Friday, November 30, 2012

Announcements 11/30

Dear Environmental Studies Students:

Please see this week’s announcements below.  Please note, if you are interested in attending the Disasters and Environment Conference, that BC is a NCSE University Affiliate and we have free registrations available for faculty and/or students. Contact envstudies@bc.edu if you are interested in attending this conference.


ESP News
1.       Save the Date – Science Networking Night 2013
2.       ESP Minor to attend UN Climate Conference in Doha, Qatar

Upcoming Conference and Forum Opportunities
1.       Bridgewater State University: 11th Annual Undergraduate Symposium on Sustainability and the Environment – 12/1
2.       27th Annual Conference on Undergraduate Research – Abstracts Due 12/4
3.       Call for Submissions: Whole Terrain – Due 12/31/12
4.       Disasters and the Environment Conference (BC Funding Available) – 1/15-1/17
5.       Colby College Conference on Students as Catalysts for Large Landscape Conservation – 3/1

Internship Opportunities, Travel Opportunities and Graduate School Presentations
1.       Job Opportunity with Audubon International
2.       Smithsonian Fellowship Program
3.       Green Corps
4.       Jobs with U.S. PIRG
5.       Volunteer in Africa
6.       Environment Massachusetts
7.       Environment America Fellowship Program

Best,
Kevin

--
B. Kevin Brown
Graduate Assistant, Environmental Studies
617-552-2477
Devlin 213

Office Hours: Monday 12:00-4:00pm, Tuesday 9:30am-3:30pm, Thursday 10:00am-2:00pm, and Friday 12:00-2:00pm

save the date – science networking night 2013
March 12, 2013: Higgins Atrium
What is Science Networking Night? An evening of networking with BC alumni in various science careers. In 2012, we hosted alumni from Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Dana Farber, Children’s Hospital, EBI Consulting, Zoo New England, EPA, BC Bio Labs, and several other organizations.We will send more details and information for students in the spring. For now, please mark your calendars so we can avoid scheduling conflicts with your department.


Joseph Manning (A&S '14) will be representing the Sierra Club at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in Doha, Qatar. The convention (popularly referred to as COP18) will take place from November 26-December 7, 2012, and will serve as a major stepping stone to achieving an binding internationally agreement that will include all major greenhouse gas emitters.

Anyone interested can learn more about the progress of these negotiations by following Joseph on twitter (@joseph_manning) or by liking our Facebook Sierra Student Coalition- International page. Joseph can also be contacted by email (joseph@ssc.org).

Additionally, if you want to help have a positive influence on the negotiations you can join the Sierra Club's Rapid Response Network. By join the network you will receive updates and calls-to-action which will help amplify our message for a fair and binding climate change treaty! Sign up today at https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/viewform?formkey=dG9xT3NsVXpkSldQMGJkREFRekJxdEE6MQ#gid=0


Only 4 days remaining to submit abstracts to NCUR 2013! Deadline for submissions is December 4, 2012. Presenters must complete the online abstract submission form to be considered for acceptance. Review of abstracts will take place between Dec. 4, 2012 and Jan. 8, 2013.  Notification of decision on abstracts will take place January 22, 2013.

Reminder: Hotel reservations are being held through March 15! Make reservations now to ensure a convenient stay and access to shuttles to and from the conference site! For information on hotel reservations visit the conference website.

For more information, visit: www.cur.org/ncur_2013/ or e-mail: ncur2013@uwlax.edu



Saturday, December 1, 2012
Bridgewater State University
Conant Science & Mathematics Center

Guest speaker: Dr. Joshua Hamilton, Ph.D., Marine Biological Laboratory at Woods Hole, "Molecular and mechanistic basis for the effects of arsenic as an endocrine disruptor"

Undergraduate research posters related to sustainability and the environment, in all disciplines are welcome!  Please encourage your research students or students in your classes to submit an abstract and give a poster presentation.  Abstracts must be submitted by Wednesday, November 21st through the Symposium web page: http://www.bridgew.edu/Environmental/.  Please note that the project can be proposed, in-progress, or completed work, and may also include classroom projects by individuals or teams of students.  The Symposium provides an informal forum for the discussion of campus sustainability and environmental issues that cuts across multiple disciplines.  Each fall we host 40-50 undergraduate posters and over 100 students, faculty and guests representing public and private colleges and universities from the New England region. 

A $15 registration fee will be collected at the door as cash or check. Please note that all students, mentors and guests must pay the registration fee.  A continental breakfast and lunch are included. 

If you have any questions, please contact Ed Brush (ebrush@bridgew.edu). 




Call for Submissions: Whole Terrain 2012/2013
Volume 20: Heresy

The English word heresy is derived from the Greek hairesis, meaning “to choose.” Although it is now defined as a thought that challenges prevailing orthodoxy, its root simply describes the expression of free will. As such, heresy has the potential not only to dismantle traditions and institutions, but also to forge new ones.

As environmental practitioners, we are often viewed as heretics by the culture at large. However, we also cultivate our own share of unyielding dogmas, which we defend against all comers. Some involve tenets considered inviolable until they are disproved via the scientific method. Other, more unspoken rules may be cultural, philosophical, or ethical in nature.

For instance, the suggestion that financial resources be withdrawn from management of popularendangered species, such as the Giant Panda or Piping Plover, and allocated to lesser-known species with better chances of recovery, upsets many widely-held assumptions about the moral responsibility of conservationists. Proposed strategies for curbing exponential human population growth have elicited even more fevered responses both from within and outside the resource management field. Fundamental religious notions about the relationship between humans and the natural world continue to drive debates on the role and relevance of environmental stewardship that extend into economics, evolutionary biology, even warfare.

Insofar as we, as environmental professionals, share the same basic objective of promoting, maintaining, and protecting a healthy planet, how do we remain open to heretical ideas that seem counterintuitive, but may ultimately prove beneficial? To that effect, how can we become better heretics? Volume 20 of Whole Terrain seeks challenging, insightful, and original explorations of the theme of Heresy that encompass the full range and scope of environmental practice.

We welcome personal essays, investigative journalism, short fiction, creative non-fiction, visual art, graphic novel excerpts, and poetry that investigate all aspects of Heresy. Prose submissions are limited to 2,000 words and should be double-spaced, with pages numbered and word count noted. Poetry submissions may contain up to three pertinent poems. Electronic submissions to wholeterrain@antioch.edu are strongly encouraged. Feel free to be heretical.

Reading period ends December 31, 2012.
Inquiries and submissions may be sent to:
Editor, Whole Terrain
Antioch University New England
40 Avon Street, Keene, NH 03431-3552
Phone: 603.283.2377
Fax: 603.357.0718



Please note that BC is a NCSE University Affiliate and we have free registrations available for faculty and/or students. Contact envstudies@bc.edu if you are interested in attending this conference.
 


Registration Codes

Individual Attendee:
  INDIVIDUAL  ($495- 3 days; $299- single day)
Full-time Student: STUDENT    ($280- 3 days; $190- single day)

501(c)(3) Nonprofits:
Send requests to conference@ncseonline.org
($395- 3 days; $250- single day)

PLEASE NOTE: University Affiliate Members, nonprofit organizations, congressional staff, press, and volunteers - please visit the conference website for more information about your registration rate.

____________________

Discounted rooms are available at the W Washington DC Hotel! 

Reserve your room today at the conference rate of $183/night. 
____________________
Mark your calendars for December 13, 2012
A free webinar on "How Government and Nongovernment Organizations Work Together in Disaster Response and Preparedness," hosted by the Security and Sustainability Forum and moderated by Peter Saundry, conference chair, will convene practitioners (and conference speakers) from FEMA, the American Red Cross, the UPS Foundation, and the Coca-Cola Company, to discuss the disaster response network, present case studies, and share experiences and lessons learned. 
____________________
Call for Collaborators
We invite your organization to collaborate with us and spread the word about our Disasters and Environment Conference. As a collaborating organization, your organization will be highlighted on the conference website, in the conference program, and throughout other publicity materials. No financial contribution is required to be a collaborating organization.

Please contact Steven Feldman for more information.
____________________

Climate Change and Natural Disasters at NCSE Conference

The National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) invites you to attend its 13th National Conference -- Disasters and Environment: Science, Preparedness, and Resilience.  The conference will take place January 15-17, 2013 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, DC.

Climate change is expected to result in more severe and frequent extreme weather events such as hurricanes, droughts, heat waves, and higher storm surges, which will have devastating effects on humans and natural environments. Wildfires, coastal flooding, famine, and the changing Arctic are just some of the climate-related impacts that will be addressed at this conference.

Join experts from the emergency response, scientific, policy, conservation, and business communities, as well as federal and local government officials, to take part in developing strategies for identifying vulnerable communities and increasing their resilience to the changes that will likely define the 21st century.

Featured Plenary Speakers





Heidi Cullen
Chief Climatologist, Climate Central
Chris Shore Director, Natural Environment and Climate Issues, World Vision International 
Amy Luers Director, Climate Change, Skoll Global Threats Fund
Kathryn Sullivan
Deputy Administrator and Chief Scientist, NOAA 
Kristie Ebi
Former Executive Director, IPCC WGII Technical Support Unit
 

Featured Symposia
S03. Inundation Risk and Vulnerability Assessment

S09. Climate Change, Communities, and Risk: Research from the U.S. Global Change Research Program and National Climate Assessment
S14. Wildland Fire in a Changing Climate

S16. Coastal Cities: Planning for Resilience, Adaptation, and Sustainability - Lessons Learned from the Northeast and Superstorm Sandy

S17. Climate, Environment and Readiness (CLEAR) Action Plan for Virginia - Incorporating Expertise from CA's Bay Area and the City of Philadelphia, PA

S19. Enhancing Preparedness and Building Resilience in the Rapidly Changing Arctic

S22. Women and Climate Change Disaster Resilience: Local to Global Ecological Impacts and Strategies
Featured Breakout Workshops

W01. Ready or Not: Resilience Indicators

W04. Resilient Coastal Communities

W05. Managing the Wildlands-Urban Interface for Fire Safety

W08. Resilient Buildings and Communities: Responding to Disasters in a Changing Climate

W10. Reducing Risk and Vulnerability: A New Future in Green Disaster Management, Climate Change Adaptation, and Disaster Risk Reduction

W12. Enhancing Preparedness and Building Resilience in the Rapidly Changing Arctic: Developing an Action Plan

W13. Megadroughts

W16. Responding to Drinking Water and Wastewater-Related Disasters while Preparing for Climate Change




Students as Catalysts for Large Landscape Conservation
Colby College
March 1, 2013

The Environmental Studies Program at Colby College, in conjunction with partner universities, colleges, and research institutions, is hosting a conference on March 1, 2013 in Waterville, Maine, that will focus on students as catalysts for large landscape conservation.

This conference will provide students, practitioners, and scholars with the opportunity to network with, and learn from, peers and leading experts from North America and beyond working in the field of large landscape conservation.

One feature of the conference will be a conservation innovation contest for students. Undergraduate and graduate students are invited to submit essays or creative contributions, such as videos. Authors of winning contributions will receive travel reimbursements to attend the conference up to $500.  One essay will be considered for inclusion in a forthcoming book on large landscape conservation to be published by the Lincoln Institute of Land Policy.  Additional essays will be considered for publication in an issue of an international conservation journal. Students unable to attend the conference are encouraged to attend via web conferencing.

The organizers also are soliciting student posters for display and presentation at the conference. These posters will not be considered as part of the conservation innovation contest for students.

For additional information about the student essay contest, registration, and other  conference details, see: http://web.colby.edu/landscapeconservation/

For questions about the conference, please contact: landscapeconservation@colby.edu



External Communications Coordinator Job Description

Position Description: Audubon International seeks a highly-qualified and enthusiastic individual to serve as its External Communications Coordinator. The incumbent will report directly to the Director for Finance and Administration and work closely with the Executive Director and other Audubon International staff and Board members to develop, manage, and implement innovative external communications strategies that effectively advance the organization’s programs, stakeholder relations, and overall mission.

Organization Overview: Audubon International is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit organization dedicated to delivering high-quality environmental education and using incentive-based approaches to implement sustainable natural resource management in all places people live, work, and play.

Audubon International presently has approximately 12 staff members and is headquartered in the Albany, New York area. It should be noted that the organization is in the process of moving its headquarters from Selkirk to a more centrally located commercial office building in Rensselaer Technology Park (http://www.rpitechpark.com/), and this move will be completed by early January 2013.

The organization, which has been in existence for over 25 years, works with a wide range of interested partners, including golf courses, developers, agriculture producers, small businesses, large corporations, academic institutions, fellow not-for-profits, community associations, local governments, and state and federal agencies. Through education, technical assistance, certification, and recognition, Audubon International facilitates the implementation of natural resource management practices that ensure land, water, wildlife, and other natural resources are sustainably used and conserved. Utilizing a set of award-winning environmental education and certification programs, Audubon International is able to positively impact environmental health at multiple geographic scales, including individual properties, communities, and ecoregions.

Specific Duties & Responsibilities:
External Communications
·         In conjunction with the Executive Director, Director of Finance and Administration and other AI staff members, play a leading role in setting short- and long-term communications goals.
·         In conjunction with the Executive Director and the Director of Finance and Administration play a leading role in developing and implementing communications strategies to achieve communications and membership development goals.
·         In conjunction with the Executive Director, serve as the organization’s primary POC in regards to communications with the news media (TV, radio, print, online, etc.) and other external audiences.
·         Give talks and presentations to audiences of all types (i.e., news media, government, industry, academic, etc.) to deliver information on AI’s programs and activities.
·         Assume primary responsibility for posting or otherwise disseminating all official news releases and similar important public announcements.
·         Assume primary responsibility for developing/maintaining contact information for members of the media, as well as cultivating strong professional relationships with members of the media.
·         Assume primary responsibility for developing/maintaining contact information for key stakeholders in pertinent sectors/industries (i.e., recreation, leisure, government, business, etc.) as well as cultivating strong professional relationships with these stakeholders.

Support of Education/Certification Programs
·         Assist the Executive Director and program staff in meeting program growth targets on an annual basis for the organization’s various education and certification programs, including the following (or their future equivalents):
o   Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program
o   Audubon Signature Program
o   Sustainable Communities Program
o   Green Lodging Program
o   Professional certificate program in sustainable natural resource management
·         In conjunction with the Executive Director and Director of Finance and Administration, play a leading role in marketing and promotional efforts for all the above mentioned AI education and certification programs.
·         Lead in the organizing, promotion, management, and implementation of special events or summits held periodically and designed to market and sell AI programs and services.
·         Coordinate with appropriate AI’s staff to ensure that information maintained in the organization’s web-based member database is up-to-date and accurate.

Website Development and Publications
·         Assume primary responsibility for managing all content (i.e., news releases, programmatic information, graphical content, blogs, etc.) that appears on Audubon International’s official website, as well as social networking sites such as Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and YouTube.
·         With appropriate assistance from program staff, assume primary responsibility for developing and disseminating the organization’s formal publications and newsletters.
·         Serve as a liaison, as appropriate, between the organization and external contractors periodically retained to perform needed IT software and hardware upgrades.

Administrative and Development
·         Assist the Director of Finance and Administration with the recruitment of corporate sponsors to generate financial support for the organization’s operations and capital budgets, as well as increase the organization’s capacity, public visibility, reputation, and professional credibility.
·         Assist the Director of Finance and Administration with the identification of major donors, as well as cultivating meaningful professional relationships with these donors.
·         Work with the Director of Finance and Administration to ensure effective planning and delivery of ongoing fundraising, business affiliations, sponsorships, and other efforts.

Minimum Qualifications:
·         A bachelor’s degree in an appropriate field of study (i.e., environmental studies, mass communications, journalism, etc.) and at least 3 years of related professional experience, OR a graduate degree in an appropriate field of study (i.e., environmental studies, mass communications, journalism, etc.) and at least 1 year of related professional experience.
·         Self-starter with creativity and desire to make a positive impact.
·         Excellent interpersonal communication skills and experience working with diverse. constituencies and membership demographics.
·         Ability to excel both by working independently and as part of a collaborative team.
·         Strong persuasive writing skills.
·         Skills and/or experience managing newsletters or other publications.
·         Experience and comfort with public speaking.
·         Experience and comfort with event planning/administration.
·         Familiarity and experience with website development.
·         Working knowledge of IT systems (or ability to quickly gain such knowledge)
·         Computer proficiency (i.e., Microsoft Office suite, database management, internet-based research, professional applications of social media, etc.)

Compensation: This is a full-time, permanent position. Audubon International offers a mission-driven work environment that promotes continued employee growth and development. The organization offers its employees a strong compensation package, including competitive salary, excellent health benefits, retirement benefits, and generous vacation. Diversity is highly valued.

Deadline for Application: December 21, 2012

How to Apply:
Submitted applications will be reviewed upon receipt and must include the following:
·         Cover letter summarizing the candidate’s qualifications for the position, including a description of how prior educational training, experience and skills prepare the candidate to fulfill the job responsibilities detailed above.
·         Curriculum vitae or resume.
·         Contact information (name, job title, phone and email) for 3-5 professional references
·         Persuasive writing sample (5 pages maximum) which demonstrates an ability to effectively communicate technical concepts or analysis to a non-technical audiences.
·         Application materials should be submitted via e-mail to ryan@auduboninternational.org with the job title and your name in the subject line (i.e., External Communications Coordinator – Jane Smith).

Audubon International is an equal opportunity employer committed to practices that ensure employees and applicants for employment are provided with equal opportunities without regard to race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, age, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any other factor that is not related to the position.


Smithsonian Institute Fellowship Programs – due Jan. 15

Smithsonian Institution Fellowship Program
Graduate student, predoctoral, postdoctoral, and senior fellowships in animal behavior, ecology, and environmental science; including an emphasis on the tropics; Earth sciences and paleobiology; Evolutionary and systematic biology; History of science and technology. Tenable in residence at the Smithsonian facilities. Stipends and tenure vary. Awards are contingent upon the availability of funds. Deadline: January 15 annually. Contact: Office of Fellowships and Internships, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, DC, telephone: 202-633-7070, e-mail: siofg@si.edu, website: http://www.si.edu/ofi. EOE 


GREEN CORPS

Green Corps The Field School for Environmental Organizing

Green Corps is looking for college graduates who are ready to take on the
biggest environmental challenges of our day.

In
Green Corps year-long paid program, you¹ll get intensive training in the skills you¹ll need to make a difference in the world. You¹ll get hands-on experience fighting to solve urgent environmental problems ‹ global warming, deforestation, water pollution, factory farming and many others ‹ with groups such as Sierra Club and Food and Water Watch. And, when you graduate from Green Corps, we¹ll help you find a career with one of the nation¹s leading environmental and social change groups.

For more information, read below or visit our web site:
www.greencorps.org.

In your year with
Green Corps:

You¹ll get great training with some of the most experienced organizers in the field:
Green Corps organizers take part in trainings with leading figures in the environmental and social change movements: people such as Adam Ruben, political director of MoveOn.org, and Bill McKibben, author and founder of "350.org".

You¹ll get amazing experience working on environmental issues across the country:
Green Corps sends organizers to jumpstart campaigns for groups such as Rainforest Action Network and Environment America in San Francisco, Chicago, Boston and dozens of other places in between.

You¹ll have a real impact on some of the biggest environmental problems we¹re facing today:
Green Corps organizers have built the campaigns that helped keep the Arctic safe from drilling, that led to new laws that support clean, renewable energy, that convinced major corporations to stop dumping in our oceans and much, much more.

You¹ll even get paid:
Green Corps Organizers earn a salary of $23,750. Organizers also have a chance to opt into our health care program with a pre-tax monthly salary deferral. We offer paid sick days and holidays, two weeks paid vacation and a student loan repayment program for those who qualify.

And when you graduate from the program, you¹ll be ready for what comes next:
Green Corps will help connect you to environmental and progressive groups that are looking for full-time staff to build their organizations and help them create social change and protect our environment.

In the next few months, weŒll invite 35 college graduates to join
Green Corps in 2013 -2014. We¹re looking for people who are serious about saving the planet, people who have taken initiative on their campus or community, and people who are willing to roll up their sleeves and work for change over the long haul.

If you think you¹re one of those people, visit
www.greencorps.org to apply to join the 2013-2014 class of Green Corps¹ Field School for Environmental Organizing.

Green Corps¹ year-long program begins in August 2013 with Introductory Classroom Training in Boston, and continues with field placements in multiple locations across the U.S. Candidates must be willing to relocate.

For more information, visit
http://www.greencorps.org or contact Aaron Myran, Recruitment Director, at jobs@greencorps.org


Hello,

As a graduating senior, you are no doubt trying to decide what you will do next year, or even for the next 5 years. Consider a job with US PIRG. www.uspirg.org/jobs.

When I graduated college, I was eager to put all my academic understanding of social problems and passion for politics into action. I discovered US PIRG as one of the few major organizations that commits to training college graduates to be full time organizers. As an organizer at UMass-Dartmouth, I have trained students to run a record-breaking voter registration drive while also working on poverty alleviation and environmental advocacy.

If you’re like me, you look around and see too many problems in our country to sit back and do nothing. With U.S. PIRG, you can actually get paid to take on and solve the problems our country faces; from advocating for policies that will protect consumers from big bank and credit card rip-offs, to educating citizens and students about energy efficiency, and increasing participation in democracy. 
                
US PIRG is a federation of state-based public interest advocacy groups. And working together we have a much greater opportunity to make a difference. We have a 40-year track record of organizing on these issues, and, we’re hiring graduating seniors to jump right in and make a critical impact as a campus organizer or in our fellowship program.

Learn more about both of these positions at www.uspirg.org/jobs.

We will be holding an information session and interviews on campus the week of November 12-13th.  I encourage you to find out more and apply!

For more information check out our website, or send me an email at Elizabeth@masspirgstudents.org.

Sincerely,
Elizabeth Rucker
Campus Organizer, MassPIRG

volunteer in africa

One Heart Source is currently accepting applications for our 2013 Volunteer Programs in sub-Saharan Africa. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis, and the next deadline is November 2nd! Upcoming deadlines are as follows:

December 7th, 2012
January 4th, 2013
February 5th, 2013

As an OHS Volunteer, you will:
* Live with a host family and be an active member of their household.
(Zanzibar only)
* Work with primary school students through a mentorship program focused on building strong Math and English foundations while empowering students.
* Work closely with members of the community to create social uplift.
* Lead after-school programs in non-traditional subjects like dance, debate, art, and sports.
* Work with a small, dynamic team of international university students.

We at One Heart Source believe in creating lasting social change through education and human connection. We encourage you to take a step towards a more socially just future for the youth of some of the most marginalized communities in the world.

APPLY NOW FOR OUR SUMMER PROGRAMS!

For more information and to download the program application, please visit:
www.oneheartsource.org/volunteer


Environment Massachusetts has a number of internship opportunities posted on their website.  For more information, please visit http://environmentmassachusetts.org/page/jobs or contact Alison Giest, Environment Massachusetts, New England Federal Field Associate, at agiest@environmentmassachusetts.org or 813-215-3604.


Environment America Fellowship Program

Each year, Environment America hires recent college graduates with the passion, the commitment and the talent it takes to stand up to polluting industries, organize support and fight for our environmental values.

This year, we are recruiting to fill 35 fellowship positions with our state affiliates across the country and in Washington, D.C. Every Environment America fellow will organize, advocate and fight for the environment while gaining the responsibility, training and experience you’ll need to make a difference – now and for years to come.

Our Fellowship Program is a two-year immersion in the nuts and bolts of environmental activism, organizing, advocacy and the type of organization-building necessary for the long haul.