Education | ryanvaldez

EDUCATION

Ph.D. George Mason University

Environmental Science & Policy

Distinguished Alumni Award

Large mammal diversity in Laikipia, Kenya

MFS. Yale University

School of the Environment

Nocturnal behavior of ocelot in Texas

BS. Texas A&M University

Department of Wildlife & Fisheries Sciences

Outstanding Senior Award

Kemps Ridley sea turtle conservation in Mexico

CWB: Certified Wildlife Biologist (The Wildlife Society)
GIS Training: At various levels (management, research, visualization)
USDA: Graduate School
Organization for Tropical Studies (OTS)
Texas Southmost College (TSC)
PADI: Open Water Diver, SCUBA certified

TEACHING

Faculty Affiliate, George Mason University

Environmental Science and Policy Department, ESP

Biology Department

Center for Global Education

BIOL 103, Introductory Biology I (TA)
BIOL 103, Introductory Biology I (Instructor)
BIOL 104, Introductory Biology II (Instructor)
BIOL 307, 308 Ecology Lab (TA)
EVPP 377, Applied Ecology (Co-Instructor)
EVPP 318, Conservation Biology (Instructor)

KENYA Study Abroad; Instructor, Academic Director

Smithsonian Institution

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)

STUDY ABROAD

Studying abroad is an incredibly effective and rewarding experience. I've had the pleasure with such experiences in numerous countries, particularly Mexico, Costa Rica, and Kenya. From either a student and/or teacher perspective, study abroad works.

While a Ph.D. student at George Mason University, I founded the GMU Kenya Study Abroad program in 2010, managed and led this program for 10 years - and it is still running! This is a winter break course (in between semesters) offered through George Mason University's Global Education Office.

George Mason GEO Website: https://studyabroad.gmu.edu/

JANUARY Program: https://masonabroad.gmu.edu/index.cfm?FuseAction=Programs.ViewProgram&Program_ID=10175

TITLE: KENYA Wildlife & Landscapes
DATES: January ( 2 weeks )
CREDIT: George Mason University (3 credits, 4 departments to choose from)
GROUP: Average - 10 students, 2 faculty, 2 drivers

The Kenya Wildlife Ecology and Landscapes program was designed to expose students to several key areas of conservation science with the additional benefit of interacting with field researchers, tourism professionals, and conservation practitioners. An engaging exploration of Kenya's vast and diverse ecosystems, this course provided participants with a close-up view and experience of East African biodiversity and the many challenges managing such incredible resources. We accomplished this by visiting multiple protected areas on safari, meeting key conservationists at various levels and at each destination, and studying a wide range of current conservation issues. Below is a list of the main program destinations:

Topics covered in this course included conservation biology, animal behavior, climate change impacts, ecological and landscape conservation, protected and non-protected areas management, human-wildlife interactions, and community-level conservation. To achieve a high-quality safari experience and optimize group interaction, this program’s size was limited to a max of 12.

Program Highlights:

Conservation in action: field research to applied science
Wildlife management: species conservation and conflict resolution
Ecosystem and geography: acacia savannas, Great Rift Valley, grasslands
Climate change: impacts, NGO and government challenges, community
Culture and conservation: human dimensions of wildlife conservation
Business and leadership: tourism, marketing, and politics
Communications: visual, written, community-based, NGOs.

Videos:

RYAN VALDEZ

Videos:

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