We prepare graduate researchers for careers that integrate science with management and policy while advancing Climate Adaptation Science for the threatened landscape of the Interior West.
Skills emphasized in the Climate Adaptation Science (CAS) program align with many of the attributes of an “ideal, student-centered STEM graduate education system,” as described in the Consensus Study Report, “Graduate STEM Education for the 21st Century.” The report was produced in 2018 by the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine. Key attributes of revitalized graduate STEM education include the potential for students to: acquire broad technical literacy, encounter a variety of points of view about science, have opportunities to communicate their results to diverse audiences, think about broader impacts, work on projects in teams, and explore diverse career options in a context where nonacademic careers are not stigmatized.
Recent News
What channels and sources do people prefer for information on nature-related topics?
Emily Wilkins and colleagues publish their findings in PLoS ONE
Trisha Atwood and Colleagues Publish in Science
The team reviews how animals move large amounts of carbon across landscapes.
USU Grad Students Gain Cross-Disciplinary Skills to Tackle Climate Change
Cohort 1 and their fire paper are featured in Utah State Today.
CAS Students and Faculty to Present at AGU Fall Meeting
Students and faculty will present research related to the CAS Studio research class, theses, and more. Click the title above for presentation details.
CAS Cohort 1 Publishes Studio Research
The inaugural CAS Cohort's interdisciplinary project on how trends in fire characteristics influence adaptive management and economies in the Intermountain West is published in "fire," an open-access journal.
A Finger on the Pulse of U.S. State Parks
Jordan Smith and colleagues in the Institute of Outdoor Recreation and Tourism characterize the operation of the nation’s 50 state park systems between 1984 and 2017.
Fourth National Climate Assessment Released
The National Climate Assessment (NCA) assesses the science of climate change and variability and its impacts across the United States, now and throughout this century.
CAS Faculty Work Toward a Resolution on USU Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Patrick Belmont and Chris Monz are leading an effort toward a resolution that would bolster a commitment by former President Albrecht to make USU a carbon neutral university.
Where do Americans agree on climate change policies?
CAS faculty member Peter Howe and colleagues in the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication are featured in the New York Times for work highlighting public consensus on solutions.
Wildfires Pose Underestimated Risk to Water Security According to USU Researchers
Drs. Brendan Murphy, Larissa Yocom, and Patrick Belmont acknowledge the well-documented risk wildfires pose to homes and structures, but highlight the less appreciated risk that high severity wildfires pose for water security.