Monday, February 2nd, 2009
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CES News
- This week’s seminar canceled
- Campus Deadlines
On Campus
- ECI's Environment & Society Series
- Watson Institute Seminar
Internships & Opportunities
- Field Studies in India
- 2009 Vince Schaefer Research Internship &
- 2009 Thom Scheuer Land Management Internship
- 2009 ESA Graduate Student Policy Award
- Summer Field Opportunities in Forest Ecology in western Oregon and Washington
- Greenpeace Organizing Term
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CES News______________________
Seminar Series: Cancellation this week
This week’s seminar (Leila Sievanen, PhD) is canceled. For a listing of future speakers, visit, http://envstudies.brown.edu/seminars/Spring2009seminars.html
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Campus Deadlines
February 2nd: If you are graduating in May with more than one Concentration, inform the staff in 319 J. Walter Wilson of your intended graduation ceremony attendance. No changes will be made after this date.
March 6th: If you have made modifications to your concentration courses, please re-file page 1 of the Concentration Declaration Form, have it signed by your concentration advisor, and return promptly to 319 J. Walter Wilson.
May 15th: If you are planning to use transfer work from study elsewhere to complete your degree requirements, official transcripts from the institution(s) in question as well as the necessary approvals must be submitted to The Office of The Registrar, Attn: Lisa Cote 319 J. Walter Wilson, Box K, Providence, RI 02912 by May 15th to allow enough time to clear you for commencement.
On Campus_____________________
ECI's Environment & Society Series
Tuesday, February 3rd at 6 pm
MacMillan Hall Room 115
Nitrogen: A Story of Food, Fuel and Fiber
James Galloway
Galloway http://www.evsc.virginia.edu/faculty/galloway-james-n/ is Professor of Environmental Science at the University of Virginia, currently on sabbatical at the Marine Biological Laboratory. In 2008, he was awarded the Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement http://www.usc.edu/dept/LAS/tylerprize/.
Galloway developed the concept of the nitrogen cascade to describe the multiple, linked effects of reactive nitrogen as it moves through the biosphere. He was among the first to understand the scale of human alteration of the nitrogen cycle and for several years has chaired the International Nitrogen Initiative, which pools worldwide knowledge on the complexities of the nitrogen cycle, how humans are altering it, and what the consequences of these human induced alterations are. Galloway authored or co-authors papers in Science and Nature last year describing the global effects of agricultural and industrial changes in the nitrogen cycle.
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Watson Institute Seminar
Monday, February 9th, 2009 at 12:00PM
McKinney Conference Room
‘Our Future is Gone’: The Local Impact of the expanding Palm Oil Industry in Aceh, Indonesia, with Zarah Rahman.
The Indonesian Province of Aceh is one of the fastest expanding palm oil production sites in the world. While the local government believes the palm oil industry will drive economic growth, it has driven local residents off their agricultural land and is one of the top threats to Aceh’s Rainforests. Extractive industries such as palm oil and logging are points of controversy in resource rich countries such as Indonesia where locals continue to live in abject poverty. In Aceh, the expansion of palm oil occurred after a peace agreement was signed in 2005 ending a 30-year civil war. The war was driven largely by a desire for local control over Aceh’s natural resources; although the war has ended, this struggle continues.
Zarah Rahman traveled to Aceh Indonesia in 2008 on a National Geographic Young Explorers grant to document the impact of extractive industries on local people and the environment through still photography, video, and recorded interviews. Zarah also received funding from the Seven Fund to research positive livelihood alternatives to extractive industry in Aceh. Zarah graduated from Brown in Development Studies in 2007. After graduating she was selected as a Henry Luce Scholar and spent a year working at the Hanoi School of Public Health in Hanoi, Vietnam.
Internships & Opportunities______
Field Studies in India
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, Geology and Geological Engineering Dept., Black Hills Natural Sciences Field Station
GeoE 399 is an environmental science / geology field course that provides students and participants with an intense three-week training in coastal ecological issues including mangrove ecology, coastal biogeochemistry, water quality, integrated with hard rock geology and a comparative site visit to tsunami-impacted and un-impacted coastal ecosystems. The course has been designed to enhance education and training for undergraduate and graduate students in ecological, environmental, and geological science students as well as environmental and civil engineering disciplines.
Location: The beautiful Andaman Islands, India and a major port city Chennai on the mainland.
Registration fee: $3,970.00 (includes all tuition and fees, transportation from Chennai, room and board). Deposit of $400.00 must be received by or before February 15, 2009.
For additional information, please visit, http://geologyfieldcamp.sdsmt.edu or contact:
Dr. P. V. Sundareshwar, India Coordinator
Tel # 605-394-2492, Cell # 605-484-3731, Fax # 605-394-6061
Email: pvs@sdsmt.edu
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2009 Vince Schaefer Research Internship &
2009 Thom Scheuer Land Management Internship
The Mohonk Preserve in New Paltz, NY is offering our 2009 Vince Schaefer Research Internship and our 2009 Thom Scheuer Land Management Internship.
The Mohonk Preserve is New York State's largest non-profit nature preserve with integrated programs in Ecosystem Research, Land Stewardship and Management, and Environmental Education. For more information about the Mohonk Preserve: http://mohonkpreserve.org/index.php
2009 Vince Schaefer Research Internship:
Interns will join the Mohonk Preserve Research staff to:
* Sample a wide variety of nature study.
* Develop and complete an individualized research project.
* Be a part of an exciting research community.
* Work closely with researchers, educators and land stewardship professionals.
* Utilize GIS & GPS technology.
* Have access to decades of data and library collections.
* Be inspired to care for, enjoy, and explore the natural world.
Dates: June to mid-August 2009 (10 weeks)
Eligibility: College freshmen, sophomores
Stipend: $3,200
Other support: Housing is available on an as needed and space available basis
To apply: Send a copy of your resume, cover letter, which clearly states your reasons for pursuing this internship and what you hope to gain as part of career goals, your transcript, and two letters of recommendation to: Paul C. Huth, Director of Research, Mohonk Preserve Daniel Smiley Research Center, 1000 Mountain Rest Rd., New Paltz, NY 12561
For additional details: http://mohonkpreserve.org/index.php?jobs-internship
Application Deadline: March 15, 2009
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2009 Thom Scheuer Land Management Internship:
Interns will join the Mohonk Preserve Land Stewardship and Land Protection staff to:
* Assist with project file review for compliance with LTA Standards & Practices.
* Baseline Data Report drafting, including GIS mapping and image archiving.
* Boundary line inspection and reporting.
* Conservation easement monitoring.
* Promote visitor safety.
* Assist in trail and road design, construction & repair.
* Develop a written n report summarizing work, experiences gained, and tangible accomplishments.
Dates: June to mid-August 2009 (10 weeks)
Eligibility: College juniors, seniors or grad students
Stipend: $3,200
Other support: Housing is available on an as needed and space available basis
To apply: Send your resume, a cover letter which clearly states your reasons for pursuing this internship and what you hope to gain as part of career goals, your transcript, and two letters of recommendation to: Hank Alicandri, Director of Land Stewardship/Head Ranger, Mohonk Preserve, P.O. Box 715, New Paltz, NY 12561
For additional details: http://mohonkpreserve.org/index.php?jobs-internship
Application Deadline: March 15, 2009
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2009 ESA Graduate Student Policy Award
Applications due by COB, Monday, February 23rd, 2009
The Ecological Society of America (ESA) is pleased to invite applications for its 2009 Graduate Student Policy Award. Offered each year, this award gives graduate students hands-on science policy experience featuring congressional meetings, briefings by federal agency officials, and networking with other researchers from across the country.
The Society's Graduate Student Policy Award will be given to up to four applicants. Winners will participate in the annual Congressional Visits Event, held over two days on April 21 and 22, 2009. ESA will cover travel and lodging expenses associated with this event. Awardees will also receive a copy of ESA's new congressional directory.
Working with other scientific societies, ESA organizes the Congressional Visits Event, which is sponsored by the Biological Ecological Sciences Coalition (BESC). Day one includes an afternoon of briefings from key agencies and Congress and an evening reception with other biological scientists, congressional staff, and Members of Congress. Day two features team visits with congressional offices to advocate in support of research and education in the biological sciences.
Tune into ESA's podcast, An Ecologist Goes to Washington to hear two of last year's Graduate Student Policy Awardees talk about their experience: http://www.esa.org/podcast/?p=23
Eligibility: Applicants must be ESA members and United States citizens residing in the country.
To Apply: Send to pao@esa.org by close of business, Monday, February 23, 2009:
A cover letter outlining your interest in science policy and any relevant experience; a one-page statement that reflects your insights and perspective on the importance of federal support of science and ecology in particular, extra credit for peppering your essay with examples of ecological success stories (i.e. where investment of federal dollars had a tangible return, particularly for your home state); a short CV with all contact information.
Questions should be directed to Nadine Lymn, ESA Director of Public Affairs at Nadine@esa.org or 202.833.8773, ext. 205.
Winners will be notified by March 2, 2009.
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Summer Field Opportunities in Forest Ecology in western Oregon and Washington: The DEMO Experiment
Field crew positions are available to participate in the Demonstration of Ecosystem Management Options (DEMO) Study, a long-term experiment that examines the responses of forest ecosystems to structural-retention harvests. For more information on the study see: http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/rmp/demo/ This summer we will measure growth and mortality of overstory trees, planted seedlings, and natural regeneration in mature forests of varying composition and structure. Field sites are in the Umpqua National Forest (southwest Oregon), Gifford Pinchot National Forest (southwest Washington), and Capitol State Forest (western Washington).
These positions are best suited to mature, upper- level undergraduates or recent graduates who are considering advanced study or professional work in forest ecology or silviculture. The nature of the work requires extended periods in the field (up to 8 consecutive days). Housing is available during portions of the summer, but camping may be necessary at other times.
Qualifications: Previous experience in vegetation sampling, familiarity with basic surveying and mensurational tools (compass, clinometer, diameter tape), and coursework in silviculture, forest ecology, or a related field. Candidates must be in good physical condition, able to work long hours, and capable of navigating steep, slash-covered slopes. We seek individuals who are detail-oriented, have legible handwriting, and can work and live cooperatively with others.
Salary: $12.50/hour or more, depending upon experience/qualifications.
Duration: mid-June through mid-September 2009
Closing date: March 6, 2009
To apply, send the following materials to the address below:
* A HANDWRITTEN letter describing interests, qualifications, specific dates of availability, and names and phone numbers of those providing letters of reference.
* A typewritten resume
* Copies of either college transcripts or professional work products
* Two letters of reference
For more information:
Shelley Evans, Research Coordinator, College of Forest Resources, Box 352100, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-2100; Email: saevans@u.washington.edu, Phone: 206.543.9792 or, Charlie Halpern, Research Professor, College of Forest Resources, University of Washington, E-mail: chalpern@u.washington.edu
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Greenpeace Organizing Term (www.greenpeace.org/got)
The GOT is an action-packed semester of travel and training. It’s a hands-on training program designed to give you the skills to be an environmental leader. You’ll learn about current environmental issues and solutions while being trained by experts in grassroots organizing, leadership, media, and campaign strategy. You’ll travel internationally with Greenpeace to work with activists abroad. Also, you’ll learn how to engage in peaceful direct action, climb, and drive Greenpeace boats! On top of all of that, many students are able to receive class credit for the semester.
Our summer and fall classes are filling up, and early applications are due February 2nd!
Apply now at www.greenpeace.org/got.
The semester is offered in the Washington D.C. and San Francisco Greenpeace offices.
Contact program staff with questions at got@wdc.greenpeace.org or 877-450-3517 ext. 320.
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Please send questions, comments and stories to:
CES Newsletter Editor, Marie-Laure Couët
marie-laure_couet@brown.edu
Thanks!