Michael Stevens

Faculty Member

Michael T. Stevens

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

PhD, 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 2024

BOT 4055

Plant Ecology Laboratory, Fall 2024

BOT 489R

Student Research, Summer 2024

Presentations

Shaver, Tyler R. (Co-Author), Smith, Laine S. (Co-Author), McGovern, Sydney O. H. (Co-Author), Stevens, Michael T. (Co-Author), Utah Conference on Undergraduate Research, "Establishing and monitoring new populations of an endangered plant (Phacelia argillacea) over several years.", Utah Valley University, Orem, UT. . (February 16, 2024)
Gibby, Kristina (Co-Author), Jones, Brock (Co-Author), Stevens, Michael T. (Co-Author), Bretz, Thomas (Co-Author), David R. Keller Environmental Ethics Symposium, "Nature goes to school_ disciplinary perspectives on nature.", Utah Valley University, Orem, UT. (October 24, 2023)
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

McKasy, Meaghan , Blevins, Maria , Stevens, Michael T. , Hernandez, Leandra , (2024) "Perceptions of crowding and access to affordances in Capitol Reef National Park, Utah" . Northwest Journal of Communication.
Stevens, Michael T. , Young, Dustin T, (2022) "A Comparison of Mechanical Versus Chemical Control of the Invasive Species Myrtle Spurge (Euphorbia myrsinites)" (Issue: 2, vol. 42). Natural Areas Journal.
Wilson, T , Poulson, Ariel , Packer, Chris , Carlson, R , Davis, Ryan , Dey, M , Owen, N , Smalley, S , Dodge, Reagan , Zahn, Geoffrey , others, Array , (2021) "Essential oil, insect, and microbe relationships in Juniperus osteosperma (Cupressaceae) trees killed by wildfire" (Issue: 4, vol. 103). Phytologia.
Bush, Seth D, Stevens, Michael T. , Tanner, Kimberly D, Williams, Kathy S, (2020) "Disciplinary bias, money matters, and persistence_ Deans’ perspectives on science faculty with education specialties (SFES)" (Issue: 3, vol. 19). CBE—Life Sciences Education.
Stevens, Michael T. , Houghton, Sydney , Veltkamp, Hannah A, (2020) "Frugivory by coyotes decreases the time to germination and increases the growth of netleaf hackberry (Celtis reticulata) seedlings" (Issue: 7, vol. 11). Forests.
Veltkamp, Hannah , Houghton, Sydney , Stevens, Michael T. , (2020) "Germination in about half the time_ The effect of coyote ingestion on netleaf hackberry (Celtis reticulata) seeds" .

Awards

Outstanding Research and Scholarly Activity Professor

CSU Stanislaus

Department of Entomology, Kinney Merit Award

UW-Madison

Teaching Academy, Future Faculty Partner

UW-Madison

2003-2005

US Forest Service Employee Excellence Award

TRIO Learning Center, Brenda Pfaehler Excellence in Teaching Award

UW-Madison