James Lutz

S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources

Wildland Resources

An associate professor in USU’s Department of Wildland Resources, Dr. Lutz’s research focuses on the future of forests. He studies how trees die, the spatial patterns of forests, and most importantly, the dynamics of Big Trees. He is the Principal Investigator for three Smithsonian Forest Global EarthObservatory research sites, in Yosemite National Park (California), the T. T. Munger Natural Resource Area (Washington), and Cedar Breaks NationalMonument (Utah). Each year, he and his students examine and assess the fate of over 125,000 trees, snags, and logs. He has published 106 papers and received over $6M in research grants from the National Science Foundation, US Forest Service, US Geological Survey, National Park Service, JointFire Science Program, and the Smithsonian. The press has featured his work globally, including in a BBC video, https://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-us-canada-48564750 A member of USU’s faculty since 2013, Dr. Lutz graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1985 with degrees inElectrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Management. He received his PhD in Ecosystem Analysis from the University of Washington in 2008.Prior to joining academia, Dr. Lutz held a variety of positions in engineering and finance in Japan, the United Kingdom, and the United States.