Mathematics & Statistics
I have a BA in Mathematics from Capital University with minors in Biology and Computer Science. My interest in quantitative biology has allowed me to work with a variety of topics and spacial scales, including the continental spread of White-Nose Syndrome in bats, epidemiology on commercial dairy farms, population dynamics of Chlamydia within host cells, genome assembly, and statistical genetics. For my PhD research I will use a data-driven modeling approach to estimate extinction risk of plant species under climate change. I hope to effectively contribute to interdisciplinary teams while disseminating scientific knowledge through education and advocacy.

Watershed Sciences
I am a first-year master's student in the department of Watershed Sciences at USU. I moved to Utah from Arizona to complete my bachelor’s degree in Restoration and Management of Aquatic Ecosystems after completing general education classes at community college. Before entering college, I spent time working in various fields ranging from selling motorcycles to emergency medicine. During my time at community college I became increasingly aware of the issues facing the environment and felt compelled to learn more. This inquiry led me to the world of watershed science where I have found a passion for water research. For my master’s project I will be exploring the connection between Didymo, an often problematic algal species, and glacial retreat.

Biology
I graduated from Denison University with a B.S. in Biology and a B.A. in Environmental Studies. My research interests broadly include climate change, geospatial analysis, wildlife conservation, and entomology. For my MS in Ecology, I am using geospatial analysis to research the extent to which temporal changes in climate variability and landscape structure impacts bee and ladybird beetle diversity surrounding corn and alfalfa fields in Utah. I am interested in determining how certain beneficial insect species could be impacted further with changes in abiotic factors and as urbanization continues throughout agricultural land in Utah.

Wildland Resources
I graduated from Lewis & Clark College with a BA in Biology. My dissertation research focuses on abiotic drivers of plant-plant interactions across the Intermountain West to elucidate alternative management strategies to maintain and restore sagebrush communities. I am interested in how the effects of disturbances scale between the individual plant to the landscape, and the climate variation and management mosaics encountered when engaging across landscapes. Rangelands in the West provide an excellent backdrop to study questions of changing disturbances and abiotic regimes, and how people and their decisions fit into the changes.

Civil & Environmental Engineering
I have a BS in Biological and Ecological Engineering from Oregon State University. My interests include natural engineering within river systems and aquatic ecosystem management. I am thrilled to work with Dr. Belize Lane at Utah State University and research the interaction of hydrology, hydraulics, and ecosystem response for improved management of the South Fork Eel River Basin in California. I look forward to engaging with others to develop interdisciplinary solutions that address societal and ecosystem needs in the face of complex climate and environmental uncertainties.

Watershed Sciences
I have a B.S. in Earth Systems with a focus in ocean science from Stanford University and recently received an M.S. in Aquatic and Fishery Sciences from the University of Washington. My upbringing in coastal Alaskan commercial fishing communities inspired an ambition to sustain natural resources and the communities that depend on them. In partnership with a fishery nonprofit in southeastern Idaho, my doctoral research investigates how managed aquifer recharge can extend water supply and improve aquatic habitat, mitigating the effects of climate change on farmers and fly-fishers.

Environment & Society
I’m joining the Climate Adaptation Science program after a decade of working in climate justice movements. My background is in community organizing, journalism, farming, ranching, construction, and anthropology. I hope to contribute to building integrated approaches of adapting food systems and watershed management to the challenges of climate change. I’m currently working on a research team that is investigating the human dimensions of a landscape scale watershed restoration project in Bolivia that supports ranchers and farmers to protect water and forests.

Plants, Soils & Climate
I have a BS in Atmospheric Science from the University of California, Davis, and started pursuing an MS in Climate Science in Fall 2018. My general interests revolve around the North American Dipole and its intensification in recent years, which has been linked to anomalous weather and climate extremes such as flooding and drought in the Western States. With my research, I hope to shine a better light on potential short and long-term consequences that may arise as the dipole evolves in tandem with our warming planet.

Environment & Society
I have a BS in Psychology from Nebraska Wesleyan University. Broadly, I seek to incorporate social science as a mainstream component of climate change and to further the understanding of intergroup dynamics of environmentally conscious communities and to facilitate group efforts among global communities. I hope to play a role in encouraging pragmatic policies that proactively refer to ecological integrity as a critical component of human wellbeing.

Environment & Society
I have a BA in Anthropology and a BS in Community, Environment, and Development from Penn State University, as well as an MS in Geography from Virginia Tech. A common thread through my work is a grounded interest in food security, community resilience, and sustainability and equity of food production systems across international contexts. My current PhD research focuses on understanding land use diversity and productivity of U.S. agricultural systems at a landscape level. I hope to collaborate amongst diverse backgrounds and skillsets toward a common goal of integrating climate-forward research with practice and policy.