TARA SAYURI WHITTY, PhD Social-ecological research • Project evaluation • Research training • Technical writing President & Consultant at Keiruna Inc. keiruna.com Engagement & Social-Ecological Expert at MarFishEco [email protected] Conservation Program Advisor for Myanmar Coastal Conservation Lab San Diego, California, USA I work for more effective, ethical, and equitable project implementation as a social-ecological researcher, program EDUCATION advisor & evaluator, trainer, and writer-editor. I apply a Ph.D. 2014 | M.Sc. 2009 Design Thinking approach to inform creative, locally-driven, and Scripps Institution of Oceanography socially responsible solutions to environmental and social issues, University of California San Diego and to improve the planning, implementation, evaluation, and communication of projects. My work is primarily in the B.A. 2005 conservation sector with a focus on social processes and impacts Ecology & Evolutionary Biology in conservation projects, as well as social-ecological assessment Environmental Studies Certificate of marine megafauna bycatch, and I am also eager to expand Princeton University more fully into development and humanitarian sectors. KEY AREAS OF WORK • Qualitative, quantitative, and participatory social-ecological research and evaluation of project processes and outcomes, particularly at the interface between conservation & communities (e.g. the issue of marine megafauna bycatch) • Developing and implementing tools & programs for transdisciplinary, Human-Centered research & training, and strengthening local skills and access to tools for social-ecological research & action • Technical writing and general science, conservation, & environmental writing for diverse audiences CURRENT PROJECTS Conservation & Research Program Advisor, Developing a Transdisciplinary Conservation Myanmar Coastal Conservation Lab (MCCL) @ Training Program | Oregon State University’s Point B Design + Training, Myanmar | Feb 2020 – Marine Mammal Institute | Jan 2020-present present. Advising transdisciplinary conservation Designing a Design Thinking-based training research & strategy for this youth group at Point B’s program for OSU students and young conservation Design Thinking lab; developing curriculum and professionals from developing countries trainings for conservation internship program; building skills in research and action with Conservation Research and Training Consultant, communities, marine megafauna, mangroves, Helvetas Myanmar | Feb 2020 – present. plastic waste, qualitative project evaluation, Coordinating and providing strategic conservation awareness campaigns, and community input for the Gulf of Mottama Project (GoMP), a collaboration; evaluating training impacts; tracking multi-sector effort for biodiversity conservation, indicator-based progress for donors. natural resource management, and resilient communities; organizing and training local Rapid assessment of marine megafauna bycatch university research teams in conservation research; in the Philippines | Pacific Island Fisheries Science overseeing Most Significant Change evaluations in Center, Large Marine Vertebrate Research Institute selected project villages. of the Philippines (LAMAVE) | 2017-present. Developing and guiding implementation of a Technical Advisor and Editor | Myanmar Ocean toolkit to assess marine megafauna bycatch; Project | Jul 2019-present. Advising approach for including development of field team training studying social context of ghost gear (gear program, guidance on project implementation, discards) in Myeik Archipelago; report editing. evaluation of research toolkit effectiveness PREVIOUS CONSULTANCIES Human Communities Technical Advisor | CMS Consultant for Gulf of Mottama Project | IUCN, Dugong MOU Project | 2016-2017 Myanmar | May to Nov 2017. Supported IUCN’s Part of the Technical Advisor group that activities in the GoMP, including: representing developed the multidisciplinary Dugong & IUCN in planning Phase 2 of the GoMP; drafting Seagrass Research Toolkit; developed the Human IUCN’s workplan, logical framework, and M&E Communities stream and delivered orientation to indicators; providing technical support to users. Mawlamyine University students and staff. Tara Sayuri Whitty, PhD 2 WORK & RESEARCH EXPERIENCE Gulf of Mottama International Advisor. International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) | Nov 2017 – Dec 2019. Managed and implemented IUCN’s research- and governance-related activities for the Gulf of Mottama Project (GoMP), a large-scale, multi-sector project on integrated coastal management and development. Received training in ecological & social safeguards. • Developed and oversaw implementation of GoMP Research Strategy and GoMP Conservation Research & Training Program (including annual needs assessments, gap analyses, impact evaluation) • Completed the drafting of the stakeholder-driven Gulf of Mottama Management Plan • Established participatory evaluation of project impacts in communities with “Most Significant Change” approach; tracked progress against quantitative indicators • Collaborated with/mentored MCCL at Point B Design + Training on conservation research and action and co-developed an innovative conservation internship program based on Design Thinking • Supervised 10 university research teams (natural & social sciences), and conducted research with local teams on marine megafauna, mangroves, fisheries, and social aspects of management • Developed trainings for local Civil Society Organizations through the Shared Resources-Joint Solutions project and Critical Ecosystem Partnership Fund • Prepared reports and presentations (technical and for the public); assisted on grant proposals • Engaged stakeholders (village, state, and national-level) through stakeholder consultations, participatory research strategy review meetings, interactive Research Symposium for Stakeholders Conservation Assessment Scholar & National Science Foundation (NSF) Science, Engineering, and Education for Sustainability (SEES) Postdoctoral Fellow. Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation (CMBC), Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO), UCSD; Gulf of California Marine Program; Too Big To Ignore network for small-scale fisheries research | 2014-2017 Focused on how we evaluate “success in conservation,” as applied to the concept of stewardship: • Stewardship framework: Co-developed updated framework for environmental stewardship; co- coordinator for Too Big To Ignore’s Stewardship & Small-scale Fisheries research cluster • Stakeholder perspectives on the future of conservation in the Upper Gulf of California, with a focus on the Critically Endangered Vaquita with San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research. Stakeholder-based evaluation of vaquita (Phocoena sinus) conservation pathways, including community impacts and outlook for the future. Used scenario analysis and results chain evaluation. Developed concept of counterproductive conservation pathways. Trained 2 young researchers. • Exploring potential modes of coastal stewardship in Myanmar with Point B Design + Training, IUCN, Fauna & Flora International . Human-centered research on communities and conservation, fisheries management in the context of Myanmar’s changing policies, including stakeholder assessments of conservation processes. Trained 3 young researchers Conservationscapes of Marine Mammal Bycatch: Dissertation Project. Center for Marine Biodiversity and Conservation, SIO, UCSD | 2009-2014 . Advisors: Lisa T. Ballance, Paul Dayton Collaborators: WWF-Philippines; Yayasan Konservasi Rare and Aquatic Species of Indonesia; Guimaras State College; University of St. La Salle-Bacolod; Silliman Institute for Environmental and Marine Science; Thai Dept. of Marine and Coastal Resources; San Francisco State Uni.; Tropical Marine Research for Conservation Developed a novel social-ecological approach (“conservationscape”) to evaluate small-scale fisheries bycatch, conservation impacts, and conservation outlooks of marine megafauna, applied to Irrawaddy dolphins (Orcaella brevirostris) in Thailand, the Philippines, and Indonesia, using boat- based line transect surveys, photo-ID, and community interviews; developed extensive network of local collaborators (NGOs, government agencies, universities). Trained local field teams (24 field assistants). Procured all funding independently. Small-scale & Artisanal Fisheries Research Network Founder & Awards & Fellowships include: co-chair. 2010-2017. Interdisciplinary research group, CMBC-SIO. 2011 Fulbright U.S. Student Scholar (Philippines program); Community-Centred Conservation (C3) Madagascar Research 2011 National Geographic Explorer associate. 2009. Developed interview-based assessment of marine (NGS-Waitt Grant); 2008-2011 NSF megafauna bycatch; trained local research team. Graduate Fellow; 2007-2008 San Diego Diversity Fellow; 2013 UCSD Pro Delphinus Visiting researcher. 2008. Fieldwork on marine Graduate Student Association otters (Lontra felina) in Peru; data management, analysis, reporting. Interdisciplinary Research Award Tara Sayuri Whitty, PhD 3 Evaluation & Research Methods: Qualitative & quantitative project evaluation (including Most Significant Change, Results Chain analysis or Causal Link Monitoring, Outcome Mapping, Institutional Histories, Development Evaluation, Contribution Analysis, Beneficiary Assessment, LogFrames); Household surveys, key informant interviews, and focus group discussions, with specific tools including Journey Mapping, Scenario Analysis, Participatory