Summary

In addition to the html CV below, downloadable copies of my CV are available in the following formats:

• PDF
• MS Word
• Plain Text

Please note: contact information can be found at the bottom of this page and the attached downloadable copies of my CV.

Education

Master of Science, Ecology & Evolution, May 2005

Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN; GPA: 3.96/4.0 Thesis: GIS-based modeling of avian distributions in a montane tropical forest

Bachelor of Science, Natural Resources & Environmental Science, Dec 2002

Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN; GPA: 3.44/4.0 Specializations: GIS & Water Resources; Minor: English

ESRI Virtual Campus Courses:

• Creating, editing, and managing geodatabases for ArcGIS 9, April 2006
• Geoprocessing with ArcGIS Desktop, June 2005

Skills

Ecological Skills

I excel at analyzing ecological problems with technical methods. I am proficient with modeling techniques, including habitat modeling, land scenario modeling, and statistical analysis, and feel equally comfortable compiling data & conducting literature reviews.

Communication Skills

Skilled at communicating complex ideas with technical and non-technical audiences via reports, maps, presentations, and personal communication; adept at hand-coding web pages using web standards techniques; good eye for graphic design & cartography.

Computer Skills

Experienced in management of data-intensive projects and application of scripting techniques to optimize efficiency of large-scale analyses. I learn new software and technology quickly, and feel comfortable with the following:

• GIS:

  ArcGIS 9.x, ArcView 3.3, Imagine 8.6, Fragstats

• Programming:

  Python, AML, Avenue, TeX

• Web Design:

  XHTML, CSS, PHP, Photoshop

• Quantitative:

  R, S-Plus, SAS, JMP, SPSS

Experience

Jun 2007 - Present

Conservation Science Spatial Analyst

The Nature Conservancy, Tucson, Arizona Aug 2006 - Jun 2007

GIS Programmer/Analyst, Web Designer, & Technical Writer

CorridorDesigner project, Northern Arizona University (NAU) Forestry Department

• Created suite of ArcGIS tools (CorridorDesigner) in Python programming language for conducting GIS-based wildlife corridor and habitat analyses.
• Designed 30-page website using XHTML and CSS to distribute CorridorDesigner and provide educational materials related to designing corridors (expected launch date: May 2007).
• Composed all webpage content, software tutorials, and workshop materials.

Jun 2005 - Jul 2006

GIS Analyst & Technical Writer

Arizona Missing Linkages, NAU Forestry Department

• Lead GIS Analyst on statewide wildlife corridor conservation planning project.
• Performed all GIS analyses, cartography, data creation, and management.
• Created ArcGIS programs in Python for performing batch corridor and habitat suitability analyses.
• Created MS Access database/ESRI geodatabase system for storing field data, GIS layers, and site photos.
• Wrote eight 70-150 page reports detailing wildlife corridor conservation plans.
• Co-wrote two grant proposals with PI to secure $145,000 in funding.

Jul 2003 - May 2005

MS Graduate Student & Teaching Assistant

Purdue University Biology Department - Kerry Rabenold, Major Professor

• Created GIS-based habitat distribution models for 41 bird species using 5 statistical classification techniques.
• Obtained and preprocessed SRTM elevation models (DEM) and LANDSAT imagery; created topographic indices using DEM.
• Optimized efficiency with Avenue, AML, and R scripts to automate tasks.
• Marked location of 89 point counts in Tilaran Mtns, Costa Rica using GPS.
• Teaching Assistant for four courses; introduced Field Ecology and Conservation Biology students to GIS principles using labs and presentations.

Jan 2002 - Jul 2003

GIS Technician

Purdue University Agricultural & Biological Engineering Department

• Created, edited, maintained map layers; created maps.
• Created 92 volume GIS Atlas with 45 GIS layers.
• Created customized ArcView extension for Office of Indiana State Chemist.
• Performed complex analysis for DOT to determine road-sensitive water bodies.
• Assisted students in term projects for graduate-level GIS course.

Summer 2001

Field Technician, Wetlands Restoration

J.F. New & Associates, Walkerton, Indiana

• Installed native wetland and prairie vegetation & erosion control measures.
• Performed invasive vegetation control with herbicides and prescribed burning.

Sept 2000 - Dec 2001

Lab Technician, Environmental Organic Chemistry Lab

Purdue University Deptartment of Agronomy

• Assisted graduate students in chemistry experiments.

Summer 2000

Research Technician, Field Crops and Pest Management

Purdue University Department of Entomology

• Assisted in set up and sampling of corn & soybean pest management experiments.

Grants

2006 - 2007

$75,000 (funded). Beier, P., and D.R. Majka. GIS tools for wildlife corridor design. State of Arizona: TRIF ERDENE.

$62,699 (funded). Beier, P., and D.R. Majka. Designing corridors for Arizona's Missing Linkages. Arizona Game and Fish Department, Phoenix, AZ.

Teaching

Spring 2005

Teaching Assistant - BIO 241: Genetics & Molecular Biology

Purdue Univ. Biology Dept. - Drs. Tom Walter & Laszlo Csonka, Instructors

• Graded tests, homeworks, & quizzes.

Fall 2004

Teaching Assistant - BIO 591: Field Ecology

Purdue Univ. Biology Dept. - Dr. Kerry Rabenold, Instructor

• Assisted students in statistical analysis of semester-long research projects.
• Lectured on GIS applications in field ecology.

Spring 2004

Teaching Assistant - BIO 483: Conservation Biology

Purdue Univ. Biology Dept. - Dr. Kerry Rabenold, Instructor

• Created lab exercises introducing students to GIS & landscape ecology.
• Lectured on GIS applications in conservation biology & landscape ecology.

Fall 2003

Teaching Assistant - BIO 122: Introduction to Biology Lab

Purdue Univ. Biology Dept. - Dr. Laurie Iten, Instructor

• Instructed two labs; graded all tests, quizzes, homework, and laboratories.

Spring 2003

Laboratory Instructor - ASM 215: Fundamentals of Field Surveying

Purdue Univ. Agr. & Biol. Engineering Dept. - Dr. Bernie Engel, Instructor

• Instructed 54 students in 3 laboratory sections on principles of field surveying.
• Updated course content to contain GIS and GPS techniques.

Publications

• Majka. D.R. 2007. GIS for designing corridors. Remotely Wild: Newsletter of the GIS, Remote Sensing, and Telemetry Working Group of the Wildlife Society. Issue 23: Winter 2007.
• Beier, P., and D.R. Majka. 2006. 8 Linkage Design Reports, submitted to Arizona Game & Fish Department, Phoenix, Arizona. Under internal AZGFD review.
• Beier, P., D.R. Majka, and W.D. Spencer. Forks in the road: choices in GIS procedures for designing wildland linkages. In prep, to be submitted to Conservation Biology.
• Newell, S., P. Beier, and D.R. Majka. Sensitivity analysis of a habitat permeability model for designing wildlife linkages. In prep, to be submitted to Conservation Biology.
• Majka, D.R. Comparison of GIS-based modeling methods in predicting avian distributions in the montane Neotropics. In prep, to be submitted to Journal of Applied Ecology.
• Majka, D.R., and K.R. Rabenold. Modeling bird distributions in relation to topography in the Tilaran Mountains, Costa Rica. In prep, to be submitted to Journal of Biogeography.

Presentations

• Majka, D.R. 2007. A multi-species approach to designing corridors. Arizona Parks and Recreation Association 2007 Conference on Open Space, Tempe, AZ, May 9, 2007.
• Beier, P. D.R. Majka, K. Penrod, C. Luke, W. Spencer, S. Newell, and C. Cabanero. 2006. How to design a wildlife corridor. Society for Conservation Biology 20th Annual Meeting, San Jose, CA, June 25, 2006.
• Beier, P., D.R. Majka, K. Penrod, C. Luke, W. Spencer, S. Newell, and C. Cabanero. 2006. How to design a wildlife corridor. Arizona/New Mexico Wildlife Society 39th Joint Annual Meeting, Flagstaff, AZ, February 4, 2006.
• Majka, D.R. 2005. Modeling the distribution of Neotropical birds using statistical classification techniques and GIS. Purdue Biology Graduate Student Retreat, West Lafayette, IN., March 2005.
• Majka, D.R. 2004. An introduction to geospatial applications in field ecology. Guest lecture in Biology 591: Field Ecology, Purdue University, September 23, 2004.
• Majka, D.R. 2004. An introduction to GIS applications in conservation biology and landscape ecology. Guest lecture in Biology 483: Conservation Biology, Purdue University, February 5, 2004.
• Nahar, N., L. Corson, D.R. Majka, and L. Theller. 2003. Statewide environmental sensitivity analysis for INDOT facilities. 2003 Indiana GIS Conference, Indianapolis, IN.
• Theller, L., and D.R. Majka. 2002. Combining GIS and GPS to create a responsive and practical data library for a statewide organization. 2002 Indiana GIS Conference, Indianapolis, IN.

Contact

Daniel Majka
4158 Rio Cancion Dr. Apt 41
Tucson, Arizona 85718
Email: dan@corridordesign.org
Homepage: dan.corridordesign.org
Phone: omitted for privacy