Phillip Howard, MS student

Phillip Howard, MS studentMS Candidate
Conservation Biology
CTEC Research Assistant Spring/Fall 2009
Email Phillip

Research Interests

My interests for tropical ecology and conservation are rooted in birds and agroforestry. For my thesis research I will be studying passerine overwintering requirements in the Lesser Antillean region of the Caribbean. I also have an interest in how shade crops, such as coffee and cacao, can help protect and maintain otherwise lost biodiversity in deforested landscapes in the tropics.

Education

Antioch University New England, Keene NH
Fall 2008–Present
MS Candidate in Conservation Biology
Department of Environmental Studies

Shepherd University — Shepherdstown, West Virginia
2004–2008
Major: Environmental Studies
Concentration: Resource Management

Related Experience

Supervised independent study in bird banding
Fall 2009

  • Assist in operation of a MAPS bird-banding station in Keene, NH

Head researcher for Grenada Cocoa Association and L.A. Burdick Chocolate
Summer 2009

  • Identification and GIS mapping of local varieties of cocoa in Grenada
  • Gathering of baseline data for future gastronomic analysis of cocoa
    varieties

Research Assistant: Center for Tropical Ecology and Conservation
October 2008–Present

  • Assist CTEC directors with research projects, literature searches, report writing, editing and various other CTEC duties as needed
  • Chimpanzee fact sheet for Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda
  • Bird checklist for Nyungwe National Park, Rwanda

Internship: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services National Conservation Training Center, Shepherdstown, WV
Summer 2007

  • Intern for the USFWS national archives

Undergraduate Research

Impact of Surface Coal Mining on Bird Populations in West Virginia, 1994–2006 presented at Shepherd University May 2007
Spring 2008

Analysis of Rearing Techniques in Captive Breed California Condors Reintroduced in Arizona, 1996–2006
Summer 2007

Grants

Center for Tropical Ecology and Conservation Student Scholarship
Summer 2009
($1000) for Grenada cocoa project

Professional Presentations

Grenada Cocoa Association Annual Meeting
July 2009
Invited speaker: Cocoa mapping and research project update

Shepherd University ENVS Senior Research Presentations
May 2008
Oral presentation: Impact of Surface Coal Mining on Bird Populations in West Virginia, 1994–2006

Shepherd University ENVS Internship Presentations
December 2007
Oral presentation: Analysis of Rearing Techniques in Captive Breed California Condors Reintroduced in Arizona, 1996–2006

Bird-related Field Skills

Mist-netting, banding, point-counts, nest searching, GPS/GIS, territory mapping, vegetation surveys, bird song recording, and radio telemetry

Other Interests

Running, hiking, biking, swimming, reading, and avid birdwatcher