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List of Research Course Placements, Summer 2019 *IMPORTANT: You may contact the mentor to ask for more information about the placement. Please DO NOT contact the mentor(s) to arrange for an interview until the faculty instructor of record has given you a list of mentors with whom to interview (after May 15, 2019). 1. Nutrition review at the Small Mammal House, National Zoo, Washington, DC

Kenton Kerns, Small Mammal House Assistant Curator, Animal Care Sciences, National Zoological Park Erin Kendrick, Clinical Nutritionist, Animal Care Sciences, National Zoological Park Mike Power, PhD, Animal Scientist, Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology

Institute, DC

Appropriate nutrition is a required component of a complete husbandry package for animals cared for in

zoos. The National Zoo’s Small Mammal House cares for 35 species of exotic animals, each with its own

dietary requirements. Every animal’s diet is determined by clinical zoo nutritionists to ensure it meets

target nutrient ranges for that species, and changes are made regularly to reflect fluctuations in the

needs and care of the collection. The research student will assist zookeepers in monitoring

consumption, preference, and digestion of diets within the Small Mammal House to help facilitate diet

reviews for the Department of Nutrition. The student will also work with Small Mammal staff to develop

historical lists of enrichment foods (and amounts) and help standardize and update these lists across

tax. The student will also have the opportunity to shadow Small Mammal staff during daily care

routines. Additionally, opportunities will be available to work with Dept. of Nutrition staff on diet prep

and at the Nutrition Laboratory to learn assays to determine the nutrient content of foods and feces.

Preferred skills: Excellent communication skills, great attention to detail, ability to focus while

performing repetitive tasks, and moderate skill with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.

An interview is required for this placement. For questions about this placement, please email Kenton Kerns at kernsk@si.edu. 2. Behavioral observation project (Primates) at the National Zoo, Washington, DC Emily Bricker, Primate Animal Keeper, Animal Care Sciences, National Zoological Park, DC

An understanding of animal behavior is essential to developing a management plan for captive animals,

and no decision concerning husbandry should be made without collecting behavioral data about the

animals in question. In the Primate Department at the National Zoo we have several socially-housed

species, meaning that any decision we make in terms of breeding, enrichment, feeding, exhibit

modifications, etc. will not only affect the animals at the individual level, but may also affect group

dynamics. We are seeking a student to perform behavioral observations for our department for either

lemurs or gorillas. We have a mixed-species exhibit consisting of 3 species of lemurs: red fronted lemur,

ring-tailed lemur, and black and white ruffed lemur. The student will perform behavioral observations

of our ring-tailed lemurs concerning how they use the enrichment that we currently utilize. These

observations will assist us in determining if our current lemur enrichment program is effective, or if we

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need to modify certain aspects to maximize the welfare of our lemur collection. We also have a mixed-

sex group of gorillas consisting of an adult silverback male, 3 adult females, and one infant male. We are

seeking a student to assist with observations of our mixed-sex group with the intent of having a more

complete picture of their hierarchy and group dynamics. These observations will assist us in

determining how our gorillas interact with one another based on hierarchy, and how our management

style affects that hierarchy. The student will summarize and present their data to the primate team at

the end of their appointment.

An interview is required for this placement. For questions about this placement, please email Emily Bricker at BrickerE@si.edu. 3. Wildlife Health Sciences — Reptile and amphibian health and management at the National Zoo,

Washington DC

Victoria Hall, DVM, MS, DACVPM, Veterinary Epidemiologist, Wildlife Health Sciences, National Zoological Park, DC Alan Peters, Curator of Herpetology, Animal Care Sciences, National Zoological Park, DC Neel Aziz, DVM, DACVP, Supervisory Veterinary Pathologist, Wildlife Health Sciences, National

Zoological Park, DC

As we manage animal populations in captive settings, we constantly work to provide the highest

possible standard of husbandry and medical care. Using morbidity and mortality surveillance, we can

track and learn more about disease trends and health conditions in our animals. These learnings then

feed back into our preventative medicine programs and are disseminated to the greater zoo and wildlife

community, when warranted, to improve care in captive and wild settings. In this research experience,

the student will have the opportunity to learn about health issues experienced by animals in the Reptile

Discovery Center (RDC) and work towards creating data-driven recommendations to improve health and

welfare. This position will spend a large portion of the time working on computer-based data

management, organization, and analysis of historic and current health and pathology data of selected

RDC species. Additionally, students will also have opportunities to work with zoo keepers in the RDC,

accompany the veterinary team during routine procedures, learn the appropriate methods for clinical

pathology sample processing, learn how necropsies (post-mortem examinations) are performed, and

how histopathology samples are processed and pathophysiology of common diseases affecting

herptiles.

An interview is required for this placement. For questions about this placement, please email Victoria Hall at HallVic@si.edu. 4. Structure and function of microbiomes for the conservation of salamander and microbial

biodiversity

Carly Muletz Wolz, PhD, Research Scientist, Center for Conservation Genomics, Smithsonian

Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC

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Animals are colonized by diverse communities of bacteria, known as the host microbiome. Microbiomes

play key roles in animal ecology, evolution, and general health. Identifying the processes shaping

microbiome diversity is a new frontier in biodiversity research. One aspect of my research is identifying

the factors that shape microbiome diversity on salamander skin. The skin microbiome is one of the first

lines of defense against pathogens. I am particularly interested in bacteria that are known to kill the

deadly chytrid fungi of amphibians, which are causing dramatic losses to amphibian biodiversity

worldwide. In this research experience, the student will develop and implement a short independent

project in the field of microbial ecology as it applies to salamander conservation. Skills learned will vary

depending on the specific project, but may include, experimental design, microbial culturing techniques,

media preparation, spectrophotometry, DNA extractions, PCR, data processing, and statistical analyses.

An interview is required for this placement. For questions about this placement, please contact Carly Muletz Wolz at muletzc@si.edu, or 202-633-3329. 5. Developing education materials for Smithsonian’s Follow That Bird! program

Nathan W. Cooper, PhD, Postdoctoral Fellow, Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC Brian S. Evans, PhD, Migratory Bird Ecologist, Migratory Bird Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Washington, DC As part of the Smithsonian’s new Experience Migration exhibit coming to the National Zoo in 2021, the

Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center and collaborators developed an education program called “Follow

that Bird!” This inquiry-based program targets middle school life-science students, by guiding their

exploration into how Migratory Bird Center scientists use innovative tools to track birds, analyze data,

and then use their findings to conserve migratory birds. We are seeking one student to work with us on

the development of new education materials for Follow That Bird! One of the target species for the

program is the Kirtland’s Warbler, an endangered migratory songbird that recently recovered from the

brink of extinction. We are seeking one student to work with us on the development of new education

materials to support an existing module about Kirtland’s Warblers and develop a new module focused

on field-based research. Ideally, the student would travel to Michigan for 7-10 days (free housing

included) to record audio and video footage of scientists working in the field to capture Kirtland’s

Warblers and find their nests. If travel to Michigan is not possible, we will assist the student in

documenting field-based SMBC research projects in Greater Washington, DC and developing educational

materials for these projects. We anticipate the students gaining knowledge in avian field research

techniques and skills including interviewing, capturing natural history photographs and video footage,

and creating education materials. Please visit the Follow That Bird! website for more information on the

program.

An interview is required for this placement. For questions about this placement, please contact Drs. Cooper and Evans at nathanwands@gmail.com and EvansBr@si.edu.

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6. Measuring land cover change and human influence in an arid ecosystem

Katherine Mertes, PhD, Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, Virginia Jared Stabach, PhD, Ecologist, Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute,

Front Royal, Virginia

The goal of this project is to measure land cover change due to human activity within a large protected

area in Chad. The Ouadi Rime-Ouadi Achim Wildlife Reserve is a multi-use protected area located on the

fringe of the Sahara desert. Hundreds of thousands of livestock graze in the reserve each year –

however, it is also the site of the reintroduction of scimitar-horned oryx, a species currently considered

Extinct in the Wild. Human infrastructure (such as wells and settlements) and agriculture (such as

seasonal sorghum crops) have been increasing within and near the reserve over the past decade,

expanding human presence into previously inaccessible areas. The student will use a time series of

satellite images to track land cover change, human infrastructure development, and agricultural

expansion, to better understand the spatial and temporal dynamics of human impact in this remote

area. This project complements ongoing remote sensing and GIS work to increase knowledge of risks to

the population of reintroduced oryx and other critically endangered wildlife. The student will have the

opportunity to learn GIS and remote sensing skills, use new technologies developed by Save the

Elephants and Google, and be a part of an exciting wildlife conservation program.

An interview is required for this placement. For questions about this placement, email Katherine Mertes at MertesK@si.edu. 7. Do camera collars cause stress to scimitar-horned oryx?

Katherine Mertes, PhD, Post-doctoral Research Fellow, Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, Virginia Jared Stabach, PhD, Ecologist, Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute,

Front Royal, Virginia

Tracking devices provide a way to monitor the activity patterns, space use, and behavior of wild or

translocated animals. However, an animal’s geographic position is an incomplete record of its behavioral

and physical status. Videos or images collected from the animal’s point of view collect complementary

information that may increase our understanding of habitat and diet preferences, social relationships,

and body condition (e.g. parasite load). We plan to deploy GPS collars with side-looking cameras in an

ongoing reintroduction of the scimitar-horned oryx – a species currently considered Extinct in the Wild –

in Chad. Before deploying camera collars in the wild, we will evaluate potential physical or behavioral

impacts of these (heavier) devices in a captive setting. The student will analyze behavioral observations

and fecal stress hormone data to detect behavioral or physiological stress. This project complements an

ongoing study to assess alternative tracking technologies. The student will have the opportunity to learn

behavioral analysis methods, work with GPS tracking data and devices, and be a part of an exciting

wildlife conservation program.

An interview is required for this placement. For questions about this placement, email Katherine Mertes at MertesK@si.edu.

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8. Assessing personality in scimitar-horned oryx to increase reintroduction success Shifra Goldenberg, PhD, Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, Virginia Katherine Mertes, PhD, Conservation Ecology Center, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front

Royal, Virginia

Conservation biology is increasingly recognizing the importance of behavioral differences among

individual animals. Variation in behavioral traits such as boldness, exploration, and aggressiveness can

affect survival, reproduction, and resource use. Reintroduction of captive animals to the wild is an

important conservation tool, and previous research indicates that behavioral differences among

individual animals are linked to their success or failure in novel environments. This research placement

will explore personality in the scimitar-horned oryx population at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology

Institute (SCBI) in Front Royal, VA. The successful student will develop behavioral assessment protocols.

These evaluations will later be used to assess oryx slated for release in Chad, with the ultimate aim of

identifying personality traits linked to successful reintroduction. Activities will include analysis of

behavioral data, and literature review on the use of animal personality research in wildlife conservation.

Students will learn about cutting-edge international reintroduction research and contribute to the

growing field of conservation behavior.

An interview is required for this placement. For questions about this placement, email Shifra Goldenberg at GoldenbergS@si.edu. 9. Captive male cheetah behavioral observations Adrienne Crosier, PhD, Biologist, Animal Programs, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, Virginia Amber Dedrick, Cheetah Keeper, Animal Programs, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, Virginia Adri Kopp, Cheetah Keeper, Animal Programs, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, Virginia Cheetahs in zoos and conservation facilities are notoriously difficult to breed. Understanding of the complex social and reproductive behaviors of both male and female cheetahs is limited. Male cheetahs born in a litter with other male siblings will stay with their brothers for life in a coalition, which maintains an extremely strong social bond. In the wild, if only one male is produced in a litter, that cheetah will often live alone for life, unless he finds another single male for companionship. In captive-housed animals, managers will often put two young single males together to form a coalition. Groups of males in the wild have more success holding territory and hunting and, as we have recently learned from captive-held cheetahs, group-housed males also produce better semen quality than those living as singles. Utilizing the large cheetah population at the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute (SCBI) in Front Royal VA, we are seeking a student to assist with behavioral observations of our male cheetahs. The student will learn how to do behavioral observations by first observing (5 days/week) our singly-housed adult male cheetahs. Once proficient in observation skills, the student will add on observations of our group-housed males. Video monitoring will also be used for the groups as needed, providing a digital record for review. The student will be responsible for recording behaviors for 30 minutes at a

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time (5 times per week per cheetah/cheetah group) using an established ethogram. The student will also be responsible for data entry and, working with animal care staff, data interpretation for presentation and summary. Transportation may be needed to travel to/from the Cheetah Breeding Facility at the SCBI, Front Royal, VA. An interview is required for this placement. For questions about this placement, email Adrienne Crosier at CrosierA@si.edu. 10. ForestGEO tree mortality survey experience

Erika Gonzalez-Akre, MSc, Botanist, ForestGEO Ecosystems & Climate Program, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, Virginia Kristina Anderson Teixeira, PhD, Leader of ForestGEO Ecosystems & Climate Program, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, Virginia Global change is impacting forests worldwide, and understanding how forests respond is critical to

forest conservation and climate protection. The Forest Global Earth Observatory (ForestGEO) is the only

forest monitoring network making standardized measurements in all of the world’s major forest biomes

to study forest responses to global change. At the 26 ha ForestGEO plot at SCBI, we are conducting an

annual mortality census to understand the drivers of tree mortality and consequent forest change. The

student will gain experience with tree identification, forest census methods, and assessing tree health

and factors associated with mortality. The census this year will be capturing rapid die-off of IUCN

critically endangered ash species from the invasive emerald ash borer, and this would be one potential

focal theme for the student project. Competency in Excel, organizational skills, and the enthusiasm to

work outdoors are essential for this position.

An interview is required for this placement. For questions about this placement, email Erika Gonzalez at GonzalezEB@si.edu. 11. Investigating the impact of climate and land use changes on the snow leopard population in High

Mountain Asia

Viviana Maggioni, PhD, Assistant Professor, Dept. of Civil, Environmental & Infrastructure Engineering,

George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia

High Mountain Asia (HMA) is a landscape of tundra, enormous glaciers, alpine lakes, and complex

ecosystems – and a storehouse of freshwater central to the well-being of almost half the world’s

population. Deforestation, land use change, mining, and climate shifts are causing glaciers and

permafrost to recede at a rate faster than anywhere in the world, raising serious concerns. The most

iconic species living in these mountains is the snow leopard, known as the “Ghost of the Mountain”

because of their solitary and elusive nature. The snow leopard’s habitat extends through twelve

countries (https://www.snowleopard.org/snow-leopard-facts/habitat/), but the WWF reported a

decreasing trend in its population, partly due to killings in retaliation for livestock depredation by

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herders and for their pelts by poachers. Previous studies also showed that climate change has now

emerged as another potential threat to snow leopards. In response to the existing threats, the snow

leopard is listed as an endangered species, requiring urgent conservation attention by International

Union for Conservation of Nature. This project will investigate relationships between climate and land

use changes in the region and the declining population of snow leopards in HMA. The student will be

responsible for 1) collecting data using the Conservation Science Data and Tools provided by WWF

(available at https://www.worldwildlife.org/pages/conservation-science-data-and-tools) to summarize

the regional species categories and numbers as a function of time; 2) collecting temperature and land

use data (from both satellite images and model re-analysis); and 3) analyzing the relationship between

temperature/land use trends and temporal variability of the snow leopard population.

Preferred Skills: Competency in computer programming (either Matlab, or Python, or any other

software) and Excel, organizational skills, and independent problem-solving skills are essential for this

position. Student can work remotely on the project if she/he has access to the requisite software.

An interview is required for this placement. For questions about this placement, email Viviana Maggioni at vmaggion@gmu.edu. 12. Changes in native bee community composition on an urban development scale Joris van der Ham, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Environmental Science and Policy, George

Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia

In order to conserve the ecological integrity of a changing landscape, it is important to understand how

urban development impact local biodiversity and ecosystem processes. Students pursuing this project

will investigate correlations between the composition of native bee communities and the extent of

urban development. Does the composition of native bee communities change as the landscape changes

from undeveloped to suburban and to urban land-use? Students will collect bee community samples at

various locations in Fairfax County and surrounding counties, identify native bees to genus or species,

and use parametric and nonparametric analyses to answer this question.

Travel to various site locations in northern Virginia is required for fieldwork.

Interviews are NOT required for this placement. For questions about this placement, please contact Joris van der Ham at jvanderh@gmu.edu. 13. Creation of a plant and animal monitoring program for a 30-acre study compound at Patuxent

Wildlife Research Center

Sam Droege, Wildlife Biologist, USGS Bee Inventory and Monitoring Laboratory, Patuxent Wildlife

Research Center, Laurel, Maryland

The USGS Native Bee Inventory and Monitoring Laboratory has recently moved to the now retired

breeding facility for Whooping Cranes at Patuxent. This 30-acre unit (surrounded by deer-proof fencing)

now houses a building for the Bee Lab along with a long series of old crane pens and many invasive

species found in the region. We are in the very beginning phases of transforming this landscape from

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invasive to native plants with an emphasis on plants used by native bees. Our lab has worked on the

development of survey techniques for plants and animals and would like to use this 30-acre site as a test

bed for survey techniques, a long-term monitoring project for animals/plants, and an example of how to

survey a landscape using volunteers that creates usable and rigorous data posted in real time. The

student's project would depend on their interests and skills and could involve: testing the viability of

monitoring techniques; using GIS to display and analyze monitoring data; recruiting volunteers;

removing invasive species; helping create test plots for flipping plots from invasive dominated to native

dominated; using photostations to create time lapse photography at stations throughout the 30 acres,

or other projects the student may have an interest in. Opportunities would also be available to the

students to participate in ongoing bee projects including collecting, processing specimens, and insect

photography (https://www.flickr.com/photos/usgsbiml/).

This placement is able to accept two students (working on two different projects). For questions about this placement, email Sam Droege at sdroege@usgs.gov. 14. Patuxent Bird Banding Lab (BBL) – Rehabilitated birds dataset Jennifer Malpass, PhD, Biologist, USGS Patuxent Bird Banding Lab

The USGS Bird Banding Lab (BBL) at Patuxent Wildlife Research Refuge in Laurel, MD maintains the

largest archive of bird banding and encounter data with over 76M records of banded birds and 5M

records of encountered birds spanning the last century of bird banding in North America. Bird banding

data are essential for understanding dispersal and migration, behavior and social structure, life-span and

survival rate, and population status and trends. The BBL is seeking a student to address data quality

issues related to rehabilitated birds in anticipation of a new data request portal that will expand public

access to BBL data. The student will review remarks on banding records to identify where birds were

captured and released and length of stay in rehab. Depending on student interest, the research project

may address common causes of injury, which species are most frequently rehabilitated, encounter rates

of rehabilitated birds, or other topics. Students with interest in avian ecology, wildlife rehabilitation, or

conservation medicine are particularly encouraged to apply. Previous experience banding birds and/or

working with bird banding or encounter data is helpful, but not required.

This project is primarily office-based in Laurel, MD and the student may be able to work remotely part

time. There may be the opportunity for limited field experiences related to bird banding, and/or

continuation of volunteer work beyond the course timeframe.

An interview is required for this placement. For questions about this placement, email Jennifer Malpass at jmalpass@usgs.gov. 15. Patuxent Bird Banding Lab (BBL) – Banding records with remarks dataset management Jennifer Malpass, PhD, Biologist, USGS Patuxent Bird Banding Lab The USGS Bird Banding Lab (BBL) at Patuxent Wildlife Research Refuge in Laurel, MD maintains the

largest archive of bird banding and encounter data with over 76M records of banded birds and 5M

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records of encountered birds spanning the last century of bird banding in North America. Bird banding

data are essential for understanding dispersal and migration, behavior and social structure, life-span and

survival rate, and population status and trends. The BBL is seeking a student to address data quality

issues related to bird banding records with remarks. The student will review remarks on banding records

to identify patterns in use of this free-text field and provide recommendations regarding how to

streamline data entry in the BBL’s new data submission portal. Depending on student interest, the

research project may address common reasons banders use the remarks field, how to better collect data

currently included in remarks, or other topics. Students with interest in avian ecology, big data

management, or user interface design are particularly encouraged to apply. Previous experience

banding birds and/or working with bird banding or encounter data is helpful, but not required.

This project is primarily office-based in Laurel, MD and the student may be able to work remotely part

time. There may be the opportunity for limited field experiences related to bird banding, and/or

continuation of volunteer work beyond the course timeframe.

An interview is required for this placement. For questions about this placement, email Jennifer Malpass at jmalpass@usgs.gov. 16. Measuring the effects of field management on insect diversity and abundance

Bert Harris, PhD, Executive Director, Clifton Institute, Warrenton, VA Eleanor Harris, PhD, Managing Director, Clifton Institute, Warrenton, VA The Clifton Institute is an environmental education center and research station located on a 900-acre

property in Warrenton, Fauquier County, Virginia. We maintain three hundred acres of fields in different

successional stages to benefit biodiversity and to support a small cattle herd. In this placement the

student will work with the co-directors of the Clifton Institute to design a project that will compare

insect abundance and diversity in four distinct field habitats. The four habitat types are shrub field

maintained by prescribed burning, shrub field maintained by mowing, grassland that was cattle pasture

up until a year ago, and active cattle pasture. The primary sampling methods will be pollinator

observation and sweep netting. All insects will be photographed and released. Focal groups will likely

include flies, grasshoppers, and beetles. This project will complement ongoing bird, butterfly, bumble

bee, and plant surveys, which indicate that each habitat type has a distinct animal community. The

results of this research will help us improve our management practices at the Clifton Institute.

Travel to the Clifton Institute in Warrenton, VA, is required for fieldwork.

An interview is required for this placement. For questions about this placement, email Bert and Eleanor Harris at BHarris@cliftoninstitute.org and EHarris@cliftoninstitute.org. 17. Conservation outreach and education experience at the Discovery Museum, Winchester, VA Diane Jackson Schnoor, PhD, Lead Educator, Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum, Winchester, VA

The Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum educates visitors through hands-on learning, with interactive

exhibit areas and programs focusing on the sciences, mathematics, arts, and humanities. The Discovery

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Museum offers a summer research experience for a student looking to understand how children learn

through play. The student would help in coordinating 40-50 camp experiences (registrations, lunch

supervision, assistance within camps and planning guest activities for camps). It would also involve field

work in planning interactive activities to share with visitors (children and adults) on the floor of the

museum. In addition to the practical work with campers and museum visitors, the student will develop a

conservation-themed research project to be implemented at the Discovery Museum. The museum

education team will support and encourage the student and provide guidance as needed.

An interview is required for this placement. For questions about this placement, email Diane Schnoor at dianejacksonschnoor@gmail.com. 18. A comparative analysis of human-wildlife conflict interventions, IFAW Tracy Bain, Program Manager, Planning, Monitoring & Evaluation, International Fund for Animal

Welfare (IFAW), Washington, DC

Human-wildlife conflict affects many communities everyday across the globe. This type of negative

interaction can be as innocuous as raccoons getting into trashcans to life threatening when elephants

damage crops and enter communities. Regardless of the scenario, human-wildlife conflict can lead to

threats for both people and animals. People can contract zoonotic diseases from wildlife, become

injured or killed through direct contact, or lose their livelihoods or economic stability when resources

are destroyed. Conflicting wildlife usually face retaliation from people that can similarly lead to injury or

death, disease transmission, or the eradication of a species or its habitat from a region. Across the

world, interventions have been developed to combat human-wildlife conflict. Some are quite simple

and merely deter animals from approaching human settlements. Others are complex and creative,

combining a deterring factor with an economic incentive for communities to live with, or coexist with

wildlife. These dual-purpose interventions strive to build not only safety for wildlife and people, but an

appreciation by communities for the inherent value of wildlife and healthy ecosystems.

The goal of this research project will be to conduct a comparative analysis of 5-7 different human-

wildlife conflict interventions across the globe. The student will have the opportunity to conduct

desktop research to identify these interventions for a particular species, and then compare approaches,

outcomes, resource allocation, and overall successes and challenges between the different case studies.

The student may also have the opportunity to conduct interviews with key stakeholders involved in

some of the interventions.

Students should plan to work out of the IFAW office in DC (1400 16th St NW, Suite 510) at least three

days a week and must provide their own transportation.

An interview is required for this placement. For questions about this placement, email Tracy Bain at tbain@ifaw.org. 19. Mapping conservation capacity building, WWF

Andrea Santy, Director, Russell E. Train Education for Nature Program, World Wildlife Fund (WWF),

1250 24th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20037 (Foggy Bottom Metro)

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WWF's mission is to conserve nature and reduce the most pressing threats to the diversity of life on

Earth. The Russell E. Train Education for Nature (EFN) Program (www.worldwildlife.org/efn) contributes

to this mission by strengthening the capacity of conservationists working in WWF priority places and

increasing the number of trained conservationists worldwide. Since 1994, WWF-EFN has awarded over

$17 million in funding to conservation leaders from over 60 countries.

WWF seeks a student to assist with a data collection and mapping project that aims to provide a

visualization of conservation education and training opportunities and gaps worldwide. WWF recognize

that to effectively manage natural resources, conservation students and practitioners require access to

education and training opportunities to develop, maintain and upgrade their skills and knowledge.

Through this project, WWF will gain greater understanding of the availability or lack of conservation

education and training opportunities worldwide. The project entails assisting EFN in: 1) compiling a list

of regularly occurring, short-term training opportunities for conservationists that take place anywhere in

the world; 2) creating a searchable Excel document or other database that will be easily accessible for

conservation practitioners; 3) mapping the data by topic and location; and 4) carrying out an initial

analysis of capacity gaps in regard to specific topics and/or geographic locations.

This project will provide a useful and needed tool for conservation professionals seeking to improve

their skills through education and training. The student will also work with WWF staff to plan and deliver

a one-day meeting, in Washington, DC, convening several government, NGO, and private-sector

conservation capacity-building providers and funders, to discuss potential next steps in this ongoing

fact-finding project.

Required/Preferred Skills: Excel knowledge is required. ArcGIS or Tableau experience is preferred. This

project will require an individual who can work well alone, is proactive, and has excellent attention to

detail. Students should plan occasional travel to WWF-US Headquarters in DC for this experience.

An interview is required for this placement. For questions about this placement, email Andrea Santy at Andrea.Santy@WWF.org. 20. The “substantial but not warranted” gap in ESA listings, Center for Conservation Innovation at

Defenders of Wildlife, DC

Meg Evansen, Conservation Science and Policy Analyst, Center for Conservation Innovation, Defenders

of Wildlife, 1130 17th St NW, Washington, DC 20036.

The U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) is widely considered the strongest law in the world for protecting

imperiled wildlife. For the law’s protections to apply, there are two main checkpoints a species must

pass to become listed as threatened or endangered: a preliminary 90-day finding to determine if there is

“substantial” evidence that a species may require listing and, if substantial, a 12-month finding, which

indicates listing is “warranted” or not. Ideally, the number of species with “substantial but not

warranted” category would be very small because the filter at the 90-day finding would be accurate.

However, there remain a significant number of species for which there is a “substantial” 90-day but “not

warranted” conclusion at the 12-month finding. The goal of this project is to determine if there are any

patterns among species that receive “substantial but not warranted” findings, which would indicate

inefficiency in the listing process.

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The student will work with the Conservation Science and Policy Analyst to review ESA listing documents,

including petitions to list species from groups outside of government; public documents from inside

government; and Federal Register decision documents on 90-day and 12-month findings. The review

will be used to quantify documents (e.g., document length) and classify documents and decisions into

one or more “bins” that allow summarizing causes and consequences of listing analyses. In addition to

species that are “substantial but not warranted,” this project will include samples of species that

received “not substantial” findings and those that were “substantial and warranted” as controls.

We will determine whether there are any systematic patterns to why some species appear to have

substantial evidence of the need for ESA listing on first examination, but on deeper examination are

found to not warrant ESA listing. These results may be used to shape policies that improve the

efficiency of ESA implementation and the conservation of imperiled species. We will use our

connections across government and the broader conservation community to communicate the results

and change policies and processes as results indicate.

The student should plan occasional travel to Defenders of Wildlife - DC headquarters, but most of the

work may be conducted remotely.

An interview is required for this placement. For questions about this placement, email Meg Evansen at mevansen@defenders.org. 21. Rare plant conservation in the US and Canada with NatureServe

Anne Frances, PhD, Lead Botanist, NatureServe, Arlington VA (Crystal City)

This research opportunity focuses on the conservation of plants native to North America. The placement

provides a unique opportunity to learn about the NatureServe Network, conservation status

assessments including Global Ranks and The Red List, regulatory protection of plants at different

geographic scales, and plant conservation activities throughout the US and Canada.

The student will work closely with NatureServe’s Lead Botanist to conduct in-depth research on a topic

of their choice. There are about 4,000 rare and endangered plant species in the US and Canada, which

span many geographic areas and taxonomic groups. Current areas of focus include crop wild relatives,

medicinal plants, rare/endangered species, and trees. For example, under the topic of crop wild

relatives, research may focus on the conservation status of native species of Vitis, the genus that

produces wine and grapes. Medicinal plant research projects may focus on species like American

ginseng, goldenseal, and trillium, with an opportunity to learn about the threat of illegal harvest and

trade and the efficacy of regulatory programs like the Convention on International Trade in Endangered

Species (CITES). One area of focus could be assisting with research on southeastern species, in

preparation for the SeppCon conference in November 2019. Research on trees would contribute to the

Global Trees Campaign, specifically through a partnership with the Morton Arboretum and BGCI US.

This research opportunity will enable students to interact with many plant conservationists. In addition

to direct collaboration with our Network of Natural Heritage Programs, NatureServe actively works with

many key partners in plant conservation including the Plant Conservation Alliance, Botanic Gardens

Conservation International US, Center for Plant Conservation, IUCN Red List, and federal agencies such

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as the Bureau of Land Management, US Forest Service, and USDA ARS. If interested, the student may

also contribute to social media and other outreach material for plant conservation.

Students must provide their own transportation to this placement. Preferred hours are Monday, 10am-5pm, in Arlington, VA (Crystal City)*. After a few in-person meetings, the majority of research may be completed remotely, with regular meetings conducted via Skype. *NatureServe’s office will be moving from its current location near the Ballston Metro to a new location near the Crystal City Metro in April 2019. An interview is required for this placement. For questions about this placement, email Anne Frances at Anne_frances@natureserve.org or by phone at 703-908-1804. 22. Invasive Species Data Research in North America with NatureServe Lori Scott, Chief Information Officer, NatureServe, Arlington VA (Crystal City) This research opportunity focuses on invasive alien species in North America. The placement provides a unique opportunity to work within NatureServe supporting the iMapInvasives Partnership during the initial launch and rollout of the new iMapInvasives online data system that will be launching incrementally during April – July 2019. iMapInvasives is a cloud-based application that facilitates the management and sharing of invasive species information, including the extent of infestations, search efforts, and treatment outcomes. Nearly 50% of imperiled species in the United States are adversely impacted by invasive species. The iMapInvasives Partnership seeks to support all those working to safeguard environmental resources from the effects of invasive species including citizen volunteers, natural and agricultural resource managers, scientists, and policy makers. The student will work closely with NatureServe’s iMapInvasives product team to conduct their research project. Proposed areas of focus for the summer 2019 research experience include: identifying, sourcing and processing priority invasive species datasets from authoritative organizations including NatureServe Network Natural Heritage Programs in the US and Canada to fill taxonomic and geographic gaps; researching and implementing key reporting metrics for decision makers to prioritize management actions for treating invasive species; developing and implementing social media or other communication campaigns to promote the new system among target audiences. This research opportunity will enable the student to interact with invasive species biologists and rare species conservationists as well as developers of cutting-edge conservation software applications. In addition to direct collaboration with NatureServe and its Network of Natural Heritage Programs, the student may engage with other leading university and government conservation experts. The student should plan occasional travel to attend meetings at the NatureServe office in Arlington, VA (near the Crystal City Metro), but most of the work may be conducted remotely, with regular meetings conducted via Skype. The student must provide their own transportation to this placement. An interview is required for this placement. For questions about this placement, email Erik Gelhausen at erik_gelhausen@natureserve.org.