B.S. Wildlife, Fish and Conservation Biology, University of California, Davis, 2019
- Vollmar Natural Lands Consulting (VNLC) Staff Ecologist 2019 – present
- United States Geological Survey (USGS) Biological Science Technician 2018-2019
Professional Summary
Mr. Hwang’s professional and educational background has focused on the study and conservation of a wide variety of California’s rare and threatened species. His main area of specialization is in the biology and ecology of California’s reptile and amphibian species such as the giant garter snake (Thamnophis gigas), California red-legged frog (Rana draytonii) and the Mohave desert tortoise (Gopherus agassizii). Mr. Hwang also has experience working with other taxa including large freshwater branchiopods and other aquatic invertebrates. His fieldwork experience includes visual transect surveys, night spotlighting surveys, dipnetting, seining, trap checking and radio telemetry receiver operation.
During his undergraduate degree, Mr. Hwang assisted in several graduate and postdoctoral research projects at the University of California, Davis. One such project included sampling vernal pools across several locations in the Central Valley for fairy shrimp presence to assess the viability of environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling to detect vernal pool species. In another project, Mr. Hwang worked closely with postdoctoral candidate Richard Kim to study the interspecific interactions between giant garter snakes and invasive American bullfrogs. On this project Mr. Hwang played a crucial role in field collections, and designing research methods as well independently conducting research himself. He has also helped raise neonate giant garter snakes on a headstarting program with the goal of reintroducing giant garter snakes into restored wetlands. Through this exposure to a variety of different projects, Mr. Hwang has become adept at data collection, data management and other associated tasks essential for conducting high quality scientific research.
Representative Project Experience
USGS Giant Garter Snake Demographic Study (Solano, Sacramento, Yolo, Colusa, Sutter, Butte Counties, CA). Biological Science Technician. Conducted field surveys involving checking and maintaining traplines targeting the giant garter snake (Thamnophis gigas) in the Northern Central Valley. Captured snakes were processed to collect morphometric data and to provide individualized markings and PIT tags for later identification. Summer 2018, Summer 2019.
Environmental DNA Monitoring for Vernal Pool Organisms (Sacramento and Merced Counties, CA). Field Assistant for postdoctoral candidate, Shannon Kieran, in the Genomic Variation Lab , UC Davis. Surveyed over 80 vernal pools using a combination of dipnetting and eDNA sampling to detect the presence of vernal pool species. Winter 2017.
Rancho Seco Recreational Area Vernal Pool Monitoring Study (Sacramento County, CA). Field Assistant for graduate student Julia Michaels in the Eviner Lab, UC Davis. Monitored a complex of over 50 vernal pools to determine the effects grazing on vernal pool plant communities. Maintained fence lines, took measurements on pool hydrology and conducted plant species transect surveys. Winter 2018.
Ironwood Consulting Desert Tortoise Surveying and Translocation (Clark County, NV). Field Technician. Participated in surveys and translocation efforts focused on a population of Mohave desert tortoises on a proposed solar farm. Duties included performing visual transects, burrow examinations and radio telemetry receiver operation. Summer 2018.
Professional Development Coursework
California Red-Legged Frog Level II Workshop (Jeff Alvarez, The Wildlife Project). Point Reyes CA, Sonoma CA, August 2018.
Bullfrog Culling Workshop (Jeff Alvarez,The Wildlife Project). San Jose CA, October 2018.
Rancho Meling, Baja California Herpetological Survey and Workshop (Jeff Alvarez, The Wildlife Project). Ensenada Municipality, Baja California, April 2019.