Wayne Law, Ph.D.
The New York Botanical Garden
Institute of Economic Botany
2900 Southern Blvd.
Bronx, NY 10458
Phone: (718)817-8971; Fax (718)220-1029
Email: wlaw@nybg.org
Current Position
Postdoctoral Research Associate, The New York Botanical Garden, Institute of Economic Botany
Education
Ph.D. Evolution, Ecology, and Population Biology, Washington University in St. Louis, MO.
Spring 2007
Dissertation: Ecological and Evolutionary Impacts of Harvesting the Himalayan Snow Lotus (Saussurea laniceps Maxim. and S. medusa Hand.-Mazz.)
B.S. Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside. Spring 2001
GPA: 3.20
Grants and Awards
National Geographic Society 2008
- Research and Exploration Grant ($20,000)
National Science Foundation 2008
- Biodiversity Survey and Inventory Grant ($400,000)
Graduate Student Research Symposium 2005
-3rd Place, Biological Science ($100)
National Science Foundation 2004
-Doctorial Dissertation Improvement Grant ($13,300)
Garden Club of America 2004
-Anne S. Chatham Fellowship in Medicinal Botany ($4,000)
National Science Foundation 2004
-East Asia Summer Institute Program ($5,500)
Asian Pacific Islander Academic Award ($100) 2001
Senior Student Grant ($500) 2001
University Honors Program Residential Fellowship ($200) 1997
Chancellor’s Scholarship ($1,500) 1997
California Scholarship Federation Scholarship ($300) 1997
Publications
Lee, R., N. Shere, M. J. Balick, F. Sohl, A. S. Roberst, K. Herrera, S. Dahmer, M. Lieskovsky, A.
Dores, W. Raynor, P. Raynor, E. Albert, M. Hunt, C. Trauernicht, L. Offringa, I. Adam, and
W. Law. 2010. Pohnpei Primary Health Care Manual. CreateSpace.
Law, W., J. Salick, T. M. Knight. (2010) The effects of pollen limitation on population dynamics of
snow lotus, a threatened Tibetan medicinal plant of the Eastern Himalayas. Plant Ecology.
210: 343-357
Byg, A., J. Salick, & W. Law (2010) Medicinal Plant Knowledge Among Lay People in Five Eastern
Tibet Villages. Human Ecology. 38(2): 177-191
Balick, M.J., D.H. Lorence, D. Lee Ling, & W. Law. (2009) Plants and People of Pohnpei: An
Overview. In: Balick, M.J. (ed), Ethnobotany of Pohnpei: Plants, People, and Island Culture. University of Hawaii Press, Honolulu
Law, W. 2007. Ecological and Evolutionary Impacts of Harvesting the Himalayan Snow Lotus
(Saussurea laniceps Maxim. and S. medusa Hand.-Mazz.). Biology Washington University, St. Louis, p. 154.
Law, W. & J. Salick. (2007). Comparing conservation priorities for useful plants: Botanists and
Tibetan doctors. Biodiversity and Conservation. 16 (6): 1747-1759
Salick, J., A. Amend, B. Gunn, W. Law, H. Schmidt, & A. Byg. (2006) Tibetan Medicine Plurality. Economic Botany 60(3): 227-253
Law, W. & J. Salick. (2005) Human induced dwarfing of Himalayan snow lotus, Saussurea
laniceps (Asteraceae). Proceedings of the National Academy of Science 102 (29): 10218-10220
Corresponding Author Publications
Salick, J, A. Amend, & Y.P. Yang. (2005) Tibetan land use and change near Kawa Karpo, Eastern
Himalayas. Economic Botany 59(4): 312-325
Manuscripts in preparation
Law, W., J. Salick, & T.M. Knight. In preparation. Harvest affects the populations dynamics of
Tibetan medicinal Snow Lotus, Saussurea laniceps and S. medusa (Asteraceae). (To be submitted to Conservation Biology)
Posters & Presentations
Law, W. R. Mackenzie, & M.J. Balick (2009). Grow low! The impacts of Sakau (Piper methysticum) on
biodiversity. Society of Economic Botany
Law, W. (2009) The Ethnobotany of Micronesia: Conserving plant diversity and the cultures
that use them. Fairchild Botanic Garden.
Law, W. (2009) From Snow Lotus to Sakau; developing sustainable strategies for changing plant
practices. University of Hawaii
Balick, M.J. & W. Law (2008). Plants, people, culture and Conservation. Palau Conservation Society.
Law, W. (2008). Ethnobotany and ecological impacts of sakau farming in Pohnpei, FSM. Youth
Environmental Ambassadors.
Law, W., F. Marcus, C. Tauling, & M.J. Balick (2008). Use it or lose it: The link between culture and
plant biodiversity in Kosrae, Federated States of Micronesia. Sustaining Culture and
Biodiversity Conference
Law, W. & J. Salick (2006). Human induced dwarfing of Himalayan snow lotus, Saussurea laniceps
(Asteraceae). Society of Economic Botany
Law, W. (2006) Snow lotus vs. Humans: A Fair Fight? Washington University. Student Seminar
Law, W. & J. Salick (2006) Human induced dwarfing of Himalayan snow lotus, Saussurea laniceps
(Asteraceae). Midwest Ecology and Evolution Conference
Law, W. & J. Salick (2006). Human induced dwarfing of Himalayan snow lotus, Saussurea laniceps
(Asteraceae). Society of Ethnobiology
Law, W. (2004) Harvesting effects on the Medicinal Plant, Snow Lotus. The Nature
Conservancy
Law, W., J. Salick, & N. Cili (2004). Comparing Conservation Priorities of Useful Plants:
Botanists and Tibetan Doctors. Society of Economic Botany
Law, W. (2004) Human Harvesting Effects on Snow Lotus. Washington University. Student
Seminar
Law, W., J. Salick, & N. Cili (2003). Comparing Conservation Priorities of Useful Plants:
Botanists and Tibetan Doctors. Society of Ethnobiology
Research Experience
Researcher, The New York Botanical Garden Summer 2006 – Current
*Plants and People of Micronesia
Researcher, Washington University, St. Louis Summer 2003 - 2006
*Data Collection for Dissertation
Lab Rotation, Gayle Fritz Fall 2002
*Analyzation of Botanical Remains from the Southwest New Mexico
Researcher, Washington University, St. Louis Summer 2002
*Preliminary Data Collection for Dissertation
Lab Rotation, Barbara Schaal Spring 2002
*Learning Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) techniques
Lab Rotation, Jan Salick Fall 2001
*Process and Database China Ethnobotanical Collections
Senior Research Project, University of California, Riverside 2001
*Chemical Compound Identification of the Plants of the Perilla Genus
Getty Grant Program Intern, Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden Summer 2000
Researcher, University of California, Riverside 1999 – 2000
*Ethnobotanical monograph of Perilla spp.
Field Assistant, El Edén Ecological Reserve, Mexico Summer 1999
Lab Assistant, Dr. Arturo Gomez-Pompa 1999
Teaching Experience
Teaching Instructor, Kosrae High School Fall 2007
10th Grade Conservation Biology
Teaching Assistant, Ford Foundation Capacity Building, Kunming, China Summer 2005
Workshop – Population Ecology
Teaching Assistant, Washington University, St. Louis Winter 2004
Biology 317 – Conservation Biology
Teaching Assistant, Washington University, St. Louis Fall 2002
Biology 100a – Introduction to Biology
Media Attention
My research has been featured in popular outlets such as MSNBC, CNN.com, over 50 U.S. newspapers (e.g. NY Times, St. Louis Post-Dispatch, Los Angeles Times, Washington Post, Chicago Sun-Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Newark Star Ledger), international media (e.g. China Daily, New Scientist, UK, Science and Development Network, UK, Canada.com), National Geographic, National Public Radio, and Science News.
Professional Societies
Society of Ethnobiology
Botanical Society of America
Society of Economic Botany
Service as reviewer
Biotropica
Economic Botany
Ethnobotany Research & Applications
Evolutionary Biology
International Journal of Plant Sciences
Journal of Ethnobiology
Oecologia
Southwestern Naturalist
Springer |