UF Wildlife Forensic Sciences & Conservation Faculty
Susan Underkoffler, MFS, Program Director, Instructor and Forensic Investigator
Academic Qualifications: Susan Underkoffler, MFS, holds two Bachelor of Arts degrees in Conservation Biology and Scientific Illustration from Arcadia University and a Master of Forensic Science degree from Drexel University College of Medicine. She developed an animal forensic science track for Drexel University College of Medicine’s graduate forensics program.
Craig du Plooy, M. Com. Information Systems (Forensics) (Honors)
Academic Qualifications: Craig du Plooy has a Bachelor of Commerce (Honors) Information System Forensics degree and an Honors degree in Information Systems from the University of Cape Town, South Africa. He has over 15 years of experience in digital forensics, visual data analytics, information security, penetration testing and vulnerability assessments.
Joseph Rivera, JD
Academic Qualifications: Joseph Rivera served as an officer in the US Army for about 14 years, and is a graduate of Marion Military Institute where he earned an Associates in military science, Oregon State University (Bachelor of Science in Psychology), Tiffin University (Master’s of Science in Criminal Justice with an emphasis in criminal behavior), University of Mississippi School of Law with a juris doctorate and a concentration in business law, and Utica College with a certificate in financial crime investigations.
Ngaio Richards, Ph.D.
Academic Qualifications: Ngaio Richards is a wildlife biologist and detection dog handler whose work involves bridging the gap between those who specialize either in the repercussions of pesticides, or of veterinary agents, on wildlife as well as those who work in field and analytical settings. She is also the Forensics & Field Specialist for Working Dogs for Conservation, a nonprofit in Montana.
Lee Burton
Academic Qualifications: Lee Burton is the owner of Naturalist Ventures and an accomplished outdoorsman and naturalist, providing instruction for a variety of field skills topics including wildlife tracking and avian communications (bird language). He teaches undergraduate and graduate students internationally, both online and in person.
Nicole Chinnici
Academic Qualifications: Nicole Chinnici is the laboratory director of the Northeast Wildlife DNA Laboratory, home of the PA Tick Research Lab. Nicole is a certified wildlife forensic scientist with six years of research experience overseeing and conducting tick testing and analyses. She also handles various types of wildlife forensic casework, creates and monitors wildlife forensic databases and develops and optimizes PCR and multiplex PCR protocols for species identification and genotyping.
Jeff Rodzen, Ph.D.
Academic Qualifications: Jeff Rodzen is originally from New England and earned a B.S. in Environmental Science with a concentration in marine ecology at the University of Maine. He then continued on to the University of California, Davis where he earned a Ph. D. in Genetics while studying the genetics of the octoploid white sturgeon, focusing on the management of both wild and farm-raised sturgeon. He then worked for the California Dept. of Fish and Game’s Wildlife Forensics Laboratory for about 12 years where he performed wildlife forensic casework while advancing the use of DNA in wildlife forensic science.
Nicole Lewis, DVM
Academic Qualifications: Nicole Lewis is a wildlife veterinarian and owner of WildSide Vet LLC, providing contract wildlife veterinary services to local, state, and federal government, nonprofits, zoos, aquariums, colleges and more. She has a BS in Animal Health (2006), MS in veterinary epidemiology (2012) and received her DVM in 2013 at the Atlantic Veterinary College in Prince Edward Island, Canada. Prior to moving to Seattle, she was the state wildlife veterinarian for NJ and has a passion for wildlife conservation.
Megan Stolen, MS
Academic Qualifications: Megan Stolen has worked as a marine mammal stranding investigator for over 30 years and is one of five NOAA-approved large whale necropsy team leaders for the Atlantic coast of the U.S. She is a senior scientist at Blue World Research Institute. Megan earned her BSc. and MSc. in Biological Sciences from the University of Central Florida and a Master’s degree in Wildlife Forensic Science and Conservation from the University of Florida. Her current research focuses on taphonomy, human-wildlife conflict and trauma in Florida wildlife and marine mammals.
Academic Qualifications: Dr. Cooper originally trained as a British veterinary surgeon (veterinarian). He graduated in veterinary science and gained his MRCVS at the University of Bristol in 1966. He is a member of a husband and wife team. His wife, Mrs Margaret E Cooper, LLB, FLS, is a lawyer who trained originally as a British solicitor and has made the study of animal and conservation law her special interest.