Sheila Ward

USDA Forest Service

International Institute of Tropical Forestry

PO Box 25000

San Juan, Puerto Rico 00928-5000

(787) 766-5335

MS, Biology, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona, May, 1984. Thesis, Examination of the Mating System of Stephen’s Woodrat, Neotoma stephensi. Advisor: Terry A. Vaughan.

BA, Biology, College of St. Benedict, St. Joseph, Minnesota, June, 1978.

genetic resources of the Meliaceae, especially Swietenia spp. and Cedrela spp.

conservation genetics of tropical forest species

patterns and genetic and plastic components of phenotypic variation

microevolution, genetic structure of plant populations

factors limiting species distribution, limits to adaptation

consequences of microevolution for speciation, community level processes

tropical forest dynamics

Evaluation of historic IITF Swietenia genetic trials: environmental and genetic components of phenotypic variation, causes and consequences of shoot borer attack, molecular marker variation (isozymes with M. Loveless of Wooster College, Ohio, cp DNA with A. Lowe and S. Cavers of ITE, Scotland). Effects of land use history on forest stand dynamics in permanent plots. Drs. Ariel Lugo and John Parrotta.

November 1998. Appointed coordinator of the IITF/ICRAF/INIFAP/CATIE Meliaceae projects: Ecology and growth of big-leaf mahogany (Swietenia macrophylla) across the climatic and edaphic gradients throughout its native range (IITF), Domestication of mahogany and Spanish cedar in the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico (ICRAF/INIFAP), and Domestication of mahogany, and Spanish cedar in Mesoamerica: germplasm collection, genetic selection, and development of improved silviculture techniques (CATIE)

Managed electrophoresis laboratory. Electrophoresis for population genetic study of Tolumnia variegata. Independent projects on the influence of nutrient availability on the plasticity of phenology, and on the spatial patterns of genetic variation for T. variegata. Dr. James D. Ackerman, Department of Biology.

Techniques in DNA isolation, purification, and characterization.

Genetic and plastic components of differentiation among populations of the grass Poa annua on golf courses. Analysis of potential limits to selection and phenotypic trait relationships among populations. Dr. Don W. Kyhos, Department of Botany.

Lead a survey team in damage assessment of vegetation after a chemical spill on the upper Sacramento River. James Nelson, California Department of Fish and Game.

Measurement of heat stress in grasses, seed germination studies, basis physiological ecology techniques, including photosynthesis measurement. Dr. Lin Wu, Department of Environmental Horticulture.

Computer modeling for optimization of cotton production through management of major insect pests. Dr. Richard Plant, Department of Agronomy and Range Science.

Instructor directed and independent plant ecology projects in a variety of habitats.

Long term study of natural populations of the woodrat Neotoma stephensi by extensive live trapping and home range analysis. Dr. Terry A. Vaughan, Department of Biological Sciences.

Senior lab technician, University of Minnesota. 9/78 - 2/80.

Small animal surgery, tissue culturing, radiommunoassays for organ transplant research. Dr. R. Simmons, Department of Surgery.

General biology lectures and labs for majors and nonmajors.

Coordinated botany course, lectures for botany, laboratories for botany, ecology, general biology. Implemented cooperative learning in botany lecture. Grant to develop collection of plant anatomy projector slides and new experiments for botany lab.

Teaching assistant, Department of Zoology, UC Davis, 9/88 -6/92. General zoology.

Teaching assistant, Department of Botany, UC Davis, 9/87 - 6/88. Plant ecology, general botany, general biology, 4/89-6/89 California floristics.

Teaching assistant, Department of Biology, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona. 9/80-5/82. General biology, general zoology, vertebrate zoology, general ecology.

Ward, S. E, A. Rodriguez, and R. Morgan. 2000. Estate Thomas Experimental Forest: Past, Present, and Future. Proceedings of the Fifth Caribbean Urban Forestry Conference, St. Croix, USVI. In Press

Ackerman, J. A. and S. E. Ward. 1999. Genetic variation in a widespread, epiphytic orchid: Where is the evolutionary potential? Systematic Botany 24:282-291.

Ward, S. E., and A. E. Lugo. A study of twenty provenances of Swietenia spp. in differing environmental conditions in Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. In: Big-leaf mahogany: ecology, genetic resources, and management. In press, Springer-Verlag.

Ward, S. E., and A. E. Lugo. 1998. Efectos del ambiente y la genética en la variación del crecimiento, ataque del barrenador de la yema, sobrevivencia, y tamaño en 20 procedencias de caoba en Puerto Rico. Procedimentos del Primer Congreso Latinoamericano IUFRO, Valdivia, Chile.

Ward, S. E., and D. Waterman. Causes and Consequences of Shoot borer (Hypsipyla grandella) Attack in a Mahogany Provenance Study in Puerto Rico.

Ward, S. E., and D. Waterman. 2000. Causes and Consequences of Shoot borer (Hypsipyla grandella) Attack in a Mahogany Provenance Study in Puerto Rico. NAFC Forest Biology Workshop, Merida, México.

Ward, S. E, A. Rodriguez, and R. Morgan. 2000. Estate Thomas Experimental Forest: Past, Present, and Future. Caribbean Urban Forestry Conference, St. Croix, USVI.

Ward, S. E., and A. E. Lugo. 1998 A reciprocal transplant study of nineteen provenances from the three species of mahogany planted in an array of soil and life zones in Puerto Rico. Annual meeting of the Botanical Society of America.

Ward, S. E., and A. E. Lugo. 1998. Efectos del ambiente y la genética en la variación del crecimiento, ataque del barrenador de la yema, sobrevivencia, y tamaño en 20 procedencias de caoba en Puerto Rico. Primer Congreso Latinoamericano IUFRO, Valdivia, Chile.

Ackerman, J. A., and S. E. Ward. 1996. Genetic relationships among spring and fall flowering populations of an epiphytic Carribean orchid. Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Evolution.

Ward, S. E. 1995. Potential constraints on natural selection in golf course populations of annual bluegrass, Poa annua. Annual Meeting of the Society for the Study of Evolution.

Ward, S. E. 1991. Phenotypic trait correlations in golf course adapted populations of annual bluegrass, Poa annua. Annual Meeting of the Botanical Society of America.

Ward, S. E. 1990. Examination of adaptation to differing golf course microenvironments in the weed Poa annua. Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America.

Ward, S. E. 1990. Components of variation in golf course populations of annual bluegrass, Poa annua. Annual Meeting of the Pacific Division of the American Association for the Advancement of Science.

Ward, S. E. 1988. Repeatable microevolution in golf course adapted Poa annua. Annual Meeting of the Ecological Society of America.

2/2000. CATIE, Costa Rica. Evaluation meeting of FAS funded Meliaceae projects. Consultations on joint research.

3/2000 Chetumal, Mexico. Analysis of ICRAF/CATIE genetic trials. Consultations with INIFAP on management of genetic trial data.

11/1999. Chetumal Mexico. Assessment of ICRAF CATIE genetic trials.

7/1999. Santa Cruz, Bolivia. Determination of status of long term plots containing mahogany, preparatory work for mahogany germ plasm collection.

4/1999. Mexico, Belize, Costa Rica. First meeting on FAS funded (IITF/CATIE/INIFAP/ICRAF) Meliaceae projects. Initial examination of ICRAF/INIFAP genetic trials near Chetumal, Mexico.

Evaluation of data on long term plots containing mahogany in Belize. Consultations on joint research in CATIE, Costa Rica.

1999-2000. Supervision of one undergraduate employee in long term plot data management

Summer 1999. Supervision of one undergraduate employee for development of website for mahogany.

November 18-19, 1998. Statistics training for technicians. IITF, San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Summer 1998. Supervision of 2 undergraduate employees on project for linking long term plots to land use history data sets, under the Forest Service initiative for improving work force diversity.

Summer 1997. Supervision of 2 undergraduate volunteers for preparation of data sets from mahogany provenance study for analysis under Forest Service initiative for improving work force diversity.

Super Supervisor Award, USDA Persons with Disabilities in Agriculture, 1999

Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society, 1985

Out of State Tuition Scholarship, University of California-Davis, 1984

Scholarship, Northern Arizona University, 1980-1982

Delta Epsilon Sigma Honor Society, 1978

Scholarship, College of St. Benedict, 1974-1978

Scholarship, State of Minnesota, 1974-1978

Chair, Ecology Graduate Student Association, UC Davis (1986).

Vice-Chair, Ecology Graduate Student Association, UC Davis (1985).

Secretary, Ecology Graduate Student Association, UC Davis (1984).

Participated in reestablishment of the Ecology Graduate Student Association, UC Davis (1984).

Ecological Society of America (ESA)

Society for the Study of Evolution

Botanical Society of America (BSA)

Association of Tropical Biology (ATB)

Association for Women in Science (AWIS)

1999. USDA/FAS/ISRE/ICD Mahogany germ plasm collection in South America. With Carlos Navarro (CATIE). $30,000

1998. USDA/FAS/ISRE/ICD Ecology and growth of big-leaf mahogany Swietenia macrophylla across the climatic and edaphic gradients throughout its native range. $45,000

1998. USDA/FAS/ISRE/ICD Addendum to IITF proposal for coordination of the IITF/ICRAF/INIFAP/CATIE projects. $19,900

1994. Initiativo Del Verano, University of Puerto Rico. To develop teaching resources for the botany laboratory. $3000

1989. UC Davis Botany Department Field Research Grant $175

1988. Hardman Foundation Research Grant. $1000

1988. Sigma Xi Grant-in-Aid of Research. $500

1988. Women's Farm and Garden Association Fellowship. $500

1986. UC Davis Jastro Research Scholarship. $1500

Good verbal Spanish, functional written Spanish

James Ackerman, Ph. D. Professor (787) 764-0000 ext. 2023 Department of Biology, University of Puerto Rico, PO Box 23360 San Juan, Puerto Rico 00927-3360

Don W. Kyhos, Ph. D., Professor (916) 752-0617 and 758-2275 Department of Botany, University of California, Davis, CA 95616

John Parrotta, Ph. D. Research Ecologist (787) 766-5335 USDA Forest Service, International Institute of Tropical Forestry San Juan, Puerto Rico 00928-5000

Kevin Rice, Ph. D., Assistant Professor (916) 752-8529 and 752-1703 Department of Agronomy and Range Science, University of California, Davis CA 95616

Frank Wadsworth, Ph. D., Research Forester (787) 766-5335 USDA Forest Service, International Institute of Tropical Forestry San Juan, Puerto Rico 00928-5000