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JOHN AHRENS Career Objective: To promote the economic productivity of the Lesser Developed Countries while integrating the needs of people and the environment through flexible development and sound natural resource conservation. Relevant Experience: March 2000-present Staff Technical Writer: Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science, Los Angeles, CA. Technical writing, editing and production of Grant Proposals, research papers and presentations (including Powerpoint slides); web page design and administration; computer technical assistance, general office administration. July 1998-March 2000 Administrative Assistant: Environmental Developers, Incorporated, Santa Monica, CA. Bookkeeping, shipping, receiving, publicity, legal aide, computer maintenance, non-profit set up and operation, web-site maintenance, database creation and maintenance. April 1998-August 1998 Athletic Tutor: Tutoring of student athletes in political science and english courses. April 1998-June 1998 Course Reader: Reading and grading of examinations for "Political Economy of Africa" course. October 1997-June 1998 Administrative/Production assistant: James S. Coleman African Studies Center, University of California, Los Angeles. Responsible for production of Center's fliers, programs, newsletters, bulletins; maintenance of Center's web site; organization of e-mail distribution lists. September 1997-present Masters of Arts in African Studies Graduate Student: University of California Los Angeles James S. Coleman African Studies Center. Majoring in Political Science and Economics. (Political Economy and Africa's place in Economic Globalization and the New World Order ). August 1997-present Teacher/Tutor: Sylvan Learning Centers, San Marino California. Instructing, guiding and assisting school-aged students with math, reading and writing. July 1996 - February 1997 Office administrative assistant: Robinsons-May Department Store. Cash office administration: accounting of daily revenues including computer data entry, balancing 73 cash registers, two cash tills and cash vault, and preparing daily deposits. Executive office administration: assistant to executive secretary, downloading and managing of computer software, computer inputs, answering phones, handling customer problems. Customer service: gift wrap, ticket master sales, customer service, employee assistance, UPS shipping. January - May 1996 Teaching assistant: Assisted with organization and set-up of the Outdoor Recreation Consortium to be held at Great Smoky Mountain Institute at Tremont. This included contacting Tremont staff, organizing speakers and updating handbooks from consortiums held in previous years at Land Between the Lakes, Tennessee. June - December 1995 Human dimensions research assistant: Worked with neighborhood associations to promote a greater understanding of local environmental issues. This was part of a community project involving the establishment of greenbelts through the city of Columbia, Missouri. This involved organizing workshops, interviewing residents and discussing city proposals. January 1994 - December 1995 Master of Science degree, graduate research assistant: Examined relationship between the amphibian and reptile communities living in riparian areas and the extent of development of the surrounding uplands. Trapped and identified the amphibians and reptiles living in each study area, analyzed ground cover through field survey and land use from a land use map. For data analysis, used Excel, Systat and SAS statistical programs. Research involved regular interaction with the public as much of the work was conducted on private property. Peace Corps Volunteer Service (Uganda, June 1991- June 1993): January-June 1993 Field advisor and supervisor- biological inventory: Supervised and advised forest ranger / inventory specialists conducting biological inventories in several forest reserves located in western-central Uganda. Assisted with technical aspects and participated in some of the inventory activities. Identified and sorted butterfly species. September-December 1992 Training course designer- biodiversity training course: Designed a training course adapted for teaching forest officers about biodiversity and wildlife conservation. The course was subsequently organized and is being used to educate all levels of personnel in Uganda's Forest Department. May-August 1992 Coordinator/teacher/trainer- biological inventory and biodiversity training course: Coordinated, with a Ugandan counterpart, a training course designed to educate forest rangers about biodiversity and conservation of wildlife and to train them in biological inventory techniques. Taught course in basic ecological concepts related to conservation, rarity and extinction. Trained rangers in map and compass use for surveying study areas and plotting blazed trails. Field trained rangers in biological inventory techniques. This was done in the Itwara and Semliki Forest Reserves. September, 1991 - December, 1992. Project ecologist: Developed and implemented a fire management plan for a large grassland located in the Ngogo Nature Preserve in the Kibale Forest Reserve. Developed an inventory program for the complete biological inventory of the Kibale Forest Reserve. Designed several management plans for the Ngogo Preserve. Updated vegetation cover-maps using aerial photos. Assisted with issues related to chimpanzee habituation for tourism at the Kanyanchu Tourism Camp of Kibale Forest. September 1991 - December 1992 Research camp manager: Managed a field research camp located in the Ngogo Nature Preserve in the Kibale Forest Reserve. Supervised and managed game guards and maintenance workers, directed patrols and field work, supervised camp design, construction and maintenance. Assisted and hosted visiting researchers and guests, managed and operated a dormitory facility used by visitors. Other Peace Corps volunteer responsibilities: Helped set-up and became first elected member of the Peace Corps-Uganda Volunteer Advisory Council, a conduit for information exchange between volunteers and Peace Corps Staff. Initiated, designed, developed, produced and edited a volunteer newsletter for volunteers posted in Uganda. Additional Experience Non-Profit Organization President: World Community Development Project. Founder and president of this Los Angeles based organization set up to establish business development centers throughout the developing world with initial focus on African nations. African Businessman: JOROBI Enterprises, Ltd. Part-owner and vice-president of this Uganda-based business. We operate in a number of areas including private secondary schools and small grocery stores. As a company we are interested in developing value-added agricultural exports, and exploring additional opportunities for increased private investment in Uganda, the East African community and Africa as a whole. University Foundation Trustee: African University Foundation. This organization is the fund-raising branch of African University, a bold, new approach to post-secondary education in Africa. Currently based in Indiana, the Foundation seeks to raise public and private investment for the construction and implementation of African University in Tali, Cameroon. California Delegate: National Summit on Africa. This forum has been established to represent the needs of African nations and peoples to the United States government and to promote a greater consciousness of Africa in the minds of the American public. Conference Attendence: Education: Master of Art, Political Science/Urban Planning-African Studies, UCLA, in progress. Skills: Computer use: Macintosh and PC use, MS Office, Systat, SAS, some GIS use. Regular user of e-mail, the internet, world wide web, gopher servers, America Online, Netscape and MS Explorer, Eudora, Mosaic, FTP servers and HTML web publishing. Languages: Familiar with French and Kiswahili, able to learn new languages easily. Have been introduced to and used several Ugandan vernacular languages, including giving a speech in Lusoga (of Uganda). Mechanical: Proficient at using manual transmission vehicles, driving right-hand steering vehicles in British Commonwealth (left-lane driving) countries. Some experience operating a tractor. Basic vehicle maintenance (oil, tires, spark-plugs, air filter, coolant, and some experience with brakes). Limited welding experience. Memberships and Presentations: Member: Friends of Uganda, National Peace Corps Association, Natural Areas Association, World Wildlife Fund Presentation: "Amphibian and reptile distrubutions in urban riparian areas." 57th Midwest Fish and Wildlife Conference, Detroit Michigian, 3-6 December, 1995. If interested in further interviewing or offering a job please send e-mail by clicking HERE! Return to or visit my other home pages: John's Home, Apuuli, the Office, Philosophy, ApuCulture |