Melanie Mcdermott Email & Phone Number

Ewing, Nj

Senior Researcher at the Sustainability Institute, a non-profit “think and do tank” located at The College of New Jersey: Our chief program, Sustainable Jersey, is a state-wide program for municipalities that certifies their level of sustainability, “providing tools, training and incentives to support and reward communities as they pursue sustainability goals.” My primary project is to help define sustainability at the NJ state level in terms of goals and measurable indicators, and to develop a ‘gold’ level of certification that would attest to the local contribution to this progressive, collective endeavour – a great interdisciplinary challenge and opportunity for collaborative work and community participation.(Meanwhile, I retain my affiliation as a ‘Visiting Research Assistant Professor’ at Rutgers and an associate member of the Geography graduate faculty).

New Brunswick, Nj, Usa

Department of Human Ecology, Rutgers University (June 2013 - present)Associate member graduate faculty, Geography Department (2008 – present) Conduct research; serve on student and faculty committees; non-salaried affiliation funded by grants,

Developed and supported programs that foster education, public outreach and collaborative, interdisciplinary research to promote climate change mitigation and adaptation; conducted research; taught undergraduate course in Natural Resource Policy (https://www.sas.rutgers.edu/cms/climate/) (The Associate Director position, together with the funding for the assistant research professorship, were eliminated when the Climate and Society Initiative was merged with another university initiative, July 2013.)

Responsible for leadership of Climate and Society Initiative, research, and teaching in the Dept. of Human Ecology.(The funding for this position was eliminated together with the Climate and Society Initiative -- see below.)

Trinidad (2009-2010); Us-Based (2011-2012)

While in residence in Trinidad and Tobago, I conducted participatory impact assessment with community reforestation project, authored analytical case study, helped plan a regional conference and prepared proceedings. Subsequently, I served as lead author and mentor for 14 country case studies on community forestry and good governance in the Caribbean for two FAO-funded projects.

Sourced and lead research grants as principle investigator, worked on research teams, taught, advised students and conducted outside consulting. Served as associate member of the graduate faculty of Geography since 2007.

Designed, coordinated and monitored learning program for Environment and Development Affinity Group

Conducted research and outreach on "Health Risks from Eating Contaminated Fish and Crabs: A community outreach program for Latina and other low-income women of childbearing age;" wrote, tested, and produced brochure and lesson plan; raised additional grant monies and implemented Internet-based dissemination and training of healthcare and nutrition education providers.(*Please see attached cv for additional experience.*)

Ph.D., From The Dept Of Environmental Science, Policy And Management

Dissertation: Boundaries and Pathways: Indigenous Communities, Ancestral Domain, and Forest Management in Palawan, the Philippines..

M.Sc., Forestry

The then Oxford Forestry Institute (former Commonwealth former Imperial, Forestry Institute) is no more as a degree-granting institution.

Ba, Social Studies