James Brunt's Bio

As Associate Director for Information Management of the LTER Network Office, James leads and supervises a staff of 6 who provide operations and maintenance of LTER cyberinfrastructure, design and develop the LTER Network Information System, and provide stewardship of LTER Network databases and web sites. He is responsible for facilitating network-wide cyberinfrastructure and information management efforts, and representing the Network in technical interactions with NSF, other observatory networks and government agencies. James serves on the LTER Information Management Executive and Information Management Committees (ex officio), and the Network Information System Advisory Committee.

After receiving a BA and BS in Botany and Chemistry at New Mexico State University in 1986, James pursued a unique M.S. mixing Ecology, Computer Science, and Experimental Statistics with Dr. Walt Conley. This blend provided a perfect segway to becoming the data manager for the newly funded Sevilleta Long Term Ecological Research Project in 1989 at the University of New Mexico under the direct of Dr. James Gosz. There James established the Sevilleta Information Management System and together with Project Manager Bob Parmenter developed the Sevilleta Research Field Station. He also led the LTER Network internet connectivity assessment group and participated on the LTER Information Management Committee, serving as interim chair for 2 years.

James left the University of New Mexico in 1995 to become Senior Systems Engineer in charge of computing for Photon Research Associates, a sensor and software development firm out of San Diego with 5 offices around the U.S. This experience proved invaluable to competing for the nationally advertised position of Associate Director for Information Management with the LTER Network Office in 1997.

James' expertise spans a variety of topics, including 1) computer systems operation and maintenance, 2) data and information management and analysis, and 3) data quality assurance and assessment. He has served as a panel and ad-hoc reviewer for NSF and NRC. He writes articles on his blog on information technology for his constituency in the LTER Network.

James' wife, Mariel Campbell (also a biologist), and their 3 sons Will, Nathaniel, and Ben occupy all non-work moments. He likes (very) long walks, writing fiction, and watching and playing baseball to name but a few enjoyments.