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Sarah Crump left an indelible mark on the field of paleoclimate science through her pioneering work, compassionate mentorship, and dedication to lifting up underrepresented voices in science. Since her passing in 2022,Ìýher legacy continues through the Sarah Crump Graduate Fellowship, which supports graduate students conducting research in Earth and environmental science in Arctic, Antarctic, and alpine regions.

Supporting early-career scientists was central to Sarah’s mission since long before the fellowship was established.

was an early mentee of Sarah’s. The pair met when Amelia was an undergraduate researcher working with lake sediment cores in the Tetons. Sarah continued to advise her as she completed her undergraduate degree. In 2022, Amelia became Sarah’s first graduate student.Today, Amelia carries that legacy forward as she completes her PhD at the University of Utah.Ìý

Now, you have an opportunity to be a part of that legacy as well.

In the spirit ofÌý, Amelia’s family will match all donations to the Sarah Crump Graduate Fellowship, dollar for dollar, up to $5,000.Ìý

The fellowship is already 75% of the way toward its $700,000 goal, which will sustain aÌýfull-time graduate fellowship in Earth or environmental science each summer. With matching funds available, now is a powerful moment to help reach that milestone.

Give during Buffs All In on Tuesday, March 31 — or any time before matching funds are fully claimed.

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Amelia's story

Sarah Crump (foreground) and Amelia Muscott pick organic plant material from a sediment core from the Tetons at Occidental College in the summer of 2021. (courtesy photo)

Deciding to become Dr. Sarah Crump’s graduate student at the University of Utah was one of my easiest and best life decisions. As a scientist, Sarah was dedicated to making the world a better place through high-impact, interdisciplinary research aimed at preserving the Arctic and alpine landscapes she loved. She was curious and creative, known for her gift of scientific writing and her ability to visualize science beautifully, and was an emerging leader in the field of ancient sedimentary DNA.

Since her passing, Sarah has been published as a co-author on a foundational ancient DNA textbook and three additional papers, with several more in progress, spanning climate science research from the evolution of snowpack in the Rockies to the ecological impacts of drought in desert ecosystems — a testament to her enduring scientific legacy.

But what defined Sarah was not just that she was an excellent scientist. She was an exceptional and beloved human being. Sarah’s warmth, playful spirit, and ability to connect with others made her a natural leader and mentor, and she was deeply dedicated to supporting the next generation of geoscientists.

I first met Sarah when I was an undergraduate student embarking on a remote field expedition to the Tetons with little experience. She went out of her way to prepare me, passing on wisdom she had earned the hard way as a woman in field science – she was once the only woman on a ten-person remote Arctic expedition. In the field, her creativity and optimism were infectious, and she always made sure students felt supported and able to contribute to the team. She blazed a trail and shepherded others through mentorship, carving out space for a whole generation of underrepresented geoscientists to follow.

Throughout my senior year, Sarah continued to mentor me, even Zooming with me weekly to help me prepare for a conference. After accepting the position at Utah, she offered to read and editÌýallÌýof my grad school application materials, even for schools other than Utah, because that’s who Sarah was. I ultimately found myself at Utah because I couldn’t imagine a better scientist or human to learn from. As my official advisor, Sarah continued to prioritize our meetings while battling cancer, which says everything about the person and mentor she was.

I know that wherever Sarah is in this universe, her heart is full knowing that her spirit lives on through this fellowship. Like many, I am a better person and scientist for having known her, and the world is a better place because of the Sarah Crump Fellowship and its mission to advance climate research and inclusivity in earth science. Thank you for your support.

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