Student Research
In support of interdisciplinary student training, the GCSC offers research grants to eligible graduate students. These funds are awarded in support of thesis-related research that broadens a student's disciplinary focus into a new interdisciplinary direction. Grantees present their research at our annual Environment and Sustainability Research Symposium.
Projects that have been supported by GCSC Graduate Student Research grants are listed below.
-
Sammy Fernandes, Communication
Alternative Communication: From Mainstream Media to Frontline IndigenousMario Lopez-Huertas, City & Metropolitan Planning
Communicating Indigenous Knowledges in Settler-State PlanningMario Lopez-Huertas, City & Metropolitan Planning
Communicating Indigenous Knowledges in Settler-State PlanningMario Lopez-Huertas, City & Metropolitan Planning
Communicating Indigenous Knowledges in Settler-State PlanningRexford Osei Owusu, City & Metropolitan Planning
Do concerns about green gentrification affect mental health and wellbeing?Rexford Osei Owusu, City & Metropolitan Planning
Do concerns about green gentrification affect mental health and wellbeing?Rexford Osei Owusu, City & Metropolitan Planning
Do concerns about green gentrification affect mental health and wellbeing?Rexford Osei Owusu, City & Metropolitan Planning
Do concerns about green gentrification affect mental health and wellbeing?Rexford Osei Owusu, City & Metropolitan Planning
Do concerns about green gentrification affect mental health and wellbeing?Rexford Osei Owusu, City & Metropolitan Planning
Do concerns about green gentrification affect mental health and wellbeing?Rexford Osei Owusu, City & Metropolitan Planning
Do concerns about green gentrification affect mental health and wellbeing?Rexford Osei Owusu, City & Metropolitan Planning
Do concerns about green gentrification affect mental health and wellbeing?Michael Broughton, Geography
New Directions for Packrat Midden Research: Developing Isotopic Records of Long-Term Paleoclimate Change from Amberat DepositsMichael Broughton, Geography
New Directions for Packrat Midden Research: Developing Isotopic Records of Long-Term Paleoclimate Change from Amberat DepositsMichael Broughton, Geography
New Directions for Packrat Midden Research: Developing Isotopic Records of Long-Term Paleoclimate Change from Amberat DepositsMichael Broughton, Geography
New Directions for Packrat Midden Research: Developing Isotopic Records of Long-Term Paleoclimate Change from Amberat DepositsMichael Broughton, Geography
New Directions for Packrat Midden Research: Developing Isotopic Records of Long-Term Paleoclimate Change from Amberat DepositsMichael Broughton, Geography
New Directions for Packrat Midden Research: Developing Isotopic Records of Long-Term Paleoclimate Change from Amberat DepositsMichael Broughton, Geography
New Directions for Packrat Midden Research: Developing Isotopic Records of Long-Term Paleoclimate Change from Amberat DepositsMichael Broughton, Geography
New Directions for Packrat Midden Research: Developing Isotopic Records of Long-Term Paleoclimate Change from Amberat DepositsMichael Broughton, Geography
New Directions for Packrat Midden Research: Developing Isotopic Records of Long-Term Paleoclimate Change from Amberat DepositsMichael Broughton, Geography
New Directions for Packrat Midden Research: Developing Isotopic Records of Long-Term Paleoclimate Change from Amberat Deposits -
Connor Davis Anthropology
How rural ranching communities manipulate herd management strategies in response to drought in Baja California Sur, MexicoAustin Green Biology
Assessing the Effectiveness of the Parley’s Summit Wildlife OverpassStella Mosher Geography
Fire in the Fynbos: A high-resolution investigation into climate-fire-vegetation-human links over millennia in the hyper biodiverse fynbos biome, South AfricaKathryn Sokolowski Anthropology
Resolving Pleistocene herbivore dietary ecology in the fynbos biome (Western Cape Province, South Africa)Xuan (Karen) Zhang Sociology
How Have Economic Growth and Industrial Development Affected the Environment and Population Health in China? A Quantitative Analysis at the Provincial Level from 2001-2018Derek Halm Philosophy
Investigating Change and Hybridization in Two Utah Toad SpeciesDallas Herndon Music
Valley: Three Corners of Our Room; An Interdisciplinary Work for Chamber Choir, Solo Instruments, and ElectronicsTasnim Tarannum Isaba City & Metropolitan Planning
Assessing the Potential Feasibility of Planned Retreat against Emerging Wildfires in the USA: A Case Study of Marshall Wildfire, ColoradoFiona Summers Environmental Humanities Graduate Program
Indigenizing the Junior Ranger Booklet at Antelope Island State Park in collaboration with the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone NationAmy Collins Professional Master of Science & Technology
Understanding the effectiveness and environmental economic considerations of engineered wetlands at Great Salt Lake Shorelands Nature PreserveTara Hetz Parks, Recreation & Tourism
A Gateway Community's Journey to Destination StewardshipKyle Kittelberger Biology
Tying the Breeding Origin of Migratory Birds During Fall Migration in Utah Amid Ongoing Climatic Changes through Stable Isotope Analyses of Feather SamplesKaedan O'Brien Anthropology
Reconstructing paleoclimate, seasonality, and ancient migratory systems in the Late Pleistocene of the eastern Lake Victoria Basin, KenyaBaylee Olds Geology & Geophysics
Landscape, Climate, and Radiation Controls on Net Snow Water AvailabilityMadelyn Purnell Biology
Adapting to Change: Evolutionary History of Extremophile Nematodes in the Great Salt LakeSusana Velasquez-Franco Geography
Listening to Las Lagunas: a long-term perspective applied to environmental management in the Equatorial AndesMeg Wolf Geology & Geophysics
Advancing process understanding of how catchment groundwater storage buffers streamflow during drought -
Maria Archibald Environmental Humanities Graduate Program
Learning by Doing: Developing a Collaborative Climate Justice Curriculum for Young ActivistsAbby Baka Anthropology
Prey Choice and Technological Investment at North Creek Shelter, UT: A Behavioral Ecological Analysis of Peleoarchaic and Early Archaic Lithic TechnologyJeremiah Bernau Geology & Geophysics
How will saline landscapes change during the Anthropocene? Using environmental records from the Bonneville Salt Flats to understand the effect of changing water availability and climate upon saline landscapes.Savannah Bommarito Geography
Paleoecological Contributions to Land Management at Dugway Proving Ground, UtahArchana Dahal Civil & Environmental Engineering
Cyanotoxin impact on ecosystem functionality and environmental sustainabilityHannah Hartley Geology & Geophysics
Analyzing lead isotope ratios from sediment traps to determine signals of cyclic seasonal sedimentation in Lake Powell, UTNoah Hirshorn Atmospheric Sciences
Funding to Provide Cartridges for Biogenic Gas Measurements at Storm Peak LaboratoryHayley Kievman Anthropology
An investigation into pre-contact indigenous resource management in coastal CaliforniaMaya Kobe-Rundio Environmental Humanities Graduate Program
Notes from the Landscape of Grief: A Multispecies EthnographySamuel Lopez Geology & Geophysics
Developing a method for mercury stable isotope analysis in saline waters with direct applications to a local mercury-impaired ecosystem (Great Salt Lake, Utah)Bishav Bhattarai Civil & Environmental Engineering
Study of virus-host interaction in the anaerobic digester using metagenomics for optimization of sustainable waste management and renewable energy productionBlanca Yagüe Anthropology
Importance of Indigenous foods in the economy and social life of Indigenous peoples in MitúKyle Brennan Geology & Geophysics
Developing Strontium Isotope Maps to Sustainably Manage Salmon of the Taku River Fishery. (British Columbia & Alaska)Jessica Chaplain Communication
Resilence or Vunerability? On the Frontline of Climate SolutionsSua Kim City & Metropolitan Planning
Assessing the economic recovery of local business interruption after disasters, Salt Lake City, UtahKaedan O'Brien Anthropology
Tracking Late Quaternary Ungulate Migration and Seasonality in Kenya Using Stable IsotopesAbeer Sohrab Civil & Environmental Engineering
STUDY OF SURROGATE PATHOGENS IN WASTEWATER TO ENSURE WATER SUSTAINABILITYHannah Taub Environmental Humanities Graduate Program
Developing Indigenous History Programming at Antelope Island State Park -
Madeleine Bavley Environmental Humanities Graduate Program
DEEPTHROAT HORIZON: A Petro Porno [a film project commentary on petroleum culture]Dong-ah Choi City & Metropolitan Planning
Street greenery for active living communities: the relationship of physical and outdoor activity to automatically measured eye-level street greeneryRiley Finnegan Geology & Geophysics
Ambient Resonance of Indian Rock Arch, Yosemite National ParkAustin Green Biology
Where the Wild Things Are: How Species Navigate the Wasatch-Urban InterfaceJory Lerback Geology & Geophysics
Investigation of water resources used by Holocene foragers in the Bonneville basinKeaton Tremble Biology
Impact of ectomycorrhizal fungal diversity and competition on aspen gene regulationPeter Yaworsky Anthropology
Risk Mitigation in a Changing Environment: A Subsistence Farmer PerspectiveNatalie Blanton Sociology "
Wombs Day Preppers": Climate Anxiety, Environmental Change, and Childbearing in Salt Lake County, UtahRuby Diaz Civil & Environmental Engineering
Bioremediation of PFAS (Per and polyfluoroalkyl substances) using a combination of fungi and bacteria.Kevin Fagundo Ojeda City & Metropolitan Planning
En Masse: (Dis)placement and (dis)organization in HolyokeBrenden Fischer-Femal Geology & Geophysics
Examining paleosol chemistry to understand how soils responded to warm time periods in Earth history.Dale Forrister Biology
DNA Barcoding of Lepidoptera to Understand Insect Seasonality in Yasuni EcuadorSoklida Hong Civil & Environmental Engineering
Understanding Inhibition of Anammox Activity by Nitrite, Sulfide and Recalcitrant Carbons at a Functional Gene LevelKelly Kerr Biology
A multi-disciplinary approach to determining aspen drought tolerance and growthDylan Klure Biology
Investigating the Evolutionary Innovations of a Small Rodent to Novel Environmental ConditionsJiada Li Civil & Environmental Engineering
Smart real-time control to enhance flooding resilience and stormwater sustainability -
Devon Cantwell Political Science
City Climate Action Planning Processes and NetworkingKasey Cole Anthropology
Oxygen Isoscape Map of Northeastern CaliforniaDale Forrister Biology
Reaching new heights: plant-herbivore interactions in the rainforest canopyAustin Green Biology
Wasatch Wildlife Watch: A Community Science Approach to Investigating the Relationship between Humans and Wildlife in the Wasatch Mountain Wildland-Urban InterfaceJory Lerback Geology & Geophysics
Developing an isotopic proxy for paleo-springwater mean residence times using carbon isotopesPhilip-Peter Maxeiner Geology & Geophysics
Carbon and Strontium Chemo-Stratigraphy to Constrain the Triassic-Jurassic Boundary in Central PeruMonte Neate-Clegg Biology
Elevational shifts in an Afrotropical bird community: a 38-year resurveyKaedan O'Brien Anthropology
Multiproxy assessment of African fossil horse dietary ecologyPeter Yaworsky Anthropology
Risk Mitigation in a Changing Environment: A Subsistence Farmer PerspectiveBenjamin Breeden Geology & Geophysics
Paleoenvironmental and biotic responses to the Toarcian Ocean Anoxic Event: New insights from southwest Japan (Toyota Town, Yamaguchi Prefecture)Natalie Blanton Sociology
Wombs Day Preppers: Climate Change and Childbearing in Salt Lake County, UtahMargaret Doolin Biology
Desert herbivory in the age of global climate changeSusana Velásquez-Franco Geography
Listening to the Lagoon: Long-term Ecology to Improve Tropical Forests Environmental Management. -
Elizabeth Berg Geology & Geophysics
Seismic Imaging the Subsurface of the Bonneville Salt FlatsJeremiah Bernau Geology & Geophysics
How are evaporation, dust events, and anthropogenic uses at the Bonneville Salts related? – An interdisciplinary project to explore ties between salt crust evaporation rates, human uses, and dust storms at the Bonneville Salt FlatsJames Blevins Anthropology
Sustainable Intertidal Resource Use: Developing Modern Baselines to Explain Prehistoric Human ImpactsMeaghan McKasy Communication
The Effect of Emotion, Knowledge, and Media Use on Attitudes and Public Opinion of Carbon Neutral PledgesTravis Morrison Engineering
A methodology for acquiring spatial surface reflectance utilizing UAVsEmily Post Anthropology
Effects of risk types on social support network structure in an Afro-Caribbean community impacted by Hurricane MariaMarian Rice Political Science
The Energy-Water Nexus: Hydraulic Fracturing in the Uinta BasinSierra Sahulka Engineering
Comparative Metagenomic Analysis of Genotypic and Phenotypic Antibiotic Resistance Between Four Distinct Sub-WatershedsEmerson Arehart Science
Conservation and Sustainability of Chile's Prized Wild Edible Mushroom, Boletus loyoHailey Blair Science
Feather Samples as a Source of DNA for Species Identification of Empidonax FlycatchersBenjamin Marconi Social & Behavioral Sciences
Refining Chronologies: Examining the Impact of Holocene Climate Change on Wetlands in Baja, MexicoJermy Thomas Engineering
Pilot Study on how indoor environmental and physiological variables affect human thermal comfortKeaton Tremble Science
Impact of ectomycorrhizal fungal diversity on aspen gene regulation -
Brooke Larsen Environmental Humanities Graduate Program
The Colorado Plateau as a Frontline for Climate JusticeJames Blevins Anthropology
Sustainable Intertidal Resource Use: Developing Modern Baselines to Explain Prehistoric Human ImpactsCarly Hansen Civil & Environmental Engineering
Monitoring Water Quality, Levels, and Bank Vegetation of the Jordan River using Low-Cost UAVNicole Torosin Anthropology
Evaluating the selective pressure effects of Yellow Fever Virus on howler monkey immune genes.Jory Lerback Geology & Geophysics
Defining the interaction between faults and sprigs in Skull Valley, UT and how changes in spring hydrology will affect anthropogenic useGrant Rea-Downing Geology & Geophysics
Developing magnetic techniques to track air pollution on the University of Utah campusJoshua Heyer Geography
A paleoecological reconstruction from an oxbow lake on the Dolores River, UtahAustin Green Biology
Ecology and Conservation of the Central Wasatch Range Mammal Community Along an Urban-Wildland InterfaceBenjamin Breeden Geology & Geophysics
Contextualizing the Rise of Dinosaurs in North America: A Chemostratigraphic Investigation of the Triassic-Jurassic Boundary Interval in Northeastern ArizonaCasey Clifford Environmental Humanities Graduate Program
Drowning in AirDale Forrister Biology
Using Drones to Monitor Plant Phenology in Yasuni, Ecuador's hyper-diverse tropical forestKenneth Vernon Anthropology
HUMAN PLANT USE IN RED BUTTE CANYONkeunhyun park City & Metropolitan Planning
Not Parking Lots But Parks: The Impact of Urban Parks on Sustainable Travel Behavior in Station AreasPratiti Tagore City & Metropolitan Planning
Decoding the Urban Neighborhood: Influences of social dynamics, built environment and natural environment on human perceptions and safetySabrina McNew Biology
Identifying reservoirs of invasive parasites -
Evan Kipnis Geology and Geophysics
Are changes to surface halite linked to shallow brine aquifer geochemistry at the Bonneville Salt Flats?Jordan Herman Biology
Breeding Birds and Climate Change: Can Nest Type Provide Shelter From the Storm?Sabrina McNew Biology
Does climate mediate the tolerance of Galapagos mockingbirds to invasive nest flies?Andrew Bartlow Biology
The Effect of Pinyon-Juniper Invasion on Parasite Communities in the Great BasinIan Summers Communication
This land is your land? The role of social identity within land disputesJoshua Mueller Geography
Paleotempestology of the British Virgin IslandsKate Magargal Anthropology
People and Fire in Prehistory in the Upper Escalante Watershed, UtahAlexei Perelet Mechanical Engineering
Exploration of the microclimate over structured sparse canopies using area averaged measurements from large aperture scintillometryJoyita Roy Chowdhury Economics
Cooperation and Water Resource management: Experimental Evidence from villages affected by natural disasters in rural Odisha, IndiaMaria Groves Geography
An Ecological and Climatic Reconstruction of Range Creek Canyon, UtahCasey Duncan Geology and Geophysics
Development and Deployment of a Low-Cost Multispectral Camera and UAVLeah Campbell Atmospheric Sciences
Mountain Effects on Precipitation in the Chilean Andes -
Ralph Burrillo Anthropology
δ18O Variability in Water Sources and Plant Cellulose on Elk Ridge, Southeast Utah: Data Collection for Models of Environmental Adaptation on the Prehistoric Colorado PlateauLogan Frederick Geology and Geophysics
Assessing Sedimentary Records of the Quimsacocha Region of Ecuador for Potential Paleoclimate AnalysisTyler Huth Geology and Geophysics
High resolution soil CO2 and soil water isotope profiles from Torrey, UtahCornelia Rasmussen Geology and Geophysics
Environmental effects of bolide impacts during the Late TriassicJoyita Roy Chowdhury Economics
Poverty Traps, Risk and Natural disasters: Micro evidence from rural Odisha, IndiaRose Verbos Parks, Recreation, and Tourism
Weather and outdoor recreation: A weather dependency framework and an exploration of outdoor recreationists’ perceptions of weather dependencyAmanda Bertana Sociology
Doctoral Dissertation Research: Environmentally Induced MigrationLeah Campbell Atmospheric Sciences
Mountain Effects on Precipitation in the Chilean AndesMegan Moser Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Understanding Potential Visitor Responses to the Possible Recession Of Exit Glacier At Kenai Fjords National ParkKatherine Schide Geology
A Geomorphic Study of Transgressive Deposits and Local Climate Change in Late Pleistocene Lake BonnevilleNicole Torosin Anthropology
A comparative study of human and howler monkey Toll-Like Receptor 7 under the selective pressure of yellow fever virusDanielle Ward Geography
Laser Diffraction Analysis of Range Creek Canyon SedimentsChris Zajchowski Parks, Recreation and Tourism
Valley flight: Normative standards for alpine recreation during air pollution events -
Ralph Burrillo Anthropology
δ18O Variability in Water Sources on the Colorado Plateau: Preliminaries to Stable Isotope Models of Prehistoric Irrigation.Vanessa Chavez Geography
Ciénega Activity and Climate Responses for a Desert Wetland in Baja California.Mark Chynoweth Biology
Human-wildlife conflict in eastern Turkey: gaining perspective from community surveysMohd Yusuf Jameel Geology & Geophysics
Deciphering the source of carbon in the anthropogenically modified rivers of the Great Salt Lake basinPatrice Kurnath Biology
Chill Out – Microclimate Use by Mammalian Herbivores Challenged with Temperature and ToxinsKate Magargal Anthropology
Fetching Firewood: Access to fuels as a constraint for prehistoric settlementNathan Miller Mechanical Engineering
An Experimental Study of Block-scale Particle Dispersion in Grape VineyardsEmily Schulze Biology
Hidden Water Worlds of Red Butte CanyonTracy Maezumi Geography
Neotropical Climate, Vegetation, and Fire Histories on Local and Regional ScalesTracy Maezumi Geography
Identifying the extent of Human Landscape Modification in the Bolivian AmazonCrystal Tulley-Cordova Geology & Geophysics
Recording the North American Monsoon in Arizona, New Mexico, and UtahMegan Walsh Civil & Environmental Engineering
Using Remote Sensing, GIS, and Field-Collected Data to Determine Erosion and Sedimentation Effects of the Oil & Gas Industry in the Uinta BasinKathryn White Parks, Recreation & Tourism
Spatial Analysis of Rock Climbers in Indian Creek, Utah -
Evan Buechley Biology
Conservation agriculture: A study of birds, ecosystem services, and the ecology of Ethiopian coffee farmsVachel Carter Geography
Forest Disturbance Regimes in the Uinta MountainsKendra Chritz Geology & Geophysics
Uncovering isotopic indicators of monsoon-induced terrestrial ecosystem change in easternAfricaYoucan Feng Civil & Environmental Engineering
Study of Stormwater Volume Captured and Evapotranspiration using a Small AutomatedLysimeter Constructed on the University of Utah Marriott Library Green RoofMohd Yusuf Jameel Geology & Geophysics
Impact of Anthropogenic activities on the Carbon budget of the Great Salt Lake, UtahMichael Lewis Anthropology
Modeling Basketmaker II diets through stable isotope analysis of modern indigenous flora: field collectionZachary Magdol Civil & Environmental Engineering
Assessing the Environmental Impacts of Red Butte GardenTimothy Price Mechanical Engineering
Enhanced Atmospheric Turbulence Measurement SystemGerald Schneider Biology
Assessing Trends in Anthropogenic Ozone within an Urban-influenced Tropical Forest andExamining the Effects of O3 on the Foliar Chemical LandscapeHilary Sgalitzer Parks, Recreation &Tourism
Sustainability: Understanding Travelers’ Motivations to Donate to ConservationPaul Thomas Geology & Geophysics
Barrier Complexes in the Deep Creek Mountains, UT as G.K. Gilbert’s “Intermediate Shorelines” of Pleistocene Lake BonnevilleTracy Maezumi Geography
Neotropical Climate, Vegetation, and Fire Histories on Local to Regional ScalesCrystal Tulley- Cordova Geology & Geophysics
High Frequency Monitoring of Stream Water Isotopes in Red Butte Creek -
Sarah Knutie Biology
Predicting long-term effects of an invasive parasite: quantifying the observer effectTracy Maezumi Geography
Neotropical Climate and Fire Histories on Local to Regional ScalesAnn Bryant Geography
Reflectance characteristics of dust in snow: in situ data informing remote sensing retrievalsMaria-Jose Endara Biology
Towards sustainable insect management in agroforestry: The relevance of host plant defensive traits and phylogeny in determining herbivore host choice in the speciose Neotropical tree genus, IngaBecky Hollingshaus Geology & Geophysics
Quantification of reservoir characteristics in areas of groundwater discharge – A Hydrolic Study in the Red Butte Canyon Research Natural AreaPatrice Kurnath Biology
Turning up the heat:Investigating the effects of climate change on liver metabolism in herbivorous mammalsDavid Lubbar Mathematics
Anistropic AC Measurements of Sea IceGreg Maurer Biology
Sensitivity of soil carbon cycle processes to mountain snowpack variabilityNathan Miller Mechanical Engineering
An Experimental Study of Fungal Spore Dispersion in Grape VineyardsErin Spear Biology
Phytopathogens as determinants of tree species distributions across a rainfall gradientJohanna Varner Biology
Too hot to trot? Factors promoting pika survival in a time of global changeJennifer Watt Geography
Bark beetle outbreaks and the role that vegetation plays in their disturbance ecologyBrett Wolfe Biology
The determinants of drought response in tropical treesCarina Maron Biology
Do southern right whales need to eat krill in order to reproduce successfully?
Global Changes and Society Project-based Course
Offered in the spring, the project-based course “Global Changes and Society” (SUST 6000) offers an interdisciplinary introduction to research related to global changes and sustainability. In this course, students from different disciplines Identify a theme or focus area, begin to learn the language and approaches of other disciplines around the theme, explore perspectives and approaches of different stakeholders, and develop a team project.
Read about the projects from each class.
Environment and Sustainability Research Symposium
Held every spring, the symposium provides a great opportunity for students from across campus to synthesize and present their research in a poster session. Presenters from past years are listed here.
Air Quality Scholars
The Air Quality Scholars program, sponsored by the Senior Vice President of Academic Affairs, the Sustainability Office, and the Global Change and Sustainability Center, provides scholarships, training, and engagement opportunities to U of U undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in understanding and improving air quality.
Undergraduates
The GCSC also engages in partnerships that provide undergraduate students with training and mentoring that will help prepare them to address the complex challenges of sustainability and the environment, working in interdisciplinary teams, where data sharing, collaboration, and communication are essential.