Biography

A native of Utah, Elise Childs spent much of her youth in the outdoors, developing a love of the Earth and the environment. As a result, Elise chose to attend Southern Utah University, where she could study the Earth surrounded by the natural wonders of Utah's national parks. While there, she became a member of the national honor societies Alpha Chi and Sigma Gamma Epsilon, and presented her research on slope movement at a convention of the Geological Society of America. She graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology, then moved on to a graduate program at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. Her research there focused on processes that shape and change landscapes--particularly desert landscapes--over time. Her thesis research was presented at the national convention of the American Geophysical Union and was published in the Journal of Geophysical Research, and earned Elise a Masters Degree in Earth and Environmental Sciences. She is now working to share her love and knowledge of the natural world with younger generations, and hopes to inspire her students to discover their own love for learning, science, and the world around them.