Graduate and Professional Courses

Graduate and Professional Course
Non-Invasive Genetic Techniques in Wildlife Conservation
May 19-25, 2012
Smithsonian-Mason Global Conservation Studies Program
At the Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royal, VA, USA
Visit http://conservationtraining.si.edu or contact SCBItraining@si.edu
for more information.

This course is an introduction for graduate students and professionals to the applications, benefits, and drawbacks of non-invasive genetic techniques to wildlife conservation. The course will concentrate on the use of non-invasive techniques to answer questions in animal behavior,
population biology, and population management, with a particular focus on the conservation of mammalian populations. Participants gain hands-on experience relating to all stages of a research project utilizing modern non-invasive methods by working with expert researchers through a combination of field, laboratory and computer-based modules.

Throughout the course participants work through directed research projects, progressing from study design through field data collection, sampling protocols, and DNA extraction and amplification, to analysis of microsatellite and sequence data using the most effective and accessible software packages. The course focuses on relatedness, population size estimation and population dynamics; additional lectures address genotype reliability, research applications for ancient DNA, and applications of next-generation pyrosequencing.

Many of these groundbreaking non-invasive genetic techniques were initially developed at the Smithsonian's National Zoo and its Center for Conservation and Evolutionary Genetics (CCEG). Course instructors include scientists from CCEG (Drs. Jesus Maldonado and Rob Fleischer) and George Mason University (Dr. Christine Bozarth) and several expert visiting instructors including Drs. Mike Schwartz, Elizabeth Archie, and Lori Eggert. While most instruction takes place in Front Royal, the course also includes laboratory work at the National Zoo's new state-of-the-art genetics lab in Washington, DC.

The course fee is $1,500, which includes instruction and course materials as well as all meals, lodging, and transport to/from Washington-Dulles International Airport (IAD). All other travel costs and incidental expenses are the participant's responsibility. Participants earn Continuing Education Units; graduate course credit (1) is available for qualified applicants through George Mason University (total fee: $1600 in-state (VA), $1850 out-of-state). Participants should have
previously completed a college-level genetics and basic ecology/evolution course. Applications due by March 5th, 2012.

Additional Upcoming Courses
For more information on each of these, see: http://conservationtraining.si.edu
* Conservation Conflict Resolution (January 16-20, 2012)
* Spatial Ecology, Geospatial Analysis, & Remote Sensing for Conservation (February 6-17, 2012)
* Statistics for Ecology and Conservation Biology (March 5-16, 2012)
* Species Monitoring & Conservation: Amphibians (March 26- April 6, 2012)
* Species Monitoring & Conservation: Terrestrial Mammals (April 16-27, 2012)
* Adaptive Management for Conservation Success (June 11-22, 2012)
* ffective Conservation Leadership (2012 dates to be determined)

For information on the Applied Conservation Science Graduate Certificate see:
http://mccs.gmu.edu/graduate/certificate

For information on the Applied Conservation Science Professional Certificate see:
www.ocpe.gmu.edu/programs/green/applied_conservation.html

Joe Kolowski, Ph.D.| Graduate and Professional Training Manager
Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute
Center for Conservation Education and Sustainability
National Zoological Park
Mail: P.O. Box 37012, MRC 0705, Washington, DC 20013-7012
Location: 1100 Jefferson Drive., SW, Washington, DC 20013
T 202-633-4787| F 202-786-2557 | Email kolowskij@si.edu