Building Capacity

ESA’s SBI Training Initiative helps scientists grow their skills in financial management, strategic planning, and communication to make their projects more successful and financially sustainable. In 2018, ESA offered three courses and trained 50 scientists. We are developing new courses and opportunities for 2019 — please visit the SBI website for forthcoming announcements.

Getting Ahead in Ecological Careers

Especially for the 2018 Annual Meeting, ESA held its first Career Fair, which provided opportunities for attendees to explore career pathways, get in-person feedback on their resumes, network, seek positions and participate in a great sharing of ideas around careers in ecology. Based on the success of the Career Fair, ESA is embarking on a broader career development program that will include opportunities online and in person.

Certifying Ecology Expertise

ESA’s certification program continued to grow in 2018, in which more than 100 scientists applied for certification across all four levels. More than 600 ecologists have been certified by ESA to date.

To keep the certification program rigorous and relevant, and to continue to explore its value to the field, then-President Rich Pouyat convened an ad hoc committee on the program in 2018. Working closely with Measurement Resources Company and hundreds of interview and survey subjects, ESA identified key values and opportunities within the program, and will be implementing promising opportunities in the coming years.

The 2018 Board of Professional Certification included:

• Dale Strickland, Western Ecosystems Technology, Chair
• Sylvie Brouder, Purdue University
• Carmen Cid, Eastern Connecticut State University
• Aaron Ellison, Harvard University
• Carolyn Hunsaker, USDA Forest Service
• Damian Preziosi, Integral Consulting, Inc.
• Kym Rouse Holzwart, Southwest Florida Waster Management District