José Gabriel Maldonado-Rivera, Ph.D

(212) 666-1278

josemaldonado@columbiasecondary.org

Personal: Born October 12, 1962 in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Interests: Educational reform, teacher training, science education; environmental education; outdoor education

Professional experience:

2006-present Project Director and Associate Research Scientist - Columbia University and NYC Department of Education - in charge of development of Columbia High School for Math, Science and Engineering a public magnet school in Manhattan, New York.

2004 - 2006: Middle School Assistant Principal and Curriculum Coordinator, TASIS Dorado School, Puerto Rico. Private secular school of 400 students, 50 faculty-staff, PPk-7^th grade. Oversaw new Middle School building project including interior design and equipping of all classrooms, faculty cluster and administrative cluster. Conceived and developed Middle School curriculum, calendar, and student-parent handbooks. Developed new policies related to medical emergency plan, academic requirements and homework. Hired all new faculty. Developed school wide system for faculty evaluation. Led the school's Middle States Accreditation process. Prepared all documents related to Department of Education accreditation. Developed school's first scholarship programs and oversaw recruitment of first scholarship student class. In charge of day-to-day management of school. Developed school's faculty professional development program. Conceived and implemented pilot faculty evaluation system. Advisor to student government - oversaw the formation of student council and student government constitution.

1998 - 2004: Chair and Associate Professor - Department of Education. Coordinator of Academic Programs - Pine Lake Environmental Campus (1998-2000). Hartwick College, New York. Supervised and evaluated staff of 4 professors and 3 support personnel. Member of Faculty Council, Board of Trustees Education Comm., Chair of Education Comm., member of Assessment, Latin-American studies, Dean, Education, Language and Director of Field station hiring committees. Orchestrated a complete revision of teacher education curriculum. Engineered the Education program's expansion and recertification, and prepared it for TEAC accreditation. Prepared proposal for institution's first Masters level program. Supervised student teachers and taught 6-7 classes per year.

1995 - present: Executive Director - The Environmental Education Project of Puerto Rico. Non-profit outdoor nature education organization serving 5,000 students and 200 teachers in grade K-12. Developed organizational structure, obtained over $500,000 in funding and grants, implemented four major programs: Nature in the Classroom, Field expeditions, Teachers training, Ecology and Education Seminar series, Summer ecology camp (Tropical Adventure). Managed $200,000 annual budget, supervised 3 full-time and 4 part-time staff.

1992-94 Research Associate, Institute of Urban & Minority Education, Columbia University, New York.

1989-95 Director of Tropical Ecology Program - Summer residential ecology camp, Puerto Rico.

1992-93 Biology teacher. Taught regular and honors biology. The Fieldston School, Riverdale, New York.

1988‑92 Biology teacher. Saint John's School, San Juan, Puerto Rico. Founded and coordinated state‑wide Biology Team Competition. Faculty Representative - Headmaster's Advisory Committee. Faculty Representative - Faculty Hiring/Evaluation Review Committee. Taught biology, AP biology, marine biology, and environmental science. Coached science and biology competition teams to state championship for 4 years in a row. Advisor to 9th grade class (4 yrs).

1987‑89 Instructor of Biology. Departamento de Ciencias Biologicas, Facultad de Estudios Generales, Universidad de Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras. Taught Biology.

1984‑87 Campus Fellow and National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow. Department of Biological Sciences, University of California at Santa Barbara. Researched various aspects of the community, population, and behavioral ecology of two species of parrotfish, Sparisoma radians and Sparisoma atomarium in the San Blas islands, Panama. Taught Marine Ecology and Biology.

Education:

Ph.D. in Science Education 1998. Teacher's College, Columbia University, New York. The Teaching and Learning of Evolution. Course focus areas: science education, curriculum/instruction, educational administration, and educational reform.

Ph.D. (abd) in Ecology and Evolution 1987. Department of Biological Sciences, University of California at Santa Barbara. Factors determining the distribution and abundance of two grassbed parrotfish. Course focus areas: evolution; behavioral ecology, community ecology.

M. A. - Evolutionary Ecology, Department of Biological Sciences, University of California at Santa Barbara.

B. S. - Major: Biology 1980-84. SUNY at Stony Brook, New York.

Minor: Health, Hunger, and Poverty in Latin America (Federated Learning Communities Program)

Recent Research Projects and Grants:

Development Grant for the Master of Arts in Teaching, Hartwick College - Longbrake Foundation - $10,000

Catskill Field Ecology Course for High school students. 2001. New York Watershed Corporation - $13,500 (plus matching in-kind service from faculty of three cooperating institutions)

Field Ecology Teacher Preparation Program. 1999. Title II Funds amount awarded - $46,000. To train 30 science teachers on outdoor nature education. Arecibo and Morovis School District, Puerto Rico

Field Ecology Teacher Preparation Program - Bayamon and Arecibo School District, Puerto Rico. 1998.

Title II and Private Funds amount approved - $137,000. To train 120 teachers on outdoor nature education.

Nature Education Teacher Preparation Program. 1998-99 Catholic Schools Archdioceses San Juan District. Title II Funds. amount awarded - $45,000. To train 25 science teachers on outdoor nature education.

Integration of Computers in Biology Education. 1997. Puerto Rico. Privately financed - amount granted - $20,000. To train 20 K-12 teachers on the use of computers in science education and software in biology education.

The Environmental Education Project of Puerto Rico. 1996-98. The John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation - amount awarded - $205,000. For field nature education program in grades K-12.

Field Ecology Teacher Preparation Program. 1996 Vega Alta and Vega Baja District, Puerto Rico. Title II Funds amount awarded - $32,000. To train 30 science teachers on outdoor nature education.

Field Ecology Teacher Preparation Program - Morovis District, Puerto Rico. 1996

Title II Funds - amount awarded - $12,000. To train 20 K-12 teachers on outdoor nature education.

Study of the Teacher Preparation Programs in Puerto Rico. Institute of Urban and Minority Education, Columbia U. 1993-4. Consejo de Educación Superior, Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. $137,000. PI Francisco Rivera Batiz. To comprehensively examine the state of teacher education programs in Puerto Rico and develop recommendations for their improvement.

Statewide Academic Competition - Science and Charles Darwin Biology Bowl - 1988, 1989, 1990, 1991, 1992 - $20,000. Schering Pharmaceutical Corporation. To host national competition at Saint John's High School.

Teaching Enrichment Grant - 1990, 1991 for Tropical Ecosystems Program fieldtrips - $5,000. Saint John's High School. For biology and marine biology class fieldtrips to rainforest, dryforest, mangrove swamps and karst forests.

FIPSE grant - 1987 - $8,000 University of Puerto Rico. For interdisciplinary research project San Cristobal Canyon, Puerto Rico

FIPSE grant - Behavioral and Population biology of grassbed parrotfish - 1987-$6,000 for field research at the San Blas Island, Panama. University of California at Santa Barbara

FIPSE grant - Population Dynamics and age structure of grassbed parrotfish - 1986 - $2,500 for field research at the San Blas Island, Panama. University of California at Santa Barbara

FIPSE grant - Behavioral and Population biology of grassbed parrotfish - 1985- $3,300 for field research at the San Blas Island, Panama. University of California at Santa Barbara

FIPSE grant - Behavioral and Population biology of grassbed parrotfish - 1984 - $7,200 for field research at the San Blas Island, Panama

Scholarship - Papers, Presentations and Seminars:

Grant Evaluation approaches - NYS Teacher CenterSpring Retreat - March 19-20, 2004

Student conceptions of Variation and the Economy of Nature. National Association of Biology Teachers - Nov 2001, Montreal, Canada

Why teachers don't teach evolution, Hartwick College, Department of Education Seminar Series, Spring 1999

Student Misconceptions about Evolution, Hartwick College, Faculty Seminar Series, Fall 1998

A Critical Review of Environmental Education in Puerto Rico. Main Panel presentations at the Second Caribbean Congress of Environmental Educators. January 30, 1999. San Juan Puerto Rico

Biofilia and Biofobia of marine ecosystems: educational implications. National Marine Educators Conference, Humacao, Puerto Rico - August 1998.

Computers in Biology Education: current trends and future possibilities. Carolina School District, Puerto Rico. 1997

Key Concepts in Biology Curriculum - Teacher Training Seminar, Arecibo School District, Puerto Rico. 1997

Teachers Misconceptions of Key Biological Theories: Implications for Teacher Training. V Congress of Research in Education UPR Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. 1997

Systemic Science Reform in Puerto Rico: the need for reform to be guided by research. V Congress of Research in Education UPR Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico. 1997

Coral Reefs and Rocky Intertidal ecosystems: models of ecological principles. PROEA Seminar series, Vega Alta, Puerto Rico. 1997

Student Misconceptions about Evolution. Title II Statewide Conference, San Juan Puerto Rico. 1997

Biofobia and Biofilia: Implications for Biology Education. 1st Congress Puerto Rican Environmental Education. 1997

Current Approaches to Assessment and Evaluation - 7-day program - Teacher Training Seminar, Jayuya Public Schools, Puerto Rico 1996-97

Outdoor Nature Education at the Elementary Level - 3 day program -Teacher Training Seminar, Vega Alta Schools, Puerto Rico 1996

Tropical Rainforests as Educational Resources - 3 day program -Teacher Training Seminar, Vega Alta Schools, Puerto Rico 1996

Public Policy Manuscript: Science and Math Teacher Training Programs in Puerto Rico: a critical review

Institute of Urban and Minority Education, Teachers College, Columbia University 1993. 82 pgs.

Public Scholarship and Service

External consultant - Department of Education and Child Development, Whittier College, California

RATE (NYSED) Teacher Certification - External reviewer for St. Josephs, Daemen, Wells and Ithaca Colleges, New York

Board Member - Catskill Regional Teacher Center, Oneonta, New York. 2002-2004

Radio show - Ojeda Sin Limite, Puerto Rico - panel discussion on salary and working conditions of of public school principals, June 2000

Editorial - Why we must teach evolution - September 2000 Daily Star (Oneonta newspaper)

Letter to the editor - Evolution education is good science education - September 2000 - Daily Star (Oneonta newspaper)

Radio show - Ojeda Sin Limite, Puerto Rico - guest speaker on Environmental Education in Puerto Rico, June 1999

Biodiversity Symposium, Pine Lake Academic Campus, Hartwick College - organized 15 presentations on interdisciplinary teaching of biodiversity. October 1998

Chronicle of Higher Education - letter to the editor - Why teachers don't teach evolution - November 1998

Pseudoscience Monthly Conference Series 1996 -Rational Alternative - organized 9 presentations on a variety of pseudoscientific subjects - Carnegie Library, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Founding member and past Director (1997-98) of Alternativa Racional, a skeptics organization that promotes rational thinking and science in the mass media by critically examining pseudoscientific claims.

Organizer - Community improvement project - La Comunidad Somos Todos - 1994 - 1995. Organized 10 weekend workshops and community improvement activities involving children, parents, teachers, local government and private sector - Bo. Maricao, Vega Alta, Puerto Rico.

Organizer - School improvement program - La Comunidad Somos Todos - 1994 - 96. Organized volunteer corps of parents and community members to build student center, teacher office and library for local K-9^th grade school. Maricao, Vega Alta, Puerto Rico. Secured over $250,000 in grants, donations and in-kind contributions.

Member of School Board (1994-96), Maricao K-9 Public School. 850 students. Vega Alta Puerto Rico.

Founded and organized statewide biology bowl competition - 1989-92 - Saint John School, San Juan, Puerto Rico

Judge - Statewide Science Fair - 1987,1988 - San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Professional development

National Association of Biology Teachers - Montreal, Canada, November 2001

NYSED Inclusion Task Force - Albany, October 2001

Teacher Education Accreditation Council - Report Preparation Conference - Washington DC November 2001

FIPSE Conference on Learning Communities - Seattle, Washington May 1999

Goals 2000 - Recruiting and retaining urban teachers, Brooklyn, New York, October 1998

Why does religion persist? International Humanist Conference, Chicago May 1999

North American Assoc. of Environmental Educators - Leadership Conference, San Diego, Ca March 25-29, 1998

Pseudoscience, International Humanist Conference, La Coruna, Galicia, Spain August 1997

National Association of Science Teachers - Annual Meeting - Boston, Massachusetts 1992

National Association of Science Teachers - Annual Meeting - San Juan, Puerto Rico 1990

American Association of Science Teachers - Annual Meeting - New Orleans, Louisiana 1990

National Association of Biology Teachers - Houston, Texas - 1990

Asociacion de Maestros de Ciencia de Puerto Rico Annual Meeting - San Juan, Puerto Rico - 1989

Seminar - Critical Thinking in Biology Asociacion de Pensamiento Critico - UPR Rio Piedras 1988

Island Ecology Conference, Sacred Heart University, San Juan Puerto, Rico 1987, 1988

Honors/Awards

1998-2004 Commendable Performance review (highest possible ranking) - 6 years in a row, Hartwick College, NY

2002- Departmental Distinction Award to the Department of Education, which I chaired, Hartwick College, NY

1999, 2000 Special Merit Awards conferred by VP of Academic Affairs, Hartwick College, New York

1997 Outstanding Community based Education Project Award - Manual G. Medina Culture Center, Vega Alta, PR

1992 State Award - Presidential Award for Excellence in Science Teaching

1990 Teacher of the Year Award (student elected) - Saint Johns High School, San Juan Puerto Rico

1988-92 Statewide Science Bowl - State champions 4 years in a row

1988-92 Biology Bowls -State champions - 3 years in a row. Won every single regional biology bowl.

1988-91 Statewide Biology Exam - 9 different students obtained among the top 10 scores statewide

1985‑88 National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow, University of California

1984‑1988 Campus Fellow, University of California

1984 Honorable Mention National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow

1980-84 Sigma Beta Honor Society

Teaching Experience

Secondary: Biology, AP Biology, Environmental Science, Marine Biology, Sex Education, Field Research, Algebra I, Tropical Ecology Field Program

College: Biology, Zoology, Ecology, Marine Ecology, Environmental Science, Philosophy of Education, Educational Psychology, Methods of Science/Math Teaching, Contemporary Issues in Education, Interdisciplinary Seminar: The Impact of Evolution on Human Thought; Outdoor Nature Education

Inservice teacher training: Outdoor Nature Education, Marine Biology, Integration of Computers in the Classroom, Alternative Assessment techniques, Key concepts and theories in Biology, Best Practice approaches to teaching science

Miscellaneous

Completely Fluent in Spanish and English. Computer literate (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, Statistica, Microsoft Publisher) SCUBA, CPR, First Aid certified. Avid in outdoor sports such as scuba diving, mountain biking, hiking, kayaking. Have traveled extensively through North and Central America, the Caribbean, and Europe.