He is the author of "Lacandón Maya in the Twenty-First Century: Indigenous Knowledge and Conservation in Mexico's Tropical Rainforest.""
ROCKVILLE, MD, April 24, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Marquis Who's Who, the world's premier publisher of biographical profiles, is proud to present James Nations with the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. An accomplished listee, James Nations celebrates many years' experience in his professional network, and has been noted for achievements, leadership qualities, and the credentials and successes he has accrued in his field. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Drawing on decades of expertise in field research and analysis, Dr. Nations excels as the director and senior researcher for the Center for Human Ecology in Washington DC. Since joining the organization in 2014, he has written books and conducted field evaluations for conservation projects in Latin America. Similarly, he has developed a passion for supporting Indigenous peoples and writing about the effects of human interactions on biodiversity and protected areas in Latin America and the United States. During the early stages of his career, he gained valuable expertise as the vice president for Mexico, Central America, and Latin America at Conservation International and as the vice president of the National Parks Conservation Association's Center for Park Research. As a Senior Fulbright Scholar, he helped establish the Maya Biosphere Reserve in northern Guatemala. Dedicated to his country, Dr. Nations also served honorably in the United States Army Reserve for six years.
Given his vast breadth of knowledge, Dr. Nations has produced several publications, including "The Maya Tropical Forest: People, Parks, and Ancient Cities," which was published via the Austin: University of Texas Press, "Lacandon Maya: The Language and Environment (Maya Lacandón: el Idioma y el Medio Ambiente)," and "Lacandón Maya in the Twenty-First Century: Indigenous Knowledge and Conservation in Mexico's Tropical Rainforest," which was published through the University Press of Florida in 2023.
An expert in his field, Dr. Nations earned a Master of Science in sociology from the University of North Texas in 1972. Subsequently, he received a Master of Arts and a PhD in anthropology from Southern Methodist University in 1974 and 1979 respectively. While doing fieldwork in Mexico in pursuit of his PhD, he became enamored with Maya culture and was encouraged to further his studies. Following these achievements, Dr. Nations pursued postdoctoral studies at the University of California, Berkeley's Center for Latin American Studies.
In recognition of his outstanding achievements, Dr. Nations has received postdoctoral awards through the Tinker Foundation and the Inter-American Foundations, as well as a Senior Fulbright Research Scholarship and the Albert Nelson Marquis Lifetime Achievement Award. While his career has been filled with highlights, he takes the most pride in an excerpt of his book being featured in "Natural History Magazine" and serving as the international adviser of a team of Guatemalan conservationists who established the Maya Biosphere Reserve. Within the coming years, he intends to continue writing books and conducting presentations about biological diversity and the important of protecting the biocultural foundations of life on Earth. Personally, Dr. Nations aims to enjoy his collections of photographs and antique postcards.
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