Nicole Weber -UMASS Boston
Department of Biology Phone (617) 287-6608 Fax (617) 287-6650 e-mail: weberphin@hotmail.com

Present Interests: Reconnecting environmental education to the natural areas that surround us, through the creation of an interdisciplinary environmental education program that is created and implemented by the local community.

Research:

My current projects are working with communities is both the rural and urban ecosystems, within two protected areas of Honduras and the Neponset Water Rivershed in Boston. The Boston Project is in conjunction with the Watershed-Integrated Sciences Partnership (WISP).

HONDURAS: Part of my ongoing research was made possible through a 3 year service as a Natural Resource Peace Corps Volunteer, in the community's of the Cerro Guanacaure and the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve in Honduras, Central America. (Spanish version, English Version). My goals here are to:

• Promote the teaching of environmental education through the manual created by the local educators, within the Honduran education system of the Rio Platano Biosphere Reserve. My research is in collaboration with a local development agency, MOPAWI, and hope to reflect a change in local attitude toward their natural resources and their motivation toward conserving these resources through my results.
• Empower local teachers to initiate ways to further develop the environmental education program within the Rio Platano Reserve, Honduras, hence creating a “sustainable” program. In turn, permitting the development of a strategic plan for these environmental problems, toward the assessment and possible short and long-term resolutions.
• Work with international and national conservation organizations, or within the national governmental system to help change the attitude an emphasize the importance of conservation at the local and global issues.
• Secure financial support for community-based projects in areas where specific animals or ecosystems are at risk.

WISP: Presently, I am participating as a science graduate fellow in the Watershed-Integrated Sciences Partnership (WISP) as an internal evaluator and as a participant in the program. The Watershed Integrated Science Program (WISP) at the University of Massachusetts Boston, a NSF GK12 program, focuses on using a local watershed to provide concrete examples for this scientific experience. Bringing together a middle school science teacher and a science graduate fellow as partners, to create a stage where student assessment and scientific discussion can be connected right to their backyard. Here is the official website for the WISP program , if you would like to learn more. My current role in the project is the following:

“Biodiversity richness through salt water fish species evaluation.” 1999. Costa Rica, Central America
Designed and conducted marine biodiversity research projects in a team of 5 students, focusing on fish biodiversity counts in both the Caribbean and Pacific waters of Costa Rica. As well, we acquired information on the local conservation issues and studies being conducted in each research station visited.

“Grooming in relation to parasite load in Black Howler Monkeys (Alouatta pigra).”1995/1996. Belize, Central America.
Designed and conducted a systematic study on social and self grooming of 10 marked troops of wild howler monkeys in Belize, Central America (for a graduate level directed research course at the University of Minnesota). Unpublished Document

“The Play Behavior of Captive Bottlenose Dolphins (Tursiops truncates). 1994. Minnesota, USA.
Designed and conducted a play behavior study on six bottlenose dolphins at the Minnesota Zoological Gardens, for a graduate level directed research course at the University of Minnesota. Unpublished Document