June 26, 2025

Honors student named Udall Scholar

Lorenzo Roel Flores McCleese is pursuing a B.S. in Environmental Science and Informatics: Data Science with Departmental Honors, minoring in Diversity. He is a recently-named Honors Dillman Scholar and also one of 55 national recipients of this year’s prestigious Udall Scholarship.

Growing up in a migrant agricultural community on the Washington Peninsula, Lorenzo witnessed firsthand how environmental injustices disproportionately affect marginalized populations, from exposure to carcinogenic pesticides to harmful industrial pollutants. These early experiences nourished the roots of his commitment, growing into a determination to confront environmental challenges through both research and advocacy, and to cultivate more equitable environmental systems.

“This upcoming academic year, I’m most excited to continue my research with NOAA, where I study climate change through quantitative and spatial analyses of oral histories. I’m also looking forward to increasing my involvement in extracurriculars, particularly through leading the UW Brotherhood Initiative’s Brothers in Research group, where I’ll support students of color in finding, maintaining, and leveraging undergraduate research opportunities. The UW Honors Program’s Dillman Scholarship will also [support my] focus on these responsibilities outside of the classroom, which is critical to me as a self-funded student.”