Dennis Newell

2026 Faculty University Service Award Nominee

S.J. & Jessie E. Quinney College of Agriculture & Natural Resources | Geosciences (GEO)

Dennis Newell is a Professor and Interim Department Head for the Department of Geosciences. His leadership and service philosophy emphasizes transparency, shared governance, and datainformed decisions to support student success and to strengthen research excellence. As USU undertakes major restructuring of its academic enterprise, Dennis aims to guide curriculum modernization and foster collaborative research as we build a new department in the Quinney College that brings together Earth, hydrological, and environmental scientists.

Dr. Newell is a geologist and geochemist whose research focuses on fluid–rock–biosphere interactions, with applications to mountain building, earthquakes, and natural resources. He directs the Geosciences Stable Isotope Laboratory and has co-led major interdisciplinary projects funded by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy. Before joining USU 13 years ago, he was a scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where he gained crossdisciplinary experience in experimental geochemistry, energy geosciences, and nuclear waste management.