Dianne Van Dien

Research Laboratory Technician

Dianne Van Dien earned her undergraduate degree in natural sciences and then spent several years traveling around the U.S., taking on seasonal work at state parks and for conservation groups. These jobs included field technician in the Snake River Birds of Prey Area, Idaho, naturalist for Custer State Park, South Dakota, and Hawks Aloft, Inc., New Mexico.

Dianne came to the San Diego Zoo in 1998, starting as a visitor assistance officer before joining the Reproductive Physiology Division in 1999. Her laboratory work has focused mainly on improving sperm cryopreservation protocols for various mammal species. She is currently working on the development and validation of staining techniques for assessing the sperm acrosome.