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 -

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

-          independent and adaptable, very curious

-       enthusiastic team player with strong leadership abilities

-          fluent in written/ verbal German, French, Spanish

-          experimental project design, statistical analysis (Minitab, SAS)

-          organize and lead interpretative excursions: green roofs, Sierra Club, Natural History

WORK EXPERIENCE                                                                                                  

Marie Curie Early Stage Researcher (PhD), University of Sheffield (Oct. 2009 - June 2012)

• help develop a native plant screening protocoll for green roofs in different climate zones
• re-create calcareous grassland communities on green roofs in England and Germany
• assist in networking green roof researchers in UK, Europe and beyond
• teaching of green roof and field ecology modules (e.g., LSC 210 Habitats and Communities, spring 2010)
  

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
• plan, organize and run BCIT Green Roof Gathering and Tours, June 2008
• organize and lead monthly Open House and tours, teach designated courses (see below)
• website development, answer questions on info_greenroof@bcit.ca
• proposal writing support, articles, media relations
• collaborative researcher for 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)

• work with summer student to 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 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 to landscape architects, municipalities, panels: native plants, green roofs
• coordinate NATS’ sustainability efforts: conserve, reduce, reuse, recycle, compost

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, Centre for Green Roof Research, Department of Horticulture, The Pennsylvania State University (Sept 2003 – May 2005)

• MSc. thesis: Green roof plant responses to different media and depths in drought.
• 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)
• produce report, with maps, for Red Mulberry Recovery Team

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 4 detailed maps (1:2,000) for abiotic, biotic, cultural and planning aspects of area
• produce a report based on past studies and current biotic observations

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
• identify native tallgrass prairie and bog species in the field

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)

• convince landowners of stewardship benefits for Carroll Creek (tributary of Grand River)
• 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                                                                                                                                          

-          BCIT Lecturer: GROW 3000 Green roofs and living walls for environmental solutions.

o       Plant and substrate selection for green roofs (Oct. 29 2007)

o       Interior living walls (Dec. 3 2007)

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

       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       Green roofs are growing up. Sept. 2007 Menziesia (Native Plant Society B.C)

o       Wet roofs for enhanced green roof performance. Oct. 2007. Green Roof Infrastructure Monitor (GRHC)

-          Speaking engagements:

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

o       Speaker, Die Natur auf dem Dach. Rotary Club Reutte. (March 2006)

o       Presenter, Plant responses to drought on extensive green roofs. 4^th annual Greening Rooftops for Sustainable Communities conference, Boston (May 2006)

          o       Panelist, Green Roof Seminar. CanWest Hort Show (Sept. 25 2006)

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                                                                                                                                                                                        

-          Green Roofs for Healthy Cities Committees: Research-; Growing Media-; Course Development- (Plants and Growing Media Selection – 401 Course) (2005 – current)

-      Society for Ecological Restoration (member)

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

-          Penn State Graduate Student Association: Departmental delegate, Social Committee Member, Chair (2004, 2005), HUB Advisory Board (2005)

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

-          Organize composting programs (PSU College of Agricultural Sciences, NATS Nursery)

 

AWARDS                                                                                                               

-          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