Jim Ehleringer portrait
  • Distinguished Professor, School Of Biological Sciences
  • Director, Stable Isotope Ratio Facility for Environmental Research, School Of Biological Sciences
  • Adjunct Professor, Geology & Geophysics

Current Courses

Fall 2024

  • BIOL 1620-001
    Fund. of Biology II
  • BIOL 3410-001
    Ecology & Evolution

Entrepreneurial Experience

  • IsoForensics Inc. 06/01/2008 - 12/31/2013. Employees: 6.
    Comments: A company focusing on the applications of stable isotopes for forensics, food quality, product sourcing, and intelligence purposes.

Professional Organizations

  • U.S. National Academy of Sciences. 05/2016 - present. Position : Elected member.
  • Ecological Society of America. 05/2016 - present. Position : Elected Fellow.
  • American Association for the Advancement of Science. 01/01/1998 - present. Position : Elected Fellow.
  • American Geophysical Union. 01/1995 - present. Position : Elected Fellow.

Courses I Teach

  • BIOL 1620 - Principles of Biology II
    A first-year course required of all Biology majors.
  • Biology 3960 - Fresher Seminar   (http://www.ehleringer.net/fresher.html)
    You Are What You Eat. Enter the wonderful world of stable isotopes. Here your diet, your location, and your metabolism can all be recorded and then revealed through chemical analysis of biological materials, ranging from breath to hair to teeth and bones. In this fresher seminar, students will be introduced to the ways in which biology, chemistry, anthropology, geology, geography, and business intersect. In our seminar, students will learn about available research and training opportunities that allow you to explore topics ranging from health to ecology and from athletics to climate change. Hear from students and experts exploring such diverse topics as diet and human evolution, where does your food come from, dietary patterns across the Salt Lake Valley, bird migration, and air quality. See the stable isotope mass spectrometer facility and learn how you too can do stable isotope research with faculty from labs in Biology and others across campus.
  • Biology 5460 - Plant Ecology in a Changing World   (http://plantecology.net)
    A flipped course emphasizing adaptive physiology and structure/function relationships among plants, plant communities and their environments, sustainability in a changing world, and engineering of plant communities. This course emphasizes a critical-thinking focus on considerations of how global changes, land use changes, and invasive species influence ecological dynamics at local to global scales. Student performance is evaluated through a combination of data analysis, writing, and oral/written communications assignments.
  • BIOL 5465 - Plant Ecology Laboratory   (http://plantecology.net)
    A laboratory course introducing students to field and laboratory experiences.
  • Biology 7473 - Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry and Ecology   (http://stableisotopes.utah.edu)
    A lecture course describing the principles of stable isotope biogeochemistry as applied to biological environments, geological and marine processes, climate reconstruction, anthropological and biomedical studies, and of the contributions of stable isotope approaches to addressing ecological phenomena from cellular through global levels. Offered each summer where it is open only through DCE as a contract course. Two weeks intensive. Offered in Fall Semester as a full semester course.
  • Biology 7475 - Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry and Ecology Lab   (http://stableisotopes.utah.edu)
    A laboratory course in stable isotope biogeochemistry and ecology involving experimental design, experimental methodologies, instrument use, and data analysis and interpretation. This course involves learning how to operate state-of- the-art isotope ratio mass spectrometers, cavity ring-down laser spectrometers, and associated GCMS and EA peripherals. Offered each summer where it is open only through DCE as a contract course. Two week summer intensive.

Former Students

  • Lesley Chesson, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Jebediah Williamson, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Lesley Chesson, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Jebediah Williamson, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Erin Hanlon, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Adam West, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Erin Hanlon, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Adam West, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Tomas Domingues, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Tomas Domingues, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Sylvia Englund, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Susan Kammerdiener, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Sylvia Englund, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Susan Kammerdiener, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Brent Helliker, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Brent Helliker, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Jillian Gregg, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Lisa Donovan, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Lori Ducharme, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Brett Hesla, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Mark Smedley, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Jonathan Comstock, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Irwin Forseth, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Qin-nong Aaron Fu, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Darren Sandquist, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Kenneth Werk, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Jillian Gregg, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Lisa Donovan, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Lori Ducharme, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Brett Hesla, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Mark Smedley, Master of Science (M.S.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Jonathan Comstock, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Irwin Forseth, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Qin-nong Aaron Fu, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Darren Sandquist, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.
  • Kenneth Werk, Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.), Project Type: Thesis. Role: Chair.