Science & Research

Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument is often referred to as the "Science Monument", because of the emphasis on research in the 1996 enabling Proclamation:

“The Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument's vast and austere landscape embraces a spectacular array of scientific and historic resources… The monument presents exemplary opportunities for geologists, paleontologists, archaeologists, historians, and biologists” (Presidential Proclamation 6920, September 18, 1996).

A 2017 Proclamation about Grand Staircase-Escalante notes:

“Nearly two decades of intense study of the monument has provided a better understanding of the areas with the highest concentrations of fossil resources and the best opportunities to discover previously unknown species” (Presidential Proclamation 9682, December 4, 2017).

The updated Proclamation in 2021 states:

In the 25 years since its designation, Grand Staircase-Escalante has fulfilled the vision of an outdoor laboratory with great potential for diverse and significant scientific discoveries” and “New scientific discoveries are likely just around the corner” (Presidential Proclamation 10286, October 8, 2021).

This web page highlights some of the science happening at Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, by researchers, scientists, Tribal communities, and agency staff. More science and history about GSENM can be found at this SUU digital library:  https://www.suu.edu/library/special-collections/grand-staircase.html.


Get to know a Monument 'ologist

Prepare to embark on a journey inside Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, where we continue to explore the world of scientists dedicated to unraveling its mysteries. Discover the latest installment here and browse through the archives listed below.

Water Quality
Get to know a Monument 'ologist_Hannah Bonner

Meet Dr. Hannah Bonner! Hannah is an environmental scientist for the Utah Department of Environmental Quality. Hannah works with Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Soil Scientist Raven Chavez in monitoring recreational water at Calf Creek Falls in Escalante, Utah.
 

Hannah is a Utah native who started her career as scientist in 2016, and together she and her team are dedicated to safeguarding public health in Utah's renowned lakes, reservoirs, and rivers.

Her Story: BLM Blog | Facebook Feature | Instagram Feature

Wildlife
Wildlife Biologist Lisa Church feature in getting to know our 'ologists

Lisa helps monitor and document the potential impacts of proposed projects on wildlife and its habitat. As a subject matter expert in fauna for the Kanab Field Office and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, Lisa’s main responsibility is to serve as a part of the interdisciplinary team that monitors and documents the potential impacts of proposed projects on a species and its habitat. 

Her Story: Facebook Feature | Instagram Feature

 

 

 

Soils
Getting to know our ologists_Raven Chavez

Raven started her soils journey in December 2012 at the Oregon State College of Forestry and worked for a few federal agencies before starting her career with the Bureau of Land Management. In addition to her primary duties, Raven can also be found bringing soil science to the classroom, speaking about her work with students, conducting worm races, and stressing the importance of an education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, more commonly known as STEM. To learn more about some of Raven’s work as a Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Soil Scientist, visit: Scientists take AIM at natural resources on BLM land.

Her Story: Facebook Feature

 

Paleontology
Getting to know our ologists_Katja Knoll

Katja Knoll, Paleontologist and Lab Manager for Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument, is a film student- turned-paleontologist. After pursuing an education for documentary filmmaking and rediscovering a passion for science, Katja’s career path and education took an unexpected detour. Katja moved to Kanab, Utah, and began working as a paleontology intern for Dr. Alan Titus at Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument during the summer of 2014. Shortly after, Katja was hired full-time as the paleontology lab manager for the Monument and graduated with a Master of Science in Geology. Katja also helped Dr. Alan Titus expand the Monument’s paleontology volunteer program and continues to manage it today, which she says brings a myriad of diversity and perspective to the program.

Her Story: Facebook Feature

 


 

Research Stories

News Releases

• Monument continues to demonstrate scientific significance: Research published on tiny dinosaur eggs found in Kaiparowits
• 94-million-year-old fossil provides clues to ancient reptile evolution
• Monument nets important dinosaur discovery
• Dinosaur exhibits now on display
• Scientists take AIM at natural resources on BLM land
• Helping hands work together to restore historic cabin
• Dino dentistry extracts paleo story from public land
• Evidence indicates tyrannosaurs may not have been a solitary species after all

Interviews with Scientists

Reconstructing Kaiparowits Ecosystems

"Reconstructing Kaiparowits Ecosystems" - Guest Speaker: Sarah Augusta “Gussie” MacCracken

"Reconstructing Kaiparowits Ecosystems"

Transcript

Dr. Sarah Augusta “Gussie” MacCracken, paleobotanist and National Science Foundation postdoctoral fellow, Department of Earth Sciences at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science, chats with Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Paleontologist Dr. Alan Titus about reconstructing Kaiparowits ecosystems from the bottom up and how scars on fossil leaves illuminate the diversity of ancient plants and insects on the Monument.


Dinosaur Discoveries from Laramidia's Southern Frontier

"Dinosaur Discoveries from Laramidia's Southern Frontier" - Guest Speaker: Dr. Joseph Sertich

"Dinosaur Discoveries from Laramidia's Southern Frontier"

Transcript

Dr. Joseph (Joe) Sertich, Curator of Dinosaurs at the Denver Museum of Nature & Science, and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Paleontologist Dr. Alan Titus discuss research through 10 years of collaborative exploration of the monument and new dinosaur discoveries from Laramidia's southern Frontier.


Monumental Science - Episode 2: Turtle Diversity"Turtle Diversity at the National Monument" - Guest Speaker: Dr. Joshua Lively 

"Turtle Diversity at the National Monument"

Transcript

Dr. Joshua Lively, curator of paleontology at Utah State University Eastern Prehistoric Museum, talks with Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Paleontologist Dr. Alan Titus about his research on a new freshwater sea turtle from Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and reviews turtle diversity in the Cretaceous Kaiparowits Formation. 


Not Your Ordinary Job

"Penstemon of Utah and the Intermountain West" - Guest Speaker: Dr. Mikel Stevens

"Penstemon of Utah and the Intermountain West"

Transcript

Dr. Mikel Stevens, Emeritus Professor of Plant Genetics and Plant Breeding at Brigham Young University, chats with Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument Paleontologist Dr. Alan Titus about his penstemon research on the Monument.


Richard Begay Keynote Speaker

Navajo Cultural Connections to the Southern Utah Landscape

 

Richard Begay - Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Navajo Nation

Transcript

Richard Begay worked on the Navajo Indian Reservation in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah as a field archaeologist and later as an ethnologist for various projects, including the Bureau of Reclamation’s Glen Canyon Environmental Studies efforts to document Navajo history of the Grand Canyon region. 

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this audio message are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Bureau of Land Management.

Presentations

• Penstemon of Utah, Dr. Mikel Stevens
• Enigmatic Traces of Sacred Water, Michael Terlep
• Bees: Jewels of the desert, Dr. Olivia Carril
• Utah's Hidden Ecosystems, Dr. Randall Irmis
• Breaking down the Navajo Sandstone, Dr. David Loope
• Freshwater sea turtle, Dr. Joshua Lively

Videos

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Water & Weather Data

GSENM Water Data

• Streamflow data from USGS at https://waterdata.usgs.gov/ut/nwis/rt which reports daily flow data across Utah including a few in Grand Staircase-Escalante.
• Water quality data, including harmful algal blooms at Calf Creek, from Utah Department of Environmental Quality:  https://deq.utah.gov/water-quality/recreational-water-quality-home.

GSENM Weather Station Data
  • • MesoWest Utah Weather Stations at https://mesowest.utah.edu/  reports real-time weather data from stations across the US including a few in Grand Staircase-Escalante.

 

Get Involved

Learn more at our Engage With Us page.