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500 Garland, E-28 Berrien Springs, MI 49103 |
Phone (269) 277 - 1471 |
Smruti Damania
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Education |
Sep 1997 – June 2000 University of Eastern Africa, Baraton Kenya BSc. Zoology § Graduated Magna cum laude § Highest cumulative G.P.A (3.74) in School of Science and Technology
Sep 2001 – Present Andrews University Michigan, U.S.A MS. Biology § Deriving a continuous-time model for habitat patch occupancy dynamics of glaucous-winged gulls on Protection Island, Washington. § Co-advisors: Dr. Shandelle M. Henson, Dr. James L. Hayward § Thesis Committee members: Dr. Shandelle Henson1, Dr. James Hayward2, Dr. Joseph Galusha3, Dr. Jim Cushing4 and Dr. Tom Goodwin2. 1. Department of Mathematics, Andrews University, Michigan. 2. Biology Department, Andrews University, Michigan. 3. Biology Department, Walla Walla College, Washington. 4. Department of Mathematics, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona.
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Professional experience |
Sep 1998 – Dec 1999 University of Eastern Africa, Baraton Kenya Lab Assistant – Foundations of Biology I, II, III § Assisted in lab setup, preparation for and management of two weekly lab sections of 40 students each.
Sep 2001 – June 2002 Andrews University MI, U.S.A Teaching Assistant – Scientific Inquiry I, II § Worked in a team along with two other teaching assistants to teach the lab section of the syllabus, as well as preparing and setting up lab equipment for four weekly lab sessions.
Sep 2001 – June 2002 Andrews University MI, U.S.A Student Curator – Andrews University Herbarium § Worked under Dr. Dennis Woodland; mounting and labeling museum-dried floral specimens collected during a study of vegetation diversity on Protection Island, 1999.
June 2002 – Sept 2002 Andrews University MI, U.S.A Student Curator – Andrews University Herbarium § Increased responsibility in collecting fresh specimens, field pressing, drying, mounting and labeling floral specimens collected from Lowe Foundation, Dowagiac, Michigan.
Sep 2002 – Dec 2003 Andrews University MI, U.S.A Lab Coordinator – Scientific Inquiry I, II § Increased responsibility in managing the labs, keeping lab grade records for ~ 100 students, liaising between other teaching assistants, students and professors. (The professors teaching the class are from 3 different departments – Chemistry, Physics, Biology)
Sep 2002 – Present Andrews University MI, U.S.A Graduate Student Research Assistant – Sea Bird Modeling Group § Working with a team of highly motivated individuals (3 undergraduates, 2 graduates, co-supervised by Dr.Hayward and Dr.Henson) in an interdisciplinary research project between the Biology and Math Departments of Andrews University, attempting to model glaucous-winged gull behavior at Protection Island National Wildlife Refuge, Washington.
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Professional memberships |
1. Wildlife Clubs of Kenya (W.C.K) (1997 – 2000) 2. Biology Club, University of Eastern Africa, Baraton (1997 – 2000) 3. Project Coordinator, Student Research Center (SRC), University of Eastern Africa, Baraton (1997 – 1998) 4. Project Coordinator, Students Engaged in Environmental Awareness Schemes (SEEAS), University of Eastern Africa, Baraton (1997) 5. Co-founder Biology Snake Park, University of Eastern Africa, Baraton (1999 - 2000) 6. The Student Section of the Ecological Society of America (ESA), U.S.A. (2002 – Present) 7. Society for Conservation Biology (subscribed to their list server as well) (2003 – Present) 8. Student Conservation Association (2003 – Present) |
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References |
1. Dr. James L. Hayward, Associate Professor of Biology, Andrews University. hayward@andrews.edu 2. Dr. Shandelle M. Henson, Assistant Professor of Mathematics, Andrews University. henson@andrews.edu 3. Dr. David Mbungu, Associate Professor of Biology, Andrews University. mbungu@andrews.edu |
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Research Interests |
There is a dire need for greater interdisciplinary approaches in solving the fundamental problems of conservation biology and I am interested in working on quantitative mathematical models that attempt to provide PRACTICAL solutions to issues in conservation biology such as reserve design, quantifying the impacts of habitat fragmentation or degradation on biodiversity or models that attempt to quantify probabilities of extinction of species or just basically any theoretical model that uses the quantitative approach to better assess and evaluate conservation issues and thereby enable better conservation planning. |
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Hobbies |
I enjoy hiking and camping, and love traveling to new places. I also enjoy reading real-life adventure, autobiographical books by naturalists on their field experiences. I have an amateur interest in butterfly identification and their museum preparation. |
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Volunteer experience |
Sep. 1996 – Sep. 1997 World Wide Fund For Nature (W.W.F) – Lake Nakuru Conservation and Development Project (L.N.C.D.P) · Worked in the Environmental Assessment Program · Duties entailed regular monitoring of water quality, and survey of bottom sediments both of the lake and its influent streams · Assisted the late Prof. T.Kaufmann in her study of the use of riverine benthic macroinvertebrates as indicators of water quality in rivers Njoro, Makalia and Nderit, in Kenya. July 2001 – Sep. 2001 National Museums of Kenya (N.M.K) - Invertebrate Zoology Department · Involved in studying butterfly diversity at Hyrax Hill, Nakuru, Kenya.
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Awards received |
1. Dean’s List, University of Eastern Africa, Baraton 1st and 2nd Quarters 1997/98 2. Honor’s Roll, University of Eastern Africa, Baraton 1997/98 3. Dean’s List, University of Eastern Africa, Baraton 1st and 2nd Quarters 1998/99 4. Honor’s Roll, University of Eastern Africa, Baraton 1998/99 5. Dean’s List, University of Eastern Africa, Baraton 1st and 2nd Quarters 1999/2000 6. Honor’s Roll, University of Eastern Africa, Baraton 1999/2000 7. Biology Club Active Member Award, U.E.A.B 1997 8. Certificate of Recognition, S.R.C. U.E.A.B 1998 9. DeHaan Work Excellence Award ,Andrews University, April 2003 10. Andrews Partner Scholarship Award – Robson E. & Isabel A. Newbold Endowed Scholarship Award, April 2003 11. DeHaan Work Excellence Award, Andrews University, April 2004 |
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Publications in preparation |
· Phillips, K. W, Henson, S. M., Hayward, J. L. and S.P. Damania, 2004. Habitat patch occupancy dynamics of glaucous-winged gulls I: A discrete-time model. (Submitted) · Damania, S. P., Henson, S. M., Hayward, J. L., and K. W. Phillips, 2004. Habitat patch occupancy dynamics of glaucous-winged gulls II : A continuous-time model (Submitted) · Henson, S.M., Hayward J.L. and S.P. Damania 2004. Identifying environmental determinants of diurnal distribution in marine birds and mammals. (Submitted) |
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Grants |
· NSF Grant 2003 to the Sea Bird Ecology Team · NSF Grant 2004 to the Sea Bird Ecology Team |