New Century College

Sylvia Vitazkova

Sylvia K. Vitazkova earned a PhD in Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology from Columbia University, where she also completed a certificate in International Environmental Policy. Her BA in Neurobiology and Behavior is from Cornell University. Sylvia's professional experience includes field research in Ecuador, Venezuela, Belize and Mexico and laboratory research at Harvard Medical School and the New York State School of Veterinary Medicine at Cornell University. In addition, she participated in the Christine Mirzayan Science and Technology Policy Fellowship at the National Academy of Sciences in 2001. Sylvia spearheaded the development and implementation of a new Master of Marine and Environmental Science degree program at the University of the Virgin Islands between 2006 and 2008. She returned to the Washington, D.C. area in January 2009 to take a position as Assistant Professor of Conservation Studies and Director of the Zoo and Aquarium Leadership Masters program at George Mason University. Sylvia was appointed Deputy Director of the Mason Center for Conservation Studies in June 2009. Her current research focus is on disease transmission between humans, domestic animals, and wildlife, with a specific focus on wild Black Howler Monkeys, /Alouatta pigra/, in Belize.