Curriculum vitae
Holly R. Prendeville, PhD
541.750.7300 hollyrprendeville@fs.fed.us
Scientist ~ Project manager ~ Technical expert ~ Science communicator ~ Strategic Planning
Professional experience
United States Department of Agriculture - Forest Service - Pacific Northwest Research Station –USDA Northwest Climate Hub ~ Corvallis, OR ~ 31 May 2016 to present
Climate Hub Coordinator (GS-0301-12-3) (Full-time ≥ 40 hrs/wk)
Serving AK, ID, OR, WA by delivering science-based knowledge and practical information to tribal nations, natural resource managers, forest landowners, farmers, ranchers, and the USDA by providing guidance and strategies for managing productive landscapes under a changing climate.
o 2018 Certificate of Appreciation for considerable assistance to sustain the USDA Northwest Climate Hub operations January – March 2018 in the absence of a Director.
o Provide technical assistance and serves as a subject matter expert in plant evolutionary ecology, restoration ecology, climate change, adaptation/mitigation strategies for natural resource managers.
o Create and sustains relationships and collaborations with diverse stakeholders as well as serves as liaison among federal & state agencies, non-profit & private organizations and the public.
o Translate science for public, state and federal diverse audiences using different formats including websites, blogs, newsletters, webinars and in-person talks.
o Provide many written and oral presentations on program mission to diverse audiences.
o Generate briefing materials for local, regional, and national leadership.
o Annually, develops and implements the USDA Northwest Climate Hub strategic plan and tracks metrics and accomplishments of the strategic plan.
o Manage Climate Hub budget of $350,000 per year for travel, supplies, and agreements to meet the priorities and implement the Climate Hub’s strategic plan.
o Manage and monitors over 20 projects with federal, state, and university partners.
o Administer over six new grants, joint venture agreements and cost reimbursable agreements annually with federal, state, non-profit and private entities.
o Work with partners to acquire $200,000-340,000 per year to fund additional projects.
o Develop a request for proposals, organizes internal and external review panels, as well as ranks and funds proposals that fulfilled the mission of the USDA Climate Hubs.
o Manage data content for regional website and social media, monitors web traffic.
o Lead a working group among Climate Hubs focused on serving Tribal Nations, which generated a national product of 150 USDA resources to assist Tribes in adapting to climate change.
o Continue research from previous position to lead bluebunch wheatgrass research project to facilitate movement of genetically appropriate native species during restoration.
o Provide counsel to the Farm Service Agency to provide additional support to native seed producers via their crop insurance program to increase native seed production to use in restoration.
o Member of the Communications Advisory Group for the Alaska Climate Adaptation Science Center.
o 2016 & 2017 Certificates of Merit for outstanding performance strengthening partnerships, as well as developing strategic documents, products and outcomes for the USDA Northwest Climate Hub.
Peer-reviewed publication related to climate and climate change:
Oregon State University -Department of Forest Ecosystems and Society ~ Corvallis, OR ~ 14 January 2016 – 19 December 2017
Affiliate Faculty (Part-time 5 hrs/wk)
Fixed-term appointment as a member of a Master’s thesis committee for Kathryn Prive, who investigated if variation in seedling traits and reproductive phenology in bluebunch wheatgrass is accounted for by seed zones. Kathryn Prive completed her thesis and graduated in December 2017.
United States Department of Agriculture - Forest Service - Pacific Northwest Research Station ~ Corvallis, OR ~ 8 September 2014 to 30 May 2016 ~ Research Geneticist (GS-0440-11-2), Plant Ecological Genetics Team (Full-time ≥ 40 hrs/wk)
To enhance restoration with native plant species, seed zones were developed to delineate areas within plant material can be moved and still be adapted to the local climate. I established 16 common garden sites in the Intermountain West to determine the efficacy of current seed zones for bluebunch wheatgrass and develop additional seed zones to account for future climate change. Bluebunch wheatgrass is an important species for post-fire grassland restoration in the Intermountain West especially the Great Basin.
o Project manager for two teams each with four people while conducting field work among remotes sites in OR, WA, ID, NV.
o Maintained data collection continuity and quality assurance of research activities between teams with joint site visits and via regular multimodal communication.
o Developed and implemented timelines and strategies for data collection and coordination.
o Provided counsel to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) on native plant material collection and propagation for seed increase and restoration of Oregon and Washington BLM lands.
o Developed, coordinated, and maintained partner relationships and provided them with technical assistance as a subject matter experiment in plant ecology, evolution and genetics.
o Gave presentations and wrote reports to communicate scientific findings about seed-transfer zones to the public, land managers, federal and state agencies, and scientists.
o Wrote grants and reports to acquire and maintain lines of funding from Great Basin Native Plant Project and the Bureau of Land Management ($52,000).
o Projected, monitored, and managed budgets for multiple lines of funding from interagency sources and the Forest Service Rocky Mountain Research Station for multiple projects.
o Designed numerous experiments and statistically analyzed data using R and SAS.
o Presented research results to land managers, and scientists at regional and national meetings.
o Collaborated with USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station, US Geological Survey, Agricultural Research Service and university scientists to develop grants and agreements to conduct research.
o Developed an on-line tool for seed-zone maps by converting ArcGIS maps to Google Maps thus providing the information to the public in a mobile friendly format.
o Communicated tool use and applications for seed zones via webinar and field presentations.
Peer-reviewed publication related to restoration:
University of Virginia-Department of Biology ~ Charlottesville, VA
Visiting Scientists ~ 8 September 2014 – 30 September 2015 (10 hr/wk)
Postdoctoral Research Associate (Equal to GS-0440-11-1:3) ~ 11 January 2011 – 7 September 2014 (Full-time ≥ 40 hrs/wk)
Led research projects at three common garden sites in Michigan, Virginia, and Georgia and 20 natural populations along a range of climates (latitudinal transect from Michigan to Florida) to evaluate the contribution of maternal effects to population differentiation in an herbaceous plant.
o Collected demographic data on 20 wild populations of a forest, herbaceous species with an annual or biennial life history.
o Coordinated data collection and maintained data continuity and quality assurance with three teams of two people located at different sites.
o Developed and maintained stakeholder relationships to survey sites from Michigan to Florida from private land owners, non-profit organizations, and state agencies.
o Projected, monitored, and managed multiple budgets ($250,000).
o Designed experiments and analyzed data using SAS and R.
o Managed undergraduate students in data collection and plant maintenance in multiple growth chamber and greenhouse experiments.
o Scientific outreach to public and high school students from urban and rural areas.
o Organized meetings for laboratory and writing group for graduate students and postdocs.
o Mentored undergraduate students: five at University of Virginia and one at Columbus State University and one high school teacher in Michigan in independent research projects.
o Active member of Master’s student thesis committee at Columbus State University in Columbus, Georgia. Degree completed in 2015 and now attending PhD program.
o Guest lectured at University of Virginia Biological and Environmental Conservation class.
o Attended local and national meetings to present scientific finding via oral and poster presentations to the public and scientists.
o Developed and implemented strategies for deliverables.
Peer-reviewed publications related to postdoctoral research:
School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska ~ Lincoln, NE ~ 25 August 2003 – 17 December 2010 ~ Graduate student, Teaching assistant, Independent researcher
Conducted independent research to examine the ecological effects of virus-resistant transgenic (genetically modified-GMO) squash. Designed experiments and analyzed data. Managed $439,522 budget for my research program. Presented findings at regional and national meetings.
o Wrote grants and obtained funding to cover research, tuition, and conferences from National Science Foundation Doctoral Improvement Grant ($11,772), USDA-Biotech Risk Assessment Grant ($314,000), and the University of Nebraska-Lincoln ($113,750).
o Projected, monitored, and managed budget for multiple lines of funding.
o Attended local, regional, and national meetings to present my scientific finding via numerous oral and poster presentations to the public and scientists.
o Used molecular techniques (PCR, RT-PCR, ELISA) to identify transgenes and RNA viruses.
o Designed experiments and analyzed data using SAS and R and modeled population dynamics in R.
o Mentored one undergraduate independent research project & lead small armies of undergraduate students in data collection for my research projects.
Laboratory instructor for biology and non-biology majors in Organismic Biology, Ecology and Evolution, and Introductory Biology (non-majors).
o Prepared materials and taught using a variety of techniques to reach various learning abilities.
o Graded quizzes, reports, papers, and exams.
o Held office hours to address questions and tutor students on class materials.
Served the department, university, and scientific community.
o Managed registration for Midwest Ecology and Evolution Conference, a regional conference.
o Member of University Graduate Student Association Legislative Assembly.
o Organized Darwin Day Graduate Student symposiums and journal clubs
o Graduate student representative on Faculty Search Committee & Director Evaluation Committee
o Steering committee member for the NE Symposium on Interdisciplinary Graduate Science Research
o Member of the Undergraduate Affairs and Grade Appeal Committee
o President of Biology Graduate Student Association
Education
Ph. D. in Biological Sciences with an emphasis in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior ~ School of Biological Sciences, University of Nebraska-Lincoln ~ December 2010 ~ Doctoral thesis: Ecological effects of transgenic virus-resistance in wild squash
Peer-reviewed publications related to Ph.D. research:
-Prendeville, HR, D Pilson. 2009. The effects of virus-resistant transgenic squash on pollinator behavior. Journal of Applied Ecology 46: 1088-1096.
Bachelor of Science (BS) ~ Biological Sciences, University of Vermont ~ 2000
Award: 2016 Accomplished Alum, University of Vermont, Department of Biology
Peer-reviewed publications related to research during undergraduate education:
Journal reviewer
American Journal of Botany; Arctic, Antarctic, and Alpine Research; Ecology; Ecological Applications; FEMS Microbiology Ecology; Functional Ecology; Global Change Biology; Journal of Applied Ecology; Journal of Ecology; Journal of the Torrey Botanical Society; Plant Disease; New Phytologist; Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems; Restoration Ecology