Rob James Email & Phone Number

Puerto Jiménez, Costa Rica

Responsible for the development and delivery of the Osa Verde organic farm program in the Piro conservation area, Osa Peninsula.Strategic planning; process mapping; infrastructure design and construction; grantwriting; budget management and procurement; recruitment and management of staff and fellows; development and implementation of research, education and tourism programs.

Puerto Jiménez, Costa Rica

Las Juntas del Pizote (Coati Company) is a four-piece band based in Puerto Jiménez in the Osa Peninsula of Costa Rica – a tiny landmass, but one that is home to 2.5% of all of the species on the planet!Their original folk music tells the story of the people and wildlife of the peninsula, and raises awareness about the need to conserve nature for future generations to enjoy and benefit from. Despite only forming in 2015, the band was selected to play at the 2016 Costa Rican National Festival of Art and the ‘Pizotes’ have become household names in the peninsula.All four members are educators and conservationists and the band is committed to a not-for-profit agenda to promote environmental and social responsibility, contextualized in the cultural history of the region. Their environmental education program, OsArte, uses puppets and masks depicting characters such as “Danta Amaranta” (Amaranta the Tapir) and “Jaguar Jorge” (George the Jaguar) – protagonists in plays and songs performed by the band – to engage with schoolchildren and raise awareness of environmental and socioeconomic issues.Other songs, such as “Historia de los Oreos y Mil Cuentos” (The Story of the Gold Miners and a Thousand Tales) and “Cumbia Campesino” (The Peasants’ Cumbia), champion community leaders past and present, and aim to foment social responsibility, inclusivity, ambition and leadership within local youth.

Drake Bay, Costa Rica

Director of sea turtle conservation and volunteer programs; responsible for management, recruitment and training of volunteers and international and local staff, grant applications, budgets, procurement, promotion, reporting, evaluation, and program development.Key achievements:Protected over 90% of nests from poaching; tagged over 1,600 nesting turtles; released over 300,000 hatchlings; generated over $125,000 in income for the community; trained over 50 residents in conservation; created a homestay network; trained a community association to run the program alone since 2016.Publications:James R, García Solà A, Fernández Couso E, Horcajo Berná E et al. 2016. Baseline data reveal importance of Río Oro National Wildlife Refuge to the East Pacific Olive Ridley (Lepidochelys olivacea) sea turtle stock. Abstract. 36th International Sea Turtle Symposium, Lima, Perú.James R & Melero D. 2015. Anidación y conservación de la tortuga lora (Lepidochelys olivacea) en playa Drake, Península de Osa, Costa Rica (2006 a 2012). International Journal of Tropical Biology. 63 (Suppl. 1): 117-129James R. 2014. Community-led sea turtle conservation in Costa Rica - lessons learned from eight years of ecotourism development in Drake Bay, Osa Peninsula. 34th International Sea Turtle Symposium. New Orleans, USA.Technical Reports:Investigation and Conservation of Sea Turtles, Drake Bay, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica. Corcovado Foundation:James R, García Solà A, Fernández Couso E, Horcajo Berná E et al. 2015. James R, García Solà A, Fernández Couso E, Wheldon S et al. 2014.James R, Varela Murillo M, Eraso Rodriguez S, García Solà A et al. 2013.James R, Cole SF, White N, Pita H et al. 2012.James R, James KL, Adams M, Amo A et al. 2011.Grants authored:Rufford Foundation Small Grants Program. 2015 | $7,400Pacsafe Turtle Fund. 2015 | $31,230Pronature. 2012 | $253,483Humane Society International. 2012 | $2,000

Drake Bay, Costa Rica

A non-profit hostel, promoting rural tourism and supporting the environmental programs of the Corcovado Foundation. During its first year of operation the hostel generated over $17,000 for investment in these programs.Created brand, logo and business model; managed promotion, reservations, catering, transportation, tours, community engagement and volunteering; renovated building, designed and built furniture, gardens and grey water treatment biodigester.

Australia And Uk

Freelance Tutor, Researcher and Developer in Australia and UK.Private tuition to both students and professionals for scientific training at all levels.Private tuition support for high school and undergraduate students studying all biology related life sciences.Private tuition support for professionals wishing to pursue graduate medicine or basic sciences, including preparation for entry examinations such as UKCAT, BMAT, MSAT and GAMSAT.Visiting Researcher at SymbioticA, University of Western Australia (UWA).Areas of expertise include Cell Signalling, Development and Molecular and Physiological Sciences. I also have extensive experience of art and design research, and a specific interest in interdisciplinary projects addressing biotechnology and synthetic biology. Seminars:James R. 21 May 2011. To Cre or not to Cre? Molecular solutions to ethical obstacles precluding human enhancement through genetic engineering. House of Natural Fiber (HONF), Yogyakarta, Indonesia.http://www.natural-fiber.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=264:to-cre-or-not-to-cre&catid=90:open-lab&Itemid=95James R. 15 April 2011. To Cre or not to Cre? Molecular solutions to ethical obstacles precluding human enhancement through genetic engineering. SymbioticA, University of Western Australia (UWA).http://www.symbiotica.uwa.edu.au/activities/seminars/2011

Drake Bay, Costa Rica

Coordinator at Drake Bay Sea Turtle Conservation Program. Coordinator of volunteer program and beach operations.Publications:Melero D, Brandts I, Ramírez P, James R, Hernández M, Sánchez A. 2010. Investigation and Conservation of Sea Turtles, Playa Drake, Drake Bay, Osa Peninsula, Costa Rica.Technical Report. Corcovado Foundation.

Cochabamba, Bolivia

English Language, Literature and Film Studies Teacher

London, United Kingdom

The Wellcome Trust is a leading charity whose mission is to foster and promote research with the aim of improving human and animal health. Core responsibilities:Managed a portfolio of research grant applications and awardsConsulted on a range of schemes, from training fellowships to multi-million pound strategic awards.Liaised with the scientific community; develop positive relationships with applicants, grant-holders and peer-reviewers; work closely with the Trust’s funding divisions.Managed budgets at funding committee meetings.Special projects:Project-managed the quinquennial scientific review of the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute (WTSI).Coordinated the Genome-Wide Association Study (GWAS) competition.Wrote articles for several Trust publications, including Wellcome News and Trustlink.Member of Trustlink Editorial Board.

London, United Kingdom

The world’s only wholly postgraduate university of art and design, the RCA plays a key international role in the development of art and design research.Coordinated the RCA Research Assessment Exercise (RAE2008) submission; 40% of outputs received the maximum 4* grade; I was awarded a unique honorarium in recognition of my work.Conceived, designed, researched and edited several RCA publications, including landmark title: ‘Research RCA’.Edited content for research pages on RCA website.Administered Research Committee and managed internal and external research funds. Coordinated RMC, a mandatory training course for 1st year MPhil/PhD students.Coordinated processes for research degree programs, including registration, supervision and examination.Publications:Kemp.S (ed.) (2007) ‘Research RCA’ Royal College of Art, ISBN: 978-1-905000-42-5

Phd, Biochemistry And Molecular Biology

Activities and Societies: During this period I was President of the UCL Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Postgraduate Society.

Bsc, Biochemistry

My final-year undergraduate project involved the isolation of a novel drug-resistant variant of the Hsp90 heat-shock protein.