Blogger Profile: Russ Van Horn

Russ Van Horn, Ph.D., serves the San Diego Zoo Institute for Conservation Research as a scientist in the Applied Animal Ecology Division, leading our Andean bear conservation program. He also serves as an adjunct professor in the department of biology at San Diego State University. His academic training took him from his master's thesis at Montana State University to his doctorate at Michigan State University and a postdoctorate appointment at Duke University. He has been involved in research on wildlife ranging from savanna baboons and spotted hyenas to charismatic small mammals, neotropical migrant songbirds, elk, and bison. Russ is interested in integrating behavioral and ecological theory into conservation research and practice, using direct and indirect behavioral and genetic methods. He feels strongly that effective conservation requires the involvement of local biologists and the support of local communities. Russ is certified as an associate wildlife biologist by The Wildlife Society and has been a lead or secondary author on 22 scientific publications.