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Chris Myers ... is a professor of Zoology and Interdisciplinary Studies at Miami University. He received his Ph.D. in ecology from Vanderbilt University. His research focuses on community ecology, education reform, and participatory media. Chris is the founding Director of Project Dragonfly and served as Editor-in-Chief of Dragonfly magazine--the first national magazine to feature the investigations of children. Project Dragonfly has reached millions of children through award-winning print media, teacher programs, and the national PBS children’s television series, DragonflyTV. Chris has written more than 60 professional articles and has directed projects funded by the National Science Foundation, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Organization for Tropical Studies, and other agencies. Chris has taught or conducted research in Australia, Borneo, Chile, Costa Rica, and Mexico, served as a Fulbright Scholar in Thailand, and taught environmental education at Yale University. |
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Thane Maynard ... is Chief Executive Officer of the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. Thane is best known as a writer and host of numerous wildlife programs, including the daily public radio series The 90-Second Naturalist, which airs on stations across North America. He has been featured on Good Morning America, Today, and CBS This Morning, has been a regular wildlife expert on Late Night With Conan O'Brien, and has authored 13 books on wildlife. From his youth exploring the swamps of central Florida, Thane went on to earn his M. S. degree from the University of Michigan and is a graduate of the Strategic Perspectives in Nonprofit Management program at the Harvard Business School, as well as the first National Education Leadership Institute sponsored by World Wildlife Fund and Disney. |
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Laurie Marker ... is Co-Founder and Executive Director of the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) based in Namibia, Africa. Having worked with cheetahs since 1974, Laurie set up the not-for profit CCF in 1990 and moved to Namibia to develop a permanent conservation research center for the wild cheetah. In 1988, in collaboration with these two institutions she became the Executive Director of the Center for New Opportunities in Animal Health Sciences, based at the Smithsonian Institution's National Zoo. She continues to serve as a NOAHS Research Fellow. In 1996 she was made a vice-chair of the World Conservation Union's (IUCN) Species Survival Commission's (SSC) Cat Specialist Group. In 2000 Laurie was recognized as one of Time magazine's Heroes for the Planet and given the Burrow's Conservation Award from Cincinnati, Ohio. In 2001 Laurie was locally honored in Namibia, receiving the Paul Harris Fellowship from the Windhoek Rotary Club. And in 2002 she received a special award from the Sanveld Conservancy, signifying public acknowledgement of Laurie and CCF's contributions from Namibia's farming community. |
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Lynne Born Myers ... is a founding editor of Dragonfly magazine and the Director of Learning Media for Project Dragonfly. She writes fiction and nonfiction books for children with her husband, including McCrephy's Field (Houghton Mifflin) and Galapagos: Islands of Change (Hyperion). Lynne received her B. Phil. from the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at Miami University. Lynne has lived and worked around the world on a variety of research and education projects addressing human relationships with nature. |
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David Jenike ... is Chief Operating Officer at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. David has a magical way of involving his students, youngsters, and adults in his program presentations and interpretations of the natural world. David received his B. S. degree in Zoology and his M. S. degree in Environmental Education from Miami University. David completed the Environmental Institutional Management Course at Delaware University. He is the Education Liaison to the AZA’s Rhino Taxon Advisory Group. The Institute of Environmental Sciences at Miami presented David with an Award of Distinction in 1996. David is a Professional Fellow with the American Zoo & Aquarium Association. David grew up in Cincinnati as a member of a family of educators. He and his brother Mark wrote and photographed the children's book, Ituri – A Walk through the Rainforest, which chronicles the wildlife and people of the Ituri Forest. |
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Bernadette Plair ... is the Neo tropical Conservation Program Manager at the Center for Conservation and Research of Endangered Wildlife (CREW) at the Cincinnati Zoo. A native of Trinidad, Bernadette is also Director of the Center for the Rescue of Endangered Species of Trinidad and Tobago (CRESTT). Bernadette earned her B. s. degree in Biology at the College of Mount Saint Joseph and her M. s. degree from the University of Cincinnati. Bernadette has devoted her life to the conservation of Trinidad’s wildlife resources, including the reintroduction of the blue-and-gold macaw to the Nariva Swamp in Trinidad. She worked with the zoo’s education department to set up an education program at the Emperor Valley Zoo in Trinidad. She has developed community-based behavioral monitoring programs for reintroduced macaws and conservation education programs in community schools bordering Nariva Swamp. |
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Hays Cummins ... is a professor in the School of Interdisciplinary Studies at Miami University. Hays is a founding Co-Director of Project Dragonfly and served as the science editor for Dragonfly magazine. Hays received his Ph.D. in oceanography from Texas A&M University and has led international courses for years to the Bahamas and the Florida Keys, Curacao Island, and Costa Rica. His research focuses on the reconstruction of past ecological communities in marine systems and understanding ecological change. He also has a passion for weather and astronomy. Hays has authored many research papers and popular articles focusing on science and science education. |
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Dan Marsh ... is the Director of Education at the Cincinnati Zoo, where he manages the departments’ educational programs for the general public and schools. Dan received his B. A. in Biology from the University of Louisville and an M. Ed. in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Cincinnati. He spent a year in Japan on an academic scholarship, which sparked his interest in international travel. He has escorted trips for the zoo to Kenya, Tanzania, Botswana, Peru, and the Galapagos Islands, in addition to traveling extensively on his own. Dan is a Professional Fellow with the American Zoo and Aquarium Association and is an education liaison to the Felid Taxon Advisory Group. He is also a member of the National Association for Interpretation and the Environmental Education Council of Ohio. Dan grew up near Louisville, Kentucky, where his parents allowed him the freedom to roam and develop his interest in wildlife and conservation. |
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Jamie Bercaw Anzano ... is Director of Program Services for Project Dragonfly and is an instructor for Dragonfly workshops. Jamie served as an editor for Dragonfly magazine and as Co-Project Director on an Ohio Board of Regents’ grant implementing inquiry-driven systemic reform. Prior to her work at Dragonfly, Jamie wrote hundreds of articles as a newspaper reporter and magazine writer. She has a B. s. from Southern Methodist University in Journalism and an M. s. in Environmental Science with concentrations in environmental education and eco tourism from Miami University’s Institute of Environmental Sciences. She is working on a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership at Miami. Jamie has traveled in Europe; North, Central and South Americas; the Caribbean; the South Pacific; and Australia. She and her husband have two sons. |
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Jill Korach ... is the program manager at Miami University for Earth Expeditions and Wild Research. She earned an undergraduate degree in biology from Washington University where she focused on tropical rainforest ecology. She earned a M.S. from Miami University's Institute of Environmental Sciences concentrating in conservation biology. Jill also worked for an active travel company leading trips exploring coastal Maine. Her interests lie in ethnobotany as she strives to bring focus to the dependence and interconnectedness of people and plants. Jill accredits her love of the natural world and global perspective to her extensive local and international experiences – and to getting a chance to climb trees as a child. |
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Sharon Matola ... is a wild woman. Never, ever taking no for an answer, she has built the Belize Zoo & Tropical Education Center into one of the world’s most effective zoos and conservation organizations. Starting with 20 captive animals left behind more than twenty years ago by a natural history film crew, Sharon has dedicated her life’s work to engaging the Belizean people with their wildlife. First with education programs in schools throughout the country, and later by establishing the zoo, Sharon has shared her love and the need for wildlife and wild areas. From its humble beginnings, and against all odds, Sharon charmed, cajoled, and worked until the Belize Zoo finally opened its gates at its new home in 1991. Today’s Belize Zoo employs a staff of 25, all Belizeans. It is a conservation and education center run by and for Belizeans. |
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Saranarat Oy Kanjanavanit ... is known for her writings on natural history and the development of investigative environmental education programs in Thailand. She is the General Secretary of the Green World Foundation (GWF), a local non-government organization. With GWF, Dr. Oy established “Environmental Detectives”, an education program that develops techniques for public biological monitoring that can lead to better awareness of the state of local environments and the empowerment of local communities in the management of their natural resources. She is currently developing an environmental monitoring technique for “Seashore Detectives” in southern Thailand. Oy Kanjanavanit graduated in archaeology at the Institute of Archaeology, University of London. She then went on to complete her PhD at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), University of London, where she studied the ecology of forest fire in the savanna forest of Thailand. |
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Matti Nghikembua ... is the Senior Research Assistant and Education Officer of the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) where he assists with ongoing ecological research and the bush encroachment program. Matti is responsible for training student interns from Namibian universities and coordinates environmental education and outreach programs at CCF. Matti has seven years' experience in field surveys, conducting interviews, baseline vegetation surveys, and holds a National Diploma in Natural Resource Management. In 2006, Matti was named a Conservation Hero by the Disney Wildlife Conservation Fund for his outstanding commitment to environmental education in Namibia and the important contributions he has made researching cheetahs and their habitats. To top it all off, Matti is fluent in five Namibian languages, and is a joy to work with and know. |
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Jan Dietrich … has been with the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden since 1979 when her family moved to Cincinnati from Bryan, Texas. Jan received her Bachelor of Arts from Wittenberg University and her Master’s of Education from the University of Florida. She’s taught school in Florida, Ohio, and Texas. Jan volunteered at the Zoo until she found her niche in the Education Department where she has been on staff since 1984. As School Services Coordinator and Animal Handling Instructor, Jan is able to combine the two things she enjoys most – working with children and introducing them to the animals that share Planet Earth. Jan is a certified trainer with the National Association of Interpretation and has been able to travel to such interesting places as Canada, Europe, Africa, and Central and South America. Jan and her husband live in West Chester, Ohio, but spend as much time as possible in Maryland with their two young grandsons. |
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Devin Schenk ... is a faculty member at the Northern Kentucky University Center for Applied Ecology. As a graduate of Miami University's Institute of Environmental Sciences, Devin has over 6 years of experience working in the environmental field. He works as project manager for many community projects, providing ecological services to local non-profit organizations, governments, and businesses. Devin also coordinates, trains, and manages student interns. As a graduate student he worked for Project Dragonfly, and fell in love with environmental education. When he has free time, Devin can be found outside exploring. |
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Sarah F. Navarro |
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Bariushaa Munkhtsog ... Dr. Bariushaa Munkhtsog is a wildlife biologist and co-founder of the Pallas' Cat Conservation Project in Mongolia. He currently serves as International Snow Leopard Trust. In the past, he was active in the reintroduction of Przewalski's horse at Hustain Nuruu National Park, Mongolia. Dr. Munkhtsog also teaches biology and ecology at colleges and has supervised Bachelor's and Master's students at National University of Mongolia on snow leopard, Pallas' cat, wild cat, and wild camel ecology. Dr. Munkhtsog is a member of IUCN/SSC Cat Specialist Group and a Steering Committee member of Snow Leopard Network. |
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Caitlin Reynolds ... is the Wild Research Project Coordinator at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, where she works on a National Science Foundation grant focused on creating more engaging environments at zoo exhibits. Here, Caitlin is excited to create spaces where families learn together, exploring science and conservation, and moving from passive spectators to active investigators. Caitlin also has a passion for the outdoors. Working at Joy Outdoor Education Center in Clarksville Ohio, Caitlin held several education positions. With 315 acres of natural classroom to explore, she taught natural history classes, led high and low ropes courses, facilitated corporate team-building exercises, and even portrayed characters in an outdoor living history experience focused on the Underground Railroad. Helping people 'jump' out of their comfort zone (sometimes literally) while sharing excitement for the natural world with children and adults alike was her favorite aspect of experiential education. With a background in video and film production, Caitlin also teaches dance, specializing in the Lindy Hop. She enjoys hiking, biking, reading, climbing, searching for salamanders, and spending time with her family, especially her 10 nieces and nephews. |
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Glen
Schulte ... has been a high school science teacher since he graduated from the University of Cincinnati in 1986. He has been teaching at the Zoo Academy since 1996, an incredible program where juniors and seniors take intense college preparatory classes and spend 2 hours every day working with the keepers at the Zoo. He received a Masters in Science Teaching from Miami University in 1996 and promptly started teaching in the MAT program. Glen was a student, then an instructor the following year on the Costa Rica expedition. |
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Reema
Persad-Clem ... was a doctoral candidate in the Department of Zoology at Miami University. As a primatologist, Reema has worked with monkeys, prosimians and apes under both captive and wild conditions. Her present research involves examining the endocrine parameters of stress under varying environmental conditions using non-invasive methods. She first explored these elements while investigating the behavioral ecology of the Trinidad red howler in the same rainforests she explored as a child. Currently, she is involved in studying how former research chimpanzees adapt to their new life in naturalistic enclosures at the Chimp Haven Sanctuary. Reema believes that we are all environmental stewards and can each contribute to the preservation of biological diversity, sustainability of resources, and maintenance of healthy ecosystems. She believes that environmental education efforts and grassroots programs are especially critical to encouraging the understanding of the importance of the earth's treasures and preserving these wonders for future generations. |
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Sorrayut Ratanapojnard (Asia) ... Dr. Sorrayut received his PhD in Environmental Education from the School of Forestry & Environmental Studies, Yale University. He is a professor at Mahidol University in Bangkok, Thailand. He has ordained as a Buddhist monk and was the director of Thailand's Project Local Science and the Spiritual Health Program. He writes weekly newspaper columns on spirituality and health. |
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Nicole Auil ... is the Belize Program Manager and Conservation Biologist for Wildlife Trust's Edge of the Sea Aquatic Conservation Program, has been studying Antillean Manatees for over 10 years. A native of Belize, she began her career by creating the Belize Marine Mammal Stranding Network and the Belize Manatee Recovery Plan, both of which she continues to manage successfully. Nicole and her team work with the local community, grassroots organizations, and the Belize government to help raise awareness of the Gales Point Wildlife Sanctuary, a hotspot for manatees and their calves by developing eco-tourism initiatives to educate people about these mammals. Nicole is a recipient of the Whitley Fund for Nature award, the funds for which are being used to further her current research and management work in the Southern Lagoon Wildlife Sanctuary. |
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Kevin Andrewin ... Born and raised in Belize, Kevin has known manatees all of his life. He grew up watching manatee outside of his home, Gales Point Manatee, which was named after the marine mammal. Kevin works for Wildlife Trust, where he splits his time between researching tracked manatees and finding creative ways to protect sea turtle nests from predation. To keep coastal Belizeans informed of manatee research tracking, Kevin visits fishing villages all along the coast of Belize to explain the manatee tracking process, what transmitters looks like, and how they operate. Kevin is the youngest member of his village council and an active voice for manatee conservation in his village. He is also the chairman of the Gales Point Manatee Tour Guides Cooperative |
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Jonathan Lee ...is a Graduate Assistant for Project Dragonfly and a graduate student at Miami University's Institute of Environmental Sciences, where he is concentrating on natural sciences. Before coming to Miami, he worked at the Alaska SeaLife Center and gained exposure to a number of avian species, predominantly a population of Eiders on site for research. As a Graduate Assistant, Jonathan has worked in multiple facets, including data collection for the Wild Research project and as a Teaching Assistant for Zoo Expeditions and Earth Expeditions courses. |
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Kathy Winnett-Murray ... is Professor of Biology at Hope College in Michigan. Her research interests involve the ecology of tropical and temperate birds that exploit disturbed habitats and interactions between seed-dispersing animals and invasive plants. She has conducted ecological research in Monteverde, Costa Rica since 1981 and loves to explore new places. Kathy is a former Chair of the Education Section of the Ecological Society of America, has served on ESA's Education Committee, and has played an active role in numerous programs at the national, state, and local level to link college and K-12 teachers in the improvement of science education. Kathy is an inquiry specialist and contributing editor for Project Dragonfly. She and her biologist husband, K. Greg Murray, have two teenage sons. |
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Shasta Bray ... is the Interpretive Media Manager at the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. She is dedicated to making a positive impact on the natural world and strongly believes that fostering a connection between people and nature is crucial. Shasta received a B. s. in Zoology from Southern Illinois University and an M. s. in Zoology from Miami University, where she also worked with Project Dragonfly. She joined the zoo in 1999 as the Coordinator of the Nocturnal Adventures overnight program, moving on to coordinate the zoo's urban initiative program, EdZoocation. She currently works on curriculum development, interpretive exhibits, and writing projects. |
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Kristen Lucia ... Kristen Lucia is a doctoral graduate student in the Department of Zoology at Miami University. She received her B. s. in Biology at the Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University where she studied the physiological and behavioral changes caused by a decline in diet quality in white-footed mice. Her master's research focused on why prairie vole offspring delay dispersal and remain at the natal nest beyond the age of maturation, evaluating both ecological and biological influences. Kristen is now working on her doctorate, continuing her study of prairie vole behavior. Bit by the teaching bug many years ago when she first began teaching for Johns Hopkins University's Center for Talented Youth, Kristen hopes to continue to find the balance between teaching and research, so she can further her love for science and the outdoors while sharing that passion with others. |
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Todd Levine ...is a doctoral candidate in Zoology at Miami University. His current research centers around the relationship between freshwater mussels and fish, to which their larvae attach as parasites. He grew up near the confluence of the Mississippi, Missouri and Illinois rivers and earned his BS and BA at the University of Missouri – St. Louis. Along the way, he completed both a Research Experience for Undergraduates program at the University of Michigan Biological Station and the Wilderness and Civilization program at University of Montana. He has taught at several levels, including at working with K-12 programs at a nature area, various bear outreach programs, an NSF-funded workshop teaching conservation genetics and inquiry for high school teachers and lab components of undergraduate courses. He seeks out both traditional and non-traditional venues for teaching and research, combining his work and love of nature. |
Past Faculty
More bios to come!