Doyle W. Stephens Research Program

FRIENDS of Great Salt Lake established the Doyle W. Stephens Research Program to celebrate Stephens' remarkable scientific contributions toward understanding the Great Salt Lake Ecosystem. The Doyle W. Stephens Scholarship provides support to undergraduate and graduate students engaged in new or on-going research that focuses on Great Salt Lake and its ecosystem. 2026 applications are open until March 15.

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Scholarship Eligibility

Applicants must be undergraduate or graduate students currently enrolled at an accredited college or university. Individuals who have previously received this award are not eligible. The award may be used to support laboratory or field research, attendance at professional meetings, or other activities that further the understanding or protection of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem. Research located anywhere in the Great Salt Lake watershed can qualify for this award. We will consider projects from any academic field (for instance: ecology, biology, chemistry, physics, geography, geology, urban planning, social sciences, communications, education, economics, tourism, engineering, etc.). Please include a short research proposal (1-5 pages) along with a proposed budget. 2025 Winners were announced in May, 2025.

Click here for a sample rubric.

Featured Research by Scholarship Recipients

In 2016, Derek Mallia was awarded the Doyle W. Stephens Scholarship as a University of Utah doctoral student for his project, "The Impacts of a Shrinking Great Salt Lake on Future Air Quality." Now a professor in the University of Utah's Department of Atmospheric Sciences, Derek continues to build on that research.

In partnership with Kevin Perry, Wilkes Center for Climate Science & Policy, and Utah Department of Natural Resources, Derek developed a new, interactive data visualization tool modeling how the amount of dust transported to the surrounding communities is tied to the elevation of Great Salt Lake. This tool was released in January 2026, and will continue to be updated with additional data.

Explore the Great Salt Lake Basin Dust Exposure Modeling Tool here.

History of Dr. Doyle W. Stephens and the scholarship created in his name.

Doyle Stephens was born in Ogden, Utah, in 1944. He received his BS in Biology from Weber State College in 1967, his MS in Entomology in 1969 and his PhD in Limnology from the University of Utah in 1974.

At the time of his death in May, 2000, he had been a research hydrologist for the U.S. Geological Survey for nearly 20 years. In 2001, he was posthumously awarded the Governor's Medal for Science and Technology.

Doyle Stephens made significant contributions toward public awareness of critical issues relating to Utah's natural resources and environment. Of particular importance were his efforts to increase public knowledge and awareness of the Great Salt Lake Ecosystem. As a contributor to the state's Great Salt Lake Ecosystem project, Doyle's work on Great Salt Lake shrimp ecology helped increase understanding about population dynamics of the shrimp in the lake and factors affecting the structure and density of the population.

"Stephens leaves a broad and deep body of scientific work. His legacy is that his work's contribution to the environment, to the economy, and to the quality of life in Utah will not diminish over time but will continue to grow," says Don Leonard, Former President, Utah Artemia Association.

Another colleague observed: "Icebergs don't happen in Great Salt Lake, save one. Before he left us so prematurely, we only got to see the tip of Doyle Stephens' impact on the work of almost every other Great Salt Lake investigator. As time passes, we will begin to understand the extent of Doyle's work and the encouragement he lent to others to wonder and search along with him."

Please direct any questions to Holly Simonsen at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.