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Board of Professional Certification

The primary objectives of the Society’s certification program are serving the needs of ecologists who wish to establish and validate their credentials in the context of their ecological activities; guiding biologists, government agencies, courts and the public in defining minimum standards of education and experience for professional ecologists, and of encouraging all practicing ecologists to meet such standards; creating and maintaining public confidence in the advice and opinions of certified ecologists as educated and experienced professionals; and assisting the public in identifying ecologists.

The certification program is administered by the Board of Professional Certification, which is responsible for:

  • Providing the program with the guidance and oversight of professional scientists from a variety of career fields—practitioners, academics, educators and others
  • Establishing a procedure for critical peer evaluation based upon defined minimum education, experience and ethical standards
  • Evaluating the merits of providers of continuing education units (CEU) based on scientific and professional content for rigor and suitability to the professional development needs of professional ecologists
  • Reviewing and approving applications for certifications, including verifying completion of CEU requirements
  • Censuring, suspending, and revoking certifications

Composition

  • Chair: The Board of Professional Certification shall elect from its membership a chair, who shall serve a one-year term and may be re-elected for additional consecutive term. The chair is the primary liaison with staff between meetings and is sometimes, as both subject matter expert and leader of the board, invited to meet with partner organizations or potential content providers.
  • Members: Up to 11 members elected by ESA’s membership. Each nominee for the Board of Professional Certification must be a certified Ecologist. Each Board member shall serve a three-year term and is eligible for re-election to one additional consecutive term. Terms commence in January following the year of election and terminate three Decembers after.

    Members meet with staff approximately monthly to complete any necessary discussion of applicants, review content of potential CEU providers and discuss other ESA business, including opportunities to enhance the program’s function and visibility.

Members

  • Arvind Bhuta (2024-2026)
    USDA Forest Service
  • Justin Compton (2022-2024)
    Springfield College
  • Audrey Mayer (2024-2026)
    U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service
  • Drew Rayburn (2023-2025)
    Nature Conservancy in Colorado
  • Susan Sherrod (2022-2024)
    BioHabitats, Inc. and University of Colorado Denver
  • Kat Superfisky (2023-2025)
    City of Los Angeles, CA
  • Roger Viadero (2024-2026)
    Western Illinois University

The BPC is supported by staff, whose responsibilities include:

  • Marketing the program to ecologists who may be interested in certification
  • Meeting and negotiating with potential CEU providers
  • Providing review of applications and verification of continuing education per the standards set by the BPC and Governing Board, and escalating necessary applications to the BPC
  • Updating program details and requirements per BPC determinations
  • Serving as point of contact for certified ecologists
Example certificate awarded to professional ecologists.
Example certificate awarded to professional ecologists.