Василина

CURRICULUM VITAE
Vasylyna Strus
[открыть контакты](см. выше в блоке «контактная информация»)
Lviv, Ukraine

Education
Since Sep. Candidate of science in Zoology (comparable to the Academic Degree of Doctor
2019: of Philosophy)
V. N. Karazin Kharkiv National University,
Kharkiv, Ukraine
Nov. 2013 – Ph.D. student: Zoology,
Nov. 2016: Ivan Franko National University of Lviv,
Lviv, Ukraine
Sep. 2012 – Master of Science: Zoology,
July 2013: Ivan Franko National University of Lviv,
Lviv, Ukraine
Sep. 2008 – Bachelor of Science: Biology,
July 2012: Ivan Franko National University of Lviv,
Lviv, Ukraine

Work experience
Researcher, Zoologist - Nature Reserve "Roztochya", Ivano-Frankove, Lviv region, Ukraine
July 2023 – Present
Contributed to scientific research and animal monitoring within the reserve.
Provided communication support and information content for the reserve's social
media pages, significantly increasing Facebook organic reach (above 75th
percentile for similar organizations).

Head of Ecology and Hydrobiology Laboratory - Ivan Franko National University of Lviv, Lviv,
Ukraine
November 2016 – June 2025
Organized field practice for students and conducted scientific research and animal
monitoring.
Projects
• "Monitoring and managing wetland biodiversity in Nature Reserve “Roztochya”" -
HAF+WRCF Fund: Sequoia Park Zoo Conservation Fund
Since Apr. 2025
This project involved planned communication through the reserve's networks to its
audience regarding the importance of preserving, restoring, and studying wetlands.

• "From war to nature: engaging internally displaced people and local residents in environmental
monitoring in Roztochya region, West Ukraine" - Finnish fund for local cooperation for Ukraine
June 2023 – June 2025
In addition to biodiversity monitoring, I was responsible for transforming the
reserve's digital communication approach. This involved creating a new Instagram
presence, revitalizing the Facebook page with engaging and educational content,
and producing materials (like infographics and popular science posts) tailored to
connect with both IDPs and local residents, thereby significantly enhancing the
reserve's outreach and community interaction.

• "Mortality of amphibians and reptilians on roads" - Idea Wild small equipment grants
October 2020
The main task of this project was to obtain equipment for quality photographs for
an amphibian and reptile identification guide.

• "Mortality of Amphibians on the Roads of Transcarpathian Province (Western Ukraine)" -
Rufford Small Grants for Nature Conservation
August 2018 – April 2019
This project involved continuing eco-educational communication with schools in the
Transcarpathian region. An identification guide for amphibian remains found on
roads was also developed here (pdf).

• "Mortality of Amphibians on the Roads of Lviv Province (Western Ukraine)" - Rufford Small
Grants for Nature Conservation
April 2017 – April 2018
The communication aspect here included children's participation in checking
barriers. I visited schools and spoke with biology teachers at professional
development courses about the problem of amphibian road mortality. An
informational brochure (pdf) was developed as a result, the first circulation of which
was quickly taken by children and teachers.

Training
March - June. Course from Natuurpunt “Nature Benefits: from Theory to Practice (TUNE IT)”
2024
March - Apr. Online course developed by Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale
2024 Zusammenarbeit, the International Union for Conservation of Nature, and the
International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD): Ecosystem-based
Adaptation: Working with nature to adapt to a changing climate
Apr. 2020 An online non-credit course “The Data Scientist’s Toolbox” authorized by Johns
Hopkins University and offered through Coursera
Dec. 2019 – Visiting researcher in the Jockusch laboratory in the Department of Ecology and
May 2020 Evolutionary Biology (EEB) of the University of Connecticut (UCONN),
Storrs, CT, USA.
June 2019 Researcher in the project “Adaptive management of vulnerability and risk at
conversation sites”,
Roztochia Biosphere Reserve, Ivano-Frankove, Lviv region, Ukraine
Nov. 2017 Participant in the seminar “The principles of network design (Emerald network)”,
Lviv, Ukraine

Volunteer Experience
2018 Volunteer for the BirdId project (identifying frogs)

2016 Participating in the conference organization committee (Status and biodiversity of
ecosystems of Shatsk National Park and other nature conservation areas, 8–11 Sep. 2016,
Lviv.)

2015 Field survey for shorebirds diversity in Polissia region

Since 2011 Volunteer technical assistant bird ringer at West-Ukrainian Ornithological Station

Skills
✓ Social Media Management (Facebook, Instagram)
✓ Content Creation (Text, Visuals coordination)
✓ Graphic Design Tools (Canva, Wave.video)
✓ Digital Marketing
✓ Audience Engagement
✓ Analytical Monitoring
✓ Team Collaboration
✓ Project Management
✓ Fluent Ukrainian (Native)
✓ English (Intermediate)
✓ Strong knowledge of Biology & Zoology (PhD level)
✓ Wildlife Conservation

Papers:
1) Stakh V., Belokon M., Khamar I., Belokon Yu., Reshetylo O. Morphological and genetic
polymorphism of green frogs (Pelophylax) in water bodies of western Ukraine // Visnyk of the Lviv
University. Series BIology. 2014. Issue 64. P. 241 - 249. (in Ukrainian with English summary) (pdf)
 2) Stakh V. O., Khamar I. S. Morphological changeability of Green Frogs (Pelophylax) in the basins
of Lviv region and Shatsk National Natural Park // Nature of Western Polissia and surrounding areas. 2014.
№ 11. P. 296 - 301. (in Ukrainian with English summary) (pdf)
3) Stakh V., Povoroznyk M., Khamar I. The phenetic distribution of green frogs (Pelophylax) in the
water bodies of various economic purpose of Lviv region // Scientific issue Ternopil Volodymyr Hnatiuk
National Pedagogical University. Series: Biology. 2015. № 3-4 (64). P. 626 - 629. (in Ukrainian with English
summary) (pdf)
4) Stakh V., Reshetylo O., Khamar I. Inter-population morphometric variability of Pelophylax
ridibundus (Anura, Amphibia) in the water bodies of Lviv province // Visnyk of the Lviv University. Series
Biology. 2016. Issue 72. P. 180 - 186. (pdf)
5) Stakh V. О., Khamar I. S., Reshetylo O. S., Zabytivskyi Yu. М. Phenes of water frogs
(Pelophylax) as the indicators of water bodies’ contamination in Pre-Carpathians, Roztochia, Lesser and
Western Polissia // Studia Biologica. 2017. Vol. 11, N 1. С. 161 - 168. (pdf)
6) Stakh V. O., Strus Iu. M., Khamar I. S. Genetic diversity of population systems in green frogs
(Pelophylax esculentus complex) in water bodies of western Ukraine // Studia Biologica. 2018. Vol. 12, N 3-
4. Р. 17 - 26. (pdf)
7) Reshetylo O., Stakh V., Osiyeva A.-A., Dykyy I., Andriyishyn B., Panchuk M., Tsaryk I.
Mortality of amphibians on the roads of Lviv province (Ukraine): trend for the last decade // Vestnik Zoologii.
2019. Vol. 53(2). P. 131 - 140. (pdf) ("Zoodiversity" is a new name of "Vestnik Zoologii")
8) Strus V., Strus Iu. Methods of amphibian tracking // Studia Biologica. 2020: Vol. 14(4); P. 69–
84. (pdf)
9) Strus, V., Strus, Iu., & Khamar, І. (2023). Species and hybrid composition and genetic diversity
of water frogs (Pelophylax esculentus complex) in western Ukrainian hemiclonal population systems. //
Біологічні Студії – Studia Biologica. 2023. Vol. 17(3). Р. 67–84. (pdf)

Other
10) Strus V. O. Morphometric, phenetic, and genetic diversity of green frogs (Pelophylax) from
different population systems. – Qualification scientific work, manuscript. Kharkiv, 2019. 376 p. (link, pdf)