Mary F Poteet

Mary F Poteet is an Assistant Professor of Practice in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at The University of Texas at Austin, with a joint appointment in the CNS Freshman Research Initiative. She holds a Provost's Teaching Fellowship and is co-director of the Jackson Scholars Program. Her research focuses on aquatic ecosystems' responses to urbanization and climate change, particularly in Central Texas creeks, collaborating with municipal and conservation organizations. She leads field-based educational initiatives, guiding students in geology and natural history across multiple states and Scotland.

Her work integrates sensor-based monitoring of creek metabolic regimes, thermal stress, and urban impacts, with a history of studying karst species vulnerability and salamander conservation physiology. She collaborates with the City of Austin and Waterloo Conservancy to develop urban creek management strategies. Her teaching emphasizes hands-on research and career preparation for undergraduates through programs like the Freshman Research Initiative and Jackson Scholars.

• Key Collaborators: City of Austin, Waterloo Conservancy, USGS
• Research Themes: Urban Ecology, Climate Change, Conservation Physiology
• Education Outreach: Field expeditions to Utah, Colorado, Wyoming, South Dakota, and Scotland

Her awards include the Provost's Teaching Fellowship, recognizing her innovative pedagogical approaches. Ongoing projects include sensor-based creek metabolism studies and climate change vulnerability assessments for karst aquifers.