Clark University senior Christina Geller, of Bozeman, presents research at the Wildlife Conservation Society

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Christina Geller (back row, third from left) poses with Clark students and faculty and representatives from the Wildlife Conservation Society at the Bronx Zoo.

WORCESTER, MA (06/12/2013)(readMedia)-- Clark University senior Christina M. Geller, of Bozeman, Mont., was one of nine students enrolled in the Wildlife Conservation GIS Research Seminar taught by Associate Professor of Geography John Rogan and Research Assistant Professor Florencia Sangermano, who recently traveled to the Bronx Zoo, the headquarters of the Wildlife Conservation Society, to present policy recommendations to WCS staff about species habitat protection for guanaco in Argentina and elephants in Tanzania.

The nine students enrolled in the seminar were divided into two groups, the first of which examined the conservation status of guanaco (humpless camels in southern Argentina) and assessed the threats to viable habitat caused by livestock and ranching activities as well as the sensitivity of the region to climate linkages such as El Nino. The second group examined the potential impacts of expanding wheat agriculture north of the Tarangire Park (Tanzania) on elephant movements, using radio-collar GPS data, as well as the relationship of precipitation in the region to warming in the Indian Ocean.

The main outputs of both studies were the selection of potential conservation areas to protect the habitat of the target species.

The students in the seminar were very diverse: two undergraduate students, two fifth-year master's students in geography, four IDCE-GISDE master's students and one doctoral candidate in geography.

"This diversity allowed all students to contribute to different aspects of the research and to learn from each other," said professor Sangermano.

David Wilkie, director of conservation support at WCS, and Robert Rose, species range-wide priority setting program lead at WCS, played the role of the "client," requesting research from the students. Wilkie and Rose provided important insights related to the specific conservation problems, provided data, facilitated discussion and regularly participated in online meetings with the students.

Geller, a double major in economics and geography, worked with the graduate students who were charged with providing policy recommendations on habitat protection of the African elephants in Tanzania, a species that is classified as "vulnerable" due to habitat loss, fragmentation, anthropogenic interactions and ivory poaching. Her group used GIS and remote sensing techniques to create priority conservation maps that can be used to protect the habitat of the African elephant in northern Tanzania.

Geller described the opportunity to do GIS consulting and research as a "huge challenge."

"I've normally been told the methodology I need to follow to create a final result, and this project required us to think critically, design our own methods, and constantly reevaluate our work," said Geller. "Unlike other classes, you have no idea if you are on the right tract until you do a check-in with WCS and they express their disapproval or pleasure with your results."

According to Wilkie, by working with students at Clark, WCS has made significant progress on six important questions for conservation.

"The quality of the work by the students has far exceeded expectations and has been extremely well received by WCS staff in the field programs associated with each project," he said.

In April of 2012, Clark Labs announced a partnership with the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) to provide this research seminar geared specifically for real-world conservation projects. The seminar explores various remote sensing techniques and spatial analytical tools for different patterns of environmental degradation in different landscapes. The projects are linked to landscapes and regions where the WCS is actively working.

Professor Rogan says the seminar allows the Clark students to apply all the knowledge they've gathered throughout their education at Clark to solve real-world conservation problems.

"Very few universities do such tight collaborations," said Rogan. "This relationship contributes to Clark University's newly launched Liberal Education and Effective Practice (LEEP) initiative by providing an invaluable applied research experience that not only allows students to gain an education in GIS, remote sensing and conservation practices, it builds a skillset for the real world by also incorporating project management, professional presentations and networking."

Geller graduated summa cum laude from Clark on May 19 with a bachelor of arts degree. She served as a resident adviser and a member of the University's Student Alumni Relations Committee. She is also a Presidential Scholar and a member of the Phi Beta Kappa, Gamma Theta Upsilon, and Omicron Delta Epsilon honor societies. Next year, she plans to take advantage of Clark's Accelerated B.A./Master's Program to obtain an advanced degree in GIScience.

Geller graduated from Coppell High School in 2009. She is the daughter of Barbara and Charles Geller.

Founded in 1887 in Worcester, Massachusetts, Clark University is a small, liberal arts-based research university addressing social and human imperatives on a global scale. Nationally renowned as a college that changes lives, Clark is emerging as a transformative force in higher education today. LEEP (Liberal Education and Effective Practice) is Clark's pioneering model of education that combines a robust liberal arts curriculum with life-changing world and workplace experiences. Clark's faculty and students work across boundaries to develop solutions to contemporary challenges in the areas of psychology, geography, management, urban education, Holocaust and genocide studies, environmental studies, and international development and social change. The Clark educational experience embodies the University's motto: Challenge convention. Change our world.

www.clarku.edu