Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Announcements

Our Earth

This summer join the OurEarth.org community and become an intern in OurEarth.org's 2012 Environmental Leadership Program. This is a rare opportunity for you to develop as a leader and learn many of the skills that are necessary if you want to create significant environmental changes in the future. In addition to leadership training, you will also create and develop your own environmental project, be in a team with students from other colleges, and help OurEarth.org promote the new features that will be deployed on its website in June. Because OurEarth.org is still a young organization this is an opportunity to join on the ground floor of many up-and-coming initiatives. Lastly, for added flexibility, all work is done remotely so you can work from your home, campus, or anywhere else, yet you will still have very frequent contact with the OurEarth.org management and other interns via conference calls, email, webinars, and other electronic mediums.

OurEarth.org is a national 501(c)3 non-profit organization and grassroots initiative that aims to aid and develop environmental leaders, in part, by transforming the way environmental programs, activities, and information are found on the internet. A more detailed program description, the internship application, and further information about the OurEarth.org organization is available here:http://www.ourearth.org/students/.

Finally, this unpaid internship program is open to both undergraduate and graduate students. Application deadline is March 30, however students are admitted on a rolling basis, so act quickly if you are interested. If you have any questions, please contact John Ullman at (410) 878-6485 or john@ourearth.org, to get additional information.
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Submissions for BC Sustainability Newsletter

We are looking for several students to send in submissions for the sustainability newsletter, which will be circulated to BC students, faculty and alumni during Green Week (March 19-23). Submissions should be 200-400 words in length and detail your experience with sustainability at BC, an environmental movement that compels you, or anything about sustainability that you are passionate about. We want to distribute the newsletter during Green Week to show the BC community the amount of interest and support for sustainability on campus. Ideally, this newsletter will go out on a more regular basis. The deadline to submit is March 12, so mark your calendars! Please email your submissions to ecopledge@gmail.com.

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Environmental Action 2012

Environmental Action 2012 is right around the corner!  We’re looking forward to seeing more than 300 people on March 3rd at the event – and we hope you can join us.

It’s not too late to register today and join us in celebrating 25 years of incredible victories protecting health and the environment across New England.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Announcements

Announcements
February 17, 2012

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Environmental Action 2012- Saturday, March 3rd, 2012
Northeastern University, Boston, MA- 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM

Register now to join over 300 citizens, activists and experts for an unforgettable day of networking, learning, and inspiration.

Some of the days discussion topics will include:

Fracking and Natural Gas: Community Perspectives in an Age of Energy Uncertainty – with Nadia Steinzor from Earthworks, Staci Rubin from ACE, and John Rumpler from Environment America

The Blue-Green Line: Engaging with Labor on Environmental Issues – with Jennifer Doe from Jobs with Justice 

Three Decades Later: Lessons Learned Since Woburn – with Jan Schlichtmann and Dr. Phil Brown, a Professor of Sociology and Environmental Studies at Brown University       

Composting: The Next Frontier for Zero Waste – with Gretel Clark from Hamilton, 2011 Massachusetts Recycler of the Year

Making the Ask: Directly Lobbying Decision-makers – with Senator Jamie Eldridge, a Massachusetts state Senator for Middlesex and Worcester Districts    

Please call 617-747-4362 to register over the phone, and email taryn@toxicsaction.org with any questions. 


The Massachusetts Water Resources Research Center is pleased to partner with Tufts University Water: Systems, Science and Society (WSSS) program to host an exciting student-organized symposium on the value of water. Hold the date of Friday April 27, 2012 to participate in The Glass Half Full: Valuing Water in the 21st Century on the Tufts University campus in Medford, Mass.

On the program:
  • Keynote addresses by Jerry Delli Priscoli of the US Army Corps of Engineers' Institute for Water Resources and by Ximing Cai from the University of Illinois
  • Three panel discussion sessions on The Value of Clean Water, Floods and Droughts, and Valuation of Environmental Flows
  • Student Poster Session
  • Networking Cocktail Hour
There will be a Best Poster Competition with cash awards, so all students are encouraged to submit a poster on their water-related studies at: http://www.tufts.edu/water/symposium_registration.html

We welcome Symposium sponsorships, details at http://www.tufts.edu/water/symposium.html (scroll down that page to find details)
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Public Affairs Summer Internship at AGU Headquarters
AGU Science Policy Alert 12-10: 10 February 2012

Are you interested in gaining valuable science policy experience and spending part of your summer working in Washington, D.C.?  AGU’s Public Affairs department is looking for a summer intern.  This is an opportunity for undergraduates, graduate students, and recent grads to learn more about the intersection of public policy and Earth and space science.  Tell a friend, tell a student, or apply yourself!

The AGU Public Affairs department maintains a continuous flow of information between AGU scientists and Capitol Hill. The department advocates on behalf of Earth and space science as related policy evolves in Congress. The Public Affairs intern will work closely with Public Affairs and Outreach staff. This internship provides an opportunity to learn about the public policy process first-hand and to gain knowledge about Earth and space science policy issues, including climate change and natural hazards.

The intern will attend congressional hearings and briefings that relate to Earth and space science policy and write summaries for the AGU website and other publications. The intern will also assist with AGU members’ congressional visits and with organizing congressional briefings and receptions. The internship also includes social media outreach, authoring articles for AGU’s weekly membership newsletter Eos, and administrative tasks, as assigned. 

This is a paid internship.

Good research and organizational skills are a must. Coursework related to Earth or space science, political science, and communications are a plus.

Internship Requirements:
  • College student, graduate student, or a recent graduate
  • Preferred majors include, but not limited to, Earth or space sciences with experience in public policy and communications
  • Cover letter strongly recommended with application
Application Due Date:  Monday, 19 March 2012
Anticipated Start: 7 May 2012
Anticipated Internship Duration: Three months
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Please forward this message to those interested in a unique summer professional opportunity.  The Watershed Stewardship Program will hire approximately 20 Watershed Stewards in the summer of 2012 to educate visitors to boat ramps across the Adirondack Park and inspect watercraft for aquatic invasive species.  Memorial Day to Labor Day (some flexibility about end dates to accommodate students returning to college).  Please visit this link:

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MA Fair Share-Boston College
Clean Energy Jobs Campaign
Massachusetts Fair Share is a non-profit group that works to provide every American with a fair shot at a good job, a secure future, and a strong voice in our democracy. This semester, we are working with students at Boston College to build public support for investing in clean energy, like wind power, in order to create new jobs. Our efforts here on campus are part of a nation-wide movement to solve the jobs crisis by extending critical incentives for wind farms. With the wind industry booming, we want to show our political leaders that we can put people back to work building wind turbines and make America a world leader in the clean energy economy.

If you would like more information about the organization, campaign, or positions available, please click the link above, and fill out the information request form.  Massachusetts Fair Share will also be holding info sessions on campus in the coming weeks.

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2012 Biosphere 2 NSF Research Experiences for Undergraduates
If you are, or know of, an undergraduate in search of research experience this summer, please have a look at the University of Arizona Biosphere 2 NSF-funded REU program. Biosphere 2 has a truly interdisciplinary faculty, and students have the opportunity to collaborate on many projects across ecology, biogeochemistry, geomorphology, hydrology, and Earth systems modeling, all while living on site at the one and only Biosphere 2. Many projects are linked to the nearby UA NSF Critical Zone Observatory (www.czo.arizona.edu), and/or the forthcoming Biosphere 2 Landscape Evolution Observatory (leo.b2science.org).


Here is a taste of last year's program:


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Better Future Project
2012 Summer Internships
Final Deadline: March 1st
Learn by doing. Live your values. Lead by example.
This summer, join the movement for a better future.
People     ⇒       Power      ⇒     Justice

Climate Summer (New England):  
Program Dates: June 13th - August 18th
  • Learn community organizing!
  • Become a stronger leader!
  • Spend your summer on a bike, traveling across New England!
  • Learn from and connect with community leaders!
  • Inspire others to take action to live their values more deeply!
  • Highlight what communities are doing to move beyond fossil fuels through the press, blogging, and our new Digital Movement Map!
  • Highlight the harms of the fossil fuel industry in environmental justice communities
Ride for the Future (Gulf Coast):
Program Dates: May 22nd - July 30th
  • Learn community organizing!
  • Become a stronger leader!
  • Spend your summer on a bike, traveling across Louisiana and Texas!
  • Learn from and connect with community leaders!
  • Inspire others to take action to live their values more deeply!
  • Highlight what communities are doing to move beyond fossil fuels through the press, blogging, and our new Digital Movement Map!
  • Highlight the harms of the the fossil fuel industry in environmental justice communities and communities hit by oil spills, hurricanes, and wildfires!
  • Bike to ExxonMobil’s headquarters and ask them to join the movement for a better future!
Applications for both programs are available at http://www.climatesummer.net/get-involved/apply/
FMI see: climatesummer.net and rideforthefuture.org

Riders may apply for both programs, or only apply for one program.  The programs are open to all young adults ages 18-25. You do not need to be attending/have attended college to apply.  Older applicants who are currently full-time students will be considered. We encourage you to apply early, as the program will be filled as soon as we admit a sufficient number of diverse and qualified applicants.  Food and housing are provided to all participants, and limited funds are available to help those who require further financial assistance in order to ride. Priority consideration will be given to members of directly affected communities and military veterans.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Announcements

Happy new year & welcome back, Environmental Studies minors! Here a few recent announcements.

First of all, I would like to welcome Professors Tara Pisani Gareau and Martha Carlson Mazur to the Earth and Environmental Sciences Department. They are co-teaching the Environmental Seminar (GE580) this semester. They both have offices on the third floor of Devlin (Martha in Devlin 325 and Tara in Devlin 320a). Martha is the new Visiting Assistant Professor for the Environmental Studies Program and will be with us for at least two years. She is also teaching Environmental Systems: Water Resources (GE203) this semester.
 
Now for some announcements…
Best of luck with the start of the semester!
Kristina
ESP Graduate Assistant

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NURDS 2012
4th Annual Northeast Undergraduate Research Development Symposium (NURDS 2012), at the University of New England, Biddeford, Maine, on March 10 and 11,
2012

This NSF-supported conference promotes ³scientific exploration through peer collaboration². Created, organized and run by undergraduate and graduate students, the symposium will provide a comfortable environment for undergraduate students to present their research. This research may have been done as an independent project, honors thesis, or senior thesis. Students can present their research as an oral presentation, poster or data blitz before an audience of peers. This is an excellent forum for students to get valuable feedback as well as develop scientific discussions between students from multiple universities.

The keynote address will be given by Dr. Michael Grace, Ph.D., Associate Professor at the Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, Florida.

REGISTRATION CLOSES ON FEBRUARY 1st!
Limited free housing for presenters is still available!

Undergraduate students studying biology, chemistry, physics, environmental science, or any other related natural science in the New England region and Atlantic Canada are invited to attend.

We will accept presentations that fulfill the definition of undergraduate research as stated by the Council of Undergraduate Research, CUR: "An inquiry or investigation conducted by an undergraduate student that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline"

REGISTRATION FOR NURDS 2012 IS NOW OPEN

The symposium will be held on March 10 and 11, 2012 at the UNE Biddeford
campus in southern Maine.  We look forward to seeing you then!

For more information and registration go to http://www.une.edu/nurds

For questions contact us at nurds@une.edu

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Employment Opportunity at Practically Green


Practically Green (http://practicallygreen.com/) is a website to help people determine how “green” they are, and what actions they can take to further “green” their lives.  It uses a scoring system similar to the LEED system for buildings, but covers personal lifestyles, with a focus on energy, water, “stuff,” and health.

Practically Green is seeking to hire a science student (unfortunately pay would be nominal) to help maintain their scoring database. This involves being up on the latest research in the four realms PG covers (Water, Energy, Stuff, Health) and being able to blend science artfully to come up with how many points something like installing a rain barrel should be worth.

The company is looking for a graduate student although there could be an exception for an undergrad student with extensive knowledge and experience in the four areas. For more information check their website and email directly to Lexy Zissu at az@alexandrazissu.com.


Undergraduate Research Fellowships
Summer 2012 - Undergraduate Research Fellowships Announcement
National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) Site
INTERDISCIPLINARY WATER SCIENCES AND ENGINEERING
Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
Application Deadline February 24, 2012

Applications are invited from qualified and motivated undergraduate students (rising sophomores, juniors and seniors) from all U.S. colleges/universities to participate in a 10-week (June 03-August 10, 2012) summer research in interdisciplinary water sciences and engineering at Virginia Tech. We have already graduated 36 excellent undergraduate researchers from our site during 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2011. Application materials, details of ten Research Mentors along with possible research projects and other program activities are posted on following website:
http://www.enge.vt.edu/Employment/fellowship2012.html

Deadline for application submission is February 24, 2012. Successful
applicants will be informed by March 12, 2012. Please contact Dr.
Vinod K Lohani (phone: (540)231-9545; FAX: (540) 231-6903;
E-mail:vlohani@vt.edu) for questions.

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Food First's upcoming delegation to Bolivia: "Llamas, Quinoa and Andean Food Sovereignty"
Food First's upcoming delegation to Bolivia: "Llamas, Quinoa and Andean Food Sovereignty" will be March 10 - 19, 2012. The trip will explore the complex issue of rural development in Bolivia's highland regions, focusing on two products central to Bolivian food security for centuries: llamas and quinoa. Participants will meet with communities and local organizations working in the breathtaking Altiplano region, including a homestay on Lake Titicaca, accompanied by a Food First policy analyst. All participants will receive a certificate of completion from Food First. Partial scholarships are available on a limited basis (early registration is encouraged). See attached announcement. Trip Cost: $1650

For details, visit: www.foodsovereigntytours.org/international-tours/bolivia/llamas-quinoa
Or contact Tanya at tkerssen@foodfirst.org or 510-654-4400 ext. 223

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The Bard Center for Environmental Policy
The Bard Center for Environmental Policy, host and founder of C2C Fellows and the National Climate Seminar, is looking for motivated students who are ready to embark on an exciting educational journey. 

Bard College, located on the Hudson River 90 miles north of New York City, is a private, coeducational liberal arts college with undergraduate programs enriched by research institutes and graduate programs. Founded in 1860, the College draws its approximately 3,100 undergraduate and graduate students from all regions of the United States and abroad. 

The Bard Center for Environmental Policy was created in 1999 to promote education, research, and public service on critical issues pertaining to the natural and built environments. Earning either an M.S. in environmental policy or an M.S. in climate science and policy, Bard CEP graduates pursue high-level careers in research and policy. The value of Bard CEP’s approach has been recognized through established partnerships with Pace Law School, the Bard College Master of Arts in Teaching Program, Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies, the Bard MBA in Sustainability, and the  Peace Corps. For more info, please call, email, and visit our website.
Research Opportunities for Undergraduate Student in the Geosciences and Related Fields for Summer 2012.
 
Each year the Keck Geology Consortium has undergraduate research opportunities for approximately 51 undergraduate students in a wide variety of geological/environmental science sub-disciplines and locations.The program includes 4 weeks of summer research (field and/or lab work depending on the project), continuing research during the academic year (jointly advised by a project faculty member and a research advisor at the students home institution), attendance at the annual Keck Geology Consortium Symposium, and a publication in the annual Keck Geology Consortium proceedings volume.  Students receive a $1,500 stipend and typically all travel and living expenses are provided for.

Detailed information is available at: http://keckgeology.org/ 
The application deadline is February 3rd, 2012. The application process is online.

Please address any questions to Dr. Robert J. Varga, Keck Geology Consortium Director (bob.varga@pomona.edu), or Carol Morgan, Keck Geology Consortium Administrative Assistant (keckgeology@pomona.edu).