Civil & Environmental Engineering
I have a BS in Agricultural Engineering from Pakistan and am pursuing a master's degree in Water Resources Engineering. My research interests include studying the effects of climate change on water resources and, by extension, on agriculture. I want to develop a better understanding of the processes in climate and the relation with water systems. For my master's, I am researching the historic effects of large climate fluctuation and extreme events (extended droughts and episodic floods) on agricultural production in the Upper Colorado River Basin to predict trends and to inform water users to operate their systems to cope with extreme climatic events.

Wildland Resources
I graduated from the University of Maryland with a BS in Environmental Science and Policy, and recently obtained an MS in Marine Mammal Science from the University of St Andrews in Scotland. For my doctoral research, I am studying food-web dynamics and predator-prey interactions in Yellowstone National Park. The impact of climate change on this ecosystem has been largely excluded from previous analysis, and I would like to incorporate such impacts into my research.

Environment and Society
I have a BA in Geography from Bemidji State University in northern Minnesota. I am fascinated by the real-world application of spatial analysis to environmental policies. My research ambitions are focused on examining potential climate refugee communities and indigenous sacred geographies. I am driven to investigate policies that will help locals protect their various resources without harming their community structure."
MS Geography, 2019

Mathematics & Statistics
I have a BS in Applied Mathematics from Millersville University. I am researching mathematical biology, spanning ecological modeling, eco-evolutionary dynamics, and epidemiology. I am fascinated with the application of mathematics to real-world situations, and always looking for opportunities for interdisciplinary collaborations to broaden my knowledge of non-mathematical fields while offering a unique perspective for team projects.

Watershed Sciences
Graduating from Bryn Mawr College with a BA in Biology and having spent several summers at the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, I came to USU to pursue a Ph.D. in ecology. My specific research investigates the use of genetic diversity within native wetland plants to enhance restoration potentials. My research interests include climate change, wetland restoration, and science communication. I look forward to incorporating climate change in my Ph.D. research while working with not only researchers, but also with people of varying backgrounds and opinions, so we can all reach better solutions. Coming from a research background gives me a certain type of insight; however, it is only with the coming together of a variety of unique insights that we can truly make progress.

Sociology, Social Work & Anthropology
I have a BS from Bryant College in Rhode Island. I began my academic career as an environmental educator, earning a Environmental Education Certificate in 2013. I wrote my thesis on the ecosystem service value of streamflow in the Salmon River Basin, Idaho. In my doctoral program, I am working with Dr. Courtney Flint studying the values and vulnerabilities associated with water in northern Utah as well as regional perspectives on the Wasatch Mountains as important bioregional features.

Biology
I have a BS in biochemistry/molecular biology with a minor in environmental studies from Otterbein University, and will have an MS in land resources and environmental sciences from Montana State University. Broadly, my interest is in genetics of organisms in changing environments (such as those that exist due to climate change). For my masters I looked at changes in gene expression in microbes exposed to arsenic, and for my PhD I will work on quantifying the contribution of functional genetic variation to an organism’s success on a non-native plant. I am excited about this program's interdisciplinary collaboration and working on communicating my scientific work effectively.

Environment & Society
I have a BS in Environmental Science and Environmental Policy with a minor in Biology from Drake University, and an MS in Forest Resources from the University of Maine. I am researching the impacts of climate change on outdoor recreation. Specifically, I am interested in how climate change will impact visitation to protected areas, and how this will impact the surrounding communities.

Environment & Society
I graduated from the University of Maine with a B.S. degree in Parks, Recreation and Tourism, and obtained an M.S. degree in Natural Resources and a GIS certificate from the University of Missouri. I am ecstatic to explore out west and doing research about the impact of climate change on public land and understanding how outdoor recreationists respond to climate-altered resource conditions.

Wildland Resources
I graduated from Wesleyan University with B.A. degrees in Earth & Environmental Science and Biology. I am researching the vegetation ecology of rangelands in the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation. I am drawn to rangelands as managed landscapes called upon not only to provide agricultural benefits, but also myriad ecosystem services over vast areas. I am interested in how growing disturbances in rangelands caused by climate change will alter plant communities, wildfire regimes, and our food system.