James M. Dietz
Founding Director

James Dietz is Interim Associate Dean in the Office of Undergraduate Studies at the University of Maryland.  He is also Professor in the University of Maryland’s Department of Biology and until December 2009, he was the Associate Director of the Sustainable Development and Conservation Biology graduate program.

The geographic focus of Jim’s research and conservation activities is Brazil, and he is fluent in Brazilian language and culture. For the past 27 years, Dr. Dietz has studied the behavior and ecology of endangered golden lion tamarins in Rio de Janeiro state. His research on the evolution of monogamy and helping behavior in this communally breeding primate forms an integral part of an international project targeting the conservation of this species and the biodiversity in its fragmented forest landscape. Other components of the program include captive breeding, genetic management of the wild population through reintroduction of captive-born tamarins, habitat restoration and community education and development. Jim is co-director of an unprecedented plan to plant forest corridors reuniting isolated forests containing too-small populations of tamarins. If successful, this management plan will result in removal of the golden lion tamarin from the endangered species list.

In 1988, Dr. Dietz was hired by the University of Maryland to help develop the CONS MSc. graduate program. Using his experience in international conservation issues, Dr. Dietz and colleagues from UMCP and local conservation organizations, government agencies and development banks crafted a multidisciplinary curriculum that is recognized as one of the top three in the country. Many of the 250 CONS graduates now work in conservation organizations throughout the Metro area. Dietz also developed and taught an undergraduate course in conservation biology and the CONS capstone course, Problem Solving in Conservation, in which senior CONS students act as a pro bono consulting group to professionals in dozens of local state, federal and nongovernmental organizations.

Dr. Dietz’s accomplishments in conservation, teaching and research have been recognized in many ways. He is an elected member of the International Committee for the Conservation and Management of Lion Tamarins (convened by the Brazilian government), elected member of the Board of Directors of the Associação Mico Leão Dourado, recipient of the UMCP Instructional Unit Minority Achievement Award and the UMCP Distinguished International Service Award. He was awarded the Faculty Excellence Award for Teaching and Curriculum Development by the College of Chemical and Life Sciences, and a President’s Certificate of Service for his contributions as Chair of the Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee. Jim is a Founding Director of Save the Golden Lion Tamarin.