Benjamin M. Mcelhaney Email & Phone Number

Laguna Blanca Natural Reserve, Paraguay

Coordinated volunteer weekly schedules, daily activities, and organized group activities. Trained volunteers and assisted Interns in proper methods of data collection and experimental design when needed.Scientific Projects:Pitfall Trap line (30 Traps)Assist with a Sherman Trap line (120 traps)Scorpion Species SurveyScorpion Information Packet and Database CreationButterfly Collection for the Chicago Field Museum (100 Species)Amphibian Capture & Identificationhttp://www.paralatierra.org/

George Mason University, Fairfax, Virginia, United States

The position of Sustainability Coordinator was created for me by Sodexo at George Mason University.Buttressed and expanded existing sustainability initiatives:Trayless Dining Programs – In an effort to reduce water and electricity usage in our Resident Dining Facilities.Sustainable Seafood Certification Pilot Program – Partnered with the Marine Stewardship Council to ensure that 100% of our seafood was sustainable caught.Food Waste Recycling – Pre-consumer food waste was dehydrated and picked up to be turned into compostRestructured and reinstated closed initiatives:BioFuel Program – Turning used cooking oil into Bio-Diesel.Kitchen Recycling Program – Pre-established programs were expanded.Researched, created, and maintained new programs:Container Herb Garden - Culinary Herbs.Plastic Waste Reduction – Elimination of Straws from Resident Dining Facilities.Plastic Waste Reduction – Procurement and installation of one-touch plastic utensil dispensers to eliminate dropped utensils and plastic wrappings.Waste Reduction – Elimination of StyrofoamLocal Food Purchasing Efforts Tracking – Creation a tracking system to monitor % of locally sourced foods monthly.Local Food Labelling System – Creation of a system to clearly state what finished dishes contain locally sourced foods.Creation of the Southside Farmer’s MarketLeanPath – System designed to reduce the amount of our pre-consumer food waste.Choose to Reuse – Began a system to make use of reusable to-go containers to eliminate waste.eCube – Procurement & installation of devices to decrease electricity usage in walk-in freezers and refrigeration units.President’s Park Green House – Dining was able to acquire and repurpose an existing campus greenhouse to hydroponically grow our own lettuce.

Morgantown, West Virginia, Usa

Cleaned cages, fed, cared for various raptors, and doctored wounds on any raptors admitted to the shelter. Worked with approximately 10 different raptor species.

Morgantown, West Virginia, Usa

Aided in conducting an ongoing, above-ground fungal fruiting-body survey, as part of a regeneration study in a long term program in the Fernow Experimental Forest in the West Virginia National Forest system. Identified three new species of fungi not previously known to be within the region of the survey.

Morgantown, West Virginia, Usa

Conducted genetics work concerning inheritability of various traits in Popular Trees. Responsible for the setup and preparation of all PCR plates and execution of all PCRs for the research laboratory as well as other related procedures.

Master'S Degree, Conservation And Biodiversity

Activities and Societies: Enactus EcoSoc

Bachelor'S Degree, Wildlife And Fisheries Resource Management, Cum Laude

Activities and Societies: WVU Wildlife Society

Bachelor'S Degree, General Biology

Activities and Societies: West Virginia University Wildlife Society