Come feel the sunshine with Dr. Brosi
Utah State University Eastern offers a wide variety of majors and educational paths, including Wildland Resources. Sunshine Brosi is a professor in the Wildlife Resources field in the College of Agriculture and Natural Resources. She runs the Wildlife Ecology and Management program and is also the director of the graduate program.
Before becoming a professor, Brosi obtained a bachelor’s degree in Environmental Studies, a master’s degree in Forestry, and a Ph.D. in Natural Resources. Brosi grew up in a rural area and, as a child, was heavily involved in the 4-H program. That gave her extensive exposure to nature, where she grew to love the outdoors and developed a passion for plants and wildlife.
One point Brosi mentioned as both a challenge in her job and a perk is the unpredictability of the animals she has worked with. One experience in particular jumped to her mind that illustrates how working with wildlife keeps her on her toes. She stated, “There’s one mountain lion that lives near Duchesne, near Starvation Reservoir. And that cougar loves to eat porcupines. The fascinating part is that she has learned to flip those porcupines over so she doesn’t get the quills stuck in her face. She has also taught her young how to do it. It’s not something you really think about telling people that cougars eat porcupines. But it shows just how unpredictable the animals are, and it shows me how much there is to learn about them.”
Dr. Brosi cited diseases and human expansion as among the biggest challenges wildlife face throughout Utah. An example of disease transmission is the spread of disease among mule deer from eating non-native apples. When mule deer encounter non-native species of apples, they tend only to take one bite and leave the rest on the ground. Another deer can find that apple later and take a bite, passing Chronic Wasting Disease through their saliva. In contrast, when deer eat a native apple species, they are more likely to eat the entire apple.
Humans have been encroaching on wildlife habitats ever since humans existed. That problem is only increasing as modern building practices and population increases have added more pressure on the delicate ecosystems that wildlife have been accustomed to for centuries. Dr. Brosi explained, “When people come along and say, ‘We’re going to build a house there,’ they don’t really think about the animals that are already there. So that’s a big issue we’re facing.”
As a professor, Dr. Brosi is a firm believer in learning through experience. She said that, from high school through her college days, she struggled somewhat to learn as much in traditional classroom settings and found it much more impactful to experience the lessons rather than just listen to lectures. She has adopted many of those principles in her teaching today and hopes to give her students a solid foundation for experiencing nature firsthand.
Research and field studies are other key points for Dr. Brosi here at USU Eastern, and she pointed out how the data collected could be used in a variety of ways, some of which may not have been considered yet. She said, “You never know how your data is going to be used in the future. With all the advancements in technology and new ideas coming around all the time, you just never know how your data might get used, and I think that’s really exciting.”
Anyone interested in more information about majors like Wildland Resources might want to check out the Wildlife Society. They adopt many of Dr. Brosi’s experiential principles to get students outside and involved in nature. Anyone can join the Wildlife Society, even if you’re not a wildlife major.
The College of Agriculture and Natural Resources also offers paid summer internships that allow students to work in national and state parks while gaining valuable hands-on experience. Those applications will be available soon, and anyone interested is encouraged to apply early, as space is limited.
