Expertise
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- Biodiversity Conservation
- Avian Ecology
- GIS & Spatial Analysis
- Backcountry Field Research
- Grassland & Farmland Biodiversity Conservation
- Community-Based Conservation
- Social-ecological Systems of Eurasia
About Me
I am a Certified Wildlife Biologist whose work currently focuses on the ecology and conservation of bustard species in Eurasia. I integrate spatial analyses and field data with an understanding of a region’s cultures, history, and economy to determine effective conservation policies.
My work with Great Bustards, the heaviest animals capable of flight, began in 2005. I earned a PhD in Biology from Arizona State University for a community-based research and conservation program that I spearheaded on the endangered eastern subspecies of Great Bustard in Mongolia.
My first experience in Eurasia was as a high school exchange student from Encinitas, California. I have since spent over seven cumulative years in Mongolia, Kazakhstan, Russia and Uzbekistan. Much of this time has been in the remote backcountry, where I lead expeditions working with teams of local people. I enjoy learning languages, and speak advanced Russian and Khalkha Mongolian, intermediate Uzbek and Spanish, and have training in additional Central Asian languages.
Current Roles
I founded and direct the Eurasian Bustard Alliance, a collaboration for research and conservation, working to better understand and protect bustard species in the region. I also serve as Co-Chair of the IUCN Bustard Specialist Group.
I am currently engaged in projects related to the conservation of the Great Bustard in Central Asia as a National Geographic Explorer and a Title VIII Research Fellow.
I am available for consulting, speaking engagements, and writing assignments.
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