Richard Podolsky CV

Richard Podolsky, Phd, Principal Ecologist

Dr. Richard Podolsky has 30 years of experience in assisting land developers and oil, gas, and electric generation companies reduce potentially adverse environmental effects of a wide range of projects and achieve regulatory compliance.  He has excellent strategic skills in competing for bids, expediting permits, and avoiding costly environmental litigation and expertise in researching and successfully applying cost-effective, state-of-the-art environmental techniques, materials and software to new development and mitigation projects.  He is a strong team leader and communicator with substantial staff and fiscal management skills and is experienced at proactively addressing the environmental concerns of nonprofit organizations and community groups, and troubleshooting with governmental officials to achieve regulatory compliance.  Dr. Podolsky is a national authority on the impact of the built environment on wildlife, especially wind power, artificial lighting and big boxes, and skyscrapers.

As Principal Ecologist, Dr. Podolsky provides clients with all aspects of environmental compliance including but not limited to environmental conservation, natural resource assessments, ecological/environmental restoration, site assessment/site investigations (SA/SI), habitat evaluations, resource conservation and recovery, the Migratory Bird Treaty Act (MBTA), Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and Endangered Species Act (ESA), particularly Section 7 Consultations pertaining to ESA.

EDUCATION

  • Ph.D., Ecology, Fisheries and Wildlife, University of Michigan, Michigan, 1985
  • M.S., Ecology, Rutgers University, New Jersey, 1980
  • B.A., Biology, University of Wisconsin, Wisconsin, 1976
  • PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS
  • Certified Senior Ecologist, Ecological Society of America

PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS

  • Ecological Society of America
  • Society for Conservation Biology
  • American Ornithological Union
  • National Wind Coordinating Committee

PROJECT EXPERIENCE

  • Dominion Virginia Power Co., Meadow Brook to Loudoun 500-kV Line, Regulatory Support. As Senior Ecologist, Dr. Podolsky designed studies and conducted surveys to help Dominion to comply with the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries request for the minimization of impact to habitats for three state-listed bird species during the expansion of the Meadow Brook to Loudoun 500-kilovolt (kV) line.
  • WindKraft Nord LLC., Scurry County Wind Power Project, Texas. As Senior Ecologist, Dr. Podolsky designed studies and conducted 6 months of surveys to help WindKraft Nord assess the potential for impact to birds and bats, especially any state or federally listed wildlife species, at its Scurry County, Texas, wind power project.
  • WindKraft Nord LLC., Rotan Wind Power Project, Texas. As Senior Ecologist, Dr. Podolsky designed studies and conducted 8 months of surveys to help WindKraft Nord assess potential for impact to birds and bats, especially any state or federally listed wildlife species, at its Rotan, Texas wind power project.
  • WindKraft Nord LLC., Baca County Wind Power Project, Colorado. As Senior Ecologist, Dr. Podolsky designed studies and conducted 6 months of surveys to help WindKraft Nord assess potential for effects on birds and bats, especially any state or federally listed wildlife species, at its Baca County, Colorado wind power project.
  • National Park Service, Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreation Management, North Carolina. As Senior Ornithologist, Dr. Podolsky is the primary Avian Analyst for the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) environmental assessment (EA) and environmental impact statement (EIS) review of all proposed actions associated with the management of recreation at Cape Hatteras National Seashore including but not limited to scientific review of existing literature and annual reports by National Park Service (NPS) biologist.
  • National Park Service, Cape Lookout National Seashore, North Carolina. As Senior Ornithologist, Dr. Podolsky is the primary technical avian analyst on the NEPA EA and EIS review of all proposed actions resulting from the management of recreation at Cape Lookout National Seashore including but not limited to scientific review of existing literature and annual reports by NPS biologist.
  • National Park Service, Golden Gate National Seashore, California. As Senior Ornithologist, Dr. Podolsky provided technical consultation and site surveys for impact of recreation on shorebirds migrating to and overwintering at the coastal beaches located in central coastal California that are within the Golden Gate National Seashore.  Dr. Podolsky provided recommendation for research strategies to detect impact of recreation on shorebird resources.
  • First Wind, LLC, Hawaii. Dr. Podolsky provided wind power development support on Maui relating to the implementation of a complete Habitat Conservation Plan (HCP) and the review and analysis of the risk of turbine tower and blade collision for three endangered, native, Hawaiian birds—the Hawaiian petrel, the Newells Shearwater and the Nene goose.  Dr. Podolsky provided support in review of the HCP, recruited and trained field teams to conduct nest searches, and conducted extensive coordination with the State of Hawaii to ensure acceptable implementation of the HCP.  Dr. Podolsky conducted an avian impact modeling effort to ensure agency acceptance of methodologies and conclusion of the risk assessment.
  • Avian Systems, Maine.  Dr. Podolsky provided strategic direction and environmental expertise to clients seeking to capitalize on business opportunities within the rapidly growing wind energy market.  He also conceived and implemented a strategic wind energy marketing initiative for local environmental consulting firm, generating $517,000 in new revenue in one quarter; advising Silverstein Properties, the developer of the Freedom Tower, the successor structure to the World Trade Center’s Twin Towers, how to reduce avian collision risks in the overall design and operation of this high-profile project.
  • Perot Systems, Maine.  Dr. Podolsky expanded and provided technical and scientific expertise to Perot Systems’ environmental science practice.  He supported existing clients and generated new sources of consulting revenue from private sector clients, especially land developers, law firms, and renewable power developers (especially wind power), seeking to reduce potentially adverse environmental effects of new development, or otherwise seeking to achieve environmental regulatory compliance.  He also directed the siting and design and prepared all state and federal environmental permits for 9 wind power projects ranging in size from 10 wind turbine generators producing 18 megawatts (MW) to 231 wind turbines producing 831 MW.  The nine projects together total 1,027 wind turbine generators for a total of 3,643 MW enough to power approximately 900,000 American homes.
  • The Island Institute, Maine.  As Director of Research, Dr. Podolsky managed the scientific activities of the Institute.  He also established a digital archive and led a Apple computer-funded project to build custom in-house geographical information system (GIS) software, GAIA.  He generated ecological consulting revenues for the Institute and contributed to the development and editing of Cape Cod to the Bay of Fundy:  Environmental Atlas of the Gulf of Maine (MIT Press, 1996).
  • Hurricane Island Outward Bound School, Maine.  Dr. Podolsky provided academic oversight to the school’s college semester program and other accredited educational programs, including curriculum development, hiring and management of faculty, and oversight of all educational and field logistics for highly mobile courses.
  • The National Audubon Society, Maine, Hawaii, the Galápagos Islands, Central and South America, and Antarctica. Dr. Podolsky participated as a Research Scientist and Consulting Ornithologist on the Project Puffin Team, which successfully used social attraction techniques to restore puffin and other seabird populations to the Maine Coast.  He led numerous ecological research/restoration teams in Maine, Hawaii, and the Galápagos Islands.  He also taught summer courses to educators at the Audubon Ecology Workshop.  Dr. Podolsky led ecotours to Central and South America, Antarctica, and the Galápagos Islands.

MAJOR CLIENTS AND ENGAGEMENTS

  • WindKraft Nord, Inc., Senior Scientist on Avian Assessments at Wind Power Project, 2005–2009
  • UPC, Inc., Senior Scientist on Avian Assessments at Wind Power Project, 2005
  • Community Energy, Inc., Senior Scientist on Avian Assessments at Wind Power Project, 2005
  • Silverstein Properties, Inc., Senior Ornithologist for Freedom Tower–Lower Manhattan, 2004
  • US WindForce, Environmental Consultant, Wind Power Planning and Management, 2004
  • UPC and Green Energy Harvest, Environmental Consultant–Wind Power Planning, 2004
  • The Hastings Companies, Energy Consultant, Wind Power Planning and Management, 2004
  • Hamilton Capital, LLC, Environmental Contractor, Avian Restoration and Management, 2004
  • Columbia University (CIESEN), Principal Ecologist, Ecological Biodiversity Hotspot Mapping in Brazil, 2004
  • Winergy, LLC, Lead Scientist, Offshore Wind Power Design and Permitting, 2003
  • Preti-Flaherty, Wide Water, Still Water, LLC, Expert Witness, Wal-Mart Litigation, 2002
  • Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Visiting Scientist and Consultant, 2000–2002
  • Friends of Ballona Wetland & Playa Vista Corporation, Environmental Consultant, 2001
  • National Audubon Society, Consulting Ornithologist and Antarctic Expedition Leader, 1978–2001
  • Bard College, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Faculty, 2000
  • New York Academy of Science, Industrial Ecology Project Manager, 1999
  • Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Consulting Scientist, 1994–1999
  • American Museum of Natural History, GIS/Biodiversity Consultant, 1998
  • Columbia University Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory, Software Consultant, 1994–1998
  • United Nations Development Program (UNDP/GEF), Biodiversity Consultant, 1994–1997
  • Point Reyes Bird Observatory, Research Associate, 1993–1995
  • Eastman Kodak Company, Center for Creative Imaging. Instructor, 1991–1993
  • Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology, Research Associate, 1991–1992
  • Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, Adjunct Scientist, 1990–1992
  • Charles Darwin Research Station-Galápagos Islands, Postdoctoral Scientist, 1988–1991
  • College of the Atlantic, Faculty, 1989
  • Hurricane Island Outward Bound School, Academic Director, 1985–1986
  • The University of Hawaii, Oceanography Instructor, 1982–1983
  • The University of Michigan, Lecturer in Ecology and Oceanography, 1981–1982
  • Stockton State College, Instructor in Ecology, 1980–1981

UNIVERSITY COURSES INSTRUCTED (Institution)

Community Ecology (Bard College), Ecology (Rutgers University, University of Michigan), Ornithology (Rutgers University, National Audubon Society), Science and Imaging (Eastman Kodak), Field Methods in Ecology (College of the Atlantic, Stockton College), Organisms and Evolution (Stockton College), Conservation and Natural Resource Ecology (University of Michigan), Ecology of Marine Birds and Mammals (University of Michigan), Oceanography (University of Michigan, University of Hawaii), Animal Behavior and Communication (Stockton College)

HONORS AND AWARDS

  • Most Innovative GIS Project—The National Park Service, 1993, 1991
  • Computerworld Smithsonian Award Finalist, Computerworld/Smithsonian, 1991
  • Outstanding Wildlife Ecology Student, The University of Michigan Faculty, 1985
  • Rackham Doctoral Fellow, The University of Michigan Graduate School, 1984
  • Frank M. Chapman Ornithology Award, American Museum of Natural History, 1982
  • Alexander Bergstrom Ornithology Award, Northeast Bird-banders Association, 1981
  • Graduation with Distinction,  The University of Wisconsin, 1976

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES BOARD POSITIONS

Executive Board of Directors (Legal Representative) New England Society of Conservation Biology, National Wind Coordinating Committee (Wildlife and Siting Committees), American Association for the Advancement of Science, The Institute of Ecosystem Studies, The Society for Conservation Biology, The Ecological Society of America, The American Ornithological Union, The American Museum of Natural History, The New York Academy of Sciences, The Wildlife Conservation Society, The New England Aquarium, Boston Museum of Science.

REFEREED PUBLICATIONS

  • Podolsky, R.H.  2006.  Take back the night.  Ecology 87(12):3223–3224.
  • Podolsky, R.H.  2005.  Wind power shifts into high gear.  Perspectives.  The quarterly publication of the New England Society for Conservation Biology.  November 2004.
  • Podolsky, R.  2004.  Application of risk assessment tools:  Avian risk of collision model.  In:  Proceedings Onshore Wildlife Interactions with Wind Developments:  Research Meeting V.  Lansdowne, VA, November 3–4, 2004.  S. Savitt Schwartz (ed.).  Prepared for the Wildlife Subcommittee of the National Wind Coordinating Committee.  Prepared by RESOLVE, Inc., Washington DC.  pp. 86–87.
  • Podolsky, R.H.  2008.  Method and article of manufacture for determining probability of avian collision.  U.S. Patent Filing #92717353USPL.
  • Ainley, D.G., R. Podolsky, L. Deforest, G. Spencer, and N. Nur.  1995.  The ecology of Newell’s Shearwater and dark-rumped petrel on the island of Kaua`i.  Final Report.  Task 2, Seabird Ecology Study.  Electric Power Research Institute, Palo Alto, CA.
  • Podolsky, R., D.G. Ainley, L. Deforest, and G. Spencer.  1998.  Mortality of Newell’s Shearwaters caused by collisions with urban structures on Kauai.  Colonial Waterbirds 21(1):20–34.
  • Ainley, D.G., R. Podolsky, L. Deforest, and G. Spencer. 1997. New insights into the status of the Hawaiian Petrel on Kaua`i. Colonial Waterbirds 20:1–7.
  • Podolsky, R.  1995.  Biodiversity prospecting from digital earth imagery.  Diversity 11(4)16–17.
  • Podolsky, R.  1994.  Ecological hot spots:  A method for estimating biodiversity directly from digital earth imagery.  Earth Observation Magazine.  June 1994, pp. 30–36.
  • Podolsky, R.  1993.  Quantification of habitats in Prince William Sound from Landsat TM satellite imagery.  In: Proceedings of the Alaska University, Fairbanks, et al Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Symposium, February 1993, Anchorage, Alaska, Abstract p. 147.
  • Podolsky, R., and P. Conkling.  1992.  Satellite imagery aids analysis of rare coastal ecosystems.  GEOInfo Systems.  June 1992.
  • Podolsky, R.  1992.  Remote sensing, geographic data and the conservation of biological resources.  Endangered Species Update 9(12):1–4.
  • Podolsky, R., J. Freilich, and R. Knehr.  1992.  Predicting plant species richness from remotely sensed data in a high desert ecosystem.  1992 ISPRS/ASPRS Global Change Conference Proceedings, Washington, DC.
  • Kress, S.W., D. Nettleship, and R.H. Podolsky.  1992.  Reintroductions of Atlantic puffins, terns, and Leach’s storm-petrels at former breeding sites in the Gulf of Maine.  B.D. Bell and J. Kromdeur (ed).  In:  Management Methods for Populations of Threatened Birds International Council for Bird Preservation Technical Publication, Cambridge, England, UK.
  • Podolsky, R. and S.W. Kress.  1992.  Attraction of the endangered dark-rumped petrel to recorded vocalizations in the Galápagos Islands.  The Condor 94:448–453.
  • Podolsky, R.H.  1990.  Effectiveness of social stimuli in attracting Laysan albatross to new potential nesting sites.  The Auk 107(1):119–125.
  • Podolsky, R.H. and B.C. Morehouse.  1990.  Analyzing and managing digital earth imagery: An ecological perspective.  Scientific Computing & Automation.  January 1990.  pp. 19–26.
  • Podolsky, R.H.  1990.  Monitoring biodiversity and landscape richness through digital earth imagery.  In:  Global and Environmental Monitoring: Techniques and Impacts.  International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing Commission VII Symposium, Vancouver, BC.
  • Podolsky, R.H., B.C. Morehouse, and R. Greene.  1990.  Geographic information and analysis of digital earth imagery on the Macintosh II.   In:  Advances in Spatial Information Extraction and Analysis for Remote Sensing, Orono, ME.
  • Podolsky, R.H. and S.W. Kress.  1989.  Factors affecting colony formation in Leach’s storm-petrel to uncolonized islands in Maine.  The Auk 106:332–336.
  • Podolsky, R.H.  1989.  The Status of the razorbill in the Gulf of Maine.  American Birds 43:14–16.
  • Podolsky, R.H. and S.W. Kress.  1989.  Plastic debris incorporated into cormorant nest in the Gulf of Maine.  Journal of Field Ornith. 60:248–250.
  • Podolsky, R.H.  1989.  Entrapment of sea-deposited plastic debris on the shore of a Gulf of Maine island.  Marine Environmental Research 27:67–72.
  • Kosinski, R.J. and R.H. Podolsky.  1979.  An analysis of breeding and mortality in a maturing kittiwake colony.  The Auk 96:537–543.

HIGH TECH ACHIEVEMENTS

Principle designer and project leader on the development of scientific software titles for Windows and Macintosh OS including Avian Risk of Collision (ARC) Model (U.S. Patent Pending), FullPixelSearch, GAIA, Diversidad and FireTower.  In-depth experience with the application of computers to scientific problems, specifically with GIS integration, pattern recognition, data mining routines, remote sensing.

PATENTS

Inventor US Patent #7,315,799: Method of and Article of Manufacture for Determining Probability of Avian Collision.  Date of Patent: January 2008.

INVITED PRESENTATIONS

  • Skidmore, Owings + Merrill, LLP.  Reducing Risk of Bird Collision in the Freedom Tower. 2005 & 2006.
  • National Wind Coordinating Committee.  Bird and Bat Collision Modeling.  11/2003 and 2004.
  • Skidmore, Owings + Merrill, LLP.  Reducing Risk of Bird Collision in the Freedom Tower. 9/2004
  • Society for Conservation Biology.  Biodiversity Prospecting Tools.  New York, NY 7/2004
  • EnergyOcean 2004.  Offshore Wind Power Production.  Palm Beach, FL 6/2004
  • International Seabird Symposium.  Status of Seabird Restoration Efforts. Scotland, UK 5/2004
  • Environment Canada.  Avian and Bat Collision Modeling for Wind Power. NBB, Canada 5/2004
  • Massachusetts Technology Collaborative.  Avian Issues and Wind Power. Boston.  10/2003
  • US Wind Power Conference.  Offshore Wind Power – Environmental Issues.  8/2003
  • European Wind Energy Conference, Madrid Spain.  Wind Power and Birds and Bats.  12/2002
  • Tuft University School of Veterinary Medicine.  Seabird Restoration.  9/2002
  • National Audubon Society.  5/2002
  • UCLA Institute of the Environment.  Los Angeles, CA 2/2002
  • Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory.  Palisade, NY 4/2001
  • Institute for Ecosystems Studies.  Millbrook, NY 11/2000
  • Second International Conference on Petrels and Albatross.  Honolulu, HI 5/2000
  • U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.  New York, NY 2/2000
  • Port Authority of NY and NJ.  New York, NY 4/1999
  • General Electric Corporation.  Schenectady, NY 1/1998
  • Rockefeller University. New York, NY 7/1997
  • Cooper Ornithological Society.  Hilo, HI 4/1997
  • The United Nations Development Program. (GEF Unit).  New York, NY 2/1997
  • New York Botanical Gardens.  Bronx, NY 2/1996, 2/1997
  • SPOT Image Corporation.  Reston, VA 8/1995
  • Apple Computer, Inc.  Cupertino, CA 1/1995
  • NASA Ames Research.  Moffitt Field, CA 1/1995
  • Stanford University.  Palo Alto, CA 1/1995
  • United States Secret Service.  Washington, DC 12/1993
  • Hawaii Audubon Society.  Honolulu, HI 12/1993.
  • Massachusetts Institute of Technology.  Cambridge, MA 9/1993
  • William McDonough + Partners.  New York, NY 6/1993
  • Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Symposium.  Anchorage, AK 2/1993
  • Pacific Seabird Group.  Seattle, WA 2/1993
  • Monteverde Conservation League.  Monteverde, Costa Rica. 11/1992
  • The RAND Corporation.  Santa Monica, CA 11/1991
  • NASA Headquarters.  Washington, DC 9/1991
  • Apple Computer, Inc.  Worldwide Developers Conference, San Jose, CA 5/1991
  • The Woods Hole Research Station.  Woods Hole, MA 11/1990
  • Global and Environmental Monitoring.  ISPRS Comm. VII. Vancouver, BC 9/1990
  • Yale University.  New Haven, CT 3/1990
  • Computer Visualization and Imaging in Research. U. of Iowa.  2/1990
  • Environmental Grantmakers Conference.  San Francisco, CA 12/1989
  • Distinguished Lecturer, University of Michigan.  Ann Arbor, MI 11/1989
  • GOVERNMENT AND INDUSTRY RESEARCH AWARDS
  • US EPA Region 2.  Industrial Ecology/Pollution Prevention in the NY Harbor.
  • Port Authority of NY and NJ.  Industrial Ecology/Pollution Prevention in NY Harbor.
  • General Electric Aircraft Engines.  Automated Analysis of Scanning Electron Micrographs.
  • Electric Power Research Institute.  Bi-directional Mapping for Conservation.
  • Hawaii Biodiversity Joint Venture.  Attracting Laysan Albatross to Oahu.
  • Electric Power Research Institute.  Light Pollution and Endangered Seabirds of Kauai.
  • Arthur K. Watson Foundation.  The Gulf of Maine Environmental Atlas.
  • Charles Darwin Research Station.  Restoration of the Endangered Galápagos Petrel.
  • Island Foundation, Inc.  Computer Mapping for Natural Resource Analysis.
  • Apple Computer, Inc.  Research and Development Grant.
  • Center for Field Research.  (1) Falcon Migration on Maine islands (1984); (2) Establishment of Laysan Albatross to Kauai, Hawaii.
  • Chapman Memorial Fund (American Museum of Natural History).  Artificial Stimulation of Colony Formation in Storm-petrels.

EDITORIAL EXPERIENCE

  • Author Perfect Pirates in book titled Gulls Ravens and a Vulture.  The Ornithological Paintings of James Wyeth.  2005.
  • Authored and edited chapters in the award winning; 1995. From Cape Cod to the Bay of Fundy: An Environmental Atlas of the Gulf of Maine, MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, editor, P. Conkling. The Atlas synthesizes landuse in the Gulf of Maine by way of satellite images, many of which I created and or edited. 2. Life Science Editor, SciTech Journal, a publication which covers computer programming techniques and development tools and electronic communications for high technology.

NON-REFEREED PUBLICATIONS

  • Marrying Wind Power and Desalinization. North American Wind Power Magazine.  May 2008.
  • Sustainable Slope – Wind Power- Ski Areas Begin to Embrace the Wind.  North American Wind Power Magazine.  June 2006.
  • Industrial Ecology and the Manufacturing of Electricity from Wind.  North American Wind Power Magazine.  September 2005.
  • Are Bats the New Birds?  North American Wind Power Magazine.  April 2005.
  • Offshore wind is Coming on Strong.  North American Wind Power Magazine.  January 2005.
  • Birds Don’t Have to be Wind Park ‘Show Stoppers’ North American Wind Power Magazine.  August 2004.
  • Antarctica: Discovery and Exploration.  Grand Circle Travel. 29 pp.
  • Portugal: By Land and Sea.  Grand Circle Travel. 24 pp.
  • The Kingdom of Spain.  Grand Circle Travel. 29 pp.
  • Turkey: A Rich and Ancient Tapestry. Grand Circle Travel. 31 pp.
  • Alaska: Land of the Midnight Sun.  Grand Circle Travel. 33 pp.
  • Costa Rica: Where Diversity Reigns.  Grand Circle Travel. 30 pp.
  • This Year in Space.  SciTech Quarterly.
  • Satellite Imagery Aids Analysis of Rare Coastal Ecosystems.  GEOInfo Systems.
  • Optical Storage Medium and the Preservation of the Rainforest.  SciTech Quarterly.
  • Lost Island Birds.  Island Journal.
  • Mind over Macintosh.  SciTech Quarterly.
  • Satellite Search Aids Wetlands Visualization.  GIS World Magazine.
  • The Impact of Desktop Computing on the Progress of Science.  SciTech Quarterly.
  • Maine’s Rarest Seabird.  Maine Boats and Harbors.
  • The Thin Edge.  Island Journal.
  • Marine Debris Conference Review.  Pacific Seabird Group Bulletin.
  • Pleistocene Islands: The Rise and Fall of Maine’s Island Empire.  EARTHWATCH Magazine.
  • This Island Earth.  New Alchemist Quarterly.
  • Island Extinction: The Saga of the Great Auk and Sea Mink.  Island Journal.
  • The Razors Edge: Maine’s Rarest Seabird.  Island Journal.
  • Night Birds: Storm Petrels on the Maine Coast.  Island Journal.

RECENT TECHNICAL REPORTS

  • Technical Aspects of Siting Offshore Wind Turbines.  U.S. Department of Defense.
  • Biodiversity Mapping and Hotspot Identification in Brazil.  Columbia University.
  • GIS Assessment: Bolivia, Madagascar, Vietnam.  American Museum of Natural History.
  • Automated Analysis of Scanning Electron Micrographs.  General Electric.
  • Automated Detection of Biodiversity Mega Sites.  The Nature Conservancy.
  • Content for NSF Earth View Project. Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory.
  • Bi-directional Mapping for Ecological Asset Management.  EPRI & Allegheny Power Co.
  • Software for the Management of Biodiversity Data.  United Nations.
  • Global Environment Facility Biodiversity Mission to Amazonia.  United Nations.
  • California Gnatcatcher Habitat Analysis from SPOT Imagery.  EPRI.
  • Technical Evaluation of the Automated Wildlife Surveyor System.  EPRI.
  • Global Environment Facility Biodiversity Mission to Bolivia.  United Nations.
  • GIS for the Gulf of the Farallones, CA. Point Reyes Bird Observatory.
  • Status of Newell’s Shearwater and Dark-rumped Petrel on Kauai.  EPRI.
  • Management Plan: Children’s Eternal Rainforest.  Monteverde Conservation League.
  • Habitat Quantification of Prince William Sound from SPOT Imagery.  Alaska DEP.
  • Habitat Quantification of Afognak Island from SPOT MS Imagery.  Alaska DEP.
  • Landuse Compatibility Study: SPOT Imagery.  San Clemente Island, CA.  Department of Navy.
  • Landsat Analysis of Joshua Tree National Park.  Apple Computer & National Park Service.
  • Wetlands Mapping from SPOT Imagery.  Maine Geological Survey.
  • Quantification of Intertidal Seaweeds Using SPOT Satellite Imagery.  FMC Corporation.
  • Habitat Mapping and Analysis of Cross Island Wildlife Refuge.  U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
  • Forest Management Plan: Allen, Green, MacMahan, Cross and Cape Island.
  • Land Use Management: North Haven and Matinicus Island.

RESEARCH AND CONSULTING CONTRACT DESCRIPTIONS

  • Silverstein Properties, Skidmore, Owings + Merrill Architects.  Providing site specific recommendations to reduce the risk of collision of migratory and resident birds at the World Trade Center Freedom Tower, the building that is replacing the Twin Towers that were destroyed on September 11, 2001.  This consultation includes a review of Freedom Tower façade reflectivity, artificial lighting and the use of exterior plantings with the goal of minimizing the factors known to contribute to the risk of bird death by collision.
  • US WindForce.  Designed bird and bat migration study programs at wind power sites.
  • Hamilton Capital, LLC.  Lead a project to reduce the disturbance and lose of revenue at Kentucky’s largest private marina due to proximity to a nearby Great Blue Heron colony.  Used sound system and decoys to .
  • Columbia University.  Provided technical consultation to scientists at Lamont Doherty Earth Observatory to map biodiversity hotspots in south coastal Brazil. .
  • Winergy, LLC.  Environmental science lead contractor to Winergy, a developer of offshore wind power parks.  Assisted client in the filing of Army Corp of Engineers permits for a meteorological monitoring tower 7 miles off New England shore.  Directed the siting and design and prepared all State and Federal environmental permits for nine wind power projects ranging in size from 10 wind turbine generators producing 18 MW to 231 WTGs producing 831 MW.  The nine projects together total 1,027 WTG for a total of 3,643 MW enough to power approximately 900,000 American homes.
  • United Nations Global Environment Facility (GEF).  Participated on several teams that conducted on-site evaluations of conservation training, natural resource management, sustainable use of biodiversity resources, and GIS capacity in indigenous lands, to assess UN’s $9 million investment in sustainable forestry/biodiversity in several Amazon Basin countries.  Also analyzed government and non-governmental organization (NGO) projects and GIS capacity regarding sustainable forestry and biodiversity in Bolivia.  Personally tested/and or reviewed 100 software systems and authored UN report, Software Tools for the Visualization and Management of Biodiversity Data.
  • Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI).  Led several scientific teams that helped electric power companies in California and Hawaii implement court-ordered mitigation that resulted from Endangered Species Act litigation over the adverse impact of power lines and related structures on protected bird populations. Conducted detailed image analysis of habitat in proximity to the nesting birds to better understand habitat selection and criteria for restoration.  Established a long-term breeding success study in Hawaii.  Led an interdisciplinary team of scientists and economists charged with quantifying the ecosystem assets of Allegheny Power’s vast wetland holdings in the West Virginia mountains.  Helped Allegheny’s land managers assess endangered species habitat, carbon sequestration, and flood risk reduction by integrating satellite images of landholdings into an accessible GIS format.  Evaluated and tested a hardware and software system to automatically identify certain birds and amphibian species, which was developed by EPRI in partnership with Ontario Hydro as a tool to allow electrical power companies to conduct automated surveys of biologically important species on their lands for environmental compliance purposes.
  • Preti-Flaherty, Wide Water Still Water, LLC.  Provided expert testimony and advice to law firm and land developer regarding the permitting and siting of a Wal-Mart Supercenter in the vicinity of a fragile wetland containing endangered species.  Emphasis of this consultation was on minimizing the impact of both sound and light pollution to grassland and wetland wildlife associated with the nearby wetland.  Conducted and analyzed relevant literature and provided environmental advice to engineers and architects that were integrated into the plan and helped to achieve a successful outcome for the developer.
  • Playa Vista Corporation & Friends of Ballona Wetlands.  Consulted with developer and lead environmental organization on methods to achieve sustainable development of a large urban residential and commercial development adjacent to the largest coastal wetland in Los Angeles, which had been stalled by environmental litigation and community opposition for almost two decades.  Helped developer attain critical building permits by integrating sustainable non-polluting lighting into its plan.  Revised lighting plan also saved developer several hundred thousand dollars and helped reduce environmental and community opposition to the development.  Advised developer regarding selection of road surface material to achieve dual goals of ensuring vehicular safety and reducing noise pollution that would adversely affect native waterbirds. Drafted a waterbird restoration proposal that garnered enthusiastic support from both the developer and the lead environmental organization.
  • Institute of Ecosystem Studies. Participated on scientific team that developed a computer-based, cross-platform simulation of Lyme Disease life cycle to examine the cognition and systems thinking of three user groups: scientists, local government officials, and high school students.
  • The Nature Conservancy.  Utilized proprietary software that scans earth images and identifies biodiversity hot spots in wilderness landscapes to prioritize lands for future acquisition and conservation.  Also applied customized software, which utilizes satellite imagery as a cost-effective alternative to traditional surveying methods, to the land management of vast Wyoming ranches.  Image searching enabled ranchers to determine which grazing lands had been degraded by a non-native invasive weed and to manage their lands accordingly.
  • Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Restoration Team. Analyzed satellite imagery of over one million acres impacted by the spill to identify and quantify the habitats of species most impacted by the spill; trained and led an expedition to ground-truth the satellite imagery of Prince William Sound; presented results of the GIS analysis and mapping to the land acquisition team to guide their purchase and subsequent protection of critical coastal habitat to restore species displaced by the spill.
  • New York Academy of Sciences.  Managed an industrial ecology project to define pollution prevention strategies for the New York Harbor, leading a consortium of regional stakeholders from the corporate, non-profit and academic sectors, and a team of consulting scientists.
  • American Museum of Natural History.  Participated on a scientific team that provided GIS capacity analysis to guide the Museum’s significant GIS investment in Bolivia, Madagascar, and Vietnam.
  • University of Colorado.  Collaborated with scientists and professors on the groundbreaking Visible Human Project by training them in the use of FullPixelSearch software to aid in their analysis and visualization of a three-dimensional representation of the human body.
  • Columbia University.  Contributed earth visualization and analysis software to Project Earth View, an NSF project for classroom instruction of global earth science.