PhD student, Zoology Department Ecology, Evolution, and Environmental Biology PhD program 149 Person Hall, Miami

University, Oxford, Ohio, USA 45056 alsaffm@muohio.edu www.users.muohio.edu/alsaffm/

Mohammed Al-Saffar

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS
(2007) M.Sc. Biology, Ecology / University of Baghdad (1998) B.Sc. Biology / University of Baghdad

CERTIFICATES AND RECOMMENDATION LETTERS

(2010) Certificate of Accomplishment / Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) (2010) Recommendation Letter / Twin Rivers Institute for Scientific Research, The American University of Iraq-Sulaimani (AUI-S) (2010) Recommendation Letter / Nature Iraq (2008) Certificate in Microsoft Office Access 2007 / The American University of Iraq-Sulaimani (AUI-S) (2008) Certificate in Tanjero Field & Lab Cross-Training / NatureIraq & Italian Ministry of Environment, Land & Sea (2007) Certificate in ArcView GIS 9.1 basics / Nature Iraq (2006) Certificate in Computer Skills / University of Baghdad (In Arabic) (2005) Recommendation Letter / Wetlands Research Center, University of Waterloo (2005) English Language Certificate / Renison College, University of Waterloo (2004) Certificate of participation in Mine Risk Education / Handicap International (1999) English Language Certificate / University of Baghdad (In Arabic)

MEMBERSHIPS AND ACADEMIC SOCIETIES

North American Benthological Society www.benthos.org (October 2009 Present) Barcode of Life Data Systems www.boldsystems.org (March 2009 Present)

SCHOLARSHIPS AND FELLOWSHIPS

Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History (NMNH) September 21st 2009 March 16th 2010 Visiting Scientist

ACADEMIC ACTIVITIES OUTSIDE IRAQ

(May - August, 2005) Course in Benthic Macroinvertebrates Ecology and Identification / University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
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www.biology.uwaterloo.ca/ (May - August, 2005) Course in Wetlands Ecology / University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada www.earth.uwaterloo.ca/

PROFESSIONAL POSITIONS
Miami University, Oxford, Ohio, USA www.miami.muohio.edu August 23rd 2010 until now Teaching Assistant Twin Rivers Institute for Scientific Research (TRI), the American University of IraqSulaimani (AUI-S) www.auis.org/TRI October 1st 2009 August 1st 2010 Researcher Nature Iraq www.natureiraq.org April 1st 2007 September 30th 2009 Researcher Nature Iraq www.natureiraq.org January 1st 2004 March 31st 2007 Researcher Assistant

INVOLVEMENT IN PROJECTS AND EXPERIENCE

(April 2004 - February 2005) New Eden Project: Abu Zirig and Kurmashiya Marshes southern Iraq. Nature Iraq, Iraq. (May 2005 to October 2005) UNEP Pilot Project, Water Quality Monitoring Programme in Iraqi Marshlands. Nature Iraq, Iraq. (Winter 2005 - Summer 2007) Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) southern Iraq. Nature Iraq, Iraq. (October 2005 to May 2007) Canada-Iraq Marshlands Initiative (CIMI). Nature Iraq, Iraq. (April 2006 - February 2007 ) Nutrient Budget in the southern Iraqi Marshes. Nature Iraq, Iraq. (May 2006 - May 2007) Water Budget in the southern Iraqi Marshes. Nature Iraq, Iraq. (August 2006 - February 2007) Shatt al-Arab and Shatt al-Basra southern Iraq. Nature Iraq, Iraq. (August 2007 - November 2007) Al-Auda Marsh Ecological Disaster. Nature Iraq, Iraq. (November 2006 - August 2007) Main Outfall Drain (MOD) southern Iraq. Nature Iraq, Iraq. (June 2004 - September 2009) National Park southern Iraq and its subprojects. Nature Iraq, Iraq. (November 2007 - September 2009) Habitat Mapping and Monitoring in the Southern Iraqi Marshlands. Nature Iraq, Iraq. (February 2008 - September 2009) Darbandikhan Basin Project in Kurdistan, northern Iraq. Nature Iraq, Iraq.
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(May 2006 to February 2007) Buffalo census southern Iraq. Nature Iraq, Iraq. (August 2006 - March 2007) Hourly Monitoring in Al-Hawizeh, Al-Hammar, and Central Marshes southern Iraq. Nature Iraq, Iraq. (Winter 2007 - Summer 2009) Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) in Kurdistan, northern Iraq. Nature Iraq, Iraq.

MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS

(February 2010) Building a DNA barcode library for the Iraqi aquatic insect fauna: Entomology Seminar at the Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), Washington DC, USA. (January 2010) Northeastern Symposium on Evolutionary Divergence Time, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, New Jersey, USA. (December 2009) The 57th Annual Meeting of the Entomological Society of America, Indianapolis, Indiana, USA. (April 2009) UN, NGOs Coordination Meeting, UN Compound, Erbil, KurdistanIraq. (October, 2008) Middle East Biodiversity Conference, Al-Aqaba, Jordan. (November, 2006) Key Biodiversity Areas Workshop, Damascus, Syria. (November, 2006) Canada Iraq Marshland Initiative Workshop, Damascus, Syria. (August 2005) Canada Iraq Marshland Initiative Workshop, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. (January 2004 - September 2009) Most of the workshops and conferences held in Iraq by Nature Iraq.

PUBLICATIONS AND CONTRIBUTIONS

2011 Geraci, C. J., Al-Saffar, M. A., Zhou, X. (2011). DNA barcoding facilitates description of unknown faunas: a case study on Trichoptera in the headwaters of the Tigris River, Iraq. Journal of the North American Benthological Society: Vol. 30, No. 1, pp. 163-173.

2009 Abdulhasan, N. A., Salim, M. A., Al-Obaidi, G. S., Ali H. J., Al-Saffar, M. A., Abid, I. M. & Minjil, M. Sh. (2009). Habitat Mapping and Monitoring Project: Classification and Description of Southern Iraqi Marshlands (National Park Area). Nature Iraq Report. Sulaimani, Iraq: Nature Iraq. Publication No. NI-1009-01 Al-Saffar, M. A. (2009). Benthic Macroinvertebrates. In Twin Rivers Institute, Preliminary Ecological Study about Rania (Ganaw Lake) in Kurdistan, Northern Iraq. The American University of Iraq-Sulaimani, Sulaimani, Kurdistan-Iraq: In Press Al-Saffar, M. A., Geraci, C. J. (2009). Measuring the recovery of two previously desiccated marshes in southern Iraq using aquatic insects. ESA 57th Annual Meeting, Indianapolis, Indiana, December 13-16, 2009: Unpublished Fazaa, N. A., Cattarossi, A., Jawad, A., Yali, A. H., Radhi, A. G., Al-Obaidi, G. S., AlSaffar, M. A., Salman, S. K., Ghanim, W. (2009). Proposed Restoration and Rehabilitation of Al-Auda Marsh, Part 1: Current Status of Al-Auda Marsh. Proceedings of University of Baghdad Conference (March 2009): In Press
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2008 Al-Saffar, M. A. (2008a). An Invitation for Stopping Cholera in Iraq before its Outbreak. Sulaimani, Kurdistan-Iraq: Nature Iraq Publications and Articles www.natureiraq.org Al-Saffar, M. A. (2008b). Benthic Macro-invertebrate Observations. In Nature Iraq, Key Biodiversity Areas 2007 Report (Part A: Southern Iraq). Ashti, Sulaimani, Iraq: In press. Al-Saffar, M. A. (2008c). Benthic Macro-invertebrate Observations. In Nature Iraq, Key Biodiversity Areas 2007 Report (Part B: Northern Iraq). Ashti, Sulaimani, Iraq: In press. Al-Saffar, M. A. (2008d). Benthic Macroinvertebrates. In Nature Iraq, Key Biodiversity Areas Survey of the Southern Iraqi Marshlands: Summary Report of Activities 2004 - 2008. Sulaimani, Iraq: In press. Al-Saffar, M. A. (2008e). Benthic Macroinvertebrates. In Nature Iraq, Water Quality Review, winter & summer 2008. Key Biodiversity Survey of Kurdistan, Northern Iraq. Ashti, Sulaimani, Iraq: In press. Al-Saffar, M. A. (2008f). Blackfly Larvae (Simulium) in Kurdistan, Northern Iraq. Sulaimani, Kurdistan-Iraq: Nature Iraq Publications and Articles www.natureiraq.org Al-Saffar, M. A. (2008g). Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) Rapid Assessment of Benthic Macroinvertebrates in Kurdistan Iraq. Documenting, Analyzing and Managing Biodiversity in the Middle East International Symposium, 20-23 October (p. 15). Al-Aqaba, Jordan: Unpublished. Al-Saffar, M. A. (2008h). Larval Mouthpart Deformities in Chironomus annularius Meigen (Diptera: Chironomidae) from Al-Hammar Marsh, Southern Iraq & Tanjero River, Kurdistan, Northern Iraq. Sulaimani, Kurdistan-Iraq: Nature Iraq Publications and Articles www.natureiraq.org Al-Saffar, M. A. (2008i). Zebra Mussel in Mosul Lake: A possible problem?. Sulaimani, Kurdistan-Iraq: Nature Iraq Publications and Articles www.natureiraq.org Al-Saffar, M. A., & Al-Obaidi, G. S. (2008). Using Phytoplankton & Benthic Macroinvertebrates to Evaluate the Environmental disaster in Al-Auda Marsh, Southern Iraq (August November 2007). In Nature Iraq, Restoration and Rehabilitation of Al-Auda Marsh, Southern Iraq (p. 80). Ashti, Sulaimani, Iraq: In press. Nature Iraq (2008a). Nature Iraq Field & Lab Report: Tanjero River Project I: Survey of water quality, sediment, Benthic Macroinvertebrates and fisheries. For the Qara Ali Dam Irrigation Project (QDIP) Environmental Impact Assessment. Sulaimani, Iraq: Nature Iraq. Publication No. NI-0508-01.
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Geraci, C. J., Zhou, X., Al-Saffar, M. A. (2009). The Value of Natural History Collections to Environmental Barcoding and Biomonitoring: Case Studies from North America to Iraq. NABS 57th Annual Meeting (17-22 May, 2009): Unpublished Mahir, A. M., Radhi, A. G., Falih, H. A., Al-Obaidi, G. S., & Al-Saffar, M. A. (2009). Key Biodiversity Areas Survey of Kurdistan, Northern Iraq: Water Quality Review Winter & Summer 2008 Survey. Sulaimani, Iraq: Nature Iraq. Publication No. NI0209-004. Nature Iraq (2009e). Key Biodiversity Areas Survey of Kurdistan, Northern Iraq: Water Quality Review - Winter & Summer 2009 Survey. In Press

2007 Al-Saffar, M. A. (2007a). Interaction between the Environmental Variables and Benthic Macroinvertebrates Community Structure in Abu Zirig Marsh, Southern Iraq. M.Sc. Thesis, University Of Baghdad, College of Science, Baghdad, Iraq. Al-Saffar, M. A. (2007b). Progress Report on Benthic Macroinvertebrates southern Iraq (Summer 2007). Key Biodiversity Areas Survey of the Southern Iraqi Marshlands. Sulaimani, Iraq: Unpublished. Al-Saffar, M. A. (2007c). Richness Development of Benthic Macroinvertebrates, Southern Iraq (winter 2006 winter 2007). Key Biodiversity Areas Survey of the Southern Iraqi Marshlands. Baghdad, Iraq: Unpublished. Nature Iraq (2007a). [Key Biodiversity Areas Program: Winter & Summer Bird, Fish, Benthic, Plankton, Sediment, & Water Quality Data on Iraqs Southern Mesopotamian Marshlands]. In Press Nature Iraq (2007b). [Key Biodiversity Areas Program: Winter & Summer Bird, Fish, Benthic, Plankton, Sediment, & Water Quality Data in Kurdistan, Northern Iraq]. In Press 2006 Al-Saffar, M. A. (2006a). Macro-Benthos. In Nature Iraq, Water Quality Monitoring Programme in Iraqi Marshlands (p. 253). United Nation Environmental Program (UNEP) http://marshlands.unep.or.jp Al-Saffar, M. A. (2006b). Macro-Invertebrates. In New Eden Group, New Eden Master Plan For Integrated Water Resources Management In The Marshlands Area (Vols. I: Overview Of Present Conditions And Current Use Of The Water In The Marshlands Area, Book 4: Marshlands, pp. 143-159). Italy-Iraq: Iraqi Ministries of Environment, Water Resources, & Municipalities and Public Works. Al-Saffar, M. A. (2006c). Richness Development in Benthic Macroinvertebrates, Southern Iraq (winter - summer 2006). Key Biodiversity Areas Review Meeting, Damascus, Syria, November 6-7 2006 (p. 21): Unpublished Al-Saffar, M. A. (2006d). Seasonal Progress in Benthic Insects, Southern Iraq (autumn 2005 summer 2006). Canada Iraq Marshland Initiative Research Group Conference, Damascus, Syria, October 26-27 2006 (p. 20): Unpublished Nature Iraq (2006). [Key Biodiversity Areas Program: Winter & Summer Bird, Fish, Benthic, Plankton, Sediment, & Water Quality Data on Iraqs Southern Mesopotamian Marshlands]. In Press 2005 Eden Again Group (2005a). Water & Energy Project. Book 1: Abu Zirig Marshland Restoration Project. Baghdad, Iraq: Italian Ministry of Environment and Free Iraq Foundation www.iraqfoundation.org 2004 Eden Again Group (2004). Feasibility Study for the Restoration of the Mesopotamian Marshlands. Washington, DC: Iraq Foundation www.iraqfoundation.org

Nature Iraq (2008b). Nature Iraq Field & Lab Report: Tanjero River Project 2: Survey of water quality and sediment. In Press

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