Curriculum vitae

CHRISTINE E. THURING                                                                                               

oBJECTIVE                                                                                                                                                                                      

To integrate ecological functions into the built environment through collaborative research, design, development and application.

EDUCATION                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                

PhD candidate, University of Sheffield, Dept of Landscape                                                               Oct 2009 - Jan 2013

MSc. Horticulture, Dept Horticulture, Penn State University                                                            May 2005

BSc. Environmental Resource Science and Biology, Trent University                                                June 1999

Universität Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany (year abroad)                                                                1997- 1998

SKILLS                                                                                                                         

-          excellent communication and interpersonal skills             - effective organizer and good time management

-          independent and adaptable                                                     - enthusiastic team player, positive leadership

-          fluent in written/ spoken German, French, Spanish          - project design and management, statistics

WORK EXPERIENCE                                                                                                       

Marie Curie Early Stage Researcher (PhD), University of Sheffield (Oct. 2009 - expected graduation 2013)

• help develop a native plant screening protocoll for green roofs in different climate zones
• PhD: Calcareous grassland as a model for diverse green roof vegetation: establishment and long-term dynamics

Translation and intranet service, Plansee SE (Aug 2008 -)

• translate policies, guidelines, basic agreements, etc. from German to English
• provide dynamic translation support to co-workers, cross-departmental
• update intranet, improve Visitor Registration system through consultation and design
  

Green Roof Safari (Sept. 2008)

• plan, organize, manage and run 6-day study tour of green roofs in Germany and Switzerland
• www.greenroofsafari.com
  

BCIT Centre for Architectural Ecology (May 2006 – June 2008)

• Marketing and Communications Strategist
• Collaborative researcher (experimental design of Elevated Rooftop Platform)
• Project Coordinator, World Urban Festival (May – June 2006)

Advisor to vegetation surveys (volunteer), Burns BogConservation Society (June – Sept. 2007)

• help develop experimental design for long-term vegetation monitoring  plots in the Delta Nature Reserve
• field work: establish transects and quadrats, identify plants and other incidental biota
• analyze data with student, co-author final report

Resident Ecologist and Living Roof Specialist, N.A.T.S. Nursery Ltd. (July 2006 – July 2007)

• support Sales team with native plant substitutions, green roof plant requests
• develop native plant lists for biofiltration, green roofs, living walls, restoration projects
• contribute to NATS’ involvements: Invasive Plant Council B.C, Evergreen, BCLNA, etc.
• presentations > landscape architects, municipalities, conference panels (native plants, living architecture)

Independent green roof contractor, Austria (October 2005 – April 2006)

• site visits and planning for green roof division of Halbartschlager GmbH (Sierning)
• installation of extensive green roofs across Austria (until season end)
• write articles for Greenroofs.com, GRHC, Canadian Botanical Conservation Network

Organization Team Leader, 1^st World Green Roof Congress, Basel (Aug – Sept 2005)

• Congress Proceedings: proof-read all articles, translate abstracts and keynotes
• coordinate 4-person student team in translating 200-page Green Roof Course Manual
• guide a two-day excursion, responsible for between 15 and 40 people

Green roof consultant, O-An Zendo, Julian Woods, PA (May – July 2005)

• green roof design: arrange structural assessment, order materials, supervise installation

Graduate Research Assistant (MSc), The Pennsylvania State University (Sept 2003 – May 2005)

• MSc. thesis: Green roof plant responses to different media and depths in drought. Access publication below.
  
• Presented at 5^th annual Greening Rooftops for Healthy Cities conference, May 2006

Intern, Green Roof Plants, Emory Knoll Farms, Street, MD. (June – July 2003) 

• nursery work, including propagation and care, organize green roof species into groups
• roll vegetation mats for delivery to Boston World Trade Centre

Intern, Green roof division, Bienger GmbH, Schallstadt, Germany (Sept. – Dec. 2002)

• site inspections, research, writing, green roof installation, green roof maintenance

Species-at-Risk Technician, Royal Botanical Gardens (RBG), Hamilton, ON. (July – Dec. 2001)

• define plant communities in RBG nature reserves using Ecological Land Classification
• create database for rare plants of southern Ontario, RBG Seedbank Program
• identify endangered and rare plant species in the field
• determine status of Red Mulberry population (map trees, assess health, delineate habitat)

Chapter Coordinator, Sierra Club Eastern Canada Chapter, Toronto, ON. (Jan. – May 2001)

• recruit and train volunteers, run the office and administrative functions of the Chapter
• carry out fundraising program based on conservation campaigns and other goals
• support the research, development, and execution of Chapter conservation campaigns

Contract Plant Ecologist, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) (Oct. 2000, 2001)

• measure growth and survival of prairie species in planted plots (see OMNR, 1999)
• record frequency for sown– and for invasive species in seeded plots
• estimate percent cover for sown prairie species, and for invasive species

Land Resource Technician, Grand River Conservation Authority (May – Sept. 2000)

• develop a management plant for Laurel Creek Conservation Area, Waterloo, ON
• reconnaissance studies of faunal populations, wetland boundaries, invasive exotics
• create report with detailed maps (1:2,000) on the abiotic, biotic, cultural and planning aspects of area

Restoration Ecologist Assistant, OMNR (May – Sept. 1999)

• assist in design and implementation of a field trial comparing planting methods and cover crop type for the establishment of tallgrass prairie in gravel pits
• establish permanent plots, carry out full vegetation assessments in Wainfleet bog

Gardener, University Hohenheim Botanical Gardens, Stuttgart, Germany (April – July 1998)

• bag and transfer saplings and annuals from greenhouse to fields
• basic gardening work (planting, weeding, watering, trail maintenance)

Science Transfer and Landowner Contact, OMNR (June – Aug 1997)

• introduce landowners to stewardship benefits for Carroll Creek Project
  
• arrange Open House for researchers and landowners (mostly Old Order Mennonite)
• compile a compendium of the various research projects comprising the overall Project

PROFESSIONAL ENGAGEMENTS                                                                                                                                        

-          Publications: 

       o      Thuring, C.E., R.D. Berghage & D.J. Beattie. April 2010. Green roof plant responses to different substrate types and depths under various drought conditions. HortTechnology 20(2): 395-401.

       o      Brenneisen, S. und C. Thuring, 2008.Oekologischer Ausgleich auf dem Dach: Das Dach als Lebensraum. NATUR & Land (Naturschutzbund Oesterreich) 5(6): 16-19.

       o      Nagase, A. and C. Thuring, 2006. Plant responses to drought on extensive green roofs: the effects of temperature, substrate type and substrate depth. In: Proc. of 4th North American Green Roof Conference: Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities, Boston, MA. May 11-12, 2006. Toronto: The Cardinal Group.

       o     Thuring, C. Aug. 2007. Living roofs for the Pacific Northwest. Menziesia 12(2): 1-8. Native Plant Society of British Columbia. Vancouver, B.C.

       o     Thuring, C. Oct 2007. Wet roofs for enhanced green roof performance. Green Roof Infrastructure Monitor 9(2): 6-9. Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, Toronto.

       o     Greenroofs.com > Christine's Ramblings, Sky Gardens blog, Green Roofs on the Curve (newsletter)

        -          Teaching (including course development and delivery):

• University of Sheffield
  
• LSC 210 Habitats and Communities (spring 2010) > field ecology module for 2nd year students
  
• Postgraduate Cafe Forum > develop outline and guidelines for RTP-accredited module

• British Columbia Institute of Technology
  
• GROW 3000 Green roofs and living walls for environmental solutions > living wall content

-          Speaking engagements:

o       Panelist, Future directions for green roof research. 6^th Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities conference, Baltimore, MA (May 2008)

o       Panelist, Invasive species. BCSLA AGM, CE forum (April 12 2007)

o       Presenter (2 sessions) Designing biofiltration BMPs for stormwater quality improvement in Victoria, B.C. University of Wisconsin-Madison ‘Engineering Professional Development’  (May 7-9, 2007)

o       Speaker, Living roofs for the Pacific Northwest. Vancouver Natural History Society/ Native Plant Society B.C. (Sept. 27, 2007)

o       Guest Expert, Living architecture and ecological design. Light House Sustainable Building Centre (Nov. 3, 2007)

OTHER                                                                                                                                                                                         
       -          Sheffield organizer (Avaaz) Global Candlelight Vigil: "The World Wants a Real Deal" (Dec 2009) (see article here)

-         Contributing Editor, Greenroofs.com (2004 – current)

-        Green Roofs for Healthy Cities Committees: Research-, Growing Media-, Course Development- (Plants and Growing Media Selection – 401 Course) (2004 – current)

-        University of Sheffield Committees: PROGRESS (The Postgraduate Society), Postgrad Cafe Forum (founding member)

-        Penn State Committees: Graduate Student's Association, HUB Advisory Board

-      Society for Ecological Restoration (member since 2007)

-        Volunteer: Our Community Bikes, WorkLessParty, Burns Bog Conservation Society, Camosun Bog Restoration Group

AWARDS                                                                                                                    

-         EU Marie Curie Industry-Academia Partnership Program - PhD funding (2009 - 2011)

-          Katherine Mabis McKenna Fellowship, Academic Excellence (2003, 2004)

-          3^rd place: PSU Graduate Research Exhibition, Poster Session (2004)

-          Marty Wannamaker Award for Spirit and Involvement, Trent University (1999)

REFERENCES                                                                                                                                                                               

• available upon request