During her first week in the La Sal Mountains, Megan White (MS ‘27, PWS) found herself caught in a sudden lightning storm. She remembered Dr. Loreen Allphin’s warning that lightning would be their greatest concern on the mountain, a danger that became real when a bolt struck the ground nearby. Sprinting downhill in search of cover, she realized it was a moment she would never forget. “I thought, this is insane, but I love it,” she shares.
Despite such a dramatic introduction to the mountains, White eagerly dove into her research, which focuses on three rare plant species—Erigeron mancus, Potentilla paucijuga, Senecio fremontii var. inexpectatus—found only in the La Sal range outside Moab. She spent weeks hiking the alpine terrain to locate each population, examining how these plants grow, survive, and reproduce in a challenging alpine environment. “These are rare, endemic species,” she explains. “I’m interested in understanding what allows them to persist—and what might be putting them at risk.” Encouraged by several professors, she is now petitioning to elevate what began as an extensive master’s project into a PhD-level study.
One of the species she monitors is currently under consideration for the endangered species list. White hopes her findings will help strengthen protections for the La Sals, a landscape she has grown to love through her fieldwork. Alongside tracking the plants’ growth, she is also investigating how climate change, invasive mountain goats, and human recreation are shaping their chances of survival. “Fieldwork itself is my favorite part of being a scientist,” White says. “I love being outside, problem-solving in real time, and fully immersing myself in the ecosystem I’m studying.”
Fieldwork at this scale requires more than scientific expertise—it also calls for strong leadership. Since beginning this project, White has taken on that challenge, training her field team, organizing the agenda, managing food and supplies, and determining how long the team will stay on the mountain. The experience has pushed her to grow as a leader, teaching her how to guide and motivate others.
These skills proved essential when White and fellow researcher Laura Cate encountered a wildfire while conducting research between Mt. Tuk and Talking Mountain. After spotting a plume of smoke to the east, they called 911 and checked in with White’s advisor before rushing to finish their measurements. Once White wrapped up her work, she realized the fire was approaching the only road off the mountain, prompting the pair to complete a two-and-a-half-hour hike in just 40 minutes. “Even though the situation was crazy, I felt capable and knew that we could handle it,” White shares.
Yet facing lightning and fire on the mountain wasn’t White’s hardest challenge in graduate school. It was managing her anxiety disorder. That struggle became even more difficult when Dr. Steve Petersen asked her to help teach one of his classes—a task she wasn’t sure she could handle. She remembers praying, “Help me get through this. It doesn’t need to be great. I just need to make it through this.” She decided to approach the class with the aim of making the material meaningful for the students. “I remember what it felt like to learn these concepts for the first time, so I tried to meet students where they were and build their confidence as they worked through challenging topics,” she explains. By the end of the class, her confidence had grown, and she felt she had been successful in showing her students why the material mattered and how it applied to real-world scenarios.
Faith also shaped some of her most meaningful moments in the field. During her first summer in the La Sals, one of her research assistants suggested the team spend an extra hour reading their patriarchal blessings. Each person found a quiet spot to take time to reflect and be with God. For White, it was a sacred experience. She often thinks about how the scriptures describe prophets going into the mountains to commune with God. “Throughout my research, I've really come to see how true that is,” she says. “The mountains are a special place.”
Looking ahead, White hopes to return to California and study the rare plants that grow along the coast. The spark she felt during that first lightning storm has remained with her, shaping the kind of scientist she wants to become. “That would be the dream—combining conservation with human health and understanding how everything comes together to make the earth healthy and beautiful.” She plans to continue exploring rare plant conservation, the impacts of climate change on communities, and the essential role biodiversity plays in maintaining healthy ecosystems.