Matthew LaPlante
Journalism & Communication
Associate Professor
Contact Information
Office Location: Logan (AGRS 315)Email: matthew.laplante@usu.edu
Additional Information:
Educational Background
Biography
Matthew LaPlante, PhD, is an author, journalist, climate scientist, radio program host, advocate for educational equity, and associate professor of journalistic writing at Utah State University.
Teaching Interests
• Journalistic writing
• Narrative non-fiction
• Crisis communication
• Science communication
• Opinion writing
• Online education
Research Interests
• Climate variability
• Climate prediction
• Climate change
• Online pedagogy
Awards
American Society of Journalists and Authors Award for Science Writing , 2020
Foreword Indie Silver Award Winner for Science, 2019
Utah Society of Professional Journalists Award for Sports Reporting, 2019
Quintus C. Wilson Ethics Award, 2018
Society of Professional Journalists
Nautilus Book Award, Gold: Health and Healing, 2017
Dart Award for Excellence in Coverage of Trauma (finalist), 2015
Deborah Howell Award for Non-Deadline Writing (finalist), 2015
American Society of Newspaper Editors
Kavli Award for Science Journalism, 2015
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Dean's Giraffe Award, 2014
USU College of Humanities and Social Science
Ancil Payne Award for Ethics in Journalism, 2012
Quintus C. Wilson Ethics Award, 2012
Utah Society of Professional Journalists
Finalist, Hillman Prize for Newspaper Journalist, 2011
The Hillman Foundation
Top of the Rockies Award for Public Service Reporting, 2011
Society of Professional Journalists
Don Baker Award for Investigative Reporting, 2010
Society of Professional Journalists
Utah Newspaper Reporter of the Year, 2010
Society of Professional Journalists
Roy B. Gibson Award Freedom of Information Award, 2009
Society of Professional Journalists
William H. Cowles Memorial Award for Public Service Reporting, 2009
Society of Professional Journalists
Top of the Rockies Award for Blog Writing, 2008
Society of Professional Journalists
Utah Newspaper Reporter of the Year, 2008
Society of Professional Journalists
Finalist, Livingston Award for Young Journalists, 2007
Roy B. Gibson Award Freedom of Information Award, 2005
Society of Professional Journalists
Publications | Books
- LaPlante, M., (2019). Superlative: The Biology of Extremes. BenBella *
- Day, J., LaPlante, M., (2017). Simplicity: 33 Little Things You Are Doing to Mess Up Your Life, and 33 Easy Tips To Make It Better . *
- Moalem, S., LaPlante, M., (2014). Inheritance: How Our Genes Change Our Lives and Our Lives Change Our Genes. *
- LaPlante, M.D, (2024). Making Asynchronous Online Discussions Meaningful: An Introduction to The Pioneer Method with Robust Scaffolding : Habits of Mind.
Publications | Book Chapters
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Journal Articles
Academic Journal
- LaPlante, M.D, (2024). Ocean Temperatures Do Not Account for a Record-Setting Winter in the US West. Atmosphere
- Dalanhese, L., Wang, S., Stuivenvolt Allen, J., LaPlante, M., (2023). A new climatology of South American extratropical cyclogenesis with an inter-comparison among ERA5, JRA55, and the Brazilian Navy. International Journal of Climatology, DOI:10.1002/joc.8251 .
- Stuivenvolt-Allen, J., Wang, S., LaPlante, M., Yoon, J., (2020). Three western pacific typhoons strengthened fire weather in the recent northwest U.S. conflagration. Geophysical Research Letters, doi: 10.1029/2020GL091430
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | MultiMedia
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Publications | Other
Magazine/Trade Publications
- LaPlante, M., (2018). Statewide, libraries are changing. Salt Lake Magazine *
- LaPlante, M., (2018). Ski (all of) Utah: How to ski all of Utah's 14 resorts in seven days. Salt Lake Magazine *
- LaPlante, M., (2016). A long way from Peoa. Liberalis *
- LaPlante, M., (2016). Fire starter. Liberalis *
- LaPlante, M., (2016). The search for story. Liberalis *
- LaPlante, M., (2016). The story of water. Utah State Magazine *
- LaPlante, M., (2015). How Salt Lake City Got Tech Commercialization Right. Innovation Magazine *
- LaPlante, M., (2015). Coming up Rubies. *
- LaPlante, M., Hamilton, M., (2013). Lies in the land of hope. Salt Lake Magazine *
- LaPlante, M., (2013). Historical Fiction. Salt Lake Magazine *
- LaPlante, M., (2012). Farmer. Statesman. Immigration Martyr.. Salt Lake Magazine *
- LaPlante, M., (2012). Let the little children come: Dashed plans and disappointment give rise to a new vision in Addis Ababa. Prism Magazine *
- LaPlante, M., (2012). The Myth of Mitt. Salt Lake Magazine *
- LaPlante, M., (2012). Finding Zion: Ethiopia’s Dorze Tribe. Standard Magazine *
- LaPlante, M., (2012). Open arms, closed doors: What is behind Ethiopia’s adoption bottleneck?. Christianity Today *
Newspaper
- LaPlante, M., (2019). This is the (other) place: Searching for the Greatest Snow on Earth in the Land of the Rising Fun. Salt Lake City Weekly *
- LaPlante, M., (2018). In Utah, the fight against porn is increasingly framed as a public health crisis. The Washington Post *
- LaPlante, M., (2018). Ethiopia emerges as an African success story, but a new health challenge has emerged. The Deseret News *
- LaPlante, M., (2017). A Terrible Choice. The Deseret News *
- LaPlante, M., (2016). Amputation is no longer a surgery of last resort. The Deseret News *
- LaPlante, M., (2015). The Last Leg. The Salt Lake Tribune *
- LaPlante, M., (2015). Deadly days in El Salvador. Los Angeles News Group *
- LaPlante, M., (2015). In the midst of El Salvador’s epidemic violence, soccer shines a light of hope. The Salt Lake Tribune *
- LaPlante, M., (2015). Salvador gang leaders testing limits of power in U.S.. Los Angeles News Group *
- LaPlante, M., (2014). Written in the stars: After this year’s surprise success, the pressure’s on for Real Salt Lake.. City Weekly *
- LaPlante, M., Christiansen, P., (2013). Devastated: The world’s largest known organism is in Utah — and it’s dying.. City Weekly *
- LaPlante, M., (2013). Cytherea’s Comeback: The rise and fall of Mormon girl who charted a new course adult entertainment. Las Vegas City Life *
- LaPlante, M., (2011). Swift Justice: A Utah town is still trying to recover, five years after a high-profile immigration raid. City Weekly *
- LaPlante, M., (2011). Special Service: Are Utah’s vets getting justice or a free pass?. City Weekly *
Miscellaneous Extension
Other
- LaPlante, M., (2013). Real Salt Lake lifted to win over Whitecaps. The Canadian Press *
- LaPlante, M., (2012). Chivas USA get first goal, first win. The Associated Press *
An asterisk (*) at the end of a publication indicates that it has not been peer-reviewed.
Teaching
Teaching Interests
- Journalistic Writing
- Narrative non-fiction
- Crisis Communication
- Science Communication
- Opinion Writing
- Online Education
Research Interests
- Climate science
- Online pedagogy
- At-promise student learning