Tanner Jessel
Web Content Strategist, Bioinformatics & Internet Services Specialist
mountainsol@gmail.com
Summary
I specialize in Web content strategy, from planning and creation of content to distribution, maintenance, and
optimization. I am currently a Graduate Research Assistant at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville,
assisting with the National Science Foundation's "Data Observation Network for Earth" usability and
assessment working group.
My most recent private-sector position was a contract position as content lead for the former Southern
Appalachian Information Node and Southeast geographic focus of the U.S. Geological Survey's National
Biological Information Infrastructure, a source for biodiversity and ecological data and information.
My passion for natural resources conservation motivates my interest in using information technology to
investigate and visualize complex biodiversity and environmental challenges.
Specialties
Technical editing, Web writing, XML, KML, HTML, RSS feeds, data mining, semantic web, ontologies,
metadata standards, bioinformatics, ecoinformatics, Web usability, search engine optimization, the Social Web,
Wikis, Blogging, open source GIS, Web mapping
Experience
Graduate Research Assistant, Data Observation Network for Earth (DataONE) at University of
Tennessee
August 2012 - Present (4 months)
Graduate Research Assistant for the Usability and Assessment working group, which conducts research to
measure both the current data practices and opinions of DataONE stakeholders and the usability of DataONE
for these stakeholders. Stakeholders include scientists, data managers, librarians, and educators.
Biodiversity Scientist at Information International Associates
July 2007 - October 2011 (4 years 4 months)
I used knowledge of ecology and organismal biology to advance biodiversity and ecological information
management, with an eye for innovative delivery for public consumption via Web presences, from tweets to
blogs to portals.
Internet Services Specialist at Information International Associates
July 2007 - October 2011 (4 years 4 months)
I used technology to connect processes and services, using standard protocols and markup languages to share
information in the online sphere.
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Research Assistant at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
2006 - 2007 (1 year)
Maintained stock of poplar trees genetically modified for research.
Web Content Manager at eDestinations
2006 - 2007 (1 year)
Publications
Biodiversity in the Information Age: Species Mashup (Poster)
National Biological Information Infrastructure October 10, 2010
Authors: Tanner Jessel, Terri Killeffer
The U.S. Geological Survey's National Biological Information Infrastructure (NBII) program
<www.nbii.gov> is using "mashup" technology to provide easier access to species data and information from
a variety of biological information sources, dynamically served on a single Web page. A species mashup can
contain information such as preferred habitat, species description, images, geographical distribution, and life
history.
NBII Amphibian Site and North American Reporting Center for Amphibian Malformations (Poster)
National Biological Information Infrastructure
Authors: Tanner Jessel, Brian D. Todd, J. Whitfield Gibbons, Annie Ng, Shelaine Curd-Hetrick, S. Jean
Freeney
Amphibian malformations and declines are serious conservation challenges facing global amphibian
populations. Recognizing this, the Southern Appalachian Information Node of the USGS National Biological
Information Infrastructure (NBII-SAIN) and the University of Georgia's Savannah River Ecology Lab
(SREL) launched the NBII Amphibian Site and North American Reporting Center for Amphibian
Malformations. Together, these online resources constitute a valuable information repository that supports the
collaborative efforts of herpetologists as they seek out information about amphibian populations worldwide.
By providing the public a means of reporting malformed amphibians in an easily accessible website, SREL
and NBII-SAIN assist the scientific community's need to identify amphibian populations that may warrant
further study. Verified, searchable records of documented malformations can provide researchers early
warning and just cause for continued monitoring. By engaging the public in citizen science, NBII-SAIN and
SREL are raising awareness about amphibian conservation issues. In addition to searchable data records and
the NARCAM reporting interface, visitors to the NBII Amphibian Site (www.nbii.gov/amphibians) can
browse crucial topics pertaining to amphibian conservation, such as amphibian disease and the chytrid
fungus, amphibian declines and climate change, and amphibian monitoring programs. The amphibian site
also highlights diverse USGS science resources including datasets, species distribution maps, images, and
identification guides. Specific to each topic area, the site also features predefined queries of the NBII
resources catalog, making simple work of retrieving peer- reviewed online resources and upcoming
conferences of interest for amphibian conservation.
Blogging for Biodiversity
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National Biological Information Infrastructure March 11, 2008
Authors: Tanner Jessel, Farial Shanaz, Venkata Kakani
The content blog powers updates to the NBII.
Education
University of Tennessee-Knoxville
B.S., Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 2002 - 2006
Activities and Societies: Students Promoting Environmental Action in Knoxville, University Honors Program,
Canoe and Hiking Club,
Honors and Awards
Presidential Scholar, University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee Honors Program
Interests
new technology, Web 2.0, hiking, snowboarding, digital photography, piano, international travel,
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Tanner Jessel
Web Content Strategist, Bioinformatics & Internet Services Specialist
mountainsol@gmail.com
Contact Tanner on LinkedIn
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