Flint Lab Members

Dr. Courtney Flint

• Ph.D Rural Sociology. Pennsylvania State University (University Park), 2004.
• MS. Geography, University of Colorado (Boulder), 1993.
• BS. Geography, Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff), 1990.

National & International Engagement

• Scientific Advisory Board, BOKU Doctoral School HR21(Human River Systems in the 21st Century), Vienna, Austria.
• Associate Editor for Socio-Ecological Practice Research

Mike Englert

Michael Englert is a Master’s Student studying Environment and Society, with specific interests in mountain community water resource sustainability and resiliency. Michael is from the Snyderville Basin in Utah. He graduated from Oregon State University in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Geography, with a Professional Certificate in Geospatial Information Systems. Michael started working for Dr. Flint in August of 2024, specifically on the I-GUIDE Aging Dams project. Michael has real world experience working in excavation, where he fixed water infrastructure in Park City, Utah. In his free time, Michael enjoys being outdoors, cooking, exercising, and reading books.

Contact Mike at: Michael.Englert@usu.edu

Bailey Holdaway

Bailey completed her master’s degree in Environment & Society at Utah State University (USU) in the Spring of 2025. She also holds a B.S. from USU, where she studied seed-based wetland restoration in the Great Salt Lake ecosystem. Her masters thesis research focused on risk perceptions and decision-making among irrigation companies in the Great Salt Lake Basin.  Her PhD will explore the intersection of water-related hazards, such as water quality, quantity, and flooding, in Intermountain West communities. She is also currently working on a project to assess Utah agencies’ water data management practices and needs. Bailey is active in campus initiatives, serving on the EcoLunch coordination committee and the Community and Natural Resources Institute (CANRI) Steering Committee as a student representative. In her free time, she enjoys painting, knitting, watching movies, and playing board games.

Contact Bailey at: Bailey.Holdaway@usu.edu

Check out Bailey's Masters Thesis Here

Sydnee Jensen

Sydnee Jensen is a master’s student in the Environment and Society Department at USU. Sydnee’s master's thesis focuses on the impact of AI data centers on the environment as well as human well-being. She graduated from USU in the Spring of 2025 with a dual bachelor’s in Environmental Studies and Anthropology. Additionally, she is a member of the tenth cohort in the Climate Adaptation Science Program at USU. Alongside her cohort, she plans to create a Climate Assessment Report for Cache County, influenced by the Southwestern Region Chapter of the IPCC Sixth Assessment Report (AR6). In her free time, Sydnee enjoys spending time outdoors, watching, and reading.

Allison Rafert

Allison is a master’s student in Environment and Society, with research interests in protected land, co-stewardship, and community resilience. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Political Science from St. Olaf College in 2023. Allison began working with Dr. Flint in May of 2026, researching emergency preparedness and water-related hazards through both the I-GUIDE Aging Dams project and the Transformation Network project. She comes to the Flint Lab with a background in wilderness management and environmental education, having previously worked with the National Park Service in Alaska and Arizona and with several place-based learning NGOs. In her free time, she enjoys backpacking, writing, making art, and pretending she can play the guitar.

Alex Theophilus

Alex is a Ph.D. student working towards a degree in Sociology with a focus in Environment & Community. Alex completed his Bachelors at Colgate University, where he earned a degree in Environmental Geography with a minor in Sociology. In 2024, Alex completed his M.S. in Sociology at USU, with a thesis titled “Linking Community-Level Food Sovereignty to Subjective Wellbeing: Framing Perspectives on Food Systems in the Upper Yakima River Basin.” Alex’s current research focuses on the impacts of amenity migration on rural community wellbeing, particularly in the Mountain West and Upper Midwest. Alex also serves on the Community and Natural Resource Institute (CANRI) Steering Committee and is the Vice President of USU’s Sociology Graduate Student Association. In his free time, Alex loves nordic skiing, running, and a variety of other outdoor activities.

Contact Alex at A.Theophilus@usu.edu

Check out Alex's Masters Thesis Here

Nicolas Holden

Nicolas is a undergraduate research assistant majoring in Data Science and Mathematics/Statistics at Utah State University. He started working with Dr. Flint on the Utah Wellbeing Project in the Summer of 2023. He is currently helping to automate and deepen the data analysis work in the project and help find insights into the data. His goal is to become a data scientist to help solve environmental, social, and other problems. After he graduates with his Bachelor’s degree, he plans on pursing a graduate degree and furthering research. He is a native of southern Utah and loves to go canyoneering, climbing, and mountain biking when he can.

Sara McCulley

Sara is an undergraduate student at USU studying Environmental Studies and Recreation Resource Management. She is interested in natural resource stewardship and the role of Indigenous Knowledge and how it can lead to more ethical, place-based, and collaborative approaches to land and resource management. Sara currently works as a research assistant for Dr. Flint, supporting research related to water-related hazards and emergency management in the Intermountain West. Her background includes communications, project management, public engagement, and environmental education work as a naturalist. She currently lives in Salt Lake City with her husband and dog, Mr. Biscuit.

Kyle Stutz

Kyle is an undergraduate at USU majoring in Environmental Studies and Law and Constitutional Studies. He has always had a love of politics and policy, especially when it affects the environment. His research includes summarizing and synthesizing policy on each government level to better understand water hazard policy and management. In the future, he hopes to practice environmental law. He enjoys gaming, reading, and trivia in his free time.