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CURRICULUM VITAE

LEEANNE ELIZABETH ALONSO

Conservation International
Rapid Assessment Program (RAP)
Center for Applied Biodiversity Science
Arlington, VA USA 22202

E-mail: l.alonso@conservation.org
Phone: 703-341-2590

Leeanne Alonso

QUALIFICATIONS

Extensive training and experience in biology (especially ecology, biodiversity studies, conservation biology, and entomology), technical writing, public speaking, research and data analysis. Fluent Spanish; read French and Portuguese. Computer expertise (word processing, spreadsheets, data bases, advanced statistical software packages, graphics programs, internet). Considerable experience as a supervisor, program coordinator, and grants manager. Enjoy working with people. Extensive research travel in over 20 countries in North, Central and South America, Asia, and Africa.

EDUCATION

1988-1994 HARVARD UNIVERSITY, Cambridge, MA. Ph.D. in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, "Ecology of a facultative ant-plant mutualism"
Advisor: Prof. Edward O. Wilson  
1991 HARVARD UNIVERSITY, Cambridge, MA. M.A. in Organismic and Evolutionary Biology.
Advisor: Prof. Edward O. Wilson  
1983-1987 UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, Austin, TX. B.S. in Zoology with High Honors and Special Honors in Zoology, "Comparison of the diets of two fire ant species"
Advisor: Prof. Lawrence E. Gilbert  
1983-1987 UNIVERSITY OF TEXAS, Austin, TX. B.A. in Plan II (Liberal Arts Honors Program) with High Honors.

PROFESSIONAL AND ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE

  • 2004 - present -- Conservation International, Washington, D.C.
    Vice President, Rapid Assessment Program (see below)
    • Department Director - Oversee and provide scientific guidance to three departmental programs: Rapid Assessment Program (RAP), and the Invertebrate Diversity Initiative (IDI)
    • Supervisor- 6 staff
    • Department Liaison - Represent the department and programs to other departments within Conservation International and to partner institutions
    • Scientific advisor-- Provide scientific guidance to biodiversity conservation projects in South America, MesoAmerica, Africa, and Asia carried out by Conservation International
  • 1998 - 2003 -- Conservation International, Washington, D.C.
    Director, Rapid Assessment Program (RAP)
    • Program Director-- Design, organize and implement rapid biological assessments of the biodiversity of tropical areas of high importance or threatened by human activities in order to make recommendations about conservation actions
    • Scientific participant and coordinator-- Conduct assessments of invertebrate diversity, coordinate scientists in data collection and analysis, design methodologies for rapid assessment, analyze global biodiversity patterns, write and edit scientific publications of biodiversity data
    • Publications Editor-Review and edit scientific publications
    • Media communicator-work with media to get results and activities of RAP to general public
  • 2001 - present -- Conservation International, Washington, D.C.
    Supervisor, Invertebrate Diversity Initiative
    • Program Supervisor-Oversee planning and activities of initiative aimed at promoting awareness of invertebrate diversity and conservation, and compiling databases of invertebrate diversity information for use in conservation planning
  • 1997 - 1998 -- The Xerces Society, Washington, D.C.
    Coordinator of Conservation Science
    • Project designer-- develop and initiate projects to protect invertebrates and to educate the scientific and general public about the importance of invertebrates
    • Writer-- write technical and non-technical articles on invertebrate conservation
    • Grants Manager-- write grant proposals for research projects
  • 1994 - present -- Smithsonian Institution / Measuring, Monitoring and Assessment of Biodiversity Program, Washington, D.C.
    Arthropod Specialist.
    • Instructor of arthropod sampling and monitoring for the International Biodiversity Measuring and Monitoring Course -- Develop and teach methods of arthropod sampling to 25 participants, prepare and deliver lectures, prepare and supervise field exercises
    • Outreach and training specialist-- develop and present arthropod section of training program for international conferences and courses (e.g, 1996 USA-ROC Symposium on Measuring Forest Biodiversity, Taiwan)
    • Technical writer -- Develop and write a standard method for sampling arthropods
    • Field Researcher -- Develop and carry out arthropod sampling methods for the Urubamba Biodiversity project in Peru (1997)
  • 1996 - 1997 -- University of Oklahoma, Department of Zoology, Norman, OK.
    Post-doctoral Research Associate.
    • Field Researcher -- Conducted independent field research at 10 sites in the United States and Central America.
    • Laboratory Coordinator -- Supervised personnel on research related projects, responsible for choosing and ordering all laboratory equipment, including major pieces (microscopes and computers), coordinated daily laboratory activities
    • Technical Analyst and Writer-- Analyzed data using statistical software and wrote technical papers for publication in scientific journals
    • Grants Manager -- wrote grant proposals for research projects
  • 1994 - 1996 -- U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service, Center for Medical, Agricultural, and Veterinary Entomology, Gainesville, FL.
    Post-doctoral Research Affiliate.
    • Research and Laboratory Supervisor -- Supervised technicians, interns, and students on research related projects, coordinated daily laboratory activities, chose and ordered all laboratory equipment
    • Field and Laboratory Researcher -- planned and carried out independent research on fire ant biology in the field and laboratory
    • Technical Analyst and Writer -- Analyzed data using statistical software and wrote technical papers for publication in scientific journals
  • 1989 - 1994 -- Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.
    Graduate Researcher.
    • Grants Manager -- prepared, wrote and managed grants for field research ($25,000 over 4 years)
    • Personnel Supervisor -- Supervised assistants in field work in Costa Rica and Panama, prepared and coordinated work contracts
    • Field Researcher -- planned and carried out independent field research in four Central and South American countries
    • Teaching Fellow -- taught laboratory and discussion sections of four undergraduate courses (25 students/section), designed and coordinated laboratory exercises on pollination and social insects
    • Technical Analyst and Writer -- Analyzed data using statistical software and wrote technical papers for publication in scientific journals
    • Graduate Student Representative -- represented student interests to the biology department and graduate school, met and negotiated with faculty, launched introductory graduate course, planned activities for students, appointed Graduation Marshall in honor of involvement with student affairs
  • 1990 - 1994 -- Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA.
    Graduate Curatorial Assistant.
    • Curatorial Assistant -- assisted in the curation of the museum's collection of ant specimens, identified ant specimens
  • 1988 - 1994 -- Cambridge Entomological Club, Cambridge, MA.
    • Vice-president 1993 - 1994
    • Secretary 1989 - 1990, 1990- 1991
GRANTS AND AWARDS FOR GRADUATE STUDY
  • Stewardship Grant, The Nature Conservancy, Massachusetts Field Office, 1994 - 1996
  • Harvard University Graduate Student Fellowship, 1988 - 1994
  • NOMOS Program Award, Harvard University, 1993 - 94
  • Fundacion Capacitar (Ecuador) Field Research Grant, 1994
  • Harvard University Certificate of Distinction in Teaching, 1993
  • Association for Women in Science Educational Foundation Award, 1993
  • Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology Student Research Grant, 1993
  • National Science Foundation Doctoral Dissertation Improvement Grant, 1993
  • Tinker Foundation Field Research Grant, 1992
  • Organization for Tropical Studies / Pew Charitable Trusts Predoctoral Fellowship, 1991 - 93
  • Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute Short-term Fellow, 1992 - 93
  • Sigma Xi Grant-In-Aid of Research, 1990
  • The Explorers Club Exploration Fund Grant, 1991
  • Organization for Tropical Studies / Jesse Smith Noyes Foundation Post-course Award, 1989
TEACHING EXPERIENCE

1994-2003 Instructor of invertebrate sampling for International Biodiversity Monitoring Courses offered by the Smithsonian/Man and the Biosphere Biodiversity Program  
1993 Teaching Fellow for Biological Sciences 1: Introductory Genetic, Molecular, and Developmental Biology, Harvard University  
1992 Invited instructor on "Curso de Ecologia Tropical y Biologia de la Conservacion" Reserva Natural La Planada, Narino, Colombia (in Spanish)  
1989-1990 Teaching Fellow for Science B-15: Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University
 
1988 Teaching Fellow for Biological Sciences 2: Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University

SOCIETY MEMBERSHIPS

  • Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation
  • Ecological Society of America
  • International Union for the Study of Social Insects
  • Society for Conservation Biology
PUBLICATIONS

Alonso, L.E. and J.H. Mol (eds.). 2007. A rapid biological assessment of the Lely and Nassau plateaus, Suriname (with additional information on the Brownsberg Plateau). RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 43. Conservation International, Arlington, VA, USA.

Alonso, L.E. and H.J. Berrenstein (eds.). 2006. A rapid biological assessment of the aquatic ecosystems of the Coppename River Basin, Suriname. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 39. Conservation International, Washington, DC.

Wright, H.E., J. McCullough, L.E. Alonso and M.S. Diallo (eds.). 2006. Rapid biological assessment of three classified forests in Southeastern Guinea. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 40. Conservation International, Washington, DC.

C. Lasso, J.C. Señarìs, L.E. Alonso, and A.L. Flores (eds.). 2006. Evaluación Rápida de la Biodiversidad de los Ecosistemas Acuáticos en la Confluencia de los ríos Orinoco y Ventuari, Estado Amazonas (Venezuela). Boletín RAP de Evaluación Biológica 40. Conservation International. Washington DC, USA.

Alonso, L.E., F. Lauginie, and G. Rondeau (eds.). 2005. A Rapid Biological Assessment of two Classified Forests in South-Western Cote d'Ivoire. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment No. 34. Conservation International. Washington, D.C.

Konate, S. K. Yeo, L. Yoboue, L. E. Alonso et K. Kouassi. 2005. Evaluation rapide de la diversité des insectes des Forêts Classées de la Haute Dodo et du Cavally, Côte d'Ivoire. In: Alonso, L.E., F. Lauginie, and G. Rondeau (eds.). A Rapid Biological Assessment of two Classified Forests in South-Western Cote d'Ivoire. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment No. 34. Conservation International. Washington, D.C.

Lasso, C.A., L.E. Alonso, A.L. Flores, and G. Love. 2004. Rapid assessment of the biodiversity and social aspects of the aquatic ecosystems of the Orinoco Delta and the Gulf of Paria, Venezuela. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 37. Conservation International, Washington, DC.

Alonso, L.E. 2004. Suggestions for Developing a Standard Monitoring Plan for Shallow-water Aquatic Biodiversity in the Gulf of Paria, Venezuela. In: Lasso, C.A., L.E. Alonso, A.L. Flores, and G. Love. Rapid assessment of the biodiversity and social aspects of the aquatic ecosystems of the Orinoco Delta and the Gulf of Paria, Venezuela. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 37. Conservation International, Washington, DC.

Alonso, L.E. and L. Nordin (editors). 2003. A rapid biological assessment of the aquatic ecosystems of the Okavango Delta, Botswana: High water survey. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 27. Conservation International, Washington, DC.

Kaspari, M., M. M. Yuan, L. Alonso. 2003. Spatial grain and the causes of regional diversity gradients in ants. American Naturalist. 161(3): 459-477.

Vander Meer, R. K. and L.E. Alonso. 2002. Queen primer pheromone affects conspecific fire ant (Solenopsis invicta) aggression. Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology. 51:122-130.

Alonso, L.E., T.S. Schulenberg, S. Radilofe, and O. Missa (editors). 2001. A biological assessment of the Réserve Naturelle Intégrale d'Ankarafantsika, Madagascar. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 23. Conservation International. Washington, D.C.

Beehler, B. M., and L. E. Alonso (eds.). 2001. Southern New Ireland, Papua New Guinea: A Biodiversity Assessment. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment 21. Conservation International. Washington, D.C.

Alonso, L.E., A. Alonso, T. S. Schulenberg, and F. Dallmeier (eds). 2001. Biological and social assessments of the Cordillera de Vilcabamba, Peru. RAP Working Papers 12 and SI/MAB Series 6, Conservation International, Washington, D.C.

Alonso, L.E. and Agosti, D. 2000. Biodiversity studies, monitoring, and ants: an overview In: Ants, Standard Methods for Measuring and Monitoring Biodiversity, D. Agosti, J. Majer, L. E. Alonso and T. R. Schultz (Eds.). Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press.

Alonso, L. E. 2000. Ants as indicators of diversity In: Ants, Standard Methods for Measuring and Monitoring Biodiversity, D. Agosti, J. Majer, L. E. Alonso and T. R. Schultz (Eds.). Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press.

Bestelmeyer, B. T., Agosti, D., Alonso, L. E., Brandão, C. R. F., Brown Jr., W. L., Delabie, J. H. C., and Silvestre, R. 2000. Field techniques for the study of ground-dwelling ants: an overview, description, and evalution In: Ants, Standard Methods for Measuring and Monitoring Biodiversity, D. Agosti, J. Majer, L. E. Alonso and T. R. Schultz (Eds.). Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press.

Agosti, D. and Alonso, L. E. 2000. The ALL protocol: a standard protocol for the collection of ground-dwelling ants In: Ants, Standard Methods for Measuring and Monitoring Biodiversity, D. Agosti, J. Majer, L. E. Alonso and T. R. Schultz (Eds.). Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution Press.

Agosti, D., J.D. Majer, L.E. Alonso, T. R. Schultz (eds.). 2000. Ants: Standard Methods for Measuring and Monitoring Biological Diversity. Smithsonian Institution Press. Washington, D.C.

Agosti, D, J. Majer, L. Alonso, and T. Schultz. 2000. Sampling ground-dwelling ants: Case studies from the world's rain forests. Curtin University School of Environmental Biology Bulletin. No. 18. Perth, Australia. 75 pp.

Kaspari M., L.E. Alonso, L, S. O'Donnell. 2000. Three energy variables predict ant abundance at a geographical scale. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London B 267: 1 - 5.

Mack, A.L. and L.E. Alonso (eds.). 2000. A biological assessment of the Wapoga River Area of Northwestern Irian Jaya, Indonesia. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment #14. Conservation International. Washington, D.C.

Bestelmeyer, B.T. and L.E. Alonso (eds.). 2000. A biological assessment of Laguna del Tigre National Park, Peten, Guatemala. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment #16. Conservation International. Washington, D.C.

Bestelmeyer, B.T., L.E. Alonso, and R.R. Snelling. 2000. The ants (Hymentoptera: Formicidae) of Laguna del Tigre National Park, Peten, Guatemala. In: Bestelmeyer, B.T. and L.E. Alonso (eds). A biological assessment of Laguna del Tigre National Park, Peten, Guatemala. RAP Bulletin of Biological Assessment #16. Conservation International. Washington, D.C.

Porter, S.D. and L.E. Alonso. 1999. Host specificity of Fire Ant Decapitating Flies (Diptera: Phoridae) in Laboratory oviposition tests. Journal of Economic Entomology. 92(1): 110-114.

Alonso, L.E. 1998. Spatial and temporal variation in the ant occupants of a facultative ant-plant. Biotropica. 30: 201-213.

Alonso, L.E. and R. K. Vander Meer. 1997. Source of alate excitant pheromones in Solenopsis invicta (Hymenoptera: Formicidae). Journal of Insect Behavior 10(4): 541-555.

Vander Meer, R.K. and L.E. Alonso. 1997. Pheromone directed behavior in ants. In: R.K. Vander Meer, M.D. Breed, M.L. Winston, and K.E. Espelie (eds.), Pheromone Communication in Social Insects: Ants, Wasps, Bees, and Termites. Westview Press, Boulder, CO

Alonso-M., A., L. E. Tennant de Alonso, L. Brower, and D. Murphy. 1996. Maintaining migratory phenomena: the Mexican monarch butterfly challenge. Conservation Biology Newsletter. 3: 1,17.

Tennant, L.E. 1994. The ecology of Wasmannia auropunctata in primary tropical rainforest in Costa Rica and Panama. In: D.F. Williams (ed.) Exotic Ants: Biology, Impact and Control of Introduced Species. Westview Press, Boulder

Tennant, L.E. and S.D. Porter. 1991. Comparison of diets of two fire ant species (Hymenoptera: Formicidae): Solid and Liquid Components. Journal of Entomological Science. 26(4): 450-465.

Tennant, L.E., E.F. Rissman, and F.H. Bronson. 1987. Scent marking in the musk shrew (Suncus murinus). Physiology and Behavior. 39(6): 677-680.

INVITED LECTURES

2006 -- Rapid biodiversity assessment: methods and applications. Department of Wildlife, University of Florida.

2005 -- Invertebrate conservation. Ant course, Cairns, Australia.

2004 -- Contributions of rapid assessment of insects to biodiversity conservation. Washington Entomological Society, Washington, D.C.

2003 -- Rapid assessment of insects and biodiversity conservation. Cambridge Entomological Society, Cambridge, MA.

2002 -- Conserving biodiversity through rapid biological assessment. Lakeside School, Seattle, WA.

2001 -- Conserving biodiversity through rapid biological assessment. Hood College, Frederick, MD

1998 -- Ants and their diverse relations to the plant world. Western Carolina University, Cullowee, NC

1997 -- Insect Conservation: Not just for bug lovers anymore, USDA/ARS/CMAVE, Gainesville, FL

1997 -- Ecology of a facultative ant-plant mutualism, Department of Biology, University of Miami, Miami, FL

1996 -- Inventory and monitoring terrestrial invertebrate populations. ROC-USA Symposium on the Inventory and Monitoring of Forest Biodiversity, Taipei, Taiwan.

1996 -- Ecology of a facultative ant-plant "mutualism." Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismic Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder, CO.

1996 -- Ecological determinants of the ant occupants of a facultative ant-plant. Department of Zoology, University of Oklahoma, Norman, OK.

1993 -- The dynamics of a facultative ant-plant system with special reference to the pest ant, Wasmannia auropunctata. Department of Entomology and Nematology, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL

1992 -- Interacciones entre hormigas y la planta Conostegia setosa. Universidad de Costa Rica, San Jose, Costa Rica.

1992 -- Interacciones entre hormigas y plantas en los Tropicos. Universidad de los Andes, Bogota, Colombia.

1991 -- The biology of Wasmannia auropunctata in undisturbed rainforest in Costa Rica and Panama. Conference on Exotic Ants: biology, impact, and control of introduced species. Galapagos Islands, Ecuador.

1991 -- Facultative mutualisms. University of California Tropical Biology Course, Monteverde, Costa Rica.

1990 -- Interactions between plants and ants in the tropics. New England Botanical Club Meeting, Cambridge, MA.

OTHER ORAL AND POSTER PRESENTATIONS

2007 -- A manual for the rapid assessment of terrestrial biodiversity. Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation Annual Meeting, Morelia, Mexico.

2005 -- Contributing to Biodiversity Conservation through Rapid Biological Surveys. Association for Tropical Biology and Conservation Annual Meeting, Uberlandia, Brazil.

2004 -- Producing conservation relevant data with rapid invertebrate surveys. Symposium talk at the Society for Conservation Biology Annual Meeting, New York, NY.

2003 -- The value of rapid biological surveys for biodiversity conservation. TNC-CI All-Science Meeting, Duluth, MN.

2002 -- The value of rapid biological assessment for biodiversity conservation. Ecological Society of America Meeting, Tucson, AZ.

2000 -- AquaRAP: rapid assessment of aquatic ecosystems. Society for Conservation Biology Annual Meeting, College Park, MD.

1997 -- A protocol for the standardized sampling of ground dwelling ants. International Union for the Study of Social Insects, North American Section Meeting, Nederland, CO. Poster Presentation.

1996 -- Correlations between ant diversity and the diversity of other organisms. ALL (Ants of the Leaf Litter) Workshop, Ilheus, Brazil.

1996 -- How to sell and teach leaf litter ant assessments. ALL (Ants of the Leaf Litter) Workshop, Ilheus, Brazil.

1996 -- Geographic variation and ecological determinants of the facultative ant-plant, Conostegia setosa. Ecological Society of America Annual meeting, Providence, RI.

1995 -- Source of alate alarm pheromones in Solenopsis invicta. Entomological Society of America Annual meeting, Las Vegas, NV.

1994 -- Source of alate alarm pheromones in Solenopsis invicta. National Fire Ant Conference, San Antonio, TX.

1994 -- Temporal variation in a facultative ant-plant mutualism. Entomological Society of America Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, IN.

Updated: 26 July, 2007

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