The Institute for the Conservation of Tropical Environments
Founded by Dr Wright, the Institute for the Conservation of Tropical Environments (ICTE) operates a number of research sites, programs, and activties throughout the tropics, including Center ValBio. ICTE managing the campus' finances; relations with our academic anchor, Stony Brook University; academic programs including study abroads, and undergraduate, graduate, and post graduate research; new technology, programatic and outreach activities; and our partnershios and relationships. The office is staffed year round by small but dedicated team, ensuring CVB runs smoothly.
ICTE Personnel
(Alphebetical Listing)
Pierce Gardner, MD,
Chief Medical Officer
SBU Office Location: N-221 SBS |
pgardner@stonybrookmedicine.edu
Dr Gardner is an Infectious Disease Internist whose career has focused on global
health policy, and training the next generation to tackle the health issues in low
resource countries. Dr Gardner has done extensive international work and has been
a consultant for the World Health Organization, CDC, and the Armed Forces Epidemiological
Board (now the Defense Health Board) He was a progenitor for the Clinical Research
Scholars/Fellows Program at the Fogarty International Center, National Institutes
of Health which has now trained more than 1,000 US and international professionals.
Dr. Gardner has served as Professor of Medicine and Public Health and Associate Dean
for Academic Affairs emeritus at the medical school at Stony Brook University, New
York. For nine years Dr Gardner was the liaison representative of the American College
of Physicians to the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices at the Centers for
Disease Control (CDC) and chaired the Guidelines for Adult Immunization for the American
College of Physicians. Dr Gardner has published more than 140 articles, reviews, and
books, primarily dealing with immunization issues, education, and global health. Dr.
Gardner graduated from Harvard Medical School and trained in Internal Medicine at
the University of Washington and at Case Western Reserve. Dr. Gardner did his fellowship
training in Infectious Diseases at the Massachusetts General Hospital. His major academic
appointments have been at Harvard Medical School, the University of Chicago, and Stony
Brook University where he currently is Senior Consultant to the ICTE
Jennifer
Gilday,
Office Coordinator
SBU Office Location: N-203 SBS |
jennifer.gilday@stonybrook.edu
Mrs. Gilday coordinates the ICTE office by both supporting Dr. Patricia C. Wright
as well as the ICTE team. She is an indespensible problem solver tasked with ensuring
ICTE is functioning at peak efficiency. Additionally, she helps manage Dr. Wright's,
graduate, and post-doctoral students; coordinates ICTE's multi-national presence;
and ensures that ICTE research can occur, anywhere in the world, problem free.
Jesse McKinney
,
Chief Technology Officer
SBU Office Location: N-235 SBS |
jesse.mckinney@stonybrook.edu
CVB Office Location: NamanaBe Hall, Room 201
Jesse has for the last ten years lived and worked in rural Madagascar advising and
implementing technology forward initiatives for scientific research and health. Prior
to his current position, Jesse served in the United States Peace Corps Madagascar
as an Internet and Communication Technology Volunteer. Before working in Madagascar,
Jesse had a professional career as an Industrial and Digital Designer, where he held
positions at a number of engineering facilities and design firms throughout the USA.
In addition to his experience as a designer, Jesse has significant professional experience
in robotic systems integration, movement and perception centric industrial automation
engineering, and software development. Jesse’s current research interests include
high autonomy robotic systems for conservation research and action, and novel applications
ofdistributed data and sensor networks for ecosystems scale data capture and processing.
Jesse holds a BS in Digital Design from the College of DAAP at the University of Cincinnati.
Nathan Montague,
Finance Coordinator
SBU Office Location: N-203B SBS |
nathan.montague@stonybrook.edu
Mr. Montague provides financial, grants management, and human resources administration
oversight of the Institute. Before joining ICTE, Mr. Montague worked in the Office
of Grants Management at Stony Brook University, in the Office of Sponsored Projects
Services at the University of Buffalo, and at Archaeological Survey at the University
of Buffalo. Mr. Montague holds a Masters Degree in History from the University of
Buffalo.
Patricia Wright PhD,
Founder
SBU Office Location: N-203A SBS |
patricia.wright@stonybrook.edu
Patricia C. Wright's research in tropical ecology, primatology, and conservation biology
includes a long term study (1986 - present) of the behavioral ecology of Propithecus
edwardsi, the Milne Edward's sifaka, in Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. Wright,
her students and post docs investigate the demography, feeding behavior, parasite
loads, infant development, genetics, tooth wear, reproductive behavior, predation
pressure, and aging in this wild community of four adjacent rain forest sifaka groups.
Current research includes investigating the growth, tooth eruption patterns, and ontogeny
of various lemur species, the nutritional composition of lemur foods, the relationship
between lemur foods and medicinal plants, the role of parasites on populations, and
the effect of habitat disturbance on lemur populations. Wright′s long term database
on individual lemurs, weather patterns, and plant phenology is maintained at SUNY
Stony Brook. Wright also conducts biodiversity surveys in tropical forests of Madagascar
to address conservation problems. In addition, Wright is spearheading construction
of dormitories and computer facilities at the international research station (Centre
ValBio) adjacent to Ranomafana National Park. Wright′s recent NSF grant addresses
senescence in wild lemurs, particularly mouse lemurs and sifakas.