From weilercs at whitman.edu Tue Jan 18 14:31:41 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Tue Jan 18 14:32:29 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 01/18/2005 Message-ID: DIALOG and Disccrs News 01/18/2005 *************************************************** TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES Funding for aquatic plant management http://www.apms.org/student.htm Climate Change, Government of Canada http://www.climatechange.gc.ca/english/ NCSE Releases Report on Water for a Sustainable and Secure Future NCSE conference website Tsunami Sites SCIENCE NEWS Top Science Stories of 2004 FORUM 2003 U.S. Science and Engineering Doctorate Awards http://nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nsf05300/htmstart.htm Lessons from Environmental Collapse of Past Societies www.NCSEonline.org SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS Cutting-Edge Workshops http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/current_workshops/index.html JOBS Tenure-Track Position in Coastal Watershed Science at the University of Texas Postdoctoral Positions, Limnology and Microbial/Plankton Ecology. The Tahoe Environmental Research Center of the University of California, Davis *************************************************** Resources Funding for aquatic plant management Submitted by Katia Engelhardt The following link provides information on a good funding opportunity for some people interested in aquatic plant management: http://www.apms.org/student.htm ***************** Climate Change, Government of Canada website http://www.climatechange.gc.ca/english/ ***************** NCSE Releases Report on Water for a Sustainable and Secure Future Water is at the root of many of society's most pressing concerns -- from human health to food production to economic prosperity to environmental protection. In some cases, we lack fundamental scientific information upon which to make informed water policy decisions. In other cases, water policies are inconsistent with basic tenets of water science. A new report from the National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) provides recommendations for closing the gap between water science and water policy. Water for a Sustainable and Secure Future: A Report of the 4th National Conference on Science Policy and the Environment explores science-based strategies for achieving water sustainability. NCSE's unique conference attracted more than 800 scientists, policymakers, business executives and civil society representatives from 46 states and 14 countries. The participants worked together to craft recommendations about the role of science in achieving sustainable relationships among water, people and the environment. In his opening keynote address, William K. Reilly, former Administrator of the U.S. EPA, stressed the need to modify U.S. water policies that have become remnants of a bygone era. He emphasized the need to engage scientists in making environmental policies and setting environmental priorities. Reilly urged scientists to avoid becoming "truants from the policy process." Bruce Babbitt, former Secretary of the Interior, noted that there is no absolute shortage of water in most areas of the United States, but water is often delivered at vastly below cost and used inefficiently. Klaus Toepfer, Under Secretary General of the United Nations, recommended progressive pricing -- charging more per unit the more water is used -- to ensure that people can afford enough water to live healthfully and still provide incentives for efficient use. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Jared Diamond offered a cautionary example of the results of poor environmental management practices as he delivered the John H. Chafee Memorial Lecture on Science and Environment, Lessons from Environmental Collapses of Past Societies. Drawing upon his natural science research to understand why some environments are more fragile than others, Diamond explained how inadvertent environmental degradation led to the demise of the isolated civilization on Easter Island in the South Pacific. The complete text of the conference report, Water for a Sustainable and Secure Future, is available at the NCSE conference website. A second report containing Jared Diamond's lecture, Lessons from Environmental Collapses of Past Societies, is also available online at www.NCSEonline.org. ***************** TSUNAMI SITES Courtesy of Mark Francek, GeoEd: Schoolgirl saved 100 people after learning about tsunamis in school two weeks before the event: http://www.cbc.ca/cp/world/050102/w010210.html Visualizations from SERC, Carleton College: http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/visualization/collections/tsunami.html USGS site with general information about tsunamis and USGS tsunami research: http://walrus.wr.usgs.gov/tsunami/ NOAA website: http://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/spotlight/tsunami/tsunami.html How Tsunamis Work: much movie footage here at the bottom of the page: http://science.howstuffworks.com/tsunami.htm Asia's Deadly Waves (NY Times): http://graphics8.nytimes.com/packages/html/international/20041227_QUAKE_FEATURE/index.html Courtesy of Heather McDonald, VIMS. The On the Cutting Edge - Teaching Geoscience with Visualizations site has put together a collection of tsunami visualizations created by researchers around the world. The collection includes several of the recent December 26, 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami as well as other historical tsunamis. There are also some visualizations of hypothetical and generalized tsunamis. Check out the collection by going to http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/visualization/collections/tsunami.html *************************************************** Science News Check out this section both for news tidbits, and for examples of how to communicate science to a non-scientist audience TOP SCIENCE STORIES OF 2004 The Boston Globe printed a story on the top 10 picks by Science magazine, coming from the Science Dec. 17, 2004 issue: http://www.boston.com/news/globe/health_science/articles/2004/12/28/top_10_science_stories_mars_water_evidence_leads_list/ Discover Magazine published its picks for the top 100 http://www.discover.com/issues/jan-05/features/top-100-stories/ (abstracts only), I didn't have time to read them all, but judging by the titles these are the only ones dealing with climate change or aquatic science.... 38. Caution: Farmed salmon may cause cancer 49 Endangered species act reconsidered 55 Oceans store half of human-made carbon dioxide 58 Surface weather affects life at bottom of the sea 76 Weird worms feast on whale bones 94 Smallest fish found 98 Hearing tied to hormones in midshipman fish *************************************************** Forum 2003 U.S. Science and Engineering Doctorate Awards Contributed by Sue Weiler This site reports the NSF statistics on US degrees awarded in different disciplines. http://nsf.gov/sbe/srs/nsf05300/htmstart.htm ***************** Lessons from Environmental Collapse of Past Societies Contributed by Sue Weiler Guns, Germs and Steel author Jared Diamond http://www.thelavinagency.com/college/jareddiamond.html has recently published a book called Collapse: How Societies Collapse or Succeed. I consider this to be one of those "must read" books for everyone on this planet, especially those interested in the future of our planet and society. The text of a recent lecture by Diamond on the Collapse of Past Societies is available at www.NCSEonline.org *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings CUTTING-EDGE WORKSHOPS in 2005 (note application deadlines are different for different workshops and the earliest deadline is January 17) http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/current_workshops/index.html Understanding What Our Geoscience Students are Learning: Observing and Assessing, May 12-14, Carleton College, MN - APPLICATION DEADLINE March 1 Designing Effective and Innovative Courses in the Geosciences, June 1-5 Georgia Southern University, (also an on-line version of the workshop will be offered May 23-June 23) APPLICATION DEADLINE February 14 Early Career Faculty in the Geosciences Workshop: Teaching, Research, and Managing Your Career, June 8-12, 2005, with optional trip to NSF on June 13, College of William and Mary, VA - APPLICATION DEADLINE February 21 Teaching About the Ocean System Using New Research Technique: Data, Models, and Visualizations (emerging theme workshop), July 6-9, 2005, University of Washington - APPLICATION DEADLINE March 1 A WORKSHOP FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS AND POST-DOCS: Preparing for an Academic Career in the Geosciences, July 21-24, 2005, Pennsylvania State University *************************************************** Jobs for PhDs http://www.higheredjobs.com/about/ Tenure-Track Position in Coastal Watershed Science at the University of Texas The Marine Science Institute (MSI, www.utmsi.utexas.edu) and Environmental Science Institute (ESI, www.geo.utexas.edu/esi) at The University of Texas at Austin invite applications for a faculty position in coastal watershed science. This position will further a growing program at UT-Austin in marine and environmental science that is focused on coastal issues, including a current faculty search in Ecological Modeling and a proposed National Estuarine Research Reserve at MSI (www.utmsi.utexas.edu/txnerr). We seek an individual with broad interests in integrated field, laboratory, and/or modeling studies of the physical, geochemical, and/or biological processes that occur in coastal watersheds. The position is at the rank of Assistant Professor in the Department of Marine Science and Research Assistant Professor in MSI. The successful candidate will be based at the Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas and will be expected to build a vigorous and interdisciplinary research program with one or more affiliated ESI departments in Austin, including integrative biology, geological sciences, geography, engineering, and social sciences. Candidates must have a Ph.D. degree at the time of appointment; postdoctoral experience and a strong research and publication record are preferred. Primary teaching responsibilities will be participation in a developing Integrated Watershed Science graduate program that will train students in science, engineering, and policy aspects of water resources, and a graduate course (likely team taught) in one of the following: coastal oceanography, time series analysis, or microbial ecology. Applicants should send a statement of research and teaching interests (3 pages maximum), curriculum vitae, and five letters of recommendation to: MSI-ESI Search Committee Chair, The University of Texas Marine Science Institute, 750 Channel View Dr., Port Aransas, Texas 78373-5015. The statement of research interests should mention how the program would incorporate coastal watershed science. Review of applications will start February 15, 2005 and will continue until the position is filled. Background check conducted on applicant selected. The University of Texas at Austin is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. ***************** Postdoctoral Positions, Limnology and Microbial/Plankton Ecology. The Tahoe Environmental Research Center of the University of California, Davis, Two highly motivated and enthusiastic postdoctoral scientists sought to carry out research in limnology and aquatic ecology within our multidisciplinary group. Possible areas of research include but are not limited to: lake metabolism, organic matter sources and cycling in lakes, molecular microbial ecology, plankton community structure and function, physical/biological coupling in lakes. The candidates will be expected to develop independent research projects in their area in collaboration with one or several members of the Center, or other UC Davis faculty working in the Tahoe Basin. The positions include some research funds and technical support, and will extend for 2 years, with the possibility of extension. The TERC operates two research vessels at Lake Tahoe, and has commenced construction of a new research laboratory at Incline Village to complement the historic laboratory at Tahoe City. Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae, a statement of research interests, and the names and contact information for three references. The positions remain open until filled. The University of California is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Applications can be sent by email to George Malyj, at gjmalyj@ucdavis.edu. Enquiries can be made to TERC Director Prof. Geoffrey Schladow, at gschladow@ucdavis.edu, or Prof. Charles Goldman, at crgoldman@ucdavis.edu. S. Geoffrey Schladow Professor of Water Resources and Environmental Engineering Director, Tahoe Environmental Research Center University of California, Davis Dept. Civil & Env. Engineering 3111 Engineering III Davis, CA 95616 (530) 752 6932 (office) (530) 754 6433 (lab) ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. -- C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office of Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050118/8f740c52/attachment-0001.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Tue Jan 18 16:21:56 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Tue Jan 18 16:22:32 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] ASLO/SLC plans FOR DIALOG RECEPTION Message-ID: Dear all, A DIALOG reception will be held at the ASLO SLC meeting--see below for date, time and location. Please pass this message to anyone you know who might be interested. The current plan is to have a small panel of people from various employment sectors -- academia, government, non-profits, policy, etc. If you would be willing to participate on the panel, Please send me your name, employer, and position. I want this to be primarily a Q&A format so you would not need to prepare anything--you will each be given around 2 minutes to introduce yourselves, then field questions. ********************** DIALOG Reception, ASLO SLC meeting Date: Monday, February 21, 2005 Time: 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Location: Salt Palace Convention Center, Room 250A/B DIALOG, the Dissertations Initiative for the Advancement of Limnology and Oceanography, was founded in 1993 to foster early-career development, interdisciplinary understanding, and collegial interactions among recent aquatic-science Ph.D. graduates. The program includes an international symposium, webpage, and electronic newsletter. The DIALOG VII symposium will be held in Autumn 2005. See http://aslo.org/phd.html for details, including symposium application instructions. A reception will be held to foster collegial interactions across disciplines. Past symposium participants will be present to answer questions about the symposium and their early-career experiences. In addition to introducing the program, the reception provides an opportunity for senior graduate students and recent grads to meet their counterparts in a relaxed atmosphere. Anyone who is interested is invited to attend. Light refreshments will be served. DIALOG is supported by NASA, NSF, ONR, and NOAA and co-sponsored by various scientific societies including ASLO. Contact: C. Susan Weiler, weiler@whitman.edu. -- C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office of Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050118/53cc9f05/attachment.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Wed Jan 19 19:12:55 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Wed Jan 19 19:13:34 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] Please Distribute: DISCCRS, Interdisciplinary training and networking for climate-change Message-ID: Please distribute *DISCCRS Interdisciplinary Training for Recent Ph.D. Graduates Engaged in Climate-Change Research http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf http://aslo.org/phd.html DISCCRS II Symposium March 26 - April 2, 2006 Asilomar Conference Center Pacific Grove, CA Register now to become part of the DISCCRS network and receive the DISCCRS newsletter Graduates from a wide array of backgrounds must all work together to address global climate-change issues, yet it can take years to gain the necessary collegial networks and experience. DISCCRS, an initiative funded by NSF and NASA, seeks to jump-start the process. An electronic newsletter and web-based resources make the DISCCRS program accessible to a global audience. A unique feature is the on-line Ph.D. Dissertation Registry, which introduces graduates to a world-wide community and provides a concise overview of current work. Graduates from all disciplines and countries are encouraged to register their Ph.D. dissertation abstract using the convenient on-line form at http://aslo.org/forms/phdform.html. Annual symposia will bring together 36 new scholars from the natural and social sciences, humanities, mathematics, engineering and other fields to foster collegial networking, understanding across disciplinary, institutional and geographic boundaries, and early-career development. Participants will present their research in plenary sessions. Established interdisciplinary professionals will be on hand to share their perspectives. Consultants will teach participants to communicate across disciplines and with a non-specialist audience. Representatives of Federal agencies will describe programs and funding opportunities. Time will be provided for informal interactions as well. Recent Ph.D. Graduates from all countries and disciplines are invited to join the DISCCRS Program and apply to be a DISCCRS Symposium Fellow. Graduates completing Ph.D. requirements between Oct. 1, 2002 - Sept. 30, 2005 are eligible to apply for the DISCCRS II Symposium. Symposium application deadliine is October 2, 2005. Support for symposium travel and on-site expenses will be provided for selected applicants. *DISCCRS: Dissertations Initiative for the Advancement of Climate Change Research Supported by NSF and NASA; jointly sponsored by the following societies: AAG, AERE, AGU, AMS, ASLO, ESA, ESS-ISA. Contact: Susan Weiler, weiler@whitman.edu ***************************************************** -- C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office of Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050119/ea0a88ee/attachment.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Jan 21 15:38:32 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Fri Jan 21 15:38:42 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 01/21/2005 Message-ID: DIALOG and Disccrs News 01/21/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES EPA Global Change Research Program http://es.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2005/2005_decision_support_sys.html SCIENCE NEWS Extinction Tied to Global Warming http://snipurl.com/c6qm Press Release Summarizing the Full 2003 NSF Report on Ph.D. Grads. http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/newsroom/pr.cfm?ni=15300000000152 Arctic Rivers Discharge More Freshwater Into Ocean, Reflecting Changes to Hydrologic Cycle Caused by Warming Is wacky weather sign of climate change? http://www.knoxstudio.com/shns/story.cfm?pk=WACKYWEATHER-01-19-05&cat=AN Nations Debate Climate/Disaster Link http://snipurl.com/c5pu Fish's Deep-Sea Deception http://snipurl.com/c5p9 FORUM ASLA 05-03: Political Pundits Offer Advice to Scientists SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS JOBS University of Nevada, Lecturer in Environmental Science http://jobs.unr.edu or www.ag.unr.edu/cabnr/Department_ERS.htm *************************************************** Resources EPA Global Change Research Program EPA Global Change Research Program has just announced a call for proposals for research leading to the development of decision support systems that can incorporate information about the consequences of global change for human health. We expect a total of $2.7 million to be available to support this work, and 6 awards are anticipated. Please see the announcement online at the following address: http://es.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2005/2005_decision_support_sys.html Joel D. Scheraga, Ph.D. National Program Director Global Change Research Program Office of Research and Development U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Phone: (202) 564-3385 *************************************************** Science News Check out this section both for news tidbits, and for examples of how to communicate science to a non-scientist audience Extinction Tied to Global Warming from The Washington Post (Registration Required) via Sigma Xi Science in the News Scientists call it "the Great Dying," a 250 million-year-old catastrophe that wiped out 90 percent of ocean species and 70 percent of land species in the biggest mass extinction in Earth's geologic history. The cause of this cataclysm is a matter of great dispute among paleontologists, but research released yesterday offers new evidence that global warming caused by massive and prolonged volcanic activity may have been the chief culprit. Huge amounts of carbon dioxide were released into the air from open volcanic fissures known to geologists as the "Siberian Traps," researchers said, triggering a greenhouse effect that warmed the earth and depleted oxygen from the atmosphere, causing environmental deterioration and finally collapse. http://snipurl.com/c6qm **************** Press release summarizing the full 2003 NSF Report. More Science and Engineering Doctoral Degrees Awarded in 2003 NSF Press Release NSF PR05-009, January 9, 2005 http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/newsroom/pr.cfm?ni=15300000000152 ***************** Arctic Rivers Discharge More Freshwater Into Ocean, Reflecting Changes to Hydrologic Cycle Caused by Warming American Geophysical Union 19 January 2005 AGU Release No. 05-02 WASHINGTON -- Far northern rivers are discharging increasing amounts of freshwater into the Arctic Ocean, due to intensified precipitation caused by global warming, say researchers at the Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research in the United Kingdom. Water exchange between the ocean, atmosphere, and land is called the global hydrological cycle. As Earth's climate warms, the rate of this exchange is expected to increase. As part of this process, high-latitude recipitation and, consequently, river runoffs are also expected to increase. This could change the distribution of water on Earth's surface, with important social and economic consequences. It could also alter the balance of the climate system itself, such as the Atlantic thermohaline circulation, a kind of conveyor belt. Cold water flows southward in the Atlantic at great depths to the tropics, where it warms, rises, and returns northward near the surface. This flow helps keep northern Europe at a temperate climate, whereas the same latitudes in North America are sparsely settled tundra or taiga. Researchers Peili Wu, Richard Wood, and Peter Stott of the Hadley Centre compared observational data reported in Science in 2002 by Peterson and others with model simulations, produced by Hadley, part of the United Kingdom's Met Office. Writing in the journal Geophysical Research Letters (21 January), they note that increased human-caused greenhouse gas emissions are expected to intensify the Arctic hydrologic cycle, that is, the cycle of water as it rains onto land and sea, runs off into rivers, and evaporates to continue the cycle. The increased Arctic precipitation is balanced by decreased precipitation in the tropics, they say. Wu and his colleagues tested the model with four simulations that took into account both human inputs and natural factors, including solar variability and volcanic eruptions. The results showed a steady increase in Arctic river discharges, especially since the 1960s. The annual rate of increase since 1965 was 8.73 cubic kilometers [2.31 million gallons] per year, far greater than the long term trend. Seeking to determine the source of the upward trend of recent decades, the researchers asked first whether it could be the early part of the predicted increase in the global hydrological cycle, caused by global warming. Their simulations excluded human impacts in one instance and natural impacts in another, and included all factors in a third. They concluded that had there been no human inputs, the hydrological cycle would have shown no trend at all in the 20th century. Had there been only human inputs and no natural ones, Wu and colleagues say, the long term trend would be 50 percent higher than when all factors were considered. They conclude that over the past four decades, human activity played the major role in increased river flows into the Arctic. The observed data conform well to the predictions of the Hadley climate model, they say, regarding human inputs. They say it is likely that the upward trend in river flow changes is part of the early stages of an intensified hydrologic cycle. The research was funded by the United Kingdom Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs under the Climate Prediction Program. Authors: Peili Wu, Richard Wood, Peter Stott, Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research, Met Office, Exeter, United Kingdom. Citation: Wu, P., R. Wood, and P. Stott (2005), Human influences on increasing Arctic river discharges, Geophys. Res. Lett., 32, L02703, doi:10.1029/2004GL 021570. ***************** Is wacky weather sign of climate change? Scripps Howard News Service - USA http://www.knoxstudio.com/shns/story.cfm?pk=WACKYWEATHER-01-19-05&cat=AN ***************** Nations Debate Climate/Disaster Link from Associated Press vi Sigma Xi Science in the News KOBE, Japan -- The U.S. delegation to a global conference on disasters wants to purge a U.N. action plan of its references to climate change as a potential cause of future natural calamities. The U.S. stand reflects the opposition of U.S. President George W. Bush's administration to treating global warming as a priority problem. "It's well known that there's controversy" about climate change, Mark Lagon, deputy delegation head, told reporters Wednesday at the World Conference on Disaster Reduction. "It's our desire that this controversy not distract this conference." The chief U.N. official here had a different view. http://snipurl.com/c5pu ***************** Fish's Deep-Sea Deception from Newsday via Sigma Xi Science in the News In the animal world, permanently pretending to be something you're not can really pay off. But to the surprise of researchers, two marine mimics can go incognito seemingly at will to earn a mate or a meal. With its ruse, a cross-dressing giant Australian cuttlefish can gain access to a closely guarded female, while the color-changing bluestriped fangblenny of Indonesia can win a free meal, according to two studies today in the journal Nature. Male cuttlefish need all the help they can get. Males outnumber females by four to one during the mating season, leading to some keen competition. http://snipurl.com/c5p9 *************************************************** Forum ASLA 05-03: Political Pundits Offer Advice to Scientists Author: Gene Bierly, AGU Sources: AIP's FYI At a December 2004 seminar sponsored by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, former Congressman John Porter (R-IL) offered advice on how to talk to Congress about supporting scientific research. Porter, who chaired the Appropriations Subcommittee that funds the National Institutes of Health (NIH), is now a partner in a Washington law firm and is the chair-elect of Research!America, a lobbying group for medical research. Quoting from Porter's speech: ". . . if you look at this White House and you look at this Congress, and you want to reach people, yes, you can talk . . . about the human impact of scientific advancement. But if you want to talk about the bottom line, talk about the economy, talk about the contribution that science and technology makes to the country and its economic growth (italics added), that is an argument that they will listen to. And it seems to me that all of the science groups ought to get on the same page, work off the same data, and have the same message and it ought to be in the forefront of reaching out to Congress with a message of the value of science to the American people and to this economy, to our future. I think it's a message that resonates. It's true. It's backed up by evidence. It's strong. And we need to make it our lead argument with this Congress and this Administration, because...that's when we're going to get them to listen." "You can change the image of things to come. But, you can't do it wringing your hands and you can't do it sitting on your fingers. You've got to get out and get involved and defend science as you never have defended it before. Science can, in my judgment, be sold to this Administration and this Congress. I suggest that the best way to do that is to recount to them, over and over again, . . . that the economic destiny of America lies in science and in technology, in science and research." Joining Porter at the seminar was Bob Palmer, former Minority Staff Director for the House Science Committee, who noted that on Capitol Hill science has "...always been sort of a medium-level priority." He added that his Republican counterpart on the Science Committee, David Goldston, finds it miraculous that "...science gets the funding it does, because it is politically inactive, it doesn't register on most people's consciousness, it doesn't reward candidates or punish candidates. And it does well because at some level, Members and people in the Administration understand the importance of science for the economy and other important aspects of our lives." Porter issued a call to action to the science community: "Will the Administration reach out to science? We certainly hope so. . . . Science and technology should not wait on the Administration to come to us. This Administration is going to be in office for the next four years. There is a great deal on the table, including research funding... Science needs to reach out to the Administration, to Congress, and try to build some bridges, and bring the relationship where it should be." *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings *************************************************** Jobs for PhDs http://www.higheredjobs.com/about/ University of Nevada, Lecturer in Environmental Science Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources, University of Nevada, Reno The University of Nevada, Reno, is seeking candidates for a full-time (nine-month appointment) lecturer in the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Science, in the College of Agriculture, Biotechnology and Natural Resources. This non-tenure faculty member will be responsible for teaching 9-12 units of course work per semester, including at least two sections of ENV 100, our general environmental science course for non-majors. Minimum qualifications include a Master?s degree in a science discipline and/or an environmentally related discipline. Applicants who demonstrate a passion for teaching, and have previous teaching experience at the college level are preferred. For complete position announcement and requirements, contact Heidi McConnell, Search Coordinator, hmc@cabnr.unr.edu , 775-784-4020 or view at http://jobs.unr.edu or www.ag.unr.edu/cabnr/Department_ERS.htm. Applications submitted by January 31, 2005 will receive full consideration Position start date: July 01, 2005 EEO/AA Women and under-represented groups are encouraged to apply. Lecturer Search Committee Attn: Heidi McConnell Natural Resources & Environmental Science University of Nevada, Reno MS 186 1000 Valley Road Reno, NV 89512 ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu -- C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office of Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf DIALOG VII Symposium Application Deadline May 1, 2005 DISCCRS II Symposium Applicaton Deadline October 2, 2005 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050121/96889be1/attachment-0001.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Jan 28 13:59:00 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Fri Jan 28 13:59:35 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 01/28/2005 Message-ID: DIALOG and Disccrs News 01/28/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES NCAR Faculty Fellowship Program supports visits to NCAR http://www.asp.ucar.edu/ffp SCIENCE NEWS Effects of Ocean Fertilization with Iron to Remove Carbon Dioxide from the Atmosphere Reported http://www.whoi.edu/media/buesseler_iron_fertilization.html Antarctica, Warming, Looks Ever More Vulnerable http://snipurl.com/ca4u Computer Models Indicate Global Warming http://snipurl.com/cc30 Scientists Debate Climate Change Amic Stark Warnings http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=scienceNews&storyID=7440311 FORUM Top 25 jobs according to Fast Company http://biz.yahoo.com/special/bestjobs05.html SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS Satellite Remote Sensing Training Course for Biological Oceanographers http://www.eas.cornell.edu/ocean/rs_course JOBS SOLAS International Project Office Position http://www.uea.ac.uk/env/solas/PO_ad.html NSF Position Announcement-Program Director for Diversity and Education, Geosciences Directorate http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2005/e20050008/e20050008.txt *************************************************** Resources NCAR Faculty Fellowship Program supports visits to NCAR University faculty interested in visiting NCAR between 1 June 2005 and 31 May 2006 are invited to apply to the Faculty Fellowship Program. Operated by the NCAR Advanced Study Program (ASP), this effort provides opportunities to foster fruitful and lasting intellectual collaborations and partnerships between university faculty and the NCAR staff. All faculty employed full time at a college or university are eligible; those from UCAR member institutions and academic affiliates are strongly encouraged to apply. Durations of stay at NCAR range from three months to one year. Application deadline: 15 March Contact: Scott Briggs, NCAR/ASP 303-497-1607, sbriggs@ucar.edu http://www.asp.ucar.edu/ffp ******************** *************************************************** Science News Check out this section both for news tidbits, and for examples of how to communicate science to a non-scientist audience Effects of Ocean Fertilization with Iron to Remove Carbon Dioxide from the Atmosphere Reported April 16, 2004 Media Relations Office Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Dumping iron in the ocean is known to spur the growth of plankton that remove carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, from the atmosphere, but a new study indicates iron fertilization may not be the quick fix to climate problems that some had hoped. Scientists have quantified the transport of carbon from surface waters to the deep ocean in response to fertilizing the ocean with iron, an essential nutrient for marine plants, or phytoplankton. Prior work suggested that in some ocean regions, marine phytoplankton grow faster with the addition of iron, thus taking up more carbon dioxide. However, until now, no one has been able to accurately quantify how much of the carbon in these plants is removed to the deep ocean. To read more : http://www.whoi.edu/media/buesseler_iron_fertilization.html **************** Antarctica, Warming, Looks Ever More Vulnerable from The New York Times (Registration Required) courtesy of Sigma Xi Science in the News OVER THE ABBOTT ICE SHELF, Antarctica - From an airplane at 500 feet, all that is visible here is a vast white emptiness. Ahead, a chalky plain stretches as far as the eye can see, the monotony broken only by a few gentle rises and the wrinkles created when new sheets of ice form. Under the surface of that ice, though, profound and potentially troubling changes are taking place, and at a quickened pace. With temperatures climbing in parts of Antarctica in recent years, melt water seems to be penetrating deeper and deeper into ice crevices, weakening immense and seemingly impregnable formations that have developed over thousands of years. As a result, huge glaciers in this and other remote areas of Antarctica are thinning and ice shelves the size of American states are either disintegrating or retreating - all possible indications of global warming. Scientists from the British Antarctic Survey reported in December that in some parts of the Antarctic Peninsula hundreds of miles from here, large growths of grass are appearing in places that until recently were hidden under a frozen cloak. http://snipurl.com/ca4u ***************** Computer Models Indicate Global Warming from Newsday via Sigma Xi Science in the News The world's climate may be more sensitive to rising levels of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases than previously believed, according to an unusual study that enlisted more than 2,000 computer owners around the world. David Stainforth, a research fellow at Britain's Oxford University and the chief scientist for climateprediction.net, said he hoped his group's results would add a sense of urgency to the issue rather than be construed as "fear-mongering." But the study, published Thursday in the journal Nature, may further fuel the hot-button debate over global warming, which reached a slow boil with Monday's release of a separate report warning that the warming trend is fast approaching a critical point of no return.http://snipurl.com/cc30 "An ecological time bomb is ticking away," said report co-chairman Stephen Byers, a confidant of British Prime Minister Tony Blair, in comments to The Associated Press. "World leaders need to recognize that climate change is the single most important long-term issue that the planet faces." ***************** Scientists Debate Climate Change Amic Stark Warnings http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=scienceNews&storyID=7440311 LONDON (Reuters) - World scientists gather next week to discuss the climate change crisis threatening the planet amid stark warnings that the time for talking is over and action is urgently needed. But far from making any recommendations for action to their political masters, the scientists from 30 countries will review the state of knowledge and try to define just what constitutes "dangerous" levels of climate warming. "We will not try to come up with a consensus number on what should be a target. That is a job for the politicians," conference chairman Dennis Tirpak said Wednesday. "The purpose is to have a debate of the scientific facts. We will collect the best information we have to give to the politicians ... but don't expect to make any recommendations," he told reporters. *************************************************** Forum Top 25 jobs according to Fast Company Submitted by Sue Weiler I'm not advocating this as a reliable site by any means, but I thought some of you might be interested in how the business community views jobs--the Fast Company used four criteria: job growth, salary potential, education and room for innovation. http://biz.yahoo.com/special/bestjobs05.html *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings Satellite Remote Sensing Training Course for Biological Oceanographers June 3 -17, 2005, Cornell University Submitted by Bruce Monger Many biological oceanographers have ongoing research that would benefit from the addition of a satellite remote sensing perspective. A significant number of these people, however, are prevented from using satellite data in their research because they lack the training needed to make easy and effective use of satellite data. Even people beginning a research career that is specifically devoted to satellite remote sensing can be slowed down initially because they lack some basic skills. To address this problem, a 2-week summer training course is being offered to people who may have little or no prior experience with satellite remote sensing. The goal of the training course is to teach participants the skills needed to work independently to acquire data sets derived from a variety of satellite sensors (SeaWiFS, MODIS, AVHRR, QuikSCAT and Topex-Poseidon) and to merge these data sets to examine biological response to changes in the physical environment. The training course is open to advanced undergraduate students, graduate students and post-graduate professionals. Past computer programming experience is desirable, but by no means required. For more information about the course - including a course syllabus and instructions on how to apply, visit http://www.eas.cornell.edu/ocean/rs_course. The application deadline is May 1, 2005. *************************************************** Jobs for PhDs http://www.higheredjobs.com/about/ NSF Position Announcement-Program Director for Diversity and Education, Geosciences Directorate Application Deadline Extended: Monday, 14 February 2005 The Geosciences Directorate at the National Science Foundation is hiring for the position of Program Director for Diversity and Education. The position is being advertised as both an IPA (1-2 years through the Intergovernmental Personnel Act) and as a permanent position. The application deadline has been extended to Monday, 14 February 2005. For complete information, see the announcement at: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2005/e20050008/e20050008.txt ***************** SOLAS International Project Office Position We are pleased to announce that we are looking to recruit a second member of staff in the SOLAS international project office. The Project Officer will assist the newly appointed Executive Officer in running SOLAS on a day-to-day basis. A person suitable for the post will have a BSc in a relevant discipline, and appropriate postgraduate experience. They will have excellent personal and presentational skills. Fluent written and spoken English are prerequisites, as is a high level of electronic communication ability. This post is for up to 4 and a half years from mid 2005 and is based in Norwich, UK. It will involve some international travel. Starting salary will be in the range of ?19,460 to ?23,643 per annum, depending on the experience and qualifications the post holder brings to the role, on the Research and Analogous 1A salary scale. Interviews for this post will be held on 4 March 2005. For more details, see http://www.uea.ac.uk/env/solas/PO_ad.html Informal enquires should be made to Professor Peter Liss, Tel: +44 (0)1603 592563; e-mail: p.liss@uea.ac.uk ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu -- C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office of Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf DIALOG VII Symposium Application Deadline May 1, 2005 DISCCRS II Symposium Applicaton Deadline October 2, 2005 Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050128/db76a879/attachment-0001.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Feb 4 15:03:44 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Fri Feb 4 15:03:57 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 02/04/2005 Message-ID: DIALOG and Disccrs News 02/04/2005 ************************************ Table of Contents RESOURCES LEAD Young Leaders project 2005. http://www.lead.org NSF/OPP Postdoctoral Fellowships in Polar Regions Research http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf04566 SCIENCE NEWS Deepest Waters in Sea Have Plankton http://snipurl.com/cjdj Greenhouse Effect Could Make Mars Livable http://snipurl.com/cjel FORUM For Some Girls, the Problem With Math Is That They're Good at It http://snipurl.com/chd0 SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS 2005 Breslauer Graduate Student Symposium on Climate Change http://ias.berkeley.edu/academics/BreslauerHome.htm Urbino Summer School in Paleoclimatology http://antarctica.tamu.edu/menu_news/answer.php?id=182 JOBS Executive Officer, Scientific Committee oon Antarctic Research (SCAR) http://www.scar.org Marine Geology tenure track position at Univ. North Carolina Chapel Hill http://www.marine.unc.edu/ *************************************************** Resources LEAD Young Leaders project 2005. LEAD International announces the launch of its newest venture: the Young Leaders project 2005. This project provides students and young professionals the opportunity to work with - and be mentored by - a LEAD Fellow in Brazil, India, Indonesia or Mexico, on solutions-based work-placements. The Young Leaders project will enable young people (generally in their 20s) to spend three months (June - August 2005) in their selected country, participating in a training program and working alongside a LEAD Fellow addressing sustainable development issues. At the end of this experience, each Young Leader will become a member of the global LEAD network of influential high-flyers in more than 80 countries. Julia Marton-Lef?vre Executive Director LEAD International based at Imperial College London 48 Prince's Gardens London SW7 2PE, UK Direct line: 44 (0)870 220 2901, fax: 2910 julia@lead.org www.lead.org **************** NSF/OPP Postdoctoral Fellowships in Polar Regions Research http://www.nsf.gov/dir/index.jsp?org=OPP Fellowship proposal deadline: March 2, 2005 The Office of Polar Programs (OPP) at the National Science Foundation invites proposals for the next competition of the Polar Regions Postdoctoral Fellowship. The fellowship supports independent postdoctoral research on any aspect of scientific study of the Arctic and/or the Antarctic at a US host institution for up to 3 years. Proposals from women and minorities, as well as new investigators in Polar Regions research, are especially encouraged. ELIGIBLE APPLICANTS: US citizens or permanent residents of the United States who have earned a doctoral degree or will complete a doctoral degree no more than 1 year after the proposal deadline date and who have not participated in postdoctoral training for more than 3 years at the time the fellowship begins. FINANCIAL SUPPORT: Fellowship awards include a salary stipend, research funds, and health insurance allowance for the Fellow plus dependents, as well as field research expenses. FIELD RESEARCH: OPP will support both arctic and antarctic fieldwork proposed by postdoctoral fellows through the Arctic Research Support and Logistics program and the US Antarctic Program, respectively. Applicants should develop their fieldwork proposals in collaboration with their sponsoring scientists. Antarctic fieldwork proposals may include a field assistant. HOW TO APPLY: Full proposals and letters of reference must be submitted via NSF's Fastlane web site by March 2, 2005. A full proposal submission includes (but is not limited to) a project description, applicant curriculum vitae, project budget, statement and bio from the sponsoring host scientist(s), three letters of reference, and a description of the proposed fieldwork. See the program solicitation for full proposal instructions at: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf04566 FOR QUESTIONS OR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: Dr. Kathleen Flint (kflint@nsf.gov) or Dr. Bernard Lettau (blettau@nsf.gov) *************************************************** Science News Check out this section both for news tidbits, and for examples of how to communicate science to a non-scientist audience Deepest Waters in Sea Have Plankton from Associated Press via Sigma Xi Science in the News WASHINGTON - Tiny, single-celled organisms, many previously unknown, have been discovered beneath nearly seven miles of water in the deepest part of the ocean. A sample of sediment collected from the Challenger Deep southwest of Guam in the Pacific Ocean yielded several hundred foraminifera, a type of plankton usually abundant near the ocean surface. "On the species level, all the species we found from the Challenger Deep are quite new," researcher Hiroshi Kitazato said vie e-mail. http://snipurl.com/cjdj ***************** Greenhouse Effect Could Make Mars Livable from Space.com via Sigma Xi Science in the News The best way to make Mars habitable would be to inject synthetic greenhouse gases into its atmosphere, researchers said Thursday. The stuff could be shipped to Mars or manufactured there. Scientists and science-fiction authors have long pondered terraforming Mars, melting the vast stores of ice in its polar caps to create an environment suitable for humans. The topic is highly controversial. http://snipurl.com/cjel *************************************************** Forum For Some Girls, the Problem With Math Is That They're Good at It Essay from The New York Times (Registration Required) Written by Cornelia Dean, published 1 Feb. 2005 Submitted by Sue Weiler A few years ago, I told Donald Kennedy, editor of the journal Science, that I wanted to write an essay for his publication. It would say, "Anyone who thinks that sexism is no longer a problem in science has never been the first woman science editor of The New York Times." I never wrote the essay. But the continuing furor over Dr. Lawrence H. Summers's remarks on women and science reminds me why I thought of it...http://snipurl.com/chd0 *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings 2005 Breslauer Graduate Student Symposium on Climate Change Friday, February 25, 2005 8:30 am - 7pm at UC Berkeley's, International House The focus of the 2005 Breslauer Symposium will be on the Social and Scientific Aspects of Global Climate Change. This one-day interdisciplinary symposium will provide a forum for graduate students to present, discuss, and receive feedback on research on the many social, political, natural and physical science dimensions of global climate change. The keynote address will be given by Stephen H. Schneider. Dr. Schneider is a professor in the Department of Biological Sciences, co-director of the Center for Environmental Science and Policy, co-director of the Interdisciplinary Graduate Program in Environment and Resources (IPER), and Professor by Courtesy in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University. He was honored in 1992 with a MacArthur Prize Fellowship. He has served as a consultant to Federal Agencies and/or White House staff in the Nixon, Carter, Reagan, Bush I and II, and Clinton administrations. In 1975, he founded the interdisciplinary journal, Climatic Change, and continues to serve as its Editor. Additional symposium information can be found at the event website: http://ias.berkeley.edu/academics/BreslauerHome.htm ***************** Urbino Summer School in Paleoclimatology The USSP Consortium announces the 2nd Urbino Summer School in Paleoclimatology. The school consists of a series of lectures on the various aspects of the multidisciplinary field of paleoclimatology and the discussion of examples, selected from major contributions in the following main fields: Biological (paleo)Oceanography and Micropaleontology, Geochemistry, Physical (paleo)Oceanography and Climate Modelling The course is focused on Cenozoic records of climate and oceanographic change, highlighting how knowledge of the various mechanisms of climatic change can constrain our thinking about future climate change and predictive models. The lecturers of the school are leading researchers in the field of paleoceanography and paleoclimatology from US and Europe. Title: "The Cenozoic Record of Paleoclimate Change: Reconstruction & Modelling Techniques" Locati on: Urbino, Italy Dates: July 25-August 5, 2004 Closing date for application: 15th April 2004 http://antarctica.tamu.edu/menu_news/answer.php?id=182 For further information and an application form, please visit the website of the Summer School at: http://www.uniurb.it/ussp or contact the organizers of the summer school: E-mail: ussp@uniurb.it Tel/Fax: +39 0722 304273 *************************************************** Jobs for PhDs http://www.higheredjobs.com/about/ Executive Officer, Scientific Committee oon Antarctic Research (SCAR) The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) seeks an Executive Officer to assist in running the SCAR Secretariat. SCAR is a body of the International Council for Science (ICSU). It facilitates and coordinates Antarctic research and identifies issues emerging from greater scientific understanding of the region that should be brought to the attention of policy makers. The primary tasks of the Executive Officer are: - to assist the Executive Director in the day-to-day operation of the Secretariat including supervising staff, coordinating programmes, analysing scientific issues concerning the Antarctic region, preparing proposals, and other activities as required; - to maintain administrative contact with SCAR Members, scientific groups and committees, ICSU bodies, and other relevant international organizations including the Secretariats of the Antarctic Treaty System and the Council of Managers of National Antarctic Programmes; - to arrange meetings, prepare agendas and reports of meetings, and circulate documents; - to edit and prepare reports of meetings for publication; - to manage SCAR's bank accounts and financial records, and to disburse funds as approved; - to prepare activity reports and financial reports as required; and - to represent SCAR at meetings as directed by the Executive Director. Candidates should preferably have a MSc or PhD degree in a scientific discipline relevant to research in Antarctica or the Southern Ocean, plus experience in international scientific research and collaboration, excellent communication and organizational skills, a high level of skill with word processing and databases, and complete proficiency in English. Proficiency in any other relevant languages will be an advantage. Significant overseas travel will be required. The successful candidate will be expected to take up the post by 1 June 2005, to allow overlap with the outgoing Executive Secretary. Applications explaining relevant experience and a full CV should be sent by 1 March 2005, to: SCAR Secretariat, Scott Polar Research Institute E-mail: info@scar.org SCAR is an equal opportunity employer. For further information, please go to: http://www.scar.org ***************** Marine Geology tenure track position at Univ. North Carolina Chapel Hill http://www.marine.unc.edu/ ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu -- C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office of Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf DIALOG VII Symposium Application Deadline May 1, 2005 DISCCRS II Symposium Applicaton Deadline October 2, 2005 Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050204/6df8c100/attachment-0001.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Feb 4 16:31:04 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Fri Feb 4 16:37:14 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] Please Distribute: DISCCRS, Interdisciplinary Training for Recent PhD Graduates addressing Climate Change/Impacts Message-ID: *********************************************************** Please distribute *DISCCRS Interdisciplinary Training for Recent Ph.D. Graduates Addressing Climate-Change/Impacts http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf http://aslo.org/phd.html DISCCRS II Symposium March 26 - April 2, 2006 Asilomar Conference Center Pacific Grove, CA Register now to become part of the DISCCRS network and receive the DISCCRS newsletter After years of disciplinary specialization, graduates from a wide array of backgrounds must increasingly work together to address global climate-change issues. It can take years to broaden perspectives and gain the necessary collegial networks and experience. DISCCRS, an initiative funded by NSF and NASA, seeks to jump-start the process. Symposia for recent PhD graduates Annual symposia will bring together 36 new scholars from the natural and social sciences, humanities, mathematics, engineering and related fields to foster collegial networking, understanding across disciplinary, institutional and geographic boundaries, and early-career development. Participants will present their research in plenary sessions. Established interdisciplinary professionals will be on hand to share their perspectives. Consultants will teach participants to communicate across disciplines and with a non-specialist audience. Representatives of Federal agencies will describe programs and funding opportunities. Time will be provided for informal interactions as well. Symposia are currently funded for 2006, 2007 and 2008. Webpage and electronic newsletter Electronic resources are used to extend the program scope beyond the symposium participants. The portal to DISCCRS is http://aslo.org/phd.html. A unique feature is the on-line Ph.D. Dissertation Registry, which introduces graduates to a world-wide community and provides a concise overview of current work. Dissertation abstracts are archived in a fully searchable format. The site also includes resources for early-career development. Graduates from all disciplines and countries are encouraged to register their Ph.D. dissertation abstract using the interactive form at http://aslo.org/forms/phdform.html. Once registered, graduates are placed on a mailing list to receive a weekly digest of news and time-sensitive announcements. The newsletter includes sections for resources, news, job announcements, meetings, courses, internships, plus a forum for open discussion. Send postings to disccrs@whitman.edu. Recent Ph.D. Graduates from all countries and disciplines are invited to join the DISCCRS Program and apply to be a DISCCRS Symposium Fellow. Graduates completing Ph.D. requirements between Oct. 1, 2002 - Sept. 30, 2005 are eligible to apply for the DISCCRS II Symposium. An interdisciplinary committee will select 36 applicants based on the submitted materials. Selection will favor those with interdisciplinary interests. Symposium application deadline is October 2, 2005. Support for symposium travel and on-site expenses will be provided for selected applicants. *DISCCRS: Dissertations Initiative for the Advancement of Climate Change Research Supported by NSF and NASA; jointly sponsored by the following societies: AAG, AERE, AGU, AMS, ASLO, ESA, ESS-ISA. Contact: Susan Weiler DISCCRS Program Director disccrs@whitman.edu ***************************************************** -- C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office of Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf DIALOG VII Symposium Application Deadline May 1, 2005 DISCCRS II Symposium Applicaton Deadline October 2, 2005 Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050204/57a5eca3/attachment.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Feb 11 16:59:41 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Fri Feb 11 17:00:26 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS Newsletter 02/11/05 Message-ID: DIALOG and Disccrs News 02/04/2005 ************************************ Table of Contents RESOURCES Graduate-student opportunity at Max Planck Research school of Marine Microbiology Funding: EPA Call for Proposals on Global Change and Human Health http://es.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2005/2005_decision_support_sys.html New website indexes news headlines on environment Earthnewswire.com http://www.earthnewswire.com SCIENCE NEWS Editorial: Climate change threat may be underestimated http://www.newscientist.com/channel/opinion/mg18524863.400 2004 Was Fourth-Warmest Year Ever Recorded http://snipurl.com/code NASA Development May Help Solve Ocean Biology Problem http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/plankton.html Scientists Zero In on True Color of the Sea http://snipurl.com/cper Sonar Shows Ruptures at Tsunami Epicenter http://snipurl.com/cpf5 FORUM Draft Science Plan for the Ocean Observatories Initiative SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS Upcoming Cutting-Edge Workshops http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/coursedesign05/overview_face_to_face.html or http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/coursedesign05/overview_online.html 2005 SUMMER SCHOOL ON LAGRANGIAN OCEANOGRAPHY, THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND JOBS DIRECTOR, Environmental Center University of Colorado, Boulder campus *************************************************** Resources Graduate-student opportunity at Max Planck Research school of Marine Microbiology The Max Planck Research school of Marine Microbiology, MarMic, where I'm a faculty member, has received fellowships through the Marie Curie training network. We thus have fellowships to offer for excellent students who want to get their masters and PhD or just their PhD at this school (www.marmic.mpg.de). The possibilities to work and study are pretty special at this school as 2 universities - the University of Bremen and the International University of Bremen and 2 Research Institues (AWI, MPI) are involved, and the teacher to student ratio is awesome. Fellowships are for non-Germans, who have lived in Germany for less than 12 months before the start of the fellowship,and who have a degree which in their home country would allow them to get a PhD. Students could start their work here between September 2005 and August 2006. If you know of someone who is interested in getting their PhD in Marine Mikrobiology (the term is used loosley - single celled organisms, both eucaryotes and procaryotes qualify) they can contact me for possible thesis subjects or the MarMic school directly for questions regarding the classes. Priv.Doz. Dr.habil.Uta Passow Alfred-Wegener-Institute for Marine and Polar Research Am Handelshafen 12 D - 27570 Bremerhaven, Germany Tel.: +49 471 4831 1450 Fax.: +49 471 4831 1425 e-mail: upassow@awi-bremerhaven.de **************** Funding: EPA Call for Proposals on Global Change and Human Health The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Office of Research and Development, National Center for Environmental Research, and National Center for Environmental Assessment, in cooperation with the EPA Global Change Research Program, announce an extramural funding competition supporting assessment of the consequences for human health of global change, including climate, climate variability, land use, economic development, and technology. Under the Global Change Research Act of 1990, the United States Climate Change Science Program is required to undertake scientific assessments of the potential consequences of global change for the United States. The EPA is interested in research leading to the development of decision support systems that can incorporate information about the consequences of global change on human health in order to aid state and local public health agency efforts to ameliorate these impacts. It is anticipated that a total of approximately $2.7 million will be awarded, depending on the availability of funds. The EPA anticipates funding six grants under this announcement. The projected award per grant is up to $150,000 per year, for up to three years. Requests for amounts in excess of a total of $450,000, including direct and indirect costs, will not be considered. The total project period for an application submitted in response to this announcement may not exceed three years. Funding in subsequent years will be contingent upon satisfactory progress. The deadline for applications is March 29, 2005. Find out more at http://es.epa.gov/ncer/rfa/2005/2005_decision_support_sys.html, or contact Darrell Winner at (202) 343-9748 or winner.darrell@epa.gov. ***************** New website indexes news headlines on environment A new website, Earthnewswire.com http://www.earthnewswire.com indexes news headlines on the evironment, science, conservation, and nature from around the world from various online news sources. It is also a forum for posting news, weblinks, and an events calendar. It still in the early stages of development, but may be something to track. *************************************************** Science News Check out this section both for news tidbits, and for examples of how to communicate science to a non-scientist audience Editorial: Climate change threat may be underestimated From Science News The climate change conference suggests scientific peer pressure may have led to gross underestimates of the potential scale of global warming THE good news for climate sceptics is that a speaker at a major British conference on climate change agreed that arch-sceptic Pat Michaels had a point. The bad news is that it was Myles Allen, the Oxford physicist who recently grabbed the headlines by suggesting that 11 ?C of warming could be in the pipeline. Allen was underlining what others had said off-platform: that the desire for consensus has too often led the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change to don blinkers. This has not only blotted out the arguments of sceptics, but also sidelined results from climate models that keep producing "outlier" predictions of horrendous warming. As one scientist said last week: "by ignoring the outliers, IPCC has failed for 10 years to investigate the possible effects of more extreme climate change." Last week's conference, called by the British government to ask what dangerous climate change might look like, ... http://www.newscientist.com/channel/opinion/mg18524863.400 ***************** 2004 Was Fourth-Warmest Year Ever Recorded from The New York Times (Registration Required) via Sigma Xi Science in the News Last year was the fourth warmest since systematic temperature measurements began around the world in the 19th century, NASA scientists said yesterday. Particularly high temperatures were measured over Alaska, the Caspian Sea region of Europe and the Antarctic Peninsula, while the United States was unusually cool. But the global average continued a 30-year rise that is "due primarily to increasing greenhouse gases in the atmosphere," said Dr. James E. Hansen, director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, in Manhattan. The main source of such gases is smokestack and tailpipe emissions from burning coal and oil. http://snipurl.com/code ***************** NASA DEVELOPMENT MAY HELP SOLVE OCEAN BIOLOGY PROBLEM NASA Press Release 05-042 NASA and university scientists have made a breakthrough in using satellites to study the tiny, free-floating ocean plants, called phytoplankton. The plants form the base of the ocean food chain and produce half of the oxygen in the air we breathe. The development opens the door to solving a problem that has stymied ocean biologists for more than a century, and is revolutionary to our understanding of how ocean biology and ecosystems, as well as carbon cycling, respond to climate variability and change. Data about the growth rate of the ocean plants can be derived from space and incorporated into global estimates of their life processes. New, accurate information on phytoplankton will greatly advance understanding of marine ecosystems and how they function, including issues related to fisheries, water quality, and harmful algal blooms. This research contributes to improved computer models that enable predictions of how climate change will alter ocean ecosystems and the Earth system. Despite their minute size, the growth and photosynthesis of phytoplankton collectively accounts for half of the carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, absorbed annually from Earth's atmosphere by plants. "While the full potential of this discovery awaits further work, what is really amazing is that a signal detectable from space has been found that tracks changes in the activity, not just abundance, of phytoplankton," said Michael Behrenfeld, a professor at Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore., and a researcher at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. In order to determine ocean productivity, which is the rate of hotosynthesis, scientists must know plant growth rates and their abundance. Satellites can detect variations in the color of light within the ocean, and researchers use this information to tell phytoplankton amounts. The new method for recording growth rates by satellite involves advances in the way these satellite ocean data are analyzed. "Satellite ocean color images are kind of like your television screen, where you have controls for the color setting and controls for brightness," said researcher Dr. David Siegel. "What we've done here is use both the color and brightness signals to determine plant greenness and the number of individual phytoplankton cells." With this new information, researchers can calculate growth rates from the greenness of the individual phytoplankton cells. When cold water temperatures, bright light, or low nutrients put stress on phytoplankton, they lose pigment and appear less green. The reverse is also true, phytoplankton become greener when conditions improve and growth rates increase. To demonstrate the new approach, the research team used ocean color data from the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS). The data showed growth rates changed over seasons and across ocean basins in precisely the manner expected from years of laboratory studies on phytoplankton. Encouraged by these findings, researchers applied their new data to recalculate ocean production. The result was a significantly different view of ocean photosynthesis previously revealed by older models using the same satellite data. The study appeared in the January 2005 electronic issue of the journal Global Biogeochemical Cycles. The research was an Editor's Choice in the Feb. 4 issue of Science Magazine. Coauthors include Dr. Emmanuel Boss of the University of Maine, Orono; Dr. David Siegel, University of California, Santa Barbara; and Donald Shea from Goddard. For more information and images about this new development on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/plankton.html ***************** STORY DEVELOPED FROM NASA PRESS RELEASE (see above) Scientists Zero In on True Color of the Sea from The Los Angeles Times (Registration Required) How blue is the ocean? How green is the sea? The color of seawater, a key measure of ocean health, is coming into sharper focus due to a breakthrough in analyzing satellite images. A group of NASA and university scientists on Thursday announced it had figured how to measure the hue and brightness of ocean coloration that, in turn, reflects changes in the tiny plants that provide the base of the ocean food chain and supply half of the world's oxygen. http://snipurl.com/cper **************** Sonar Shows Ruptures at Tsunami Epicenter from Associated Press BANDA ACEH, Indonesia (AP) - The first images Thursday of the seabed battered by the earthquake that triggered Asia's catastrophic tsunami revealed huge ruptures spanning several miles. A British naval ship collecting data off the coast of Indonesia's Sumatra Island produced the digital images using sonar, and they could be used to help develop a tsunami early-warning system for the Indian Ocean region. The vibrantly colored seabed maps show the 9.0-magnitude quake caused the tectonic plates to clash ``like the rumpling up of a carpet,'' according to Steve Malcolm, the commanding officer of the HMS Scott. http://snipurl.com/cpf5 See http://www.ukho.gov.uk/attachments/Earthquake%20presentation.ppt for images. Beware, This is a powerpoint presentation, and it took *several hours* for me (Sue Weiler) to download! *************************************************** Forum Draft Science Plan for the Ocean Observatories Initiative A draft of the Science Plan for the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) has been posted on the ORION Program web site at http://www.orionprogram.org/. This document is designed to offer a broad overview of a representative set of cutting-edge scientific drivers for ocean observatories, a description of the novel suite of new technological capabilities that OOI will provide for ocean research, and a summary of the important scientific, educational, and societal benefits to be gained by deploying this new infrastructure. The OOI will design, test and install pioneering ocean observatory technology for the research-driven Ocean Research Interactive Observatory Networks (ORION) Program. *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings Upcoming Cutting-Edge Workshops Designing Effective and Innovative Courses in the Geosciences Finding the time, energy, and inspiration to develop a new course or to re-design an existing course is a challenge for faculty. On the Cutting Edge will be offering two course design experiences this summer. We will offer our usual four-day face-to-face workshop, and we will, for the first time, offer an on-line version of the workshop. You can find details on both workshops at the following sites: Face-to-Face course Design Workshop Georgia Southern University, Statesboro, GA June 1-5, 2005 information and application at http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/coursedesign05/overview_face_to_face.html On-line Course Design Workshop May 23-June 23, 2005 information and application at http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/coursedesign05/overview_online.html Further Information: Contact Barbara Tewksbury (btewksbu@hamilton.edu) or Heather Macdonald (rhmacd@wm.edu). ***************** 2005 SUMMER SCHOOL ON LAGRANGIAN OCEANOGRAPHY, THE UNIVERSITY OF RHODE ISLAND MONDAY JULY 25 TO FRIDAY AUGUST 5, 2005 GRADUATE SCHOOL OF OCEANOGRAPHY A two-week summer school (SS05) on oceanography from a Lagrangian perspective will be conducted at the Graduate School of Oceanography, jointly by H. Thomas Rossby (University of Rhode Island) and Andrew F. Bennett (Oregon State University). The format will consist of two lectures daily on theoretical Lagrangian fluid dynamics (AFB), one lecture daily on Lagrangian observing systems and ocean circulation (HTR), and one lecture daily from an invited expert in Lagrangian statistics, modeling, observing or analysis. The invited speakers are: Amy Bower (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) John Gould (Southampton Oceanography Center) David Hebert (University of Rhode Island) William Jenkins (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution) Ricardo Letelier (Oregon State University) Frederick Lumpkin (Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory) Arthur Mariano (University of Miami) SS05 will be limited to 20 participants, mostly upper-level graduate students, postdocs and other young investigators. Their airfares, accommodation and meals will be provided by SS05. To apply submit: (1) a one page letter explaining your interest; (2) your Curriculum Vitae; (3) if you are a student, your current transcript; (4) if you are a student, a letter of support from your advisor. All documents to be received at URI by Friday March 11, 2005; email is preferred, and the documents must be in .pdf format. All emails to: SS05@gso.uri.edu Acceptances will be announced by Monday April 4, 2005 SS05 is funded principally by the US Navy Office of Naval Research. *************************************************** Jobs for PhDs http://www.higheredjobs.com/about/ DIRECTOR, Environmental Center University of Colorado, Boulder campus Nature of Work: The Director of the Environmental Center will play an influential role in advancing sustainability initiatives on the Boulder campus, and in higher education across Colorado. The Director will be expected to develop new sustainability initiatives, to obtain grant funding for new programs, to develop personal relationships with decision makers, and to serve as a public spokesperson for the Center. The Director will work with academic departments across the campus to advance environmental literacy initiatives, with operational departments to advance campus sustainability, and with colleagues and decision makers statewide. The Director will also be responsible for developing and managing the Center's budget, and for supervising the Center's six professional staff positions. The Director may also be co-rostered as a faculty member. The Director will work closely with the student Environmental Board and the University of Colorado Student Union, and will report directly to the Director of the Student Organizations Finance Office. The Environmental Center Director will help mentor students and develop student environmental leaders. The Environmental Center is a national leader in the campus sustainability movement. It is the largest student run Environmental Center in the nation. The policy direction and budget for the Environmental Center are determined by the student Environmental Board and the University of Colorado Student Union. It has strong existing programs in sustainable transportation, energy efficiency and renewable energy, and recycling and waste reduction. Areas of future emphasis will include climate change, environmentally preferable purchasing, sustainable food systems, environmental literacy, and the development of a statewide network for campus sustainability. This is an exciting opportunity for an energetic and visionary candidate with a strong leadership background who wants to make a difference in the campus, the state, and the nation. Minimum qualifications: MS degree in Environmental Studies or a related field; three years of experience in a leadership position in a campus sustainability office or environmental center, a state sustainability office, a corporate sustainability office, or an environmental nonprofit, or as a faculty member in an environmental discipline (two additional years of work experience in this role may be substituted for the masters degree); strong written and verbal communication skills; applicant must be comfortable working with students who are in leadership positions Preferred qualifications: PhD in Environmental Studies or a related field; three years of experience as the director of a campus sustainability office or environmental center, a state sustainability office, a corporate sustainability office, or an environmental nonprofit; a demonstrated record of successfully obtaining grants for environmental programs; a record of teaching and publications in the sustainability field Salary range: The starting salary shall be between $55, 000 and $70, 000 per year, commensurate with education and experience. To apply: email a letter of interest, current resume, and list of three references to: dana.kelly@colorado.edu Application review will begin February 28, 2005and will continue until the position is filled. Desired start date: July 1, 2005 ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu -- C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office of Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf DIALOG VII Symposium Application Deadline May 1, 2005 DISCCRS II Symposium Applicaton Deadline October 2, 2005 Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050211/1a123a65/attachment-0001.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Feb 18 20:23:15 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Weiler, C. Susan) Date: Tue Feb 22 10:14:27 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS Newsletter 02/18/2005 Message-ID: <3601D812-821D-11D9-9A55-000A95C846FA@whitman.edu> DIALOG and Disccrs News 02/18/2005 ************************************ Table of Contents RESOURCES Environmental Resource Web (erWEB) Indexes News and Information on Earth System Science and Environmental Topics http://www.erweb.org Research Projects and Research Proposals: A Guide for Scientists Seeking Funding http://www.researchproposals.info/ Visions for an Ecologically Sustainable Future Available On Line http:// www.frontiersinecology.org/specialissue.html SCIENCE NEWS It's Much Too Late to Sweat Global Warming FETED AND HATED, KYOTO GLOBAL WARMING PACT STARTS http://snipurl.com/ctnd US States Take Leadership Role in Addressing Climate Change?http://www.voanews.com/english/AmericanLife/2005-02-16-voa77.cfm Ocean Warming, Fossil Fuel Gases Linked http://snipurl.com/cvp6 FORUM JOIN Team ESSN/DISCCRS in the ClimatePrediction.net project www.earthsystemscholars.org SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS Workshop, How to Provide an Effective Education Workshop for Scientists http://www.spacescience.org/ JOBS Two job openings at IIASA: Greenhouse Gas Initiative and Population & Climate Change Programs http://www.iiasa.ac.at/docs/IIASA_Employment.html *************************************************** Resources Environmental Resource Web (erWEB) Indexes News and Information on Earth System Science and Environmental Topics http://www.erweb.org Environmental Resource Web (erWEB) is a comprehensive web utility that conveys current information about environmental topics to scientists, industry professionals, policy makers, and the general public. In addition to providing the Earth System Science community with information, erWEB may be used as an education and outreach portal. ErWEB accept news feeds, press releases, and television-style documentaries covering relevant scientific research. **************** Research Projects and Research Proposals: A Guide for Scientists Seeking Funding There are several guides available, some of which are available in the resources section of the http:/aslo.org/phd.html website, This one was written by a former NSF program officer. It was published in July 2004 You can view it at: http://www.researchproposals.info/ Cambridge University Press is offering a 20% discount on orders through March 31, 2005. With the discount, the paperback edition would cost $17.59 plus shipping and handling; the hardback would be $48.00. ***************** Visions for an Ecologically Sustainable Future Available On Line Due to the high volume of interest in the February Special Issue of Frontiers, "Visions for an ecologically sustainable future", ESA has decided to make the entire issue available online to the public. It is available at http:// www.frontiersinecology.org/specialissue.html *************************************************** Science News Check out this section both for news tidbits, and for examples of how to communicate science to a non-scientist audience It's Much Too Late to Sweat Global Warming By Mark Hertsgaard The San Francisco Chronicle Sunday 13 February 2005 Time to prepare for inevitable effects of our ill-fated future. At the core of the global warming dilemma is a fact neither side of the debate likes to talk about: It is already too late to prevent global warming and the climate change it sets off. Environmentalists won't say this for fear of sounding alarmist or defeatist. Politicians won't say it because then they'd have to do something about it. The world's top climate scientists have been sending this message, however, with increasing urgency for many years. Since 1988, the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, comprised of more than 2,000 scientific and technical experts from around the world, has conducted the most extensive peer-reviewed scientific inquiry in history. In its 2001 report, the panel said that human-caused global warming had already begun, and much sooner than expected. What's more, the problem is bound to get worse, perhaps a lot worse, before it gets better. Last month, the climate change panel's chairman, Rajendra Pachauri, upped the ante. Although Pachauri was installed after the Bush administration forced out his predecessor, Robert Watson, for pushing too hard for action, the accumulation of evidence led Pachauri to embrace apocalyptic language: "We are risking the ability of the human race to survive," he said. Until now, most public discussion about global warming has focused on how to prevent it - for example, by implementing the Kyoto Protocol, which comes into force internationally (but without U.S. participation) on Wednesday. But prevention is no longer a sufficient option. No matter how many "green" cars and solar panels Kyoto eventually calls into existence, the hard fact is that a certain amount of global warming is inevitable. The world community therefore must make a strategic shift. It must expand its response to global warming to emphasize both long-term and short-term protection. Rising sea levels and more weather-related disasters will be a fact of life on this planet for decades to come, and we have to get ready for them. Among the steps needed to defend ourselves is quick action to fortify emergency response capabilities worldwide, to shield or relocate vulnerable coastal communities and to prepare for increased migration flows by environmental refugees. We must also play offense. We must retroactively shrink the amount of warming facing us by redoubling efforts to remove existing greenhouse gases from the atmosphere and sequester them where they are no longer dangerous. One way is to plant trees, which absorb carbon dioxide via photosynthesis. Researchers are exploring many other methods as well, some of them supported by the Bush administration. And Norway is burying carbon dioxide in abandoned oil wells beneath the North Sea. The problem with the Kyoto Protocol is not that the 5 percent greenhouse gas emission reductions it mandates don't go far enough, though they don't. (The climate change panel urges 50 to 70 percent reductions.) The problem is that Kyoto governs only future emissions. No matter how well the protocol works, it will have no effect on past emissions, which are what have made global warming unavoidable. Contrary to the impression given by some news reports, global warming is not like a light switch that can be turned off if we simply stop burning so much oil, coal and gas. There is a lag effect of about 50 to 100 years. That's how long carbon dioxide, the primary greenhouse gas, remains in the atmosphere after it is emitted from auto tailpipes, home furnaces and industrial smokestacks. So even if humanity stopped burning fossil fuels tomorrow, the planet would continue warming for decades. So far, the greenhouse gases released during two-plus centuries of industrialization have increased global temperatures by about 1 degree Fahrenheit and raised sea levels by 4 to 7 inches. They have also given rise to the larger phenomenon of climate change. The climate change panel scientists predict that because of global warming, the future will bring more and deadlier weather of all kinds - more hurricanes, tornadoes, downpours, heat waves, droughts and blizzards - and all that comes in their aftermath: flooding, landslides, power outages, crop failures, property damage, disease, hunger, poverty and loss of life. In California, torrential rains induced a mudslide on Jan. 11 that killed 10 people, buried children alive and crushed dozens of houses. In 2003, a record summer heat wave killed 35,000 people, most of them elderly, in Western Europe. And this is just the beginning. Scientists are careful to say that no single weather event can be definitively linked to global warming, but the trend is unmistakable to the insurance companies that end up paying the bill. "Man-made climate change will bring us increasingly extreme natural events and, consequently, increasingly large catastrophe losses," an official of Munich Re, the world's large reinsurance company, said recently. Swiss Re expects losses to reach $150 billion a year within this decade. British Prime Minister Tony Blair regards climate change as "the single biggest long-term problem" of any kind facing his country. His government's top scientist, Sir David King, goes further, calling climate change "the biggest danger humanity has faced in 5,000 years of civilization." Although the Bush White House continues to downplay the urgency of global warming, some parts of the Bush administration have recognized the gravity of the situation. A report released last year by the Pentagon's Office of Net Assessments said that by 2020, climate change could unleash a series of interlocking catastrophes including mega-droughts, mass starvation and even nuclear war as countries like China and India battle over river valleys and other sources of scarce food and water. All of this underlines the urgency of revising the world's response to climate change. To be sure, it remains essential to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by strengthening the Kyoto Protocol and augmenting it with other measures. Otherwise, the amount of warming that civilization eventually will have to endure will prove too great to survive. In the meantime, it is imperative to prepare against the climate change already on its way. The need for such a two-track strategy of prevention and protection is gaining acceptance from most of the world's governments. In Britain, the Department of the Environment promises to publish its strategy for adapting to global warming by the end of 2005. At the most recent international meeting on global warming, held in Buenos Aires in December, a majority of the delegates supported the establishment of a fund to aid countries already suffering from the early effects of global warming. A leading candidate for such aid is Tuvalu. A Pacific atoll whose highest point is 12 feet above sea level, Tuvalu was largely submerged last year by 10- foot seasonal high tides. But the United States opposed the adaptation assistance, arguing that there is no "certainty what constitutes a dangerous level of warming..." Preparing to live through the global climate change bearing down on our civilization will be an enormous undertaking. It will require immense financial resources, technical expertise and organizational skill. But perhaps what's needed most of all, especially in the United States, is fresh thinking and political leadership - an acceptance that climate change is inescapable and requires immediate counter-measures. The unspeakable death and destruction wrought by the Indian Ocean tsunami showed what can happen when people are unprepared for disaster, but there is no reason global warming should take us by surprise. Our civilization's early warning system - the scientists of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change - have been telling us for years that great danger is approaching. The question is, will we act quickly and decisively enough to protect ourselves against the coming storm? Or will we simply stand and face our fate naked, proud and unafraid? ***************** FETED AND HATED, KYOTO GLOBAL WARMING PACT STARTS from Reuters via Sigma Xi Science in the News OSLO (Reuters) - A world plan to fight global warming went into force on Wednesday, feted by its backers as a lifeline for the planet amid sniping at the United States for staying out. After years of delays, the U.N. Kyoto Protocol on curbing human emissions of heat-trapping gases blamed for disrupting the climate took effect at midnight with muted celebrations of a deal Washington dismisses as an economic straitjacket. Green groups marked Kyoto with protests outside U.S. embassies and consulates, street parades in Japan and by carving fast-melting ice sculptures of kangaroos in Australia. http://snipurl.com/ctnd ***************** US States Take Leadership Role in Addressing Climate Change? From Voice of America http://www.voanews.com/english/AmericanLife/2005-02-16-voa77.cfm ***************** Ocean Warming, Fossil Fuel Gases Linked from The San Deigo Union-Tribune via Sigma Xi Science in the News WASHINGTON ? For the first time, scientists have linked the world's warming oceans to a rise in greenhouse gases produced by the burning of fossil fuels and other industry. The research was conducted by scientists at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla and the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory in Northern California. It showed that temperature readings in the oceans during the past 40 years matched computer models simulating how higher levels of human-generated greenhouse gases were expected to heat the oceans. "We were stunned by the degree of similarity between the observations and the models," said Tim Barnett, a marine physicist who wrote the study with fellow Scripps scientist David Pierce. http://snipurl.com/cvp6 *************************************************** Forum JOIN Team ESSN/DISCCRS in the ClimatePrediction.net project Submitted by V. B. Spikes [vbs@earthscienceagency.com] Many of you may already be aware of the www.ClimatePrediction.net experiment, which aims to "improve methods to quantify uncertainties of climate projections and scenarios, including long-term ensemble simulations using complex models". The results from the ClimatePrediction.Net experiment will be fed into the work of the Quantifying Uncertainty in Model Predictions (QUMP) team at the Met Office and will form part of the UK contribution to the Fourth Assessment Report of the IPCC. The first results were recently published in Nature www.climateprediction.net/newsb.php?id=0. Although this is a UK-based initiative, each of us can contribute by allowing their model to run on our computers. This type of peer-to-peer computing network provides unparalleled computing power at minimal cost, and it has been used successfully in support of other research programs including SETI. ClimatePrediction.net uses cutting-edge firewalls to protect their system and there has never been a hacker problem with SETI or other BOINC-based peer-to-peer computing networks. For those of you who plan to participate, I urge you to join Team ESSN/DISCCRS. In doing so you will be helping to establish a linkage between these two organizations (for more information on the ESSN go to www.earthsystemscholars.org). To join, simply click on this link and follow the instructions on the page: http://climateapps2.oucs.ox.ac.uk/cpdnboinc/create_account_form.php? teamid=1787. Once you download the climate model it will run automatically as a background process on your computer whenever you switch your computer on. It should not affect any other tasks you use your computer for. As the model runs, you can watch the weather patterns evolve on your unique version of the world. The results are sent back to the PI's via the internet, and you will be able to see a summary of your results on their web site.? *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings Workshop, How to Provide an Effective Education Workshop for Scientists With funding from NSF and NASA, the Space Science Institute (SSI) will be hosting a leadership course this spring: How to Provide an Effective Education Workshop for Scientists 15-17 April 2005 in Boulder, CO **Early Bird Deadline: 28 February 2005** Course Description: This leadership course will offer participants the techniques and resources necessary to design and implement their own ?-day or full-day education workshop for scientists. The course content is based on 10 years of experience in providing successful workshops, seminars, and conference sessions for scientists in education. Who Should Attend: Education and Public Outreach (EPO) leads and EPO managers who are tasked with providing scientists (e.g. at their home institutions or on research science teams) with meaningful ways to contribute to EPO efforts. Registration and Information: Go to www.spacescience.org and click on "Workshops", or contact Christy Edwards (edwards@spacescience.org) for more information. Cherilynn A. Morrow, PhD Director of Education & Public Outreach SPACE SCIENCE INSTITUTE 4750 Walnut St, Suite 205 Boulder, CO 80301 Phone:720-974-5828 Email: camorrow@colorado.edu *************************************************** Jobs for PhDs http://www.higheredjobs.com/about/ Two job openings at IIASA: Greenhouse Gas Initiative and Population & Climate Change Programs The first is for a research scholar who will also serve as the Program Officer for the Institute's Greenhouse Gas Initiative (GGI); the second is for a research scholar to work with the new Population and Climate Change (PCC) Program. Please circulate these announcements widely among possible applicants.? The postings, along with information about the Institute, can also be viewed at IIASA's Website: http://www.iiasa.ac.at/docs/IIASA_Employment.html ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. ??????? Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu.? Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. ??????? Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu?????????? ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D.?????????? Office of Earth System Studies??? Tel:?? 509-527-5948?????????? Whitman College??????????????????????? Fax:? 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu???? ? Programs for Recent PhDs???????????????? http://aslo.org/phd.html ? DIALOG poster??????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf ? DISCCRS poster?????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf? Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/?????????????? -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 22817 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050218/66523f47/attachment-0001.bin From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Feb 25 18:21:05 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Weiler, C. Susan) Date: Mon Feb 28 10:24:30 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG NEWS 02/25/05 Message-ID: <4DC9BE73-878C-11D9-9A55-000A95C846FA@whitman.edu> DIALOG and Disccrs News 02/25/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES HDGEC ECOCOSM DYNAMICS RESEARCH NEWSLETTER NEW BOOK: DEFYING OCEAN'S END--AN AGENDA FOR ACTION http://www.pewmarine.org SCIENCE NEWS Women in Physics Match Men in Success http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/22/science/22phys.html? ex=1109739600&en=0cee63681546aa28&ei=5070 Great Salt Lake Mercury Worries Scientists http://snipurl.com/czru SHARK, COD, OTHER FISH POPULATIONS DROP 90 PERCENT IN MANY AREAS FORUM Call for Community Comment, Social science program for Bering Ecosystem http://www.arcus.org/Bering/hbest/index.html SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS International Postdoctoral Scientist Network for Earth Systems Science asp-apply@asp.ucar.edu with the subject "ESS Workshop?. JOBS Postdoctoral Research Scholar, University of North Carolina The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) http://www.iiasa.ac.at/Admin/PE/Jobs/2005-03-pcc-rs.html School of Biological Sciences, University of Sydney, Australia http://www.bio.usyd.edu.au *************************************************** Resources HDGEC ECOCOSM DYNAMICS RESEARCH NEWSLETTER This is to announce the publication of Vol. 2, No. 1, of the Ecocosm Dynamics Research Newsletter, dated February 1, 2005. The newsletter can be freely accessed at the following location: http://www.ecocosmdynamics.org/Pubs/EDLNewsletterVol2No1.html This issue of our newsletter is the first in a series, each of which will examine a particular perspective of the world environmental crisis. The feature article in this issue, "The Energy Perspective: Oil and the Magical 4%," addresses the influence of energy resources, particularly oil, on the world socioeconomic system under normal conditions when neither world wars nor worldwide economic or financial panics are in progress. Specifically, it addresses some of the important economic, financial, political, and environmental feedback loops in the world system that have interacted to produce the changes in the price and physical flow of oil in and through the world economy during most of the last century. During that period, humanity became dangerously over-dependent on oil to fuel its economic growth. Now, at a time when oil is no longer cheap and abundant and its primary sources in the Middle East are threatened by terrorist activities, oil is the most important resource in sustaining the growth of world human consumption. A future article will consider dynamics of the oil industry and the world system under various possible world crisis conditions when global wars, economic depression, financial panic, and/or environmental collapse may force a transition from normal conditions to a restructured, sustainable world socioeconomic system. We would be grateful to receive comments and suggestions from readers who share our concern for the socio-ecological future of humanity. Notes: 1. The newsletter is free, and you are cordially invited to subscribe/unsubscribe at any time. 2. To subscribe, send a blank email to EDLNewsletter-subscribe@topica.com 3. To unsubscribe, send a blank email to EDLNewsletter-unsubscribe@topica.com 4. Send comments to our newsletter mailbox: newsletter@ecocosmdynamics.org 5. Please forward this invitation to persons who are interested in the subject matter. Sincerely, Luis T. Gutierrez VP Communications Ecocosm Dynamics, Ltd. gutierrez@ecocosmdynamics.org **************** NEW BOOK: DEFYING OCEAN'S END--AN AGENDA FOR ACTION From SEASPAN Defying Ocean's End is the result of an unprecedented effort among the world's largest environmental organizations, scientists, the business community, media, and international governments to address marine issues. In June 2003, in the culmination of a yearlong effort, these groups developed a comprehensive and achievable agenda to reverse the decline in health of the world's oceans. The book focuses on the seven key fields of action identified at that meeting: 1) ocean-use planning and marine protected areas, 2) economic incentives and disincentives; 3) land-ocean interface; 4) maintaining and restoring functional marine ecosystems; 5) communications; 6) ocean governance; and 7) the unknown ocean. Several Pew Fellows contributed to the book, including Greg Stone ('97); Dee Boersma ('97); Rodrigo Bustamante ('00); Claudio Campagna ('04); Ellen Pikitch ('00); Rod Fujita ('00); Alejandro Robles ('00); Les Kaufman ('90); Ed Gomez ('01); and Charles Peterson ('94). To order the book, go to: http://www.islandpress.org/books/detail.html?SKU=1-55963-755-2 For more information about these and other Pew Fellows, go to: http://www.pewmarine.org *************************************************** Science News Check out this section both for news tidbits, and for examples of how to communicate science to a non-scientist audience Women in Physics Match Men in Success From the NY Times Only about one-eighth of the physics professors at Harvard are women, a statistic that might seem to support the recent assertion by its president, Dr. Lawrence H. Summers, that fewer women than men are willing to make the necessary sacrifices. He also suggested that a difference in "intrinsic aptitude" between the sexes might help explain the disparity. A report released Friday by the American Institute of Physics offers a contradictory conclusion: after they earn a bachelor's degree in physics, American women are just as successful as men at wending their way up the academic ladder. Physics continues to be the most male-dominated field among the sciences. Men hold 90 percent of physics faculty positions, and earned 82 percent of the doctoral degrees in 2003. "I'm not saying it was easy for women," said Dr. Rachel Ivie, a sociologist and an author of the report. But she said her statistics showed no indication of discrimination in the hiring of female physicists - supporting one of Dr. Summers's points - or women dropping out of the field at a higher rate than men, countering what Dr. Summers had offered as the most important reason there are fewer women in science and engineering. http://www.nytimes.com/2005/02/22/science/22phys.html? ex=1109739600&en=0cee63681546aa28&ei=5070 **************** Great Salt Lake Mercury Worries Scientists from Associated Press via Sigma Xi Science in the News SALT LAKE CITY - Federal scientists studying the Great Salt Lake have found some of the highest levels of mercury ever measured anywhere ? prompting concern about some of the migratory birds that feed on the lake's brine shrimp. U.S. Geological Survey and Fish and Wildlife Service researchers were initially gathering information on selenium in the lake, but decided also to test the samples for mercury. Concentrations of methylmercury ? the element's most poisonous form ?exceeded 25 nanograms per liter of water. Fish consumption warnings have been issued when there was just 1 nanogram per liter. http://snipurl.com/czru **************** SHARK, COD, OTHER FISH POPULATIONS DROP 90 PERCENT IN MANY AREAS Taken from SEASPAN Predatory fish populations continue to spiral downward, with many dropping 90 percent or more in the past 40 to 50 years, according to a new study. In a sequel to an earlier, highly discussed study showing a significant depletion of predatory fish communities worldwide, Ransom Myers and Boris Worm of Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia provide additional population data for sharks, tuna, billfish, and the North Atlantic cod. Funded by the Pew Institute for Ocean Science and the Census of Marine Life, Myers and Worm's "Extinction, Survival, or Recovery of Large Predatory Fishes" analyzes population data on many species in areas around the world and looks specifically at the many communities of North Atlantic cod, a favorite of commercial fishing operations for decades. For more information, go to: http://www.pewoceanscience.org/pdfs/Myers%20Royal%20Society.pdf http://washingtontimes.com/upi-breaking/20050211-043019-6762r.htm SOURCE: Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B--Biological Sciences, United Kingdom National Academy of Science; http://www.jstor.org/journals/rsl.html *************************************************** Forum Call for Community Comment, Social Sciences Plan for Bering Ecosystem "Sustaining the Bering Ecosystem: A Social Sciences Plan" For more information or to comment on the development of a plan for social science research around the Bering Sea and the plan's integration with the current Bering Sea Ecosystem Study (BEST) natural science plan, see: http://www.arcus.org/Bering/hbest/index.html "Sustaining the Bering Ecosystem" is a developing plan for social science research around the Bering Sea, intended to provide the basis for interdisciplinary and holistic research that will address the role of humans in sustaining the Bering Sea ecosystem, and vice versa. This social science plan will be integrated with the Bering Ecosystem Study (BEST), which addresses the role of climate variability and changing ecosystems in the Bering Sea. In order to complement the BEST natural science plan and to capitalize on interest in collaborations among resident communities, natural and social scientists, a committee was organized to formulate a social science plan for the Bering Sea in early winter 2004, with support from the NSF Arctic Social Sciences Program. Implementing ideas from Bering Sea community liaisons, an outline of the social science plan was drafted in fall 2004. The vision for "Sustaining the Bering Ecosystem" is to encourage interdisciplinary scientific research that will promote greater understanding of the dynamic relationships between the Bering Sea and the humans who live and work there, and of their strong personal and cultural investment in the past, present, and future of the environment, as well as their ability to contribute important knowledge about Bering Sea natural and social system dynamics. Further, a fundamental goal of this project is to promote science that will address issues of importance to Bering Sea communities and their survival. The committee requests your feedback on Sustaining the Bering Ecosystem's goals and draft outline. The BEST plan and the social science planning documents are available on the ARCUS web site: http://www.arcus.org/Bering/hbest/index.html The social science planning documents include: - Summary pages on the goals and process created for the development of a social science plan that begins with community concerns. - Notes of a March 2004 meeting of Bering Sea community liaisons and social scientists in Anchorage. - Draft outline of the social science plan that directly follows the topics and notes of the March meeting. - Comments page, to send comments, suggestions, or criticisms to improve the draft plan. Sustaining the Bering Ecosystem Organizing Committee Ben Fitzhugh - Department of Anthropology, University of Washington - E-Mail: fitzhugh@u.washington.edu Henry Huntington - Huntington Consulting - E-Mail: hph@alaska.net Mary Pete - Division of Subsistence, Alaska Department of Fish and Game - E-Mail: mary_pete@fishgame.state.ak.us *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings International Postdoctoral Scientist Network for Earth Systems Science First Workshop Breckenridge, Colorado June 23-25, 2005 Many of the challenges we face in earth system science require not only the integration of complex physical processes into climate system models (e.g., the NCAR CCSM) but coupling biogeochemistry and chemistry with climate. Additionally, the global research community will require components that allow interactions between policy and decision making with environmental and climate considerations. The complexity of full biophysical models of the Earth's System requires considerable computational expense and makes deconvolution to understand the underlying processes difficult. Accordingly, intermediate complexity and simple models are tools that are valuable towards understand the more complex models and the real system they attempt to represent. As a step towards fuller integration of earth system science, IGBP/AIMES are planning an international postdoctoral scientist network for earth system science. This network will serve as a mechanism for promoting the development of the next generation of scientists to be increasingly cross-cutting as will be required by the future of Earth system modeling. An important element will be including participants from developing countries to both contribute their expertise in quickly changing and highly vulnerable environments, as well as to build the human resources in important regions of the globe for future science projects. To inaugurate the network we plan a first workshop in June, 2005. The workshop agenda will include talks from one senior person and several postdoctoral scientists on two topics: Topic 1: The end of nature? Human-earth systems interactions Topic 2: Is there a scenario in the class? Different views of the future (Multi-scaled approaches to Earth System modeling). All participates will be invited to give a talk or present a poster during the workshop. More information is available at: htttp://www.asp.ucar.edu/ess.html. Applications: Applications should be received by March 15, 2005 and include a CV, statement of research interests (1 page), statement of how the postdoctoral network can best serve the postdoctoral community (1 page), and a recommendation letter. We plan to obtain sufficient funding to support 50 postdoctoral scientists to attend, but please indicate in your application if you can only attend if you receive full support. Please note: The preferred format of the submitted documents is pdf (PostScript, MS Word and ASCII text also accepted).Send applications to: asp-apply@asp.ucar.edu with the subject "ESS Workshop?. *************************************************** Jobs for PhDs http://www.higheredjobs.com/about/ Postdoctoral Research Scholar, University of North Carolina Openings (3) in marine ecology at the University of North Carolina?s Institute of Marine Sciences (Morehead City).? Research addresses: (1) ecological impacts of sea-level rise and alternative erosion controls on estuarine shorelines; (2) barrier island community recovery following storm disturbance and restoration; and (3) impacts of fill on habitat function of ocean beaches and coastal oceans.? Job availability: spring 2005. Salary range: 32-38 K.? Jobs require experience in experimental ecology, strong statistical analytic skills, and the ability and desire to co-author influential and provocative papers.? Send CV, letter of interest, and email addresses for 3 referees to Charles H. Peterson at cpeters@email.unc.edu. UNC is an equal-opportunity employer. ***************** The International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) is seeking a research scholar for its newly formed Population and Climate Change Program. This interdisciplinary program aims to improve the representation of demographic factors in integrated assessment modeling of climate change, and to develop novel treatments of uncertainty in such models. Its work on demography will include a substantial focus on the influence of demographic factors such as aging, urbanization, and changes in household size and structure on future energy demand and associated emissions. Research will be organized around a set of country case studies, and will employ a general equilibrium modeling framework with detail in the energy sector and in the representation of household demand. For details on the available position, see IIASA's website at http://www.iiasa.ac.at/Admin/PE/Jobs/2005-03-pcc-rs.html. Briefly, the primary tasks will include (1) carrying out econometric analysis of production and consumption data required to support calibration of a general equilibrium model for various country case studies, and (2) contributing to model development, conducting simulations, and analyzing output. In addition, a particular research focus consistent with the incumbent's background and interests can be defined. A background in economics with solid statistical skills is of primary importance; knowledge of energy and/or demographic issues is highly desirable. The successful candidate will be offered an initial fixed-term contract for 1-2 years, beginning in the first half of 2005, with the possibility of extension. ***************** School of Biological Sciences Reference No.? A08/005688 The University of Sydney is recognised internationally for its excellence in teaching and research, as demonstrated by its innovative academic programs and its outstanding record in winning Government and industry funding for research. The School of Biological Sciences is a major contributor to the Faculty of Science?s Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science (Environmental), Bachelor of Science (Molecular Biology and Genetics), and related programmes.? It has a vigorous teaching and research programme in molecular genetics including population genetics based on molecular markers, quantitative ecology, physiology, systematics, evolutionary biology, bioinformatics and the biology of bacteria, fungi, plants and animals, with particular strength in the biology and evolution of reptiles and insects. The School wishes to appoint a molecular ecologist who will teach in both the ecology and genetics programs offered by the School. The appointee will be expected to establish and maintain an active research programme, compatible with the School?s research profile, which will attract postgraduate students, international exchanges and external research funding from national competitive research bodies and collaboration with industry.? Duties will include course development and administration, supervision of Honours and postgraduate research projects and possibly teaching in postgraduate courses. The successful applicant will have a Ph.D. in ecology or genetics, and have earned a reputation for innovative and productive research with a strong publication record in molecular ecology ? the use of molecular markers and or genomics to study questions in ecology, evolution, biodiversity, conservation, animal behaviour and/or the direct analysis of ecologically important genes. The study organism(s) are open and could include plants, animals or micro-organisms.? The appointee will be expected to collaborate with ecologists and geneticists within the School and elsewhere.? Excellent classroom and laboratory teaching skills, an interest in course development, potential for future development and the ability to work co-operatively with others are essential.? For appointment at Senior Lecturer level, in addition to the above the successful applicant must have considerable postdoctoral experience, a strong track record of successful applications for competitive grant funding, an excellent publication record and demonstrated administrative skills, preferably with experience in the administration of courses. The position is full-time continuing (similar to tenure track in the USA) from 1 July 2005, subject to the completion of a satisfactory probation and/or confirmation period for new appointees.? Membership of a University approved superannuation (retirement) scheme is a condition of employment for new appointees. For further information and a copy of the position description contact the chair of the Search Committee, Associate Professor Ben Oldroyd on (+61 2) 9351 7501 fax (+61 2) 9351 4771, e-mail: boldroyd@bio.usyd.edu.au or visit: http://www.bio.usyd.edu.au Remuneration package: $73,303 - $87,047 p.a. (which includes a base salary Lecturer Level B (assistant professor in the US system) $61,942 - $73,556 p.a., leave loading and up to 17% employer?s contribution to superannuation) Remuneration package: $89,796 - $103,447 p.a. (which includes a base salary Senior Lecturer Level C (associate professor in the US system) $75,879 - $87,493 p.a., leave loading and up to 17% employer?s contribution to superannuation) Level of appointment will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. Closing: 12 May 2005 ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. ??????? Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu.? Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. ??????? Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D.?????????? Office of Earth System Studies??? Tel:?? 509-527-5948?????????? Whitman College??????????????????????? Fax:? 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu???? ? Programs for Recent PhDs???????????????? http://aslo.org/phd.html ? DIALOG poster??????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf ? DISCCRS poster?????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf? Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/?????????????? -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 26043 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050225/633058ef/attachment-0001.bin From weilercs at whitman.edu Mon Mar 7 13:19:42 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Weiler, C. Susan) Date: Mon Mar 7 13:19:46 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] workshop on academic careers Message-ID: * * * * * * Preparing for an Academic Career in the Geosciences: A Workshop for Graduate Students and Post-doctoral Fellows July 21-24, Pennsylvania State University Application deadline is March 15, 2005 The workshop page has links to the workshop overview and application form http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/careerprep05/index.html Description and Goals This workshop will bring graduate students and post-doctoral fellows interested in an academic career together with geoscience faculty members from different institutional settings who have a range of expertise and experience. The workshop will provide a stimulating and resource-rich environment in which to explore important facets of an academic career. Three main goals of the workshop are for participants to become more effective teachers, stronger candidates for academic jobs, and better prepared for a quick start to teaching and research in the next stage of their career. Activities - The workshop will include a faculty panel, short presentations on various topics, structured discussions, small-group collaboration, and informal interaction and conversation. Participants will leave with a broad understanding of academic options, specific strategies for developing as teachers and scholars and for meeting competing demands, and an expanded network of colleagues. Dates The workshop will begin at 5 pm on Thursday, July 21, and will formally conclude after dinner on Saturday, July 23. Optional workshops will be offered in the morning of Sunday, July 24. Application Application must be made on-line by March 15. An important part of each application is a statement of endorsement from a faculty member. Therefore, when submitting the on-line application, each applicant must provide contact information for a faculty member who has agreed to endorse the applicant. We will then ask the faculty member to submit electronically a brief statement regarding the potential of the applicant to benefit from and contribute to the workshop. Successful applicants will be notified by April 15. http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/careerprep05/application.html Selection Criteria The workshop size is limited. The final set of participants will be established with a goal of assembling a diverse and interactive group representing a range of experiences, educational environments, career aspirations, and specialties. Preference will be given to those entering or soon to enter the academic job market. Cost and Facilities The operational costs of the workshop as well as room, board, and workshop materials are covered by a grant from the NSF Division of Undergraduate Education (DUE-0127310). Participants or their home institutions must provide transportation to and from the workshop. For more information, contact Heather Macdonald (rhmacd@wm.edu) * * * * This workshop is part of the On the Cutting Edge professional development program (funded by a grant from the National Science Foundation Division of Undergraduate Education and is a program of the National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT)) http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/ ******************************* Heather Macdonald Department of Geology College of William and Mary 757-221-2443 fax: 757-221-2093 rhmacd@wm.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D.?????????? Office of Earth System Studies??? Tel:?? 509-527-5948?????????? Whitman College??????????????????????? Fax:? 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu???? ? Programs for Recent PhDs???????????????? http://aslo.org/phd.html ? DIALOG poster??????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf ? DISCCRS poster?????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf? Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/?????????????? -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 4043 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050307/d6f26855/attachment.bin From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Mar 11 17:11:49 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Weiler, C. Susan) Date: Fri Mar 11 19:04:52 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 03/11/2005 Message-ID: DIALOG and Disccrs News 03/11/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS SCIENCE NEWS Study Might Save Whales http://snipurl.com/d3za Environmental Sustainability Index http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-02/yu-fte020405.php) Mystery Squid Helps Prove Ocean Research http://snipurl.com/d6fo Tim Appenzeller and Jeffrey Kluger Win AGU Journalism Awards http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0402/feature5/online_extra.html Hydrogen and Methane Sustain Unusual Life at Sea Floor's 'Lost City' http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pr05028 Study: Ag Runoff Fuels Massive Algae Blooms In Gulf Of California http://tinyurl.com/3jmgf FORUM Formation Of The Us Subglacial Antarctic Lake Environments (Sale) Program SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS Understanding and Harnessing Complexity in the Environment https://www.edjassociates.com/biocomplexity2005 *************************************************** Science News Check out this section both for news tidbits, and for examples of how to communicate science to a non-scientist audience Study Might Save Whales from The News and Observer From Sigma Xi Science in the News BEAUFORT -- After more than 30 whales perished during a mysterious mass beaching in North Carolina in January, sonar from U.S. Navy ships surfaced as a possible cause. Now scientists are trying to steer Navy vessels clear of such tragedies. Two Duke University researchers are devising a system intended to predict where and when whales, dolphins and other animals swim off U.S. shores. Navy planners could use it to put distance between some harmful operations and vulnerable animals. http://snipurl.com/d3za **************** Environmental Sustainability Index, From Mark Francek, Geo-ed Center for International Earth Science Information Network (CIESIN) and the World Economic Forum, "The ESI ranks countries on 21 elements of environmental sustainability covering natural resource endowments, past and present pollution levels, environmental management efforts, contributions to protection of the global commons, and a society's capacity to improve its environmental performance over time. The United States places 45th in the rankings. This high-middle ranking, just behind the Netherlands (44) and ahead of the United Kingdom (46), reflects top-tier performance on issues such as water quality and environmental protection capacity. Bottom-rung results on other issues, such as waste generation and greenhouse gas emissions, bring down the overall U.S. standing." (quoted from "Finland tops environmental scorecard at World Economic Forum in Davos" http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-02/yu-fte020405.php) **************** Mystery Squid Helps Prove Ocean Research from Associated Press It took only a minute for scientists to discover a new deep-sea species with an experimental infrared camera built in Southern California and light-emitting artificial lure. Now, the National Science Foundation has agreed to spend $500,000 to refine the concept developed by the Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute in Fort Pierce. A large, 6-foot squid of a type never before photographed attacked the bait, a bioluminescent electronic "jellyfish," about 60 seconds after it was turned on in August off the Louisiana coast during Operation Deep Scope. http://snipurl.com/d6fo **************** Tim Appenzeller and Jeffrey Kluger Win AGU Journalism Awards From Harvey Leifert, AGU WASHINGTON - Tim Appenzeller of National Geographic magazine will receive the Walter Sullivan Award for Excellence in Science Journalism--Features for his article, "The Case of the MissingCarbon," which appeared in National Geographic's February 2004 issue. Members of the Sullivan Award selection committee wrote, with regard to Appenzeller's article, that it was "clearly and intelligently written, drawing the reader into the story without unnecessary jargon. The carbon cycle is an important topic for the public to be aware of, and this article presented a wide breadth of material in a balanced manner, clearly differentiating between opinion and fact. While many authors have written about the general topic of global warming, Appenzeller's article boldly and clearly deals with the processes driving it. ?The Case of the Missing Carbon' is an excellent example of science writing that is clearly written, extensively documented, very informative, and fun to read." Appenzeller's Sullivan Award winning article may be read at http://magma.nationalgeographic.com/ngm/0402/feature5/online_extra.html **************** Hydrogen and Methane Sustain Unusual Life at Sea Floor's 'Lost City' http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pr05028 **************** Study: Ag Runoff Fuels Massive Algae Blooms In Gulf Of California from Associated Press via Sigma Xi Science in the News SAN FRANCISCO ? Agricultural runoff is triggering massive algae blooms that could harm marine life in the Gulf of California, one of Mexico's most important fishing regions, according to a study published Thursday. Stanford University researchers found a direct link between fertilizer run off from Mexico's Yaqui River Valley and sudden bursts of marine algae in the 700-mile-long gulf, also known as the Sea of Cortez, which separates the Baja California peninsula from mainland Mexico. Their study, based on an analysis of satellite photos, will be published in Thursday's issue of the journal Nature. "We saw these really big blooms following every irrigation event in the valley," said Michael Beman, the study's lead author and a doctoral student in Stanford's Department of Geological and Environmental Sciences. "It demonstrates that certain areas of the ocean are more vulnerable to agricultural runoff than previously thought." http://tinyurl.com/3jmgf *************************************************** Forum Formation Of The Us Subglacial Antarctic Lake Environments (Sale) Program Subglacial Antarctic lake environments (SALE) have attracted great scientific and lay public interest in recent years. SALE will be a focus of scientific and engineering exploration and research in Antarctica for the next decade or more. It is also highly likely that SALE will be a major focus for the IPY 2007-2009 scientific theme - "exploring new frontiers". Now is the time for the US Antarctic science community to better organize and coordinate their efforts in this important and emerging arena of polar science, engineering, and education. In the US, a strong and diverse community has developed that has interest in SALE exploration and research. While many workshops and meetings have been conducted, US SALE interests would benefit from better coordination and advocacy. To this end a small group, who have been deeply involved in establishing the SALE agenda in the US and internationally, have joined together to form the US SALE Program. To better organize US efforts, Texas A&M University has agreed to establish a SALE Program Office (PO) to provide focus and coordination for all aspects of SALE exploration and research. The SALE Program Office will create synergy by not only serving the US community, but also the recently approved SCAR international Scientific Research Program - SALE and the agreed IPY coalition of six countries - SALE-UNITED (SALE UNified International Team for Exploration and Discovery). The SALE PO will act as a clearing house for US SALE interests providing a direct conduit to the international community through SCAR SALE and the ICSU/WMO Joint IPY Committee. The SALE PO will be Directed by Chuck Kennicutt. Shortly a web site will be launched to provide a central location for SALE activities. The structure of the US SALE Program follows that of many other successful programs and includes an Executive Committee (US SALE ExCom) and creates a US SALE Science and Technology Steering Committee (USSSTSC). The SALE ExCom and USSSTSC will provide a focus for advice, coordination, and leadership in all aspects of SALE exploration and research in the US while also coordinating education and outreach activities. The US SALE Program itself will consist of a series of science, technology, education, and communications/public relations committees (see the attached figure). The USSSTSC will consist of the US SALE ExCom and the Committee Chairs. US SALE Executive Committee (ExCom) - Robin Bell (LDEO), Chuck Kennicutt (TAMU), John Priscu (MSU), Berry Lyons (OSU), Ross Powell (NIU) and Joan Fitzpatrick (USGS) US SALE Science and Technology Steering Committee - US SALE ExCom plus Stefan Vogel (NIU), Slawek Tulaczyk (UCSC), Brian Lanoil (UCR), Michael Studinger (LDEO)and Brent Christner (MSU). Attached are the Terms of Reference for US SALE, the Committee Chair assignments and a committee organizational chart. We have asked the Committee Chairs to rapidly establish their committees. The Committee Chair is expected to lead the committee, recruit committee members and communicate with the broader community. It is expected that the topical committees will operate relatively autonomously responding to requests for advice, organizing workshops/meeting as appropriate to set the SALE agenda in each focus area, and coordinating activities in each area. The Chair will also be expected to identify funding opportunities and lead, or assist, community responses to them. The Chair will also liaise with other SALE committees and organizations to develop cross-disciplinary connections and promote venues to consider common issues. We invite everyone with interests in SALE research and exploration to contact the SALE Program Office ( m-kennicutt@tamu.edu). Statements of interest will be sent on to the appropriate contact within the US SALE Program. This is an exciting opportunity and we hope that you will join with us to make it happen! US SALE Science and Technology Steering Committee: Robin Bell (LDEO) rbinb@ldeo.columbia.edu Chuck Kennicutt (TAMU) m-kennicutt@tamu.edu John Priscu (MSU) jpriscu@montana.edu Berry Lyons (OSU) lyons.142@osu.edu Ross Powell (NIU) ross@geol.niu.edu Joan Fitzpatrick (USGS) jfitz@usgs.gov Stefan Vogel (NIU) vogel.118@osu.edu Slawek Tulaczyk (UCSC) tulaczyk@ucsc.ecu Brian Lanoil (UCR) brian.lanoil@ucr.edu Brent Christner (MSU) bchristner@montana.edu Michael Studinger (LDEO) mstuding@ldeo.columbia.edu *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings Understanding and Harnessing Complexity in the Environment, 2005 Meeting of the Biocomplexity in the Environment Awardees March 21-23, 2005 Arlington, VA The Biocomplexity Priority Area at the NSF will be ending in 2005 and this conference will provide an opportunity for this community to offer ideas on research directions in the future. The conference will consist of plenary sessions, poster sessions, and breakout sessions. Keynote speakers have been invited to address issues of relevance to the Environmental Research and Education community. While this conference is organized for NSF Biocomplexity PI's, it is open to the public and anyone who is interested in complex environmental systems is invited to attend--the draft agenda and registration form are available at https://www.edjassociates.com/biocomplexity2005 The meeting is scheduled as follows: Monday, March 21, 2005 7:30am - 5:45pm Tuesday, March 22, 2005 7:30am - 6:30pm Wednesday, March 23, 2005 8:30am - 12:30pm In order to begin the registration process, please visit https://www.edjassociates.com/biocomplexity2005 Please note all participants are required to register if you plan to attend this event. A block of sleeping rooms has been reserved for the conference at the Hyatt Regency Crystal City Hotel, located at 2799 Jefferson Davis Highway, Arlington VA, 22202. Please make your room reservation directly with the hotel by taking advantage of the online reservation link provided on the conference web page. When making your room reservation please refer to Group Code G- 2NSF to ensure you receive the group rate at the prevailing Government Per Diem (currently $153, single, $178.00 double, $203.00 triple and $228.00 quadruple) plus 9.75% tax. Check-in is 3:00 pm. check-out is 12:00 pm. A credit card is required to guarantee the reservation. Deposits are fully refundable if a room is cancelled 72 hours prior to arrival - be sure you get the cancellation confirmation number if you do cancel. If you plan to stay after the conference you need to make your reservations as soon as possible. The group rate will be extended to all participants for up to 3 days before or after the conference dates. *************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. ??????? Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu.? Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. ??????? Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********* C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D.?????????? Office of Earth System Studies??? Tel:?? 509-527-5948?????????? Whitman College??????????????????????? Fax:? 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu???? ? Programs for Recent PhDs???????????????? http://aslo.org/phd.html ? DIALOG poster??????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf ? DISCCRS poster?????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf? Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 17177 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050311/ff1f4959/attachment-0001.bin From weilercs at whitman.edu Mon Mar 21 12:23:30 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Weiler, C. Susan) Date: Mon Mar 21 12:23:42 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 03/18/2005 Message-ID: <53B01502-9A36-11D9-B8F5-000A95C846FA@whitman.edu> DIALOG and Disccrs News 03/18/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES University Corporation For Atmospheric Research (UCAR) Digital Image Library https://www.fin.ucar.edu/ucardil/default.jsp Grant Opportunity-Oceans and Human Health-National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration http://www.cop.noaa.gov/opportunities/ann_ohh.html SCIENCE NEWS Geologists Explore Link Between Human Action and Landscape Change http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pr05040 World Fish Stocks Strained, U.N. Says http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2005/2005-03-07-03.asp Researchers Question Assumptions of Fisheries Management http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/02/050223140858.htm Seas' Chemistry, Currents Changing, Scientists Say http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/bal- hs.oceans04mar04,1,1452245.story?coll=bal-health-headlines Senate Votes for ANWR Oil Drilling http://www.cnn.com/2005/ALLPOLITICS/03/16/arctic.drilling.ap/index.html Global Warming Has Momentum, 2 Studies Show http://tinyurl.com/6fl7a FORUM SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS New England Complex Systems Institute Announcements http://necsi.net/education/school/summer05.html JOBS Postdoctoral Position: Biogeochemistry of Coral Bleaching *************************************************** Resources University Corporation For Atmospheric Research (Ucar) Digital Image Library From Mark Francek, GeoEd UCAR has put together a well-organized collection of images, with accompanying descriptions, of the following weather and climate related topics: climate change, clouds, computers, education, environment, history, modeling, natural disasters, people, phenomena, radar, research, pollution, satellite, solar, weather. Another option available is to browse by your own term. https://www.fin.ucar.edu/ucardil/default.jsp ******************** Grant Opportunity-Oceans and Human Health-National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration For further information, please go to:http://www.cop.noaa.gov/opportunities/ann_ohh.html The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is pleased to announce an upcoming funding opportunity being made available through the External Research Grants Program of NOAA's new Oceans and Human Health Initiative (OHHI). OHHI was formally authorized by the Oceans and Human Health Act (OHHA) that was passed by Congress 8 December 2004. The External Research Grants Program is the largest of several OHHI programs that are designed to enhance understanding of the role of the oceans in human health, with the goal of providing useful research and predictive information to NOAA, public health officials, and natural resource managers. The OHHA defines oceans to include the Great Lakes. This funding opportunity is intended to engage the non-federal research community in conducting research - across the physical, chemical, biological, medical, public health, oceanographic, and social sciences - on priority issues for OHHI. The Federal Register Notice (FRN) that will officially announce the OHHI External Research Grants Program funding opportunity is expected to be published by 25 March 2005 and possibly as early as 18 March. There will be a relatively short period of time between the official posting of the FRN and the proposal due date. This notice is intended to make you, your membership, and interested others aware of the upcoming funding opportunity, for planning purposes. If interested in this opportunity, please check frequently for the official Federal Register Notice, in order to have available the maximum proposal preparation time. As soon as that Federal Register Notice is published, the associated Federal Funding Opportunity (FFO) will be available through the NOAA websites: Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research http://www.cop.noaa.gov/ NOAA Oceans and Human Health Initiative (OHHI) at the NOAA Office of Global Programs http://www.ogp.noaa.gov/mpe/ohi/index.htm Additional background information on NOAA's OHHI and OHHI's External Research Grants Program is available on the websites above. *************************************************** Science News Check out this section both for news tidbits, and for examples of how to communicate science to a non-scientist audience Geologists Explore Link Between Human Action and Landscape Change from NSF Geosciences News Releases Ever since we began clearing valleys and slopes for agriculture more than 9,000 years ago, people have been altering landscapes. In the cover article of the April-May issue of GSA Today, geologists affiliated with the University of Vermont (UVM) explored the link between human actions and landscape and found some good news and some bad news. UVM geologist Paul Bierman and his colleagues?including three undergraduates?searched a web-based community archive of more than 10,000 images of Vermont landscapes from before 1810 to the present. Part of? UVM?s Landscape Change Program, the archive is filled with rare images of rural areas and can be accessed online. The Landscape Change Program has been supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the Lintilac Foundation. ?Our findings have significant environmental implications for Vermont and New England in general,? said Bierman. ?We found that erosion is linked to clearing trees from hill slopes, which implies that if New England were cleared of trees, sediment would again pour off slopes and into streams and rivers.? But there's also good news: corridors running along rivers and streams have improved markedly over the past 30 years. ?This is a positive environmental finding and one that?s very good for stream health and the health of ecosystems in streams,? he said. http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pr05040 ******************** World Fish Stocks Strained, U.N. Says via SeaSpan Seven of the top 10 marine fish species, accounting for about 30 percent of all capture fisheries production, are fully exploited or overexploited, says the newest edition of a United Nations biennial report--The State of World Fisheries and Aquaculture. Rebuilding depleted wild fish stocks is a "challenging necessity," said the report, issued by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). At the same time, the report found, demand for fish will continue to rise. The number of people earning an income from direct employment in fisheries and aquaculture increased to about 38 million in 2002, according to the report. When economic activity resulting indirectly from fisheries production is accounted for, FAO estimates that the sector supports around 200 million people worldwide. To restore fish populations, the report recommends decreasing or temporarily stopping fishing in overexploited fisheries, reducing degradation of underwater environments, and actively rehabilitating damaged habitats. To read the report, go to: http://www.fao.org/documents/show_cdr.asp?url_file=/docrep/007/y5600e/ y5600e00.htm SOURCE: ENS, March 8, 2005. http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/mar2005/2005-03-07-03.asp ******************** Researchers Question Assumptions of Fisheries Management via SeaSpan In a scientific double whammy, researchers report that fishing pressure is causing fish to evolve to smaller sizes, just as new studies show that larger fish are critical to sustaining populations. In species such as Pacific rockfish, the big, old females not only produce exponentially more eggs than younger, smaller females, but their hearty larvae have a far greater chance of survival. Keeping these big fish increases the chances of strong population numbers in the next generation--which is paramount to the recovery of overfished stocks. Representing three fisheries science sessions from the American the AAAS meeting in February, Steve Berkeley of UC Santa Cruz, Larry Crowder of Duke University, Andy Rosenberg of the University of New Hampshire and a member of the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy, and Jeremy Jackson of Scripps Institution of Oceanography highlight the latest advances in genetics, biology, and evolutionary science that point to new strategies for maintaining fisheries. Berkeley and his collaborators have published recent papers on their research and its implications for fisheries management. SOURCES: Science Daily, March 3, 2005; http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/02/050223140858.htm SeaWeb, February 19, 2005; http://www.seaweb.org ******************** Seas' Chemistry, Currents Changing, Scientists Say via SeaSpan Greenhouse gases are warming up our oceans, changing their chemistry and threatening rainfall patterns that provide the planet with its fresh water, scientists say. The gases that cause global warming are sometimes given as factors in problems ranging from the strength of hurricanes to altered wildlife habitats. But in what may be the most comprehensive look yet at the oceans, a group of researchers recently told a scientific conference that the marine impact is just as severe. "In terms of global warming, the oceans are where the action is," said Tim Barnett, an oceanographer at the Scripps Oceanographic Institution. "The oceans are sort of a canary in the coal mine." The 1990s turned out to be the warmest decade in the past 1,000 years, experts say. For the in-depth story, go to: http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/health/bal- hs.oceans04mar04,1,1452245.story?coll=bal-health-headlines SOURCE: Dennis O'Brien: More than a drop in the ocean. The Baltimore Sun, March 4, 2005 ******************** Senate Votes for ANWR Oil Drilling CNN Wednesday, March 16, 2005 Posted: 4:51 PM EST (2151 GMT) WASHINGTON (AP) -- Amid the backdrop of soaring oil and gasoline prices, a sharply divided Senate on Wednesday voted to open the ecologically rich Alaska wildlife refuge to oil drilling, delivering a major energy policy win for President Bush. The Senate, by a 51-49 vote, rejected an attempt by Democrats and GOP moderates to remove a refuge drilling provision from next year's budget, preventing opponents from using a filibuster -- a tactic that has blocked repeated past attempts to open the Alaska refuge to oil companies. The action, assuming Congress agrees on a budget, clears the way for approving drilling in the refuge later this year, drilling supporters said. The oil industry has sought for more than two decades to get access to what is believed to be billions of barrels of oil beneath the 1.5 million-acre coastal plain of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in the northern eastern corner of Alaska. Environmentalists have fought such development and argued that despite improve environmental controls a web of pipelines and drilling platforms would harm calving caribou, polar bears and millions of migratory birds that use the coastal plain. http://www.cnn.com/2005/ALLPOLITICS/03/16/arctic.drilling.ap/index.html ******************** Global Warming Has Momentum, 2 Studies Show from The Denver Post Oceans will keep rising and the planet will keep warming for more than a century, even if people were able to freeze greenhouse-gas emissions at today's levels, according to two new studies. But keeping emissions steady is nearly impossible, given a growing global population eager for fast cars and electricity, the authors said. North America could see more frequent spells of dangerously hot weather and plagues of crop-eating insects, said one author of the new reports, published in Thursday's issue of the journal Science. http://tinyurl.com/6fl7a *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings New England Complex Systems Institute Announcements New Scheduled Programs (see details below) Summer School 2005: June 6-10 & 12-16, 2005 Independent Study Program: June 20-24, 2005 Mastering Complexity in Healthcare: June 27, 2005 NECSI SUMMER SCHOOL 2005 Complex Physical, Biological and Social Systems Modeling, Networks and Evolution of Complex Systems Each program is the equivalent of a one semester course in a one week format. They may be taken independently or consecutively. If desired, arrangements for credit at a home institution should be made in advance. WEEK ONE: Complex Physical, Biological and Social Systems Dates: June 6-10, 2005 Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA This course offers an introduction to the essential concepts of complex systems and related mathematical methods and simulation strategies with application to physical, biological and social systems. The course will particularly focus on the use of multiscale representations as a unifying approach to complex systems concepts, methods and applications. Concepts to be discussed include: emergence, complexity, networks, self-organization, pattern formation, evolution, adaptation, fractals, chaos, cooperation, competition, attractors, interdependence, scaling, dynamic response, information, and function. Methods to be discussed include: statistical methods, cellular automata, agent-based modeling, pattern recognition, system representation and informatics. WEEK TWO: Modeling, Networks and Evolution of Complex Systems Dates: June 12-16, 2005 Location: MIT, Cambridge, MA This course offers a systematic study of three key complex systems areas. Modeling: "how to" build models of complex systems (physical, biological, social and engineering). Networks: network models of complex systems: nodes and links, connectivity; topologies: small worlds, scale free, modular; dynamics of networks. Evolution: evolution in biology, social and engineered systems, altruism and selfishness, speciation, diversity, and spatial models. TARGET AUDIENCE: These courses are intended for faculty, graduate students, post-doctoral fellows and others who would like to gain an understanding of the fundamentals of complex systems, and develop methodological tools for conducting research in their respective fields. For more information and registration: http://necsi.net/education/school/summer05.html INDEPENDENT STUDY PROGRAM Dates: June 20-24, 2005 Location: NECSI, Cambridge, MA This program is designed as a follow-on to the summer school. It is intended for those who would like to continue work on research projects, including quantitative or qualitative development and application of complex systems concepts to specific problems in the physical, biological, social and engineered systems. It will run as a faculty supervised directed study. If you are interested in this study program send an e-mail to programs@necsi.org. *************************************************** Jobs for PhDs http://www.higheredjobs.com/about/ Postdoctoral position: biogeochemistry of coral bleaching Two-year postdoc position to work on biogeochemistry of coral bleaching using pulse-chase isotope labeling experiments. Analyses include a combination of bulk stable isotope and compound-specific lipid isotope measurements. Research includes up to three continuous months of fieldwork in Hawaii, several two-week trips back to the field, and intensive laboratory analyses. Candidates must hold a PhD, have experience with stable isotope analyses, and relevant fieldwork. Experience working with corals and lipid extractions desirable. This position is part of a collaborative project between Drs. Andrea Grottoli (University of Pennsylvania, grottoli@sas.upenn.edu; www.sas.upenn.edu/~grottoli/) and Tamara Pease (The University of Texas at Austin, Marine Science Institute, tamara@utmsi.utexas.edu; www.utmsi.utexas.edu/people/staff/pease.htm). Position begins July 1, 2005, contingent upon funding. Please send CV, statement of research interests, names and contact information of three references, and copies of two publications either by regular mail or electronically to: Andrea Grottoli, Assistant Professor, Department of Earth and Environmental Science, University of Pennsylvania 240 South 33rd Street Philadelphia, PA 19104-6316 grottoli@sas.upenn.edu. Applications will be accepted until April 25, 2005. Both the University of Pennsylvania and The University of Texas at Austin are Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employers. ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. ??????? Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu.? Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. ??????? Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D.?????????? Office for Earth System Studies??? Tel:?? 509-527-5948?????????? Whitman College??????????????????????? Fax:? 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu???? ? Programs for Recent PhDs???????????????? http://aslo.org/phd.html ? DIALOG poster??????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf ? DISCCRS poster?????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf? Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/?????????????? -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 22402 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050321/57fd881b/attachment-0001.bin From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Mar 25 19:36:08 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Weiler, C. Susan) Date: Fri Mar 25 19:48:23 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG_and_DISCCRS_News_03/25/2005 Message-ID: <6DAC6C8C-9D97-11D9-BF40-000A95C846FA@whitman.edu> DIALOG and Disccrs News 03/25/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES Resources For Earth Science and Geography Instruction http://webs.cmich.edu/resgi 2004 Annual Global Climate and Catastrophe Report. Aon, 2005. http://www.aon.com/about/publications/pdf/issues/ rs_2005_01_annual_global_climate_504.pdf OECD Factbook 2005: Economic, Environmental and Social Statistics. OECD, 2005. http://lysander.sourceoecd.org/vl=3075118/cl=81/nw=1/rpsv/factbook/ U.S. Climate Policy: Toward a Sensible Center http://www.brookings.edu/int/research/projects/ climateconference20040624a.htm SCIENCE NEWS Deep in the Oceans, Where it's Dark and Hot, Primitive Life Teems http://tinyurl.com/6m78s FORUM New Program - US Subglacial Antarctic Lake Environments Program (SALE) Call For Entries: Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/events/sevc SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS Workshop: Developing Quantitative Activities for Upper-Division Geoscience Students http://serc.carleton.edu/quantskills/workshop05/index.html JOBS AAASFellows - Two job openings at the Heinz Center *************************************************** Resources Resources For Earth Science and Geography Instruction Mark Francek, GeoEd at http://webs.cmich.edu/resgi . Links are organized around the sequence of topics typically taught in an introductory earth science or physical geography class. Links are also vailable for a variety of animations, environmental science, earth science/geography education, career opportunities, and more. The sites selected are based on image quality, ease with which lesson plans can be developed, organization, authenticity, scope, and format. To subscribe, contact: Mark.Francek@cmich.edu A couple of links from Mark's site are described below: Gridded Population of the World CIESEN, Columbia University Over the past 10 years, substantial developments have been made in the rendering of human population data in a common georeferenced framework. This website is dedicated to the delivery of global population data and information produced at Columbia University. Find a variety of useful demographic data including most recent population estimates, urban extents, and other settlement patterns. Maps of individual countries are appealing. Data are available for download to GIS shapefile format. http://beta.sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/gpw/ NASA site for educators and students: NASA, (suggested by Dan Stillman, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies), this month?s Earth Explorers article on theNASA Portal -- ?Judging the Ocean by its Cover? -- shines the spotlight on Lee Fu, a scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Fu has been described as "perhaps one of the most important oceanographers using NASA satellite data to understand the ocean's role in climate and climate change." The February edition of Earth Explorers -- "It Takes a Village"-- details how young scientists in the United States and Denmark are learning the importance of international cooperation and communication. See how students, teachers and scientists are using NASA Earth science imagery and data to explore our changing planet. http://science.hq.nasa.gov/education/earth_explorers ******************** 2004 Annual Global Climate and Catastrophe Report. Aon, 2005. Courtesy of Stephani Bianchi http://www.aon.com/about/publications/pdf/issues/ rs_2005_01_annual_global_climate_504.pdf ******************** OECD Factbook 2005: Economic, Environmental and Social Statistics. OECD, 2005. Courtesy of Stephani Bianchi http://lysander.sourceoecd.org/vl=3075118/cl=81/nw=1/rpsv/factbook/ ******************** U.S. Climate Policy: Toward a Sensible Center Courtesy of Stephani Bianchi (Transcripts of a conference sponsored jointly by Brookings and Pew), 2004. http://www.brookings.edu/int/research/projects/ climateconference20040624a.htm *************************************************** Science News Check out this section both for news tidbits, and for examples of how to communicate science to a non-scientist audience Deep in the Oceans, Where it's Dark and Hot, Primitive Life Teems from San Francisco Chronicle via Sigma Xi Science in the News Deep beneath the oceans of the world, in the cold and dark here sunlight never penetrates, scientists are discovering that deep clefts in half-molten rock are teeming with life -- vast populations of primitive microscopic organisms that thrive on the intense heat, obtain their energy from chemicals alone, and provide food for other creatures higher up the sea's food chain. Down there, great slabs of the Earth's crust are heaving and splitting apart. Viscous rock thrusts up from the mantle beneath to create networks of conduits where seawater circulates at brutally hot temperatures. In some places, undersea volcanoes spurt lava onto the sea floor from the crests of long ridges that mark the crustal gaps, or "spreading centers" as they're called. Scientists have only recently found that hillsides in the abyss miles from the spreading centers also vent volcanic heat -- and harbor wide varieties of microbes.http://tinyurl.com/6m78s *************************************************** Forum New Program - US Subglacial Antarctic Lake Environments Program (SALE) For further information, please contact: Chuck Kennicutt, SALE Program Office m-kennicutt@tamu.edu Subglacial Antarctic lake environments (SALE) have attracted great scientific and lay public interest in recent years. SALE will be a focus of scientific and engineering exploration and research in Antarctica for the next decade or more. It is also highly likely that SALE will be a major focus for the IPY 2007-2009 scientific theme - "exploring new frontiers". Now is the time for the US Antarctic science community to better organize and coordinate their efforts in this important and emerging arena of polar science, engineering, and education. To better organize US efforts, Texas A&M University has agreed to establish a SALE Program Office (PO) to provide focus and coordination for all aspects of SALE exploration and research.Shortly a web site will be launched to provide a central location for SALE activities. ******************** Call For Entries: Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/events/sevc When the left brain collaborates with the right brain, science merges with art to enhance communication and understanding of research results ? illustrating concepts, depicting phenomena, drawing conclusions. The National Science Foundation and Science, published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, invite you to participate in the annual Science and Engineering Visualization challenge. The competition recognizes scientists, engineers, visualization specialists and artists for producing or commissioning innovative work in visual communications. The entry Deadline is May 31, 2005. Awards Categories: Photos/Still Images, Illustration, Explanatory Graphics, Interactive Media, Non-interactive media. First place awards in each category will be published in the September 23, 2005 issue of Science and Science Online and displayed on the NSF web site. *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings Workshop: Developing Quantitative Activities for Upper-Division Geoscience Students. If you teach a surface processes/geomorphology course, a climate and global change course, or a course that address aspects of these topics, and are interested in sharing high-quality quantitative teaching materials, please consider applying for this workshop. The workshop will take place at Carleton College June 27-29, 2005, providing an unusual opportunity for faculty to focus on how we teach quantitative skills to undergraduate geoscience majors. The workshop is sponsored by the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE). A more extensive description of the workshop can be found at the workshop website http://serc.carleton.edu/quantskills/workshop05/index.html *************************************************** Jobs for PhDs http://www.higheredjobs.com/about/ AAASFellows - Two job openings at the Heinz Center: The Heinz Center is seeking candidates for two positions. One is a full time permanent staff position with the Heinz Center. The other is a 9-12 month term position formally affiliated with the National Research Council, but in which the candidate will work jointly with the Heinz Center and NRC. Research Associate (full time permanent): Seeking candidate with Masters or PhD in natural science or public policy (with environmental or natural resources background) and 3-5 years experience. The Heinz Center is working to complete the second edition of The State of the Nation's Ecosystems, which requires coordinating the efforts of a large number of collaborators, analysis and testing of indicator designs, selection and assessment of data sources, and writing and producing the report, associated website, etc. Position involves widely varied responsibilities on a small project team. Selected candidate will work on all aspects of the project, be given lead responsibility for developing specific elements, and have significant direct involvement with multi-sector committees. Position demands ability to grasp technical aspects of new issues very quickly; willingness to work on issues dealing with multiple terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem types; ability to work with committees with widely disparate views and backgrounds; and good written and oral communications skills. The Heinz Center is a non-profit organization that conducts policy-relevant environmental research in collaboration with business, environmental organizations, academia, and government. www.heinzctr.org; http://www.heinzctr.org/ecosystems. Please provide cover letter and resume / CV to Robin O'Malley, Program Director, omalley@heinzctr.org, or fax to 202-737-6410. Research Associate (term position, 9 months): The Heinz Center, in collaboration with the National Academies, is seeking a candidate for a term (9 month) position, with potential for longer term engagement. The project involves selection and refinement of key indicators of environmental condition at the national level, as a component of the Key National Indicators Initiative (www.keyindicators.org), which will also include indicators of social and economic conditions. The ideal candidate will have a Masters degree and experience in dealing with indicators, environmental monitoring or related fields, and an interest in contributing to a large scale, high level national effort. Database skills a plus. Please send letters of interest and resume / CV to Robin O'Malley, Program Manager, The Heinz Center, omalley@heinzctr.org. The full position description for this job can be viewed on the NRC website (www.nationalacademies.org); position number 050042-7. Applicants must also submit their materials to the NRC for formal consideration for this position. ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. ??????? Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu.? Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. ??????? Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D.?????????? Office for Earth System Studies??? Tel:?? 509-527-5948?????????? Whitman College??????????????????????? Fax:? 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu???? ? Programs for Recent PhDs???????????????? http://aslo.org/phd.html ? DIALOG poster??????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf ? DISCCRS poster?????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf? Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/?????????????? -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 15908 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050325/ed0b1e4e/attachment-0001.bin From weilercs at whitman.edu Mon Mar 28 11:01:32 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Weiler, C. Susan) Date: Mon Mar 28 11:01:40 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 03/25/05 Message-ID: <0941A5AE-9FAB-11D9-BF40-000A95C846FA@whitman.edu> DIALOG and Disccrs News 03/25/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES Resources For Earth Science and Geography Instruction http://webs.cmich.edu/resgi 2004 Annual Global Climate and Catastrophe Report. Aon, 2005. http://www.aon.com/about/publications/pdf/issues/ rs_2005_01_annual_global_climate_504.pdf OECD Factbook 2005: Economic, Environmental and Social Statistics. OECD, 2005. http://lysander.sourceoecd.org/vl=3075118/cl=81/nw=1/rpsv/factbook/ U.S. Climate Policy: Toward a Sensible Center http://www.brookings.edu/int/research/projects/ climateconference20040624a.htm SCIENCE NEWS Deep in the Oceans, Where it's Dark and Hot, Primitive Life Teems http://tinyurl.com/6m78s FORUM New Program - US Subglacial Antarctic Lake Environments Program (SALE) Call For Entries: Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/events/sevc SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS Workshop: Developing Quantitative Activities for Upper-Division Geoscience Students http://serc.carleton.edu/quantskills/workshop05/index.html JOBS AAASFellows - Two job openings at the Heinz Center *************************************************** Resources Resources For Earth Science and Geography Instruction Mark Francek, GeoEd at http://webs.cmich.edu/resgi . Links are organized around the sequence of topics typically taught in an introductory earth science or physical geography class. Links are also vailable for a variety of animations, environmental science, earth science/geography education, career opportunities, and more. The sites selected are based on image quality, ease with which lesson plans can be developed, organization, authenticity, scope, and format. To subscribe, contact: Mark.Francek@cmich.edu A couple of links from Mark's site are described below: Gridded Population of the World CIESEN, Columbia University Over the past 10 years, substantial developments have been made in the rendering of human population data in a common georeferenced framework. This website is dedicated to the delivery of global population data and information produced at Columbia University. Find a variety of useful demographic data including most recent population estimates, urban extents, and other settlement patterns. Maps of individual countries are appealing. Data are available for download to GIS shapefile format. http://beta.sedac.ciesin.columbia.edu/gpw/ NASA site for educators and students: NASA, (suggested by Dan Stillman, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies), this month?s Earth Explorers article on theNASA Portal -- ?Judging the Ocean by its Cover? -- shines the spotlight on Lee Fu, a scientist at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Fu has been described as "perhaps one of the most important oceanographers using NASA satellite data to understand the ocean's role in climate and climate change." The February edition of Earth Explorers -- "It Takes a Village"-- details how young scientists in the United States and Denmark are learning the importance of international cooperation and communication. See how students, teachers and scientists are using NASA Earth science imagery and data to explore our changing planet. http://science.hq.nasa.gov/education/earth_explorers ******************** 2004 Annual Global Climate and Catastrophe Report. Aon, 2005. Courtesy of Stephani Bianchi http://www.aon.com/about/publications/pdf/issues/ rs_2005_01_annual_global_climate_504.pdf ******************** OECD Factbook 2005: Economic, Environmental and Social Statistics. OECD, 2005. Courtesy of Stephani Bianchi http://lysander.sourceoecd.org/vl=3075118/cl=81/nw=1/rpsv/factbook/ ******************** U.S. Climate Policy: Toward a Sensible Center Courtesy of Stephani Bianchi (Transcripts of a conference sponsored jointly by Brookings and Pew), 2004. http://www.brookings.edu/int/research/projects/ climateconference20040624a.htm *************************************************** Science News Check out this section both for news tidbits, and for examples of how to communicate science to a non-scientist audience Deep in the Oceans, Where it's Dark and Hot, Primitive Life Teems from San Francisco Chronicle via Sigma Xi Science in the News Deep beneath the oceans of the world, in the cold and dark here sunlight never penetrates, scientists are discovering that deep clefts in half-molten rock are teeming with life -- vast populations of primitive microscopic organisms that thrive on the intense heat, obtain their energy from chemicals alone, and provide food for other creatures higher up the sea's food chain. Down there, great slabs of the Earth's crust are heaving and splitting apart. Viscous rock thrusts up from the mantle beneath to create networks of conduits where seawater circulates at brutally hot temperatures. In some places, undersea volcanoes spurt lava onto the sea floor from the crests of long ridges that mark the crustal gaps, or "spreading centers" as they're called. Scientists have only recently found that hillsides in the abyss miles from the spreading centers also vent volcanic heat -- and harbor wide varieties of microbes.http://tinyurl.com/6m78s *************************************************** Forum New Program - US Subglacial Antarctic Lake Environments Program (SALE) For further information, please contact: Chuck Kennicutt, SALE Program Office m-kennicutt@tamu.edu Subglacial Antarctic lake environments (SALE) have attracted great scientific and lay public interest in recent years. SALE will be a focus of scientific and engineering exploration and research in Antarctica for the next decade or more. It is also highly likely that SALE will be a major focus for the IPY 2007-2009 scientific theme - "exploring new frontiers". Now is the time for the US Antarctic science community to better organize and coordinate their efforts in this important and emerging arena of polar science, engineering, and education. To better organize US efforts, Texas A&M University has agreed to establish a SALE Program Office (PO) to provide focus and coordination for all aspects of SALE exploration and research.Shortly a web site will be launched to provide a central location for SALE activities. ******************** Call For Entries: Science & Engineering Visualization Challenge http://www.nsf.gov/od/lpa/events/sevc When the left brain collaborates with the right brain, science merges with art to enhance communication and understanding of research results ? illustrating concepts, depicting phenomena, drawing conclusions. The National Science Foundation and Science, published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, invite you to participate in the annual Science and Engineering Visualization challenge. The competition recognizes scientists, engineers, visualization specialists and artists for producing or commissioning innovative work in visual communications. The entry Deadline is May 31, 2005. Awards Categories: Photos/Still Images, Illustration, Explanatory Graphics, Interactive Media, Non-interactive media. First place awards in each category will be published in the September 23, 2005 issue of Science and Science Online and displayed on the NSF web site. *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings Workshop: Developing Quantitative Activities for Upper-Division Geoscience Students. If you teach a surface processes/geomorphology course, a climate and global change course, or a course that address aspects of these topics, and are interested in sharing high-quality quantitative teaching materials, please consider applying for this workshop. The workshop will take place at Carleton College June 27-29, 2005, providing an unusual opportunity for faculty to focus on how we teach quantitative skills to undergraduate geoscience majors. The workshop is sponsored by the Digital Library for Earth System Education (DLESE). A more extensive description of the workshop can be found at the workshop website http://serc.carleton.edu/quantskills/workshop05/index.html *************************************************** Jobs for PhDs http://www.higheredjobs.com/about/ AAASFellows - Two job openings at the Heinz Center: The Heinz Center is seeking candidates for two positions. One is a full time permanent staff position with the Heinz Center. The other is a 9-12 month term position formally affiliated with the National Research Council, but in which the candidate will work jointly with the Heinz Center and NRC. Research Associate (full time permanent): Seeking candidate with Masters or PhD in natural science or public policy (with environmental or natural resources background) and 3-5 years experience. The Heinz Center is working to complete the second edition of The State of the Nation's Ecosystems, which requires coordinating the efforts of a large number of collaborators, analysis and testing of indicator designs, selection and assessment of data sources, and writing and producing the report, associated website, etc. Position involves widely varied responsibilities on a small project team. Selected candidate will work on all aspects of the project, be given lead responsibility for developing specific elements, and have significant direct involvement with multi-sector committees. Position demands ability to grasp technical aspects of new issues very quickly; willingness to work on issues dealing with multiple terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem types; ability to work with committees with widely disparate views and backgrounds; and good written and oral communications skills. The Heinz Center is a non-profit organization that conducts policy-relevant environmental research in collaboration with business, environmental organizations, academia, and government. www.heinzctr.org; http://www.heinzctr.org/ecosystems. Please provide cover letter and resume / CV to Robin O'Malley, Program Director, omalley@heinzctr.org, or fax to 202-737-6410. Research Associate (term position, 9 months): The Heinz Center, in collaboration with the National Academies, is seeking a candidate for a term (9 month) position, with potential for longer term engagement. The project involves selection and refinement of key indicators of environmental condition at the national level, as a component of the Key National Indicators Initiative (www.keyindicators.org), which will also include indicators of social and economic conditions. The ideal candidate will have a Masters degree and experience in dealing with indicators, environmental monitoring or related fields, and an interest in contributing to a large scale, high level national effort. Database skills a plus. Please send letters of interest and resume / CV to Robin O'Malley, Program Manager, The Heinz Center, omalley@heinzctr.org. The full position description for this job can be viewed on the NRC website (www.nationalacademies.org); position number 050042-7. Applicants must also submit their materials to the NRC for formal consideration for this position. ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. ??????? Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu.? Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. ??????? Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D.?????????? Office for Earth System Studies??? Tel:?? 509-527-5948?????????? Whitman College??????????????????????? Fax:? 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu???? ? Programs for Recent PhDs???????????????? http://aslo.org/phd.html ? DIALOG poster??????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf ? DISCCRS poster?????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf? Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/?????????????? -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 15947 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050328/918cfcde/attachment-0001.bin From weilercs at whitman.edu Thu Mar 31 15:51:03 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Weiler, C. Susan) Date: Thu Mar 31 15:51:43 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 03/31/05 Message-ID: DIALOG and Disccrs News 03/31/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES Communicating Urgency, Facilitating Social Change http://www.isse.ucar.edu/communication Resources for Earth Science and Geography http://webs.cmich.edu/resgi New Interdisciplinary Journal, Ecological Complexity http://www.environmental-expert.com/magazine/elsevier/ecocom/ SCIENCE NEWS Stanford Team Isolates Fish Gene http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/03/25/ MNGMPBUKV81.DT Report on Global Ecosystems Calls for Radical Changes http://snipurl.com/dqnp Fish Farms Tied in Study to Imperiling Wild Salmon http://snipurl.com/dqnz SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS Volunteer for ORION Executive Steering Committee http://www.orionprogram.org/ JOBS Postdoctoral positions on Red Tide Blooms, Florida Gulf Coast University *************************************************** Resources Communicating Urgency, Facilitating Social Change New Strategies for Climate Change. Workshop Report by Susi Moser and Lisa Dilling. Actions aimed at reducing the pace and impacts of climate change are now occurring at a variety of scales in the public and private sectors ? mostly in enclaves of progressive businesses, organizations, states and communities. Yet, evidence shows that traditional means of communicating climate change continue to be largely ineffective at reaching the broader public and stimulating behavioral/personal, organizational/ institutional change at a broader scale. While a large majority of Americans now know and are concerned about climate change, most do not feel a sense of urgency to act on the problem. ?? Why ? if people know about climate change ? is there no sense of urgency? ?? How have communicators of climate change succeeded or failed in conveying the challenge of climate change? ?? Can better communication of climate change lead to more concerted societal response to the problem, and if so, what and how should communicators talk about climate change? ?? What other factors hinder or facilitate societal response and social change? With sponsorship from the MacArthur Foundation, Susanne Moser (NCAR) and Lisa Dilling (University of Colorado-Boulder) organized an exciting, interdisciplinary workshop at the nexus of climate change, risk communication, and behavior and social change. The Workshop was held 8-11 June, 2004, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado. The main goal of the workshop was to provide a forum for exchange and discussion among previously largely separate areas of expertise pertaining to climate change communication and social/behavior change. The workshop brought together over 40 academics and practitioners to develop a solid foundation for a research and action agenda. A first synthesis article was published in the December, 2004 issue of Environment (see http://www.isse.ucar.edu/communication/publications.htm). Susi and Lisa are now co-editors of an anthology on the state of knowledge at this interdisciplinary intersection. Many of the workshop participants are contributing to the book. For further information on the workshop, project, publications, and the forthcoming edited volume, see http://www.isse.ucar.edu/communication or contact Susi at smoser@ucar.edu or Lisa at ldilling@cires.colorado.edu. ****************** Resources for Earth Science and Geography Instruction at http://webs.cmich.edu/resgi . This site has links organized around the sequence of topics typically taught in an introductory earth science or physical geography class. Links are also available for a variety of animations, environmental science, earth science/geography education, career opportunities, and more. The sites selected are based on image quality, ease with which lesson plans can be developed, organization, authenticity, scope, and format. Please contact Mark Francek, Mark.Francek@cmich.edu to add a new subscriber, remove a subscriber, or suggest a site to be listed. ******************** New Interdisciplinary Journal, Ecological Complexity Ecological Complexity, a new international journal published by Elsevier Press, was launched last year. Its purpose is to disseminate information and significant contributions on the most interdisciplinary or multi-disciplinary research, complex systems approaches and quantitative modeling applications dealing with coupled human and natural systems, and theoretical ecology. For more information, see http://www.environmental-expert.com/magazine/elsevier/ecocom/ *************************************************** Science News Check out this section both for news tidbits, and for examples of how to communicate science to a non-scientist audience Stanford Team Isolates Fish Gene from San Francisco Chronicle Consider the rapid evolution of the armor-plated threespine stickleback, a curious little fish that Stanford biologist David M. Kingsley is setting out to study once more in its local home patch just below the Friant Dam on the San Joaquin River near Fresno. Kingsley and his team of graduate students and lab colleagues will haul their traps to the river Monday and don their hip waders for another round of collecting in a path-breaking research project that is revealing how evolution can rapidly alter the structure of living organisms -- even one gene at a time. Kingsley is a developmental biologist and a Howard Hughes Medical Institute investigator at Stanford's medical school, and he and his colleagues are publishing a major report on their latest discovery in stickleback genetics today in the journal Science. But they're already set to move on, seeking still more discoveries. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2005/03/25/ MNGMPBUKV81.DT ******************* Report on Global Ecosystems Calls for Radical Changes The Washington Post (Registration Required) via Sigma Xi Science in the News Many of the world's ecosystems are in danger and might not support future generations unless radical measures are implemented to protect and revive them, according to the most comprehensive analysis ever conducted of how the world's oceans, dry lands, forests and species interact and depend on one another. The new report collates research from many specific locales to create the first global snapshot of ecosystems. More than 1,300 authors from 95 countries participated in the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, whose results are being made public today by the United Nations and by several private and public organizations. "Only by understanding the environment and how it works, can we make the necessary decisions to protect it," said U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan in a statement marking the report's release. "Only by valuing all our precious natural and human resources, can we hope to build a sustainable future." http://snipurl.com/dqnp ******************** Fish Farms Tied in Study to Imperiling Wild Salmon From The New York Times (Registration Required) via Sigma Xi Science in the News Fisheries experts have known for some time that farm-raised salmon can be vulnerable to infestations of parasites called sea lice, but there has been disagreement about the extent to which the parasites spread to wild fish, especially in the waters off British Columbia and the Pacific Northwest. Now Canadian researchers suggest that fish farms are such prodigious producers of parasites that juvenile fish become very heavily infested just by swimming near them. In fact, their model suggests, the young fish are so heavily affected that they may turn into secondary sources of infestation for other wild fish out at sea. The new findings, by Martin Krkosek and Mark A. Lewis of the University of Alberta and John P. Volpe, a former colleague there who is now at the University of Victoria, British Columbia, are described in the current issue of Proceedings of the Royal Society B, a British journal. http://snipurl.com/dqnz *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings Volunteer for ORION Executive Steering Committee NSF seeks volunteers to serve on the Education and Public Awareness Committee of the Ocean Research Interactive Observatory Networks (ORION) Executive Steering Committee. See http://www.orionprogram.org/. If interested, please contact Susan Cook (scook@coreocean.org). *************************************************** Jobs for PhDs http://www.higheredjobs.com/about/ Postdoctoral positions on Red Tide Blooms, Florida Gulf Coast University The Biotechnology Program at Florida Gulf Coast University invites applications for 1-2 postdoctoral positions in the area of initiation and control of Red Tide Blooms. We are looking for applicants with skills in plant/algal molecular biology and biochemistry. We are seeking self-starters with broad research interests to join a growing cross-disciplinary biotechnology program with active collaborations with other institutions and the private sector. The postdoctoral experiences will also provide opportunities for mentoring of undergraduate research and participation in team-taught undergraduate courses in biotechnology. The Biotechnology Program has 24 faculty with broad interests (see Biotechnology web site: http://www.fgcu.edu/cas/biotech). A new Core Research Facility with state-of-the-art molecular biology, analytical chemistry and computational chemistry facilities has been established for the Program. Applicants must have received their PhD from an accredited institution in the position discipline or related discipline and have evidence of successful research activities (refereed publications). Initial appointments will be for one year with the opportunity for renewal upon satisfactory performance. All applications should include: 1) A brief letter indicating interest in the red tide positions. 2) A current Curriculum Vitae 3) Contact information for three references Electronic submission of applications to ralberte@fgcu.edu is preferred. Mail submissions should be addressed to Randall S. Alberte, Director of Biotechnology, Florida Gulf Coast University, 10501 FGCU Blvd South, Fort Myers, FL 33965. Review of applications will begin on 15 April 2005. Florida Gulf Coast University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Randall S. Alberte, Allan D. Shapiro, Biotechnology Program, Florida Gulf Coast University ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. ??????? Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu.? Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. ??????? Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D.?????????? Office for Earth System Studies??? Tel:?? 509-527-5948?????????? Whitman College??????????????????????? Fax:? 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu???? ? Programs for Recent PhDs???????????????? http://aslo.org/phd.html ? DIALOG poster??????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf ? DISCCRS poster?????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf? Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/?????????????? -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 15386 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050331/75ece1fe/attachment.bin From weilercs at whitman.edu Thu Mar 31 16:55:45 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Weiler, C. Susan) Date: Thu Mar 31 16:56:01 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] Charting a path for interdisciplinary research and ACTION ITEM for US residents Message-ID: <042D2853-A238-11D9-BF40-000A95C846FA@whitman.edu> Dear Recent PhD graduates and former DIALOG Symposium Participants, I was at a recent meeting for NSF PIs funded through the Biocomplexity in the Environment program. It was an inspiring and also discouraging meeting -- inspiring because we clearly have the knowledge and equipment necessary to generate greater understanding of Earth systems and human impacts. Furthermore, the scientific community is committed to making this knowledge available to managers and policy makers, and we are quickly learning how better to accomplish this. Still, it was discouraging to see how little funding is available to undertake the enormous tasks before us. The NSF budget is not keeping pace with the potential of new technologies and our human resources. We must hope that the current funding situation is an insignificant dip on the way to developing an effective plan to address environmental issues and not a portent of the future! I think NCAR Director and incoming AGU President Peter Killeen summed it up best: "Regardless of the funding, this is what our life is going to be about continuing into the future.... What we do in this generation will determine the destiny of life on our planet." Peter Killeen, Closing Plenary Address 2005 NSF Biocomplexity in the Environment Awardees Meeting Given the limited funds, NSF Director Arden Bement is doing his best to direct funds to Core Programs (by reducing the number and scope of special initiatives) and facilitate research that extends beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries. Directors and program officers are working together to change the NSF infrastructure to meet the growing need for interdisciplinary research. I was very encouraged by this commitment to funding across programs -- but this cannot be done without your help! NSF depends on the external community to review proposals and recommend funding. I know you know, interdisciplinary proposals are difficult to review since the scope of the work is likely extend beyond the expertise of individual reviewers. With today's funding, even a slight question can make the difference between funding and rejection. Still, we often talk about the need to "critically" review proposals -- the first definition of critical in my dictionary is "inclined to judge severely". At the same time, we should not "knit-pick". We should be sure to weigh and comment on quality, risk, and potential benefit -- how much can we gain from the proposed work, and is that potential worth the investment. While I have no statistics to back it up, I expect that reviewers with a strictly disciplinary focus are more likely than interdisciplinary scientists to criticize work that extends beyond their disciplinary expertise, and will be less likely to see the benefits along with the risks. We don't have to stop being critical -- we do need to underscore the importance of interdisciplinary research and strive to put our concerns in perspective and make constructive suggestions for improvement. If you think that a potential PI can modify the work plan without having to go through the exercise of resubmitting a revised proposal, be sure you state this clearly in the review. We must get involved in the review system to support our colleagues and the important science that often falls in the cracks between disciplines. If you are not already on NSF's review list, please contact the officer in charge of the program(s) of interest to you and let them know you are available. Equally important, NOW is a good time to WRITE YOUR CONGRESS MEMBERS (and/or NSF Director Arden Bement, abement@nsf.gov). Congress will return from recess next week and continue working towards a final budget resolution, so time is of the essence. The letter below is a "template draft" developed by the Board on Oceans and Atmosphere (BOA) Executive Committee and the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education (CORE). Send it to your representative and senators urging them to contact their leadership in favor of increasing the overall FY 2006 budget allocation for NSF, NASA, NOAA, ONR and/or any other Federal agency that funds your research. Please personalize and tailor the letter to fit your situation as a new or continuing member of the research community. It is most effective to fax or email your letter and follow up with a phone call to the appropriate legislative assistant in the congressional offices. Phone and fax numbers and email addresses for all congressional offices is available at http://capwiz.com/c-span/dbq/officials/ Again, Arden Bement's e-mail is abement@nsf.gov *************************************** DRAFT: March 31, 2005 Dear Senator or Congressman [last name]: I am writing to urge you to contact the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee and urge them to provide a robust 302(b) allocation for scientific research. It is crucial to the nation?s economic growth and welfare that the federal science agencies receive the resources necessary to support the cutting-edge research at NASA, the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. and other Federal agencies. [INSERT A COUPLE OF SENTENCES HERE DESCRIBING WHY YOU THINK IT IS IMPERATIVE TO FUND RESEARCH NOW. CONSIDER WHAT IT WILL MEAN TO THE WORLD, THE U.S., YOUR INSTITUTION AND YOU PERSONALLY IF RESEARCH FUNDS DO NOT KEEP PACE WITH THE RESEARCH NEEDS OF THIS COUNTRY. The Committee has the opportunity to significantly advance the nation?s understanding of the environment. Thank you again for considering my concerns. I understand the appropriations committee has a number of competing priorities to consider when formulating the 302(b) allocations and your input into its allocation process is essential to ensure that science is protected. I know that you share my belief that the long-term payoff from investments in the science agencies in [House: SSJC; Senate: CJS] is one of the wisest investments of taxpayers funding. I look forward to working with you on this important issue. Sincerely, *************************************** ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D.?????????? Office for Earth System Studies??? Tel:?? 509-527-5948?????????? Whitman College??????????????????????? Fax:? 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu???? ? Programs for Recent PhDs???????????????? http://aslo.org/phd.html ? DIALOG poster??????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf ? DISCCRS poster?????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf? Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/?????????????? -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 7155 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050331/e63eb975/attachment-0001.bin From weilercs at whitman.edu Wed Apr 6 17:29:49 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Weiler, C. Susan) Date: Wed Apr 6 17:30:04 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] Resend: Charting a path for interdisciplinary research and ACTION ITEM for US residents Message-ID: <6351BE98-A6EB-11D9-85D5-000A95C846FA@whitman.edu> Dear all, This is an update for the message I sent out last week. I erred on Tim Killeen's name..... I have corrected the text below. I am resending the entire message, because I believe this is important enough to say twice. Hopefully a few of you who might have been on the verge of contacting NSF about serving as a reviewer, or writing to your senator or congress member will make the 'plunge' into activism on this important topic. Best, Sue *********************************************************** Dear Recent PhD graduates and former DIALOG Symposium Participants, I was at a recent meeting for NSF PIs funded through the Biocomplexity in the Environment program. It was an inspiring and also discouraging meeting -- inspiring because we clearly have the knowledge and equipment necessary to generate greater understanding of Earth systems and human impacts. Furthermore, the scientific community is committed to making this knowledge available to managers and policy makers, and we are quickly learning how better to accomplish this. Still, it was discouraging to see how little funding is available to undertake the enormous tasks before us. The NSF budget is not keeping pace with the potential of new technologies and our human resources. We must hope that the current funding situation is an insignificant dip on the way to developing an effective plan to address environmental issues and not a portent of the future! I think NCAR Director and incoming AGU President Timothy L. Killeen summed it up best: "Regardless of the funding, this is what our life is going to be about continuing into the future.... What we do in this generation will determine the destiny of life on our planet." Timothy L. Killeen, Closing Plenary Address 2005 NSF Biocomplexity in the Environment Awardees Meeting Given the limited funds, NSF Director Arden Bement is doing his best to direct funds to Core Programs (by reducing the number and scope of special initiatives) and facilitate research that extends beyond traditional disciplinary boundaries. Directors and program officers are working together to change the NSF infrastructure to meet the growing need for interdisciplinary research. I was very encouraged by this commitment to funding across programs -- but this cannot be done without your help! NSF depends on the external community to review proposals and recommend funding. I know you know, interdisciplinary proposals are difficult to review since the scope of the work is likely extend beyond the expertise of individual reviewers. With today's funding, even a slight question can make the difference between funding and rejection. Still, we often talk about the need to "critically" review proposals -- the first definition of critical in my dictionary is "inclined to judge severely". At the same time, we should not "knit-pick". We should be sure to weigh and comment on quality, risk, and potential benefit -- how much can we gain from the proposed work, and is that potential worth the investment. While I have no statistics to back it up, I expect that reviewers with a strictly disciplinary focus are more likely than interdisciplinary scientists to criticize work that extends beyond their disciplinary expertise, and will be less likely to see the benefits along with the risks. We don't have to stop being critical -- we do need to underscore the importance of interdisciplinary research and strive to put our concerns in perspective and make constructive suggestions for improvement. If you think that a potential PI can modify the work plan without having to go through the exercise of resubmitting a revised proposal, be sure you state this clearly in the review. We must get involved in the review system to support our colleagues and the important science that often falls in the cracks between disciplines. If you are not already on NSF's review list, please contact the officer in charge of the program(s) of interest to you and let them know you are available. Equally important, NOW is a good time to WRITE YOUR CONGRESS MEMBERS (and/or NSF Director Arden Bement, abement@nsf.gov). Congress will return from recess next week and continue working towards a final budget resolution, so time is of the essence. The letter below is a "template draft" developed by the Board on Oceans and Atmosphere (BOA) Executive Committee and the Consortium for Oceanographic Research and Education (CORE). Send it to your representative and senators urging them to contact their leadership in favor of increasing the overall FY 2006 budget allocation for NSF, NASA, NOAA, ONR and/or any other Federal agency that funds your research. Please personalize and tailor the letter to fit your situation as a new or continuing member of the research community. It is most effective to fax or email your letter and follow up with a phone call to the appropriate legislative assistant in the congressional offices. Phone and fax numbers and email addresses for all congressional offices is available at http://capwiz.com/c-span/dbq/officials/ Again, Arden Bement's e-mail is abement@nsf.gov *************************************** DRAFT: March 31, 2005 Dear Senator or Congressman [last name]: I am writing to urge you to contact the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Appropriations Committee and urge them to provide a robust 302(b) allocation for scientific research. It is crucial to the nation?s economic growth and welfare that the federal science agencies receive the resources necessary to support the cutting-edge research at NASA, the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. and other Federal agencies. [INSERT A COUPLE OF SENTENCES HERE DESCRIBING WHY YOU THINK IT IS IMPERATIVE TO FUND RESEARCH NOW. CONSIDER WHAT IT WILL MEAN TO THE WORLD, THE U.S., YOUR INSTITUTION AND YOU PERSONALLY IF RESEARCH FUNDS DO NOT KEEP PACE WITH THE RESEARCH NEEDS OF THIS COUNTRY. The Committee has the opportunity to significantly advance the nation?s understanding of the environment. Thank you again for considering my concerns. I understand the appropriations committee has a number of competing priorities to consider when formulating the 302(b) allocations and your input into its allocation process is essential to ensure that science is protected. I know that you share my belief that the long-term payoff from investments in the science agencies in [House: SSJC; Senate: CJS] is one of the wisest investments of taxpayers funding. I look forward to working with you on this important issue. Sincerely, *************************************** ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D.?????????? Office for Earth System Studies??? Tel:?? 509-527-5948?????????? Whitman College??????????????????????? Fax:? 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu???? ? Programs for Recent PhDs???????????????? http://aslo.org/phd.html ? DIALOG poster??????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf ? DISCCRS poster?????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf? Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/?????????????? -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 7687 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050406/87608989/attachment.bin From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Apr 8 17:00:28 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Weiler, C. Susan) Date: Fri Apr 8 17:00:45 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 04/08/05 Message-ID: <9E89E1D2-A879-11D9-85D5-000A95C846FA@whitman.edu> DIALOG and Disccrs News 04/08/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program See http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf05579 Interdisciplinary Social Science/Economics program at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies http://www.mpi-fg-koeln.mpg.de/ak/ausschreib_en.html IISD Linkages: http://www.iisd.ca/ is the portal to IISD Linkages. National Geographic's Strange Days on Planet Earth http://www.seastudios.com/pages/strangedays.html FORUM Postdoc (Partial) Satisfaction http://postdoc.sigmaxi.org/results/ SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS International Postdoctoral Scientist Network for Earth Systems Science First Workshop www.asp.ucar.edu/ess.html Training workshop on Analysis of Multivariate Data from Ecology and Environmental Science http://www.doce-conferences.ufl.edu/bps/default.asp JOBS Postdoc, Policy Project Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (JAPAN) *************************************************** Resources NSF Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation's most prestigious awards in support of the early career-development activities of those teacher-scholars who most effectively integrate research and education within the context of the mission of their organization. Such activities should build a firm foundation for a lifetime of integrated contributions to research and education. NSF encourages submission of CAREER proposals from junior faculty members at all CAREER-eligible organizations and especially encourages women, members of underrepresented minority groups, and persons with disabilities to apply. Each year NSF selects nominees for the Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE) from among the most meritorious new CAREER awardees. The PECASE program recognizes outstanding scientists and engineers who, early in their careers, show exceptional potential for leadership at the frontiers of knowledge. This Presidential Award is the highest honor bestowed by the United States Government on scientists and engineers beginning their independent careers. See http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf05579 ******************* Interdisciplinary Social Science/Economics program at the Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies The Max Planck Institute for the Study of Societies is starting a PH.D. program. See http://www.mpi-fg-koeln.mpg.de/ak/ausschreib_en.html ******************* IISD Linkages: A multimedia resource for environment and development policy matters http://www.iisd.ca/ is the portal to IISD Linkages. This site covers a variety issues, including climate change and aquatic issues. This site has many great resources. For example, Climate-L is a news and announcement list service that focuses on the climate change policy and issues. Postings include breaking climate news, announcements of workshops/conferences, job listings, and information on new publications and online resources. Instructions for signing up are on their website, http://www.iisd.ca/email/climate-L.htm Water-L is a similar service for water-policy issues. Sign up at http://www.iisd.ca/email/water-L.htm ******************** National Geographic's Strange Days on Planet Earth National Geographic's Strange Days on Planet Earth is a four-part science and natural history series that uses great storytelling to explore new discoveries about the health of the planet. Around the globe, scientists are racing to solve a series of mysteries: Why do invasive species cause such havoc? What happens to an ecosystem when top predators disappear? If we've cleaned up our waterways, why are animals including ourselves still at risk? How could a one-degree rise in average temperature have such profound effects? Strange Days on Planet Earth explores these questions and draws upon cutting edge science in a fast-paced search for answers. Constructed as a series of high-tech detective stories, the mysteries of each episode are solved through a combination of science, natural history and state-of-the-art graphics. It's scheduled for debut on PBS April 20 and 27 in Washington, DC, but you'll need to check your local PBS listings. Here's the link to the producer's web site:? http://www.seastudios.com/?and here's the link to the program:? http://www.seastudios.com/pages/strangedays.html *************************************************** Forum Postdoc (Partial) Satisfaction from Inside Higher Ed News via Sigma Xi Science in the News Most postdocs are satisfied with their positions, according to a new national survey. But the study also identified significant problems with the postdoc system ? including a lack of funds for some (especially those from outside the U.S.) and a lack of training for many. Sponsors of the study said that they were concerned about the sense that many postdocs do not receive much in the way of training ? giving that an essential part of the concept of the postdoc is to provide training, not just another job. The survey and a related report ? released today by Sigma Xi: The Scientific Research Society ? was answered by 7,600 postdocs, the overwhelming majority of whom (like the postdoc population as a whole) are in the physical and biological sciences. The postdocs surveyed were at research universities, biomedical institutes and government agencies. http://tinyurl.com/5sv3c To read the summary report of the Sigma Xi Postdoc Survey, "Doctors Without Orders: Postdoc Survey Highlights," click here: http://postdoc.sigmaxi.org/results/ *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings International Postdoctoral Scientist Network for Earth Systems Science First Workshop Breckenridge, Colorado June 23-25, 2005 Many of the challenges we face in earth system science require not only the integration of complex physical processes into climate system models (e.g., the NCAR CCSM) but coupling biogeochemistry and chemistry with climate. Additionally, the global research community will require components that allow interactions between policy and decision making with environmental and climate considerations. The complexity of full biophysical models of the Earth's System requires considerable computational expense and makes deconvolution to understand the underlying processes difficult. Accordingly, intermediate complexity and simple models are tools that are valuable towards understand the more complex models and the real system they attempt to represent. As a step towards fuller integration of earth system science, IGBP/AIMES (International Global Biosphere Project/Analysis, Integration and Modeling of the Earth System) are planning an international postdoctoral scientist network for earth system science. This network will serve as a mechanism for promoting the development of the next generation of scientists to be increasingly cross-cutting as will be required by the future of Earth system modeling. An important element will be including participants from developing countries to both contribute their expertise in quickly changing and highly vulnerable environments, as well as to build the human resources in important regions of the globe for future science projects. To inaugurate the network we plan a first workshop in June, 2005. The workshop agenda will include talks from one senior person and several postdoctoral scientists on two topics: Topic 1: The end of nature? Human-earth systems interactions Topic 2: Is there a scenario in the class? Different views of the future (Multi-scaled approaches to Earth System modeling). All participates will be invited to give a talk or present a poster during the workshop. More information is available at: www.asp.ucar.edu/ess.html. Applications: Applications should be received by April 15, 2005 (or until workshop is full) and include a CV, statement of research interests (1 page), statement of how the postdoctoral network can best serve the postdoctoral community (1 page), and a recommendation letter. We plan to obtain sufficient funding to support 50 postdoctoral scientists to attend, but please indicate in your application if you can only attend if you receive full support. Please note: The preferred format of the submitted documents is pdf (PostScript, MS Word and ASCII text also accepted). Send applications to: asp-apply@asp.ucar.edu with the subject "ESS Workshop". ******************** Training workshop on Analysis of Multivariate Data from Ecology and Environmental Science, using PRIMER v6 Indian River Research and Education Center Ft Pierce FL, 23-27 May 2005 This five day workshop will cover the statistical analysis of assemblage data (species by samples matrices of abundance, area cover etc) and/or multi-variable environmental data which arise in a wide range of applications in environmental science and ecology, from local environmental impact assessments, through basic biological studies (e.g. of dietary composition) and monitoring of widescale biodiversity change, to purely physico-chemical analyses. Based on the PRIMER package (Plymouth Routines In Multivariate Ecological Research), a worldwide standard software tool used in over 1500 recent SCI-listed papers, for analysis of assemblages of marine benthic flora/fauna, corals, plankton, fish, algae etc, and, increasingly, terrestrial, freshwater and palaeontological data The workshop covers definitions of similarity, clustering (CLUSTER), ordination by non-metric multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) and principal components analysis (PCA), hypothesis testing on similarity matrices (ANOSIM) and other permutation tests (RELATE), linking biotic patterns to environmental variables (BIO-ENV), identifying species responsible for observed community pattern (SIMPER, BVSTEP), comparison of ordinations (2nd stage MDS), dominance curves and (bio)diversity indices, including new measures based on taxonomic relatedness of species (TAXDTEST), and practical issues such as taxonomic level, causality, design, choice of analysis, etc. Lectures will also cover new tools in PRIMER v6, to be released late Spring 2005, e.g. a wider range of similarity measures including new dispersion-weighted and taxonomically-based coefficients, new global permutation tests for significance of dominance curves and biota-environment relationships, SIMPER analysis for 2-way layouts and environmental variables, non-parametric 'linkage' trees, missing data algorithms, improved MDS plots and diagnostics, merging of non-matching species lists, a wider class of richness estimators, saveable workspaces etc. The workshop will be given by Dr K R Clarke (PRIMER-E and an honorary fellow of the Plymouth Marine Lab, UK). Bob Clarke is a researcher in ecological statistics and has worked for many years at the PML, where he was responsible for adapting and developing the methods underlying the PRIMER package. 'Hands-on' lab sessions will use real literature case studies, analysed with PRIMER. Participants are also encouraged to bring some of their own data to the course. The emphasis throughout is on practical application and interpretation, the theoretical aspects (e.g. the multivariate statistical methods which are the core of the course) being carefully selected to be those that are simple to describe and understand. No prior statistical knowledge is assumed Registration information can be found at: http://www.doce-conferences.ufl.edu/bps/default.asp. Questions can be addressed to 'T.J.' Evens at TEvens@USHRL.ars.usda.gov (phone: 772-462-5921). Clarification of current v5 licence status can be sought from Cathy Clarke at admin@primer-e.com. *************************************************** Jobs for PhDs http://www.higheredjobs.com/about/ Postdoc, Policy Project Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (JAPAN) We have an opportunity to host a young postdoctoral researcher, who is competent to undertake policy-relevant research on adaptation to climate change in the Asia-Pacific region focusing on one of the following or related areas: (a) Role of bottom-up approaches in facilitating adaptation to climate change (b) Policies for facilitating adaptation in agriculture and water resources sectors (c) Options for mainstreaming adaptation concerns in official development assistance (d) Cost-benefit analysis of adaptation options Each candidate for the Fellowship must: (1) Be a citizen of a country that has diplomatic relations with Japan (2) Hold a doctorate degree when the Fellowship goes into effect, which must have been received within six years prior to April 2, 2005 (3) Have arranged in advance a research plan with his/her Japanese host TERMS OF AWARD (FELLOWS ONLY): * The amounts of the Awards indicated below are subject to change. (1) A round-trip air ticket (based on JSPS regulations) (2) A monthly maintenance allowance of ?392,000 (3) A settling-in allowance of ?200,000, An annual domestic research travel allowance of 58,500 yen, Overseas travel accident and sickness insurance coverage Note: If the Fellow resides in Japan on the date his/her award letter is issued, the above-mentioned air ticket to Japan and settling-in allowance will not be provided. A "Grant-In-Aid for Scientific Research" (Tokubetsu Kenkyuin Shorei-hi) or "Research Grant" (Shiken Kenkyu-hi) of up to 1,500,000 yen per year (total of 3,000,000 yen for two years) is available to cover cooperative research-related expenses. Application for these grants is made by the host researcher through his/her institution. Interested candidates are advised to send a brief research plan (not exceeding three pages) to ancha@iges.or.jp as soon as possible but not later than 20 April 2005. Research proposed must be relevant to countries in the Asia-Pacific region. The selection of candidates is subject to screening within the institute and the selection board of the Japan Society for Promotion of Science. Mr. Ancha Srinivasan, Ph.D. (Cantab.) FCPS FCCS Principal Researcher and Manager, Climate Policy Project Institute for Global Environmental Strategies 2108-11 Kamiyamaguchi, Hayama, Kanagawa 240-0115 JAPAN Tel:+81-46-855-3818 Fax:+81-46-855-3809 E-mail: ancha@iges.or.jp ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. ??????? Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu.? Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. ??????? Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D.?????????? Office for Earth System Studies??? Tel:?? 509-527-5948?????????? Whitman College??????????????????????? Fax:? 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu???? ? Programs for Recent PhDs???????????????? http://aslo.org/phd.html ? DIALOG poster??????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf ? DISCCRS poster?????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf? Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/?????????????? -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 18916 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050408/83874847/attachment-0001.bin From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Apr 22 15:44:32 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Fri Apr 22 15:45:06 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 04/22/05 Message-ID: <9c8de7d0cc63598068ae6bf3b6b8ed4a@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 04/22/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES Two new books re. women in oceanography and the geosciences http://www.tos.org/oceanography/issues/current.html. http://www.awg.org ADVANCE: Increasing the Participation and Advancement of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Careers http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf05584 Scientists Unite in Call for Action as Global Food Demands Threaten to Outstrip World Water Supply www.siwi.org Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) Report Provides Baseline http://www.millenniumassessment.org/en/index.aspx SCIENCE NEWS FAO Says Overfishing Has Reached Crisis Proportions http://www.fao.org/icatalog/inter-e.ht European Union To Create New Agency For Managing Fisheries http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=7313 Climate Change Impacts On Europe?s Coastal, Marine Biodiversity http://www.coe.int/T/E/Cultural_Co-operation/Environment/ Nature_and_biological_diversity/Biodiversity/codbp03e_05.pdf?L=E Nasa Study Finds Snow Melt Causes Large Ocean Plant Blooms http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/eurasian_melt.html Antarctic Glaciers Shrink http://tinyurl.com/dth23 SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS First call: A residential training course http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~serg/serges/ Interuniversity Center for Social Science Theory and Methodology http://www.ics-graduateschool.nl Travel Grant Opportunity - IXth SCAR International Biology Symposium JOBS Marine Science Initiative within The Australian National University: New positions available http://info.anu.edu.au/hr/Jobs/Academic_Positions/index.asp *************************************************** Resources Women in Oceanography and the Geosciences Submitted by Sue Weiler There are a couple of really good publications that have come out recently: Women in Oceanography: This is a special issue of Oceanography (Vol 18(1), March, 2005, 256 pp) . If you are not a member of TOS, you can order it for $10.00 at http://www.tos.org/oceanography/issues/current.html. Where are the Women Geoscience Professors? 2004, by Mary Anne Holmes and Suzanne O'Connell. 40 pp. You can order it from the Association for Women Geoscientists, http://www.awg.org Both are extremely well written and contain a huge amount of important information. ******************** ADVANCE: Increasing the Participation and Advancement of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Careers http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf05584 ******************** Scientists Unite in Call for Action as Global Food Demands Threaten to Outstrip World Water Supply Taken from 4/20/05 Water Institutes Announcement List April 20, 2005 -- While many of today's rivers, lakes and groundwater reservoirs continue to be overexploited, a new report launched today by leading scientists at the United Nations Commission on Sustainable Development warns that unless steps are taken to improve the way water is managed,? twice the world's current water consumption may be needed by 2050 to feed a global population of some 9 billion. The scientists from the Stockholm International Water Institute (SIWI), International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), World Conservation Union (IUCN) and International Water Management Institute (IWMI) said that the ambitious international commitment to halve the number of people facing hunger have missed a fundamental question: where is the water needed to grow the food to feed future generations properly? The report, "Let It Reign: The New Water Paradigm for Global Food Security" points out that feeding the world is in many ways a daunting water challenge. To read the full release visit www.siwi.org, where the report is available for download. ******************** Millennium Ecosystem Assessment (MA) Report Provides Baseline By David Suzuki, MA Board Member; Courtesy of Frank Dunnivant Four years in the making, the project was given the tongue-twisting name Millennium Ecosystem Assessment and it brought together nearly 1,400 experts from 95 countries. Their goal was to conduct a global inventory of the state of our ecosystems, quantify the effect that human activities are having on them and make suggestions for the future. http://www.millenniumassessment.org/en/index.aspx *************************************************** Science News FAO Says Overfishing Has Reached Crisis Proportions From SeaSpan April-A 2005, volume 11-6 A new report from the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) on the state of marine fisheries worldwide says that 52 percent of the oceans' wild fish stocks are fully exploited. Of the rest, 23 percent are lightly or moderately exploited and still offer some scope for further fisheries expansion, 16 percent are overexploited, 7 percent are depleted, and 1 percent are recovering from depletion, meaning they have no room for further expansion. These assessments are found in the most recent Review of the State of World Marine Fishery Resources. The introductory chapters refer to the global situation and major trends of world marine capture fish production and the state of the world marine fishery resources. More detailed information by region. Special sections address tunas and tuna-like species, squid resources, deep-sea fisheries, and long-term climate change and fisheries. Summary tables are provided for each statistical area showing historical and recent catches for the major marine resources and judgments on their most current state of exploitation. To download the 200-plus-page report, go to: http://www.fao.org/icatalog/inter-e.htm ******************** European Union To Create New Agency For Managing Fisheries From SeaSpan April-A 2005, volume 11-6 European Union member states have approved the concept of an agency to manage fisheries, which is intended to protect cod and other threatened fish species from overfishing. The once-common cod has long been a staple of European diets, but stocks have dropped dramatically in recent decades and increasingly tough catch quotas set by individual E.U. nations have failed reverse the trend. Fishermen say the system of national quotas has too many loopholes, and the new agency is intended to improve and streamline controls considered key to E.U. efforts to build a sustainable fishing industry. Fisheries ministers unanimously agreed to establish the Community Fisheries Control Agency, which will be based in the northern Spanish port of Vigo. Scientists say North Sea cod stocks have shrunk to about a tenth of 1970 levels, and warned of depletion on the scale of eastern Canadian waters, where cod largely disappeared in the 1990s. SOURCE: Associated Press, http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=7313. Cited in EUCC Coastal News, No. 3, March 2005. http://www.eucc.net or http://www.coastalguide.org/news ******************** Climate Change Impacts On Europe?s Coastal, Marine Biodiversity From SeaSpan April-A 2005, volume 11-6 The committee for the activities of the Council of Europe in the field of biological and landscape diversity (CO-DBP) has issued a 25-page report, Conserving European Biodiversity in the Context of Climate Change, by Michael B. Usher, School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Stirling. The paper discusses five groups of habitats or communities that may be particularly prone to reduction in extent as a result of climatic warming, four of which are present in the coastal and marine zone. To read the report, go to: http://www.coe.int/T/E/Cultural_Co-operation/Environment/ Nature_and_biological_diversity/Biodiversity/codbp03e_05.pdf?L=E SOURCE: EUCC Coastal News, March 2005, No. 3, http://www.eucc.net or http://www.coastalguide.org/news ******************** Currents Could Disrupt Ocean Food Chain From SeaSpan April-A 2005, volume 11-6 The shutdown of the Atlantic Conveyer current isn't just idle speculation. A growing body of evidence suggests that it switched on and off 20 to 25 times during the last ice age. If increased precipitation and sea surface heating from global warming disrupts the Atlantic Conveyer current--as some scientists predict--the effect on the ocean food chain in the Atlantic and other oceans could be severe, according to a new study published in the journal Nature. In a worst case scenario, global productivity of phytoplankton could decrease by as much as 20 percent and in some areas, such as the North Atlantic, the loss could hit 50 percent. The study was conducted by Andreas Schmittner, an assistant professor in the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences at Oregon State University. In his sophisticated computer model, Schmittner does not predict that the Atlantic Conveyer current, which drags warm water from the southern tropics into the North Atlantic and warms Europe, will be disrupted. Rather, he examines what would happen to the ocean food chain if such a disruption did take place. For the full story (subscribers only), go to: Andreas Schmittner: Decline of the marine ecosystem caused by a reduction in the Atlantic overturning circulation. Nature, volume 434, pages 628-633, March 31, 2005. http://www.nature.com SOURCE: Terra Daily, April 13, 2005. Cited in Above the Fold, April 14, 2005. www.EnvironmentalHealthNews.org ******************** Nasa Study Finds Snow Melt Causes Large Ocean Plant Blooms Condensed from NASA Press Release RELEASE: 05-100 A NASA funded study has found a decline in winter and spring snow cover over Southwest Asia and the Himalayan mountain range is creating conditions for more widespread blooms of ocean plants in the Arabian Sea. The decrease in snow cover has led to greater differences in both temperature and pressure systems between the Indian subcontinent and the Arabian Sea. The pressure differences generate monsoon winds that mix the ocean water in the Western Arabian Sea. This mixing leads to better growing conditions for tiny, free-floating ocean plants called phytoplankton. Lead author of the study is Joaquim Goes. Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, Maine. Goes and colleagues used satellite observations of ocean color to show phytoplankton concentrations in the Western Arabian Sea have increased by more than 350 percent over the past seven years. The study is in this week's SCIENCE magazine When winter and spring snow cover is low over Eurasia, the amount of solar energy reflected back into the atmosphere is less. A decline in the amount of snow cover means less of the sun's energy goes towards melting of snow and evaporation of wet soil. As a result the land mass heats up more in summer creating a larger temperature difference between the water of the Arabian Sea and the Indian subcontinent landmass. The temperature difference is responsible for a disparity in pressure over land and sea, creating a low pressure system over the Indian subcontinent and a high pressure system over the Arabian Sea. This difference in pressure causes winds to blow from the Southwest Arabian Sea bringing annual rainfall to the subcontinent from June to September. In the Western Arabian Sea, these winds also cause upwelling of cooler nutrient-rich water, creating ideal conditions for phytoplankton to bloom every year during summer. Since 1997, a reduction in snow has led to wider temperature differences between the land and ocean during summer. As a consequence, sea surface winds over the Arabian Sea have strengthened leading to more intense upwelling and more widespread blooms of phytoplankton along the coasts of Somalia, Yemen and Oman. According to Goes, while large blooms of phytoplankton can enhance fisheries, exceptionally large blooms could be detrimental to the ecosystem. Increases in phytoplankton amounts can lead to oxygen depletion in the water column and eventually to a decline in fish populations. The Arabian Sea hosts one of the world's largest pools of oxygen-poor water at depths between 200 and 1,000 meters (656 to 3,281 feet). Since the Arabian Sea lacks an opening to the north, the deeper waters are not well ventilated. Also when organic matter produced by phytoplankton breaks down and decomposes, more oxygen gets consumed in the process. An increase in phytoplankton could therefore cause oxygen deficiencies in the Arabian Sea to spread, leading to fish mortality. Oxygen-depleted waters also provide the perfect environment for the growth of a specialized group of bacteria called denitrifying bacteria. These bacteria convert a nitrogen-based nutrient readily consumable by plants in seawater, called nitrate, into forms of nitrogen that most plants cannot use. One form of nitrogen that plants cannot consume is nitrous oxide, also known as laughing gas. In the atmosphere, nitrous oxide is 310 times more potent as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Thus, as very large phytoplankton blooms deplete more oxygen from the water, the creation of nitrous oxide in the Arabian Sea could exacerbate climate change, Goes said. For more information about this research on the Web, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/eurasian_melt.html ******************** Antarctic Glaciers Shrink from The Baltimore Sun (Registration Required) About 90 percent of the glaciers on the Antarctic Peninsula have shrunk in the past half century, scientists reported today in a study of an area long regarded as a "canary in the coal mine" because of its sensitivity to climate change. Researchers for the British Antarctic Survey analyzed 100 satellite images and 2,000 aerial photos and found that since 1953, 212 of the 244 glaciers on the west side of the peninsula had retreated an average of about 2,000 feet. Another 32 glaciers in the region grew or advanced by about 1,000 feet in the same period. "These glaciers do seem to be responding to climate change," said Alison Cook, a cartographer for the British Antarctic Survey. The findings were published today in the journal Science. http://tinyurl.com/dth23 *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings First call: A residential training course (4th - 8th July 2005, St Andrews UK): Measuring Biodiversity and ecosystem function in estuarine systems. This course is designed for PhD students and early post-doctoral researchers who want to develop their understanding of estuarine mudflats and the tools available to sample them. Anyone looking at this system often has available a wide variety of sampling techniques but often little guidance as to how to balance their aims with capabilities and costs. Using the expertise gained from a recent EU project (HIMOM) this course is designed to integrate the theory and practice of estuarine mudflat sampling for early stage researchers.?The HIMOM project developed a toolbox of techniques for the sampling of tidal flats and this will form a key component of the course. All attendees will be given the HIMOM CD-ROM which includes a book of protocols with advice in local application, case studies and video demonstrations. The course will be a mixture of lectures, field and laboratory work taking advantage of local field site the Eden Estuary (SSSI, Nature Reserve and SAC) and the state of the art laboratory facilities available within the Sediment Ecology Research Group at the Gatty Marine Laboartory. There will be additional opportunity to use the low temperature scanning electron facilities for own samples. If you are interested please look under the latest news at: http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~serg/serges/ ******************** Interuniversity Center for Social Science Theory and Methodology The Interuniversity Center for Social Science Theory and Methodology (ICS) is an institute for postgraduate studies under the scientific directorship of Siegwart Lindenberg, Tom Snijders, and Rafael Wittek of the University of Groningen, Henk Flap, Louk Hagendoorn, and Werner Raub of Utrecht University, and Wout Ultee, Nan Dirk de Graaf, and Peer Scheepers of the University of Nijmegen. The ICS offers a postgraduate program for a small selection of excellent graduates in one of the social sciences (including economics, history, mathematics or computer sciences). The structured program consists of training in advanced theory construction and research methods by means of courses, tutorials and individual study. Supervision and monitoring are intense: each Ph.D student is supported by a personal supervision team meeting on a regular basis. At the end of four years our Ph.D students, will also have finished his or her dissertation, ready to enter the growing market for highly trained researchers in the social sciences. We would like to ask you to search in your own network for recent graduates who might be interested and who are highly qualified. General information on the ICS and the structure of the program can be found on the ICS homepage: http://www.ics-graduateschool.nl. An update of the information concerning the selection procedure 2005 and the projects which will be offered this year will be on the homepage by the end of March, 2005. The same information will be issued in a brochure, which can be ordered via e.mail: sociologie@maw.ru.nl. For further information and applications (see the last page of the brochure, and on the homepage: 'How to Apply'), interested graduates can write to the ICS Secretariat in Nijmegen. ********************** Travel Grant Opportunity IXth SCAR International Biology Symposium ?Evolution and Biodiversity in Antarctica? Curitiba, Brazil 25-29 July 2005 Applications are sought from students, post-doctoral researchers, and investigators at U.S. institutions for partial travel support for expenses to participate in the IXth SCAR International Biology Symposium. Travel funds will be provided by the National Science Foundation?s Office of Polar Programs. The INTERNATIONAL ANTARCTIC BIOLOGY SYMPOSIUM is held every four years and will be in South America for the first time in Curitiba, Brazil from July 25 to 29, 2005. The IXth SCAR International Biology Symposium will bring together students and investigators of all ages from around the world with interests in Antarctic biology. The symposium is an excellent opportunity to view and discuss the most recent and important results of research on Antarctic biology. This year?s theme is ?EVOLUTION AND BIODIVERSITY IN ANTARCTIA (EBA)?. However, students and investigators involved in all aspects of Antarctic biological research are invited to submit contributions. Topical sessions will include biological linkages to global and local events. Plants and animals from all environments will be discussed from microbes to vertebrates. Research at all levels of biological organization will be included from the molecular to the ecosystem. Pure as well as applied scientific investigations will be presented. EBA is also the theme of a major new SCAR Scientific Research Program. SCAR EBA will be presented to the Antarctic biology community for discussion and planning at a workshop during the Symposium. Successful applicants must present a talk or poster at the symposium and must be enrolled at or employed by a U.S. institution. Priority will be given to students, post-docs and beginning scientists. The awards are expected to be in the $1000 to $2000 range. All associated air travel must be on US flagged carriers. Applications must be submitted by e-mail, with a brief statement of interest and a copy of the abstract of the talk or poster to be presented (title, authorship, content). Applications should be submitted electronically to Monica Holder, Office of the Vice President for Research, Texas A&M University, m-holder@tamu.edu (979-845-8585). Deadline for Applications: May 27, 2005. Questions: Polly Penhale, National Science Foundation, Office of Polar Programs, ppenhale@nsf.gov , 703-292-8033 or Mahlon ?Chuck? Kennicutt II, Office of the Vice President for Research, Texas A&M University, m-kennicutt@tamu.edu , 979-458-0115. *************************************************** Jobs Marine Science Initiative within The Australian National University: New positions available As part of a campus wide initiative, we wish to make key appointments to create a world leading research and teaching centre in the marine sciences of the southern oceans. Existing programs will be strengthened and new areas will be developed in the marine sciences, with a focus on the role of the southern hemisphere oceans in global climate change.? We seek appointments in ocean modelling, physical or chemical oceanography, marine geochemistry and palaeo-oceanography, biogeochemistry, and marine ecology, to bring together oceanographic data, geochemical analysis and modelling relevant to past, recent and future climate changes. For information on these positions please see http://info.anu.edu.au/hr/Jobs/Academic_Positions/index.asp ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. ??????? Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu.? Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. ??????? Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D.?????????? Office for Earth System Studies??? Tel:?? 509-527-5948?????????? Whitman College??????????????????????? Fax:? 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu???? ? Programs for Recent PhDs???????????????? http://aslo.org/phd.html ? DIALOG poster??????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf ? DISCCRS poster?????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf? Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/?????????????? -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 25716 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050422/a822acb2/attachment-0001.bin From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Apr 29 13:04:47 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Fri Apr 29 13:04:54 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 04/29/2005 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 04/29/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES The Art Of Communicating Effectively http://powerpointers.com/showarticle.asp?articleid=64 Arctic Climate in Historical Perspective: First International Polar Year 1881-1884 http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/aro/ipy-1/ DIVERSITAS Science Plan and Implementation Plan is now on line http://www.diversitas-international.org/core_ecoserv.html>http:// www.diversitas-international.org/core_ecoserv.html. SCIENCE NEWS Ozone Layer Most Fragile On Record http://tinyurl.com/77rx7 Oceans Tell the Story, Earth is Heating Up http://tinyurl.com/8hl3v Scientists Confirm Earth's Energy is Out of Balance http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/environment/earth_energy.html FORUM NASA Moves Shortchange Earth Science, Panel Says http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/bal- te.nasa28apr28,1,7777174.story SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS Workshop, The Ocean Carbon System: Recent Advances and Future Opportunities http://www.whoi.edu/sites/OCCC_workshop JOBS *************************************************** Resources The Art Of Communicating Effectively, Art Feierman, (suggested by Virginia Malone, Hondo, TX via Geo-ed, April 23, 2005), the site provides some good tips and reminders on creating and presenting PowerPoint presentations. This website should be useful for students learning to make presentations as well as instructors. The big idea: keep it simple. http://powerpointers.com/showarticle.asp?articleid=64 ******************** Arctic Climate in Historical Perspective: First International Polar Year 1881-1884 Contributed by ArcticInfo For the first time, historical arctic data and images from the explorers and scientists of the First International Polar Year are provided on a beautiful and comprehensive website at: http://www.arctic.noaa.gov/aro/ipy-1/ The First International Polar Year was the first series of coordinated international expeditions to the polar regions ever undertaken, and was the antecedent for other international research programs such as the upcoming 4th International Polar Year, planned to begin in 2007. The extraordinary historical data sets and images are available on the website for browsing or download. The records of the First International Polar Year offer a rare glimpse of the circumpolar arctic environment as it existed in the past. These observations collected so long ago now hold the potential to improve our understanding of historical climate variability and environmental change in the Arctic. Initial comparison of First International Polar Year data with 20th century observations of climate and environmental change in the Arctic shows that surface air temperature and sea-level pressure observed during 1882-1883 were within limits of a recent 30-year climatology and were consistent with a positive phase of the Arctic Oscillation and North Atlantic Oscillation pattern of variability. Credits: The documentary data and image collection was supported by NOAA's Arctic Research Office and developed by Kevin R. Wood and James E. Overland at NOAA/PMEL. ******************** DIVERSITAS Science Plan and Implementation Plan is now on line DIVERSITAS is pleased to announce that the Science Plan and Implementation Strategy of the DIVERSITAS Core Project ecoSERVICES is now available online. Please follow the link http://www.diversitas-international.org/docs/ diversitas/ecoSERVICES_FIN.pdf to download the document. The ecoSERVICES Science Plan highlights the need to develop rigourous, fact-based science that advances current knowledge on the links between biodiversity, ecosystem functioning and ecosystem services. Its end goal is to provide policy-relevant advice to interested parties at local, regional and international levels. To meet these objectives, the ecoSERVICES Science Plan was built upon ? and will be carried out through ? interdisciplinary collaboration amongst natural and social scientists. The plan comprises three interrelated foci: * Linking biodiversity to ecosystem functioning * Linking ecosystem funtioning to provision of services * Human responses to changes in ecosystem services ecoSERVICES aims to implement its Science Plan through the conduct of state-of-the-art assessments, the development of new modelling theories and methods, the promotion of experimental and theoretical research networks, the establishment of global databases and the undertaking of case studies. Finally the new knowledge will be used to build environmental policy mechanisms that adequately account for the value of biodiversity. For more information on the scientific programme and the activities of the DIVERSITAS Core Project ecoSERVICES, please follow this link: http:// www.diversitas-international.org/core_ecoserv.html. *************************************************** Science News Ozone Layer Most Fragile On Record from The Guardian (UK) via Sigma Xi Science in the News The protective ozone layer over the Arctic has thinned this winter to the lowest levels since records began, alarming scientists who believed it had begun to heal. The increased loss of ozone allows more harmful ultraviolet light to reach the earth's surface, making children and outdoor enthusiasts such as skiers more vulnerable to skin cancer - a disease which is already dramatically increasing. Scientists yesterday reinforced the warning that people going out in the sun this summer should protect themselves with creams and hats. http://tinyurl.com/77rx7 ********************** OCEAN TELLS THE STORY: EARTH IS HEATING UP from San Francisco Chronicle via Sigma Xi Science in the News New temperature readings from the deep ocean trace a clear warming trend that seems impossible to turn around any time soon, scientists reported Thursday, promising a steadily warming world and raising the odds of a catastrophic sudden change marked by rising seas and melting icecaps. Researchers led by James Hansen, one of NASA's top climatologists, looked at the planet's "energy imbalance" -- the difference between the amount of heat absorbed by Earth and the amount radiated out into space -- and compared those results with predictions of leading climate models. They concluded that the unusual magnitude of the warming trend could not be explained by natural variability, but instead fit precisely in line with theories suggesting that human activity -- the dominant "forcing agent" driving the computerized climate models -- is responsible. http://tinyurl.com/8hl3v ****************** SCIENTISTS CONFIRM EARTH'S ENERGY IS OUT OF BALANCE NASA Press Release RELEASE: 05-111 Scientists have concluded more energy is being absorbed from the sun than is emitted back to space, throwing the Earth's energy "out of balance" and warming the globe. Scientists from NASA, Columbia University, New York, and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, Calif. used satellites, data from buoys and computer models to study the Earth's oceans. They confirmed the energy imbalance by using precise measurements of increasing ocean heat content over the past 10 years. The study reveals Earth's energy imbalance is large by standards of the planet's history. The imbalance is 0.85 watts per meter squared. That will cause an additional warming of 0.6 degrees Celsius (1 degree Fahrenheit) by the end of this century. To understand the difference, think of a one-watt light bulb shining over an area of one square meter (10.76 square feet). Although it doesn't seem like much, adding up the number of feet around the world creates a big effect. To put this number into perspective, an imbalance of one-watt per square meter, maintained for the past 10,000 years is enough to melt ice equivalent to one kilometer (.6 mile) of sea level, if there were that much ice. "The energy imbalance is an expected consequence of increasing atmospheric pollution, especially carbon dioxide, methane, ozone, and black carbon particles. These pollutants block the Earth's heat radiation from escaping to space, and they increase absorption of sunlight," said Jim Hansen of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, New York. He is the lead author of the new study, which is in this week's Science Magazine Science Express. As the Earth warms it emits more heat. Eventually the Earth will be back in balance, if the greenhouse gas emissions are kept at the same level of today. Scientists know it takes the ocean longer to warm than the land. The lag in the ocean's response has practical consequences. It means there is an additional global warming of about one degree Fahrenheit that is already in the pipeline. Even if there were no further increase of human-made gases in the air, climate would continue to warm that much over the next century. Warmer world-wide water temperatures also affect other things. "Warmer waters increase the likelihood of accelerated ice sheet disintegration and sea level rise during this century," Hansen said. Since 1993, sea levels have been measured by satellite altimeters. Data has shown they have risen by approximately 3.1 centimeters or 1.26 inches per decade. Although 3.1 centimeters is a small change, the rate of increase is twice as large as in the preceding century. There are positive feedbacks that come into play, as the area of ice melt increases. The researchers agree monitoring ice sheets and sea level is necessary to best ensure the system is in balance. For more information and images about this story on the Internet, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/environment/earth_energy.html *************************************************** Forum NASA MOVES SHORTCHANGE EARTH, SCIENCE PANEL SAYS from The Baltimore Sun (Registration Required) via Sigma Xi Science in the News NASA has cut spending on Earth science to the point where the network of satellites that observe the planet "is at risk of collapse," a National Research Council panel said yesterday. The group called the trend "alarming" and said it threatens advances in understanding the changing nature of the planet. In a document released yesterday, the 18-member panel urged NASA to revive and launch some missions that have been canceled, delayed or scaled back as the space agency shifts priorities to fulfill President Bush's "vision" for sending astronauts to the moon and Mars. http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/bal- te.nasa28apr28,1,7777174.story *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings Workshop, The Ocean Carbon System: Recent Advances and Future Opportunities A website has just been opened for the The Ocean Carbon System: Recent Advances and Future Opportunities. This is an Ocean Carbon and Climate Change (OCCC) Workshop, You can register and request lodging, travel support, etc. if you are interested in participating. http://www.whoi.edu/sites/OCCC_workshop *************************************************** Jobs ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. ??????? Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu.? Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. ??????? Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D.?????????? Office for Earth System Studies??? Tel:?? 509-527-5948?????????? Whitman College??????????????????????? Fax:? 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu???? ? Programs for Recent PhDs???????????????? http://aslo.org/phd.html ? DIALOG poster??????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf ? DISCCRS poster?????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf? Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/?????????????? -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 15776 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050429/c3205cf3/attachment-0001.bin From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri May 6 18:57:09 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Fri May 6 18:57:35 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG/DISCCRS News 05/06/05 Message-ID: <13694d990fbd496484f39acd1a685b11@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 05/06/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES SCIENCE NEWS Though Global Climate Change Is Breaking Out All Around Us, The U.S. News Media Has Remained Silent http://hartfordadvocate.com/gbase/News/content?oid=oid:110479 New Australian Coral Reefs Discovered http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4472161.stm Dead Zone Returns Early To Louisiana Coast http://tinyurl.com/dfwb9 Artisanal Fishing In Peru On The Verge Of Collapse http://www.elcomercioperu.com.pe/EdicionImpresa/Html/2005-04-03/ impLima0283156.html FORUM Website for Project on Environmental Change and Public Policy http://www.ln.edu.hk/projects/ecfp/Home.htm A Conversation With Stephen Schneider http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/03/science/earth/03conv.html? pagewanted=print SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS IAI Training Institutes for 2005 Scholarships For Courses On Complex Systems http://necsi.net/education/school/summer05.html JOBS Director, Pew Fellows Program--Pew Institute For Ocean Science *************************************************** Resources *************************************************** Science News Though Global Climate Change Is Breaking Out All Around Us, The U.S. News Media Has Remained Silent Reprinted with permission from Mother Jones magazine, ?2005, Foundation for National Progress. The article is part of "Climate of Denial," a 16-page package on global warming in the May/June issue of Mother Jones magazine. The package is also available online at www.motherjones.com. This was recently reprinted in the Hartford Advocate--it is worth a read .... Though global climate change is breaking out all around us, the U.S. news media has remained silent. Not because climate change is a bad story -- to the contrary: Conflict is the lifeblood of journalism, and the climate issue is riven with conflict. Global warming policy pits the United States against most of the countries of the world. It's a source of tension between the Bush administration and 29 states, nearly 100 cities, and scores of activist groups working to reduce emissions. And it has generated significant and acrimonious splits within the oil, auto, and insurance industries. These stories are begging to be written....http://hartfordadvocate.com/gbase/News/content?oid=oid: 110479 ***************** New Australian Coral Reefs Discovered Australian scientists have reported the discovery of coral reefs 100 kilometers long (62.5 miles) in the Gulf of Carpentaria, off the north coast of the continent. The newly discovered reefs could be at least 100,000 years old. Deep murky water had obscured them from the view of satellites, and they were found inadvertently by scientists investigating a number of small reefs discovered on a previous expedition two years ago. Scientists are confident that more large reefs could be hiding in the deep tropical water. SOURCE: Phil Mercer: New Australian reefs discovered. BBC News, Sydney. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/4472161.stm ******************** Dead Zone Returns Early To Louisiana Coast from The Fort Worth Star-Telegram via Sigma Xi Science in the News Much to the surprise of Texas A&M scientists, the dead zone has made an early appearance this year off the Louisiana coast. The dead, or hypoxic, zone normally doesn't appear until late spring or early summer, so its arrival is cause for concern, said Steven DiMarco, a Texas A&M University associate professor of oceanography. In the dead zone, unusually low levels of oxygen can kill fish and threaten other marine life. http://tinyurl.com/dfwb9 ******************** Artisanal Fishing In Peru On The Verge Of Collapse Via SeaSpan A story in the Peruvian newspaper El Comercio says that the country's artisanal fishing industry seems on the verge of collapse. Official statistics record that 28,098 Peruvians dedicate themselves to artisanal fishing, that is to say to the extraction of marine resources for direct human consumption. Almost half of the boats are out of service and very few are equipped with location devices in case they get lost. The paper says that of 6258 registered boats, 40 percent are nonfunctional, due to the fishermen's lack of means, insufficient even for their maintenance. This absence of cash is exacerbated by diminishing levels of fishery resources. The average earnings for an artisanal fisherman are around 400 soles per month (less than 150 U.S. dollars). SOURCE: En el 2004 murieron 27 pescadores mientras navegaban en alta mar. El Comercio, April 3, 2005; cited in SAMUDRA News Alert, April 11, 2005, translated by Brian O'Riordan. To read the original Spanish version, go to: http://www.elcomercioperu.com.pe/EdicionImpresa/Html/2005-04-03/ impLima0283156.html *************************************************** Forum Website for Project on Environmental Change and Public Policy Submitted by Paul Harris http://www.ln.edu.hk/projects/ecfp/Home.htm The Project on Environmental Change and Foreign Policy seeks to better understand the role of foreign policy actors and processes in efforts to preserve the environment and natural resources. The project has resulted in a number of publications over the last five years, included several edited volumes. The Website includes links to tables of contents of the project's books and abstracts of nearly 75 articles published under the auspices of the project so far (with more to be added soon). You will also find a bibliography of sources (to be expanding greatly in coming weeks) useful in research on environmental foreign policy, and links to other research projects and additional sources on the World Wide Web. The ECFP Website includes many resources, including abstracts of about three dozen papers, specifically related to climate change. Paul G. Harris, Director - Project on Environmental Change and Foreign Policy ************************ A Conversation With Stephen Schneider Submitted by Ron Mitchell This is an article by a New York Times reporter, interviewing climate-change Guru Steve Schneider applying lessons learned from a life in climate science to his treatment for cancer. It's a nice example of how to sneak some great science into a general conversation! http://www.nytimes.com/2005/05/03/science/earth/03conv.html? pagewanted=print *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings Two IAI Training Institutes for 2005 The IAI is very pleased to announce its two Training Institutes for 2005: - Training Institute on Vulnerability associated with Climate Variability and Climate Change in the Americas, October 17-28, 2005, Asunci?n, Paraguay. - Training Institute on Climate and Health in the Americas, second semester of 2005, Jamaica. The pre-announcements of these Training Institutes can be downloaded from: (English Version) http://www.iai.int/files/opportunities/iai/Jamaica_PreAnnouncement.pdf http://www.iai.int/files/opportunities/iai/Paraguay_PreAnnouncement.pdf (Spanish Version) http://www.iai.int/files/opportunities/iai/ Jamaica_PreAnnouncement_SP.pdf http://www.iai.int/files/opportunities/iai/ Paraguay_PreAnnouncement_SP.pdf *************************************************** Jobs Director, Pew Fellows Program--Pew Institute For Ocean Science Location: Miami, Florida, Usa - Applications Due: May 16, 2005 The Pew Institute of Ocean Science, with offices in Miami and New York City, is seeking an individual to direct all operations and programmatic functions of the Pew Fellows Program in Marine Conservation. This person will plan and direct the processes of nomination, application, review and selection of Fellows; supervise planning and running of annual meeting; develop and manage budgeting, granting, and evaluation of grants; oversee all PFP administrative functions; oversee development and implementation of promotion plans and publicity; manage and coordinate interactions with advisory committee, program sponsor, and the host institution; conduct ongoing monitoring, review, and evaluation of program; and enhance operations and outcomes. Requirements include, at minimum, a bachelor?s degree in marine science or communication; a commitment to conservation and knowledge and experience in marine-related issues; demonstrated experience in non-profit/program management, grants administration, educational programming, budgeting, conference development, marketing/public relations, and networking; outstanding communication skills, initiative, flexibility, resourcefulness and leadership; ability to set priorities, multitask, meet deadlines, work independently and as part of a team; be comfortable working with professionals worldwide in many sectors; and have knowledge of oceanic and environmental issues, organizations, and resources. For more information contact Rosemary Mann, Director of Operations and Program Development, University of Miami, Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Miami, FL 33149; (305)421-4188, (305)421-4077 fax; or email: rmann@rsmas.miami.edu ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. ??????? Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu.? Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. ??????? Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D.?????????? Office for Earth System Studies??? Tel:?? 509-527-5948?????????? Whitman College??????????????????????? Fax:? 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu???? ? Programs for Recent PhDs???????????????? http://aslo.org/phd.html ? DIALOG poster??????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf ? DISCCRS poster?????? http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf? Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/?????????????? -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: not available Type: text/enriched Size: 13654 bytes Desc: not available Url : http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050506/6d5e22ee/attachment.bin From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri May 27 14:04:56 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Sue Weiler) Date: Fri May 27 14:04:59 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG/DISCCRS News 05/27/2005 Message-ID: <42976F58.2020302@whitman.edu> *DIALOG and DISCCRS News 05/27/2005 /************************************ /TABLE OF CONTENTS * *RESOURCES Prospective New Awardee Guide* http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf0529 *SCIENCE NEWS FORUM* *SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS **New England Complex Systems Institute Summer schook, Scholarships and Postdoctoral Fellowship opportunities * http://necsi.org/education/school/summer05.html or http://necsi.org/education/postdoc/app.php *Interdisciplinarity as a Challengei one-day conference JOBS * ****************************************************/ /Resources * *Prospective New Awardee Guide * http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf0529 **************************************************** Science News *************************************************** Forum* * * **************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships*,* Meetings * *New England Complex Systems Institute Summer schook, Scholarships and Postdoctoral Fellowship opportunities * NECSI Summer School & Scholarships http://necsi.org/education/school/summer05.html Postdoctoral Fellowship Opportunities http://necsi.org/education/postdoc/app.php ********************* Interdisciplinarity as a Challenge: One-Day Conference * Date: 3rd June, 2005 Time: 9:30 AM until 5:30 PM Host: Utrecht University, Faculty of Arts Location: Utrecht, Drift 21, Sweelinckzaal This course especially welcomes MA and PhD students, but is open to all who are interested. Please direct any questions to the organisers at: interdisciplinarity.conference@gmail.com. The itinerary for the day includes: Keynote lectures by: -Prof. Dr. Rosi Braidotti with a response by Prof. Dr. Berteke Waaldijk; -Prof. Dr. Stephan Jaeger with a response by Prof. Dr. Orlanda Lie, and -Workshops run by graduate students from the Department of the Humanities; -Plus various opportunities to network with fellow colleagues and professors during coffee, lunch, and drinks. (Please see below the detailed program for the day) Please note that admission as well as lunch, coffee, and drinks are all free of charge. ****Registration is not necessary but highly appreciated!*** To register please email the committee at interdisciplinarity.conference@gmail.com. Conference statement: "By tenaciously attempting the impossible task of knowing everything, interdisciplinarians help us see the various components of human knowledge for what they are; pieces in a panoramic jigsaw puzzle." - Moti Nissani Over the last decades, interdisciplinarity has become the hottest new trend to hit the academic world. Interdisciplinary work is a necessity nowadays, due both to cutbacks in academia - forcing scholars to work together in larger departments - and to changes in society, spurring on the need for a fuller understanding of complex social, scientific and cultural developments. As a result, new interdisciplinary fields of study, such as Medieval Studies, Women's Studies and Cultural Studies, have become part and parcel of Humanities departments everywhere, while interdisciplinary work is also undertaken within the established academic traditions. Not just a necessity, some consider interdisciplinarity a challenge: interdisciplinarity can create breakthroughs, provide scholars with very useful crossdisciplinary oversights, and free them from narrow perspectives. Others, however, question the benefits of interdisciplinarity, by pointing out its obstacles and dangers. For instance, can scholars evaluate sources from outside their fields of specialization well enough to base new conclusions on them? What happens when findings from Literary Studies are translated and integrated into research on, for example, visual culture? And in its need to be all-inclusive, can interdisciplinary studies rise above the analysis of the acutely topical? This conference will address the benefits and dangers of interdisciplinarity. Speakers from various fields of study will give their opinions on these issues as well as concrete examples of either breakthroughs or setbacks as a consequence of their nterdisciplinary approaches. ********************* * * * **************************************************** Jobs * * * *************************************************** *This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. * Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. * Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. * Moving?* Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ******************** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ _______________________________________________ DISCCRS1 mailing list DISCCRS1@aslo.org http://aslo.org/mailman/listinfo/disccrs1 From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Jun 3 15:33:00 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Fri Jun 3 15:33:48 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 06/03/05 Message-ID: <687BD5D4-52C5-4104-9675-5396975CC34B@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 06/03/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES Climate Trust Times On Line http://www.climatetrust.org/pdfs/newsletters/CTT-Spring_2005.pdf Arctic Climate Impact Assessment http://www.acia.uaf.edu NSF Call for Proposals: Long Term Research in Environmental Biology (LTREB) http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2005/nsf05583/nsf05583.htm SCIENCE NEWS FORUM JOBS Assistant Director, Federal Relations ? Marine and Environmental Affairs Senior International Fellow www.pewclimate.org U.S. Arctic Research Commission, an independent government agency http://www.arctic.gov *************************************************** Resources Climate Trust Times On Line The Climate Trust Times is now available online at http:// www.climatetrust.org/pdfs/newsletters/CTT-Spring_2005.pdf The Climate Trust is a non-profit working towards a more stable climate. Our sole mission is to promote climate change solutions by providing high quality greenhouse gas offset projects and advancing sound offset policy. To date, The Climate Trust has offset 1.6 million metric tons of carbon dioxide from $4 million invested in offset project contracts making us one of the largest and most experienced offset buyers in the U.S. and world markets. We are currently soliciting proposals for projects that reduce carbon dioxide emissions with $4.3 million in offset funding. For more information visit: www.climatetrust.org. To offset your personal emissions visit: www.CarbonCounter.org ******************** Arctic Climate Impact Assessment Taken from Arctic Info Pre-release Versions of Chapters Available Online For further information and to download the chapters, please go to: http://www.acia.uaf.edu Prior to publication of the scientific report, several individual science chapters of the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment are now available as pre-releases on the ACIA website: http://www.acia.uaf.edu The published chapters may differ slightly in presentation style and pagination from the pre-released chapters, but not in technical content. The publication date for the ACIA scientific report is estimated to be July 2005. The following chapters are currently available online: Chapter 1: Introduction to the ACIA Chapter 2: Arctic Climate - Past and Present Chapter 2 Commentary: Arctic Temperature Change Chapter 3: Changing Arctic: Indigenous Perspectives Chapter 4: Future Climate Change: Modeling and Scenarios Chapter 5: Ozone and Ultraviolet Radiation Chapter 6: Cryosphere and Hydrology Chapter 10: Principles of Conserving the Arctic's Biodiversity Chapter 11: Management and Conservation of Wildlife in a Changing Arctic Environment Chapter 12: Hunting, Herding, Fishing and Gathering: Indigenous Peoples and Renewable Resource Use in the Arctic Chapter 15: Human Health Chapter 16: Infrastructure: Buildings, Support Systems, and Industrial Facilities ******************** NSF Call for Proposals: Long Term Research in Environmental Biology (LTREB) Synopsis of Program: The Division of Environmental Biology encourages the submission of proposals aimed at generating long time series of biological and environmental data that address particular ecological and evolutionary processes. NSF will support competitively reviewed projects that continue critical and novel long-term data collection aimed at resolving important issues in environmental biology. Researchers must demonstrate at least six years of data collection to qualify for funding and the proposal must convey a rationale for at least ten additional years of data collection. As part of the requirements for funding, projects must show how collected data will be shared broadly with the scientific community and the interested public. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2005/nsf05583/ nsf05583.htm *************************************************** Science News *************************************************** Forum *************************************************** Jobs Assistant Director, Federal Relations - Marine and Environmental Affairs The National Association of State Universities and Land-Grant Colleges (NASULGC) is seeking an individual to manage a federal relations program relating to the marine, atmospheric, environmental and natural resources sciences for the NASULGC member institutions. The Assistant Director is responsible for staffing the Association's Board on Oceans and Atmosphere, which is composed of Deans, Department Heads and other university administrators in the marine, atmospheric and climate sciences and the Board on Natural Resources, composed of scientific leaders in fisheries and wildlife; fresh water; forestry; ecology; and minerals and energy. The Assistant Director also staffs the committees of the Commission on Food, Environment and Renewable Resources, which is chaired by a president or chancellor of a NASULGC institution. The successful candidate will be responsible for organizing regularly scheduled meetings and events pertaining to all of these groups and will work under the direct supervision of the Executive Vice President. The Assistant Director identifies and monitors key legislation of interest to the boards and works with the boards to develop a strategy for advancing their agendas in Congress. The Assistant Director also facilitates partnerships between universities and federal agencies, including NOAA, NASA, USGS, Navy/ONR, DOE, NSF and EPA. The successful candidate will possess: ? Working knowledge of the legislative process and Capitol Hill ? Non-partisan approach to federal relations ? Working knowledge of the Federal bureaucratic process, including development of Agency budgets ? Cultivation of key contacts in order to advance NASULGC interests ? Understanding of the land-grant system and allied institutions ? Understanding of ocean, coastal, atmospheric, and natural resource sciences issues ? A minimum of a bachelor's degree. ? Strong written and verbal communication skills. ? Ability to work efficiently and with attention to details. ? High level of computer literacy. Salary range: low-mid 40's, with flexibility. NASULGC is the nation's oldest higher education association. Currently, the association has 214 member institutions located in all fifty states. Its members constitute the major public research institutions in the nation. The association's mission is to support high quality public education through efforts that enhance the capacity of member institutions to perform their traditional teaching, research and public service roles. NASULGC is committed to diversity and equality in education and employment. ******************* Senior International Fellow Pew Center on Global Climate Change, Arlington, Virginia, USA The Pew Center on Global Climate Change seeks a highly qualified and committed individual to work with the International team on policy analysis and outreach. Starting Date: July/August 2005 (flexible) Responsibilities Include: ? Research and analyze international climate policy issues ? Work on oversight and editing of Pew Center reports ? Coordinate planning and logistics for workshops, briefings, and other events ? Monitor international and national (outside the U.S.) climate policy developments ? Establish and maintain relations with representatives of governments, institutions, and stakeholders engaged in international climate policy ? Conduct outreach at international climate negotiations and other meetings and conferences ? Assist with administrative tasks as needed Qualifications: ? Bachelor?s degree or Masters in environmental policy, international relations, or related field ? Strong analytical, writing, and editing skills ? Interdisciplinary understanding of the climate change issue (technology, politics, economics) ? Background in international climate negotiations and policy ? Attention to detail ? Willingness to pitch in at all levels ? Willingness to travel ? English fluency; other languages a strong plus Compensation: Competitive salary commensurate with experience. Excellent benefits. Status: Full-time, regular, exempt Application Deadline: June 15 About the Pew Center on Global Climate Change: The Pew Center is an independent, non-profit, and non-partisan organization dedicated to providing credible information, straight answers, and innovative solutions in the effort to address global climate change. The Center was formed in 1998 with a large grant from the Pew Charitable Trusts. The Pew Center strives to inform the debate by publishing reports in the areas of domestic and international policy, economics, environmental impacts, and practical solutions relating to climate change. To facilitate dialogue among business, government, and non-governmental organizations, the Center hosts conferences and workshops on climate-relevant topics. Pew Center staff participate in meetings on international climate change issues, including the ongoing negotiations on the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The Center?s Business Environmental Leadership Council (BELC) is comprised of major companies in diverse sectors demonstrating leadership in addressing global climate change by assessing opportunities for emissions reductions, establishing and meeting emissions reduction objectives, and investing in new, more efficient products, practices, and technologies. The Center accepts no funding from corporations. For more information about the Pew Center visit www.pewclimate.org. Send resume and cover letter to: Elliot Diringer, Director of International Strategies c/o The Pew Center on Global Climate Change 2101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 550 Arlington, VA 22201 or electronically in a Word Document to jorgec@pewclimate.org ******************** U.S. Arctic Research Commission, an independent government agency The U.S. Arctic Research Commission, an independent government agency, (http://www.arctic.gov) invites applications from qualified applicants with comprehensive terrestrial, marine, or atmospheric research experience in the Arctic, including research management and participation in the field or at sea. A Ph.D. is desired. Applications are encouraged from individuals whose research expertise is complemented by knowledge and experience in: - the Federal planning and budgetary processes; - international arctic research activities and their management; and - the ongoing research interests of the state of Alaska, local jurisdictions and NGOs. Strong interpersonal, negotiating skills are important. The Executive Director is the senior government employee of the Commission, whose duties (among others) include development and recommendation of a national arctic research policy, and facilitation of cooperation of arctic research and logistics activities between Federal, state, local, indigenous, and international entities. The Commission is mandated under the Arctic Research and Policy Act of 1984 (as amended). Additional details of the Commission, its activities, and its publications may be viewed online at: http:// www.arctic.gov This opportunity is a Senior Executive Service (SES) position. It may also be filled through the Intergovernmental Personnel Act authority. The successful applicant will succeed the retiring incumbent on or about 31 Jan 2006. U.S. citizenship is required. Details and complete application requirements must be obtained from the USAJOBS website at http://www.usajobs.opm.gov under Vacancy Announcement OS-05-78. Applications must be submitted by Friday, 15 July 2005. Questions may be addressed to Sandra Wheatley in the Minerals Management Service (MMS) Human Resources Office at 202-208-6702. The USARC is an equal opportunity employer. ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ _______________________________________________ DISCCRS1 mailing list DISCCRS1@aslo.org http://aslo.org/mailman/listinfo/disccrs1 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050603/7d7b87b0/attachment-0001.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Tue Jun 14 16:46:14 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Tue Jun 14 16:46:20 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG Mixer at ASLO/Spain Meeting Message-ID: <9C2E6B03-F31F-494B-84C5-B1107A57F565@whitman.edu> Dear all, I will not be able to attend the Spain meeting, but Maarten Boersma is organizing a DIALOG Mixer to go along with the Student Mixer. You don't have to DO anything but ENJOY the refreshments and the chance to see old friends and make new ones!!! NO work involved-- just FUN!!!! Maarten has just submitted a proposal to the EC to provide more support for Europeans. We hope the mixer will be an opportunity to highlight DIALOG in a good international forum. Please join Maarten at the mixer--see below. Student?DIALOG Mixer Monday, June 20 14:00 - 15:15 Palacio de Congresos - Obradoiro Hall, Break-out #3 --Note that we want to hand out a list of DIALOG symposium participants who will be there and willing to share early-career experiences and talk up the DIALOG program. PLEASE, please send Maarten your Name DIALOG/DIACES/DISCCRS Symposium # Current position Institution Research/other Professional/jSocietal Interests e-mail address Send to Maarten at mboersma@awi-bremerhaven.de Thanks! ********************** Message from Maarten: On Monday, 20 June, over lunch, we are having the ASLO Student/DIALOG Mixer Reception. I would like to ask those of you that are at the meeting and willing to talk to others interested in the DIALOG/DIACES/ DISCCRS programme to send me a brief mail with the following information: name, current position, institution, research interests, DIALOG cohort and e-mail address, so I can compile a list for those interested in meeting you. There will only be two 5-minute presentations, one by the Student Representatives and one by me about DIALOG. The rest of the time will just be for meeting and talking! The emphasis will be on giving you all a chance to interact with one another to discuss your experiences, ask questions, meet with old and gain new colleagues. Refreshments will be available. Please come and enjoy! Thanks for your cooperation; I hope to see you all in Spain Maarten Boersma mboersma@awi-bremerhaven.de From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Jun 17 16:54:02 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Fri Jun 17 17:46:39 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 06/17/05 Message-ID: <05CBB959-4769-43A6-8DB7-3A85AF953E6C@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 06/17/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES One Planet, Many People: Atlas of Our Changing Environment http://www.na.unep.net/ Leaving the Lecturn - Cooperative Learning and the Critical First Days of Students Working in Groups www.ankerpub.com Recommendations for Postdoctoral Policies & Practices http://www.nationalpostdoc.org/policy/Recommended_Practices.pdf Ethical Dimensions of Climate Change http://rockethics.psu.edu/initiatives/climate.asp Meeting the EU 2?C Climate Target: Global and Regional Emission Implications http://www.mnp.nl/en/ New webpage for US Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) http://www.usgcrp.gov/usgcrp/new.htm SCIENCE NEWS Academies Warn of Warming http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na- warm8jun08,0,3822148.story NASA: Earth and Space Sciences at Risk http://www.agu.org/sci_pol/policy/positions/earthspace_risk.shtml Arctic Warming May Be a Factor in Demise of Lakes http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pr05093 Mucus-Producing Sea Creatures Key To Underwater Food Chain http://tinyurl.com/bd7fm The Limits of Aquaculture FORUM Does scientific collaboration increase the impact of interdisciplinary articles? http://lists.iisd.ca:81/read/?forum=weekly_journal_review For preface by Jenn Marlon see below. SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS Call for Presentations www.climatescience.gov/workshop2005/default.htm Course Announcement - Circumpolar Arctic Social Sciences Ph.D. Network http://www.geo.ruc.dk/NORS/Phdnet.htm IAI Climate-Change Training Institutes For 2005 http://www.institutes.iai.int JOBS NRDC-Development Associate Job opportunity in environmental science communication http://www.fin.ucar.edu/hr/careers/uco.cfm? do=jobDetailExt&job_ID=488 Massachusetts Environmental Fellow Post Doctoral Positions http://www.umass.edu/tei/ Vacancy Announcement - Institute for Environmental Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam *************************************************** Resources One Planet, Many People: Atlas of Our Changing Environment To commemorate World Environment Day, UNEP launched a new reference book entitled "One Planet, Many People: Atlas of Our Changing Environment" on June 3, 2005. For more information on how to order, or to preview a digital copy of the book, go to: http:// www.na.unep.net/ ******************** Leaving the Lecturn - Cooperative Learning and the Critical First Days of Students Working in Groups By Dean A. McManus Foreword by Shirley M. Malcom ISBN 1-882982-85-1 paperbound, 6 x 9 - 232 pages ? 2005 $32.95 Message from Sue Weiler: I have not read this book yet, but I know Dean McManus and I expect this is going to be a fabulous resource. This book records the story of how one professor at a research university used a form of active learning to change the way he taught- from traditional lecture and examinations to cooperative learning and student projects. Drawn from teaching notes, conversations with students, student evaluations, and annual reports, readers will learn the kinds of risks, assumptions, and decisions they will face as they change their teaching to emphasize student learning, particularly during the critical first days of change. Engagingly written, Leaving the Lectern offers an honest and insightful look at the challenges and rewards of achieving change in the classroom. DEAN A. McMANUS is professor emeritus in the School of Oceanography at the University of Washington. To order Leaving the Lectern, please visit Anker Publishing's web site at www.ankerpub.com. Please contact us at 978-779-6190 or Lindy@Ankerpub.com with any questions regarding substantial discounts on bulk orders. ******************** Recommendations for Postdoctoral Policies & Practices Taken from AGU Education Brief New resources are available from the National Postdoctoral Association for institutional leaders, postdoc office administrators, principal investigators and postdoc association leaders; these recommendations reflect the best current thinking on those policies and practices that every institution should consider for enhancing the postdoctoral training experience. Included in these new resources are a Postdoc Association Toolkit and International Postdoc Survival Guide. For more information about these resources and the NPA, see: http://www.nationalpostdoc.org/policy/Recommended_Practices.pdf. Point of Contact: Alyson Reed, Executive Director, National Postdoctoral Association (202-326-6427). AGU Education Briefs are issued periodically and highlight key education-related news and opportunities in the Earth and space sciences. To register for the AGU Education Briefs mailing list, visit http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/edu_BRIEFSreg.html. ******************** Ethical Dimensions of Climate Change http://rockethics.psu.edu/initiatives/climate.asp In December at COP- 10 in Buenos Aries, eight organization launched the Program on the Ethical Dimensions of Climate Change. These organizations include: Rock Ethics Institute at Penn State University, the Pennsylvania Consortium for Interdisciplinary Environmental Policy, the IUCN Commission on Environmental Law-Ethics Working Group, the Centre for Applied Ethics at Cardiff University, the Centre For Global Ethics at Birmingham University, the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research, EcoEquity. and Oxford Climate Policy Rock Ethics Institute at Penn State University is the secretariat for this program. The Program has now launched a website at http:// rockethics.psu.edu/initiatives/climate.asp . This site includes an extensive bibliography on the ethical dimensions of climate change that will be maintained in the years ahead. The program will examine the following questions in the next year and is planning an international conference to consider these issues: a. Who is ethically responsible for the consequences of climate change, that is, who is liable for the burdens of: i. preparing for and then responding to climate change (i.e. adaptation) ii. unavoided damages? b. What ethical principles should guide the choice of specific climate change policy objectives including but not limited to maximum human-induced warming, and atmospheric greenhouse gas targets? c. What ethical principles should be followed in allocating responsibility among people, organizations, and governments at all levels to prevent ethically intolerable impacts from climate change? d. What principles of procedural justice should be followed to assure fair representation at all levels in decision-making about climate change? e. Are commonly used reasons for delaying climate change action ethically justified? These reasons include: i. Costs to national economies. ii. The absence of developing nations' emissions reduction targets iii. The future invention of less-costly technologies. Questions about this work should be directed to Donald A. Brown at brownd@state.pa.us. Donald A. Brown, Esq., Director, Pennsylvania Consortium for Interdisciplinary Environmental Policy, Rock Ethics Institute, Penn State University 717-783-8504 ******************** Meeting the EU 2?C Climate Target: Global and Regional Emission Implications Michel den Elzen (Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency), e- mail: michel.den.elzen@mnp.nl Malte Meinshausen (Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH Zurich), e-mail: malte.meinshausen@env.ethz.ch Abstract: Meeting the EU climate policy target with more than 50% certainty implies that greenhouse gas concentrations need to stabilise at 450 (400) ppm CO2-equivalent. Global emissions need to peak around 2015, followed by substantial overall reductions by 30% (50%) compared to 1990 levels in 2050. Industrialized countries will need to reduce their emissions by 15-30% below 1990 levels in 2020. It also requires the USA to participate in significant reductions soon and major advanced developing countries within the next 10-15 years. The report is available online at our new, revised website: http://www.mnp.nl/en/ Reference: den Elzen, M.G.J and Meinshausen, M., 2005. Meeting the EU 2?C climate target: global and regional emission implications. MNP report 728001031 (www.mnp.nl/en), Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP), Bilthoven, the Netherlands. ****************** New webpage for US Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) The U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) has just updated its "What's New" page at: http://www.usgcrp.gov/usgcrp/new.htm With a wide-ranging set of organized links to new online material, the page is periodically updated and provides an easy way to monitor important scientific developments -- without having to dig around dozens of different web sites. Among the latest highlights are links to: -Scripps-led Global Ocean Warming Research Paper Published in Science. Press release (dtd 2 June 2005) from Scripps Institution of Oceanography, at the University of California, San Diego. Announces publication in Sciencexpress (2 June 2005) of "Penetration of Human- Induced Warming into the World's Oceans" by Tim P. Barnett et al. -A continent split by climate change: New study projects drought in southern Africa, rain in Sahel. Press released (dtd 24 May 2005) from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and the National Science Foundation (NSF). -Web site explains how climate change affects New York City. Press release (dtd 20 May 2005) from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. -East Antarctica puts on weight. "Increased snowfall could slow sea-level rise." Article (dtd 19 May 2005) from news@nature.com. -Human-modified temperatures induce species changes: Joint attribution. Article by Terry L. Root, Dena P MacMynowski, Michael D. Mastrandrea, and Stephen H. Schneider in the 17 May 2005 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America. -The Hockey Stick Controversy. "New Analysis Reproduces Graph of Late 20th Century Temperature Rise." Press release (dtd 11 May 2005) from University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). -Earth Lightens Up. Press release (dtd 5 May 2005) from NASA's Earth Observatory News. Discusses: Martin Wild et al., "From Dimming to Brightening: Decadal Changes in Solar Radiation at Earth's Surface," Science (6 May 2005). -USGS Scientists Document Widespread Increases in Streamflow and Changes in the Timing. Press release (dtd 5 May 2005) from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). Discusses new USGS fact sheet, Streamflow Trends in the United States (March 2005). Recent publications (2005) from the National Academies: -Improving the Scientific Foundation for Atmosphere-Land-Ocean Simulations: Report of a Workshop. -Earth Science and Applications from Space: Urgent Needs and Opportunities to Serve the Nation. -Thinking Strategically: The Appropriate Use of Metrics for the Climate Change Science Program. -Review of the U.S. Climate Change Science Program?s Synthesis and Assessment Product on Temperature Trends in the Lower Atmosphere. (stay informed about global change at the National Academies by subscribing to the new monthly e-mail updates viadels.nas.edu/ccgc/ subscr_form.php ) Information on the CCSP Workshop "Climate Science in Support of Decision Making" (14-16 November 2005, Arlington, Virginia). Available directly at: www.climatescience.gov/workshop2005/ . Includes Call for Presentations (dtd 1 June 2005), in which the CCSP Workshop Program Committee invites presentations by users of climate science as well as members of the research community on topics related to the major themes of the workshop. Funding Opportunities ... 2006 NOAA Climate and Global Change Postdoctoral Program. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Climate and Global Change Program seeks to provide an effective national climate service based on the development and application of global and regional climate forecast information ... and much more. *************************************************** Science News Academies Warn of Warming from The Los Angeles Times (Registration Required)via Sigma Xi Science in the News The National Academy of Sciences and 10 similar organizations from some of the world's most powerful nations released a statement Tuesday calling for a stronger international response to global warming, arguing there is now more than enough evidence of a changing climate to justify taking immediate action. The unprecedented joint statement, politically timed to coincide with British Prime Minister Tony Blair's visit with President Bush in Washington, called on developed nations to "acknowledge that the threat of climate change is clear and increasing." It also called on countries to begin setting stricter targets to reduce heat-trapping greenhouse gases to prevent the worst consequences of global warming from taking place. http:// www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-warm8jun08,0,3822148.story ******************* NASA: Earth and Space Sciences at Risk American Geophysical Union 7 June 2005 AGU Release No. 05-18 Contact: Harvey Leifert +1 (202) 777-7507 hleifert@agu.org WASHINGTON - On 27 May 2005, the AGU Council adopted the position statement, "NASA: Earth and Space Sciences at Risk." The statement describes the impact of NASA's strategic plan, "A New Age of Exploration: NASA's Direction for 2005 and Beyond," on Earth and space science research at the agency. The cuts proposed to science programs at NASA in the Administration's Fiscal Year 2006 budget will severely affect our ability to understand natural hazards, map changes in Earth's surface, forecast space weather, understand Earth- Sun connections, and explore the solar system. Following is the full text of the AGU statement, which is also available at http://www.agu.org/sci_pol/policy/positions/ earthspace_risk.shtml ******************* Arctic Warming May Be a Factor in Demise of Lakes http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pr05093 ******************* Mucus-Producing Sea Creatures Key To Underwater Food Chain from San Francisco Chronicle via Sigma Xi Science in the News By analyzing the spooky abandoned "houses" of mucus-weaving sea creatures, Monterey scientists have shed new light on two lingering mysteries -- how creatures in the deep sea get food, and how the ocean absorbs carbon molecules that might otherwise contribute to global warming. Despite its name, the "giant larvacean" is a sea creature that is only about 2 inches long. But it spins gossamer-like nets of mucus -- which in photos resemble glistening parachutes and balloons -- up to a few feet wide, scientists at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) at Moss Landing explain in today's issue of the journal Science. Those mucus nets act like catchers' mitts, grabbing descending organic particles -- say, fecal pellets from fish -- that then provide nourishment to the giant larvacean. The creature is technically known as Bathochordaeus charon and was discovered 107 years ago. http://tinyurl.com/bd7fm ******************** The Limits of Aquaculture From the New York Times June 10, 2005 The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a draft proposal this week for legislation that would open extensive new territory - out to the federal limit of 200 miles - to fish farming. This proposal acknowledges the promise and the sobering limitations of aquaculture. The Commerce Department hopes to quintuple the amount of fish farming in the next 20 years, yet it has barely begun to come to terms with the health and environmental problems caused by the fish farms already operating. It seems all too likely that the temptation to expand fish farming swiftly will overwhelm the need to create rigorous environmental guidelines. It's worth remembering, too, what the backdrop to this proposal really is: the collapse of wild fish stocks in the world's oceans, the decay of the fishing industry and, ultimately, an inability to regulate commercial fishing in a way that protects the health and sustainability of the world's oceans. Fish farming may look like a way to increase the global food supply, but it pales next to the catastrophic decline in wild fish stocks caused by overfishing. As fish farms are run now, in fact, they themselves pose a threat to wild fish. Farmed fish frequently escape into the wild, creating a kind of genetic pollution, and carnivorous species like farmed salmon are fed protein from wild fish, a practice that does nothing to reduce our dependence on the overfished ocean. Any kind of farming that leads to a close concentration of animals - on the land or in the sea - also creates a source of pollution and a nexus for disease. The only responsible way to expand fish farming is to establish a stringent environmental framework that takes the health of the wild ocean as seriously as the economic potential of the domesticated ocean. The success of the one must not be premised on the collapse of the other. *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings Call for Presentations The U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) will hold a workshop on Climate Science in Support of Decisionmaking on November 14-16, 2005, at the Crystal Gateway Marriott Hotel in Arlington, Virginia. The workshop will explore uses of observations, modeling, studies of climate and related environmental processes, and derived tools to inform decisionmaking. Current information about the workshop is available at . The CCSP invites presentations by users of climate science as well as members of the research community on topics related to the following major themes of the workshop: -Water, including drought, water supply and water quality, and the uses of water in agriculture, ecosystems, recreation, and other sectors; -Ecosystems, including carbon sequestration, fire and other disturbances, invasive species, managed ecosystems (e.g., agriculture, forestry), and public health; -Coastal issues, including sea-level rise, infrastructure, storms, and marine resources; -Energy, including climate information that supports energy management and seasonal forecasting, infrastructure, energy planning such as biomass and renewables; and -Air Quality, including human health effects such as air quality and temperature issues. Presentations related to the above areas should address one or more of the following topics: -The type of information that decision makers and other stakeholders need to inform decisionmaking; -Evaluation of the current state of observations, modeling, or other research and its appropriateness for use in decisionmaking at different scales; -Example applications of scientific information to support decisionmaking; participant experiences; -Methods for communicating scientific information, including incorporation of information about levels of confidence and uncertainty in decisionmaking; -Methods and metrics for evaluating outcomes; and -Opportunities for improved application of currently-available information and priorities for future CCSP research. Examples of those who should consider submitting a proposal include: climate researchers; experts in related technical fields (e.g., engineering); managers of resources affected by climate variability and change; regional, state, and local government officials; policy analysts; and other stakeholders. Those interested in giving a presentation should submit an abstract using the web-based submission process available at the following website: . The website also contains additional information on the types of presentations encouraged, how to submit an abstract, the review process, and key dates, including announcement of accepted presentations. The deadline for submitting abstracts is July 30, 2005. Please contact workshop@climatescience.gov for further information. ******************** Course Announcement - Circumpolar Arctic Social Sciences Ph.D. Network 12-28 August 2005 Shetland and Faroe Islands Application Deadline: Friday, 1 July 2005 Information about the network and past courses is available at: http://www.geo.ruc.dk/NORS/Phdnet.htm The Circumpolar Arctic Social Sciences Ph.D. Network meets each year to explore issues of social, economic, and cultural change in northern communities. This year, the course will focus on the Faroe Islands, and issues around renewable and non-renewable resource development there, as well as issues of regional development and resource management. Ph.D. and senior Masters' students, working in relevant areas of arctic social sciences, are invited to submit applications. The trip is planned for 12-28 August 2005, leaving from Roskilde, Denmark. Travel from there will be by ferry and bus. The purpose of the Circumpolar Arctic Social Sciences (CASS) network is to build circumpolar networks of students and faculty who are working in various fields of the social sciences in the north. Course participants will be expected to make a presentation on the theoretical and methodological aspects of their own research. Group research projects may be organized in order to enhance the learning experience. Applicants are asked to submit information regarding their course of study, specific thesis research area, and relevance of this course to their study. Selection will be determined by course organizers. Students who participate may be asked to seek funding or travel grants to help contribute to the CASS costs. Delivery of the course is dependent on the Network acquiring sufficient funding. Participants must be willing to participate in meal preparation and other duties that contribute to the group's maintenance. Students should also supply their own sleeping bags. The application deadline is Friday, 1 July 2005. Should you wish to apply or would like further information, please contact: For European students: Rasmus O. Rasmussen Roskilde University rasmus@ruc.dk For Canadian students: Dr. Heather Myers & Dr. Gerard Duhaime c/o Mr. Nick Bernard CIERA, Universite Laval nick.bernard@ciera.ulaval.ca For American students: Lawrence Hamilton University of New Hampshire lawrence.hamilton@unh.edu Information about the network and past courses is available at: http://www.geo.ruc.dk/NORS/Phdnet.htm ******************* IAI Climate-Change Training Institutes For 2005: *Training Institute on Vulnerability Associated with Climate Variability and Climate Change in the Americas, October 17 - 28, 2005, Asunci?n, Paraguay. *Training Institute on Climate and Health in the Americas, November 7 - 18, 2005, Kingston, Jamaica. The full announcement of these Training Institutes can be downloaded from: (English Version) - http://www.institutes.iai.int/files/ Paraguay_Final_Announcement.pdf - http://www.institutes.iai.int/files/ Jamaica_Final_Announcement.pdf (Spanish Version) - http://www.institutes.iai.int/files/ Paraguay_Final_Announcement_SP.pdf - http://www.institutes.iai.int/files/ Jamaica_Final_Announcement_SP.pdf Please note that the application deadline is August 15th, 2005. For further information on the IAI Training Institutes please visit the following website http://www.institutes.iai.int *************************************************** Forum Does scientific collaboration increase the impact of interdisciplinary articles? Submitted by Jenn Marlon Below is a recent abstract I came across in the Weekly Journal Review, a mailing list of the IISD (http://lists.iisd.ca:81/read/? forum=weekly_journal_review). The article compares citation rates for different kinds of collaboration on ecological research -- it would be interesting to look at the climate-change literature for comparison. Leimu, R and J. Koricheva. 2005. Does scientific collaboration increase the impact of ecological articles?" BioScience 55 (5, 2005): 438-443 We examined the effects of different types of collaboration on the citation rates of 837 research papers published in Oecologia from 1998 through 2000. Multiauthored papers had higher annual citation rates, but also higher self-citation rates, than single-authored papers. Interdisciplinary collaboration between institutions increased citation rates, whereas in-house collaboration reduced them. Contrary to our predictions, international collaboration had no effect on the citation rates of ecological papers, and US ecologists benefited from collaboration more than their European colleagues. Altogether, our results indicate that scientific collaboration in ecology has a rather minor effect on the impact of the resulting publications, as measured by their citation rates. *************************************************** Jobs NRDC Development Associate NRDC, a national non-profit environmental organization, seeks a Development Associate for its Special Initiatives/Development Department which manages major gift donors, 2 volunteer groups, most celebrity involvement in the organization, local and national special events and special initiatives intersecting programmatic work, citizen advocacy and media. In addition, the department and the Development Associate participate in NRDC Advocacy Center and related activities (i.e. trips to Washington DC, ACE outreach, etc.) Please fax cover letter, resume and writing sample to 310-434-2399. Deadline: 7/15/05. ******************** Job opportunity in environmental science communication A great opportunity for someone interested in working in environmental science communication! NOAA GFDL, a top climate research center located in Princeton, NJ, is seeking a communications officer. Applicants with master's or Ph.D. interested in communication of science are encouraged to apply. Backgrounds in science OR communication/media/etc. would be appropriate. Please forward along to potential applicants. The Program Specialist III job has now been posted. It's at http://www.fin.ucar.edu/hr/careers/uco.cfm? do=jobDetailExt&job_ID=488, and has a June 30th cut off date. You may reach it at www.ucar.edu, jobs and opportunities, jobs at UCAR, NCAR & UOP, current open positions. ******************** Massachusetts Environmental Fellow Post Doctoral Positions Available for a unique program at The Environmental Institute, University of Massachusetts Amherst. Three Environmental Fellows will be hired in each of three thematic areas: Climate Change, Environmental Contaminants, and Environmental Modeling and Monitoring (see the TEI Web site at http://www.umass.edu/tei/ for more information). Fellows will have dual roles - coordinate an Interdisciplinary Faculty Working Group and conduct research as a Post-Doctoral Research Fellow on related research. Minimum qualifications are a Ph.D. in a field relevant to the thematic area. Positions are available for one year with the possibility of reappointment. Salary will be commensurate with experience. Please submit cover letter, curriculum vitae and the names of three references to Richard Taupier, Associate Director, The Environmental Institute, Blaisdell House, University of Massachusetts Amherst, MA 01002 or E-mail: taupier@tei.umass.edu. Review of applications will begin on July 1 and continue until the positions are filled. Desired start date is September 1, 2005. UMass is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action Employer. Women and members of minority groups are encouraged to apply. ******************** Vacancy Announcement - Institute for Environmental Studies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam 1 Postdoctoral/senior researcher, "International (Environmental) Relations/Global Governance" (for 3 years) 2 PhD candidates "International (Environmental) Relations/Global Governance" (for 4 years) Deadline for applications is 31 July 2005. Project Outline The Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) of the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam invites applications for three new positions for an interdisciplinary research programme that will investigate the emergence, effectiveness and legitimacy of transnational public- private and private-private governance arrangements in global sustainability policy. The empirical focus of the programme will be on the several hundred new Partnerships for Sustainable Development agreed upon in 2002 at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. Methodologically, the programme will combine qualitative and quantitative research, including analysis of a Global Sustainability Partnerships Database and a series of structured case studies. The programme will run from 2006 through 2009. It is funded by, and part of, the Shifts in Governance programme of the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research. The postdoctoral/ senior researcher within the programme is expected to also contribute, with about 50 percent of her/his time, to a work package on post-2012 climate policy within a major new integrated project of the European Union (see details below). All three positions will be hired in international competitions. We plan to launch the programme, with all positions filled, by 1 January 2006 (earlier start is possible). 1 Postdoctoral/Senior Researcher, "International (Environmental) Relations/Global Governance", full time, 3 years The postdoctoral/senior researcher will take a leading role in two major research projects: the research programme 'Analysing the Emergence, Effectiveness and Legitimacy of Public-Private and Private- Private Governance Arrangements in Global Sustainability Policy', funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research; and 'ADaptation And Mitigation Strategies: Supporting European Climate Policy' (ADAM), an integrated project of more than 20 partner institutions funded by the European Union. The postdoctoral/senior researcher will spend about half of her/ his research time on the first project. Her/His tasks include: (1) elaborating the overall theoretical and methodological outline of the programme in co-operation with the principal investigator; (2) developing in co-operation with a student assistant and two PhD students a Global Sustainability Partnerships Database; (3) guiding the operationalisation of the research design in a joint research protocol and case selection in co-operation with two PhD students; (4) overall guidance of the research programme in co-operation with the principal investigator. The successful candidate will spend the second half of her/his time on the ADAM programme, where s/he will contribute to a work package that develops and assesses options for the post-2012 architecture of the international climate regime. In addition, the postdoctoral/senior researcher is encouraged to contribute to the development of future research programmes and project proposals in her/his field. Teaching in the field of international environmental politics within IVM's master programme is possible, but not required. The successful candidate will have a strong research background in political science and international relations, as evidenced through a doctoral degree and international peer-reviewed publications. Experience in guiding research teams and in acquiring project funds will be an asset, as well as empirical knowledge and research or work experience in global (environmental) governance. Excellent skills in English, the working language within this research programme and within the department, are required. The salary, depending on qualification and experience, will be within a range of 2,934 to 4,027 Euro gross per month. 2 PhD STUDENTS "International (Environmental) Relations/Global Governance", full time, 4 years/ Both PhD students will participate in the research programme 'Analysing the Emergence, Effectiveness and Legitimacy of Public- Private and Private-Private Governance Arrangements in Global Sustainability Policy', funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research. They will contribute to the overall theoretical framework and the creation of a Global Sustainability Partnerships Database, and will conduct qualitative empirical analysis of a set of public-private or private-private partnerships. The successful candidates will hold a master's degree in political science, international relations, public administration, environmental studies, management studies, or a related discipline. Empirical knowledge or work experience in environmental policy or global governance is an asset. Excellent skills in English, the working language within this research programme and within the department, are required. The PhD students will be fully employed by the Institute for Environmental Studies for a period of four years, with a monthly gross salary of 1867 Euro (first year) rising to 2394 Euro (fourth year). They will not have to pay any tuition fee within this PhD programme. They will participate in the graduate programme of the institute and are expected to defend their doctoral thesis, resulting from this research programme, after four years. Institutional Setting And Co-Operation The research team will be part of the Department of Environmental Policy Analysis of the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam. The Institute for Environmental Studies (Instituut voor Milieuvraagstukken, IVM) is the oldest environmental research institute in the Netherlands. Since its creation in 1971, IVM has built up considerable experience in dealing with the complexities of environmental problems. The institute is now a vibrant international research community of about 110 researchers and supporting staff from a variety of countries and disciplines with a mission to contribute to sustainable development and the preservation of the environment through academic research and education. The institute has repeatedly been evaluated as the best Dutch research group in this field (www.vu.nl/ivm). IVM's Department of Environmental Policy Analysis (EPA) leads the institute's efforts in the field of environmental governance and policy analysis. It responds to the societal need to alter existing policies and explore new governance mechanisms that better guarantee a transition to sustainable production and consumption. In line with IVM's multidisciplinary approach, the department strives to bring insights from different disciplines together for joint research. The international team includes experts from most fields of social science, including anthropology, development studies, management studies, law, philosophy, political science, public administration and psychology. Many projects are international, and several team members are active in international research networks, such as the International Human Dimensions Programme, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the Millennium Assessment and the Global Environmental Outlook assessment. This research will also contribute to the Global Governance Project (GLOGOV.ORG), a joint research programme of four European research institutions endorsed by the Institutional Dimensions project of the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change. Further Information Additional information can be obtained from the principal investigator of the programme and chair of the search commission, Professor Frank Biermann, at frank.biermann@ivm.vu.nl. Applications Applications, including a cover letter and a CV, should be sent before 31 July 2005 to Dr J. M. R. M. Neutelings, Director Administration, Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, De Boelelaan 1085, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands. E-mail applications (PDF only) to falw- vacatures@falw.vu.nl are possible. Since we expect a large number of applications, please do not send letters of reference or publications in this first round. By the end of August, we will inform all applicants whether their application will be considered for the second round. Short-listed candidates will then be invited to send selected publications and letters of reference. Frank Biermann, Professor of Political Science and Environmental Policy Sciences Head, Department of Environmental Policy Analysis, Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Faculty of Earth and Life Sciences, Vrije Universiteit, De Boelelaan 1087, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands, frank.biermann@ivm.vu.nl, www.vu.nl/ivm ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050617/0d5f46a9/attachment-0001.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Thu Jun 23 16:18:09 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Thu Jun 23 16:18:56 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG/DISCCRS Newsletter 06/23/2005 Message-ID: <89BED25E-7015-4431-92A1-098E7F9DE586@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 06/23/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS SPECIAL Section: David Keeling and the History/Future of CO2 and Climate Change RESOURCES Africa - Up in Smoke http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/news_AfricaUpinSmoke.aspx New US NSF Program: Developing Global Scientists and Engineers http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf04036 New Open Access Journal with the title "Climate of the Past" www.climate-of-the-past.net. SCIENCE NEWS Charles D. Keeling, 77, Who Raised Global Warming Issue, Dies http://tinyurl.com/dfejn Death on the Nile: BBC Earth Report based on Award-winning article Climate change needs urgent action, Daily Mail http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html? in_article_id=352882&in_page_id=1770 Plain, Simple, Primitive? Not the Jellyfish http://tinyurl.com/8v3xa Senate Passes Amendment to Combat Climate Change http://tinyurl.com/83v46 FORUM Leigh P (PAPER)-The ecological crisis, the human condition, and community-based restoration as an instrument for its cure ESEP 2005:3-15 http://www.int-res.com/articles/esep/2005/E60.pdf SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS A CLIOTOP Special Session (CLIOTOP = CLimate Impacts on Oceanic Top Predators) http://www.pml.ac.uk/globec/structure/regional/cliotop/cliotop.htm Course Announcement: Polar Atmosphere Chemistry - Trace Gases and Aerosols in the Arctic http://www.unis.no/studies JOBS Research! America Science Policy Intern Position *************************************************** Special Section Charles D. Keeling and the history/future of CO2 and climate change Given David Keeling's recent death (see NY Times article in this missive) and the upcoming celebration of the 1957/58 International Geophysical Year (IGY); see http://www.cmdl.noaa.gov/obop/spo/ igy_history.html, http://www.nas.edu/history/igy/, the 2007/2008 International Polar Year (IPY); http://www.ipy.org/, I thought (hope) many of you will want some "light" summer reading on climate change, and possibly time something on Keeling, and the IGY/ IPY, into your courses or research plans. The most accurate, informative, and readable sources I know have been written by AIP History of Science Center Director, Spencer T. Weart. He has a Ph.D. in physics and another degree the history of science. He knows his stuff, and he knows how to write it! Spencer's book, History of Global Warming, is fascinating, and available cheaply from Amazon.com http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ tg/detail/-/0674016378/qid=1119552106/sr=1-1/ ref=sr_1_1/102-6965740-7076114?v=glance&s=books. I consider this book an absolute "must read" for anyone, at any level or discipline, who is interested in climate change. Spencer has a webpage that builds on the book: See http:// www.aip.org/history/climate/ This site is incredibly comprehensive. I advise new initiates to start with his Summary: http://www.aip.org/history/climate/summary.htm For those of you think funds were easy to get in the "good old days", be sure to read Weart's piece on the history of funding for CO2 measurements: http://www.aip.org/history/climate/Kfunds.htm Of all the stories about Keeling, the one I love the best is one from one of Spencer's articles, Weart, S.R. 1997. Global warming, Cold War, and the evolution of research plans. Historical studies in the physical and biological sciences 27(2): 319 - 356. --FYI, this paper is absolutely *fascinating* reading!! If your library does not carry this journal, you can request one from: sweart@aip.org. [NB, Keeling was enticed from Cal Tech, where he was doing a post- doc, to Scripps, by Roger Revelle): "...As Keeling measured carbon isotopes in the air at various locations around California, laboriously refining his techniques, he found much less variation than the Scandinavians. He came to suspect that their data were unnecessarily noisy. With good locations and techniques it might be possible to determine a stable number--the true level of atmospheric carbon dioxide. Keeling brought this hopeful idea into the IGY research plan in the spring of 1956, when Revelle took him on to conduct the world survey. One of their aims, as Keeling recalled it, would be to "establish a reliable 'baseline' CO2 level which could be checked 10 or 20 years later." To detect a rise of CO2 level during the 18-month term of the IGY scarcely seemed possible.. Measuring the uptake of carbon dioxide by the oceans remained as a second objective. "Keeling scrupulously measured carbon dioxide variations in the sea and air at various locations, but his heart went into the atmospheric "baseline" value. 'Keeling's a peculiar guy,' Revelle later remarked. 'He wants to measure CO2 in his belly....And he wants to measure it with the greatest precision and the greatest accuracy he possibly can.' And so Keeling made a small but crucial modification to the IGY committee's research plan. As an observer commented, Keeling 'proceeded to drive Revelle crazy' with demands for more funds to reach what seemed as a pointless degree of accuracy.... Indeed most IGY scientists thought such an instrument was more costly than was needed to measure something that varied so widely [based on Scandinavian studies mentioned in the Times article]." Well, Revelle gave in to that "pointless degree of accuracy" and the rest is history; It is also current events!!! Keeling demonstrated a rise in atmospheric CO2 in a couple of years instead of the 10-20 Revelle and others were hoping for. His data is so accurate that no one has questioned it. HIs curve, and the ozone measurements started by Joe Farman are probably the two most societally important, certainly the best-known data sets to come out of the IGY -- and are more important today than when the measurements were started! I deeply regret that Keeling did not live long enough to participate in the IPY. I am even more sorry that he didn't live to see his upward curve take a dive. I hope you live to see it! *************************************************** Resources Africa - Up in Smoke The latest report from the Working Group on Climate Change and Development based in the UK, and made up of our leading environment and development groups. link below. http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/ news_AfricaUpinSmoke.aspx ******************** New US NSF Program: Developing Global Scientists and Engineers http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf04036 ******************** New Open Access Journal with the title "Climate of the Past" This international scientific journal is published by the European Geosciences Union (EGU). It is fully peer-reviewed and dedicated to the publication and discussion of research articles, short communications and review papers on the climate history of the Earth. Papers under review are published in "Climate of the Past Discussions" (CPD), which is designed to allow an interactive public discussion of the latest developments in the field and comments on the papers prior to publication in CP. A free alert service can inform you of the papers published in your areas of interest. All papers are available free on-line from the moment of publication. Publication is paid for by a small service charge with no extra cost for color or additional material such as movies and extended data sheets. Paper, bound volume and CD copies are available at low cost. The Service Charges are waived for the first 25 papers with a max. of 1000 pages published in CPD! Papers are published under the Creative Commons License which allows any number of electronic and paper copies to me made for non- commercial purposes. The authors and their employers retain the copyright. Further information is given in the web pages at www.climate-of- the-past.net. *************************************************** Science News Charles D. Keeling, 77, Who Raised Global Warming Issue, Dies from The New York Times (Registration Required) Dr. Charles D. Keeling, who set off current concerns of global warming through measurements beginning in the 1950's that showed steadily rising amounts of carbon dioxide in the air, died Monday at his home in Montana. He was 77. The cause was a heart attack after a short hike, said the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego, where Dr. Keeling had long worked. Carbon dioxide, which traps heat in the atmosphere, is one of the greenhouse gases. But when Dr. Keeling began his work, most scientists did not think that emissions from cars and factories could have a measurable effect on the earth's climate, assuming that nearly all the carbon dioxide would be absorbed by plants or the oceans. In 1955, Dr. Keeling camped out at Big Sur State Park in California, collecting samples of air in flasks to measure their carbon dioxide content. Three years later, he lugged the instrument for measuring carbon dioxide to a weather station, two miles up, on Mauna Loa in Hawaii. Carbon dioxide levels rise and fall over the course of a day, and his first measurement at Mauna Loa showed an average concentration of 315 parts per million. His measurements also showed that carbon dioxide levels rise and fall with the seasons, following the ebb and flow of vegetation in the Northern Hemisphere. But his measurements also showed that carbon dioxide levels were rising year after year. That upward trend of carbon dioxide, known as the Keeling Curve, has now reached nearly 380 parts per million and is continuing to rise. Dr. Keeling's work to establish long-term monitoring of carbon dioxide concentrations in a way that provided a running global average was simple in concept but profound in its impact, according to many climate experts. "It became clear very quickly that his measured CO2 increase was proportional to fossil fuel emissions and that humans were the source of the change," said Dr. James E. Hansen, director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York. "He altered our perspectives about the degree to which the earth can absorb the human assault." The current debate over global warming centers on how much warming the increased carbon dioxide will generate, but few have disputed Dr. Keeling's underlying carbon dioxide data. "I don't think I'm aware of any controversy about Dave's measurements, and that's really kind of remarkable," said Dr. Walter Munk, an oceanographer and colleague of Dr. Keeling at Scripps for three decades. "Dave was a stickler for every detail in connection with his experimental work." A small gap in the carbon dioxide data from February through April 1964 tells of Dr. Keeling's tenacity in fighting for his experiment. "His government funding sources told him in effect that 'You have shown that atmospheric carbon dioxide is increasing, now find some other interesting science to do,' " said Dr. F. Sherwood Rowland, a professor of chemistry at University of California, Irvine. "He fought to continue his measurement series, with support from many other scientists, and was back taking data in May of 1964." Born in Scranton, Pa., Charles David Keeling received his bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of Illinois in 1948 and his doctorate in chemistry from Northwestern University in 1954. The director of Scripps then, Roger Revelle, was among the first to become concerned about the possible warming effects of carbon dioxide and recruited Dr. Keeling, who had already begun his measurements of carbon dioxide at Big Sur, to Scripps in 1956. More recently, in 1996, Dr. Keeling and colleagues showed that seasonal swings of carbon dioxide levels in the Northern Hemisphere were becoming larger, possibly a sign that the growing season is beginning earlier because of global warming. Dr. Keeling was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1994 and received the National Medal of Science in 2002. Dr. Keeling is survived by his wife, Louise; four sons, Andrew, of Zurich; Ralph, of San Diego who followed in also doing atmospheric research at Scripps; Eric, of Missoula, Mont.; and Paul of Vancouver, British Columbia; a daughter, Emily, of Boulder, Colo.; and six grandchildren. [See http://tinyurl.com/dfejn for the article and a nice photo of Keeling and his wonderful plot of atmospheric CO2 Vs Time] ******************** Death on the Nile: BBC Earth Report based on Award-winning article Airs Saturday June 25!!!! Nadia El-Awady, Managing Science Editor of IslamOnline.net and winner of the first WASH Media Award, is featured in "Death on the Nile", an episode of the BBC World Earth Report, to be aired on Saturday, June 25. The programme highlights Ms. El-Awady?s investigation of the growing pollution of the Nile River delta. BBC World cameras follow Ms. El-Awady through the villages of Egypt's Al- Monofiya governorate as she speaks with villagers, government officials and local doctors. She also visits an industrial city in the region and follows industrial waste from its source to discover where it is being dumped, causing harmful effects on the health and environment in the surrounding areas. The BBC programme is based on the article "The Nile and its People" written by Nadia El-Awady for IslamOnline.net. Her story won the first prize in the WASH Media Award 2004, a competition organized by the Geneva-based Water Supply and Sanitation Collaborative Council (WSSCC), and presented to the author at the first Global WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene for all) Forum in Dakar, Senegal, in 2004. The programme will be aired at the following times: GMT: 01:30, 08:30, 13:30, 20:30; SAT (South Arabia Time): 4:30, 11:30, 16:30, 23:30. ******************** Climate change needs urgent action, Daily Mail Prime Minister Tony Blair's efforts to alleviate poverty in Africa will ultimately fail unless urgent action is taken to halt dangerous climate change, according to a coalition of aid and environmental groups. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/ news/news.html?in_article_id=352882&in_page_id=1770 ******************** Plain, Simple, Primitive? Not the Jellyfish from The New York Times (Registration Required) via Sigma Xi Science in the News Message from Sue Weiler: This is a great article showing how to simply describe something very complex. I think it serves as a good model here in the US, to show how difficult it is to explain the natural world without evolution. Those of you outside the US are lucky that evolution is not being questioned as it is in the U.S. Jellyfish have traditionally been considered simple and primitive. When you gaze at one in an aquarium tank, it is not hard to see why. Like its relatives the sea anemone and coral, the jellyfish looks like a no-frills animal. It has no head, no back or front, no left or right sides, no legs or fins. It has no heart. Its gut is a blind pouch rather than a tube, so its mouth must serve as its anus. Instead of a brain, it has a diffuse net of nerves. But new research has made scientists realize that they have underestimated the jellyfish and its relatives - known collectively as cnidarians (pronounced nih-DEHR-ee-uns). Beneath their seemingly simple exterior lies a remarkably sophisticated collection of genes, including many that give rise to humans' complex anatomy. http:// tinyurl.com/8v3xa ******************** Senate Passes Amendment To Combat Climate Change from The New York Times (Registration Required) WASHINGTON, June 21 - Acting to address the contentious subject of global climate change, the Senate passed an amendment to pending energy legislation on Tuesday calling for voluntary reductions in some emissions and spending money to promote technology to reduce pollution. The measure, adopted by a vote of 66 to 29, was the least stringent of three competing amendments intended to address climate change. Its passage followed a setback for environmentalists late Monday night, when Senator Pete V. Domenici, the New Mexico Republican who is chairman of the energy committee, declined to support another amendment imposing mandatory reductions in fossil-fuel emissions that scientists link to global warming. Mr. Domenici explained that he favored the idea, but worried that opposition might scuttle the energy bill. http://tinyurl.com/83v46 *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings A CLIOTOP Special Session (CLIOTOP = CLimate Impacts on Oceanic Top Predators) will be organized during the next AGU-ASLO-TOS OCEAN MEETING in Honolulu, Hawaii (20-27 february 2006 the program will soon be posted on the AGU website http://www.agu.org/meetings/os06/). This CLIOTOP Special Session (conveners: O. Maury, P. Lehodey; R. Murtuggude) invites presentations on all aspects related to one of the five CLIOTOP Working Groups: WG1 - Early life history of top predators WG2 - Physiology, behaviour and distribution of top predators WG3 - Trophic pathways in open ocean pelagic ecosystems WG4 - Synthesis and modeling WG5 - Socio-economic aspects of managing and responding to climate impacts on oceanic top predator species This Special Session will be the first important Scientific Event organized by CLIOTOP and a very good opportunity to have a global view of the CLIOTOP related research diversity and major focuses. We highly encourage you to consider coming to this meeting and presenting your work. Find out more about CLIOTOP at: http:// www.pml.ac.uk/globec/structure/regional/cliotop/cliotop.htm ******************** Course Announcement: Polar Atmosphere Chemistry - Trace Gases and Aerosols in the Arctic University Centre in Svalbard - 21 November - 21 December 2005 - Norway For further details about the course and registration is available at: http://www.unis.no/studies A short course in polar atmosphere chemistry will be offered between 21 November and 21 December 2005 at the University Centre in Svalbard. The course will be based in Longyearbyen (78 N) but an excursion to the Zeppelin atmospheric monitoring station at Ny Alesund (79 N) will be a central part of the course. The course is intended for graduate students and doctoral students. Young scientists can also apply. For further information, please contact: Kim Holmen, Norwegian Institute for Air Research (NILU) E-mail: kjh@nilu.no *************************************************** Forum Leigh P (PAPER)-The ecological crisis, the human condition, and community-based restoration as an instrument for its cure ESEP 2005:3-15 ABSTRACT: We have entered an unprecedented period in human history. By the vigor of our consumption and procreation, the human species has modified our global environment at wide regional and global scales. At the close of the twentieth century, global warming, biodiversity losses, ozone and freshwater depletion, to name a few, are now recognized as human-induced wide-scale environmental transformations. In spite of admirable efforts to arrest some of these processes and restore environmental vitality, the pace at which humans modify their environment continues with considerable intensity. The future health of the biosphere for sustaining all life may be drifting close to the margins as environmental crises increase within a single generation. These destructive propensities have deep cultural and psychological roots that divide us from the rest of the environment. Significant social change is needed for improving our collective relationship with the earth. Humans, with our unique capacity for self-reflection, are beginning to understand that the underpinnings to our current ecological problems lie within our attitudes, values, ethics, perceptions, and behaviors. New ways to reconceptualize our unity with the biosphere, understand downstream impacts, and link social behavior with environmental transformations are increasing with corresponding intensity. Community-based restoration is a powerful means for facilitating this trend, by reconnecting communities with their landscape, empowering citizenry, and fostering an environmental ethos based on ecopsychological health. Full text available free of charge at: http://www.int-res.com/ articles/esep/2005/E60.pdf *************************************************** Jobs Research!America Science Policy Intern Position This paid, non-exempt, full-time, three-month position in our Alexandria, Virginia office reports to the coordinator of science policy. Target start date is early September 2005. The intern will assist the organization with its mission to make medical and health research a higher national priority through education, advocacy and public policy activities. Job Description The science policy intern will: * Track relevant policy issues, including FY 2006 appropriations legislation * Perform background research and write to support the development of products, newsletter articles and the web site * Complete and present a self-directed project on a science policy topic relevant to the mission of Research!America * Participate in building and developing Research!America's Congressional database * Provide administrative and project management support as requested Eligibility College seniors, graduate students or recent graduates with a science, political science, public policy or related degree (or degree goal) who seek science policy experience. Ideal candidates have a strong academic background and excellent oral and written communication skills. Familiarity with the medical, health and non- life sciences research sectors and the federal policy structures that impact the funding and regulation of research is preferred. Candidates must have experience with Microsoft Office Suite software and PowerPoint. Compensation Research! America offers a competitive stipend commensurate with experience. To Apply Post mail, fax or e-mail r?sum? and cover letter, including academic status and specific area(s) of interest and expertise, reason (s) for wanting to be a Research! America intern; availability; one writing sample; and three references with contact information by July 15, 2005, to: Emily T. Connelly, Coordinator of Science Policy Re: Science Policy Internship Research!America 1101 King Street, Suite 520 Alexandria, VA 22314 703-739-2372 fax econnelly@researchamerica.org No phone calls, please. ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050623/500a4eff/attachment-0001.htm From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Jul 1 15:29:27 2005 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Sue Bennett) Date: Fri Jul 1 15:34:51 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG/DISCCRS News 07/01/2005 Message-ID: <523B7792-7AC5-4215-90E4-B5CAE9282123@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 07/01/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES NSF Grant Policy Manual URL : http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf05131 NOAA Establishes New England Red Tide Information Web Site http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/redtide/ or www.noaa.gov. Nice article about Keeling from Scripps Inst. Oceanography http://scrippsnews.ucsd.edu/article_detail.cfm?article_num=687 ONR Young Investigator Program Awardees http://www.onr.navy.mil/sci_tech/industrial/363/yip.asp. Portal Oceanico: Gateway to Latin American and Caribbean Ocean Information http://portal.unesco.org/portaloceanico/ev.php Efficacy of Climate Forcings Simulations by James Hansen et al. http://pubs.giss.nasa.gov/docs/2005/2005_HansenNazarenkoR.pdf SCIENCE NEWS How Much Excess Fresh Water was Added to the North Atlantic in Recent Decades? http://www.whoi.edu/. Scant Light At Ocean Floor Feeds Bacteria http://tinyurl.com/8nnka Warmer Air May Cause Increased Antarctic Sea Ice Cover FORUM US: ACLU, Science Under Siege http://www.aclu.org/Files/OpenFile.cfm?id=18533 SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS Workshop Announcement - Poles Together: Coordinating IPY Outreach and Education http://cybele.colorado.edu/ipyoe/IPYOE.pdf Advanced Biology Training Course In Antarctica JOBS Policy Advocate, North American Affairs www.ieta.org Intern With A Background In Climate Change: UNIDO/MEA/Kyoto Protocol Team www.unido.org/employment *************************************************** Resources NSF Grant Policy Manual-Grant Policy Manual URL : http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf05131 Type : Policies and Procedures Subtype : NSF-wide ******************** NOAA Establishes New England Red Tide Information Web Site Taken from CORE weekly newsletter To assist the public and news media in understanding the current red tide event in New England, NOAA established a special NOAA New England Red Tide Information Center Web site. The site provides a capsule summary of the event and its potential harmful impacts on humans and shellfish; links to major news releases; information about the Magnuson-Stevenson Act provisions that apply; closure maps of both federal and state shellfish waters; and important state agency sites that are providing localized information. Additionally the site provides information concerning NOAA's scientific response effort, general seafood safety information and where to report any marine mammal strandings or deaths. The last section of the site provides scientific information from NOAA's major response partner, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and several other sources. The site will be periodically updated as needed during the continuing bloom event. To view the site, visit http://oceanservice.noaa.gov/redtide/ or www.noaa.gov. ******************** Nice article about Keeling from Scripps Inst. Oceanography http://scrippsnews.ucsd.edu/article_detail.cfm?article_num=687 ******************** ONR Young Investigator Program Awardees The Office of Naval Research (ONR) recently announced its 2005 Young Investigator Program awardees. In all, there were 28 recipients from 11 categories of the science and technology disciplines selected. The following recipients were from the ocean, atmosphere and space departments: ?Dr. Kelly Benoit-Bird, College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences, Oregon State University ?Dr. Fabrice Veron, College of Marine Studies, University of Delaware ?Dr. Kathleen E. Wage, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, George Mason University ?Dr. Mak A. Saito, Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Young Investigator awards are designed "to attract to naval research outstanding new faculty members at institutions of higher education, support their research and encourage their teaching and research careers." The awards are for as much as $100,000 a year for three years, with the possibility of additional support for capital equipment or collaborative research with a Navy laboratory. To view the list of awardees or to find out how to apply, visit http:// www.onr.navy.mil/sci_tech/industrial/363/yip.asp. ******************** Portal Oceanico: Gateway to Latin American and Caribbean Ocean Information We kindly invite you to Visit PORTAL OCEANICO, the gateway to one of the most complete sources of Ocean information in Latin America and the Caribbean. Portal Oceanico, Chief Editor - http:// portal.unesco.org/portaloceanico/ev.php ******************** Efficacy of Climate Forcings Simulations by James Hansen et al. The paper "Efficacy of climate forcings" has been accepted for publication in J. Geophys. Res. Diagnostics maps and graphs for all of the GCM runs in that paper are available at http:// data.giss.nasa.gov/efficacy/ , conveniently arranged to correspond to the tables in the paper. Here are links to the accepted paper and its figures, which can also be obtained from the above GISS data web page by clicking on the paper title under References. A PDF of the paper recently published in Science (Earth's Energy Imbalance) is available at http://pubs.giss.nasa.gov/docs/ 2005/2005_HansenNazarenkoR.pdf *************************************************** Science News How Much Excess Fresh Water was Added to the North Atlantic in Recent Decades? From CORE weekly newsletter Large regions of the North Atlantic Ocean have been growing fresher since the late 1960s as melting glaciers and increased precipitation, both associated with greenhouse warming, have enhanced continental runoff into the Arctic and sub-Arctic seas. Over the same time period, salinity records show that large pulses of extra sea ice and fresh water from the Arctic have flowed into the North Atlantic. But, until now, the actual amounts and rates of fresh water accumulation have not been explicitly known. In a paper published June 17 in Science, Ruth Curry of the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) and Cecilie Mauritzen of the Norwegian Meteorological Institute quantified for the first time how much additional fresh water caused the observed salinity changes in the northern North Atlantic Ocean, how fast it entered the Atlantic circulation, and where that fresh water was stored. They report that patterns of fresh water accumulation over the past four decades suggest that a freshening threshold important to the ocean circulation and its poleward transport of heat could be reached in a century, although future impacts of global warming and glacial melting make prediction imprecise at this time. For complete story, visit http://www.whoi.edu/. ******************** Scant Light At Ocean Floor Feeds Bacteria from The Los Angeles Times (Registration Required) via Sigma Xi Science in the News The black bottom of the ocean floor might be the last place one would expect to find bacteria that depend on light for their growth, but an international team of researchers said this week that they had found such photosynthetic bacteria there, surviving on faint light from volcanic geysers. Because many researchers believe life on Earth may have originated at such submarine geysers, the surprising finding could expand our understanding of how that life evolved and about the potential for life elsewhere in the universe. Microbiologist J. Thomas Beatty of the University of British Columbia and his colleagues report the discovery in this week's issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. http:// tinyurl.com/8nnka ******************** Warmer Air May Cause Increased Antarctic Sea Ice Cover AGU/NASA joint press release WASHINGTON - Predicted increases in precipitation due to warmer air temperatures from greenhouse gas emissions may actually increase sea ice volume in the Antarctic's Southern Ocean. This finding from a new study adds evidence of potential asymmetry between the two poles and may be an indication that climate change processes may have varying impacts on different areas of the globe. "Most people have heard of climate change and how rising air temperatures are melting glaciers and sea ice in the Arctic," said Dylan C. Powell, lead author of the paper and a doctoral candidate at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. "However, findings from our simulations suggest a counterintuitive phenomenon. Some of the melt in the Arctic may be balanced by increases in sea ice volume in the Antarctic." For the first time, the authors of the paper, published this month in the Journal of Geophysical Research (Oceans), used satellite observations from NASA's Special Sensor Microwave/Imager to assess snow depth on sea ice and assimilated the satellite observations into their model to improve prediction of precipitation rates. By incorporating satellite observations into this new method, the researchers say they achieved more stable and realistic precipitation data, to counter the great variability in precipitation data sets typically found in the polar regions. "On any given day, sea ice cover in the oceans of the polar regions is about the size of the U.S.," said Thorsten Markus, a co- author of the paper and a research scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. "Far-flung locations like the Arctic and Antarctic actually impact our temperature and climate where we live and work on a daily basis." According to Markus, the deep and bottom water masses of the oceans make contact with the atmosphere only at high latitudes, near the poles. Polar processes, such as sea ice formation, are driving a huge, global, ocean heat pump, called thermohaline (or saline) circulation. To a large extent, this heat pump impacts the climate at lower latitudes. Typically, warming of the climate leads to increased melting rates of sea ice cover and also increased precipitation rates. With increased precipitation rates and consequently deeper snow, the snow load on the Antarctic sea ice becomes heavy enough that it suppresses the ice below sea level. This results in even more and even thicker sea ice when the snow refreezes as more ice. The paper indicates that some climate processes appear to actually be counterintuitive. "We used computer-generated simulations to get this research result. I hope that in the future we'll be able to verify this result with real data through a long-term ice thickness measurement campaign," said Powell. "Our goal as scientists is to collect hard data to verify what the model is telling us. It will be critical to know for certain whether average sea ice thickness is indeed increasing in the Antarctic as our model indicates, and to determine what environmental factors are spurring this apparent phenomenon." Achim Stoessel of Texas A&M University, the third co-author on this paper, advises that "while numerical models have improved considerably over the last two decades, seemingly minor processes like the snow-to-ice conversion still need to be better incorporated in models as they can have a significant impact on the results and therefore on climate predictions." Citation: Powell, D. C., T. Markus, and A. Stoessel, Effects of snow depth forcing on Southern Ocean sea ice simulations, J. Geophys. Res., 110, C06001, doi:10.1029/2003JC002212. *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings Workshop Announcement - Poles Together: Coordinating IPY Outreach and Education National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) For further information, please go to: http://cybele.colorado.edu/ ipyoe/IPYOE.pdf ******************** Advanced Biology Training Course In Antarctica "Integrative Biology and Adaptation of Antarctic Marine Organisms" This National Science Foundation sponsored course will be held in Antarctica at the United States' McMurdo Station for one month, starting January 2006. This is an international course, open to all nationalities. Applications are invited from graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and other research scientists who are interested in the study of extreme environments and the biology of Antarctic organisms. The course will accommodate up to 20 students. Full scholarships are available to each student accepted into the course to cover the cost of travel from home institution to Antarctica, and room and board while in Antarctica. The emphasis of the Antarctic Biology Course is on integrative biology, with laboratory- and field-based projects focused on adaptations in an extreme polar environment. A diverse teaching faculty will offer students the possibility of working on a wide range of Antarctic organisms (bacteria, algae, invertebrates, and fish), as well as working at several different levels of biological analysis (molecular biology, physiological ecology, species diversity, and evolution). Deadline for receipt of completed applications is September 1, 2005. For more information and on-line applications, please see -- http:// antarctica.usc.edu/. Message from Sue Weiler: This course has been offered for several years now and is *fabuolous* -- great location, great participants, great teachers and mentors. If you are interested in Antarctic biological research, don't miss this one!! *************************************************** Forum US: ACLU, Science Under Siege submitted by Sue Weiler Earlier this month, the American Civil Liberties Union issued a report titled "Science Under Siege: The Bush Administration's Assault on Academic Freedom and Scientific Inquiry." If you are interested, the report can be accessed at: http://www.aclu.org/Files/OpenFile.cfm? id=18533 *************************************************** Jobs Policy Advocate, North American Affairs International Emissions Trading Association The International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) comprises over 100 international companies from OECD and non-OECD countries including 28 members in Canada. IETA is dedicated to ensuring that the objectives of the United Nations Convention on Climate Change and ultimately climate protection are met through the establishment of effective systems for trading in greenhouse gas emissions by businesses, in an economically efficient manner while maintaining societal equity and environmental integrity. The Association is looking for a dynamic individual to act as our Policy Advocate for North America. Working in Ottawa, the individual will provide policy planning and implementation support for IETA?s advocacy efforts with governments in Canada and the U.S. Specific responsibilities include: ? Developing a plan to encourage governments to adopt an approach to emissions trading which is workable, can be linked to international plans (i.e. CDM?s etc?) and is consistent with already established IETA principles. ? Assisting in the implementation of this approach by working with government and member firms to ensure that emissions trading is an important part of Canada?s Climate Change response. ? Working with IETA members and potential members to explain the work and gain their support and assistance in advocating IETA?s priorities. ? Assisting in developing a comprehensive response to existing position papers from government and other sectors. ? Developing an understanding of the linkages between Canada?s plan and those of other regions and countries. The successful candidate will be capable of working with minimal supervision in a result-oriented environment. Extensive knowledge of the various components of emissions trading and experience in a related field is desired. Please send your CV and a covering letter including compensation expectations to Olivia Eckersley at eckersley@ieta.org. For additional information visit our website at www.ieta.org ******************** Intern With A Background In Climate Change: UNIDO/MEA/Kyoto Protocol Team An intern with a background in climate change and the Kyoto Protocol, focusing on the project-based mechanisms (CDM/JI) and emissions trading, is urgently needed to work with UNIDO/MEA/Kyoto Protocol team on the development and implementation of technical assistance and global forum projects in this area. This is an opportunity for a graduate student looking for hands-on internship experience in climate change/Kyoto Protocol issues and the experience of working in an international organization. Excellent drafting skills in English are essential. The duration of the internship is at least three months, starting from July 2005. For the terms of internship and details of the application process, please visit our web site at www.unido.org/employment Peter Pembleton Climate Change Project Manager Multilateral Environmental Agreements Branch UNIDO ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050701/b82b05ef/attachment-0001.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Jul 8 16:37:25 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Fri Jul 8 16:38:20 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 07/08/2005 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 07/08/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES New Website Available; Danish Environmental Protection Agency Danish Polar Center http://www.dpc.dk/acia Oceans And Human Health Funding Pre-Announcement Released http://www.cop.noaa.gov/opportunities/ann_ohh.html SCIENCE NEWS Study in Royal Society Journal on Holly as an Indicator of Climate Change http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-06/rs-sir062705.php Bush Says He Won't Change Position on Global Warming http://tinyurl.com/a5grz Clue To Sudden Climate Change Found in Arctic British Scientists Say Carbon Dioxide Is Turning The Oceans Acidic http://tinyurl.com/8upyk Warmer Air May Cause Increased Antarctic Sea Ice Cover Can Technology Stop Climate Change? http://tinyurl.com/a9okd NASA Satellites Measure And Monitor Sea Level http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/environment/ sealevel_scienceupdate.html Invasive Parasite Destroying Fish Species in Europe http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch/2005/Jun05/parasite.htm Bright Lights Lure Prey in Deep Sea http://tinyurl.com/dcc43 FORUM How Attractive Are Forest Carbon Sinks? http://www.sciencedirect.com: JOBS CIRES Postdoctoral Research Associate *************************************************** Resources New Website Available; Danish Environmental Protection Agency Danish Polar Center The website is available at: http://www.dpc.dk/acia Climate change in the Arctic may happen faster and more dramatically than any other place on Earth. The consequences for vegetation, animals, and people all over the globe will be heavy. This is the topic for a new website, which the Danish Polar Center has produced for the Danish Environmental Protection Agency. The site's target audience is high-school students, but also people with a general interest in arctic society and science. This first version of the website contains primarily a library with links and references. A new version will be launched in late summer 2005 containing themes and cases. The themes and cases will offer a wide range of information about melting of glaciers and sea- ice, sea-level rise, weakened ocean currents, and the possible extinction of polar bears and seals, as well as the future of the indigenous communities, new opportunities for agriculture, new shipping routes, and easier access to the natural resources in the Arctic. The website is part of the follow-up on the report "Impacts of a Warming Arctic - Arctic Climate Impact Assessment" (ACIA) from November 2004. The site is in Danish, English, and Greenlandish and will be updated regularly. The site has been produced with funds from the Danish Ministry of Environment's programme Environmental Assistance to the Arctic in cooperation with the Danish Polar Center. ******************** Oceans And Human Health Funding Pre-Announcement Released This funding opportunity is intended to engage the non-federal research community in conducting research ? across the physical, chemical, biological, medical, public health, oceanographic and social sciences ? on priority issues for NOAA?s new Oceans and Human Health Initiative (OHHI). For more information, visit http:// www.cop.noaa.gov/opportunities/ann_ohh.html *************************************************** Science News Study in Royal Society Journal On Holly as an Indicator of Climate Change Submitted by G.-R. Walther Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences An ecological "footprint" of climate change by Dr. G.-R. Walther, Dipl.-Biol. S. Berger and Prof. MT. Sykes (rspb.2005.3119) A field survey in southern Scandinavia and north-eastern Germany revealed new occurrences of holly, the only evergreen broad-leaved lower tree species native to central and western Europe, beyond its former northern range margin. This range expansion is in concert with the gradual increase in winter temperature measured at local stations. The synchrony of measured and modelled increases in winter temperatures and observed shifts in species' distribution suggests that climate change is the responsible driver, and makes this species a good (bio-)indicator for global warming. Contact: Dr. G.-R. Walther, Institute of Geobotany, University of Hannover, Nienburger Str 17, HANNOVER, D-30167, Germany http:// www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-06/rs-sir062705.php ******************** Bush Says He Won't Change Position On Global Warming From Seattle Times via Sigma Xi Science in the News LONDON ? As world leaders prepared for a major summit, President Bush said yesterday that he would not substantially change his stance on global warming to reward British Prime Minister Tony Blair for his support of the war in Iraq. "I really don't view our relationship as one of quid pro quo," Bush said. "Tony Blair made decisions on what he thought was best for keeping the peace and winning the war on terror, as I did." Reiterating his opposition to the Kyoto Protocol that mandates targets for cutting greenhouse-gas emissions, Bush told Britain's ITV1 television that he would reject any measures that "look like Kyoto." Although the U.S. is the world's largest emitter of carbon dioxide, Bush has rejected the treaty because its provisions, he said, would "wreck the U.S. economy." http://tinyurl.com/a5grz ******************** Clue To Sudden Climate Change Found In Arctic Toronto ON (SPX) Jun 29, 2005 The sudden deep freeze of the northern hemisphere that occurred 13,000 years ago has been traced to events originating in northern Canada, according to University of Toronto research. The findings could shed light on the future of climate change due to greenhouse gases. The study, published in the June 2 issue of Nature, pinpoints the exact location where freshwater generated by the melting of the massive Canada-wide Laurentide ice sheet entered the global ocean and caused the Younger Dryas cold reversal, a frigid period where the planet temporarily plunged into ice age conditions. Contrary to previous thinking, the study shows that this meltwater entered the Arctic Ocean rather than the Atlantic and the point of entry was through the MacKenzie River. As the freshwater - lighter due to its lack of salt content - flowed into the ocean it was transported across the pole into the North Atlantic where it shut down the process hereby heavy surface water sinks into the abyss and leads to a warming of the northern hemisphere. While the Younger Dryas cold reversal occurred just as the Earth was emerging from the most recent ice age, a rapid meltback of the Greenland ice sheet - another large accumulation of land ice adjacent to the North Atlantic Ocean - could theoretically contribute to another such shutdown. "Greenland contains enough ice to raise sea level by about seven metres if it were all to melt," says the study's co-author University Professor Richard Peltier of U of T's Department of Physics. "If it were to melt very quickly we could easily have a similar event, so the question is just how Greenland will react to the ongoing warming due to the increasing concentration of atmospheric greenhouses gases. How probable this is remains an open question." To pinpoint the location of where the Younger Dryas event occurred, Peltier and his co-author, physic's research associate Lev Tarasov, used the University of Toronto Glacial Systems Model (GSM) - a model that produces a three-dimensional view of the evolving ice- sheet as it expands and contracts over the North American continent in response to climate variations. The model also analyses how the shape of the Earth is affected by the evolution of the heavy ice loads. As the continental ice melted, a huge amount of deglaciation derived freshwater was added to the oceans. At the time of Younger Dryas onset the routing of this meltwater was into the Arctic Ocean. "In considering the issue of climate change, many people imagine that this could only happen very gradually," says Peltier. "This event shows that our climate could change extremely rapidly and with very dramatic effect." Peltier stresses that climate changes, such as a massive Greenland melt, are very difficult to predict as Earth's climate system is highly non-linear, involving the interactions between a number of distinct and individually complex components such as sea ice and land surface processes as well as the atmosphere and oceans. "These systems are capable of responding in a way that is out of proportion to the stimulus," he says. "You can push them just a little bit and cause them to cross a threshold, such that the response is extremely surprising. From a physics standpoint, the climate system of the planet is a beautiful example of such non- linear systems." The research was supported by the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada and by the Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Science through a new collaborative research network called Polar Climate Stability which is led by Peltier. The network involves researchers from seven different Canadian universities. ******************** British Scientists Say Carbon Dioxide Is Turning The Oceans Acidic from The New York Times (Registration Required) Whether or not it contributes to global warming, carbon dioxide is turning the oceans acidic, Britain's leading scientific organization warned yesterday. In a report by a panel of scientists, the organization, the Royal Society, said the growing acidity would be very likely to harm coral reefs and other marine life by the end of the century. "I think there are very serious issues to be addressed," the panel's chairman, Dr. John Raven of the University of Dundee in Scotland, said in an interview. "It will affect all organisms that have skeletons, shells, hard bits that are made of calcium carbonate." http://tinyurl.com/8upyk ******************** Warmer Air May Cause Increased Antarctic Sea Ice Cover AGU/NASA joint press release WASHINGTON - Predicted increases in precipitation due to warmer air temperatures from greenhouse gas emissions may actually increase sea ice volume in the Antarctic's Southern Ocean. This finding from a new study adds evidence of potential asymmetry between the two poles and may be an indication that climate change processes may have varying impacts on different areas of the globe. ?Most people have heard of climate change and how rising air temperatures are melting glaciers and sea ice in the Arctic," said Dylan C. Powell, lead author of the paper and a doctoral candidate at the University of Maryland Baltimore County. "However, findings from our simulations suggest a counterintuitive phenomenon. Some of the melt in the Arctic may be balanced by increases in sea ice volume in the Antarctic." For the first time, the authors of the paper, published this month in the Journal of Geophysical Research (Oceans), used satellite observations from NASA's Special Sensor Microwave/Imager to assess snow depth on sea ice and assimilated the satellite observations into their model to improve prediction of precipitation rates. By incorporating satellite observations into this new method, the researchers say they achieved more stable and realistic precipitation data, to counter the great variability in precipitation data sets typically found in the polar regions. "On any given day, sea ice cover in the oceans of the polar regions is about the size of the U.S.," said Thorsten Markus, a co- author of the paper and a research scientist at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. "Far-flung locations like the Arctic and Antarctic actually impact our temperature and climate where we live and work on a daily basis." According to Markus, the deep and bottom water masses of the oceans make contact with the atmosphere only at high latitudes, near the poles. Polar processes, such as sea ice formation, are driving a huge, global, ocean heat pump, called thermohaline (or saline) circulation. To a large extent, this heat pump impacts the climate at lower latitudes. Typically, warming of the climate leads to increased melting rates of sea ice cover and also increased precipitation rates. With increased precipitation rates and consequently deeper snow, the snow load on the Antarctic sea ice becomes heavy enough that it suppresses the ice below sea level. This results in even more and even thicker sea ice when the snow refreezes as more ice. The paper indicates that some climate processes appear to actually be counterintuitive. "We used computer-generated simulations to get this research result. I hope that in the future we'll be able to verify this result with real data through a long-term ice thickness measurement campaign," said Powell. "Our goal as scientists is to collect hard data to verify what the model is telling us. It will be critical to know for certain whether average sea ice thickness is indeed increasing in the Antarctic as our model indicates, and to determine what environmental factors are spurring this apparent phenomenon." Achim Stoessel of Texas A&M University, the third co-author on this paper, advises that "while numerical models have improved considerably over the last two decades, seemingly minor processes like the snow-to-ice conversion still need to be better incorporated in models as they can have a significant impact on the results and therefore on climate predictions." Citation: Powell, D. C., T. Markus, and A. Stoessel, Effects of snow depth forcing on Southern Ocean sea ice simulations, J. Geophys. Res., 110, C06001, doi:10.1029/2003JC002212. ******************** Can Technology Stop Climate Change? from The Guardian (UK) via sigma xi in the news No Kyoto-like deal, insisted George Bush before heading to Gleneagles and the G8 summit. Instead, he declared, new technologies would suffice to save the environment. But what sort of technology does he have in mind? Worryingly, says Trevor Davies, head of the carbon reduction programme at the University of East Anglia, some of the projects favoured by the Bush administration are highly speculative, with potential applications many decades away. There are plans to change the reflectivity of the Earth, by placing giant reflective shields in orbit, or injecting shiny particles into the atmosphere. The latter option, Davies says, is particularly concerning to climate scientists. While it might reflect energy from the sun back into space, it is difficult to predict what effect it would have on the atmosphere and global climate. http:// tinyurl.com/a9okd ******************** NASA Satellites Measure And Monitor Sea Level NASA RELEASE: 05-175 For the first time, NASA has the tools and expertise to understand the rate at which sea level is changing, some of the mechanisms that drive those changes and the effects that sea level change may have worldwide. "It's estimated that more than 100 million lives are potentially impacted by a one-meter increase in sea level," said Dr. Waleed Abdalati, head of the Cryospheric Sciences Branch at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Md. "When you consider this information, the importance of learning how and why these changes are occurring becomes clear," he added. Although scientists have directly measured sea level since the early part of the 20th century, it was not known how many of the observed changes in sea level were real and how many were related to upward or downward movement of the land. Now satellites have changed that by providing a reference by which changes in ocean height can be determined regardless of what the nearby land is doing. With new satellite measurements, scientists are able to better predict the rate at which sea level is rising and the cause of that rise. "In the last fifty years sea level has risen at an estimated rate of .07 of an inch per year, but in the last 12 years that rate appears to be .12 of an inch per year. Roughly half of that is attributed to the expansion of ocean water as it has increased in temperature, with the rest coming from other sources," said Dr. Steve Nerem, Associate Professor, Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research, University of Colorado, Boulder. Another source of sea level rise is the increase in ice melting. Evidence shows that sea levels rise and fall as ice on land grows and shrinks. With the new measurements now available, it's possible to determine the rate at which ice is growing and shrinking. "We've found the largest likely factor for sea level rise is changes in the amount of ice that covers the earth. Three-fourths of the planet's freshwater is stored in glaciers and ice sheets or the equivalent of about 220 feet of sea level," said Dr. Eric Rignot, Principal Scientist for the Radar Science and Engineering Section at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "Ice cover is shrinking much faster than we thought, with over half of recent sea level rise due to the melting of ice from Greenland, West Antarctica's Amundsen Sea and mountain glaciers," he said. Additionally, NASA scientists and partner researchers now are able to measure and monitor the world's waters globally in a sustained and comprehensive way using a combination of satellite observations and sensors in the ocean. By integrating the newly available satellite and surface data, scientists are better able to determine the causes and significance of current sea level changes. "Now the challenge is to develop an even deeper understanding of what is responsible for sea level rise and to monitor for possible future changes. That's where NASA's satellites come in, with global coverage and ability to examine the many factors involved," said Dr. Laury Miller, Chief of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Laboratory for Satellite Altimetry, Washington. NASA works with agency partners such as NOAA and the National Science Foundation to explore and understand sea level change. Critical resources that NASA brings to bear on this issue include such satellites as: -- Ocean TOPography Experiment (TOPEX/Poseidon), which uses radar to map the precise features of the oceans' surface; -- Jason, which measures ocean height and monitors ocean circulation; -- Ice, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat), which studies the mass of polar ice sheets and their contributions to global sea level change; -- Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE), which maps Earth's gravitational Field, allowing us to better understand movement of water throughout the Earth. For more information about sea level change on the Internet, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/environment/ sealevel_scienceupdate.html ******************** Invasive Parasite Destroying Fish Species In Europe exerpted from CORE weekly newsletter Researchers have discovered that a parasite carried by an invasive species of minnow is responsible for the dramatic declines and localized extinctions of a different minnow species in Europe during the past 40 years. This parasite, which scientists have found can almost totally destroy the spawning success of the small sunbleak minnow, Leucaspius delineatus, may pose threats to the diversity and stability of freshwater ecosystems, and is genetically very similar to a parasite that can be deadly to salmon, researchers say. The findings were published last week in the journal Nature by researchers from Oregon State University, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science in England, Idaho State University, and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in England. For full story, visit http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch/2005/Jun05/parasite.htm. ******************** Bright Lights Lure Prey In Deep Sea from San Francisco Chronicle via sigma xi science in the news Marine biologists exploring the deep sea off the coast of Monterey Bay have discovered a curious species of invertebrates that lures its prey by flashing brilliant red lights at the ends of its twitching tentacles. The wormlike members of a marine tribe known as siphonophores are a striking example of evolution having endowed an organism with a feature even its closest relatives don't possess: a set of genes for "bioluminescent" light, which in an immature animal flashes blue but switches to deep red as it matures. Distantly related to jellyfish and corals, the animals are a newfound species of an obscure genus called Erenna -- whose other luminous members use their light only to defend themselves against larger predators, not to hunt and kill prey on their own, according to Steven D. Haddock of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute. http://tinyurl.com/dcc43 *************************************************** Forum How Attractive Are Forest Carbon Sinks? Submitted by Roland Olschewski Goettingen University to climate list I would like to draw your attention to a new article, which is in press in Journal of Forest Economics and available at http:// www.sciencedirect.com: How attractive are forest carbon sinks? Economic insights into supply and demand of Certified Emission Reductions by R. Olschewski, P.C. Ben?tez, G.H.J. de Koning and T. Schlichter Abstract The Clean Development Mechanism includes afforestation projects as possible instruments to reduce global atmospheric CO2. These projects have also the potential to combat regional environmental problems like land degradation and desertification. The present article analyzes forestry projects in north-western Patagonia from an economic viewpoint based on the latest Kyoto Protocol developments. We consider temporary and long-term Certified Emission Reductions (CER) and determine the conditions on which forest plantations are attractive to potential CER suppliers and demanders. We conclude that for most of the recent carbon price projections, carbon sink projects would be economically viable for CER suppliers and at the same time attractive to CER demanders looking for cost-efficient emission abatement opportunities. Kind regards Roland Olschewski Goettingen University www.bio-sys.uni-goettingen.de *************************************************** Jobs CIRES Postdoctoral Research Associate The Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) has an opening for a Postdoctoral Research Associate under an NSF-sponsored project called Science Policy Assessment and Research on Climate that is investigating climate science policy. The position will be located in the CIRES Center for Science and Technology Policy Research at the University of Colorado in Boulder. DUTIES ? Engage in original research that will characterize the supply of, demand for or reconciliation of supply and demand of climate information. ? Engage in original research on the relative sensitivity of anticipated climate impacts to various causal factors in a range of areas, possibly including, ecosystems, extreme events, water resources. ? Collaborate with colleagues within CIRES on research ? Collaborate with national and international partners ? Publish research results in peer-reviewed fora ? Assist and lead in the development of meetings and workshops in support of project objectives ? Contribute to other, related Center projects in research, education and outreach REQUIREMENTS ? Recent Ph.D. in a related field. ? Knowledge of climate science and climate policies. ? Experience working on interdisciplinary projects. ? Demonstrated ability to present and perform on a professional level through use of excellent written and verbal communication and interpersonal skills. ? Demonstrated ability to work within a team of researchers. ? Publication of articles in refereed journals and in the non- academic literature. ? Presentation of papers at national or international scientific meetings. ? International interests and experience The position will be filled as a Research Associate in CIRES, University of Colorado at Boulder, and will be eligible for employee benefits, including 22 days of vacation per year. Screening will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Applicants should submit a letter of interest with Job Code, and complete resume and salary history. In addition, the applicant should furnish the names of three individuals familiar with the applicant's professional qualifications for the position to provide references. To apply, e-mail (jobs@cires.colorado.edu), fax (303.492.1149), or mail information to: CIRES Human Resources Job Code PL-1 216 UCB Boulder, CO 80309-0216 ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050708/35ff0dc0/attachment-0001.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Mon Jul 18 15:40:09 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Mon Jul 18 15:40:45 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG/DISCCRS NEWS update Message-ID: <27218747-FF12-44DB-99E8-E4B74158E444@whitman.edu> Dear all, I will be on vacation for the next two weeks, and so there will be no DISCCRS news from this office. I did want to mention one resource that came in from Jay Cullen, though -- Integrated Marine Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem Research (IMBER) Project IMBER is an international and multi-disciplinary activity jointly sponsored by the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP) and the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR). The IMBER project goal is: To understand how interactions between marine biogeochemical cycles and ecosystems respond to and force global change. The science plan and implementation strategy is just going to press. Information on the program can be found at http:// www.imber.info/ A pdf of the SP/IS is available for download. Given the global scope and interdisciplinary nature of the program IMBER could/ should figure prominently in the careers of the next couple cohorts of DIALOGers. Cheers, ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050718/e6696ab7/attachment.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Jul 22 17:10:25 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Fri Jul 22 17:11:14 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 07/22/05 Message-ID: <9A20978D-6E8E-451F-92B0-1BF8ECB8F401@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 07/22/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES Preparing for an Academic Job Interview http://www.aslo.org/phd/interviewhints.pdf NOAA Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research/Coastal Ocean Program Announcements of Opportunity http://www.cop.noaa.gov/opportunities/grants/funding_grants.html New Website Available: Nordic IPY Humanities and Social Studies Workshop Work Site http://www.ipy.gl/ilulissat/index.htm SCIENCE NEWS Sea Life in Peril -- Plankton Vanishing GOP Chairmen Face off on Global Warming http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/07/17/ AR2005071701056_pf.html Scientists: Antarctic Has Strong Ecosystem http://tinyurl.com/9gsx7 Scientist Testifies On Global Warming http://tinyurl.com/9veeo Deep-Sea Jelly Uses Glowing Red Lures To Catch Fish http://www.mbari.org/. FORUM Thoughts On Charles David Keeling (1928-2005) Scientists Criticize House Panel's Investigation of Climate Studies JOBS Deputy Executive Officer for IMBER (Integrated Marine Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem Research) International Project Office. www.imber.info Royal Society of UK, Manager of Science in Society Programme http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk *************************************************** Resources Preparing for an Academic Job Interview This resource was developed by DIALOG VI symposium participants. The authors developed a list of frequently asked questions and general advice based on conversations at the symposium and their own recent experiences with academic job interviews. Campbell, R.W., M.C. Horner-Devine, J. Lartigue and G.C. Rollwagen Bollens. 2005. Preparing for an academic job interview: Compilation of frequently asked questions. http://www.aslo.org/phd/ interviewhints.pdf ******************** NOAA Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research/Coastal Ocean Program Announcements of Opportunity Announcements of Opportunity have been issued to submit proposals to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research/Coastal Ocean Program (CSCOR/ COP) under four different program elements. Proposals under a NORTHERN GULF OF MEXICO ECOSYSTEM RESEARCH PROGRAM (NGOMEX) closes 3:00 p.m. EST August 24, 2005. Proposals under CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEM STUDIES (CRES) 2006 closes 3:00 p.m. EST September 1, 2005. Proposals under a SOUTH FLORIDA PROGRAM closes 3:00 p.m. EST September 29, 2005. Proposals under ECOLOGICAL FORECASTING closes 3:00 p.m. EST October 25, 2005. Notices of Specific Announcements of Opportunity can be accessed through the NOAA CSCOR/COP funding announcements website at: http:// www.cop.noaa.gov/opportunities/grants/funding_grants.html Necessary instructions and forms for preparation of an application package for a CSCOR/COP proposal submission can be accessed at CSCOR/COP grants information website at: http://www.cop.noaa.gov/opportunities/ grants/welcome.html ******************** New Website Available: Nordic IPY Humanities and Social Studies Workshop Work Site The website is available at: http://www.ipy.gl/ilulissat/index.htm This site is a work site for follow-up activities related to the research seminar and workshop "Nordic Research Cooperation Within the Social Sciences and Humanities Connected to the International Polar Year, IPY 2007-2008" Held in Ilulissat, Greenland, 28 April thru 2 May 2005 As a part of the preparation for the International Polar Year, IPY 2007-2008, the Greenland National Polar Year Committee organized a research seminar and workshop to utilize and further develop the existing Nordic research cooperation and to contribute to the coordination of a common Nordic research effort focusing on Man, Nature and Arctic Societies (one of the main themes decided by the Danish and Greenland national IPY committees) in connection with the IPY 2007-2008. This site hopes to facilitate a continuation of this process initiate with the research seminar and workshop. *************************************************** Science News Sea Life in Peril -- Plankton Vanishing San Francisco Chronicle, July 12, 2005 Usual seasonal influx of cold water isn't happening Glen Martin, Chronicle Environment Writer Krill are a key food source for seabirds and larger fish. Photo by Benjamin L. Saenz, special to the Chronicle Oceanic plankton have largely disappeared from the waters off Northern California, Oregon and Washington, mystifying scientists, stressing fisheries and causing widespread seabird mortality. The phenomenon could have long-term implications if it continues: a general decline in near-shore oceanic life, with far fewer fish, birds and marine mammals. No one is certain how long the condition will last. But even a short duration could severely affect seabird populations because of drastically reduced nesting success, scientists say. The plankton disappearance is caused by a slackening of what is known as "upwelling:" the seasonal movement of cold, nutrient-rich offshore water into areas near shore. This cold water sustains vast quantities of phytoplankton and zooplankton, which are the basis of the marine food web. During periods of vigorous upwelling and consequent plankton "blooms," everything from salmon to blue whales fattens and thrives on the continental shelf of the West Coast. The larger fish and baleen whales eat mostly krill: free- floating, shrimp- like crustaceans ranging from one to two inches, the upper size limit of the zooplankton realm. When the water is cold, krill swarm off the Northern California coast by the tens of thousands of tons. Now that they are largely absent, fisheries and wildlife are feeling the effects. In perhaps the most ominous development, seabird nesting has dropped significantly on the Farallon Islands off San Francisco, the largest Pacific Coast seabird rookery south of Alaska. Bill Sydeman, the director of marine ecology for the Point Reyes Bird Observatory, a science and conservation organization that maintains a research station on the Farallones, said the collapse of the nesting season is unprecedented in the three decades the group has monitored the islands. Cassin's auklets -- a relatively rare seabird that feeds almost extensively on krill -- have been particularly hard hit, Sydeman said. "Normally they breed in March," Sydeman said. "They got started late this year, and by May they had virtually disappeared. We expect zero nesting success for them this year, or close to it. We've never seen anything like it." Sydeman said other seabirds are also showing the effects of the reduced marine productivity. "We have little or no nesting of pelagic cormorants (at the Farallones), and Brandt's cormorants are nesting at reduced numbers," he said. "Double- crested cormorant nesting is down by 50 percent (in the Bay Area)." Upwelling cessation is typically caused by El Ni?o events -- warm water intrusions from the equatorial Pacific. But what is happening off the coast right now is not a true El Ni?o, Sydeman said. "We really don't have a clear idea of what it is," Sydeman said, noting that standard El Ni?os can be tracked as they progress from the equator to temperate waters, something that hasn't occurred in the current case. "Some are calling it an El Ni?o Norte; others think it's some sort of anomalous intrusion of warm offshore blue water onto the continental shelf," he said. A recent study indicated the phenomenon may be long term, and linked to global warming. Last week, Fisheries and Oceans Canada -- the federal agency dealing with Canada's marine and inland waters -- released a report saying 2004's spring and summer ocean surface temperatures in the Gulf of Alaska and off British Columbia were the warmest in 50 years. The study concluded the record high temperatures were caused by abnormally warm weather in Alaska and western Canada, as well as "general warming of global lands and oceans." Some pulses of upwelling occurred off Northern California in June, Sydeman said, but they're unlikely to significantly increase marine productivity. "Upwelling has slackened along all the West Coast, except for a little bit of recent activity off Northern California," Sydeman said. "At this point, it's too little and too late. Things aren't going to turn around. For krill predators in this system, it's a very serious situation." Juvenile rockfish numbers are also way down. "We annually survey (juvenile rockfish) from San Diego to Cape Mendocino, and this is the lowest catch we've recorded in the 23 years we've been doing it," said Stephen Ralston, a supervising research biologist at the Santa Cruz office for the National Marine Fisheries Service, the federal agency that oversees fisheries in federal waters. Like krill, young rockfish are a significant food source for seabirds, large fish and marine mammals; they are also essential to maintaining healthy stocks of mature rockfish, esteemed by commercial fishermen and sport anglers. Off the coast of Oregon, abnormally warm marine water is continuing unabated, affecting local birds and salmon. "Things are pretty grim up here," said Bill Peterson, an oceanographer with the National Marine Fisheries Service office in Newport, Ore. Peterson said a major die-off of double-crested cormorants recently occurred in Oregon, and juvenile salmon numbers have dropped precipitously. Both events, he said, are likely due to the warm water. "We do salmon surveys every spring and summer," he said. "Normally, we catch several hundred salmon in the spring. This year we caught eight. And we usually get several thousand fish in the summer. This year, it was 80." Peterson said the water temperature off Oregon in late June is normally 10 degrees Celsius (about 50 Fahrenheit), "and this year it's 16 degrees (about 61 F). Our (upper layer of warm water) is normally 15 meters thick, and this year it's 30 meters. Krill numbers are down, and the plankton we are seeing are as unusual as can be -- warm water species that you'd find off San Diego or Monterey." Peterson said it is unlikely Oregon waters will cool significantly this summer. "It takes an enormous amount of (offshore wind) energy to push that much warm water offshore, which is what we would need to see for significant upwelling," he said. "I don't see that happening anytime soon." Near San Francisco, salmon have switched from krill to bait fish, and appear to be holding their own -- at least for now. "The fishing is terrific," said Roger Thomas, the president of the Golden Gate Fishermen's Association and the owner of the recreational angling boat the Salty Lady. "It's true there's not much krill, but there're lots of anchovies and sardines," Thomas said, "and the salmon are filling up on those." Thomas acknowledged that the bait fish wouldn't benefit many coastal and offshore birds. "Sardines are too big for the auklets, and even for other species like common murres," he said. "They rely on smaller prey species." In fact, say scientists, krill are the keystone forage species for almost everything that swims off Northern California. "It's the krill that drive the food web dynamics off this coast," said Ellie Cohen, the executive director of the Point Reyes Bird Observatory. "Their absence has tremendous implications for everything out there, right up to the humpback and blue whales. We don't know if this is a result of global warming or some natural cycling, but without the krill, you could be looking at a food web collapse." ******************** Gop Chairmen Face Off On Global Warming from The Washington Post (Registration Required) House Science Committee Chairman Sherwood L. Boehlert (R-N.Y.) has demanded that another senior Republican, Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (Tex.), call off his investigation of three scientists who have charted Earth's rapid warming in recent decades. The unusual public tiff between two powerful GOP lawmakers highlights the sharp divide that drives the nation's climate change debate. Barton, along with President Bush and many other House Republicans, opposes mandatory curbs on greenhouse gas emissions and questions the science underlying such efforts. Boehlert, who backs limits on carbon dioxide pollution, said he fears such attacks could chill future scientific inquiry. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/ content/article/2005/07/17/AR2005071701056_pf.html ******************** Scientists: Antarctic Has Strong Ecosystem from Associated Press Syracuse, N.Y. (AP) -- An expansive ecosystem of knee-high mud volcanoes, snowy microbial mats and flourishing clam communities lies beneath the collapsed Larsen Ice Shelf in Antarctica, say researchers. The discovery made in February in a deep glacial trough in the northwestern Weddell Sea was detailed this week in Eos, the weekly newspaper of the American Geophysical Union. Such sunless, cold-vent ecosystems have been found elsewhere ? near Monterey, Calif., in the Gulf of Mexico and in the Sea of Japan ? but never in Antarctica, the report said. http://tinyurl.com/9gsx7 ******************** Scientist Testifies On Global Warming from Associated Press WASHINGTON, (AP) -- Global warming is caused primarily by humans and "nearly all climate scientists today" agree with that viewpoint, the new head of the National Academy of Sciences ? a climate scientist himself ? said Wednesday. Ralph Cicerone's views contrasted with Bush administration officials' emphasis on uncertainty about how much carbon dioxide and other industrial gases warm the atmosphere like a greenhouse. "Carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is now at its highest level in 400,000 years and it continues to rise," said Cicerone, an atmospheric scientist who left as chancellor of University of California-Irvine to become academy president this month. "Nearly all climate scientists today believe that much of Earth's current warming has been caused by increases in the amount of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, mostly from the burning of fuels." http://tinyurl.com/9veeo ******************** Deep-Sea Jelly Uses Glowing Red Lures To Catch Fish from CORE weekly newsletter As successful fishermen know, if you want to catch fish, you have to use the right bait or lure. This is true even in the deep sea, where scientists recently discovered a new species of jelly that attracts fish by wiggling hundreds of glowing red lures. This is the first time any marine invertebrate has been found to use a bioluminescent lure or to display red bioluminescence. This discovery is described in an article written by Steven Haddock of the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), along with several coauthors, in the July 8, 2005, issue of Science magazine. It has been estimated that about 90 percent of deep-sea animals are bioluminescent. Yet in many cases, scientists do not know how these animals benefit from the energy-intensive process of producing their own light. Some jellies use bioluminescence as a defense-they glow when disturbed in order to light up their predators, making their attackers vulnerable to even larger animals. A few deep-sea fishes and squids have glowing organs that look like lures, but even these animals have never been observed actually using their glowing organs to capture prey. For full story, visit http://www.mbari.org/. *************************************************** Forum Thoughts On Charles David Keeling (1928-2005) Wolfgang Berger, SIO It is difficult to single out scientists whose contributions are so deep, unique, and valuable as to clearly rank with the very best and most prominent. No such difficulty arises when contemplating the contributions of Charles David Keeling, whose research career spanned the last half century. It is to Keeling's everlasting credit that he recognized the importance of serial measurements of atmospheric chemistry, and that he insisted on the highest possible quality for such measurements. By monitoring chemical changes in the atmosphere at high precision during several decades of substantial and irreversible change, he documented the crucial element of the great geophysical experiment that humankind is now performing on the life- support systems of the home planet. Every month, every year, and every decade of documentation is precious. The fact that there is a detailed record of carbon dioxide starting from the late 1950s (rather than, say, the 1970s or 1980s) we owe to Dave Keeling's insistence on keeping track and on doing it right. Dave was intensely aware of the broader ramifications of the ongoing human experiment, and he worried about what the climates of the future would look like. "Everyone is talking about doubling the CO2," he once said to me, "but what about tripling and quadrupling - we don't have the faintest notion of what that will do." He was aware of the ramifications, but he was averse to making statements with policy implications that would go beyond of what we actually know. He preferred to let the data speak. It was a good strategy, and it fit his unassuming manner and his trust in solid data and transparent logic. Now that the rising carbon dioxide is affecting the pH of the surface waters of the sea, we can think back on the very beginnings of Dave's career, in 1954, when he decided to study the effect of atmospheric carbon dioxide on the pH of rivers and lakes during his postdoctoral time in Pasadena (perhaps to indulge both a love of chemistry and of hiking). He ended up giving us the tools and data to understand what is happening to the pH of the entire ocean, a change with many implications. The Keeling Curve, the ever-rising line describing carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere with the attendant annual wiggles, has become the icon of global change the world over. It represents what's happening on the planet, and it reflects well on what is going on at Scripps. Yes, he had coffee with the rest of us. And yes, he was great company, a caring man generous in sharing his thoughts, wise in appreciating our limits of knowledge, and hard to dislodge in argument. And we miss him very much. -- (Wolf Berger) ******************** Scientists Criticize House Panel's Investigation Of Climate Studies from ESA Public Affairs Office House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton's (R-TX) request for the personal and financial records of three scientists who wrote a controversial climate change study is an attempt to intimidate them, the head of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) said. In a letter to Barton, AAAS Chief Executive Officer Alan Leshner said the "aggressive congressional inquiry into the professional history of scientists" could intimidate other researchers. He said the Barton's requests "give the impression of a search for some basis on which to discredit these particular scientists and findings, rather than a search for understanding." At issue is a four-year-old graph, published in the journal Nature by the three scientists that depicts global average temperature records stretching back 1,000 years. It shows a sharp increase during the 20th century, with an upward curve resembling the blade of a hockey stick. Often cited as evidence that human emissions are the dominant cause of rising global temperatures, the graph became controversial after it appeared in a 2001 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report. Barton's request came after two Canadians with no expertise in climate change ublished academic papers and opinion articles challenging the methods used to generate the graph. He requested detailed explanations as well as raw data, documents and financial information from the scientists. The inquiry has since been criticized by scientists, Democratic lawmakers, and the Chairman of the House Science Committee, Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R- NY), who sent a letter to Mr. Barton calling the investigation "misguided and illegitimate." Larry Neal, a spokesman for the Energy and Commerce Committee, responded to Mr. Boehlert's letter. "Requests for information are a common exercise of the Energy and Commerce Committee's responsibility to gather knowledge on matters within its jurisdiction," he said. "When global warming studies were criticized and results seemed hard to replicate by other researchers, asking why seemed like a modest but necessary step. It still does." Scientists expressed concerns about Mr. Barton's apparent presumption that Congress might reveal truths that the scientific process cannot. That sentiment was echoed in a letter sent to Mr. Barton by Ralph J. Cicerone, the new president of the National Academy of Sciences and one of the country's leading atmospheric chemists. Dr. Cicerone said a Congressional investigation "is probably not the best way to resolve a scientific issue, and a focus on individual scientists can be intimidating." He offered the services of the academy, which traditionally has served as an arbitrator on complicated, controversial scientific issues. *************************************************** Jobs Deputy Executive Officer for IMBER (Integrated Marine Biogeochemistry and Ecosystem Research) International Project Office. IMBER is a new international research project focussed on marine biogeochemical and ecosystem research (www.imber.info). IMBER is seeking to appoint a Deputy Director to assist the Executive Officer at the International Project Office (IPO) located at the Institut Universitaire Europeen de la Mer, Brest, France. IUEM is a joint institute between Conseil National de Recherche Scientifique (CNRS) and the University of Western Brittany (UBO). The tasks of the Deputy Director and IPO staff include assisting the Scientific Steering Committee (SSC) in implementing the IMBER Science Plan and Implementation Strategy, by organising and servicing meetings of the SSC, working groups and task teams, liaising with sponsors (IGBP and SCOR) and other relevant organisations, seeking and managing project finances, representing the project at international meetings, maintaining the project website and interacting with IMBER national committees and groups, as well as o! ther international projects. For this position, we seek a candidate with a Ph. D. degree and experience in multidisciplinary and multinational science projects, as well as familiarity, and preferably some experience, in the IMBER research area. Experience with data management, website development and maintenance and ability to speak French would be an asset. The successful candidate will have excellent communications skills both spoken and written in English, excellent computer knowledge and skills, excellent interpersonal abilities, and will have the ability to take initiative and work independently. This position is available for three years and shall begin on October 1st, 2005. Starting net salary will be of 23,640 Euros. Details of the IMBER project can be viewed at www.imber.info. Informal enquiries should be made to Dr Julie Hall (J.Hall@niwa.co.nz Applications, to include a CV, and names and contact information of three referees should be sent before August 20th, 2005 to: Dr Julie Hall NIWA PO Box 11 115 Hamilton New Zealand or j.hall@niwa.co.nz or Fax 64 7 856 0151 ******************** Royal Society of UK, Manager of Science in Society Programme The Royal Society, the UK?s premier scientific body, is looking for an enthusiastic and creative person to manage its Science in Society programme, funded by the Kohn Foundation. Manager, Science in Society Programme This is an exciting opportunity to play a key role in further developing the Royal Society?s Science in Society programme of work. Reporting to the Senior Manager, Science Communication the postholder will be responsible for the management of a range of activities, particularly focusing on the broader social, ethical and public policy issues of science. Candidates should have a thorough understanding and appreciation of the issues surrounding science in society, experience of qualitative research methodologies for public engagement and be capable of working with people at all levels. The post holder will be responsible for managing two officer level posts. S/he should have excellent communication (both oral and written), IT, project management, interpersonal and teamworking skills. The post will be on a fixed term contract for one year in the first instance. Salary circa ?30,000 per annum Applicants can download further information and an application form from http://www.royalsoc.ac.uk or telephone the HR Section on 0207 451 2529 or email recruitment@royalsoc.ac.uk quoting reference number V20.05. Closing date for applications is Monday 8 August 2005. Interviews will be held on 16 August 2005. ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050722/417198f2/attachment-0001.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Mon Aug 1 13:29:23 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Mon Aug 1 13:29:58 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] Call for Papers, Interdisciplinary Graduate and Post-Graduate Training Message-ID: <6B64665C-0F9F-4A03-AB86-D4703894AF7F@whitman.edu> Dear Ocean Colleagues, We most cordially encourage you to submit an abstract to the following special session on interdisciplinary training for graduate students and recent PhD graduates planned for the upcoming AGU/ASLO/ TOS Ocean Sciences Meeting beiing held 20-24 February 2006 in Honolulu, Hawaii: Abstracts must be submitted by October 13 (postal mail deadline) or October 20 (electronic submission deadline) at http://www.agu.org/ meetings/os06/. *************** OS 002 The Right Stuff: Graduate and Post-Graduate Training for Interdisciplinary Research Careers We tend to think of the PhD as the end of the educational cycle. Yet for many graduates, and especially those working on interdisciplinary questions, the roller coaster ride of professional training is far from over. After years of specialization, today?s graduates increasingly find themselves on a multidimensional trajectory that requires a breadth of knowledge sufficient to make connections between distant disciplines, and establishment of a global network of colleagues from divergent backgrounds. The historic divide between the natural and social sciences must often be bridged as well. On top of all this, work must increasingly be placed in a context relevant to and understandable by managers and policy makers. How can we better prepare students and new professionals for these challenges? In this session we will take a top-down and bottom-up approach, requesting presentations by established faculty, program and institutional representatives and by students and recent graduates, who have developed or have suggestions concerning effective strategies to address these concerns at the graduate or post-doctoral level. We welcome papers from all institutions and countries describing institutional reform, long or short courses, symposia, seminars, workshops, professional-society activities, informal interactions and other means to address early-career development, communication across disciplines, working as part of an interdisciplinary or international team, and other topics related to work on complex environmental systems. Co-Convenors: C. Susan Weiler Office for Earth System Studies Whitman College Walla Walla, WA 99362 USA 509-527-5948 weiler@whitman.edu Linda E. Duguay University of Southern California Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies Sea Grant Program 3616 Trousdale Parkway ?AHF 209F Los Angeles, CA 90089-0373 USA 213-821-1335 duguay@usc.edu Susan B. Cook Education Programs Office Consortium for Oceanographic Research & Education (CORE) 1201 New York Avenue, Suite 420 Washington, DC 20005 USA 202-448-1223 scook@coreocean.org ********************************************************** ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050801/fb526d24/attachment.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Aug 5 15:02:18 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Fri Aug 5 15:20:02 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG/DISCCRS News 08/05/2005 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 08/05/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES Listservs relating to climate-change hosted by the EPA: http://yosemite.epa.gov/OAR/globalwarming.nsf/content/ ResourceCenterListServs.html Climate Change Budget Tracking & Analysis Project (The BTA Project) https://www1.georgetown.edu/explore/faculty/index.cfm? Action=ViewResearch&NetID=brewert Investing in Climate Change Solutions: KLD Launches Global Climate 100SM Index http://www.kld.com/newsletter/archive/press/ 070505KLDIntroducesGC100.html A new climate weblog section in the Tiempo Climate Newswatch http://www.tiempocyberclimate.org/newswatch/index.htm#weblogs New NSF Grant Proposal Guide http://www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?gpg On-Line Guide to Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) http://www.jiqweb.org or via direct link Permafrost And Seasonally Frozen Ground In A Changing Climate (C04) http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm05/? pageRequest=search&show=detail&sessid=176 SCIENCE NEWS Ice Ages Linked To Galactic Position http://tinyurl.com/7aok5 New climate plan 'to rival Kyoto' http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4721449.stm Amazon source of 5-year-old river breath Dead zones spreading in world oceans Seven fat years and seven lean years? Climate change and agriculture in Africa Oceans Have Fewer Kinds Of Fish http://tinyurl.com/d888t Scientists Discover Global Marine Pattern Of Big-Fish Diversity http://www.sciencemag.org/sciencexpress/recent.shtml Glacial Meltdown Speeding Up http://www.ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=29606 Warmer Oceans May Be Killing Marine Life http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/ 2002377292_ocean13m.html As planet warms, storms grow stronger http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0801/p03s01-sten.html Ocean researchers race to document Arctic regions threatened by climate change http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/aplocal_story.asp? category=6420&slug=CAN%20Hidden%20Ocean Variety of ocean's fish down by half, study says Juliet Eilperin http://www.startribune.com/stories/484/5531995.html Bush Administration Unveils Alternative Climate Pact http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/28/international/28climate.html New Energy Probe May Harm Sea Life http://tinyurl.com/bqow5 FORUM Ocean and Coastal Literacy Legislation Introduced in the Senate Most New Graduates in Earth and Space Sciences Find Satisfying Work in their Field http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/cpst/2003PhDSurvey.pdf G8 Climate Plan of Action Delivers Little Change SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS James Martin 21st Century School Fellowships In Climate Policy/ Environmental Governance http://www.21school.ox.ac.uk Third International Workshop "Climate Change, Sustainable Development and Risk - an Economic and business View" http://www.wiwi.uni-halle.de/lui/bwl/umwelt/ JOBS University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) www.vsp.ucar.edu. UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) http://www.eci.ox.ac.uk/news/vacancy.htm New James Martin 21st Century School Fellowships in the Environmental Change Institute at http://www.eci.ox.ac.uk/news/vacancy.htm#jamesmartin Project Manager-The UNFCCC: Implementation and participation in Asia- Pacific Recruiting for Intermediate and Senior Level Consultants - Energy & Climate Strategy and Carbon Management http://www.ecofys.co.uk/uk/work/vacancies.htm CSIRO Postdoctoral Fellowship, Perth, Australia (up to 3 years): Marine Molecular Ecology and Biogeography. www.csiro.au/careers The GCP has two International Project Offices (IPO): one in Canberra, Australia and one in Tsukuba, Japan. http://www.globalcarbonproject.org Physical Scientist - Ice Climatologist http://www.jobs.doc.gov Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Regulatory Analyst http://www.natsource.com *************************************************** Resources Listservs relating to climate-change hosted by the EPA: http://yosemite.epa.gov/OAR/globalwarming.nsf/content/ ResourceCenterListServs.html ******************** Climate Change Budget Tracking & Analysis Project (The BTA Project) https://www1.georgetown.edu/explore/faculty/index.cfm? Action=ViewResearch&NetID=brewert ******************** Investing in Climate Change Solutions: KLD Launches Global Climate 100SM Index Includes Companies Taking Positive Steps to Reduce Global Warming: http://www.kld.com/newsletter/archive/press/ 070505KLDIntroducesGC100.html ******************** A new climate weblog section in the Tiempo Climate Newswatch http://www.tiempocyberclimate.org/newswatch/index.htm#weblogs ******************** New NSF Grant Proposal Guide Please consult the new Grant Proposal Guide before writing NSF proposals, http://www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?gpg ******************** On-Line Guide to Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) An online guide to the CDM (Clean Development Mechanism) by Joris Laseur is now available on the Foundation JIN website: http://www.jiqweb.org or via direct link: http://jiq.wiwo.nl/CDM.htm and http://jiq.wiwo.nl/unilateralcdm.pdf respectively. ******************** Permafrost And Seasonally Frozen Ground In A Changing Climate (C04). In the upcoming AGU Fall Meeting from 5-9 Dec. 2005 in San Francisco there will be a session on Permafrost And Seasonally Frozen Ground In A Changing Climate (C04). Further information can be found at: http://www.agu.org/meetings/ fm05/?pageRequest=search&show=detail&sessid=176 Deadline for abstract submission is 8 September 2005 (http:// submissions.agu.org/submission/entrance.asp). *************************************************** Science News Ice Ages Linked To Galactic Position from San Francisco Chronicle via Sigma Xi Science in the News It might sound preposterous, like astrology, to suggest that galactic events help determine when North America is or isn't buried under immense sheets of ice taller than skyscrapers. But new research suggests the coming and going of major ice ages might result partly from our solar system's passage through immense, snakelike clouds of exploding stars in the Milky Way galaxy. Resembling the curved contrails of a whirling Fourth of July pinwheel, the Milky Way's spiral arms are clouds of stars rich in supernovas, or exploding stars. Supernovas emit showers of charged particles called cosmic rays. Theorists have proposed that when our solar system passes through a spiral arm, the cosmic rays fall to Earth and knock electrons off atoms in the atmosphere, making them electrically charged, or ionized. Since opposite electrical charges attract each other, the positively charged ionized particles attract the negatively charged portion of water vapor, thus forming large droplets in the form of low-lying clouds. http://tinyurl.com/7aok5 ******************** New climate plan 'to rival Kyoto' The US and Australia are developing a new pact on climate change with a group of Asian countries, believed to include China, India and South Korea. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4721449.stm ******************** Amazon source of 5-year-old river breath Nature 27-Jul-2005 The rivers of South America's Amazon basin are "breathing" far harder ? cycling the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide more quickly ? than anyone realized. Most of the carbon being exhaled ? or outgassed ? as carbon dioxide from Amazonian rivers and wetlands has spent a mere 5 years sequestered in the trees, other plants and soils of the surrounding landscape, U.S. and Brazilian researchers report in the July 28 issue of Nature. It had been hoped that regions such as the nearly 2.4 million- square-mile Amazon River basin ? where tropical forests rapidly gulp carbon dioxide during photosynthesis ? were holding onto that carbon for decades, even centuries, says Emilio Mayorga, University of Washington oceanographer and lead author of the Nature piece with Anthony Aufdenkampe of the Stroud Water Research Center in Pennsylvania. As policy makers turn increasingly to carbon-credit trading as a means of grappling with the impacts of human-induced climate change, knowing how much carbon can be stored ? and where and for how long ? is critical, the authors say. "Our results were surprising because those who've previously made measurements found carbon in the rivers that came from the surrounding forests to be 40 to more than 1,000 years old," Aufdenkampe says. "They assumed that the return of this forest carbon to the atmosphere must be a slow process that offered at least temporary respite from greenhouse effects. "As part of the largest radiocarbon age survey ever for a single watershed, we show that the enormous amount of carbon dioxide silently being returned to the atmosphere is far younger than carbon being carried downstream," he said. "Previous studies failed to detect the rapid recycling of forest carbon because they never dated the invisible greenhouse gas as it is literally exhaled by the river organisms." "River breath is much deeper and faster than anyone realized," says Jeff Richey, UW oceanographer and another co-author. Carbon is carried by rains and groundwater into waterways from soils, decomposing woody debris, leaf litter and other organic matter. Once in waterways it is chewed up by microorganisms, insects and fish. The carbon dioxide they generate quickly returns to the atmosphere, some 500 million tons a year, an amount equal to what is absorbed each year by the Amazonian rainforest. "Having established that the amount of carbon outgassing is much greater than anyone imagined, the issue then becomes, where does it come from," Mayorga says. "If it's young, that indicates the carbon pool is dynamic, which could make the system much more reactive to deforestation and climate change." For example, data from a region of active deforestation in the southern Amazon already shows that the carbon leaving rivers has an identifiable isotopic signature of pasture grasses. "You're changing the land use, changing vegetation and other conditions. In terms of what's being respired, the system is responding fairly quickly," Mayorga says. "Human and natural systems, in turn, will be impacted." No previous tropical study has used both radioactive carbon-14 and stable carbon-13 isotopes to address these questions. Funding from the Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory made the analysis by Mayorga and Aufdenkampe possible. The samples were collected by Richey's research group and Brazilian scientists on expeditions going back as far as 1991 that were funded by the National Science Foundation, National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the Research Support Foundation for the State of San Paulo (FAPESP), Brazil. Other co- authors are Paul Quay and the late John Hedges, both UW oceanographers; Caroline Masiello of Rice University; Alex Krusche of the University of S?o Paulo, Brazil; and Thomas Brown of the Center for Accelerator Mass Spectrometry at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory. For more information: Mayorga, (206) 295-5778, emiliom@u.washington.edu Aufdenkampe, (610) 268-2153 ext. 263, aufdenkampe@stroudcenter.org; Aufdenkampe will be away from his office July 25-29 but reachable through Sandra Hines ******************** Dead zones spreading in world oceans Cheryl Lyn Dybas-IN:BioScience 55 (7, 2005):552-557 The phrase "dead zone" -- coastal waters too low in oxygen to sustain life -- is almost synonymous with the Gulf of Mexico. But a similar situation now exists in many other places, says Donald Boesch, president of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Studies in Cambridge, Maryland. "There's a dead zone right outside my office window every summer in Chesapeake Bay," says Boesch. "Since the 1970s, this lifeless zone has become a yearly phenomenon, sometimes affecting 40 percent or more of the bay." Boesch says that the expanding dead zone could be changing the entire ecosystem of the Chesapeake. Animals tolerant of hypoxia are becoming more common in the bay's waters: jellyfish may be displacing oysters, crabs, and finfish like striped bass. Worldwide, there are now some 146 coastal dead zones. Since the 1960s, according to a report by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), Global Environment Outlook Year Book 2003, the number of dead zones has doubled with each passing decade. Most are seasonal, but some persist year-round. Where did these killing fields for fish and other marine life begin? ******************** Seven fat years and seven lean years? Climate change and agriculture in Africa Coleen Vogel - IN:IDS Bulletin 36 (2, 2005): 30-35 While extreme climate events can significantly affect African agriculture, equally important are more gradual changes as well as interactions with socially rooted shocks and vulnerabilities. Existing scenarios of climate change's impact in Africa are diverse and uncertain, but largely unfavorable and point to the importance of mediating social factors such as governance, HIV/AIDS, land tenure, trade patterns and market structures. Efforts are needed to improve technical and institutional adaptive capacities and to improve understanding of climate fluctuations, human vulnerability and their interaction. ******************** Oceans Have Fewer Kinds Of Fish from The Washington Post (Registration Required) The variety of species in the world's oceans has dropped by as much as 50 percent in the past 50 years, according to a paper published today in the journal Science. A combination of overfishing, habitat destruction and climate change has narrowed the range of fish across the globe, wrote biologists Boris Worm and Ransom A. Myers of Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia and three other scientists. In some areas, such as off northwest Australia where a wide variety of tuna and billfish used to thrive, diversity has declined precipitously. "Where you used to put out a fishing line 50 years ago and catch 10 species, now you catch five species for the same amount of effort," Worm said in an interview yesterday. "That's a recipe for ecological collapse and disaster." http://tinyurl.com/d888t ******************** Scientists Discover Global Marine Pattern Of Big-Fish Diversity From Pew/SeaSpan A new study released in Science (via ScienceExpress) on July 28th reveals a striking downward trend in the diversity of fish in the open ocean. In a sequel to their groundbreaking study in the journal Nature in 2003, showing the depletion of 90 percent of the big fish in the ocean, authors Boris Worm, Ransom Myers, and colleagues reveal that the diversity of tuna, marlins, and swordfish in the oceans has declined by up to 50 percent in the last 50 years. The scientists highlight a surprising global pattern of open ocean hotspots--areas with predictable congregations of tuna, marlin, swordfish, and other ocean predators. Perhaps most surprising is the discovery that patterns of big fish diversity match those for tiny zooplankton, and both are linked to sea surface temperature. "This is the great joy of science," says first author Boris Worm. "It is like solving a giant puzzle and seeing the night sky in constellations for the first time-- even as the stars are blinking out. It's beautiful--and tragic at the same time?.Everywhere you go, in every ocean basin, our 'hotspots' today are only relics of what was once there. It really hurts to see this." To read the report online (subscribers only), go to: http:// www.sciencemag.org/sciencexpress/recent.shtml ******************** Glacial Meltdown Speeding Up from Pew/SeaSpan According to a U.S. researcher, the Kangerdlugssuaq Glacier in southeastern Greenland has suddenly become one of the world's fastest- melting glaciers. Scientist Gordon Hamilton from the University of Maine took the first-ever direct measurements on the surface of Kangerdlugssuaq Glacier on July 18 and discovered it is now moving at an unglacial 38 meters per day, or 14 kilometers per year. That is nearly three times faster than in 2002, when a NASA plane flew over to take measurements. The glacier has also unexpectedly retreated five kilometers since 2002 after maintaining a stable position for the past 40 years. Global warming has resulted in much warmer temperatures over southern Greenland in the past decade, melting the tops of the glaciers in the region and creating large melt-water lakes, Hamilton said. But those covering the Kangerdlugssuaq Glacier disappeared in 2002. Hamilton surmises that cracks or crevices in the glacier likely drained the water to the bottom, where it acts as lubricant, speeding up the glacier's flow to the ocean. If the same conditions are occurring elsewhere, sea levels around the world will rise much faster than predicted, he said. If the Greenland Ice Sheet melts completely, that alone would raise sea levels approximately seven meters. For the full story, go to: http://www.ipsnews.net/ news.asp?idnews=29606 ******************** Warmer Oceans May Be Killing Marine Life from Pew/SeaSpan Scientists suspect that rising ocean temperatures and dwindling plankton populations are behind a growing number of seabird deaths, reports of fewer salmon and other anomalies along the west coast of the United States. Coastal ocean temperatures are 2-5 degrees Fahrenheit above normal, apparently caused by a lack of upwelling--a process that brings cold, nutrient-rich water to the surface. Upwelling fuels algae and shrimplike krill populations that feed small fish, which provide an important food source for a variety of sea life. "Something big is going on out there," said Julia Parrish, an associate professor in the School of Aquatic Fisheries and Sciences at the University of Washington. "I'm left with no obvious smoking gun, but birds are a good signal because they feed high up on the food chain." This spring, scientists reported a record number of dead seabirds washed up on beaches along the Pacific coast, from central California to British Columbia. SOURCE: Carina Stanton, Seattle Times, 13 July 2005, http:// seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2002377292_ocean13m.html ******************** As planet warms, storms grow stronger Christian Science Monitor http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/0801/p03s01-sten.html ******************** Ocean researchers race to document Arctic regions threatened by climate change, Associated Press http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/aplocal_story.asp? category=6420&slug=CAN%20Hidden%20Ocean ******************** Variety of ocean's fish down by half, study says Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post http://www.startribune.com/stories/484/5531995.html ******************** Bush Administration Unveils Alternative Climate Pact http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/28/international/28climate.html ******************** New Energy Probe May Harm Sea Life from The Christian Science Monitor Faced with its biggest energy challenge in more than 20 years, the United States is poised to look for offshore reserves of oil and natural gas as never before. By using the latest techniques, government officials hope to update surveys more than two decades old and, perhaps, discover new pools of oil and gas hidden miles under the ocean floor. Such discoveries could boost US production and lessen reliance on foreign oil. But not everyone is pleased. Many legislators fear that such surveys will boost political pressure to begin offshore drilling in areas where it has been banned for decades. Even without drilling, the new survey ? which involves blasting the ocean floor with sound waves - could threaten marine life, environmentalists say. http:// tinyurl.com/bqow5 *************************************************** Forum Ocean and Coastal Literacy Legislation Introduced in the Senate Submitted by Jana Davis In response to the declining math and science skills of U.S. students relative to other nations, Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D- NJ) has introduced a bill to capitalize upon the natural allure of our oceans and coastlines to spark an interest in science. S. 1465, the Ocean and Coastal Literacy in Urban and other Environments Act (Ocean CLUE) will organize and strengthen existing federal ocean, coastal, and Great Lakes education programs and will focus attention on K-12 level initiatives to increase minority participation in ocean and coastal sciences. This will improve the general science understanding of Americans and increase awareness of the proper care and management of our oceans and fragile coastal regions. Current cosponsors of Senator Lautenberg?s bill are Senators Inouye (D-HI), Sarbanes (D-MD), Levin (D-MI), and Boxer (D-CA), and the bill is supported by marine science education groups, environmental groups, and research institutions. Ocean and coastal science professionals who also support the bill can call the legislative staff of their Senators offices and ask them to cosponsor. They may also contact staff of Senator Sununu, who chairs the subcommittee with jurisdiction, to urge him to take up this issue. For more information, contact Jana Davis at Jana_Davis@Lautenberg.senate.gov. ******************** Most New Graduates in Earth and Space Sciences Find Satisfying Work in their Field AGU Press Release # 05-27 WASHINGTON - The vast majority of 2003 graduates in the Earth and space sciences found work in that field, earning salaries commensurate with or slightly higher than in 2001 and 2002. This was a key finding in the annual survey of recent Ph.D. recipients conducted by the American Geophysical Union and the American Geological Institute. The study, reported in the 2 August issue of Eos, the AGU newspaper, covered 180 Earth and space science Ph.D. recipients who received degrees from U.S. universities in 2003. The survey asks graduates about their education and employment, their efforts to find their first job, and their experiences in graduate school. Key results from the 2003 report include: * The vast majority (87%) of the 2003 graduates found work in the Earth and space sciences, earning salaries commensurate with or slightly higher than in 2001 and 2002. Most (64%) of them were employed in academia (including postdoctoral appointments), with the remainder in government (19%) , industry (10%), and other (7%) sectors. Most graduates were positive about their employment situation and found that their work was challenging, relevant, and appropriate for someone with a Ph.D. * The number of Ph.D. recipients accepting postdoctoral positions (58%) increased slightly from 2002. In contrast, the fields of physics and chemistry showed significant increases in postdoctoral appointments during the same period. * As in previous years, recipients of Ph.D.s in the Earth, atmospheric, and ocean sciences are slightly older (median age of 32.7 years) than Ph.D. recipients in most other natural sciences (except computer sciences), which is attributed to time taken off between undergraduate and graduate studies. * Women in the Earth, atmospheric, and ocean sciences earned 33% of Ph.D.s in the class of 2003, surpassing the percentage of Ph.D.s earned by women in chemistry (32%), computer sciences (20%), physics (19%), and engineering (17%). Participation of other underrepresented groups in the Earth, atmospheric, and ocean sciences remained extremely low. The survey was conducted by the Statistical Research Center of the American Institute of Physics. The AGU/AGI report draws on results from eight prior AGU/AGI surveys of Ph.D. classes (1996- 2003), as well as data from the National Science Foundation Survey of Earned Doctorates. The full 2003 report is available at http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/ cpst/2003PhDSurvey.pdf ******************** G8 Climate Plan of Action Delivers Little Change AUCHTERARDER, Scotland, July 8, 2005 (ENS) - The G8 leaders have signed a climate change agreement without measurable targets and timetables for reducing heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions. At the close of the G8 Summit at Gleneagles today, the heads of government of the world's eight wealthiest nations agreed that "climate change is happening now, that human activity is contributing to it, and that it could affect every part of the globe." But they decided on dialogue, technological development and marketing rather than emissions limits to address the problem. "We know that, globally, emissions must slow, peak and then decline, moving us towards a low-carbon economy. This will require leadership from the developed world," the G8 leaders state. "We resolved to take urgent action to meet the challenges we face," they declare. "The Gleneagles Plan of Action which we have agreed demonstrates our commitment. We will take measures to develop markets for clean energy technologies, to increase their availability in developing countries, and to help vulnerable communities adapt to the impact of climate change." But the Gleneagles Plan of Action disappointed environmentalists who had hoped for an immediate emission reduction program to avoid catastrophic climate change. The campaign group Friends of the Earth blamed the United States for the lack of progress, saying the Gleneagles document offered nothing new, with no commitment to firm action agreed. British Prime Minister Tony Blair, who hosted the gathering, said, "We speak in the shadow of terrorism. But it will not obscure what we came here to achieve." Referring to the terrorist bomb blast in London Thursday that claimed at least 50 lives, Blair said, "There is no hope in terrorism, nor any future in it worth living. And it is hope that is the alternative to hatred." "We came here to acknowledge our duty to be responsible stewards of the global environment," said Blair. "We do not hide the disagreements of the past but we have agreed a process, with a plan of action, that will initiate a new Dialogue between the G8 and the emerging economies of the world to slow down and then, in time, to reverse the rise in harmful greenhouse gas emissions," said Blair. "The Dialogue will begin on 1 November with a meeting here in Britain." To further their Plan the G8 leaders have asked the World Bank to create a new framework for mobilizing investment in clean energy and development. World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz said, "A first high- level meeting on this is scheduled to be hosted in Britain on November 1st by Prime Minister Blair and the World Bank Group.? These arrangements were not strong enough to reassure environmentalists. Friends of the Earth International Vice Chair Tony Juniper said, "Despite the growing evidence of human induced climate change and the dangers of its impacts becoming more widely known and understood, the outcomes of this summit leave us very little further ahead. While the leaders carry on talking, the world continues warming." The G8 leaders "warmly welcomed" the involvement of the leaders of the emerging economy nations of Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa, who they said contributed "ideas for new approaches to international co-operation on clean energy technologies between the developed and developing world." "Our discussions mark the beginning of a new Dialogue between the G8 nations and other countries with significant energy needs, consistent with the aims and principles of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. This will explore how best to exchange technology, reduce emissions, and meet our energy needs in a sustainable way, as we implement and build on the Plan of Action," the G8 said in the Chair's Summary document. But developing countries already facing the impacts of climate change were offered no direct financial assistance or support. The statement issued Thursday by Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa mentions the threat of climate change to their countries, but the G8 Plan only mentions providing further access to information and developing scientific capacity. "We will advance the global effort to tackle climate change at the UN Climate Change Conference in Montreal later this year. Those of us who have ratified the Kyoto Protocol remain committed to it, and will continue to work to make it a success," the G8 leaders declared. All the G8 countries have ratified the Kyoto Protocol with the exception of the United States. U.S. President George W. Bush framed the global warming issue as the challenge of providing energy to the two billion people who need modern energy services. "Providing affordable, reliable and secure energy is essential to end extreme poverty and build a better and cleaner world," the U.S. State Department said in a statement. "Stagnant economies are one of the world's greatest environmental threats. Improved access to cleaner and more secure energy resources will also reduce the growth of greenhouse gas emissions associated with long-term climate change." The G8's Gleneagles Plan of Action will, "Power a cleaner future by promoting the use of nuclear power, clean coal technologies, clean diesel and methane, renewable energy, bioenergy, and more efficient power grids and strengthen research and development of hydrogen- powered vehicles that emit only water, not fumes," the U.S. said. The Plan will, "Finance the transition to cleaner energy through a strengthened World Bank and national policies that support markets, remove barriers to direct investment, leverage private capital, and promote investment." It will, "Manage the impact of climate change through strong funding of climate change science, improved scientific and monitoring capabilities of poorer regions such as Africa, and full implementation of the 10-year plan developing the Global Earth Observation System of Systems." And recognizing the connection between land use and climate change, the Plan will, "Combat illegal logging by working with poor countries struggling to enforce their own forest management laws to prevent harm to ecosystems and land use changes that are a factor in climate change." As the Gleneagles document was signed, the global conservation organization WWF issued a new report that models climate change impacts in the Mediterranean region if the world's average temperature rises by two degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. According to WWF, if climate change is not curbed, "the region could expect searing temperatures with up to six weeks more of extreme heat days - defined as plus 35 ?C - per year." The increased number of hotter days would translate into a higher fire risk, with implications for the safety of tourists visiting the region. "The southern part of the Mediterranean would be at risk of forest fires practically all year round," WWF said, "and nearly everywhere else in the region the risk of fire would be expected to extend by up to six weeks." Scientists with the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said Thursday that the rate of sea level rise has nearly doubled in the past 12 years. "Roughly half of that is attributed to the expansion of ocean water as it has increased in temperature, with the rest coming from other sources," said Dr. Steve Nerem, associate professor with the Colorado Center for Astrodynamics Research at the University of Colorado-Boulder. For the first time, NASA scientists have the tools and expertise to understand the rate at which sea level is changing, some of the mechanisms that drive those changes and the effects that sea level change may have worldwide. "We've found the largest likely factor for sea level rise is changes in the amount of ice that covers the earth. Three-fourths of the planet's freshwater is stored in glaciers and ice sheets or the equivalent of about 220 feet of sea level," said Dr. Eric Rignot, principal scientist for the Radar Science and Engineering Section at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "Ice cover is shrinking much faster than we thought, with over half of recent sea level rise due to the melting of ice from Greenland, West Antarctica's Amundsen Sea and mountain glaciers," he said. *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings James Martin 21st Century School Fellowships In Climate Policy/ Environmental Governance ECI is pleased to announce the first round of James Martin 21st Century School fellowships in climate policy and in environmental governance. Ads will appear in the Guardian and Nature next week. We have a short deadline for the first round as funds are in hand and we would like to get started. see http://www.21school.ox.ac.uk We will entertain applications now and later for the second and third years of the programme. Professor Diana Liverman Director Environmental Change Institute Oxford University Centre for the Environment Dyson Perrins Building South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3QY 01865-275847 ******************** Third International Workshop "Climate Change, Sustainable Development and Risk - an Economic and business View" Call for Proposals - deadline extended for the third international workshop "Climate Change, Sustainable Development and Risk - an Economic and business View". We particularly invite young scientists (e.g. research fellows, Dr./PhD students & fellows, post- docs, habilitation candidates, assistant/junior professors) to take part in the workshop and to present a paper. The workshop will take place November, 16th - 18th in Lutherstadt Wittenberg/Germany. It is organized by the Chair of Environmental Economics and the Chair of Corporate Environmental Management of the University Halle-Wittenberg/Germany. The number of participants is limited to a maximum of 20. This small group shall facilitate intensive discussions. International leading researchers will give key note presentations. Detailed information can be obtained from our homepage: http:// www.wiwi.uni-halle.de/lui/bwl/umwelt/ (click on "Workshop Climate Change, Sustainable Development and Risk - an Economic and business View" in the menu on the left side). *************************************************** Jobs University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) is recruiting postdoctoral scientists and short-term senior visitors to work in Princeton, New Jersey at NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) as part of the Climate Change Research Initiative (CCRI). For further information, please call 303-497-8649, send e- mail to: vsp@ucar.edu or visit the VSP website at: www.vsp.ucar.edu. ******************** UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) The UK Climate Impacts Programme (UKCIP) www.ukcip.org.uk was set up by the UK Government's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) in 1997 to help organisations assess how they might be affected by climate change, so that they can plan to adapt. Since 1997 the Programme has grown rapidly: regional partnerships working on climate impacts and adaptation now exist across the UK , in addition to sectoral studies and stakeholder-led groups addressing climate risks in a diverse range of organisations including business and local authorities. There are currently 3 posts available at UKCIP: I. Two Project Officers (Business and Local Authorities) II. Scientific Officer UKCIP is looking to recruit a science graduate with relevant post- graduate experience to assist in the provision of scientific advice and data to stakeholders on how to prepare for and adapt to the impacts of a changing climate. The Scientific Officer will also be responsible for some of the research studies in UKCIP's portfolio as well as supporting the development and take-up of UKCIP data and tools, including web-based information. For further details please see http://www.eci.ox.ac.uk/news/ vacancy.htm or contact the HR Officer on Tel. 01865 285079. Closing date: 3 August 2005. Interviews: week beginning 22 August 2005 ******************** New James Martin 21st Century School Fellowships in the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford Please encourage (or consider) applications for the new James Martin 21st Century School Fellowships in the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford (details below or at http://www.eci.ox.ac.uk/news/ vacancy.htm#jamesmartin) We are getting lots of applicants but often not of the quality or in the themes that we are looking for. The fellowships can be used for sabbatical leaves or visits from 6 months to 3 years. Please send to those you think might be interested. Thanks (and please note new office address and phone as of June 1 2005) Professor Diana Liverman Director, Environmental Change Institute Oxford University Centre for the Environment Dyson Perrins Building South Parks Road Oxford OX1 3QY 01865-275847 Applications are invited for several new James Martin 21st Century School Fellowships in the areas of (a) international environmental governance and (b) climate policy. Fellows will be based in the Environmental Change Institute, which forms part of the new Oxford University Centre for the Environment (OUCE). The focus of the 21st Century School is on stimulating Oxford 's research overall, by giving the University's scholars the resources and the time to think imaginatively and positively about the problems and the opportunities that the future will bring. The new School is designed on a 'hub and spoke' model, with a Director and small staff at the centre, and a number of institutes each undertaking leading-edge research in its own subject area. At the launch of the School, these will be: the James Martin Institute for Science and Civilization; the Environmental Change Institute; the e-Horizons Institute; the Oxford Institute of Ageing; the International Migration Institute; the Oxford Future of Humanity Institute; the Programme on Ethics of the New Biosciences; the Institute for Emergent Infections of Humans; and the Institute for the Future of the Mind. The ECI James Martin 21st Century School fellows are expected to undertake research that will contribute to (a) critical and constructive evaluations of policies and institutions designed to prevent dangerous climate change including carbon trading, adaptation measures, and energy alternatives at a range of scales and implemented by various agents and/or (b) assessments of new approaches to international environmental governance that include the rescaling of environmental management (to more local and global levels), the privatisation or pricing of environmental services, and joint ventures between the state, private and non-profit sectors. Fellows will work under the general direction of the ECI director, Professor Diana Liverman, and will be encouraged to collaborate with other staff in the OUCE, and across the university. Appointments will be made for 6 months to three years in the first instance, may range from postdoctoral to senior research fellow level and can include partial funding of sabbatical visitors. Fellows are encouraged to contribute lectures or options to one or more of the five postgraduate environmental MSc programmes offered through the Oxford University Centre for the Environment. Initial appointments will be available from October 2005. Applicants should have a postgraduate degree and evidence of a commitment to collaborative and policy relevant research and outreach. Senior appointments must have a strong record of academic publishing and policy interaction and junior fellows must have outstanding potential for academic and policy contributions. Further details are available from Sue King (sue.king@eci.ox.ac.uk ) OUCE, Dyson Perrins Building , South Parks Road , Oxford , UK OX1 3QY , Tel 01865 275847. Informal inquiries may be made to Professor Liverman (E-mail: diana.liverman@eci.ox.ac.uk). The closing date for receipt of the first round of applications is Aug 15 2005. Interviews will be held in Oxford (in person or by teleconference) on 30 August 2005. ******************** Project Manager-The UNFCCC: Implementation and participation in Asia- Pacific From Climate-L WWF has recently secured a 3 year grant from the EU Commission to improve the implementation and participation of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 4 countries across Asia- Pacific: Cook Islands and Tuvalu in South Pacific, Indonesia and Nepal. In each country a Project Team of WWF and its partners will build alliances and capacity at the national level to implement and engage in UNFCCC treaties and negotiations. At the international level lessons learned will be shared between countries and used to improve the ability of countries with fewer political resources to effectively represent their national interest in the UNFCCC the negotiations. WWF is seeking a Project Manager, based at WWF India in Delhi, who will: Be responsible for managing the project and delivering on its objectives as well as ensuring complete and accurate accounting and reporting to the donor. Support national programmes with the implementation of their UNFCCC related activities. Engage at the international level in disseminating lessons learned and building alliances of countries within the context of UNFCCC negotiations. The successful candidate will: Possess demonstrated their ability to efficiently and successfully manage international projects and work with international teams. Possess a relevant educational or employment background in areas such as environmental policy, climate change policy or international politics. Be able to show a demonstrated commitment to securing change on environmental issues. Possess experience or understanding of working with NGOs Show an ability to work as part of a well co-ordinated team Demonstrate an ability to take initiative and make independent management decisions Be available to travel extensively to support the programmes at the national level and at the UNFCCC negotiations. Contract duration is 3 years. Salary will be competitive with Indian pay scales, weighted to account for the International nature of the project. CVs should be emailed to Ma-Anne Roque (maroque@wwf.org.ph) and Climate Change & Energy Programme, India (climate@wwfindia.net) by August 12, 2005. ******************** Recruiting for Intermediate and Senior Level Consultants - Energy & Climate Strategy and Carbon Management Ecofys is an international consultancy, specialising in sustainable energy and climate issues. The Ecofys UK office in London is currently expanding and we are recruiting for intermediate and senior level consultants in the areas of Energy & Climate Strategy and Carbon Management. For more details of the current vacancies please see our website: http://www.ecofys.co.uk/uk/work/vacancies.htm Note that the closing date for all vacancies is the 14th of August 2005. ******************** CSIRO Postdoctoral Fellowship, Perth, Australia (up to 3 years): Marine Molecular Ecology and Biogeography. Capitalising on the wealth of multidisciplinary knowledge flowing from the Western Australian Strategic Research Fund for the Marine Environment initiative this project will exploit the power of the emerging science, molecular ecology, to gain insights into how the distributions of key marine organisms are influenced by physical, oceanographic, climatic and hydrodynamic processes operating off Western Australia. A central focus of our research is the influence of ocean processes such as the Leeuwin Current, its eddies and associated minor currents on the spatial and temporal dynamics of marine organisms, from zooplankton to macroalgae. These influences are manifested partly via dispersal of reproductive propagules within and between populations across local and geographic scales. Understanding these processes is central to interpreting the biological patterns observed in marine species. It is also important to understand these processes if marine reserves are to be effective tools for conserving biodiversity in exploited systems because it helps ensure reserves are representative and viable. The project will investigate dispersal, gene flow, biogeographical patterns and evolutionary relationships using DNA- based genetic markers and models of dispersal and population dynamics. Biogeographic patterns observed in WA will be related to larger scale, continent, and basin-wide ocean processes. CSIRO at Floreat has ideal facilities with which to conduct this research, including modern molecular biology laboratories and an impressive capacity to conduct field based marine biological research. This will be a well resourced postdoc and the research environment in which it will be conducted is extremely stimulating and dynamic. Furthermore, the lifestyle and climate in Perth is about as good as it gets. I encourage good early career molecular ecologists and phylogeneticists not to miss this opportunity. Details of the application process will be posted on the CSIRO website by August 5 2005 (www.csiro.au/careers). If you are interested in this area of research please contact Phillip England (phillip.england@csiro.au) or Peter Craig (peter.craig@csiro.au). ******************** The GCP has two International Project Offices (IPO): one in Canberra, Australia and one in Tsukuba, Japan. The Global Carbon Project (GCP) is a joint program of the IHDP, IGBP, WCRP, and DIVERSITAS under their Earth System Science Partnership. The GCP has two International Project Offices (IPO): one in Canberra, Australia and one in Tsukuba, Japan. The GCP is seeking to appoint a highly motivated and independent person as Executive Officer (director) of its International Project Office in Tsukuba, Japan at the National Institute for Environmental Studies (NIES). The successful candidate will work with the GCP Science Steering Committee, its three co-chairs, and the Executive Officer of the other GCP International Project Office in Canberra, Australia to implement the science framework of the GCP. Further information on the position and the GCP is available from Penelope Canan (penelope.canan@nies.go.jp), Pep Canadell [pep.canadell@csiro.au], or by viewing the GCP homepage, http:// www.globalcarbonproject.org. Other useful information on Tsukuba and the host Institution can be view at: NIES: http://www.nies.go.jp/ index.html; Housing: http://www.jistec.or.jp/house/; and Tsukuba city: http://www.info-tsukuba.org/english/index.html We are seeking a person with excellent working knowledge of the policy-relevant scientific objectives of the GCP and a keen interest in devising methods to integrate social and policy sciences into the understanding of the carbon-climate system as a coupled human/natural system. The Tsukuba IPO is especially focused on fostering and coordinating research related integrating the human and natural dimensions of the global carbon cycle and global/regional/urban carbon management. The Science Framework of the Global Carbon Project is available on the web, as are a number of publications, conference proceedings, and presentations that provide more background information. Post- graduate qualifications (preferably a PhD) are desirable. The appointee will have demonstrated high organizational, communication and interpersonal skills; experience in drafting a diverse range of scientific documents; ability to communicate in English effectively with groups of scientists of diverse disciplinary, national, and cultural backgrounds; and the flexibility and willingness to undertake extensive, long-distance overseas travel. This appointment at the National Institute for Environmental Studies, Tsukuba (Japan), is for a fixed term of two years, with the possibility of an extension up to five years. The successful candidate will be invited to commence the job as early as February 2006. Closing date for applications: 1 October 2005 Please, send your application by email, including descriptions of skills, qualifications and work achievements, and contact details of three referees, to Ms. Yukako Ojima ojima.yukako@nies.go.jp). ******************** Physical Scientist - Ice Climatologist The NOAA Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory (GLERL) seeks an enthusiastic research scientist to perform research and develop forecasting models on Great Lakes ice. Research will involve both the statistical analysis and forecasting of Great Lakes ice cover for application to environmental problems in the Great Lakes, as well as development of thermodynamically-based and/or statistically-based practical ice forecasting models for short-term, seasonal, and long-term ice prediction. The incumbent will also update and maintain the Great Lakes digital ice climatology data base as well as work with the National Weather Service, National Ice Center and Canadian Ice Center on problems involving ice on the Great Lakes. The incumbent should have experience in seasonal to inter- annual climate forecasting. The individual will present results in peer-reviewed publications and scientific presentations and grow the program by submitting research proposals. This is a full time permanent federal position (GS-12) with a starting salary of $64,886. Closing date is 09/30/05; however, the position may be filled before that date. pplications received by August 31, 2005 will be given full consideration. Applications will be reviewed on a monthly basis thereafter until the closing date. This position is posted on the U.S. Department of Commerce website: www.jobs.doc.gov under two vacancy numbers OAR- LABS-2005-0018 and OAR-LABS-2005-0019 (current federal employees). ******************** Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Regulatory Analyst Natsource seeks a Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Regulatory Analyst to provide analysis in support of the company's Greenhouse Gas-Credit Aggregation Pool (GG-CAP). The GG-CAP purchases, on behalf of corporate clients, greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions that can be used to comply with regulatory obligations under the Kyoto Protocol and the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. Send cover letter and resume to: Tara Sheehan at tsheehan@natsource.com. Natsource is seeking to fill this position quickly. Please send cover letters and resume by August 30, 2005. For more information: http://www.natsource.com ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050805/aeec0fac/attachment-0001.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Mon Aug 15 13:30:01 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Mon Aug 15 13:30:53 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG/DISCCRS News 08/12/2005 Message-ID: <57F26975-D019-4BDF-A498-9BB11DB4605A@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 08/12/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES The U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) has just updated its "What's New" http://www.usgcrp.gov/usgcrp/new.htm A New Climate Weblog Section - Tiempo Climate Newswatch http://www.tiempocyberclimate.org/newswatch/index.htm New Book Available - "Long-term Environmental Change in Arctic and Antarctic Lakes" http://www.springeronline.com/sgw/cda/frontpage/ 0,11855,1-10012-22-35894243-0,00.html SCIENCE NEWS Coral Reef Fish Larvae Settle Close to Home http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-07/cp-crf072005.php House Science Committee Passes Bill To Restructure NOAA Climate change 'means heat waves' http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/northern_ireland/4140388.stm Changes to Pacific Coast Marine Ecosystem Census Of Marine Life Researchers Find Downward Trend In Diversity Of Fish In The Open Ocean http://as01.ucis.dal.ca/fmap/news.php#13 Errors Cited In Assessing Climate Data http://tinyurl.com/7pmgc Warming Hits 'Tipping Point' http://tinyurl.com/93equ FORUM AGU and AMS Presidents Criticize Congressman Barton in Letter http://www.house.gov/science/hot/climate%20dispute/index.htm SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS Coalition for Earth Science Education 2005 Meeting, September 23 and 24 www.regonline.com/26329 JOBS Entry-level Environmental Scientist/Policy Analyst - I.M. Systems Group, Inc. www.imsg.com The Smithsonian Institution is accepting applications and nominations for the position of Sant Chair for Marine Science www.mnh.si.edu/ocean *************************************************** Resources The U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) has just updated its "What's New" http://www.usgcrp.gov/usgcrp/new.htm With a wide-ranging set of organized links to new online material, the page is periodically updated and provides an easy way to monitor important scientific developments -- without having to dig around dozens of different web sites. ******************** A New Climate Weblog Section - Tiempo Climate Newswatch A weekly online magazine on climate and development, has added a new section to their webpage. See the "weblogs" section of http:// www.tiempocyberclimate.org/newswatch/index.htm ******************** New Book Available - "Long-term Environmental Change in Arctic and Antarctic Lakes" Volume 8 of the "Developments in Paleoenvironmental Research" Series Editors: Reinhard Pienitz, Marianne S.V. Douglas, and John P. Smol 562 pages - ISBN: 1-4020-2125-9 - Price: 105,93 Euros For further information and to order this book, please go to: http://www.springeronline.com/sgw/cda/frontpage/ 0,11855,1-10012-22-35894243-0,00.html *************************************************** Science News Coral Reef Fish Larvae Settle Close to Home Tracing the larvae of marine organisms from where they were born to their ultimate destination has been regarded as one of the greatest challenges in ocean science. Managers of marine reserves areas have eagerly sought this information to help determine the optimal size and spacing of marine reserves; well-planned reserves should help ensure that protected populations can sustain themselves as well as provide a source of larvae to maintain exploited populations in areas open to fishing. In a new study, researchers have managed to uncover the patterns of local dispersion for a small coral reef fish species by employing a combination of inventive tracking techniques. In addition to providing ecological information about one particular fish species, the work suggests ways that the ecology of other fish can be studied and applied to strategies for the maintenance of stable populations. For the full story, http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-07/cp- crf072005.php. ******************** House Science Committee Passes Bill To Restructure NOAA AGU ASLA 05-18 by Gene Bierly: The House Committee on Science passed H.R. 50, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Act on 17 May 2005. This act would, for the first time in NOAA's history, define and codify NOAA's core mission and functions. Since its creation by executive order in 1970, NOAA has been operating without the guidance of a congressional mandate, limiting the agency's ability to provide authority and leadership in ocean science research and resource management. "Our bill will do more than merely found NOAA in law," said committee Chairman Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) during the mark-up. "It will raise the profile of science at NOAA and improve its management." NOAA's mission, as laid out in the bill, is "to understand the systems of the Earth's oceans and atmosphere and to predict changes in the Earth's oceans and atmosphere and the effects of such changes on the land environment, to conserve and manage coastal, ocean, and Great Lakes ecosystems to meet national economic, social, and environmental needs, and to educate the public about these topics." H.R. 50 leaves the National Weather Service (NWS) in NOAA, noting that one of NOAA's 11 function is "issuing weather, water, climate, and space weather forecasts and warnings." Under the bill NOAA will also maintain: 1) programs to support operational and service functions, including all activities of the National Environmental Satellite Data and Information Service (NESDIS) as well as the mapping and charting activities of the National Ocean Service (NOS); 2) programs to conduct and support research and education and the development of technologies relating to weather, climate, and the coasts, oceans, and the Great Lakes; 3) a system of laboratories to perform these functions, as well as the National Sea Grant College Program; and 4) an extramural peer-reviewed competitive grant programs. H.R. 50 would establish a Deputy Assistant Secretary position for science and technology to oversee ocean research programs, and it would codify the NOAA Science Advisory Board, which advises the NOAA administrator on strategies for research, education and the application of science. Public outreach is also a priority of H.R. 50. Throughout the bill, emphasis is placed on fostering the public's ability to understand and integrate scientific information into considerations of national environmental issues. During the May 17 hearing, an additional bill regarding NOAA was passed and sent to the House floor. H.R. 2364, would establish a Science and Technology Scholarship Program to award scholarships to recruit and prepare students for careers in the NWS and in NOAA's marine research, atmospheric research, and satellite programs. The bill would specifically include Historically Black Colleges and Universities and institutions serving a large proportion of underrepresented groups. ******************** Climate change 'means heat waves' BBC News - UK The survey, which analysed climate change across 16 European capitals, suggested London's temperature rise of two degrees was one of the most significant in ... http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/ northern_ireland/4140388.stm ******************** Changes to Pacific Coast Marine Ecosystem SAN FRANCISCO, California (Associated Press) -- Marine biologists are seeing mysterious and disturbing things along the Pacific Coast this year: higher water temperatures, plummeting catches of fish, lots of dead birds on the beaches, and perhaps most worrisome, very little plankton -- the tiny organisms that are a vital link in the ocean food chain. Is this just one freak year? Or is this global warming? Few scientists are willing to blame global warming, the theory that carbon dioxide and other manmade emissions are trapping heat in the Earth's atmosphere and causing a worldwide rise in temperatures. Yet few are willing to rule it out. "There are strange things happening, but we don't really understand how all the pieces fit together," said Jane Lubchenco, a zoologist and climate change expert at Oregon State University. "It's hard to say whether any single event is just an anomaly or a real indication of something serious happening." Scientists say things could very well swing back to normal next year. But if the phenomenon proves to be long-lasting, the consequences could be serious for birds, fish and other wildlife. This much is known: From California to British Columbia, unusual weather patterns have disrupted the marine ecosystem. Normally, in the spring and summer, winds blow south along the Pacific Coast and push warmer surface waters away from shore. That allows colder, nutrient-rich water to well up from the bottom of the sea and feed microscopic plants called phytoplankton. Phytoplankton are then eaten by zooplankton, tiny marine animals that include shrimp-like crustaceans called krill. Zooplankton, in turn, are eaten by seabirds and by fish and marine animals ranging from sardines to whales. But this year, the winds have been unusually weak, failing to generate much upwelling and reducing the amount of phytoplankton. Off Oregon, for example, the waters near the shore are 5 to 7 degrees warmer than normal and have yielded about one-fourth the usual amount of phytoplankton, said Bill Peterson, an oceanographer with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Newport, Oregon. "The bottom has fallen out of the coastal food chain, and there's just not enough food out there," said Julia Parrish, a seabird ecologist at the University of Washington in Seattle. Seabirds are clearly distressed. On the Farallon Islands west of San Francisco, researchers this spring noted a steep decrease in nesting cormorants and a 90 percent drop in Cassin's auklets -- the worst in more than 35 years of monitoring. On Washington state's Tatoosh Island, common murres -- a species so sensitive to disruptions that scientists consider it a harbinger of ecological change -- started breeding nearly a month late. It was the longest delay in 15 years of monitoring. Researchers have also reported a sharp increase in dead birds washing up in California, Oregon and Washington. Along Monterey Bay in Central California, there are four times the usual number of dead seabirds, said Hannah Nevins, a scientist at Moss Landing Marine Laboratories. "Basically, they're not finding enough food, and they use up the energy that's stored in their muscles, liver and body fat," Nevins said. Fish appear to be feeling the effects, too. NOAA found a 20 percent to 30 percent drop in juvenile salmon off the coasts of Oregon, Washington and British Columbia in June and July, compared with the average over the previous six years. And researchers counted the lowest number of juvenile rockfish in more than 20 years of monitoring in Central and Northern California. Fewer than 100 were caught between San Luis Obispo and Fort Bragg this year, compared with several thousand last year. Scientists have seen some of these strange happenings before during El Nino years, when higher water surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific alter weather patterns worldwide. But the West Coast has not had El Nino conditions this year. As for the possibility that this is being caused by global warming, scientists are not so sure, since climate change is believed to be a gradual process, and what is happening this year is relatively sudden. But "if we did see this next year, the notion that global warming plays a role in this carries more weight," said Nathan Mantua, a climate expert at the University of Washington in Seattle. Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ******************** Census Of Marine Life Researchers Find Downward Trend In Diversity Of Fish In The Open Ocean Exerpted from CORE weekly newsletter Diversity of fish in the open oceans has declined by up to 50% over 50 years due to fishing. In a study, published in the July 28th issue of Science, the Census of Marine Life?s Future of Marine Animal Populations (FMAP) scientists Boris Worm, Ransom Myers and their colleagues at Dalhousie University show a clear link to overfishing and fish diversity. The paper reports their findings of rapidly shrinking hotspots for tuna, marlin, and swordfish in five ocean basins. The complete article can be found at the FMAP press page at http://as01.ucis.dal.ca/fmap/news.php#13. ******************** Errors Cited In Assessing Climate Data from The New York Times (Registration Required) via Sigma Xi Science in the News Some scientists who question whether human-caused global warming poses a threat have long pointed to records that showed the atmosphere's lowest layer, the troposphere, had not warmed over the last two decades and had cooled in the tropics. Now two independent studies have found errors in the complicated calculations used to generate the old temperature records, which involved stitching together data from thousands of weather balloons lofted around the world and a series of short-lived weather satellites. A third study shows that when the errors are taken into account, the troposphere actually got warmer. Moreover, that warming trend largely agrees with the warmer surface temperatures that have been recorded and conforms to predictions in recent computer models. http://tinyurl.com/7pmgc ******************** Warming Hits 'Tipping Point' from The Guardian (UK) via Sigma Xi Science in the News A vast expanse of western Sibera is undergoing an unprecedented thaw that could dramatically increase the rate of global warming, climate scientists warn today. Researchers who have recently returned from the region found that an area of permafrost spanning a million square kilometres - the size of France and Germany combined - has started to melt for the first time since it formed 11,000 years ago at the end of the last ice age. The area, which covers the entire sub-Arctic region of western Siberia, is the world's largest frozen peat bog and scientists fear that as it thaws, it will release billions of tonnes of methane, a greenhouse gas 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide, into the atmosphere. http://tinyurl.com/93equ *************************************************** Forum AGU and AMS Presidents Criticize Congressman Barton in Letter AGU ASLA Press Release # 05-19, authored by Cathy O'Riordan, AGU AGU and AMS Presidents have submitted a letter to House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX) in response to request of three climate scientists on 23 June for detailed information related to their research on climate change. The AGU-AMS letter is available at: http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/policy/ barton_response.pdf Barton requested access to data archives, lists of all private, state, and federal financial support, and asked questions about the calculations and conclusions of a paper authored in 1998 by Michael Mann, Ray Bradley, and Malcolm Hughes. Barton also sent a letter to the Director of NSF, Arden Bement, asking for detailed information about research grants in climate change and one to the Chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Rajendra Pachauri, requesting information about the IPCC Third Assessment Report. The Barton letters are available at: http://energycommerce.house.gov/108/ Letters/06232005_1570.htm AGU and AMS publish much of the research in climate change. But the joint letter reaches beyond climate change to underscore the importance of the scientific quality control that is part of the peer review process. The letter requests that Congress support the resolution of divergent scientific views in the peer reviewed literature. It also outlines the respective roles of scientists and policy makers in the process of making sound policy. In the past few weeks, congressmen, scientists, and leaders of scientific organizations have sent letters of protest to Barton. The Chair of the House Science Committee, Rep. Sherwood Boehlert, sharply chastised Barton for launching a "misguided and illegitimate investigation." The letters can be viewed at: http://www.house.gov/ science/hot/climate%20dispute/index.htm Write to Chairman Barton and other members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee to express your views! To check if your member of Congress is a member of the Energy Committee, visit http:// energycommerce.house.gov/108/members/members.htm Contact information for all members of the House of Representatives can be found at http://www.house.gov/writerep/. *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings Coalition for Earth Science Education 2005 Meeting, September 23 and 24 Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland Register on line at: www.regonline.com/26329 The 2005 Coalition for Earth Science Education (CESE) meeting will focus on increasing and improving implementation of the Earth System Science (ESS) in K?12 schools by creating a large-scale effort and unified voice to bring about greater and more widespread teaching of ESS. The goal of the meeting will be (1), to establish action items to work toward overcoming barriers to implementation of ESS and (2), to facilitate development of partnerships to work on selected action items. Attendees will collaboratively determine which barriers are most significant, then participants will select breakout groups, and work together to create partnerships for addressing action items. Attendees invited to present their own work in an interactive poster session. Presentations from invited speakers will highlight related initiatives, including status of the Revolution in K?12 Earth and Space Science Education and efforts in Texas and California to keep Earth science in state curricula. A special session will feature information on federal education initiatives?NSF, NASA, NOAA, and USGS. The meeting will be held Friday, September 23rd and Saturday, September 24th at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. Please go to www.ceseweb.org too find out how to register for the meeting, lodging information, and to learn more about CESE. Early registration is important due to security restrictions at GSFC. Register on line at: www.regonline.com/26329 *************************************************** Jobs Entry-level Environmental Scientist/Policy Analyst - I.M. Systems Group, Inc. Introduction and Description: I.M. Systems Group is a leading consulting firm that provides professional management, scientific and information technology services. I.M. Systems Group is seeking to fill a full time Environmental Scientist/Policy Analyst contract position. The position will help support the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration?s (NOAA) Coral Reef Conservation Program in the National Ocean Service (NOS) office in Silver Spring, Maryland. This position primarily involves assisting with policy and program development. Tasks include coordinating meetings, drafting program guidance, developing bi-weekly program reports, responding to public information requests, contributing to education and outreach activities, assisting with management of the NOS coral reef project database, and other projects that may arise. Travel may be required. The approximate salary for the position is in the mid-$30s. I.M. Systems group provides a competitive benefits package including a matching 401(K) retirement program. Learn more about I.M. Systems Group at www.imsg.com. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities: Minimum qualifications include a bachelor?s degree in environmental science or policy (or a related field), an interest in coral reef conservation, strong oral and written communication skills, the ability to multi-task and be innovative, and a familiarity with standard word processing and spreadsheet programs. Training for database will be provided. Some experience with formal education practices and materials is desirable, but not required. To Apply: Please send or email a cover letter, resume, and list of three references to Michael Loomis at Michael.Loomis@noaa.gov or: Michael Loomis, NOAA National Ocean Service Office of Coast Survey (N/CS2X1) - SSMC3, #7220 1315 East West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910 ******************** The Smithsonian Institution is accepting applications and nominations for the position of Sant Chair for Marine Science Recent reports by the Pew Oceans Commission and the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy have called for an increased understanding of the interaction of the oceans with human life. The Smithsonian Institution, with its vast resources in marine science, is in a unique position to create a new era of ocean literacy. The National Museum of Natural History has a large faculty of scientists concerned with investigating and documenting marine biodiversity and is home to unparalleled collections that comprise over 33 million specimens of marine organisms. The Smithsonian's Marine Science Network with facilities in Maryland, Florida, Belize, and Panama provides outstanding opportunities for field research. The National Museum of Natural History's Ocean Science Initiative ( www.mnh.si.edu/ocean) is directed toward both increasing public knowledge and facilitating and communicating scholarly research. It comprises three major components: A spectacular new Ocean Hall, developed in collaboration with and major funding provided by NOAA, is scheduled to open in 2008, and will educate and inspire the public. A new Ocean Web Portal will provide access for all audiences to digital records of collections, published research, video conferences, and other educational resources. The Sant Chair for Marine Science, made possible by a generous gift from Mr. and Mrs. Roger Sant, will provide intellectual leadership for the new Center for Ocean Research. As a critical component of the Ocean Science Initiative, the Center will expand our knowledge of the oceans' physical and biological composition and interactions through scholarly research. The Center's goal is to foster interdisciplinary research and provide a venue to share the knowledge with the research community, conservationists, and policymakers. MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES: Articulate and advance the Ocean Science Initiative. Develop and perform highly visible scholarly research in marine science building or using the National Collections. Stimulate multidisciplinary, multi-collaborator research projects with Smithsonian and affiliated-agency scientists as well as outside researchers. Independently seeks funding within and outside the Smithsonian. Serve as professional consultant and expert advisor to government agencies, national and international organizations, academic community, and policymakers. Maintain visibility within the international scientific community through publication of peer-reviewed reports or articles in professional journals as well as active participation in professional organizations. Involvement with the Museum's public programs and exhibitions staff as technical consultant. Train graduate students and postdoctoral research fellows. QUALITIES WE SEEK: Ph.D. with a record of superior achievement in collections-based research in the marine sciences including systematics, ecology, evolutionary biology and paleobiology. Demonstrated ability to initiate and pursue multidisciplinary or collaborative research projects. A record of involvement with scientific or professional organizations concerning marine science, marine conservation, and/or management of ocean resources. Defined interest in increasing public knowledge of marine science and the importance of oceans. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: This is a Smithsonian Trust position. Trust employees enjoy a comprehensive benefit program including a lucrative TIAA-CREF retirement program that is fully vested. Salary range is $124,736 - $149,200 The position is located in the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, DC and reports to the Museum's Associate Director for Research and Collections. The incumbent will be allowed wide latitude for professional independence and is relied upon for scientific originality, productivity, and judgment. TO APPLY: Send a CV and cover letter, including the names and contact information of 5 references, to: Thomas Lawrence, Smithsonian Institution Executive Resources, PO Box 37012 Victor Bldg Suite 6100, MRC 912 Washington, DC 20013-7012 FedEx : Thomas Lawrence, Smithsonian Institution 750 9th Street , NW Suite 6100 Washington, DC 20013-7012 Questions? Please contact Mr. Lawrence phone 202-275-0944 or E- mail - lawrencet@hr.si.edu ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050815/88f2d0b8/attachment.html From weilercs at whitman.edu Thu Aug 25 13:10:15 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Thu Aug 25 13:10:21 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] education meeting deadline approaching Message-ID: <2612E9A3-CE10-4AAF-8770-12E93AE8CC26@whitman.edu> Reminder: Early Bird Registration Closes August 26th. Final on September 9th. Coalition for Earth Science Education 2005 Meeting, September 23 and 24 Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland Register on line at: www.regonline.com/26329 The 2005 Coalition for Earth Science Education (CESE) meeting will focus on increasing and improving implementation of the Earth System Science (ESS) in K?12 schools by creating a large-scale effort and unified voice to bring about greater and more widespread teaching of ESS. The goal of the meeting will be (1), to establish action items to work toward overcoming barriers to implementation of ESS and (2), to facilitate development of partnerships to work on selected action items. Attendees will collaboratively determine which barriers are most significant, then participants will select breakout groups, and work together to create partnerships for addressing action items. Attendees invited to present their own work in an interactive poster session. Presentations from invited speakers will highlight related initiatives, including status of the Revolution in K?12 Earth and Space Science Education and efforts in Texas and California to keep Earth science in state curricula. A sp! ecial session will feature information on federal education initiatives?NSF, NASA, NOAA, and USGS. The meeting will be held Friday, September 23rd and Saturday, September 24th at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD. Please go to www.ceseweb.org to find out how to register for the meeting, lodging information, and to learn more about CESE. Early registration is important due to security restrictions at GSFC. Register on line at: www.regonline.com/26329 M. Frank Ireton, Meeting Chair, frank_ireton@ssaihq.com John Carpenter, Program Chair. jpawleys@aol.com ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050825/936b62f5/attachment.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Aug 26 17:23:32 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Mon Aug 29 11:00:44 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG/DISCCRS News 08/26/2005 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 08/26/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES Water Facts and Trends: What's happening to the world's water supply? http://www.wbcsd.org/includes/getTarget.asp?type=DocDet&id=16199 SCIENCE NEWS Illegal Destruction of Coral Reefs Worse than Tsunami Scientists Track Alien Seaweed In Hawaii http://tinyurl.com/ac5nw Arctic Ocean Could Be Ice-Free in Summer Within 100 Years, Scientists Say Panel Sees Growing Melting Arctic Threat http://tinyurl.com/alqgy Wave of Marine Species Extinctions Feared FORUM United States Society for Ecological Economics (USSEE) SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS 11th Ph.D. Workshop on International Climate Policy http://www.ku-eichstaett.de/Fakultaeten/WWF/Lehrstuehle/VWF/icp.de One-Week Training Workshop in Ecoinformatics http://seek.ecoinformatics.org/ Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation: Knowledge Needed To Support Development Of Integrated Adaptation Strategies http://www.nbu.ac.uk/biota/e-conference.htm Young Scientist Sessions at AGU JOBS Tenure Track Assistant/Associate Professor in the area of Environmental Science/studies and Policy. http://www.uacareertrack.com Post Doctoral Fellow - Division on Earth and Life Studies (DELS) http://nationalacademies.wfrecruiter.com/jobs_details1.asp? Job_id=49731 Washington Correspondent http://www.researchresearch.com Staff Scientist, University of Innsbruck, Institute for Meteorology and Geophysics Postdoc position - Mathematical Biosciences Institute (MBI) at The Ohio State University http://mbi.osu.edu 2006 NOAA Climate and Global Change Postdoctoral Program http://www.vsp.ucar.edu/03gfdl.html Marine Ecosystem Modeler http://www.vims.edu *************************************************** Resources Water Facts and Trends: What's happening to the world's water supply? Read it online: http://www.wbcsd.org/includes/getTarget.asp? type=DocDet&id=16199 Geneva, 23 August 2005 - Three quarters of the Earth?s surface is covered in water, yet only half a per cent of the water on the planet is available for use by humans. Where is this water located and how is it being used? Are we draining this precious resource faster than nature can replenish it? The WBCSD's Water Facts and Trends addresses some of these important questions. Brief, informative, and easy to understand, this document provides a helpful overview for policy-makers, media and individuals interested in what?s happening to the world?s water supply. The report looks at water use areas such as agriculture, industry and individual consumption in different parts of the world, and where stress in the water supply is likely to occur in the coming years. According to the report: - Industry accounts for over half of water use in high-income countries - People in the United States use an average of 215 cubic meters per year; in Mali the average consumption is just 4 cubic meters - Irrigation accounts for over 90% of water use in India, but less than 1% in the United Kingdom - Between 1957 and 2001 over 60% of the Aral Sea in Russia disappeared. This occurred as a result of two inflowing rivers being diverted to irrigate water-intensive cotton and rice crops - Globally, roughly 15 to 35% of the water used for irrigation is estimated to be unsustainable The report goes on to identify several trends that will affect fresh water use in the coming decades. These include population growth, increasing affluence, expansion of business activity, rapid urbanization and climate change. The Millennium Development Goals make an explicit commitment to halve the proportion of people without access to safe drinking water by 2015. Access to water is also essential to many of the other goals ? such as the commitments to improve maternal health and reduce child mortality, according to Robert Martin, Director of the Water Programme at the WBCSD. ?Water Facts and Trends is intended to help individuals in business, government and all sectors of society understand the key issues underlying the global water situation and to promote constructive dialogue on what can be done to ensure sustainable water management,? Martin says. Download Water Facts and Trends at http://www.wbcsd.org/web/ publications/Water_facts_and_trends.pdf *************************************************** Science News Illegal Destruction of Coral Reefs Worse than Tsunami Press Release, American Geophysical Union 05/29 WASHINGTON - The illegal mining of corals off the southwest coast of Sri Lanka permitted far more onshore destruction from the 26 December2004 tsunami than occurred in nearby areas whose coral reefs were intact. This is the principal finding of a team of researchers from the United States and Sri Lanka who studied the area earlier this year. Their report is published in the 16 August issue of Eos, the newspaper of the American Geophysical Union. Some of the differences were startling. Lead author Harindra Fernando of Arizona State University reports that in the town of Peraliya, a wave of 10-meter [30-foot] height swept 1.5 kilometers [one mile] inland, carrying a passenger train about 50 meters [200 feet] off its tracks, with a death toll of 1,700. Yet, a mere three kilometers [two miles] south, in Hikkaduwa, the tsunami measured just 2-3 meters [7-10 feet] in height, traveled only 50 meters [200 feet] inland, and caused no deaths. The researchers found that this pattern of patchy inundation to be characteristic of the study area and was not related to such coastline features as headlands, bays, and river channels. Rather, the key factor was the presence or absence of coral and rock reefs offshore. At Hikkaduwa, the hotel strip is fronted by a rock reef and further protected by coral reefs that the local hoteliers protect and nurture, the researchers report. Relatively little damage and few deaths were recorded from there to Dodanduwa, around six kilometers to the south. From Hikkaduwa north to Akuralla, however, damage and loss of life was extensive. Local residents, interviewed by the authors, say that coral reefs in that area had been decimated by illegal mining, especially by use of explosives that result in harvests of both coral and fish. Some eyewitnesses to the tsunami described a visible reduction in the height of the water wall and its deflection parallel with the shore as it approached the coral reef. The researchers conclude that waves that had been blocked by the reef caused even more inundation and damage where they found low resistance gaps due to removal of coral by humans. The scientists note that the brunt of the tsunami had hit Sri Lanka's eastern shore, but that the southwestern, or leeward, side had also been hit hard. Their analysis of the available data concludes that two or three waves hit the area within an hour, having been channeled and bent around the southern tip of the island, and that another wave struck around two hours later, having bounced back after hitting India or the Maldives. They say that existing computer models cannot adequately explain or predict the wave amplitudes in southwest Sri Lanka, likely due to small scale ocean processes, including topographic variations due to coral removal, that are not yet well understood. The authors note that low-lying Maldives islands directly in the path of the tsunami escaped destruction. They suggest that this may have been due to the presence of healthy coral reefs surrounding the islands. Apparently, in Sri Lanka, very little healthy coral was damaged by the tsunami. The research was funded by the BBC, which produced a documentary film on the tsunami, the National Science Foundation, the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute, and the U.S. Geological Survey. ******************** Scientists Track Alien Seaweed In Hawaii from Associated Press via Sigma Xi Science in the News HONOLULU --An alien seaweed introduced here 31 years ago has spread rapidly throughout Hawaii and has even reached the remote, unspoiled Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, which has scientists worried. Researchers on the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's research ship Hiialakai were scheduled to leave Friday in the first major effort to gauge the spread of Hypnea musciformis. The study is part of a mission of the 10-day cruise through the protected waters to educate science teachers about the marine environment. "If there is a lot, then we're going to have to do something drastic like mount a campaign to go up there and haul it out of the ocean," said Isabella Abbott, an award-winning botanist at the University of Hawaii and the state's top seaweed expert. http:// tinyurl.com/ac5nw ******************** Arctic Ocean Could Be Ice-Free in Summer Within 100 Years, Scientists Say AGU Release No. 05-30 WASHINGTON - The current warming trends in the Arctic may shove the Arctic system into a seasonally ice-free state not seen for more than one million years, according to a new report. The melting is accelerating, and a team of researchers was unable to identify any natural processes that might slow the de-icing of the Arctic. Such substantial additional melting of Arctic glaciers and ice sheets will raise sea level worldwide, flooding the coastal areas where many of the world's people live. Melting sea ice has already resulted in dramatic impacts for the indigenous people and animals in the Arctic, which includes parts of Alaska, Canada, Russia, Scandinavia, and Greenland. The report is the result of week-long meeting of an interdisciplinary team of scientists that examined how the Arctic environment and climate interact and how that system would respond as global temperatures rise. It was organized by the National Science Foundation's Arctic System Science Committee, which is chaired by Jonathan T. Overpeck of the University of Arizona. The report by Overpeck, who also chaired the meeting, and 20 colleagues from the United States and Canada is published 23 August in Eos, the weekly newspaper of the American Geophysical Union. "What really makes the Arctic different from the rest of the non- polar world is the permanent ice in the ground, in the ocean, and on land," said Overpeck "We see all of that ice melting already, and we envision that it will melt back much more dramatically in the future, as we move towards this more permanent ice-free state." The past climates in the Arctic include glacial periods, where sea ice coverage expanded and ice sheets extended into Northern America and Europe, and warmer interglacial periods during which the ice retreats, such as the past 10,000 years. By studying natural data loggers such as ice cores and marine sediments, scientists have a good idea what the "natural envelope" for Arctic climate variations has been for the past million years, Overpeck said. At the workshop, the team of scientists synthesized what is currently known about the Arctic and defined key components that make up the current system. They identified how the components interact, including feedback loops that involve multiple parts of the system. "In the past, researchers have tended to look at individual components of the Arctic," said Overpeck. "What we did for the first time is really look at how all of those components work together." The team concluded that there were two major amplifying feedbacks in the Arctic system, involving the interplay between sea and land ice, ocean circulation in the North Atlantic, and the amounts of precipitation and evaporation in the system. Such feedback loops accelerate changes in the system, Overpeck explained. For example, the white surface of sea ice reflects radiation from the Sun. As sea ice melts, more solar radiation is absorbed by the dark ocean, which heats up and results in yet more sea ice melting. The scientists identified one feedback loop that could slow the changes, but they did not see any natural mechanism that could stop the dramatic loss of ice. "I think probably the biggest surprise of the meeting was that no one could envision any interaction between the components that would act naturally to stop the trajectory to the new system," Overpeck said, adding that the group investigated several possible braking mechanisms that had been previously suggested. In addition to sea and land ice melting, Overpeck warned that permafrost, the permanently frozen layer of soil that underlies much of the Arctic landmass, will melt and eventually disappear in some areas. Such thawing could release additional greenhouse gases stored in the permafrost for thousands of years, which would amplify human- induced climate change. ******************** Panel Sees Growing Melting Arctic Threat from Associated Press via Sigma Xi Science in the News WASHINGTON, (AP) -- The rate of ice melting in the Arctic is increasing and a panel of researchers says it sees no natural process that is likely to change that trend. Within a century the melting could lead to summertime ice-free ocean conditions not seen in the area in a million years, the group said Tuesday. Melting of land-based glaciers could take much longer but could raise the sea levels, potentially affecting coastal regions worldwide. http://tinyurl.com/alqgy ******************** Wave of Marine Species Extinctions Feared By Juliet Eilperin The Washington Post?Marine biologist Ellen K. Pikitch holds a baby lemon shark on the island of Bimini, where the species' habitat is shrinking because of development. (Photo: Grant Johnson Photo) Bimini, Bahamas - The bulldozers moved slowly at first. Picking up speed, they pressed forward into a patch of dense mangrove trees that buckled and splintered like twigs. As the machines moved on, the pieces drifted out to sea. Sitting in a small motorboat a few hundred yards offshore on a mid-July afternoon, Samuel H. Gruber - a University of Miami professor who has devoted more than two decades to studying the lemon sharks that breed here - plunged into despondency. The mangroves being ripped up to build a new resort provide food and protection that the sharks can't get in the open ocean, and Gruber fears the worst. "At the end of my career, I get to document the destruction of the species I've been documenting for 20 years," he lamented as he watched the bulldozers. "Wonderful." Gruber's sentiments have become increasingly common in recent years among a growing number of marine biologists, who find themselves studying species in danger of disappearing. For years, many scientists and regulators believed the oceans were so vast there was little risk of marine species dying out. Now, some suspect the world is on the cusp of what Ellen K. Pikitch, executive director of the Pew Institute for Ocean Science, calls "a gathering wave of ocean extinctions." Dozens of biologists believe the seas have reached a tipping point, with scores of species of ocean-dwelling fish, birds and mammals edging toward extinction. In the past 300 years, researchers have documented the global extinction of just 21 marine species - and 16 have occurred since 1972. Since the 1700s, another 112 species have died out in particular regions, and that trend, too, has accelerated since the mid-1960s: Nearly two dozen shark species are close to disappearing, according to the World Conservation Union, an international coalition of government and advocacy groups. "It's been a slow-motion disaster," said Boris Worm, a professor at Canada's Dalhousie University, whose 2003 study that found that 90 percent of the top predator fish have vanished from the oceans. "It's silent and invisible. People don't imagine this. It hasn't captured our imagination, like the rain forest." Many activists have focused on the plight of creatures such as the ivory-billed woodpecker and the grizzly bear, but relatively few have taken up the cause of marine species. Ocean dwellers are harder to track, and some produce so many offspring they can seem invulnerable. And, in the words of Ocean Conservancy shark fisheries expert Sonja Fordham, often "they're not very fuzzy." Although a number of previous extinctions involved birds and marine mammals, it is the fate of many fish that worries experts. The large-scale industrialization of the fishing industry after World War II, a global boom in oceanfront development and a rise in global temperatures are all causing fish populations to plummet. "Extinctions happen in the ocean; the fossil record shows that marine species have disappeared since life began in the sea," said Elliott A. Norse, who heads the Marine Conservation Biology Institute in Redmond, Wash. "The question is, are humans a major new force causing marine extinctions? The evidence, and projections scientists are making, suggest that the answer is yes." Large-scale fishing accounts for more than half of the documented fish extinctions in recent years, Nicholas K. Dulvy, a scientist at Lowestoft Laboratory in England, wrote in 2003. Destruction of habitats in which fish spawn or feed is responsible for another third. Warmer ocean temperatures are another threat, as some fish struggle to adapt to hotter and saltier water that can attract new competitors. But nothing has pushed marine life to the edge of extinction more than aggressive fishing. Aided by technology - industrial trawlers and factory ships deploy radar and sonar to scour the seas with precision and drag nets the size of jumbo jets along the sea floor - ocean fish catches tripled between 1950 and 1992. In some cases, fishermen have intentionally exploited species until they died out, such as the New Zealand grayling fish and the Caribbean monk seal; other species have been accidental victims of long lines or nets intended for other catches. Over the past two decades, accidental bycatch alone accounted for an 89 percent decline in hammerhead sharks in the Northeast Atlantic. Today, sharks, along with sturgeon and sciaenids (known as croakers or drums for the sounds they make undersea), are among the most imperiled of the species that spend most of their lives in the ocean. Populations of sharks, skates and rays - creatures known as elasmobranchs that evolved 400 million years ago and have skeletons of cartilage, not bone - have difficulty rebounding because they mature slowly and produce few offspring. Shark-fin soup, an Asian delicacy that sells for more than $100 a bowl, has spurred intensified shark hunting in recent years. Despite the sturgeon's fecundity, overfishing and habitat destruction have caused that population to dive as well. Beluga sturgeon, the source of black caviar, release 360,000 to 7 million eggs in a year, Pikitch noted, but they have declined 90 percent in the past 20 years. Just this month, scientists in Kazakhstan reported that they failed to find a single wild, reproducing beluga female, leaving them with no eggs for hatcheries. Croakers' large swim bladders - air-holding sacs that help them maintain buoyancy - account for their imminent demise. Traditional Chinese medicine prizes the bladders, and the sound they make when pressed against vibrating muscles can reveal croakers' location to fishermen through sonar. "They've been survivors on an evolutionary scale, but they've met their match, and it is us," said Pikitch, who writes about sharks and sturgeon in an upcoming book, "State of the Wild 2006." Despite scientists' warnings, American and international authorities have been slow to protect marine species. The only U.S. saltwater fish to make the protected list is a ray, the smalltooth sawfish, which was added in 2003. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Fisheries Service is charged with protecting 61 threatened or endangered marine species. Director Bill Hogarth said his agency focuses on protecting vulnerable populations so they will not have to be listed. "That's our job - to make sure species don't wind up on the endangered species list," he said. But conservationists said NOAA officials are reluctant to classify fish as endangered because doing so conflicts with the agency's mission of promoting commercial fishing. Michael Hirshfield, chief scientist at the advocacy group Oceana, said he has repeatedly seen government officials provide shifting estimates of how many threatened or endangered sea turtles can acceptably die each year in eastern scallop fisheries. "You never get an answer to the question how many turtles would have to be killed before you would say, 'That's not okay,' " he said. On Bimini, 50 miles from the Florida coast, Gruber is trying unsuccessfully to stave off the golf resort that could bring 5,000 tourists a day. The island has just 1,600 residents but supports more than a dozen shark species. Based on an 11-year survey starting in the mid-1990s, Gruber documented that between 2000 and 2001, during the heaviest dredging of the ocean floor for the resort's construction, the survival rate for lemon sharks fell 30 percent, and sharks in the dredging area had higher toxin levels. He has yet to assess the impact of the mangrove destruction, which began on a large scale this year. The president of the Bimini Bay Resort and Casino, Rafael Reyes, said he understands the concern but questions Gruber's statistics and the idea that "sharks and development don't mix." "We have a vested interest in making sure things remain as they are," Reyes said, adding that he is demolishing mangroves in a place that is "basically not a sensitive area... . I have to make sure the environment's pristine because my clients are fishermen." But Gruber remains unconvinced. "I believed when I started the ocean was so vast there was no way you could ever kill off the sharks or anything," he said. When it comes to being a fish, he said, "Now you can run, but you can't hide." *************************************************** Forum United States Society for Ecological Economics (USSEE) The USSEE has joined the list of societies sponsoring DISCCRS. If you would like to join the USSEE, Membership in the USSEE is processed through the International Society for Ecological Economics (ISEE). To join the USSEE , visit the ISEE site at http:// www.ecoeco.org and follow the instructions. Please select the appropriate country and complete the form online before you print it out. The mailing address is listed on the the form. The membership form is for the international society and to ensure that you receive the Ecological Economics Journal, so please read it carefully. Contact the ISEE for questions and copy it to the USSEE. Benefits of membership in the United States Society for Ecological Economic (USSEE): Inclusion in the USSEE Member Listserv that facilitates communications with other members Discounted Registration fee for USSEE and ISEE biennial conferences Subscription to the USSEE Quarterly Newsletter Membership with the ISEE Discount for online/hard copy subscription to the Ecological Economics, ISEE's Transdiciplinary Journal Opportunity to participate in USSEE's projects. *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings 11th Ph.D. Workshop on International Climate Policy 4th/5th November 2005, University of Cologne Call for Papers This workshop is organised by the European Ph.D. Network on International Climate Policy, which is an independent scientific community. It is open to Ph.D. students and researchers from all disciplines working on different aspects of International Climate Policy. As a vital part of the network, the Ph.D. candidates meet twice a year for a workshop session which gives them the opportunity to present their theses and discuss them with other Ph.D. students and scientists working in the area of climate policy. The purpose of the workshop is to offer Ph.D. candidates a forum to present their research ideas and results, to provide them with valuable feedback from other scientists, to encourage information exchange and mutual assistance among the members. The broad range of research topics may inspire the participants? own research, thereby creating a more fertile research environment. Participation: Conference language: English. Registration deadline: 18th September 2005. For registration please send an email to marianne.keudel@uni-koeln.de and inform directly about - whether you want to present or not - the presentation title and the general field of work - your discipline (e.g. economics, law, engineering,...) - your actual working status (beginning, intermediate, advanced). Submission of presentations (or papers) by 16th October 2005. No registration fee. Due to our organisation form we are not able to give any financial support to the participants. http://www.ku-eichstaett.de/Fakultaeten/WWF/Lehrstuehle/VWF/ icp.de (website will be updated mid-August!!) ******************** One-Week Training Workshop in Ecoinformatics The Long Term Ecological Research Network Office at the University of New Mexico, in collaboration with the San Diego Supercomputer Center at University of California at San Diego, the Natural History Museum and Biodiversity Research Center at the University of Kansas, and the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis at University of California at Santa Barbara, will be conducting a one-week training workshop in ecoinformatics and relevant information technologies for new faculty and postdoctoral associates. *Location:* University of New Mexico *Costs:* All travel, food and lodging will be covered *Qualifications:* PhD in Ecology or related fields. Less than 3 years in a postdoctoral or tenure-track position. *Application Deadline:* October 17, 2004. Electronic submissions only *Application: * To apply for one of the 20 training slots, please submit a cover letter (describing your background, why you would like to attend this workshop and what kind of impact you think this workshop will have on your teaching or research) and CV to: Samantha Romanello sroman@LTERnet.edu. We are committed to equal opportunity and affirmative action; underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply and will receive preference for course slots. We are committed to equal opportunity and affirmative action; underrepresented groups are especially encouraged to apply and will receive preference for course slots. No knowledge of information technology necessary, but a desire to learn new technologies is critical! Go to http://seek.ecoinformatics.org/and click on the link Early Career Faculty Workshop for more detail. ******************** Electronic Conference on Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation: Knowledge Needed To Support Development Of Integrated Adaptation Strategies The organisers of the UK presidency meeting of the European Platform for Biodiversity Research Strategy (EPBRS) and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH) invite you to participate in the electronic conference 'Climate Change and Biodiversity Conservation: Knowledge needed to support development of integrated adaptation strategies' which will run from 29th August to 16th September 2005. The results of the Electronic Conference will be presented at the EPBRS delegates meeting in Aviemore (Scotland), from 2nd to 5th October 2005. The main scientific theme of UK EPBRS meeting is how climate change impacts biodiversity and what adaptation strategies might be conceived. You are kindly invited to subscribe to the electronic conference by filling the subscription form available at: http:// www.nbu.ac.uk/biota/e-conference.htm. In case of any difficulty subscribing, please e-mail Juliette Young j.young@ceh.ac.uk. ******************** Young Scientist Sessions at AGU If you are a young scientist sponsoring a session at AGU, I'd love to hear from you. I hope to send an email with the sessions organized by young scientists. Any request/comment should be sent directly to me (or info-at- myres.org, same thing). Laurent Montesi, montesi@whoi.edu *************************************************** Jobs Tenure Track Assistant/Associate Professor in the area of Environmental Science/studies and Policy. TUCSON, ARIZONA 85721. The Udall Center for Studies in Public Policy (http://udallcenter.arizona.edu/) and the Department of Geography and Regional Development (http://geog.arizona.edu) invite applications for a tenure track Assistant/Associate Professor in the area of environmental science/studies and policy. This is a shared position, with a tenure home in GRD and a research assignment in the Center. The Center sponsors policy-relevant, interdisciplinary research that links scholarship and education with decision-making. The Center specializes in issues concerning the environment, including water, climate, natural resources, and land use, especially as they relate to economic development, American Indian governance, public lands, and the U.S.-Mexico border. The Center is particularly interested in a geographer or closely allied scholar who can provide research leadership in one or more of these areas, or who can contribute new but related foci. Faculty members in GRD specialize in physical geography, human- environmental relations, regional development, and critical human geography. Together we are seeking an energetic person keen to work within a dynamic interdisciplinary environment. Responsibilities for the Center are fully directed toward the establishment and maintenance of a research program of excellence; affiliation with GRD allows the right person the opportunity to be associated with a growing academic unit supporting excellent undergraduate and graduate programs. Additional opportunities exist for working with world class environmental and policy researchers across the University of Arizona campus. The Center and Department are seeking an individual who is able to work with diverse students and colleagues, and who has experience with a variety of teaching methods and curricular perspectives. To apply, visit the University of Arizona job webpage at www.uacareertrack.com, and enter Job No. 33299. Applicants should be prepared to submit a CV, letter of interest, statement of research and teaching interests (outlining current/future research contributions and teaching qualifications/preferences), and the names and addresses of three referees. Additional materials, such as a teaching portfolio and research articles, may be subsequently requested by the search committee. The position is open until filled, with applications reviewed on a continual basis beginning October 15, 2005. Anticipated start date is August 2006. The position is subject to final budgetary approval. As an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer, the University of Arizona recognizes the power of a diverse community and encourages applications from individuals with varied experiences, perspectives, and backgrounds. The University of Arizona is an AA/EEO Employer-M/W/ D/V. ******************** Post Doctoral Fellow - Division on Earth and Life Studies (DELS) Job Description: The Division on Earth and Life Studies (DELS) consists of fourteen units that facilitate communication among the research community, policy makers, industry, interest groups, and the public. DELS is responsible for a vast array of topics, ranging from the molecular level to the global level. The common thread linking the units is the broad topic of science and the environment, but the division also examines issues outside that area. The Board on Life Sciences (BLS) provides advice to government and the scientific community on the biological sciences and their impact on society. Its work encompasses all of the life sciences, from molecular genetics to biodiversity. With the help of hundreds of biologists and other experts, the Board serves as a focal point for examining a wide range of issues, from improving pre-college education in biology to advising how researchers can equitably and efficiently share rare and costly research materials. It also explores policy questions that arise from applications of biology, as in biotechnology and conservation biology. Three current areas of emphasis for the Board are the health of the biological sciences and biology education, biotechnology and genetics, and biodiversity and ecology. The Board on Life Sciences of the National Academies is searching for life scientists to serve as Post Doctoral Fellows. Post Doctoral Fellows help develop and manage timely and relevant studies dealing with current issues in the life sciences and their impact on public policy. The Board's work encompasses all major fields in the life sciences, from genetics, cell, and molecular biology to ecology, evolution, and biodiversity conservation. Recent projects have addressed stem cells, bioterrorism, genetically modified foods, and the reform of undergraduate biology education. Future topics are likely to include follow-on work in these areas as well as new projects on other topics that respond to unfolding developments in science and policy. For more information, please go here: http:// nationalacademies.wfrecruiter.com/jobs_details1.asp?Job_id=49731 ******************** Washington Correspondent DC-based correspondent required for daily online news service covering policy and politics in the fields of higher education and scientific research in the US. Our publication was launched two years ago in the US and is steadily establishing itself as the leading authority among the academic community. It is backed by a worldwide reporting team working on the same family of publications. The ideal candidate will be an uncompromising news reporter able to demonstrate a thorough understanding of the Federal policymaking world who can develop contacts and sources, write sharp copy to tight deadlines and demonstrate that they can work autonomously. Knowledge of the university or scientific worlds is necessary. The post may be offered on either a part time or full time basis. Salary depending on skills and experience. To apply, send your resume and cover letter to Claire Atkins at CA@ResearchResearch.com. For further information why not visit our website on www.researchresearch.com Carrie D. Wolinetz, Ph.D Associate Director for Communications Office of Public Affairs Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814-3998 Phone: 301/634-7650; Fax: 301/634-7651; Cell: 301/922-5641 ******************** Staff Scientist, University of Innsbruck, Institute for Meteorology and Geophysics Staff Scientist ("Wiss. Mitarbeiterin/er Kategorie I"), half-time position, Institute for Meteorology and Geophysics from 1 October 2005 to 30 September 2011. University of Innsbruck. Required qualification: doctorate in meteorology, geophysics, physics or similar final degree as well as profound knowledge in the area of glaciology and geophysics; practical experience in field work as well as in methods of measurement and data analysis; ability for teamwork especially when working in the outdoor environment; ability for creatively solving problems. Main tasks: Leading of the meteorological observatory, glaciological work, teaching responsibilities, advising students, organizational and administrative tasks. Deadline for applications: 7 September 2005 Applications in writing have to be sent by 7 September 2005 to 'Zentrale Dienste der Leopold-Franzens-Universitaet Innsbruck, Innrain 52, A-6020 Innsbruck' by quoting the designation NATW-3272 on the envelope. Applicants are not entitled to reimbursement of costs arising in the course of the application. The Leopold-Franzens-Universitaet Innsbruck aims at increasing the fraction of women in scientific staff; thus qualified women are particulary encouraged to apply. Women are preferentially hired in case of equal qualification. ******************** Postdoc position - Mathematical Biosciences Institute (MBI) at The Ohio State University The Mathematical Biosciences Institute (MBI) at The Ohio State University is accepting applications for postdoctoral positions to start September, 2006, which are renewable for up to 3 years. Some positions are co-sponsored by industry or academic bioscience labs. The deadline for applications is January 18, 2006. Short- and long- term visitors may apply at any time. To access the application form or for more information, visit the MBI website at http://mbi.osu.edu or call (614) 292-3648. ******************** 2006 NOAA Climate and Global Change Postdoctoral Program Applicants are now being sought for the 16th year of the NOAA Postdoctoral Program in Climate and Global Change. UCAR?s Visiting Scientist Programs manages this NOAA-sponsored program, which pairs recently graduated postdocs with host scientists at U.S. institutions to work in an area of mutual interest. The program offers two-year fellowships, reviewed annually. Fellows receive a fixed annual salary and a full line of UCAR employee benefits. Deadline: 15 January 2006 Contact: Meg Austin, UOP/VSP 303-497-8649, vsp@ucar.edu http://www.vsp.ucar.edu/03gfdl.html ******************** Marine Ecosystem Modeler The Virginia Institute of Marine Science, School of Marine Science of the College of William and Mary (_http://www.vims.edu_ ), invites applications for a tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level in the Department of Biological Sciences. Exceptional candidates at higher levels will also be considered. We seek an individual with a strong background in marine ecology and a commitment to interdisciplinary modeling. Areas of interest include but are not limited to ecosystem energetics, food web and population dynamics, biogeochemistry, and physical-biological coupling. Examples of desirable skills include remote sensing, numerical simulation, inverse analysis, and data assimilation techniques. The successful candidate will be expected to establish a vigorous, extramurally funded research program, to interact productively with the Institute?s faculty in ongoing research on estuarine, coastal and oceanic ecosystems, and to contribute as appropriate to advisory service. The successful candidate will mentor graduate students, contribute to the graduate core curriculum in Marine Science, and teach a course in her/his area of expertise. Ph.D. and post-doctoral experience are required; applicants above the Assistant Professor level must have in addition a strong record of competitively funded research, and strong experience and commitment to teaching. Please send by email an application package, as a single PDF document, that includes current curriculum vitae, brief research and teaching statements, names and addresses (including e-mail) of three references, and up to three representative publications to: _maxine@vims.edu_. Review of applications will begin 15 September 2005 and continue until position is filled. The College is an EEO/AA employer. ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- Skipped content of type multipart/related From weilercs at whitman.edu Wed Aug 31 12:17:45 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Wed Aug 31 12:18:22 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DISCCRS, Interdisciplinary Opportunity for Recent Climate Change/Impact PhD Graduates Message-ID: Please Distribute DISCCRS http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf DISCCRS (pronounced Discourse) is an interdisciplinary opportunity for recent Ph.D. graduates, across the natural and social sciences, engaged in climate- change research. DISCCRS II Symposium March 26 - April 2, 2006 Asilomar Conference Center, Pacific Grove, CA Application Deadline: October 2, 2005 Register now to become part of the DISCCRS network and receive the DISCCRS newsletter. Symposium application deadline is Oct. 2, 2005 Registration and symposium application instructions at http://aslo.org/phd.html DISCCRS RATIONALE After years of specialization, today's graduates increasingly find themselves on a multi-dimensional trajectory that requires a breadth of knowledge sufficient to make connections between distant disciplines, and a global network of colleagues from different backgrounds. It can take years to gain the necessary collegial networks and experience to work effectively. DISCCRS, an initiative funded by NSF and NASA, seeks to jump-start the process. Recent Ph.D. graduates from all disciplines and countries are invited to join the DISCCRS program and apply to be a DISCCRS Symposium Fellow. SYMPOSIA Annual symposia, funded for 2006, 2007 and 2008, will bring together 36 new scholars from the physical/natural and social sciences to foster understanding across disciplines and catalyze formation of an interdisciplinary, international collegial network. Participants will present their research in plenary sessions. Established interdisciplinary professionals will be on hand to share their perspectives. Consultants will teach participants to communicate across disciplines and with a non-specialist audience. Representatives of Federal agencies will describe programs and funding opportunities. Eligibility: Graduates completing Ph.D. requirements between Oct. 1, 2002 - Sept. 30,2005 are eligible to apply for the DISCCRS II Symposium., to be held March 26 - April 2, 2006 at the Asilomar Conference Center, CA. Symposium application deadline is October 2, 2005. Support for symposium travel and on-site expenses will be provided for selected applicants. ELECTRONIC RESOURCES: An electronic newsletter and web-based resources make the DISCCRS program accessible to a global audience. A unique feature is the on-line Ph.D. Dissertation Registry, which introduces graduates to a world-wide community and provides a concise overview of current work. The webpage archives resources developed for and by symposium participants. Graduates from all disciplines and countries are encouraged to register their Ph.D. dissertation abstract using the convenient on-line form at http://aslo.org/forms/phdform.html Contact: Susan Weiler, weiler@whitman.edu Supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation, NSF, and National Aeronautics and Space Administration, NASA through grants to Whitman College (EAR-0105201, C.S. Weiler PI) and University of Oregon (EAR- 0435719. R.B. Mitchell PI). Jointly sponsored by the following societies: AAG, AERE, AGU, AMS, ASLO, ESA, ESS-ISA. ************************************ C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Whitman College Walla Walla, WA 99362 Phone: 509-527-5948/Fax: 509-527-5961 weiler@whitman.edu Ronald Mitchell, Ph.D. Department of Political Science University of Oregon Eugene OR 97403-1284 Phone: 541-346-4880/Fax: 541-346-4860 rmitchel@uoregon.edu http://www.uoregon.edu/~rmitchel/ *************************************************** ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050831/a503e739/attachment.html From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Sep 2 15:25:09 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Tue Sep 6 10:22:20 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG/DISCCRS News 09/02/2005 Message-ID: <0D30DD84-89DE-4E41-A9B3-9AC4022ED212@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 09/02/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES NSF 2006 Polar Postdoc Fellowship Applicants, Travel Grants http://www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?nsf04566 Writing and Receiving Letters of Recommendation http://www.aslo.org/phd/referenceletters.html Online Encyclopedia Of Marine Life http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov/education NOAA's Coral Bleaching E-Mail Alert System http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/index.html NSF Call for Education Proposals http://www.fedgrants.gov/Applicants/NSF/OIRM/HQ/05-609/listing.html Satellite images of New Orleans http://www.digitalglobe.com/katrina_gallery.html SCIENCE NEWS Scientists Try To Harness Wave Energy http://tinyurl.com/9jb3x Arctic Ocean could be ice-free in summer within 100 years http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-08/uoa-aoc082205.php China prepares to tax gas guzzlers http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/08/26/business/yuan.php Fish catches in Japan to decline by up to 70% due to global warming http://www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=1&id=347436 Kyoto on the Horizon http://www.boston.com/news/globe/editorial_opinion/editorials/ articles/2005/08/25/kyoto_on_the_horizon/ Worst Hurricane In U.S. History Leaves Massive Destruction Behind http://www.sptimes.com/2005/08/31/news_pf/Worldandnation/ New_Orleans_now__haza.shtml Seminal Research On Ocean Predators Published In Science http://www.sciencemag.org Climate Model Links Warmer Temperatures To Permian Extinction http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp? cntn_id=104368&org=olpa&from=news. Gazing At Breached Levees, Critics See Years Of Missed Opportunities http://tinyurl.com/afx3u Katrina Reignites Global Warming Debate http://tinyurl.com/7qffr FORUM The Big One http://tinyurl.com/8aryc SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS 2005 National Parks Ecological Research Fellowship Program Climate Prediction Applications Science Workshop http://cals.arizona.edu/climate/CPASW2006/index.htm JOBS Postdoctoral positions, Dept. Microbiology, U. Tennessee Faculty Position at The University of Wisconsin-Madison http://www.wisc.edu/ or http://www.aos.wisc.edu Postdoc, benthic ecology/sedimentary biogeochemistry, Netherlands Inst. of Ecology http://www.nioo.knaw.nl/JOBS/index.htm Position: Assistant Professor UC Santa Cruz Environmental Studies http://www2.ucsc.edu/ahr/employment/. Science Program Manager http://www.iobis.org Postdoc, UNC Chapel Hill Inst. Marine Sciences Assistant Professor Of Environmental Studies, University Of Illinois At Springfield http://www.higheredjobs.com/search/details.cfm?JobCode=175144749 Assistant Professor - Natural Resources and Sustainable Development (NRSD) http://www.upeace.org/jobs/eps_assistant.htm *************************************************** Resources NSF 2006 Polar Postdoc Fellowship Applicants, Travel Grants http://www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/getpub.cfm?nsf04566 NSF Postdoctoral Fellowships in Polar Regions Research (NSF 04-566) has a travel grant component that supports travel by applicants to prospective host institutions before they submit a postdoctoral fellowship proposal. Travel grants, which support travel and per diem expenses, facilitate visits to one or two organizations to meet prospective mentors and colleagues, to present seminars, to discuss mutual research and/or education interests, to evaluate facilities and professional development opportunities, and to initiate collaborative relationships. The next round of fellowship proposals are due March 1, 2006, so interested applicants may want to consider applying for a travel grant in Fall 2005. Travel grant proposals may be submitted at any time provided they are received at least three months before the proposed travel dates. Proposal submission instructions can be found in the Fellowship program solicitation, NSF 04-566, at http://www.nsf.gov/pubsys/ods/ getpub.cfm?nsf04566. For more information email oppfellow@nsf.gov. ******************** Writing and Receiving Letters of Recommendation Writing and Requesting Letters of Recommendation Recieving a good recommendation can tip the scales when applying for a grant, fellowship, or job. As well, anyone involved with the supervision of students, etc., will eventually begin to recieve requests for letters of reference, and there are not many resources available on the topic of what exactly consitutes a "good" letter of reference. Writing those first few letters can be a difficult task. Below are some resources for both writing, and receiving, a good reference letter, put together by DIALOG VI Symposium participant Rob Campbell from discussions at the DIALOG VI symposium and suggestions by four more experienced colleagues. http://www.aslo.org/phd/ referenceletters.html ******************** Online Encyclopedia Of Marine Life From SeaSpan NOAA's National Marine Sanctuary Program has announced a new free online resource that highlights the diverse marine life of America's oceans and Great Lakes. The Encyclopedia of the Sanctuaries offers photos, streaming video and important facts for more than a hundred key animal and plant species from the national marine sanctuaries. The Encyclopedia allows users to search for species or browse the wildlife of each sanctuary by category. The encyclopedia entry for each species includes a photo, quick facts, information about its diet, habitat, distribution and status, and links to outside resources for more information. Many of the entries also include video clips of species in their natural habitats. The encyclopedia was developed by NOAA in partnership with the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation and the Ocean Channel, Inc., a California-based new-media corporation. Access the encyclopedia at: http:// sanctuaries.noaa.gov/education ******************** NOAA's Coral Bleaching E-Mail Alert System From SeaSpan The NOAA Coral Reef Watch Satellite Bleaching Alert System is an automated e-mail system designed to monitor the status of thermal stress conducive to coral bleaching. The Alert System was developed by the NOAA Coral Reef Watch satellite team as a tool for coral reef managers, scientists and the interested public. Currently, messages are available for 24 coral reefs around the world. For more information on the alert system or the other Coral Reef Watch satellite products, visit: http://coralreefwatch.noaa.gov/satellite/ index.html *************************************************** Science News Scientists Try To Harness Wave Energy from Newsday via Sigma Xi Science in the News GARDINER, Ore. -- As the price of a barrel of oil continues to surge, scientists are turning to the ocean as a possible source of alternative energy. The potential for harnessing the power of waves has drawn serious study by Oregon State University, federal and state agencies, and communities along the Oregon Coast. "There's a real good chance that Oregon could turn into kind of the focal point in the United States for wave energy development and I think that would be a boon to the economy," said Gary Cockrum, spokesman for the Central Lincoln People's Utility District. http:// tinyurl.com/9jb3x ******************** Foresters get carbon credit issue on agenda http://www.nzherald.co.nz/index.cfm?c_id=3&ObjectID=10342469 From the New Zealand Herald and ClimateArk Climate Change Portal http://www.climateark.org/news/ Full text from the New Zealand Herald copied here: Foresters get carbon credit issue on agenda 26.08.05 By Brian Fallow The Government is to discuss its appropriation of carbon credits as part of secret talks with forest owners on the costs of the Kyoto climate change treaty. It has been brought to the negotiating table because a dearth of new tree planting is undermining New Zealand's ability to met its obligations under the agreement. Meanwhile, a ban on officials entering forests to collect data is hampering the Government's ability to collect the credits. Although the discussions are supposed to be secret and the ground rules require "no surprises in the media", the Kyoto Forestry Association has outlined the terms of reference of the discussions in a newsletter to its members. A spokeswoman for Forestry Minister Jim Anderton described this as "unhelpful". The newsletter says the discussions include the two most sensitive areas in what have become fraught relations between forest owners and the Government. One is the "forest sink" credits New Zealand earns under Kyoto's rules, which recognise the value of carbon dioxide taken out of the atmosphere by trees planted since 1990 on land not already forested. The owners of those forests consider the value of those credits, which under present policy is retained by the Government, has been confiscated from them. They say this is one of the main reasons new planting has dwindled to almost nothing from a peak of 100,000ha 10 years ago. The other issue is the liability Kyoto imposes on the country when a forest is felled but not replanted. The Government has said that so long as less than 10 per cent of the land harvested is deforested it will pick up the bill. But there are concerns in the industry that the 10 per cent cap will be breached, encouraging more deforestation ahead of 2008 when Kyoto comes into effect. The Government has been under increased pressure since it disclosed in June revised estimates that Kyoto obligations would cost the taxpayer around $500 million, instead of it being a net seller of carbon credits. In addition, forest owners are denying officials access to forests which they need to monitor the rate at which carbon is being locked up. The Government needs internationally credible data on this to claim the forest sink credits, which are viewed by forest owners as the only reason New Zealand could afford to ratify the Kyoto Protocol "Our ban has Treasury and other senior Government officials sweating," the newsletter says. "Our monitoring ban will remain in place until all matters are resolved." In the meantime forest owners have suspended a publicity campaign about their grievances. ******************** Arctic Ocean could be ice-free in summer within 100 years http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-08/uoa-aoc082205.php Public Release from EurekAlert on 23-Aug-2005 The current warming trends in the Arctic may shove the Arctic system into a seasonally ice-free state not seen for more than one million years, according to a new report. The melting is accelerating, and a team of researchers were unable to identify any natural processes that might slow the de-icing of the Arctic... The report by Overpeck and his colleagues is published in the Aug. 23 Eos, the weekly newspaper of the American Geophysical Union. ******************** China prepares to tax gas guzzlers From the International Herald Tribune via ClimateArk News Alarmed by high world oil prices and sporadic shortages of gasoline and diesel fuel in big cities this summer, China's leaders are drafting plans to impose steep taxes on cars and sport utility vehicles with gas-guzzling engines... For full story see...http:// www.iht.com/articles/2005/08/26/business/yuan.php ******************** Fish catches in Japan to decline by up to 70% due to global warming From Japan Today via ClimateArk News Japan can expect to see some of its fish catches decline by as much as 70% over the next 100 years due to global warming, an official at the National Research Institute of Fisheries Engineering said Saturday. The institute made the prediction based on the assumption that water temperatures will have risen by 1.4-2.9 C by 2100. It studied 34 varieties of fish and possible changes in catches at fishing ports. Ports in Nagasaki and Kagoshima prefectures facing the East China Sea are expected to face 30-70% declines in catches of Japanese jack mackerel, chub mackerel, red sea bream and a few other varieties, according to the study. (End of story, but see http:// www.japantoday.com/e/?content=news&cat=1&id=347436 for related discussions). ******************** Kyoto on the Horizon From The Boston Globe via Climatewire.org MASSACHUSETTS and eight other Northeastern states are close to taking a crucial step in reducing the greenhouse gases that cause global warming. The states are proposing to first cap the carbon dioxide emissions of their electric power plants and then reduce them by 10 percent by 2020. To emit CO{-2}, plants would need special carbon allowances, which could be bought and sold among power producers throughout the nine states. The proposed reduction is modest, but the principle of a carbon cap is so important to slowing climate change that the initiative is well worth supporting. The Northeastern states have been led on this issue by New York's Republican governor, George Pataki, who is considering a presidential campaign. California, Oregon, and Washington on the West Coast are weighing a similar compact. A national carbon cap and trading system would be much more effective than these regional ones, because it would include the power producers of the Midwest and South, which are heavily dependent on coal, the fuel that emits the most CO{-2}{-.} But that would require the national leadership that neither President Bush nor Congress has been willing to provide, even though the United States, with 4 percent of the world's population, emits 25 percent of all greenhouse gases.... For full story see http://www.boston.com/ news/globe/editorial_opinion/editorials/articles/2005/08/25/ kyoto_on_the_horizon/ ******************** Worst Hurricane In U.S. History Leaves Massive Destruction Behind Taken from SeaSpan Hurricane Katrina tore through the U.S. coastal city of New Orleans and on into the states of Louisiana and Mississippi on August 29 and 30, leaving behind the worst destruction of any storm in U.S. history. Several hundred people are thought to have died as of August 31, and New Orleans was almost totally flattened and still remains largely underwater. The Gulf Coast of this region is heavily industrialized, with a great deal of offshore oil extraction and many coastal processing plants, and has experienced major pollution problems for decades. The intense flooding of Katrina may have allowed pollutants to enter new areas and released others. According to Craig Pittman, writing for the St. Petersburg Times, "The water that swept through New Orleans' streets in the wake of Hurricane Katrina carried more than continued misery for the storm's victims. It also brought along a potentially toxic soup of pollution--sewage, chemicals and perhaps human bodies?.Getting rid of floodwaters so residents can return to their homes is likely to require pumping the dirty water into either the Mississippi River or Lake Pontchartrain?.The lake route would kill several thousand acres of nearby swamps and marshes which have already been rapidly diminishing because of alterations to the Mississippi River. But pumping it into the river means flushing it into the delta and the Gulf of Mexico, already suffering from a 'dead zone' due to other upriver contaminants." SOURCES: St. Petersburg Times, 31 August 2005, http:// www.sptimes.com/2005/08/31/news_pf/Worldandnation/ New_Orleans_now__haza.shtml; MSNBC, 30 August 2005, http:// www.msnbc.msn.com/id/9116281/ ******************** Seminal Research On Ocean Predators Published In Science Taken from SeaSpan Boris Worm, and colleagues published important research on global patterns of predator diversity in the open oceans, in Science Express (online 28 July 2005; reported in the July-B issue of SeaSpan). The report documents a precipitous decline in open-ocean tuna and billfish over the last 50 years. The print version appears in the 26 August issue of Science. To read the report, go to: www.sciencemag.org REFERENCE: Boris Worm, Marcel Sandow, Andreas Oschlies, Heike K. Lotze, and Ransom A. Myers: Global Patterns of Predator Diversity in the Open Oceans. Science 309:1365-1369, 2005. ******************** Climate Model Links Warmer Temperatures To Permian Extinction from CORE newsletter Scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colo., have created a computer simulation showing Earth's climate in unprecedented detail at the time of the greatest mass extinction in history. The work gives support to a theory that an abrupt and dramatic rise in atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide triggered the massive die-off 251 million years ago. The research appears in the September issue of the journal Geology. "The results demonstrate how rapidly rising temperatures in the atmosphere can affect ocean circulation, cutting off oxygen to lower depths and extinguishing most life," says NCAR scientist and lead author, Jeffrey Kiehl. Kiehl and co-author Christine Shields focused on the dramatic events at the end of the Permian Era, when an estimated 90 to 95 percent of all marine species, as well as about 70 percent of all terrestrial species, became extinct. For full story, visit http:// www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=104368&org=olpa&from=news. ******************** Gazing At Breached Levees, Critics See Years Of Missed Opportunities from The New York Times (Registration Required) via Sigma Xi Science in the News As federal flood-control officials directed efforts to block the 17th Street Canal, the source of most of the water swamping New Orleans, they faced growing criticism yesterday over decades of missed opportunities to prevent precisely this type of disaster. In interviews and a telephone conference call with reporters, senior officials and engineers from up and down the ranks of the Army Corps of Engineers conceded that they had no ability to detect quickly small breaches in the matrix of 350 miles of levees around New Orleans. Unless such holes can be blocked early, the water will almost invariably rip away at the edges, widening the breach. http:// tinyurl.com/afx3u ******************** Katrina Reignites Global Warming Debate from Associated Press via Sigma Xi Science in the News Hurricane Katrina's fury has reignited the scientific debate over whether global warming might be making hurricanes more ferocious. At least one prominent study suggests that hurricanes have become significantly stronger in the past few decades during the same period that global average temperatures have increased. Katrina blew up in the Gulf of Mexico to a Category 5 hurricane with winds of 175 mph before slackening a bit Monday when it hit, swamping New Orleans and the Mississippi coast. Other leading scientists agree the Atlantic Basin and Gulf Coast regions are being battered by a severe hurricane phase that could persist for another 20 years or more. But they believe that a natural environmental cycle is responsible rather than any human-induced change, and they point to what they consider to be large gaps in the global warming analysis conducted by a climatologist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. http://tinyurl.com/7qffr *************************************************** Forum The Big One from The New Orleans Times-Picayune, 2002 A major hurricane could decimate the [New Orleans] region, but flooding from even a moderate storm could kill thousands. It's just a matter of time... Evacuation is the most certain route to safety, but it may be a nightmare. And 100,000 without transportation will be left behind... Hundreds of thousands would be left homeless, and it would take months to dry out the area and begin to make it livable. But there wouldn't be much for residents to come home to. The local economy would be in ruins? People left behind in an evacuation will be struggling to survive. Some will be housed at the Superdome, the designated shelter in New Orleans for people too sick or infirm to leave the city. Others will end up in last-minute emergency refuges that will offer minimal safety. But many will simply be on their own, in homes or looking for high ground. Thousands will drown while trapped in homes or cars by rising water. Others will be washed away or crushed by debris. Survivors will end up trapped on roofs, in buildings or on high ground surrounded by water, with no means of escape and little food or fresh water, perhaps for several days. http://tinyurl.com/8aryc *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings 2005 National Parks Ecological Research Fellowship Program Message from Sue: This is a GREAT program-- The National Park Service, National Park Foundation, and Ecological Society of America are pleased to announce the 2005 National Parks Ecological Research Fellowship Program. The program encourages and supports outstanding post-doctoral research in ecological sciences related to the flora of U.S. National Parks. The program will award up to three fellowships each year to researchers who have recently completed their Ph.D. Awards are made for up to two years, with the possibility for renewal for a third year determined at the end of the first year. Awards support research in any area of ecology related to the flora of the National Parks. Research topics can address any level of ecological organization, ranging from populations, species interactions, and community patterns, to landscape and ecosystem level processes associated with plants. Research should focus on questions that advance the science of ecology independent of immediate Park needs. Plants, fungi, mosses, algae, cryptogamic crusts, lichens, or other flora must be the main focus of the research. Research that takes advantage of the range of environments, conditions, and scales available in National Parks is of particular interest. Additional information and application materials are available at http://www.esa.org/nper. Completed applications must be received at ESA Headquarters between September 1, 2005 and October 1, 2005. For more information on the NPER Fellowship Program, contact: NPER Program Manager, Ecological Society of America, 202-833-8773 or nper@esa.org ******************** Climate Prediction Applications Science Workshop http://cals.arizona.edu/climate/CPASW2006/index.htm MARCH 21-24, 2006 - TUCSON, ARIZONA The National Weather Service Climate Services Division, in conjunction with the University of Arizona Climate Assessment for the Southwest and Arizona Cooperative Extension is hosting the Fourth Climate Prediction Applications Science Workshop (CPASW) at the Westward Look Resort in Tucson, Arizona, on March 21-24, 2006. The workgroup will bring together a diverse group of climate science producers and users to share and discuss developments in research and applications related to the use and impacts of climate predictions on societal decision-making and resource management. The meeting goals are to identify new climate prediction applications research, promote interactions between climate-sensitive integrated research and service communities, and assess impacts of climate forecasts on environmental-societal interactions. The workshop will not address technical challenges of making climate predictions, climate modeling, or other technical topics related to the science of climate predictions. For more information, please contact Mike Crimmins at crimmins@u.arizona.edu or by phone at (520) 626-4244, or contact Diana Perfect ( diana.perfect@noaa.gov) *************************************************** Jobs Postdoctoral positions, Dept. Microbiology, U. Tennessee Postdoctoral positions (2) are available in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Tennessee. Motivated candidates with interests and experience in the biology of metals (with a focus on Fe) and a background in molecular genetics are encouraged to apply for the position. The successful candidate will be involved in the construction and field testing of bioluminescent bacterial bioreporters sensitive to changes in ambient trace metal changes. Candidates will also be involved in studies of microbial community struture. Successful candidates will be involved in both field and laboratory studies. Interested applicants should apply to Dr Steven Wilhelm (wilhelm@utk.edu) by email. Positions will be available in January of 2006. ******************** Faculty Position at The University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences The Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences (AOS) anticipates the availability of a tenure-track Assistant Professor position beginning August 2006. The department seeks energetic and creative individuals to develop vigorous research and teaching programs focused on the earth's atmosphere and oceans, including modeling, measurements, and observational diagnoses. The department continues to sustain and enhance its historical strength in the areas of climate, remote sensing, and weather systems. The AOS Department is co-located with the Space Science and Engineering Center (SSEC), Cooperative Institute for Meteorological Satellite Studies (CIMSS), as well as the Center for Climate Research (CCR) and the Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment (SAGE) which are housed within the Gaylord Nelson Institute for Environmental Studies. Applications are encouraged from scientists representing the full spectrum of the atmospheric and oceanic sciences, especially those having expertise in one or more of the following areas: (1) observations and modeling of climate processes, variability, and change; (2) regional to global hydrological processes in the climate system; (3) ocean biogeochemical observations and modeling; (4) surface-atmosphere interactions and boundary layer processes; and (5) applications-oriented data assimilation. Ph.D. in atmospheric and oceanic sciences or related area is required prior to the start of the appointment. The primary selection criteria will be individual excellence in research, the ability to contribute to teaching of our "core" atmospheric science courses, and a strong commitment to the intellectual and academic vitality of the department and university as a whole. In order to ensure full consideration, a curriculum vitae, statement of professional goals, and three letters of reference should be sent by October 15, 2005 to: Professor Jonathan E. Martin, Chair Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences 1225 W. Dayton Street University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI 53706-1695 Unless confidentiality is requested in writing, information regarding the applicants must be released upon request. Finalists cannot be guaranteed confidentiality. The University of Wisconsin - Madison is an equal opportunity employer. Women and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply. Please see the University (http://www.wisc.edu/) and Department (http://www.aos.wisc.edu) websites for more information. ******************** Postdoc, benthic ecology/sedimentary biogeochemistry, Netherlands Inst. of Ecology In the context of the Darwin Institute for Biogeosciences (http:// www.darwincentrum.nl/), the Department of Ecosystem Studies of the Netherlands Institute of Ecology (http://www.nioo.knaw.nl/CEME/ES/ index.htm) has a vacancy for a Ph.D. student in benthic ecology/ sedimentary biogeochemistry. The Ph.D. student will join the group of Carlo Heip, Karline Soetaert and Jack Middelburg. She/he will experimentally study the effects of diffusive and advective bio- irrigation on sediment biogeochemistry, bacteria and meiofauna. Experimental work will involve mesocosms and use of stable isotopes besides the study of benthic animals. The candidate is expected to publish in international peer-reviewed journals and complete a thesis within four years. Experience with biogeochemistry or benthic ecology is a prerequisite. Salary and appointment information can be found at http://www.nioo.knaw.nl/JOBS/index.htm. You may send your application including reference number (CEME-ES-05104) and curriculum vitae to NIOO-KNAW, Center for Estuarine and Marine Ecology (CEME), for the attention of Prof. dr. C.H.R. Heip, P.O. 140, 4400 AC Yerseke or per email to j.middelburg@nioo.knaw.nl. Jack Middelburg Netherlands Institute of Ecology (NIOO-KNAW) Korringaweg 7, 4401 NT Yerseke The Netherlands (31)-113-577-476 j.middelburg@nioo.knaw.nl http://www.nioo.knaw.nl/PPAGES/jmiddelburg/index.htm ******************** Position: Assistant Professor UC Santa Cruz Environmental Studies Environmental Studies: Conservation, Sustainability and Development in the Global South. The Department of Environmental Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz, seeks a social scientist for a position in Conservation, Sustainability and Development, preferably with expertise in Latin America, at the Assistant Professor level (salary range: $46,300-$51,700). We seek applicants who will contribute teaching and research on the processes of, and responses to, rural change in resource-based and agricultural communities, as well as the larger socio-ecological contexts with which they interact. Candidates should be able to relate local innovations and practices to regional, national and international policies and circumstances. Minimum Qualifications: Ph.D. in geography, political science, sociology, environmental studies, or related fields, prefer Ph.D. by June 30, 2006, must be conferred by June 30, 2007. Applicants must demonstrate a clear record of excellence in both fundamental research and collaboration with natural scientists to apply such research to conservation problem-solving. This faculty member will advise students on appropriate methods for field-based, social science research. Send a letter of application discussing research agendas and teaching interests, three confidential letters of recommendation and a curriculum vitae to: Chair, Search Committee #082, Environmental Studies Department, University of California, California 95064 by October 31, 2005 (review of files will begin immediately after deadline). Visit AHR Web site for complete description at http://www2.ucsc.edu/ahr/employment/. ******************** Science Program Manager. The Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS, http:// www.iobis.org) International Secretariat at Rutgers University seeks a Program Manager to oversee day-to-day operations and planning for a federation of OBIS-affiliated data systems throughout the world. The Program Manager will have full responsibility for managing activities related to the OBIS Portal at Rutgers University and its partners, including a number of independent marine biological databases, Census of Marine Life Field Projects, and Regional OBIS Nodes in ten countries. Preference will be given to applicants with experience managing major scientific programs. A higher degree and/or extensive experience in one or more of the following areas is desirable: biology, fisheries, ecology, oceanography, marine sciences, and computer sciences. Please send 3 references, CV, and a statement of interest to J. Frederick Grassle, Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University, 71 Dudley Rd., New Brunswick, NJ, 08901-8521. If possible, please reply by 15th September 2005. ******************** Postdoc, UNC Chapel Hill Inst. Marine Sciences The Institute of Marine Sciences of UNC Chapel Hill invites applications for a postdoctoral associate position in environmental water quality/environmental microbiology. We seek a highly qualified individual with research experience and interest in the fields of microbial water quality, environmental microbiology, hydrology, and molecular biology. A PhD at the time of appointment in environmental microbiology, hydrology, marine science, molecular biology, or related fields is required for this position, as well as a significant record of research productivity. We particularly seek individuals who have expertise in the application of molecular techniques to environmental water quality issues. Experience with field sampling approaches, boat navigation, wastewater treatment and septic system design, hydrological modeling, and TMDL development is also desired, but not requisite. We especially seek individuals who complement existing department strengths and can work collaboratively in the marine science/microbial ecology/water quality research groups at the Institute of Marine Sciences of UNC Chapel Hill in Morehead City, NC. The position will be for one year, renewable for up to 3 years. To apply, please send a CV, relevant publications and the contact information of three references to: Rachel Noble, Institute of Marine Sciences, 3431 Arendell Street, Morehead City, NC 28557, or send electronic copies of information to rtnoble@email.unc.edu . Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. ******************** Assistant Professor Of Environmental Studies, University Of Illinois At Springfield http://www.higheredjobs.com/search/details.cfm?JobCode=175144749 The Department of Environmental Studies, an interdisciplinary department in the College of Public Affairs and Administration at University of Illinois at Springfield, seeks applications at the Assistant Professor level for three tenure-track positions. Positions include a teaching assignment of three courses per semester, supervision of graduate research projects and theses, and establishment of research and professional service agenda appropriate to tenure criteria. Applicants must have a Ph.D. in appropriate discipline and evidence of research potential and/or professional experience in the areas(s) of related areas of teaching assignment. Professional experience and/or grant-funded research in areas related to teaching assignment and on-line teaching are preferred. There is one position in each of the following areas: Natural Resources Policy & Administration, Sustainable Development & Environmental Health, and Environmental Policy & Planning. ******************** Assistant Professor - Natural Resources and Sustainable Development (NRSD) http://www.upeace.org/jobs/eps_assistant.htm The United Nations-affiliated University for Peace in Costa Rica seeks as an assistant professor to teach courses in its program, Natural Resources and Sustainable Development (NRSD). NRSD is a joint masters-degree program of the University for Peace and American University in Washington DC. UPeace has terrific faculty, is located on a beautiful campus and would be an exciting place to be. This is a wonderful opportunity for someone focused on global environmental affairs, with an emphasis on sustainable development. Please circulate this job announcement far and wide. ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050902/acf66952/attachment-0001.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Thu Sep 8 17:22:40 2005 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Thu Sep 8 17:28:40 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG/DISCCRS Resources-Survey Message-ID: Dear DIALOG and DISCCRS Registrants: Please help us improve the DIALOG/DISCCRS electronic resources by completing this short survey: 1. Citizenship: 2. Gender: 3. Year Ph.D. Completed 4. WEBSITE: Other than registering your dissertation, have you ever used the http://aslo.org/phd.edu site? IF yes, how satisfied are you with the site (1 = very satisfied, 2 = satisfied, 3 = OK, 4 = dissatisfied, 5= very dissatisfied.) What part of the site do you find most useful? What could be done to improve the site? 5. How satisfied are you with the newsletter (1 = very satisfied, 2 = satisfied, 3 = OK, 4 = dissatisfied, 5= very dissatisfied.) What section of the newsletter do you find most useful? What could be done to improve the newsletter? To ensure confidentiality, please reply to bennetsk@whitman.edu Thank you, C. Susan Weiler, PhD -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050908/2f1bc25f/attachment.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Sep 9 15:13:15 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Fri Sep 9 15:13:58 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG/DISCCRS News 09/09/05 Message-ID: <46939E4B-6D30-4AEA-9D82-CCE66E2DEE86@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 09/09/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) site on Katrina http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes/katrina/ Hurricane Visualizations from the Cutting Edge Science Education Resource Center http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/visualization/collections/ hurricanes.html Digital Globe Satellite Imagery Of Post-Hurricane New Orleans, Digital Globe http://archive.digitalglobe.com/archive/showMetaMap.php? catID=10100100047CEC05 Satellite images of New Orleans http://www.digitalglobe.com/katrina_gallery.html Comment Paper on Canada's Offset System for Greenhouse Gases http://www.greenhousegasmeasurement.com/news_050831_OS1.html Hurricanes and Climate Change http://www.insnet.org/ins_headlines.rxml? cust=2&id=1570&url=http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.htm?programID=05- P13-00035&segmentID=3 NSF to support time sensitive research related to the Gulf Coast disaster area and to capture data from the human aspects of Hurricane Katrina. http://www.nsf.gov SCIENCE NEWS City Awash In Toxic Waters, But Long-Term Impact Is Murky http://tinyurl.com/ano58 Loss Of Soil Carbon 'Will Speed Global Warming' http://tinyurl.com/8ptsc Experts: Fetid Water No Risk To Lake http://tinyurl.com/bxny3 Ancient Humans 'Altered' Climate http://tinyurl.com/deuve FORUM Post-Katrina help for coastal and estuarine scientists http://www.utmsi.utexas.edu or directly at http:// www.utmsi.utexas.edu/outreach/katrina.asp. ESA has established a bulletin board on its website http://www.esa.org/katrina Aid for students at Nicholls State University Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco (LA) Washington Post Editorial - Saving America's Wetland http://www.washingtonpost.com After Katrina: A Message from NSF http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pr05155 Editorial on Hurricane Katrina by Historian Ted Steinberg http://chronicle.com/free/2005/09/2005090906n.htm JOBS Postdoc Research Position In Meteorology On "Global Modeling For Palaeo-Weather" Job opening for a Climate Economist Analyst at US EPA *************************************************** Resources U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) site on Katrina http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes/katrina/ Hurricane Visualizations from the Cutting Edge Science Education Resource Center (from Geo-Ed, suggested by John McDaris, SERC), in response to Hurricane Katrina, the SERC team has put together a collection of links to visualizations of hurricanes. The collection is a resource for geoscience educators looking for visual materials on Hurricane Katrina and hurricanes in general for use in addressing these important phenomena in their classes. The site includes links to NASA and NOAA pages that contain a wealth of satellite imagery and video as well as links to Weather Channel and CNN coverage of the storm and its effects. http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/visualization/ collections/hurricanes.html ******************** Digital Globe Satellite Imagery Of Post-Hurricane New Orleans, Digital Globe (from Geo-Ed, suggested by Joseph Kerski, USGS), the site features satellite imagery from 31 August of New Orleans. This includes some pretty striking and grim imagery to share with your students. One of my activities for years as part of my ?Map Mysteries? units is to have students examine topographic maps of New Orleans and notice the contour lines to see how many of the lines are actually -5 (below sea level). You could do the same thing using topozone.com, terraserver-usa.com. buy some paper USGS topographic maps, or for a GIS environment, get a DEM from the USGS and determine how much land is underwater if the sea rose by 1 meter, by 2 meters, by 3 meters, etc. http://archive.digitalglobe.com/archive/ showMetaMap.php?catID=10100100047CEC04 ******************** Satellite images of New Orleans The following web address provides the updated satellite images of new orleasns and other impacted areas. http://www.digitalglobe.com/katrina_gallery.html ******************** Comment Paper on Canada's Offset System for Greenhouse Gases For your interest, we have recently posted a comment paper regarding Canada?s newly announced Offset System for Greenhouse Gases. See our website at http://www.greenhousegasmeasurement.com/ news_050831_OS1.html This first article is written in lay-language for the general audience, and offers some broad comments in response to the framework and opportunities for carbon credits in Canada. Steven B. Young, PhD, PEng President www.GreenhouseGasMeasurement.com 1-519-822-1660 sby@GHGm.com ******************** Hurricanes And Climate Change MIT Professor Kerry Emanuel talks about his book ?Divine Wind: the History and Science of Hurricanes.? Emanuel?s latest research, published in Nature Magazine, shows a startling global increase in hurricane strength and duration. http://www.insnet.org/ins_headlines.rxml? cust=2&id=1570&url=http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.htm?programID=05- P13-00035&segmentID=3 ******************** NSF to support time sensitive research related to the Gulf Coast disaster area and to capture data from the human aspects of Hurricane Katrina. The Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences (SBE) at the National Science Foundation (NSF), through its Divisions of Behavioral and Cognitive Sciences and Social and Economic Sciences will be accepting proposals from the research community to support time sensitive research related to the Gulf Coast disaster area and to capture data from the human aspects of Hurricane Katrina. The NSF Human and Social Dynamics (HSD) Priority Area as well as the individual disciplinary programs in Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences will be accepting proposals. Proposals should conform to the rules for the Small Grants for Exploratory Research (SGER) program and be submitted via FastLane. These funds will be used to collect time-sensitive data at the levels of individuals and organizations on the immediate aftermath of the hurricane. It is expected that most funded proposals will be in the range of $10,000 to $80,000. The number of awards will depend on the quality of proposals and the availability of funds. Proposals shall be submitted via FastLane in conformance the NSF Grant Proposal Guide (NSF 04-23). For full consideration, proposals must be submitted by Sept. 23, 2005. Prior to submission, the appropriate NSF/SBE Program Officer MUST be contacted. For Human and Social Dynamics multidisciplinary proposals, please contact Dennis Wenger (dwenger@nsf.gov) or Bob O'Conner (roconnor@nsf.gov); HSD SGER proposals must conform to the HSD requirements, specifically (1) at least three PIs, (2) at least two disciplines, and (3) no individual can participate in more than one HSD SGER proposal. Please consult the web site (www.nsf.gov) to determine the Program Officers to contact for the SBE disciplinary programs. Rachelle D. Hollander Senior Advisor Directorate for Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences NSF 4201 Wilson Blvd. Rm. 905 Arlington, VA 22230 703-292-7272, fax-9083; rholland@nsf.gov ******************** U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) site on Katrina http://coastal.er.usgs.gov/hurricanes/katrina/ *************************************************** Science News City Awash In Toxic Waters, But Long-Term Impact Is Murky from San Francisco Chronicle The dark waters now covering New Orleans constitute a nasty brew of toxic chemicals and harmful bacteria, but the long-term environmental effects of the city's inundation by Hurricane Katrina remain unclear, scientists say. Certainly, the Mississippi Delta and its environs hardly made up a pristine Eden before the hurricane. The region supported one of the great oil and gas extraction and petrochemical refining complexes on the planet, and pollution has long been a hot-button issue there. "This is an area known as Cancer Alley, and there's a good reason for that," said David Lewis, the executive director of Save the Bay, an Oakland environmental group that maintains a liaison with a Louisiana wetlands preservation organization. "Contaminants were already a problem (in local waters)." http://tinyurl.com/ano58 ******************** Loss Of Soil Carbon 'Will Speed Global Warming' from The Guardian (UK) via Sigma Xi Science in the News England's soils have been losing carbon at the rate of four million tonnes a year for the past 25 years - losses which will accelerate global warming and which have already offset all the cuts in Britain's industrial carbon emissions between 1990 and 2002, scientists warn today. The research dashes hopes that more carbon dioxide emissions might mean more vegetation growth and therefore more carbon removed from the atmosphere. The unexpected loss of carbon from the soils - consistently, everywhere in England and Wales and therefore probably everywhere in the temperate world - means more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, which means even more global warming, and yet more carbon lost from the soil. http://tinyurl.com/8ptsc ******************** Experts: Fetid Water No Risk To Lake from Newsday via Sigma Xi Science in the News The health of Louisiana's Lake Pontchartrain is not at stake despite 2 million gallons of fetid floodwaters being pumped per minute into the vast inland body of water, experts said yesterday. The Army Corps of Engineers is pumping the contaminated floodwater into the lake, and its technicians are not adding chlorine or other disinfectants. "You can't chlorinate the water going into the lake," said Edward Bouwer, a professor of environmental engineering at Johns Hopkins University, "because that would create other problems" that could possibly damage the lake's health and alter its ecosystem, he said. http://tinyurl.com/bxny3 ******************** Ancient Humans 'Altered' Climate from BBC News Online via Sigma Xi Science in the News Humans were influencing the climate long before the Industrial Revolution, new research suggests. Levels of methane rose steadily in the atmosphere in the first millennium, according to an analysis of gases trapped in ice beneath Antarctica. Much of the greenhouse gas came from huge fires lit by humans as they cleared land for settlements and farming, researchers report in Science. But natural climate change would have contributed to the emissions, they say. http://tinyurl.com/deuve *************************************************** Forum Post-Katrina help for coastal and estuarine scientists by Linda Schaffner, ERF President During the past week, the human suffering and destruction along the Gulf Coast of the U.S. caused by Hurricane Katrina has been almost unimaginable. The Federation has gotten calls and e-mails from members who are concerned about our colleagues and their families in the affected region. In many cases, we still do not know how they fared. We remain hopeful that everyone is safe. Many of those affected will be in a state of shock for weeks as they attend to the immediate needs within their families. Donations to organizations such as the Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity will help meet the tremendous need for food, shelter and health care. I'm sure many of you have already given generously to these organizations. Soon our colleagues will need other resources to help put their professional lives back together. Many individuals in our community have already expressed their willingness to host students and colleagues in labs, to provide temporary housing, or provide help in myriad other ways. Thank you for your generosity. The challenge now is to match resources with those who need them. The University of Texas Marine Science Institute, in partnership with the National Association of Marine Laboratories (NAML), has created a clearinghouse for offers from other labs to help the faculty, students and staff of the damaged labs. The site is at accessible through the home page at: http://www.utmsi.utexas.edu or directly at http://www.utmsi.utexas.edu/outreach/katrina.asp. The Southeastern Universities Research Association also has a created a website with some news of efforts to assist with the recovery through charitable endeavors. The site is accessible from their home page: http://www.sura.org or directly at http:// www1.sura.org/2000/2000_KATRINA.html Please distribute this information widely. We hope that it will reach those in need. In addition to the short term, practical responses above, the Federation's leaders are discussing ways we can contribute our members' expertise to greater public understanding of coastal ecosystems. Accurately predicting such events and their environmental and human consequences is becoming easier, but remains a scientific challenge. Communicating such knowledge in a way that decision makers and the public can embrace it is also a challenge. In coming days and weeks we will be exploring ways that ERF can assist our members who are in need. We will post additional information as it becomes available. Sincerely, Linda Schaffner ERF President 2003-2005 ******************** ESA has established a bulletin board on its website (http:// www.esa.org/katrina) to facilitate assistance to ecological and environmental science colleagues in the Gulf Coast region. You can help in two ways: If you have contact with colleagues in the affected areas, please alert them to this site as a place to seek help and find assistance ranging from relocation to laboratory equipment. Visit the site frequently to post offers of assistance or to respond to specific requests. ******************** Aid for students at Nicholls State University Submitted by Allyse Ferrara I would like to ask DIALOG/DIACES participants for assistance for Nicholls State University students that have suffers losses due to Hurricane Katrina. I participated in the 2002 DIACES symposium. I am presently an assistant professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at Nicholls State University. An estimated 1000 to 2000 Nicholls students may have lost everything they own to Katrina. The Nicholls campus suffered minor damage from Katrina and classes resumed today, even though there are approximately 1,400 evacuees and national guard troops on the Nicholls campus. We are committed to educating and caring for our students and community. Monetary donations can be made to assist Nicholls students including visiting students from colleges and universities in New Orleans who suffered losses from Hurricane Katrina. Checks can be made to the NSU Foundation, P.O. Box 2074, Thibodaux, LA, 70310. Please write "Student Disaster Recovery Fund" in the memo field. Please contact me if you need further information. My deepest thanks for your attention and contributions. Sincerely, Allyse Ferrara ******************** Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco (LA) Washington Post Editorial - Saving America's Wetland Date: 12/08/2004 Submitted by Allyse Ferrare: I know I have bombarded you with pleas for money and materials on coastal land loss but this editorial should be re-read in the wake of Katrina. OP- ED: Governor Blanco's Opinion Editorial in the Washington Post Saving America's Wetland By Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Wednesday, December 8, 2004; Page A31 washingtonpost.com My state dodged a massive natural disaster in September when Hurricane Ivan, which seemed on course to hit New Orleans, veered away at the last minute. The near miss was a dramatic reminder that we continue to face the possibility of a man-made catastrophe. Had Ivan hit New Orleans, the toll in lives lost and property destroyed would have rivaled anything in recent U.S. history. With barrier islands and thousands of square miles of marsh lost to erosion, there was little left to buffer Ivan's winds and waves. Even with the massive evacuation, thousands could have died in the storm surge, trapped in a city that is largely below sea level. No government has the power to stop-or turn-even a small hurricane. But in Louisiana's case, government does have the power to reverse federal policies that have led to the loss of our coastline. This coast protects many towns and cities, and it plays an important role in the nation's economy. Ivan destroyed some of our few remaining barrier islands. But even without a hurricane's ravages, much of our state is washing away day by day, posing a threat to our lives and to the nation's economy. And, of course, it is not just Louisiana's problem; it is a national problem requiring a national solution. This is America's Wetland. Louisiana's coast is the nursery to the Gulf of Mexico's thriving marine fisheries. Equally important, a major segment of the country's oil and gas industry is based on this threatened ground. About $100 billion of energy infrastructure, including critical oil reserves, is linked to the coast of Louisiana. Cities and ports in south Louisiana support and supply the rigs working the gulf's massive oil and gas fields. Ivan reminded us what this offshore production means to the nation: Even the short interruption of supply caused by the hurricane forced a spike in already-high oil prices. These wetlands protect thousands of miles of pipelines carrying oil and gas from offshore rigs along with interstate pipelines supplying consumers of every stripe and size across the nation. Allowing the erosion to continue would first constrict, then strangle, this flow of energy to homes, cars and businesses. The picture is bleak, but not hopeless. The roots of the erosion problem lie in the unintended consequences of federal efforts to provide for the nation's needs. High, strong levees were built to keep commerce flowing on the Mississippi River and to protect residents in its broad, rich valley from floods. Navigation canals were cut through marsh and swamp to allow development of oil and gas reserves. Unfortunately, levees kept silt-laden floods from replenishing the land, and canals channeled damaging saltwater into fragile freshwater marshes. We've closed some abandoned navigation canals to blunt saltwater intrusion. We're planting new vegetation-sprout by sprout-to strengthen barrier islands and marshes. We're using rock dikes and soil from dredging operations to protect and expand the few remaining barrier islands. Other measures are more complicated, and expensive. Working with the Army Corps of Engineers, we've built two freshwater diversion projects on the Mississippi River levee downstream from New Orleans. These structures divert silt-laden river water into wetlands that need the fresh water that nourishes marsh grasses and the sediment that replenishes the land. We know that mimicking the river's natural hydrology is a delicate balancing act, but the more we learn, the better we perform. Two projects diverting river water into the marshes are only a start; we continue research and testing to find the best methods and apply new technologies to stem the erosion. Over the past 14 years, we've learned to work with a network of five federal agencies, from the Corps of Engineers to the Commerce Department's National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. We know that the past approach of a project here and an effort there will not work. Only a comprehensive effort across all our diverse coastline will succeed. More federal help is needed. Louisiana asked for $1.2 billion in the pending Water Resources Development Act to begin coastal protection. Unfortunately, this federal funding is tied up in the U.S. Senate. But even if the act passes with money for Louisiana intact, it's only an authorization. The source of real money to help stop the loss of America's Wetland lies offshore. Securing our fair share of federal proceeds from oil and gas produced on the outer continental shelf off the Louisiana coast would provide a continuing and dependable investment in projects to help stem the ongoing loss. Oil and gas production off Louisiana's coast pumps an average of $5 billion into the federal treasury. Dedicating just a fraction of the federal revenue from Louisiana offshore production could stop the loss of this regional wetland. This is a potential national disaster that need not happen. The writer, a Democrat, is governor of Louisiana. ******************** After Katrina: A Message from NSF http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pr05155 ******************** Editorial on Hurricane Katrina by Historian Ted Steinberg This week the *Chronicle of Higher Education* ran a piece written by historian Ted Steinberg. II encourage you all to read it. Sue Weiler Opinion: A Natural Disaster, a Man-Made Catastrophe, and a Human Tragedy http://chronicle.com/free/2005/09/2005090906n.htm *************************************************** Jobs Postdoc Research Position In Meteorology On "Global Modeling For Palaeo-Weather" at the University of Mainz (Institute for Atmospheric Physics) A Postdoc research position is available at the Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the University of Mainz starting immediately. The position is funded by the Excellence Cluster "Geocycles", which is currently being established at the University of Mainz. Funding is guaranteed until the end of 2007, but an extension may be possible upon successful evaluation. Salary is according to the German BAT IIa. Consideration of applications will start in late September and continue until the position is filled. The work is part of an interdisciplinary effort to understand strong local climate fluctuations on a time scale of decades to centuries during the past ice age. Such fluctuations have recently been observed by one group in the Excellence Cluster. The successful candidate will make extensive use of the operational global model of the German Weather Service (DWD) as part of a model hierarchy. Prescribing the surface conditions the model shall be run in different modes of complexity. This, in combination with a nested regional model provided by other members of the group, will provide insight into the impact of the surface on atmospheric dynamics and the hydrological cycle in the past at very high spatial resolution. Specific analysis methods shall be applied to extract the information relevant for the interpretation of the bore hole measurements. Applicants should have a PhD in meteorology, a keen interest in past climates, and experience with meteorological modeling and/or data analysis. Expertise in FORTRAN programming and familiarity with UNIX/LINUX as well as some high-level graphics software are highly desirable. More information is available from Prof. Wirth (address below). If interested, please submit your application including CV and the names of two referees to Prof. Dr. V. Wirth, Institute for Atmospheric Physics, University of Mainz, Becherweg 21, 55099 Mainz, Germany. E-mail: vwirth@uni-mainz.de. ******************** Job opening for a Climate Economist Analyst at US EPA Background: The Economic Analysis Branch (EAB) of the Climate Change Division of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) has one available position for a climate change economic analyst. The EAB is responsible for informing climate policy makers regarding the economic implications of policies to reduce the greenhouse gas intensity of the U.S. economy. In addition to conducting quick-turnaround analyses of specific policy proposals, the EAB develops strategies and analytical tools to address a variety of types of climate change policies, and initiates basic economic research to broaden the state of knowledge of the implications of climate change economics. This job opening is for an economist/policy analyst who can contribute to assessing climate change mitigation policy options. Most of the incumbent's time will be spent managing and overseeing the development of large scale economic models that seek to examine the impacts of greenhouse gas mitigation measures. As the focus of this position is the use of large-scale economic modeling to conduct research and analysis, some previous exposure to economic modeling would be preferable. The incumbent should be a self-motivated analyst capable of contributing to the design of a research program that meets the analytical needs of the EAB. Strong communication skills are necessary to facilitate interactions with other modelers, stakeholders, and contractors. Excellent writing skills are required to communicate the results of research and analysis. The applicant will be required to work in a team and multi-disciplinary setting. Qualifications Needed It is preferred that the person that fills this position should have an advanced degree (M.A., A.B.D. or PhD) in economics or public policy with significant exposure to environmental, energy economics and public policy. Understanding of quantitative skills such mathematical economics, econometrics, and statistics is required Contact For more information, send a cover letter and resume to Dr. Michael Shelby at shelby.michael@epa.gov . NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE. EPA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Selection for these positions will be based solely on merit without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, political affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, marital or family status, or any other non-merit factors. U.S. citizenship is required. This is not an official job application process, but a solicitation for resumes. The job will be announced through EPA's EZ hire employment system in the future. ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050909/6d92331b/attachment-0001.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Sep 23 17:22:01 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Fri Sep 23 17:23:05 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG/DISCCRS News 09/23/05 Message-ID: <6B60A436-5EBB-4A8F-957A-C0C4745047CD@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 09/23/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES Katrina Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=katrinafaq USA Station Histories Available http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/cdmp/wssrd.html SCIENCE NEWS Climate Change Scientists Search For Practical Solutions http://tinyurl.com/a74d4 Retreating Glaciers Worrying Greenlanders http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apscience_story.asp? category=1501&slug=Greenland%20Arctic%20Thaw Incident News, Good Site for Katrina Information http://www.incidentnews.gov/ A Marshy Expanse Is Stripped To The Bone http://tinyurl.com/akzuo Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Accounting web site Levees Failed Nature Refuge Just As They Did Humans http://tinyurl.com/9r6ry Aquarium Becomes Watery Grave For Sea Life http://tinyurl.com/8ysyw JOBS Postdocs At Suny Stony Brook CALFED Lead Scientist Recruitment http://www.cps.ca.gov/ExecutiveSearch/Recruitments/science/ ls_cbdp.asp. 2006 Jefferson Science Fellowships http://www.nationalacademies.org/jsf Ecosystem Modeling at UMCES/HPL, CICS/UMD, and CRC http://www.ccmp.chesapeake.org. 2006-2007 AIP State Department Science Fellowship- Opportunity for Earth and Space Scientists http://www.aip.org/gov/sdf.html Numark Associates, Inc. seeking an individual to contribute to the firm?s climate change practice as well as other areas. http://www.numarkassoc.com Marine Ecosystem Modeler, VIMS, Tenure Track Position http://www.vims.edu Research Assistant Professor: Applied Restoration Science *************************************************** Resources Katrina Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=katrinafaq ******************** USA Station Histories Available We are pleased to announce the availability of the first set of station histories produced through the Development of Climatological Station Histories Project funded through the Climate Database Modernization Program (CDMP) of the United States' National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Climatic Data Center. These documents are written histories of United States weather observing stations which started in the 1800s, and include available information about the station's observers, location, and observing practices. The station histories are located on NCDC's electronic archive, WSSRD (Web Store Search Retrieve Display), in the Observing Site History cabinet under the category Metadata. To request access to this archive, go to http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/ climate/cdmp/wssrd.html (contact Cindy Karl via e-mail at Cynthia.B.Karl@noaa.gov, and request access to the Observing Site History cabinet). The first set includes 29 stations from the CDMP Project and one additional historical document. The 29 station histories were prepared by the project's three station history writers, Steve Doty, Gary Grice, and Glen Conner, with the assistance of many of you. The historical station history is for Urbana, Illinois USA, and was published by Stan Changnon and George Boyd as an Illinois State Water Survey Circular in 1963. If you are aware of any other similar station histories available, please contact Karen Andsager at andsager@uiuc.edu. The 29 stations are Sacramento CA, San Francisco CA, Naval Observatory in DC, Washington DC, Peoria IL, Vevay IN, Atchison KS, Leavenworth KS, Manhattan KS, Louisville KY, Newport Barracks KY, Fort Jesup LA, Nantucket MA, Portland ME, Duluth MN, Harrisonville MO, Fairbury NE, Fort Marcy NM, Santa Fe NM, Cincinnati OH, College Hill OH, Mt Auburn OH, Fort Gibson OK, Fort Washita OK, Portland OR, Austin TX, Burlington VT, Lunenburg VT, and Cheyenne WY. If you have pictures and documents regarding station history for United States stations, particularly for stations which began observations in the 1800s, please contact Steve Doty at dotydataservices@charter.net. *************************************************** Science News Climate Change Scientists Search For Practical Solutions from San Francisco Chronicle via Sigma Xi Science in the News SACRAMENTO, (AP) -- The global climate isn't the only thing warming up. The political climate has changed, too, as politicians warm to addressing what scientists have been warning for years is an inevitable rise in the earth's temperatures. "In the last year or so, this has really taken off like a freight train without brakes," said Philip Mote, a leading researcher with the University of Washington and Washington's state climatologist. The shift was dramatized by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's June pledge that California will strive to reduce greenhouse gases emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050, and by a global warming initiative backed by the governors of California, Oregon and Washington two years ago. http://tinyurl.com/a74d4 ******************** Retreating Glaciers Worrying Greenlanders http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/apscience_story.asp? category=1501&slug=Greenland%20Arctic%20Thaw Sunday, September 11, 2005 ? Last updated 4:11 a.m. PT By Jan M. Olsen, Associated Press Writer ILULISSAT, Greenland -- The gargantuan chunks of ice breaking off the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier and thundering into an Arctic fjord make a spectacular sight. But to Greenlanders it is also deeply worrisome. The frequency and size of the icefalls are a powerful reminder that the frozen sheet covering the world's largest island is thinning - a glaring sign of global warming, scientists say. "In the past we could walk on the ice in the fjord between the icebergs for a six-month period during the winter, drill holes and fish," said Joern Kristensen, a fisherman and one of the indigenous Inuit who are most of Greenland's population of 56,000. "We can only do that for a month or two now. It has become more difficult to drive dog sleds because the ice between the icebergs isn't solid anymore." In 2002-2003, a six-mile-long stretch of the Sermeq Kujalleq glacier broke off and drifted silently out of the fjord near Ilulissat, Greenland's third largest town, 155 miles north of the Arctic Circle. Although Greenland, three times the size of Texas, is the prime example, scientists say the effects of climate change are noticeable throughout the Arctic region, from the northward spread of spruce beetles in Canada to melting permafrost in Alaska and northern Russia. Indigenous people, who for centuries have adapted their lives to the cold, fear that even small and gradual changes could have a profound impact. "We can see a trend that the fall is getting longer and wetter," said Lars-Anders Baer, a political leader of Sweden's Sami, a once nomadic, reindeer-herding people. ******************** IncidentNews, Good Site for Katrina Information OR&R HAZMAT has initiated a web site to share information generated by NOAA during the Hurricane Katrina response. This is a public site with unrestricted access. We have used the IncidentNews approach in the past with some success on major spills. This is a new and hopefully improved execution of the IncidentNews concept. IncidentNews provides more in depth information to the public than is typically available on an agency web site. This information is in the form of photos, data and synthesis products that may be of interest to involved public, journalists, academics, non-governmental organizations, and others. IncidentNews is now available at http://www.incidentnews.gov/ ******************** A Marshy Expanse Is Stripped To The Bone from The New York Times (Registration Required) via Sigma Xi Science in the News It is said that wetlands soak up water like a sponge. These NASA satellite images show that process at work in Louisiana after Hurricane Katrina struck on Aug. 28. The top image shows the state's southeastern region on Aug. 9. The bottom image was made on Sept. 4, after storm clouds cleared. The images, their colors artificially adjusted, show vegetated areas in bright green; flooded areas are darker. It remains to be seen how Louisiana's wetlands will survive the storm. Scientists are only beginning to discern damage inflicted on them from high winds and waves, and from the presence of so much floodwater for so many days. http://tinyurl.com/akzuo ******************** Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Accounting web site The Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Accounting has launched a redeveloped web site with up-to-date news on climate change, details of the Centre?s research findings, and links to online calculators, decision-support tools and models for natural resource management and agriculture. The Cooperative Research Centre for Greenhouse Accounting is a collaboration of scientists across Australia leading research in: ? measuring, forecasting and accounting for carbon pools in soil, biomass, and wood products ? plant interactions with elevated concentrations of carbon dioxide, climate change, nutrient availability, and stress ? risks to the carbon cycle posed by climate variability and change ? ecological and hydrological impacts of climate change ? systems and practices to minimise greenhouse gas emissions in agriculture The new website, at http://www.greenhouse.crc.org.au/, has sections on counting carbon in soils, forests and trees, rangelands, wood products, and at continental scale; the impact of climate change on plant growth, woody thickening, and changes to the water cycle; greenhouse in agriculture, including in the dairy, grains and cotton industries, and with research into methane and nitrous oxide as well as carbon dioxide; reducing greenhouse through carbon sinks and best management practices; and online tools. It also carries up-to-date news on climate change, and includes a link to the Centre?s free monthly emailed newsletter, eCarbon News, a digest of climate change, policy, energy, and emissions trading news from around the world. Please take a look, make use of the resource, and pass any suggestions or comments to me. Bruce Wright bruce.wright@greenhouse.crc.org.au ******************** Levees Failed Nature Refuge Just As They Did Humans Sigma Xi Science in the News from The New York Times (Registration Required) NEW ORLEANS, Sept. 9 - Of all the uneasy compromises New Orleans has presented nature, none was more generous than the Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge, one of the largest urban wildernesses in the United States. But though this land east of the city was set aside in the 1980's as a 23,000-acre preserve, an offering to the wild in a place that also defied it, the marsh was enclosed by the same levees that guarded New Orleans, and so it was also vulnerable when they failed. Its ecosystem thrives on fresh water from rainfall, not on the brackish water of Lake Pontchartrain, which came pouring in. "It'll take years to recover," Dan Parker of the United States Fish and Wildlife Service said sadly on Friday, as he surveyed marsh grasses burned brown by salt. The green palmettos and other plants were doomed, he said. The water, the color of root beer, smelled of sewage and petroleum. http://tinyurl.com/9r6ry ******************** Aquarium Becomes Watery Grave For Sea Life Sigma Xi Science in the News from The Los Angeles Times NEW ORLEANS - Mr. Bill, a 13-foot-long, 43-year-old sawfish with a chain saw-like snout, was floating dead in his tank. So were more than half a dozen sand tiger sharks ??? sleek gray creatures measuring 9 feet long ??? like so many neglected goldfish. The macaws in the Amazon rain-forest exhibit, where temperatures rose to 140 degrees in the absence of air conditioning, were clinging to life. When a small group of workers finally returned to the blacked-out aquarium a few days ago, the smell of dead fish was nauseating. http://tinyurl.com/8ysyw *************************************************** Jobs Postdocs At Suny Stony Brook Two postdoctoral positions as well as graduate assistantships are available to work in a newly funded project involving the identification, characterization and inventory of novel freshwater cyanotoxins. Research at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse NY will involve the analysis of toxin production using enzyme assays or LCMS, HPLC, etc. and well as the preparation of novel antibody-based assays. Research in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville will include the molecular characterization of cyanobacterial isolates, identification of the toxin pathways in uncultured strains, and the meta-analysis of environmental conditions associated with toxic blooms. Both projects are highly interactive and we seek motivated candidates with an interest in the ecology, biochemistry and molecular biology of toxigenic cyanobacteria. Interested applications should apply electronically to Dr. Greg Boyer (SUNY-ESF, glboyer@esf.edu)or Dr. Steven Wilhelm (Tennessee, wilhelm@utk.edu). PDF Positions will be available as early as November 2005. GA positions are available January 2006. ******************** CALFED Lead Scientist Recruitment The California Bay-Delta Authority (CBDA) is seeking an established, experienced research scientist to direct the efforts of the Science Program as the CALFED Lead Scientist. As part of our extensive search, we would like to ask for your assistance in circulating the attached advertisement to any interested parties. Additional information regarding the recruitment can also be found at http://www.cps.ca.gov/ExecutiveSearch/Recruitments/science/ls_cbdp.asp. ******************** 2006 Jefferson Science Fellowships Tenured academic scientists and engineers from U.S. institutions of higher learning are eligible for selection to be Jefferson Science Fellows. Each Fellow will spend one year at the U.S. Department of State in Washington D.C. that may also involve extended stays at U.S. foreign embassies and/or missions. During this time, Fellows work on technical issues that support decision-making on U.S. foreign policy. Following the fellowship year, the Jefferson Science Fellow will return to his/her academic career, but will remain available to the U.S. government as an experienced consultant for short-term projects. Stipends are $50,000 to offset travel and temporary housing in Washington D.C. The nomination/application deadline is December 1, 2005. More information is available at: http:// www.nationalacademies.org/jsf ******************** Ecosystem Modeling at UMCES/HPL, CICS/UMD, and CRC The University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, the Cooperative Institute of Climate Studies at UMD, and the Chesapeake Research Consortium have begun a collaborative, interdisciplinary hydrodynamic and ecosystem modeling program of the Chesapeake Bay. This program will fund multiple postdoctoral positions. We seek applicants to work with us on the development of a harmful algal bloom nowcast/forecast system based on a comprehensive hydrodynamic and biogeochemical simulation of Chesapeake Bay combined with empirical habitat modeling approaches. Candidates must be motivated by cross-disciplinary research and have either physical and/or biogeochemical oceanographic background with a demonstrated experience in numerical modeling. The project will require proficiency in UNIX, Fortran and matlab. Previous experience with ROMS, networking and GIS web applications would be advantageous. Please send C.V., names and addresses of three references, and a statement of research interests to Dr. Raleigh Hood, UMCES HPL, P.O. Box 775, Cambridge, MD 21613. Email: rhood@hpl.umces.edu. Applications must be received by Sept. 30, 2005 to receive consideration. For more information visit our web page at http:// www.ccmp.chesapeake.org. ******************** 2006-2007 AIP State Department Science Fellowship- Opportunity for Earth and Space Scientists The U.S. Department of State needs scientific and technological expertise as it addresses complex issues ranging from energy policy to homeland security. Through its State Department Science Fellowship program, the American Institute of Physics offers an opportunity for scientists to make a unique and substantial contribution to the foreign policy process. AIP is now seeking applicants for its 2006-2007 State Department Fellowship. Qualified members of any of the 10 AIP Member Societies are eligible to apply; see www.aip.org/gov/sdf.html for details on the program or contact Audrey Leath (aleath@aip.org, 301-209-3094) if you have questions or need additional information. Applications for the AIP Fellowship are due by 1 November 2005 for the Fellowship selection in early 2006. The AIP State Department Fellowship enables scientists to spend a year working in a bureau or office of the U.S. Department of State. The Fellows become actively involved in the foreign policy process while contributing their scientific and technical expertise and analytical capabilities to the Department. AIP's Fellowship program was established in 2001 in response to concerns within the scientific community that the State Department's scientific and technical capabilities were in decline. Current and former AIP State Department Science Fellows have worked in the Bureaus of Intelligence and Research, European and Eurasian Affairs, Political-Military Affairs, Economic and Business Affairs, Information Resource Management, and OES. Their portfolios have included topics as varied as emerging S&T issues, European and Russian science policy, the World Summit on Sustainable Development, critical infrastructure protection, export controls, use of remote sensing imagery, biotechnology and the safety of agricultural products. AIP's first State Department Science Fellow, George Atkinson, is now serving as Science and Technology Adviser to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. AIP's 2005-2006 State Department Fellow, Tegan Blaine, will start her Fellowship after completing a Ph.D. in Oceanography at the University of California's Scripps Institution of Oceanography. She will serve in the Bureau of Oceans and International Environmental and Scientific Affairs (OES), working on sustainable development, particularly as it pertains to water issues. ******************** Numark Associates, Inc., A Washington, DC-based energy and environmental consulting firm, is seeking an experienced, talented, creative and energetic individual to contribute to the firm?s climate change practice as well as other areas. The individual will be responsible for contributing to projects in both our Research Services and Management Services areas as well as supporting our work on behalf of the Sustainable Energy Institute. Possible Numark projects the individual will manage and/or support include: ? Researching/reporting on Latin American countries? climate change policies, implementation of Kyoto Protocol mechanisms and participation in the carbon market; ? Managing and coordinating CDM project team in Washington and Latin America; and ? Conducting research and preparing reports on other topics, ranging from U.S. industry sectors? approaches to GHG emissions reductions, and U.S. policy developments concerning emissions of GHGs and other air pollutants, to other topics related to nuclear energy as well as sustainable energy policy. The position will entail attending various government and client meetings and conferences to collect information and prepare reports; participating in Numark activities on behalf of the Sustainable Energy Institute, including the Sustainable Energy Roundtable Series (SERS) and the International Sustainable Energy Leaders (ISEL) report; and assisting in the preparation of occasional speeches and articles for publication. Qualifications that will be strongly considered: ? Minimum 3 years experience in the energy, environment and/or sustainable development fields ? Good understanding of the Kyoto Protocol mechanisms, the international and Latin American carbon market, and emissions trading systems ? Scientific, engineering or other technical/analytical background a plus ? Familiarity with U.S. domestic energy policies ? Project management skills and/or experience ? Presentation skills and/or experience ? Event planning skills and/experience ? Excellent communication and team leadership skills ? Experience in cross-cultural working environment, specifically with Latin America ? Fluency in written and spoken English and Spanish ? Familiarity with non-profit management a plus ? HTML skills a plus Background about the Company Numark Associates, Inc. is a Washington, DC-based energy and environmental consulting firm specializing in domestic and international climate change policy and emissions trading systems; nuclear energy matters; regulatory and government affairs; energy policy and politics; and a wide range of issues affecting the electric power industry. Since its founding in 1991, Numark Associates has provided research services in both the technical and policy arenas to government and private sector clients in the United States and abroad, as well as management services to overseas corporations conducting business in the United States. The firm aims to assist government and industry in protecting public health and safety and the environment; in providing reliable and affordable energy supplies and utilization technologies; and in securely disposing of the dangerous legacy materials from Cold War-era nuclear weapons programs. Numark?s services range from detailed technical, political, and market analysis to strategic planning, marketing, support to business transactions, conference management and various forms of logistical support. The firm also conducts independent projects and presents its analyses and commentaries in various journals, newspapers and conferences. General information about Numark Associates may be accessed at www.numarkassoc.com. To apply please send a full CV/resume, a cover letter, references, and English and Spanish writing samples to Marcus King, Senior Manager at Numark Associates, mking@numarkassoc.com. Deadline for applications is September 30. ******************** Marine Ecosystem Modeler, VIMS The Virginia Institute of Marine Science, School of Marine Science of the College of William and Mary (http://www.vims.edu), invites applications for a tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level in the Department of Biological Sciences. Exceptional candidates at higher levels will also be considered. We seek an individual with a strong background in marine ecology and a commitment to interdisciplinary modeling. Areas of interest include but are not limited to ecosystem energetics, food web and population dynamics, biogeochemistry, and physical-biological coupling. Examples of desirable skills include remote sensing, numerical simulation, inverse analysis, and data assimilation techniques. The successful candidate will be expected to establish a vigorous, extramurally funded research program, to interact productively with the Institute's faculty in ongoing research on estuarine, coastal and oceanic ecosystems, and to contribute as appropriate to advisory service. The successful candidate will mentor graduate students, contribute to the graduate core curriculum in Marine Science, and teach a course in her/his area of expertise. Ph.D. and post-doctoral experience are required; applicants above the Assistant Professor level must have in addition a strong record of competitively funded research, and strong experience and commitment to teaching. Please send by email an application package, as a single PDF document, that includes current curriculum vitae, brief research and teaching statements, names and addresses (including e-mail) of three references, and up to three representative publications to: _maxine@vims.edu_. Review of applications will begin 15 September 2005 and continue until position is filled. The College is an EEO/AA employer. ******************** Research Assistant Professor: Applied Restoration Science Estuarine Research Center Morgan State University LOCATION: St Leonard, MD Morgan State University (MSU) in cooperation with the Academy of Natural Sciences is accepting applications for the Ruth Patrick Research Assistant Professor. The position is a tenure track position at the MSU Estuarine Research Center. The Estuarine Research Center (ERC) focuses on marine, costal ecosystem and bioenvironmental sciences with the goal of addressing the mounting environmental problems that threaten the health, safety, well-being that are adverse to urban communities, the Chesapeake Bay and its tributaries, the state, and the nation as a whole. Further ERC enhances and builds both our undergraduate programs in Biology and Chemistry and our graduate programs in Bioenvironmental Sciences and Bioinformatics. ERC is building strong interactions with the School of Computer Mathematical and Natural Sciences as well the schools of Business and Engineering as we transfer the revelations of scientific discovery into mainstream society. The successful candidate will have an expertise in Applied Environmental Restoration and they will be expected to develop active collaborations with other faculty from Morgan State University and researchers at the Academy of Natural Sciences. The faculty member will be expected to generate significant external support for their research program, teach courses at ERC or the Baltimore campus and supervise graduate students. The position requires a Ph.D. and post-doctoral experience in a related field. Position will remain open until filled APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Submit letter of application, curriculum vitae, statement of research interests, names of three references, and other supporting materials to: Dr. Kelton Clark, Director, Estuarine Research Center, 10545 Mackall Road St. Leonard, Maryland 20685. Electronic submissions are preferred. Inquiries can be directed to Dr. Kelton Clark, E-Mail: kclark@moac.morgan.edu. ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050923/1223f20b/attachment-0001.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Sep 30 14:45:48 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Fri Sep 30 14:46:38 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG/DISCCRS News 09/30/2005 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 09/30/2005 ************************************ MESSAGE FROM THE EDITOR: Several of you responded to my recent survey saying you would prefer not having long text accompanying the articles to make it easier to get to the material that does not have a web address. So, the Table of Contents will replace the text when we have a web link. If there is something below that is not on a webpage, it will say "see below" in the TOC. Please let me know if you have an opinion on this new format. If you are interested in climate change and do nothing else this week, be sure to Subscribe to James Hansen's e-mail distribution list James Hansen at NASA/Columbia University -- i's the one who went before US Congress in 1988 to say that human-induced climate change is real. You can subscribe to his list by sending a message to jhansen@giss.nasa.gov, with "Please subscribe me to your newslist" on the subject line. I strongly encourage you to do so. Unlike me keeps the number of messages to a minimum, and what he does send is well worth reading. See forum section for Hansen's recent responses to novelist Crichton's (mis)interpretation of Hansen's work! ******************** TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES Virtual Courseware: Welcome To Global Warming http://sciencecourseware.com/eec/GlobalWarming/ Visualizing Carbon Pathways http://serc.carleton.edu/eet/carbon/index.html Lessons On The Lake: An Educator's Guide To The Ponchartrain Basin http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/of98-805/lessons/index.htm Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) to launch report on "carbon dioxide capture and storage" http://www.ipcc.ch/ Bering Ecosystem Study (BEST) Updates 1. Draft Social Science Plan on Bering Sea Human-Environmental Dynamics. 2. Combined Natural/Social Science Implementation Plan for BEST. http://www.arcus.org/Bering/index.html New NSF Funding Opportunity Now Posted for BEST Natural and Social Science. http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf05618 Data Available Online: Zackenberg Basic Monitoring Program in Northeast Greenland http://www.zackenberg.dk/data.htm NSF's Response to the Hurricanes http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=fs050927 Gulf Currents that Turn Storms into Monsters, NY Times http://www.nytimes.com/2005/09/27/science/earth/27loop.html?8hpib SCIENCE NEWS Warm climate transforms Alaska terrain http://www.cnn.com/2005/TECH/science/09/28/ environment.alaska.reut/index.html?section=cnn_topstories Katrina Triggers Fishery Disaster Declaration http://www.ibfn.org/news/newsarticle.asp?a=582 Scientists to Use HDTV for a High-Definition Look at Surreal Sea Floor http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf05166 Science Magazine and NSF Announce 2005 Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge Winners http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pr05167 Gulf Currents That Turn Storms Into Monsters http://tinyurl.com/8offo Giant Squid Photographed For The First Time http://tinyurl.com/984be Forecasters Say Strong Hurricane Likely In October http://tinyurl.com/7n2a4 Climate change transforms Alaskan landscape http://www.physorg.com/news6829.html In A Melting Trend, Less Arctic Ice To Go Around http://tinyurl.com/a29n2 US Life Scientist Salaries Reported http://www.abbott-langer.com/bio.html Marine Organisms Threatened By Increasingly Acidic Ocean, from CORE weekly newsletter http://www.whoi.edu/mr/pr.do?id=7388. Arctic Sea Ice Continues Decline As Arctic Temperatures Rise, from CORE weekly newsletter http://nsidc.org/news/press/20050928_trendscontinue.html. Scientists To Use Hdtv For A High-Definition Look At Surreal Sea Floor, from CORE weekly newsletter-Public Can See Broadcasts On Cable, Dish And Internet http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp? cntn_id=104469&org=NSF&from=news. Marine Microorganism Suspected To Play Role In Global Carbon And Nitrogen Cycles, from CORE weekly newsletter http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=104466&org=OLPA. FORUM Subscribe to James Hansen's e-mail distribution list (See below) Article about Crichton from James Hansen http://columbia.edu/~jeh1/hansen_re-crichton.pdf Michael Crichton, Novelist, Becomes Senate Witness http://tinyurl.com/dgvvj Winners of the NSF/Science Magazine Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge Winners. Submitted by Sue Weiler. The images are ?awesome?. Some of you guys should enter this competition next year. Press release: http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp? ods_key=pr05167 Photographs: http://www.nsf.gov/news/special_reports/scivis/ index.jsp?id=win2005 SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS IAS-STS Fellowship Programme 2006-2007 (See below) Call for Applications: "Climate Change and its Impact on Cities" Workshop Scholarship http://www.britishcouncil.org/usa-science 2005 International Networking for Young Scientists (INYS) program in Bern, Switzerland. http://www.britishcouncil.org/usa-science Biopolicy - Education to Enrich Sustainability. E-learning programme. Free of charge. http://www.biopolitics.gr/HTML/e-learning.htm JOBS Postdoc at MIT re models of ocean circulation and biogeochemical cycles (See below) University of Tennessee and SUNY-Environmental Science and Forestry (Syracuse) (See below) Research Positions Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (See Below) Tenure-Track Assistant Professor Texas A&M University, Department of Geography (See Below) Assistant Director, Masters Program in Climate Science and Policy at Columbia University http://jobs.columbia.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=97235 IIS Job Openings Assistant Research Technologist - GIS and Remote Sensing, #8407. http://caplter.asu.edu/home/jobs/092205.htm Assistant Research Technologist - Informatics Lab , #8349. http://caplter.asu.edu/home/jobs/090805ART.htm Program Manager, Sustainability Partnership Enterprise. http://caplter.asu.edu/docs/iis/SPE_progmngr_jobpost.pdf. Project Manager, Central Arizona?Phoenix Long-Term Ecological Research Project , #8398. http://caplter.asu.edu/home/jobs/091905.htm Research Laboratory Aide. http://www.hr.asu.edu/vacancy_notice/vacancy_posting.asp?id=121284 Postdoctoral Research Associate - Urban Growth #8289. http://caplter.asu.edu/home/jobs/061005.htm Postdoctoral Research Associate - Water Issues. http://caplter.asu.edu/home/jobs/062404W.htm Postdoctoral Research Associate - Ecologist . http://caplter.asu.edu/homes/jobs/082205.htm Postdoctoral Research Associate - Social Scientist in Urban Ecosystems. #8350. http://caplter.asu.edu/home/jobs/090805SSU.htm London School Of Economics And Political Science, Department Of Geography And Environment-Lectureship In Environmental Policy http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/recruitment/jobsAtLSE/ - AC/05/01 *************************************************** Forum Subscribe to James Hansen's e-mail distribution list Submitted by Sue Weiler: You can subscribe by sending a message to jhansen@giss.nasa.gov, with "Please subscribe me to your newslist" on the subject line. I strongly encourage you to do so. Unlike mee keeps the number of messages to a minimum, and what he does send is well worth reading. ******************** *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings IAS-STS Fellowship Programme 2006-2007 The IAS-STS in Graz, Austria, promotes the interdisciplinary investigation of the links and interactions between science, technology and society, technology assessment, as well as research on the development and implementation of socially and environmentally sound technologies. For this the IAS-STS invites researchers to apply for a stay between 1 October 2006 and 30 June 2007 as - Research Fellows (up to nine months) or as - Visiting Scholars (up to one month) We also encourage senior scientists - working within the framework of the issues listed below - to apply as - Guest Lecturers. The IAS-STS offers excellent research infrastructure. Close co- operation with researchers at the IFZ (Inter-University Research Centre for Technology, Work and Culture; see: www.ifz.tugraz.at), guest lectures, workshops and conferences provide an atmosphere of creativity and scholarly discussion. Furthermore we can offer five grants (EUR 1,000 per month) for long term Fellows (nine months) at the IAS-STS: The fellowship programme 2006-2007 is dedicated to projects investigating the following issues: 1. Gender ? Technology ? Environment 2. Ethical, Legal and Social Aspects of Human Genetics and Biotechnology 3. Technology Studies and Sustainability 4. Information and Communication Technologies Applications must be submitted to the IAS-STS by 31 December 2005. For application forms and further information: Please visit our website: www.sts.tugraz.at *************************************************** Jobs Postdoc at MIT re models of ocean circulation and biogeochemical cycles The Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Science at MIT seeks a Post-doctoral Scientist to participate in the development and application of numerical models of ocean circulation and biogeochemical cycles. The successful applicant will work with Drs. Mick Follows and John Marshall, joining an energetic group currently investigating a broad range of topics including high-resolution modeling of coupled ocean nutrient cycles, physical-ecological interactions and carbon cycle data assimilation. Please send a letter of application and CV, including contact details for three referees, to Mick Follows (mick@mit.edu: e-mail applications welcome). ******************** University of Tennessee and SUNY-Environmental Science and Forestry (Syracuse) Two postdoctoral positions as well as graduate assistantships are available to work in a newly funded project involving the identification, characterization and inventory of novel freshwater cyanotoxins. Research at SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry in Syracuse NY will involve the analysis of toxin production using enzyme assays or LCMS, HPLC, etc. and well as the preparation of novel antibody-based assays. Research in the Department of Microbiology at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville will include the molecular characterization of cyanobacterial isolates, identification of the toxin pathways in uncultured strains, and the meta-analysis of environmental conditions associated with toxic blooms. Both projects are highly interactive and we seek motivated candidates with an interest in the ecology, biochemistry and molecular biology of toxigenic cyanobacteria. Interested applications should apply electronically to Dr. Greg Boyer (SUNY-ESF, glboyer@esf.edu)or Dr. Steven Wilhelm (Tennessee, wilhelm@utk.edu). PDF Positions will be available as early as November 2005. GA positions are available January 2006. ******************** Research Positions Postdoctoral Research Fellowships (funded by aluminium industry) Interested In Conservation And Sustainability Issues & In Being Part Of Cutting Edge Research In Western Australia? Curtin University of Technology has been awarded one of five new prestigious international Academic Partnerships by the US-based Alcoa Foundation as part of its Conservation and Sustainability Fellowship Program. The aim of the Program is to support and foster sustainability across the globe, and is currently focusing on improving education in sustainability issues. Curtin is the sole Australian research organisation involved in the Program and is committed to fulfilling the Program's aim of progressing research in economic, environmental and social sustainability issues. The other Academic Partners selected by the Foundation are: The London School of Economics and Political Science (UK), University of Sao Paulo (Brazil), Tsinghua University (Beijing, China) and University of Michigan (USA). Each of these Partners will be developing a research program in sustainability as part of the Fellowship Program. Curtin's research program will focus on sustainability & conservation in the South Coast region of Western Australia. Titled: Sustaining Gondwana: Harnessing local, place-based knowledges for sustainable outcomes, the program will document and enhance economic, environmental and social sustainability initiatives in the region, working alongside existing programs and community and local government organisations. We are seeking to recruit future leaders in conservation and sustainability, and invite 'Expressions of Interest' for six Post Doctoral Research Fellowships of two years duration for appointment during the period 2005 ? 2009. The broad research areas are: ? To examine and analyse spatial and temporal patterns in natural vegetation, other land-use types and in land tenure, emphasising changes in the degree of fragmentation and connectivity of the original ecosystems ? To document and interpret aspects of sustainable governance with local groups within a community capacity building framework *; ? To apply prominent sustainability frameworks to location specific sustainability challenges in the study area to identify break- through, innovative solutions that can potentially deliver a step improvements in social, environmental and economic outcomes*; ? To develop and pilot-test regionally relevant novel technologies and practices to achieve more sustainable outcomes; ? To research, document and interpret local examples of developments at the interface of economic, social and environmental processes and outcomes; ? To develop conceptual and methodological frameworks to study the role of technology at the interface of economic, social and environmental processes and outcomes; ? To develop and apply appropriate indicators to measure the economic, social and natural processes and outcomes. Two postdoctoral research fellowships of two years duration will be awarded in 2006, focussing on two of the first three areas defined above (*). Successful applicants will receive a competitive salary package and will be offered industry/community-relevant professional development opportunities as a member of an international research and education network. The fellowships offer outstanding professional opportunities in sociology, social policy, geography, regional economics, spatial sciences, biology, environmental sciences or community psychology or related disciplines. We invite highly motivated people interested in taking up a Postdoctoral Research Fellowship position to contact us either about the 2006 Fellowships or beyond. Information concerning the research areas can be obtained from either Professor Daniela Stehlik or Professor Jonathan Majer (see contact details below). Applications should be received by Monday 10th October and be forwarded to Professor Daniela Stehlik, Director, Alcoa Research Centre for Stronger Communities, Curtin University of Technology, GPO Box U1987, Perth, W.A. 6845. Contact details to discuss applications: Social Sciences Professor Daniela Stehlik T + 61 8 9266 1094 M + 61 (0)401 103 629 E D.Stehlik@curtin.edu.au Biological/Environmental Sciences Professor Jonathon Majer T + 61 8 9266 7964 M + 61 (0) 0401103017 E J.Majer@curtin.edu.au ******************** Tenure-Track Assistant Professor Texas A&M University, Department of Geography Texas, College Station 77843-3147. Texas A&M University. The Department of Geography (http://geog.tamu.edu) invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position specializing in Human-Environment Relations to begin in January or September 2006. We are seeking to hire an individual with research interests in human- environment relations (either at the Assistant or Associate level). We encourage applications from individuals whose research focuses on the human impacts of climate change, climate change and environmental policy, or the impacts of climatic phenomena (e.g., heat waves, drought) on human health/mortality. The job advert is included below. Specific questions about this position should be addressed to Professor Andrew Millington (millington@geog.tamu.edu), Search Committee Chair. TEXAS, COLLEGE STATION 77843-3147. Texas A&M University. The Department of Geography (http://geog.tamu.edu) invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position specializing in Human- Environment Relations to begin in January or September 2006. Appointment at a senior level is possible for an outstanding candidate. We seek a scholar with research interests in political ecology, environmental decision-making, environmental governance, or human dimensions of environmental change in urban or rural contexts. This position is one of six faculty hires in a College of Geosciences environmental program initiative. The successful candidate will collaborate with faculty in the strong and growing programs in land use and land cover change, political ecology, biogeography, geomorphology, and water resources. Outstanding opportunities exist for collaboration with other departments, research units, and interdisciplinary initiatives within the College of Geosciences (e.g., the departments of Atmospheric Sciences, Oceanography, and Geology and Geophysics, the Sustainable Coastal Margins Program, http://geosciences.tamu.edu), and the University (e.g., the Departments of Sociology and Forest Science, and the George Bush School of Government and Public Service). The successful applicant must have a strong commitment to quality teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels and demonstrate the potential to initiate and maintain a vigorous externally funded research program. The Ph.D. is required at time of appointment. Candidates should submit a letter of application, curriculum vitae, and names and addresses (including e-mail addresses) of three referees to Professor Andrew Millington, Search Committee Chair (millington@geog.tamu.edu). Review of applications will begin on October 17, 2005, and will continue until the position is filled. Texas A&M University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. The University is dedicated to the goal of building a culturally diverse and pluralistic community committed to teaching and working in a multicultural environment. We strongly encourage applications from women, underrepresented ethnic groups, and individuals with disabilities. ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20050930/8db58f77/attachment-0001.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Oct 7 11:23:37 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Fri Oct 7 12:15:46 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG/DISCCRS News 10/07/05 Message-ID: <95F03CFF-F159-473C-B269-CBEF98233127@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 10/07/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES IPCC Special Report on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (SRCCS) http://www.ipcc.ch "Scientifically Speaking" updated & published http://tos.org/resources/publications/sci_speaking.html Efficacy of climate forcings-New paper by Hansen et al. http://pubs.giss.nasa.gov/abstracts/2005/Hansen_etal_2.html SCIENCE NEWS Citizen Scientists http://tinyurl.com/95ga6 Many Theories On Root Of Strong Hurricanes http://tinyurl.com/brxv9 Gulf Warm-Water Eddie's Itensify Hurricane Changes http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=PR05174 US President Bush's FY 2006 Budget Requests Level R&D Funding http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf05322 FORUM SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS Call for candidates for Franco-British climate change seminar (see below) Ford Foundation Diversity Fellowships http://www7.nationalacademies.org/fellowships/ fordpost.html#TopOfPage International Young Scientists' Global Change Conference http://www.essp.org/essp/ESSP2006/) Summer School-Adaptation and mitigation: Responses to climate change. See below 5th International NCCR Climate Summer School - 27 August - 1 September 2006, Grindelwald, Switzerland http://www.nccr-climate.unibe.ch JOBS Tenure-Track Faculty Position in Atmospheric Science at Rutgers University. (see below) Tenure-Track Position in Marine Chemistry at U. Texas (see below) Interdisciplinary position at Arizona State Univeersity (see below) Interdisciplinary position, Pennsylvania State University (see below) Assistant Professor of Environmental Science with expertise in climate change, Western Washington University (see below) Book Review Editor Sociological Research Online--Volunteer position (see below) Faculty Position in Ecological Impacts of Climate Change (see below) Postdoc, University of Michigan, enabling technologies for a sustainable future (see below) Resident Lecturer in Resource Management (see below) The Western Regional Climate Center (WRCC) is looking for a couple postdocs: The first is an immediate opening. The project concerns the completion of a climate inventory for the National Park Service, and guidance for development of weather and climate monitoring protocols, among other things. http://jobs.dri.edu/2005/postdocwrcc_002.html The second is for a more general capability to help develop our suite of expertise, and casts a wider blanket. http://jobs.dri.edu/ 2005/postdocwrcc_018.html *************************************************** Resources IPCC Special Report on Carbon Dioxide Capture and Storage (SRCCS) http://www.ipcc.ch The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change approved the Special Report on Carbon dioxide Capture and Storage (SRCCS). The new report, written by over a hundred experts from around the world, provides a wealth of information on how to capture, transport and store CO2, as well as on costs and potential for mitigation of climate change. It also discusses which risks may be expected and whether CCS can be compatible with current legal frameworks. The Summary for Policymakers (SPM) was approved in a three-day process involving over a hundred governments. The SPM, as well as a webcast of the press conference and a UNEP press release, are available on www.ipcc.ch. Highlights of the Summary for Policymakers include: - CCS has the potential to reduce overall climate change mitigation costs and increase flexibility in achieving greenhouse gas emission reductions. - The use of CCS for large-scale power plants (the potential application of major interest) still remains to be implemented - CCS enables the control of the CO2 emissions from fossil fuel- based production of electricity or hydrogen, which in the longer term could reduce part of the dispersed CO2 emissions from transport and distributed energy supply systems. - Most modelling as assessed in this report suggests that CCS systems begin to deploy at a significant level when CO2 prices begin to reach approximately 25 - 30 US$/tCO2. - Available evidence suggests that worldwide, it is likely that there is a technical potential of at least about 2,000 GtCO2 (545 GtC) of storage capacity in geological formations. This is likely sufficient to cover the demand for geological storage over the century. - Depending on the type of capture and storage, CCS would add 0.01 - 0.05 US$/kWh to the cost of electricity production. It is expected that the full final text of the report is available on by the beginning of December. A text still subject to copy-editing will be posted on the IPCC website in the coming weeks. The IPCC will hold a side-event on the SRCCS at COP11. Heleen de Coninck IPCC Working Group III Technical Support Unit Energy research Centre of the Netherlands http://www.ipcc-wg3.org *************************************************** Science News *************************************************** Forum *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings Call for candidates for Franco-British climate change seminar Climate-Society Interactions - Case Studies from Africa The 4th Franco-British Seminar for Young Researchers is being held in Paris The objective is to bring together young interdisciplinary researchers primarily from the UK, France and Africa to meet in an informal atmosphere, present their own research and learn more about the nature of climate-society interactions in Africa and the scope for possible future collaborations. Who is the seminar for? The seminar is designed for a group of around 20 ?young researchers? - final year PhD students, post-docs and recently appointed lecturers/professors. Although the seminar is mainly for UK, France and African researchers, applications from other European- based researchers will be considered. Seminar context Climate change and Africa: Africa is widely held to be particularly vulnerable to climate change due to a combination of naturally high levels of climate variability, high reliance on climate sensitive activities such as rain-fed cultivation and limited economic and institutional capacity to cope with and adapt to climate variability and change. High exposure and low adaptive capacity is experienced on an individual through to national level so that the ability to anticipate, respond and recover effectively from climate related shocks is limited. This applies to subsistence farmers cultivating in marginal conditions with limited opportunities for action right up to national activities which are often constrained by, inter alia, lack of financial resources and skills. These problems are manifest in the effects of events such as Sahelian desiccation, drought and famine in the Horn of Africa and major floods in East Africa and Mozambique. High vulnerability to natural climate variability is the context within which climate change will begin to appear in Africa and provides the stimulus for this seminar. Climate-society interactions: The key attributes of the main African agro-ecosystems forming the basis of food production in the continent such as rainfed cultivation, crop-livestock systems, pastoral and fisheries based subsistence, exhibit variability in output over time. ?Variability, dynamic, disequilibrium, uncertainty, resilience, sensitivity? are words that underpin current understanding of natural resource systems in Africa. Central to these examples is the importance of rainfall variability - whether it is the periodic variations that drive fluctuations in rangeland productivity in southern Africa, the decline in rainfall in the West African Sahel since the early 1970s - or catastrophic floods and droughts. Cause and effect between climate variability/extremes and disaster is, however, mediated by human agency and the outcomes of particular events reflect the interaction of many bio-physical, socio-economic and political factors. Understanding the role of and interaction between climate and the many other stresses present in African societies requires careful empirical analysis of case study situations. Synthesising the results and insights from such studies may provide the basis for developing effective policies to address the challenge of future climate change within a framework that recognises its interactions with other development challenges. Seminar format The seminar will be conducted in English. Translation facilities will not be available. The workshop will run from Monday afternoon to Thursday late afternoon. There will be five half-day sessions organised around the themes listed below. Sessions will be based around key-note presentations and include short presentations by participants along with more interactive formats to encourage participation and discussion. We will consider questions such as: How variable is African climate (across different spatial and temporal scales)? How sensitive are natural systems to climate variability and extremes? How do rural people co-exist with climate variability? To what extent have social, political and economic factors affected the process? How can better understanding of climate-society interactions in Africa guide the rapidly growing body of research on climate impacts and adaptation? By addressing these questions our aim is to place the issue of future climate change in context with present-day climate-society linkages in Africa. The seminar will provide the opportunity to integrate experiences of young researchers from Africa or with experience of working in Africa within a set of themes likely to include: - Managing water resources variability; - Coastal, lake and wetland-based livelihood systems; - Socio-economic effects of floods and droughts; - Adapting to drought in the Sahel; - Lessons for adaptation to future climate change. Venue The workshop will be held at the British Council?s premises well situated in the heart of Paris, close to the River Seine and the Invalides (rue de Constantine). Scientific co-ordinators Dr Declan Conway (School of Development Studies/Tyndall Centre for Climate Change, University of East Anglia) and Dr Gil Mah? (HSM - Maison des Sciences de l'Eau, Montpellier). Together with the British Council Paris they will be responsible for the selection of participants. Informal enquiries may be sent to Declan Conway (d.conway@uea.ac.uk). Travel and accommodation For participants selected to take part, the costs of the seminar (return travel to Paris, overnight accommodation and meals) will be met by the British Council and/or its French partner organisations, unless the participant?s home institution is able to cover some or all of these costs. Participants must, however, agree to take part in the whole event; unfortunately, it will not be possible to accept participants who are unable to be present for the complete programme (Monday afternoon to Thursday late afternoon). How to apply If you would like to participate in this seminar, please write a short note explaining what you believe you would get out of this seminar and how your research interests fit within its scope. Submit this together with a two page CV and an abstract of 200-400 words describing research relevant to any of the themes listed above that you could present at the seminar. Applications by e-mail to Sandrine Mahieu at the British Council. e-mail: Sandrine.mahieu@britishcouncil.fr The deadline for completed applications is 4th November 2005. Applicants will be notified by November 10th and receive a more detailed programme of activities. *************************************************** Jobs Tenure-Track Faculty Position in Atmospheric Science at Rutgers University. The Department of Environmental Sciences, Cook College, Rutgers University, invites applicants for a tenure-track faculty position, effective July 2006. Candidates for this position should be qualified in one of two areas: (1) synoptic or mesoscale meteorology with expertise in numerical modeling or observational diagnostics, or (2) atmospheric physics with expertise in radiation, aerosols, and/or cloud physics. It is expected that the position will be filled at the level of Assistant Professor, although exceptional candidates at a higher academic level can be considered. There is a possibility of filling positions in both areas, subject to approval from the University. Applicants should demonstrate a potential for high- quality teaching as well as for developing a well-funded and nationally recognized research program. Successful candidates will collaborate closely in the teaching and research programs of the Department of Environmental Sciences (http://envsci.rutgers.edu) and the Atmospheric Science Graduate Program (http://atmos.rutgers.edu). A completed Ph.D. in meteorology, atmospheric science, physics, or equivalent is required and postdoctoral experience is desirable. Qualified applicants should submit by December 1, 2005, a statement of research and teaching interests, a curriculum vitae and the names of three references with address, telephone and email to Dr. Anthony Broccoli, Dept. of Environmental Sciences, 14 College Farm Road, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ 08901. Electronic submission of all materials to search@envsci.rutgers.edu is preferred. Rutgers University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. ******************** Tenure-Track Position in Marine Chemistry at U. Texas The University of Texas invites applications for a Marine Chemist at the rank of Assistant Professor in the Department of Marine Science and Research Assistant Professor in the Marine Science Institute. The position is based at the Institute (www.utmsi.utexas.edu) in Port Aransas, TX. The area of research is open but should complement existing expertise in isotope geochemistry, organic geochemistry, nutrient dynamics, and tracer biogeochemistry. Candidates must have a Ph.D. degree at the time of appointment; postdoctoral experience and a strong research and publication record are preferred. The successful candidate will be expected to develop an externally-funded research program, teach graduate and undergraduate classes, and supervise graduate students. Applicants should send a PDF file containing a statement of research and specific teaching interests (3 pages maximum) and curriculum vitae to facsearch@utmsi.utexas.edu, and have at least three letters of recommendation mailed to: Chemistry Search, The University of Texas Marine Science Institute, 750 Channel View Dr., Port Aransas, Texas 78373-5015. The application must demonstrate how the candidate?s expertise complements that of current faculty and contributes to our graduate program in marine science. Review of applications will start November 1, 2005 and continue until the position is filled. A background check will be conducted on the applicant selected. The University of Texas at Austin is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. ******************** Interdisciplinary position at Arizona State Univeersity The Consortium for Science, Policy, and Outcomes (CSPO) at Arizona State University (ASU) seeks to fill one or more open rank faculty positions in the general field of science, technology, and society, available for August 2006. CSPO is a dynamic interdisciplinary center that conducts research, cultivates public discourse, and fosters policies aimed at enhancing society's capacity to grapple with the immense power and importance of science and technology. CSPO is also the home of a newly awarded NSF Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center/Center for Nanotechnology in Society. CSPO and ASU offer an innovative environment for developing and testing research and teaching ideas related to the governance and conduct of science and technology in the public interest. The focus of the recruitment is at the level of Assistant or Associate Professor, however, candidates for Full Professor will be considered. The successful candidate will teach graduate and undergraduate courses, do research and publish in areas of expertise, participate in university, professional and community service activities. Qualified candidates will have Doctorate in a related area and demonstrated research and teaching interests at the intersection of scientific and technological advance, public policy, and social impacts, appropriate to rank; and evidence of performance in both research and teaching appropriate to rank. Particular areas of specialization are open but could include: societal aspects of nanotechnology, other emerging technologies (genomics; robotics; etc.), biomedicine and health, technology and democracy, research policy, information and/or communication technology, technology and development, globalization, etc. Disciplinary approaches are also open but could include political science, economics, anthropology, sociology, design, communication, history, law, and cultural studies. Experience with policy, public engagement, technology assessment, or other applied areas is a plus. Natural scientists and engineers with significant relevant policy research experience will also be considered. The appointment will be shared between CSPO and an appropriate academic unit at ASU. Salary and start-up package very competitive. For more information about CSPO, go to www.cspo.org. Review of applications will begin November 15, 2005 (no electronic applications accepted), if not filled every Friday thereafter until the search is closed. Submit: detailed letter of application stating qualifications, experience, research plans, and teaching interests; a complete, detailed curriculum vitae; and the names and addresses of three references, to David Guston, Chair, Search Committee, Consortium for Science, Policy and Outcomes, PO Box 874401, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ 85287-4401. AA/EOE ******************** Interdisciplinary position, Pennsylvania State University The College of the Liberal Arts at Penn State invites applications for a tenure-stream appointment, rank open, in its innovative intercollege program in science, technology, ethics, and medicine in contemporary society. Applications are welcome from candidates with degrees in Science, Technology, and Society or in a pertinent discipline within the humanities or social sciences. This position is part of Penn State's, and the College of the Liberal Arts, commitment to research, teaching, and outreach in the areas of science and technology policy, public health and environmental policy, and ethical inquiry in these fields. The successful candidate will play a central role in the expansion and development of a robust intercollege program designed to augment Penn State's strengths in basic and applied fields of science and technology. She or he will also be involved in programs that strengthen the Rock Ethics Institute's initiatives in the area of ethics and policy in science, technology, and medicine. The Program seeks candidates with expertise in the study of the relationship between contemporary society and science, medicine, and/ or technology. Areas of research may include the ethical and social impact of biotechnology, engineering, environmental sciences, human sciences, and/or information sciences. The successful candidate must be able to work knowledgeably and effectively with researchers in basic and applied fields of science, technology, and/or medicine relevant to her or his area of specialization. Ph.D. required along with evidence of research strength and ability to offer a range of courses at the undergraduate and graduate level in the program in science, technology, medicine, and ethics in society. Please send application letter, full curriculum vitae, sample publications, and letters of recommendation to: Chair, STEMS Search Committee The Pennsylvania State University Box SS 111 Sparks Building University Park, PA 16802 Review of applications begins on November 15 and will continue until the position is filled. Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce. ******************** Assistant Professor of Environmental Science with expertise in climate change, Western Washington University Position: Huxley College of the Environment seeks to hire an Assistant Professor of Environmental Science with expertise in climate change research. This is a nine-month, tenure-track position with a full benefits package. Appointment date: September 16, 2006 Required qualifications: Completed Ph.D. in environmental science, atmospheric science, ocean science or other relevant geoscience at the time of application. Evidence of successful teaching experience at the university level. Evidence of scholarly research, professional presentations and peer-reviewed publications. Required research specialty: Research interests and experience in regional climate change potentially including areas such as climate variability, ecosystem function, biogeochemical cycles and land-ocean-atmospheric interactions. Preferred qualifications: Strong commitment to multidisciplinary environmental research and education. Desired qualification: Ability to work with a diverse student body and staff is a desired attribute. Duties: Teaching responsibilities including lower-division general environmental science courses and upper-division courses in climate change and the incumbent?s area of specialization. Development of an active research program involving graduate and undergraduate students. Undergraduate and graduate student mentoring and advisement. Participation in department, college and university committees. The University: Western Washington University is a comprehensive state university of over 12,500 students located between Seattle and Vancouver, BC. Situated on a beautiful campus overlooking Bellingham Bay, the University includes seven colleges, a graduate school, and a number of teaching and research centers and institutes including the Shannon Point Marine Center in Anacortes, Washington. The university has received national recognition for its academic endeavors and is characterized by a faculty and student body of strong preparation and accomplishment. The College: Huxley College of the Environment, founded in 1968, takes an interdisciplinary approach to the broad field of environmental studies. The College has two departments: Environmental Science and Environmental Studies. Courses encompass environmental toxicology and chemistry, risk assessment, ecology, marine science, environmental policy and planning, geography and environmental education. The College includes the Institute for Watershed Studies, the Institute of Environmental Toxicology, a GIS laboratory and a map library. Huxley College course work is mostly offered at the junior, senior and graduate levels. There are 25 faculty members, 400 undergraduates and 90 graduate students. Additional information about Huxley College may be found at http://wwu.ac.wwu.edu/~huxley. Application: Please send a letter of application addressing qualifications; resume; statement of teaching philosophy and interests; evidence of successful teaching (including course syllabi and evaluations); and reprints of recent research articles. Also arrange for three letters of recommendation to be sent to: Climate Change Search Committee (05HUX-01), Department of Environmental Sciences Huxley College of the Environment Western Washington University 516 High Street Bellingham, WA 98225-9181 Phone: 360-650-2845 Fax: 360-650-7284 Application Deadline: To ensure full consideration, application materials must be received by November 11, 2005. WWU is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, committed to assembling a diverse, broadly trained faculty and staff. Women, minorities, persons with disabilities, Vietnam-era veterans and disabled veterans are encouraged to apply. For disability accommodation, call the Employee Relations-Disability Specialist/ADA Coordinator at (360) 650-7410 or (360) 650-7696 (TTY). All new employees must show employment eligibility verification as required by the U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services before beginning work at WWU. WWU is committed to fostering a safe learning and working environment. Our Annual Campus Security Report can be viewed at www.wwu.edu/depts/vpsa/asr.htm and includes information on campus crime and WWU safety policies and procedures. For a paper copy, call Human Resources at (360) 650-3774, TTY (360) 650-7696. For alternate formats, call (360) 650-3839. ******************** Book Review Editor Sociological Research Online--Volunteer position Because of Mark Sherry?s resignation as one of the journal's two honorary book review editors for reasons of ill health, we now wish to appoint a replacement. The work involves assigning the journals' 'books for review' to potential reviewers, drawn from the international sociological community. The journal's publishing assistant provides administrative support. Candidates should have ready access to email and the World Wide Web. Edwin van Teijlingen will be continuing as the other book review editor and further details can be obtained from him (van.teijlingen@abdn.ac.uk). Applications, in the form of a brief CV indicating areas of expertise, knowledge of the sociological community and any previous experience (2 pages maximum), should be sent by email to socres@soc.surrey.ac.uk. Sociological Research Online is an international academic online Sociology journal supported by SAGE. The British Sociological Association was one of its founding members. The journal's web address is http://www.socresonline.org.uk Closing Date: 1 November 2005 ******************** Faculty Position in Ecological Impacts of Climate Change In support of the Purdue University initiative in Climate Change Research and the Purdue Climate Change Research Center (PCCRC), the College of Agriculture (CoA) and the College of Science (CoS) invite applicants for a tenure track faculty position, at the rank of Assistant Professor, in the area of Ecological Impacts of Climate Change. We seek candidates who are studying impacts of climate change on the ecology of terrestrial and/or aquatic ecosystems at the population, community or ecosystem level and at landscape, regional or global scales. Research could include addressing such questions as how climate change will influence species distributions and abundances, conservation practices and/or population viability. Experiments and modeling that identify thresholds of responses of communities and species to climate variability and change also are of interest. We seek to expand the strengths of the PCCRC and the related Purdue Interdisciplinary Center for Ecological Sustainability, with its focus on population, community and landscape ecology, and to complement strengths in biogeochemistry, atmospheric science, and climate modeling. These Centers also are working with the Purdue Discovery Park Center for the Environment, which brings more diverse talents to bear on environmental issues including engineering and economics. We anticipate a joint appointment between the departments of Forestry and Natural Resources (FNR) and Biological Sciences. Candidates must have completed the Ph.D. and postdoctoral experience is preferred. The appointee is expected to develop and maintain a vigorous, externally funded research program and to teach at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Screening of applications will begin on November 15, 2005, and the search will continue until the position is filled. Additional information on the PCCRC can be found at: http://www.purdue.edu/climate. Electronic submission of applications is preferred at http://www.science.purdue.edu/COALESCE/. Mail applications can be sent to Chair, Search Committee, Ecological Impacts of Climate Change Position, Purdue Climate Change Research Center, 500 Central Drive, West Lafayette, IN 47907-2022. Specific questions regarding the position can be directed to Dr. Bryan Pijanowski (bpijanow@purdue.edu or 765-496-2215). /Purdue// University is an Equal Access/Equal Opportunity /Affirmative Action Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply./ ******************** Postdoc, University of Michigan, enabling technologies for a sustainable future The University of Michigan at Ann Arbor invites applications for postdoctoral research supported by a two-year fellowship stipend. The research will be performed in support of a recent award from the Alcoa Foundation to develop a world-class research program focused on enabling technologies for a sustainable energy future. http:// css.snre.umich.edu/css_doc/ProjectNarrative.pdf CALL FOR APPLICATIONS The University of Michigan was selected as the North American partner for the Alcoa Foundation's Conservation and Sustainability Fellowship Program (ACSFP). The University brings together expertise and leadership from four Colleges/Schools, eleven faculty, and five sustainability research programs to provide a world-class postdoctoral fellowship program. An interdisciplinary framework and workshops integrating environmental, social, and economic perspectives serve as a basis for collaborative research to enable technologies for a sustainable energy future. The Center for Sustainable Systems and the Erb Institute for Global Sustainable Enterprise have over a decade of experience in leading interdisciplinary research and education on sustainability and will coordinate this unique postdoctoral fellowship program. A faculty team from the School of Natural Resources and Environment, the Ross School of Business, the Ford School of Public Policy and the College of Engineering bring their expertise in economics, industrial ecology, spatial analysis, ecology, environmental engineering, mechanical engineering, corporate strategy, government policy and conflict resolution, which is ideal for interdisciplinary research on energy technology and sustainability. A total of six Academic Fellows will be appointed to two-year terms in each of the first, second and third years of the Program. We now invite qualified candidates who are at the beginning of their academic careers, having received the Ph.D., to apply for the first two postdoctoral fellow positions. The annual stipend will be $40,000 plus benefits. Travel funds will also be provided to participate in an international conference bringing together Alcoa Fellows and Faculty from the four Partner Institutions. The first conference will be held in Salzburg, Austria. APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS Candidates must arrange to have their application materials postmarked no later than October 31, 2005. Applications may be accepted beyond this deadline until the positions are filled. Please provide the following materials: 1. A cover letter describing your background and current research activities. If you are currently a doctoral candidate, please indicate the anticipated schedule of completion of your thesis. 2. Current curriculum vitae. As an addendum include a list of courses taken as a graduate student. A transcript is not required. 3. A brief summary of your research interests related to sustainable energy technology (no more than one page, single spaced). 4. You may also wish to include reprints of key publications. 5. A list of references (two minimum). Submit the original (along with two copies) of your application materials to: Attn: Alcoa Fellowship Center for Sustainable Systems University of Michigan 440 Church Street, 3012 Dana Building Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1041 USA ******************** Resident Lecturer in Resource Management The Center for Coastal Studies Puerto San Carlos, Baja California Sur, Mexico Position Summary: The purpose of this residential position is to: * Teach Principles of Resource Management course and one third of the summer course. Course based on critical, local environmental issues and problem-based interdisciplinary curriculum. * Lead designated components of the Center's Five-Year Research Plan, including overseeing and advising the student directed research projects that relate to these research areas. Minimum Qualifications: * Ph.D. and University-level teaching experience in Environmental Science or Natural Resource Management with an emphasis on coastal/marine issues. * Field research experience in coastal resource management, fisheries management, monitoring marine resources, and/or aquaculture. * Success in research publications. * Proven grant writing success. * Experience living and working in Mexico with Spanish language skills. * Experience with Global Information Systems. * Residential student group management and risk management experience desirable. Other Expectations: * Demonstrated ability to work as a team member and independently. * Demonstrated commitment to environmental issues. * Willingness to work flexible hours and live on site at the field station with a small team of permanent staff, groups of US undergraduate students and visiting researchers or programs. * Participation in all center activities. * Represent SFS at local and international conferences. Start Date: January 2006 Salary: Salary ranges from $26,000 US to $29,000 US depending on experience and qualifications, plus excellent benefits and on-site room and board. Relocation assistance. TO APPLY: Email a cover letter and resume outlining relevant experiences to: The School for Field Studies at jobs@fieldstudies.org. Faxes and hard copy will not be accepted. EOE. JOB DESCRIPTION: Resident Lecturer, Principles of Resource Management Institutional Mission: As an international non-profit academic institution, The School for Field Studies (SFS) provides fully accredited, college level environmental education and conducts research for community clients through its five year research plans. SFS is committed to providing hands-on, interdisciplinary education and environmental research in partnership with natural resource dependent communities. Our goals are twofold: to provide students with a unique and challenging educational and life experience that assists them in successfully advancing their careers as skilled professionals and globally aware citizens; and to work with local community stakeholders to develop models for the sustainable management of their natural resources. Center Objective: To conserve the ecosystem and community sustainability of Bah?a Magdalena by addressing the management of its exploited marine resources in order to sustain the socio-economic stability of the local community. The Center's research monitors marine resources, water quality, the protection and conservation of the gray whale and the highly threatened green sea turtle, and the impact of rapid urbanization on the ecosystem. Our goal is to provide sound stock management and species conservation advice to governmental regulators and the local community, along with models for sustainable social and economic development of the human community. Principles of Resource Management Course Overview: This inter- disciplinary course focuses on principles and applications of natural resource management that underpins conservation for coastal communities in Mexico. The course will introduce tools used in addressing complex environmental problems including guidelines for ecologically sustainable development, environmental impact assessment, fisheries management, and marine protected-area planning and management. Issues to be addressed include: * Management of Natural resources * Basic understanding of environmental policies in Mexico * Tragedy of the Commons * Sustainability of coastal zones * The National Park system in Mexico, with specific emphasis on Marine Protected Areas * Natural protected areas and World Heritage sites in M?xico * Eco-tourism in Natural Protected Areas * No trace principles for the conservation of natural areas * Carrying capacity * Coastal and artisanal fisheries * Industrial fisheries * Conservation Biology and By-catch * Fishing methods * Principles of aquaculture * Co-management * Marine mammals captivity issues * Conservation and management of wild dolphins * The tuna - dolphin controversy * Whale watching and conservation of marine mammals * Stranding of marine mammals and turtles * Fisheries interactions with marine mammals and turtles * Scientific research techniques and methods * General statistics * Analyzing both natural and social science data with GIS Duties and Responsibilities: Program Teaching * As part of an interdisciplinary teaching team, teach one third of the academic program (minimum 50 lecture hours per semester). * Plan, revise, and effectively deliver a challenging, problem-based interdisciplinary curriculum. * Organize lectures and prepare course materials in a timely and professional manner. * Adhere to the daily academic schedule. * Prepare, administer, and grade assignments, quizzes, mid-term and final examinations in a timely manner. * Supervise and mentor 10-12 students in their Directed Research projects. * Actively support and counsel students on academic issues. * Maintain records of: lectures, exams, quizzes, readings, field experiences and homework assignments. Program Research * Conduct designated research according to the Center's Five-Year Research Plan. * Identify appropriate components of the Center's research suitable for student Directed Research projects. * Prepare research results for clients and partners and/ or for publication and conference presentations. * Assist in the creation and implementation of Center research policies, priorities, budgets as required. * Implement appropriate data management and record keeping. * Present research findings at local and international conferences. * Submit proposals for grant funding. Program Administration * Participate in planning activities prior to the program start and in review/analysis following students' departure. * Participate in training activities for new center staff prior to and during the program. * Participate in and lead parts of the orientation and re- entry components of the program presented to students at the beginning and end of each program period. * In cooperation with other Center staff, provide day-to- day coordination of Interns as delegated by the Center Director. * Participate in resolving group management issues and student discipline problems. * Participate in preparation of the Final Reports, Academic Handbook revisions and other required reports. * As requested by the Center Director, assist with other logistical, group management and administrative tasks. Safety & Risk Management * Take responsibility, as an individual and as a member of the Center faculty/staff team, for the safety of all program participants. * Participate in the review and revision of Center Risk Assessment and Management plans. * Recommend and review policies and procedures needed to manage risks. * Know the emergency procedures plan for the Center, including evacuation plan. * Participate in the safety portions of the on-site orientation and conduct safety briefings for students and/or staff. * Complete Incident Reports when appropriate and contribute to Safety Audits. * Comply with, actively model, and enforce all SFS and Center policies and procedures. * Ensure that first aid certifications are kept up to date via periodic courses offered by SFS between program sessions. Daily Center Life * Live on-site for the duration of each program period and take meals with the students. * On a rotating basis, take responsibility for Center- specific "staff of the day" duties. * Take part in, and occasionally lead, Center upkeep projects, social and field activities. * At the request of the Center Director, serve as caretaker for Center during program breaks and center rentals. * Drive standard transmission vehicles and boats as needed. * Adhere to, actively model and enforce all SFS and Center policies and procedures. * At all times, work to ensure good relations between the Center and local community. Reports To: Center Director Location: Puerto San Carlos, Baja California Sur, Mexico We strongly encourage applications from women, underrepresented ethnic groups, and individuals with disabilities. ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20051007/d03f1898/attachment-0001.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Mon Oct 10 11:48:56 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Mon Oct 10 11:49:34 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] Scientifically Speaking: Tips for Preparing and delivering scientific talks and using visual aids Message-ID: <17146CBB-E77A-4953-BA17-0BE53DF579CF@whitman.edu> TOS, the Oceanography Society, has just updated and republished Scientifically Speaking: Tips for Preparing and delivering scientific talks and using visual aids Single copies are available by writing to info@tos.org. Or, you may download this 24-page resource from http://www.tos.org/resources/publications/sci_speaking.html This version is the best single resource I have encountered to date. I highly recommend it to everyone! ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20051010/91717565/attachment.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Oct 14 16:05:24 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Fri Oct 14 16:16:45 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG/DISCCRS News 10/14/2005 Message-ID: <8DBA4A32-9A4B-401F-AF0A-1807AF2F543B@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 10/14/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES New_LocClim, a software/database (See Below) Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America (ESA) now available on- line with open (no-charge) access. http://www.esapubs.org/bulletin/current/current.htm Predoctoral, dissertation, postdoctoral fellowships to increase diversity in higher education http://csd.tamu.edu/news/news_item.2005-10-05.7363946684 IPY, International Polar Year, Newsgram - October 2005 http://csd.tamu.edu/news/news_item.2005-10-10.1454741588 NSF Implementation of the October 5th OMB/OSTP Joint Announcement Entitled, Hurricane Relief on Federal Research Awards http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=katrinaostpomb NSF workshop report, Making a Broader Impact: Geoscience Education, Public Outreach, and Criterion 2, http://www.gepon.org Hard copies can be requested at support@dlese.org. SCIENCE NEWS Hurricane Environmental Damage "Almost Unimaginable" (See Below) Scientist scours globe for largest freshwater fish (See Below) Sea Ice Decline Intensifies, National Snow Ice Data Center (NSIDC) http://nsidc.org/news/press/20050928_trendscontinue.html As Polar Ice Turns To Water, Dreams Of Treasure Abound from the New York Times (Registration Required) http:// tinyurl.com/dxxxh NAS Advisory Panel Warns Of An Erosion Of The U.S. Competitive Edge In Science from the New York Times (Registration Required) http:// tinyurl.com/7vbgt Mysterious Microbe Retrofits Itself With Plant http://tinyurl.com/8ynjb SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS ORION Design & Implementation Workshop (See Below) Ecological Responses to Climate Change at the Viikki Campus, southern Finland, on November 3 to 4, 2005. http://www.helsinki.fi/bioscience/spatialecology/workshop8.html JOBS Three post-doc openings at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) (See Below) Faculty Position, Environmental Toxicology, Fairfield University (See Below) Postdoctoral Researchers and graduate students in Geological Hazards Mitigation, Michigan Technological University (See Below) Postdoc, Auburn University (See Below) Assistant professor - Atmospheric Sciences - University of Illinois (See Below) Junior Faculty Position, Yale University - Urban environment (See Below) Assistant Professor, McGill University - Earth System Science (See Below) USGS Mendenhall Postdoctoral Research Fellowship Program http://geology.usgs.gov/postdoc Faculty Position,Dauphin Island Sea Lab, AL: Marine Scientist at the Assistant or Associate Professor http://press.disl.org/PDFs/facPos2005.pdf Fellowship, Natural-Resource Economics and Political Economy, UC Berkeley http://research.chance.berkeley.edu/ciriacy/ Post-doc - Universityof Edinburgh - coupled chemistry-climate modelling http://tinyurl.com/aj6xr Researcher, Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) Climate Policy project (CP), evaluate and recommend pragmatic climate policies for sustainable development in Asia and the Pacific in an era of evolving global climate regime. http://www.iges.or.jp/en/news/saiyo/recruit18/recruit18.html Climate Policy Researcher - Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Japan http://www.iges.or.jp/en/news/saiyo/recruit18/recruit18.html *************************************************** Resources New_LocClim, a software/database This is to announce the publication of the New_LocClim, a software cum database that aims at estimating climate averages for any location on land, based on the almost 30,000 stations in the FAO agroclimatic database (see attachment for distribution of stations). The New_LocClim results from a collaboration between FAO and the German Weather Service (DWD), more specifically the Global Precipitation Climatology Center. The user can select between nine interpolation techniques (kriging, thin plate splines, inverse distance weighting, etc) to prepare maps, extract data in various formats for further processing or display graphs for point locations. The software works also with user provided data. Version 1.03 of the New_LocClim can be downloaded from ftp://ext- ftp.fao.org/SD/SDR/Agromet/New_LocClim/ (file <>). For a description of the New_LocClim and other tools, refer to sections 3.2, 3.3. and 3.4 in file <> available from the same FTP site. Colleagues who have no easy access to FTP, or who would prefer a CD-ROM version with New_LocClim, FAOCLIM 2 and other software and databases), can request it free of charge from Anne.RicchiutiRomanelli@fao.org (pls provide mailing address!). *************************************************** Science News Hurricane Environmental Damage "Almost Unimaginable" BATON ROUGE, Louisiana, September 7, 2005 (ENS) - Hurricane Katrina has left Louisiana with environmental wreckage that is "almost unimaginable," the head of the state Department of Environmental Quality said on Tuesday. In a news briefing at the Homeland Security Office in Baton Rouge, DEQ Secretary Mike McDaniel said assessment crews are finding hazardous materials in ruined factories, hundreds of damaged sewage plants, and polluted water. State officials Tuesday confirmed 83 deaths from Orleans and Jefferson parishes but say they know that number will increase as more bodies are recovered from areas now inundated with flood waters contaminated with gasoline, chemicals, and excrement. Initial surveys show that 140,000 to 160,000 Louisiana homes were flooded and cannot be recovered, McDaniel said, calling them "unsalvageable," He said it would take "years" to restore water service to the city of New Orleans. An estimated 78,000 barrels of oil is flowing down the Mississippi River from the Venice oil storage depot of Bass Enterprises Production Company of Fort Worth, Texas. At Chalmette, Louisiana, a Murphy oil tank was knocked off center by the storm and is leaking. DEQ spokesperson Jean Kelly says the oil has spread into the surrounding neighborhoods. But no estimate of the amount of oil spilled is possible as the entire area is under water. "The problem is access," she said, and for that reason the DEQ has not been able to assess this and the numerous other oil and chemical spills as yet. In New Orleans, fires are burning across the city on the oily surface of the flood waters that still reach to the rooftops in some neighborhoods. Using sandbags and rocks, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has succeeded in closing off the breach in the 17th Street canal, through which water flooded into the city. The floodwater is being pumped off, but it could take nearly three months before the water is gone, a U.S. Army general said Friday. "It will be 36 to 80 days to be done with the de-watering," said Brigadier General Robert Crear of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Although the toxic floodwaters are slowly receding, only five of New Orleans' 148 drainage pumps were operating, the engineers said. Sources of nuclear radiation, including the Waterford III nuclear power plant, have been secured, McDaniel said, and the state is working with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to restart the power plant 20 miles west of New Orleans. The Entergy operated Waterford III still has no offsite power or communications facilities, and the Civil Defense communication system is still inoperable, the NRC says. Entergy?s workforce has restored electrical service to more than 639,000 of the 1.1 million customers affected by Hurricane Katrina and some of the lights are on again in New Orleans. Limited service has been returned to the Central Business District and downtown New Orleans after crews restored the Market Street substation. To the estimated 10,000 residents still believed to remain in the city, Mayor Ray Nagin warned today that they must get out now or risk being taken out by force. Nagin authorized law enforcement officers and the U.S. military to force the evacuation of all residents who refuse to obey orders to leave. Police Captain Marlon Defillo said that forced removal of citizens had not yet begun. "That's an absolute last resort," he said. Many residents have been resisting orders to abandon their property. They may have stocks of food and water and a generator to supply electricity. State health officials are still advising residents to boil all water used to drink, cook, make ice or brush teeth in the parishes of: Ascension, Jefferson, Livingston, Orleans, Plaquemines, St. Bernard, St. Helena, St. James, St. John the Baptist, St. Tammany, Tangipahoa, and Washington. The boil order was lifted today for all other parishes since testing showed their water does not contain unsafe levels of bacteria and is safe to drink and use. Just as it does for any other nation in distress after a natural disaster, the United Nations has mobilized inter-agency teams to help the United States recover from Hurricane Katrina. Further deployments may occur within the next few days, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said Tuesday. The teams will offer humanitarian services, from food and health to storm evacuees and children. They were assembled after U.S. acceptance of help from the world body last week. One inter-agency liaison team is based at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) Hurricane Katrina Operations Centre in Arlington, Virginia. The other teams will be deployed at the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)?s regional coordination centers in Texas and Georgia. These two teams include representatives from the World Food Programme (WFP), the Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees, the World Health Organization, and the UN Children?s Fund (UNICEF), as well as support teams from the OCHA/UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination network. UNICEF spokesman Damien Personnaz told reporters at a news briefing in Geneva his agency would specifically look at trauma effects on children as well as the situation of schools. WFP spokesman Simon Pluess told reporters his agency would provide logistical help, while UNHCR spokesman Ron Redmond said his organization would put its experience in working with mass displacement on an emergency basis to good use. In Washington, President George W. Bush and Congress pledged Tuesday to open separate investigations into the federal response to Katrina and New Orleans' broken levees. "Governments at all levels failed," said Senator Susan Collins, a Maine Republican. Louisiana Senator Mary Landrieu, a Democrat, blamed FEMA for turning away assistance. "I understand that the U.S. Forest Service had water-tanker aircraft available to help douse the fires raging on our riverfront, but FEMA has yet to accept the aid," she said. "When Amtrak offered trains to evacuate significant numbers of victims - far more efficiently than buses - FEMA again dragged its feet. Offers of medicine, communications equipment and other desperately needed items continue to flow in, only to be ignored by the agency," said Landrieu. Landrieu is calling for the President to appoint a cabinet level official to be responsible for the Hurricane Katrina recovery effort. Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, a New York Democrat, again called for the Federal Emergency Management Agency to be made autonomous from the Department of Homeland Security and for an independent commission to investigate the federal response to the disaster, saying neither Congress nor the administration should do it. "The people that I met in Houston - they want answers and they want to know what went wrong and they want to know what they are going to be able to count on in the future," she said in a television interview Wednesday, two days after visiting refugees at the Astrodome. "I don't think the government can investigate itself." The Department of Homeland Security says that to date 32,000 people were rescued from the disaster. There are 559 shelters operating around the country housing 182,000 people. The National Guard has deployed 43,000 personnel, and there are 15,000 active duty military personnel responding to the hurricane disaster. There are 7,000 FEMA responders in the field and the U.S. Coast Guard has 4,000 personnel at work on disaster recovery. ******************** Scientist scours globe for largest freshwater fish CNN, Friday, September 9, 2005 Posted: 1434 GMT (2234 HKT) PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP) -- Floating down the Mekong in his dinghy, Zeb Hogan is on the ultimate fisherman's quest: to find the world's largest freshwater fishes. The American biologist's search is to take him to 10 rivers around the globe including the Nile, Amazon and Mississippi, looking for about 20 species of hulking fish such as the goliath catfish, Chinese paddlefish and North American lake sturgeon -- not to catch them, he says, but to save them. "These big, amazing creatures all over the world, they might be goners, on their way out," he says. Right now Hogan is on the Mekong that flows through the Indochinese peninsula, looking for a stingray said to weigh over 1,300 pounds -- as much as a full-grown longhorn steer. He knows it's out there; he photographed one in 2002. And smaller stingrays abound. As he passes villages on riverbanks or floating on the water, he sees children playing with severed stingray tails. The 2,600-mile Mekong is known for its diversity of river creatures, as well as their size, to judge from places along its banks named the Pool of the Giant Catfish, or the Pool of the Giant Carp. Just last May, fishermen in Thailand landed a Mekong catfish that weighed 646 pounds and was 8 feet, 10 inches long. It's believed to be the largest freshwater fish ever caught and measured. It ended up on dinner tables. On his voyages, says Hogan, "The main question I'll be asking everywhere is what were populations like in the past, what are they now?" He believes, "you'll see a pattern that these populations of these large fish species are declining -- a lot." These are not aquatic sasquatches he's looking for, but fish whose existence is proven fact. The goliath catfish is still fairly common, Hogan says, and Wisconsin has a fishing season for lake sturgeon. The Chinese paddlefish is very rare, but a 275-pounder was caught on the Yangtze River in China on December. 11, 2003. There are said to be 650-pound carp, but none over about 300 pounds has been seen in recent times, Hogan says. Almost all maximum lengths and weights come from accounts over the ages by scientists, explorers and taxonomists, and "in many cases have been verified by present-day scientists like myself. That is, after all, one of the main objectives of the project," Hogan says. Hogan, of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, is 31 and has worked on the Mekong since 1996. His research is supported by the World Wildlife Fund, the National Geographic Society's Emerging Explorers Program, and outdoor-gear companies Marmot and Patagonia. He'll be working with other scientists studying the creatures, such as a biologist researching the Amazon's arapaima, which can weigh 450 pounds, and a Texas freshwater guide who will help him study the alligator gar, which can reach 300 pounds. As they putter down the Mekong, Hogan and his two Cambodian assistants pass constant reminders of the importance of the Mekong's fish population to the 73 million people living along its banks. People busily mend nets, and at night, dozens of tiny candles in floating containers mark where nets have been laid in the water off Phnom Penh's riverfront. Along the way, Hogan and his assistants pepper fishermen with questions and pictures of their quarry. The fishermen may not have caught or even seen the fish, Hogan said, but often will say they have heard about it being somewhere else. "Theoretically, that's supposed to lead us to where the fish are." Not always, though. He says fishermen are hesitant to admit they've hooked a big one, for fear of running afoul of Cambodian and international restrictions on hunting rare species. The penalties are small, but the fishermen don't want the bother. Hogan expects to finish in December 2006 and give his fish counts to IUCN, the World Conservation Union, which compiles a Red List of Threatened Species -- creatures threatened by overfishing, pollution, dams and alien aquatic life introduced by humans. IUCN lists some of the giants as endangered or critically endangered, but for others, there simply isn't enough data to judge. "We have a sense that the world's largest freshwater fish are disappearing really fast," said Robin Abell, a WWF freshwater conservation biologist. "We do need to work to understand both the species and the threats to them." "The most exciting part for me," says Hogan, "is that that no one's done this before." He believes the stingray ultimately will take the title, but says he will adhere to tough standards. "If I don't have a photo or a weight, to me, it's not legitimate," he said. "I can't go just by word of mouth ... fishermen are famous for exaggerating the size of fish that they catch." *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings ORION Design & Implementation Workshop Salt Lake City, 27-30 March 2006. The ORION Project Office would like to encourage you to attend and provide input to the final design of the Ocean Observatories Initiative infrastructure. This workshop will present to the ocean research community the preliminary design of the global, regional and coastal ocean research observatory networks to be implemented under the ORION Program. The preliminary design is being developed based on the ideas submitted in the recent Request for Assistance Proposals, previous workshop reports and advice from ORION?s scientific, technical and engineering advisory committees. The workshop will also provide an opportunity for collaborative groups to begin developing integrated research projects. This effort will lead to the realization of the Ocean Observatories Initiative, the National Science Foundation?s ambitious plan to develop and deploy observatory infrastructure in the oceans to enable novel research and expand educational opportunities. We strongly encourage participation in implementing these community facilities. http://www.orionprogram.org or email oriondi@joiscience.org. *************************************************** Jobs Three post-doc openings at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) was founded in 1992 and now employs around 140 people from a range of natural and social science disciplines. Primarily through data analysis, computer simulation and modelling, we study global change and its impacts on ecological, economic and social systems, and provide decision-makers with sound information and tools for sustainable development. We are looking for five PhD students and three post-docs to work with us on a number of issues related to climate change vulnerability, adaptation and mitigation. The sources of funding for these positions are the European Commission through its collaborative projects ADAM (Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies: Supporting European Climate Policy) and NeWater (New Approaches to Adaptive Water Management under Uncertainty), the German Environment Agency (Umweltbundesamt) and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research. Positions are available in four research activities, as follows: 1. Post-doc (BAT-O IIa, full time, ref. kl/05/04). The post-doc will analyse opportunities to create synergies between European post- Kyoto climate policy and international development assistance with respect to adaptation and natural disaster risk reduction. S/he will aim to provide strategic options for mainstreaming and restructuring development assistance, such that it promotes adaptation to climate change in ways that are acceptable to the donor and recipient communities. The research will be carried out together with developing-country partners and engage developing-country stakeholders. The successful candidate will have a PhD or equivalent research experience in political science, economics, development studies or a related discipline, be familiar with the UNFCCC and post- Kyoto process, and have affinity with environment-development issues in developing countries. Project development experience is an advantage, as the post-doc will be expected to initiate new research. 2. Post-doc, macro-economics (BAT-O IIa, full time, ref. oe/ 05/01). The post-doc will make a significant contribution to the development and empirical foundation of a computer model designed to analyse European and global post-Kyoto mitigation policies. A major focus will be on interactions between world regions (e.g., foreign investments, capital and trading flows) and the modelling of international energy and resource markets. Work will also include data management and model calibration. The successful applicant will have a PhD or equivalent research experience in applied econometrics, international economics and/or development economics. Programming and computer modelling skills are required. Project development experience is an advantage. 3. Post-doc, economics or applied mathematics (BAT-O IIa, full time, ref. oe/05/02). The post-doc will make a significant contribution to the development and empirical foundation of a computer model that is designed to analyse European and global post- Kyoto mitigation policies. A major focus will be on modelling interactions between economic growth and climate policies. Related research will deal with endogenous technological change and include analysis of the role of policy instruments that simultaneously help to mitigate climate change and support innovation, competitiveness and economic growth. This position requires expertise in endogenous economic growth theory and dynamic general equilibrium theory. Profound knowledge in numerical mathematics and optimisation methods as well as programming skills are expected. Project development experience is an advantage. More information on PIK can be found at http://www.pik-potsdam.de/. Applications should be written in English and arrive at PIK as soon as possible but no later than 12 November 2005. They should indicate the position?s reference number and be directed to: Prof. Dr. H.-J. Schellnhuber, Director Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research P.O. Box 601203, D-14412 Potsdam, Germany ******************** Faculty Position, Environmental Toxicology, Fairfield University The Biology Department at Fairfield University announces a new tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level to begin fall 2006. We seek an environmental toxicologist who works with multicellular organisms. We are especially interested in applicants with expertise in either phytotoxicity, contaminants in aquatic ecosystems, ecological risk assessment, or population biology. Teaching responsibilities include participation in the ecology, evolution and diversity portions of a team-taught introductory biology sequence, and development of an upper division course with laboratory in the candidate's specialty area. The successful candidate will be housed in the Biology department and have a 1/3 teaching commitment in the Chemistry Department. Candidates with an interest in interdisciplinary teaching and research are especially encouraged to apply. There is flexibility in the courses taught through the Chemistry department and could include an Environmental Toxicology course for non-science majors or courses/labs in the general chemistry curriculum based on the candidate's background and experience. Job requirements also include advising and mentoring students, maintaining an active research program involving undergraduates, and participating in departmental and university committees. Commitment to teaching excellence, responsiveness to student needs, and effective communication skills are expected. Candidates must possess a Ph.D. in biology, environmental toxicology, or a closely related discipline. Those with demonstrated excellence in undergraduate teaching, experience working with undergraduates in research, and post-doctoral research experience will be given special consideration. Salary and benefits at Fairfield University are highly competitive. Qualified candidates should send a cover letter that addresses the above requirements. The application must include a curriculum vitae, graduate transcripts, a statement of teaching goals, a statement of research interests and goals (including the role of undergraduates and the potential for grant initiatives), selected reprints, and three letters of reference sent under separate cover. All application materials should be addressed to: Dr. Glenn Sauer, Chair, Biology Department, Environmental Toxicologist Search, Fairfield University, Fairfield, CT 06824. Review of completed applications begins on November 1 and will continue until the position is filled. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Fairfield University is a comprehensive Jesuit university with an active and pluralistic faculty located in southern Connecticut, 50 miles from New York City and minutes from New Haven CT. Fairfield University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. ******************** Postdoctoral Researchers and graduate students in Geological Hazards Mitigation, Michigan Technological University From: William Rose We are beginning a new NSF-supported project titled, "Remote Sensing for Hazard Mitigation and Resource Protection in Pacific Latin America." This 5-year project has funding for postdoctoral researchers, and Ph.D., Master's, and Peace Corps Master's International students. We seek highly qualified applicants in remote sensing aspects of natural hazards (volcanic and landslides) and water resource development and protection. Applicants should expect to work extensively in Guatemala, Nicaragua, El Salvador, or Ecuador, in close collaboration with scientists, technicians and students in the host countries. Additional project and application information is available at the project website: http://www.geo.mtu.edu/rs4hazards. Gregg Bluth, Bill Rose, John Gierke Geological Engineering & Sciences Michigan Technological University Houghton, MI 49931 ******************** Postdoc, Auburn University Postdoctoral/Research Fellow: We are seeking a postdoctoral/ research fellow to investigate large-scale patterns and processes of terrestrial ecosystems by using emerging technologies in remote sensing, GIS and ecosystem modeling, and the knowledge of biogeochemistry, hydrology and meteorology. Requirements include: (1) a PhD in ecosystem ecology, hydrology, meteorology, applied mathematics, and related areas, (2) demonstrated experience with modeling techniques and proficient programming skill, (3) demonstrated sound understanding about terrestrial ecosystem processes, land-atmosphere interactions, (4) demonstrated strong mathematic and statistical skills, and (5) high motivation and ability to interact and collaborate with other scientists. The individuals will work on several projects funded by NASA, EPA and USDA. The successful incumbent will (1) involve in the development of a dynamic ecosystem model which incorporates disturbances (e.g., fire, hurricane) and management practices to study the biogeochemistry of carbon, nutrients, and water in terrestrial ecosystems; (2) compile relevant data for modeling analysis; (3) provide professional and technical support for a team of scientists with various backgrounds; and (4) publish papers in refereed journals of high quality. Consideration of candidates will start immediately and will continue until suitable ones are found. If interested, please send (preferably via email) your CV including list of publications, the names and addresses (email and phone) of three references, a short statement of research interests, and a copy of academic transcripts to: Dr. Hanqin Tian, School of Forestry and Wildlife Sciences, 602 Duncan Drive, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849, USA. Phone: (334) 844-1059, Fax: (334) 844-1084, e-mail: tianhan@auburn.edu; http://www.sfws.auburn.edu/tian ******************** Assistant professor - Atmospheric Sciences - University of Illinois The Department of Atmospheric Sciences at the University of Illinois welcomes applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the assistant professor level beginning August 2006. Candidates with expertise in synoptic-scale weather processes, quantitative precipitation forecasting, mesoscale processes, data assimilation, numerical weather prediction and computationally intensive modeling will be given primary consideration. We especially encourage applications from candidates with additional expertise in observational analysis. Candidates with exceptional strengths in other areas of the Atmospheric Sciences will also be considered. The new faculty member will be part of the newly formed interdisciplinary Center for Water as a Complex Environmental System (http://cwaces.geog.uiuc.edu/). The main focus of CWACES is on fundamental research questions related to the hydrological cycle, and the interconnections between society and all aspects of water-related environmental processes. The Department currently comprises 11 faculty, 2 instructors, 14 research scientists, and 35 graduate students. The Department is engaged in several exciting initiatives, including the development of undergraduate programs in atmospheric and Earth-system science. The Department maintains close ties with the National Center for Supercomputing Applications (NCSA) and the Illinois State Water Survey. Applicants must have a Ph.D. degree. The successful candidate is expected to develop a robust externally funded research program and to teach at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Applicants should submit a vita, list of publications, record of research funding, description of research and teaching interests, and the names of at least three referees to: Robert M. Rauber Chair, Faculty Search Committee Department of Atmospheric Sciences 105 S. Gregory St. Urbana, IL 61801(rauber@atmos.uiuc.edu) The search will remain open until the position is filled, but for full consideration, candidates should submit all applications materials no later than 15 December 2005. Information about the Department can be found at (www.atmos.uiuc.edu), the Center for Water as a Complex Environmental System at (cwaces.geog.uiuc.edu) and the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign at (www.uiuc.edu). The University of Illinois is an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer. Women and minorities are especially encouraged to apply. ******************** Junior Faculty Position, Yale University - Urban environment Yale University's School of Forestry & Environmental Studies (FES) seeks to fill a junior-level faculty position focused on the urban environment. We seek an individual who takes an integrated view of the natural and human aspects of urban systems. Candidates should have an interdisciplinary approach and a capacity to address both natural and social science aspects of the urban environment. Research topics of interest include but are not limited to: urban land use and land cover; urban environmental modeling, transportation and environment linkages; and alteration of urban ecological conditions by development, including waste management, air or water pollution, and habitat fragmentation and destruction. The successful candidate will have an earned doctorate and an active research program that complements those of existing faculty in FES. She or he will demonstrate capacity for excellence in teaching, and will be expected to advise Master's and Doctoral students. We prefer a candidate with formal training in one or more relevant disciplines such as ecological sciences (e.g., ecology, hydrology, chemistry, geoscience), geography, political science, urban planning, or allied fields. Applicants should send a c.v., a statement of research and teaching interests, two reprints or other professional publications, and a list of three references to: Eleanor Migliore, Urban Environment Search Committee, School of Forestry and Environmental Studies, Yale University, 205 Prospect St., New Haven, CT 06511, USA. The deadline for receipt of applications is November 18, 2005. Yale University is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. Men and women of diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds and cultures are encouraged to apply. Women and minorities, as well as individuals from developing countries, are particularly urged to apply. Web Site : http://www.yale.edu/forestry/ Ms. Eleanor Migliore Urban Environment Search Committee School of Foresty & Environmental Studies Yale University 205 Prospect Street New Haven, CT 06511 ******************** Assistant Professor, McGill University - Earth System Science (atmospheric component of the hydrologic cycle) The Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences at McGill University is seeking outstanding applicants for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position in Earth system science. The successful applicant will be expected to develop an active research program, supervise graduate students, and teach a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses, including those in Earth system science. The successful applicant may qualify for a Canada Research Chair, Tier 2 position. The Earth System Science initiative at McGill University is a collaborative effort among the Departments of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, Earth and Planetary Sciences, and Geography. The candidate's area of expertise should be in the atmospheric component of the hydrologic cycle. Preference will be given to candidates with expertise in measurement of precipitation through ground-based or satellite-based radar. A Ph. D. in atmospheric or oceanic sciences or a closely-related field is required. McGill University is an English-speaking university located in Montreal, one of North America's most cosmopolitan cities. For more information about McGill University and the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences please see http://www.mcgill.ca/meteo A hard copy (not via e-mail) of the applicant's curriculum vitae, research proposal, and teaching statement should be sent to: Dr. John R. Gyakum, Chair Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences McGill University 805 Sherbrooke Street West Montreal, QC H3A 2K6 Canada (Telephone: 514-398-3760; fax: 514-398-6115). Candidates should also arrange to have three letters of reference sent directly to the above address. In accordance with Canadian employment and immigration regulations, this advertisement is directed to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada. However, applications from all outstanding candidates will be considered. McGill University is committed to equity in employment. The preferred starting date for this position is January 1, 2006. Review of the applications will begin in November 2005, and continue until the position is filled. ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20051014/a150848b/attachment.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Oct 28 17:35:32 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Fri Oct 28 17:43:08 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 10/28/2005 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 10/28/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES Planktonnet: Great listserv for aquatic-science jobs (See Below) American Grants and Loans Directory or Canadian Subsidy Director (See Below) FUNDING: Irving Louis Horowitz Grants Available for Social Policy Research www.horowitz-foundation.org DLESE Teaching resources for middle-school on climate change and climate variability http://www.dlese.org/dds/histogram.do?group=subject&key=ccc ESPERE (Environmental Science Published for Everybody Round the Earth) offers one of the largest international climate information pages for schools and the public, developed and translated by scientists in our community http://www.espere.net SCIENCE NEWS Warming To Cause Harsher Weather, Study Says (See Below) International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU) Releases New Strategy to Strengthen International Science for the Benefit of Society http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2005-10/icfs-ici101405.php Climate Change: Federal Reports on Climate Change Funding Should Be Clearer and More Complete. GAO, 2005. http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05461.pdf FORUM Rosa Parks: A good article about a remarkable woman. from CNN news http://www.cnn.com/2005/US/10/24/parks.obit/index.html China's Boom in Higher Education-China Luring Scholars to Make Universities Great By HOWARD W. FRENCH http://www.nytimes.com/2005/10/28/international/asia/ 28universities.html? hp&ex=1130558400&en=be0f06e39a392d39&ei=5094&partner=homepage SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS NCSE Conference: Energy for a Sustainable and Secure Future http://www.ncseonline.org/ncseconference/2006conference/ EAERE-FEEM-VIU European Summer School in Resource and Environmental Economics-CALL FOR APPLICATIONS (See Below) JOBS Canada Research Chair for Nanaimo, BC Coastal Research Center: Understanding and promoting resilience of coastal communities http://research.mala.bc.ca/news/index.asp?document=CRCicr Research Assoc., Univ of South Carolina (USA) - hydrology, climate & risk (See Below) AGU Education Manager Sought (See Below) Tenure-track, MOLECULAR MICROBIAL ECOLOGIST, University of South Carolina (See Below) Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Japan: 2 positions for researchers of Climate Policy project (CP) http://www.iges.or.jp/en/news/saiyo/recruit18/recruit18.html Post-doc - Natural Resource Economics, Environmental Economics, National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska (See Below) Brown University-Environmental Change Initiative, Tenure track Assistant/ Associate Professor (See Below) Tenure-Track Environmental Science: William Paterson University, New York (See Below) Lecturer/Senior Lecturer, Marine Biology (2 positions), School of Biological Sciences Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand (See Below) Programme Specialist in Biological Sciences ICSU Regional Office for Africa, Pretoria (South Africa) (See Below) Positions in Physical Oceanography / Climate Science at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, AUSTRALIA (See Below) *************************************************** Resources Planktonnet: Great listserv for aquatic-science jobs Sasi Nayar, an aquatic scientist who participated in the DIALOG V symposium, publishes PlanktonNet, a comprehensive list of jobs within and outside the US. If you are looking for a job, I give this site my highest recommendation. To subscribe to the list, send an empty email to: planktonnet- subscribe@yahoogroups.com Or, visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/planktonnet/ and click on 'Join this group' ******************** American Grants and Loans Directory or Canadian Subsidy Director The "American Grants and Loans Directory" is now available. This publication contains more than 1500 financial programs, subsidies, scholarship, grants and loans offered by the US federal government. It also includes over 700 financing programs available by foundations across the United States. Businesses, individuals, municipalities, government departments, institutions, foundations, and associations will find a wealth of information that could help them start a business, improve existent activities, set up a business plan, finance personal projects, studies and research, or obtain assistance from experts in various fields of interest. The Canadian Subsidy Directory is also available for Canada. CD version: $69.95 Printed version: $149.95 To order please call: 450-224-wask(9275) If you do not wish to receive communication from us in the future please write "agl" in the subject line to: rmv14@inmail24.com *************************************************** Science News Check out this section both for news tidbits, and for examples of how to communicate science to a non-scientist audience. Warming To Cause Harsher Weather, Study Says from the Washington Post (Registration Required) Extreme weather events -- including heat waves, floods and drought -- are likely to become more common over the next century in the United States because of human-generated greenhouse gas emissions, according to a new study by Purdue University researchers. The analysis, which is being published online this week in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science, examines how heat- trapping gases linked to climate change may intensify precipitation, drought and other weather conditions. Instances of extreme heat will probably increase throughout the country, the scientists concluded, and many areas will experience heavier downpours even if rain becomes less frequent. "I would be thrilled to be wrong," said Noah S. Diffenbaugh, a climate scientist at the Purdue Climate Change Research Center and the university's department of earth and atmospheric sciences. "It's definitely going to be more extreme hot temperatures." http:// tinyurl.com/8sfc2 *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings EAERE-FEEM-VIU European Summer School in Resource and Environmental Economics-CALL FOR APPLICATIONS Computable General Equilibrium Modeling in Environmental and Resource Economics Venice, June 25th - July 1st, 2006 http://www.feem.it/ess06 Deadline for application: February 1st, 2006 The European Association of Environmental and Resources Economists (EAERE), the Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei (FEEM) and the Venice International University (VIU) are pleased to announce their annual European Summer School in Resource and Environmental Economics for postgraduate students. The 2006 Summer School will take place from the 25th of June to the 1st of July, at the VIU campus on the Island of San Servolo, in Venice, located just in front of St. Mark?s Square. The theme of this Summer School is Computable General Equilibrium Modeling in Environmental and Resource Economics. Environmental policies are increasingly assessed not only on the basis of their environmental effectiveness but also depending on the associated economic impacts with respect to efficiency and incidence. These three dimensions of Sustainable Development, i.e. environmental quality, economic performance and equity concerns are intertwined and subject to tradeoffs. The quantification of tradeoffs requires the use of numerical model techniques. Computable general equilibrium models have meanwhile become an established analytical framework for evaluating the economy-wide and environmental implications of policy intervention on resource allocation and income of agents. In this context, the Summer School provides a comprehensive introduction to applied general equilibrium analysis of environmental policies by internationally renowned experts. After presenting the basic technique, the lecturers will discuss the theoretical background and illustrative applications to four key areas of environmental economics: (i) trade and environment, (ii) environmental regulation and technological change, (iii) double (triple) dividend hypothesis of green taxation, and (iv) international environmental agreements. Practical instruction and hands-on training on how to develop and use CGE models on GAMS (General Algebraic Modeling System) will be provided. LECTURERS Prof. Christoph B?HRINGER - School Coordinator University of Heidelberg and ZEW Mannheim, Germany Prof. Reyer GERLAGH Institute for Environmental Studies, The Netherlands Prof. Stef PROOST Center for Economic Studies, KULeuven, Belgium Prof. Roberto ROSON University of Venice and Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei, Italy Prof. Thomas F. RUTHERFORD University of Heidelberg and ZEW Mannheim, Germany Prof. M. Scott TAYLOR University of Calgary, Canada ADMISSION AND APPLICATION The Summer School is targeted to PhD students. Admission is conditional on the presentation by each student of his/her doctoral work; therefore applicants normally need to be advanced in their PhD to have produced at least one substantive chapter, but not to have completely finished their thesis. Admission to the School is open to both European and non European citizens. Application is restricted to current EAERE members. Women are encouraged to apply. Given the highly interactive activities planned at the Summer School, the number of participants is limited to 20. There is no participation fee. Further information is available at the Summer School Website. SCHOLARSHIPS Scholarships covering living and travel expenses are available and will be awarded to successful applicants conforming to the combined criteria of merit and financial need. For further information on application and funding please access the Summer School Website at http://www.feem.it/ess06 or contact the Summer School Secretariat. Summer School Secretariat Ms. Angela Marigo Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei tel. +39 041 2711468 fax +39 041 2711461 angela.marigo@feem.it http://www.feem.it/ess06 *************************************************** Jobs Planktonnet: Great listserv for aquatic-science jobs To subscribe to the list, send an empty email to: planktonnet-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Or, visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/planktonnet/ and click on 'Join this group' ******************** Research Assoc., Univ of South Carolina (USA) - hydrology, climate & risk The University of South Carolina seeks a research associate to work with the Carolinas Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments project. The successful candidate will interact with a team investigating the hydroclimatology of North and South Carolina, sensitivity of water systems to climate variability, and the role of climate information on decision making. The candidate will be responsible for conducting research (including some combination of climate analysis, hydrological modeling, and risk analysis), sharing results with a user community, investigating current operating procedures of stakeholders, and developing products that serve their needs. The position will include interaction with the Southeastern Regional Climate Center. A Ph.D. is preferred, but those holding ABD or master's degrees will be considered. Salary for Ph.D. is $35,000 plus fringe and health benefits. This is a 12-month position, starting in January 2006, with possibility for renewal. Applicants should send their curriculum vitae, statement of research interest, and names of three references to Greg Carbone, Department of Geography, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208; greg.carbone@sc.edu. More information on the Carolinas Regional Integrated Sciences and Assessments group, is available at: http://www.zebra-baker.com/CISA/ ******************** AGU Education Manager Sought AGU has an opening for an Education Manager with the enthusiasm, experience and energy to implement and promote its education and career programs. This manager has five main objectives: 1. Inform the AGU membership about issues in science education and research on learning. 2. Foster excellence in secondary and post-secondary Earth and space science education. 3. Nurture students and early career professionals. 4. Enhance recruitment of the next generation of Earth and space scientists. 5. Broaden the participation of underrepresented populations in our science. The manager develops specific concepts and proposals for effective programs and seeks funding for approved programs. Qualifications include a Ph.D., at least five years? experience in secondary or post-secondary science education related to any the Earth and/or space sciences, and a record of success in proposal preparation, grant acquisition, and project management. This position is in Washington, D.C., at AGU headquarters. AGU offers competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits packages. Interested candidates should promptly send a statement of interest, resume, and salary history to: resumes@agu.org or by fax to 1.202.328.0566 ******************** Tenure-track, MOLECULAR MICROBIAL ECOLOGIST, University of South Carolina The Department of Biological Sciences seeks applicants for a tenure-track position in Molecular Microbial Ecology. This position will be filled at the rank of Assistant Professor. Candidates with an interest in adaptation of organisms to environmental stressors, ranging from alterations in cellular processes to the creation of specific microenvironments, are strongly encouraged to apply. The successful candidate will be expected to establish an independent, externally funded research program and to teach at the undergraduate and graduate levels. To apply, go to http://uscjobs.sc.edu, or send curriculum vitae, reprints of three representative publications, a statement of current and future research interests and goals, and a brief description of teaching interests; and have three letters of recommendation sent to: Dr. Charles R. Lovell, Chair, Molecular Microbial Ecologist Search Committee, Department of Biological Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208. Postdoctoral experience is required. Review of applications will begin December 1, 2005 and continue until the position is filled. Information on the Department and the Environmental Microbiology group can be found at website: http://www.biol.sc.edu. An Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. Women and Minority candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. ******************** Post-doc - Natural Resource Economics, Environmental Economics, National Drought Mitigation Center at the University of Nebraska The National Drought Mitigation Center (NDMC) with the School of Natural Resources at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln invites applications for a post-doctoral research associate position. The post-doctoral research associate shall assist NDMC faculty and staff on several interdisciplinary research projects directed at development of web-based research and decision-support tools for decision makers such as agricultural producers, water and other natural resources managers, and policy makers to make better risk- based management decisions related to drought. Applicants should have a Ph.D. in natural resource or environmental economics with an interest in water and climate issues. The successful applicant should have excellent computer skills, demonstrated ability to work as part of a team, and excellent oral and written communication skills. The salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. To apply, go to http://employment.unl.edu, select Search Job Openings, enter Requisition Number 050891, and Apply for this Posting. You will be asked to complete the faculty/administrative form and will be required to attach three documents: letter of application, curriculum vitae, and references, which must include name, address, phone number, and e-mail address for three references. Review of applications will begin November 28, 2005, and continue until successful candidates are identified or the search is closed. If you have questions, contact Ann Fiedler at (402) 472-6707 or afiedler1@unl.edu for assistance. ******************** Brown University-Environmental Change Initiative, Tenure track Assistant/ Associate Professor As part of its plan for academic enrichment, Brown University has recently launched a multi-departmental Environmental Change Initiative aimed at fostering interdisciplinary research and education in the area of the environmental sciences. Brown University is making major investments in the ECI, including additional faculty appointments, new resources for interdisciplinary research training, and a new cooperative graduate program with the Marine Biological Laboratory (MBL) at Woods Hole. For more information about the ECI visit http://www.brown.edu/Research/ECI. In connection with this initiative, the University seeks a faculty member at the ASSISTANT/ ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR level with broad interests in environmental sciences as well as public policies related to environmental issues. This appointment will be tenure track in either the Department of Geological Sciences or Ecology and Evolutionary Biology depending on the background and research record of the candidate with a joint appointment in the Center for Environmental Studies. We seek candidates that can integrate their research efforts with environmentally relevant social sciences spanning economics, sociology, international studies, or health sciences. The start date for this position is 1 July, 2006 or as soon thereafter as is feasible. Requirements include a PhD in an environmentally-related discipline, a strong record of research and peer reviewed publications, commitment to excellence in graduate and undergraduate teaching, and potential to contribute to the ECI by building interdisciplinary interactions with current areas of faculty strength. To apply, please send a letter describing research and teaching interests and the fit of the candidate with the ECI, a current CV, and 3 letters of reference to: Professor Osvaldo Sala, Director Environmental Change Initiative, Box 1943, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912. For further inquiries, please contact Osvaldo_Sala@Brown.edu. Applications will be reviewed starting 15 November, 2005 and accepted until the position is filled. Brown University is an EEO/AA employer. ******************** Tenure-Track Environmental Science: William Paterson University, New York William Paterson University, Department of Environmental Science. Tenure-Track Position: Applications are invited for one tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level in Environmental Science beginning September 1, 2006. A Ph.D. is required. The position requires a demonstrated ability to teach undergraduate and graduate courses in Environmental Science as well as an active research agenda that complements those of other departmental faculty. Current departmental needs favor a specialization in meteorology or hydrology. The successful candidate will have ample opportunities to develop new courses in her or his area of expertise and will have potential to secure extramural funding for research. Additional responsibilities include cooperative programs with the College of Education in science curriculum development. The William Paterson campus is located in the greater New York City area and is adjacent to the High Mountain Preserve. At nearby Oldham Pond the University maintains the Rosengren Field Station which provides an avenue for the study of urban ecology. Send a letter of interest, curriculum vitae and three letters of recommendation to Dr. Richard R. Pardi, Chair, Department of Environmental Science, William Paterson University, 300 Pompton Road, Wayne, New Jersey, 07470. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the completion of the search. ******************** Lecturer/Senior Lecturer, Marine Biology (2 positions), School of Biological Sciences Victoria University of Wellington, New Zealand Victoria University of Wellington is a dynamic, rapidly growing university in the capital city of New Zealand. The School of Biological Sciences (www.sbs.science.vuw.ac.nz) seeks to make two appointments in Marine Biology. The School of Biological Sciences provides a friendly, collegial and supportive working environment for about 80 academic, research, and general staff, and about 100 research students. The present appointments arise from growth of the School in response to successes in both teaching and research. The School maintains a Marine Laboratory on Wellington?s Cook Strait coast. Wellington is an important centre for Marine Biology, and Victoria University has strong links to government research and management agencies. We seek productive researchers who can contribute to our teaching in Ecology & Biodiversity, Marine Biology, and Conservation Biology. The ideal candidates will be active researchers who use theory to inform empirical research. Demonstrated strengths in experimental and/ or quantitative approaches will be advantageous. For the two Marine Biology positions, we seek expertise in hard shore and/or soft shore coastal ecology; fisheries & aquaculture; marine pollution; or marine conservation. Applications close 28 October 2005. For more information about these positions, see the website: www.nzjobs.co.nz/vuw An application pack is available from the Human Resources Officer, Faculties of Science, Architecture and Design, email: science-appoint@vuw.ac.nz, telephone ++64 4 463 5100, fax ++64 4 463 5122. Please quote the relevant reference number on all correspondence. ******************** SCIENCE COMMUNICATOR for the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme, Stockholm, Sweden Applications are invited for the position of Science Communicator for the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP). IGBP is an international research programme that provides scientific knowledge about the Earth System in response to the challenges of global sustainability. IGBP scientists study the interactions between biological, chemical and physical processes, and human systems. IGBP collaborates with other international programmes to develop and impart the understanding necessary to respond to global change. IGBP is organised under the aegis of ICSU and its 10-person Secretariat is headquartered at the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences in Stockholm. The Science Communicator will direct the communications efforts of IGBP, including internal communications amongst IGBP projects and project scientists, and outward communications with the wider science community, the education sector, policy makers, the media and the public. A key function of the Science Communicator is to assist IGBP in generating and communicating impartial, policy-relevant science. The successful candidate will: ? have excellent verbal and written communication skills in English, and experience in science communications or science journalism; ? be capable of refining and guiding the implementation of a long-term science communication strategy for a large and diverse international scientific network; ? have hghly developed interpersonal skills, and the ability to work in a multi-cultural environment; ? have demonstrated experience in effectively translating the results of scientific research into forms appropriate for a range of difference audiences including policy makers, educators, the media and the general public; ? be willing to undertake international travel; ? be able to both work in and lead team efforts, and coordinate a portfolio of communication activities; ? be able to initiate and manage a large and complex workload to tight deadlines and be responsible for communications outcomes; and ? have demonstrated experience in planning and implementing media campaigns. The Science Communicator will be appointed initially for a 3-year period, will be an employee of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, and will report to the IGBP Executive Director. The salary is negotiable, but will be based on the salary structure of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences (roughly equivalent to Swedish academic salary structure) and will consider the qualifications and experience of the candidate. Applications should address all selection criteria (available on request) and include a curriculum vitae, three personal references, and brief, representative examples of previous work. Applications must be received by the IGBP Secretariat no later than 30 November 2005. Interviews will be held 9- 13 January 2006. For further information and submission of applications contact Charlotte Wilson-Boss: IGBP Secretariat, Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences, Box 50005, SE 104 05 Stockholm, Sweden; Tel (+46-8) 16 64 48, Fax (+46-8) 16 64 05, email charlottew@igbp.kva.se, web www.igbp.net. ******************** Programme Specialist in Biological Sciences ICSU Regional Office for Africa, Pretoria (South Africa) The Regional Office for Africa of the International Council for Science (ICSU) invites applications for the post of Programme Specialist in Biological Sciences. The Regional Office, established earlier this year, is housed at the National Research Foundation, Pretoria, South Africa. ICSU is a non-governmental organization consisting of 101 National Members and 27 International Scientific Unions. ICSU plans and coordinates international research programmes, serves as the voice of international science, for example, at the World Summit on Sustainable Development, and promotes the principle of Universality of Science. Further information about ICSU can be found at www.icsu.org. The ICSU Regional Office (www.icsu-africa.org) will be responsible for the promotion of increased participation of African countries and scientific organizations in ICSU programmes and activities. It will also assist ICSU and its Unions in their strategic planning to ensure that regional priorities are taken into account when setting their agendas. Thus, the Office will assist in strengthening science and scientific capacity building in Africa. An ICSU Regional Committee for Africa has been established, which will develop strategic plans and approve workplans for the Office. Main responsibilities: Under the overall authority of the Director of the ICSU-Regional Office for Africa, the Programme Specialist will carry out the following duties: - Coordinate and assist in the implementation of the activities of the Regional Office; - Monitor regional policy information needs in the areas of science for sustainable development; - Plan and organize sub-regional seminars, workshops, symposia and meetings; - Develop and manage project proposals connected with extra- budgetary funding; - Participate in the further development of the Regional Office database and manage the database on a day-to-day basis; - Collect data and information and undertake editorial work for the publication of the newsletter of the Regional Office; Qualifications and experience: - University Degree at doctorate level in the biological sciences. ? - At least three publications in peer reviewed international scientific journals. - Very good IT skills - Excellent command of written and spoken French and English (bilingual). Competence required: The successful candidate should demonstrate the following competencies: (1) Organizational skills, establishing plans and priorities and implementing them effectively; (2) Ability to communicate effectively and persuasively, orally and in writing; (3) Intellectual leadership to guide staff and motivate teams in a multicultural environment; (4) Strategic planning and management skills, including capacity to administer resources and exercise appropriate supervision and control. Contract: Three years, renewable, commencing in January 2006. Remuneration: An attractive salary package which is negotiable depending on the qualifications and experience of the candidate. Mailing Address: Application, with names and addresses of three referees, should be electronically submitted to: The Director ICSU Regional Office for Africa P.O. Box 13252 Hatfield, PRETORIA 0082 SOUTH AFRICA E-mail: secretariat@icsu-africa.org / k.potgieter@icsu-africa.org CLOSING DATE FOR APPLICATIONS: FRIDAY, 16 DECEMBER 2005 ******************** Positions in Physical Oceanography / Climate Science at the University of New South Wales, Sydney, AUSTRALIA ** Lecturer in Physical Oceanography / Climate Science Applications are invited for a Lecturer in Physical Oceanography / Climate Science (equivalent to Assistant Professor). The School offers a range of undergraduate courses with emphasis on physical oceanography, climate science, and ocean circulation effects on marine biota. The current position is available initially for a three-year fixed-term period, although excellent prospects exist for an extension for a further two years. For full advertisement see http://www.maths.unsw.edu.au/~matthew/jobs.pdf ** Postdoctoral Research Fellows (Ocean / Climate Science, up to 3 positions) Applications are invited for up to three Postdoctoral Research Fellowship positions in the ocean-atmosphere and climate research group. The successful applicants will work with A/Professor Matthew England and his team on a research project aimed at evaluating Southern Ocean circulation and the genesis of Australian climate extremes/change in the extratropical ocean-atmosphere. For full advertisement see http://www.maths.unsw.edu.au/~matthew/jobs.pdf FOR ALL POSITIONS: For further information contact A/Professor Matthew England (02) 9385 7065, M.England@unsw.edu.au. For information on the School, see www.maths.unsw.edu.au. For additional information on the Schools research program in large-scale ocean and climate dynamics, see http://www.maths.unsw.edu.au/~matthew. For full details of these positions, and how to apply see http://www.hr.unsw.edu.au/employment.htm Closing date: November 30, 2005. ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20051028/fbd31a2e/attachment.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Nov 11 15:22:12 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Fri Nov 11 15:31:23 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 11/11/05 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 11/11/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES Coas Project To Link Adult Education, Marine Sciences (See Below) Investigating The Climate System (See Below) Fiscal Year 2006 ONR Young Investigator Program (YIP) (See Below) START Fellowship/Visiting Scientist Program for developing-country scientists (See Below) CCAP Launched its Brussels Seminars Series on Climate Change (See Below) SCIENCE NEWS AAAS Science Journalism Award Winners Named (See Below) Science Cafe Takes Education Beyond Campus (See Below) Water Vapor Feedback Is Rapidly Warming Europe (See Below) Scripps Institution Of Oceanography Launches Scripps Genome Center http://scrippsnews.ucsd.edu/article_detail.cfm?article_num=697 2005 Global Temperatures: Editorial by James Hansen written in response to many inquiries stemming from a Washington Post article. http://www.columbia.edu/~jeh1/GlobalTemperatures_03Nov2005.pdf Bacteria With Alternate Form Of Photochemistry Cultured from CORE weekly newsletter http://oregonstate.edu/dept/ncs/newsarch/2005/Nov05/cellenergy.htm U.S. Republican Leaders Yank Arctic Drilling Plan http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/nationworld/ 2002615020_anwr10.html A Prehistoric Croc Named Godzilla from the San Francisco Chronicle http://tinyurl.com/84mdq JOBS Policy Jobs Website - This website claims it can help you find where the good policy jobs in Washington are, and also where the bad ones are... http://www.bestplacestowork.org/ Six research positions on climate change at the Tyndall Centre, UK, Closing date is 25 November 2005. http://www.uea.ac.uk/env/vacancies/RA208-213.doc Researcher (3 yrs): Environmental/social science, or policy studies at the Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) at the Vrije Universiteit, Amsterdam to work on the Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies: Supporting European Climate Policy (ADAM) project. http://www.ivm.falw.vu.nl/ivm_vacancies Environmental Scientist- Drought Monitoring and Phenology - Reference No. JDR123828, Location: South Dakota. http://jobs.saic.com/ Harvard University Center for the Environment, Environmental Fellows Program (See Below) Smithsonian Magazine Internship, 1/3/06 start (See Below) American Australian Association Fellowships (Marine Science, etc.) (See Below) Faculty Position: Ecology/Ecosystem Science (See Below) Chemical Oceanographer (See Below) Assistant Or Associate Professor Of Icthyology Or Fish Ecology, University Of New England Marine Ichthyologist (See Below) Grassroots Outreach Coordinator - American Wind Energy Association (See Below) Researcher/Writer Needed for the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) (See Below) Communications Director (See Below) Applicants Wanted for AIP and APS Congressional Fellowships (See Below) Outstanding New Research Positions On Climate Change At The Tyndall Centre And The Institute For Environmental Studies (IVM) (See Below) Environmental Anthropologist - Assistant Professor, Dept. of Sociology & Anthropology, Florida International University (See Below) Faculty Position, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Department of Geography (See Below) Tenure Track Faculty Position in the Atmospheric Sciences, Dept. of Environmental Sciences at the Univ. of Virginia (See Below) Post Doctoral Positions in Regional Atmospheric Modelling and Data Assimilation (See Below) Assistant Professor - Climatology - Dept. of Geography, University of Alabama (See Below) Assistant Or Associate Professor Of Earth System Science, Geological Sciences Department (See Below) Lecturers and a tenure-track opening - Dept. of Environmental Studies at San Jos? State University, San Jos?, California (See Below) Spring 2006 Lecturer positions - Department of Environmental Studies at San Jose State University (See Below) *************************************************** Resources Coas Project To Link Adult Education, Marine Sciences from CORE weekly news Thirteen instructors from Oregon community colleges are spending three days with scientists from Oregon State University, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and OSU's Hatfield Marine Science Center as part of an initiative to incorporate ocean sciences into adult education and workforce development. This instructor institute, which runs from Nov. 3-5, is the first of three in the year-long Ocean Sciences and Math Collaborative Project. During this institute, the 13 educators will learn more about the ocean and its role in the Earth's climate ? and how that complex system affects Oregon's weather, economy, public health and jobs. They will then use the information to better inform their students about ocean sciences issues. "Ultimately, these instructors will be the ones delivering the message to adult learners," said Robert Collier, an OSU professor in the College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences. He co-directs the program with colleague Marta Torres, Susan Cowles and Jon Luke. Much of the information comes from scientists involved directly with significant research, Collier said. The educators also will receive classroom materials and tips on how to integrate the research findings into relevant curriculum that integrates math, writing, language acquisition and reading instruction, as well as ocean sciences. The instructors represent diverse programs, including workforce training, adult basic education, workplace education (cannery workers), adult secondary education (GED preparation), English to speakers of other languages, and family literacy. Instructors attending the institute include: ******************** Investigating The Climate System (suggested by Cheryl Dodes, Weber Middle School, Port Washington. NY and Michael Passow, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, to GeoEd), NASA has published five problem-based teaching modules online for the study of various topics about weather and climate. The modules utilize information gathered by the NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM,) and include Energy, Precipitation, Weather, Winds, and Clouds. The modules are suitable for students in grades 5 - 8. ******************** Fiscal Year 2006 ONR Young Investigator Program (YIP) The Office of Naval Research has announced its Fiscal Year 2006 ONR Young Investigator Program (YIP), ONR BAA 06-002. Full proposals are due January 12, 2006. The Program seeks to identify and support academic scientists and engineers who have received Ph.D. or equivalent degrees within the last five years and who show exceptional promise for doing creative research. Proposals addressing unmanned undersea vehicles, physical oceanography, marine meteorology, ocean acoustics among others will be considered. An individual wishing to apply for a Young Investigator award must submit a research proposal and a supporting letter through the appropriate university officials. Proposals may request up to $100,000 per year for three (3) years. Questions can be addressed to Dr. Bill Lukens ******************** START Fellowship/Visiting Scientist Program for developing-country scientists This program, funded by DGIS, the Netherlands, is designed to increase the number of developing country scientists who will conduct research, and contribute to START regional research networks and the Joint and Core Projects of the Earth System Science Partnership (IGBP, WCRP, IHDP, and DIVERSITAS). * Research bearing on policy issues and sustainable development is encouraged. START Fellowships are offered at the graduate and post-graduate levels to young scientists (under 35 years of age at the time of application) from Africa, Asia, and Oceania. START fellows may work under senior mentors in leading institutions in any part of the world, where research is conducted on relevant regional aspects of global change. Long-term collaboration between the individuals and institution involved is also a desired outcome of the programme. The duration of these fellowships is ordinarily 4-8 months. A parallel activity, the START Visiting Scientist Award, provides more senior scientists from developing countries an opportunity to undertake short-term visits to major international institutions to become acquainted with recent advances in research and develop long- term programmatic linkages and partnerships. The duration of these awards is usually 1-2 months. Both the fellowship and visiting scientist awards will provide economy-class, roundtrip airfare and a modest subsistence allowance. Nominations/Applications The following information must be included in applications for the START Fellowship and Visiting Scientist Programmes: 1) The START Fellowship/Visiting Scientist Application Form [available from the START website (_www.start.org_) in various formats or by request; 3 pages]. 2) A brief description (3-5 pages) of the proposed fellowship/ visiting scientist program, including expected outcomes and an explanation of how the project may contribute to national/regional policy making. Linkages to the international global change research programmes should be made explicit. 3) Indication of willingness of host institution to receive fellow or visiting scientist (e.g. letter of support; 1 page); 4) Curriculum vitae of candidate, including relevant qualifications and experience (1-2 pages); and 5) Proposed budget requirements (airfare and subsistence as appropriate for host country). All budget items should be justified (1 page). Applications (of no more than 12 pages total) can be submitted electronically, via fax, or by mail (postmarked by the deadline). Electronic submission is strongly encouraged. DEADLINE for the fourteenth round of awards is:_ December 16, 2005. For further information, contact: Ms. Patricia Sipher, Program Coordinator International START Secretariat 2000 Florida Avenue, NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC 20009 USA Tel: (1-202) 462-2213; Fax: (1-202) 457-5859 E-mail:_ psipher@agu.org_ The START Fellowship/Visiting Scientist Award Program is made possible through funds from The Netherlands Ministry of Foreign Affairs. We thank The Netherlands for its continued support of START programmes. ******************** CCAP Launched its Brussels Seminars Series on Climate Change 7 November 2005 -- The Center for Clean Air Policy (CCAP), a think tank based in Europe (Brussels and Prague) and the U.S. has initiated a regular series of climate change policy briefings to benefit key European stakeholders. Leading climate change policymakers?including those from U.S. States, European States, China, Mexico, and Canada?will convene in Brussels in 2005 and throughout 2006 to a discuss their efforts to address climate change and to discuss the implications for European climate policy. The inaugural meeting, hosted at the offices of DG Environment of the European Commission, attracted over 50 invited participants to hear representatives from California discuss one of the most important climate change policy initiatives in the United States? California?s regulations to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from new motor vehicles?and its implications for Europe?s voluntary agreement with automakers to reduce GHG emissions from cars (see below for more details on both programs). The seminar was attended by the key players from different backgrounds, including from various services of the European Commission and the European Council, research centers, environmental think tanks, representatives of the European, Japanese and Korean automotive industry, consultancies, and law firms. CCAP president Ned Helme introduced the series and the topic for the first seminar. ?For over twenty years we?ve remained the only independent non-governmental organization dedicated exclusively to air and climate issues in Europe, the United States and developing countries, ? explained Helme. ?This seminar series will bring those experiences to Brussels and contribute significantly to the EU policymaking process. The California standard for cars appears to be as or more aggressive than the EU agreement when considering difference in the make-up of vehicles in the EU and California? said Helme. Following a welcome introduction by Jos Delbeke, Director General for Air & Chemicals European Commission, DG Environment, Tom Cackette, Chief Deputy Executive Officer and Chuck Shulock, Program Manager for GHG Reduction in the California Air Resources Board, introduced participants to the California GHG Vehicle standards and its implementation. European respondents included: G?nter H?rmandinger, representing Clean Air & Transport Unit of DG Environment in the European Commission, Aat Peterse, Program Manager Low Carbon Cars in the European Federation for Transport & Environment and Herman Meyer, Director for Environmental Policy in the European Automobile Manufacturers Association. BACKGROUND The State of California has undertaken one of the most important climate change policy initiatives in the United States to address transportation emissions. In September 2004 the California Air Resources Board approved regulations to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from new motor vehicles. The regulations, which will take effect in 2006 following an opportunity for legislative review, apply to new passenger vehicles and light duty trucks beginning with the 2009 model year. The standards will result in greenhouse gas (GHG) reductions of 22% in 2012 and a 30% reduction in 2016. This regulation will be one component of California?s effort to meet Governor Schwarzenegger?s June, 2005, announcement of statewide GHG emissions targets of 2000 levels by 2010, 1990 levels by 2020, and 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. In Europe, European, Japanese and Korean car manufacturers (associated in ACEA, JAMA and KAMA respectively) entered into a voluntary agreement with the European Commission with a target to reach emissions levels of 140 g CO2 per km by 2008 (ACEA) and 2009 (JAMA, KAMA). While there is uncertainty as to whether 140 g can be reached in the given timeframe, the European Commission is reviewing the EU strategy, whose objective is to achieve a fleet average of new passenger cars of 120 g CO2 per km by 2012. The issue of CO2 emissions is also a part of the CARS 21 process - a new initiative of DG Enterprise and Industry developing a roadmap of recommendations to improve the global competitiveness of the European automotive industry. NEXT IN THE CCAP BRUSSELS SEMINAR SERIES Potential upcoming topics for the seminar series include: Chinese Efforts to Reduce GHG Emissions: Current Policies and Future Opportunities GHG Emissions Trading in U.S. States: the Northeastern Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and Efforts in the Western U.S. Canadian Large Final Emitters Program: Possibilities for Linkage with the EU Emissions Trading System? Brazilian Emissions from Deforestation: What Options for Reduction? Options for the International Response to Climate Change Post-2012: Results of the Future Actions Dialogue Joint Implementation: Opportunities and Barriers in new EU member states, Accession and candidate countries, Russia, and Ukraine ABOUT CCAP Founded in 1985, CCAP today remains the only independent think tank working exclusively on air and climate public policy issues at the local, national and international levels. CCAP seeks to promote and implement innovative solutions to major environmental and energy problems which balance both environmental and economic interests. The Center?s work is guided by the belief that market-based approaches to environmental problems offer the greatest potential to reach common ground between these often conflicting interests. More information can be found at www.ccap.org/international/ brussels-seminars.htm *************************************************** Science News Check out this section both for news tidbits, and for examples of how to communicate science to a non-scientist audience. AAAS Science Journalism Award Winners Named American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) 8 November 2005 2005 AAAS Science Journalism Award Winners Named Stories about nature in all its complexity, from the impact of climate change to the frontiers of cosmology to the mysterious stranding of dolphins in a Florida mangrove swamp, are among the winners of the 2005 Science Journalism Awards from the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). Independent panels of science journalists chose the winners of the awards, which honor excellence in science writing for print, radio, television broadcast and online categories. The judges also gave an inaugural award this year for writing about science news for children, a category that opened the AAAS competition to international publications and news outlets for the first time since the inception of the awards in 1945. "I am very grateful to be recognized," said Elizabeth Kolbert, who won the magazine award for a three-part series in The New Yorker describing the evidence for global warming. The judges also honored Atul Gawande, another New Yorker writer, for his story on the disparities in outcome for treatment of cystic fibrosis and why even doctors with great knowledge and technical skill can have mediocre results. "I think there is an enormous amount to be learned from close, detailed observation of cases," said Gawande, who is a practicing surgeon as well as a staff writer for The New Yorker. "It succeeds in generating new knowledge." The print judging committee found the work of Kolbert and Gawande to be exceptional and recommended that two awards be given this year in the magazine category. The awards are sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C. A record 386 entries were received this year. They included 69 entries in the new children's category, 32 of them from international reporters. The awards will be presented to the winners in a 17 February 2006 ceremony at the Gateway Arch in St. Louis during the AAAS Annual Meeting. "At a time when public understanding of science is more important than ever, AAAS is pleased, through these independently judged awards, to recognize outstanding science writing that is both enlightening and engaging," said Alan I. Leshner, the AAAS chief executive officer. "We congratulate these outstanding science journalists on their achievement and their ongoing commitment to bring excellence in scientific reporting to the public," said Seema Kumar, vice president, R&D Communications, Pharmaceuticals, Johnson & Johnson. "Science writers play a critical role in educating and engaging the public about cutting-edge science and research, make science more accessible and relevant to a lay audience, and help create an informed public." The winners of the 2005 AAAS Science Journalism Awards are: Online Daniel Grossman wbur.org "Fantastic Forests: The Balance Between Nature & People of Madagascar" 3 June 2005 http://www.wbur.org/special/madagascar/ The judges were impressed by the lively quality of Grossman's work, which looks at the struggle to preserve biodiversity in Madagascar, an African island smaller than Texas but home to a prodigious diversity of fauna and flora more varied than that of all of North America. Grossman introduces online visitors to a rich catalogue of critters, including the fossa, a remarkable predator that looks like a cross between a cat and a dog and loves to snack on lemurs, the tree-dwelling primates for which Madagascar is famous. Diedtra Henderson of the Boston Globe said Grossman gives "a clear sense of discovery, wonder and excitement" in his reporting, including "captivating details and a nice use of audio, visual and written story telling." Grossman's reporting from the jungles of Madagascar includes compelling video interviews with working scientists. Jody Brannon, the executive producer for news at USA Today.com, said Grossman's entry is "richly interactive, with important research that makes learning fun." Grossman, a AAAS prize winner for the second time, said he chose Madagascar as a venue for his reporting after previous trips to Antarctica and Greenland. "I decided I wanted to go to a more tropical place," he said. Grossman, who has developed his multimedia toolkit during his travels, did two video interviews with each subject in Madagascar in addition to the interviews for his online text stories. Print Large Newspaper-Circulation of 100,000 or more Dennis Overbye The New York Times "String Theory, at 20, Explains It All (or Not)" 7 December 2004 "Remembrance of Things Future: The Mystery of Time" 28 June 2005 "The Next Einstein? Applicants Welcome" 1 March 2005 The print judging committee was impressed by Overbye's wit and erudition in walking readers through the arcane world of string theory, the mysteries of time, and the prospects for another Albert Einstein. "Sometimes the simplest, most basic elements of the universe are the most difficult to understand and explain, and surely time must be one of the top contenders," said Gino Del Guercio, an independent television producer and former AAAS journalism prize winner who served as a judge. "Overbye writes about it with wit and clarity that makes it all look easy." "Overbye's articles reflect the fearlessness that a science reporter needs to explore the cutting edge of science and even sometimes step over it into realms where scientists themselves are not so sure-footed," said Tom Siegfried, a freelancer and former science editor of The Dallas Morning News. Thinking and writing about the big questions in cosmology and particle physics "is an important aspect of human experience," Overbye said. "I'm thrilled I've been able to make a living at it." Small Newspaper-Circulation less than 100,000 Richard Monastersky The Chronicle of Higher Education "Women and Science: The Debate Goes On" 4 March 2005 "The Hidden Cost of Fish Farming" 22 April 2005 "Come Over to the Dark Side" 3 June 2005 Monastersky was selected for a series of three unrelated pieces that showed a broad grasp of science, from the politically sensitive debate over how boys and girls learn about math to the risks of fish farms to the search by physicists for an elusive force that shapes the universe and accelerates its expansion. "Monastersky's work stands out for its meticulous explanatory reporting of a remarkably broad range of scientific controversies," said Robert Lee Hotz of the Los Angeles Times. "I am deeply honored that the judges selected my work for the award," Monastersky said. "There are many talented science journalists around the country and it is quite humbling to be selected by my peers." Monastersky, who won a AAAS Science Journalism Award in 2001 as well, said there is "a disturbing trend in the United States for newspapers to be cutting back on their science coverage at a time when the public needs in-depth reporting on this issue more than ever. I hope that both big and small newspapers recognize the importance of covering scientific issues and reverse this dangerous trend." Magazine Elizabeth Kolbert The New Yorker "The Climate of Man" 25 April 2005; 2 May 2005; 9 May 2005 Atul Gawande The New Yorker The Bell Curve 6 December 2004 Kolbert put the global warming issue in historical perspective, dug beneath the surface of the ongoing political debate, and visited locales where climate change is having an impact. Her series "is everything science journalism should be," Siegfried said. "It's thorough, accurate, compelling and dramatic. It weaves the science of global warming into the story of the people who grapple with it, from policy centers to the Alaskan permafrost." "Elizabeth Kolbert doesn't just say global warming exists," said Mary Knudson, a freelance science writer and editor who served as a judge. "She takes readers on trip after trip and shows them in person its alarming effects." Kolbert said she originally had intended to do a single story on the effects of climate change in the Arctic but was urged by David Remnick, editor of The New Yorker, to expand her reporting. With the ongoing political debate over climate change, Kolbert said, "I really did try to avoid a polemic." A doctor's use of science and skill may be the easiet part of patient care, Gawande wrote in his piece. But the best outcomes can depend on other, more nebulous factors "like aggressiveness and consistency and ingenuity." "Gawande's article described how doctors respond to the sometimes painful product of good scientific analysis," said Neil Munro of the National Journal, who served as a judge. Gawande said he views his reporting as an effort to revive the importance of individual case studies in elucidating the mysteries of disease. "It's journalism with a small j," he said. Television Joseph McMaster, Martin Williams, Lara Acaster, Alex Williams NOVA-WGBH "The Wave that Shook the World" 29 March 2005 The judges noted the thoroughness and timely production of the hour-long NOVA program that aired within three months of the 26 December 2004 earthquake and devastating Indian Ocean tsunami that struck Indonesia, Thailand, Sri Lanka and elsewhere. "A great combination of science and human drama," said Warren Leary of The New York Times. "A fine documentary done in a very timely manner." "Beyond the specifics of the scientific explanations, the production makes clear why the public needs to know 'scientific stuff,'" said Kathy Sawyer, a freelancer formerly with The Washington Post. She called it a "powerful combination" of reporting on science and the public interest. "Putting this film together was truly a team effort," said Joseph McMaster, who produced the program for NOVA. "Production began almost immediately after the tsunami and continued around the clock to bring this minute-by-minute account to television as quickly as possible." Given the magnitude of the event, he said, "I think everyone who worked on this film hoped that a piece of science journalism like this would, at the very least, help viewers make some sense of this disaster." The program was written by Martin Williams and directed by Lara Acaster and Alex Williams. Radio John Nielsen National Public Radio "Dolphin Necropsies" 21 March 2005 Nielsen took listeners on a hunt for clues on why 65 dolphins stranded themselves in a mangrove swamp near the town of Marathon in the Florida Keys. Many of the animals died. As marine scientists were cutting up the dolphin carcasses, Nielsen was on the scene, providing his audience a graphic experience in hands-on research as well as an intriguing description of the matriarchal dolphin society that may have triggered the stranding event. Dan Vergano of USA Today called the segment "a beautifully executed piece, with great use of on-the-scene sounds and very human quotes from the scientists involved." "This is a beautifully written piece that humanizes science in a way seldom seen," said Lauran Neergaard of the Associated Press. "You feel you're there, you feel [the scientist's] passion for his work." Nielsen said the story started out as a look at whether Navy sonar had affected the dolphins -- the evidence suggests it had not -- and turned to a closer look at Bill McClellan, the federal government's "go-to-guy" for marine mammal post mortems. "He turned out to be so interesting we just followed him," Nielsen said. Children's Science News Elizabeth Carney Scholastic's SuperScience "Mammoth Hunters" March 2005 Elizabeth Carney gave her young readers an inviting description of the field work by scientists who are studying the remains of an ancient mammoth in Siberia. Laura Helmuth of Smithsonian magazine commended Carney's use of "inviting, non-patronizing language," including the amusing image that a mammoth weighs more than 230 fourth graders. Carney, who wrote her story while working as an intern for Scholastic publications after completing a master's degree in biomedical journalism at New York University, also told her readers that many questions remain unanswered, such as why the mammoths died out. Her piece provides a vivid description of field work and gives kids the message, Helmuth said, that "they could go do this when they grow up." "Although it focuses on the topic of mammoths, the story sheds light on scientists' work altogether," said Arthur Landwehr of German Public Radio. "Children can easily understand how much work is involved with discovery, and how rewarding it can be." "I love children's writing," said Carney, who is now an editor at Current Psychiatry. She continues to freelance for Scholastic. "I'm very enthusiastic whenever they assign me a story," Carney said. The judges noted the quality of entries in this inaugural competition for the children's science news award, including several strong contenders from international media outlets. In addition to recruiting international entries aggressively, AAAS also included international reporters on the judging panel. The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) is the world's largest general scientific society, and publisher of the journal, Science (www.sciencemag.org). AAAS was founded in 1848, and includes some 262 affiliated societies and academies of science, serving 10 million individuals. Science has the largest paid circulation of any peer-reviewed general science journal in the world, with an estimated total readership of 1 million. The non-profit AAAS (www.aaas.org) is open to all and fulfills its mission to "advance science and serve society" through initiatives in science policy; international programs; science education; and more. For the latest research news, log onto EurekAlert!, www.eurekalert.org, the premier science-news Web site, a service of AAAS. Johnson & Johnson Pharmaceutical Research & Development, L.L.C. (J&JPRD) is a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, the world's most broad-based producer of healthcare products. J&JPRD, with its headquarters in Raritan, New Jersey (USA), has eleven sites throughout Europe and the United States. J&JPRD is leveraging drug discovery and drug development in a variety of therapeutic areas to address unmet medical needs worldwide. Combining innovation and experience, the company's major therapeutic areas of focus include hematology, oncology, infectious disease, neurology and psychiatry, pain and women's health. -- Daniel Grossman Print Journalist and Radio Producer 25 Hawthorne Street Watertown, MA 02472 617/923-9073 ******************** Science Cafe Takes Education Beyond Campus from the Daily Pilot (Newport Beach, Calif.) Brian Hart, a UC Irvine doctoral student in astrophysics, is taking science from the lecture halls to local bookstores, cafes and java joints. "People are curious about science, but many don't have time to sit through a big presentation," Hart said. To serve up science in easy-to-digest doses, Hart founded the Southern California Science Caf?, an informal group open to anyone who wants to learn about melting polar caps, cloning or other scientific topics. Hart modeled his Science Caf? on a program offered through the PBS series "NOVA scienceNOW" and Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society. http://www.dailypilot.com/education/story/ 29317p-42489c.html ******************** Water Vapor Feedback Is Rapidly Warming Europe A new report indicates that the vast majority of the rapid temperature increase recently observed in Europe is likely due to an unexpected greenhouse gas: water vapor. Elevated surface temperatures due to other greenhouse gases have enhanced water evaporation and contributed to a cycle that stimulates further surface temperature increases, according to a report in Geophysical Research Letters. The research could help to answer a long- debated Earth science question about whether the water cycle could strongly enhance greenhouse warming. Swiss researchers examined surface radiation measurements from 1995 to 2002 over the Alps in Central Europe and show strongly increasing total surface absorbed radiation, concurrent with rapidly increasing temperature. The authors, led by Rolf Philipona of the World Radiation Center in Davos, show experimentally that 70 percent of the rapid temperature increase is very likely caused by water vapor feedback. They indicate that remaining 30 percent is likely due to increasing manmade greenhouse gases. The researchers analyzed temperature and humidity changes over Europe, which jumped nearly three times above the levels predicted by general circulation models in the past two decades. They provide observational evidence that large-scale weather patterns in Europe influence annual average temperatures uniformly, but weakly. They suggest that their combined observations indicate that the region is experiencing an increasing greenhouse effect and that the dominant part of the rising heat emitted from the Earth's atmosphere (longwave radiation) is due to water vapor increase. After examining increased cloud cover to the north of the Alps and decreased cover to the south, the authors report that both sides of the mountain range experienced clear warming over the 1995-2002 period. While clouds are not entirely responsible for the warming, such findings correspond with previous cloud investigations showing that for midlatitudes, annual mean cloud cooling from the Sun (shortwave radiation) is roughly canceled by cloud warming caused by heat emitted by longwave radiation from the surface. The strong increase of longwave radiation is shown in the study to be due to increasing cloudiness, rising temperature, rising water vapor, and above all to long-lived manmade greenhouse gases. The scientists' radiation measurements in the Alps show that the various inputs, or forcings, can be separated and that manmade greenhouse forcing is measurable at Earth's surface. Above all, their measurements demonstrate strong water vapor feedback that rapidly warms Central and Northeastern Europe, where sufficient water is available from plants and the surface, known as evapotranspiration. *************************************************** Jobs Planktonnet: Great listserv for aquatic-science jobs To subscribe to the list, send an empty email to: planktonnet-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Or, visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/planktonnet/ and click on 'Join this group' AGU Congressional Science Fellowship Consider using your scientific expertise to help create sound public policy by working in the U.S. Congress. Applications are currently being accepted for the 2006 2007 AGU Congressional Science Fellowship. The Fellowship provides an opportunity to play an active part in the U.S. policy process by spending a year (September through August) on the staff of a congressional committee or on the staff of a House or Senate member, advising on a wide range of scientific issues as they pertain to public policy. Applicants are sought who have a broad background in science and are articulate, literate, flexible, and able to work well with people from diverse professional backgrounds. Applicants are not required to have experience in public policy, although such experience and/or a demonstrable interest in applying science to the solution of public problems are desirable. In their assignment, Fellows will be doing a variety of work, some of which may be directly related to their training, but all of which will put demands on their scientific education. For this reason it is very important that prospective Fellows have a broad background in science. All members of AGU who are citizens or permanent residents of the United States are invited to apply. Candidates must be members of or applying for membership in AGU. Though the program is aimed at early to mid-career geophysicists with a doctorate degree, there are no restrictions on age, educational or career level, or specific scientific background. Ph.D. candidates should be sure that work on their degree will be completed prior to the commencement of the program year since experience has shown that fellows do not have time to work on their thesis. Degree candidates should include among their references a letter from their adviser stating the status of their thesis and the anticipated date of completion. The Fellowship carries a stipend of up to $49,000, health insurance, plus travel allowance. The deadline for applications is 1 February 2006. For further details and application instructions, visit the AGU Web site: http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/policy/congress_fellows.html or contact Catherine O'Riordan at +1-202-777-7501 or e-mail coriordan@agu.org. ******************** Harvard University Center for the Environment, Environmental Fellows Program The Harvard University Center for the Environment, Environmental Fellows Program enables Environmental Fellows to work for two years with Harvard faculty members. The fellowship will provide an annual salary of $50,000 plus health insurance, other benefits, and a $5,000 allowance for travel and professional expenses. Applications and all letters of reference must be received by the Center for the Environment by January 15, 2006. David.havelick@gmail.com. ******************** Smithsonian Magazine Internship, 1/3/06 start Smithsonian Magazine seeks an Intern for its Washington, D.C. office. The incumbent is responsible for providing editorial support to the Executive Editor as well as the staff of the Editorial Department. This is a paid position beginning January 3, 2006 and continuing for six (6) months. Responsibilities Include: Producing articles and possible supplementary reporting and research Reporting and writing 12 to 18 "Around the Mall" articles; two or three department articles (such as Indelible Images or People File); and possibly a feature article Providing reporting to supplement articles written by others Covering conferences, lectures and other goings-on within the Institution or in the Washington, DC Metro area of interest to the magazine as background information for current or future articles Qualifications: Must have a undergraduate or graduate degree Several writing samples and a proven interest in and aptitude for magazine journalism Incumbent should be fluent in Microsoft Office applications and Mac experience helpful Skilled in communicating orally and in writing, with clarity necessary to carry out duties in an efficient and effective manner The ability to handle several projects at once under deadline pressure Interested Applicants: To apply, please send your cover letter and resume to: Smithsonian Magazine Attention: Human Resources-Corporate/Magazines RE: Magazine Intern - Editorial (#SBV-06-0100) MRC 951, PO Box 37012 Washington, DC 20013-7012 Applications may be faxed to 202-233-0249, or e-mailed to apply750@hotmail.com. You may also reference the job vacancy announcement on www.si.edu http://www.si.edu/ (announcement # SBV-06-0100). No phone calls please. Relocation will not be paid. Resumes will not be considered without salary expectations. EOE. This is not a federal civil service position. ******************** American Australian Association Fellowships (Marine Science, etc.) We recently extended the deadline for applications for the Sir Keith Murdoch fellowships to November 15, 2005. The American Australian Association is the largest non-profit organization in the United States devoted to relations between the United States and Australia and New Zealand. The American Australian Association?s Education Fund (AAAEF) makes annual awards available to US fellows to pursue studies in Australia. Applications are now being accepted for four Sir Keith Murdoch fellowships totaling US $80,000 (individual fellowships up to US$20,000) for 2006. A link to the information (application forms, full program details etc) on our website is: http://www.americanaustralian.org/ Educational/ The fellowships are to be awarded to outstanding Americans - doing advanced (graduate and post doctoral) research or study in Australia in the following fields: engineering medicine mining life sciences particularly in the fields of: oceanography/marine sciences stem cell research We would be grateful if you could inform relevant departments and graduate students who may be interested in the fellowships of the deadline extension. Any further enquiries may be directed to our Director of Corporate Relations & Education, Mr. Gabriel Saffioti on 212-338-6860 or Gabriel.saffioti@aaanyc.org ******************** Faculty Position: Ecology/Ecosystem Science School of Natural Sciences, University of California, Merced Position Code: ASNS299A Position Title: Assistant Professor Description: The University of California is creating a dynamic new university campus and campus community in Merced, California, which opened in September 2005 as the tenth campus of the University of California and the first American research university built in the 21st century. In keeping with the mission of the University to provide teaching, research and public service of the highest quality, UC Merced will be providing new educational opportunities at the undergraduate, masters and doctoral levels through three academic schools: Engineering, Natural Sciences and Social Sciences/Humanities/ Arts. The School of Natural Sciences invites applications at the level of Assistant Professor in the area of Ecology or Ecosystem Science, particularly those who employ quantitative analytical approaches (e.g., computational methods, remote sensing, isotopic, molecular/ chemical, or genomic measurements) to studies of terrestrial, wetlands, and/or aquatic ecosystems. We encourage applicants who complement our current faculty strengths in hydrology, geochemistry, ecology, genomics, environmental monitoring, and spatial analysis. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to participate in the Sierra Nevada Research Institute, a research unit at UC Merced focusing on environmental issues in the valley and Sierra Nevada, as well as partnerships with other UC campuses and national laboratories. The University of California at Merced is an affirmative action/ equal opportunity employer with a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of diversity among its faculty, staff, and students. The University is supportive of dual career couples. Qualifications: Applicants must have a Ph.D. in ecology, biology, ecosystem science, biogeosciences, or related field, and a record of research commensurate with a faculty appointment at the University of California. Expertise in ecology or ecosystem science may include one or more of the following areas: landscape ecology; animal or plant population/community dynamics; ecosystem energy and mass cycling; biogeography; ecosystem and biodiversity resilience and evolution; human/ecosystem interactions or urban ecology; ecosystem resources and sustainability. Interest in the study of temperate montane environments and activities associated with the Sierra Nevada Research Institute is desirable. Applicants should have the ability to interact with colleagues from a broad range of disciplines in environmental sciences, and a strong interest in developing interdisciplinary and multidisciplinary undergraduate and graduate curricula and research programs. Closing Date: 11/30/2005 To Apply: Interested applicants are required to submit 1) a cover letter 2) curriculum vitae 3) statement of research 4) statement of teaching and 5) a list of four references with contact information including mailing address, phone number and e-mail address. Please do not submit individual letters of recommendation. All applications must be submitted electronically at: http://jobs.ucmerced.edu/view_academic_position.faces?positionId=299 For more information: Please contact Professor Peggy O'Day, search committee chair (poday@ucmerced.edu). ******************** Chemical Oceanographer Humboldt State University seeks to fill a tenure-track chemical oceanography position in the Department of Oceanography. For the complete announcement, including qualifications and application guidelines, visit http://www.humboldt.edu/~facpers (see HSU Faculty Positions, Job #7328) or contact Dr. Greg Crawford, Dept. Oceanography, 1 Harpst St., Arcata, CA 95521-8299; phone: 707-826-3466; email: gbc3@humboldt.edu. Priority application deadline: January 6, 2006. HSU is an AA/EOE/Title IX employer. ******************** Assistant Or Associate Professor Of Icthyology Or Fish Ecology, University Of New England Marine Ichthyologist University of New England invites applications for a 9-month tenure-track assistant professorship in the Department of Biological Sciences to conduct research in the Marine Science Center (MSC) and teach introductory biology and advanced courses in specialty areas Requirements include a doctoral degree in a biological field, a demonstrated commitment to teaching and an ability to develop and maintain a research program that includes undergraduates and Masters level students. This position will have a reduced teaching load during the first year, with possible performance-based extensions, in order to encourage the development of an active externally funded research program. The position will be located at the Marine Science Center on the Biddeford campus of the University of New England. The successful candidate will be expected to develop an active research program involving the MSC and its facilities, to mentor undergraduate and masters level students, as well as to teach introductory biology and advanced courses in the candidate?s field of expertise. Candidates with research interests, that incorporate use of the MSC facility, study local fauna or flora, and that complement existing departmental needs will be given preference. Research areas may include, but are not limited to, trophic dynamics, zooplankton ecology/development, population genetics, evolutionary ecology and/or integrative biology. Review of applications will begin December 2005 and will continue until the position is filled. Send CV, statements of teaching philosophy and research interests, and have forwarded 3 letters of recommendation electronically to: Isabelle Yokana at Iyokana@UNE.edu . UNE is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer and strongly encourages candidates of diverse backgrounds. ******************** Grassroots Outreach Coordinator - American Wind Energy Association The Grassroots Outreach Coordinator will develop written content and implement strategies and processes for grassroots support for the Association?s public policy agenda and involve the Association?s membership directly in support of that agenda Requirements: A Bachelor's degree in Journalism, Communications, Public Relations, Political Science or related field and a minimum of 2 years related experience or equivalent combination. Among other requirements, the successful candidate must have demonstrated experience in establishing and operating a grassroots capability on the state and/or federal level; exceptional writing and verbal communications skills; proofreading and editing skills; ability to explain technical concepts to diverse audiences in writing; knowledge of website development and maintenance Required Education: 4 Year Degree NOTES: Local Residents Preferred (No Relo). Please send resume and salary requirements for the specific position preferably by e- mail to LO@awea.org or by regular mail to The American Wind Energy Association Attn: Grassroots Outreach Coordinator 1101 14th Street NW, Suite 1200 Washington, DC 20005. ******************** Researcher/Writer Needed for the Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) The Biotechnology Industry Organization (BIO) representing over 1100 biotechnology companies and academic institutions is seeking someone to provide article, testimony, speech writing, and public speaking preparatory needs and research for President and senior staff. Must be strong, independent researcher and concise, disciplined writer with the ability to understand and develop messages for a wide range of issues and audiences including legislative, financial, and industry. Requirements: Must be able to work in a team-oriented environment to gain knowledge about policy positions that the organization has developed. Some media relations opportunities. Health care, science, media relations and legislative background assets. For more info or to apply: http://asi.careerhq.org/jobdetail.cfm? job=2230048& ******************** Communications Director A newly formed technology trade association with global membership based in Washington, DC is seeking a dynamic individual to drive its media relations and communications programs. Communications Director - Reporting to the Executive Director, this seasoned professional will have an integral role executing all of the communications efforts for this prestigious organization. Key responsibilities will include: ? Assisting in the development of the organization's communications plan ? Writing and editing of material for press releases, bylined articles, collateral, and newsletters ? Drafting memos and position papers ? Acting as the primary contact for Media Relations ? Assisting in determining story angles, responding to media inquiries, and managing ongoing relationships with targeted media outlets Qualifications: ? Bachelor's degree in English, Journalism, Marketing, Political Science, or a related field ? 8-10 years' experience in public affairs and technology public relations and/or journalism ? Established relationships with Washington press corps ? Experience serving as a primary media contact for an organization ? Ability to speak and write clearly, helping to articulate positioning and strategy ? Experience working with political advocacy or lobbying organizations ? Ability to develop and implement a strategic communications plan ? Thorough understanding of global communications management ? Ability to discuss and interpret technical issues to others and to respond appropriately to all incoming requests from all external resources ? Detailed understanding of issues management and ability to work issues through to successful completion ? Ability to juggle multiple projects and deadlines, with excellent organizational skills ? Excellent communicator with the ability to work with the Board, the press and internal and external staff at all levels We offer challenging work combined with a rewarding company culture in small company atmosphere. Our employees receive top-notch benefits and much more! To respond to this opportunity, please go to: http:// www.MyChoiceEngine.com/Role/15149 Carrie D. Wolinetz, Ph.D Associate Director for Communications Office of Public Affairs Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814-3998 Phone: 301/634-7650; Fax: 301/634-7651 Cell: 301/922-5641 ******************** Applicants Wanted for AIP and APS Congressional Fellowships Subject: FYI #153: Congressional Fellowships The American Institute of Physics Bulletin of Science Policy News Number 153: October 28, 2005 The American Institute of Physics and the American Physical Society are seeking applicants for their 2006-2007 Congressional Science Fellowships. Are you interested in the nexus between science and government? Do you wish to make a personal contribution by helping to inform the legislative and policy decisions that are made on Capitol Hill? If so, you should consider applying to the AIP and APS Congressional Science Fellowship programs. APPLICATION MATERIALS ARE DUE BY JANUARY 15 (postmarked). Please see below for further information on applying. For physicists who want to apply their knowledge and skills beyond the lab bench, and who believe there is a need for technical advice and analysis in the conduct of national policy, the Fellowships are an opportunity to make a difference. They enable qualified scientists to spend a year on Capitol Hill, working in the office of a Member of Congress or for a congressional committee. Fellows work with congressional offices to select an assignment. They do not act as representatives of AIP or APS during their time on Capitol Hill; their only responsibility is to the congressional office in which they choose to serve. Recent Fellows have contributed their talents to issues as diverse as energy efficiency, nuclear waste and power safety, digital music copyrights, homeland security, Native American issues, and judicial misconduct. Many former Fellows have gone on to help craft Administration science policy by serving in the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy or in federal S&T departments and agencies. Others return to academia or industry, while some accept permanent staff positions on Capitol Hill. Since 1988, AIP has been one of the 20-30 professional societies which sponsor Fellows under a program organized by the American Association for the Advancement of Science. APS has participated in the AAAS Fellowship program since its inception in 1973. Two other AIP Member Societies, the American Geophysical Union and the Optical Society of America, also sponsor Congressional Science Fellows under the auspices of AAAS. Scientists of all ages and career levels are encouraged to apply. Applicants to the AIP and APS Congressional Fellowships should have a PhD in physics or a closely related field. In exceptional cases, the PhD requirement may be waived for candidates with compensating research experience. While a Fellow must have the scientific qualifications to be a credible representative of the science community on Capitol Hill, he or she should also have demonstrated an interest in broader societal concerns and the application of science to their solution. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, APS members for the APS Fellowship, and current members of one or more of the ten AIP Member Societies for the AIP Fellowship. If the society membership requirements are met, one application suffices for both the AIP and APS Congressional Fellowship programs. FOR THE AIP AND APS CONGRESSIONAL SCIENCE FELLOWSHIPS, ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS MUST BE POSTMARKED BY JANUARY 15, 2006. For details on the required application materials, how to apply, and where to send applications for any of the physics-related Congressional Fellowship Programs, please see the following web sites: AIP and Member Society Congressional Science Fellowships: For AIP: http://www.aip.org/gov/cf.html For APS: http:// www.aps.org/public_affairs/fellow/ For AGU: http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/policy/sci_pol.html For OSA: http://www.osa.org/publicpolicy/fellowships/ The American Institute of Physics, with a contribution from the American Astronomical Society, also sponsors at least one AIP State Department Science Fellow each year. This Fellowship program enables scientists to spend a year working in a bureau of the U.S. Department of State, providing scientific and technological expertise to help inform the foreign policy process. The application deadline for this program is November 1, 2005; readers who are interested in applying for future years should please see the following web site for more information on this program: AIP State Department Science Fellowship: http://www.aip.org/gov/ sdf.html If, as a scientist, you wish to perform a public service and make a contribution to the nation's domestic or foreign policy, these programs are intended to provide such an opportunity. Audrey T. Leath Media and Government Relations Division The American Institute of Physics fyi@aip.org www.aip.org/gov (301) 209-3094 ******************** Outstanding New Research Positions On Climate Change At The Tyndall Centre And The Institute For Environmental Studies (IVM) The Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research in the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia is seeking up to six experienced and outstanding individuals to take leading roles in the ADAM Project (2006-2009), newly funded by the European Commission. 1x Senior Research Coordinator (?35,245 to ?43,850 per annum) 5 x Senior Researcher posts (?27,929 to ?36,959 per annum) ? Climate change policy and governance ? Policy analysis and appraisal ? Participatory appraisal of climate change policy ? Economics of climate change impacts ? Vulnerability and adaptation Further particulars are available at (closing date for the Tyndall positions is 25 November 2005): http://www.uea.ac.uk/env/ vacancies/RA208-213.doc The Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam is looking for a researcher (for three years) in environmental science, social science, or policy studies to join the work on the Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies: Supporting European Climate Policy (ADAM) project that is funded by the European Union. The researcher will work in a multidisciplinary research team on the development and application of a highly innovative methodology for the appraisal of climate change policy options. Further particulars for the IVM positions will be available from ca 8/9th November at: http://www.ivm.falw.vu.nl/ivm_vacancies ******************** Environmental Anthropologist - Assistant Professor, Dept. of Sociology & Anthropology, Florida International University The Department of Sociology & Anthropology invites applicants for a tenure-track position as Assistant Professor, to start in Fall 2006. The Department seeks a specialist in environmental anthropology or sociology with expertise in Latin American or Caribbean development and change. Preference will be given to candidates with an active research agenda and potential for external research funding. Applicants must submit a letter describing research and teaching interests, a curriculum vitae, a writing sample, and three letters of reference by January 10, 2006 to: Chair, Environmental Search Committee, Department of Sociology & Anthropology, DM 334, Florida International University, University Park Campus, Miami, FL 33199. FIU is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action Employer. ******************** Faculty Position, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Department of Geography Position in the human dimensions of global and regional change. The Department of Geography at UNC Chapel Hill seeks a broadly trained individual whose research and teaching can contribute to high- quality research and teaching programs in human dimensions of global environmental change or human-environment interactions. The Department of Geography has a strong commitment to multi-disciplinary and inter-disciplinary research and teaching, and provides opportunities for interactions with other academic units and research centers. It is expected that the successful candidate will contribute to at least two of the department's five major concentrations and to its commitment to expanding externally funded research programs in the department and across the university. Deadline for receipt of all application materials is 10 December 2005. The position will begin in July, 2006. A Ph.D. degree in Geography or a related field is required by date of employment. Applicants should send a letter of application, curriculum vitae, a statement of research and teaching interests, and names and contact information for four referees. The University of North Carolina is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply. Application material should be sent to Human Dimensions Position, Department of Geography, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3220. Submissions by email cannot be accepted. For additional information contact Professor John Pickles, Search Committee Chair: jpickles@unc.edu. ******************** Tenure Track Faculty Position in the Atmospheric Sciences, Dept. of Environmental Sciences at the Univ. of Virginia The Department of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professorship in the atmospheric sciences. Consideration will be given to highly qualified candidates at higher ranks. The Department is an interdisciplinary community of scientists representing the atmospheric sciences, ecology, geosciences, and hydrology. The Department offers B.A., B.S., M.S., M.A. and Ph.D. degrees. We strongly encourage prospective candidates to review our Departmental web site (http://www.evsc.virginia.edu/) prior to applying. Preference will be given to candidates whose research emphasizes mesoscale processes and/or linkages between the mesoscale and the micro or synoptic scales. We especially encourage applications from scientists whose research and teaching strengths and interests show promise for capitalizing on the unique interdisciplinary nature of the Department. The successful candidate will be expected to develop programs in research and teaching at both the undergraduate and graduate levels and to participate in teaching our undergraduate core course in the atmospheric sciences. Applicants must provide evidence of high- quality research and a strong commitment to teaching. Candidates should have a Ph.D. in atmospheric sciences, meteorology, or a related discipline. Send statements of research and teaching interests, curriculum vitae, and the names and addresses of three referees to: Joseph Zieman, Professor and Chair Department of Environmental Sciences P.O. Box 400123 University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA 22904-4123 For immediate review, applications must be received by 16 December 2005; however, the position may remain open until filled. We especially encourage applications from under-represented groups. The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. ******************** Post Doctoral Positions in Regional Atmospheric Modelling and Data Assimilation The atmospheric modelling group of the Waterloo Centre for Atmospheric Sciences (WCAS) has two new positions at the Post Doctoral Level. The WCAS modelling group is a collaborative research centre that works on meteorology and chemical transport modelling of atmospheric processes in North America using the MM5 and WRF meteorology models and the Models-3/CMAQ CTM system.. The WCAS provides a local weather forecast service at http:// www.forecast.uwaterloo.ca and also carries out an extensive program of long range chemical transport studies with a focus on ozone, mercury and persistent organic pollutants. The new appointees will work on model development and application with a focus on aerosol formation and heterogeneous processes in CTM systems and data assimilation for application to an air quality forecasting system currently under development. Our regional modelling group currently consists of approximately 15 personnel at the graduate and post doctoral levels. In addition to PDF level scientific personnel, the group includes a meteorologist and a computer systems specialist. Computations are done on an 80- processor Linux cluster operated by the Waterloo Centre for Atmospheric Sciences. Applicants with previous experience in regional atmospheric modelling and data assimilation procedures will be given preference. Further information on the technical aspects of the work may be obtained from Professor J.J. Sloan, WCAS Research Director (http:// www.science.uwaterloo.ca/~sloanj). The WCAS is located at the University of Waterloo (http:// www.uwaterloo.ca/) in the Kitchener-Waterloo urban area (http:// win.uwaterloo.ca/win/), which has a population of approximately 250,000, and is surrounded by a pleasant, mostly agricultural, rural region. Applications, including a full CV, should be sent immediately to: Mrs. Yoga Arumugam Waterloo Centre for Atmospheric Sciences University of Waterloo Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1 CANADA Tel: +1 519 888 4567 Ext: 6667 Fax: +1 519 746 0435 e-mail: wcas@uwaterloo.ca http://www.wcas.uwaterloo.ca ******************** Assistant Professor - Climatology - Dept. of Geography, University of Alabama ALABAMA, TUSCALOOSA 35487-0322. The University of Alabama. Department of Geography. The Department of Geography invites applications for a full-time, tenure track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor beginning August 2006. We are seeking a physical geographer with a specialization in Climatology. A Ph.D. in geography is required and must be completed at the time of appointment. Teaching responsibilities include introductory courses in physical geography and upper division and graduate courses in climatology and other areas of specialization. A commitment to improving the physical geography program, excellence in teaching, and an active research agenda is expected. Applicants should provide a personal statement of background and experience relevant to this position, curriculum vitae, and the names and contact information for three references. The review of applications will begin January 2, 2006 and continue until the position is filled. Apply: David Shankman, Search Committee Chair, Department of Geography, Box 870322, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL 35487-0322. Email: Shankman@bama.ua.edu. For more information visit our website at www.as.ua.edu/geography. AA/EOE employer Assistant or Assoc. Prof. of Earth System Science, Geological Sciences Dept. University of Texas at El Paso (see below for details) ******************** Assistant Or Associate Professor Of Earth System Science, Geological Sciences Department DESCRIPTION: The Department of Geological Sciences, University of Texas at El Paso, is inviting applications for a full time tenure- track position in earth system science at either the assistant or associate rank, beginning in September 2006. We seek applicants with research and teaching interests that include the interactions of the atmosphere, lithosphere, hydrosphere, and biosphere; earth-surface processes; isotope geochemistry; geobiology; soil science; and/or basin analysis. We are particularly interested in finding candidates with a strong interdisciplinary focus who are also intrigued by the prospect of exploring environmental challenges that stem from urban development in a bi-national arid region. The Department of Geological Sciences supports undergraduate, M.S., and Ph.D. degrees in Geological Sciences as well as interdisciplinary undergraduate, M.S., and Ph.D. programs in Environmental Science and Engineering. The candidates are expected to teach introductory classes as well as upper division and graduate classes that serve both the Environmental and Geological Sciences. The Department is in a spacious building that contains extensive analytical and computing facilities and has excellent capabilities in remote sensing, GIS and environmental geophysics that can be applied to research. In addition, the collaborative research environment on our campus affords easy access to a superb variety of analytical equipment in other departments. For more information about activities and facilities, visit our web site at http://www.geo.utep.edu QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED: The candidates must have Ph.D. degrees at the time of appointment. We are seeking candidates capable of building active research programs and who enjoy collaborative research. APPLICATION PROCEDURE: Candidates should send a letter of application, curriculum vitae, description of teaching and research interests, and the names of three people willing to provide professional references to: Diane Doser, Chair Department of Geological Sciences, The University of Texas at El Paso, El Paso, Texas 79968, doser@geo.utep.edu. Review of applications will begin immediately, but applications received prior to January 10, 2006 will be given the highest consideration. Underrepresented groups are encouraged to apply. The University is also a recipient of a National Science Foundation ADVANCE Institutional Transformation Award to increase the participation of women in academic science and engineering careers. The ADVANCE initiative includes an active dual career partner program. ******************** Lecturers and a tenure-track opening - Dept. of Environmental Studies at San Jos? State University, San Jos?, California Dept. of Environmental Studies at San Jose State University (Subject to Budgetary Approval) Alternative Energy Resources Job Requisition Number (JRN): 012068 Rank: Assistant Professor, Tenure Track Qualifications: The Department of Environmental Studies at San Jose State University seeks a teacher-researcher with analytical and policy skills in *alternative energy resources *and a Ph.D. in a natural science, social science or interdisciplinary science. Applicants with expertise in environmental education, policy and law, economics, and/or writing will also be considered. Candidates should have an energetic commitment to quality interaction with students at both undergraduate and graduate levels, as well as a strong background in qualitative and/or quantitative environmental research methods. Candidates should have experience applying their academic training to solving environmental problems. International experience and outlook are considered assets. Awareness of and sensitivity to the educational goals of a multi-cultural population as might have been gained in cross-cultural study, training, teaching and other comparable experience are highly valued. Applicants should have awareness of and sensitivity to the educational goals of a multicultural population as might have been gained in cross-cultural study, training, teaching and other comparable experience. Responsibilities: The main teaching responsibilities will be the Environmental Studies core courses, energy courses and other courses in the applicant's specialties. Candidates should be prepared to teach the lower division introductory Environmental Studies lecture class as well as upper division and graduate courses in research methods and environmental analysis. Other undergraduate responsibilities include advising students, and supervising internships, directed readings, and special projects. Additionally, applicants must be willing to supervise graduate research leading to the Masters of Science theses. The applicant should have a defined research program and be willing to seek external funding to support research and department activities. A record of both effective teaching and scholarly professional achievements is essential for tenure and promotion. Candidate must address the needs of a student population of great diversity - in age, cultural background, ethnicity, primary language and academic preparation - through course materials, teaching strategies and advisement. Salary Range: Commensurate with qualifications and experience. Starting Date: August 21, 2006 Eligibility: Employment is contingent upon proof of eligibility to work in the United States. Application Procedures: For full consideration send a letter of application, vita, statement of teaching interests/philosophy and research plans, and contact information for at least three references, and facsimile of graduate transcripts by December 31, 2005, to: Dr. Rachel O'Malley, Chair, Search Committee, JRN# 012068 Please include Job Requisition Department of Environmental Studies Number (JRN) on all correspondence. San Jos? State University One Washington Square San Jos?, CA 95192-0115 Applications must be postmarked by December 31, 2005. Please do not send applications via email. Letters of recommendation should not be included in the initial application. Allowances can be made for unavoidable delays in providing academic transcripts. For further information about this position, call Dr. Rachel O'Malley at (408) 924-5424 or email her at romalley@email.sjsu.edu ******************** Spring 2006 Lecturer positions - Department of Environmental Studies at San Jose State University The Department of Environmental Studies seeks lecturers for up to nine courses in Spring 2006: EnvS 001 (Introduction to Environmental Issues), EnvS 010 (Life on a Changing Planet), EnvS 110 (Resource Management), EnvS 125 (Advanced Environmental Law), EnvS 128 (Water Resource Management), EnvS 130 (Energy Policy Analysis), EnvS 132 (Solar Home Design), EnvS 158 (EnvS for Teachers) and EnvS 270 (Graduate Field Studies in Water Analysis). General Qualifications: Applicants must have an M.S. or Ph.D. in Environmental Science or Studies or a related field. University-level teaching experience is preferred. Professional experience, in addition to the M.S., will also be considered. Applicants must be well organized, energetic, and able to provide a supportive learning experience to students from a wide variety of personal and professional backgrounds. The first day of instruction for the 16- week semester is January 24, 2006. Specific Qualifications for the Course: In addition to the General Qualifications, applicants must meet the following course- specific requirements. Introduction to Environmental Issues (EnvS 001) 2 sections Applicants must have a strong background in the environmental and/or interdisciplinary sciences and the interest in teaching a broad range of students. Course Description: This course teaches students about the effects human activities have on the natural environment and our quality of life at a base level. Topics include technical and social cases of environmental degradation; how personal and career choices can protect the environment for current and future generations. Course Schedule: 2 sections: Mondays & Wednesdays 0900-1015, 1030-1145 Life on a Changing Planet (EnvS 010) 5 sections Applicants must have a degree or strong background in the biological sciences. Demonstrated understanding of environmental issues and expertise in at least one environmental issue are essential. Course Description: This course introduces students to basic knowledge and theory in the life sciences using the theme of environmental change to illustrate biological principles. This is a General Education B2 (Life Sciences) course and, as such, has required assignments and assessment procedures. Course Schedule: 5 sections: Mondays & Wednesdays 0900-1015, 1030-1145, 1630-1745 Tuesdays & Thursdays 0900-1015, 1200-1314 Resource Analysis. Quantitative analysis of Earth's natural resources. (EnvS 110) 1 section Applicants must have a degree or strong background in chemistry, physics, biology or another relevant quantitative field. Course Description: Topics typically include the status and trends of resources such as topsoil, agriculture, water, energy, wildlife, and the impacts of human population growth on these resources. Emphasis is on problem solving and computational methods applied to resource management problems. Course Schedule: 1 section: Thursdays 4:30-7:15 Advanced Environmental Law (EnvS 125) 1 section Applicants should have a JD degree with experience in environmental policy and law. Course Description: Detailed evaluation of practical environmental law problems. Students use an interdisciplinary approach, combining evaluation of technical data with review and application of law and policy. Extensive legal analysis and writing. Course Schedule: 1 section: Mondays 1630-1915 Water Resource Management (EnvS128) 1 section Applicants should have a relevant degree and substantial course work in a water resource science, such as hydrology, limnology, or environmental engineering. Professional and/or academic experience in the field will be considered. Course Description: This course gives students both a technical and managerial view of water uses and supplies, water resource measurement methods, basic hydrology, sediment dynamics, flood control, watershed management, and water quality. Course Schedule: 1 section: Tuesdays & Thursdays 0900-1015 Energy Policy Analysis (EnvS130) 1 section Applicants should have a relevant degree and substantial course work in Energy policy or law. Professional and/or academic experience in the field will be considered. Course Description: This course focuses on energy policy legislation. It discusses techniques to objectively judge the impact of policy decisions, and to propose alternative policies that might mitigate specific environmental impacts, reduce economic penalties, or contribute to the national welfare. Course Schedule: 1 session: Wednesdays 1800-2045 Solar Home Design (EnvS 132) 1 section Applicants should have a relevant degree and substantial course work, as well as professional and/or academic experience in passive solar and green building design. Course Description: This course covers techniques for designing environmentally-sensitive, healthy, passive solar homes via site selection, energy conservation, lighting, non-hazardous natural building materials; and includes residential passive solar heating and cooling approaches for retrofits and new construction. For homeowners, teachers, professional designers and architects. Course Schedule: 1 section: Fridays 0900-1145 Environmental Studies for Teachers (EnvS 158) 1 section Applicants should have a relevant degree and certificate and substantial course work as well as professional and/or academic experience in environmental and/or teacher education. Course Description: This course is designed for students interested in teaching in elementary or middle schools, but is also applicable to high school teachers, as well as outdoor educators, science camp counselors, park guides, and other types of environmental educators. This is the core requirement class for students pursuing the B.A. in Environmental Studies, Preparation for Teaching. Course Schedule: 1 section Tuesdays 4:30-7:15 Graduate Field Studies in Water Analysis (EnvS 270) Please see EnvS129 requirements, above. Course Description: An intensive field investigation of water resource agencies and projects to acquaint resource managers, environmental quality specialists and other interested students with water projects and water resource monitoring. Course Schedule: 1 section: Thursdays 1800-2045 Application Procedures: Please send a letter of application, vitae, and names of three professional references, and an informal copy of your graduate transcripts by November 15, 2005 to: Dr. Rachel O'Malley, Chair San Jose State University Department of Environmental Studies One Washington Square San Jose, CA 95192-0115 For more information, email Dr. O'Malley at romalley@email.sjsu.edu. General Information: The Department of Environmental Studies was founded in 1970 and serves approximately 150 undergraduate majors and 50 graduate students. It grants B.S., B.A., and M.S. degrees. There are four full- time faculty members, complemented by several lecturers who teach specialty classes. Visit: http://www.sjsu.edu/depts/envstudies/ for more information on the Department of Environmental /Studies. San Jose State University, California's oldest institution of public higher learning is located on the southern end of San Francisco Bay in downtown San Jose. San Jose State University enrolls approximately 30,000 students, a significant percentage of who are members of minority groups. The University is committed to increasing the diversity of its faculty so our disciplines, students, and the community can benefit from multiple ethnic and gender perspectives. San Jose State University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer committed to the core values of inclusion, civility, and respect for each individual. Reasonable accommodations are made for Applicants with disabilities who self-disclose. ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20051111/0f08568a/attachment.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Mon Nov 14 16:09:52 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Mon Nov 14 16:10:41 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 11/04/05 Message-ID: My apologies for a late posting on this -- ! DIALOG and DISCCRS News 11/04/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS SCIENCE NEWS New climate change institute to be established in Australia (See Below) Effects of seasonal climate forecasts and participatory workshops among subsistence farmers in Zimbabwe (2005). (See Below) NSF Awards 17 Grants for Research on Biocomplexity in the Environment http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pr05189 Climate Study Warns Of Warming And Losses Of Arctic Tundra http://tinyurl.com/8567n FORUM SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS Complex Physical, Biological And Social Systems-- Intensive Study of Complex Systems Concepts & Methods (See Below) The Ethical Dimensions of Climate Change -- a side event to the United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 11 and COP/MOP 1) at the Palais des Congr?s de Montr?al (8 November to 9 December 2005) will be held on Monday, December 5th at 6:00 pm in Room 2. http://rockethics.psu.edu/climate/index.htm JOBS Assistant Professor of Society and Ecosystem Management, University of California at Berkeley College of Natural Resources (See Below) Climate Change Program Specialist Grade: GS-13/14 - Office of Environment and Science Policy of the USAID/Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade (EGAT/ESP/GCC) (See Below) Tenure-Track Faculty Position, Environmental Systems/Policy at Johns Hopkins University (See Below) Social-Science Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Center for Technology in Government, SUNY at Albany (See Below) Two (2) Faculty Positions in Chemistry, Old Dominion University (See Below) Faculty Position, Marine Ecotoxicology, San Diego State University http://www.bio.sdsu.edu/jobs 8 post-doc fellowships at Harvard University's Center for the Environment Application deadline January 15, 2006 http://www.environment.harvard.edu/navigation2/funding.htm Assistant Professor in Environmental Studies at Rowan University http://www.rowan.edu/elan/jobs/07ENVIRONMENTSTUDIES.htm *************************************************** Resources *************************************************** Science News Check out this section both for news tidbits, and for examples of how to communicate science to a non-scientist audience. New climate change institute to be established in Australia A $10 million grant from an Australian philanthropic group will fund a bold five-year publicity campaign to persuade Australians of the dangers of climate change and the need for governments to take urgent action. The funds will be used to establish a new organisation, the Climate Institute (Australia) Ltd. The Climate Institute will develop a five-year action agenda to alert the public to the threats posed by global warming and the economic opportunities of shifting to a low- carbon future. Speaking at the announcement of the initiative in Sydney, the Chair of the new Institute Dr Clive Hamilton said: ?Climate change is the most serious problem facing humanity. This exceptional donation will enable the formation of a body dedicated to shifting the debate to ensure the crisis is addressed and dealt with.? ?This issue can no longer be left to the evasions and window- dressing that currently characterise Australia?s greenhouse policy, nor the pick-and-choose approach of the Federal Government?s Asia- Pacific Partnership?. ?As the nation with the industrialised world?s highest per capita greenhouse gas emissions Australia has an obligation to show the way. We should be world leaders rather than laggards. This initiative is a huge boost to efforts to create a compelling electoral imperative so that governments can no longer continue to avoid their responsibility to introduce policies to cut greenhouse gas emissions.? The funding of A$10 million (US$7.5 million) comes through Eve Kantor and Mark Wootton of the Poola Charitable Foundation. The Climate Institute will establish a campaign office in Sydney. Former NSW Premier the Hon. Bob Carr has accepted an invitation to chair the Institute?s Advisory Council. Contact: Clive Hamilton (61) (2) 6125 1270 0413 993 223 exec@tai.org.au Web: www.tai.org.au ******************** Effects of seasonal climate forecasts and participatory workshops among subsistence farmers in Zimbabwe (2005). Anthony Patt, Pablo Suarez, and Chiedza Gwata. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. 102 (article not available online) Abstract: Improvements in the ability to model El Ni?o and other large-scale interannual climate variations have allowed for the development of seasonal climate forecasts, predicting rainfall and temperature anomalies for many places around the world. These forecasts have allowed developing countries to predict shortfalls in grain yields, with benefits for food security. Several countries communicate the forecasts to subsistence farmers, which could allow them to mitigate the effects of drought on their harvests by adapting their cropping decisions accordingly. However, it has not been demonstrated that subsistence farmers benefit from having access to the forecasts. Here we present evidence of subsistence farmers using the forecasts over multiple years to make different decisions and significantly improving their harvests when they do so. In a controlled study, farmers in Zimbabwe who reported adapting their farming methods to seasonal climate forecasts significantly improved their harvests over baseline amounts. Moreover, farmers who had attended a brief workshop and learned more about the forecasts were significantly more likely to use the forecasts than were farmers who learned of the forecasts through nonparticipatory channels. *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings Complex Physical, Biological And Social Systems-- Intensive Study of Complex Systems Concepts & Methods SPEAKER: Prof. Yaneer Bar-Yam, President, NECSI DATES: December 5-9, 2005 LOCATION: U of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia This course offers an introduction to the essential concepts of complex systems and related mathematical methods and simulation strategies with application to physical, biological and social systems. Concepts to be discussed include: emergence, complexity, networks, self-organization, pattern formation, evolution, adaptation, fractals, chaos, cooperation, competition, attractors, interdependence, scaling, dynamic response, information and function. Methods to be discussed include: statistical methods, cellular automata, agent-based modeling, pattern recognition, system representation and informatics. This program is intended for faculty, post-doctoral fellows, graduate students and others who would like to gain an understanding of the fundamentals of complex systems, and learn methodological tools for conducting research in their respective fields. This is a one semester course that is taught in a one week format. There are lectures and discussion during the day, and in the evenings participants work on group projects that they present at the end of the week. Arrangements for credit at a home institution should be made in advance by contacting programs@necsi.org. For more information and registration: http://necsi.org/education/ oneweek/australia05.html Debra Gorfine Program Director New England Complex Systems Institute http://necsi.org *************************************************** Jobs Planktonnet: Great listserv for aquatic-science jobs To subscribe to the list, send an empty email to: planktonnet-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Or, visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/planktonnet/ and click on 'Join this group' Assistant Professor of Society and Ecosystem Management, University of California at Berkeley College of Natural Resources This is a tenure-track, nine-month career position in the Department of Environmental Science, Policy and Management, Division of Society and Environment, and the Agricultural Experiment Station at the University of California at Berkeley, available July 1, 2006. The successful candidate will have field or management experience and an earned doctoral degree in a relevant field such as (but not limited to) the social sciences, environmental studies, or public policy studies. An emphasis on forested ecosystems or watershed management is preferred but not required. The successful candidate will be expected to develop a nationally- recognized research program on society and ecosystem management. We are interested in someone whose research is relevant but not limited to California ecosystems. We hope to find someone who can analyze California integrated resource management issues in relation to US and global management networks and processes. Potential research topics include: adaptive management; the relationships between management regimes and stratification of access by ethnicity, class, or race; relations between science and governance; comparisons of the social and ecological sustainability of different management regimes or of integrated resource regimes under varying social, political, or environmental contexts. The successful candidate will teach an undergraduate course on Society and Ecosystem Management, a graduate course in his/her area of specialization, and share in teaching departmental lower and upper division undergraduate courses. The incumbent will work to strengthen the campus-wide group of faculty at UC Berkeley focusing on integrated natural resource management, and will engage public communities who are seeking to improve the equity, adaptability, and effectiveness of ecological management regimes. Applications must be postmarked by 1 December, 2005. Please submit a cover letter (including a statement of how you view the relationship between society and ecological management), a curriculum vitae, a writing sample or representative publication, a statement of current and future research interests, a statement of teaching experience and/or goals, and three letters of reference to: Chair, Society and Ecosystem Management Search Committee Department of ESPM, Division of Society & Environment 137 Mulford Hall University of California, Berkeley, CA. 94720-3114 Refer potential reviewers to the UC Berkeley Statement of Confidentiality found at: http://apo.chance.berkeley.edu/evalltr.html Applications submitted after the deadline will not be accepted. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer. ******************** Climate Change Program Specialist Grade: GS-13/14 - Office of Environment and Science Policy of the USAID/Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade (EGAT/ESP/GCC) The position will be located in and work directly with the Global Climate Change Team of the Office of Environment and Science Policy of the USAID/Bureau for Economic Growth, Agriculture and Trade (EGAT/ ESP/GCC), of the US Agency for International Development (USAID), but is administratively assigned to the RSSA Management Center of the Development Resources Division, International Cooperation and Development, Foreign Agricultural Service, of the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA/FAS/ICD/RMC). The successful candidate will be responsible for forging strong professional partnerships with Federal Agencies in developing and implementing inter-agency efforts to address climate change impacts and increase resiliency to climate sensitivity in cooperation with developing nations. S/he will provide technical support and advice to USAID field missions and bureaus in the development and implementation of USAID-sponsored climate change program activities, particularly those related to local and national climate change adaptation planning in developing countries. S/he also will develop and maintain strong programmatic links between USAID missions and inter-agency programs by providing regular updates on issues and activities to the field, and involving missions in the broader development efforts and implementation of USG climate programs. There is only one opening to be filled at either the GS-13 or GS-14 level, depending upon the qualifications and experience of applicant. The applicant must clearly indicate to which grade level s/he is applying. This is not a career ladder position. To apply, please send a) a cover letter that directly addresses each of the Required Skills listed below; and b) your current resume of experience and qualifications to the Program Officer listed below. Successful applicant must be able to travel overseas to USAID- assisted countries and within the U.S. You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position. NOTE: Due to a slowdown in mail delivery it is strongly recommended that applications be sent by email or fax. Do not rely solely on delivery by mail. Required Skills: Master?s degree or higher preferred, with emphasis in physical sciences, environmental sciences, economics, or international development preferred. Comprehensive knowledge and work experience in technical, scientific, socioeconomic, and cultural aspects of climate change policy, especially as it relates to climate change impacts and adaptation in developing nations. Knowledge and experience in human and institutional capacity building programs for improving the delivery of climate-related services to developing country populations. Proven ability to evaluate program performance, analyze issues, design workable solutions and improve program impact as it relates to climate change issues. Proven ability to clearly and concisely, in writing and orally, convey technical concepts, technical information and policy positions regarding climate change. Contact Information: Program Officer: Robin Comfort Mailing Address: USDA/FAS/ICD/DRD/RMC, 14th & Independence Ave. S.W., Room 3218-S, STOP 1087, Washington, D.C. 20250-1087 Telephone: (202) 690-1930 FAX: (202) 690-1953 Internet Mail Address: comfort@fas.usda.gov *NOTE* You must be a U.S. citizen to apply for this position. This notice expires on the close of business November 25, 2005. ******************** Tenure-Track Faculty Position, Environmental Systems/Policy at Johns Hopkins University The Johns Hopkins University Department of Geography & Environmental Engineering invites applications for a tenure-track position in systems analysis/operations research/mathematics with application to environmental science, engineering and policy. The department is concerned with understanding the nature and dynamics of ecosystems, engineered systems, and societies, and the design of strategies and technologies to address pressing environmental problems. The successful candidate would participate in the department's undergraduate program in Environmental Engineering and its interdisciplinary graduate programs, especially the program in Systems Analysis & Economics for Public Decision Making. The systems area is one of several areas in which the department plans additional appointments. Candidates should have a doctorate in engineering, operations research, applied mathematics, quantitative policy analysis, or other appropriate discipline. The successful candidate will be able to teach courses in the theory and use of systems analysis, and is expected to develop a strong, internationally recognized research program in their area of interest. Systems methods can include optimization, scientific computation, simulation, control, decision analysis, and statistics. The Department is multidisciplinary, and especially encourages applicants who appreciate the necessity of collaborative research to solve environmental problems. Candidates who have experience in multidisciplinary teams, especially on engineering efforts, are preferred. Preference will be given to appointments at the assistant professor level, although outstanding candidates of other ranks are encouraged to apply. Send a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, a one to two-page summary of research and teaching interests, relevant papers and publications, and names of three references in a single pdf file to dogee@jhu.edu. For full consideration, applications should be submitted before January 15, 2006. The Whiting School of Engineering is committed to building a diverse educational environment; women and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply. The Johns Hopkins University is an EEO/AA employer. ******************** Social-Science Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Center for Technology in Government, SUNY at Albany The Center for Technology in Government is seeking candidates for a Post-Doctoral Research Associate position. The successful candidate will be a member of one or more research teams. Responsibilities include participating in the design and execution of field research ! and coordination of project activities with other Center work. Assignments will include evaluation of research design alternatives, literature reviews, data collection and analysis, and presentation and reporting of results, plus research management tasks including supervising research assistants, maintaining the integrity of data resources, and liaison with research sponsors and participating agencies. Qualifications: * A doctorate in a social science or management discipline related to public administration, information science, or organizational studies. * Demonstrated knowledge of quantitative social science research methods. * Demonstrated knowledge of qualitative social science research methods. * Experience in field research, preferably in government settings and/or involving information technology use. * Excellent oral and written communication skills. * A peer-reviewed research publication record is desirable. * Experience in management of funded projects is desirable. Individuals interested in the above position should submit a letter of application, resume and three names and contact information of references to: Dr. Theresa A. Pardo, Center for Technology in Government, University at Albany/SUNY, 1535 Western Avenue, Albany, NY 12203. This post-doctoral research associate position will be a one-year appointment with possible renewal; it is contingent upon funding. The University at Albany is an EO/AA/IRCA/ADA employer. ******************** Two (2) Faculty Positions in Chemistry, Old Dominion University Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Old Dominion University invites applications from scientists with research interests in all areas of chemistry, biochemistry and biogeochemistry. Required qualifications include: a Ph.D. in Biochemistry, Chemistry, Biogeochemistry or a related field from an accredited university; a record of productivity chemistry; the ability to conduct a strong, externally funded research program and to supervise graduate and undergraduate student research; and a commitment to teaching at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Previous teaching experience and post-doctoral experience are preferred. The positions are envisioned as tenure-track but outstanding applications from more senior candidates will be considered. Send curriculum vitae, statement addressing the required and preferred qualifications listed above, statements describing teaching and research interests and experience, and a list of three references (including regular and e-mail addresses and phone numbers) to Chairman, Biochemistry Search Committee, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Virginia 23529. Review of applicant files will begin November 1, 2005 and will continue until the positions are filled. The positions are available 25 July 2006. Old Dominion University is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action Institution and requires compliance with the Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986. ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20051114/154016fd/attachment.htm From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Nov 18 16:20:42 2005 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Nov 18 16:27:06 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 11/18/2005 Message-ID: <74B7481C-9670-497A-9B5B-0ED0B12CA473@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 11/18/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES New Website Available: U.S. Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) Office http://usscar.tamu.edu/ SCIENCE NEWS Center for Science and Environment, New Delhi investigates CDM: "Black as the carbon they deal in" http://www.cseindia.org/programme/geg/geg-index.htm World's Coral Reefs Face Massive Die-Off; Without intervention half of world's coral reefs will be gone by 2045 http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=9125 http://www.iucn.org/themes/marine/ Advancing the international climate change effort post-2012 -- new report from the Pew Center on the Climate Dialogue at Pocantico, Nov. 15, 2005 http://www.pewclimate.org/global-warming-in-depth/international/ reports/pocantico_release.cfm Science's Communication Gap http://www.iht.com/articles/2005/11/11/opinion/edlubchenko.php Climate Change Map Reveals Countries Most Under Threat from The Independent (UK) (see below) Global Warming Study Forecasts More Water Shortages from the San Francisco Chronicle (see below) Microbes In Marine Sediments React To Temperature Changes (see below) FORUM MADSCI Network, a resource for students and Teachers needs experts: Submitted by Rob Campbell (see below) JOBS WWF-UK - Climate Change Campaign Policy Officer job code POLOFFCC www.wwf.org.uk/jobs Illinois State Water Survey (USA) - Assistant Climate Modeler http://www.sws.uiuc.edu/jobs/announcement.asp?jobid=171 Michigan State University, International Environmental Policy and Law - Assistant Professor http://environment.msu/ http://www.fw.msu.edu/undergraduates/specializations/STEPPS/ index.htm http://www.jmc.msu.edu/ Post-Doc, Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) University of Colorado at Boulder-Deadline: December 31, 2005. http://cires.colorado.edu/visfell Faculty Position, Marine Ecotoxicology, San Diego State University (see below) Post Doctoral Fellow Position - School of Forest Resources and Conservation at the University of Florida-Gainesville (see below) University of Washington, Assistant Professor, Department of Atmospheric Sciences (see below) Postdoctoral/Research Associate Position - School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences - University of Washington (see below) University of Quebec at Montreal, Canada - Postdoc Fellowship in Carbon Cycle Modelling (see below) Climate Mitigation Specialist: US Forestry & Agriculture (see below) *************************************************** Resources New Website Available: U.S. Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR) Office http://usscar.tamu.edu/ The U.S. SCAR Office provides a focus for U.S. SCAR activities, a central location for information regarding SCAR, and easy access to SCAR and other Antarctic websites. Important information, research opportunities, and funding announcements will be regularly posted to the site. The site also hosts the Antarctic Science Web Resource (ANSWER) e-mail service. If you wish to receive weekly updates of Antarctic news and funding opportunities, please subscribe to the ANSWER e-mail notification digest system at: http://usscar.tamu.edu/ answer *************************************************** Science News Check out this section both for news tidbits, and for examples of how to communicate science to a non-scientist audience. Climate Change Map Reveals Countries Most Under Threat from The Independent (UK) Scientists have compiled one of the first comprehensive pictures of what the world might be like when climate change begins to trigger a dramatic increase in epidemics, disease and death. Teams of specialists have assessed the scale of the dangers to human health when changes in the climate lead to higher incidences of weather extremes, such as high temperatures, floods and drought. The findings - published today in the journal Nature - come weeks before world leaders meet in Montreal to discuss climate change at the first Conference of Parties to the Kyoto Protocol. http:// news.independent.co.uk/environment/article327539.ece ******************** Global Warming Study Forecasts More Water Shortages from the San Francisco Chronicle A warmer world is virtually certain to be much thirstier, too, according to a new study by West Coast researchers of the impact of global warming on water supplies. Climate change experts led by Tim Barnett at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla (San Diego County) found that at least one-sixth of the world's population, including much of the industrial world and a quarter of global economic output, appeared vulnerable to water shortages brought about by climate change. Details appear today in the journal Nature, along with a separate study suggesting climate models are proving to be an effective way of analyzing and forecasting disruptions in water supplies brought on by global warming. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/ 2005/11/17/MNG4EFPHK51.DTL ******************** Microbes In Marine Sediments React To Temperature Changes Discovery alters view of coastal organic matter recycling from CORE weekly newsletter Marine scientists from the University of Georgia have shown for the first time that temperature affects the biological activity of microbes that degrade organic carbon in marine sediments. Warming global temperatures could therefore cause shifts in the balance of organic carbon that is recycled into the atmosphere or buried in sediments that serve as reservoirs for the substance. Relatively little has been known until now about how temperature affects this microbial process, which is responsible for the initial breakdown of complex organic matter in sediments, said oceanographer Samantha Joye of the University of Georgia and lead scientist on the study. "What we report was completely unexpected. Temperature short- circuits organic matter recycling," she said. Joye and coworker, Nathaniel Weston, are publishing their results the week of Nov.14 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. For full story, visit http://www.nsf.gov/news/ news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=104606&org=OLPA&from=news. *************************************************** Forum MADSCI Network, a resource for students and Teachers needs experts: Submitted by Rob Campbell MADSCI, http://www.madsci.org, is a web-based 'collective cranium' of scientists - it is a library of resources for students and teachers, and is mostly known for its ask-a-scientist service. The latter is totally volunteer based and includes something like 700 scientists of various stripes who have signed on to answer questions in 26 subject areas. The network has been active for about 10 years, and is starting on a round of a revitalization. It has recently achieved nonprofit status, and will be hiring some help to redesign and maintain the site. There is also a need to rejuvenate the membership, and they are looking for a few (scratch that, a LOT of) good people - there is a particular need for Limnologists and Oceanographers. The time commitment is small - most questions don't take very long to answer, and questions may be deferred at any time, no questions asked. As well, every question is first vetted by a moderator to get rid of the obvious 'do my homework for me' questions, and questions that can be easily answered without help; those that pass muster are forwarded along to the appropriate expert (based on a brief profile that each expert provides). Questions submitted come from K-12ers all the way to the occasional faculty member, and it's surprising how good the questions can be! If you think that's something you might be interested in, please point your browser at: http://madsci.org/join/index.html *************************************************** Jobs Planktonnet: Great listserv for aquatic-science jobs To subscribe to the list, send an empty email to: planktonnet-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Or, visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/planktonnet/ and click on 'Join this group' Faculty Position, Marine Ecotoxicology, San Diego State University The San Diego State University Department of Biology offers a tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level in Marine Ecotoxicology. Under exceptional circumstances, candidates at more senior levels will be considered. We seek a marine ecologist working in coastal or estuarine systems who studies the effects of contaminants on populations, communities, or ecosystems. The successful applicant will develop and maintain a vigorous, externally funded research program that complements our undergraduate and graduate (M.S. and Ph.D.) training programs in the Ecology Program Area. We also expect the development of a local research program that integrates research with regional management needs. Primary teaching responsibility will be an upper division/graduate level course in ecotoxicology and participation in other ecology courses. Postdoctoral experience and demonstrated ability to acquire externally funded research are desirable. Expectations include interaction with a diverse student body and 13 full-time ecology faculty with research in Coastal Marine Ecology, Ecosystem Ecology/ Global Change, and Conservation/Restoration Ecology. Send curriculum vitae, statement of research and teaching interests, three representative publications, and arrange for three letters of recommendation to be sent to the Marine Ecotoxicologist Search Committee, Department of Biology, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA 92182-4614. Review of applications will begin on December 1, 2005 (some ads list November 21) and will continue until the position is filled. For more information see http://www.bio.sdsu.edu/ jobs. SDSU is a Title IX, equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against individuals on the basis of race, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, marital status, age, disability, or veteran status, including veterans of the Vietnam era. ******************** Post Doctoral Fellow Position - School of Forest Resources and Conservation at the University of Florida-Gainesville A team of social science faculty at the School of Forest Resources and Conservation at the University of Florida-Gainesville invites applications for a post-doctoral fellow position for two years. The post-doctoral fellow shall assist the team on research projects relating to economics/human dimensions of nature-based recreation, bioenergy/environmental services, and land use & conservation. Assistance is also expected in developing research proposals in the above areas. Applicants should have a Ph.D. in forest or natural resource or agricultural economics or a related field with an interest in the research projects mentioned above. The successful applicant should have strong quantitative skills, computer knowledge, demonstrated ability/interest to work as part of a team, and excellent oral and written communication skills. The salary will commensurate with qualifications and experience. Interested candidates can send their applications (cover letter, curriculum vitae, and names & addresses of three references) to one of the following members. Janaki R.R. Alavalapati or Douglas R. Carter or Taylor V.Stein, School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL 32611-0410, Emails; janaki@ufl.edu or drcart@ufl.edu or tstein@ufl.edu ******************** University of Washington, Assistant Professor, Department of Atmospheric Sciences Applications are encouraged from scientists representing a broad spectrum of the atmospheric sciences, especially those having expertise in one or more of the following areas: (1) cloud, aerosol, and precipitation processes, (2) surface-atmosphere interactions and boundary layer processes, (3) atmospheric dynamics. Applications are encouraged equally from scientists using experimental, theoretical, modeling or remote sensing approaches. The appointee is expected to develop an active externally-funded research program focusing on fundamental problems with close links to applications or observing systems for weather, climate or air quality research, and publish in the refereed scientific literature. The appointee is expected to teach successfully from a broad palette of graduate and undergraduate classes and to supervise graduate students in research. A Ph. D. in atmospheric sciences or a closely related field is required. Applicants should send a curriculum vitae, a 3-5 page statement of experience and interest in research and teaching, and at least three letters of references to: Prof. Clifford Mass, Search Committee Chair, Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington, Box 351640, Seattle, WA 98195-1640. Consideration of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Priority will be given to applications received before February 15, 2006. The proposed starting date of employment is September 16, 2006. In exceptional circumstances, appointment at the Associate Professor or Professor level may be considered for candidates who offer extraordinary opportunities to further the University's commitments to mentoring underrepresented students in the sciences. The University of Washington is building a culturally diverse faculty and strongly encourages applications from women and minority candidates. The University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. ******************** Postdoctoral/Research Associate Position - School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences - University of Washington Project Summary This project will investigate the utility of mid-frequency (1-10 kHz) acoustics to detect, enumerate, and identify pelagic fish distributions. The proposed research tasks will integrate: 1) comparisons of fish backscatter models, 2) models of mid frequency sound propagation, 3) development and measurements of a mid-frequency multibeam sonar, and 4) backscatter measurements using splitbeam echosounders and the multibeam sonar. Field measurements will be conducted during two separate acoustic- based biomass surveys of walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma) and Pacific hake (Merlucius productus). Walleye pollock are found in a boreal ecosystem with low species diversity. Pacific hake are found offshore of the west coast of North America in a temperate, high diversity ecosystem. Model predictions and field measurements at mid frequencies will be compared to those at high frequencies to evaluate the applicability of mid frequencies to describe and quantify pelagic fish distributions. Qualifications Desired qualifications include a Ph.D. in suitable field (e.g. fisheries, acoustics, optics, physics); experience on fishing/ research vessels; quantitative data analysis; and computer skills including data visualization, and programming. The incumbent will participate in research cruises. This is a 3-year project funded by National Ocean Partnership Program in association with NOAA Ocean Exploration. For more information contact: John Horne: jhorne@u.washington.edu ******************** University of Quebec at Montreal, Canada - Postdoc Fellowship in Carbon Cycle Modelling We are seeking a highly motivated Postdoctoral candidate who will work with an interdisciplinary group on studying the impacts of forest harvesting and reservoir on the carbon budget of aquatic ecosystem in eastern Canada, Project goals are to: 1) understand the factors responsible for the degradation or sequestration of terrestrial organic matter; 2) develop a new process-based model by linking the forest and aquatic ecosystems; 3) use the resulting data and the new carbon model to investigate the potential impacts of forest harvesting and reservoir impoundment on these factors in terms of changes in the greenhouse gas emission budgets at watershed scale. Applicants must have a Ph.D. degree in ecology, environmental science, soil science, geography, forest science, or natural resource management, and a strong interest in modelling and biogeochemical cycles. Expertise in carbon modelling and computer programming (C, C+ +) and experience with field measurements, GIS, and data analysis are desirable. A competitive salary, commensurate with experience will be offered. The initial appointment is for 1 year with possibility of extension to 2-3 years. Continuation of employment is dependent upon satisfactory work performance and availability of funds. Interested applicants should send a cover letter, CV, and the names/contact information for three references to Dr. Changhui Peng (e-mail: peng.changhui@uqam.ca). Review of applications will begin on December 15, 2005 and will continue until the position is filled. The anticipated starting date will be on January 2006 or as soon as possible. For more information, please contact: Prof. Changhui Peng, Ph.D. Canada Research Chair (Environment Modelling) Institiute of environment sciences University of Quebec at Montreal (UQAM) Case postale 8888, succ Centre-Ville Montreal (QC), Canada H3C 3P8 Tel: (514) 987-3000 ext. 1056#; Fax: (514) 987-4718 E-mail:peng.changhui@uqam.ca Website: http://www.crc.uqam.ca ******************** Climate Mitigation Specialist: US Forestry & Agriculture Office of Air & Radiation, Office of Atmospheric Programs, Climate Change Division, Climate Analysis Branch The Climate Change Division (CCD) is responsible for developing the official U.S. inventory of greenhouse gases (GHGs); conducting economic analyses of the mitigation of GHGs; assessing long-term projections of climate change, including potential impacts to human health and the environment; and coordinating domestic and international policies relating to climate change. This position is in the Climate Analysis Branch (CAB), which is responsible for designing and carrying out analyses related to assessing long-term greenhouse gas (GHG) scenarios, land-use change and carbon sequestration, climate impacts, adaptation, and integrated assessment. In addition, the Branch is responsible for conducting analyses of the economic effects of greenhouse gas emission reductions and carbon sequestration, including reductions related to greenhouse gas intensities, capital vintaging, and technological diffusion. An important function of the CAB is to provide analytical support to policy efforts to reduce emissions of methane and other non-CO2 gases in support of the U.S. Administration?s programs to partner with industry to cost-effectively reduce GHG emissions. The new Climate Mitigation Specialist for Forestry & Agriculture will focus primarily on developing and assessing data and analyses of terrestrial carbon sequestration and land-based GHG emissions and mitigation potential, using economic models, including sector- specific forestry and agriculture economic models as well as computable general equilibrium models. Work undertaken will involve characterization of mitigation opportunities in the forestry and agriculture sectors, development of data needed to assess the costs and benefits of such opportunities, and design, implementation, and management of economic analyses for these sectors. The ideal candidate will have at least a master's degree--either in forestry, agricultural and/or natural resource economics; or, environmental policy with an economics concentration, have experience in the application of microeconomic theory, and possess strong analytical, communication, and presentation skills. Experience with the processes of GHG emission and abatement from the agriculture and forestry sectors is desirable. Experience in climate change analysis and familiarity with climate change policy, as well as environmental and development economics, are preferred, but not required. The candidate must also have a strong commitment to environmental protection, excellent writing skills, a high energy level, strong quantitative skills, the confidence to conduct new analysis, and some project management experience. Domestic and international travel may be required. U.S. citizenship is required. The salary range is GS-9 to GS-13 ($41,815 - $93,742), dependent upon qualifications. If interested, please e-mail a cover letter and resume to the following contact: Marian Smoak USEPA (6207J) 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20460 E-mail: smoak.marian@epa.gov NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE This invitation for resumes is an opportunity for you to introduce yourself to us. It is not an official job application process. All job openings will be announced in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency?s EZ-hire website (http://www.epa.gov/ezhire). EPA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Selection for these positions will be based solely on merit without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, political affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, marital or family status, or any other non-merit factors. U.S. citizenship is required. ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20051118/57aa123d/attachment.html From weilercs at whitman.edu Mon Nov 21 16:13:44 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Mon Nov 21 13:13:10 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] Tenure-track Biolgy position at Whitman College Message-ID: <24502504-527A-44C6-A339-CCCED71E59B0@whitman.edu> Dear all, If you are a biologist looking for a tenure-track position at a liberal-arts college with a strong science focus with terrific colleagues in a great location, please consider applying for this position. The job description is purposely vague -- they are looking for an outstanding candidate and there are several different fields that would complement the current faculty. -- And if you are not interested yourself, please send it to any colleagues who might be. cheers, Sue Tenure-track Biology position at Whitman College Tenure-track position anticipated in Biology at the rank of Assistant Professor starting August 2006. Ph.D. required. Duties will include one section of the department?s required introductory Biological Principles course (with lab), and elective offerings suitable for students in both of the college?s two life-science programs: biology http://www.whitman.edu/content/index/acad/biology and BBMB (Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology http:// www.whitman.edu/content/index/acad/bbmb). An active research program and supervision of undergraduate student research are also expected. We seek applicants with an area of expertise complementary to others in the department. [Departmental information is available at http://www.whitman.edu/biology]. Examples include, but are not restricted to, evolutionary- developmental biology; cytogenetics; plant pathology or physiology; immunology; or the application of genetics to questions in eukaryotic cell biology. In this search, the college wishes to reinforce its commitment to increase faculty diversity, recognizing that to provide a diverse learning environment is to prepare students for personal and professional success in an increasingly multicultural and global society. In their application, candidates should address how they can contribute to diversity, a core value of the Whitman College community. They should also discuss their interest in working with undergraduates as a teacher and scholar in a liberal arts environment that emphasizes close student-faculty interaction. The successful candidate should demonstrate an interest in participation in the College?s general education offerings. Applications will be reviewed in an ongoing basis and should be received by January 19, 2006, to be fully considered by the search committee. Applicants should send, as hard-copy: application letter, curriculum vitae, statements of research and teaching interests, college and graduate transcripts (unofficial ok), and three letters of recommendation to: Tenure- Track Search, Dr. Daniel M. Vernon, Biology Department, Whitman College, 345 Boyer Avenue, Walla Walla, WA 99362. Whitman College is a top-tier undergraduate institution located in historic Walla Walla, near the Blue Mountains in eastern Washington. Whitman College is committed to attracting and retaining highly qualified individuals who collectively reflect the diversity of the nation. No applicant shall be discriminated against on the basis of race, national or ethnic origin, age, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, religion, creed, or disability. For further information about Whitman College, see our website at www.whitman.edu. ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20051121/9ab9bb0b/attachment.html From weilercs at whitman.edu Tue Nov 22 13:21:53 2005 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Tue Nov 22 10:21:17 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] IMPACT FACTORS: The number that's devouring science References: <880f6041a7f8a4256fb73ce734d4f87f@seaweb.org> Message-ID: <48457F38-3ED9-4C61-9A9F-CAFBCEC36CAE@whitman.edu> Sorry for adding to your e-mail pile, but I thought this was important enough to justify sending out as a separate message. You should ALL read this.... >> A good article in the Chronicle of Higher Education (52:8, Oct.14) >> on the problems of journal 'impact factors' and its effects on >> research and >> science publishing. >> >> The number that's devouring science: http://chronicle.com/free/v52/ >> i08/08a01201.htm ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20051122/c4df4b55/attachment.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Dec 2 14:17:00 2005 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Dec 2 11:35:55 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 12/01/2005 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 12/01/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS ****HOT PICK**** The Nov 17 issue of Rolling Stone features a great piece on "Warriors & Heroes Against Global Warming" including a few paragraphs on people like Al Gore, James Hansen, Amory Lovins, Raul Estrada Oyuela. http://tinyurl.com/do3ja RESOURCES Warriors and Heroes Against Global Warming (Rolling Stone) http://tinyurl.com/do3ja AIMES Young Scientist Network http://www.asp.ucar.edu/ess/ PYRN (Permafrost Young Researchers Network) http://www.awi-potsdam.de/pyrn SCIENCE NEWS Permanent solution to Carbon Storage? (see below) Science In The News-US Resists Climate Change Pressure at UN Conference from the Guardian (UK) (see below) Analyses Of Trapped Air Show Current CO2 At Highest Level In 650,000 Years (see below) 2004 Doctorate Awards Increase in Science and Engineering Fields for the Second Year in a Row http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf06301 New World Wildlife Federation Warns Fish at Risk from Climate Change http://yementimes.com/article.shtml?i=897&p=health&a=3 FORUM Please Be A Mentor For Minority Students At Fall AGU Meeting (see below) Personal Impact Factors: Be Sure To Document Your Own (see below) SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change Research (see below) 17th Global Warming International Conference and Expo (GW17) http://globalwarming.net/ JOBS 3 New Jobs At Bigelow Laboratory For Ocean Sciences (see below) Michigan State University - Regional Climate Modeler, Assistant Professor (see below) Department of Economics, University of Hawaii-Manoa, Assistant Professor of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics (see below) 5 Postdoctoral Positions at ARC Centre for Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Australia (see below) Virginia Tech Faculty Positions (2) (see below) Univ of British Columbia (Canada) - Assistant Professor, Climatologist http://www.geog.ubc.ca/department/recruitment.html Duke University, Nicholas Institute of Environmental Policy Solutions -- 3 positions: 1) Economist, 2) Ocean and coastal policy position & 3) Water management and policy position (upcoming) http://www.env.duke.edu/institute/about.html *************************************************** Science News Check out this section both for news tidbits, and for examples of how to communicate science to a non-scientist audience. Permanent solution to Carbon Storage? Canadian carbon dioxide storage experiment By H. Josef Hebert, Associated Press WASHINGTON An experimental project in Canada to inject carbon dioxide into oil fields has proven successful, removing 5 million tons of the heat-trapping "greenhouse" gas, while enhancing oil recovery, the Energy Department said Tuesday. If the methodology could be applied worldwide, from one-third to one-half of the carbon dioxide emissions that go into the atmosphere could be eliminated over the next century and billions of barrels of additional oil could be recovered, the department said. The project is a joint effort by the Energy Department, the Canadian government and private industry. Carbon dioxide is piped from the Great Plains Synfuels plant in Beulah, N.D., where it is a byproduct from coal gasification, to the Weyburn oil field in Saskatchewan, Canada. "The success of the Weyburn Project could have incredible implications on reducing CO2 emissions and increasing America's oil production," said Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman. Bodman, who is visiting the Middle East, said in a statement released by his office that if the process were used in all the oil fields of western Canada, "we would see billions of additional barrels of oil and a reduction of CO2 emissions equivalent to pulling more than 200 million cars off the road for a year." The completion of the first phase of the experimental project gives government officials and industry an indication of how carbon sequestration can both reduce the risk of climate change and allow enhanced oil recovery, extending the oil field's life. Carbon dioxide, produced from the burning of fossil fuels, is the leading so-called "greenhouse" gas because when released into the atmosphere it creates a heat-trapping blanket. Many scientists believe the growth of manmade sources of these gases will lead to a warming of the earth if the trend is not reversed. In the Weyburn project, the carbon dioxide when pumped into the oil reservoir increased the pressure and brought more oil to the surface. It increased the field's production by 10,000 barrels a day and "demonstrated the technical and economic feasibility of permanent carbon sequestration," the DOE said in a statement. Such a process can enhance oil recovery up to 60%, extend the life of aging oil fields by decades, and provide a permanent repository for the carbon dioxide in geologic formations, the DOE said. Now that the first phase of the Weyburn project is completed, researchers are developing a manual on the findings for industry. They also will expand the carbon injection process to an adjacent field where the plan to develop try to improve injection efficiencies and refine the process, according to the DOE statement. Copyright 2005 The Associated Press. ******************** Science In The News-US Resists Climate Change Pressure at UN Conference from the Guardian (UK) from Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society Crucial talks aimed at combatting the threat of global warming opened in Montreal yesterday with the US government signalling that it will resist attempts to be drawn into a new international process to cut emissions. Delegates at the United Nations climate conference - the first since the Kyoto protocol came into force in February - will discuss what action to take to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases when the Kyoto agreement expires in 2012. The US has refused to sign up to Kyoto and sent a clear message that it was in no mood to rethink its opposition to binding international agreements. The US chief negotiator, Harlan Watson, said he would strongly resist Canadian plans to combine the US, other developed nations and the developing countries in a joint commitment to action. He told the BBC: "We feel very strongly that it is not appropriate, that the ground is not there yet; there are many different ideas; people are not yet ready to move ahead under the convention." Despite not joining the Kyoto process, the US participates in the UN framework convention on climate change, which gave rise to the protocol. http://tinyurl.com/84fl5 ******************** Analyses Of Trapped Air Show Current CO2 At Highest Level In 650,000 Years Chemical and Engineering News, Bette Hileman Ice cores drilled at vostok Station in East Antarctica provide evidence of Earth's temperatures and greenhouse gases for the past 440,000 years. Now, data from a new ice core called EPICA Dome C, drilled roughly 600 miles from Vostok, extends that record back another 210,000 years. A study by Thomas F. Stocker of the Physics Institute at the University of Bern, in Switzerland, and colleagues describes Dome C core data that reveal the relationship between global temperatures and atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations for the period 390,000 to 650,000 years before present ( see Science 2005, 310, 1313). The data indicate that the current concentration of CO2, at 380 ppm, is 27% higher than the preindustrial level and higher than any level attained during the past 650,000 years. *************************************************** Forum Please Be A Mentor For Minority Students At Fall AGU Meeting If you plan to attend the fall AGU meeting, Please consider serving as a meeting mentor for a student participating in Phase I of the 2005-2006 MS PHD'S (Minorities Striving and Pursuing Higher Degrees of Success in Earth System Science) Professional Development Program during the 2005 Fall AGU meeting. As a science meeting mentor, you will interact with an undergraduate or graduate student interested in pursuing an earth/ ocean science-related career. If you agree to serve as a meeting mentor you will be asked to: * Communicate with one student before the 2005 Fall AGU meeting (an opportunity to introduce yourselves, discover common academic interests, etc.) if possible * Participate in a 30 minute orientation on Monday, Dec. 5th from 12:30PM-1:00PM in the Moscone Center Room 3010 (lunch will be provided) and meet with your mentee immediately following the orientation * Discuss a minimum of four presentations with your assigned mentee during the 2005 Fall AGU meeting * Facilitate networking (introduce your mentee to other scientists with similar interests) during and after the 2005 Fall AGU meeting * Offer academic and career advice during and after the 2005 Fall AGU meeting You can learn more about the MS PHD'S Professional Development Program at http://www.msphds.usf.edu/ProgramInformation.html If you are interested in serving as a mentor, please complete the brief on-line survey found at http://www.msphds.usf.edu/survey/ mentor_survey.php as soon as possible. If you have previously served as a mentor in the MS PHD'S Professional Development Program you do not need to complete a new survey. However, you will need to send an email to msphds@marine.usf.edu indicating your willingness to serve as a mentor during the 2005 Fall AGU Meeting. Thanks in advance for considering participating in this worthwhile endeavor! Dr. Ashanti "Sun?" Johnson Pyrtle, Assistant Professor College of Marine Science, University of South Florida, 140 7th Avenue South, St. Petersburg, FL 33701 tel: 727.553.1301, fax: 727.553.1189, E-mail: apyrtle@marine.usf.edu http://www.marine.usf.edu/faculty/ashanti-pyrtle.shtml http://msphds.usf.edu ******************** Personal Impact Factors: Be Sure To Document Your Own Cynthia Cudeback Subject: IMPACT FACTORS: The number that's devouring science Just for practice, I looked up the citations for my own papers, on web of science. It only took a minute (admittedly I have an unusual name, so it would take longer for some). If decisions are being based on "impact factors" instead of on personal impact, that's a shame. Each scientist approaching tenure and promotion decisions should document his/her personal impact, just in case the department blows off this basic respoinsibility. Impact Factors: The number that's devouring science A good article in the Chronicle of Higher Education (52:8, Oct. 14) on the problems of journal 'impact factors' and its effects on research and science publishing. The number that's devouring science: http://chronicle.com/free/ v52/i08/08a01201.htm *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships and Meetings Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change Research Dear Colleagues, Contents: A. Thank-you and intro B. Availabiliy of power point presentations online C. Open Meeting success stories and pictures D. Publications coming out of the 6th Open Meeting E. Venue announcement for the 7th Open Meeting in 2008 F. Other announcements A. Dear Colleagues, I would like to thank you for contributing to what was a very successful Open Meeting last month here in Bonn. Nearly 1,000 participants attended from 80 countries over this 4-day event. Please continue to check the Open Meeting website, http:// openmeeting.homelinux.org, for updates, pictures and power point presentations from plenary speakers and session organizers. B. I would like to welcome any session organizers who wish to send me their power point presentations to please do so. We will then make them available to view or download on our website. C. We also welcome any Open Meeting success stories or pictures for our website and the next IHDP Update Newsletter covering the Open Meeting. D. We are currently discussing publications coming out of the Open Meeting, and I will be in contact with you as more information on this arises. E. Finally, I am pleased to announce that the next 7th Open Meeting will be taking place in 2008 in New Delhi, India. The host organizatation will be The Energy and Resources Insitute (TERI): http://www.teriin.org/. F. Two final announcements: We are now accepting applications for our biannual International Human Dimensions Workshop (IHDW) taking place in Chiang Mai, Thailand in October 2006. If you are interested, please see or forward the attached application and note all qualification requirements and deadlines. Finally, we would like to bring your attention to a new platform on the topics of Environment, Conflict and Cooperation: www.ecc- platform.org. We welcome all who are interested to get involved. Wishing you all the best from Bonn, Elisabeth Mullin, Open Meeting Coordinator I H D P International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change Walter-Flex-Strasse 3 D-53113 Bonn Germany Tel.: +49 (0) 228 73 4957 Fax.: +49 (0) 228 73 9054 e-mail: emullin.ihdp@uni-bonn.de website: http://www.ihdp.org 6th Open Meeting website is now up! http://openmeeting.homelinux.org *************************************************** Jobs Planktonnet: Great listserv for aquatic-science jobs To subscribe to the list, send an empty email to: planktonnet-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Or, visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/planktonnet/ and click on 'Join this group' 3 New Jobs At Bigelow Laboratory For Ocean Sciences Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences http://www.bigelow.org/ >http://www.bigelow.org is beginning a major expansion in ocean microbial ecology and invites applications for three positions as Senior Research Scientist: 1) Chemical Ecologist (e.g. chemical signaling, marine toxins, or natural products) 2) Marine Molecular Microbiologist (e.g. bio-informatics, gene expression, genome research, or microarray studies; focus on algae, bacteria, protozoa or viruses) 3) Dissolved Organic Matter Chemist (e.g. chemical characterization, DOM as a source of nutrition, global carbon cycling, or polymer gels). Successful candidates will maintain an active, externally-funded research program. Bigelow Laboratory provides partial salary support, and generous benefits. Send research interests, C.V. and names of three references to: Chair, PI Search Committee, Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences, P.O.B. 475, West Boothbay Harbor, ME 04575 (207-633-9600). Review of applications begins December 15, 2005 and continues until positions are filled. Bigelow Laboratory is an equal opportunity employer. ******************** Michigan State University - Regional Climate Modeler, Assistant Professor The Department of Geography at Michigan State University is seeking applications for a tenure track faculty appointment in the area of regional climate modeling. The appointment will be at the rank of assistant professor, beginning August, 2006. A Ph.D. in geography, atmospheric science, or closely related field, with expertise and interest in modeling weather and climate at regional spatial scales is required. The successful candidate will be expected to work collaboratively in a multi-disciplinary environment with researchers in the Department of Geography and across the University; and to actively contribute to and expand the current climatology and meteorology curriculum. Duties include developing an externally funded research program, teaching undergraduate and graduate student courses including dynamic meteorology, and mentoring graduate students. International experience or demonstrated interest in international regions is an advantage. Applicants should submit a current curriculum vitae, a letter of interest, no more than two sample publications, and names of three references. Michigan State University in an affirmative action, equal opportunity institution and strongly encourages applications from women and minorities. Apply: Dr. Julie Winkler, chair of the search committee, 238 Geography Building, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI, 48823 winkler@msu.edu 517-353-9186. Review of applications will begin January 15 and continue until the position is filled. ******************** Department of Economics, University of Hawaii-Manoa, Assistant Professor of Environmental and Natural Resource Economics The Department of Economics invites applications for a position at the assistant professor level, full-time, tenure track, beginning August 1, 2006. The candidate should have a primary specialization in environmental and natural resources economics. The individual is expected to teach graduate and undergraduate courses in environmental and resource economics and in a secondary area such as public economics or microeconomics, supervise M.A. and Ph.D. students, and conduct high quality research. The appointee would be expected to engage in interdisciplinary research and seek extramural funding. The candidate must have a Ph.D. in economics or an allied field by August 1, 2006. We expect a firm commitment to teaching and an interest in innovative education strategies. We will begin conducting interviews at the Annual Meeting of the Allied Social Science Associations in Boston, MA January 5-8, 2006. The application, including vita, 3 reference letters, evidence of teaching effectiveness and one recent paper must be received by the closing date of January 3, 2006. No e-mail submissions allowed. The University of Hawaii is an EEO/AA employer. CONTACT: Recruiting Chair, Department of Economics, University of Hawaii-Manoa, 2424 Maile Way, Saunders 542, Honolulu, HI 96822. ******************** 5 Postdoctoral Positions at ARC Centre for Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, Australia The ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies is an international research centre, administered by James Cook University, with strong linkages to the Australian Institute of Marine Science, the Australian National University, CSIRO, the University of Queensland and 23 other institutions and Industry Partners in 9 countries. Applicants must have been awarded or are about to receive a relevant PhD, and have an exceptional publication record for their stage of career. There is considerable scope for the applicant to shape their role as programs develop and mature. Five positions are available immediately or by negotiation in the following Programs: 1. Environmental History of coastal Queensland: The appointee will be based at the Centre's headquarters at JCU in Townsville for 3 years and will work with a team of ecologists, historians, archeologists, anthropologists, paleontologists, and end-users. The objective is to reconstruct the environmental, social and economic history of the Great Barrier Reef and its catchment. The project will build on a planning workshop for participants scheduled for early February 2006. Additional information contact: Professor Terry Hughes Terry.Hughes@jcu.edu.au phone 61 (0)7 47816665 2. Mental Models in Linked Social-Ecological Systems: The appointee will investigate how individuals and organisations perceive the way in which natural resource systems function and their interactions with, and impacts on, natural resource systems. The focus will be on the diversity and evolution of mental models and their role as a determinant of human behaviour in coastal Queensland. A background in the behavioural or social-sciences and community- based scenario-setting is highly desirable. The applicant will work with a team of resource economists, social scientists, ecologists, community psychologists, marine scientists, and resource managers. The position will be co-funded with CSIRO's Sustainable Ecosystems Division. A planning Working Group will meet in March 2006. The appointee will be located at JCU and CSIRO's Davies Laboratory, both in Townsville. Additional information contact: Professor Terry Hughes Terry.Hughes@jcu.edu.au phone 61 (0)7 47816665. 3. Institutional analysis and adaptive governance. The appointee will contribute to a broad research focus on social-ecological systems, their institutional dynamics, with a focus on multi-scale adaptive governance of tropical maritime regions in developed and developing nations. This is a 3 year position based at JCU in Townsville, with the opportunity for extensive fieldwork throughout the tropics. Additional information contact: Professor Terry Hughes Terry.Hughes@jcu.edu.au phone 61 (0)7 47816665 4. Understanding and Managing Coral Reef Biodiversity: The appointee will contribute to improving understanding of mechanisms and processes that maintain local and global biodiversity. Applicants with an excellent publication record, strong modelling or analytical skills and an interest in any scientific area relevant to the biodiversity of coral reefs, including biogeography, phylogenetics, phylogeography, macroecology, mathematical modelling, biodiversity, ecosystem function, or resilience. Considerable scope exists for the successful candidate to shape a role that suits their particular strengths and interests. This position will be based at JCU in Townsville for a period of 1 to 3 years. Additional information contact: Professor David Bellwood David.Bellwood@jcu.edu.au phone 61 (0)7 47814447. 5. Landscape ecology of reserves: regional resilience: interlinked systems of people and nature at multiple scales. This project examines the role of networks of protected areas in the long- term social-ecological resilience of entire regions. It requires analysis of institutional and ecological dynamics across scales. The position will be co-funded with The Resilience Alliance, supported in part by grants from the Packard Foundation and the Christiansen fund. A workshop for this project will meet in March 2006. We seek an analytical modeler with a focus on complex non-linear threshold dynamics at multiple scales, who will work in collaboration other mathematicians, ecologists and social scientists. This is a 2-year position based at JCU in Townsville, with the potential for extension to 3 or more years. Additional information contact: Professor Terry Hughes Terry.Hughes@jcu.edu.au phone 61 (0)7 47816665 Salary range is from AU$52317 to $63260 depending on experience. A full statement of the selection criteria is available http:// www.jcu.edu.au/app/jobs/... Please forward a CV, statement of research interests, pdfs of recent publications, email addresses of three potential referees, and a cover letter which addresses the selection criteria to the Recruitment Officer. Further general information regarding the positions can be obtained by contacting the Centre's Chief Operations Officer: Jennifer.lappin@jcu.edu.au ******************** Virginia Tech Faculty Positions (2) Academic year, tenure track faculty positions (2) in wildlife and/ or fisheries sciences, likely to be filled at the Assistant Professor level. Anticipated start date August 10, 2006. Research focus in wildlife and/or fisheries ecology, with applied emphasis. The incumbent will be expected to teach and to conduct research in their area of expertise. Evidence of innovative research, grantsmanship, teaching experience, and commitment to cultural diversity are required. Candidate must have a PhD in wildlife, fisheries, conservation biology, or allied field. Applications must be submitted electronically through http://jobs.vt.edu, posting numbers 043225 (wildlife) or 043226 (fisheries). Application review will begin Jan. 2, 2006 and must be received by that date for full consideration. Full position information is at : http://www.fishwild.vt.edu . Direct preliminary inquires to Dr. Dean F. Stauffer, fiwsearch@vt.edu. Virginia Tech is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20051202/b55dc758/attachment-0001.htm From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Dec 9 16:23:41 2005 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Dec 9 13:37:01 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 12/09/2005 Message-ID: <32758E54-AC04-45FA-8565-BF8149E99E6B@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 12/09/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES UNFCCC Web Casts for COP11 and COP/MOP1 http://unfccc.streamlogics.com/unfccc/agenda.asp Climate meeting blogging - links provided on RealClimate web site: http://www.realclimate.org/index.php?p=226 SCIENCE NEWS Collectively seeing climate change: The limits of formal models. (see abstract below) Practicing interdisciplinarity. (see abstract below) FORUM Comment on Rolling Stone's "Warriors & Heroes Against Global Warming" -- Don't forget the heroines and women warriors as well! (see below) JOBS Post-doc fellowships - Human Dimensions of Global Change (deadline for 2006 applications is 5 January 2006). http://www.asp.ucar.edu, http://www.sere.ucar.edu/, http:// www.isse.ucar.edu/ France - 3 post docs, 2 database managers for the REMIGE program (Behavioural and Demographic Response to Climate Change of Indian Ocean Marine Top Predators) (see below) Climate Mitigation Specialist, EPA's Office of Air & Radiation, Office of Atmospheric Programs, Climate Change Division (see below) Carleton University, Ontario, Canada, Department of Political Science (see below) Position as Experienced Researcher available in GREENCYCLES at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (see below) Post-Graduate Fellowship, Washington DC, for developing country students to work in START's global change research activities and capacity building program. (see below) Clark University (Massachusetts, USA) - 2 tenure-track positions in International Development and Social Change (IDCE) (see below) *************************************************** Science News Collectively seeing climate change: The limits of formal models. Richard B. Norgaard, Paul Bear in BioScience 55 (11, 2005): 61-966 Understanding the risks posed by anthropogenic climate change and the possible societal responses to those risks has generated a prototypical example of the challenge of "collectively seeing complex systems." After briefly examining the ways in which problems like climate change reach the scientific and public agenda, we look at four different ways in which scientists collectively address the problem: general circulation models, integrated assessment models, formal assessments (e.g., the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change), and distributed learning networks. We examine the strengths and limitations of each of these methods, and suggest ways in which a greater self-consciousness of the need for plural approaches could improve the basis for learning and decision-making. ******************** Practicing interdisciplinarity. by Sharachchandra Lele and Richard B. Norgaard in BioScience 55 (11, 2005) : 967-975 We explore the practical difficulties of interdisciplinary research in the context of a regional- or local-scale project. We posit four barriers to interdisciplinarity that are common across many disciplines and draw on our own experience and on other sources to explore how these barriers are manifested. Values enter into scientific theories and data collection through scientists' hidden assumptions about disciplines other than their own, through the differences between quantitative and interpretive social sciences, and through roadblocks created by the organization of academia and the relationship between academics and the larger society. Participants in interdisciplinary projects need to be self-reflective about the value judgments embedded in their choice of variables and models. They should identify and use a core set of shared concerns to motivate the effort, be willing to respect and to learn more about the "other," be able to work with new models and alternative taxonomies, and allow for plurality and incompleteness. *************************************************** Forum Comment on Rolling Stone's "Warriors & Heroes Against Global Warming" -- Don't forget the heroines and women warriors as well! Dear Editors, I noted with great appreciation that you have decided in your November 2005 issue to highlight people who are actively working to raise public awareness about global warming and who are laboring to create actual change in policy and business operations to reduce our heat-trapping greenhouse gas emissions. As a researcher in this field myself, I know several of these individuals, greatly appreciate their courageous and useful work. I would consider several of them my mentors. So thank you, and bravo for directing the limelight on those who fight the good fight for our climate. Your list, however, struck me as partial indeed. For starters it's an almost exclusively American, and almost exclusively male list - which is awfully narrow. In science, policy, business, and civic society women are crucial movers and shakers! Take, for example, the chairwoman of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, Joke Waller Hunter, who just recently died. Or how about Abby Young at the International Council for Local Environmental Initiative, who is rounding up city after city in this country to join the Cities for Climate Protection campaign? Not to speak of all the women artists (dancers, musicians, poets, actors and writers) who are finding creative ways to bring global warming to the people. What about the countless female activists in the growing climate justice movement who are working their legs off to make sure we're not forgetting those who will be hardest hit by global warming and who are least equipped to do anything about it? These women illustrate another critical shortcoming of your list: it looks only at the grasstops and higher. The most interesting, innovative work in raising Americans' awareness of climate change, and actually getting people to reduce their emissions, is happening at the grassroots. Here is to the heroines and women warriors who are tirelessly working to protect our climate! Sincerely, Susanne C. Moser, Ph.D. Web: http://www.isse.ucar.edu/moser/index.html *************************************************** Jobs Planktonnet: Great listserv for aquatic-science jobs To subscribe to the list, send an empty email to: planktonnet-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Or, visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/planktonnet/ and click on 'Join this group' France - 3 post docs, 2 database managers for the REMIGE program (Behavioural and Demographic Response to Climate Change of Indian Ocean Marine Top Predators) As part of the program REMIGE (Behavioural and Demographic Response to Climate Change of Indian Ocean Marine Top Predators) financed by ANR (French Agency for Research Funding) we are recruiting 3 post docs and 2 Data base managers for the program. -Post Doc 1 : Biochemical and Ecosystem modeller -Post Doc 2 : IBM Modeller -Post Doc 3 : Demographic Modelling -Data Base Manager 1 -Data base Manager 2 Data base managers must speak and write perfectly French The 5 Positions are described in the attached pdf files. Please contact and send a complete CV to the person responsible for each profile. Objective of the Program: REMIGE is a 3 years program whose objective is to understand and predict how the environmental variability influence and will influence the functioning of marine ecosystems by using a series of top predators which integrate spatially and temporally the variability of trophic webs, as bio- indicators. We will use long term series on populations of large predatory fishes, seabirds and marine mammals to estimate functional relationships between environmental variability and the foraging behaviour and demography of these predators. We will compare the life history strategies of predators in four biomes of the Indian Ocean, from tropical to Antarctic waters. The ultimate goal of the program is to test whether climate changes will have contrasted effects according to the biomes, the structure of trophic webs and the life history of predators. The program will 1) simulate numeric fields of secondary production from physical and biochemical models 2) use long term data bases existing on the demography and distribution at sea (from tracking and observations at sea) of predators 3) to characterise the habitats exploited by predators. The spatio-temporal coherence between 1) and 3) will be evaluated retrospectively and projection will be made under scenarios of climate change to 4) predict the distribution and demography of predators using Individual Based Models and continuous eulerian models. Laboratories involved: CNRS Chiz?, IRD S?te, LEMAR (Universit? de Brest), LOCEAN (Universit? de Paris 6), Mus?um National d Histoire Naturelle, INRA Sophia Antipolis, Universit? de la R?union, Ecole Normale Sup?rieure, Universit? de la R?union. Email DISCCRS research assistant Jennifer Marlon at jennmarlon@gmail.com and she will send you the PDF flyer describing the positions in detail. ******************** Climate Mitigation Specialist, EPA's Office of Air & Radiation, Office of Atmospheric Programs, Climate Change Division Climate Mitigation Specialist: Forestry & Agriculture Office of Air & Radiation, Office of Atmospheric Programs Climate Change Division, Climate Analysis Branch The Climate Change Division (CCD) is responsible for developing the official U.S. inventory of greenhouse gases (GHGs); conducting economic analyses of the mitigation of GHGs; assessing long-term projections of climate change, including potential impacts to human health and the environment; and coordinating domestic and international policies relating to climate change. This position is in the Climate Analysis Branch (CAB), which is responsible for designing and carrying out analyses related to assessing long-term greenhouse gas (GHG) scenarios, land-use change and carbon sequestration, climate impacts, adaptation, and integrated assessment. In addition, the Branch is responsible for conducting analyses of the economic effects of greenhouse gas emission reductions and carbon sequestration, including reductions related to greenhouse gas intensities, capital vintaging, and technological diffusion. An important function of the CAB is to provide analytical support to policy efforts to reduce emissions of methane and other non-CO2 gases in support of the U.S. Administration's programs to partner with industry to cost-effectively reduce GHG emissions. The new Climate Mitigation Specialist for Forestry & Agriculture will focus primarily on developing and assessing data and analyses of terrestrial carbon sequestration and land-based GHG emissions and mitigation potential, using economic models, including sector- specific forestry and agriculture economic models as well as computable general equilibrium models. Work undertaken will involve characterization of mitigation opportunities in the forestry and agriculture sectors, development of data needed to assess the costs and benefits of such opportunities, and design, implementation, and management of economic analyses for these sectors. The ideal candidate will have at least a master's degree--either in forestry, agricultural and/or natural resource economics; or, environmental policy with an economics concentration, have experience in the application of microeconomic theory, and possess strong analytical, communication, and presentation skills. Experience with the processes of GHG emission and abatement from the agriculture and forestry sectors is desirable. Experience in climate change analysis and familiarity with climate change policy, as well as environmental and development economics, are preferred, but not required. The candidate must also have a strong commitment to environmental protection, excellent writing skills, a high energy level, strong quantitative skills, the confidence to conduct new analysis, and some project management experience. Domestic and international travel may be required. U.S. citizenship is required. The salary range is GS-9 to GS-13 ($41,815 - $93,742), dependent upon qualifications. If interested, please e-mail a cover letter and resume to the following contact: Marian Smoak USEPA (6207J) 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, DC 20460 E-mail: smoak.marian@epa.gov NO PHONE CALLS PLEASE This invitation for resumes is an opportunity for you to introduce yourself to us. It is not an official job application process. All job openings will be announced in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's EZ-hire website (http://www.epa.gov/ezhire). EPA is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Selection for these positions will be based solely on merit without regard to race, color, religion, age, gender, national origin, political affiliation, disability, sexual orientation, marital or family status, or any other non-merit factors. U.S. citizenship is required. ******************** Carleton University, Ontario, Canada, Department of Political Science Subject to budgetary approval, the Department of Political Science invites applications for a tenure-track appointment at the rank of assistant professor effective July 1, 2006. The successful candidate will demonstrate an expertise in Politics and the Environment. While the precise specialization remains open, we are especially interested in candidates who demonstrate expertise in one or more of the following sub-fields: international environmental politics, Canadian environmental politics and policy, or the environment and the developing world. Applicants must have a completed Ph.D. and a demonstrated commitment to effective teaching and research. A strong record of publications is desirable and we expect the successful candidate to continue a research program yielding high-quality peer-reviewed publications. Applications, including curriculum vitae and at least three confidential letters of reference, should be made to: Professor Chris Brown, Chair Department of Political Science B640 Loeb Building Carleton University 1125 Colonel By Drive Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1S 5B6 The closing date for applications is January 15, 2006, or until the position is filled. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply. The applications of Canadians and Permanent Residents will be given priority. Carleton University is committed to equality of employment for women, Aboriginal peoples, visible minorities, and persons with disabilities. Persons from these groups are encouraged to apply. ******************** Position as Experienced Researcher available in GREENCYCLES at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research GREENCYCLES is a European Union funded Research and Training Network on Biogeochemistry and Climate Change We seek an experienced researcher in carbon/climate coupling and terrestrial hot spots. An academic degree in environmental sciences or a related field, very good programming skills and knowledge of state-of-the-art modelling approaches for biosphere/climate processes are essential. You should have over 4 yr relevant research experience or a PhD, and have less than 10 yr of research experience (counted from the time you obtained a degree allowing you access to doctoral studies in the country where you obtained it) when you take up the appointment. The desired starting date is March 1, 2006, and the duration is 24 months. Due to the nature of Marie Curie funding, applicants must currently reside outside of Germany. The selected candidate will spend extended periods of time at other laboratories of the GREENCYCLES network. The initial application deadline has expired, but we will consider additional applications of highly competent candidates before assembling the final shortlist. To apply please send your CV, a letter of intent explaining your motivations and interests in this position, and the contact details of 2-3 academic referees to the network manager (Anne Armstrong, LSCE, France) by e-mail: anne.armstrong@cea.fr Women and residents of new EU member states are particularly encouraged to apply. For further questions about GREENCYCLES or about this particular position, please consult the GREENCYCLES website http:// www.greencycles.org, the website of the PIK Biosphere Group http:// portal.pik-potsdam.de/dept/nat/biosphere/, Alberte Bondeau Alberte.Bondeau@pik-potsdam.de or Wolfgang Cramer Wolfgang.Cramer@pik- potsdam.de. ******************** Post-Graduate Fellowship, Washington DC, for developing country students to work in START's global change research activities and capacity building program. Post-Graduate Fellowship tenable at the Washington, DC office of START, to assist in the development and implementation of START's global change research activities and capacity building in developing countries. This Fellowship is aimed at developing country students currently completing graduate degree programs in the US. The Fellowship term will be up to 12 months. START is a non-governmental global environmental change research and capacity building program based in Washington, DC, with regional offices in Bangkok, Beijing, Nairobi, New Delhi and Suva (see http:// www.start.org). Responsibilities may include program coordination; preparation and synthesis of reports, including review of project proposals related to climate change and adaptation; project administration; and organization of international workshops. Applicants should have, or be near completion of, an advanced degree in a field related to global environmental change. Excellent communication skills, both oral and written are needed. Must be organized, results oriented, and a self-starter with the ability to be a team player in a small office environment. A stipend will be provided commensurate with qualifications and experience. Applicants should submit a letter of interest and resume, including the names and contact information of three references and sample of writing as soon as possible to: Patricia Sipher Program Coordinator International START Secretariat 2000 Florida Avenue, NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC 20009 Email: psipher@agu.org ******************** Clark University (Massachusetts, USA) - 2 tenure-track positions in International Development and Social Change (IDCE) The Department of International Development, Community, and Environment (IDCE) at Clark University has expanded its search and now seeks to fill TWO tenure-track positions in International Development and Social Change to begin Academic Year 2006-07. It is expected that one of these positions will be filled at an advanced assistant or associate professor level. Significant field research and/or applied experience in developing countries is essential. Ph.D. or equivalent in any relevant discipline is required. Discipline and area are open: we expect to hire one individual with experience in Africa and one individual with expertise in another area. Candidates should be able to teach courses supporting Master's level programs in international development, as well as undergraduate courses. Primary areas of expertise should include two or more of the following areas: environment, humanitarian assistance, food security, gender and development, community participation and empowerment, non- governmental organizations, involuntary relocation, conflict/post- conflict and development, and health. Clark's interdisciplinary department in International Development, Community, and Environment includes a core faculty of sixteen members and a larger group of affiliate faculty engaged in interdisciplinary teaching, research, and programmatic activities. Please visit our website for more information: http://www.clarku.edu/ departments/idce Applicants should show a strong commitment to working collaboratively within a cross-disciplinary program. Application should include curriculum vitae, a list of references, and a detailed statement of interest including research foci and teaching philosophy. These should be sent should be sent to electronically to lkaub@clarku.edu or mailed to Chair, ID Search Committee, IDCE, Clark University, 950 Main Street, Worcester, MA 01610. Review of applications will begin November 1, 2005 and continue until the position is filled. AA/EOE. Women and minorities are especially encouraged to apply. ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20051209/d90b2b6d/attachment-0001.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Dec 16 13:55:29 2005 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Dec 16 11:01:35 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 12/16/05 Message-ID: <6E4BA7B2-F21E-452E-B69D-FCD57D2F8AB6@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 12/16/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES "Keeling" presentation at AGU http://www.columbia.edu/~jeh1/keeling_talk_and_slides.pdf Global Carbon Project - 2006 plans, meetings, activities http://www.globalcarbonproject.org/top_bar/new/e- news_december_2005.htm SCIENCE NEWS Transdisciplinary collaboration in environmental research Christian Pohl (2005) Futures 37(10) : 1159-1178 (see below - abstract available only) Nations want cash not to fell trees http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4484744.stm 2005 exceptionally warm, continuing the long term mean warming trend...(RealClimate) http://www.realclimate.org/index.php?p=231 Is global warming killing the polar bears? http://online.wsj.com/public/article/SB113452435089621905.html? mod=todays_free_feature Montreal Agreement On Tropical Deforestation http://allafrica.com/stories/200512080176.html UN agrees to "rainforest conservation for emissions" deal http://news.mongabay.com/2005/1211-forests.html All in a Week's Work: Average Work Weeks of Doctoral Scientists and Engineers http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf06302 Japan: Panel to combat epidemics induced by global warming, Japan Times (ClimateArk) http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20051213b6.htm Climate talks: some progress, but without US - Christian Science Monitor (ClimateArk) http://www.csmonitor.com/2005/1212/p01s01-wogi.html Climate Change Refugees (Tiempo Climate Newswatch) http://www.tiempocyberclimate.org/newswatch/index.htm The worst weather ever? (from Tiempo Climate Newswatch) http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article331621.ece Bid to destroy European support for Kyoto (from Tiempo Climate Newswatch) http://www.nzherald.co.nz/section/story.cfm?c_id=2&ObjectID=10358998 FORUM Comments on Decrease in Atlantic Circulation from RealClimate http://www.realclimate.org/index.php?p=225 Inuit sue US over climate policy http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4511556.stm SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES The 2006 Petry Research Prize for the Economics of Climate Change (see below) Cornell University Provost's Academic Diversity Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (see below) JOBS University of Washington, Tacoma is seeking to fill the newly endowed Port of Tacoma Chair (funded by the Port of Tacoma, SSA Marine, and the City of Tacoma). Ph.D. required. http://www.washington.edu/admin/eoo/ads/aa1156-PortofTacoma.html Phytoplankton Ecologist, Assistant/Associate Professor, Florida Gulf Coast University https://jobs.fgcu.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp? time=1134169663065 Florida International University - Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology & Anthropology http://aaanet.jobcontrolcenter.com/jobdetail.cfm?job=2251961.32 Postdoctoral Scholar Position-Physical Oceanography and Polar Processes Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)-California Institute of Technology (see below) Ecological Economist at Earth Economics - a non-profit organization advancing and applying economic theory and policy to promote healthy communities, ecosystems and economies. (see below) Managing Director - Earth Economics (see below) Research Associate Position - Boston University and University of New Hampshire (see below) Michigan State University - 3 tenure-track positions in Coupled Human and Natural Systems (see below) Post-doctoral fellowship in inverse modeling of carbon cycle, NIES, Japan (see below) *************************************************** Science News Transdisciplinary collaboration in environmental research Christian Pohl (2005) Futures 37(10) : 1159-1178 Transdisciplinary collaboration in environmental research Christian Pohl (2005) Futures 37(10) : 1159-1178 One aim of transdisciplinary research is to get natural and social scientists to collaborate, so as to achieve an integrated view of a subject that goes beyond the viewpoints offered by any particular discipline. The question of how transdisciplinary approaches can be practiced remains a challenge, however, if the quantitative and the qualitative sciences are both to be included. To explore this question, a series of qualitative interviews was conducted with researchers involved in two recent Swiss and Swedish research programmes. In both these programmes natural and social scientists had to collaborate in problem-driven environmental research. Three findings from these interviews are discussed in this paper: (a) that the researchers have more reasons to offer for non-collaboration than for collaboration, and that most of the thinking about transdisciplinary collaboration takes place at the level of programme management, (b) that the researchers should be classified as Detached Specialists or Engaged Problem Solvers rather than as natural and social scientists, and (c) that if collaboration evolves in a problem-driven research environment it tends to take the form of division of labour. The conclusion this paper draws for problem-driven research is that, paradoxically, the pressure to produce usable results should be reduced if collaboration is to emerge. *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities The 2006 Petry Research Prize for the Economics of Climate Change The 2006 Petry Research Prize for the Economics of Climate Change. Email nominations to Charles D. Kolstad (kolstad@bren.ucsb.edu) for papers published in 2003, 2004 or 2005 only. The Association of Environmental and Resource Economists (AERE) announces the Petry Research Prize for the Economics of Climate Change. The purpose of the prize is to encourage and recognize international research on the economic consequences of increased atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases. This prize is made possible by the generous support of Dr. Glen Petry of Bend, Oregon. Eligibility: A prize of $7500 will be awarded for a scholarly paper published within the previous three calendar years on the economics of climate change. Economic issues can include the costs imposed by higher global temperatures or related climate effects, benefits and costs of actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, direct and secondary economic consequences of adapting or failing to adapt to climate change, international aspects of climate policy and other related topics. The paper may be theoretical or empirical but should have clear policy implications Criteria: The winning paper will be selected on the following criteria: (1) quality of the research; (2) originality of methodology; and (3) scope of the investigated effect. Research on a small segment of the economy would be less important to the award than research on a broader economic effect. Research focused on a specific sector is acceptable if the paper provides an especially rigorous or original application with broader implications. Papers should be published in a peer reviewed journal. Nominations: A paper must be nominated to be considered. Nominations should be sent to Professor Charles Kolstad, Donald Bren School of Environmental Science & Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5131 by April 15, 2006. Authors and nominators need not be members of AERE. Award Committee: Charles Kolstad (University of California, Santa Barbara, Chair), Carlo Carraro (University of Venice and Fondazione ENI Enrico Mattei), and Richard Somerville (University of California, San Diego). Award Announcement: The Petry Research Prize will be announced in July 2006 at the World Congress of Environmental and Resource Economists. Dr. Glen Petry is Professor Emeritus of Finance at Washington State University. He received his PhD from the University of Colorado in 1974 and now lives in Bend Oregon. He has had a life long interest in the outdoors and environmental causes, though his professional research has been in the areas of acquisition and mergers, valuation, and financial education and he has worked as a real estate developer. He is originally from Pennsylvania and came west in 1966, having lived in California, Oregon, Colorado, and Washington. ******************** Cornell University Provost's Academic Diversity Postdoctoral Fellowship Program Description: The Provost's Academic Diversity Postdoctoral Program seeks to increase the number of scholars who will contribute to academic diversity and excellence at Cornell University and in American higher education by providing a two-year research, teaching, and mentoring experience. Promising scholars who have been historically underrepresented in higher education (including but not limited to African American, American Indian, and Hispanic/Latino) are encouraged to apply. Fellows will devote their time to research and will teach one course a year. Award: There will be three awards each for a two-year term appointment of eleven months each year. We welcome applications from all disciplines, with the stipend dependent on the discipline and experience. Stipends will include health insurance and $2,000 for relocation/research expenses. Applicants must complete all requirements for the doctoral degree by August 2006 and should have received the degree within the past five years. Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Application: Applicants must submit an application letter (including e-mail address) in which the applicant clearly identifies the area or discipline of proposed research, a curriculum vitae, statement of proposed research not to exceed five pages, brief explanation of how the applicant will contribute to academic diversity at Cornell, and three letters of recommendation. Recommendations should be sent by referees under separate cover, one of whom must be the dissertation advisor. The application deadline is Jan. 15, 2006. Kindly send application materials to: Provost's Academic Diversity Postdoctoral Fellowship Program Office of the Vice Provost for Diversity and Faculty Development Cornell University 449 Day Hall Ithaca, N.Y. 14853-2801 Phone: (607) 255-5358 ******************** Research Associate Position - Boston University and University of New Hampshire Nearshore processes, carbon and biogeochemical cycling. The Department of Earth Sciences at Boston University and the Institute for Earth Oceans and Space at the University of New Hampshire are seeking a research associate at the postdoctoral (or similar) level to work on process studies to help quantify biogeochemical (particularly, carbon) fluxes at the ocean-land interface. The project entails using numerical models to couple terrestrial fluxes with ocean physics and property distributions that are available from coastal ocean models and observations (satellite and field) in the Gulf of Maine. This study of the nearshore region is aimed at understanding the exchange of properties between land and ocean and thus developing methods to couple ocean models with terrestrial hydrological models. The researcher will have the opportunity to synthesize field observations from a Gulf of Maine sampling program, ocean model fields, satellite fields and terrestrial runoff estimates within a model framework. A background in ocean modeling, terrestrial runoff modeling, coastal biogeochemistry, or applying remote sensing data to model studies would be a plus. The appointment is for an initial period of 1 year, to start at the earliest. The researcher will work with both institutions, BU and UNH, and will be a member of the Joint Center for Ocean Observing Technology (NOAA/UNH). For further information, please see http://www.bu.edu/es http://www.eos.unh.edu/ http://www.cooa.unh.edu/ and contact: Amala Mahadevan (amala@bu.edu), Department of Earth Sciences, Boston University or Joe Salisbury?(joe.salisbury@unh.edu), Institute for Earth, Oceans and Space, University of New Hampshire *************************************************** Jobs Planktonnet: Great listserv for aquatic-science jobs To subscribe to the list, send an empty email to: planktonnet-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Or, visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/planktonnet/ and click on 'Join this group' Postdoctoral Scholar Position-Physical Oceanography and Polar Processes Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL)-California Institute of Technology The California Institute of Technology, Postdoctoral Scholars Program at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) invites applications for a postdoctoral research position in physical oceanography and polar processes. The position will involve analysis of high-latitude satellite data and high-resolution global-ocean and sea-ice data syntheses from the ECCO2 project (http://ecco2.org/) in order to study interactions of ocean circulation with atmosphere and sea-ice processes. A Ph.D. in physical oceanography, applied physics, or related fields is required. Experience with high latitude observations and processes is desirable. The position is open immediately and appointment is contingent upon completion of Ph.D. The start date is flexible, but preferably no later than 1 May 2006. The annual starting salary for a recent Ph.D. is approximately $52,000 USD and can vary somewhat according to the applicant's qualifications. For more information, please contact: Dimitris Menemenlis E-mail: menemenlis@jpl.nasa.gov or contact: Ron Kwok E-mail: ron.kwok@jpl.nasa.gov ******************** Ecological Economist at Earth Economics - a non-profit organization advancing and applying economic theory and policy to promote healthy communities, ecosystems and economies. Ecological Economist: Earth Economics applies ecological economics in three primary program areas: Ecosystem Services Assessments and Valuations, Restoration of major and prominent ecosystems, including Puget Sound, and International finance and trade We are seeking an ecological economist to provide primary technical management of Earth Economics projects, including reports and presentations to clients, ecosystem service valuation, benefit transfer methodology, management of consultants and graduate students around the world. Play leadership role, in conjunction with ED and others, in fundraising, proposal writing, and solicitation of major donors. Assist in developing the consulting line of business. Assist with marketing and PR efforts as necessary. ******************** Managing Director - Earth Economics Earth Economics Managing Director: Seeking managing director to take primary responsibility for successful development and execution of projects, schedules, budgets and deliverables, and develop, implement and oversee work programs, including: Develop consulting line of business, incl. market research, development of products and services, and marketing. Establish new Tacoma office. Manage administrative staff, contract bookkeeper, consultants and interns. Hire and supervise staff and volunteers. Lead implementation of the new strategic plan. Leadership role in grant and proposal writing, reports to funders, contract negotiations, solicitation of major donors. Manage organization's finances, budgets, client billing, and financial records. For a full job descriptions and further details, please email: info@eartheconomics.org specifying the position title in the subject line. Letters of interest, resumes and writing samples are due January 10, 2006. ******************** Michigan State University - 3 tenure-track positions in Coupled Human and Natural Systems Michigan State University seeks three faculty members in the area of coupled human and natural systems. We are interested in researchers who apply computational methods, such as agent based modeling, to understand human-environment interactions. We have a special interest in population, environment and land use for at least one of these positions. We have a special interest in environmental policy for at least one of these positions. Appointments will be joint between the Environmental Science and Policy Program and a tenure-granting home department. The tenure home may be in Geography, Political Science, Sociology or another appropriate department. We anticipate that the appointment will be made at the level of Assistant Professor. The positions are academic year appointments. Ph.D. or equivalent is required at the time of the appointment. International experience or demonstrated interest in international issues is an advantage. The positions will be structured to allow development of a internationally owned research programs with extramural support. We also expect these faculty to engage in an initiative to introduce computational modeling into the undergraduate social science curriculum. Letters of application should be ompanied by a curriculum vitae, short statement of professional goals, a list of references we can contact and examples of published work. Applications will be reviewed starting on January 30, 2006, and will be accepted until the positions are filled. Applications and letters of reference can be mailed to: Dr. Thomas Dietz, ESPP Search Committee Environmental Science & Policy Program Michigan State University 274 Giltner Hall, East Lansing, MI 48824-1011 MSU is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Institution. ******************** Post-doctoral fellowship in inverse modeling of carbon cycle, NIES, Japan Postdoc, Inverse Modeling of Carbon Cycle (Japan) Field of research: constituent transport modeling, atmospheric/ oceanic data assimilation, trajectory modeling, inverse modeling, terrestrial ecosystem NEE/NPP modeling and data analysis, methane flux modeling and data analysis, emission inventory. Prior experience in some of topics above compulsory. Research target: assimilation of the in-situ and satellite observations into flux models. Position type: research fellow, post-doctoral fellow, assistant fellow, 3 years. Contact: Dr. Shamil Maksyutov (shamil@nies.go.jp), Center for Global Environmental Research, National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2, Onogawa, Tsukuba, 305-8506, Japan, www.nies.go.jp Starting date: Apr. 2006 Review of applications starts Jan 15th, 2006 and continue until position is filled. Requred papers: 1. Curriculum Vitae, with a photo and e-mail address 2. List of publications 3. Three copies of your publications. (PDF is OK) 4. Abstract of your research activities in about 800 words. 5. Research plan proposal in about 400 words. 6. Recommendation letter from 1 referee ************************************************** This newsletter has been developed by C. Susan Weiler to distribute information of potential interest to recent PhDs engaged in interdisciplinary aquatic science or climate-change research, and to build an international sense of community among recent grads. It provides an international forum for the exchange of information and opinions regarding research, professional and social issues. The views and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the funding agencies or sponsoring societies. Dr. Weiler reserves the right to edit or reject material submitted to the list. Please submit announcements of interest to recent PhDs to phd@whitman.edu. Send a short message in the body of an e-mail message, and link to any appropriate websites. Do not send attachments. Moving? Send address changes to dialog@whitman.edu or disccrs@whitman.edu ********** C. Susan Weiler, Ph.D. Office for Earth System Studies Tel: 509-527-5948 Whitman College Fax: 509-527-5961 Walla Walla, WA 99362 weiler@whitman.edu Programs for Recent PhDs http://aslo.org/phd.html DIALOG poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf DISCCRS poster http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a Changing Global Environment http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20051216/585a0b2d/attachment-0001.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Thu Dec 22 15:30:08 2005 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Thu Dec 22 12:33:30 2005 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 12/22/2005 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 12/22/2005 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES Permafrost Young Researchers Network (PYRN) Webpage and Electronic Newsletter http://www.awi-potsdam.de/pyrn/ New Scientist magazine: Continually updated Climate Change special report: http://www.newscientist.com/channel/earth/climate-change NSF program announcement on "Carbon and Water in the Earth System" http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp? pims_id=13651&org=GEO&from=home NSF Announces Human and Social Dynamics Competition http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf06509 NSF Announces New Awards to Study the Impact of Katrina on People and Social Systems http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=ma05027 2003 College Graduates in the U.S. Workforce: A Profile http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf06304 Chilling Out With Global Warming (see below) NSF's Strategic Plan for FY 2006-2011 (see below) SCIENCE NEWS Failing ocean current raises fears of mini ice age from New Scientist http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn8398 Marine Census Shows Diversity, Declines http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/1501AP_Ocean_Census.html Squids Display Maternal Nature - from the San Francisco Chronicle http://tinyurl.com/d5lsa Snails Causing Disappearance of Marsh Grass, Study Finds - from Scripps Howard News Service http://tinyurl.com/7px76 Ancient Legends Give an Early Warning of Modern Disasters from the Guardian (UK) (see below) Scientists Discover New Hydrothermal Vents Around the Globe from Associated Press (see below) Towards a Post-2012 Climate Change Regime (see below) Gas Emissions Reached High in U.S. in '04-from the New York Times (Registration Required) (see below) FORUM Message from NSF Director Arden Bement, re NSF Strategic Plan for FY 2006 - 2011 (see below) Defending Science by Defining It-Analysis from the Washington Post http://tinyurl.com/exskv An army of adjuncts - art-time professors increasingly common at state universities http://www.cnn.com/2005/EDUCATION/12/09/army.of.adjuncts.ap/ index.html SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES Cutting-Edge workshops for Geoscience Faculty http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/workshops.html JOBS Phytoplankton Ecologist, Assistant/Associate Professor, Florida Gulf Coast University https://jobs.fgcu.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp? time=1134169663065 Job openings at NOAA https://jobs1.quickhire.com/scripts/doc.exe/runjobinfo? aOrg=1&aJob=5033&Username=~BROWSE~&ORGIMG=doc_logo1.jpg Research Associate with research interests in large-scale atmosphere- ocean - University of Washington (see below) Post-Graduate Fellowship tenable at the Washington, DC office of START. (see below) NCAR Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, Human Dimensions of Global Change field (see below) Post-Doctoral Position, Pelagic Fish Ecology or Fisheries Acoustics- Prince William Sound Science Center, Cordova, Alaska (see below) *************************************************** Resources Chilling Out With Global Warming From the San Francisco Chronicle Global warming might be upsetting the circulation of warm and cold water in the world's oceans and is perhaps setting the stage for -- ironically ? a significant cooling of the north Atlantic climate within a century. One far-out possibility is that sea ice might begin drifting to unusually southerly latitudes, possibly leading to sightings of icebergs off North Carolina or Bermuda some time around the year 2100, one scientist speculated at the American Geophysical Union conference in San Francisco on Wednesday. Whether or not that's a realistic possibility, researchers are increasingly worried that the ocean's so-called conveyor belt for transporting heat through the oceans is changing in response to atmospheric global warming. The phenomenon, in turn, might hasten serious changes in world climate, scientists said. http://tinyurl.com/ dc2zw ******************** NSF's Strategic Plan for FY 2006-2011 Dear NSF Colleagues: We want to let you know the next step in the development of NSF's Strategic Plan for FY 2006-2011. [SEE http://www.nsf.gov/about/ performance/input.cfm] NSF is asking the broad communities we serve to provide their input on two key questions: Does NSF's current Strategic Plan effectively communicate NSF's roles and responsibilities as part of the science and engineering (S&E) community? If not, what is lacking and how can the next plan be improved? What broad characteristics of the near- and long-term environment for S&E research and education should NSF consider and address in its next Strategic Plan? The attached letter will be distributed through MyNSF (formerly the Custom News Service). Groups covering our major constituencies will also be informed and a link to the letter will appear on the NSF Homepage. There will be additional opportunities for staff, Advisory Committee and direct community input as we work toward completing the Strategic Plan by September 30, 2006. Arden Bement and Kathie Olsen *************************************************** Science News Ancient Legends Give an Early Warning of Modern Disasters from the Guardian (UK) On the banks of Siletz Bay in Lincoln City, Oregon, officials dedicated a memorial last week to one of America's worst calamities: a huge earthquake and tsunami that killed thousands of Native Americans 300 years ago. But the memorial's main job is not to commemorate the disaster, which has only just come to light, but to warn local people that similar devastation could strike at any time. The area sits over massive fault lines whose dangers have been highlighted by a startling new scientific discipline that combines Earth science studies and analysis of ancient legends. This is geomythology, and it is transforming our knowledge of earthquakes, volcanoes and tsunamis, says the journal Science. http://tinyurl.com/ b9tzz ******************** Scientists Discover New Hydrothermal Vents Around the Globe from Associated Press San Francisco (AP) -- Scientists exploring the world's sea floor have discovered new super-hot, mineral-rich geysers belching from the southern Atlantic, Arctic and Indian oceans. The findings are significant because they show that such hydrothermal vents are a global phenomena, which may help shed light on Earth's geological development and the origins of simple life. Thermal vents teeming with exotic creatures were once thought to exist only in the Pacific "Ring of Fire" because of its high volcanic activity and fast-spreading sea floor. But the discovery of boiling hot springs in the slower-growing Mid-Atlantic Ridge 20 years ago opened new avenues of exploration. http://tinyurl.com/a7hjx ******************** Towards a Post-2012 Climate Change Regime K. Blok, N. H?hne, A. Torvanger, R. Janzic, 2005, 130p. The core of the report is a proposal of a possible future regime consisting of an agreement with several elements: multistage emission reductions, emissions from land use change and forestry, adaptation and technology development. It also discusses the implication of a delay of action on meeting the same environmental goal. The report also provides an overview of several possible country groupings. It further provides fact sheets of several proposals for a post 2012 regime. The report finally provides a scenario of a possible negotiation process. The report can be downloaded at http://europa.eu.int/comm/ environment/climat/pdf/id_bps098.PDF It is linked at the EU Commission DG Environment climate change reports web site: http://europa.eu.int/comm/environment/climat/ studies.htm ******************** Gas Emissions Reached High in U.S. in '04-from the New York Times (Registration Required) American emissions of greenhouse gases linked to global warming reached an all-time high in 2004, rising 2 percent from the year before, the Energy Department said, nearly double the average annual rate measured since 1990. The department's Energy Information Administration, in a report issued Monday, also raised earlier government estimates of emissions for 2003, pushing that year past 2000 into second place. No estimates were available for United States emissions in 2005, although energy experts say increased economic growth this year is likely to make it another record-setter. http://tinyurl.com/bqa77 *************************************************** Forum Message from NSF Director Arden Bement, re NSF Strategic Plan for FY 2006 - 2011 Dear NSF Colleagues: We want to let you know the next step in the development of NSF's Strategic Plan for FY 2006-2011. NSF is asking the broad communities we serve to provide their input on two key questions: Does NSF's current Strategic Plan effectively communicate NSF's roles and responsibilities as part of the science and engineering (S&E) community? If not, what is lacking and how can the next plan be improved? What broad characteristics of the near- and long-term environment for S&E research and education should NSF consider and address in its next Strategic Plan? The NSF document (formal letter) associated with this mailing is at http://www.nsf.gov (NSF 06-009). The current strategic plan is NSF 04-201. There will be additional opportunities for staff, Advisory Committee and direct community input as we work toward completing the Strategic Plan by September 30, 2006. Arden Bement and Kathie Olsen ******************** Defending Science by Defining It-Analysis from the Washington Post (Registration Required) The opinion written by Judge John E. Jones III in the Dover evolution trial is a two-in-one document that offers both philosophical and practical arguments against "intelligent design" likely to be useful to far more than a school board in a small Pennsylvania town. Jones gives a clear definition of science, and recounts how this vaunted mode of inquiry has evolved over the centuries. He describes how scientists go about the task of supporting or challenging ideas about the world of the senses -- all that can be observed and measured. And he reaches the unwavering conclusion that intelligent design is a religious idea, not a scientific one. His opinion is a passionate paean to science. But it is also a strategic defense of Darwinian theory. http://tinyurl.com/exskv *************************************************** Jobs Planktonnet: Great listserv for aquatic-science jobs To subscribe to the list, send an empty email to: planktonnet-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Or, visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/planktonnet/ and click on 'Join this group' Research Associate with research interests in large-scale atmosphere- ocean - University of Washington Interaction with emphasis on climate dynamics and/or biogeochemical cycles. Term of appointment: one (1) year, renewable for a second year, subject to the approval of the JISAO Senior Fellows and availability of funding. Position is not project specific: Recruitee is free to define her/his research goals within the above-mentioned broad program areas and is encouraged to interact with University of Washington and NOAA PMEL scientists, many of whom are involved in the University's Program on Climate Change. Applicants are invited to submit a brief mini-proposal outlining research to be pursued during a two-year tenure at JISAO, if selected. Send curriculum vitae and a list of four (4) references to: Director, Joint Institute for Study of Atmosphere and Ocean, Attn: Marjorie Reeves, Box 354235, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195; Fax: 206-685-3397; e-mail: mar@atmos.washington.edu. ******************** Post-Graduate Fellowship tenable at the Washington, DC office of START. Post-Graduate Fellowship tenable at the Washington, DC office of START, to assist in the development and implementation of START's global change research activities and capacity building in developing countries. This Fellowship is aimed at developing country students currently completing graduate degree programs in the US. The Fellowship term will be up to 12 months. START is a non-governmental global environmental change research and capacity building program based in Washington, DC, with regional offices in Bangkok, Beijing, Nairobi, New Delhi and Suva (see http:// www.start.org). Responsibilities may include program coordination; preparation and synthesis of reports, including review of project proposals related to climate change and adaptation; project administration; and organization of international workshops. Applicants should have, or be near completion of, an advanced degree in a field related to global environmental change. Excellent communication skills, both oral and written are needed. Must be organized, results oriented, and a self-starter with the ability to be a team player in a small office environment. A stipend will be provided commensurate with qualifications and experience. Applicants should submit a letter of interest and resume, including the names and contact information of three references and sample of writing as soon as possible to: Patricia Sipher Program Coordinator International START Secretariat 2000 Florida Avenue, NW, Suite 200 Washington, DC 20009 Email: psipher@agu.org ******************** NCAR Postdoctoral Fellowship Program, Human Dimensions of Global Change field For Natural AND Social Sciences: The postdoctoral program provides an opportunity for recent-Ph.D. scientists to continue to pursue their research interests in atmospheric and related science. The program also invites postdoctoral physicists, chemists, applied mathematicians, computer scientists, engineers, and specialists from related disciplines such as biology, geology, science education, economics, and geography, to apply their training to research in the atmospheric sciences. The primary goal of the program is to develop the careers of recent Ph.D. graduates. The ASP also encourages independence and creativity while providing an environment in which fellows interact with and receive advice from experienced scientists at NCAR. Deadline for 2006 applications is 5 January 2006. If you have any questions please contact the Advanced Study Program at asp-apply@ucar.edu See what Sciencecareers.org has to say about NCAR and the ASP postdoctoral fellowships The IAI postdoctoral program provides an opportunity for recent- Ph.D. scientists from any of the nineteen member countries to come to NCAR and continue to pursue their research interests in atmospheric and related science. The program also invites postdoctoral physicists, chemists, applied mathematicians, computer scientists, engineers, and specialists from related disciplines such as biology, geology, science education, economics, and geography, to apply their training to research in the atmospheric sciences. Deadline for 2006 applications is 5 January 2006. Above From ASP Website: http://www.asp.ucar.edu SERE Lab Website: http://www.sere.ucar.edu/ Institute for the Studi of Society and Environment (ISSE): http:// www.isse.ucar.edu/ ******************** Post-Doctoral Position, Pelagic Fish Ecology or Fisheries Acoustics- Prince William Sound Science Center, Cordova, Alaska The Prince William Sound Science Center, a non-profit research and education institution located on the shores of Prince Will