Aishwarya Chandrasekaran

2026 Undergraduate Faculty Mentor of the Year Award Nominee

S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture & Natural Resources | Environment & Society (ENVS)

Dr. Aishwarya Chandrasekaran was selected as the College of Agriculture and Natural Resource’s Undergraduate Faculty Mentor Award winner. As lecturer for the department of ENVS and Co-Director of the Geospatial Collective, she has built an extensive network of partnerships with federal land managers, Logan City GIS Department, and private geospatial firms across Utah, leveraging these relationships into real-world research opportunities that directly prepare students for careers. Through strategic partnerships, Dr. Chandrasekaran has connected undergraduate students with professional projects. She organized a Poster Competition for GIS day at USU, creating a platform for students to showcase their work to industry professionals and faculty. Her students have secured competitive grant funding, presented at professional conferences, and are co-authoring peer-reviewed publications. In every aspect of her mentorship, Dr. Chandrasekaran seeks to provide students with authentic research experiences that build both technical competence and professional confidence, positioning them for success in graduate programs and geospatial careers while strengthening USU's connections with industry partners throughout Utah and beyond.