Michelle Norman

2025 Peak Prize: Undergraduate Researcher of the Year Award Nominee

College of Science

Geosciences

Michelle Norman is a senior Undergraduate Research Fellow and Honors student majoring in geology who can usually be found outside perched on a precarious outcrop somewhere remote. Since their first semester, they have been conducting geochemistry and stratigraphy research on 500 million-year-old limestones outside of Delta, Utah. Under the guidance of their mentor, Dr. Carol Dehler, they have uncovered inconsistencies with the carbon isotope values preserved in these limestones through pairing geochemistry with extensive field research over the course of three summers. Their research suggests that these carbon isotopes do not show a snapshot of the ancient carbon cycle, as has previously been hypothesized, and instead show secondary fluid flow. To conduct this research, they have received College of Science, URCO, and Peak Summer Research Fellowship funding. They have presented this research at two national geology conferences and numerous USU-run events. When not engaged in research or academics, Michelle hikes, rock climbs, runs, watercolors, reads, plays D&D, and will be trying skiing out this coming spring semester. She also works for the Mathematics and Statistics Department as a recitation leader, inspired by her minor in mathematics. After graduating in the spring, she will attend graduate school in Fall 2025.