Employment

Recent positions:

1: GIS and remote sensing for forest research. US Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station (October 2010-present). Forest ecology research support including geospatial and information management; surveying, measuring and recording of field data; and data processing methodology development. Common tasks include preparation of imagery, maps, reports, presentations, and other research data communication; ecological and geographical data collection using remote sensing (aerial & satellite imagery, Lidar), GIS, GPS, & cartography principles & techniques. Data management including geospatial data (imagery, Lidar, vector) acquisition and processing and conversation to and from other formats; geospatial database management; metadata creation and maintenance; and accuracy and documentation checks. Field data collection and preparation. Assistance in various RMRS field station projects and planning, computer and data assistance, and preparation of field research equipment and data.

2: Field botany & ecology. US National Park Service, Central Alaska Monitoring Network (May-September 2010). Vascular plant ecologist/botanist & crew leader for ecological inventory & monitoring project. Field ecological data collection; GIS and GPS collection, management, and processing; report, map, and other research communications; and logistical planning and field support. Fieldwork consisted of accessing remote areas via helicopter or boat, setting a base camp, and hiking to preselected survey sites. Equipment and methods for this work include quadrat frame, clinometer, cover densitometer, tapes, soil measurement tools, field computer and datasheets, Trimble & Garmin GPS units, photography, and plant identification manuals and collections. Pre- and post-field procedures include site selection and fieldwork planning, additional plant identification, data management, GIS and cartography, report writing, and equipment maintenance. Safety, procedural, and logistical concerns associated with remote fieldwork include wilderness navigation, bear safety, first aid, radio and satphone communications, boat operation and water safety, and arranging all supplies and food for 10 day field hitches. Position builds on my experience in the same NPS unit 2008-09 for the USDA NRCS and peripheral work on project 2005-2007 at Denali NP.

3: Geospatial & geographical consulting, self-employed dba Vermillion Geographics, Fairbanks, Alaska-Ishpeming, Michigan (2009-present as time and other projects allow). Data management, GIS, cartography, ecological inventory and site description, and photography.

4. Landscape ecology of vegetation & soils. US Department of Agriculture National Resources Conservation Service, Fairbanks, Alaska (May 2008-May 2009). Lead vegetation ecologist on a soil survey project in Yukon-Charley National Preserve. Ecological and botanical survey planning and fieldwork; ecological landscape interpretation, concept development, and classification; GIS data creation and manipulation, management, and cartography; scientific document preparation, outreach and communication. Includes remote fieldwork logistics and travel by foot, helicopter, and boat to field sites.

5. Conservation and society research. World Wildlife Fund Arctic Program, Anchorage, Alaska (November 2007-May 2008. Coordinator for Alaska-Bering Sea part of the worldwide "Conservation Measures" project. Compilation of socioeconomic, ecological and conservation data for the Kamchatka-Bering Sea ecoregion (US-Russia) to gauge efficacy of WWF projects, elucidate ongoing and emerging conservation concerns, and help plan and coordinate future priorities. Includes communication with US and Russian government, university, and NGO representatives to source and assemble data; GIS data management and creation and mapping; coordination with WWF and Nature Conservancy staff to plan methodology and prioritize data needs; and metadata and methodology documentation.

6. Ecology and resource management. US National Park Service, Denali National Park and Preserve, Alaska (April 2005- November 2007). Project ecologist for management planning and environmental assessment of offroad vehicle use in subsistence activity. field and aerial surveys of landscape conditions and human impacts using GPS, GIS, photography, and other tools; GIS data creation, processing, analysis, and management; landscape mapping using field and remotely sensed data; writing of vegetation and wetland EA chapters and related project participation, research summaries, law enforcement reports, and other NPS documentation; ecological and botanical field inventory and monitoring; logistical and safety planning for backcountry fieldwork and coordination and supervision of support and field crews; and other field and office support of Botany Program.

7. Vegetation and landscape mapping & GIS, US National Park Service, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska (April-November 2004) Primary worker on a long-term (1948-2000s) vegetation and hydrological landscape change analysis project in a rapidly uplifting glacial outwash area of GBNPP. GIS data creation, analysis, data management, quality control, and cartography; vegetation and wetland landscape classification; project reports and management; botanical and ecological fieldwork and ground truthing; and other GIS, cartographic, and ecological work in support of Glacier Bay's Resource Management program. A continuation of the work done in #6 (below).

7b. GIS Specialist, US National Park Service, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska (November 2002-April 2003, contract work). Produced sets of georeferenced photomosaic coverages and other GIS data from multi-decade aerial photography to determine long-term vegetation and geomorphological change. Performed all steps in the project from acquisition of photographs to final output of GIS data and metadata. Developed techniques for efficient and high quality processing of all steps using a very large number of images of varying scale, condition, type, and quality; and adapted accordingly for consistency between data sets. Maintained high quality project documentation and metadata to ensure long-term data viability and processing history. Programs used for the project included PCI Geomatica, ESRI ArcView and Arc/Info, Adobe Photoshop, MS Excel and Access, and others. Other cartographic, GIS, and ecological projects performed in support of Glacier Bay's Resource Management Program.

7c. Fisheries research suppoer and GIS, US National Park Service, Glacier Bay National Park and Preserve, Alaska (May 2002-November 2002) Research on fisheries activity in Park waters. GIS data collection and creation, editing, analysis, metadata preparation, and cartography; plane and boat-based field surveys using GIS, GPS, and photography and planning and coordination of field surveys; database design and analysis; project and methodology documentation and data management. Also volunteer assistance with botany expertise outside of working hours.

8. University teaching, Department of Geography, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (August 1998-May 2002 and August-December 2003). University instructor, Department of Geography, University of Georgia (August 1998-May 2002 and August-December 2003). Taught and supervised laboratory, lecture, and discussion courses in undergraduate physical geography, meteorology, and environmental philosophy, developed syllabi, assignments, lectures, and exams. Assisted students with difficult material and evaluated students' work and assigned course grades.

9. Teaching and Research Assistance, Department of Geography, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan (August 1995-December 1996). Assisted in grading, supervision, class preparation, and media support of remote sensing, conservation, environmental impact assessment, and regional geography courses. Assisted in research and planning for implementation of a departmental PhD program in Geography.

10. Tourism Intern, Naturally Superior Adventures, Wawa, Ontario (Canada) December 1996-August 1997. worked in researching, developing, and operating Lake Superior and nature-based tourism and recreational programs and educational materials for adults and children, general customer service and customer interaction.

11. Park Ranger, Ft. Wilkins State Park, Copper Harbor, Michigan, May-August 1990. Maintained park historical and visitor facilities and trails, registered and directed visitors, and managed permit sales and accounts.

12+ More... A wide variety of experience from other jobs held during university study, school breaks, etc. Includes industrial, skilled trades, educational, legal, written and radio communications, labor, service, and office work between 1983-1998. A complete record can be supplied if needed.

Some projects I've worked on:

+ to be added in 2012... There will links to web pages here that show and describe some of the projects I've been involved with since college. In the meantime see below.

Education and research

Degrees:

1. BS, 1994, Geography and Conservation Biology, Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan.   Includes one year study and research at Belarusian State University, Minsk, Belarus

2. MA, 1998, Geography, Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan.

3. PhD Candidate, Department of Geography, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia.   ABD. Includes 9 month fellowship at Lviv National University, Lviv, Ukraine..

Research interests:

Topical: Boreal vegetation, rare and disjunct plant geography, landscape ecology and conservation, geography of large lakes and biogeography of large lake islands, limnoclimatology.

Regional: Soviet and post-Soviet natural science and conservation. Cultural and natural geography of the USSR and post-Soviet states, Canada, and the Great Lakes region of North America. Geography of northlands.

Graduate research:

1. Landscape conservation and ecological connectivity in the East Carpathian Mountains, Ukraine, dissertation research at UGA (1998-2002)

2. Comparative phytogeography and conservation of the Caribou Islands, Lake Superior, Canada and the Ushkanii Islands, Lake Baikal, Russia, MA thesis research, Western Michigan University, 1995-1998

Undergraduate research:

1. Phytodemography of butterwort (Pinguicula vulgaris) on Beaver Island, Lake Michigan; ongoing study (1994-?) 

2. Nature conservation history of the USSR and post-Soviet states (USSR, Belarus, Russia, Ukraine; 1991-1994).

3. Toponym dynamics of the USSR and successor states (1992-1994). 

4. Comparative phytogeography of Lake Baikal and Lake Superior regions (1992-1994; became master's thesis)

5. Phytogeography, climate, and landscape of the Crimean Peninsula (Ukraine, 1992-93).

Other relevant information

Publications:

1. Soiseth, C., J. Kroese, R. Liebermann, & S. Bookless (2007). Vessel use and activity in Glacier Bay National Park's outer waters. Pages 176-180 in: Proceedings of the Fourth Glacier Bay Science Symposium. US Geological Survey Scientific Investigations Report 2007-5047, Reston, Virginia.

2. Liebermann, R. J., & M. B. Shilin (2002). Interdisciplinary approaches to coastal and island conservation research in Russian areas of the Finnish Gulf, Baltic Sea. UNESCO Baltic Floating University Bulletin 2002, St. Petersburg, Russia.

3. Box, E. O., K. Fujiwara, G. Nakhutrishvili, N. Zazanashvili, R. J. Liebermann, & A. Miyawaki (2000). Vegetation and landscapes of the Republic of Georgia (Caucasus), as a basis for landscape restoration. Bulletin of the Institute of Environmental Science and Technology, Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Japan, 26:69-102.

4. Liebermann, R. J. (2000). The value of landscape conservation in the Ukrainian Carpathians. In: Proceedings of the Carpathian Euroregion Peace and Security Conference, sponsored by the Hungarian NATO attache, July 2000, Ivano-Frankivsk, Ukraine.

5. Liebermann, R. J. (1999). The Barents region nature reserve archipelago. In: Materials of the 3rd international workshop "Rational Exploitation of the Coastal Zone of the Northern Seas", Russian State Hydrometeorological University Press, St. Petersburg, Russia.

6. Various policy, legal, informational, and EA documents for USNPS work at Glacier Bay and Denali National Parks, 2002-2007.

Some useful skills:

Field botany, ecology, and geography experience from individual and team projects, including fieldwork using identification manuals, vegetation and soil collection and sampling equipment, and post-field operations (identification, curating, specimen preparation and herbarium deposit, etc.)

Logistical planning experience for research projects individually and in small groups in isolated locations (including Alaska), wilderness and protected areas, controlled access areas, under restricted budgets, in foreign countries and languages, and other complex and challenging settings.

Ecological field research and site access from airplanes, helicopters, boats and canoes, motorized vehicles, and on foot.

Experience in backcountry safety techniques and equipment including bear encounter behavior and conflict avoidance, spray and shotgun defense, bear-resistant containers, camp placement techniques, radio and satellite phone use, wilderness research permitting, backcountry itinerary documentation and field check-in, and other safety and logistical concerns.

Practical experience in field navigating by map, compass, aerial photos, GPS, and landscape orienteering.

Experience and training in data and documentation methods including GPS, GIS, cartography, surveying tools and methods, aerial photography interpretation, photographic technique and equipment (nearly 30 years experience as an advanced amateur and scientific photographer), and field and technical illustration.

Well-developed technical writing skills and experience for publications, theses, scientific and academic presentations, project and consulting reports, and research funding proposals.

Practiced at literature, interview, and internet research and data mining methodologies.

Extensive computer software, operating system, and hardware experience including many office, word processor, text editor, spreadsheet, database, web editing and publishing, design and graphics software; Windows, Unix, Apple, and Linux OS's; various peripheral devices such as flatbed and film scanners, printing devices, projectors, digitizers, etc.

Comprehensive university studies planned to optimize my understanding and research abilities in vegetation landscape ecology, including botany, ecology, taxonomy, soils, geology, meteorology, biogeography, landscape ecology, systems geography, conservation biology, limnology, physical and cultural geography, field research methodologies, remote sensing and imagery interpretation, GIS, quantitative and qualitative ecological and geographical data handling methods, technical writing, cartography, botanical illustration, conservation planning, and others.

Broad work and life experiences and commensurate ability, adaptability, and interest in diverse tasks.

Good physical health and work ethic, attention to details and sums, common-sense, and mechanical and problem-solving abilities and creativity, and respect for people and the natural environment.

Participation:

1. Invited reviewer of UNESCO World Heritage Site nominations for IUCN.

2. Other invited reviews for funded conservation and research projects [former USSR-related].

3. Participating ecologist-botanist (July 1997), cooperative vegetation monitoring project between the US Forest Service, Grand Island National Recreation Area, and the Michigan Natural Areas Council (MNAC) to assess possible management and scientific concerns on a newly established recreational area..

4. Continuing research on various academic topics and projects, and regular attendance and presentation at professional meetings, conferences, and workshops.

Foreign experience:

1. Student and research travel to USSR in 1991, and post-Soviet Russia, Ukraine, Belarus, Baltic States, and Republic of Georgia since 1992; Includes approximately 34 months in 9 extended visits.

3. Canada: Lived and worked in Ontario; December 1996-September 1997, continuing frequent research and personal travel to Canada.

4. Ecuador: Geographical and ecological studies as part of University of Georgia delegation, May-June 2001.

5. Other countries: Scandinavia, West and Central Europe.

Foreign languages:

Read, write, and speak Russian and Ukrainian; some experience with other Slavic Languages, Swedish, Spanish, and French in working capacity.

General interests:

Books, analog/emulsion photography, bicycling, regional history and geography, international radio, architecture and design, film, food, and [of course] all things related to Lakes Baikal and Superior, botany, nature conservation, the taiga, the former USSR, Michigan, Alaska, Canada, and the geography of northlands. 

You've now seen this web vita; now get my full-format resume on pdf here [ask me for it so web "lookup services" don't try to sell it to you]

See my main website with links to the different ones I've authored. 

Request references, additional experience and background, and so forth: ask! 

last updated: 2012.02.18

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Document location: http://vita.rjl.us

© 2012 Robert Liebermann. The design and content of this page is to inform prospective clients, collaborators, or employers about my qualifications and experience. It is forbidden to save, distribute, sell, or use in any other manner without written, signed permission. This is mainly to prevent companies from attempting to try to sell or distribute this information as their own.