Biography

Dr. Atkins is a fluvial geomorphologist who studies the intersection of water, geology, and humans.

Dr. Atkins' has worked on projects spanning geologic timescales, spatial scales from local to global, and even various planets. Her NASA-funded work aimed at understanding the thermal history of Mars through the investigation of large thrust faults across the planet, the surface expression of which are lobate scarps. She also studied the fluvial impacts of hillslope farming in the North Carolina Piedmont by European settlers in the mid 19th century which led to excessive erosion and eventual abandonment of hillslope terrace farming in the piedmont, but not without consequence. Forests still tell the story of this legacy of farming through the erosion of legacy sediment, which impairs stream health.

More recently, Dr. Atkins has also worked on issues relating to water quality and quantity at the U.S. Geological Survey. She has studied the anthropogenic, biogenic, climatic, and geologic impacts to salinity in the upper Colorado River basin, leading to the implementation of changes in land management by various federal agencies. She has also worked with various agencies to identify the human, ecological, and hydrological impacts of active and abandoned mined lands for hazard and risk mitigation.

At UVU she continues to engage in impactful hydrologic research and connect undergraduates with professionals in geo- and geo-adjacent career paths.

Outside of work, Dr. Atkins can usually be found outdoors mountain biking, running, hiking, and camping (though it looks more like van glamping these days).

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