Last updated: 25 February 2007 Daniel Majka 4025 Lake Mary Rd. Apt 67 Flagstaff, AZ 86001 email: dan@corridordesign.org digital portfolio: http://dan.corridordesign.org/portfolio 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 ---------- Aug 2006 - present 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-pagewebsite 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 for 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.