John C. Brinda
Department of Biological Sciences • University of Nevada, Las Vegas
4505 Maryland Parkway • Las Vegas, NV 89154-4004 • (702) 379-**** • brindaj[at]unlv[dot]nevada[dot]edu
Research Interests
Current Research
I am currently working on a master's degree thesis that will assess some of the influences of elevated atmospheric carbon dioxide levels on the ecology of the desert moss Syntrichia caninervis. Syntrichia caninervis is an important component of the soil crust communities of the Mojave Desert ecosystem. It is also virtually the only moss found at the Free Air Carbon Enrichment (FACE) facility at the Nevada Test Site where the research will be conducted.
Education
Coursework towards a Master's Degree in Biological Science
August 2004 to Present, 9 Semester Credits, GPA: 4.00 out of 4.00
Graduate Assistantship 2004-Present • Lab Instructor, Biology 189L (2004-Present)
Department of Biological Sciences • University of Nevada, Las Vegas • Las Vegas, NV 89154Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science, Biology Minor, Magna Cum Laude, 2000
June 1999 to December 2000, 90 Quarter Credits, GPA: 3.95 out of 4.00
Huxley College of Environmental Studies • Western Washington University • Bellingham, WA 98225Associate of Arts and Sciences Degree with Honors, 1999
January 1998 to June 1999, 83 Quarter Credits, GPA: 4.00 out of 4.00
Whatcom Community College • Bellingham, WA 98226Coursework towards a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Engineering and Computer Science
August 1991 to December 1994, 62 Semester Credits, GPA: 2.92 out of 4.00
USC Student Radio Station (KSCR), General Manager (1992-93), Music Director (1991-92)
University of Southern California • Los Angeles, CA 90089High School Diploma, 1991
August 1987 to May 1991, Class Rank: 3rd out of 74, GPA: 3.89 out of 4.00
Cadet Call Student Newspaper, Editor-in-Chief (1990-91)
Marmion Military Academy • Aurora, IL 60504
Work Experience
Biological Science Technician (Wildlife)
June 2004 to August 2004, 40 hours per week, GS-5
Lewis and Clark National Forest, Augusta Ranger Station, P.O. Box 365, Augusta, MT 59410
Supervisor: Jill Owen (406) 562-****
- Served as a crew leader for the Northern Divide Grizzly Bear DNA project.
- Installed bear hair snag stations; this involves stringing barbed wire around a pile of debris soaked in a bear-attracting scent lure composed of rotted fish and cow's blood.
- Backpacked to and located snag sites in remote areas of the Bob Marshall Wilderness of Northwestern Montana; these sites were spread out over approximately eight 7 x 7 kilometer grid cells and were left in place for four two-week long sessions; after each session, hair was collected from the wire and the sites were moved to another location in the same grid cell.
- Used map, compass, and GPS skills to get to off-trail snag locations.
- Supervised one other crewmember in data collection and site setup.
- Received training in the identification of bear rub objects and other bear sign.
- Identified bear rub objects in the field and installed wires on them for the purpose of collecting hair.
Biological Science Technician (Plants)
June 2003 to December 2003, 40 hours per week, GS-5
May 2002 to November 2002, 40 hours per week, GS-5
May 2001 to January 2002, 40 hours per week, GS-5
July 2000 to September 2000, 40 hours per week, GS-4
Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest, 21905 64th Avenue West, Mountlake Terrace, WA 98043
Supervisors: Jan Henderson (Area Ecologist) & Robin Lesher, Phone: (425) 744-****
- Installed known site survey plots for "survey and manage" species under the Northwest Forest Plan. I often supervised one or two other crewmembers as a crew leader on this type of plot.
- Installed and remeasured permanent ecological benchmark plots that monitor long-term stand growth and development. This included recording many standard forest ecology measurements such as tree heights and diameters, diseases present, plant species and percent covers, plant associations, animal species observed, etc.
- Identified and collected hundreds of cryptogam specimens for expert verification and curation.
- Collected data from field-based weather stations.
- Carried heavy loads over steep, brushy, trail-less terrain while navigating to plot locations using a GPS or compass in combination with topographic maps and/or aerial photos.
- Counted and measured hundreds of increment borer samples in the office under a microscope.
- Helped refine plot protocols specifically regarding the use of PLGR GPS units for locating and navigating to computer-generated random plot locations.
Other Employment:
2002-03 Computer Technician & Network Administrator, Northland Computer Works, Bellingham, WA 1999 Laboratory Aide, Whatcom Community College, Bellingham, WA 1995 World Wide Web Programmer, Virtual Vegas, Inc., Santa Monica, CA 1990-91 Assistant Manager, Fox Valley Theaters, Aurora, IL
Awards and Honors
Other Skills and Interests
Long-distance backpacking:
In 1997 I completed a nine-month, 4800-mile backpack from Key West, Florida to Gaspé, Québec linking thru-hikes of the Florida and Appalachian National Scenic Trails with a handful of other smaller trails and some road walking. In doing so I became the first person to thru-hike the newly dubbed Eastern Continental Trail. My latest adventure was a thru-hike of the relatively new, 750-mile long Arizona Trail in the spring of 2002.
Computer Skills: