University focuses on crayfish diversity and freshwater ecosystems in the coastal plains of the southeastern United States. Building on earlier work studying sea lamprey pheromone behavior in the Great Lakes and invasive crayfish species in Michigan, his current thesis examines the drivers of crayfish community composition in Georgia’s Altamaha River Basin. The research contributes to a broader reassessment of crayfish diversity across the region, helping resolve key taxonomic uncertainties and expand scientific understanding of crayfish biology and freshwater ecosystems.
“Receiving the Yamaha Rightwaters Scholarship is incredibly meaningful because it supports research I’m deeply passionate about,” said Wahmhoff in the news release. “My work focuses on understanding crayfish diversity and the environmental factors shaping freshwater ecosystems in Georgia’s coastal plains. I hope the findings help clarify important ecological and taxonomic questions while contributing to broader conservation efforts across the region.”
Georgia Southern University will open applications for the 2027/2028 Yamaha Rightwaters Conservation Scholarship in the spring of 2027, according to the news release. Interested candidates may apply within their my.georgiasouthern.edu/ portal.
