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Faculty Member

Dr. Stella Mosher

Biography

Fire is one of the most important agents of natural disturbance in terrestrial ecosystems, with key impacts on local biodiversity. I am interested in understanding how climate change and human impacts have influenced fire over thousands of years, and how our historical understanding of how fire operates in our environments aligns with the past range of natural variability in burning over time. I address recent and long-term changes in fire using paleoecological ("ancient - ecology") and paleofire ("ancient - fire") reconstructions, alongside quantitative analyses such as models, to address interactions between climate, environmental change, fire, and people. These reconstructions can then be applied towards contextualizing historical and present-day fire management practices and can inform future management and policy choices.

Education

PhD, University of Utah, 2024

Major: Geography

MS, University of Cincinnati, 2015

Major: Geology

BS, University of Puget Sound, 2012

Major: Natural Sciences - Geology

Teaching

GEO 4800R

Earth Science Seminar, Spring 2026

ENVT 1110

Introduction to Environmental Management, Spring 2026

ENVT 1110

Introduction to Environmental Management, Spring 2026

ENVT 1110

Introduction to Environmental Management, Spring 2026

ENVT 2730

Introduction to Soils, Spring 2026

ENVT 4950R

Special Projects in Environmental Management, Spring 2026

Presentations

Arntsen, Annise C. (Presenter & Author), Calaway, Jonah (Presenter & Author), Niemann, Savannah R. (Presenter & Author), Power, Mitchell J. (Co-Author), Mosher, Stella G. (Chair), American Geophysical Union, "High-resolution investigation into late Holocene fire activity at Panguitch Lake, Utah", San Francisco, CA. ()
Mosher, Stella (Presenter & Author), American Geophysical Union, "Multi-millennial reconstruction of fire return intervals from a fynbos – afrotemperate forest ecotone in the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa_ paleoecological implications for present-day management", San Francisco, CA. ()
Mosher, Stella (Presenter & Author), American Geophysical Union, "Fire in the Fynbos_ late Holocene paleofire and linkages among climate, vegetation, and people in South Africa's Cape Floristic Region", Washington D.C.. (December 10, 2024)
Mosher, Stella (Presenter & Author), Utah Valley University Earth Science Seminar Series, "Fire in the Fynbos_ late Holocene paleofire and linkages among climate, vegetation, and people in South Africa’s Cape Floristic Region", Utah Valley University, Orem, UT. (November 12, 2024)
Mosher, Stella (Presenter & Author), University of Utah Department of Anthropology Colloquium Series, "Fire in the Fynbos_ late Holocene paleofire and linkages among climate, vegetation, and people in South Africa’s Cape Floristic Region", University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT. (November 7, 2024)

Scholarly/Creative Works

Mosher, Stella G, Power, Mitchell J, Quick, Lynne J, Chase, Brian M, Haberzettl, Torsten , Kasper, Thomas , Brewer, Simon C, Braun, David R, Faith, J Tyler, (2026) "Multi-millennial reconstruction of fire return intervals from a fynbos-Afrotemperate forest ecotone in the Cape Floristic Region, South Africa_ Paleoecological implications for present-day management" (vol. 258). Global and Planetary Change.
Davenport, Bennett , Mosher, Stella , Power, Mitchell , (2025) "Paleoecological Coprophilous Spore Analysis Reveals Disturbance of Pastoralists in the Fynbos Biome, Cape Floristic Region, South Africa" (Issue: 1, vol. 26). Salt Lake City, UT: RANGE: Undergraduate Research Journal.
Mosher, Stella G., (2025) "Evaluating climatic and anthropogenic drivers of fire activity over four millennia at Eilandvlei, southern Cape coast, South Africa" (vol. 366). Quaternary Science Reviews.

Awards

Southern African Society for Quaternary Research (SASQUA) Oliver Davies Medal 2026

SASQUA - September 3, 2026

This award honors the best recent publication by student/ recent graduate SASQUA members. I received this award on September 3, 2026 in honor of my 2025 Quaternary Science Reviews publication_ Evaluating climatic and anthropogenic drivers of fire activity over four millennia at Eilandvlei, southern Cape coast, South Africa (Mosher et al., 2025).