Elise Gornish, PhD
2024 Distinguished Scholar Award
"The award highlights the fact that UA recognizes and appreciates my efforts to conduct meaningful research for stakeholders across Arizona. This support keeps me committed to the University and its broad efforts to solve grand challenges for folks in the southwest." |
A cooperative extension specialist in ecological restoration, Dr. Gornish’s research and outreach program focuses on restoration and management strategies of dryland vegetation that mitigate effects of climate change. She routinely works with individuals and organizations across Arizona to integrate research with education in restorative practices for both natural and agricultural landscapes.
Gornish’s commitment to equitable engagement and inclusive opportunities spans her work in cooperative extension and beyond. The Gornish Lab led AIR’s 2023-2024 Annual Resilience Theme Award project, The Art and Science of Drought Resilience Through Soil Health Initiatives, which brought together artists, gardeners, land managers, researchers, educators, and more to teach the high school students and the public about the relevance of healthy soil in their own lives, regardless of where they live or work.
Gornish also directs the Southern Arizona program Girls on outdoor Adventure for Leadership and Science, or GALS, a free science program for high school girls in Arizona that integrates outdoor education with place-based science learning.
She has most recently been appointed the new faculty director of the Arizona Institute for Resilience’s Desert Laboratory on Tumamoc Hill. As director, she will facilitate research and educational collaborations across the U of A campus with all those interested in exploring the unique ecological and anthropological landscape of Tumamoc Hill.