RYAN VALDEZ

CURRENT POSITIONS

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• Senior Director, Conservation Science

       National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA)

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• George Mason University

       Faculty Affiliate

       Environmental Science and Policy Department (ESP)

       College of  Science

 

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WORK EXPERIENCE
           

• National Parks Conservation Association

  • Senior Director, Conservation Science

• Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute

  • Pre-Doctoral Researcher

• Smithsonian's National Zoological Park (NZP)

  • Director, Amazon GIS Project

• Smithsonian's National Zoological Park, Amazonia Science Gallery

  • Exhibit and  Research Fellow

• The World Bank 

  • Consultant, Amazon conservation

• U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service

  • Graduate Student Researcher, Ocelot research program, TX

• Yale School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (FES) 

  • FES Department Research

• National Biological Survey (USFWS)

  • Seasonal Wildlife Biologist, Wolf research program, MN

• Texas Agricultural Experiment Station; Texas A&M University

  • Graduate Research Assistant, Attwater's Prairie Chicken research program.  Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences

• Gladys Porter Zoo, TX 

  • Biologist, Kemp's Ridley Sea Turtle program, field based in Mexico

• Texas A&M University, Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences 

  • Department Research Assistant

• Texas Southmost College, Biology Department 

  • Program support staff

LINKEDIN:

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• https://www.linkedin.com/in/ryangvaldez 

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TEACHING
                 

• Faculty Affiliate, George Mason University

       Environmental Science and Policy Department, ESP

       (> 5 years)

       

       Conservation Biology 318; Instructor, Spring

       KENYA Study Abroad; Instructor, Winter Break

       (> 10 years)

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• GMU:  BIOL 103, Introductory Biology I (TA)

• GMU:  BIOL 103, Introductory Biology I (Instructor)

• GMU:  BIOL 104, Introductory Biology II (Instructor)

• GMU:  BIOL 307, 308 Ecology Lab (TA,)​

• GMU:  EVPP 377, Applied Ecology. (Instructor)

• GMU:  EVPP 318, Conservation  Biology (Instructor)

       (> 10 years)

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• SCBI:  CONS 640 (case study faculty; Smithsonian Con Biol Inst.) 

 

• Smithsonian National Zoo;  Lecturer (Amazonia Science Gallery)

• The Smithsonian Associates; visiting scientist (US lecture series)​​

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BOARD MEMBERSHIPS

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• Board member.  Park Institute of America. (since 2022)

• Former board member:  Pan American Symphony Orchestra (PASO)

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COMPUTER EXPERIENCE

        

• Esri GIS Arc products

• GPS / various related software programs

• Google mapping platforms

• Creative Commons: Adobe and Microsoft Suite software

• Graphic Design / Web Design / Media software / Digital photography

• Scanners/Printers/Cameras/Video

• Various camera trapping brands, associated software programs

• P.I.E. (Picture Information Extractor), for metadata extraction

• Miradi.  Adaptive Management Software for Conservation Biology        

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SCIENTIFIC SOCIETIES

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• AGU:      American Geophysical Union

• ESA:       Ecological Society of America

• CERF:    Coastal Education & Research Foundation

• AAAS:    American Association for the Advancement of Science

• AIBS:      American Institute of Biological Sciences

• SCB:       Society for Conservation Biology

• SCGIS:   Society for Conservation GIS

• TWS:     The Wildlife Society

• AFS:       American Fisheries Society

• GSA:      The Geologic Society of America

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PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES

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• AESS:    Association for Environmental Studies and Sciences

• GWS:     The George Wright Society

• NGS:      National Geographic Society 

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COMMUNITY:

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• https://www.ryanvaldez.com/community 

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ACTIVE ALUMNI ASSOCIATIONS​

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• Yale University:     School of the Environment

• George Mason University:      College of Science

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PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS (2018 to present)

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• 2024  Dogs and National Parks:  StoryMap, Podcast, Interview

• 2024  Keynote speaker:  National Park Service Internship Career and Leadership Workshop, Washington, DC.

• 2023  Campus program:  Duke Nicholas School of the Environment.  The Science of Advocacy at NPCA.

• 2021, 2022  Program Address.  World Strides, Global Workshops, Science and the Environment.  Global Youth Leadership.

• 2019, Keynote Address: National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE), EnvironMentors National Science Fair.

• 2018, International Wolf Symposium, Minneapolis, MN

  • Your Science:  A Powerful Force for Advocacy​

• 2018, University of Richmond.  Richmond, VA

  • NPCA:  Conservation Science and National Parks​

• 2018, Duke University.  Nicholas School of the Environment.  Durham, NC.

  • Conservation Science Into Action, the role of NPCA​

• 2018, Yale University.  School of Forestry & Environmental Studies

  • NPCA:  Conservation Science and National Parks​

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EDUCATION
       

• Ph.D.      George Mason University, Environmental Science & Policy​​

                       Distinguished Alumni Award

                             Large mammal diversity in Laikipia, Kenya

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• MFS.      Yale University, School of the Environment 

                             Nocturnal behavior of ocelot in Texas

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• BS.         Texas A&M University, Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences

                       Outstanding Senior Award

                              Kemps Ridley sea turtle conservation in Mexico

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• CWB:  Certified Wildlife Biologist (The Wildlife Society)

• GIS Training:  At various levels (management, research, visualization)

• USDA:  Graduate School

• Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS), alumni

• Texas Southmost College (TSC), junior college

• PADI:  Open Water Diver, SCUBA certified

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Though summarized, this site represents the majority of programs I have been involved with.  Please contact me for a detailed CV.