Joel Pederson, Ph.D.

Field: Earth Science
Areas of Focus: Geology, Geomorphology

Expertise

• Utah landscape evolution
• Geologic hazards
• Erosion

Bio

Dr. Joel Pederson received his bachelor's degree in geology from Gustavus Adolphus College near where he grew up in rural Minnesota. After gaining work experience in environmental remediation, he came to the West for graduate school, earning master's degree in geology from Northern Arizona University and a doctorate in Earth Science from the University of New Mexico. Joel has been at USU his entire academic career and currently serves as Department Head of Geosciences. His decades of geomorphology research are focused on the landscapes of the Colorado Plateau, Grand Canyon, and southern Utah—how they have evolved and developed by erosion over geologic time, how they respond to climate and tectonic changes, and their interrelation with prehistoric cultures.