Greetings!
The Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation is proud to announce
their updated 2014 course schedule. This year is shaping up to be a
full year with 8 courses confirmed so far, 2 brand-new offerings, and
more courses on the way! All courses are currently either 1 or 2-week
intensive residential courses hosted in our new, sustainably-built
Academic Center on the grounds of SCBI in Front Royal Virginia. Most
courses can be taken either for graduate credit or continuing
education units. Limited scholarships are available for international
applicants. Visit our website
(<http://SMConservation.gmu.edu>http://SMConservation.gmu.edu) or
email us at <mailto:[email protected]>[email protected] for more
details about each course, course costs, and credits earned. And, be
sure to check back over the coming months for additional courses.
Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation
Graduate/Professional Training Courses 2014
Front Royal, Virginia, USA
<http://smconservation.gmu.edu/programs/graduate-and-professional/professional-training-courses/animove-animal-movement-analysis-for-conservation/>AniMove:
Animal Movement Analysis for Conservation (new!)
March 31-April 11, 2014
Animal movements are critical for maintaining ecosystems services and
biodiversity. Technological advances have greatly increased our
ability to track animal movements, but analyzing and contextualizing
vast amounts of tracking data can present scientific, computational,
and technical challenges. This two-week course focuses on
interdisciplinary approaches linking animal movement with
environmental factors to address theoretical and applied questions in
conservation biology. To achieve this, participants will acquire
significant skills in computational ecology, modeling, remote sensing
and Geographic Information Systems (GIS).
<http://smconservation.gmu.edu/programs/graduate-and-professional/professional-training-courses/mccs-0503-species-monitoring-and-conservation-terrestrial-mammals/>Species
Monitoring & Conservation: Terrestrial Mammals
April 28-May 9, 2014
This course teaches current techniques in assessment and monitoring
of wild mammal populations, including bats. Participants learn
principles of study design; current field assessment methods; data
analysis techniques including MARK and DISTANCE software; application
of monitoring data to decision-making and population management; and
collection and preparation of museum voucher specimens.
<http://smconservation.gmu.edu/programs/graduate-and-professional/professional-training-courses/estimating-animal-abundance-and-occupancy/>Estimating
Animal Abundance and Occupancy
May 19-30, 2014
The course is designed to provide a strong theoretical and analytical
background to both graduate students and professionals in distance
sampling, mark-recapture, and occupancy modeling techniques, with a
strong focus on the practical use of field data in the programs
DISTANCE, MARK and PRESENCE. The course is taught by Gary White, Jim
Nichols, Jim Hines and Joe Kolowski.
<http://smconservation.gmu.edu/programs/graduate-and-professional/professional-training-courses/mccs-0507-adaptive-management-for-conservation-success/>Adaptive
Management for Conservation Success
June 16-20, 2014
This course is taught in partnership with Foundations of Success
(FOS). Working in teams on a real conservation project, participants
practice conceptualizing projects, formulating objectives and
providing evidence of conservation results. The course builds skills
in designing and planning effective projects that provide clear
evidence of conservation impact, and in use of Miradi adaptive
management software.
<http://smconservation.gmu.edu/programs/graduate-and-professional/professional-training-courses/mccs-0501-statistics-for-ecology-and-conservation-biology/>Statistics
for Ecology and Conservation Biology
August 18-29, 2014
Gain in-depth knowledge of analysis techniques for cutting-edge
ecological research, employing R: classical regression models; mixed
models; generalized linear models; generalized additive models; how
to deal with the limitations of real datasets; and
conservation-specific approaches.
<http://smconservation.gmu.edu/programs/graduate-and-professional/professional-training-courses/species-monitoring-and-conservation-bird-migration/>Ecology
and Conservation of Migratory Birds (new!)
September 1-12, 2014
Led by the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, this course teaches the
most current methods in the research of migratory birds including
theoretical concepts, field and laboratory methods (including
mist-netting, banding, tissue sampling, stable isotope geochemistry,
geolocators and radio telemetry), data analysis (including
mark-recapture statistics) and applied conservation strategies.
<http://smconservation.gmu.edu/programs/graduate-and-professional/professional-training-courses/mccs-0500-spatial-ecology-geospatial-analysis-and-remote-sensing-for-conservation/>Spatial
Ecology, Geospatial Analysis & Remote Sensing
September 15-26, 2014
Learn to use GIS tools to address conservation research problems,
quantifying effects of human-induced global changes on wildlife and
biodiversity. Hands-on lab exercises (e.g. land cover mapping; home
range analysis; modeling habitat selection; mapping species
distributions) use remote sensing data and SCBI field surveys to
monitor global changes, assess impacts on wildlife, and develop
mitigating strategies.
<http://smconservation.gmu.edu/programs/graduate-and-professional/professional-training-courses/mccs-0509-applied-climate-change-gaining-practical-skills-for-climate-change-adaptation/>Applied
Climate Change: Gaining Practical Skills for Climate Change Adaptation
October 20-31, 2014
This course provides an overview of the knowledge, tools and
resources needed to become more effective leaders and managers in
adapting to climate change. Participants will develop practical
skills through lectures, case studies, field assignments, study
tours, and computer-based analyses. A field study tour of the
Virginia Region provides an opportunity for viewing real-life climate
change adaptation measures for the agricultural and wine industries.
Each participant will complete a climate change impacts and
adaptation study for their own region of geographic interest.
Smithsonian-Mason School of Conservation participants engage in
dynamic learning communities, build lifelong professional networks,
and connect with valuable conservation resources
