Laura Duffie Ms, Awb, Pws Email & Phone Number

Houston, Tx, Us

Omaha, Nebraska, Us

- Lead natural resource field surveys, wetland delineations, and Phase I Environmental Site Assessments (ESAs) for power (solar, wind, transmission line, and oil and gas), transportation (railroad and port), water, federal, municipal, and various cross sector clients.- Conduct threatened/endangered species habitat assessments and pre-construction avian nest monitoring.- Certified to conduct Tennessee Valley Authority (TVA) biological compliance field surveys and reporting to satisfy TVA's NEPA compliance. Specifically qualified to conduct both TVA wildlife / terrestrial zoology surveys and reporting (i.e., complete extensive protected species habitat assessments, plant / wildlife species lists, and forestry evaluations to assess potential bat roosting habitat) and TVA wetlands surveys and reporting (i.e., complete delineations & TVA Rapid Assessment Method [TVARAM] functional assessments for projects outside Tennessee).- Serve as biological monitor for federally protected species during project construction, including sea turtles, piping plovers, and red knots.- Identify Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi plants in the USACE Atlantic Gulf Coastal Plain and Great Plains regions.- Conduct vegetation monitoring for coastal restoration projects and surveys for federally protected plant species, including Navasota ladies’-tresses and Texas prairie dawn-flower.- Prepare and review 3,000+ USACE wetland data sheets for the Atlantic Gulf Coastal Plain and Great Plains.- Prepare technical documents (delineation reports, protected species habitat assessments, permit applications, Phase I ESAs, NEPA deliverables (biological assessments [BAs], environmental assessments [EAs], and third-party draft environmental impact statements [EISs]) compliant with federal and state agency regulations.- Mentor junior staff during field surveys and preparation of report deliverables.- Coordinate field safety measures and travel logistics with clients and private landowners.

San Marcos, Texas, Us

- Led wetland delineations, Waters of the U.S. determinations, threatened/endangered species habitat surveys, raptor surveys, and pre-construction avian nest monitoring for oil and gas clients.- Supervised and mentored junior staff during field surveys.- Reviewed and submitted technical project documents prepared by junior staff.- Coordinated field safety measures and travel logistics with clients and private landowners.

San Marcos, Texas, Us

- Assisted with natural resource field surveys for oil and gas projects.- Assisted with wetland delineations, iHGM functional assessments, Waters of the U.S. determinations, and permitting, primarily in the USACE Atlantic Gulf Coastal Plain region.- Identified plants in Texas, New Mexico, and the southeastern U.S. within the USACE Atlantic Gulf Coastal Plain, Great Plains, and Arid West regions.- Assisted with threatened/endangered species surveys and pre-construction avian nest monitoring.- Collected water and soil samples following laboratory analysis protocols.- Prepared and reviewed 900+ USACE wetland data sheets for the Atlantic Gulf Coastal Plain and Great Plains regions.- Prepared and reviewed technical project documents (desktop evaluations, Environmental Constraints Analyses, Environmental Assessments, and Biological Assessments) compliant with federal and state (TX and NM) agency regulations.- Navigated via Trimble GPS, Google Earth KMZ, or compass orientation.- Collected and post-processed Trimble GPS data using Pathfinder Office.- Utilized ArcGIS 10.6 software and Google Earth Pro for impact assessment, data management, and map production.- Maintained company GIS reference data sources (federal and state).- Ability to work and communicate effectively with multidisciplinary teams, supervisors, and clients.

Nacogdoches, Tx, Us

Thesis Research: Snowy Plover Mercury Toxicology- https://scholarworks.sfasu.edu/etds/93/- Captured, banded, and sampled 130 adult snowy plovers breeding in Texas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.- Quantified mercury concentrations in plover blood and sediment samples.- Developed mercury sampling protocols for abiotic (water and sediment) and biotic (insect, blood, and feather) matrices.- Supervised and managed three technicians for shorebird nest surveys, banding, and sample collections for the summer 2014 field season.- Collected 18 tiger beetle species via pitfall traps and identified them through dichotomous keys and field guides to represent potential snowy plover insect prey.- Coordinated travel logistics with wildlife refuges and private landowners.- Maintained equipment inventory.- Participated in the USFWS 2014 and 2015 Annual Snowy Plover Survey.

Nacogdoches, Tx, Us

- Taught 3 laboratory sections and graded reports for Intro to Environmental Science (ENV 110).- Set up and supervised student laboratory experiments.- Incorporated topics like toxicology, water and air quality monitoring, and renewable energy into the lesson plans.

Falls Church, Va, Us

Student Conservation Association (SCA) Internship at Piedmont National Wildlife Refuge:- Conducted forest inventory and analysis (via 22 CFI plots) and compartment inventory (~750 acres) to monitor potential red-cockaded woodpecker habitat.- Identified and measured upland and bottomland plant species.- Created GIS maps for refuge forestry plots in ArcMap. - Assisted with red-cockaded woodpecker habitat management and chick banding.- Conducted weekly northern bobwhite point count surveys.- Led a team for the North American Butterfly Association butterfly count.

Washington, D.C., Us

Student Conservation Association (SCA) Internship at Richmond National Battlefield Park:- Conducted wetland avian point counts and reptile / amphibian surveys.- Completed stream rapid bioassessment surveys to assess riparian health.- Monitored water quality and identified 800+ benthic macroinvertebrates collected from park streams.- Utilized mechanical and chemical treatments to control invasive plants.- Created GIS maps for invasive plant treatment areas in ArcMap.

Internship through the Texas A&M University Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries Sciences- Worked in Dr. Gary Voelker's laboratory to construct avian phylogenies for the African Congo River Basin.- Completed DNA extractions, polymerase chain reactions (PCRs), gel electrophoresis, and sequencing for mitochondrial and nuclear genes in avian tissue samples.Publication:Voelker, G., B. D. Marks, C. Kahindo, U. A’genonga, F. Bapeamoni, L. E. Duffie, J. W. Huntley, E. Mulotwa, S. A. Rosenbaum and J. E. Light. 2013. River barriers and cryptic biodiversity in an evolutionary museum. Ecology and Evolution 3:536-545. DOI: 10.1002/ece3.482.

Study Abroad Research Project: Bat Maneuverability and Flight Times- Completed an undergraduate Caribbean study abroad project in the Commonwealth of Dominica.- Set up mist nets and constructed a bat obstacle tunnel to compare flights between frugivorous and insectivorous chiropteran species.- Captured, handled, and processed 41 adult bats (Jamaican fruit bat, yellow-shouldered fruit bat, and Mexican free-tailed bat).- Recorded morphological measurements (gender, reproductive condition, sexual dimorphism, weight, and wing loading), behavior, and flight times.

Master’S Degree, Environmental Science

Bachelor Of Science (B.S.), Wildlife Ecology And Conservation