Varun Acharya Email & Phone Number

Empire, Michigan, United States

Supervisory Plant Biologist leading the vegetation programs within the National Lakeshore including 5 year-round staff, 14 seasonal technicians. Specific areas of program management include forest health and threats, threatened and endangered plant conservation, ecosystem restoration, invasive plant management, and early detection activities. I am overseeing the Lakeshore's GIS and GPS systems for field data collection. I am looking forward to mentorship opportunities for underrepresented scientists in the field with a focus on creating a welcoming and inclusive team environment. Additional duties include grant writing, training, budget accounting, and partnership building.

Bellaire, Michigan, United States

In October 2020, I became the Coordinator for the Cooperative Invasive Species Management Area (CISMA) serving Charlevoix, Antrim, Kalkaska, and Emmet Counties (CAKE). Deliverables include measurable progress in managing priority invasive species in the region, coordinating efforts across multiple stakeholders, and achieving benchmarks set by the Michigan Invasive Species Grant Program (MISGP). In addition to implementing strategic invasive species management, I am engaging the public through regular synchronous and asynchronous media to educate on how to best prevent and control introduced species.Grants & Funding-GLRI Restoration of Critical Ecosystems $200,000-GLRI CWMA Funding $50,000-MISGP Core and Competitive Funds $100,000-Charlevoix County Community Foundation $8,000

I am working with Dr. Jill Baron and the Western Mountain Initiative (WMI) to estimate how much nitrogen is contributed from human waste in the nutrient budgets for the Loch Vale Watershed in Rocky Mountain National Park. This work is a continuation of my project as a Research Fellow with the Park.

Estes Park, Colorado, United States

During the 2020 Summer I am conducting original research to understand the impact of park visitors in a popular subalpine watershed. This research will inform the creation of a Day Use Visitor Access Strategy (DUVAS) and also help to establish potential ties between visitor impacts and nitrogen deposition on lake eutrophication in the park. Deliverables will include communication of results along with a citizen science protocol for future monitoring of visitor impacts in Rocky Mountain National Park and other interested organizations.

Ann Arbor, Mi

Ann Arbor, Mi

- Led discussion sections for 40+ undergraduate students to build understanding of behavior change and how to implement positive conservation behavior- Focused on how to recruit, retain, and empower local environmental stewards to effectively mitigate climate change and preserve local biodiversity- Instructed a field-based ecology course for 18 graduate students seeking environmental careers to have a scientific background in policy, education, business, and engineering fields- Utilized an inquiry-based approach to teaching in a constantly changing environment with special emphasis on citizen science methodology and applications to stewardship

Ann Arbor, Mi

Ann Arbor, Mi

- Led volunteer teams of up to 50 people to remove invasive species from natural areas. - Provided instruction and education to volunteers pertaining to specific restoration tasks and ecological background for invasive plant removal. - Operated large bucket tractors, 4x4 vehicles, chainsaws, power tools, and applied targeted pesticides safely.- Assisted in forest management planning and prescribed burn crews

Ann Arbor, Mi

- Managed a team of three graduate research assistants in multiple front- and backcountry research projects.- Presented robust training on field equipment and protocols for projects including tree coring, canopy photography, and stem mapping.- Organized transportation and lodging logistics for frequent team travel through the state.

Ann Arbor, Mi

- Collected and analyzed over 400 tree cores to describe impacts of neighborhood and climate disturbance on yearly growth.- Established long-term forest plots, identified, tagged, and measured basal area of all adult trees in eight hectare sites across Michigan.- Planted and monitored seedlings to follow recruitment dynamics.- Curated, analyzed, and visualized multiple large ecological datasets

Ann Arbor, Mi

- Deployed and retrieved wildlife cameras using GPS handhelds and the ArcGIS Collector app, at remote Michigan field sites.- Extracted and amplified DNA from carnivore scat samples for host confirmation, according to Qiagen stool sample protocols.

Ann Arbor, Mi

- Collaborated with Ann Arbor Natural Areas Preservation to set up volunteer photo monitoring of local ecosystems with Picture Posts- Mentored high school students from Detroit and Ypsilanti public schools to develop self-driven projects on community science- Assisted in a wildlife image identification project on the Zooniverse platform for tracking Michigan carnivores

La Joya, Nm

- Conducted original, independent research with small mammal trapping and vegetation surveys to predict future species’ composition after shrub encroachment.

Pellston, Michigan

- Organized engaging, camp-wide, activities for residents ranging from young children to senior faculty- Enforced station policies on safety and noise to ensure a productive and enjoyable environment - Trained to resolve social conflict and effectively communicate with residents of diverse backgrounds

Master Of Science - Ms, Conservation Ecology

Bachelor Of Science - Bs, Ecology And Evolutionary Biology, International Studies, Italian

Italian Studies