Thursday, January 30, 2014

Weekly Announcements - 1/30

Dear Environmental Studies Minors,

Please find the this week’s announcements below. In case you missed the email from Prof. Snyder this morning, be sure to check the blog for the announcement of BC’s new Environmental Studies major: http://bcesp.blogspot.com/2014/01/environmental-studies-major-at-bc.html.

The Environmental Studies program now has a Facebook page. Like it today at https://www.facebook.com/bcenvstudy. We promise not to flood your newsfeed with updates will but keep you informed about both the most important ESP events and relevant local, national, and global environmental news stories.

On Campus Forums and Presentations

1. Save the Date – Green Careers Fair – March 26, 6:30-8:30 pm

2. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Mapping Contest at Boston College

Summer Research and Internship Opportunities

1. Internship with Bald Head Island Conservancy DEADLINE SATURDAY!

2. Summer Ecosystem Experience for Undergraduates

3. Harvard Forest Research Program in Ecology

4. Additional Resources for Research Experiences for Undergraduates

5. Study Montana Wildlife this Summer

6. Study Abroad in Parma, Italy

7. Undergraduate Summer Research Experience at Utah State University

Off-Campus Lectures, Forums, and Exhibitions

1. Candidates CleanTech Forum with Gubernatorial Candidates

2. Physics of Sustainable Energy Resources Conference

3. Exhibition on Climate Change at the Harvard Museum of Natural History

Internship and Job Opportunities, Site Visits, and Travel Opportunities

1. Immersion Trips with Food First

2. Ecosystem Restoration through Interdisciplinary Exchange

3. Internship with Environment America

4. Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources

5. Green Corps Environmental Training Program

6. Environment Massachusetts

Best,

Kevin

B. Kevin Brown

Graduate Assistant, Environmental Studies

envstudy@bc.edu

617-552-2477

Devlin 213

Spring 2014 Office Hours: Monday 10:00am-1:00pm, Tuesday 11:00am-5:00pm, Wednesday 1:00-5:00pm, and Thursday 12:00-5:00pm

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Mapping Contest at Boston College

Students are invited to present their GIS mapping work as part of a campus-wide celebration of geospatial research at Boston College. Prizes will be awarded to the top student entries which will be displayed in the O’Neill Library lobby on Wednesday, April 16th, 2014. See full details at:

http://www.bc.edu/content/dam/files/libraries/2013/PDFs/gis-contest-2014.pdf

Internship with bald head island conservancy

Bald Head Island is a beautiful barrier island located off the southeast coast of North Carolina. The Bald Head Island Conservancy is a non-profit organization that was founded in 1983. The Conservancy's mission is barrier island conservation, preservation and education. It is located in a unique area within the Smith Island Complex which includes Bald Head, Middle and Bluff Islands, all of which are bounded by the Cape Fear River and the Atlantic Ocean. The Conservancy sponsors and facilitates scientific research that benefits coastal communities and provides numerous educational and recreational activities to the public.

Each summer the Conservancy offers internships to rising juniors, seniors or recent graduates from any accredited college or university, with majors in biology, marine biology, environmental science, education, or a related course of study. The Conservancy’s internship program includes environmental education interns, kayak guide/environmental education interns, sea turtle interns and wildlife interns. The internship program is intended to give undergraduates not only firsthand experience in their fields, but also experience in working at a small non-profit organization. The deadline for internship applications is February 1, 2014.

If you are aware of any Boston College students who may be interested in the Conservancy’s internship program, please encourage them to apply. Information about Bald Head Island, the Conservancy and the internship program/applications can be found at the following sites.

BHI Conservancy: http://www.bhic.org/

BHI Conservancy Internships: http://www.bhic.org/summer-intern-opportunities

BHI, Ltd.: http://www.baldheadisland.com/gallery

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the BHI Conservancy atintern@bhic.org .

summer ecosystem experience for undergraduates

The Earth Institute Center for Environmental Sustainability (EICES) invites you to Apply Now for the Summer Ecosystem Experiences for Undergraduates (SEE-U) Program.

The Summer Ecosystem Experiences for Undergraduates (SEE-U) program provides undergraduate students of all majors with a global understanding of ecology and environmental sustainability. The SEE-U program gives you the opportunity to participate in a combination of lectures and labs, while conducting environmental fieldwork in unique natural settings around the world.

- Takes place in environmental hotspots or human impacted field sites.
- Earn 6 points of science credit from Columbia University in just 5 weeks.
- Designed for students of all majors. No prerequisites required to enroll.

- Students at all colleges and universities may apply*

Special fellowship funding is available from EICES.

SEE-U is held in beautiful, yet human impacted, ecological settings.

*You are responsible for confirming that the credits from the SEE-U program are transferable and may be applied to your current academic program. If you have any questions or if your academic advisor would like to speak with one of our faculty members please contact us.

Interested in Learning More? Contact EICES at: eices@columbia.edu or 212-854-0149

Harvard Forest research program in ecology

Harvard Forest is offering an exciting summer program for up to 22 undergraduate students to collaborate with scientists conducting ecological research.

The strict deadline for this program is February 7th, 2014.

Applications are currently being accepted on-line and complete details are listed on the website: http://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/other-tags/reu.

Program dates for 2014 are May 26 - August 8, 2014.

study montana wildlife this summer

Northwest Connections | Swan Valley, Montana
www.NorthwestConnections.org

November 2013

During Wildlife in the West, students learn a variety of field skills to help them locate and understand the species we're studying.

Is your goal to become a wildlife professional?
Leave the classroom behind and come experience Wildlife in the West (9 Upper-Division Credits).

Study Canada lynx, bull trout, wolves, and grizzly bears in a field program that prepares students to succeed in their future roles as wildlife managers and researchers. You will learn field methods of monitoring wildlife and the ecosystems they depend upon, as well as the complex social and political processes that determine the outcomes of wildlife conservation. By combining field ecology skills with exposure to key wildlife professionals, landowners, agency officials, and other citizen stakeholders, Wildlife in the West gives you direct access to wildlife conservation in a real-time, real-world experience that will prime you for your future endeavors after graduation.

This lynx was captured and collared in Montana’s high country as part of a long-term research project in the Seeley-Swan Valley.

To read more about this program, take a look at our blog from last year's program at www.northwestconnections.org/blog-may2013/ or check out our game camera footage of rare wolf and grizzly bear interaction.

By the time Wildlife in the West begins, the snow will have melted out of the valley bottom and we'll be able to view tracks in spring's best tracking medium: mud.

Apply by Feb. 1st for a $250 tuition break!
Scholarships are available. To learn more, contact:
Andrea Stephens
Education Program Coordinator
andrea@northwestconnections.org
(406) 203-6408
www.NorthwestConnections.org

Add Northwest_Connections@mail.vresp.com to your email address book to continue receiving NwC email newsletters.

Gmail users: If you find NwC email messages in the new Promotions tab of your inbox, just highlight them email and drag it to the Primary tab. Click Yes at the Gmail prompt. NwC emails will then go to the Primary tab automatically.

The US Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed listing the wolverine as a threatened species under the ESA with a final determination to be made in Feb 2014 - stay tuned. NwC works through the winter to monitor this species, and other forest carnivores, in the Swan and Mission Mountains.

----------

Wildlife in the West
May 22—June 25
9 upper-division semester credits

• Field Ecology of Threatened & Endangered Species

• Wildlife Policy & Rural Communities

• Community-Based Approaches to Wildlife Conflict Management

----------

We encourage students to contact some of our alumni for their unique student perspective:

University of Vermont
Josh Blouin

Humboldt State University

Andria Dietz-Townsend

----------

See instructor Adam Lieberg's recent game camera footage!
----------

Check out NwC's Facebook page for the latest news!

Northwest Connections integrates Science, Education and Community
in the Conservation of Rural Working Landscapes.

Northwest Connections
P.O. Box 1309 | Swan Valley, MT 59826
Tel: (406) 754-3185
Fax: (406) 754-3330
Email: info@northwestconnections.org
www.NorthwestConnections.org

Photo credits: top - Gusty Clarke; left - Adam Lieberg, Rebekah Rafferty, Louis Shahan; right - Leah Swartz, Cassie March, Adam Lieberg.

study abroad in parma, italy

Experience a 4-week banquet in the form of summer study in Parma, Italy -- one of the few courses in the world devoted to the international law of food, an issue of immense emerging importance. The course, which will be held in the city considered the European or even the world capital of food, covers food supply, safety, security, subsidies, trade, and a variety of other contemporary issues. Field trips include visits to the European Food Safety Authority in Parma and the UN Food and Agriculture Organization in Rome, as well as a cooking class at a local culinary institute.

The course, taught by Boston College Law Professor David Wirth, who has extensive academic and practical experience in the field, should be of particular interest to those considering law school as a user-friendly introduction to legal method. It will cover material of interest to those studying social sciences, including international relations, international studies, political science, and sociology, as well as to generalists from all disciplines. There are no prerequisites, and no knowledge of Italian is required.

IN 253 International Law of Food

May 25-June 21, 2014, University of Parma, Italy

3 credits in International Studies.

The course description and detailed information can be found at http://www.bc.edu/content/bc/offices/international/progsummer/progsummer14/internationallawfood.html. Professor Wirth will make a presentation the Summer Abroad information session sponsored by the Office of International Programs on January 22 at 6:00 PM in Stokes 203 North.

Application deadline is February 5. The user-friendly, on-line application process, consisting primarily of a brief essay, is described at http://www.bc.edu/content/bc/offices/international/progsummer/applysummer.html and can be initiated by sending an e-mail to summerabroad@bc.edu. For further information, including costs and a preliminary syllabus, contact Abby Berenson in the Office of International Programs, abby.berenson@bc.edu, phone extension 2-6869 (617.552.6869).

undergraduate summer research experience at utah state university

The USU Quinney College of Natural Resources has received a generous endowment, with which we are sponsoring several undergraduate research projects during summer 2014. We are hoping to recruit excellent undergraduates from across the US and beyond. All research projects include a $4000 stipend and travel expenses to and from Logan. I am co-supervising one project with a fish biologist (Phaedra Budy) entitled “Quantifying effects of high severity wildfire on fish habitat” but many other opportunities exist. For a complete list of potential projects and application information, see: http://cnr.usu.edu/htm/students/asc/reu/

Applications are due March 1^st and successful candidates will be notified by March 31. Contact me (patrick.belmont@usu.edu) or any of the faculty supervisors associated with the listed projects for more information.

Patrick Belmont

--
Patrick Belmont, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Watershed Sciences
Utah State University
5210 Old Main Hill, NR 350
Logan, Utah 84322-5210
Phone: 435-797-3794
Fax: 435-797-1871

Additional resources on research experiences for undergraduates

NSF REU listings

http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm

Ecology REUs and other summer research opportunities

https://listserv.umd.edu/archives/ecolog-l.html

Biology REUs

http://bioreu.org/

cleantech forum with gubernatorial candidates

Next Step Living™ to Host Massachusetts Gubernatorial Candidates at Cleantech Forum

February 13, 10 -11:30 a.m.

Boston Design Center, Room 548

To explore the role of government in maintaining the double-digit growth of the cleantech economy in Massachusetts and in advocating the use of clean energy, Next Step Living is hosting a forum for the gubernatorial candidates on February 13 at 10 a.m. Bob Buderi, founder, CEO and editor in chief of Xconomy, will moderate the event.

To register, visit: http://pages.nextstepliving.com/candidateforum.html

Physics of sustainable energy conferencce

Exhibition on Climate Change at the Harvard Museum of Natural History

Climate Change: Our Global Experiment

Ongoing exhibit

Developed in collaboration with the Harvard University Center for the Environment Climate Change: Our Global Experiment will help you separate truth from spin and provide a basis for making informed decisions affecting the future of our planet. The exhibit offers an insider’s look at the scientific study of climate, presenting the latest research from renowned experts at Harvard and around the world. Get the facts, draw your own conclusions, then take part in a unique computer simulation that allows you to choose a course of action and see the consequences for the planet.

immersion trips with food first

BOLIVIA: Llamas, Quinoa and Andean Food Sovereignty

The Bolivian Altiplano is one of the most remarkable landscapes in the world, stretching 500 miles at an average altitude of 13,000 feet. Join Food First and learn about the food and farming systems at the heart of highland indigenous cultures and struggles for autonomy, while building solidarity with rural communities, local NGOs and social movements working to build food sovereignty in Bolivia.

Led by local Bolivian guides and a Food First expert, this delegation will travel from the shores of Lake Titicaca to the Southern Altipano to gain a unique lens into this fascinating world. The focus will be on two of Bolivia’s most important products, quinoa and llamas, and meeting with farmers and herders to hear firsthand how they have been affected by globalization and climate change.

Dates: March 14-24, 2014

http://www.foodsovereigntytours.org/international-tours/bolivia/llamas-quinoa/

_____________________________________________________________

BASQUE COUNTRY: Food Sovereignty and Cooperative Production

Join Food First and experience the Spanish Basque Country, Euskal Herria, through the eyes of local farmers and activists while exploring food sovereignty and cooperative production.

Specially hosted by the Basque Farmers’ Union, recent honorees of the 2013 Food Sovereignty Prize, you’ll have the unique opportunity to learn how agriculture and food play key economic and social roles within Basque society by preserving important threatened traditions. Tour the renowned Mondragón worker-owned cooperative and stay in farmer-owned guesthouses and learn about the struggles and triumphs of Basque history while sharing delicious, local, cooperatively grown food.

Dates: March 22-30, 2014

http://www.foodsovereigntytours.org/international-tours/basque-country/

____________________________________________________________

*Scholarships available for qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis.

*The trip prices reflect fair compensation for the many groups and individuals who contribute their time, energy and expertise to the delegations. Please see website for cost inclusions/exclusions.

Ecosystem restoration through interdisciplinary exchange

Program Dates: May 28 to August 8, 2014 (10 weeks)
Website: http://www.erie.buffalo.edu/REU.php
Application Deadline: March 1, 2014

Applications are now being accepted for the summer 2014 Ecosystem Restoration through Interdisciplinary Exchange (ERIE) REU at the State University of New York at Buffalo (UB). The ERIE-REU, sponsored by the National Science Foundation, provides the opportunity for undergraduate students to conduct interdisciplinary faculty-mentored research on a diverse array of projects related to ecological restoration of aquatic systems.

Students involved in the ERIE-REU program will receive one-on-one mentoring in the conduct of environmental research, focused training in environmental and professional development topics, and exposure to a variety of research methods. The program includes weekly group meetings to share research progress, and culminates with a symposium in which each student will present his/her research findings in oral and poster formats. In addition, students will participate in social events and field trips highlighting ecosystem restoration efforts and the environment of western New York and the lower Great Lakes region.

REU participants will receive a $500/week stipend (total of $5,000) and on-campus housing in a newly constructed LEED-certified student complex. A full time commitment to REU activity is expected (i.e., participants do not enroll in academic classes during the same period). Participation is limited to U.S. citizens or permanent residents, and students must be enrolled as undergraduate students in a college program through Fall of the following year (graduating seniors are ineligible). Most successful applicants have completed their junior year of study, although well-qualified sophomores are encouraged to apply.

All eligible undergraduate students interested in environmental/civil/chemical engineering, biology, chemistry, geology, or geography are encouraged to submit an on-line application; application instructions, faculty participants, and more information can be found at http://www.erie.buffalo.edu/REU_apply.php. Students from underrepresented groups or attending institutions lacking research facilities or opportunities are especially encouraged to apply.

The State University of New York at Buffalo is a premier research-intensive public university, a flagship institution in the State University of New York system and its largest and most comprehensive campus. UB's more than 29,000 students pursue their academic interests through more than 300 undergraduate, graduate and professional degree programs. Founded in 1846, the University at Buffalo is a member of the Association of American Universities.

For more information, please contact:
ERIE-REU Program Coordinator
University at Buffalo
202 Jarvis Hall
Buffalo, NY 14260-3000
Email: ugrad-erie@buffalo.edu
http://www.erie.buffalo.edu/REU.php

study abroad opportunity: brazilian ecosystems

Since 1989, the Antioch Education Abroad Brazilian Ecosystems: The Protection and Management of Biodiversity program has engaged students through in-depth field studies across a variety of biomes in Brazil. This is a Fall Semester program, with a new Summer Term option (see schedule here). All students explore the flora, fauna, and ecological characteristics of the Amazon Rainforest, Atlantic Coastal Forest, and coastal marine systems, and how environmental factors contribute to species and habitat diversity. Students enrolled in the full semester program continue their studies in Brazil to include advanced studies of the impact of human activities on biodiversity and ecosystem function, a Portuguese language intensive, and an Independent Field Internship.

Unique program features:

1. Program is led by Antioch University professor Suzanne Kolb, PhD, who is assisted by Brazilian professors, research scientists, and activists, who provide local expertise on current environmental issues facing each region.

2. Fall semester students engage in a month-long field internship, working with a Brazilian scientist or NGO for individualized hands-on experience in their field of interest.

3. Students explore multiple ecosystems, allowing them to compare the ecological characteristics of each, and providing a broader understanding of ecology in Brazil.

Curriculum: The Fall Semester program offers 4 courses for 16 semester credits - Introduction to Brazilian Ecosystems; Ecology and Protective Management of Biodiversity in Brazil; Beginning, Intermediate, or Advanced Portuguese; Field Internship. Summer Term students enroll in Introduction to Brazilian Ecosystems for 4 semester credits. Click here to view detailed course descriptions. If you would like to review syllabi for the process of approving this program, please contact us.

Internships with environment America

Environment America interns will spend their fall semester making a big difference on critical environment issues and learning a ton, while getting the experience they need to launch a career in the environmental movement after graduation.

Read more about our internship program here. Interested candidates can complete an online application here.

Monique Sullivan

Recruitment Director

Environment America

(202) 461-2448

Massachusetts department of energy resources

The MA DOER Internship Programs seeks to provide interns with exciting opportunities to assist DOER with implementing energy policies in areas such as renewables, energy efficiency, alternative transportation, energy markets, and more. The program is open to undergraduate students, graduate students, law school students, and other individuals who are seeking experience in the energy arena.

For more information visit: http://www.mass.gov/eea/grants-and-tech-assistance/guidance-technical-assistance/agencies-and-divisions/doer/doer-intern-program.html

green corps environmental training program

Green Corps is accepting applications for the 2013-2014 environmental leadership and organizing fellowship

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, you’ll get intensive training in the skills you’ll need to make a difference in the world. You’ll get hands-on experience fighting to solve urgent environmental problems — global warming, deforestation, water pollution and many others — with groups such as Sierra Club and Food and Water Watch. And, when you graduate from Green Corps, we’ll help you find a career with one of the nation’s leading environmental and social change groups.

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

Apply online today at greencorps.org/apply

Green Corps

44 Winter St, 4^th Fl

Boston, MA

02108

617 747 4302

ENvironnment Massachussetts

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.

Environmental Studies Major at BC

Dear BC Environmental Studies community,

I am very happy to announce that the BC College of Arts and Sciences is starting an interdisciplinary major in Environmental Studies! This is the result of hard work by a group of faculty members associated with the Environmental Studies Program who developed the proposal for the new major (see list below). The group began working during the winter-spring semester 2013, and submitted the proposal to the A&S Educational Policy Committee at the end of last academic year. The EPC unanimously approved the proposal in November. It received official approval from the A&S dean and university provost this month. This semester the ESP will work to launch the major, including developing materials about the major for students and advisors, and running an application process for students in the class of 2017 (see more information about these plans below).

Training in environmental studies serves as a focal point for perspectives on sustainability from the humanities, arts, social sciences, and natural sciences. The motivation to start an ES major at BC is four-fold. First, we have the expertise across the university to build a strong program. Second, students are increasingly interested in a social-science based, interdisciplinary environmental studies major. Polling of BC Environmental Studies minors backs up this assertion, and U.S. News and World Report recently cited environmental studies as one of nine “new college majors with a future” and a defining issue of the century. Third, comparable universities offer this program. Fourth, it will provide a venue to grow interdisciplinary collaborations amongst faculty and students across the university.

The goals of the major are to provide students with:

· a) the knowledge and perspective to cultivate rewarding lives as responsible citizens of the planet;

· b) a deep understanding of the scientific, political, and cultural aspects of the world's environmental challenges;

· c) the tools and creativity necessary to envision and implement paths to sustainable solutions; and

· d) a solid background for environmentally related graduate programs and/or careers in business, education, law, policy, planning, government, or research.

The creation of this major gives students interested in the environment three degree options: a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies, a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Geoscience (in the Earth and Environmental Sciences Department), and a minor in Environmental Studies. The ES major will consist of a minimum of 43 credits, equivalent to at least 14 full-semester courses, including four of the Environmental Systems introductory science courses (GE 201-208 plus labs), two foundation courses in environmental studies, and a year-long senior seminar. All ES majors will need to complete a six-course concentration in a theme (options are Food and Water Sustainability or Climate Change and Societal Adaptation) or discipline (options are History, Political Science or Sociology). Like other interdisciplinary majors at BC, the ESP will run an admissions process at the end of the second semester. This May, we will accept applications from first-year students for the first cohort of approximately 15 ES majors, who will begin with an introductory seminar course in the fall 2014 semester. The ES major is available to students in the class of 2017 and subsequent years. While that fact might be disappointing for some current ES minors in the classes of 2014-16, I think all will agree that the new major is a great development for BC, the current first-year students, and future students.

If you are interested in the ES major, please check the ES Program website (http://www.bc.edu/envstudies) in late February for details about the requirements and application process. You can also talk with ES graduate assistant Kevin Brown (envstudies@bc.edu and Devlin 213), ES Visiting Assistant Professor Tara Pisani Gareau (tara.pisanigareau@bc.edu), or me (noah.snyder@bc.edu).

Noah

Noah P. Snyder

Director, Environmental Studies Program

Associate Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Environmental Studies Major Working Group

David Deese (Political Science)

Brian Gareau (Sociology; International Studies)

Colleen Hitchcock (Biology)

Martha Carlson Mazur (ESP; E&ES; now at Bellarmine University)

Kevin O’Neill (History)

Zyg Plater (Law School)

Noah Snyder (ESP; E&ES)

Min Song (English)

Holly VandeWall (Philosophy)

Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Weekly Announcements - 1/21

Dear Environmental Studies Minors,

Please find the this week’s announcements below.

On Campus Forums and Presentations

1. Save the Date – Green Careers Fair – March 26, 6:30-8:30 pm

2. Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Mapping Contest at Boston College

Features Spring Course Offerings (Only one more day for Add/Drop)

1. MJ 647 The Environment and Sustainability

2. UN 256 Environmental Law and Policy: Nature, Law, and Society

Summer Research and Internship Opportunities

1. Internship with Bald Head Island Conservancy

2. Summer Ecosystem Experience for Undergraduates

3. Harvard Forest Research Program in Ecology

4. Additional Resources for Research Experiences for Undergraduates

5. Study Montana Wildlife this Summer

6. Study Abroad in Parma, Italy

7. Undergraduate Summer Research Experience at Utah State University

Graduate School Opportunities

1. Yale School of Forestry and Environmental Studies

2. PhD Research and Teaching Assistantship, University of Vermont: Human Health and the Environment

3. PhD Funding at the National University of Singapore

Off-Campus Lectures, Forums, and Exhibitions

1. Physics of Sustainable Energy Resources Conference

2. Exhibition on Climate Change at the Harvard Museum of Natural History

Internship and Job Opportunities, Site Visits, and Travel Opportunities

1. Immersion Trips with Food First

2. Ecosystem Restoration through Interdisciplinary Exchange

3. Internship with Environment America

4. Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources

5. Green Corps Environmental Training Program

6. Environment Massachusetts

Best,

Kevin

B. Kevin Brown

Graduate Assistant, Environmental Studies

envstudy@bc.edu

617-552-2477

Devlin 213

Spring 2014 Office Hours: Monday 10:00am-1:00pm, Tuesday 11:00am-5:00pm, Wednesday 1:00-5:00pm, and Thursday 12:00-5:00pm

Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Mapping Contest at Boston College

http://www.bc.edu/content/dam/files/libraries/2013/PDFs/gis-contest-2014.pdf

MJ 647 The Environment and Sustainability

Tuesdays 7-9:30

Prof. Frank Parker, S.J.

The emphasis in this course will be upon methods used for preserving and improving sustainability within the United States and worldwide. Fundamentals of Environmental Law, International Law and Administrative Law will be stressed. Cost estimates will be examined closely. Among subject matters to be studied are oil, water, wind, air and carbon sequestration.

Un 256 Environmental law and policy: nature, law, and society

3 Sections

Prof. Zygmund Plater

If you take this class, you are then able to enroll in future elective courses at the Law School. Prof. Plater has asked me to let you know that Section 2 has the option of either taking a final exam or writing a final paper.

Internship with bald head island conservancy

BHI Conservancy: http://www.bhic.org/

BHI Conservancy Internships: http://www.bhic.org/summer-intern-opportunities

BHI, Ltd.: http://www.baldheadisland.com/gallery

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the BHI Conservancy atintern@bhic.org .

summer ecosystem experience for undergraduates

The Earth Institute Center for Environmental Sustainability (EICES) invites you to Apply Now for the Summer Ecosystem Experiences for Undergraduates (SEE-U) Program.

- Students at all colleges and universities may apply*

Special fellowship funding is available from EICES.

SEE-U is held in beautiful, yet human impacted, ecological settings.

Interested in Learning More? Contact EICES at: eices@columbia.edu or 212-854-0149

Harvard Forest research program in ecology

Harvard Forest is offering an exciting summer program for up to 22 undergraduate students to collaborate with scientists conducting ecological research.

The strict deadline for this program is February 7th, 2014.

Applications are currently being accepted on-line and complete details are listed on the website: http://harvardforest.fas.harvard.edu/other-tags/reu.

Program dates for 2014 are May 26 - August 8, 2014.

study montana wildlife this summer

Northwest Connections | Swan Valley, Montana
www.NorthwestConnections.org

November 2013

During Wildlife in the West, students learn a variety of field skills to help them locate and understand the species we're studying.

Is your goal to become a wildlife professional?
Leave the classroom behind and come experience Wildlife in the West (9 Upper-Division Credits).

This lynx was captured and collared in Montana’s high country as part of a long-term research project in the Seeley-Swan Valley.

By the time Wildlife in the West begins, the snow will have melted out of the valley bottom and we'll be able to view tracks in spring's best tracking medium: mud.

----------

Wildlife in the West
May 22—June 25
9 upper-division semester credits

• Field Ecology of Threatened & Endangered Species

• Wildlife Policy & Rural Communities

• Community-Based Approaches to Wildlife Conflict Management

Instructor Rebekah Rafferty hauls elk meat to a carnivore bait station.

----------

We encourage students to contact some of our alumni for their unique student perspective:

University of Vermont
Josh Blouin

Humboldt State University

Andria Dietz-Townsend

----------

See instructor Adam Lieberg's recent game camera footage!
----------

Check out NwC's Facebook page for the latest news!

study abroad in parma, italy

IN 253 International Law of Food

May 25-June 21, 2014, University of Parma, Italy

3 credits in International Studies.

undergraduate summer research experience at utah state university

Patrick Belmont

--
Patrick Belmont, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Watershed Sciences
Utah State University
5210 Old Main Hill, NR 350
Logan, Utah 84322-5210
Phone: 435-797-3794
Fax: 435-797-1871

Additional resources on research experiences for undergraduates

NSF REU listings

http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm

Ecology REUs and other summer research opportunities

https://listserv.umd.edu/archives/ecolog-l.html

Biology REUs

http://bioreu.org/

Ph.D. Research and Teaching Assistantship, University of Vermont: Human Health and the Environment

Application Deadline: Applications are due to the UVM Graduate College by February 1^st; letters of interest and supporting materials are due to Dr. Vatovec by January 20^th

Position: PhD Assistantship; Three years of funding available (research and teaching assistantship) with a goal of securing project funding for the duration of the students’ program.

Project background: Dr. Christine Vatovec has funding available for one doctoral-level student to conduct environmental health social science research that is related to medical care. Current projects focus on two areas regarding the interplay between human health and the environment: 1) the socio-ecological consequences of medical care, and 2) the human health benefits of nature contact.

Responsibilities: The successful applicant will work with Dr. Vatovec to develop a research protocol, apply for grant funding, conduct field research (e.g. interviews, observations), analyze data, and prepare publications and presentations for academic and lay audiences. The position is for a minimum of three years during which time the student will serve as a teaching assistant (10 hours/week) and research assistant (10 hours/week).

Qualifications: The successful applicant will have a background in environmental studies or a related discipline, and an interest in environmental health, social science research, and qualitative methodology. While not required, preference will be given to applicants who have earned a MPH, or are interested in participating in the Certificate in Public Health program (http://learn.uvm.edu/health-3/public-health-certificate/) at UVM.

To apply: Interested applicants should submit the following materials to Dr. Vatovec by January 20th:

1. A letter of interest (two pages, maximum) that outlines the applicant’s professional interest in environmental health and career plans, why earning a PhD the best path for achieving your career goals, and experience with qualitative social science methods,

2. the names and contact information of three references,

3. unofficial transcripts, and GRE scores, and

4. your current CV (please include your GPA from your current or most recently completed graduate studies).

In addition, applicants will need to apply to the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources (RSENR) Graduate School before February 1^st (Graduate application process). In your application, be sure to state your preference for working with Dr. Vatovec. If you would like to discuss this assistantship before applying, please contact Dr. Vatovec.

PHD SCHOLARSHIP FUNDING AVAILABLE IN TROPICAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE

DEPARTMENT OF GEOGRAPHY, NATIONAL UNIVERSITY OF SINGAPORE

http://www.fas.nus.edu.sg/geog/research/tec.html

The QS World University rankings (2013) place National University Singapore (NUS) in the top 25 universities in the world and number one in Asia. In the same rankings, the Department of Geography, NUS, is ranked in the top ten Geography programmes globally.

The Tropical Environmental Change (TEC) research group in the Department of Geography, NUS, currently comprises around 35 faculty and graduate research students whose interests focus on the dynamic nature of geo-ecological processes and the human dimensions of low latitude (tropical) regimes. Such regimes are amongst the least studied and therefore most poorly understood on Earth.

Several fully funded scholarships (fees and maintenance) of up to four years are currently available in the TEC research group in the Department to support research and training to the award of a PhD. Opportunities also exist to apply for additional funding to support fieldwork and laboratory costs, if relevant, to participate in international conferences and to contribute to the Department’s teaching programmes.

Graduate research students in TEC follow a semi-structured programme, which involves a taught component in the first two years of registration. The programme allows a PhD student to acquire and develop to a high standard both subject-specific and transferable skills, thus enabling a student to access a broad range of future employment opportunities – in business, industry, consultancy, education, research etc. For information on how to become a PhD student at one of the world’s top universities in one of the most culturally diverse and technologically advanced cities in the world, and on enriching careers following your PhD, see: http://www.fas.nus.edu.sg/geog/graduates/

Please note that there are two application deadlines each year: 1 November and 15 May (for entrance in, respectively, August and January of the year following the application deadline). For further information, please contact in the first instance Ms Pauline Lee (email geoleepl@nus.edu.sg ). Pauline is the administrator in the Department with responsibility for providing support to the Graduate Studies programme in Geography.

TEC faculty are particularly interested to receive applications from suitably qualified candidates (excellent performances in bachelor’s and master’s degrees in relevant subjects) that relate directly to the topics/themes listed below. We are also happy to consider enquiries and applications within the broad field of Tropical Environmental Change from suitably qualified applicants. In the case of the latter, applicants are advised from early in the process of writing their PhD proposal to consult with a member of TEC faculty whose research interests most closely match their own. For further advice, including whom among the TEC faculty might be best able to help develop a proposal, please contact Professor David Taylor (geodmt@nus.edu.sg ) – Chair of TEC.

PhD topics/themes currently open to applicants

(for further details on specific topics/themes please contact the PI(s) listed):

1) Reconstruction of Palaeoflood histories on mainland SE Asian Rivers

(PI: Professor Alan Ziegler, email: geoadz@nus.edu.sg)

This PhD develops preliminary work in TEC by Profs Ziegler, Higgitt, Oliver, Wasson examining river bank stratigraphies to develop a timeline of flood occurrences during the past millennia. In particular the work will explore the possibility of a breakdown of the Indian Ocean Monsoon during the Little Ice Age, then it's restrengthening in the last 100-200 years. Fieldwork will be conducted in at least the following countries: Thailand, Lao PDR, Myanmar. Analyses will involve 14C and OSL dating. Other analyses could involve hydrological modeling and comparison of the flood record against including tree ring and speleothem archives. This work has implications for understanding potential changes in flood occurrences with plausible impending climate change

2) Linking Health and Environment- Ecology, Epidemiology and Geography of Infectious Diseases

(PI: Assistant Professor Wang Yi-Chen, email: yi-chen.wang@nus.edu.sg )

Disease transmission requires a susceptible host to encounter an infected host or vector, thereby is an inherently spatial process. Factors affecting the spatial distributions of pathogens, hosts, and vectors, and their likelihood of close encountering, are thus critical for understanding the dynamics of diseases. PhD projects under this research theme will be cross-cutting and expand the work done by both the physical and human geographers of the Department (i.e., Dr Wang, Prof Taylor, Dr Feng, Dr. Grundy-Warr, Prof Ziegler) to examine the ecology, epidemiology and geography of infectious disease (including, but not limited to, malaria, opisthorchiasis, schistosomiasis, and clonorchiasis), with the applications of GIS, remote sensing and other spatial analysis techniques. Topics may include: environmental and/or social determinants of disease prevalence and transmission; spatial analysis and modeling of disease risks; landscape influences on the spatial variation in disease prevalence; and impacts of land change on disease ecology. Interested students with ecology, physical geography, and GIS/remote sensing background are encouraged to apply.

3) Coastal hazard vulnerability in the Gulf of Thailand assessed from the Holocene frequency of high-energy inundation deposits

(PI: Associate Professor James Terry, email: geojpt@nus.edu.sg )

Scientific data underpinning coastal hazard assessments is often of poor quality or limited historical extent in the SE Asian region, where most records extend back for only the last 200 years or so. To truly understand the coastal hazards we are exposed to we need information that extends well beyond the historical record. Unfortunately, it is not always easy to recognize the hazards that a low-lying coastal area faces, either because there may be no previous memory of large-magnitude, destructive events from which we might learn valuable lessons, or because people are, for various reasons, unaware of the area’s geological past.

The primary goal of this PhD project is to improve understanding of the magnitude-frequency of large coastal inundation events in the Gulf of Thailand, that potentially threaten the deltaic megacity of Bangkok and other Thai coastal cities. Occurring over centennial timescales, severe coastal floods may be generated by intense storms or tsunamis. For teasing out the palaeo-record into the Holocene epoch, sedimentological analysis of coastal deposits remains among the most valuable approaches.

An exciting new method growing in importance is to carry out detailed examination of large coastal clasts for illuminating the characteristics of the high-energy waves that emplaced them. This is especially applicable to tropical coastlines, where datable carbonate blocks torn up from coral reefs are thrown up onto exposed coastal platforms during storms and tsunamis. Such types of deposits have obvious advantages in terms of identification and sampling, compared to more elusive layers of fine sands that might be difficult to locate if buried in mangrove swamps, obscured by shoreline vegetation or submerged underwater in lagoons. Laboratory dating using Uranium-series techniques provides a timetable back through pre-history of major coastal inundation events.

The significance of obtaining such data for the Gulf of Thailand is clear to see. Not only will the information be of value to government departments and disaster agencies tasked with assessing current coastal vulnerability, it will also help in the science of projecting risk scenarios into the future as sea levels continue rising in the region through eustatic change and deltaic subsidence.

4) Understanding human impacts on climate caused by urban development

(PIs: Associate Professor Matthias Roth, email: geomr@nus.edu.sg & Assistant Professor Winston Chow, email: winstonchow@nus.edu.sg )

PhD projects under this research theme investigate the broad question of how land-use and land cover changes affect local climates with a particular focus on cities and the role they play in climate change. Our group uses experimental approaches (observations in the field and application of numerical climate models) to study various aspects of the urban climate, including (i.) the development of the urban heat island (UHI) effect and its consequent impacts on exposure to thermal discomfort, (ii.) cycling of heat, mass and carbon dioxide as well as (iii.) fundamental flow and turbulence properties. Our laboratory is primarily Singapore, an increasingly important hub for urban climate research in the tropics. Findings from this research are important to improve our understanding of the physical transfer processes and energy balance in the urban environment, as well as in assessing the vulnerability of urban populations towards detrimental impacts of urban climate change. Applications include the prediction of the exchanges of energy and moisture at the surface, dispersion of pollutants, cycling of atmospheric trace species that play a key role in climate change or human thermal comfort and climate sensitive urban design.

Interested students with strong science backgrounds as well as those with prior training in atmospheric sciences, climatology or physical geography are encouraged to apply. The development and completion of own research agenda, leading to scientific publications is strongly encouraged.

5) Agent-based modeling in CyberGIS

(PI: Assistant Professor Feng Chen-Chieh, email: geofcc@nus.edu.sg )

Agent-based modeling (ABM) is a powerful approach for simulating social and natural systems. It enables exploring a wide range of geographical and more broadly social sciences issues facing society. With the emergence of “spatial big data” that come in large volume and fine granularity, and CyberGIS that is capable of handling these spatial big data, it is now possible to carry out micro-simulation on a large spatial and temporal extent. ABM in CyberGIS thus makes it possible to offer researchers and policy makers more realistic rendition of spatial dynamic systems of interest and explore key trends in these systems that carry policy implications.

Projects under this research theme include the development of new ABM formalisms and algorithms in CyberGIS, techniques for handling spatial big data, and tools for visualizing high-dimensional data sets, as well as their applications various urban issues, such as urban transportation and accessibility. Interested students with strong GIS and modeling background are encouraged to apply.

6) The role of mangroves in coastal management (PI: Assistant Professor Daniel Friess, email: dan.friess@nus.edu.sg )

Mangroves provide a multitude of important ecosystem services, supporting the livelihoods of millions of people in Southeast Asia, though are suffering rapid decline. Research in the Mangrove Lab at NUS Geography focuses on the geomorphological, ecological and social factors that affect mangrove stability and ecosystem service provision, using field-based and remote sensing techniques. We are particularly interested in research that puts mangroves into a wider coastal management perspective.

Topics may include 1) quantification and modelling of mangrove ecosystem services (e.g. carbon) under different management scenarios, 2) mangrove geomorphology and its effect on ecosystem service provision, 3) mangrove geomorphology and sea level rise, 4) geomorphological, ecological and social factors contributing to mangrove restoration, and 5) remote sensing of mangrove land cover change. Current study locations include Singapore, Sulawesi (Indonesia) and Thailand, though there is potential to expand research to The Philippines and Sri Lanka. Students will be expected to work closely with our regional University and NGO partners. Students with an interest in ecology, physical geography and/or GIS/remote sensing are encouraged to apply. For more information on current projects and students see www.themangrovelab.com

7) Determining the form and level of anthropogenic impacts on freshwater lakes in tropical Asia, and the rate and nature of past recovery phases.

(PI: Professor David Taylor, email: geodmt@nus.edu.sg )

This PhD project will utilize a largely palaeolimnological (lake sediments-based) approach at a selection of lakes in the Philippines that span a range of degrees of anthropogenic modification. Information generated by the project will provide a basis for allied research aimed at anticipating future aquatic conditions, including factors that could potentially confound recovery and efforts at restoration.

Key research questions underpinning the PhD research are likely to include:

1) What are the principal ecological pressures linked to human activity and how have these pressures varied over the last c. 500 years?

2) Is there evidence in the lake sediment records of past periods of ecological recovery and if so what was the context for this recovery and over what period of time did it take place?

3) To what extent do aquatic ecological pressures, including climate change and variability, internal lake processes (e.g. lake turnover events) etc, interact resulting in synergistic effects, and do particular catchment conditions – e.g. particular soil, land cover and topographic characteristics – appear to constrain or enhance outcomes?

The research will be carried out in collaboration with researchers at the University of Santo Tomas, Manila, Philippines, who are working on a major, Philippines Government-funded research programme investigating freshwater pollution, and targets an area of the aquatic sciences that is at present very poorly covered in the tropics generally and in tropical Asia in particular. The research project includes field-based research in the Philippines.

8) Carbon cycles in large Asian rivers

(PI: Professor Lu Xi Xi, email: geoluxx@nus.edu.sg )

Riverine carbon fluxes, burial and emission (or outgassing or evasion) are an important part of carbon exchange between terrestrial, oceanic and atmospheric environment and thus must be considered in strategies to mitigate climate change. However, there is limited understanding of recent spatial and temporal dynamics of such exchange for the large Asian rivers originated from the Himalaya mountains and Tibet Plateau. Work can be focused on any of the large Asian rivers like Chao Phraya (in collaboration with Prof Ziegler, NUS), Mekong (with Dr. Matti Kummu, Finland), Red River (Vietnamese academy), Pearl, Yangtze and Yellow River (with Institute of Geology & Geophysics for the Chinese rivers).

Physics of sustainable energy conferencce

Exhibition on Climate Change at the Harvard Museum of Natural History

Climate Change: Our Global Experiment

Ongoing exhibit

immersion trips with food first

BOLIVIA: Llamas, Quinoa and Andean Food Sovereignty

Dates: March 14-24, 2014

http://www.foodsovereigntytours.org/international-tours/bolivia/llamas-quinoa/

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BASQUE COUNTRY: Food Sovereignty and Cooperative Production

Join Food First and experience the Spanish Basque Country, Euskal Herria, through the eyes of local farmers and activists while exploring food sovereignty and cooperative production.

Dates: March 22-30, 2014

http://www.foodsovereigntytours.org/international-tours/basque-country/

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*Scholarships available for qualified applicants on a first-come, first-served basis.

*The trip prices reflect fair compensation for the many groups and individuals who contribute their time, energy and expertise to the delegations. Please see website for cost inclusions/exclusions.

Ecosystem restoration through interdisciplinary exchange

study abroad opportunity: brazilian ecosystems

Unique program features:

2. Fall semester students engage in a month-long field internship, working with a Brazilian scientist or NGO for individualized hands-on experience in their field of interest.

3. Students explore multiple ecosystems, allowing them to compare the ecological characteristics of each, and providing a broader understanding of ecology in Brazil.