When: Wednesday, August 22nd, 2018, 1:40 pm – 3:20 pm
Where: Atlantic City Convention Center, Room 311
Do you want the inside scoop on how to be successful when applying for jobs, graduate school, internships, and postdocs? Come speak to professionals with varied careers to get useful advice and tips on how to submit your best application.
The first part of this event will be lightning talks by professionals describing who they are and what they do. Afterwards, students will have the chance to participate in speed mentoring, where each professional will be stationed at a different table and students will rotate between tables every 10 minutes in order to ask professionals their questions.
Professional Participants:
Brandon Muffley
Fishery Management Specialist
Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council
bmuffley@mafmc.org
Brandon is a Fishery Management Specialist for the Mid-Atlantic Fishery Management Council and his primary responsibilities include coordinating the activities of the Council’s Scientific and Statistical Committee (SSC) and implementation of the scientific and management objectives of the Council’s Ecosystem Approaches to Fisheries Management (EAFM) guidance document. He also assists in the development of management objectives for the Summer Flounder, Scup and Black Sea Bass Fishery Management Plan and also coordinates activities on a number of different state/federal issues.
Dr. Helen Neville
Senior Scientist
Trout Unlimited
helen.neville@tu.org
Helen has been with Trout Unlimited for 12 years, with a background in conservation genetics and a large focus on the recovery of Lahontan cutthroat trout. In her new position as of 2018, she and the TU science team help the organization to formulate and implement strategic, science-driven conservation work and policy, and undertake collaborative research with outside partners relevant to freshwater conservation and climate change.
Dr. Jim Vasslides
Senior Program Scientist
Barnegat Bay Partnership
jvasslides@ocean.edu
Jim oversees the science program for a National Estuary Program, encouraging the use of the best available science in management decisions. His research interests are broad, encompassing the community ecology of fishes in temperate estuaries and their watershed.
John Clark
Fisheries Section Administrator
Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife
john.clark@state.de.us
John is the Fisheries Section Administrator for the Delaware Division of Fish and Wildlife. John administers a staff of scientists and technicians who do the research necessary to keep Delaware in compliance with fisheries management plans (FMP) and set Delaware’s fishing regulations, a policy team that promulgates the fisheries regulations necessary to stay in compliance with FMP, a construction team that develops and maintains fishing access areas in the state, and the support staff necessary to keep the lights on and the boats moving. John also represents Delaware on regional and national fisheries management commissions, councils, and committees.
Dr. Kristen Anstead
Stock Assessment Scientist
Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission
kanstead@asmfc.org
Stock Assessment Scientists provide quantitative technical support to ASMFC-managed species’ committees and are responsible for assessing the status of fishery stocks through data analysis and statistical modeling. At the ASMFC, Kristen works in collaboration with state employees, federal representatives, fisheries management plan coordinators, academic researchers, and Regional Fishery Management Councils.
Leanne Roulson
Fisheries Biologist/ Environmental Policy Specialist
HydroSolutions Inc.
leannr@hydrosi.com
Leanne manages projects for state and federal agencies under the National Environmental Policy Act or other environmental regulations such as the Clean Water Act, Wild and Scenic Rivers Act, or Endangered Species Act. Her two current projects are developing Comprehensive River Management Plans for the Flathead River in northwestern Montana and a reach of the Upper Missouri near Helena, Montana.
Natalie Huff
Supervisory Equal Employment Opportunity Specialist
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
natalie.huff@noaa.gov
Natalie serves as the senior adviser to the office of the Assistant Administrator for Fisheries regarding responsibilities under both the Federal Civil Rights and EEO laws and regulations and Diversity. In addition, she develops and provides training and report analysis which enhance both understanding of compliance of laws and policies.
Dr. Paola Lopez-Duarte
Assistant Professor
University of North Carolina at Charlotte
lopez-duarte@uncc.edu
Paola’s primary research interests focus on the behavior and ecology of invertebrates and fish, especially the factors controlling larval dispersal, transport, and recruitment to adult habitats. Her work encompasses several research areas: larval ecology; population connectivity; trophic ecology; impacts of anthropogenic stressors on marsh communities; coupled bio-physical models.
Patrick O’Rouke
Fisheries Biologist
Georgia Power Company
pmorouke@southernco.com
Patrick’s main job responsibility is as a subject matter expert on fisheries and aquatic plant issues at various types of power plants including hydro, coal, and nuclear. He also helps design and implement aquatic stewardship projects for Georgia Power and its parent, Southern Company.
Robert Palmer
Retired Federal Fish and Wildlife Biologist
Robert_Palmer@cox.net
Robert has worked for 10 different state and federal agencies as a fish and/or wildlife biologist and worked in all 10 western states including Alaska. He served as a big river and big lake biologist having worked on the North Platte, Klamath, Snake, Columbia, and the Colorado River and Pyramid Lake in Nevada and Bear Lake in Northern Utah.
Tom Bigford
Retired Habitat Protection Division Chief
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Retired Policy Director
American Fisheries Society
tebigford@gmail.com
Tom managed federal marine fish habitat programs for nearly 35 years. He retired in 2014 to serve as the first AFS Policy Director for 3 years. Together, he enjoyed 40+ years working on fish science, management, and policy.
Students are also encouraged to attend the Federal Career and Hiring Workshop which will prepare applicants for a successful career path in the natural resources federal workforce. This workshop will be held on Thursday, August 23rd from 1:40 pm to 5:20 pm in the Atlantic City Convention Center, Room 314.
