Southeastern biologist named President-Elect of International Sea Turtle Society
Contact: Rene Abadie
Date: May 21, 2012
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.VALVERDE TO HEAD TURTLE GROUP – Southeastern Louisiana University Associate Professor of Biological Sciences Roldán Valverde, shown in his lab at the university, has been named president-elect of the International Sea Turtle Society, an association of more than 1,200 scientists and others interested in sea turtle research and conservation.
HAMMOND – A Southeastern Louisiana University biologist has been named president-elect of the International Sea Turtle Society (ISTS).
Roldán Valverde, associate professor of biology, has served on the board of directors of the organization for two years and as a member for more than 20. As president-elect, he will be a primary organizer of the ISTS Symposium to be held in New Orleans in April 2014. It is the first time the organization is meeting in New Orleans.
The ISTS is an organization of more than 1,200 scientists and others linked by their interest in sea turtle biology and their dedication to sea turtle conservation.
"ISTS is a very diverse organization, representing various cultures, national origins, professions and organizations," Valverde said. "We are united in our vision and knowledge of the importance sea turtles play in our environment and are dedicated to preserving their habitats and improving conservation measures for these endangered species."
A member of the Southeastern faculty since 2004, Valverde has worked for the Caribbean Conservation Corp. – now the Sea Turtle Conservancy – as a field leader of the green sea turtle tagging project in Costa Rica, the oldest sea turtle project in the world. He has led several summer tropical ecology and sea turtle study-abroad courses to Costa Rica. His lab at Southeastern fosters international collaborative programs, especially with Latin American institutions.
