Biodiversity Research Institute (BRI) today announced the appointment of H. Bruce Rinker, Ph.D. as director of scientific advancement and development. In this newly created position, Rinker will build on the Institute’s strength as an innovator of wildlife science to further develop external relationships within the scientific and philanthropic communities.

“We are at a pivotal moment when it is essential to link our science to the general public,” says BRI executive director David Evers, Ph.D. “Bruce’s deep understanding of ecology coupled with his dynamic energy will help us grab the attention of those who may not be aware of vital conservation issues. We are pleased he has joined us.”

A native Virginian, Rinker has traveled the world as an ecologist, educator, and explorer. His scientific expeditions have taken him to Latin America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East, and Australia. “I am thrilled to bring my set of skills as a scientist and science educator to this post,” says Rinker. “Our conservation successes will depend upon robust communication and trust between the scientific community and the public. Here at BRI, the opportunity to make a difference on the local, regional, and international stages is palpable.” As part of his mission, Rinker will lead ecotours for the public to some of BRI’s research sites. Visit www.briloon.org/oae/bri-goings-on for more information.

Prior to his appointment at BRI, Rinker chaired the science department at North Cross School in Roanoke, VA, where he taught biology, environmental studies, and tropical ecology. From 2004 to 2009, he was the Environmental Lands Division Director for Pinellas County, FL, supervising a staff of 50 personnel and 500 volunteers engaged in long-term management of nearly 16,000 acres of county-owned environmentally sensitive lands and waterways. From 2000 to 2004, as Rinker completed his doctorate in environmental studies at Antioch University Graduate School, he directed the Research and Conservation Department at the Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota, FL. He is a National Fellow of The Explorers Club, a Fellow of the New York Academy of Sciences, and a Switzer Environmental Fellow. Rinker is science advisor for Sustenta.com and a newly appointed board member for Naturalia, both based in México City, as well as a member of the research board for the Amazon Conservatory for Tropical Studies (Iquitos, Perú). He is coeditor and contributor to Forest Canopies (2004, Elsevier Press) and Gaia in Turmoil: Climate Change, Biodepletion, and Earth Ethics in an Age of Crisis (2010, MIT Press). For more information, visit www.briloon.org/about-bri.