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The connection between policy and science is not always clear. As a graduate student more than two decades ago, she set out to design modeling tools for a policy-driven need but quickly realized that the real challenge was bridging the gap between the pol...

When Victoria Kemeny walked across the stage as the Utah State University College of Engineering valedictorian, she wasn't just celebrating late nights of homework or hours in the Metal Factory.

Keith Miller began his career path the summer after high school while working for his uncle's logging company where he gained hands-on experience doing things like building roads and moving trees.

After a decade of dedicated research, mechanical and aerospace engineering professor Stephen "Tony" Whitmore has reached a major milestone in advancing next-generation propulsion technology.

Meet the Aggie engineers taking their ambitions to new heights through cutting-edge research, community leadership and a drive to create meaningful impact.

Utah State University Professors Elizabeth Vargis and Justin Jones have received a $50,000 grant from the Retina Research Foundation to support their research on age-related vision loss.

Todd Moon, professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, is putting his expertise to work on technologies designed to make everyday life a little easier.

Construction is underway on the James D. Ballif Structural Engineering Building, which broke ground in summer 2025.

Meet Ryan Lewis: USU Mechanical Engineering alumnus, Astronaut Scholar and current Purdue University graduate student.

When Christopher Fox walked across the Utah State University stage to receive his bachelor's degree in Biological Engineering, he couldn't have known that years later he'd be returning —this time to lead the college's research enterprise.

At a moment when artificial intelligence is reshaping nearly every industry, one Utah State University doctoral candidate has provided his expertise to help advance national AI strategy.

On June 14, 2025, the Utah State University College of Engineering Rocketry Club successfully launched Sky Streaker at the International Rocket Engineering Competition, held at Spaceport Midland, Texas, and hosted by the Experimental Sounding Rocket Assoc...

Long-distance runners know the power of a 'second wind' — that surge of strength that arrives just when you think you can't go on.

There is a conversation happening on social media that caught my attention recently. On Reddit, TikTok, and LinkedIn, people are claiming that artificial intelligence has made the computer science or software engineering degree a thing of the past. I unde...

When Chidindu Ifeanyi-Obiorah arrived in Logan just two months ago, she carried more than luggage and travel documents. She brought with her a quiet determination, a rich academic foundation, and the courage to forge a new path thousands of miles from hom...

Utah State University civil engineering students have the opportunity to study where some of the world's most iconic engineering achievements were born.

Morgan Christensen, a second-year doctoral student in biological engineering and a Utah State University Presidential Doctoral Research Fellow, was selected as one of only 24 graduate students and postdoctoral researchers nationwide to attend the Departme...

Rising ocean temperatures, heatwaves and dwindling prey are forcing marine mammals into new and more dangerous waters, scientists warn.

Mohsen Esteghamati, assistant professor in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Utah State University, has been named 2025 Educator of the Year by the Structural Engineers Association of Utah. This award was presented at the associatio...

Utah State University is excited to offer a limited number of free tickets for USU students of any major to attend the Zero Gravity Summit on Nov. 4 and 5 at the Salt Palace Convention Center in Salt Lake City.

Samiul Alam, a graduate student in mechanical engineering at Utah State University, earned second place in the master's category at the 2025 Society for the Advancement of Material and Process Engineering University Research Symposium

Richard Anderson, a College of Engineering alumnus and longtime supporter of Utah State University, died Aug. 25 at his home in Wellsville, Utah. He was 88.

Promising research is taking root in the world of structural engineering, led by a local environmental engineer. Erika Espinosa Ortiz is transforming the way we think about building materials, aiming to reduce one of the largest contributors to global CO2...

A researcher at the Utah Water Research Laboratory has received a National Science Foundation CAREER award to research sustainable alternatives to toxic plastic additives and minimize plastic pollution.

Within Utah State University's Biological Engineering program, are students whose curiosity and dedication shape the future of sustainable technology. One such student is Joe Hart, a junior who joined the program in the spring of 2023.

Mechanical engineering student Boston John has been selected to receive a renowned scholarship from the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. John is the fourth USU student to be honored with this prestigious award and is the only recipient in Utah this year....

Som Dutta, assistant professor in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at Utah State University, in collaboration with the Utah Water Science Center, has been awarded a new grant from the United States Geological Survey, Department of the I...

The Utah State University Mars Rover Team made their in-person debut at the international University Rover Challenge where they placed 27th overall.

In the heart of Utah State University's Biological Engineering Department, Biological Engineering PhD student Mona Soroush is contributing to research with potentially life-changing implications. As a Biological Engineering PhD student working under the m...

Experts at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama, are conducting critical tests on a hybrid rocket system developed at Utah State University's Propulsion Research Laboratory.

Ziyu Wang, assistant professor in the Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Department at Utah State University, has been selected as one of the 36 recipients of the 2025 Ralph E.

Researchers at Utah State University are working to gain a deeper understanding of age-related macular degeneration, one of the leading causes of vision loss in older adults.

The Utah Water Research Laboratory at Utah State University has appointed Bethany Neilson as the new director. A proud USU alumna, Neilson brings more than two decades of experience in water research, environmental system analysis and mentoring the next g...

The Utah State University Mars Rover Team has earned an invitation to compete in the international University Rover Challenge, taking place May 28-31 at the Mars Desert Research Station in Hanksville, Utah.

Arctic ecosystems are changing fast — but not in predictable ways. A massive new study published in Nature shows that while warming is certainly reshaping vegetation across the polar North, its impacts vary widely.

The Colorado River Basin will feel the loss of Bob Snow with his retirement from the Solicitor’s Office at the Department of the Interior. His more than forty-year presence in the most impactful and most difficult conversations in the Basin has been both...

Izzy Wappett, QCNR's valedictorian, offered these words at the 2025 commencement: Yes. A brief word we barely notice in conversation. Yet, in the right moments, it becomes the dividing line between who we are and who we might become.

Wildfire patterns in the West are changing, but according to new research, the trend in the Great Basin hasn’t necessarily been a simple increase. Exploring differences between current wildfire patterns and those from the past can help researchers pinpoi...

The process for determining the operating rules for the Colorado River system that will take effect in 2027 is in full swing. While various alternative operating regimes have been proposed, no preferred or consensus alternative has yet emerged. As a group...

The Utah State University Earthquake Engineering Research Institute student chapter recently celebrated several awards after competing in this year's Seismic Design Competition, hosted by the University of California, Berkeley.

Chloe Seeborg was merging college programs before merging was even a thing at USU. Seeborg, who is set to graduate this spring, chose a rather unusual program of study when she launched four years ago as a Quinney Scholar at USU. She decided to blend ski...

Two Utah State University students have been awarded one of the nation's most distinguished research fellowships. Mechanical engineering student Ryan Lewis and geosciences student Michelle Norman were both selected for the National Science Foundation's Gr...

The San Rafael River has a problem. As it winds through red rock country northwest of Canyonlands National Park, it increasingly runs dry. Drought is again taking hold across Utah, and that could spell trouble for the wildlife that rely on the river, suc...

For Tony Villalobos, the best single day of work from his latest field season began with down-and-dirty plant ID, and ended with a collective cold plunge. And none of it necessarily felt like work, he said, which is one way this graduating senior from Qui...

Utah State University's College of Engineering has several graduate programs ranked alongside the nation's top-performing institutions.

To beat an enemy you have to know it — but cheatgrass makes that tough. “Cheatgrass is a formidable enemy because it is remarkably adaptable,” said Peter Adler, ecologist from the Quinney College of Natural Resources and director of the USU Ecology Cente...

The History and Negotiation of the Upper Colorado River Basin Compact: The 1922 Colorado River Compact divided the river’s water between the Upper Basin and the Lower Basin, but it didn’t say how much water each state would get. This article examines how ...

You can’t escape it, dust is everywhere. It covers Utah communities with a fine layer of grit. It gets whipped in the wind to snow-covered peaks where it absorbs heat and melts the snowpack. It settles onto rivers and reservoirs and peppers farm fields. I...

Utah State University's College of Engineering is expecting to welcome a large class of incoming students in fall 2025. To kick off their journey, each student has been sent a special swag box filled with Aggie gear, including a beanie, sunglasses, sticke...

Engineering Professor Austin Ball was named the 2025 James D. Ballif Teacher of the Year. This new award recognizes extraordinary teaching and mentorship in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at USU.

The College of Engineering invites everyone to celebrate the achievements of this year's graduating class at Senior Design Night. This exciting showcase will take place from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on April 29 at the Taggart Student Center in Logan.

The College of Engineering is excited to host a special event on May 9 to honor Mary Cleave, NASA astronaut, USU graduate and a passionate advocate for women in STEM. This event will reveal Cleave's space suit, which she donated to the College of Engineer...

LOGAN, Utah - Four years ago, the fates were well aligned for Izzy Wappett to choose a major in the Quinney College of Natural Resources (QCNR). She’d been warming up for outdoor adventure by climbing the cliffs of Logan Canyon and running rivers like the...

With demand for electrification surging, ASPIRE is leading efforts to create pathways and train the next generation of workers needed to build and maintain cutting-edge transportation and energy systems.

Two faculty members from the College of Engineering were recognized with university-level awards at Utah State University's fifth-annual faculty awards ceremony on March 26.

After nearly six years of dedicated service as director of the Utah Water Research Laboratory, (UWRL) David Tarboton has announced his decision to step down from this administrative role. His exceptional leadership and unwavering commitment to the UWRL ar...

From a childhood encounter with cystic fibrosis to becoming a trailblazer in biological engineering at Utah State University, Elise Barton's journey has been fueled by passion, perseverance and a commitment to innovation.

African elephants are the largest extant terrestrial mammals, with bodies containing enormous quantities of nutrients. Yet, we know little about how these nutrients move through the ecosystem after an elephant dies. Here, we investigated the initial effec...

The College of Engineering at Utah State University has appointed Christopher Fox as the new associate dean for research.

Since the onset of the Millenium Drought 25 years ago, water agencies in the Colorado River Basin have been challenged by the overwhelming, yet essential, tasks of balancing total water use with a reduced supply and recovering some of the reservoir storag...

Utah State University alumnus, Major Brigham Moore, Ph.D., P.E., PMP, a deputy squadron commander in the U.S. Air Force, was named the 2025 Federal Engineer of the Year by the National Society of Professional Engineers.

Not everyone gets popular when it looks like society might be collapsing, but Joseph Tainter does. His phone rings, emails pour into his inbox, and people from around the world track down this Utah State University expert to ask the same question: Is this...

Peat bogs sequester a massive amount of the Earth's carbon dioxide. But even as scientists work to better understand bogs' sequestration, the wetlands are under threat.

Tucked around a bend in the Logan River below first dam, the Utah Water Research Laboratory (UWRL) at Utah State University is turning 60 years old!

It takes an armada of sentries to keep contaminants out of your drinking water. When storms stir up sediments and push them downstream, water managers have to be ready to shut off one source of water and pivot to others. This creates major inefficiencies ...

Authors: Ruby Mohr, Kathy Cabe Trundle, and Rita Hagevik. This fact sheet on organic pest management outlines sustainable gardening practices that promote ecological balance and biodiversity. It defines organic pest management as a proactive method, using...

Authors: Douglas Weber, Rita Hagevik, and Kathy Cabe Trundle. This fact sheet explores using drones to enhance garden projects at home and in schools. It covers the benefits of drones, such as monitoring garden health, planning layouts, and assessing plan...

It turns out there is surprisingly little evidence for life after death. I mean this specifically in the ecological sense. Think “the circle of life” from The Lion King in Mufasa’s lecture to Simba: “When we die, our bodies become the grass, and the antel...

They're called "forever chemicals"—found in grease-resistant packaging like fast food wrappers and used in construction, cosmetics, and clothing, as well as many other products.

The student will have the opportunity to work on rangeland assessment projects with US Geological Survey (USGS) scientists and staff and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) staff. This opportunity will expose the student to a variety of research approaches, meth...

The goal of the internship program is to give an undergraduate fisheries students broad exposure to Trout Unlimited (TU) and experience with coldwater fisheries restoration, conservation, and protection activities. The intern will work with TU staff as we...

The public is invited to an exciting evening of hands-on learning and family fun at Utah State University. As part of the annual Engineers Week celebration, the College of Engineering is hosting Community Night on Thursday, Feb. 20 at 6:00 p.m.

VERNAL, Utah — Utah State University Uintah Basin associate professor Mark Chynoweth has been named the honoree for Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year in the Quinney College of Natural Resources. Chynoweth, who teaches courses in wildlife ecology

tah State University Uintah Basin associate professor Mark Chynoweth has been named the honoree for Undergraduate Research Mentor of the Year in the Quinney College of Natural Resources.

A mountain lion attack that killed a young California man last year has reignited a debate over how the big cats should be managed.

Students from Utah State University’s Quinney College of Natural Resources were given an inside look at how natural resources and environmental policy is created during a field trip to the Utah State Capitol last month. Hosted by the Janet Quinney Lawson ...

To help combat the threat of wildfires in Utah, the state's delegation to the 119th Congress has joined forces to introduced the Utah Wildfire Research Institute Act. That proposed federal legislation would create a center for research into essential fore...

The Colorado River supplies water for forty million people in the West. The basin stretches from Wyoming and Colorado all the way to the Gulf of California in Mexico, winding through several...

Catch up on the latest in our February 2025 newsletter! MacAdam is testing 10 new plant species this year, while Villalba’s grazing study has produced exciting preliminary results. Plus, explore four new career spotlight videos featuring Villalba and Thac...

J. Clair Batty, a Trustee Professor in the College of Engineering at Utah State University, passed away on Feb.

USU ecologists Sara Weinstein, Department of Biology, and Eric LaMalfa, Department of Wildland Resources, lead multi-disciplinary, experiential learning trips to countries of eastern Africa to study human-wildlife interactions.

The introduction of Rainbow Smelt in Horsetooth Reservoir, Colorado, increased Walleye growth but also led to poor Walleye recruitment and significant ecosystem shifts, including the decline of Daphnia and the disappearance of opossum shrimp from predator...

Commentary: Bridging Conservation Science with Native Meaning by James Calabaza. Indigenous Lands Director; Trees, Water & People

After four years of trying to use dogs to make cougars in northeastern Washington more wary of people, researchers have their conclusion. It works.

On Jan. 14, Utah State University celebrated the launch of the new Data Science and Artificial Intelligence (DSAI) Center. There, crammed in alongside the other poster session participants, including a few knee-high robots excitedly bouncing up and down a...

USU ecologists Sara Weinstein, Department of Biology, and Eric LaMalfa, Department of Wildland Resources, lead multi-disciplinary, experiential learning trips to countries of eastern Africa to study human-wildlife interactions.

Despite the name, it’s actually rust-and-cream colored water that flows between the banks of the Green River in southeastern Utah. As a flotilla of canoes meanders down the narrow sandstone stretches and around the gooseneck bends of Labyrinth Canyon, eve...

Utah State University professor and world-renowned electrical engineer Regan Zane is among the newly-elected Fellows of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, or IEEE.

The Fish Hatchery GIS Intern is a paid position that gives undergraduate students practical experience and opportunities for hands-on education through applied GIS data collection, creation projects and analysis work with the Utah Division of Wildlife Res...

The Regional Wildlife Intern is a paid position that gives undergraduate students practical experience and hands-on education through a variety of work with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR). Successful applicants will work alongside DWR biolo...

The Pacfish Infish Biological Opinion (PIBO) Monitoring Program's goal is to evaluate the status and trend of aquatic and riparian habitat on lands managed by the Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management and other federal agencies within the Interior Col...

The Great Salt Lake Wetlands and Waterfowl Management Intern is a paid position that gives an undergraduate student practical experience and hands-on education through fieldwork with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR).

The Aquatic Program Intern is a paid position that gives undergraduate students practical experience and opportunities for hands-on education through fieldwork with Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR).

The Fish Culture Intern is a paid position that gives undergraduate students practical experience through a variety of hands-on experiences with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR).

The Wildlife Lands Program GIS Intern is a paid position that gives undergraduate students practical experience and hands-on education through work with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR).

The Quinney College of Natural Resources (QCNR) has named Larissa Yocom executive director of the new Utah Forest Restoration Institute (UFRI), a recently established institute focused on improving forest health and reducing wildfire risk across the state...

Mechanical engineering student Ryan Lewis is one of 71 people around the country — and the only student from Utah — to receive a major scholarship from the Astronaut Scholarship Foundation. The scholarship will be awarded by NASA astronaut Douglas Hurley...

As we see the devastation in the Los Angeles Basin, many wonder if Utah could experience a similar wildfire event. My experiences as a wildland firefighter and work with Utah State University Extension could provide a few insights.

This position is established to perform presale duties including timber marking, following a map and compass or GPS, and basic tree measurements.

Logan City Environmental Department seeks two students for a summer internship program.

Mountain lion concerns continue in Placer County, forcing one man to sell off his herd following a recent attack on his sheep. But a new study aims to give ranchers like him some hope.

Utah State University’s undergraduate research program is the 2nd oldest of its kind in the nation, and it turns 50 in 2025. To showcase these five decades of impactful research, USU has declared 2025 the Year of Undergraduate Research. Alexa Sand, assoc...

Three USU Eastern students in the Wildland Resource Techniques course presented research to the local Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Division of Wildlife Resources (DWR) on a study of kit foxes and their habitation in the Emery County region.

More akin to the sludge you find in the bottom of a wet-dry vac than a college research project, fish puke isn’t high on the list of study topics for most students. But that grey muck — similar in consistency to grits — was just the ticket for Manny May. ...

Department of Computer Science celebrates impressive accomplishments, along with move to new location in the Science Engineering Research Building, featuring creative spaces to foster collaboration, creativity, research and academic success.

The management of wild horses is a topic that arouses keen interest, triggers passionate debate and fuels considerable misinformation. For managers trying to protect the welfare of horses, share space on public lands, conserve a landscape and manage their...

Mountain lion attacks are rare in California, but incidents have been increasing and the cats' behavior has been changing in the past few decades, according to on-the-ground accounts.

The management of wild horses is a topic that arouses keen interest, triggers passionate debate and fuels considerable misinformation. For managers trying to protect the welfare of horses, share space on public lands, conserve a landscape and manage their...

As dangerous encounters in California continue to rise, local residents and wildlife experts are trying to figure out how humans and big cats can coexist.

Sageland Collaborative serves as a leading source of conservation science in Utah and surrounding regions. Our mission is to provide science-based strategies for wildlife and wildlands. We focus on promoting habitat connectivity, protecting species in con...

The goal of the summer internship is to give an undergraduate student a developmental opportunity to gain experience working in a park unit that directly benefits the student and additionally the National Park Service. This position will provide valuable...

Sageland Collaborative (formerly Wild Utah Project) has established itself over the past 26 years as a leading source of conservation science in Utah and surrounding regions. Our mission is to provide science-based strategies for wildlife and land conserv...

The goal of the summer internship is to give an undergraduate student an opportunity to gain experience working in a collaborative effort that directly benefits the National Parks.

A study of the efficacy of different nonlethal mountain lion deterrents is set to start in January, and local livestock owners are asked to get involved.

We explored the efficacy of using trained hounds to haze mountain lions. Our study provides information on a proactive technique that could have applications for mitigating human-wildlife conflict.

Collisions with large animals cost taxpayers $130 million annually, highlighting the need for solutions. Wildlife crossings are gaining support for potentially ongoing funding in Utah's upcoming legislative session. Bipartisan support seeks a permanent fu...

We tested whether (1) sage-grouse selected for surrogate habitat and (2) selection behaviors related to surrogate habitat had demographic effects on the population.

Soukaina Filali Boubrahimi and Shah Muhammad Hamdi lead NSF-funded research to craft a comprehensive solar flare catalog of images and data, along with data-driven, machine learning models poised to deploy in an operational environment.

We are looking for a hardworking and enthusiastic individual to help with our summer 2025 field season. Our project examines how livestock grazing affects riparian health and extent on public rangelands in Rich County, Utah.

We are looking for two hardworking and enthusiastic field techs to join our 2025 summer research team. As an organization, we study how to balance livestock grazing with other valued ecosystem services on public land, including healthy riparian areas, soi...

This collaboration between students, ecologists, and geospatial AI experts illustrates the potential at the forefront of this new field. The boundary between classroom learning and applied research is thin here, and students get the chance to gain hands-o...

More akin to the sludge you find in the bottom of a wet-dry vac than a college research project, fish puke isn’t high on the list of study topics for most students. But that grey muck — similar in consistency to grits — was just the ticket for Manny May....

With so many reports of bear sightings in northern Michigan—the Michigan Department of Natural Resources estimates there are 2,000 black bears living here, with more than 10,000 in the Upper Peninsula. What’s more, we humans are finding it increasingly ch...

A study led praises two range-rider programs in northeast Washington, finding the programs are likely helping to reduce the number of conflicts between wolves and livestock.

At the time of year when people haul their favorite tree indoors to adorn with lights and garlands, a certain Colorado blue spruce is keeping a low profile — at least as low as its 457 years of growth will allow. A team from the Quinney College of Natural...

Stocking fish in Utah waterbodies dates back to 1871 when fish were transported from other states by train and were dropped into lakes along the route. In 1897, Utah opened its first hatcheries and started raising trout locally.

Our study supports using older naturally grown sagebrush plants (wildlings) for restoration efforts. Wildlings had already faced various environmental stresses before transplantation and then had a survival advantage when transplanted. Our study also demo...

In this Smart Foodscapes Series video, Dr. Juan Villalba tells us how he became interested in becoming a Rangeland Scientist, and how his career is helping to improve the health of the Earth and its inhabitants.  He explains how to find your passion in li...

The number of ground-nesting ducks in the marshes of Great Salt Lake (GSL), Utah has drastically decreased in the past few decades. One potential cause for this decline is the increase in climate extremes caused by global warming. We tested the hypothesis...

Professors Matt Harris and Greg Droge have very different engineering backgrounds, but their research interests often cross paths. Harris is an aerospace engineer who studies spacecraft controls and trajectory optimization.

Salt Lake City’s Department of Public Utilities is building a new water reclamation facility to replace its nearly 60-year-old treatment plant, which is nearing the end of its useful life.

USU’s College of Engineering is taking the lead to train future engineers for Utah’s energy and critical minerals future. Earlier this year, USU announced plans to develop the state’s first comprehensive energy engineering program.

In 2008, the National Academy of Engineering introduced the 14 Grand Challenges for Engineering, focusing society's attention on critical opportunities and challenges that affect our quality of life.

The James D. Ballif Structural Engineering Building, made possible by USU alumnus and distinguished civil engineering graduate James “Jim” Ballif, will help prepare the next generation of civil engineers.

In today’s world, new, innovative ways of teaching are being created to keep education fresh and students engaged in hands-on learning. Harry B. Santoso is one of these unique educators changing the field for the better.

Biologists near Hyrum in Cache County conduct helicopter-assisted checkups on mule deer herds. The initiative aims to assess the health and sustainability of deer populations.

In this Smart Foodscapes Series video, Dr. Juan Villalba tells us how he became interested in becoming a Rangeland Scientist, and how his career is helping to improve the health of the Earth and its inhabitants.  He explains how to find your passion in li...

Geotechnical Firm Expands Legacy with Aggie Engineers. One of the most ambitious transportation projects in Northern Utah was completed earlier this year thanks to a team of innovative problem solvers at a local, specialty geotechnical engineering firm.

In this Smart Foodscapes Series video, Dr. Eric Thacker explains the details of his chosen career as a Rangeland Extension Specialist and the wonderful surprises that he has encountered throughout his career. This video is designed for high school student...

Drawdown of the Colorado River’s reservoirs now slightly exceeds the amount of gain that occurred during the 2024 snowmelt season. For the next four months until snowmelt begins again, the basin’s reservoirs will be drawing from the excess accumulated in ...

In this Smart Foodscapes Series video, Dr. Eric Thacker explains the details of his chosen career as a Rangeland Extension Specialist and the wonderful surprises that he has encountered throughout his career. This video is designed for elementary students...

In this Smart Foodscapes Series video, Dr. Jennifer MacAdam tells us about the intricacies of her job as a Plant Physiologist at Utah State University. This video is designed for high school students and serves as an introduction to the possibilities and ...

Evolutionary niches are great for species survival, but when humans get stuck arguing from viewpoint niches, it can mean bad news for ecosystem resilience. In a big first, an approach to agreement among divergent stakeholders in a step-by-step protocol fo...

In this Smart Foodscapes Series video, Dr. Jennifer MacAdam tells us about the intricacies of her job as a Plant Physiologist at Utah State University. This video is designed for elementary students and serves as an introduction to the possibilities and j...

For Karmen Teuscher, Utah State University was the perfect launchpad for an academic and professional career in aerospace engineering.

In 1995, officials began to reintroduce wolves to northern Yellowstone National Park, restoring a symbol of wilderness and seemingly triggering an ecological transformation. Elk had been overrunning the park, because most of their predators had been hunte...

There are no grizzly bears in Utah, but state biologists say it might not be out of the question in future years.

Beginning Fall 2025, incoming first-year first-bachelors students or transfer students in natural resources majors can automatically qualify to receive a $500 scholarship from the Quinney College of Natural Resources. Any new student with a major in QCNR ...

Since they inherited their family's multi-generational trout farm in Ogden, UT, sisters Tarah Holt and Tylynn Griffin have pursued degrees at Utah State and Weber State to help better the business and have expanded into new ventures.

Elephants in South Africa repeatedly visit the carcasses of other elephants, and move the bones around. A team of researchers at Kruger National Park are working to illumine this mysterious behavior and understand the role of mega-carcasses on the ecosyst...

Controlling highly fecund invasive species becomes much more feasible if managers can identify an approach that targets all adult age classes. Explicitly considering sustainable harvest metrics provides a framework for evaluating a harvest control program...

Wildlife experts in US west have found small aircraft are ideal for protecting humans and livestock from predators.

Promising research is taking root in the world of structural engineering, led by a local environmental engineer. Erika Espinosa Ortiz is transforming the way we think about building materials, aiming to reduce one of the largest contributors to global CO2...

If you’ve spent any time hiking or biking in the red-rock landscapes of southern Utah, you probably already know not to ‘Bust the Crust.’ Biological soil crusts (biocrust) may not look like it, but they are alive. They are also exceptionally vulnerable an...

Pando, a single quaking aspen in Utah covering 43 hectares, could be between 16,000 and 81,000 years old. New threats mean the world’s largest tree is now in decline.

From building circuits for fun to designing complex systems for museum exhibits, Tyler Jones has always had a passion for engineering.

Western rangelands are dominated by native and exotic cool-season grass species. These species exhibit high forage nutritive value in Spring but decline in early Summer as the plant approaches maturity. To address this, costly protein supplementation is o...

Ecologists in Utah are trying to figure out how to get native plants growing there quickly, to prevent phragmites from taking hold once again. "It's a pretty new endeavor in many wetland systems and the methods are not tried and true," says Karin Kettenri...

Utah State University’s College of Engineering is a proud sponsor of "Spiraling Upwards," a unique exhibition merging art and science through the beauty of fluid motion.

The wonders of electrical engineering have eluded Colton Sant since he was young. Now, set to graduate at the end of this school year, Sant looks back on a fulfilling academic career.

Today, Utah State University (USU) proudly celebrates First-Generation College Student Day, recognizing the achievements of students who are the first in their families to pursue higher education.

Approximately six million beef calves are produced annually in the western U.S., and ranchers must maintain profitable operations while addressing the growing number of consumers seeking environmentally, economically, and socially sustainable food. In res...

Commentary: Aspen Stewardship With PBR by Paul C. Rogers, Director, Western Aspen Alliance, Adjunct Professor (Environment & Society), Associate (Ecology Center), Utah State University.

Wildlife biologist and animal ecologist Julie Young has been named as director of the Berryman Institute of Wildlife Damage Management, a 30-year-old organization based at USU that works to minimize conflicts between wildlife and people across the U.S.

Robbie reached out to John Randolph with the Institute for Wildlife Studies in California and lead author of a study of the dispersal of juvenile mountain lions (his Master’s thesis) in California and Nevada to have a sciency conversation around this intr...

The 2024 Basecamp Conference and Workshops, held in Southeastern Utah, was attended by over 130 attendees, including outdoor recreation managers, gateway community leaders, federal, state, and local officials, and others dedicated to the stewardship and s...

Landlocked Utah may seem like an unexpected destination for studying marine science, but a new partnership signed last week between USU and the Loveland Living Planet Aquarium means that both marine life, and the people who study it, get to call the state...

If the future health of the planet weighs heavy on your mind, you aren’t alone. A new study finds widespread distress among young Americans about climate change across the political spectrum, as well as a strong desire for action toward change.

A new art installation at The Leonardo in downtown Salt Lake City blends fine art photography and the hydrology of the Great Salt Lake.

Since she was little, biological engineering student Melissa Wiggins was enamored by the world of science and engineering.

Through coursework and immersive experiences, the marine science minor introduces students to marine ecosystems, marine biota, the chemical and physical properties of the ocean and the seafloor, and the conservation and management of marine resources.

To the extent that temporal variation in elk density was attributable to wolf predation, our results suggest that the wolf–elk–aspen trophic cascade was primarily density-mediated rather than trait-mediated. This aligns with the alternative hypothesis tha...

In the three months since reservoir storage peaked in July 2024, drawdown has pulled more than 80% of the increase accomplished by the 2024 snowmelt inflow season. The 2024 snowmelt inflow season increased basin reservoir storage by only 2.5 million acre ...

We welcome applications from scientists, scholars or policy-makers with a Ph.D. in any relevant biological, physical, or social science or engineering field, or with a J.D. degree, who possess a strong record of funded research or policy experience releva...

Students from the Quinney College of Natural Resources worked alongside professionals this summer in paid internships to build skills and experience in their chosen field. Some of these, including undergraduates Michael MacDonald and Eyston Kunz, perfo

The weather impacts every aspect of our lives, from the clothing we choose to wear each day to our travel plans and activity choices. The weather also impacts our school and home gardens and landscaping. Whenever you check the weather on your phone or any...

Ray Mesa, near the La Sal mountains on the Colorado-Utah border is notable for its old-growth Ponderosa pines (estimated to be several hundred years old) that are growing in cool drainages amongst pinyon-juniper woodlands. Recent Ponderosa tree mortality ...

Chirps, cheeps, and croaks! Animals use sounds to communicate with each other, just like humans. Humans can listen in on animals by using a bioacoustic monitoring device, a passive device that quietly records surrounding sounds.

Utah State University is thrilled to welcome Assistant Professor Jackson Kulik, a passionate mathematician and engineer who began his career in higher education this year.

Outreach and programs aimed at encouraging the adoption of conservation practices in agriculture often rely upon insights from past, current, and potential users. However, collecting feedback can be challenging, especially for innovative or complex practi...

Insects and arthropods, some of the most abundant residents in school and home gardens, play many significant roles as predators, herbivores, detritivores, and parasites. Predators are particularly important in the garden because they help keep the “bad,”...

Christian Bolander wants to bring math education out of the Dark Ages. Charged with addressing a very stubborn problem, he’s working to reshape attitudes about math in the engineering classroom.

Tannins are phenolic compounds that provide benefits to ruminants due to their protein-binding affinities and antioxidant properties. However, tannins may also have negative orosensorial and postingestive effects that decrease feed intake. This study expl...

Tarantulas are becoming more visible in Utah just in time for the Halloween season, but for wildlife experts, this time of year is anything but scary.

Meet Maddie Witte: Environmental Engineering student at USU, avid skier and College of Engineering senator.

Sagebrush and sage grouse are under threat from a few different factors: Cheatgrass-encouraged wildfires through the habitat, pinyon-juniper encroachment into the ecosystem, and general land development. To help understand what’s happening with sage grous...

Each year, thousands of visitors flock to Bear Lake to take advantage of its blue waters and sandy beaches, but those thousands of visitors are also disrupting one key thing that makes the lake so pristine: its ecosystem.

Compost, a mixture of decayed organic material, can be used as a natural way to enrich soil and fertilize plants. You can create compost for your home or school garden by using food scraps (e.g., vegetable and fruit peels, coffee grounds, tea leaves, egg ...

Sagebrush and sage grouse are under threat from a few different factors: Cheatgrass-encouraged wildfires through the habitat, pinyon-juniper encroachment into the ecosystem, and general land development. To help understand what’s happening with sage grous...

Animals within social groups respond to costs and benefits of sociality by adjusting the proportion of time they spend in close proximity to other individuals in the group (cohesion). Variation in cohesion between individuals, in turn, shapes important gr...

From a view deep beneath the surface of the ocean to one from atop a sun-baked sandstone turret, this year’s Field Season Photo Contest offered an extraordinary range of scenic submissions — the most in the contest’s three-year run. The assignment: to sho...

Tannins are naturally occurring polyphenolic compounds increasingly recognized for their potential benefits to ruminants. Tannins can be extracted from plants' roots, bark, leaves, and seed husks. Management of plant communities to produce a diverse array...

Metabarcoding of environmental DNA (eDNA) has revolutionized the detection of aquatic species across large geographic scales. However, the effectiveness of eDNA metabarcoding across taxa is marker-dependent, often requiring multiple markers to detect dive...

Elexis Bernstein, forestry club president, organized a club event to update the forestry club scrapbook in the spring semester of 2022. Bernstein and another student, Ellie Tenbrink, discovered Forestry Camp while looking through historical photos to put ...

Utah researchers are working to restore Green River tributaries with a host of strategies including reintroducing beavers and removing invasive plants. There have been significant changes to ecosystems in recent years, in large part due to human activitie...

If anyone understands dedication to an engineering career, it’s Matt Draper. Draper, Senior Director of Research and Development at Edwards Lifesciences, currently spends his time designing and manufacturing products used for cardiac monitoring

The Biological Engineering (BE) Department at Utah State University has once again demonstrated its excellence at the prestigious Institute of Biological Engineering (IBE) Conference, which was held this year in Atlanta, GA.

How can restoration efforts around Bear Lake in Utah and Idaho support native species? That is what Tyler Coleman, a QCNR master’s student in Ecological Restoration, sought to answer as one of the Bear Lake Grant Recipients awarded in 2023.

Water storage is vitally important in the arid West. Reservoirs hold water for irrigation, drinking, hydroelectricity and recreation. But nature needs access to water too, so operational instructions for dams require some of the incoming water to be sent ...

Climate change is expected to impact forests worldwide, according to the EPA — in some ways to the benefit of a forest, in others to its detriment. Regardless, it will likely cause disturbances to, and within, their ecosystems.

QCNR Camp is a weekend-long experience for USU students wishing to learn field skills. This year we are focusing on fundamentals of the field with a variety of sessions taught by faculty, clubs, students, and USU alumni. Join us in Logan Canyon up Frankli...

The nutritional value of grasslands declines as the season progresses, negatively impacting cattle nutrition. Protein supplementation may reverse this trend, although high rates of ruminal proteolysis reduce the efficiency of N utilization.

With a nickname like the Beehive State, it’s fitting that honey-loving bears call Utah home. And lately, they’ve been making more appearances than usual. In June, a black bear attracted gawkers in Salt Lake City’s Marmalade neighborhood. In July, another ...

The decrease in reservoir storage following the 2024 inflow season has been thankfully modest, but not nearly as favorable as it was at this time last year. Perseverance in reducing consumptive uses and losses is needed to provide reliability and security...

The S.J. and Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources is introducing new leadership this fall. Christopher Keyes joins the college as department head of wildland resources, Edd Hammill is interim department head of watershed sciences, and Juan Villa...

We’re excited to share some fantastic updates in this season’s newsletter! You’ll find a bunch of new project photos, two fresh career videos featuring our very own Dr. Jennifer MacAdam, and some valuable resource sheets we’d love for you to share with yo...

In life, big animals create outsized impacts in the places they live. They eat more, live longer, and move further afield than their more compact counterparts. Really big animals — rhinos, hippos, whales, and elephants — are a special class in this revolv...

Human disturbance is altering wildlife distributions and densities through habitat loss, climate change, pollution, and direct human presence. Animal behavior plays a key role in linking these disturbances to population outcomes, with the spatial–social i...

Host social and spatial structures, along with pathogen environmental persistence, influence the spread of environmentally transmitted diseases. Using an agent-based model, researchers examined how host mobility, social behavior, and pathogen decay rates ...

The availability of social resources, such as access to mates, can influence animal movement decisions, but these effects are rarely measured. This study examined how breeding season duration affects long-distance foray movements in male bighorn sheep acr...

“The collection consists of around a million specimens of just these ichneumonid wasps. So just this one family of wasps. And in it there’s, it's really hard to say exact figures, but there's probably something like 10 to 20,000 undescribed species just s...

Community context plays a crucial role in shaping perceptions of forest risks and land management preferences. This study examines how nine Colorado communities responded to the mountain pine beetle outbreak over time using longitudinal interviews and sur...

Trail cameras (also called game or wildlife cameras) have been used for decades to document wildlife for personal use (for example, identifying key areas frequented by game animals), education, and scientific use (documenting distributions of animals arou...

The Colorado River watershed, a vital source of water for seven U.S. states and Mexico, is in historic crisis. This major river system irrigates vast agricultural lands in the West, supports cities, generates hydroelectricity and is used by 40 million

When it comes to wildlife mischief, we have found the biggest troublemaker, and it is us.

As the most widespread large carnivore on the planet, domestic dogs can pose a major threat to wildlife, even within protected areas (PAs). Growing human presence in PAs, coupled with increasing pet dog ownership underscores the urgency to understand the ...

Lake Tahoe, California - On a clear day at Lake Tahoe's beaches, visitors to the cobalt waters of North America's largest alpine lake don't see signs of smoke from wildfires raging across much of California in what is shaping up to be one of the worst fir...

Each summer the Quinney College of Natural Resources offers paid internships to undergraduate students who want to get their feet wet in a chosen professional field. One of this year's interns, wildlife management major Grace Johnson, built hands-on ex

Beneath almost every aspect of modern life streams a colossal river of data. From tracking weather to collecting satellite images to monitoring air quality, traffic patterns, environmental changes and urban development, a staggering amount of information ...

New research from Utah State University engineers aims to improve crop health by curbing two major factors: climate change and drought.

A professor of civil and environmental engineering is leading the charge to find a solution for the utilization of waste hemp fibers to biomanufacture fire-resistant, high-strength concrete.

Animals may be able to adapt to human-induced environmental change, thereby rescuing their populations from extinction. Yet it is unclear whether long-term adaptive change in genotypes, known as evolutionary rescue, is possible for free-living animals. Us...

A team led by Jim Lutz, professor in Wildland Resources, is working through sun and storm this summer at Cedar Breaks National Monument in Southern Utah, checking up on trees. Across the West, trees have been dying at higher rates, from things like bark b...

Many species of birds, including grouse, are declining across natural ranges and need conservation actions to ensure long-term population stability. Translocation, the intentional capture, transport, and release of animals to a novel area, is one tool tha...

Climate change is a global challenge to ecosystem services, altering crop yields and food security worldwide. In the context of climate change, Onobrychis viciifolia Scop. (sainfoin) can offer a multitude of ecosystem services conferred by its multifacete...

Commentary: Function over form: the benefits of aspen for Greater Sage-grouse by Michel T. Kohl, Associate Professor of Wildlife Management and Wildlife Extension Specialist, University of Georgia and David Dahlgren, Associate Professor and Rangeland W

Results suggest that hunting (pursuit with hounds resulting in harvest) and non-lethal pursuit (pursuit with hounds but no harvest allowed) increase avoidance of anthropogenic landscapes during dispersal for juvenile mountain lions. By comparing populatio...

"Sometimes the crazy ideas lead to watershed improvements." That was a key takeaway from new research conducted by Utah State University, published in the American Society of Civil Engineer’s Journal of Water Resources Planning and Management.

Pocket gophers can damage agriculture and human development infrastructure from consuming plants in agricultural fields to chewing through electrical cables. Understanding and managing pocket gopher habits is the key to effective control. This fact sheet ...

Plant secondary compounds (PSCs) were thought to be waste products of plant metabolism when first identified in the mid-1800 s. Since then, many different roles have been recognized for these chemicals

The Great Salt Lake released 4.1 million tons of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in 2020, researchers found -- more evidence that dried-out lakes are a significant source of emissions.

In celebration of Utah’s Pioneer Day, Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering Assistant Professor Nadia Kouraytem is being recognized as a Pioneer of Progress in science and technology.

The Utah State University surveying team took home first place in the nation for their topographic map during this year’s surveying finals, hosted by the American Society for Civil Engineers.

Habitat selection models often struggle to predict animal space use beyond the original study area and time due to individual and environmental variability. This study developed a modeling workflow that accounts for variation in habitat selection from 238...

The National Science Foundation has awarded Utah State University’s College of Engineering a $1 million grant to help prepare students for the rapidly evolving careers in life sciences and biotechnology.

Despite the modest runoff of 2024, water managers were able to increase reservoir storage, because they had done such a good job of limiting consumptive uses following the 2023 runoff season.

A researcher at Utah State University and her team discovered that old seeds from a coastal marsh plant can be brought back to life. The resurrected plants can offer clues about how quickly coastal wetlands are adapting to environmental changes.

Forest managers are searching for better approaches to manage low-value material resulting from fuels management and timber harvest. The conventional practice of slash pile burning emits pollutants and greenhouse gases, and leaves behind burn scars that d...

Watch the Zoom recording from the last day of our meeting. It's a three-hour session where we brainstorm, integrate, and provide feedback on: -What we learned -Our plans for the year -Improving integration of research, extension, and education effort

Lakes and rivers in North America are subject to various types of pollution, from toxic metal runoff to microplastics. But in the age of human-caused climate change, a certain type of contaminant is now raising concern among scientists who study natural b...

Check out the photos from our annual meeting this year. View the research sites, meeting attendees and speakers.

This book explores the multifaceted importance northern Yellowstone elk play in the park’s history, maintaining its biodiversity, and captivating the minds and hearts of people who care about Yellowstone and wildlife. Throughout these chapters, we learn a...

Utah State University Professor and air quality expert Randy Martin was named Person of the Year at the Utah Clean Air Partnership Summit this past month, recognizing his work and achievements dedicated to improving Utah’s air quality.

The Utah State University rocketry team celebrated several wins at the annual Spaceport America Cup in White Sands, New Mexico.

The AeroLab at Utah State University is changing the way engineers design aeronautical vehicles with new, optimized design software built from scratch.

Science Moab speaks with Kari Veblen, Utah State University professor of rangeland ecology. The Veblen lab at USU includes a diverse group of field-based ecologists who work on both public and private lands that are managed for both wildlife conservation ...

The National 4-H Wildlife Habitat Education Program (WHEP) is designed to teach youth the fundamentals of wildlife and fisheries science and management.

Wildlife crossing structures have been increasingly implemented in the United States and as research progresses, managers have slowly improved criteria for design and placement strategies to maximize the effectiveness of each crossing structure.

Gray wolves comprise one of the most widely distributed carnivore species on the planet, but they face myriad environmental and anthropogenic pressures. Here, we look at how seasonal home range size and diel activity patterns among resident and non-reside...

MISSOULA, Mont. — A study by Utah State University research professor Julie Young, Ph.D., in collaboration with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks bear biologist Wesley Sarmento found livestock guardian dogs could be effective at deterring grizzly bears.

In the 1960s, NASA set out to put a man on the moon. In the 2030s, NASA plans to boldly go where no man has gone before: with help from researchers at Utah State University.

Engineering students at Utah State University are preparing to send a satellite into space with the help of NASA and astronauts at the International Space Station, scheduled to launch in 2026.

A drying lake and increase of drought have led to a research proposal by Utah State University Assistant Professor Sierra Young who is using hyperspectral imaging to study the effects of dust deposition on vegetation.

When you think of engineering, you might picture the basics—heavy math and equations, complex bridges or electrical systems, even rockets and gears. But have you ever thought of using rhetoric for engineering research?

Human-caused climate change alters ecosystem processes ranging from local to global scales. As a consequence of climate change we should expect increased rates and intensities of disturbance events.

Quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides) forests are widely known and prized for their numerous values—biodiversity, habitat, forage, recreation, aesthetics, and others—including as a deterrent to wildfire. This reputation for stopping or slowing flames is ex...

Raised garden beds, also called garden boxes, are great for growing small plots of veggies and flowers. Raised beds are different from container gardening as they do not have bottoms; they are open to the ground, which offers the benefit of permitting pla...

During this lesson, students engage with the phenomenon of the coevolution of structures of pollen and pollinators and their functions. Students collect pollen, prepare pollen slides, and make observations of the features and structures of pollen. Next, s...

When most people think of a home for a bee, they probably picture the white wooden hives or domeshaped skeps associated with beekeeping. Those homes are just for honeybees, a single social species of non-native bee that is kept around the world for honey ...

Insects play a very important role in your garden as pollinators, prey for beneficial wildlife, predators controlling insect pests, and as soil nutrient recyclers. Follow the best gardening practices below to promote insect conservation and create healthy...

Many flowering plants and trees, as well as vegetables, are critical to healthy and biodiverse habitats. Installing a smart foodscape in which you integrate edible plants into an existing landscape is a great way to do just this! The key is to create mult...

In the United States, many houses have roofs that allow water to flow down the sides, being directed into a rain gutter and then a downspout. Traditionally, this water is dumped into the ground, a ditch, or the street as it flows back into the ground or i...

Vertical gardening is the practice of in-ground gardening that grows plants up a trellis, arch, or vertical support. It can be used in container gardening by growing vertically. Some vertical gardens employ hydroponics to feed their plants. Vertical garde...

Megan Vahsen is this year’s winner of the George Mercer award from the Ecological Society of America, a notable recognition for “outstanding contributions to ecology by an early-career author.” Vahsen led the team that published research on how rapid plan...

For decades, the world declared supersonic flight to be "good enough" for commercial air travel. Some aerospace engineers aren’t quite satisfied.

The Central Valley Water Reclamation Facility (CVWRF), the largest wastewater treatment facility in Utah, treats the wastewater of approximately 500,000 residents daily.

Quaking aspen landscapes are valued for their biodiversity, water retention, fire mitigation, aesthetics, and recreation opportunities, however, some aspen populations are experiencing population declines. At a popular recreational area in Utah, USA, iden...

Devin Nielsen is the USU recipient of the FY24 NASA Space Technology Graduate Research Opportunities fellowship, a nationally-recognized fellowship provided by NASA. Roughly 50 graduate students receive this award each year.

Opportunities to rebuild basin-wide reservoir storage have been rare in the 21st century, and there have been many years in which there is significant risk of basin-wide reservoir storage depletion. the natural flow of the Colorado River at Lees Ferry in ...

Dr. Larry Krissek from Utah State University tells us how much fun it is to be a Geologist.

Mark your calendar for our upcoming Smart Foodscapes Annual Advisory Board meeting, May 21st, 22nd, 23rd, 2024. Please RSVP to Resha Whitaker by sending an email to resha.whitaker@usu.edu.

Dr. Larry Krissek from Utah State University tells how fun it is to be a Geologist. This video is designed for High School students grade 9 to 12.

Co-PI Dr. Katherine Vella describes the sustainable gardens project we are doing in Wellington Utah.

Industry and leading experts in the computer engineering field gathered in Dagstuhl, a renowned computer science research center in Wadern, Germany this past March.

SALT LAKE CITY — The Great Salt Lake Commissioner's Office will gather scientists and state officials this week to discuss the problem of potentially toxic dust that blows off an exposed lake bed and into communities.

Utah State University Associate Professor Patrick Singleton is this year’s Trailblazer Award winner, selected by the Utah Division of Transportation.

Journalists, researchers, and Colorado River experts gathered at the Utah State University Moab campus in late April to launch the Colorado River Collaborative, a statewide media group to help train, inform, and support news organizations in telling solut...

ScholarGPS, a leading authority in academic rankings, has named Dr. Foster Agblevor, Professor of Biological Engineering at Utah State University (USU) Logan UT, as an inaugural Highly Ranked Scholar™.

Commentary: Climate change insurance: planting aspen seedlings as fuel breaks, by Catherine Schloegel, program Managers of the Nature Conservancy in Boulder, Colorado, and Jordan Mead, Resource Specialist for Summit County Open Space and Trails Department...

Utah is a place of outdoor wonders with iconic arches mountains framing picturesque communities, otherworldly salt flats, birding hotspots, and some of the greatest snow on earth. And yet, the state has another, less appreciated outdoor treasure of world-...

Standing knee-deep in the glinting current of the Weber River with fly rod in hand, this year’s valedictorian from the Quinney College of Natural Resources felt a sudden tug on the line. Austin Garner wrestled a good-sized fish into his net and took what ...

Scientists have typically assumed that forest disturbances reduce evaporation and transpiration and increase the amount of water available to streams.

The Utah State University Design, Build, Fly team returned from their April competition in Wichita, Kansas in the top 20 percent of all teams.

It was a moment of definite triumph, but it didn’t look like one. Somewhere on the periphery of a Montana wilderness splayed near the parking lot of a rural gas station lay an exhausted Anaís Barrientos, alongside her equally-spent colleagues. Empty candy...

Showing up to campus packing four-and-a-half years’ experience from the U.S. Coast Guard, Jacob Lancaster didn’t necessarily anticipate a “typical” undergraduate experience in the Quinney College of Natural Resources. But now, set to graduate with a degre...

Degradation of drylands has led to extensive efforts to restore big sagebrush in the western U.S., with interest in using greenhouse-grown seedlings ("tubelings") or locally collected transplants ("wildlings"). A study in southeastern Idaho compared the s...

You can typically find Jenna Mills scribbling away in a notebook, filling nearly every inch of page with schematics, depiction of stream flow, geological cross section, and doodles of critters and scenery. Understanding of the earth’s processes pushes her...

The Utah State University student chapter of the American Society of Civil Engineers made good use of their home turf advantage—placing in seven out of eight events they competed in at this year’s Intermountain Southwest Student Symposium.

Rose Hu, the associate dean for research in the College of Engineering and professor in the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department at Utah State University, has been selected as a fellow for the American Association for the Advancement of Science....

In a warming world, new research has found something unexpected at iconic Yellowstone Lake, North America’s largest high-elevation lake. The time the lake is covered by ice each winter is holding steady — the same as it has been for the last century —

Although we can’t promise it won’t snow in Cache Valley, we can promise this: Senior Design Night, USU’s largest tech and innovation expo, is back, featuring dozens of unique senior projects.

Utah State University’s Quinney College of Natural Resources hosted a special seminar this month featuring Dr. Mamie Parker, a professional fish and wildlife biologist, success coach, and consultant. Dr. Parker described the ‘secret sauce’ that she uses w...

Non‐native species can affect ecosystems by influencing native predator‐prey dynamics. Therefore, management interventions designed to remove non‐natives may inadvertently lead to increased predation on native species. Feral horses are widely distributed ...

Solutions for Science Conference, held at Weber State University, was a pivotal event for Morgan Christensen, an aspiring researcher passionate about environmental health.

On the prairies of north central Montana, farmers must sometimes contend with a worrisome visitor: the grizzly bear. Hungry bears, attracted by grain that has spilled from storage bins, will wander close to worksites and homes, leading to potentially dang...

Please join the College of Engineering in recognizing the achievements of two Utah State University engineering students who were honored at the university’s annual Robins Award Ceremony on April 5.

Whether you’re solving sudoku, crushing candy or flinging furious fowl, interactive games have become a default part of many people’s lives. Where some see a chance to zone out, Department of Watershed Sciences faculty Janice Brahney sees an opportunity t...

People depend on natural ecosystems of trees, grasses and shrubs to capture carbon from the atmosphere and pull it underground to slow the decline toward climate-change disaster. Ironically, these same protected spaces also tend to be highly photogenic ho...

The USU Logan campus celebrated the Quinney College of Natural Resources this week with events, awards, contests and plenty of good food. See photos of the events at the link! Students joined us for daily events: Yoga, Tamales & Trivia, The "You Belong i...

Join the College of Engineering in congratulating our five newly promoted faculty members.

As temperatures continue to stay low, a cozy solution is on the horizon for staff and faculty at Utah State University. The "Make a Blanket Statement" campaign is led by USU Facilities and two students — Abby Baggs and Keeley Livingstone — in ENVS 4700: C...

We are proud to announce that Dr. Karen Beard is the recipient of this year's USU Faculty Award for Researcher of the Year! Dr. Karen Beard is a Professor in the Department of Wildland Resources and the Ecology Center. She has been at USU for 22 years, wh...

The Center for the Design and Manufacturing of Advanced Materials will hold its first professional training symposium and mark the opening of Utah’s first research center dedicated to advanced materials on April 19.

Modern dust contains fertilizers, pesticides and tiny plastics, said Janice Brahney, an associate professor with Utah State University’s Department of Watershed Sciences.

The tourism industry needs strategies to reduce emissions and hasten the achievement of global carbon dioxide (CO2) emission reduction targets. A case study of Yellowstone National Park found that tourism generates approximately 1.03 megatons of CO2-equiv...

Faculty from the College of Engineering took four of 10 university-level awards presented at the Utah State University’s fourth annual faculty awards ceremony on March 28.

Utah State University and the Utah Water Research Laboratory mourn the loss of emeritus professor Trevor Hughes.

Sophia Hessami, a student majoring in biological engineering at Utah State University, has been named a 2024 Goldwater Scholar.

For a city or suburban coyote, having a dash more boldness than that of its rural counterparts might be an important personality trait if the animal wants to make it among humans, says Julie Young, an animal behaviorist in QCNR in this article on sharing ...

A full accounting of where the Colorado River water goes en route to its delta can aid design of strategies and plans for bringing water use into balance with available supplies, according to new research.

One more outstanding achievements of our Biological Engineering faculty and students at the prestigious 2024 Engineers Week Awards Banquet, held on 02/23/24.

Linda Nagel came to USU in 2022 to lead the Quinney College of Natural Resources after seven years as professor and head in the Department of Forest and Rangeland Stewardship at Colorado State University. Nagel has 24 years of experience as a university p...

The Utah State University Logan campus will host the American Society of Civil Engineers regional symposium for the first time in 11 years.

The Editorial Board of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) selected six papers published in 2023 to receive the prestigious Cozzarelli Prize, and among them is T. J. Clark-Wolf, assistant professor in the department of Wildland Reso...

Children are full of wonder concerning the natural world. They instinctively ask how, what, and why questions about their surroundings. Fostering this interest supports the development of children’s ideas about the world and their budding understanding of...

The Biological Engineering Department at Utah State University recently hosted its highly anticipated Awards Ceremony on Friday, Feb. 23rd, at 12:30 pm.

What do birds and bees have to do with flowers and trees? How do pollinators connect to this thing called “love”? This 3-D lesson distinguishes itself from classic flower dissection lessons in that we tell the flowering plant story from the perspectiv

Social connections are crucial for today’s middle and high school students. We address this social need through a 3-H Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) Cycle. Through the Three Sisters Garden activity presented here, we teach secondary school students a...

Throughout her four-decade tenure at Utah State University, Kathy Bayn devoted herself to the institution, retiring in 2016.

Utah State University graduate Phillip Hwang and his wife, Gemma, received the Spirit of Old Main Award for their dedication and commitment to making a positive impact in their fields. This has earned them the Spirit of Old Main award.

Since our last newsletter, our department has had a number of exciting changes, including the inauguration of a new university president.

For the first time, Wasatch County cities are joining in the Utah Wellbeing Project, a survey conducted by Utah State University. Dr. Courtney Flint is a professor in the Department of Environment and Society at USU. She said she’s been administering the ...

Authors: Vela et al. A real-world integrated activity allows middle school students to design a scale drawing for a garden at their school.

The world’s freshwater systems are in a sort of a climate-change cocktail — rising temperatures, fluctuating levels of environmental acidity and shifting concentrations of dissolved nutrients that settle into the lakes, ponds and wetlands of the world are...

Utah State University Professor Brady Cox is this year’s recipient of the American Society of Civil Engineers Prakash Lecturer Award for outstanding research or professional practice contributions in the area of geotechnical engineering or soil dynamics....

This study examines genetic resiliency in two sibling bumble bee species of conservation concern by analyzing museum specimens collected between 1960 and 2020 using 15 microsatellite markers. The findings reveal a decline in allelic richness decades befor...

Utah State University has published a third extensive study of commonly used waterpipe materials titled, “Water Main Break Rates in the USA and Canada: A Comprehensive Study.”

Sightings of mountain lions in cities are not frequent, but they do happen, said David Stoner. As deer and elk migrate from the mountains to browse on leftovers from lawns and gardens in late winter, predators sometimes follow, he said. But humans likely ...

A U.S. manufacturing and mining boom launched under President Biden is just getting started, and most of it is heading to Republican-leaning communities, according to metrics developed by Peter Howe in the department of Environment and Society.

The goal of the summer internship is to give undergraduate or graduate students an opportunity to gain hands on experience supporting and maintaining a trail use monitoring program in southeastern Utah.

The impact of climate change on arid land is the focus of cutting-edge research at the Nature Conservancy’s Canyonlands Research Center (CRC) at the Dugout Ranch. The center hosted an open house on a beautiful September day to discuss the research. Preli...

Why, exactly, aren’t universities better at moving the needle on climate change, even on their own campuses? Carrying a mandate to serve the public good and designed for innovation, one would think that institutions of higher education would be leaders in...

Utah’s first ever Outdoor Recreation Strategic Plan was released Friday at the Utah State Capitol, offering state leaders, land managers and outdoor enthusiasts an insider’s look at how recreation access and infrastructure will evolve over the next 20 yea...

Legumes and forbs contain bioactives or plant secondary compounds (PSC) with potential to enhance animal health through their antibiotic, antioxidant and immunomodulatory properties that are evident even at small dietary concentrations. In turn, ruminants...

Are you ready for Engineers Week? The Utah State University College of Engineering will join universities across the nation to celebrate the annual Engineers week— four days full of events, activities and educational fun.

Utah State University has been selected as a member of the United States Space Command University Academic Engagement Enterprise. The goal is to foster relationships between academic institutions and the initiative.

There may, as they say, be plenty of fish in the sea — but angling opportunities on Utah’s streams, rivers and lakes are getting more crowded. The number of anglers trying their luck on Utah waters has consistently increased over the years, meanwhile i

Dr. Kaitlin Campbell, Associate Professor, Biology Department at University of North Carolina, Pembroke explains the interesting diversification of her career as an entomologist. This video is created for High School students from 9th to 12th grade.

Dr. Kaitlin Campbell, Associate Professor, Biology Department at University of North Carolina, Pembroke explains the interesting diversification of her career as an entomologist. This video is designed for a younger group of children, grades kindergarten ...