Profile | Directory | Utah Valley University

Faculty Member

Michael T. Stevens

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Office: SB-242H
Phone: 801-863-5196
Mail Stop: 299

Biography

At Utah Valley University, I'm a Professor of Biology and the Director of Capitol Reef Field Station. I received my PhD from University of Wisconsin-Madison and taught at California State University, Stanislaus, before coming to UVU. I teach and conduct research in two areas: plant ecology and science education. As a plant ecologist, I study how plants interact with their environment including herbivores, soil nutrients and water, boulders, and fire. I'm especially interested in how such interactions affect the expression of plant traits and patterns of plant growth and distribution. My research has focused on native trees and shrubs such as quaking aspen, netleaf hackberry, and Alaska paper birch; invasive species such as tree-of-heaven and myrtle spurge; and endangered species including Holmgren's milkvetch and clay phacelia. As a science educator, I study perceptions of crowding among national-park visitors, field-station partnerships between universities and national parks, and the roles that Science Faculty with Education Specialties (SFES) play in higher education.

Education

Ph D, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2005

Major: Botany

MS, University of Wisconsin-Madison, 1998

Major: Botany

BS, Brigham Young University, 1995

Major: Conservation Biology

Teaching

BOT 4050

Plant Ecology, Fall 2022

BOT 4055

Plant Ecology Laboratory, Fall 2022

BIOL 481R

Biology Internship, Summer 2022

BOT 481R

Botany Internship, Summer 2022

BOT 499R

Senior Thesis, Spring 2022

Presentations

Blevins, Maria , McKasy, Meaghan , Hernandez, Leandra , Stevens, Michael T. , 1st International Academic Conference on the Sustainable Development Goals, "BeaUtahful Collaboration_ A Case Study of a Collaborative Research Project". (October, 2022)

Stevens, Michael T. , McKasy, Meaghan , Blevins, Maria , Hernandez, Leandra , Williams, Scott , Hungerford, Hilary , Lindley, Betsy , International Association for Society and Natural Resources (IASNR) Annual Conference, "How Many People are Too Many? A Mixed-Methods Assessment of Visitor Perceptions at Capitol Reef National Park". (June, 2022)

Stevens, Michael T. (Presenter & Author), Bush, SD (Author Only), Pelaez, NJ (Author Only), Rudd, JA (Presenter & Author), Tanner, KD (Presenter & Author), Williams, KS (Presenter & Author), NARST (National Association for Research in Science Teaching) Annual International Conference, "Symposium: Science Faculty with Education Specialties", Philadelphia, PA. ()

Tharp, R (Author Only), Stoddart, T (Author Only), Bravo, MA (Presenter & Author), Solis, JL (Author Only), Mckinney de Royston, M (Author Only), Collett, J (Author Only), Stevens, Michael T. (Author Only), Vega de Jesus, R (Author Only), 2009 Institute of Education Sciences Conference, "Integrating science and diversity education_ a model for pre-service elementary teacher preparation programs", Washington, DC. ()

Stoddart, T. (Presenter & Author), Bravo, M (Presenter & Author), Solis, J (Presenter & Author), Stevens, Michael T. (Author Only), Vega de Jesus, R. (Author Only), CREDE (The Center for Research on Education, Diversity and Excellence) Conference_ Improving Recruitment, Development & Retention Through Effective Pedagogy, ") Preparing pre-service teachers to integrate inquiry science with language and literacy instruction for English language learners_ an experimental study", San Francisco, CA. ()

Stoddart, T. (Author Only), Stevens, Michael T. (Presenter & Author), Bravo, M (Author Only), Solis, J (Presenter & Author), Vega de Jesus, R (Presenter & Author), Mosqueda, E (Author Only), NARST (National Association for Research in Science Teaching) Annual International Conference, "Symposium: Preparing pre-service teachers to integrate inquiry science with language and literacy instruction for English language learners_ an experimental study", Garden Grove, CA. . ()

Scholarly/Creative Works

Lindroth, RL , Donaldson, JR , Stevens, Michael T. , Gusse, AC , "Browse quality in quaking aspen (Populus tremuloides): effects of genotype, nutrients, defoliation, and coppicing" (vol. 33). Journal of Chemical Ecology.

Bush, SD , Pelaez, NJ , Rudd, JA , Stevens, Michael T. , Tanner, KD , Williams, KS , "Systematic investigation of Science Faculty with Education Specialties (SFES)" . CBE—Life Sciences Education.

Stevens, Michael T. , (2022) "Array" .

Stevens, Michael T. , (2021) "Array" .

Stevens, Michael T. , (2020) "Array" .

Awards

Teaching Academy, Future Faculty Partner

UW-Madison

2003-2005

Outstanding Research and Scholarly Activity Professor

CSU Stanislaus

Department of Entomology, Kinney Merit Award

UW-Madison

Teaching Methods in Science, Fall 2010

GEO 4200

Teaching Methods in Science, Fall 2010

Tanner, KD (Presenter & Author), Bush, SD (Author Only), Pelaez, NJ (Author Only), Rudd, JA (Author Only), Stevens, Michael T. (Author Only), Williams, KS (Author Only), Transforming Undergraduate Biology Education_ Mobilizing the Community for Change Conference, "A cross-disciplinary research study of Science Faculty with Education Specialties (SFES)", , Washington, DC. ()

Stevens, Michael T. , Bush, SD (Presenter & Author), Rudd, JA , Pelaez, NJ , Tanner, KD , Williams, KS , 20th Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, "Characterizing Science Faculty with Education Specialties (SFES) in the California State University System", , Bloomington, IN.. ()

Stevens, Michael T. , Rudd II, JA (Presenter Only), Bush, SD , Pelaez, NJ , Williams, KS , Tanner, KD , American Chemical Society National Meeting, "Structuring tenure-track science education faculty positions in CSU science departments", , New Orleans, LA. ()

Stevens, Michael T. , Tanner, KD (Presenter & Author), Bush, Sk , Pelaez, NJ , Rudd, JA , Williams, KS , American Society for Cell Biology Meeting, "Implications for hiring cell biology faculty with education specialties_ a cross-disciplinary research study of Science Faculty with Education Specialties (SFES) in the California State University system.", , San Francisco, CA. ()

Stevens, Michael T. , Biology Colloquium, "Science Faculty with Education Specialties and aspen with defense specialties", , CSU, Sacramento, Sacramento, CA. ()

Stevens, Michael T. , Lindroth, RL , Donaldson, JR , The Ecological Society of America 93 rd Annual Meeting, "Integration of herbivore defense in Populus tremuloides_ Ontogeny of resistance and tolerance", , Milwaukee, WI.. ()

Stevens, Michael T. , Williams, KS (Presenter & Author), Bush, SD , Pelaez, NJ , Rudd II, JA , Tanner, KD , The Ecological Society of America 93rd Annual Meeting, "Linking research and education_ characterizing tenure-track science education faculty positions in California State University science departments", , Milwaukee, WI.. ()

Stevens, Michael T. (Presenter Only), Biology 100, "Plants and animals_ from stems to stem cells", , Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. ()

Stevens, Michael T. (Presenter & Author), CREDE (Center for Research on Education, Diversity, and Excellence) Annual Conference, "Applications of CREDE pedagogy to a university-level introductory biology class in a large lecture hall", , Berkeley, CA. ()

Stevens, Michael T. (Presenter Only), Integrative Biology Department Colloquium, "To resist or tolerate, to lecture or converse—these are the questions.", , Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah. ()

Stevens, Michael T. (Presenter & Author), Poteet, K (Presenter & Author), Teemant, A (Presenter & Author), Haapanen, I (Presenter & Author), National Science Teachers’ Association National Conference (meets jointly with Society for College Science Teachers), "Simultaneous science reform_ focusing of pedagogy at the university and public school levels", , St. Louis, MO. ()

Stevens, Michael T. (Presenter & Author), Bryant, JP (Author Only), Brown, SC (Author Only), Bothwell, HM (Author Only), Lindroth, RL (Author Only), Walker, DM (Author Only), The Ecological Society of America 92nd Annual Meeting, "Biogeography of Alaska paper birch (Betula neoalaskana): latitudinal patterns in chemical defense and plant architecture", , San Jose, CA. ()

Stevens, Michael T. (Presenter Only), Lindroth, RL (Author Only), Evolution Conference , "Growth-defense tradeoffs differ by gender in Populus tremuloides. ", , Stony Brook, NY. ()

Stevens, Michael T. (Presenter & Author), Botany Colloquium, "Plant defense against herbivores_ To resist or tolerate—that is the question", , UW-Madison, Madison, WI. . ()

Stevens, Michael T. (Presenter & Author), CSU Stanislaus, "Plants vs. herbivores_ aspen quakes and trembles, but doesn’t run. Biology Colloquium", , Turlock, CA. . ()

Stevens, Michael T. , Carriere, S. (Presenter Only), Bryant, JP , Clausen, T , Landsausser, S , Cleland, D , Williams, J , Cook, J , Swihart, R , Weber, B , Veitch, A , Popko, R , Jakubus, W , Dyke, A , Decker, B , Hawkins, C , Carlson, M , Julkunen-Tiitto, R , Brown, S , Cebrian, M , Lehmkuhl, K , Agapow, J , Paragi, T , Packee, E , Malone, T , Rapid Landscape Change and Human Response in the Arctic and Sub-Arctic—An Interdisciplinary Conference, "Continental changes in fire, hares and birch defence_ management implications and further research", , Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada. ()

Stevens, Michael T. (Presenter & Author), Waller, DM , Lindroth, RL , American Institute of Biological Sciences 55th Annual Meeting, "High tolerance to herbivory pre-adapts aspen to invasive herbivores", , Washington, DC. ()

Stevens, Michael T. , Wooley, SC (Presenter Only), Donaldson, JR , Lindroth, Rl , Entomological Society of America 52nd Annual Meeting, "Phenotypic plasticity of extrafloral nectary production in aspen in response to defoliation", , Salt Lake City, UT.. ()

Stevens, Michael T. (Presenter Only), Lindroth, RL , Waller, DM , Evolution Conference 2004, "Genetic variation in tolerance in Populus tremuloides", , Fort Collins, CO. ()

Stevens, Michael T. (Presenter & Author), Lindroth, RL , Kruger, EL , Gordon Research Conference on Plant-Herbivore Interactions, "Tolerance to folivory_ aspen are risky investors", , Ventura, CA.. ()

Stevens, Michael T. , Donaldson, JR (Presenter Only), Barnhill, HR , Lindroth, RL , The Ecological Society of America 89th Annual Meeting, "Ontogenetic shifts in trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides Michx.) leaf chemistry_ ecological implications of heteroblastic defenses", , Portland, OR.. ()

Stevens, Michael T. , Lindroth, RL (Presenter & Author), XXII International Congress of Entomology, "Costs and benefits of resistance and tolerance to herbivores_ the importance of gene x environment effects", , Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. . ()

Stevens, Michael T. , Bryant, JP , Swihart, RK , American Society of Mammalogists 83rd Annual Meeting, "Biogeography of woody plant chemical defense against browsing by mammals in winter.", , Texas Tech University, Lubbock, TX. ()

Stevens, Michael T. (Presenter & Author), Lindroth, RL , The Ecological Society of America 88th Annual Meeting, "Cost of tolerance to herbivory in aspen", , Savannah, GA. ()

Stevens, Michael T. (Presenter & Author), Lindroth, RL , The Ecological Society of America 87th Annual Meeting, "Genetic determinants of condensed tannins in aspen", , Tucson, AZ. . ()

Stevens, Michael T. , Turner, MG , Tuskan, GH , Romme, WH , Gunter, LE , Waller, DM , The Ecological Society of America 86th Annual Meeting, "Within-site genetic variation is negatively correlated with average stem diameter in postfire Yellowstone aspen seedlings", , Madison, WI.. ()

Stevens, Michael T. , (2020) "Array" .

Stevens, Michael T. , (2019) "Array" .

Stevens, Michael T. , (2018) "Array" .

Stevens, Michael T. , (2017) "Array" .

Stevens, Michael T. , (2016) "Array" .

Stevens, Michael T. , (2014) "Array" .

Stevens, Michael T. , (2013) "Array" .

Stevens, Michael T. , (2012) "Array" .

Stevens, Michael T. , (2011) "Array" .

Stevens, Michael T. , (2010) "Array" .

Bush, SD , Pelaez, NJ , Rudd, JA , Stevens, Michael T. , Tanner, KD , Williams, KS , Wood, WB , (2010) "A role for postdocs in undergraduate education" (Issue: 327). Science.

Stevens, Michael T. , (2009) "Array" .

Bryant, JP , Clausen, TP , Swihart, RK , Landhausser, SM , Hawkins, CDB , Stevens, Michael T. , Carriere, S , Kirilenko, AP , Veitch, AM , Popko, RA , Cleland, DT , Williams, JH , Jakubas, WJ , Carlson, MR , Bodony, KL Lehmkhul, Cebrian, M , Paragi, TF , Picone, PM , Moore, JE , Packee, EC , Malone, TT , (2009) "Fire drives transcontinental variation in tree birch defense against browsing by snowshoe hares" (Issue: 174). American Naturalist .

Stevens, Michael T. , Esser, SM , (2009) "Growth-defense tradeoffs differ by gender in dioecious trembling aspen (Populus tremuloides). " (Issue: 37). Biochemical Systematics and Ecology .

Stevens, Michael T. , Carosella, Tl , Gerson, MM , Grobner, MA , Thao, ML , Watson, F , Wolf, SJ , Wooley, SC , Youngbloom, JJ , (2009) "World of Biology_ Biology 1020 Laboratory Workbook" . Boston, MA: 4th ed. McGraw-Hill.

Stevens, Michael T. , (2008) "Array" .

Bush, SD , Pelaez, NJ , Rudd, JA , Stevens, Michael T. , Tanner, KD , Williams, KS , (2008) "Science Faculty with Education Specialties" (Issue: 322). Science.

Stevens, Michael T. , Kruger, EL , Lindroth, RL , (2008) "Variation in tolerance to herbivory is mediated by differences in biomass allocation in aspen" (Issue: 22). Functional Ecology .

Stevens, Michael T. , (2007) "Array" .

Wooley, SC , Donaldson, JR , Stevens, Michael T. , Gusse, AC , Lindroth, RL , (2007) "Extrafloral nectaries in aspen (Populus tremuloides): heritable genetic variation and herbivore-induced production." (Issue: 100). Annals of Botany .

Stevens, Michael T. , Waller, DM , Lindroth, RL , (2007) "Resistance and tolerance in Populus tremuloides_ genetic variation, costs, and environmental dependency" (Issue: 21). Evolutionary Ecology.

Stevens, Michael T. , (2006) "Array" .

Donaldson, JR , Stevens, Michael T. , Barnhill, HR , Lindroth, RL , (2006) "Age-related shifts in leaf chemistry of clonal aspen (Populus tremuloides). " (Issue: 32). Journal of Chemical Ecology .

Bush, SD , Pelaez, NJ , Rudd, JA , Stevens, Michael T. , Williams, KS , Allen, DE , Tanner, KD , (2006) "On hiring Science Faculty with Education Specialties (SFES) for your science (not education) department" (Issue: 5). CBE—Life Sciences Education.

Stevens, Michael T. , Lindroth, RL , (2005) "Induced resistance in the indeterminate growth of aspen (Populus tremuloides)." (Issue: 145). Oecologia .

Stevens, Michael T. , Turner, MG , Tuskan, GA , Romme, WH , Gunter, LE , Waller, DM , (1999) "Genetic variation in postfire aspen seedlings in Yellowstone National Park" . Molecular Ecology.