Knowledge areas

Spatial ecology, behavioural ecology, conservation biology, human-wildlife coexistence, carnivore ecology, renewable energy & wildlife, ecological networks, restoration ecology, wolverines, birds, mammals, statistical modelling, avian radar technology

Key qualifications

• Conservation biology
• Spatial ecology
• Carnivore and raptor ecology
• Renewable energy and wildlife
• (Strategic) environmental impact assessments
• Ecological networks and habitat fragmentation
• Avian radar technology (MERLIN and ROBIN) and radar ornithology
• Project management and acquisition

Education

• 2007: Doctor of Philosophy, Norwegian University of Science and Technology
• 1996: Master of Science, University of Wageningen, the Netherlands
• 1994: Bachelor of Science, University of Wageningen, the Netherlands

Experience

• 2008 - present: Senior Research Scientist, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA)
• 2003 - 2007: PhD student, NINA/Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NTNU)
• 2002 - 2003: Owner/director of ‘Tracks - Wildlife Study & Conservation’
• 1999 - 2003: Secretary of the Mammal Protection Working group and national coordinator Important Mammal Areas Network at the Dutch Association for the Study and Protection of Mammals (voluntary)
• 1996 - 2003: Staff member wildlife ecology and forest ecology at ‘De Groene Ruimte’, consultancy for ecological research and conservation management, the Netherlands
• 1995: Scientific research assistant for the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology at the Joint Raptor Study, Scotland

Training

• 2004: Course on medical immobilisation of animals
• 2001: Course on Proficiency in Acquisition
• 2000: Field course wolf research at the International Wolf Centre: radio telemetry (ground and aerial), howling surveys, back-tracking wolves

Languages

Dutch (mother tongue), English (fluent), Norwegian (fluent), French, Spanish, German

Worked in

Norge, Nederland, Skotland

Conference contributions

• May, R., Bevanger, K., van Dijk, J., Petrin, Z., Brende, H. 2013.Renewable energy: consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem services. NØF conference, Trondheim, Norway.
• May, R., Hanssen, F., Thomassen, J. & Bevanger, K. 2013. Least-cost path (LCP) analysis for optimal routing of high-voltage power lines: a spatially explicit MCA. MCA workshop, Trondheim, Norway.
• May, R., Reitan, O., Bevanger, K., Lorentsen, S.-H., & Nygård, T. 2013. Mitigating wind-turbine induced avian mortality: audible, optical and biomechanical constraints and options.Conference on Wind power and Environmental impacts, Stockholm, Sweden.
• May, R. & Bevanger, K. 2012. Renewable energy – consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem services.Technoport Renewable Energy Research Conference, Trondheim, Norway.
• May, R., Dijk, J. van, Landa, A. & Eide, N. 2012. Impacts of climate change on the reproductive ecology of the wolverineGulo gulo. European Conference for Conservation Biology, Glasgow, Scotland.
• May, R. 2011. Renewable energy and its consequences for biodiversity and ecosystem services. AlterNet Summer School, Peyresq, France.
• May, R., Nygård, T., Bevanger, K., Reitan, O., Dahl, E.L., Engen, S., Lund Hoel, P. & Langston, R. 2011. Spatio-temporal collision risk and avoidance in white-tailed eagles. European Ornithological Union Conference, Riga, Latvia.
• May, R., Douglas, D., Nygård, T., Bevanger, K., Reitan, O., Dahl, E.L., Engen, S., Lund Hoel, P. & Langston, R. 2011.Collision risk in white-tailed eagles - avoiding risky modelling.Conference on Wind energy and Wildlife impacts, Trondheim, Norway.
• May, R., Nygård, T., Engen, S., Reitan, O., Dahl, E.L., Bevanger, K. & Hanssen, F. 2010. Spatial assessment of white-tailed eagle collision risk at the Smøla onshore wind-power plant in central Norway. Wind Wildlife Research Meeting, Lakewood, USA.
• May, R. & Nygård, T. 2009. Spatial assessment of white-tailed sea eagle collision risk at the onshore wind-power plant on the island of Smøla. European Conference for Conservation Biology, Prague, Czech Republic.
• May, R. 2008. Radar studies on white-tailed sea eagle at an onshore wind farm on Smøla. International workshop on birds of prey and wind farms, Berlin, Germany.
• May, R., Bevanger, K., Hanssen, F., Vang, R., Nygård, T., Dahl, E.L., Clausen, S. & Smith, A.. 2008. Radar studies on white-tailed sea eagle at an onshore wind farm on Smøla.Nordic golden eagle symposium, Tromsø, Norway.
• May, R. 2007. Wolverine: Wilderness symbol in multiple-use landscapes. Development of monitoring and research of brown bear and wolverine populations in north calotte area, Luosto, Finland.
• May, R., Landa, A., Dijk, J., Persson, J. & Kojola, I. 2006. Wolverines in Europe: status and conservation challenges. First European Conference on Conservation Biology, Eger, Hungary.
• May, R., Gorini, L., Dijk, J. van, Landa, A., Brøseth, H., Andersen, R. 2006. Den site selection of Norwegian wolverines at different spatial scales. Oral presentation. European Conference on Conservation Biology, Eger, Hungary.
• May, R. 16.06.2005. Towards an IUCN Action Plan for the global conservation of the wolverine. First International Symposium on Wolverine Research and Management (workshop), Jokkmokk, Sweden.
• May, R., Landa, A., Dijk, J. van, Linnell, J. & Andersen, R. 2005. Impact of infrastructure on habitat selection of wolverines. First International Symposium on Wolverine Research and Management, Jokkmokk, Sweden.

Scientific posters:

• May, R. 2013. Assessing cumulative impacts of wind-power development on birds: a spatially-explicit deterministic index for decision support. Conference on Wind power and Environmental impacts, Stockholm, Sweden.
• Hanssen, F., Thomassen, J., May, R., Bevanger, K. 2012. A Least Cost Path toolbox for optimal routing of high voltage power lines. IAIA12-konferanse, Porto, Portugal.
• Hanssen, F., May, R., Steinheim, Y. & Vang, R. 2011. GIS-modelling of radar detection coverage and ground clutter within the complex environment of Smøla wind-power plant.Conference on Wind energy and Wildlife impacts, Trondheim, Norway.
• Nygård, T., Bevanger, K., Dahl, E.L., May, R., & Reitan, O. 2011. Landscape use and collision risks at different scales. Juvenile White-tailed Sea Eagles studied by GPS satellite telemetry at Smøla wind-farm. Conference on Wind energy and Wildlife impacts, Trondheim, Norway.
• Reitan, O., Bevanger, K. & May, R. 2011. Optimizing searches for bird collision fatalities within a wind-power plant area by using trained dogs. Conference on Wind energy and Wildlife impacts, Trondheim, Norway.
• Reitan, O., Bevanger, K., May, R. & Dahl, E.L. 2011. Bird fatalities within Smøla wind-power plant. Conference on Wind energy and Wildlife impacts, Trondheim, Norway.
• Steinheim, Y., May, R., Kvaløy, P., Vang, R., Hanssen, F. & Bevanger, K. 2011. Performance test and verification of an avian radar in the adverse environment of a wind-power plant.Conference on Wind energy and Wildlife impacts, Trondheim, Norway.
• Vang, R., May, R. & Hanssen, F. 2011. Identifying false alarms and bird tracks in a full scale radar tracks database using clustering algorithms and SQL Server 2008 Analysis Services.Conference on Wind energy and Wildlife impacts, Trondheim, Norway.
• May, R., Dijk, J. Van, Eide, N., Brøseth, H., Hanssen, F., Blumentrath, S. & Erikstad, L. 2010. Den site selection of alpine predators in relation to altered snow conditions. IPY Oslo Science Conference, Oslo, Norway.
• Halley, D.J., Bevanger, K., Berntsen, F.E.H., Clausen, S.M., Dahl, E.L., Flagstad, Ø., Follestad, A., Hanssen, F.O., Hoel, P.L., Johnsen, L., Kvaløy, P., May, R., Nygård, T., Pedersen, H.C., Reitan, O., Steinheim, Y. & Vang, R. 2010. The effect of wind turbines on birds at the Smøla wind power plant Norway: collisions, displacement, and avoidance. Renewable energy 2010, Yokohama, Japan.
• Dijk, J. van, May, R., Landa, A., Andersen, R. & Andersen, R. 2006. Who ate my lamb chops? Seasonal and inter-annual variability in wolverine Gulo gulo depredation. First European Conference on Conservation Biology, Eger, Hungary.

Professional societies

• 2013 - present: International Energy Agency - Wind Task 34: Environmental impacts from wind energy
• 2013 - present: COST Action European Network for the Radar Surveillance of Animal Movement (ENRAM); Member of Management Committee
• 2015: Conference on Wind power and Wildlife impacts (CWW2015), Berlin 10-12 March 2015. Scientific Committee, Keynote speaker
• 2013: Conference on Wind power and Environmental impacts (CWE2013), Stockholm 5-7 February 2013. Scientific Committee
• 2011: Conference on Wind energy and Wildlife impacts (CW2011), Trondheim 2-5 May 2011. Head of Scientific Committee & member Organizing Committee
• 2005: 1st International Symposium on Wolverine Research and Management, Jokkmokk, Sweden June 13-15, 2005. Organizing Committee
• 1999 - 2005: The Wildlife Society; International Wildlife Management Working Group, Certified Wildlife Biologist
• 1997 - 2003: Royal Dutch Forestry Association (KNBV); Pro Silva Working group

Publications:

• Publications in CRIStin
• Other publications