Monday, August 7, 8-10 pm
Organizers: Abraham Miller-Rushing, Kristine Hopfensperger

In an informal, small group setting, successful ecologists will offer advice to and answer questions from current students and scientists on how to succeed at research universities, liberal arts colleges, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations.

Ecology is a competitive field, and the path to success is not always clear. In this session, successful ecologists from several disciplines will discuss specific strategies for success in academic and non-academic careers with current and former students. Invited guests will offer first-hand advice on career tracks at research universities, liberal arts colleges, government agencies, and non-governmental organizations. After a brief introduction to the session, rotating small groups will discuss topics including: interviewing and negotiating, developing a research program, finding funding, publishing productively, networking effectively, dealing with “two-bodies” (i.e., finding positions for married/partnered pairs), and balancing work and family. The small groups will provide an intimate and informal setting to speak with professionals in the field of ecology and learn about many different strategies to achieve success. This session should appeal to all ecologists, particularly students, who we expect to motivate the discussions. Confirmed Participants:

Research Universities

David Foster, Harvard University, landscape ecology, http://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/profiles/foster.html

David Inouye, University of Maryland, plant ecology, http://www.life.umd.edu/biology/faculty/inouye/inouye2.htm

Sujay Kaushal, University of Maryland, biogeochemistry, http://www.al.umces.edu/cvSujayKaushal.htm

Shahid Naeem, Columbia University, biodiversity, http://www.columbia.edu/~sn2121/

Stuart Pimm, Duke University, biodiversity, http://www.env.duke.edu/people/faculty/pimm.html

Richard Primack, Boston University, plant ecology and conservation biology, http://www.bu.edu/biology/Faculty_Staff/primack.html

Joy Zedler, University of Wisconsin, restoration ecology, http://www.botany.wisc.edu/zedler/bio.htm

4-yr Colleges

Vince Eckhart, Grinnell College, plant ecology, http://web.grinnell.edu/individuals/eckhart/

John Lichter, Bowdoin College, community and ecosystem ecology, http://academic.bowdoin.edu/faculty/J/jlichter/

Herbert Wilson, Colby College, ornithology and marine biology, http://www.colby.edu/profile/whwilson/BIOL

Government Agencies

Ann Bartuska, US Forest Service, Deputy Chief of Research and Development, http://www.fs.fed.us/research/

John Gross, National Park Service, Inventory and Monitoring Program, http://www2.nature.nps.gov/YearInReview/yir2003/02_I.html

ShiLi Miao, South Florida Water Management District, Senior Environmental Scientist, http://www.sfwmd.gov/site/index.php?

Jerry Wolff, NSF / University of Memphis, ecology of mammals, http://biology.memphis.edu/wolff/index.htm

NGOs

Patrick Gonzalez, The Nature Conservancy, forest and climate change ecology, http://www.nature.org/tncscience/scientists/misc/gonzalez.html

Peter Kareiva, The Nature Conservancy, insect and landscape ecology, http://www.nature.org/tncscience/scientists/misc/kareiva.html

Andy Kouba, Memphis Zoo, Curator of Conservation and Research, http://www.memphiszoo.org/default.aspx?pid=47

Jasper Lament, Ducks Unlimited, Manager of Conservation Programs, http://www.ducks.org/news/pressroom/consv_experts.asp#NHQ

Thomas Lovejoy, Heinz Center for Science, Economics, and the Environment, President, http://www.heinzctr.org/About/bios.htm

John Ouellette, Memphis Zoo, panda ecology and conservation, http://www.memphiszoo.org/default.aspx?pid=47