Wallace J. Nichols, Ph.D
“J” holds a Ph.D. in Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences and Evolutionary Biology from the University of Arizona, a Master’s degree in Natural Resource Economics and Policy from the Duke University Nicholas School of the Environment, and a Bachelor’s degree in Biology and Spanish from DePauw University. Since 1989, J has devoted himself to the investigation and conservation of endangered marine species. J’s research and interest in nature have taken him from South America to the Arctic Circle to conduct and observe biological conservation projects. Among many other accomplishments, J co-founded the Grupo Tortuguero in 1998 and WiLDCOAST in 1999. Currently, J is a Senior Research Scientist at The Ocean Conservancy and has recently founded Ocean Revolution, a movement linking youth from all over the world in an effort to conserve and sustain our oceans. He was president of the International Sea Turtle Society in 2009.
Kama S. Dean
Kama holds a Master’s degree in Pacific International Affairs from UCSD’s Graduate School of International Relations and Pacific Studies where she concentrated on international environmental policy and effective consulting practices. Her undergraduate study was in Government and Latin American Studies at New Mexico State University. She has worked with non-profit organizations both in the United States and Latin America for over four years. Her specialties include campaign strategy development, fundraising, government relations and research and analysis. She has worked with non-profit organizations both in the United States and Latin America for almost ten years.
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Walter C. Oechel, Ph.D.
At San Diego State University Dr. Oechel is Professor of Biology, Coordinator of the Ecology Doctoral Program, and the Director of the Global Change Research Group. He is also Adjunct Professor at the Centro de Investigación Científica y de Educación Superior de Ensenada (CICESE) in Baja California, Mexico and at the Centro de Investigaciones Biolólicas del Noroeste (CIBNOR) in La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico. He received his bachelor’s degree from San Diego State University and his Ph.D. from the University of California at Riverside. His long list of research projects includes several in Baja California such as the Integrated Assessment and Global Change for the Southern California and Baja California Region and the Educational Program for Atmospheric Science Education in the San Diego/Tijuana/Ensenada Border Region.
He runs upper division ecology courses through a joint partnership between SDSU and CIBNOR. He also involves students of all grade levels in his Baja California research projects through NSF-funded programs such as the Partnerships Involving the Scientific Community in Elementary Schools (PISCES) and Undergraduate Mentoring in Environmental Biology (UMEB) programs. Through those programs teachers and students visit the research sites, and work with data that are brought into classrooms via the internet, video, and interactive materials and lessons.
Rafael Riosmena-Rodriguez, Ph.D
Dr. Riosmena is Professor of Marine Biology Universidad Autónoma de Baja California Sur in La Paz, Mexico. His main interests are in two major research lines: 1) taxonomic reassessment of seaweed species and 2) understanding the role of marine plants in their ecosystems. He has advised over 30 undergraduate students and 25 graduate students. He has experience mentoring interns from around world and helps runs an internship program within Mexico with Spain and Brazil. He also enjoys romance languages reading, and SCUBA diving.
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Diana Gauss Richardson
Professor Richardson is a Lecturer in the Geography Department at San Diego State University, received her Master’s degree from the same department, and now teaches courses there. She is also the undergraduate advisor for the department, and the Internship Coordinator. Her background is in Environmental Policy and Natural Resources Management. Diana worked as an Interpretive Park Ranger for the National Park Service, and followed that with a career in environmental planning and management. She worked for various public and private agencies with state and federal environmental policies, such as CEQA, NEPA, Clean Water Act and the Endangered Species Act. Her role was primarily as liaison between government agencies and private interests in her jobs beginning with Environmental Analyst to Environmental Manager. She presently works full time for San Diego State University, teaching, among other courses, Environmental and Resource Conservation, and Land Use Analysis. She advises approximately 80 undergraduate students each semester, and monitors students participating in internships in environmental management, natural resource conservation, GIS, and urban planning.
Paul Ganster, Ph.D
Dr. Ganster is a social scientist with a specialty in Latin America. His initial years of research and writing were in the area of Latin American social history. For the past 25 years, his efforts have been directed toward policy questions of the U.S.-Mexican border region and the comparative study of border regions around the world. Ganster’s current research interests include border environmental issues, transborder governance issues, comparative border studies, and sustainable development in the border region. He serves on a number of advisory boards for organizations dealing with the border region. He is chair of the Good Neighbor Environmental Board, a federal advisory panel that provides an annual report to the President and Congress on border environmental issues. He also chairs the Committee on Binational Regional Opportunities (COBRO) of the San Diego Association of Governments. He is the current chairman of the Southwest Consortium for Environmental Research and Policy. In addition to teaching at San Diego State University, Dr. Ganster has been a visiting professor at the School of Economics of the Universidad Autónoma de Baja California in Tijuana. He is also Associate Director of the Office of International Programs at San Diego State University.
