Trisha Atwood

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

Watershed Sciences

Dr. Atwood joined USU in 2015 as an Assistant Professor in the Watershed Sciences Department and the Ecology Center, where she runs the Aquatic Ecology and Global Change Lab at USU. Undergraduate students, graduate students, and staff in the lab conduct research on a broad array of questions relating to the health, conservation and dynamics of freshwater and marine ecosystems across the globe.

Dr. Atwood has mentored her undergraduate researchers in all aspects of the scientific process, from idea inception to grant writing to manuscript publication. Under her mentorship, over half of her students have received grants, such as the Undergraduate Research Opportunity Grants, to complete their own research projects, and eight of her undergraduate researchers are co-authors on her publications. Dr. Atwood has helped her undergraduate students gain international and national research experience through their inclusion in international working groups, presentations at international science meetings, and fieldwork abroad.

Dr. Atwood also co-developed and co-leads an annual study abroad experience to the Great Barrier Reef, where 13 undergraduate students receive hands-on research experience in coral reef ecology. To date this program has trained 39 students, and is one of the most popular study abroad experiences offered by USU.