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Dr. Joshua R.
Ginsberg has
been named the next President of the Cary Institute of
Ecosystem Studies; he will assume the position in September
of 2014. Located in New York’s Hudson Valley, the Cary
Institute is one of the world’s largest, most influential
independent ecological research centers. Areas of expertise
include freshwater ecosystems, disease ecology, invasive
species, urban ecology, and biogeochemistry.
“We are thrilled at Dr. Joshua Ginsberg’s appointment. He
has been an inspiring leader at one of the world’s most
respected conservation organizations,” commented Irene
Banning, Chair of the Cary Institute’s Board of Trustees.
“His passion for science – and its essential role in
improving the sustainability of our society – will help the
Cary Institute continue its important work providing the
science behind environmental solutions.”
Dr. Ginsberg received his PhD
from Princeton University and his B.S. from Yale University.
His career in conservation science spans 35 years and
several continents. During the 80s and 90s, he led ecology
and conservation projects in Asia and East and Southern
Africa. In 1996, he began his tenure with the Wildlife
Conservation Society, taking on a series of senior
management roles that benefitted from his scientific,
fiscal, and administrative expertise.
“The Cary Institute counts
among its staff some of the finest minds in ecosystem
science. Their work has been instrumental in understanding
and protecting the ecosystems that support life,” Dr.
Ginsberg remarked. “I look forward to building on the
organization’s 30-year track record of success, and bringing
science to bear on the management of natural resources,
biodiversity, and human health.”
In Dr. Ginsberg’s
current post as Senior Vice President of Conservation
Programs, he oversees initiatives in North America, Asia,
Africa, Latin America, and the marine environment –
including fundraising and managing an 87 million dollar
budget. As Director of Asia and Pacific Programs (1996–2004),
he was responsible for projects in 17 Asian countries, and
grew the program’s budget five-fold in less than a decade.
As Vice President of Conservation Operations (2004–2009),
he managed the budget and operations of WCS’s Global
Program, evaluated programs across their portfolio, and
co-led the program’s strategic planning efforts.
"Josh Ginsberg has helped build the reach and
impact of the Wildlife Conservation Society’s global program
for 18 years," said Dr. Cristian Samper, WCS President and
CEO. "We will miss his strategic thinking and strong
management. As he leaves
to run the Cary Institute, we know we will find connections
to continue working with him on a variety of ecological and
biodiversity issues."
John Robinson, WCS Executive Vice President for Conservation
and Science, noted, “Josh Ginsberg has been a valued
colleague for decades. His ability to integrate scientific
knowledge with conservation practice is unparalleled. He
leaves a legacy of accomplishment at the Wildlife
Conservation Society. We look forward to following his
continued success at the Cary Institute.”
Throughout his career, Dr.
Ginsberg has also been engaged in the academic research
community. An adjunct professor at Columbia University since
1998, in addition to lecturing and advising graduate
students, he helped manage Columbia’s Center
for Environmental Research and Conservation (CERC). Past
appointments include: Research Fellow in Ecology at the
Zoological Society of London, Honorary
Research Fellow and Lecturer at University College London,
and Research Fellow at Oxford University.
Dr. Ginsberg is on the boards
of the Open Space Institute and Catskill Mountainkeeper, and
is a founding board member of the Blacksmith Institute, a
not-for-profit that focuses on pollution remediation in the
developing world. As an American Association for the
Advancement of Science (AAAS) Diplomacy Fellow, he has
provided guidance on international conservation issues,
including matters relating to theConvention
on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES)
and African biodiversity.
The Cary Institute was founded
in 1983 by eminent ecologist Dr. Gene E. Likens, a
co-discoverer of acid rain. Dr. Ginsberg will succeed Dr.
William H. Schlesinger as the organization’s third
president. During Dr. Schlesinger’s transformative seven
years of leadership, he reinforced the Cary Institute’s
institutional foundations, strengthened its commitment to
outreach, improved private fundraising, and performed hires
that enhanced expertise in disease ecology and freshwater
science.
The Carey Institute
The Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies is a private,
independent, nonprofit environmental research organization
located on 2,000-acres in New York’s Hudson Valley. With a
staff of more than 100, including 16 core scientists, it is
a world-premier center for ecosystem science. Focal areas
include freshwater ecosystems, disease ecology, invasive
species, urban ecology, and biogeochemistry. The science
program is complemented by the Cary Institute’s renowned
education, communication, and outreach initiatives. Learn
more at
www.caryinstitute.org
Photo Credit: Julie
Larsen Maher, Wildlife Conservation Society
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