John A.B. Claydon, Ph.D.
CV as a pdf (updated July 2022)
EMPLOYMENT HISTORY
2018– EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR – Integrated Marine Biosphere Research (IMBeR) Project 🔗, International Project Office, Institute of Marine Research, Bergen, Norway 🔗 (2018-2020), Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada 🔗 (2020-)
Role – Drive development & implementation of IMBeR science | Support activities of 4 regional programmes, 4 working groups, 10 endorsed projects, & the IMBeR Interdisciplinary Marine Early Career Network | Oversee the IMBeR International Project Offices (China and Canada – formerly Norway) | Organise and deliver scientific conferences, workshops, & summer schools | Manage the project’s finances | Supervise office staff | Act as project ambassador at national & international meetings | Report to sponsors & host institutions | Develop funding proposals
Outputs – Conferences, Summer Schools and Workshops Organised –
IMBIZO6 – Virtual conference, 18-22 October 2021 – Participants 121 | Countries represented 35 | Workshops 3 | Early Career Researcher Event 🔗
ClimEco7 – Summer School, virtual event, 9-13 August 2021 – Participants 60 | Countries represented 32 🔗
Marine Spatial Planning Workshop – Virtual early career event, 17-21 August 2020 – Participants 681| Countries represented 82 🔗
Future Oceans2 – Open Science Conference, Brest, France, 15-21 June 2019 – Delegates 553 | Countries represented 48 | Oral presentations 549 | Posters 194 | Sessions 27 | Workshops 10 | Early Career Researcher Day (180 attendees) | Sponsorship US$ 75K 🔗
ClimEco6 – Summer School, Yogyakarta, Indonesia, 1-8 August 2018 – Participants 59 | Countries represented 19 | Sponsorship US$ 42K 🔗
Administrative Initiatives –
Project Offices – Secured MOUs and funding for offices in Canada and China | Moved project office from Norway to Canada | Expanded role of China project office
Equality, Diversity and Inclusion – Drafted Policy | Expanded activities and representation in Global South | Screened ‘Picture a Scientist’ online
IT & Communications – Launched new website | Updated project infographics | Introduced conference app | Transitioned to virtual events & meetings | Implemented social media strategy
Other – Drafted midterm (5-year) review report | Secured project sponsorship until mid-2024 | Created project governance document
Publications – 2 | Presentations – Keynotes 2 | Conferences 3 | Workshops 2 | Other 6
2015-2017 DIRECTOR – Department of Environment & Coastal Resources, Turks & Caicos Islands Government (formerly Department of Environment & Maritime Affairs) 🔗
Role – Manage Department & its Divisions of Environmental Management, Protected Areas, Fisheries, & Maritime | Oversee 39 staff & offices on 4 islands | Monitor performance | Develop & administer annual budget (US$2.5M) | Recruit staff | Strategize enforcement, development of law & policy, research & monitoring, education, outreach & communication, revenue collection, administration & logistics | Modernize environmental management | Enhance Department’s productivity | Source staff training | Recruit expertise (in-house & outsourced) | Raise funds | Strengthen local, international & regional partnerships | Advise Cabinet & Gov. Departments on environment | Liaise with Governor’s Office & UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office | Represent Gov. at international fora | Coordinate inter-departmental collaboration | Serve on Gov. boards & committees
Intra-Governmental Collaborations – Biosecurity: Dept. Agriculture, TC National Trust | Environmental Law: Attorney General’s Chambers, Officer of Director of Public Prosecutions, Governor’s Office | Enforcement: Police, Dept. Environmental Health, Immigration, Integrity Commission | Physical development: Dept. Planning, Dept. Lands | Outreach & Education: Dept. Education, TC National Trust, Tourist Board | Disaster management: Dept. of Disaster Management & Emergencies
Ex-Officio Boards, Committees, etc. – Fishery Advisory Committee (Chair) | CITES Scientific & Management Authorities (Chair) | Disaster & Emergency Management Marine Oil Spill Subcommittee (Chair) | Joint Law Enforcement Group (Vice Chair) | Climate Change Committee | National Security Advisory Group | Crown Land Advisory Panel | Physical Planning Board | Water & Sewerage Board
Outputs – Cabinet Papers – Fisheries 21 | Protected Areas 16 | Development & Mining 10 | Cultural Heritage 3 | Research 2 | Misc. 11 [number – Cabinet Papers drafted]
Policies Developed – Climate Change | Development on Accreted Coastal Land | Foreign Fishers1 | Sand & Quarry Extraction1 | Sargassum & Beaches1 | Sustainable Yacht Tourism1 [1 near completion]
Legislative Amendments – Fisheries Protection Regulations 16(9) | National Parks Ordinance 7 | National Parks Regulations (23) | Protection of Historic Wrecks Regulations 17 [number – Sections amended or new | parentheses – approved but yet to commence]
Public Stakeholder Meetings – Protected Areas 9 | Fisheries 8 [number – meetings held]
Departmental Initiatives – Established two new departments: Environment & Coastal Resources vs Maritime & Shipping | Grew staff component by 50% | Introduced new system for staff appraisals and work plans | Redefined reporting lines & protocols | Trained staff: 100% locally, >50% overseas | Increased fleet (vessels & vehicles) by 100% | MOUs/MOCs – 5 signed & 6 in development
Publications 3 | Conference presentations 10
2014-2015 PROJECT LEADER – Sustaining Endangered Nassau grouper in the Turks & Caicos
Role – Designed project to address needs for management of Nassau grouper | Developed collaborations & project partners | Secured funding (US$30K in grants & US$50K+ in-kind support) | Conducted socio-economic, ecological, & fisheries research
Outputs – Multi-species spawning sites protected 1 | Conference presentations 3 | Publications 2
2014 VISITING SCIENTIST – Stanford University, Hopkins Marine Station, California 🔗
Role – Investigated effectiveness of marine reserves for fishes with different patterns of movement over lifetimes | Collaborated on development of individual-based dispersal model | Analysed spatial, demographic, and habitat data | Contributed to seminar series on mathematical models in ecology
Outputs – Publications 1 | Conference presentations 2 | Fisheries workshops 1 | Seminar presentations 1
2012-2013 PROGRAM DIRECTOR & RESIDENT LECTURER – The School for Field Studies Tropical Island Biodiversity & Conservation Studies, Bocas del Toro, Panamá 🔗
Role – Created & ran new residential multi-disciplinary coastal research, education & outreach program for US undergraduate students | Evaluated logistical viability | Managed risk of remote setting | Recruited staff | Nurtured strategic partnerships with local & international bodies | Designed lectures, workshops & field activities | Developed & administered annual budget (US$350K+) | Oversaw 11 staff & 18 students | Taught resource management, conservation biology, research methods | Evaluated program success | Moved program to new facility
Outputs – Programs established 1 | Courses developed 5 | Publications 2 | Conference presentations 1 | Student projects supervised 15 | Public presentations 2
2011-2012 LECTURER IN TROPICAL MARINE CONSERVATION BIOLOGY – CIEE Research Station Bonaire , Dutch Caribbean 🔗
Role – Designed & delivered undergraduate level courses in tropical marine conservation biology & led research projects | Taught survey data collection, data analysis, & report writing | Conducted collaborative & independent field research | Designed & implemented outreach initiatives with local partners | Supervised graduate teaching assistants, interns & volunteers
Outputs – Courses developed 2 | Publications 2 | Student projects supervised 13 | Public presentations 2
2008-2010 CENTRE DIRECTOR & RESIDENT LECTURER – Boston University (BU) Lectureship, The School for Field Studies, Centre for Marine Resource Studies, Turks & Caicos Islands (SFS-CMRS) 🔗
Role – Managed residential, education, research & outreach centre | Oversaw all academics, research, finance, logistics, safety, & recruitment | Developed & administered annual budget (US$750K+) | Oversaw 13 staff & 35 students (100+ per annum) | Designed fisheries & marine research to support policy development | Taught survey design, data collection, data analysis & report writing | Served on CITES Scientific Authority Committee for the Turks & Caicos Islands Gov.
Outputs – Courses developed 1 | Publications 4 | Conference presentations 4 | Student projects supervised 50+ | Public presentations 6 | Rebuilt centre following 2008 hurricanes
2005-2008 RESIDENT LECTURER IN TROPICAL MARINE ECOLOGY – BU Lectureship SFS-CMRS 🔗
Role – Designed & delivered courses in tropical marine ecology: lectures, workshops, field activities | Taught survey design, data collection, data analysis & report writing | Led research projects | Conducted research in collaboration with local & international partners | Designed & implemented outreach initiatives
Outputs – Courses developed 3 | Publications 4 | Conference presentations 4 | Student projects supervised 70+ | Public presentations 6
2001-2004 RESEARCHER IN RESIDENCE – Mahonia na Dari Research & Conservation Centre, Papua New Guinea 🔗
Role – Assisted running conservation & research centre | Delivered environmental classes | Conducted research | Collaborated on reef monitoring
Outputs – Publications 3 | Environmental education manual 1 | Protocol for surveying Locally Managed Marine Areas | PhD thesis
EDUCATION
2005 Ph.D., James Cook University, Townsville, Australia 🔗, School of Marine & Tropical Biology, The structure and dynamics of spawning aggregations of coral reef fish
2000 Master of Applied Science, James Cook University, Townsville, Australia 🔗, Tropical Marine Ecology & Fisheries Biology
1998 Bachelor of Science (Honours), St. Andrews University, Fife, Scotland 🔗, Marine & Environmental Biology
STRATEGIC PARTNERSHIPS & COLLABORATIONS
Stanford University | Scripps Institution of Oceanography UC San Diego | ISMAR CNR Italy | University of Genoa | Oregon State University | James Cook University | Duke University | University of Exeter | University of Santa Cruz | Virginia Institute of Marine Science | Memorial University of Newfoundland (Too Big To Ignore) | UK Foreign & Commonwealth Office | Commonwealth Secretariat | Royal Navy | NOAA | Joint Nature Conservation Committee | US Fish & Wildlife Service | US Geological Survey | Centre for Environment, Fisheries & Aquaculture Science (UK Gov.) | STINAPA Bonaire National Parks Foundation | Pew Charitable Trusts | Marine Conservation Society | The Nature Conservancy | Royal Society for the Protection of Birds | Gulf & Caribbean Fisheries Institute | UK Overseas Territory Conservation Forum | Reef Environmental Education Foundation | Turks & Caicos National Trust
GRANTS/FUNDING/AWARDS
2016 Darwin Plus, DEFRA & UK Foreign Office, Regional collaboration to achieve sustainable Caribbean fisheries management, Project lead – Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science
2016 Darwin Plus, DEFRA & UK Foreign Office, Saving the Turks and Caicos Iguana, Project lead – RSPB, Partner – Turks & Caicos National Trust
2016 Conflict, Stability and Security Fund, UK Government, Mapping coastal habitats of TCI, Project lead – Joint Nature Conservation Committee
2016 BEST 2.0, EU, Capacity building and increased financing for long term monitoring programs for coral reefs in the Turks and Caicos Islands, Project lead – Wolf’s Company, Partner – Gulf & Caribbean Fisheries Institute
2014 Flagship Species Fund, DEFRA & Fauna & Flora International, Spawning aggregations of Nassau grouper in the Turks and Caicos Islands
2014 Friends of Turks and Caicos Reef Fund, Spawning aggregations of Nassau grouper in the Turks and Caicos Islands
2010 Fred Karush Endowed Library Readership, Marine Biological Laboratory/Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute Library
2007 PADI Project AWARE, Enhancing the carrying capacity of coral reef habitats around South Caicos: Propagation of branching corals and use of artificial structures
2001-2014 Researcher in Residence Fellowship, Mahonia na Dari, Kimbe Bay, Papua New Guinea
LANGUAGES
English (native) | French | Spanish | Italian | Papua New Guinean Pidgin
TEACHING
2012–2013 Tropical Coastal Ecology 4 credits SFS-TIBS
2012–2013 Natural Resource Management 4 credits SFS-TIBS
2012–2013 Directed Research 4 credits SFS-TIBS
2011–2012 Tropical Marine Conservation Biology 3 credits CIEE Bonaire
2011–2012 Independent Research 4 credits CIEE Bonaire
2009–2010 Marine Resource Management 4 credits BU (SFS-CMRS)
2005–2008 Tropical Marine Ecology 4 credits BU (SFS-CMRS)
2005–2010 Directed Research 4 credits BU (SFS-CMRS)
2005–2009 Marine Parks Management 4 credits BU (SFS-CMRS)
BU – Boston University Lectureship; SFS – The School for Field Studies | TIBS – Tropical Island Biodiversity & Conservation Studies | CMRS – Centre for Marine Resource Studies | CIEE – Council on International Educational Exchange
OUTREACH & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
2019– Turks & Caicos Islands – Established FisherfolkFirst non-profit organization to help empower marginalized coastal communities
2015–2017 Turks & Caicos Islands, Taught classes in Junior Park Warden program | Swimming lessons
2012–2013 Panamá, Developed environmental awareness and capacity building initiatives in remote indigenous Ngöbe villages | English as second language classes | After-school programs | Marine conservation classes for Manos Para el Mar (local NGO)
2011–2012 Bonaire, School & after-school programs | Public lectures: marine protected areas for fisheries & biodiversity, lionfish invasion
2005–2010 Turks & Caicos Islands, Awareness initiatives: fisheries, pollution, invasive species | School & after-school programs: biology, ecology, conservation classes | Scientific Authority Committee (government): queen conch export quotas
2002–2004 Papua New Guinea, Marine Environmental Education Program, Mahonia na Dari (local NGO) | Awareness initiatives: marine protected areas, fish spawning aggregations
Links
Policy and governance