2009-12-04T16:36:00.001-08:00

Curriculum Vitae

2008-12-23T13:19:00.000-08:00

EDUCATION
Institute for Ecology & Evolution, University of Oregon. Eugene, O.R.
PhD. Biology. 2013. Dissertation: Pollination biology of a mushroom-mimicking orchid genus.
Committee: Bitty Roy, Rob Raguso, Matt Streisfeld, Frances White & Brendan Bohannan.

Institute for Ecology & Evolution, University of Oregon. Eugene, O.R.
MSc Biology. 2011. Fungi, plants and pollinators: sex, disease, & deception.

Cascadia Permaculture Institute, Ashland, O.R.
Permaculture Teachers Training. 6/5-11/08

University of Oregon. Eugene, O.R.
BSc. (Hons.) Biology; Minor in Biochemistry. 2007.
Thesis Title: ‘Herbivores, Pathogens, and the Enemy Release Hypothesis: A Focus on Plant Communities Invaded by False Brome (Brachypodium sylvaticum)’
Ecology & Evolution Emphasis Certificate. Including studies in medical physiology, neotropical ecology, pollination, microbiology. GPA 3.5.

Lane Community College. Eugene, O.R.
Lower division sciences, (inc. botany, organic chemistry, mycology) GPA 3.8. 9/01-6/04

Columbines School of Botanical Studies. Eugene, O.R.
1st, 2nd & 3rd Year Apprenticeships; Physiology for the Herbalist; California Botanical Adventure; (~>1,000 hrs). Botany, ecology, herbalism, wildcrafting. 4/03- 10/05

Siskyou Sustainable Design, Williams, OR.
Advanced Permaculture and Keyline Water Management Course (10 days). 8/01

Cascadia Permaculture Institute, Eugene, OR.
Permaculture Design Course (72 hrs); Certified Permaculture Design Consultant. 3-5/01

Raphael Garden, Fair Oaks, CA.
Internship; Involved in all aspects of an organic market and seed garden. 2/00-6/00

Roxbury Farm, Claverack, NY.
Internship; Involved in all aspects of an organic vegetable farm. 4/98-12/98

Toronto Waldorf School, Toronto, Canada.
Diploma 1997

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
American Herbal Dispensary, Eugene, OR.
Assistant General Manager. Responsible for coordinating the production, harvest and
handling of a wide range of medicinal herbs. 3/08 – 10/08.

Institute of Contemporary Ethnobotany, Eugene, OR.
Director. Teaching, publicity, administration, booking. Herbalism, botany, biochemistry & plant walks. 2005-2008.

Pacific Biodiversity Institute, Winthrop, WA.
Botanist; Botanical inventories and rare plant surveys for Oregon State Parks. Submitted rare plant documentation to the Oregon Natural Heritage Program. 7-8/07.

Hendrick’s Park, City of Eugene, OR.
Gardener; Specializing in native plants. 5–9/05.

West Eugene Wetlands, City of Eugene, OR.
Crew Leader; Responsible for collecting seed from native plants for an inter-agency
restoration effort. 6- 9/04.

Under the Yew Botanicals, Eugene, OR.
Wildcrafter; 2005-2007.

Columbines and Wizardry Herbs, Eugene, OR.
Wildcrafter; 2003-2009.

Walama Restoration Project, Eugene, OR.
Ecological Restoration Technician; Invasive species removal, replanting native
vegetation, seed collection of native species, children’s education. 7/02-2/04.

Urban Ecological Design, Eugene, OR.
Gardener; Native landscape installation and maintenance. 3/02-9/03.

Whiteaker Urban Sustainability Project, Eugene, OR.
Volunteer Coordinator; Organized educational events, outreach, publicity. 2/01-11/01.

Ann Christensen Environmental Design, Eugene, OR.
Gardener; Landscape installation and maintenance. 10/00-6/04.

TEACHING POSITIONS
Testimonials
Biology Department, University of Oregon.

Graduate Teaching Fellow; Natural and Cultural History of Oregon BI 399; Spring ‘11
Graduate Teaching Fellow; Neotropical Ecology Field Course (Ecuador) BI 479;
Spring ‘10

Graduate Teaching Fellow; Pollination Biology BI 306; Spring ‘09
Graduate Teaching Fellow; General Biology BI 212; Winter ‘09
Graduate Teaching Fellow; Mycology BI 432/532; Fall ‘08
Teaching Assistant; Field Botany BI 448/548; Summer ‘08
Teaching Assistant; General Biology BI 211; Winter ‘07
Teaching Assistant; Systematic Botany BI 442. Spring ‘06

Cascadia Permaculture Institute, Eugene, OR.
Co-Instructor; 6th Annual Willamette Valley Permaculture Design Course (90 hours).
3-5/08.

Institute of Contemporary Ethnobotany, Eugene, O.R.
The Nature of Substance: Concepts in Chemistry 12/15&22/07
Winter Twig Identification. 12/9/06 & 12/1/07
Botanical Medicine. 11/18/07
Bioregional Herbalism. 11/1/07
Fall Woods Walk. 10/21/06 & 10/20/07
Seed-Saving for Self Reliance. 9/16/07
Ethno-Ecology Field Trip. 5/7/06 & 4/28/07
Herb Walk: A Local Materia Medica. 3/3/07
Plants for the People: Herbal Actions. 4/12/06 & 11/14/06 & 2/27/07
Winter Woods Walk. 2/25/06 & 2/18/07
From Protons to Polysaccharides: Basic Concepts in Biochemistry 1/14,21&28/07
Biodiversity Explosion from the Middle of the World: A botanist´s tales from the
equator. 9/30/06
Botanical Identification Workshop & Field Trip. 5/28-29/06
Magic Molecules: Basic Concepts in Biochemistry. 2/5/06

Mount Pisgah Arboretum, Eugene, O.R.
Instructor; Botanical Identification Workshop. Including: anatomy, family
characteristics, keying, & field ID. 2-days, 4/06 & 07

Lane Community College, Eugene, OR.
Tutor; Science Resource Center. Botany, biology, chemistry. 2003 – 06.
Teaching Assistant. Botany: Bot 202 & 203. 1-6/04 & 05.

PUBLICATIONS
Policha, T. J., and B. A. Roy. 2012. Fungi, plants and pollinators: Sex, disease, & deception. In Biocomlexity of plant-fungal interactions. Edited by D. Southworth. John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Hoboken, NJ.

Dentinger, B.T.M., R. Manobanda, T. Policha, J. McAlpine, and B.A. Roy. 2011. Exploitation of mycophilous flies by mushroom-mimicking Dracula orchids. XVI Congress of European Mycologists. Thessaloniki, Greece. Sept. 20.

Policha, T. 2011 From biodynamics to bioliteracy: An ethno-ecological journey. In ‘Stella Natura 2012 Biodynamic Planting Calendar.’ Edited by S. Wildfeuer. Camphill Village Kimberton Hills, Kimberton PA.

Policha, T., R. Manobanda, J. McAlpine, B. Dentinger, B. Roy. Pollination ecology of mushroom-mimicking Dracula orchids. Botanical Society of America meeting, St. Louis, MO. July 12.

Roy, B. A., S. Güsewell, T. Coulson, W. Blaser, T. Policha, J. Stewart, and K. Blaisdell. 2011. Population regulation by enemies of the grass Brachypodium sylvaticum: demography in native and invaded ranges. Ecology 92:3, 665-675.

Policha, T. 2011. Plantas de Mindo: Una guia del bosque nublado del Choco Andino / Plants of Mindo: A guide to the cloud forest of the Andean Choco. 184pp. American Herbal Dispensary Press, Eugene, OR.

Policha, T., B. Dentinger, A. Troya, R. Manobanda, F. Bechtolsheim, J. McAlpine, B. Roy. 2010. Evidence for Mimicry in the Pollination of Dracula Orchids. International Congress of Dipterology VII. San Jose, Costa Rica. Aug. 12.

Policha, T., B. Dentinger, R. Manobanda, J. McAlpine, B. Roy. 2010. Evidence for Mimicry in the Pollination of Dracula Orchids. Poster at the meeting of the Society for the Study of Evolution, Portland OR.

Policha, T. 2010. Cuando flores parece como hongos: La ecología de la la polinización de las orquídeas Drácula. Talk at Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. Quito, Ecuador.

Roy, B.A.*, Dentinger, B.T.M.*, T. Policha, T.S. Jenkinson, and R. Manobanda. 2008. Testing the hypothesis of mushroom mimicry for Dracula felix orchids. Ecological Society of America and Mycological Society of America meetings. *equally contributing authors

Policha, T. 2008. Plants of Mindo: a field guide to the common species of the cloud forest. Institute of Contemporary Ethnobotany, Eugene, OR.

Policha, T. 2007. Native plants & permaculture: a call for stewardship. NPSO Bulletin. 40(9): 94-95.

Filhart, S. & T. Policha. 2006. Plant of the year: Oregon grape (Berberis aquifolium), our state flower. Kalmiopsis. 13: 32-36.

Policha, T. 2006. Rewilding the garden: Towards a contemporary ethnobotany. Permaculture News.

Policha, T. 2006. Wonders of the winter woods. Permaculture News.

Policha, T. 2005. Where we live. Earth Tithe.

Policha, T. 2005. Deserts alive! NPSO Bulletin. 38 (5): 52.

Policha, T. 2004. More than a pigment of the imagination. In Good Tilth. 15 (6): 1 & 11.

Policha, T. 2003. Mexican plants, places & people. In Good Tilth. 14 (6): 12-13.

Policha, T. 2003. Biodynamics comes to Oregon. In Good Tilth. 14 (1): 13.

Policha, T. 2002. Ecological restoration redefines human role in the environment. In Good Tilth. 13 (6): 7.

Policha, T. 2001. Keyline irrigation: protect keypoint watersheds. In Good Tilth. 12 (4): 6-7.

Policha, T. 2001. The alchemist and the cosmos: the artistic spirit of biodynamics: a
converstion with Dennis Klocek. In Good Tilth. 12 (2): 8-9.

Policha, T. et al. 2001. Nature’s pruning lessons. In Good Tilth. 12 (1): 19.

Policha, T. 2000. Food not lawns! Front Porch News. 17: 1-2.

INVITED PRESENTATIONS
Policha, T. 2011. Pollination of Dracula: with notes on other Andean Pleurothallids. Mary’s Peak Orchid Society, Corvallis, OR. Nov. 1

Policha, T. 2011. Draculas in the mist: Pollination ecology of mushroom-mimicking orchids. Eugene Natural History Society, Eugene, OR. October 21.

RootStalk: a celebration of plants, people and planet. Salem OR
Botanically Speaking. Two-part, hands-on workshop co-taught with Steven Yeager. 9/25-26/11

Northwest Herbfest. Wise Acres Farm, Pleasant Hill, OR
Wild weed walk & Medicinal herb identification for the beginner. 7/24-25/11

Pontificia Universidad Católica del Ecuador. Quito, Ecuador.
Cuando flores parece como hongos: La ecología de la la polinización de las orquídeas Drácula. April 2010.

Sustainable Lifestyles Festival. Wise Acres Farm, Pleasant Hill, OR
Edible & Medicinal Plant Walks. 6/27&28/09

University of Oregon, Eugene, OR.
Bi 213 Field Trip: Ecology Walk. 5/18/07 & 6/3/09.

Center for the Advancement of Sustainable Living, University of Oregon, Eugene.
Ethnobotany and Edibles Walk. 5/31/09.

Cascadia Permaculture Institute, Eugene, OR.
7th Annual Willamette Valley Permaculture Design Course. 4/18 & 6/6-7/09.

Friends of Hendrick’s Park. Eugene, OR.
Medicinal Plant Walks. 6/18/06, 6/24/07, 4/13/08, 4/12/09.

University of Oregon, Eugene. BI 306 Pollination Biology.
Dracula Pollination Ecology Presentation. 5/29/08

Lost Valley Educational Center. Dexter, OR.
Fall Ecology & Harvest Plant Walk. 10/14/07

University of Oregon, Eugene. ENVS 411 Nature in the Metropolis.
Urban Ecology Walk. 10/11/07

Native Plant Society of Oregon. Eugene, OR.
Plants of Ecuador: Slide Show. 5/21/07

Lost Valley Educational Center. Dexter, OR.
Native Plants & Permaculture Conference. Ethnobotanical Walk; Panel: Local Sustainable Foodsheds. 5/11-12/07

False Brome Working Group. Southern Willamette Valley, OR.
Field trip to research sites. 4/25/07

Northwest Herbal Faire, WA.
Medicinal Plant Walk. 8/05

H.O.P.E Farm. Coburg, OR.
Seed-Saving Workshop. 8/04

Regional Permaculture Gathering. Eugene, OR.
Seed-Saving Workshop. 9/03

Regional Permaculture Gathering. Lost Valley Educational Center. Dexter, OR
Seed-Saving Workshop; Water Management Workshop. 9/01 & 02

Wellsprings Alternative Highschool. Eugene, OR.
Seed-Saving & Food Politics Workshop. 6/02

Anthroposophical Youth Conference. Ann Arbor, MI.
Reflections on a month volunteering in a HIV+ community, in Harlem, NYC. 7/97

RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Center for Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, University of Oregon, Eugene.
Research Assistant; Plant ecology; herbivory, pathogens, mycorhizae. 6/06-8/07.

Tiputini Estacion Biodiversidad, Parque Nacional Yasuni, Ecuador.
Part of the Neotropical Ecology (BI 479) course through the University of Oregon. 8/06.

Moosa Canyon, San Diego County.
Botanical inventory. Results submitted to Nature Conservancy. 3/05.

Howard Buford Recreation Area, Lane Co. OR.
Annual survey for the federally-listed, rare Lomatium bradshawii. 2002-2005.

Native Plant Society of Oregon, Emerald Chapter, Eugene.
Monitoring of the threatened Cypripedium montanum. 5/04.

VOLUNTEER SERVICE
Mount Pisgah Arboretum, Lane Co. OR.
Wildflower Festival; Responsible for ethnobotanical display & collection. 2002 -09.

Buena Fortuna; Co-Evolutionary Botanical Garden. Baja Sur, MX. (~ 4,000 species)
Planting, weeding, seed collection, and irrigation maintenance. 1/99, 2/03 & 12/04.

Food Not Lawns, Eugene, OR.
Co-Founder. Resource and information distribution, education, outreach, gatherings, library, bioremediation, children’s activities. 2/99-11/01. www.foodnotlawns.com.

Cascadia Free School, Eugene, OR.
Director. Publicity, administration, teaching. 9/00-6/01.

Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, Toronto, Canada.
Board Member; Direct-action casework; coalition building; publicity. 9/97-3/98.

Stand Up Harlem, New York, N.Y.
Volunteer; HIV+ community. Maintenance, acquisition, and general support. 6/97-8/97.

Community Youth Conferences, MA, MI, NJ; Berlin, Germany.
Member of planning committees; Nine conferences. Semi-annual 1993-97.

Camphill Village Kimberton Hills, Kimberton, PA.
Intern; Dairy & orchard. Included working with adults with mental disabilities. 1992-96.

MEDIA APPEARANCES
Carter, J. 2011. Featured speaker biographical sketch. Nature Trails, 46:7. Dadigan, M. 2010. Nature's Masters of Disguise. CAScade. University of Oregon. Eugene. Fall

Palmer, S. A natural with nature: botanist Tobias Policha found his career path out of a lifelong love for plants. Register Guard, Eugene OR. B1. May 25, 2009.

Palmer, S. Place of small wonders: a tour of native plants in Hendricks park illustrates springtime color and diversity. Register Guard, Eugene OR. B1. April 13, 2009.

Food and Medicine Culture at the Neighborhood Level. www.eatlocaleugene.com May 15, 2008.

McCowan, K. Gardeners learn the bitter truth. Register Guard, Eugene OR. C1. June 19, 2006.

HONORS & AWARDS
National Science Foundation.
Research & Education Undergraduate supplement to DEB-0515777 (granted to B. A.
Roy). $5,000. 6-9/07.

Centurion Award. University of Oregon, Eugene, OR.
Recognizing extraordinary leadership and service. 5/07

Non-Traditional Student Award. University of Oregon, Eugene, OR.
In recognition of breadth and depth of experience and contributions made. University of Oregon, Eugene. 5/07

Dunbar Scholarship. University of Oregon, Eugene, OR.
University of Oregon, Eugene. Private donor; $5,000. 4-8/07

General Development Scholarship. University of Oregon, Eugene, OR.
University of Oregon, Eugene. $1,000.

Staton Family Foundation Scholarship.
Lane Community College & University of Oregon. $15,000. 9/04-6/07

Phi Theta Kappa, Lane Community College, Eugene.
Member; International Honors Society. 1- 6/04

Lane Community College Honor Roll
Fall '03 & Winters ‘04&’05

MEMBERSHIPS
Society for Economic Botany
Member since 2009
Society for the Study of Evolution
Member since 2010
American Botanical Council
Member since 2011
Native Plant Society of Oregon
Member since 2004
Cascade Mycological Society
Member since 2008
Mount Pisgah Arboretum
Member since 2011
American Federation of Teachers
Member since 2008

Tobias Policha

New Book Published

Curriculum Vitae

Food and Medicine Culture at the Neighborhood Level. www.eatlocaleugene.com May 15, 2008.