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Faculty Member

Dr. Thomas Ogden

Biography

I joined the Biology Department at UVU July 2009. Prior to this I was a visiting assistant professor at Idaho State University and a post-doctorate researcher at Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ. I completed a PhD in Biology with emphasis in molecular phylogenetic and evolution from BYU. My teaching interests are in courses concerning to Evolution, Bioinformatics, Entomology, and general Biology. I am interesting in improving teaching to provide students with and engaging and excellent learning experience. My basic research interests are in bioinformatics, evolutionary biology, systematics, phylogenetics, comparative genomics, and entomology. I am also interested in applying my research of bioinformatics and phylogenetic methods to examine insect evolution and systematics, particularly within the basal pterygotes (mayflies, dragonflies, and damselflies), and the origin of insect flight.
https://heathogden.github.io/index.html

Education

PhD, Brigham Young University, 2004

Major: Integrative Biology

MS, Universidad de Concepcion, 2000

Major: Zoology

BS, Brigham Young University, 1996

Major: Zoology

Teaching

BIOL 1010

General Biology, Summer 2026

BIOL 4550

Molecular Evolution and Bioinformatics, Spring 2026

Presentations

Taylor, Clayton (Co-Author), Kidd, John (Co-Author), Ogden, Heath (Co-Author), Showcase 2026, "Evolving Minds_ Tracking students’ Acceptance of Evolution Over Time", SCULPT UVU, UVU. (April, 2026)
Sanderson, Connor (Co-Author), Budge, Andrew (Co-Author), Ogden, Heath (Co-Author), Showcase 2026, "Improved Evolution of the Prong-Gilled Mayflies (Leptophlebiidae)", SCULPT UVU, UVU. (April, 2026)
Budge, Andrew (Co-Author), Ogden, Heath (Co-Author), Showcase 2026, "Liger: A Fast Supermatrix Concatenation Tool with Smart Taxon Matching", SCULPT UVU, UVU. (April, 2026)
Taylor, Clayton (Co-Author), Kidd, John (Co-Author), Ogden, Heath (Co-Author), UCUR 2026, "Evolving Minds_ Tracking students’ Acceptance of Evolution Over Time", UCUR, Weber State University. (February, 2026)
Sanderson, Connor (Co-Author), Ogden, Heath (Co-Author), UCUR 2026, "Improved Evolution of the Prong-Gilled Mayflies (Leptophlebiidae)", UCUR, Weber State University. (February, 2026)
Ogden, Heath , UTSTA Meet the Scientist Series 2026, "Evolution: Just teach it", UTSTA, Virtual. (January, 2026)

Scholarly/Creative Works

Ogden, Heath , Ogden, AJ , (2025) "The Orders_ Insects in Watercolor" . Sel Published.
Ogden, Heath , (2025) "Accepting Evolution with Joy is Possible" . Brigham Young University. https://lifesciences.byu.edu/the-restored-gospel-of-jesus-christ-and-evolution
Jensen, Jeremy , Vilela, Ernie , Stone, Kelsey , Ogden, T. Heath, (2024) "Contributions To An Insect Survey Of Capitol Reef National Park, Utah" (Issue: 1, vol. 84). Western North American Naturalist. https://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/wnan/vol84/iss1/11
Ogden, Heath , (2023) "The Insects of Capitol Reef_ A Field Guide" . UVU.
Ferguson, Daniel , Abele, Jessica , Palmer, Sarah , Willis, Jordan , McDonald, Connor , Messer, Chandler , Lindberg, Juliana , Ogden, T. Heath, Bailey, Elizabeth , Jensen, Jamie , (2022) "Popular media and the bombardment of evolution misconceptions" (Issue: 19, vol. 15). Evolution: Education and Outreach. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12052-022-00179-x
Ferguson, Daniel , Jensen, Jamie , Arok, Adhieu , Bybee, Seth , Ogden, T. Heath, (2022) "Student Acceptance of Evolution_ Factors that lead to change" (Issue: 2, vol. 52). Journal of College Teaching. https://www.nsta.org/journal-college-science-teaching/journal-college-science-teaching-novemberdecember-2022/student

Awards

Global Spotlight Fellow

Global Engagement - April 23, 2024

UVU Faculty Excellence Award

UVU Faculty Senate - March, 2020

The faculty receiving these awards have demonstrated their support of our mission of student success through exemplary teaching and we are pleased to pay tribute to them.

Sabbatical for the 2016 Fall Semester

Academic Affairs - February, 2015

Sabbatical awarded to carry out research

UVU Trustee Award of Excellence

UVU Board of Trustees - January, 2015

The university’s most prestigious award and is presented annually to a select group of employees who have made outstanding long-term contributions in any of the core elements of the university mission or its operation. The faculty awards are designed to recognize full-time faculty members who have set themselves apart from their peers* in the advancement of the university core themes, teaching, scholarship, and/or service.