Our Mission
Reptile Research is a conservation research organization, dedicated to understanding biodiversity of reptiles and amphibians. Education, volunteering, and capacity building are integral to this task. We offer people the experiences, skills and tools to promote understanding of biodiversity beyond our own organization. As images of nature are one of the best devices for both documenting biodiversity and sharing it with the world, photography is also central to our goals.
Who are we?
Reptile Research is a group of professional naturalists, educators and photographers leading research expeditions in Ecuador and the Desert Southwestern United States. (Read our Guidestar Report.)
Paul S. Hamilton, MA, PhD, Executive Director, Photographer, Principal Investigator
Paul spent half his life chasing lizards across California, and then moved to Arizona for graduate school at ASU, where his studies focused on conservation, behavioral and evolutionary ecology, and herpetology. After chasing lizards around Arizona for several more years, he founded Reptile Research to work on conservation ecology of reptiles and amphibians of Ecuador, where he led his 10th expedition this January. He is also a published photographer, and has won acclaim for both scientific and artistic applications of photography. Paul's CV
Matt Goode, MS, Mexico Sky
Islands Project Principal Investigator
Matt has spent the past 25 years studying various aspects of amphibian and reptile ecology and conservation. Most of his work has dealt with snakes in general and rattlesnakes in particular. He tries to bridge the gap between applied and basic research, using ecological, behavioral and natural history data to address conservation and management issues. He is a Research Scientist in the School of Natural Resources at the University of Arizona and is actively involved in Partners in Amphibian and Reptile Conservation (PARC), a national organization dedicated to preserving our nation's herpetofauna.
Gaye Hamilton, MBA, Finance Director
Gaye is retired from a career in corporate accounting and finance. Her education includes an MBA from the University of California, Berkeley and she holds CPA certification. She brings these important money management skills to the organization which is otherwise comprised of individuals whose skills lie elsewhere. She is a lifelong hiker, camper, and supporter of environmental causes and has been on one of our trips to Ecuador and is looking forward to another in the near future.
Christiane Mouette, Field Ecology Technician
Growing up in Brazil and having worked on sea turtles and other fauna of her home country, Christiane specializes in conservation of the reptiles and amphibians of Western Ecuador, and has led and/or participated in five expeditions thus far. When we have more than one field team, Christiane leads one team for field work. She also assists with lab work and is in charge of logistics while on the reserves. She has traveled throughout Ecuador as well as her home country of Brazil, where she has worked on sea turtles and environmental education. She is fluent in English, Spanish, Portuguese, and French. Christiane is also a certified dive instructor, and when not working with Reptile Research, gives training for SCUBA certification.