Carmelo Ruiz CV

CARMELO RUIZ

Bilingual, multicultural writer-educator—food justice, global environment & development issues

Condominio Villa Caparra Tower

Apartment 8-A, Calle A #44

Guaynabo, Puerto Rico 00966

ruiz@tutanota.com

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Writer and researcher- Twenty five years of experience publishing articles on a wide range of subjects, including agricultural biotechnology, sustainable agriculture, social justice, food sovereignty, ecological economics, climate change, human rights, gender issues, science and technology, peace activism, globalization, and even music, cinema, literature and sports. Publications since 1991: Synthesis/Regeneration, Alternet, Grist, Counterpunch, San Juan Star, New York Daily News, Progressive Media Project, Econet, Common Dreams, Native Americas Journal, Food First, Inter Press Service (IPS News), E Magazine, The Ecologist, NACLA Report on the Americas, Against the Current, Corpwatch, Earth Island Journal, Z Magazine, and the CIP Americas Policy Program. In Spanish: Compartir es Vivir, Cultura Común, Claridad, Pensamiento Crítico, Boletín del Centro Unido de Detallistas, CCS Caracas (Venezuela), La Jornada (México), La Prensa (Panamá), 80 Grados, Diálogo, El Nuevo Día, Granma (Cuba), Ecoportal (Argentina), ADITAL (Brazil), Agencia Latinoamericana de Información (Ecuador), and Biodiversidad en América Latina.

Presenter / public speaker- Over twenty years’ experience delivering presentations to audiences both large and small, in the most diverse venues and to the most varied audiences, including convention centers, universities (Harvard, Tufts, DePaul, Dartmouth), high schools, professional associations (AAAS, American Studies Association), farmers’ markets, health food stores, fair trade stores, environmental organizations (Sierra Club), churches (Catholic, Adventist, Disciples of Christ), community organizations, cultural centers (in Puerto Rico and Chicago), book stores, festivals and fairs.

Commentator/expert for press interviews- Twenty years respected information resource for commentary & analysis on environment and development issues. Interviews since the 1990’s include Pacifica Radio (WBAI, KPFA, KPFK), KBOO Oregon, WGDR Vermont, WFCR Massachusetts, KWMR California, and the The Burt Cohen Show. In Puerto Rico: Radio Universidad, Red 96, WKVM, WKAQ 580 AM, Cadena Radio Puerto Rico 740 AM, Radio Isla 1320 AM, Boricua 740, WPRA Mayagüez, WOLA Humacao, WOSO, WEUC Ponce, WCMN Arecibo, WPAB Ponce 550, WPUC Ponce 88.9, Radio Huelga, Noti Uno, WAPA 680, WIPR AM, 11Q 1140, Radio Atenas, and Bonita Radio, Radio Havana (Cuba), La Radio del Sur (Venezuela), Radio Nacional Córdoba (Argentina), Residencias FM 96.5 (Argentina), Radio Pimienta (Canary Islands), Radio Casa de la Cultura (Ecuador).

Multimedia educator and activist- Producer and host for radio and television, with experience aiding activist campaigns through press releases, e-mail, blogs and social media. 

Professor- Visiting faculty at the Institute for Social Ecology in Vermont.

Education:

• Bachelor’s degree in Humanities, majoring in music. University of Puerto Rico, 1991.

• Foreign policy internship. International Center. Washington DC, 1991.

• Master’s degree in Social Ecology. Goddard College, Vermont, 1995.

• International biosafety course: Holistic Foundations for Assessment and Regulation of Genetic Engineering and Genetically Modified Organisms. Institute of Gene Ecology (GenØk), University of Tromsø, Norway. 2008.

• Advanced courses in agroecology and rural development. Latin American Scientific Society of Agroecology (SOCLA), Universidad de Antioquia, Colombia, 2013.

Work experience:

• Co-host. “Trazos de nuestra identidad” radio show. Radio Casa de la Cultura. Ecuador. 2015.
• Journalist / translator. Agencia Latinoamericana de Información. Ecuador. 2015.
• Journalist. Agencia Tegantai environmental news agency. Ecuador. 2015. 
• Executive producer / translator / web writer. Telesur English. Ecuador. 2015. 
• Contributing writer. Cultura Común. Puerto Rico. 2014-2016. 
• Contributing writer. Compartir es Vivir. Puerto Rico. 2013-2016. 
• Bilingual social media director. Millions against Monsanto Campaign/Organic Consumers Association. 2012.
• Contributing writer. 80 Grados. Puerto Rico. 2011-2013. 
• Director, Latin America Energy and Environment Monitor. 2010-2016. 
• Researcher / writer. Latin America Biodiversity Report. Center for International Policy’s Americas Policy Program. 2009-2011. 
• Editorial board member. Synthesis / Regeneration magazine. United States. 2008-2014.
• Translator. Center for Advanced Studies for Puerto Rico and the Caribbean. 2005-07. 
• Commentator. “Hoy en las Noticias” Radio Universidad de Puerto Rico. 2005-2016. 
• Director. Puerto Rico Project on Biosafety. 2004-2014.
• Contributing writer. El Nuevo Día. Puerto Rico. 2004-2008.
• Co-host. “Comentario” television talk show. Puerto Rico. 2000-2001.
• Columnist. Progressive Media Project. 2000-2016. 
• Reporter / staff writer. Claridad newspaper, Puerto Rico. 1997-­2004. 
• Stringer / contributing writer. Inter Press Service. 1997­-2014. 
• Host / producer. WGDR 91.1 FM community radio station. Plainfield, Vermont. 1993-1996. 
• Contributing writer. Claridad. Puerto Rico. 1992-1997. 
• Contributing writer/Editorial team. Pensamiento Crítico magazine. Puerto Rico. 1991-2016.
• Secretary. Puerto Rican Association of Caribbean Journalism. 1991-1992.

Issue areas and research interests: Agricultural biotechnology, human health and environmental impacts of genetically engineered foods and crops, agroecological food production, food sovereignty, patents on life, climate change, local self-reliance, green politics, and post-growth economics.

Publications (selected articles):

• Americas Policy Program- 
• CHINA SYNDROME: China’s Growing Presence in Latin America. April 12 2011 
• Losing the Forest for the Trees: Tree Monocultures and the Biofuel Boom. April 29 2008. 
• Corpwatch-
• Monsanto Refuses to Testify at Seed Hearing in Puerto Rico. June 20 2013. 
• Clouds on the organic horizon: Is organic farming becoming the victim of its own success? November 25 2004. 
• Counterpunch 
• Richard Levins: Scientist, activist and friend. February 24 2016. 
• Syngenta and the Chinese factor. January 28 2016.
• Puerto Rico: biotech island. June 23 2009. 
• ENTITLE Political Ecology Blog 
• Latin American political ecology according to the Progresistas Bolivarianos. October 2015. 
• Fellowship of Reconciliation 
• The Second Invasion of Vieques. August 30 2003. 
• Food First 
• The spurning of Monsanto, tip of the iceberg? February 22 2016. 
• Puerto Rico: Monsanto Hires Marketing Firm to Poll Citizens on GMOs. January 6 2015. 
• GM Watch 
• Monsanto is dead, long live Monsanto. January 16 2016. 
• Coexistence is impossible. July 7 2014. 
• Grist 
• Dispatches from an international conference on genetically modified corn. March 10 2004. 
• Inter Press Service 
• When Is a Corporate Media Group Too Powerful? November 5 2014. 
• Agroecology Movement Addresses Challenges of Food Security. May 21 2014. 
• Organic Consumers Association 
• GMO, the Controversy That Won't Go Away: A View from Puerto Rico. 2014. 
• The eco-politics of genetically engineered corn. January 2005. 
• Progressive Media Project 
• Like Knowing What You’re Eating? Get Ready for Lawsuits. February 26 2016. 
• Before Snowden and Manning, There Were the Burglars January 15 2014. http://progressive.org/news/2014/01/186585/snowden-and-manning-there-were-burglars
• Synthesis / Regeneration 
• Puerto Ricans battle US Navy in Vieques. Summer 2001. 
• Telesur English 
• Earth Day at 45. April 22 2015. 
• Are the pro-GMO debaters playing fair? March 20 2015. 
• Upside Down World 
• “Our research work is socially relevant” An Interview on NGOs in Bolivia with CEDIB’s Marco A. Gandarillas. September 21 2015. 
• Bolivian Vice President García Linera vs. NGOs: A Look at the Debate. August 31 2015. 

Authored books:

• “El Gran Juego de Ajedrez Botánico: Escritos sobre biotecnología y agroecología 1999-2014.” (The Great Botanic Game of Chess: Writings on biotechnology and agroecology 1999-2014). Editorial Tiempo Nuevo, 2015. 
• “Balada Transgénica: Biotecnología, Globalización y el Choque de Paradigmas.” (The Transgenic Balad: Biotechnology, Globalization and the Clash of Paradigms). Puerto Rico Project on Biosafety, 2005. With funding from the Environmental Leadership Program.

As co-author / contributor:

• “La Ecología Política de la Bioseguridad en América Latina” C. Toro, E. Bravo and G. Vélez, editors. Universidad Nacional de Colombia, 2014.
• “La Agricultura Ecológica: Salud y Seguridad Alimentaria para Puerto Rico” Comité Amplio de Organizaciones Productoras de La Feria de Agricultura Sana y Alimentos Alegres, Puerto Rico, 2011.
• “Transgénesis de un Continente: Visión crítica de una expansión descontrolada” Red por una América Latina Libre de Transgénicos, 2009.
• “Etica y Ecología: La Responsabilidad Social Corporativa y la Preservación del Medio Ambiente” Editorial Tal Cual, Puerto Rico, 2008.
• “Desalambrar” Liliana Cotto Morales. Editorial Tal Cual, Puerto Rico, 2006.
• “Oro Verde: Securing The Future of our Food” Sadhu Govardhan. Fundación Oro Verde, Puerto Rico, 2006.
• “Palabras en Libertad: CLARIDAD entrevista a los ex-prisioneros políticos” Editorial Claridad, Puerto Rico, 2000.
• “Avant Gardening: Ecological Struggle in the City and the World” Bill Weinberg y Peter L. Wilson, editors. Autonomedia, New York, 1999.

Honors and awards:

• Senior Fellow, Environmental Leadership Program. 2003.
• Research Associate, Institute for Social Ecology. 1995.
• Senior Fellow, Society of Environmental Journalists. 2002-2004.

Activist work and social movement involvement:

• Advising Puerto Rico’s newly formed Transdisciplinary Agroecology Center (CETA). 2016.
• Representing Organización Boricuá, Puerto Rico’s Via Campesina affiliate, in a Via Campesina regional meeting in Haiti. February 2013.
• Advising Organización Boricuá. 2001-2014.
• Touring New England to gather support for the civil disobedience campaign against the US Navy’s presence in Vieques Island. May 2000.
• Traveling to Singapore to represent the Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy at the World Trade Organization’s ministerial meeting’s NGO Forum. December 1996.

Select presentations and speaking engagements:

• La eco-política de los transgénicos (The eco-politics of GMO’s). Playas Pal Pueblo beach protest camp. Carolina, Puerto Rico. March 12 2016.
• Book presentation: El Gran Juego de Ajedrez Botánico. University of Puerto Rico Utuado campus. February 25 2016.
• Book presentation: El Gran Juego de Ajedrez Botánico. HEEND (Brotherhood of University of Puerto Rico Non-Teaching Employees) headquarters. January 23 2015.
• "Seguridad Alimentaria: Transgénicos y sus efectos en la salud y la agricultura". San Juan Bautista Medical School. Caguas, Puerto Rico. April 1 2014.
• Conference and panel on GMO’s. “¿Saben lo que estamos comiendo? Alimentos orgánicos vs transgénicos”. University of Puerto Rico Ponce campus. March 27 2014.
• “Latin America: The tragedy of genetically modified crops and the promise of agroecology” Americas Latino Festival. University of Colorado, Denver campus. November 2013.
• Panel: Alternative media. Goddard College Alternative Media Conference. Vermont. May 2013.
• Introductory talk on agroecology. Universidad de Antioquia. Medellín, Colombia. May 2013.
• Panel on food justice. American Studies Association. Puerto Rico Convention Center. Nov 17 2012.
• Conference on environmental activism. Bates College, Maine. November 4 2006.
• Book presentation: Balada Transgénica. Universidad del Turabo. Gurabo, Puerto Rico. April 2006. 
• Book presentation: Balada Transgénica. Corretjer Cultural Center, Chicago. April 2006.

Social media and web design:

• Facebook
• Twitter https://twitter.com/carmeloruiz 
• Google +
• LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/carmelo-ruiz-marrero-a386b7b? 
• Tumblr http://carmeloruiz.tumblr.com/ 
• Blogger http://carmeloruiz.blogspot.com/ 
• Hootsuite

References:

Ronnie Cummins, Organic Consumers Association 

ronnie@organicconsumers.org

Brian Tokar

Environmental Program, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources

University of Vermont

briant@pshift.com

Ignacio Chapela 

University of California, Berkeley

canyonwalks@gmail.com