Curriculum Vitae


JESS M  STITT
jessmstitt@gmail.com
EDUCATION
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY, Graduate School of Arts & Sciences, New York, NY
Accepted into M.A., Conservation Biology; beginning Fall 2013 (Class of 2015, expected)

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, Professional & Continuing Education, Seattle, WA                                                                                                                                
Professional Certificate in Natural Science Illustration; Class of 2011
  • Relevant skills include proficiency in accurate and detailed representation from field sketching, live models, and photography; knowledge of traditional & digital artistic media; experience in creating anatomical projections of muscle and skin layers of a subject from its skeletal architecture

CORNELL UNIVERSITY, College of Agriculture & Life Sciences, Ithaca, NY                                                                                                                                                   
B.S., Natural Resources; Class of 2010
  • Independent Research in Applied Ecology & Conservation: The Use of Woody Material to Enhance Forest Biodiversity – Does the Removal of Woody Material Affect Ecological Processes on the Forest Floor?
  • Relevant coursework includes Community Ecology, Applied Conservation Ecology, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), Applied Population Ecology, Ecological Management of Water Resources, Natural Resources Planning and Management, Primate Behavior & Ecology, Biological Statistics

WORK EXPERIENCE
ORANGUTAN TROPICAL PEATLAND PROJECT (OUTROP), Palangka Raya, Indonesia   [LINK]
Research Intern, Orangutan Behavior Project; Summer & Fall 2012
  • Observed and recorded wild Bornean orangutans (Pongo pygmaeus) behavior and ecology in Sabangau peat swamp forest of Central Kalimantan; investigated female social networking and ranging patterns
  • Gathered GPS, ranging, feeding, behavior, and vocalization data; individual ID techniques; urine & fecal material collection and storage; data entry into databases using Microsoft Access and MapSource
  • Other work included butterfly mark-recapture studies, southern Bornean gibbon & red langur ranging, feeding, and behavior data, botanical and phenology surveys, and camera trap maintenance

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, Center for Conservation Biology, Seattle, WA , USA   [LINK]                                                                        
Volunteer Lab Assistant; Spring & Fall 2011
  • Employed methods for DNA, glucocorticoid, & thyroid hormone extraction from scat of multiple wildlife species for analysis of individual identification, population size & range, and environmental stressors
  • Utilized PCR, radioimmunoassay, vortex, centrifuge, and decanting methods for acquiring subsamples 

CORNELL OUTDOOR EDUCATION, Ithaca, NY, USA   [LINK]                                                                   
Senior Instructor & Staff Member; Winter 2007 - Spring 2010
  • Leader of rock climbing, tree climbing, backpacking, and outdoor leadership courses; planned lessons for indoor & outdoor programs; organized multi-day logistics for food, camping, transportation, & gear
Wilderness Guide & Field Site Coordinator, Outdoor Odyssey Pre-Orientation Program; Spring 2007 - Spring 2010
  • Leader for Outdoor Odyssey pre-orientation trips for incoming students; taught outdoor skills & safety
  • Interviewed, hired, and trained new wilderness guides; taught effective group instruction techniques
  • Elected Social Chair of Advisory Committee for this student-run organization

CORNELL ARNOT TEACHING & RESEARCH FOREST, Van Etten, NY, USA   [LINK]                                                                                                                                                  
Research Intern, Biofuels and Biodiversity Study; Summer 2009
  • Measured impacts of woody material removal on forest biodiversity & habitat quality
  • Employed techniques for quadrat setup, herpetological surveys, soil coring, leaf litter collection, temperature and moisture monitoring device set up, soil invertebrate sifting & ID, tree plot measurements, and statistical analysis using Excel, JMP software

ORGANIZATION FOR TROPICAL STUDIES, Costa Rica   [LINK]                                                                                                                                                                  
Student, Costa Rica Tropical Biology Semester Abroad Program, Duke University; Spring Semester 2009
  • Traveled between OTS biological field stations (Las Cruces, Cuerici, Palo Verde, Monteverde, Cabo Blanco, & La Selva); designed short-term study on display arena selection behavior of the White-Collared Manakin; designed short-term study on Morning Glory resource allocation in response to nectar predation; investigated Mantled Howler Monkey time budgeting using behavioral scan sampling
  • Learned strategies in mitigation of biological corridor & agricultural coexistence disputes; employed techniques in floral & insect taxonomy, botanical surveying, natural history & biodiversity assessments, and data analysis

MPALA RESEARCH CENTRE, Laikipia District, Kenya   [LINK]       
Student, Kenya Tropical Field Ecology course; Winter 2009
  • Conducted group research projects on Acacia ant-plant mutualisms & related tree fitness, ungulate foraging & vigilance behavior, measures of elephant ecosystem damage, and a pilot study on avian sallying behavior

CORNELL UNIVERSITY RESEARCH PONDS, Ithaca, NY, USA                                                                                                                                                                      
Research Assistant, Muskrat Behavior & Ranging Project; Summer & Fall 2008
  • Trapped, radio-collared, and tracked muskrats at dawn and dusk using live traps and radio telemetry

SHOALS MARINE LAB, Appledore Island, ME, USA   [LINK]                                                                                                                                                                                                  
Student, Animal Social Behavior course; Summer 2008
  • Studied Herring Gull territoriality, kinship, mating, cognition, & nesting site selection behavior

REGENERON PHARMACEUTICALS, Tarrytown, NY   [LINK]
Microbiology Intern, Protein Production Lab; Summer 2007
  • Utilized molecular techniques including PCR amplification, gel electrophoresis, and mass spectrometry to construct DNA vectors for protein expression, to be used for medical processes and research

ART EXHIBITIONS & AWARDS
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, Natural Science Illustration Certificate Program Exhibition, Seattle, WA                                                                    
Summer & Fall 2011 
  • Displayed scientific artwork created for the Certificate Program at UW's Burke Natural History Museum

RIDGEWOOD ART INSTITUTE (RAI), Annual Young People’s Scholarship Exhibition, Ridgewood, NJ                                                                                           
Spring 2006
  • Displayed oil painting created at the RAI in a juried show held at the Institute
  • Received 1st place and $2,000 Copper Beech Foundation Scholarship

ART ADMINISTRATORS OF NEW JERSEY (AANJ), Emerging Artists Exhibition, Trenton, NJ                                                                                                    
Summer 2005
  • Displayed paintings done at Ridgewood High School in a juried show

COMMISSIONED ARTWORK
COLLEGETOWN ART CONTEST, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY                                                                                                                                                                                          
Collegetown ART  (Art, Recycling, & Trash) Contest is a project to decorate the trash and recycling bins in Collegetown; project of the Cornell University Sustainability Hub, a student group devoted to “projects for a more sustainable campus and community”
  • 2010 - Created one of the selected designs to be displayed on the cans in Collegetown; paid

CORNELL ROSES, Women’s Ultimate Team, Ithaca, NY   [LINK]                                                                                                                                                                                                              
  • 2009 - Designed women’s teams jerseys; unpaid

OUTDOOR ODYSSEY, Pre-Orientation Program, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY   [LINK]                                                                                                                                                            
  • 2009 - Designed new logo for the organization (formerly called Wilderness Reflections, now Outdoor Odyssey) to be used on shirts, stickers, website, and mailings; unpaid
  • 2009 - Created design for T-shirts given to participant; unpaid                                                                                                                                                          
  • 2008 - Created design for T-shirts given to participants; unpaid 
  • 2007 - Updated previous design for t-shirt given to participants; unpaid

NEW PLAYERS, Ridgewood High School, Ridgewood, NJ                                                                                                                                                                                                            
  • 2006 - Designed covers of Playbills for the theater productions group, New Players; paid

TECHNICAL SKILLS & CERTIFICATIONS
• Proficient in Microsoft Office
• Knowledge and experience in number of ecological & behavioral survey methods
• Excellent backcountry orientation & navigation
• Statistical analysis and data interpretation
• Experience using GPS & GIS Software
• Familiarity with small mammal live trapping
• Experience with Adobe Creative Suite, including Photoshop & Illustrator
• Microbiology lab techniques & training
• Conversational Spanish, Indonesian, & French (speaking, reading, writing)
• Basic HTML & website creation knowledge• Basic Python programming knowledge

ARTISTIC COURSEWORK
UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, Natural Science Illustration Certificate Program                                                                                                                                                     
2010 - 2011
  • Introduction to Natural Science Illustration
  • Zoological Illustration
  • Vertebrate Illustration
  • Wildlife Illustration
  • Botanical Illustration
  • Applied Concepts in Natural Science Illustration

CORNELL UNIVERSITY, School of Architecture, Art, & Planning, Ithaca, NY                                                                                                                                                       
2006-2010
  • Introductory Sculpture           
  • Introductory Painting                   
  • Introductory Drawing         

RIDGEWOOD ART INSTITUTE, Ridgewood, NJ                                                                                                                                                                                                                         
2005-2006
  • Oil Painting classes

RIDGEWOOD HIGH SCHOOL, Ridgewood, NJ                                                                                                                                                                                                                           
2002-2006
  • Studio Art AP
  • Studio Art II
  • Studio Art I
  • Intro Painting class

SAVANNAH COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN, Summer Sessions, Savannah, GA                                                                                                                                                                           
2003
  • Black & White Photography 
  • Figure Drawing

SCIENTIFIC COURSEWORK
CORNELL UNIVERSITY, College of Agriculture & Life Science, Ithaca, NY                                                                                                                                                                      
2006 - 2010

Natural Resources
  • Independent Research in Applied Ecology & Conservation
             o     Arnot Forest summer research internship continuation
  • Community Ecology
  • Applied Population Ecology
  • Applied Conservation Ecology
  • Introduction to Field Biology
  • Geographic Information Systems
  • Environmental Conservation
  • Ecological Management of Water Resources
  • Natural Resources Planning and Management
  • Environmental & Resource Economics
  • Introduction to Ethics & the Environment

Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, Other Biology Courses
  • Introduction to Research Methods in Biology
             o   Cornell University Research Ponds summer research assistantship continuation
  • Introduction to Animal Behavior
  • Vertebrates: Structure & Function
  • Primate Behavior & Ecology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Ecology and the Environment
  • Introductory Plant Biology
  • Magical Mushroom & Mischievous Molds
  • The Naturalist’s Way