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See this advice from a former CONS student! Note - this page includes information about both current and past students. For updated information about graduates, see www.umd.edu/CONS/list.html. New students in 2007: Maeghan Brass (B.S., Environmental Science, Indiana University, May, 2007). Maeghan spent a semester studying in Copenhagen. She’s done lab research (plants and fungi), and is a research volunteer studying polar bears at the Indianapolis Zoo. She has been active with the campus Environmental Conservation Organization and the Student Environmental Action Coalition. Jacqueline Carroll (B.S., Environmental Science and Biology, Geography minor, Towson University, 2007). Jacqueline has studied the ecology of fresh-water algae. She was founder and president of Towson University’s Students for Environmental Awareness, and student representative on the campus Recycling Committee. Bridget Chapin (B.S., Wildlife Ecology and Conservation, and B.A., Anthropology, University of Florida, 2003). Bridget was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Madagascar for two years, working as an environmental educator. She developed an environmental education program and supervised environmental activities in a rural village, and trained over 2,000 local farmers on intensive/sustainable agriculture techniques. She has worked as a research assistant in anthropology and primate nutritional ecology, and worked as a primate sanctuary keeper. Margaret Cooney (B.S., Biology, University of Mary Washington, 2005). Margaret is working a the National Zoo’s Department of Reproductive Sciences, in part on the artificial insemination of a female giant panda. She was an intern at the zoo on a sea otter nutrition project and for the Golden Lion Tamarin Free-Range project, and also has experience as a record keeper for the database on daily information for all the zoo’s mammals. Prior to all this she was a volunteer firefighter in California. April Hansgate (B.S., Psychology, Biology, University of Pittsburgh, 2005). April spent a semester at sea, visited many countries in Asia, also Africa, Cuba, Brazil. She is a research intern at the Archbold Biological Research Station, doing botanical research, and also worked as a lab tech at Kent State. A serious Frisbee player! Alexis Hollinger (B.A., Neuroscience, Anthropology, and Sociology, Middlebury College, 2005). Alexis had an internship with the Rhino Trust in Namibia and has been working recently with Riddle’s Elephant and Wildlife Sanctuary in Arkansas. She also worked as a marketing coordinator in a real estate office, and was a research fellow at Middlebury. Alexis will be in the PPCN program. Melinda Housholder (B. A., Anthropology, University of Colorado, 2004). At CU Melinda was involved in Eco-Pledge, Sinapu, and the Anthropology Club. She studied abroad in Italy, and also was a student in the La Suerte Biological Field Station (Costa Rica) course on primate behavior and ecology. After graduating she worked as a canvasser for an environmental organization, and most recently she has been an intern at the Jane Goodall Institute working in the Africa Program. Qiongyu Huang (B. S., Biotechnology, Zhejiang University, 2007). Quiongyu has a lot of lab experience in biotechnology. He did a research project on artificial wetlands, and another on winter migratory birds. He has won prizes in swimming and track competition. In 2005 he visited UC Davis for a summer program. Quiongyu’s career plan is to work for an NGO related to wildlife conservation in China. Amber Lefstead (B.S., Biology, Florida State University, 2007). Amber has been working on research on induced defense in a noxious weed; she also worked on parasitic wasp species, and has some experience with butterfly research. She’s a musician and proud owner of a 4-foot long iguana. Amber interned with the Florida Department of Consumer Service’s Division of Aquaculture designing a technical bulletin to educate aquaculture farmers on the importance of aquatic preserves. She also compiled water quality monitoring information across the state to help coordinate monitoring efforts between the Division of Aquaculture, EPA Coastal and Aquatic Managed Areas program, and other independent agencies. Ryan Richards (B.S., Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, music minor, UC Davis, 2006). Ryan is working as a restoration project mentor at the Center for Land-Based Learning, in California. He was a habitat restoration intern with the Audubon California Landowner Stewardship Program, and is involved with conservation and education projects at the Sacramento Zoological Society. He spent a summer in Australia. Volha Roshchanka (B.A., Human Ecology, College of the Atlantic, 2004). Volha grew up in Belarus. She worked as a researcher and editor in the Ukraine, and as a research assistant for a Polish environmental NGO. She is working now as a research analyst for the Global Forest Watch program of the World Resources Institute, in DC. She’s adding Spanish now to her other six languages. Benjamin Schapiro (B.S., Environmental Science and Policy, University of Maryland, 2004). While at UMCP Ben worked with the College Park Environmental Group, and was president of it for two years. After graduating he worked as a Park Naturalist at a state park in Maryland. Ben then spent two years in Nicaragua in the Peace Corps, where he was a Sustainable Food Security/Agriculture Volunteer. He lived in a small rural community in the mountains where he worked with subsistence farmers. He’s currently a teacher at the C2 Educational Center in Maryland and a Research Assistant, ORISE Program,US Military Research Institute of Chemical Defense. Ben will be in the PPCN program. Varada Shevade (B.S., Life Science and Biochemistry, St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai, India, 2004; M.S., Biodiversity, Abasaheb Garware College of Arts and Sciences, Mumbai, 2006). Varada was born and grew up in Mumbai. She participated in programs of the Bombay Natural History Society, and enjoys nature photography. For her M.S. thesis she studied urban wetland biodiversity, focusing on aquatic birds at eight sites around the city of Pune. She has worked with the Centre for Environmental Education in Pune, designing projects on biodiversity and urban environmental issues for undergraduates. Danielle Wright (B.S., Biology and Psychology, Pennsylvania State University, 2004). Danielle is working as a conservation education coordinator at Disney’s Animal Kingdom Lodge, where she oversees a 15-person education team of cultural representatives from South Africa. She was an animal care and training intern at the U.S. Navy Marine Mammal program in California, a Big Cats intern at the Pittsburgh Zoo, and a conservation education intern at Epcot’s Living Seas.
New students in 2006: Abdel Abellard (B.S. 2002, State University of Haiti (UEH). Abdel studied Agricultural Science, focusing on Natural Resources and Environment. He worked with an industry in Haiti that produces Akee ( Blighia sapida ) for exportation to the US and England , and helped to develop a local organization in his home town. Most recently he was in charge of a World Bank-financed project on soil conservation in the context of risk and disaster management in Fond-Verrettes, Haiti . abdelabellard (at) hotmail.com Alison Armocida (B.S. 2004, University of Maryland , Baltimore County , Biology). Alison has volunteered at the Nanjemoy Creek Environmental Center in southern Maryland , had an internship at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History (paleobiology and scorpion morphology!), worked in a genetics lab at UMBC, and volunteered as a keeper's aid at the National Zoo. She's working as a teacher now. aliarm (at) gmail.com Mauricio Bedoya (B.S. 1995, Pontificia Universidad Javeriana, Colombia, Biology; M.A. 2006 Environmental Management). Mauricio worked with the Colombian Government for several years in topics regarding protected area management and land acquisition. He has also worked with conservationist NGO’s in the design and implementation of a net of protected areas and park management plans as well as in biodiversity assessments. His undergraduate thesis was focused on hunting patterns in an indigenous community in the Colombian Amazon. Mauricio is a contributing author for the mammal red data book for his country. maitobg (at) hotmail.com Nirmal Bhagabati (M.S. 1994, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Ph.D. 2000, SUNY Albany). Nirmal did research on Mexican Jays in Mexico for his dissertation, and has multiple publications about this work. He was a visiting postdoc at the Smithsonian Institution's Laboratory of Molecular Systematics, and most recently has worked as a bioinformatics analyst at the Institute for Genomic Research. Nb7234 (at) gmail.com Chinyere Egwuagu Bun (B.S. 1999 Morgan State University, Biology; MBA 2003, Morgan State University, Information Science and Systems). Born in England, Chinyere grew up mainly in Nigeria and came to the U.S. to go to college. For the past few years, she has been working at the World Bank's Financial Market Integrity Unit, on a variety of financial and private sector development issues, in particular providing technical assistance to developing countries on how to protect their financial sectors against money laundering and financing of terrorism. She also worked for the International Finance Corporation. Chinyere is interested in promoting human development in ways that recognize the need for people to capitalize on and conserve natural resources. chinyere_bun (at) hotmail.com Katherine Dennis (B.S. 2002, UC Davis, Evolution and Ecology, minor in Spanish). Katherine spent a quarter in Monteverde , Costa Rica as an undergraduate, and was a Peace Corps Volunteer in Panama , where she worked as a Community Environmental Conservation Extentionist in a rural community. While there, she formed an environmental youth group (Panama Verde). She has also helped as a research assistant with USGS research on desert tortoises. Katden16 (at) yahoo.com Juan Galvan (B.S. 2005, UC San Diego , Ecology, Behavior, and Evolution). Juan Pablo has worked as a field researcher studying habitat fragmentation on coastal scrub habitat, and was a student worker for the San Diego County Multiple Species Conservation Plan. He is now working at Prescott College's Kino Bay Center for Cultural and Ecological Studies (on the Gulf of California) doing research on protected area management, seabirds, and cetaceans. jgalvan (at) umd.edu Rebecca Gasper (B.S. 2006, Syracuse University , Biology and Environmental Science). Rebecca worked as a tutor at the Learning Resource Center , and as a research assistant for a faculty member on evolutionary biology projects that will be published soon. She participated in activities of NY PIRG on a clean energy project, and is now working with an online tutoring program for high school students. rrgasper (at) syr.edu Isis Johnson (B.S. 2004, University of Delaware , Wildlife conservation and Entomology majors). Isis spent three weeks in Namibia as one of two Univ. of DE students participating in a study abroad trip, and also experienced two weeks in the Peruvian rainforest. Since graduating she has been working for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission as an Environmental Biologist on preparation of Environmental Assessments, proposal evaluation, and review of resource management plans. isisuj (at) yahoo.com Jennifer Kane (B.S. 1999, Brown University, Biology and Visual Arts). Jennifer took a tropical ecology course in Ecuador (where she was an exchange student earlier), and a graduate seminar in conservation biology at UC Berkeley. She has a Certificate in Science Communication from UC Santa Cruz (2002). She worked at the Smithsonian Institution's Tropical Research Institute (Naos Marine Lab) for a year, and now runs her own science illustration business in San Francisco . Jennifer.kane (at) gmail.com Julie Kates (B.S. 2000, University of Michigan , School of Natural Resources and Environment). Julie spent a semester in Tanzania , and returned to volunteer with the African Wildlife Foundation after graduating. She helped with developing a management plan for Tarangire National Park , and the development of a community-based conservation initiative. She has also worked with Zero Population Growth and the Bushmeat Crisis Task Force. Now she is working for the Wildlife Habitat Council as Wildlife Biologist/Research Coordinator. juliekates (at) yahoo.com Mary Ellen Kustin (B.A. 2006, University of South Carolina , Mathematics, Environmental Studies minor). Mary Ellen spent a semester in Australia , where her interest in environmental studies was strengthened. She founded the South Carolina Public Interest Research Group at USC, and spent a summer working as a field manager and canvasser for North Carolina PIRG. Need help with calculus? She's been a calculus TA. kustinm (at) yahoo.com Tonya McLean (B.S. 2004, Portland State University , Environmental Studies). Tonya grew up in Oregon but has worked on a dairy farm in New Zealand , snorkeled the Great Barrier Reef in Australia , and trekked in Nepal and Indonesia while on a year-long trip around the world. She worked for three summers as a freshwater biologist for state regulatory agencies, and has studied urban ecology. She volunteers for the native plant center in Portland , and as a land steward for The Wetlands Conservancy. tonyaluna (at) gmail.com Makeda Okolo (B.A. 2006, American University , Environmental Policy). Makeda grew up in the Virgin Islands . She has studied in South Africa , interning with Cape Nature Conservation and studying their National Youth Service Program. She also traveled to Mozambique and Swaziland . She has been working with the Delegate to Congress from the Virgin Islands , and plans to continue that work while a CONS student. okolo_makeda (at) hotmail.com Briony Senior (B.S. 2001, University of Waikato , New Zealand , Biology). Briony's undergraduate degree required a year of work experience, during which she worked for an endangered species program on the kakapo. She has four years of work experience with WildAid in Thailand , where she coordinated the Surviving Together Program that focused on Thailand and Cambodia . She's currently an intern at the Smithsonian's Conservation and Research Center , working with remote sensing and GIS analyses of wildlife, such as modeling captive and wild elephant populations in Burma . seniorb (at) si.edu Elizabeth Skane (B.A. 2001, University of Virginia , Environmental Science). Elizabeth has worked as a lab technician for EA Engineering, as a Science Assistant at the National Science Foundation, and is now an environmental scientist at URS Corporation. A recent project was reorganization and re-writing of the U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command Remedial Program Manager's Guide, and she has also worked on Environmental Assessments for construction projects on a military base in Virginia . She volunteers as a Keeper Aid at the National Zoo's Amazonia exhibit, and has done 100-mile bike rides. elizabethskane (at) hotmail.com Iván Darío Valencia (B.Sc. 2002 National University of Colombia , Bogotá, Geography). Iván recently worked as a conservation specialist for the Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network at the Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences in Massachusetts . Prior to that, he was Assistant Advisor for the Americas for the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands in Switzerland , and a GIS researcher for the Instituto Alexander von Humboldt in Colombia . A keen birdwatcher, he was a volunteer park ranger in Munchique National Park in Colombia, coordinated National Aquatic Bird Censuses, and was on the Board of Directors of the Asociación Bogotana de Ornitologia. He studied in Norway as an AFS student. valencia.ivan.dario (at) gmail.com Elise Van Metter (B.S. 2003, Wilson College , Biology). Elise did a project on environmental enrichment for lions and tigers at the National Zoo, for which she won awards. She was an environmental education intern at the Strawberry Hill Nature Center , and volunteered at the Center for Watershed Protection. She worked most recently as a Research Assistant at the Westat Research Corporation. Elise_vanmetter (at) yahoo.com New students in 2005:
Sarah Ball (B.S. 1985, Accounting, Va. Tech; M.A. 2001, Literature, S.U.N.Y.-Binghamton). Sarah has spent the last 20 years in the field of financial management, specializing in non-profit entities. During that time, she has participated in sea turtle nest monitoring studies in Tortuguero, Costa Rica and helped track native eastern box turtle populations at Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary in Anne Arundel County, Maryland. Her interests within the Conservation Biology program lie in the field of natural resource economics and environmental accounting. sarahkball (at) yahoo.com
New students in 2004:
Dana Coelho. B. O. (Urban and Environmental Planning) 2003, University of Virginia. Worked with the Student Environmental Action group on campus. Has worked with an architectural firm in Baltimore, the Missouri Public Interest Research Group, and the Charlottesville , VA Department of Neighborhood Development Services. Dana is in the PPCN dual degree program. dcoelho1 (at) umd.edu Raimundo Espinoza. B. A. (Environmental Studies) 2004, Pace University. Worked as a research assistant at the Fundacion Jatun Sacha in Ecuador, and for the Junta de Calidad Ambiental in Puerto Rico. Raimundo was born and raised in Quito, and recently spent six months with the School for Field Studies in Mexico. He's particularly interested in marine conservation. Rayitodelsol (at) hotmail.com Thinley Namgyel. B.S. (Natural Resources) 1999, University of Wisconsin-Madison. Working for the National Environment Commission in Bhutan on a variety of issues such as monitoring development projects, developing program activities, and most recently managing a project on adapation to climate change in Bhutan. He is attending the CONS program with a fellowship form the Bhutan Trust Fund for Environmental Conservation. Poornima Raghunathan. B. A. (Biology and Environmental Studies) 2003, Knox College. Has tutored Spanish, spent a summer doing a research project, was student secretary for the Office of Intercultural Life at Knox College , and worked at an assisted living center. Her senior research project was on the involvement of indigenous people in conservation issues. She has lived in Papua New Guinea and India , and spent a semester in Spain . nimaragh (at) umd.edu Sanjaya Ranasinghe. B. A. (Biology) 2001, Luther College. M.S. ( Forest resources and conservation) 2003, University of Florida . Was a graduate research assistant working on efficacy of forest herbicides as a tool in restoration of longleaf pine flatwoods, and worked on design and implementation of a restoration project. Working now as an environmental health specialist for Tidewater, Inc. (and will continue in this job while being a part-time student). scbranasinghe (at) hotmail.com
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