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University of Southern California: Ph.D., 1998, Department of Biological Sciences Stanford University: B.S. (with honors), 1987, Department of Biological Sciences University of California, San Diego, 1984, Scripps Institute of Oceanography: Oceanography course Lead Teacher, Project Lead the Way Summer Training Institute, Biotechnical Engineering, Purdue University (8/05) Biotechnology/Biology Teacher, Department of Biology - San Diego High School (9/00-6/02) Assistant Professor, Dept. of Biology- San Diego City College (8/99-5/00); Adjunct Biology Instructor, Dept. of Biology - Southwestern College (1/99-6/99); Adjunct Biology Instructor, Dept. of Natural Sciences - San Diego City College (8/98-7/99; 8/00-5/01) Teaching Assistant, Dept. of Biological Sciences - U.S.C. (9/89-5/97) McMurdo Station - National Science Foundation, Antarctica (12/93-2/94) U.S.C., Catalina Marine Science Center, Santa Catalina Island, CA (6/92-8/92 & 5/91-7/91) SDGE San Diego County Enivironmental Educator of the Year, 2007 Amgen Science Teacher of the Year, 2007 San Diego County Science Fair Teacher of the Year, 2006 San Diego Unified School District - Regional Occupational Program Distinguished Teacher, 2005 University Teaching Assistant of the Year, U.S.C.; 1996-97 Nominated by Dept. of Biological Sciences for the University Teaching Assistant of the Year, U.S.C.; 1995-96 Upper-Division Biology Teaching Assistant, U.S.C.; 1991-92, 1993-94 and 1994-95 Curriculum Development, Biotechnology Institute (2007- present) Curriculum Development and Curriculum Writing, Project Lead the Way (2003-2005) Vice President and Co-founder, Natural Selection Bath and Body Products, Inc., San Diego, CA (2/00-present) President, Environ Marine Products, San Diego, CA (10/98-9/99) Environmental Consultant, Marine Ecological Consultants, Carlsbad, CA (1/89-8/89) Biologist - Biotechnology, Syva-Syntex, Medical Diagnostics Division, Palo Alto, CA (11/87-9/88) Assistant Aquarist, Scripps Institute of Oceanography Aquarium, La Jolla, CA (7/85-9/85) DNA Barcoding of African Bushmeat, San Diego, CA (6/05-present) San Diego Bay, San Diego, CA (9/04-present) San Diego City College, San Diego, CA (10/98-9/99) Bodega Bay Marine Laboratory - UC Davis, Bodega Bay, CA (6/94-8/94 &5/93-7/93) McMurdo Station - National Science Foundation, Antarctica (12/93-2/94) University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA (9/89-8/98) Trinity College, Cambridge, England (9/87-11/87) Skourta Plain, Greece (6/87-8/87) Punta Cabras, Baja California, Mexico (7/86-9/86) Hopkins Marine Station, Stanford University, Pacific Grove, CA (3/86-6/86) Lessons learned from lives lost. California Sea Grant, In Submission Vavra, J., Evolution to Ecology: Knowing and Surveying Intertidal Invertebrates http://www.amgen.com/pdfs/aaste/CA-JayVavra.pdf San Diego Bay: A story of exploitation and restoration.2007, California Sea Grant. Perspectives of San Diego Bay: A Field Guide, 2005, Next Generation Press, Providence, RI., 2006. Vavra, J. and D.T. Manahan. 1999. Protein metabolism in lecithotrophic larvae (Gastropoda: Haliotis rufescens). Biological Bulletin. 196:177-186. Vavra, J. Doctoral Dissertation, Biological Sciences. Protein Metabolism During Marine Invertebrate Development. University of Southern California Press. Hedgecock, D., D.J. McGoldrick, D.T. Manahan, J. Vavra, N. Appelmans, and B.L. Bayne. 1996. Quantitative and molecular genetic analyses of heterosis in bivalve molluscs. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology. 203: 49-59. Podolsky, R., P. Virtue, T. Hamilton, J. Vavra, and D.T. Manahan. 1994. Energy metabolism during development of the Antarctic sea urchin Sterechinus neumayeri. Antarctic Journal of the United States. 29:157-159. DNA Barcoding, student scientists and the bushmeat crisis,? session sponsored by Smithsonian Institution, Annual American Zoo and Aquarium Meeting, Tampa Florida Vavra, J. and D.T. Manahan. 1998. Protein loss and turnover during lecithotrophic larval development of the gastropod Haliotis rufescens. American Zoologist. 37: 13A. Paper presented at the 1998 annual meeting of the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology (formerly the American Society of Zoologists) in Boston, Massachusetts. Vavra, J., N. Appelmans, and D.T. Manahan. 1995. A quantitative genetic study of metabolic rate and protein turnover during larval growth and development of the bivalve Crassostrea gigas. Physiological Zoology. 68:121A. Paper presented at the 1995 International Society of Comparative Physiology and Biochemistry meeting in Birmingham, England. Vavra, J. and D.T. Manahan. 1993. Effects of delayed feeding on amino acid transport and protein metabolism in sea urchin larvae. American Zoologist. 33:14A. Presented this talk at the 1993 annual meeting of the American Society of Zoologists in Los Angeles, California. Vavra, J. and D.T. Manahan. 1991. Ontogenic changes and the effects of food quality on protein synthesis in bivalve larvae. American Zoologist. 31:13A. Presented this talk at the 1991 annual meeting of American Society of Zoologists in Atlanta, Georgia. Port of San Diego, Environmental Education Grant, 2007 ($10,000) Toyota Tapestry Grant, Science and Literacy, 2007 ($10,000) National Sea Grant College Program, U.S. Dept. of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Grant #NA04OAR4170038, 2007 ($7,500) Port of San Diego, Environmental Services Grant ($6,000) SeaWorld, Busch Gardens and Fujifilm Environmental Education Award, 2006 ($10,000) National Education Association Teacher Innovation Grant, 2006 ($5,000) What Kids Can Do Grant, 2004-2005, "Two Sides of San Diego Bay: A Field Guide, " ($4,500) Commendation from City of San Diego, Presented by City Council Member Michael Zucchet, November, 2004 Turner Biosystems Fluorometer Grant, 2004, (TBS-380, $3,000) San Diego Department of Outdoor Education Environmental Studies Grant, "Two Sides of the Boat Channel: A Field Guide" 2004 Science Tools Grant, Education Committee of the San Diego Chapter of the Armed Forces Communication and Electronics, 2003 Perkins Mini Grant, San Diego School to Career, 2003 Nell Soto Grant for Community Outreach, San Diego High School, 2001 University Dissertation Fellowship: Letters, Arts, and Sciences, U.S.C.; 1997-98 Sea Grant Traineeship (Fellowship for Graduate Research); 1995-96 Achievement Reward for College Scientists ($5,000 Annual Research Award); 199396 Firestone Award - Outstanding Honors Thesis, Department of Biological Sciences, Stanford University Firestone Research Grant for Undergraduate Research, Stanford University; 1985-86 San Diego GIS Educational Consortium Board of Directors, Marine Technology Society, San Diego Chapter Curriculum design Team (Kernel Development) for Biotechnical Engineering with Project Lead the Way and Indiana State Department of Education Member of American Society of Engineering Education High Tech High Summer Institute for Gates Foundation Schools, 2003, 2004 Member of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee, Biosite, San Diego; 2002-present SciTech Academy Advisory Board, San Diego High School Career Paths Committee, Western Association of Schools and Colleges, San Diego High School Member of the National Science Teacher's Association Member of Science Education Association of San Diego Member of American Bamboo Society Member of the Janoch Scholarship Committee, San Diego City College Member of N.S.F. sponsored F.I.R.S.T (Faculty Interests in Reforming Science Teaching), SDCC State of the University: Graduate Student Panel, U.S.C.; 1998 Chairman of Committee on Teaching Assistant and Research Assistant Affairs, Council of Professional and Graduate Students, U.S.C.; 1994-95 Graduate Student Representative, Marine Biology Graduate Program, U.S.C.; 1993-1995 Two Sides of the Boat Channel: A Field Guide, Spring 2004 HTH Biotech class project, Presentation on Embryology and Evolution for Science Education Association of San Diego (SEASAND), Pt Loma Nazarene University, Summer Institute, 2003 Biotechnology Teacher's Forum, BIO 2001 Conference Reviewer of Marine Life and the Sea, 2nd edition by David H. Milne Judge for the 1997 California State Science Fair, Pharmacology Division Varsity Track and Field, Stanford University, 1983-1985 Extensive travel experience: New Zealand, Antarctica, Europe, North Africa, East Africa, Southeast Asia, and Central America Languages: Fluent in Spanish and basic conversation in Swahili and Modern Greek
EDUCATION:
TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
Biotechnology/Biology Teacher, High Tech High - San Diego, CA (8/02-present)
Multidisciplinary program in Biotechnology and Biology
Biotechnology course taught at San Diego City College
General Biology, Human Anatomy and Marine Biology -lecture and laboratory instruction.
Human Physiology - lecture and laboratory instruction.
General Biology and Marine Biology - lecture and laboratory instruction.
Principles of Biology, Microbiology, Biochemistry, Human Physiology, Animal Physiology, Immunology, and Invertebrate Zoology
Biological Adaptations of Antarctic Marine Organisms (National Science Foundation)
Biochemistry and Molecular Biology of Marine Organisms (Office of Naval Research)
TEACHING AWARDS:
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE:
Operation Biotech, Supported by Department of Labor
Biotechnical Engineering
Development, production and marketing of natural bath and body products.
Analyzed and distributed environmentally safe marine products.
Conducted productivity and environmental impact surveys of artificial reefs and sewage outfalls.
Evaluated monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies for medical diagnostics (using: column chromatography, ELISA, gel electrophoresis). Analyzed rapid assays for therapeutic and abusive drugs.
Collected specimens and monitored aquaria.
RESEARCH:
Developing methods indentifying unknown meat samlpes using DNA sequencing of Cytochrome Oxidase I. Collaboration with CRES of the San Diego Zoological Society.
Ecological assessment of marine invertebrate abundance and diversity in the rocky intertidal. Also bird censusing and plankton analysis.
Analyzed nontoxic boat hull coatings for repelling fouling organisms.
Studied physiological components of hybrid vigor in oyster larvae.
Studied physiological adaptations to low temperature in antarctic sea urchin larvae.
Studied protein metabolism in marine invertebrate larvae with Donal Manahan.
Analyzed early oyster farming from a British Romano site in Southern England.
Archaeological field survey with the Stanford University Classics Department.
Marine archaeology project (honors thesis), with an emphasis on shellfish exploitation.
Independent research on dispersal and settlement of barnacles.
PUBLICATIONS:
Vavra, J. and O. Ryder, A class action: DNA barcoding, student scientists and the bushmeat crisis. ZOONOOZ, Oct. 2006
Vavra, J and T. Fehrenbacher San Diego Bay Field Guide Project. Gates Dissemination Grant. High Tech High, 2006.
ABSTRACTS:
GRANTS, FELLOWSHIPS, AND RESEARCH AWARDS:
COMMITTEES AND SOCIETIES:
ADDITIONAL:
Foreword by Dr. Jane Goodall