Dr. Minno has a Ph.D. in zoology and over 21 years of professional experience as an interdisciplinary scientist and ecologist. He currently serves as the Lead Ecologist and co- founder of Eco-Cognizant, Inc. Formerly with the Saint Johns River Water Management District (SJRWMD), Dr. Minno has worked on mapping wetlands in northeastern Florida, restoring drained wetlands in the Upper Saint Johns River Basin, estimating harm to wetlands and lakes from groundwater withdrawals, and was the lead environmental reviewer for the SJRWMD Consumptive Use Permitting program from June 2002 through September 2011.

He has considerable experience in designing environmental monitoring networks and using groundwater model results, soils, vegetation, water level data, Minimum Flows & Levels (MFLs), and other information to determine impacts from water withdrawals. Dr. Minno helped to develop a predictive model for estimating harm to natural systems from groundwater withdrawals used in SJRWMD water supply planning.

He has been qualified as an expert in wetland ecology and Consumptive Use Permitting and has testified at Administrative hearings. He has served as Chairman of the Southern Lepidopterists’ Society, President of the Florida Association of Benthologists, and was chair of the Environmental Measures Team of the Central Florida Water Initiative through September 2011.

Dr. Minno is also keenly interested in conservation biology and has authored/coauthored six books, five book chapters, and more than 90 other scientific articles. He has worked on the biological control of invasive pest species such as Hydrilla, Cogongrass, Japanese Stiltgrass, and Caribbean Fruit Fly.

Dr. Minno received an Award of Excellence in gratitude for exceptional performance and dedicated commitment to excellence and the water resources of Florida, presented by St. Johns River Water Management District, November 9, 2010.