CURRICULUM VITAE
Michael Butler Brown
Conservation Science Coordinator : Giraffe Conservation Foundation
Co-Chair: IUCN Giraffe and Okapi Specialist Group
[email protected]
Education
DARTMOUTH COLLEGE; Hanover, New Hampshire ~ 2014-2019
PhD in Ecology, Evolution, Ecosystems, and Society, 2019
Dissertation: From Leaves to Lambda: Bottom-Up Effects on Giraffe Foraging Behavior, Movement Ecology, and Population Dynamics
Department of Biological Sciences ~ Graduate Program in Ecology, Evolution, Ecosystems and Society
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY IN THE CITY OF NEW YORK; New York City, New York ~ 2010-2012
Master of Arts in Conservation Biology, 2012
Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology
Thesis: Animal Movement in a Dynamic Environment:
A Study of Grevy's Zebra (Equus grevyi) in Semi-Arid Savannahs of Northern Kenya
UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND; College Park, Maryland ~2005-2009
Bachelor of Sciences in General Biology, 2009
Honors College ~ Presidential Scholar
SCHOOL FOR FIELD STUDIES; Center for Wildlife Management, Tanzania ~2008
Wildlife Management~ Environmental Policy~ Wildlife Ecology ~ Swahili Language Studies
Experimental Design and conservation based field research ~
Research: Tourist Satisfaction in Relation to Wildlife and Other Attractions in the Northern Circuit of Tanzania: Implications for Tourism Planning and Wildlife Management.
Teaching Experience
Dartmouth College ~ Department of Biological Sciences Hanover, New Hampshire
Teaching Assistant: Conservation of Biodiversity; September 2014 – Present
Ecology; Physiology; Genetic Variation and Evolution; Biostatistics
Dartmouth College ~ Department of Biological Studies: Foreign Studies Program Costa Rica and Little Cayman Island
Field Course Teaching Assistant: January 2018
Habitats in Costa Rica
Ecological Research on Coral Reefs
Directed Research at Palo Verde Research Station, Monteverde Biological Station, Cuerici Biological Station, Campanario Biological Station, Las Cruces Research Station, La Selva Research Station,
and Central Caribbean Marine Institute
Dartmouth College ~ Department of Environmental Studies: Foreign Studies Program Namibia
Field Course Teaching Assistant: October 2016
Social and Political Aspects of Development Conservation in Southern Africa
Seminar on Environmental Issues in Southern Africa (Directed Research at Gobabeb Research and Training Centre)
Columbia University ~ Department of Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology New York City, New York
Reading Assistant: The Evolution of the Human Species; September 2011 – May 2012
The Behavioral Biology of Living Primates;
Environmental Biology II
Columbia University ~ Science Honors Program New York City, New York
Lecturer: International Conservation: Ecological Science, Economics and the Public January 2011 – May 2012
Publications
Marneweck, C.J., Brown, M.B., Fennessy, S., Ferguson, S., Hoffman, R., Muneza, A., Fennessy, J. (2024). The evolution of tracking technology for wild giraffe (Giraffa spp.). African Journal of Wildlife Research. 54(1) (PDF HERE)
Clements, H.S, Do Linh San, E., Hempson, G.….Brown, M.B….Woodhouse, G.M. (2023). Impacts of land use on the abundance of sub-Saharan Africa’s fauna and flora: The bii4africa dataset. Scientific Data. 11, 191 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41597- 023-02832-6 (PDF HERE)
Crego, R.D., Fennessy, J.T., Brown, M.B., Connette, G., Stacy-Dawes, J., Masiane, S., Stabach, J.A. (2023) Combining species d distribution models and moderate resolution satellite information to guide conservation programs for reticulated giraffe. Animal Conservation (PDF HERE)
Clark, R. K., Fennessy, J., Ferguson, S., Fraticelli, C., Honig, N., Morrison, T., Brown, M.B. (2023) Seasonal dynamics impact habitat preferences and protected area use of the Critically Endangered Kordofan giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis antiquorum). Journal of African Wildlife Research. (PDF HERE)
Brown, M.B., Fennessy, J.T., Crego, R.D., Fleming, C.H., Alves, J., Brandlová, K., Fennessy, S., Ferguson, S., Hauptfleisch, M., Hejcmanova, P., Hoffman, R., Leimgruber, P., Masiaine, S., McQualter, K., Mueller,T., Muller, B., Muneza, A., O’Connor, D., Olivier, A.J., Rabeil, T., Seager, S., Stacy-Dawes, J., van Schalkwyk, L., Stabach, J. (2023). Ranging Behaviors across ecological and anthropogenic disturbance gradients: A Pan-African perspective of giraffe (Giraffa spp.) space use. Proceedings of the Royal Society B. 290: 20230912. 20230912 http://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2023.0912 (PDF HERE)
Tucker, M., Schipper, A., Adams,... Brown, M.,... , Mueller, T. 2023. Behavioral responses of terrestrial mammals to COVID-19 lockdowns. Science (PDF HERE)
Ferguson, S., Kaitho, T., Lekolool, I, Muneza, A., Michelmore, J., Mcfeeters, L., Hoffman, R., Brown, M., Fennessy, S., Fennessy, J.T. (2023) Congenital and neoplastic cranial deformities observed in free-ranging giraffe (Giraffa spp.). Journal of Wildlife Diseases. 59(3): DOI: 10.7589/JWD-D-22-00102 (PDF HERE)
Berstein-Kurtycz, Dunham, N.T., L.M., Evenhuis, J., Brown, M.B., Muneza, A., Fennessy, J., Dennis, P., Lukas, K.E. (2023) Evaluating the effects of Giraffe Skin Disease and wire snare wounds on the gaits of free-ranging Nubian giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis camelopardalis). Scientific Reports. 13: 1959: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-28677-y [PDF HERE]
Broekman, M.J.E., Hilbers, J.P., Huijbregts, M.A.J.,...Brown, M.B.,.., A.M., Tucker, M. 2022. Evaluating expert-based habitat suitability information of terrestrial mammals with GPS tracking data. Global Ecology and Biogeography. DOI: 10.1111/geb.13523 (PDF HERE)
Han, S., Dadone, L., Ferguson, S., Baprodra-Villaverde, P., DEnnis, P.M., Aruho, R., Sadar, M.J., Fennessy, J., Driciru, M., Muneza, A.M., Brown, M. B., Johnston, M., Lahmers, K. 2022. Giraffe skin disease, the clinicopathologic characterization of cutaneous filariasis in the critically endangered Nubian giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis camelopardalis).Journal of Veterinary Pathology [PDF HERE]
Brown, M.B., Kulkarni, T., Ferguson, S., Fennessy, S., Muneza, A., Stabach, J., Fennessy, J. 2021. Conservation status of giraffe: evaluating contemporary distribution and abundance with evolving taxonomic perspectives. Imperiled: An Encyclopedia of Endangered Species [PDF HERE]
Crego, R.D., Wells, H.B.M., Ndung'u, Evans, L., Nduguta, R.N., Chege, M., Brown, M.B., Ogutu, J.O., Ojawang, G.O.,
Fennessy, J., O'Connor, D., Stacy-Dawes, J., Rubenstein, D.I., Martins, D.J., Leimgruber, P., Stabach,J. 2021. Moving through the mosaic, identifying critical linkage zones for large herbivores across a multiple-use African landscape. Landscape Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10980-021-01232-8 [PDF HERE]
Brown, M. B., Wells, E. 2020. Skeletal dysplasia-like syndromes in wild giraffe. BMC Research Notes. 13:569. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-020-05403-9 [PDF HERE]
Hart, E. M., Fennessy, J. F., Rasmussen, H. R., Brown, M. B., Muneza, A. B., Ciuti, S. 2020. Precision and performance of an 180 g solar-powered GPS device for tracking medium to large-bodied terrestrial mammals. Wildlife Biology. 2020(3): https://doi.org/10.2981/wlb.00669 [PDF HERE]
Brown, M. B. Bolger, D.T. 2020. Male-biased partial migration in a giraffe population. Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution. doi: 10.3389 [PDF HERE]
O’Connor, D., Stacey-Dawes, J., Muneza, A., Fennessy, J., Gobush, K., Chase, M. J., Brown, M. B., Bracis, C., Elkan, P., Zaberirou, A.R.M., Rebeil, T., Rubenstein, D., Becker, M.S., Phillips, S., Stabach, J., Leimgruber, P., Glikman, J., Ruppert, K., Mueller, T. 2019. An update of the geographical distribution of giraffe, Giraffa spp., throughout sub- Saharan Africa and its implications for conservation. Mammal Review. SSN 0305-1838 [PDF HERE]
Brown, M.B., Bolger, D.T., Fennessy, J. 2019. All the eggs in one basket: A countrywide assessment of current and historical giraffe population distribution in Uganda. Global Ecology and Conservation. e00612 [PDF HERE]
Fennessy, S., Fennessy, J., Muller, Z., Brown, M. & Marais, A. 2018. Giraffa camelopardalis ssp. rothschildi. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2018: e.T174469A5114082 [PDF HERE]
Muller, Z., Bercovitch, F., Brand, R., Brown, D., Brown, M., Bolger, D., Carter, K., Deacon, F., Doherty, J.B., Fennessy, J., Fennessy, S., Hussein, A.A., Lee, D., Marais, A., Strauss, M., Tutchings, A. & Wube, T. 2016. Giraffa camelopardalis. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2016: e.T9194A51140239. [PDF HERE]
Gochman, S.R., Brown, M.B., Dominy, N.J. 2016. Alcohol discrimination and preference in two species of nectar-feeding primate. Royal Society Open Science, 2016; 3 (7): 160217 DOI:10.1098/rsos.160217 [PDF HERE]
Flanagan, S., Brown, M., Fennessy, J., Bolger, D. 2016. Use of home range behavior to assess establishment in translocated giraffe. African Journal of Ecology. 54(3): 365-374 [PDF HERE]
Brown, M. 2015. Murchison Falls Giraffe Project: Field Report. Giraffid. 9(1): 5-10
Bryant, A., Fennessy, J., Brown, M. 2015 Kidepo Valley National Park giraffe conservation survey report. Giraffid. 9(2): 16-22
Brown, Michael. "Stripe Pattern Database Monitors Endangered [Grevy's Zebra]" Porini. January 2014. 26-27
Seminars and Professional Meetings
Earthranger User Conference, Johannesburg, South Africa - 2021
Presentation: "From Spots to Satellites: Maximizing the Impact of Technology on Giraffe Conservation"
Recipient of Conservation Technology Award
International Giraffid Conference, Columbus Zoo, Columbus, OH - 2019
Presentation:" Navigating the Foraging Landscape: Small Scale Decisions with Large Scale Implications"
North American Congress for Conservation Biology, Toronto, Ontario, CA ~ 2018
Poster Presentation: "All the Eggs in One Basket: A countrywide assessment of current and historical Rothschild's giraffe distribution in Uganda"
Giraffe Conservation Science Symposium, Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, Front Royale, Virginia ~ 2018
Murchison Falls National Park Researcher Symposium, MFNP ~ 2017
Presentation: "Understanding Giraffe in Murchison Falls National Park: Ecological Studies and Conservation Initiatives”
Ugandan National Giraffe Species Conservation Strategy and Action Plan Stakeholder Workshop, Entebbe ~ 2017
Presentation: "Giraffe Population Status in Uganda: Placing Contemporary Trends in a Historical Context"
International Giraffid Conference, Brookfield Zoo, Chicago IL- 2016
Presentation: "Understanding Giraffe Populations in the Context of Resource Distribution: An Examination of Rothschild's Giraffe in Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda
Giraffe Indaba, Southern African Wildlife College, Hoedspruit - 2015
Presentation: "Examining the Population Ecology of Rothschild's Giraffe in Murchison Falls National Park, Uganda
IUCN Giraffe and Okapi Specialist Group Meeting, Southern African Wildlife College -2015
5th Annual Grevy's Zebra Research and Conservation Conference, Nairobi ~ 2013
Presentation: " Grevy’s Zebra Space Use and Movement Ecology: Implications for Conservation Strategy"
Presentation: " Grevy’s Zebra stripe recognition surveys in Meibae, Kalama and Westgate Conservancies"
Student Conference on Conservation Science, New York ~ October 2011
Student Conference on Conservation Science, New York ~ October 2010
Smithsonian Institution: Seminar on Tropical Extinction Crisis ~ February 2009
Media
"Giraffe populations are rising, giving new hope to scientists" National Geographic. January 2022 ~ Interviewed
“Faces of Africa – Giraffe: A Silent Extinction” CGTN : April 2021 ~ Contributing Video Footage
“Sustaining Giraffe Populations” Talk: Wildlife Podcast: February 2021 ~ Interviewed
“Dwarf Giraffes Astound Researchers, Bring Awareness to Giraffe Conservation” Constant Wonder Podcast: February 2021 ~ Interviewed
“Gimli and Nigel: The half-sized giraffes” BBC World Service Newsday : January 2021 ~ Interviewed
“Dwarf Giraffes Discovery Surprises Scientists” The New York Times : January 2021 ~ Interviewed, Photographer
“Dwarf Giraffes Found in the Wild for the First Time” IFL Science : January 2021 ~ Interviewed, Photographer
“Scientists Report First Instances of Dwarf Giraffes” Smithsonian Magazine: January 2021 ~ Interviewed, Photographer
“Dwarf Giraffe Seen in Namibia and Uganda” Africa Geographic : January 2021 ~ Interviewed, Photographer
“Giraffe Conservation in Uganda” Exploring By the Seat of Your Pants : January 2020 ~ Interviewed
"Giraffes are Pretty Good Neighbors" LanParty Upload Podcast: Episode 12. July 2019 ~ Interviewed
"A Safe Place for Giraffe". Cleveland Zoological Society Newsletter. February 2019 ~ Photographer
"Saving the neck of Rothschild's giraffe". The Economist. October 26, 2018 ~ Interviewed
"Conservation Without Borders" Podcast with Dr. Haley Adams: Episode 13. November 2017 ~ Interviewed
"Translocating World's Tallest Animals No Walk in the Park". The Observer. August 2017 ~ Interviewed
"How a Tiny Worm is Irritating the Most Majestic of Giraffes". Smithsonian.com. May 2017 ~ Interviewed and contributed photographs
"To Save Giraffes, We May Need to Put Our Necks Out". Smithsonian Magazine (online version). March 2017 ~ Interviewed
"A Little Less Endangered". WildView: Wildlife Conservation Society Photoblog. June 2015 ~ Contributor
"Hidden in Plains Site". WildView: Wildlife Conservation Society Photoblog. March 2016 ~ Contributor
"Death in the Bush". WildView: Wildlife Conservation Society Photoblog. March 2015 ~ Contributor
"Different Stripes for Different Species". WildView: Wildlife Conservation Society Photoblog. December 2014 ~ Contributor
"Scrubland Sojourners". WildView: Wildlife Conservation Society Photoblog. July 2014. ~ Contributor
Invited Lectures and Talks
A Tall Order: Securing a Future for Giraffe in the Wild. "From Spots to Satellites: The Science of Behind Giraffe Conservation"- March 2021
Talk: Wildlife Podcast: "Sustaining Giraffe Populations" - February 2021
Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants. "Giraffe Conservation in Uganda". ~ January 2020
Suds and Science - Vermont Center For Ecostudies. "A Tall Order: Studying Giraffe Ecology and Conservation in the Savannas of Uganda". ~ March 2019
Graduate Seminar on Ecology and Conservation- University of North Carolina ~ February 2019
"Conservation in Practice: The Science and Art of Translating Ecological Understanding into Conservation Strategy"
Dartmouth College: Spatial Thinking in Ecology and Conservation- Dartmouth College~ Hanover, New Hampshire - February 2019
"Animal Borne Tracking Units for Movement Ecology Studies"
Dartmouth College Photography Course- Dartmouth College~ Hanover, New Hampshire - May 2018
"Photography and Conservation Ecology"
Brain Buzz at White River Junction Co-Op ~ Vermont ~ May 2016
“Contemporary Conservation: Balancing Energy Needs and Biodiversity”
University of Florida Field Course ~ Mpala Research Centre~ June 2014:
“Striped Horses and Biology Courses: Understanding Zebra Ecology in Laikipia and Exploring Careers in Conservation
Princeton University Field Course~ Mpala Research Centre ~ March 2014
“Striped Horses and Biology Courses: One Man’s Unfinished Journey Along the Path to Zebras”
Daraja Academy ~ Daraja Academy, Laikipia, Kenya ~ September 2013
“Striped Horses and Biology Courses: Understanding Zebra Ecology in Laikipia and Exploring Careers in Conservation”
Karatina University Field Course ~ Mpala Research Centre ~ September 2013:
“Understanding Zebra Ecology in Laikipia”
Earthwatch ~ Mpala Research Centre ~ October 2013
“Grevy’s Zebra: Understanding and Endangered Equid”
Laikipia Community Conservation Day ~ Mpala Research Centre ~ July 2013:
“ Population Monitoring of Grevy’s Zebra on Laikipia Ranches: Implications for Conservation Planning”
Work Experience
Princeton University ~ Laikipia Zebra Project Mpala Research Centre, Kenya
Project Manager April 2013 – September 2014
MedAdvocacy LLC. Kulpsville, Pennsylvania
Manager of Consumer Development and Marketing Strategy December 2012 – August 2013
Oregon State University ~ Columbia River Avian Predation Project Astoria, Oregon
Colony Monitor March 2010 – August 2010
Curry and Kerlinger, LLC. Bear Creek, Pennsylvania
Environmental Consultant: Wildlife Biologist August 2009 - December 2009
African Wildlife Foundation~ Membership Department Washington D.C.
Membership Relations Intern January 2009- May 2009
Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History~ Entomology Department Washington D.C.
Curatorial and Imaging Intern September 2008-January 2009
United States Department of Agriculture~ Parasitology Laboratory Beltsville, Maryland
Molecular Evolution Undergraduate Research Assistant September 2007- December 2007
University of Maryland~ Borgia Laboratory College Park, Maryland
Avian Behavior Undergraduate Research Assistant January 2007-May 2007
L.F. Driscoll Construction Management Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Blind Guide/Liability Management July 2006-September 2006
Assistant Field Superintendent May 2007-August 2007
Awards and Appointments
Dartmouth Center for the Advancement of Learning ~ Excellence in Graduate Teaching and Mentorship
Member of International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Giraffe and Okapi Specialist Group
Eagle Scout
Howard County, 2006 Maryland Grand Champion of Pie Eating
Warren County, Virgina, Runner Up in 2021 Pie Eating Competition
