PRINCIPAL AREAS OF INTEREST

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology of Vertebrates; Science Education.

EDUCATION

• Secondary Science Teacher Certification – 2004; Alternative Route to Certification, Biology, Connecticut Department of Higher Education. (ED125)
• Ph.D. in Biology – 1993; New York University, Department of Biology.
• M. Phil. – 1991; New York University, Department of Biology.
• M. S. in Biology – 1988; New York University, Department of Biology.
• B. A. – 1986; New York University, Department of Biology. Bronx High School of Science, Bronx, NY, 1978-1982.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Academic

• H. G. Dowling Herpetological Collection Faculty Curator, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, 6/2015 – present.
• Full Professor, Western Connecticut State University, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, 8/14 – present.
• Associate Professor, Western Connecticut State University, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences, 8/09 –8/14.
• Assistant Professor, Western Connecticut State University, Department of Biological
• and Environmental Sciences, 8/04 – 8/09.
• Curatorial Affiliate in Vertebrate Zoology, Yale University, Peabody Museum of Natural History, 12/04 – Present. (nominated and elected by museum curators).
• Connecticut Science Center Fellow, Connecticut Science Center, Hartford CT, 8/08 – 2012.
• President, Sigma Xi WCSU Chapter, Danbury CT, 5/12 – present.

Science Education

• Science Partner, Barnard Environmental Magnet School, New Haven, CT, 04/03 – Present.
• Teacher Education and Mentoring Program (TEAM). Certified Mentor by the Connecticut Department of Education, June 2011.
• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education Programs (NCATE/CAEP), National Science Teachers Association (NSTA) Reviewer for Science SPA’s, Fall 2007 – Present.
• Beginning Educator Support Certified. Certified by the Connecticut Department of Education to mentor new science teachers. August, 2005.
• Cyber- Scientist Program Developer. A Professional Development Program for in- service and pre-service science teachers, 2003 – 2010.

               TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Western Connecticut State University

• (Bio100) Concepts of Biology lecture and lab (non-majors lab science course).
• (Bio107) Scientific Inquiry in the Field.
• (Bio104) Introductory Biology for Majors and Lab.
• (Bio204) Vertebrate Zoology (lab course for majors)
• (Bio 560) Herpetology (graduate course including lecture, lab, and associated fieldtrips).
• (Bio 480) Undergraduate Group Research Course.
• (Hon198) Debating Sustainable Agriculture. An Institute On Science for Global Policy
• (ISGP) partnership.
• (ED442) Methods in Teaching Secondary Science Education.

AWARDS AND EXTERNAL SUPPORT

Awards

• Excellence in Teaching Award, The National Society of Leadership and Success (WCSU chapter), 5/2014.
• Norton Mezvinsky Trustees Research Awards (WCSU & System Level Award), 3/10
• Ernest A.Lynton Award for the Scholarship of Engagement for Early Career Faculty,
• New England Resource Center for Higher Education, Nomination, 4/09.
• I4 Initiative, Connecticut Science Center Fellow, 8/08

Research and Scholarship Support

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

• Finding Our Way: An Experiential Watershed Learning Program for Middle School Children and their families: #15BWET006 Award Amount $300,178.00. PI- Pinou, 4/2016 – 12/2018.

Connecticut Department of Transportation (DOT)

• Edge effects of road development on the northern most range of the protected slimy salamander (Plethodon glutinosus). Pinou invited by Parsons Environmental Engineering Co. and The Connecticut Science Center to Co-PI, Award – $25,000.00 over 5 years.  1/2010 – 2015.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

• Student Opportunity for Learning Grant to establish a summer camp for middle school students in collaboration with Danbury Public Schools: #NA10NES4400005 Award Amount $250,000. PI – Pinou, 5/09 – 3/13.

Connecticut State Department of Education, Bureau of Teaching and Learning

• Mathematics and Science Partnership Grant (MSP), Award – $250,000 over 3 years. Pinou invited to Co-PI with Danbury Public Schools, 1/2010 – 2011.

Endowment for Applied Water Quality Research

• Water Research Foundation, Award – $45,557.00. Improving the water quality in Lake Kenosia, CT. PI-Pinou, 1/2010 – 2011.

State of Connecticut, Department of Higher Education (DHE)

• Teacher Partnership Quality Grant (TQP), Award – $125,000.00. WestConn Institute for Science Teacher Research (WISTR). PI-Pinou, 4/06 – 6/07.

National Science Foundation (NSF)

• NSF (Declined – $576,669). A Community of Practice Approach for Environmental Stewardship. PI-Pinou, 6/10-6/13.
• NSF (Declined – $1,855,420.00). Collaborative Research in STEM Learning, among Education Connection, Candlewood Lake Authority, WestConn, and Connecticut Public School Districts – Project CLEAR. PI-Pinou, 2/09.
• NSF (Declined – $816,390.00) – Invited, as a Co-PI, by Yale University, Department of Computer Science – Collaborative Research: Optical Methods for 3D Reconstruction of Animal Forms, 08/08.

Private and Corporate Sponsors

• Goldring Family Foundation, Award – $7,500.00. To support students examining relationship between post-migration patterns and genetic diversity of Olive Ridley turtles in
• Mexican Pacific as well as investigate the barnacle diversity associated with these turtles. PI-Pinou, 11/12 – 11/14.
• Goldring Family Foundation, Award – $7,500.00. To support WCSU Great Hollow Interns.. Intern Coordinator- Pinou, 05/15.
• Center for Technological Literacy, Hofstra University, Award – $5000.00. Start-up funding to develop STEM Leadership in Public Schools. PI-Pinou, 3/09 – 7/09.
• Riverhead Foundation for Marine Research and Conservation, Award – $15,000.00. Project Migration ARGOS Satellite Transmission Time. PI- Pinou, 7/08 – 7/10.
• Wooster School, Award – $20,000.00. Project Migration Satellite Transmitter Sponsorship. PI- Pinou, 7/08 -7/10.
• Crane Co. Foundation, ($10,360.00). Project Migration Satellite Transmitter Sponsorship. PI- Pinou, 6/08 – 6/10.

INTERNAL FUNDING AND SUPPORT

Scholarship

WestConn Faculty Development Funds

• Total Award – $2,700.00 over 3 years to improve instruction.

CSU/AAUP University Research Grants

• Total Award – $42,000 over 9 years to study sea turtle behavior and their interspecies relationships.

ATTENDANCE AT INVITED WORKSHOPS

• US Department of Education MSP Regional Conference, February, 2010, San Diego,CA.
• NSF NOYCE Teacher Scholarship Program Proposal Writing Workshop, NSF, January  2009, Atlanta, Georgia.
• NSF MSTP STEM Symposium, Hofstra University, March 5-7, 2009, Singer Island,  Florida.
• ATLAST Item Writing Workshop, Horizon Research, May 15-16, 2009, Chapel Hill, North Carolina.

SYMPOSIA WORKSHOPS ORGANIZED

• 2017 Annual Symposium on Sea Turtle Biology and Conservation, Las Vegas, NV – Future Trends in Sea Turtle Epibiont Research; April 15-20. (http://internationalseaturtlesociety.org/workshops/)

INVITED SEMINARS

• Western Connecticut State University & Candlewood Lake Authority – Triploid Carp Project; April 2017.
• Beardsley Zoo Evening Lecture Series, CT – Sea Turtle Conservation in Costa Rica; June, 2016
• The New York Turtle and Tortoise Society, NY – Uncovering Marine Biodiversity Through Sea Turtle Conservation; October, 2015.
• Western Connecticut State University, Department of Biological and Environmental Sciences Research Seminar, CT – Turtles and Their Barnacles. What to save first? April, 2013.
• Framingham State University, MA – Uncovering Marine Biodiversity Through Sea Turtle Conservation; February, 2012.
• Central Connecticut State University – Sea Turtle Conservation and Marine Health; December, 2008.
• University of Guadalajara (CUCBA) – Sea Turtle Epibionts; October, 2007.
• University of Puerto Rico at Mayaguez – Using Technology to Understand Biodiversity; March 2007.
• Western Connecticut State University, Sigma-XI Research Seminar – Snake Evolution and Systematics; March, 2006.
• Western Connecticut State University, Science at Night Lecture Series – Conservation of Sea Turtles and the Organisms that Live on Them; April, 2005.
• Yale – Peabody Museum of Natural History, O. C. Marsh Lecture Series – Sea Turtle Conservation in Mexico; March, 2005.

RESEARCH COLLABORATIONS

International

Wetlands Conservation and Island Biodiversity

• Petros Lymberakis, Ph. D., Natural History Museum of Crete-University of Crete, Greece. Topic: Island Biodiversity and Conservation.

Marine Conservation and Community Stewardship

• Ildefonso Enciso, Research Scientists in Marine Ecosystems, University of Guadalajara, CUCBA.
• Frank Paladino and Nathan Robinson, Leatherback Trust, Playa Grande, Costa Rica.
• Topic: Sea Turtle Conservation in the eastern Pacific Ocean.

National

Best Practices in Teaching and Learning

• Stacy Alba Skar,Ph.D., Western Connecticut State University, World Language and Literature. Topic: Innovative teaching through experiential learning.
• Marjorie Drucker, Barnard Environmental Magnet School, New Haven, CT. Topic: Best practices in elementary school science education.

Herpetology and Conservation

• Hank Gruner, Director, Connecticut Science Center, Hartford, CT. Topic: Public exhibition and herpetological conservation.
• Eric Lazo-Wasem, Yale University, Peabody Museum of Natural History, Division of Invertebrate Zoology. Topic: Systematics of sea turtle epibionts.
• Gisella Caccone, Ph. D., Yale University, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology & Director of the YIBS Laboratory for Molecular Systematics and Conservation
• Genetics. Topic: Reptilian phylogenetics, molecular systematics, and conservation.
• Rob DiGiovanni, Director, Riverhead Foundation for Marine Preservation and Research, Riverhead, NY. Topic: Sea turtle migration.

Resource Management and Stewardship

• Larry Marsicano, Director, Candle Wood Lake Authority, Danbury, CT. Topic: Citizen science and stewardship of resources.
• Ed Faison, Ecologist, Highstead Arboretum, Redding, CT. Topic: A survey of amphibians and reptiles found in Highstead Arboretum.

She has published over 100 scientific papers.