CURRICULUM VITAE
Personal data
Name:
Place
Citizenship: Venezuelan,
Address:
Dept of Biology
New Mexico Highlands University
1005 Diamond Ave
Las
Vegas NM 87701
Phone: (505 454 3292)
e-mail: jesus@anacondas.org
http://anacondas.org
Education
Ph.D. at Dept. of Ecology
and Evolutionary Biology.
Licenciatura in Biology,
Fireman training course 1981.
Cuerpo de Bomberos Universitarios de Caracas, Venezuela
High school at Liceo Francisco Espejo.
Language skills
Spanish (native speaker)
Portuguese (ability to communicate).
Work and research experience
Visiting Scholar at the Ohio State
University from May 2007 May 2010.
Contributing Columnist for the
Scientific Consultant for the exhibit Vicious Fishes and Other Riches of the Miami Museum of Science 2004.
Visiting
Scholar at the
Field on-Air correspondent for National Geographic Television from September 2000 to the present. Work as a presenter doing documentaries about wildlife in the tropics.
Ph. D. Research, life history, ecology, and conservation of the green anaconda (Eunectes murinus) in the Venezuelan Llanos. Included research on population dynamics, habitat use and mobility, diet, mating system and reproduction. Sponsored by Profauna (the Venezuelan Fish and Wildlife Service), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS), CITES and the National Geographic Society. January 1992 - April 1999.
Conservation management research,
conducted graduate research in life history and conservation of the green
iguana (Iguana iguana). Included study of population
dynamics (mark and recapture), captive rearing, reproduction, and antipredator behavior.
Field
research assistant, for the conservation and management project of the
green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas) on Isla de Aves,
Undergraduate research,
conducted detailed study of diet of the green iguana involving processing 360
live individuals.
Endangered species recovery program, assistant for the program of conservation and reintroduction of the Orinoco Crocodile (Crocodylus intermedius) in the Venezuelan Llanos. Included surveys, mark and recapture, and captive breeding. Coordinated by WCS. 1989 - 1991; 1997-1998 (part time).
Government research
consultant, for the project of conservation and management of green iguanas
in
Field
research assistant for the study of reproductive success of hoatzins (Opisthocomus hoazin),
included censuses, surveys, nest monitoring, and banding of nestlings.
Government internships, Conducted conservation research and management of
1.- spectacled caiman (Cayman crocodilus), and
2.- capybaras (Hydrochaeris hydrochaeris). Servicio Autonomo de Fauna Silvestre, Venezuela. November 1985 - April 1986.
Fire
department commander, campus branch at the Universidad Central de
Venezuela, 1987. Fireman from 1980 to 1987. Direction of the campus branch of the fire department during the
last year of service. Other activities while commander include: creation
and organization of community outreach activities including the first public
workshop of search and rescue (SAR) in
Teaching Experience
Associate
Professor.� New Mexico Highlands
University 2013-present.
Assistant Professor New Mexico Highlands University 2010-2013
Assistant Professor Somerset Community College from Fall 2006-2010
Academic
Director for the School for
International Training at the Program of Comparative Ecology in
Assistant
professor of Tropical Ecology at
Teaching assistant, for
General Biology at the
Teaching assistant, for
Comparative Animal Behavior at
Teaching assistant, Tropical
Biology: an Ecological approach. Organization for Tropical
Studies,
High school Instructor, for courses in General Biology, Instituto Educational Jos� F�lix Ribas 1989.
Coordinator and instructor, for the college courses of First Aid Techniques, Department of Nutrition, UCV. 1984 - 1986.
Dept. of Education Director, Universidad Central de Venezuela campus fire department. Duties involved coordination and instruction of courses in first aid, fire safety and prevention 1983 - 1986.
Instructor, Public Industrial Safety course,
Cuerpo de Bomberos Universitarios UCV. 1981 - 1983.
Awards and Honors
�New Mexico NSF EPSCoR Infrastructure Seed Grant Program 2011
Faculty Research Grant New Mexico Highlands University 2010
Somerset Community College Wanda Bolze excellence award June 2009
Somerset Community College Wanda Bolze excellence award June 2008.
Research grant from Anaconda Investment 2007
Grant from Miami Metro Zoo Conservation and Research Fund 2004.
Best Film Award from the Animal Behavior Society 2003.
Reseacher level I in el Programa de Promoci�n al Investigador from the Concejo Nacional de investigaciones Cientificas de Venezuela. 2001.
Science
CONICIT Award for the Novel Researcher. 1997.
National Geographics Film and Research Grant. 1996.
National Geographic Research and Exploration Awards. 1994.
BID-CONICIT doctoral fellowship. 1993.
Wildlife Conservation Society Doctoral Research Grant. 1993.
Econatura Scholarship for Research and Conservation. 1992.
Joint grant of CITES & Profauna for applied wildlife research. 1992.
Wildlife Conservation International Graduate
Research Grants. 1990 -1991.
Concejo
National de Ciencias y Humanidades Undergraduate Grants 1989.
Wildlife Conservation International Undergraduate Research Grant. 1988.
Course
Reproductive
Biology of Amphibians 10 hours Universidade Estadual do Campinhas
Cytogenetic applied to herpetology. 10 hrs. Universidad
de Los Andes, 1990.
Systematic herpetology 10hrs.
Universidad de Los Andes , 1990.
Planification and Prevention for Disasters 120hrs. Cuerpo de Bomberos del Distrito Federal. 1987
Survival in Water emergencies, Grupo de Rescate Lara 96hrs. 1985.
Industrial Security Oil treatment plant EL Palito 32hrs 1984
Curricular Design for teaching effectively, Universidad Jos� Mar�a Vargas 30hrs. 1984.
Management of Lab animals, Instituto Nacional de Higuiene Rafael Rangel. 50hrs. 1983.
Rescue and medical assistant Cuerpo de Bomberos del distritio
federal 40hrs 1981.
Scuba diving (*), Centro de Actividades Sub-Acuaticas (CASA) UCV 1981
Oral Delivery, Instituto de Cooperaci�n Educativa (INCE) 20hrs. 1980.
Meetings and Conferences (contributing).
Joint Meeting of SSAR ASIH and HL, Lawrence Kansas July 2015
Joint Meeting of SSAR ASIH and HL, Chattanooga Tennessee July 2014
Joint Meeting of SSAR ASIH and HL, Albuquerque New Mexico July 2013
7th World Herpetological Congress, August 2012, Vancouver CA
Animal Behavior Society June 2012, Albuquerque, New Mexico.
Workshop for the conservation of Orinoco Crocodile Guanare. Venezuela February 2007.
Defenders of Wildlife's
Carnivores 2004.� Expanding Partnerships in Carnivore Conservation.�
Joint Meeting of SSAR ASIH and HL, Manaus� Brazil July 2003
Joint meeting of SSAR, ASIH, and HL Kansas City, July 2002
Joint meeting of SSAR and HL� Indianapolis, Indiana, July, 2001
Joint meeting of SSAR and HL Indianapolis, Indiana, July, 2001.
Invited speaker for the
Symposium on education of the Texas Herpetological Society.
Joint meeting of ASIH, SSAR
and HL.
Joint meeting of ASIH, SSAR
and HL.
Snake Ecology for the 21st Century.
World meeting of
Herpetology.
WD Alaska 45th Wildlife
Conference of the Wildlife Disease Association.
International Iguana
Society.
Society for the Study of
Amphibians and Reptiles (SSAR).
Animal Behavior Society.
Third Latin American
Herpetological Meeting.
Society for the Study of
Amphibians and Reptiles (SSAR).
Second Latin American
Herpetological Meeting.
Other presentations and Lectures
Visiting Speaker at:
Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation Colorado
(CoPark) 2015
Universidad
Nacional de Aguas Calientes 2014
University of Tulsa, September 2012
Morehead University October 2010
Troy University, May 2010
Eastern Kentucky University October 2009
Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond.
October 2007
Valencia Community College, Florida, November 2004.
Instituto
Migue Lillo, Universidad de Tucuman, Argentina, September 2002.
La
Sierra University, Riverside California, February 2002
Center for the Reproduction of Endangered Species at
Instituto
de Biolog�a Experimental. Universidad Central de Venezuela, Caracas June 1997.
Visiting speaker at the
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute,
Professional Membership
Animal Behaviour Society
Society for Conservation Biology
Society for the Study of Amphibians and Reptiles
Society the Study of Ichthyology and Herpetology
Herpetologist League
International Iguana society
Television and Films
The Untamed Mountain. Discovery Channel, January 1998.
Secrets of Dragons.
Anaconda. Dateline NBC, September 1998.
The Land of the Anaconda, National Geographic Explorer.
September 1998. TBS.
Anacondas, Nick's quest. Channel 5 Available light and
Discovery. December 1998
Anaconda:
The Aquatic Jungle, Discovery Channel. May 1999.
The Crocodiles of the
Supersnake, National Geographic Television, Series Out
There. Fall 2001
The trails
of a Bare footed Biologist. National Geographic Television, Series, True
Originals Summer 2002
Ssssnakes Alive.
60 Minutes
Anakondas, Pro 7 Terra Nostra,
Germany. July 2003
Vipers bad rap. National Geographic Television Series Snake
Wranglers Fall 2003
The Ultimate Snake. National Geographic Ultimate Explorer
Fall 2003
Jesus and the Snake in the Garden of Eden. National Geographic Television. Series Snake Wranglers
The lost Worlds of South America, National Geographic Ultimate Explorer.
Serpent Handlers, the mystery of the
Monster Quests.� Giant Killer snake.� History Channel 2008
Anacondas; Queen of serpents National Geographic Television February 2010.
Frankie: Menace or Healer. Tropical Wildlife llc.
Titanoboa: Monster Snake.� Smithsonian Channel. 2012
Essays and Opinion articles
Rivas, J. A.� 2008 Displacement
Behavior and Stockholm Syndrome in the
Rivas, J. A., 2007, What is the path
to Socialism Revolution or Evolution?: The Axis of
Logic, v. July http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/Article_24876.shtml
Rivas, J. A., 2007,
Environmental Conservation and Socialism. A Conservationist Manifesto
for the
Rivas, J. A., 2007, What is wrong with
Pain Killers, NPR, the Democractic Party and
Conservation Biologists?: The Axis of Logic, v.
October http://axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/Article_25333.shtml
Rivas, J. A. (2007). "The
immigration problem: What problem? Whose problem?"
The Axis of Logic August http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/Article_25139.shtml
Rivas, J. A., 2006, Understanding the
minds of the neocons: Oil wars,� attacks on the Venezuelan revolution
and the corruption of
Rivas, J. A. 2005.� Comparing
Rivas, J. A., Rodriguez, J. V., and C. G. Mittermeier (2002)
The llanos. pp: 265-273. In Mittermeier, R.A. (ed.) Wildernesses. CEMEX, Mexico
�(click here for pdf)
Rivas, J. A. and G. M. Burghardt (2002) Crotalomorphism: A Metaphor
to Understand Anthropomorphism by Omission. pp: 9-17. In The Cognitive Animal:
Empirical and Theoretical Perspectives on Animal Cognition (eds) Bekoff, M. A.
Colin and G. M. Burghardt (click here for PDF)
Rivas, J. A., C. R. Molina, S. J.
Corey-Rivas, and G. M. Burghardt. 2016. Natural History of Neonatal
Green Anacondas (Eunectes murinus):�
A Chip off the Old Block. Copeia, 104: 402-410.
Rivas, J. A. 2007.� La conservaci�n ambiental en el socialismo del siglo XXI:� ensayo para un manifiesto conservacionista.� Aporrea April available on line at http://www.aporrea.org/actualidad/a29018.html� English version at: http://www.axisoflogic.com/artman/publish/Article_25003.shtml
Rivas, J. A. 2004 Eunectes murinus (green anaconda):
Subduing behavior. Herpetological Review 35(1):
Rivas, J. A. 1998. The Miracle of Universities. Conservation
Biology. Vol 12(6): 1169-1170.
Rivas, J. A. 1997 Natural history: hobby or science?
Conservation Biology.: 11(3): 811-812.
Unpublished monograph and technical reports: