Francisco Dallmeier: 1953—: Biologist

Francisco Gómez-Dallmeier was born February 15, 1953, in Caracas, Venezuela. At the age of 18, while still a student, he became curator of mammals at the LaSalle Museum of Natural History in Caracas. Two years later, in 1973, Dallmeier became the museum's director, a post he held until 1977.

Dallmeier's lifelong interest in tropical birds flourished as he began studying the science of ecology and issues of biological diversity. While serving as museum director, Dallmeier also worked as a research assistant at the Institute of Tropical Zoology of the Central University of Venezuela. His fieldwork with the institute resulted in the banding of more than 3,000 birds. As a member of the ecology team, he studied the flora and fauna of southern Venezuela, collaborating with Polish scientists Kazimierz Dobrolowski and Jan Pinowski on a number of ecological projects.

In 1977 Dallmeier earned his licentiate in biology from the Central University and left his museum position. Over the next four years, he worked as a biologist and directed the ecology program at the Venezuelan environmental engineering company INELMECA. He also worked on Venezuela's first environmental impact statement, for the Morón Power Plant.

Moving to the United States in 1981 to further his studies, Dallmeier held a Fundacion Gran Mariscal de Ayacucho scholarship between 1981 and 1983 and an Organization of American States Scholarship between 1984 and 1986. Colorado State University in Fort Collins awarded him a master's degree in 1984 and a doctorate in 1986 in wildlife ecology. Dallmeier's Ph.D. research focused on the waterfowl of South America. On August 24, 1985, he married Nancy Joy Parton. The couple have two children, Alina Joy and Julian Dieter.