TEACHING EXCELLENCE AWARD ERIC LAMALFA

S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Natural Resources

Dr. Eric Martin LaMalfa grew up in Salt Lake City, Utah and developed his passion for the natural world while exploring the Wasatch Mountains and Colorado Plateau. He earned a B.S. in Range Science (2004), an M.S. in Ecophysiology (2007), and a Ph.D. in Ecology (2019) all from Utah State University’s Wildland Resources Department. Prior to earning his doctoral degree, he spent seven years working with the U.S. Forest Service and Bureau of Land Management as a wildfire and fuels management specialist in Northern Utah. In this role he planned and implemented watershed restoration projects on tens of thousands of acres of Utah’s rangeland and forested ecosystems. Dr. LaMalfa’s early academic career was spent working with pastoral communities in Kenya and Ethiopia to improve rangeland ecosystems and food security in sub-Saharan Africa. He began a teaching faculty position on the USU Logan campus in July 2019 and for the past four years has focused on creating and improving instructional materials for the many courses he teaches. In his spare time, he enjoys spending time with his family, performing music, rafting, skiing, and outdoor recreation.