A predator’s role in the ecosystem

Donna Rainboth, assistant professor of education at EOU, shares highlights from the time she spent working at the Cheetah Conservation Fund in Namibia for the colloquium Thursday at 4 p.m.

Professor shares education, research at Cheetah Conservation Fund

LA GRANDE, Ore. March 13, 2017 – Donna Rainboth, assistant professor of education, is the guest for the next colloquium at Eastern Oregon University, Thursday, March 16.

Her presentation, “A Predator’s Role in the Ecosystem: A Look at Education and Research at the Cheetah Conservation Fund,” begins at 4 p.m. in Ackerman Hall, Room 210. Light refreshments will be provided and the event will be streamed at livestream.com/eou/colloquium.

Founded in 1990 by EOU alumna Laurie Marker, the Cheetah Conservation Fund (CCF) is the longest-running cheetah conservation program in existence and is a driving force in conservation recognized for applying a science-based, holistic approach that balances the needs of both people and wildlife sharing ecosystems. Rainboth spent time at the CCF working with the organization’s education manager on a number of projects, including revising a teacher resource guide to meet both the standards outlined in Namibia’s newly instated National Science Syllabus, and to showcase the science being done at CCF.

She traveled with the education team around Namibia giving educational programs to schools and presenting at an education conference for 300 Namibian teachers. Rainboth was also asked to provide a professional development workshop for education faculty at the University of Namibia. In addition to her involvement in education programs, she was able to take part in some of the science research conducted at CCF, including conducting waterhole game counts, and participating in tracking a wild cheetah that had been rehabilitated and released by CCF.

Rainboth currently teaches the secondary and elementary science methods courses at EOU and supervises student teachers, in addition to coordinating several STEM grants and STEM education projects. Prior to her experience in higher education, she designed science curriculum and taught math and science at the middle and high school levels in Oregon and at an international school in Venezuela. She holds a master’s degree in science education from Oregon State University.

A list of related resources on presentation topics is provided by Pierce Library and available at library.eou.edu/colloquium. EOU’s colloquium series is free and open to the public. For more information call 541-962-3316.