Resume Summary
I lead strategic positioning and planning for Science at NYBG. I direct and oversee the activities of the various components of NYBG Science, including: the William and Lynda Steere Herbarium; the LuEsther T. Mertz Library; the Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research; the Center for Biodiversity & Evolution; the Center for Plants, People and Culture; the Center for Conservation and Restoration Ecology; and the Commodore Matthew Perry Graduate Studies Program. Rooted in the Garden’s state-of-the-art resources and robust collections, I am also helping to build cross-institutional, global collaborations to help address the dual climate and biodiversity crises.
In my previous position (2016–2023), I was a Research Leader at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (London, UK; https://www.kew.org/), and led Kew's Nature-based Solutions Initiative, aiming to provide solutions to address environmental and societal challenges (such as climate change, poverty, food security, health, and biodiversity loss) for the benefit of both society and nature. I managed the Kew-Colombia Bio programme (2016–2023), which aimed to support the sustainable development of Colombia’s biodiversity resources, involving a robust scientific program in partnership with various local organizations, carrying out 16 projects ($9M), including creating online portals (http://colplanta.org/; http://colfungi.org/) with information for all the species of plants and fungi known to Colombia. As Director for Science at the Bogotá Botanical Garden (Colombia; https://jbb.gov.co/), I led a group of 84 researchers and 135 technicians and gardeners, carrying out 73 research projects with an annual operating budget for research of $4M. I was responsible for the strategic development and maintenance of science buildings, including the laboratory facilities, the gardens greenhouses (for research and visitors), and the herbarium. During my direction, we planned, funded, and led the construction of the new Tropicarium ($20M), considered the largest greenhouse in South America, and the new Herbarium (JBB; $2.5M).
I lead strategic positioning and planning for Science at NYBG. I direct and oversee the activities of the various components of NYBG Science, including: the William and Lynda Steere Herbarium; the LuEsther T. Mertz Library; the Laboratory for Integrative Biodiversity Research; the Center for Biodiversity & Evolution; the Center for Plants, People and Culture; the Center for Conservation and Restoration Ecology; and the Commodore Matthew Perry Graduate Studies Program. Rooted in the Garden’s state-of-the-art resources and robust collections, I am also helping to build cross-institutional, global collaborations to help address the dual climate and biodiversity crises.
In my previous position (2016–2023), I was a Research Leader at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (London, UK; https://www.kew.org/), and led Kew's Nature-based Solutions Initiative, aiming to provide solutions to address environmental and societal challenges (such as climate change, poverty, food security, health, and biodiversity loss) for the benefit of both society and nature. I managed the Kew-Colombia Bio programme (2016–2023), which aimed to support the sustainable development of Colombia’s biodiversity resources, involving a robust scientific program in partnership with various local organizations, carrying out 16 projects ($9M), including creating online portals (http://colplanta.org/; http://colfungi.org/) with information for all the species of plants and fungi known to Colombia. As Director for Science at the Bogotá Botanical Garden (Colombia; https://jbb.gov.co/), I led a group of 84 researchers and 135 technicians and gardeners, carrying out 73 research projects with an annual operating budget for research of $4M. I was responsible for the strategic development and maintenance of science buildings, including the laboratory facilities, the gardens greenhouses (for research and visitors), and the herbarium. During my direction, we planned, funded, and led the construction of the new Tropicarium ($20M), considered the largest greenhouse in South America, and the new Herbarium (JBB; $2.5M).
Track Record
I have more than twenty years of teaching experience, mainly lecturing botany, biology and other subjects at the Javeriana University in Colombia (1999–2006), at Saint Louis University (2006–2012) and at Kew Gardens (2016–2023). Also, I have supervised 16 postgraduate students from various universities.
I have published 93 papers and books (58 peer-reviewed journal publications, 18 book chapters, 8 authored books, 2 edited books, 7 published scientific reports) and 88 extinction risk assessments for plants. I have 202 conference presentations and have delivered 48 invited talks in university seminars and special events. During my career, I have received 11 honours and awards, including a summa cum laude BS thesis, the best BS student, the best PhD student, the best paper at the VI Colombian Botany Meetings (2011), and the best doctoral paper on systematics (George R. Cooley Award) at the 2012 Botanical Society of America (BSA) Meetings. My research projects have been funded by well-known organizations, including Newton Fund, Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), National Geographic Society, National Science Foundation (USA) and the Smithsonian Institution (USA).
I have more than twenty years of teaching experience, mainly lecturing botany, biology and other subjects at the Javeriana University in Colombia (1999–2006), at Saint Louis University (2006–2012) and at Kew Gardens (2016–2023). Also, I have supervised 16 postgraduate students from various universities.
I have published 93 papers and books (58 peer-reviewed journal publications, 18 book chapters, 8 authored books, 2 edited books, 7 published scientific reports) and 88 extinction risk assessments for plants. I have 202 conference presentations and have delivered 48 invited talks in university seminars and special events. During my career, I have received 11 honours and awards, including a summa cum laude BS thesis, the best BS student, the best PhD student, the best paper at the VI Colombian Botany Meetings (2011), and the best doctoral paper on systematics (George R. Cooley Award) at the 2012 Botanical Society of America (BSA) Meetings. My research projects have been funded by well-known organizations, including Newton Fund, Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), National Geographic Society, National Science Foundation (USA) and the Smithsonian Institution (USA).
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