From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Jan 6 17:00:52 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Mon Jan 9 11:11:30 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 01/06/2006 Message-ID: <09EB8314-E8F6-4A2F-B8AE-7154EF4D2462@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 01/06/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES MPOWIR (Mentoring Physical Oceanography Women to Increase Retention) MPOWIR is a community effort to increase the retention of women with Ph.D.s in physical oceanography in all job sectors. To meet this objective, we are designing a community mentoring program with the support of NSF and ONR. To learn more about MPOWIR, please visit www.mpowir.org. New NSF Centers Encourage Collaboration Between Ocean Scientists, Educators http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pr06001 NSF Releases Solicitation for IGERT Program - The National Science Foundation has released a revised solicitation for the Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship (IGERT). http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf06525. SCIENCE NEWS Next big tsunami may hit US west coast from, Expressindia.com http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=60471 Global Warming Can Trigger Extreme Ocean, Climate Changes (NSF news release) http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pr06003 Tiny Marine Organisms Reflect Ocean Warming http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pr06004 Report: Great Lakes near ecological breakdown (see below) SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES 12th PhD Workshop on International Climate Policy ? April 28-29, 2006 - Groningen, The Netherlands. (see below) Inaugural Science Communication Postgraduate Conference Science and the Public (see below) Cutting-Edge Workshops for new Geoscience Faculty and Postdocs (see below) JOBS Postdoc, Investigating Estuarine Threshold Dynamics, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland (see below) *************************************************** Science News Report: Great Lakes near ecological breakdown CNN, Thursday, December 8, 2005 Posted: 2046 GMT (0446 HKT) FACT BOX THE GREAT LAKES The Great Lakes are: Lake Superior, Lake Michigan, Lake Huron, Lake Erie, and Lake Ontario. You can remember the names of all five by thinking of the word HOMES which takes the first letter of each lake to make the word. Lake Superior is the largest lake. The Great Lakes provide the largest supply of fresh water on the Earth. A series of dams, lakes and rivers connect the five lakes. You could travel on Lake Superior from Duluth, Minnesota, and get all the way to the Atlantic Ocean. Source: NASA CHICAGO, Illinois (Reuters) -- Stresses from polluted rivers to invasive species threaten to trigger an ecological breakdown in the Great Lakes, a group of scientists hoping to sway U.S. environmental policy said Thursday. Seventy-five scientists who study the world's largest collective body of fresh water released their report on the myriad problems that need cleanup or restoration ahead of two key policy announcements next week. "This is just a critical period for the Great Lakes," Andy Buchsbaum, director of the National Wildlife Federation's Great Lakes office, said about next week's announcements. A task force comprising federal agencies, Congress, local government officials and regional Indian tribes is scheduled to release its much-anticipated final plan for preserving the Great Lakes requested by President Bush in 2004. The body's preliminary report in July recommended $20 billion in federal, state and private funding over 15 years to upgrade antiquated municipal sewer systems, restore 500,000 acres of wetlands, clean polluted harbors and bays, and pay for other efforts. But a federal oversight group subsequently suggested to the White House that the budget was too tight to allow additional funding. Federal spending on Great Lakes cleanup over the past decade was $800 million, according to the Government Accountability Office. After the task force releases its plan Monday, governors representing U.S. states and Canadian provinces that border the Great Lakes will announce revisions to century-old rules that restrict water withdrawals and diversions from the lakes. More than 30 million people rely on the Great Lakes for drinking water, and large-scale diversions to far-off states or countries have been forbidden. Threats to the Great Lakes are converging, scientists who worked on the report said. "There's widespread agreement that the Great Lakes are under tremendous stress," said Alfred Beeton of the University of Michigan. "Toxic substances ... overfishing, invasive species, changes in hydrology affecting rivers -- now we can add the effects of global climate change. "These have been dealt with individually. What we need to do is look at the ecosystem -- the combination of stresses," Beeton said. "Historical sources of stress have combined with new ones and we have arrived at a tipping point. What we mean is that ecosystem changes will occur rapidly and unexpectedly." The report emphasized the need for large-scale ecosystem restoration and not piecemeal efforts, coauthor Don Scavia said. Particularly important was preserving or restoring shoreline "buffer zones," such as wetlands and lake tributaries to help the lakes heal themselves. "These are the key areas for filtering the contaminants that enter the lakes. It's also where most of the wildlife habitat is," Scavia said. Shoreline pollution that fouls Great Lakes beaches is extending into the middle of some of the five Great Lakes, sudden drops in oxygen levels in the water threaten native species, and native fish have been crowded out by invasive species that have changed the character of the lakes, the scientists added. *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities 12th PhD Workshop on International Climate Policy ? April 28-29, 2006 - Groningen, The Netherlands. This Workshop is organised by the European PhD Network on International Climate Policy, which is an independent scientific community. As a vital part of the network, the PhD candidates meet twice a year for a workshop session which gives them the opportunity to present their theses and discuss them with other PhD students and scientists working in the area of climate policy. 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. The meeting will be hosted by the research institute SOM of the Faculty of Economics of the University of Groningen (http:// som.rug.nl) and the Energy Delta Research Center (http://www.rug.nl/ edrec/index). Both days of the event will take place in the Conference Center ?Het Kasteel? (http://www.hetkasteel.com) Participation: Conference language: English. Registration deadline: 28th February 2006. For registration please send an email to Vlasis Oikonomou v.oikonomou@rug.nl 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 31st March 2006. No registration fee. Due to our organisation form we are not able to give any financial support to the participants. Looking forward to meeting you in Groningen Best regards, Vlasis Oikonomou - SOM, Department of Economics, University of Groningen - http://som.rug.nl Office: Olympiakade 14-2, 1076XP, Amsterdam Tel: +31 206625340 Mob: +31 645380712 Fax: +31 205254254 Email: v.oikonomou@rug.nl ******************** Inaugural Science Communication Postgraduate Conference Science and the Public: Interdisciplinary approaches Saturday May 20th 2006, Imperial College, London CALL FOR PAPERS This day-long postgraduate conference has been organised by Imperial College and the London PUS Seminar Group to help bring together researchers from the disparate strands of academia that consider science as it exists and influences public life. We hope to attract delegates from a wide variety of disciplines; bringing together researchers from science and technology studies, science communication, history, cultural studies, psychology, anthropology, literary criticism, education, museum studies, sociology, media studies, policy studies, geography and others. Abstracts for submission of a 20-minute paper around the topic of science and the public are welcomed from research postgraduate students in any field. Abstracts should be no longer than 300 words and emailed to scienceandpublic@googlemail.com by 1st March 2006. Enquires to alice.bell@imperail.ac.uk or sarah.davies@imperial.ac.uk. The conference fee is ?10 and there may be travel grants available to those giving papers (details will follow). -- Alice Bell BSc MA PhD Student Science Communication Group Imperial College London - South Ken & Wye Campus alice.bell@imperial.ac.uk ******************** Cutting-Edge Workshops for new Geoscience Faculty and Postdocs I'm pleased to announce the 2006 series of workshops for current and future geoscience faculty. These workshops are part of the professional development program, On the Cutting Edge, which is funded by a grant from the NSF Division of Undergraduate Education. THE EARLIEST APPLICATION DEADLINE IS JANUARY 16, 2006. Our website provides more information about the various workshops and gives the deadline for each workshop - Most or all of the on- site workshop expenses (including lodging and meals) are covered for the workshops; participants or their departments pay for their travel to the workshop. http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/workshops.html WORKSHOPS FOR FACULTY Teaching Sedimentary Geology in the 21st Century, July 14-19. 2006, University of Utah. Co-conveners: Heather Macdonald, Kathy Benison, Margie Chan, Tom Hickson, and Chris Paola. Co-sponsor: National Center for Earth-surface Dynamics NOTE - APPLICATION DEADLINE JAN 16 Discoveries from Mars: Using a Planetary Perspective to Enhance Undergraduate Geoscience Courses (emerging theme workshop), April 27-29, 2006, Arizona State University. Co-conveners: Barbara Tewksbury, Philip Christensen, Ronald Greeley, Tracy Gregg, and Eric Grosfils Early Career Faculty Workshop: Teaching, Research, and Managing Your Career, June 7-12, 2006, College of William and Mary. Co- conveners: Heather Macdonald, Richelle Allen-King, and Richard Yuretich Designing Effective and Innovative Courses in the Geosciences, July 31-August 4, 2006 (on-line workshop): May 31-June 4, 2006 College of the Siskiyous, Weed, CA (virtual workshop). Co-conveners: Barbara Tewksbury and William Hirt Teaching Public Policy in the Earth Sciences (emerging theme workshop), April 20-23, 2006, American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC, Co-conveners: David Mogk and Cathy O'Riordan (AGU). Co-sponsor: American Geophysical Union Teaching Climate Change: Lessons from the Past, August 14-15, 2006, Montana State University. Co-conveners: David Mogk, Allan Ashworth, Sheri Fritz, and Cathy Whitlock. Co-sponsors:AMQUA and INQUA WORKSHOP FOR GRADUATE STUDENTS AND POST-DOCS Preparing for an Academic Career in the Geosciences: A Workshop for Graduate Students and Post-doctoral Fellows, July 27-30, 2006, Stanford University. Co-conveners: Cathryn Manduca and Robyn Wright Dunbar We also have a rich set of resources on a wide range of topics and I encourage you to look at those resources as well. http:// serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/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' Postdoc, Investigating Estuarine Threshold Dynamics, Smithsonian Environmental Research Center, Edgewater, Maryland The position is on a project investigating threshold dynamics of shallow-water estuarine communities of the southern New England and how the distribution of distinct, easily recognized alternate communities can be used to develop and measure the success of management decisions on local to regional scales. We seek a candidate with a Ph.D. in estuarine/marine ecology or a related discipline. The ideal person will have broad experience in the development and use of numerical models, in the study of food web dynamics, a background in marine ecology, and a strong knowledge of benthic systems. The selected candidate will work primarily with me but will also interact with Bob Whitlatch and Roman Zajac. The starting date is flexible but I would like to have someone in place by early summer or sooner. The appointment would be as a Smithsonian Postdoctoral Fellow and for 2 years subject to a review after 1 year. The stipend includes an annual salary of $37,000 plus funds to support research and travel. I will begin screening applications soon but the position will remain open until filled. The successful candidate will be housed at SERC. A fuller description of the position can be found on the SERC website at http:// www.serc.si.edu/www.serc.si.edu. Anyone interested or has questions should contact me as soon as they can. Richard Osman Smithsonian Environmental Research Center P. O. Box 28 647 Contees Wharf Road Edgewater, MD 21037 Phone: 443-482-2213 Fax: 443-482-2380 ************************************************** 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/20060106/88f6fa91/attachment.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Wed Jan 11 18:05:55 2006 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Wed Jan 11 18:06:54 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] Fwd: please subscribe to NSF Current Message-ID: <25DA7B50-41DD-4A4D-BF69-1E92E40DE075@whitman.edu> Dear all, This is a great way to keep up with news from the U.S. National Science Foundation. Anyone may subscribe -- just submit your e-mail address after clicking on the "click here to register" words below. cheers,sue ?? ? ?? ? > December 2005 > > Welcome to NSF Current > > The National Science Foundation (NSF) is proud to launch NSF > Current, an e-newsletter highlighting research and education > efforts supported by NSF. Based on your established relationship > with NSF, you have been selected to receive this pilot edition. > > If you would like to receive future editions of NSF Current, please > click here to subscribe. At any point, you can unsubscribe using > MyNSF. We look forward to seeing you on our subscription list! ? ? > Brain Images Show Effects of Stress ? > > The yellow area depicts the detected activation in the right > prefrontal cortex of the brain, an area long associated with > anxiety and depression. The background image shows the mean > cerebral blood flow of volunteers participating in stressful tasks. > Credit: Univ. of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. > > The holiday season is notorious for the emotional stress it evokes. > Now, researchers have come up with a non-invasive way to see the > effects of psychological stress in an area of the brain linked to > anxiety and depression. This research has important implications > for how practitioners treat the numerous long-term health > consequences of chronic stress. > > Researchers used functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to > detect increased blood flow in the prefrontal cortex of individuals > subjected to stress. Further, the increased flow continued when the > stressor was removed, suggesting the effects of stress are more > persistent than once thought. > > Supported by NSF, the National Institutes of Health, and the U.S. > Air Force, this research will pave the way to develop improved > strategies to prevent or correct the long-term health consequences > of chronic stress. For more on this underlying non-invasive fMRI > procedure, see " Researchers Use Imaging Technique to Visualize > Effects of Stress on Human Brain." > ? > For the Love of Light: Phytochrome's 3-D Shape Revealed > > Plants use light for energy during photosynthesis, as well as to > govern basic processes such as seed germination, flowering, and, in > autumn, dropping of leaves. NSF-supported scientists recently > revealed the 3-D structure of the light-detecting protein, > phytochrome. The researchers determined that phytochrome is twisted > into a molecular knot, an uncommon shape for any protein. The > scientists theorize the knot helps give phytochrome an overall > stability as it snaps back and forth between two different forms in > response to changes in light color. > > Knowing the 3-D structure of phytochrome will allow researchers to > determine the specific switching mechanism plants use to respond to > light and how the light-derived signals are propagated within the > plant. Nanotechnologists may also find a light-activated switch > useful as they develop novel microscopic devices. Read NSF's press > release, " Scientists Shed Light on Plant Responses" for more > details about phytochrome's form and function. > > Scientists revealed the 3-D shape of phytochrome when it interacts > with a light-sensitive pigment. Phytochrome, discovered some 40 > years ago by USDA scientists, helps guide development in bacteria, > fungi and plants. Credit: N. Rager-Fuller, NSF; J.R. Wagner, Univ. > of Wisconsin-Madison; J.S. Brunzelle, Northwestern Univ., and K.T. > Forest and R.D. Viestra, Univ. of Wisconsin-Madison. ? > DNA Studies Show Microevolution in Penguins > > By comparing the genetic code from 6,000-year-old remains of Adelie > penguins in Antarctica with that of modern Adelies living at the > same site, researchers have shown that microevolution, the process > of evolutionary change at or below the species level, has taken > place in the population. > > The new study, conducted by an international team of researchers > from Italy, New Zealand and the United States, also reveals slight > variations in the coding of the modern penguin?s genes. The > researchers found that the DNA sequences for some genes had become > longer over time, and that the frequency of some of the different > genes had changed as well. > > The researchers also theorize that cyclical break-offs of enormous > Antarctic icebergs could be the source of a remarkable genetic > similarity among contemporary penguin colonies. For more on Adelie > penguins and how icebergs affect them, see NSF's press release > entitled, " DNA Studies Show Microevolution in Penguins." > > Penguins at Cape Royds on Ross Island, Antarctica. Credit: P. West, > NSF. > ? > Fluids Race Through Nearly Frictionless Carbon Nanotubes > > > > In this illustration, water travels through carbon nanotubes at a > rate 10,000 to 100,000 times faster than models predict. Credit: M. > Denomme, Univ. of KY. > > Inside living cells, fluids flow rapidly through microscopic, > nearly frictionless protein channels. Until now, man-made nanoscale > structures have not been able to mimic the speeds of natural > systems because the fluids flow slowly along the walls. A team of > engineers, including one NSF CAREER awardee, recently found that > carbon nanotubes only seven-billionths of a meter in diameter > channel many fluids in a nearly friction-free manner. With some > fluids, the interiors of the tubes were so slippery that the > liquids sailed through 10,000 to 100,000 times faster than models > had predicted. > > The fabrication techniques for these nanotubes easily adapt to > large-scale production--important for industries that need to > separate commodity chemicals. The technology could one day be used > to deliver drugs through the skin or in specialized chemical > sensors. For more on the tiny tubes, see NSF's " Slippery When Wet." ? > Arkansas University Introduces Minority Students to Environmental > Research > > > Arkansas State University professor Robyn Hannigan believes science > holds natural appeal for curious minds. Credit: C. Fitzwater. > > Mentorship is alive and well at Arkansas State University, where > geochemist Robyn Hannigan has established a program to immerse > minority and female students in the study of environmental science. > The result has been a double success for science and education. The > program, Research Internships in Science of the Environment (RISE), > gives some students their first experience doing research. A Native > American from a disadvantaged community, Hannigan knows from > experience that science only appeals to many students after they > have personally conducted hands-on research. > > With funding from NSF's Research Experiences for Undergraduates > program, Hannigan designed RISE to increase diversity in the > scientific workforce. Since 2001, RISE has supported the summer > research projects of more than 30 undergraduate students. For more, > see " RISE Program Proves that Undergraduate Research Experiences > Help Recruit Minority Scientists." > > (back to top) ? > > NSF Award Takes Root with Marianne Krasny's Nurturing > > Meet Marianne Krasny. > > In 2001, Cornell University professor Marianne Krasny received a > grant from NSF's Informal Science Education program to create > Garden Mosaics, a project that merges community gardening with > scientific investigation and education in urban areas. Since then, > the project has expanded into dozens of cities across the U.S. and > abroad, receiving recognition from national educational groups and > gardening associations. > > NSF: What sparked your interest in science education? > Krasny: Like many girls, I wanted a career that helped people. I > worked as a leader for National Outdoor Leadership School and in > youth services. Then I took a bike trip through South Texas, > Mexico, Belize, and Guatemala; the erosion caused by terracing on > steep slopes made an impression. My position at Cornell allows me > to combine science and helping people. > > NSF: What's the most rewarding part of your work? > Krasny: Observing professional and personal growth in my graduate > students. Opportunities to venture into and talk with people in > urban and international communities I normally would not have > access to. Relationships with colleagues in which we have a > constant and challenging exchange of ideas. > > NSF: Has working with Garden Mosaics changed your approach to > education? > Krasny: Definitely. It has led to new ideas about embedding science > education within multicultural understanding, intergenerational > mentoring, and community action. > > NSF: Are you yourself a gardener? > Krasny: My daughter is the gardener. Mostly I help her. > > Read more about Marianna Krasny's project in NSF's Discovery, " > Science, Education and Community: Organically Grown." > > (back to top) > ? > > > Way-Out Weather: Cold Fronts in Space -- USA Today (12/06/05) > Researchers funded by NSF and NASA have developed a way to combine > ground and space observations to create a never-before-seen view of > electrified storms in the upper atmosphere. > > Dredging Led to Deep Trouble, Experts Say -- New Orleans Times- > Picayune (12/09/05) > Dredging of the 17th Street Canal in New Orleans to increase the > capacity of a local pump station likely led to the collapse of the > floodwall at the site during Hurricane Katrina, according to an NSF- > sponsored investigative team. > > Researchers Engineering Better Technologies for the Blind -- San > Francisco Chronicle (11/27/05) > University of California at Santa Cruz professor Roberto Manduchi > has received backing from NSF to develop a laser-based range- > sensing device that can relay spatial information back to users. > The electronic instrument emits various sounds, alerting users > about a curb, steps, or other obstacles nearby. The technology is > geared towards the sight impaired. > > Manufacturing Gets Personal: Fab Labs Unshackle Imaginations -- > Associated Press (11/07/05) > The MIT Center for Bits and Atoms started installing Fabrication > Labs three years ago as free community resources in places as > distant as India and Ghana. The labs each come with commercially > available tools, including a laser cutter and milling machine; a > sign cutter to create graphics or plot flexible electronic > circuits, and electronic assembly tools. The labs were designed > with the help of a five-year, $12.5 NSF grant. > > (back to top) > > Of the 504 individuals who have received the Nobel Prize since 1952 > (the first year NSF awarded research grants), 166 or 33% received > NSF funding at some point in their careers. > > > See NSF's "NSF-Funded Nobel Prize Winners in Science Through 2005" > Fact Sheet for a breakdown of medal recipients by discipline. > ? > > A Conversation with the NSF Director > Bement denotes cyberinfrastructure as the tie that binds. > > "NSF has several goals this fiscal year, and our emergent > cyberinfrastructure initiative is literally the tie that binds > these goals together and will help make them achievable and I hope > to illustrate this." > > "Our long-term goal at NSF is to build a cyber-infrastructure that > joins the ranks of the electrical power grid and the interstate > highway system; that is, a true utility that is ubiquitous, > reliable, adaptable and powerful." > > "NSF's priorities for fiscal year 2006 are reinforced by the > cyberinfrastructure initiative. One of our goals is to strengthen > core disciplinary research, or as I like to call it, to continually > dog the frontier. It is fundamental discovery that opens up new > regions of the frontier." > > "The best cyberinfrastructure, the best scientific research and > education, must be built around and upon people. We need > researchers and educators who are proficient in the science > disciplines, and who will know how to use new cybertools." > > Excerpts from Dr. Bement's luncheon keynote at the NASULGC annual > meeting on 11/13/05. > > (back to top) > > NSF FY 2006 Budget Signed > > > On November 22, 2005, the President signed the Science, State, > Justice, Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act of 2006 > (H.R. 2862) into law (P.L.109-108), yielding a three percent > increase for the National Science Foundation (NSF). The agency's > budget rebounds to $5,653.37 million--3.3 percent higher than the > FY 2005 funding level and nearly one percent above the President's > FY 2006 request level. > > The law provides $4,387.52 million for the Research and Related > Activities Account, an amount four percent above the FY 2005 > appropriation and 1.2 percent above the President's request for FY > 2006. The Education and Human Resources Account is provided $807 > million, an increase of 9.5 percent over the FY 2006 request. The > law provides $193 million for the Major Research Equipment and > Facilities Construction Account, an amount 11 percent above the FY > 2005 level and 22 percent below the President's request. The law > also contains an across-the-board cut of 0.28 percent, which will > reduce the NSF total by roughly $17 million. The aforementioned > numbers do not reflect this rescission. > > This budget cycle was the first in which NSF's appropriation was > considered in the newly configured Science, State, Justice, > Commerce and Related Agencies Appropriations Act. This bill is the > principal source of financial resources to support the Departments > of Justice and Commerce, including the National Oceanic and > Atmospheric Administration; the National Aeronautics and Space > Administration; NSF; and a number of independent agencies and > commissions, including the Securities and Exchange Commission, the > Small Business Administration, and the Federal Trade Commission. > ? > > > The National Science Foundation (NSF), an independent federal > agency, supports fundamental research and education with an annual > budget of nearly $5.47 billion. NSF funding reaches all 50 states > through grants to nearly 2,000 universities and institutions. Each > year, NSF receives about 40,000 competitive requests for funding > and makes about 11,000 new funding awards. Contact NSF's Office of > Legislative and Public Affairs for more information or for > permission to reuse newsletter images. Please click here to > subscribe. To unsubscribe, visit MyNSF. ? > > -------------- next part -------------- Skipped content of type multipart/related From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Jan 13 15:30:11 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Jan 13 15:40:30 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 01/13/2006 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 01/13/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS SCIENCE NEWS Plants Exhale Methane, Contribute to Warming, Study Says from National Geographic News (see below) Scientists Say Warming Decimates Frogs in Latin America (see below) Plants produce methane - Nature 439, 128 (12 January 2006) | doi: 10.1038/439128a (see below) Global Warming Can Trigger Extreme Ocean, Climate Changes http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=105692 JOBS Univ Catholique de Louvain (Belgium) - Post-Doc for "3-D Modelling of the sea-ice ocean system and biogeochemical cycles in the Southern Ocean" (see below) Center for Geosystem Research (Germany) - Postdoc Position (BAT2a) at the Meteorological Institute (relating to integral radar volume data descriptors). (see below) University of Southern California, Center for International Studies - Postdoctoral Fellowships (see below) Atmospheric Modelling Postdoctoral fellowship at McGill University (see below) Post-Doctoral Position, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, The Pennsylvania State University (see below) UNC-Chapel Hill Assistant Professor - Environmental science and policy (see below) Univ Blaise Pascal (France) - Atmospheric Sci. Post-doc (see below) Tenure-Track Position, Green River Community College, Auburn, Washington http://www.greenriver.edu/hr/Geology%20Instructor%202006.htm Wellesley, Massachusetts - Mellon Post-Doctoral Fellow in Anthropology http://aaanet.jobcontrolcenter.com/jobdetail.cfm?job=2261842.32 3 PhD positions in Microbial Ecology, Limnology/Department of Ecology and Evolution, Uppsala University, Norbyv. 20, SE-75236 Uppsala, Sweden http://www.ebc.uu.se/limno/index.html Flint, Michigan: Environment Program Officer - Mott Foundation Grantmaking for environmentally sustainable development http://mott.org/e-job Australia - Bureau of Meteorology, Research Scientist, Research Centre, Climate Forecasting Group (Ref: 10223) http://www.bom.gov.au/careers/ *************************************************** Science News Plants Exhale Methane, Contribute to Warming, Study Says from National Geographic News Grasses and other green growth may produce 10 to 30 percent of Earth's annual methane output, a new study reports, making plants a surprising ? and potentially significant - contributor to global warming. Until the data were unveiled in this week's Nature, scientists had believed that plant-related methane formed only in oxygen-free environments, such as bogs. But a team of European researchers identified a large range of plants that release methane under normal growing conditions. The gas also seeps from dead plant material. http://tinyurl.com/8z5kx ******************** Scientists Say Warming Decimates Frogs in Latin America by Andrew Revkin Scientists studying a fast-dwindling genus of colorful frogs in Central and South America say that recent global warming has combined with a spreading fungus to create a killing zone, driving many species restricted to misty mountainsides to extinction. The researchers said they had implicated widespread warming, as opposed to local variations in temperature or other conditions affecting the frogs, by finding that patterns of fungus outbreaks and species loss in widely dispersed patches of habitat were synchronized in a way that was statistically impossible to explain by chance. Climate scientists have already linked most of the recent rise in the earth's average temperature to the buildup of greenhouse emissions from smokestacks and tailpipes. Thus the new findings, according to the researchers and some independent experts on climate and amphibians, show that human-driven warming is already fostering outbreaks of disease and imperiling species with restricted habitats. The study, led by J. Alan Pounds, the resident biologist at the Monteverde Cloud Forest Preserve in Costa Rica, is to be published on Thursday in the journal Nature. In an accompanying commentary, two scientists not involved in the research, Andy Dobson, a Princeton University ecologist, and Andrew R. Blaustein, a zoologist at Oregon State University, said the research provided "compelling evidence" that warming caused by human activity was already disrupting ecology. "The frogs are sending an alarm call to all concerned about the future of biodiversity and the need to protect the greatest of all open-access resources -- the atmosphere," they wrote. Other climate and amphibian experts, while saying the paper laid out a compelling case for a climate-fungus link, cautioned that there were several layers of remaining uncertainty that were not eliminated by the analysis. Among those, it is still unclear whether the lethal fungus, which attacks amphibian skin, has long been in the affected areas and dormant or is a recent arrival. Over 110 species of brightly colored harlequin frogs, in the genus Atelopus, once lived near streams in the American tropics, but about two-thirds of them have vanished since the 1980's. Implicated in many of those vanishings, as well as amphibian die- offs around the world, is a chytrid fungus that grows on amphibian skin from deserts to lowland tropical forests to mountainsides. A paradox confronting biologists studying possible links to climate change is that the fungus thrives best in cooler conditions, challenging the theory that warming is contributing to the amphibian declines. But Dr. Pounds and his team, in studying trends in temperature and disease around the American tropics and, in particular detail, in the cloud-shrouded ridges of Costa Rica where he lives and works, found patterns that they say explain the situation. Rising cloudiness, a long-projected consequence as warming increases evaporation, tends to keep days cooler by blocking some sunlight and nights warmer by holding in some heat. At intermediate elevations on the mountain slopes of places like Costa Rica, the warming and cloud cover have created a favorable zone for the spread of the chytrid fungus, where conditions are never too cold or too warm, but just right, Dr. Pounds said in an interview. Dr. Pounds, who has worked in the Costa Rican cloud forests for two decades, has seen several easily spotted amphibian species vanish altogether in that time. He said that because the apparent harlequin frog extinctions have occurred in lockstep in widely dispersed field sites, they are hard to attribute to anything other than the broad warming trend linked by other scientists to rising concentrations of greenhouse gases. While the fungus is the bullet, he said, the broader ongoing warming and resulting shifts in clouds are the trigger. Stephen H. Schneider, a climate expert at Stanford University, who has worked with Dr. Pounds on other studies and consulted on this one, acknowledged that uncertainties remained but said that the work was "a major step forward." "It's like anything else that's complex," he said. "When you're in the early phases of learning you look for multiple lines of argument, and when they converge with basic theory you increase your confidence in a connection." That is what this paper has done, he said. ******************** Plants produce methane - Nature 439, 128 (12 January 2006) | doi: 10.1038/439128a Methane finding baffles scientists - by Quirin Schiermeier, Munich Plant production of greenhouse gas throws up questions for climate models. The startling discovery that terrestrial plants produce the greenhouse gas methane is sending scientists in two disciplines, not to mention a few politicians, back to the drawing board. The newly revealed methane emissions have taken plant physiologists by surprise, because far more energy is required to create methane than, say, carbon dioxide in an oxygenated environment. Climate researchers are also amazed that they could have missed what is potentially a huge methane source ? up to a third of all methane produced worldwide (see 'How could we have missed this?'). Until now, it was thought that plant matter produces methane only through microbial activity in oxygen-free environments such as swamps, flooded rice fields and ruminants' guts. But on page 187 of this issue, Frank Keppler, a geochemist at the Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics in Heidelberg, Germany, and his colleagues report that grasses and leaves from various species release the gas under normal aerobic conditions. The source of the methane ? and why plants make it ? is unknown. Some species make other volatile hydrocarbons such as isoprene, but that reaction involves a specific enzyme, and only seems to kick in when the plants need to dissipate excess energy. The methane emissions that Keppler found rise smoothly with temperature up to 70 ? C, suggesting that no enzyme is involved. "This seems to be a secondary chemical reaction with no specific function for plant metabolism," says Elmar Weiler, a plant physiologist at Ruhr University in Bochum, Germany. "It's a truly surprising finding." But beyond its implications for botany, the discovery could prove important for understanding and predicting climate change ? and for our attempts to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions. Methane is the second most important greenhouse gas in the atmosphere after carbon dioxide, and levels have doubled over the past 200 years, mainly as a result of increased agricultural activity. The finding doesn't change ideas about the total amount of methane being released into the atmosphere. But scientists had thought they knew about all the significant methane sources and how much each contributed (see Global change: A green source of surprise). Now it seems that their figures were very wrong. As a rough estimate, Keppler reckons that global vegetation may be releasing between 60 million and 240 million tonnes of methane each year ? up to a third of the total amount that enters the atmosphere. "The surprising thing to me is the amount of methane they found," says Martin Heimann, director of the Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry in Jena, Germany. "It means we neglected a big driving force for the climate." It is too early to say exactly how the revelation might influence predictions for future climate change, but it's unlikely to be good news. The fact that plant methane emissions rise with temperature, and that plants are likely to grow faster in a warmer climate anyway, could lead to a big rise in methane emissions from natural sources, says Johannes Lelieveld, an atmospheric researcher at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz, Germany. The finding also restricts our options for reducing methane emissions, he points out, because measures such as growing rice in drier fields are likely to prove less effective than had been thought. "If natural greenhouse-gas sources are greater than we thought, the scope for climate politics becomes narrower," he says. "You wouldn't cut down forests just because trees release methane." *************************************************** 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' Univ Catholique de Louvain (Belgium) - Post-Doc for "3-D Modelling of the sea-ice ocean system and biogeochemical cycles in the Southern Ocean" The Institut d'Astronomie et de Geophysique G. Lemaitre of the Universite Catholique de Louvain, Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium, invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship in "3-D Modelling of the sea-ice ocean system and biogeochemical cycles in the Southern Ocean" The successful candidate will be in charge of the physical component of the model but will also take part in the coupling between the physical and biogeochemical modules as well as in the analyses of the results of the coupled model. The research will be made in collaboration with the Universite Libre de Bruxelles, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, the Musee Royal d'Afrique Centrale and the Universite de Liege in the framework of a new project funded by Belgian Science Policiy. The postdoctoral fellowship is for 12 months. Suitable candidates will posses a Ph.D. in physical oceanography, atmospheric science, applied mathematics, or a related discipline. Applications should include detailed curriculum vitae, a letter describing relevant experience and research interests, and 2 letters of recommendation. Review of applications will begin March 1, 2006 and will continue until a candidate is selected. Application materials and questions should be sent to: H. Goosse, Institut d'Astronomie et de Geophysique G. Lemaitre (Unite ASTR) 2, chemin du Cyclotron, B-1348 Louvain-la-Neuve, Belgium Phone: +32-10-473295, fax: +32-10-474722, e-mail: goosse@astr.ucl.ac.be, Web : http://www.astr.ucl.ac.be/index.php?page=hgs%23HomePage ASTR's web site: http://www.climate.be. ******************** Center for Geosystem Research (Germany) - Postdoc Position (BAT2a) at the Meteorological Institute (relating to integral radar volume data descriptors). The Center for Geosystem Research (ZEGEF, Zentrum f?r Geosystemforschung, see www.earth-systems.de) of the Rheinische- Friedrich-Wilhelms University Bonn offers a Postdoc Position (BAT2a) at the Meteorological Institute. The position is funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft) in the framework of the AQUARadar cluster proposal (for more information see www.meteo.uni-bonn.de/ projects/aquaradar). AQUARadar has the goal to improve quantitative precipitation estimates (QPE) from ground-based precipitation radars. AQUARadar involves partner projects from the universities Bonn, Hamburg, Karlsruhe, Mainz and Munich, the German Institute for Air and Space Transport (DLR, Deutsches Zentrum f?r Luft und Raumfahrt) Oberpfaffenhofen and the German Weather Service (DWD, Deutscher Wetterdienst). The position is offered for an initial period of two years. An extension of the AQUARadar is intended. The successful applicant will work together with a partner project in applied mathematics at the University Bonn on the development of integral radar volume data descriptors and their relation to surface precipitation. He/She will also contribute to the overall coordination of the project cluster. We expect from the applicants an outstandig PhD in meteorology, oceanography, physics, or geophysics. Handicapped persons with comparable qualifications will be favoured. The University Bonn explicitly urges women to apply for the position. Please send us a complete curriculum vitae, certificates of degrees, and a cover letter detailing why you are interested in this project. Applications can be send, also electronically, until the end of January 2006 to Prof. Dr. Clemens Simmer, Meteorologisches Institut Rheinische Friedrich-Wilhelms-Universit?t Auf dem H?gel 20, 53121 Bonn csimmer@uni-bonn.de http://www.meteo.uni-bonn.de/staff/CSimmer/ ******************** University of Southern California, Center for International Studies - Postdoctoral Fellowships The Center for International Studies here at USC offers two Post- Doctoral Fellowships for 2006-07. The competition is open to junior scholars: those who received a Ph.D. within the last 3 years or who will have completed/defended a dissertation by August 2006. The post- doc is especially useful for a candidate needing time to turn that PhD dissertation into a publishable book or set of journal articles, free of teaching or other responsibilities. The fellowship pays a competitive stipend, plus moving and other expenses. It offers an office in the center, access to all university resources, and participation in the intellectual life of the School of International Relations, the Center for International Studies, and other centers and departments on campus. Further information is available on the CIS website at www.usc.edu/cis. Please encourage your most promising finishing PhD students to apply. ******************** Atmospheric Modelling Postdoctoral fellowship at McGill University The Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences of McGill University, Montreal, Canada, invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship on the theme: "Three-dimensional modelling of past and future trends in the stratosphere" The successful candidate will work with a new, fast three- dimensional chemistry-climate model to simulate the past and future trends in the stratosphere using an ensemble simulation approach. The successful candidate must have a PhD in atmospheric sciences or in a related discipline awarded within the three years preceding the start date of this postdoctoral fellowship. Experience with numerical modelling and/or stratospheric processes is an advantage. The postdoctoral fellowship is for two years, starting in July 2006 or at a later date upon agreement. Review of applications will begin February 1, 2006 and will continue until the position is filled. The interested candidate should send a curriculum vitae, a list of publications, a short research interest statement, and must arrange two recommendation letters to be sent separately to: Dr. M. Bourqui Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences McGill University Burnside Hall, Office 815 805, Sherbrooke Street W. H3A 2K6 Montreal Phone: (514) 398 5450 Fax: (514) 398 6115 Email: michel.bourqui@mcgill.ca http://www.meteo.mcgill.ca/bourqui Further information on the project can be found at http:// www.meteo.mcgill.ca/bourqui/postdocposition2006.pdf Information on postdoctoral regulations at McGill University is provided at http:// www.mcgill.ca/gps/postdoc/. McGill University is an international English-speaking university. It is located in Montreal, one of the most cosmopolitan cities of North America. Information about McGill and the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences is available at http:// www.mcgill.ca/meteo. ******************** Post-Doctoral Position, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, The Pennsylvania State University A postdoctoral position is available to work on the interactions between climatic change and terrestrial ecosystems. Topics include the potential effects of warming, changes in precipitation, increased CO2 concentrations, and/or increased concentrations of O3 in the lower atmosphere on the structure and functioning of ecosystems. We are seeking an innovative individual who will become a catalyst for interactions among ecologists and climate scientists. The scientist will have considerable freedom to develop their own research projects within the broader context of the research programs of the Northeastern Regional Center of the Department of Energy's National Institutes for Climatic Change Research. The successful candidate should have a strong background in terrestrial ecology, atmospheric sciences, or a closely related field. Strong quantitative skills, particularly the ability to work with complex databases and numerical models, are required. Experience with terrestrial ecology, statistics, geospatial analyses, and inverse methods in the earth sciences is especially desirable. Strong collaborative skills will be necessary. The initial appointment is for one year, with good potential for continued support. The position is available immediately. Applications received by 20 January, 2006 will receive full consideration. The salary will be competitive, commensurate with experience, and will comply with Pennsylvania State University guidelines. Please send a curriculum vitae including list of publications (a sample publication is welcome but not required), the names and addresses of three references, and a short (one to two page) statement of research interests and long-term goals to: Linda Decker, Administrative Assistant Northeastern Regional Center of the DOE National Institute for Climatic Change Research 2217 Earth and Engineering Sciences Building The Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA 16802 Email: ldecker@psu.edu Phone: 814-863-9563 Fax: 814-865-3191 Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce. ******************** UNC-Chapel Hill Assistant Professor - Environmental science and policy Assistant Professor - Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering School of Public Health - University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Applications are invited for a tenure-track position at the rank of assistant professor in the department's environmental policy and management area, with a focus on applications of scientific and/or engineering analysis in management and policy decisions. The successful candidate will have at least one degree in science or engineering and a PhD in environmental engineering, science, health, policy or closely related field. She or he will play a major role in the teaching and research mission of the Department of Environmental Sciences and Engineering and be committed to the education and professional development of students with career interests at the intersection of policy analysis, science, engineering and/or health. The area of environmental policy specialization is open, with the successful candidate having opportunities for interdisciplinary collaboration with other units in the School of Public Health, the School of Medicine, the Carolina Environmental Program, the School of Business, the College of Arts and Sciences, and other academic programs. Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Women and minorities are particularly encouraged to apply. Academic appointments at the University of North Carolina typically begin on July 1. For consideration, send application with cover letter: CV and names of two references to: Dr. Douglas Crawford-Brown, Search Committee Chair c/o Ann Goodwin Environmental Sciences and Engineering School of Public Health 106 Rosenau Hall, CB#7431 Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7431 E-mail: ese@unc.edu or douglas_crawford-brown@unc.edu http://www.sph.unc.edu/envr ******************** Univ Blaise Pascal (France) - Atmospheric Sci. Post-doc Post-Doctoral Research Position at the Laboratoire de M?t?orologie Physique, University Blaise Pascal in Clermont-Ferrand, France. GPS Atmospheric Applications Upgrades, With the European GALILEO System Water vapour is an important parameter in numerous physical and dynamical processes of the atmosphere (radiative transfer, cloud formation, convection, precipitations, etc.). However, it is extremely variable both in space and time, and is still one of the least easily or routinely measured parameter. Beyond its geophysical positioning function, GPS allows to estimate atmospheric water vapour. Indeed, knowing pressure and temperature, it is possible to convert the electromagnetic wave propagation delay due to the atmosphere into integrated water vapour. Thus, GPS can be viewed as a very valuable instrument to study atmospheric water vapour as it provides continuous, high time resolution measurements in all weather conditions. GPS estimates of water vapour compare well with other instruments measurements. For research purposes, GPS provides adequate documentation of the time evolution of the water vapour field, enables the restitution of the 3-D water vapour field through tomography when a dense network of GPS stations is available, and should allow the determination of humidity profiles when combined with another instrument, in particular with a wind profiler. With the advent of the European GPS system GALILEO and its additional frequencies, opportunities for improved atmospheric characterization and parameter estimation can arise: ionospheric contribution, water vapor signature at low elevation angles, etc. Thus, the proposed post-doctoral position is dedicated to assess the possible upgrades to tropospheric parameter retrieval with the Galileo GPS system. This position is a one year contract at the Laboratoire de M?t?orologie Physique, University Blaise Pascal in Clermont-Ferrand, France. http://wwwobs.univ-bpclermont.fr/atmos/ Desired starting date is summer 2006. It offers an academic environment within a small dedicated research laboratory and a competitive salary. Clermont-Ferrand is located in the Auvergne region in central France at the doors of the pristine Massif Central natural area. Interested candidates with a PhD in physical meteorology or remote sensing must provide their Curriculum Vitae, a statement of interest including their qualifications, expectations and availabilities for the job, as well as three references to: Dr. Jo?l Van Baelen, LaMP/OPGC, 24 avenue des Landais, 63177 Aubi?re Joel.Vanbaelen@opgc.univ-bpclermont.fr All candidacy received before March 31, 2006, will be reviewed with all due attention. ************************************************** 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/20060113/46509227/attachment-0001.html From weilercs at whitman.edu Sat Jan 14 14:10:05 2006 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Sat Jan 14 14:10:09 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] AGU OS06 Meeting Participants ONLY: DIALOG/DISCCRS Mixer Message-ID: Dear all, I'm trying to plan a DIALOG/DISCCRS "meeting place" for those of you who might want to get together, informally during the main AGU Sunday reception, or to make plans to go out to dinner together. The AGU Reception will be from 5:00 - 7:00 pm in the Concourse on the third floor of the Conference Center If you want to meet past DIALOG/DISCCRS participants, or if you have not been involved but would like to learn more about the program and symposia, I'll post myself by the "DOWN" elevator starting at around 6:30 pm. Plan to meet there if you haven't already managed to find me or your colleagues, or if you would like to go out to dinner as a group. I stress that *anyone* is welcome to join -- Zack Johnson from U. Hawaii has promised to help us find a good place to get some dinner or otherwise "hang out" after the symposium, in however many groups we might want to divide into -- that will depend on how many of us show up, of course.... I look forward to seeing you at the Reception!! Cheers, Sue ********** 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/20060114/0057ddcc/attachment.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Jan 20 16:48:12 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Jan 20 16:48:44 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 01/20/2006 Message-ID: <8BE44AD0-371F-42BA-8545-25ACB74CDE4E@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 01/20/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS SCIENCE NEWS Hansen et al. article (submitted) on dangerous human-made interference with climate http://pubs.giss.nasa.gov/abstracts/submitted/Hansen_etal_1.html A Warming World: The Difference A Degree Makes Seashore Sea Change - San Francisco Chronicle, 01-16-06 http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/01/16/ MNG9UGO2DO1.DTL SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES Third CALL FOR PAPERS - Science & Technology in Society: An International Multidisciplinary Graduate Student Conference (see below) ASLA 06-02: AGU Congressional Science Fellowship Application Deadline 1 Feb 2006 (see below) JOBS Tenure-track position-Assistant Professor, Freshwater Ecology- University Of California at Santa Cruz http://www.biology.ucsc.edu/eeb/FWrecruitment0506.html Postdoctoral Fellowships in Polar Regions Research, National Science Foundation Office of Polar Programs to support training and research on any aspect of scientific study of the Antarctic and/or the Arctic. http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf06529 Postdoctoral researcher quantitative science and science policy studies (full-time), Senior research fellow quantitative science and science policy studies (full-time), Senior research fellow modelling and simulation (full-time) (see below) Research Position-Sea Ice Scientist (Reference Number: HA 320/05), Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre- University of Tasmania (see below) Faculty Opening in Theory and Practice of Interactive Media, University of California at Berkeley-Center for New Media (see below) POST DOC ? Coastal and Estuarine Nutrient Dynamics - EPA (see below) Tenure Track Position in the History of the Biological Sciences at Montana State University (see below) *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities Third CALL FOR PAPERS - Science & Technology in Society: An International Multidisciplinary Graduate Student Conference Sponsored by: American Association for the Advancement of Science, Arizona State University, Consortium for Science, Policy & Outcomes, George Mason University, The George Washington University, Virginia Tech When: April 22rd - 23rd, 2006 Where: American Association for the Advancement of Science Headquarters, Washington, DC Abstract Deadline: January 31st, 2006 This annual conference provides a forum for graduate students from a variety of disciplinary and interdisciplinary programs to present their research on the policy and social studies of science and technology. In addition to presenting papers, students will have the opportunity to interact with each other and prominent scholars and professionals related to their field(s) of interest. Our two keynote speakers are Jack Gibbons, former Assistant to the President for Science and Technology under the Clinton-Gore Administration, and Andrew Jamison of Aalborg University, Denmark speaking about ?Hubris and Hybrids in Science Policy.? Also, the dates of our conference are chosen so that interested students will have the opportunity to attend the annual AAAS Forum on S&T Policy (www.aaas.org/spp/rd/ forum.htm). The conference organizing committee welcomes submissions of abstracts (up to 250 words) for a 10-15 minute presentation. Please submit abstracts and contact information to our website at www.stglobal.org by January 31st, 2006. Notification of abstract acceptance will be given by February 21st, 2006. We seek submissions from graduate students studying topics related, but not limited to the role of S&T in the following thematic areas: Globalization, International Regulation Environment, Biodiversity and Sustainable Development The Knowledge-Based Economy Civil, Ethical and Legal Issues National Security and Defense Applications Government, Private and Academic Investment S&T in Non-Western Cultures Historical and Social Dimensions of S&T Revolutionary or Non-Traditional Directions in S&T Network and Industrial Organization Policy Implications of Biotechnology, Information Technology, and Nanotechnology Foresight/Forecast in S&T Technology and Human Development Information concerning area lodging and registration will be posted on the conference website by January 31, 2006. Travel funds may be available for a limited number of presenters. Students in need of travel funds should indicate so when submitting their abstract. For further information, either e-mail abstract@stglobal.org or visit the conference website at www.stglobal.org. David Tomblin, Graduate Research Assistant-Virginia Tech 1021 Prince St. #217, Alexandria, VA 22314 ******************** ASLA 06-02: AGU Congressional Science Fellowship Application Deadline 1 Feb 2006 AGU is accepting applications until 1 February 2006 for the 2006-2007 Congressional Science Fellowship. The Fellowship provides an opportunity for a scientist 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 in the personal office of a House or Senate member, advising on a wide range of scientific issues. Applicants should have a broad background in science and have an aptitude for working with and communicating technical information clearly to people from diverse professional backgrounds. Prior experience in public policy is not necessary, although such experience and/or demonstrable interest in applying science to the solution of public policy problems is desired. The Fellowship carries a stipend of up to $49,000, health insurance, plus travel allowance. 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 +1-202-777-7509 or e-mail coriordan@agu.org. AGU's 2004-2005 Congressional Science Fellow, Jana Davis, spent her fellowship in the office of Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ). "I believe that the legislative process, and therefore the quality of our laws, greatly benefits from direct access of policy-makers to scientific information. It is imperative that policy-makers take advantage of this information as it becomes available in order to best manage our nation's resources," she reported after her experience on Capitol Hill. AGU members are also eligible to apply for Congressional Science Fellowships sponsored by the American Geological Institute ( http:// www.agiweb.org/gap/csf/index.html)and the American Institute of Physics ( http://www.aip.org/gov/cf.html ). The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) also sponsors Fellows, and AAAS serves as the umbrella support network for all of the Congressional Science Fellows. Questions or comments about ASLA? Need to change your e-mail address? Contact Cathy O'Riordan (coriordan@agu.org). To read previous ASLAs, visit http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/policy/sci_pol.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' Postdoctoral researcher quantitative science and science policy studies (full-time), Senior research fellow quantitative science and science policy studies (full-time), Senior research fellow modelling and simulation (full-time) More information about the Science System Assessment unit and about The positions can be obtained from the head of department, prof. dr. Peter van den Besselaar, at +31 70 342 15 42 (office) or +31 20 465 00 14 (home), or by email at p.vandenbesselaar@rathenau.nl. If you wish to apply for one of these positions, please send your CV and a cover letter by mail or email to: Head Science System unit, Attn: Personnel Department, P.O. Box 95366, 2509 CJ The Hague, The Netherlands. Email address: sollicitaties@rathenau.nl. Applications must be received before January 27, 2006. The Rathenau Instituut contributes to the public debate and political deliberation about scientific and technological developments. The institute analyzes the consequences of science and technology for society. The agenda of the institute is developed in interaction with the social and political environment. Recently, the institute started to set up a new unit for Science System Assessment. The Rathenau Instituut is an independent organization, established in 1986 by the Netherlands Ministry of Education, Culture and Science. Administratively, it is part of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences. The mission of the new Science System Assessment unit is to conduct basic, strategic and applied research on the functioning and dynamics of the science system, in relation to internal scientific and technological changes, and in relation to external societal, economic, and political changes. The research program covers a broad range of issues, from the micro level of the research group to the macro level of institutional structures of the science system. An important theme in the research program is the development of existing and emerging scientific and technological fields. Although the focus is on the Netherlands science system, the research will generally take an international comparative perspective. The research program is under development and will be multidisciplinary in terms of its theoretical and methodological approach. Apart from original research, the Science System Assessment unit will offer independent analysis to support science policy in the Netherlands. The research of the unit will result in scholarly publications, but also in publications that inform the relevant stakeholders and public debate. At this time, the unit consists of four researchers. Three additional positions have now become available for which candidates are invited to apply. In 2006, the unit is expected to grow further to a size of at least ten staff members. Prof. dr Peter van den Besselaar Head of department Science System Assessment, Rathenau Institituut P.O. Box 95366, 2509 CJ Den Haag +31(0)70 342 1542 Amsterdam School of Communications Research ASCoR Dep. of Communication Science Universiteit van Amsterdam http://home.medewerker.uva.nl/p.a.a.vandenbesselaar/ ******************** Research Position-Sea Ice Scientist (Reference Number: HA 320/05), Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre- University of Tasmania The application deadline has been extended to: Monday, 23 January 2006 For further information about the position, please see: http:// www.acecrc.org.au/drawpage.cgi?pid=ace_internal&aid=797393 or contact: Dr. Anthony Worby, Phone: +61 3 6226 2985, E-mail: a.worby@utas.edu.au. Applications are invited for the position of Sea Ice Scientist within the Antarctic Climate and Ecosystems Cooperative Research Centre (ACE CRC) located at the University of Tasmania (Hobart, Australia). The position will be offered on a full-time, fixed-term basis, for a period of up to two and a half years with a possible two year extension. The appointee will be an integral member of the ACE CRC's Sea Ice Project within the Climate Variability and Change Program and will undertake research into the role of Antarctic sea ice in the global climate system and the potential impacts of climate change on the sea ice environment. Please note that the position will focus on Antarctic sea ice research. The successful applicant must possess a Ph.D. in a relevant area of science with a thorough knowledge of and experience in sea ice research that is directly relevant to the objectives of the ACE CRC Sea Ice Project. Applicants should have a background in one or more of the fields of oceanography, glaciology, meteorology, or a related discipline. The appointee must be able to demonstrate the ability to work collaboratively in a research team covering multiple disciplines and achieve collective as well as individual outcomes. The appointment will have a total remuneration package of between $70,834 to $98,623 AUD (comprising salary within the range $60,542 - $84,293 AUD plus 17% superannuation) commensurate with level of expertise and experience. ArcticInfo is administered by the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States (ARCUS). Please visit us on the World Wide Web at: http://www.arcus.org/ At any time you may: Subscribe or unsubscribe by using the web form located at: http:// www.arcus.org/arcticinfo/subscription.html To be removed from the list at any time send an email to: arcticinfo-unsub@arcus.org To re-subscribe send an email to: arcticinfo-sub@arcus.org Subscribers to ArcticInfo will automatically receive the newsletter, Witness the Arctic.If you would prefer not to receive Witness the Arctic, specify on the web form. Subscribe and unsubscribe actions are automatic. Barring mail system failure you should receive responses from our system as confirmation to your requests. If you have information you would like to post to the mailing list send the message to: list@arcus.org You can search back issues of ArcticInfo by content or date at: http://www.arcus.org/arcticinfo/arcticinfo_search.html If you have any questions please contact the list administrator at: list@arcus.org ARCUS, 3535 College Road, Suite 101, Fairbanks, AK 99709-3710 907.474.1600, 907.474.1604 (fax) Arctic Info is funded by the National Science Foundation as a service to the research community through Cooperative Agreement OPP-0101279 with ARCUS. Any information, opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the information sources and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation or ARCUS. ******************** Faculty Opening in Theory and Practice of Interactive Media, University of California at Berkeley-Center for New Media Theory and Practice of Interactive Media. Tenure track, Assistant Professor position to develop teaching research, and service programs in the production of interactive media. Candidate will be expected to contribute to research and teaching objectives of the Center for New Media (http://cnm.berkeley.edu/). Possible subject domains include visual, acoustic, compositional, dramatic, tactile, and cultural aspects of interactive media, and their inclusion into computational representations (such as personal digital assistants, e-books, interactive educational tools, wearable and other digital art, personal security devices, media-rich cell phones, multimedia tools for the disabled, interactive architectural spaces, etc.) Preference will be given to applicants with a background in and/or research commitment to both technical and humanistic/societal disciplines. Examples of technical disciplines include, but are not limited to, computer science, information science, media technology, and product design. Examples of humanistic/societal disciplines include but are not limited to semiotics, film studies, media studies, linguistics, communication, and social science. Technical expertise should include one or more of the following areas: multimedia databases, metadata for media, computer vision/audition, computer graphics, information retrieval, human-computer interface, game designing, and media authoring systems. Research background should demonstrate integration and synergy between technical and humanistic/societal approaches to the representation of New Media. Successful candidate will be appointed in relevant department/ departments; possible primary home departments include Engineering, Computer Science, Information School, Architecture, Art Practice, Music, English, Journalism, Film Studies and Education. Ph.D., MFA or equivalent terminal degree. Applications must include a C.V.; a letter describing the candidate's background and interests, including a brief description of possible courses; a one- page statement outlining a vision for interactive media in the context of interdisciplinary new media studies, two recent essay- length publications or creative activity demonstrated by video documentation (preferably DVD) in a short 5-minute overview format and an extended format, and names and full contact information for three recommenders. Female and minority candidates are strongly encouraged to apply. Application Deadline: March 10, 2006. Mail to: Alice Agogino, Chair, Search Committee, Center for New Media, 390 Wurster Hall, University of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, CA 94720-1839. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer. Nancy Van House, Professor, School of Information Management and Systems 102 South Hall #4600, University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-4600 voice 510.642.0855 fax 510.642.5814 - http:// www.sims.berkeley.edu/~vanhouse ******************** POST DOC ? Coastal and Estuarine Nutrient Dynamics - EPA The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency?s, Office of Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Gulf Ecology Division in Gulf Breeze, Florida, is seeking a highly motivated individual with expertise in estuarine and coastal ecosystem processes to join our research team. The successful applicant is expected to augment our ongoing research project in the northern Gulf of Mexico investigating relationships between nutrients and hypoxia in nearshore coastal waters. The goal of this project is to develop predictive models of large scale ecosystem responses to changes in nutrient loading from the Mississippi/Atchafalaya river complex. Examples of appropriate research areas include the following: 1) Ecosystem modeling, including development or application of planktonic and benthic process models, hydrodynamic models, and coupled physical-biological-chemical models 2) Sediment biogeochemistry and diagenetic modeling 3) Remote sensing applications and modeling, especially in spectrally resolving phytoplankton, suspended sediments and colored dissolved organic matter. Investigations may include field data collection, field and laboratory experiments, data synthesis, statistical analysis, and ecological modeling. Opportunities exist to participate in ongoing field research in the Gulf hypoxia zone. Successful applicants should be interested in integrating their work within a collaborative, multidisciplinary research environment to address environmental management-driven research objectives. Full details may be found at http://www.epa.gov/nheerl/postdocs/ (Position # GED-01-03-06-146). Open application period: January 3, 2006 to February 28, 2006. The U.S. EPA is an equal opportunity employer. ******************** Tenure Track Position in the History of the Biological Sciences at Montana State University Assistant Professor, Department of History and Philosophy Starting Date August 2006 Salary: Tenure track, academic year salary, commensurate with experience. Departmental Information Pending funding authorization, the Department of History and Philosophy at Montana State University invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor position in the history of the biological sciences to begin in the fall of 2006. The area of specialization within the biological sciences is open, but we are especially interested in candidates with expertise in non-U.S. history. Significant training in the biological sciences and the ability to work closely with science faculty will be considered an asset. The MSU Department of History and Philosophy offers undergraduate degrees in History, Philosophy, and SETS (Science, Environment, Technology, and Society), as well as a minor in Religious Studies. The department also offers M.A. and Ph.D. degrees in history, focusing especially on 1) the history of science and technology; 2) environmental history; 3) the History of Montana and the West; and, 4) Public history. Duties and Responsibilities: Principal duties include: 1) teaching lower-division, upper-division, and graduate courses as required by the department as well as in the candidate's area of specialization; 2) maintaining an active research program that results in significant, peer-reviewed articles and books; 3) writing and contributing to NSF and NIH grants; 4) actively participating in the Science, Environment, Technology, and Society (SETS) undergraduate Option and the Masters and Ph.D. programs within the Department. Required Qualifications --Ph.D. by time of appointment. --Demonstrated promise of excellence in both teaching and scholarship. Preferred Qualifications -- Expertise in non-U.S. history. --Significant training in one of the biological sciences. --Classroom teaching experience. Application Procedure: Screening of applications will begin on 6 February 2006 and continue until the position is filled. Applications should include (1) a cover letter that addresses the required and preferred qualifications; (2) full curriculum vitae; (3) a writing sample consisting of two dissertation chapters or published articles; (4) graduate school transcripts and (5) three letters of recommendation sent separately, at least one of which comments on teaching qualifications. Submit materials to: History of Science Search Committee Department of History and Philosophy 2-155 Wilson Hall P.O. Box 172320 Montana State University Bozeman, MT 59717-2320 For further information contact: Prof. Michael Reidy, 406.994.4395 or mreidy@montana.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/20060120/52f9e0da/attachment.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Jan 27 15:54:00 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Jan 27 15:54:39 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 01/27/2006 Message-ID: <334C08AE-4D40-479C-AB22-945534D05265@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 01/27/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES US Office of Naval Research Planning Letters (see below) NSF Launches New Web Portal for the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008 http://www.us-ipy.gov (see below) SCIENCE NEWS Sea-Level Rise is Quickening Pace - from Nature News (see below) Green Measures Key to Earth's Future - from the Los Angeles Times (Registration Required) (see below) 2005 Warmest Year on Record, Data Indicates from MSNBC (see below) FORUM Oceans in Peril - Washington Post, Monday, January 23, 2006; A14 (see below) Is It Warm in Here? We Could Be Ignoring the Biggest Story in Our History (see below) Wrote your U.S. Congressperson about the Endangered Species Act From Stuart Pimm vai Tina Treude (see below) JOBS AGU Congressional Science Fellowship Application Deadline 1 Feb 2006 (see below) POST DOC ? Coastal and Estuarine Nutrient Dynamics, Environmental Protection Agency, Gulf Breeze, FLorida (see below) Carbon Management Scientist, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA (see below) Assistant Professor, The University of Vermont Atmospheric Sciences (see below) Program Manager, Northwest Climate Change Resource Center. The Resource Innovation Group (see below) Associate Director, WCS Institute - Wildlife Conservation Society (see below) US EPA Post-Doctoral Position, Coastal and Freshwater Wetlands INdicator Development, Newport, Oregon (see below) Postdoctoral Fellowship: Science Policy position with with Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society. (see below) Tenure-Track, Brown University, Center for Environmental Studies (see below) New positions: Scottish Association for Marine Science Scottish Association for Marine Science (SAMS) has recently been awarded a multi-million pounds package of funding that will see the appointment of 10 academic and 14 support staff over the coming months. For further information please see: http://www.sams.ac.uk Assistant/Associate/ Program Director Biological Oceanography AD-1360-02/03/04 GEO/OCE (Closes: 03/17/2006) http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=e20060046 *************************************************** Resources NSF Launches New Web Portal for the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008 http://www.us-ipy.gov The National Science Foundation has launched a portal website to provide the general public and members of the news media with easy access to news releases, classroom resources, listings of museum and gallery exhibits, and catalogs of video and still images and other materials produced or supported by the federal government as part of the U.S. contribution to the International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008. The site, at http://www.us-ipy.gov, includes information on the IPY for a general audience as well as basic information for scientists interested in obtaining IPY funding from the U.S. government. New content will be continually added to the comprehensive site. The IPY will take place exactly 50 years after the International Geophysical Year (IGY), a similar global scientific research endeavor during which scientists first spent the long Antarctic winter at the South Pole, among other accomplishments. The polar "year" will include two calendar years to permit a full 12 months of observations in regions where six months of extreme cold and darkness can hamper fieldwork. In the spring of 2007, scientists from more than 100 countries will embark on an intensive, coordinated campaign of multi- disciplinary scientific observations, research, and analysis as part of the IPY. The research is expected to dramatically expand our understanding of the Arctic and Antarctic regions--including their relationship to the global ecosystem--and to provide unprecedented insight into how societies in high northern latitudes are coping with environmental change. In the United States and in other countries, planning already is underway for extended IPY scientific field campaigns as well as for education and outreach programs for the general public. The White House has designated NSF, which manages the U.S. Antarctic Program and chairs the Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee (IARPC), to be the lead federal agency for the IPY. Numerous other agencies, their scientists and grantees will also be involved in supporting IPY research, fielding research teams, and producing curricula and other materials for the general public about the IPY. ******************** US Office of Naval Research Planning Letters The ONR Ocean Optics and Biology Program has begun planning for research investments to be made in the 2007 fiscal year (1 October 2006 through 30 September 2007). To simplify the workload, researchers seeking funding for topics of potential Navy interest in the areas of optical or biological oceanography, including observations, modeling, or sensor design, are urged to submit planning letters that briefly outline the expected scope of work, including the time frame in which the work would be conducted and estimated annual costs. Planning letters should be submitted through the Ocean Optics and Biology portion of the ONR OA&S web site: http:// www.onr.navy.mil/sci_tech/ocean/322_processes/prog_ob.asp *************************************************** Science News Sea-Level Rise is Quickening Pace - from Nature News The rate of global sea-level rise has sped up during the twentieth century, Australian researchers have confirmed. This disturbing acceleration is predicted by climate models, but has been difficult to spot in real data; natural variations in sea level have masked long-term trends. Now researchers have managed to tease out the acceleration from tide-gauge data, by cleaning up the information using satellite measurements. http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060116/full/060116-11.html ******************** Green Measures Key to Earth's Future - from the Los Angeles Times (Registration Required) By 2050, the planet's population will increase to 9 billion, with most people migrating to massive cities. Better vaccines will lessen the epidemic of HIV and offset flu pandemics. The global economy will quadruple. Demand for food, fresh water and raw materials for construction and heat will stretch natural resources to their limits, according to an analysis released Thursday. If major changes are not made in the way humans consume natural resources, there will be widespread famine, severe shortages of clean water and huge impacts from natural disasters such as hurricanes. Cities will be beset by vast amounts of wastewater and sewage. Sea levels will rise, fisheries will collapse, emerging disease epidemics will sweep across the globe and coral reefs will die off, said authors of the new report, "The Millennium Ecosystem Assessment." Commissioned by the United Nations, the work is a four-year effort by 1,300 scientists from 95 countries. This grim scenario, however, can be avoided through policy decisions that emphasize environmental technology, poverty reduction and investments in education and health, the report's authors said. http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-fg-future20jan20,0,1203827.story ******************** 2005 Warmest Year on Record, Data Indicates from MSNBC A surprising Arctic warm spell is responsible for a 2005 that was likely the warmest year since instrument recordings began in the late 1800s, a leading researcher said Tuesday in describing a new federal analysis. James Hansen, director of NASA?s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, said the analysis had to estimate temperatures in the Arctic from nearby weather stations because no direct data were available. As a result, he said, "we couldn?t say with 100 percent certainty that it?s the warmest year, but I?m reasonably confident that it was." http://tinyurl.com/7d5q8 *************************************************** Forum Oceans in Peril - Washington Post, Monday, January 23, 2006; A14 THE BUSH administration remains in denial about climate change and sometimes treats environmental protection as an inconvenience. Yet there was reason to hope, when the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy issued its report more than a year ago, that President Bush would seize the issue of the dire threat to this country's coastal waters. The commission was the second major task force in recent years to detail the rapidly deteriorating ecology of America's oceans. All serious looks at the issue have reached similar conclusions: that current human use of oceans is unsustainable and that without dramatic changes in the ways the waters are exploited and enjoyed, the seas will die out. The magnitude of the crisis offers an opportunity for the president to lead on a preeminent environmental issue. So far, it is an opportunity Mr. Bush has largely passed up. To be sure, there have been some constructive changes. Senate Commerce Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) is pushing legislation to improve fisheries management. Regional fisheries managers have acted to protect deep sea corals. And, explains James L. Connaughton, chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Policy, the president has moved to improve coordination on ocean-related policy by the many agencies of government that have jurisdiction over aspects of the problem, a key commission concern. The administration is developing a long-term research plan and is planning to protect a large area around some Hawaiian islands as a marine sanctuary. All of this is promising -- though a big test will come when the administration has to propose funding for oceans research in its coming budget. Still, there is little sense of urgency about a problem the oceans commission described in stark terms: Americans, the report warns, are "starting to love our oceans to death." If that is to be averted, "reform needs to start now, while it is still possible to reverse distressing declines." Mr. Connaughton says Mr. Bush is deeply committed to the problem. Yet the president himself does not talk about it. Tackling this meaningfully is going to require regulatory initiatives across a range of areas: pollution, runoff, development, environmentally harmful farming practices and others, requiring substantial sums. None of this is possible without sustained and vocal presidential leadership. Ecosystems are at a tipping point, verging on a collapse from which they won't recover. The stakes are as immense as the oceans, which will not wait for the White House to gear up to save them. ******************** Is It Warm in Here? We Could Be Ignoring the Biggest Story in Our History By David Ignatius Wednesday, January 18, 2006; A17 One of the puzzles if you're in the news business is figuring out what's "news." The fate of your local football team certainly fits the definition. So does a plane crash or a brutal murder. But how about changes in the migratory patterns of butterflies? Scientists believe that new habitats for butterflies are early effects of global climate change -- but that isn't news, by most people's measure. Neither is declining rainfall in the Amazon, or thinner ice in the Arctic. We can't see these changes in our personal lives, and in that sense, they are abstractions. So they don't grab us the way a plane crash would -- even though they may be harbingers of a catastrophe that could, quite literally, alter the fundamentals of life on the planet. And because they're not "news," the environmental changes don't prompt action, at least not in the United States. What got me thinking about the recondite life rhythms of the planet, and not the 24-hour news cycle, was a recent conversation with a scientist named Thomas E. Lovejoy, who heads the H. John Heinz III Center for Science, Economics and the Environment. When I first met Lovejoy nearly 20 years ago, he was trying to get journalists like me to pay attention to the changes in the climate and biological diversity of the Amazon. He is still trying, but he's beginning to wonder if it's too late. Lovejoy fears that changes in the Amazon's ecosystem may be irreversible. Scientists reported last month that there is an Amazonian drought apparently caused by new patterns in Atlantic currents that, in turn, are similar to projected climate change. With less rainfall, the tropical forests are beginning to dry out. They burn more easily, and, in the continuous feedback loops of their ecosystem, these drier forests return less moisture to the atmosphere, which means even less rain. When the forest trees are deprived of rain, their mortality can increase by a factor of six, and similar devastation affects other species, too. "When do you wreck it as a system?" Lovejoy wonders. "It's like going up to the edge of a cliff, not really knowing where it is. Common sense says you shouldn't discover where the edge is by passing over it, but that's what we're doing with deforestation and climate change." Lovejoy first went to the Amazon 40 years ago as a young scientist of 23. It was a boundless wilderness, the size of the continental United States, but at that time it had just 2 million people and one main road. He has returned more than a hundred times, assembling over the years a mental time-lapse photograph of how this forest primeval has been affected by man. The population has increased tenfold, and the wilderness is now laced with roads, new settlements and economic progress. The forest itself, impossibly rich and lush when Lovejoy first saw it, is changing. For Lovejoy, who co-edited a pioneering 1992 book, "Global Warming and Biological Diversity," there is a deep sense of frustration. A crisis he and other scientists first sensed more than two decades ago is drifting toward us in what seems like slow motion, but fast enough that it may be impossible to mitigate the damage. The best reporting of the non-news of climate change has come from Elizabeth Kolbert in the New Yorker. Her three-part series last spring lucidly explained the harbingers of potential disaster: a shrinking of Arctic sea ice by 250 million acres since 1979; a thawing of the permafrost for what appears to be the first time in 120,000 years; a steady warming of Earth's surface temperature; changes in rainfall patterns that could presage severe droughts of the sort that destroyed ancient civilizations. This month she published a new piece, "Butterfly Lessons," that looked at how these delicate creatures are moving into new habitats as the planet warms. Her real point was that all life, from microorganisms to human beings, will have to adapt, and in ways that could be dangerous and destabilizing. So many of the things that pass for news don't matter in any ultimate sense. But if people such as Lovejoy and Kolbert are right, we are all but ignoring the biggest story in the history of humankind. Kolbert concluded her series last year with this shattering thought: "It may seem impossible to imagine that a technologically advanced society could choose, in essence, to destroy itself, but that is what we are now in the process of doing." She's right. The failure of the United States to get serious about climate change is unforgivable, a human folly beyond imagining. davidignatius@washpost.com ******************** Wrote your U.S. Congressperson about the Endangered Species Act From Stuart Pimm vai Tina Treude Two weeks ago, you heard from the Union of Concerned Scientists regarding legislation that is making its way through Congress that would fundamentally and negatively alter the way science informs critical Endangered Species Act (ESA) decisions. The House has already passed a bill that strips the scientific underpinnings of the ESA; it is now time for the Senate to decide if and how it wants to act. In response to this situation, I have joined with Jane Lubchenco, Gordon Orions, and Peter Raven in signing an open letter to the U.S. Senate addressing the appropriate use of science in the ESA. To date, more than 3500 of your colleagues have signed on - and today, I urge you to do the same. Please read and sign the statement by Tuesday, January 31: http://www.ucsusa.org/scientific_integrity/restoring/ biologists-letter-on.html The ESA has provided protection for our most threatened and endangered animals and their habitats for over thirty years. A strong, unified statement from biological experts will help protect the science behind the ESA - legislation that serves as a cornerstone of environmental protection in the United States. The statement is open to anyone with or working toward an advanced degree in biological sciences. Please act today to read and sign the letter: http://www.ucsusa.org/scientific_integrity/restoring/ biologists-letter-on.html Leaders in this effort include David Bain, Ron Carroll, Paul Ehrlich, Melissa Grigione, Lynn Maquire, Jane Lubchenco, Dennis Murphy, Gordon Orians, Barry Noon, Peter Raven, and John Terborgh. For full background information about this issue, including links to detailed analyses of the legislative threat, visit: http:// www.ucsusa.org/scientific_integrity/restoring/science-in-the- endangered.html Thank you for your support of independent science. Regards, Stuart Pimm Doris Duke Professor of Conservation Ecology Nicholas School for the Environment Duke University *************************************************** 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 Application Deadline 1 Feb 2006 AGU is accepting applications until 1 February 2006 for the 2006-2007 Congressional Science Fellowship. The Fellowship provides an opportunity for a scientist 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 in the personal office of a House or Senate member, advising on a wide range of scientific issues. Applicants should have a broad background in science and have an aptitude for working with and communicating technical information clearly to people from diverse professional backgrounds. Prior experience in public policy is not necessary, although such experience and/or demonstrable interest in applying science to the solution of public policy problems is desired. The Fellowship carries a stipend of up to $49,000, health insurance, plus travel allowance. 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 +1-202-777-7509 or e-mail coriordan@agu.org. AGU's 2004-2005 Congressional Science Fellow, Jana Davis, spent her fellowship in the office of Senator Frank Lautenberg (D-NJ). "I believe that the legislative process, and therefore the quality of our laws, greatly benefits from direct access of policy-makers to scientific information. It is imperative that policy-makers take advantage of this information as it becomes available in order to best manage our nation's resources," she reported after her experience on Capitol Hill. AGU members are also eligible to apply for Congressional Science Fellowships sponsored by the American Geological Institute http:// www.agiweb.org/gap/csf/index.html andthe American Institute of Physics ( http://www.aip.org/gov/cf.html ). The American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) also sponsors Fellows, and AAAS serves as the umbrella support network for all of the Congressional Science Fellows. ******************** US EPA Post-Doctoral Position, Coastal and Freshwater Wetlands INdicator Development, Newport, Oregon The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency?s, Office of Research and Development, National Health and Environmental Effects Research Laboratory, Gulf Ecology Division in Gulf Breeze, Florida, is seeking a highly motivated individual with expertise in estuarine and coastal ecosystem processes to join our research team. The successful applicant is expected to augment our ongoing research project in the northern Gulf of Mexico investigating relationships between nutrients and hypoxia in nearshore coastal waters. The goal of this project is to develop predictive models of large scale ecosystem responses to changes in nutrient loading from the Mississippi/Atchafalaya river complex. Examples of appropriate research areas include the following: 1) Ecosystem modeling, including development or application of planktonic and benthic process models, hydrodynamic models, and coupled physical-biological-chemical models 2) Sediment biogeochemistry and diagenetic modeling 3) Remote sensing applications and modeling, especially in spectrally resolving phytoplankton, suspended sediments and colored dissolved organic matter. Investigations may include field data collection, field and laboratory experiments, data synthesis, statistical analysis, and ecological modeling. Opportunities exist to participate in ongoing field research in the Gulf hypoxia zone. Successful applicants should be interested in integrating their work within a collaborative, multidisciplinary research environment to address environmental management-driven research objectives. Full details may be found at http://www.epa.gov/nheerl/postdocs/ (Position # GED-01-03-06-146). Open application period: January 3, 2006 to February 28, 2006. The U.S. EPA is an equal opportunity employer. ******************** Carbon Management Scientist, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA Job Type: Full Time This position will support the Laboratory's research in the area of geologic carbon dioxide capture and storage (CCS; also known as carbon sequestration) and will offer the candidate the opportunity to collaborate with world-class researchers, to contribute to an impressive publication record that is helping move this field of research forward, and to contribute to analyses provided to public and private sector decision makers who are actively studying carbon management issues and options. Research conducted in this area will focus on the deployment of CCS systems in the industrial and electric power generation sectors, both within the US and internationally, and this position will require integration across a variety of technical disciplines including geology, geophysics, petroleum engineering, electric power generation, industrial processes, and economic analysis. Duties will include synthesis and analysis of complex datasets, methodology development, documentation, and publication of original research. Job Qualifications: *The successful candidate will have a broad educational background, including college-level coursework in chemistry, physics and geology. *Proficiency and strong analytical experience utilizing geographic information systems (GIS) software, particularly ESRI ArcView 9.x, is required. This experience can be demonstrated through the use of GIS software in thesis or project work, and/or through undergraduate- or graduate-level coursework. *Experience working with complex datasets and databases is also preferred, along with a high level of proficiency in Excel. *Experience with statistical software packages (e.g., Maple) and/ or Monte Carlo simulation (e.g., CrystalBall) is desirable, as is experience with VB or VBA programming languages. *This position requires strong skills communicating technical information to both technical and non-technical audiences. *An interdisciplinary background that includes formal policy/ economic and scientific/engineering training or experience is desired. Minimum Job Requirements: Carbon Management Scientist - Level I: A minimum of a BS or MS in geoscience, engineering, policy or economics, and 0-1 years of related experience. Carbon Management Scientist - Level II: A minimum of a BS in geoscience, engineering, policy or economics, and 2-3 years of related experience; or a MS degree and 0-2 years of related experience; or a PhD degree. To Apply: Please visit our website at www.jobs.pnl.gov, reference requisition #110660, or contact Kristi Ross at kristi.ross@pnl.gov. When you apply for this position, Please say you saw this job on Green Dream Jobs!! Contact Information: Kristi Ross kristi.ross@pnl.gov http://www.jobs.pnl.gov ******************** Assistant Professor, The University of Vermont Atmospheric Sciences The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources (RSENR) at the University of Vermont (UVM) seeks applicants for a tenure-track, academic year position in atmospheric sciences beginning fall semester, 2006. We seek an energetic, creative individual to focus on the relationship between atmospheric processes, air quality, and ecosystems, with an emphasis on regional issues (e.g. transport, deposition and impact of air-borne pollutants; biogeochemical cycling; and the impacts of climate change on northeastern ecosystems). The candidate will develop an undergraduate course in atmospheric sciences and air quality within the Environmental Sciences (ENSC) major and a graduate course related to climate change and participate in two additional ENSC courses: Pollution Ecology and Fate and Transport of Pollutants. Additional duties include advising ENSC undergraduates and graduate students in their discipline and outreach to the state on air quality and climate change issues. Candidates should have their doctoral degree in atmospheric sciences or a related field, be enthused about cross-disciplinary research with RSENR ecologists, modelers, and social scientists, and be committed to UVM's pursuit of ethnic and gender diversity and equity. Application screening begins 15 March 2006. Applicants should submit a letter of interest, curriculum vitae and contact information for three references to www.uvm.jobs.com. UVM is an AA/EO employer. ******************** Program Manager, Northwest Climate Change Resource Center. The Resource Innovation Group The Resource Innovation Group, a non-profit affiliated with the Institute for a Sustainable Environment at the University of Oregon, seeks a program manager for its new Northwest Climate Change Resource Center (CCRC). The CCRC will assist state and local governments and private companies to understand the socio-economic consequences of climate change, quantify greenhouse gas emissions, and develop climate protection plans. Primary Duties: Work with the director and associate director of Resource Innovations to manage all aspects of the CCRC including marketing, client services, research, report preparation, technical assistance, and fundraising. Specific Responsibilities Organize and present educational briefings and seminars to business and civic leaders on the scientific and socio-economic aspects of global warming. Establish and manage a website with scientific and socio-economic information on climate change. Coordinate the development, implementation, and monitoring of climate protection action plans, including socio-economic impact assessments, greenhouse gas quantifications, and mitigation and adaptation policy development. Supervise and provide service-learning opportunities for University of Oregon graduate student to complete much of the research described above. Manage fundraising for the program including marketing, contracts and grants from local governments and private companies as well as other sources of funds. This is a grant-funded program. Continued employment after a two-year start-up period will depend on the ability of the manager to raise funds. Qualifications: Background in economics, science, or policy fields associated with global warming, demonstrated exemplary research and report writing skills, excellent verbal skills and ability to work cooperatively with diverse people, ability and desire to work with university students. Graduate degree preferred. Location: The position will be located in Eugene, Oregon. Travel throughout the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere required. Salary: $40,000-$50,000 depending on experience, plus excellent benefits. Closing Date: January 27, 2006 Apply To: Administrative Director, Resource Innovation Group, P.O. Box 51182, Eugene, Oregon 97405 ******************** Associate Director, WCS Institute - Wildlife Conservation Society The WCS Institute helps the Wildlife Conservation Society save wildlife and wild lands by synthesizing and disseminating lessons learned from the field and from our living collections, strengthening existing conservation efforts, and applying WCS's experience and values to advance the action agenda for conservation. The Institute seeks to fill the position of Associate Director. The primary responsibilities of the position are to provide support for preparation of the biennial publication State of the Wild; coordinate annual meetings on topics of importance to WCS; work to document and publicize 'lessons learned' from across WCS; help develop broad initiatives of interest to the Institution; and engage in general administration of the Institute, including developing funding proposals. Applicants must have: an earned doctorate or equivalent experience in a field related to the conservation of biological diversity; a strong background (5-10 years) in cross-disciplinary work experience in one or more of the social sciences preferred; demonstrated experience in analysis, writing and editing with emphasis on work addressing synthetic, interdisciplinary treatments; and excellent interpersonal and communication skills. The position reports to the Director of the Institute and is based at WCS headquarters in the Bronx Zoo in New York City. Salary level is commensurate with experience. To apply, please send cover letter and C.V. to: Dr. Kent Redford, WCS Institute, Wildlife Conservation Society, 2300 Southern Boulevard, Bronx, NY 10460, USA. Email: kredford@wcs.org. Closing date: March 31, 2006. ******************** US EPA POST-DOCTORAL POSITION, Coastal and Freshwater Wetlands INdicator Development, Newport, Oregon For application and general information go to URL: http:// cfpub.epa.gov/nheerl/index.cfm?fuseaction=postdocs.main Division: Western Ecology Division (WED) Branch: Pacific Coastal Ecology Branch (PCEB) Location: Newport Oregon Project: Coastal and Freshwater Wetlands Indicator Development Description of Research Project: The position will support movement of research programs in both the coastal and freshwater components of the Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Program (EMAP) at WED into a new resource type, coastal (tidal) and freshwater wetlands. Coastal wetlands are broadly defined to include salt marshes, shallow vegetated and unvegetated tidal habitats, tidal freshwater wetlands, and restored or altered systems among these habitats. The position would support the development and validation of a range of wetland condition indicators involving measurements at multiple spatial scales. Potential indicators range from marsh sediment nutrient concentrations (N, P) measured at core scale, to plant (native and nonindigenous) diversity at transect or plot scale, to patch scale measures of habitat continuity and patch connectivity, to landscape scale measures of upland development and land use. Indicators that have application for both freshwater and coastal wetland types would have highest priority. The research will be expected to utilize existing data sets where possible, such as EMAP data, the extensive aerial photography data set compiled at PCEB, and on the indicator development work done at the west coast EAGLe center at UC Davis. Appointment: 3 years Educational requirements: Ph.D. in ecology, environmental science, biology or a closely related field. Specialized training and/or experience preferred: Experience with tidal wetlands systems is preferred. The candidate should have experience in wetland ecosystem ecology, plant community ecology, or other disciplinary areas with emphasis on the biological function, sustainability, or restoration of coastal wetlands. Contact*: Walt Nelson email: nelson.walt@epa.gov * This person may be contacted for additional scientific information about this project. This person is not authorized to accept applications, make job offers, set salaries, establish start dates or discuss benefits. See general announcement for details on how to apply. Cheryl A. Brown, Ph.D., Oceanographer U.S. EPA, Pacific Coastal Ecology Branch 2111 SE Marine Science Center Drive Newport, OR 97365 Tel: 541-867-4042 Fax: 541-867-4049 Email: brown.cheryl@epa.gov http://www.epa.gov/wed/pages/staff/brown.htm ******************** Postdoctoral Fellowship: Science Policy position with with Sigma Xi, the Scientific Research Society. Sigma Xi seeks a fellow who will work with the office of an independent oversight and policy Board of an independent federal agency in the Washington, DC area. This office funds a significant portion of all federally supported basic research conducted by America's colleges and universities. The successful candidate will be supporting international science and engineering partnerships and a proposed Commission for 21st Century Education in Science, Mathematics and Technology (the Commission). If you are interested in learning more, please visit: http://www.sigmaxi.org/fellow.shtml This is an 18-month appointment beginning immediately upon hire. The application deadline is Monday, February 6, 2006. To be considered, please submit a cover letter and r?sum? to: Yolanda Thorpe-Harris, Director of Human Resources Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society PO Box 13975 Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-3975 hrdept@sigmaxi.org ******************** Tenure-Track, Brown University, Center for Environmental Studies Sharpe Endowed Chair in Environmental Studies The Center for Environmental Studies (CES) at Brown University seeks a faculty member for an endowed chair at the ASSISTANT PROFESSOR level with broad interests in environmental sciences as well as public policies related to environmental issues. This appointment will be tenure track and entail a joint appointment between CES and one of the following academic units: Community Health, Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, the Division of Engineering, Geological Sciences, Political Science, or Sociology, depending on the background and research record of the candidate. We seek candidates who can integrate basic and applied environmental sciences and work at different scales from local to regional and global. Requirements include a PhD in an environmentally-related discipline, a strong record of research and outreach, commitment to excellence in graduate and undergraduate teaching, and potential for interdisciplinary collaboration. The mission of the Center for Environmental Studies is to carry out interdisciplinary education, research, and outreach on a variety of topics related to the environment. CES interests encompass the natural sciences, social sciences, and public health. For more information about the CES visit http://envstudies.brown.edu/env/index.php. To apply, please send a letter describing research, teaching, and outreach interests and the fit of the candidate with the CES, a current CV, and 3 letters of reference to: Professor Osvaldo Sala, Director, Center for Environmental Studies, Box 1943, 135 Angell Street, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912. For further inquiries, please contact Osvaldo_Sala@Brown.edu. Applications will be reviewed starting on February 28, 2006 and accepted until the position is filled. Brown University is an EEO/AA employer. Phil Brown, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology and Environmental Studies Brown University Box 1916 Providence RI 02912. office phone 401-863-2633 department phone 401-863-2367 fax 401-863-3213 email: phil_brown@brown.edu Sociology website http://www.brown.edu/sociology Environmental Studies website http://envstudies.brown.edu/Dept/ ************************************************** 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/20060127/96d05c73/attachment.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Wed Feb 1 11:24:13 2006 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Wed Feb 1 11:24:54 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] Ocean Sciences Meeting 2006 in Honolulu: DIALOG activity Message-ID: <5B26CB6A-B727-4BFE-81AA-D267C8972D86@whitman.edu> Dear all, I am still planning a get-together for anyone interested in learning more about DIALOG. In addition, Dr. Dugald McGlashan, Editor for Marine and Freshwater Research, has agreed to meet with any interested people during the last half hour of the OS06 Opening reception and over dinner for those who are interested. This is NOT part of the regular OS06 meeting, it is a special activity organized by Dugald. This is a great opportunity. Remember, we will meet at around 6:30 by the elevators, and those interested in dinner with the group, we will organize to leave at around 7:00. FYI Below is a short abstract put together by Dugald: -- Anyone may come to this, but this is the only announcement that will go out. Please pass on to anyone who will be at OS06 that you think might be interested (students, advisors, colleagues, etc. etc. -- In order to help us plan, please send an e-mail to Dugald if you plan to join us for dinner or talk with him during the reception: Dugald.McGlashan@csiro.au *********************** An editorial view of the publishing process and developments in scientific publishing Dr Dugald McGlashan, Editor, Marine and Freshwater Research CSIRO PUBLISHING, PO Box 1139, Collingwood, Victoria, 3066, Australia Tel: +61 (0)3 9662 7618 Fax: +61 (0)3 9662 7611 Email: dugald.mcglashan@csiro.au Online submission and contents at www.publish.csiro.au/journals/mfr Publishing papers in the primary literature is an important part of the scientific process. It can be a time-consuming, yet rewarding and challenging experience. I present the steps from submission to acceptance, and an editorial viewpoint of the publication process. A number of elements contribute to successful publication: careful planning of the original experimental design and research work, preparing the paper with due thought for the reader (presenting the background to the study and the hypothesis being tested, providing full details of all methods, discussion of the data in context and without speculation), following the chosen journal's instructions to authors, and responding appropriately to the referees' and editor's requests. By combining the elements of scientific publishing competently, the editor will be more likely to make a favourable decision, and the production process to publication will run quickly and smoothly. To finish, I discuss briefly impact factors and developments in publishing such as "Open Access" and "doi's". ********************************************************* ******************* 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 Interdisciplinary Training for Ph.D. Graduates: http://aslo.org/phd.html http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ Aquatic Science: http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf Climate-Change and impacts: http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20060201/0c5f0594/attachment.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Feb 3 15:53:25 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Feb 3 15:54:02 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 02/03/2006 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 02/03/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES NSF FUNDING FOR IPY, INTERNATIONAL POLAR YEAR U.S. National Science Foundation solicitation "International Polar Year (IPY)" (NSF 06-534) has just been released: http:// www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf06534 SCIENCE NEWS In a Lean Budget Year, A Pledge for Research (see below) Climate Expert Says NASA Tried to Silence Him (see below) OVER THE NORTHERN GULF COAST -- Last year's record hurricane season didn't just change life for humans. It changed nature, too. (see below) Fish Tale -- 2 Pals Vie for Tiniest Find (see below) Conflicting Claims on Global Warming and Why It's All Moot (see below) Speaking Their Language: How to Communicate Better with Policymakers and Opinion Shapers - and Why Academics Should Bother in the First Place International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics Vol. 5 No. 4 December 2005 (381 - 386) by Geoffrey D. Dabelko (see below) SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES Climate Change and Water in the Canadian Prairies http://saskriverbasin.ca/conferences.html JOBS International Polar Year (IPY) Post-Doc opportunities, University of Alaska The University of Alaska will be offering 10 presidential IPY postdoc fellowships The deadline for applications is the first of April. http://www.alaska.edu/swacad/postdoc/ Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) (see below) Post Doctoral Fellow Position at Canterbury University, New Zealand. (see below) Science Writers Wanted - VECO Polar Resources (see below) Two Senior Executive Service (SES) positions at NOAA. (see below) *************************************************** Resources NSF FUNDING FOR IPY, INTERNATIONAL POLAR YEAR U.S. National Science Foundation solicitation "International Polar Year (IPY)" (NSF 06-534) has just been released: http:// www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf06534 The National Science Foundation solicitation "International Polar Year (IPY)" (NSF 06-534) has been released: http://www.nsf.gov/ publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf06534 The "International Polar Year 2007-2008" (IPY) will extend from March 2007 through March 2009. IPY is envisioned as an intense scientific campaign to explore new frontiers in polar science, improve our understanding of the critical role of the polar regions in global processes, and educate the public about the polar regions. Projects are expected to involve a pulse of activity during the IPY period; have multi- and interdisciplinary scopes; leave a legacy of infrastructure and data; expand international cooperation; engage the public in polar discovery; and help attract the next generation of scientists and engineers. A number of NSF programs will respond to proposals for support of IPY activities over the next several years. These are listed on an IPY web page maintained by NSF's Office of Polar Programs (http:// www.nsf.gov/od/opp/ipy/ipyinfo.jsp). This list will be updated from time to time and should be consulted when considering proposal submissions. In anticipation of IPY, the Office of Polar Programs (OPP) and the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR) have identified special emphasis areas that will require preparation in advance of IPY. The research emphasis areas are: ice sheet history and dynamics; biological adaptations at the cellular and genomic level to life in extreme cold and prolonged darkness; and the arctic observing network. Proposed research activities must be integrally related to one or more of these emphasis areas and adhere to the guidance of the National Research Council's report "A Vision for the International Polar Year 2007-2008" (http://www.nap.edu/html/ ipr2007-2008/0309092124.pdf), including specific significant linkages to international activities. The educational emphasis areas for this solicitation are: formal science education experiences for K-12 teachers and undergraduate or graduate students; informal science education for the broader public; and coordination and communication for IPY education projects. In addition to the educational activities normally integrated into research proposals, this solicitation will consider standalone proposals that specifically address one or more of these focus areas. Proposals for IPY activities outside of these emphasis areas should be directed to other solicitations from OPP and NSF. Related programs are listed at the website above. Proposals submitted under this solicitation may be co-reviewed with other NSF programs. For further information, see the full solicitation at: http:// www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf06534 *************************************************** Science News In a Lean Budget Year, A Pledge for Research from the Washington Post (Registration Required) With Washington bracing for an austere budget year, President Bush last night proposed a 10-year, $136 billion initiative that would double the federal commitment to basic scientific research and train tens of thousands of new math and science teachers. The president's "American Competitiveness Initiative" may lack the ambition of last year's effort to dramatically reshape Social Security, but in size and scope it dwarfs other domestic proposals in health care and energy research that had been heavily promoted in the run-up to the State of the Union address. It was also welcomed by scientists, after two years of relative austerity. The National Institutes of Health will absorb its first spending cut in three decades this year; last year, the National Science Foundation had to tighten its belt. http://tinyurl.com/a4e6p ******************** Climate Expert Says NASA Tried to Silence Him from the New York Times (Registration Required) The top climate scientist at NASA says the Bush administration has tried to stop him from speaking out since he gave a lecture last month calling for prompt reductions in emissions of greenhouse gases linked to global warming. The scientist, James E. Hansen, longtime director of the agency's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, said in an interview that officials at NASA headquarters had ordered the public affairs staff to review his coming lectures, papers, postings on the Goddard Web site and requests for interviews from journalists. Dr. Hansen said he would ignore the restrictions. "They feel their job is to be this censor of information going out to the public," he said. Dean Acosta, deputy assistant administrator for public affairs at the space agency, said there was no effort to silence Dr. Hansen. "That's not the way we operate here at NASA," Mr. Acosta said. "We promote openness and we speak with the facts." http://tinyurl.com/ddp35 ******************** OVER THE NORTHERN GULF COAST -- Last year's record hurricane season didn't just change life for humans. It changed nature, too. Everywhere scientists look, they see disrupted patterns in and along the Gulf of Mexico. Coral reefs, flocks of sea birds, crab- and shrimp-filled meadows and dune-crowned beaches were wrapped up in -- and altered by ? the force of hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Dennis. "Nothing's been like this," said Abby Sallenger, a U.S. Geological Survey oceanographer, during a recent flight over the northern Gulf Coast to study shoreline changes. For him, the changes are mind-boggling: Some barrier islands are nearly gone; on others, beaches are scattered like bags of dropped flour. http://tinyurl.com/ab2nd ******************** Fish Tale -- 2 Pals Vie for Tiniest Find from the San Francisco Chronicle A friendly international debate over the world's smallest fish has turned into a biology lesson on why it pays to be tiny. Two ichthyologists -- one in Seattle and the other in Switzerland ? recently claimed in separate scientific publications to have discovered the smallest vertebrate animal ever known. And small they both are. One, discovered by Maurice Kottelat, the Swiss biologist, in the acid water of an Indonesian peat swamp, is female and barely more than a third of an inch long, or smaller than the eraser at the end of a pencil. http://tinyurl.com/doxzg ******************** Conflicting Claims on Global Warming and Why It's All Moot from LiveScience A widely reported study last week said 2005 was the warmest on record. But headlines failed to note that the results were not concrete and a new study out this week challenges the findings. Whatever the outcome, scientists say it is all moot: Last year was surprisingly warm and the record will fall soon enough. The latest result came Monday from the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC), which is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). These are the folks that run the National Weather Service. Their study concludes that the global temperature in 2005 can't be statistically distinguished from the record set in 1998. http://tinyurl.com/b2fud ******************** Speaking Their Language: How to Communicate Better with Policymakers and Opinion Shapers - and Why Academics Should Bother in the First Place International Environmental Agreements: Politics, Law and Economics Vol. 5 No. 4 December 2005 (381 - 386) by Geoffrey D. Dabelko Abstract: Scholars of international environmental politics who want their work to affect policy must learn to speak and write in a slightly different language ? with extreme concision, an appealing format, and ready solutions to pressing policy questions. While communicating directly with policymakers and journalists can be time- consuming and exasperating, the direct approach may be the only way to rise above the din of the increasingly noisy marketplace of ideas. Excerpt (p. 381): "...The competition for eyes and ears is stiffer than ever. And many academics who are reluctant to stray beyond the narrow bands of their disciplinary journals (or who are afraid their research will be bastardized and mischaracterized by the mass media) take that competition as confirmation that they should let policymakers and journalists find them ? not the other way around. In many cases and for many issues of moment, however, such withdrawal is a critical mistake. Communicating directly with policymakers and journalists is not for all academics or researchers. It is genuinely exasperating to be misquoted or read nuanced and well- sourced scholarship that has been oversimplified and abused. But scholars of international environmental politics who want their work to play roles in policymaking ? in the long term as well as the short term ? must go further than simply publishing books with academic presses or articles in refereed journals. They must learn to speak and write in a slightly different language ? not in the cliche?s of sound bites, but with extreme concision, an appealing format, and ready solutions to pressing policy questions." For a complete pdf copy please e-mail: jennmarlon@gmail.com *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities Climate Change and Water in the Canadian Prairies http://saskriverbasin.ca/conferences.html June 21-23, 2006 Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Conference Themes: Advances in Modeling Hydrological Processes Advances in Modeling Socio-economic Response Stakeholder Involvement and Public Risk Perception Drought and Extreme Events in the Prairies Watershed Planning and the Full Water Cycle Agri-Food Systems and Irrigation Demand Water Demands In Other Sectors (i.e. Forestry, Energy, Mining) Policy Options Related to Change in Water Supply Policy Options Related to Change in Water Quality Institutional and Inter-jurisdictional Legal Issues Comparative Lessons Learned (Canada and elsewhere) From Policy to Practice Submit your paper or poster abstract of 300 words or less to jtr888@mail.usask.ca with a title of 15 words or less and the names and full contact details for all authors. Please identify the conference theme most closely related to your contribution in your email subject line. Abstracts for papers and posters focusing on the topics listed here will be reviewed and selected by the Program Committee, with: Deadline for Abstract Submission: February 13, 2006. Authors' Acceptance Notification: March 6, 2006. Deadline for Paper Submission: June 8, 2006 *************************************************** 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' Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) The Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) in Berlin, Germany offers 6 job opportunities within an interdisciplinary and international project on understanding the dynamics of recreational fishing ... The IGB is a member of the Research Society Wilhelm Gottfried Leibniz (WGL) comprising 84 independent, non-governmentally based, basic research institutes. IGB is devoted to study spatio-temporal dynamics, structures and functions of freshwater ecosystems. From an applied research perspective, the IGB has a major commitment to study fish and fisheries systems including aquaculture and to develop scientifically based principles for sustainable management. Two of the five departments are exclusively dealing with fish and fisheries. The IGB has an annual budget of more than 8 million, hosts 65 full time scientists from various scientific disciplines such as fish ecologists, fisheries scientists, hydrologists, chemists, microbiologists, limnologists, 20 Ph.D. students depending on external funding and about 60 administrative and technical employees. Several experimental lakes, extensive laboratory facilities practicing cutting edge molecular genetic and physiological methods are available including a brand new wet lab constructed in 2005. About 20 earthen ponds and several tanks and raceways are also available together with a several field stations for aquatic research. The institute is located in a water-rich landscape in the highly vibrant German capital Berlin, Germany, next to the 700 ha Lake Mueggelsee, and is in its form unique in central Europe. The institute has close collaborations with all three Berlin universities and is running a Masters Programme entitled Fishery Science and Aquaculture at Humboldt-University of Berlin (http://www.agrar.hu- berlin.de/studium/index_st_en.html). Therefore, scientific work conducted at IGB can be submitted as a doctoral dissertation to one of the Berlin universities. Heads of Departments typically are also university professors. Within IGB, the research group dealing with Sustainable Recreational Fisheries Management lead by Dr. Robert Arlinghaus, has recently been awarded a prestigious grant for the period 2006-2008/2009 entitled "Adaptive Dynamics and Management of Coupled Social-Ecological Recreational Fisheries (ADAPTFISH)". Within this program one post doc position and five PhD student positions are now open. All positions start as soon as possible and are limited to three years. 1 Post doc position (Ref. nr. ADAPTFISH-1)- Integrative modelling of fish-angler interactions at the landscape level. 1 PhD student position (Ref. nr. ADAPTFISH-2) - Institutional conditions for sustainable governance of a transforming inland fisheries sector. 1 PhD student position (Ref. nr. ADAPTFISH-3) - The complexity of angler behaviour constraint by fishing quality and fishing regulations. 1 PhD student position (Ref. nr. ADAPTFISH-4) - Modelling the ecological and evolutionary impact of size-selective recreational fishing. 1 PhD student position (Ref. nr. ADAPTFISH-5) - Inducing phenotypic and genetic changes in an experimentally harvested fish stock. 1 PhD student position (Ref. nr. ADAPTFISH-6) - Effects of angling on reproductive output and fitness in fish. ADAPTFISH aims at analysing recreational fisheries from both a social scientific and biological perspective including development of integrative models investigating the interactions between anglers and the ecological systems. The ultimate goals of ADAPTFISH are to facilitate understanding of the complexity of fish-angler- interactions, the angler behaviour per se and the potential biological impacts of angling and to derive management implications than can improve fisheries management in the future. PhD students and the post doc will in principle be based in Berlin (Germany). However, several national and international partners are part of the program and students and the post doc will be working closely with these partners in their home institutes depending on the specific projects aims. Therefore, international applications are highly welcome to this truly interdisciplinary and international opportunity. This will ensure that the idea of interdisciplinary and internationality will flourish for the benefits of the students work and the advancement of recreational fisheries science. It is also possible, depending on the students background and network, to establish new collaborations and host the people at least temporarily outside Berlin. It is also conceivable that students attend a Ph.D. programme at an international university, but answer research questions from Germany. In this case, significant travelling will be involved, for which some funds are available as well. The current partners of ADAPTFISH that serve as supervisor of the students include leading research groups around the world such as the International Institute for Applied Systems Analyses (IIASA) in Laxenburg (Austria, Dr. Ulf Dieckmann), the Faculty of Agriculture and Horticulture, Humboldt-University of Berlin (Division of Resource Economics, Prof. Dr. Konrad Hagedorn), the School of Resource and Environmental Management of the Simon Fraser University in Vancouver (Dr. Wolfgang Haider), the Department of Biology of Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada (Dr. Steven Cooke), the Leibniz- Institute of Zoo and Wildlife Research in Berlin (Dr. Arne Ludwig) and the Institute of Animal Reproduction and Food Research of the Polish Academy of Sciences (Prof. Dr. Andrzej Cierenszko), among others. We are seeking collaborations beyond those if interesting research questions emerge! Further information for the positions can be obtained by consulting http://www.igb-berlin.de/jobs/frameset/jobs_frameset.html using the Link Fish Biology and Ecology. Questions on the positions and the project are answered by Dr. Robert Arlinghaus at arlinghaus@igb-berlin.de (Tel. +49-30-64181-653, see www.igb- berlin.de/~arlinghaus for research interests) or by Dr. Christian Wolter at wolter@igb-berlin.de (Tel. +49-30-64181-633). Applications, quoting the appropriate Ref. nr., are to be sent per regular post or email to the Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Dr. Robert Arlinghaus, Head of research group Recreational Fisheries, Mueggelseedamm 310, 12587 Berlin, Germany and should ideally, not necessarily, arrive no later than February 28, 2006. Please spread the word among enthusiastic potential applicants that would like to work or continue to work with recreational fisheries issues! We look forward to receiving your application! ******************** Post Doctoral Fellow Position at Canterbury University, New Zealand. Vacancy No: A027-06 Closing Date: 16 February 2006 Applications are invited for a fixed-term Post Doctoral Fellow position to work on studies related to solar impacts on climate in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Canterbury University, New Zealand. The study will focus on the modulation of the atmosphere by changes in solar forcing on short time-scales, particularly in the upper stratosphere and mesosphere. This study will use a mixture of chemical composition data provided by satellite instruments, dynamics information provided by satellite instruments and the Scott Base MF radar and Chemistry Climate Model (CCM) simulations. The applicant will require a working knowledge of a high-level programming language, such as C++, Matlab or IDL. Experience with the analysis and handling of reanalyses data, satellite and radar observations would be a significant advantage. This post will require the applicant to visit Antarctica to help maintain the Scott Base MF radar system and thus some knowledge of radar systems would be beneficial. The successful candidate will possess a minimum qualification of PhD or equivalent in atmospheric physics or a related discipline. Funding is available for two years. Enquiries of an academic nature are to be made to Dr Adrian McDonald adrian.mcdonald@canterbury.ac.nz For detailed information and to apply online visit http:// vacancies.canterbury.ac.nz or for further assistance regarding applications please contact the Human Resources Administrator, College of Science, University of Canterbury, Private Bag 4800, Christchurch, New Zealand ph + 64 3 364 2290or email hr@science.canterbury.ac.nz ******************** Science Writers Wanted - VECO Polar Resources For further information, please go to: http://www.vecopolar.com/ Files/PDFs/VPRScienceWriters.pdf VECO Polar Resources, the U.S. National Science Foundation's arctic logistics contractor, seeks writers to contribute stories about arctic science to its newsletter. These short stories (1,000-1,300 words) explain generally the research objectives, provide some information about the fieldwork itself, and offer websites where readers can get more information on the project. They are written with a lay audience in mind. Writers are paid for their contributions. Interested writers should send a statement of qualifications or vita and writing samples to Kip Rithner (kip@polarfield.com). For further information, please go to: http://www.vecopolar.com/ Files/PDFs/VPRScienceWriters.pdf To see examples of the VPR Newsletter, go to: http:// www.vecopolar.com ******************** Two Senior Executive Service (SES) positions at NOAA. NOAA's Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research is looking for qualified candidates for two Senior Executive Service (SES) positions. Members of SES serve in key positions just below the top Presidential appointees. Deputy Assistant Administrator for Laboratories and Cooperate Institutes Location: Boulder, CO Announcement Number: NOAA #06-03.NJH Closing date: March 1, 2006 Link: www.usajobs.opm.gov (Click on "Search Jobs" and enter announcement number) Director, National Sea Grant College Program Location: Silver Spring, MD Announcement Number: NOAA #06-04.NJH Closing date: February 27, 2006 Link: www.usajobs.opm.gov (Click on "Search Jobs" and enter announcement number) ************************************************** 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/20060203/4058a59a/attachment-0001.htm From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Feb 10 16:24:45 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Feb 10 16:25:28 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 02/10/2006 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 02/10/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES The (free) Integrated Global Radiosonde Archive (IGRA) is now available from NCDC A detailed overview of the dataset is presented in the January 2006 edition of the Journal of Climate. http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/cab/igra/index.php SCIENCE NEWS Is climate change turning emission sinks into emission producers? http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/dy/features/science/20060123TDY01002.htm LONDON (Reuters) - Two major glaciers in Greenland have recently begun to flow and break up more quickly under the onslaught of global warming, a new study said on Friday, raising the specter of millions drowning from rising sea levels. http://tinyurl.com/ccwxf OTTAWA (Reuters) - Around 1,500 seal pups were swept out to sea and drowned by a tidal surge off Canada's east coast this week after a lack of ice cover meant their mothers were forced to give birth on a small island, environment officials said on Friday. http://tinyurl.com/amtfr Global warming: plants are not to blame http://www.scidev.net/News/index.cfm? fuseaction=readNews&itemid=2605&language=1 86 Evangelical Leaders Join to Fight Global Warming ~ New York Times via ClimateArk http://www.climateark.org/articles/reader.asp?linkid=52057 SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES Workshop: Training Program on DSSAT Version 4 (USA) May 15-May 24, 2006 Assessing Crop Production, Nutrient Management, Climatic Risk and Environmental Sustainability with Simulation Models http://www.ICASA.net/events/2006_dssat.html JOBS Opening for Forestry and Land Use Position in the EPA's Climate Change Division (see below) University of Vermont (USA), Asst. Professor of Natural Resources Atmospheric Sciences. (see below) Sustainable energy research: Alcoa Foundation's Conservation and Sustainability Fellowship Program (see below) Postdoctoral And Phd Positions Available In Adaptive Mesh Ocean Modelling (see below) University of Lund, Sweden - Post-doc: linking climate, terrestrial BVOC emissions and vegetation dynamics (see below) Regional Climatologist at the High Plains Regional Climate Center. This opening has been assigned job number 051079. Review of resumes will begin on February 22. (see below) Univ of Montpellier & LSCE (France) - Post-Doc, Atmos. sciences/ ecosystem modelling. (see below) Postdoc, University of Washington, Coastal Ecosystem Modeling (see below) *************************************************** 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' Opening for Forestry and Land Use Position in the EPA's Climate Change Division The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is accepting applications from U.S. citizens seeking a full-time staff position to work on the U.S. national greenhouse gas inventory and related climate change policy issues, focusing on forestry and land use change. This position is with EPA's Climate Change Division in the Office of Atmospheric Programs (OAP), located in Washington, D.C. Greenhouse gas inventories are reported internationally under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) and are used to monitor and track progress of actions being taken to mitigate global warming. EPA is the lead agency for the U.S. Government on inventories of greenhouse gas emissions and sinks. Major Duties and Responsibilities The staff member will serve as a specialist on greenhouse gas inventories and other related technical matters related to greenhouse gas emissions and sequestration, with a focus on land use change and forestry. He or she will work with a team of other EPA and U.S. government inventory and policy experts. He or she will be responsible for assisting in the coordination and development of EPA's greenhouse gas inventory program, improving the methodologies and reporting standards, and preparing and releasing the next annual U.S. Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks. In addition, he or she will develop quantitative methods and guidance for assessing sequestration activities and reductions in emissions from specific projects. Qualifications The applicant must be a U.S. citizen. The applicant should demonstrate expertise in the following areas: An understanding of the science and methods for estimating anthropogenic net greenhouse gas fluxes from forest lands, crop lands, and settlements; Knowledge of biology, botany, and forestry (including experience with field-based measurements); Strong quantitative skills, including expertise in statistics (e.g., sampling and survey methods) Knowledge of geographic information systems (GIS) Strong writing and public speaking skills with domestic and international audiences An understanding of climate change policy issues Ability to work cooperatively in multi-disciplinary work teams and developing group work products The applicant must possess a Master's Degree in a quantitative discipline, such as forestry, environmental management, biology, or an equivalent degree. This position ranges from GS-9 to GS-13, depending on qualifications and salary history. If interested, applicants may send a resume and cover letter via email to Mr. Reid Harvey at Harvey.reid@epa.gov 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. ******************** University of Vermont (USA), Asst. Professor of Natural Resources Atmospheric Sciences. Position: Tenure-track, academic year position as Assistant Professor with a broad interest in the atmospheric sciences and specific expertise in the relationship between atmospheric processes, air quality and aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The individual will participate in teaching, scholarship, advising, and outreach in the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources (RSENR) at The University of Vermont (UVM). We encourage candidates with (1) a strong interest in regional air quality issues, (2) a desire to work in a School that features cross-disciplinary research with ecologists, modelers, and social scientists, and (3) a commitment to the University's pursuit of ethnic and gender diversity and equity. Responsibilities: The candidate will develop an undergraduate course on atmospheric processes and air quality that is part of an Environmental Sciences major affiliated with three schools and colleges. Additional teaching responsibilities will include a graduate-level course related to climate change and participation in two existing undergraduate courses: Pollution Ecology and the Fate and Transport of Pollutants. The candidate will maintain an active and externally supported research program in the atmospheric sciences with a particular focus on issues of importance to the region. These issues include but are not limited to (a) the transport, deposition and impact of air-borne pollutants; (b) atmospheric processes and biogeochemical cycling; and (c) the impacts of climate change on northeastern ecosystems. Candidates with global experience that can be applied at the regional level are encouraged to apply. Additional responsibilities include advising undergraduate environmental sciences majors and RSENR graduate students in the candidate's area of expertise. Outreach to the state in areas of air quality and/or climate change will also be expected. It is anticipated that the candidate will collaborate closely with scientists from across campus and from relevant state and federal entities. Qualifications: Applicants should have a Ph.D. in Atmospheric Sciences or a field relevant to the particulars of the position. The candidate should have expertise in and enthusiasm for teaching and a record of scholarly accomplishment. Experience in grant writing would further strengthen the application. Application: Applicants must include a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, and contact information for three references. Electronic application submissions should be sent to www.uvmjobs.com. Screening of applications will begin by March 15, 2006 and will continue until the position has been filled. Appointment will begin fall semester 2006. Inquiries may be made to Dr. Alan McIntosh, Chair, Atmospheric Scientist Search Committee at alan.mcintosh@uvm.edu. Setting: The University of Vermont is located in Burlington, situated between the Green and Adirondack Mountains on the shoreline of Lake Champlain. The University is organized into 10 colleges and schools and enrolls about 11,000 undergraduate, graduate, and medical students. The Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources emphasizes the integration of three domains of knowledge --- ecosystem and environmental science, human dimensions of the environment, and information management planning. We define the intersection of these domains as ecosystem sustainability and planning. Field opportunities include research at five university- owned research forests and nine ecologically diverse natural areas and access to calibrated watersheds. The Rubenstein Ecosystem Science Laboratory on the Lake Champlain waterfront features eight state-of-the-art research laboratories. The School has 40 faculty, 500 undergraduates, and 125 graduate students in the Masters and PhD programs. We encourage applicants to review our web site at http:// www.uvm.edu/envnr/ prior to applying. ******************** Sustainable energy research: Alcoa Foundation's Conservation and Sustainability Fellowship Program ALCOA FOUNDATION'S CONSERVATION AND SUSTAINABILITY FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM: "ENABLING TECHNOLOGY FOR A SUSTAINABLE ENERGY FUTURE THROUGH INTERDISCIPLINARY RESEARCH AND TRAINING" 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. We now invite qualified candidates who are at the beginning of their academic careers, having received the Ph.D., to apply for three postdoctoral fellow positions. The annual stipend will be $46,000 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 by April 15, 2006. 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 The project narrative can be downloaded from this link: http:// css.snre.umich.edu/css_doc/ProjectNarrative.pdf ******************** Postdoctoral And Phd Positions Available In Adaptive Mesh Ocean Modelling Several postdoctoral and PhD positions are available at Imperial College London, the University of Reading and the National Oceanography Centre, Southampton. Successful applicants will work within an existing team as part of a ?2M NERC-funded consortium project to develop, validate and apply advanced numerical techniques for "next-generation" ocean modelling. Experience in computational fluid dynamics, unstructured/adaptive mesh methods and finite elements/volumes, as well as knowledge of GFD, oceanography and classical OGCMs will be highly beneficial. Applicants for the postdoctoral positions should hold, or be close to completing, a PhD in a relevant field. Closing date: 01 March 2006. Period of appointments: up to 36 months. Additional details may be found at the web site: http:// amcg.ese.ic.ac.uk/ResearchPositions/oceannew.html ******************** University of Lund, Sweden - Post-doc: linking climate, terrestrial BVOC emissions and vegetation dynamics We seek a post-doctoral research fellow to join the Marie Curie Excellence Team on Exchange Processes in the Land-Atmosphere System at the Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystems Analysis at University of Lund, Sweden. Objectives of the project are to investigate the production of biogenic volatile organic carbon compounds (BVOC) in terrestrial ecosystems, and their importance in the carbon cycle-chemistry-cloud-climate system. Currently ongoing activities of the Marie Curie Team include leaf-level and ecosystem flux measurements of BVOC, monitoring of aerosol number/size distribution, and process based modelling activities. The post-doctoral researcher will contribute to the further development of a novel modelling scheme for terrestrial BVOC emissions and its implementation in the dynamic regional and global vegetation modelling framework LPJ-GUESS. Modelling experiments will investigate these emissions in terms of climate and atmospheric CO2 concentration, and their possible feedbacks to climate and atmospheric chemistry. These experiments will be undertaken on regional and global scale, one major regional focus being the northern high latitudes. The research will include adaptation of LPJ- GUESS for these regions (e.g., implementing northern plant functional types). For more details on the project please contact Almut Arneth (almut.arneth@nateko.lu.se). Requirements: Ph.D. degree (or equivalent) in an environmental sciences discipline with a strong quantitative focus, e.g., Environmental physics, -chemistry, -biology, or -engineering. Applications from candidates who are close to completion of their Ph.D. degree will also be considered. Strong programming skills (e.g., Fortran & C++). Expertise in mathematical modelling of ecological processes. We welcome candidates with enthusiasm for collaboration within a multidisciplinary team, as well as an aptness to pose and solve problems individually. Strong international collaboration (e.g., with Bristol University and the UK Met Office in Exeter) will be an important aspect of the research. The work will require international travel on regular basis. The position is available immediately and for up to two years. This call will remain open until the position is filled, with an initial deadline for application on 28 February 2006. Lund is a pleasant university town in southern Sweden with excellent connections to Copenhagen International airport. Salaries will include full access to the Swedish social security system. Applications including a description of motivation and research interests, CV, publication record and names and contact details of two referees should be sent by email (pdf format) to: Almut Arneth Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystems Analysis Centre for GeoBiosphere Science Lund University 223 62 Lund, Sweden email: almut.arneth@nateko.lu.se ******************** Regional Climatologist at the High Plains Regional Climate Center. This opening has been assigned job number 051079. Review of resumes will begin on February 22. REGIONAL CLIMATOLOGIST HIGH PLAINS REGIONAL CLIMATE CENTER (HPRCC) UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA ? LINCOLN To apply on-line, please review the hiring process/requirements at UNL's human resources web page: http://hr.unl.edu/employment/ and then click on the flashing "employment.unl.edu" link. From the pop up window you can click on the "Search Job Openings" at the left hand side and then enter in the job requisition number: 051079 When the next page loads, one can complete and submit their application on-line. Please feel free to copy this email to anyone you feel would be qualified and interested. The basic description of the position is attached below. Thanks, Ken Hubbard REGIONAL CLIMATOLOGIST HIGH PLAINS REGIONAL CLIMATE CENTER (HPRCC) UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA ? LINCOLN Collect and analyze climate data for clients, describing, interpreting and advising clients on use of data. Determine needs for/develop climate products. Manage and maintain the HPRCC library, providing expert knowledge of climate data. Participate in design of Applied Climate Information System (ACIS). Represent HPRCC with the National Climatic Data Center, National Weather Service, Regional Climate Centers and State Climatologists. Master's degree in climatology or related field with 2-3 years experience managing and interpreting climate data required. Knowledge of climate data information sources, ability to interpret climate data and provide to the public, and computer skills including operating systems, spreadsheets, word processing, and programming essential. Programming experience in UNIX, HTML, JAVA and GrADS preferred. Excellent benefits including staff/dependent scholarship program. Review of resumes will begin February 22, 2006. Position is grant funded. Apply at http://employment.unl.edu. UNL is committed to EEO/ AA and ADA/504. If you require accommodation, please call 402-472-8294. ******************** Univ of Montpellier & LSCE (France) - Post-Doc, Atmos. sciences/ ecosystem modelling. A collaborative research effort between the University of Montpellier and LSCE (Climate and Environment Lab, South of Paris) seeks one postdoctoral fellow to investigate the role of vegetation dynamics in climate variability. The objective is to explore systematically and through a number of diagnostics, the role of vegetation dynamics in shaping climate variability with a particular emphasis on the the climate of the 20th century. The project involves two global models (the CAM/IBIS model and the IPSLCM4 model) that both include up-to-date dynamic global vegetation models (IBIS and ORCHIDEE). The candidate will be based in Montpellier (South of France), where he/she will develop and implement a simple representation of human-induced land cover changes in CAM/IBIS and will run the CAM/ IBIS model to investigate the role of vegetation dynamics in climate variability. He/she will address the potential impact of interactive vegetation on: 1) changes in atmospheric weather regimes in the northern latitudes; 2) changes in extreme climatic events (e.g. heat waves, drought), especially in Europe; 3) fluctuations of ENSO; and 4) fluctuations of the west African and Asian monsoons. The candidate will work in close collaboration with the IPSLCM4 people to compare their results to similar simulations being made by that group and perform analyses of a variety of atmospheric modes of circulation / variability. He/she will perform systematic analyses of the simulations, comparing them to available data, to identify the regions, in the CAM/IBIS and IPSLCM4 models, that contribute to the changes in atmospheric variability. In particular, he/she will assess whether the succession of dry and wet spells in the Sahel and the North American Midwest may be attributed to natural or human-induced changes in land-cover. The candidate will get the help of a full-time engineer already hired. This is a 2-year position based in Montpellier with frequent visits to LSCE in Paris. Minimum qualifications: a PhD in climate, atmospheric sciences, oceanography, or large-scale ecosystem modeling with an operative knowledge of numerical models. To apply send your CV (resume), a letter of intent explaining your motivations and interests in this position, and the contact details of 2-3 academic referees to Dr Christine Delire (Montpellier, France) by e-mail: christine.delire@univ-montp2.fr Salary : approximately 1780 euros net per month Christine Delire, christine.delire@univ-montp2.fr or cdelire@gmail.com Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, case courier 61 Universit? Montpellier II - place E. Bataillon 34095 Montpellier cedex 05 FRANCE France tel: 04 67 14 38 08 - fax: 04 67 04 20 32 Abroad phone: 33 4 67 14 38 08 - FAX: 33 4 67 04 20 32 ******************** Postdoc, University of Washington, Coastal Ecosystem Modeling The University of Washington, School of Oceanography invites applications for a postdoctoral position. The position requires a PhD in Biological or Physical Oceanography, or related field, and expertise in numerical ecosystem modeling. The successful applicant will work on the Columbia River Plume NSF-CoOP project: "River Influences on Shelf Ecosystems" (RISE - see www.ocean.washington.edu/ rise for details). The goal of RISE is to understand how the Columbia River Plume affects biological productivity and cross shelf transport of carbon in this coastal upwelling region. RISE involves 12 PIs, and the observations cover simultaneous physical, biological, and chemical processes. The postdoc will work closely with a Physical Oceanographer, Dr. Parker MacCready, who is doing the RISE circulation modeling. There is the opportunity for the postdoc to participate in RISE fieldwork early in the summer of 2006. The position is for one year, beginning June 1, 2006, renewable for a second year. Applications should be submitted by mail, and include CV, publication list, statement of research interests, one-page summary of Ph.D. thesis, names/addresses of four references, and immigration status of non-citizens. Review of applications will begin on March 1, 2006. Applications should be sent to Dr. Russell McDuff, University of Washington, School of Oceanography, Box 357940, Seattle, WA, 98195-7940. For further information contact Parker MacCready: parker@ocean.washington.edu, (206) 685-9588, www.ocean.washington.edu/people/faculty/parker/. The University of Washington is an affirmative action, equal opportunity employer. The University is building a culturally diverse faculty and staff and strongly encourages applications from women, minorities, individuals with disabilities and covered veterans. University of Washington faculty engage in teaching, research and service. ************************************************** 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/20060210/707eb954/attachment.htm From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Feb 17 16:12:50 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Feb 17 16:13:15 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 02/17/2006 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 02/17/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS SCIENCE NEWS Protecting the Pacific Island Countries from Cyclones (see below) New [U.S.] Grant System Excludes Mac Users (see below) Declining Snowpack Cools Off Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Winter Soils (see below) Major new Dutch climate progamme and Campagn (see below) SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES Capacity Building for Project Staff Regarding Kyoto Mechanism (see below) JOBS Tenure-track-JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, Department of Biology (see below) Ireland - Climate Modeller: Community Climate Change Consortium for Ireland (C4I) (see below) Princeton, New Jersey - UCAR Visiting Scientist Program at the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (see below) *************************************************** Science News Protecting the Pacific Island Countries from Cyclones World Bank news Pacific Island countries rank among the most vulnerable in the world to natural disasters. In the 1990s alone, reported natural disasters cost the Pacific Islands region US$2.8 billion. A new report says there's no doubt disasters in the region are becoming more intense and calls for urgent action to reduce the risks facing the island countries. Full article: http://tinyurl.com/ 97ymg ******************** New [U.S.] Grant System Excludes Mac Users from the Washington Post (Registration Required) What if the federal government were about to give away more than $400 billion in grants, but only people whose computers ran on Microsoft software could apply? That is the predicament that many scientists, scholars and others say they are in as the government enters the final phase of its five- year effort to streamline its grant-application process. The new "Grants.gov" system, under development at a cost of tens of billions of dollars, aims to replace paper applications with electronic forms. It is being phased in at the National Institutes of Health, Department of Housing and Urban Development and other federal agencies. All 26 grant-giving agencies are supposed to have their application processes fully online by 2007. http://tinyurl.com/96bdg ******************** Declining Snowpack Cools Off Carbon Dioxide Emissions From Winter Soils A recent decrease in Rocky Mountain snowpack has slowed the release of heat-trapping carbon dioxide gases from forest soils into the atmosphere during the dead of winter, according to a new University of Colorado at Boulder study. http://www.sciencedaily.com/ releases/2006/02/060210092330.htm ******************** Major new Dutch climate progamme and Campagn We?re very pleased to announce that after one year of preparations more than 40 Dutch Nature Conservation, Environment, Development and Humanitarian NGOs have joined together to start a huge joint climate change program and a related public campaign. The campaign started this week. The coalition includes Oxfam, Red Cross Netherlands, Unicef, PLAN, WWF and many other national and international NGOs. The total budget of the programme and the campaign is ? 16.3 million for the period 2006 ? 2007. The objectives are (1) to reduce the risks of climate change by integrating responses to climate change and climate variability into disaster risk reduction, poverty reduction and sustainable development efforts (2) to raise the sense of urgency by using the climate risk reduction projects within the programme as climate ?witnesses? and (3) to reduce emissions by convincing at least one million consumers to take action. Although the public campaign has no policy objectives in itself, we consider the public campaign as essential to strengthen the ongoing activities to influence government policies and the climate policy of major Dutch companies. The communications concept is shown here. ?Hier? means ?here?. This concept can help to show that climate change is not an abstract, long term environmental problem, but that it is happening here and here and here. It also helps to show that each person and organisation can be part of the solution, here, here and here. To cite Bill Clinton from his speech during the last CoP: "Here's what I am going to do!" The concept can be used by the participating NGOs, other NGOs and participating organisations, like local authorities. It can also be used by the business sector, in offering a well-defined package of products like efficient light bulbs, the most efficient (Top Ten) appliances, green electricity and climate-neutral products. The name of our campaign website is www.hier.nu (hier.nu means here.now) The Program is intended to be internationally relevant as well: The chosen approach to include humanitarian an development NGOs to raise the sense of urgency is innovative and will hopefully contribute to their involvement in other countries. More than half of the projects will take place in developing countries, especially the projects of development and humanitarian NGOs. They offer new opportunities for climate impact stories and climate ?witnesses?; The communications approach is meant to be easily be copied in other countries; The Dutch Top Ten project for the most efficient products is part of an innovative international project to introduce Top Ten websites in ten European countries (see www.topten.info) and to create buyer?s groups like local authorities and banks. This international approach can create enough volume to transform markets; At least half of the compensation of climate neutral products will come from ?gold standard? CDM projects. On our site www.klimaatbureau.nl you can find an overview of our programme, including a short description of the different projects (page in English) and a short film on the first phase of our public campaign (unfortunately in Dutch, but the basic ideas can easily be understood). I hope you enjoy it. We do! Sible Sch?ne Klimaatbureau sible@klimaatbureau.nl 31(0)302393064 31(0)655328722 *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities Capacity Building for Project Staff Regarding Kyoto Mechanism The group-training course on Capacity Building for Project Staff Regarding Kyoto Mechanism This is the information for those who intend to apply to the training course in Japan. This training course for overseas participants will systematically introduce measures to reduce emission of greenhouse gases and give participants better understanding of Kyoto Mechanism and role of the developing countries in CDM projects. This course is organized by Chubu International Center, JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency), and implemented by ICETT (International Center for Environmental Technology Transfer) under the ODA program. This course is already allocated to the following contries; Bangladesh, Bulgaria, Chile, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Kenya, Pakistan, Papua New Guinea, Phillippines, Uzbekistan, Venezuela, Viet Nam Those who intend to apply to this training course should contact with JICA office in their countries. 1.COURSE TITLE: Capacity Building for Project Staff Regarding Kyoto Mechanism 2.DURATION: June 12, 2006 to July 30, 2006 3.APPLICATION DUE & REQUIRED ITEMS: April 12, 2006 (for acceptance in the JICA office or Embassy of Japan), Nomination Form, Country Report and Summary of Job Report 4.NUMBER OF PARTICIPANTS: 10 5.LANGUAGE: English 6.PARTICIPANTS ? OCCUPATION: 1)Administrative officers or researchers of national government who are in charge of making and/or implementing the policies and/or projects concerning Kyoto Mechanism. 2)Experts who specialize in CDM, working in the field of energy sectors. *Applicants would rather belong to Designated National Authorities (DNA) or other corresponding organizations like National Focal Points (NFP) and CDM offices. 7.COURSE OBJECT Upon successful completion of the course, the participants are expected to gain capacity building in order to develop sound projecting skills and also to deepen their understanding of: 1)Kyoto Protocol and the Rule of Kyoto Mechanism 2)Scientific Aspect of Global Warming; 3) Role of the developing countries for the facilitation of CDM projects; 4) Measures to limit and/or reduce emissions of Green House Gasses (GHGs). 3690-1,Sakura-cho, Yokkaichi-shi, Mie 512-1211, Japan INTERNATIONAL CENTER for ENVIRONMENTAL TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER ( ICETT ) Koichi Kikuchi Associate Director / Training Division TEL +81-593-29-3500 FAX +81-593-29-8115 *************************************************** 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' Tenure-track-JACKSON STATE UNIVERSITY, College of Science, Engineering and Technology, Department of Biology Jackson State University, located in metropolitan Jackson, is the 4th largest state supported institution in Mississippi with an enrollment of approximately 8,500 students. The College of Science, Engineering, and Technology consists of two academic schools: The school of Engineering with four departments (Civil and Environmental Engineering; Communication Engineering; Computer Engineering; and Computer Sciences), and the School of Science and Technology with five departments (Biology; Chemistry; Mathematics; Physics, Atmospheric and General Science; and Technology); the Multi- disciplinary Environmental Science Ph.D. Program; and the Department of Aerospace Studies. Over 2,000 students are enrolled in the undergraduate and graduate programs, and 100 full-time faculty members are involved in teaching, research and service. The Department of Biology, Jackson State University at Jackson, Mississippi invites applications for a 9-month tenure-track position in marine science / coastal environmental science. The start date for this position is August 14, 2006. The candidate selected will be required to teach aquatic/marine science and environmental science courses, develop courses in his/her area of expertise, and direct our undergraduate and graduate degree concentrations in marine science. Preferred areas of research experience include, but are not limited to: fisheries biology, fish population dynamics and stock assessment, coastal/marine ecology, coastal/marine science, coastal/marine ecosystem assessment and management, and/or coastal/marine resources management. The successful candidate is expected to develop active, externally funded research programs; provide effective teaching and services to the university community; and develop/establish collaborations with scientists from the MS Department of Marine Resources, Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve, USM-Gulf Coast Research Laboratory, NASA Stennis Space Center, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and other institutions, to strengthen the marine science program. The candidate must have proven research and successful grantsmanship records. He/She must hold a Ph.D. degree or equivalent in coastal/marine science, fisheries biology or a closely related area. Preference will be given to applicants with at least a post-doctoral experience in aquatic and fishery sciences. Rank and salary will be commensurate with experience. Review of applications will begin March 15, 2006, and will continue until the position is filled. For additional information please contact: Willis Baker, Willis F. Baker & Associates Executive Search Consultants (513) 651-3535 - willis.baker@fuse.net Jackson State University is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. ******************** Ireland - Climate Modeller: Community Climate Change Consortium for Ireland (C4I) Applications are invited for the position of Computer Climate Modeller to work as part of a climate research team. The Community Climate Change Consortium for Ireland (C4I) has been established, with University College Dublin (UCD) and Met ?ireann (the Irish National Meteorological Service) as partners. Preliminary climate simulations have been carried out and are available at www.C4I.ie . Major ensemble climate modelling experiments are planned. Purpose of Position The purpose is to carry out large-scale computational experiments to simulate the future climate of Ireland using a Regional Climate Model (RCM). The overall goal of the C4I Project is to enhance our knowledge and understanding to future climate of Ireland, and the likely impacts of climate change. Location The modeller will be based in the Meteorology & Climate Centre, School of Mathematical Sciences, UCD, but will collaborate closely with the climate modeling team at Met ?ireann in Glasnevin (www.met.ie). The modeller will work under the direct supervision of the Director of the Meteorology & Climate Centre, Prof Peter Lynch. Principal Duties and Responsibilities The Computer Climate Modeller will be involved in developing and implementing climate simulations using regional and global climate models on parallel high performance computing platforms. Ensembles of climate simulations will be executed using lateral boundary data from ensembles of global runs. The Modeller will be expected to participate in the overall design of these experiments, and in their execution. There will also be limited opportunities for independent research studies provided that these serve the overall goals of the C4I Project. Computational facilities includes access to the Cosmogrid cluster in UCD and the Irish Centre for High End Computing (ICHEC) (see http://www.ichec.ie/) Selection Criteria The applicant must have * A strong background in computing and computational science. * A Ph.D. in atmospheric or earth sciences, physics, mathematics or related disciplines, or in computer science. * Knowledge of and experience in using the Unix operating system. The applicant should have at least some of the following: * Experience in working with regional climate models * Knowledge of FORTRAN and facility in programming in this language * Facility in working with large and complex data-bases * Experience using advanced visualization tools. Remuneration The salary will be in the range ?34,000 - 48,000, the level being commensurate with experience. FURTHER INFORMATION: For further information, please see http:// www.ucd.ie/meteorology ******************** Princeton, New Jersey - UCAR Visiting Scientist Program at the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory 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). GFDL conducts fundamental and applied oceanic and atmospheric research on a variety of problems of importance to society and central to NOAA's mission. These problems include global climate change; hurricane prediction; modeling and prediction of El Nino and its influence on the global atmosphere; atmospheric radiation, aerosol and cloud physics, atmospheric chemistry; the carbon cycle in the oceans and on land; and problems in fundamental oceanic and atmospheric fluid dynamics that have the potential to impact future applications. For the past three decades, GFDL has been a world leader in global change research, specializing in the computer modeling of the climate system. In the past several years GFDL has reorganized to develop a new generation of climate and Earth system models to support its research for the coming decade. Teams of scientists from the Laboratory and Princeton University have been developing a new software infrastructure and new atmospheric, oceanic, land, atmospheric chemistry, and oceanic biogeochemistry models which are currently being enhanced and integrated into an interactive system for studies of variability and change. GFDL has recently received additional funding from the CCRI to enhance its core research capability so as to enable policy related research and product generation. GFDL expects some of these new postdoctoral positions to evolve into permanent civil service hires as it expands its staff in the next several years. Placement into permanent civil service positions may require additional competition. These positions are intended to expedite the development of this new generation of climate models as well as the climate change research conducted with them. The following are specific areas that have been identified as priorities for post-doctoral positions: -- collaborative studies with GFDL models and the UCAR's Community Climate System Model (CCSM) to better understand differences in equilibrium and transient responses to changes in radiative forcing, including predictions of regional climate change -- studies of radiative forcing of climate, both natural and anthropogenic; aerosol direct and indirect effects; modeling of aerosol distributions and aerosol and cloud microphysical processes relevant for climate change -- detection of climate change and the attribution of these changes to human and natural causes, including extreme events and regional climate change; retrospective analysis and simulations of observed climate changes to evaluate model sensitivity and feedbacks; -- the sensitivity of midlatitude stormtracks and tropical storms to global warming; analyses of simulated natural variability on interannual and decadal time scales and its predictability -- modeling of regional climate change with high resolution global atmospheric models and/or limited area atmospheric models -- modeling issues relevant to climate change in the Arctic, including sea ice and Arctic ocean circulation -- atmospheric subgrid parameterizations and model development: planetary boundary layer, moist convection, and middle atmospheric gravity waves; stratospheric processes affecting climate variations and change -- large-scale ocean dynamics and ocean circulation, and its effect on the climate system and climate variability -- studies of the ocean's role in climate and climate change; ocean model development; ocean initialization for climate change simulations -- modeling of land hydrology and biogeochemical cycles in the land and ocean; the effect of climate change on the carbon, nitrogen, iron, and silica cycles. In addition to junior post-doctoral applicants, GFDL is looking for senior visitors interested in the areas listed above, with a particular emphasis on visitors from other climate change modeling centers interested in model intercomparisons. How to apply: There is no application form. Send the following materials to the UCAR Visiting Scientist Programs: --Cover letter identifying this program --Curriculum vitae with a list of publications in refereed journals --Names and addresses of three references. It is the applicant's responsibility to contact the references and request that they submit letters in support of your application to VSP. --PhD thesis abstract --Proposed project description, including a statement of relevance to the CCRI. Proposal must be titled and not exceed three pages. Application deadline is April 15, 2006. Applications are reviewed twice yearly by a steering committee and will not be reviewed unless they are complete, including letters of reference. Send applications and letters of reference to: Meg Austin, Director UCAR Visiting Scientist Programs P.O. Box 3000 Boulder, CO 80307-3000 USA 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 UCAR 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/20060217/0a555a4a/attachment-0001.htm From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Feb 24 16:12:47 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Feb 24 22:13:50 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 02/24/2006 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 02/24/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS SCIENCE NEWS Top political appointees in the NASA press office exerted strong pressure during the 2004 presidential campaign to cut the flow of news releases on glaciers, climate, pollution and other earth sciences, public affairs officers at the agency say. by Andrew Revkin - New York Times. http://tinyurl.com/fyyfw Jim Hansen's test and slides of his talk "Can We Still Avoid Dangerous Human-Made Climate Change?" given at New School Univesity are available as per below. Text is slightly modified (in italics) from what was delivered orally. http://www.columbia.edu/~jeh1/newschool_text_and_slides.pdf The National Marine Protected Areas Center has posted the final report of the 'Regional Priorities for Social Science Research on MPAs: Pacific Coast' workshop on its website: http://www.mpa.gov/information_tools/social_science.html SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES Workshop: Theory and Use of Regional Climate Models (Italy) http://cdsagenda5.ictp.trieste.it/full_display.php?smr=0&ida=a05206 JOBS Postdoc Position EPA/NSF - Water Quality Trading Program (see below) Mexico - 2 Post-doc positions at UNAM (Mexico) in the Atmospheric Sciences Center at UNAM (see below) Germany - Post-doc, Max-Planck Inst for Biogeochemistry - ground based remote sensing of atmospheric greenhouse gases (see below) Research Coordinator, Univ of Northern British Columbia (Canada) (see below) University of Michigan postdoctoral fellowships (see below) *************************************************** 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' Postdoc Position EPA/NSF - Water Quality Trading Program I'd like to call your attention to the following prestigious postdoctoral position we have opening here. Please pass along to qualified students interested in wetland preservation, water quality policy, watershed management, and general sustainability issues. The National Research Council of the National Academies of Science is accepting applications for a postdoctoral research award tenable at the US Environmental Protection Agency's Office of Research and Development, National Risk Management Research Laboratory, Cincinnati, OH. Duration of award is one year, renewable for up to three years maximum. Award includes competitive stipend, relocation, professional travel and health insurance. Focus of research will be the feasibility of using wetlands in a water quality trading program. Wetland mitigation banking and trading have been a part of land-use policy for more than a decade in the US EPA's Office of Research and Development. Interest is in determining the effectiveness of wetland offsets, trading and mitigation as it pertains to the goals of the Clean Water Act. Nonpoint source nutrient loading from urban and agricultural interests that can be ameliorated by constructed or natural wetlands is the primary impact being studied in this research. General areas to be addressed include how discounting, intergenerational equity, banking, spatial fragmentation, scaling issues, and trading ratios figure into a successful wetland-based nutrient reduction incentive program. Prospective applicants are encouraged to visit the NRC Web site at www.national-academies.org/rap, select "Rap Search," select US Environmental Protection Agency for "Agency Name" and Thurston for "Adviser." Applications must be submitted online directly to the NRC. CVs will not be accepted in lieu of online applications. Annual application deadlines are May 1, August 1, November 1, and February 1 for reviews in mid-June, mid-September, early January and mid-March. Questions can be directed to 202-334-2760 or rap@nas.edu. ******************** Mexico - 2 Post-doc positions at UNAM (Mexico) in the Atmospheric Sciences Center at UNAM Post-doc positions at UNAM (Mexico) Two 1-year positions (renewable) to study hurricanes in the context of climate change are available with funding from the Inter- American Institute for Climate Change Research (IAI) beginning 1 September 2006. Applicants with a recent Ph.D. should be familiar with large scale climate data and/or climate model output. Please send CV and the names of three references by April 15 to: Dr. G. Raga, Centro de Ciencias de la Atmosfera, UNAM, Ciudad Universitaria, 04510 Mexico DF or via email: raga@servidor.unam.mx ******************** Germany - Post-doc, Max-Planck Inst for Biogeochemistry - ground based remote sensing of atmospheric greenhouse gases Post-doc, Max-Planck Inst for Biogeochemistry The Max-Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry (MPI-BGC) in Jena, Germany, invites applications for a post-doctoral position at the Biogeochemical Systems Department (http://www.bgc-jena.mpg.de/bgc- systems ), on the topic of ground based remote sensing of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere using high resolution solar absorption spectroscopy in the near IR. Budgets of greenhouse gases and their feedback with climate is one of the central activities at MPI Jena MPI-BGC, and a major element of this research is focused on building and augmenting a monitoring network for greenhouse gases, most importantly CO2. The successful candidate will automate and deploy a high resolution FTIR spectrometer for long term operation at a monitoring site. Further, this involves analysis of the spectra for column abundances of CO2, CH4, and other gases, as well as an improvement of retrieval algorithms to derive vertical profile information. Potential measurement locations include Island sites in the eastern subtropical Atlantic to study ocean-atmosphere exchange, but also the tropical land regions to study Greenhouse gas budgets of tropical forests. The instrument will be deployed as part of a global network designed for validation of satellite measurements (OCO, SCIAMACHY). Good experimental skills, the ability to work in a team, as well as communication skills with good written and spoken English are required. Basic programming knowledge and experience in spectroscopy are desired. Applicants are required to have a PhD in physical science, or another appropriate field. To apply, please send your application with your motivations and interests in this position, together with a curriculum vitae, and the contact details of 2 academic referees to Corinne Sacher (MPI-BGC, Germany) by e-mail: csacher@bgc-jena.mpg.de. The deadline for application is March 31, 2006, with a start of the position on May 1, 2006. The position is for an initial period of two years. The salary level is according to the German TV=F6D or an equivalent postdoctoral stipend of the Max-Planck-Society. For further technical information please contact Christoph Gerbig by e-mail: cgerbig@bgc-jena.mpg.de. ******************** Research Coordinator, Univ of Northern British Columbia (Canada) Research Coordinator, Univ of Northern British Columbia (Canada) The Western Canadian Cryospheric Network (WC2N) is a new research network funded by the Canadian Foundation for Climate and Atmospheric Sciences (CFCAS). Participating institutions include the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC), University of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, University of Alberta, University of Calgary, University of Victoria, University of Washington, federal and provincial governments, BC Hydro, and the Columbia Basin Trust. WC2N aims to understand the links between climate variability and glacier fluctuations in British Columbia and western Alberta. We seek a motivated individual to join WC2N as a research coordinator. Qualifications for the coordinator include a M.Sc. in the natural sciences (Ph.D. preferred), experience in preparing financial and progress reports, excellent technical writing, organizational, planning and public communication skills. The WC2N coordinator will be responsible for: a) coordinating field campaigns to ensure the most efficient use of resources; b) ensuring data flow among network investigators and CFCAS; c) archiving and distributing digital data to network partners and scientific organizations responsible for distribution of WC2N's primary datasets; d) taking and transcribing minutes during meetings of the Board of Directors and Scientific Steering Committee; e) preparing annual financial and progress reports; f) ensuring timely completion of all compliance reporting to funding agencies and partners; g) pursuing opportunities to leverage additional funding for WC2N; h) maintaining the WC2N website; and i) participating in a relevant part of the WC2N scientific program The coordinator will be based at UNBC in Prince George. UNBC, the host for WC2N, is a small, research-intensive university located in central British Columbia. This is a five-year position, subject to satisfactory performance of the coordinator (evaluated annually) and a successful mid-term review of the network by CFCAS in 2008. Salary for this position is commensurate with experience. Applications received by 15 March 2006 will receive full consideration, although applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Start date is 1 May 2006. To apply, send electronic copies of a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and contact details including telephone numbers of three persons who can provide references to Brian Menounos (menounos@unbc.ca). Additional information about WC2N can be found at: http://wc2n.unbc.ca ******************** University of Michigan postdoctoral fellowships CALL FOR APPLICANTS: The Science, Technology, and Public Policy (STPP) Program in the Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan seeks to fill up to two postdoctoral fellow positions (each for two years in residence.) Fellows will be expected to perform research in some aspect of science and technology policy, teach courses in science and technology policy (one course in Year 1 and two courses in Year 2), help to organize a conference and seminar series, and work with faculty to develop the STPP program. In addition to working with colleagues in STPP and the Ford School, fellows will find a wide range of programs at University of Michigan that provide opportunities for enrichment and collaboration, including leading programs in law, business, public health, medicine, engineering, the sciences, and science & technology studies. Applicants should be recent recipients of the doctoral degree, with demonstrated interest in science and technology policy. Areas of specialization and disciplinary approaches are open. These fellowships are made possible through a generous gift from The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation. Salary is competitive and includes benefits. Modest funds will also be provided for moving, conferences, and research. The start date for this position is August 2006, although this date is flexible. Awardees will be expected to be in residence in Ann Arbor, Michigan, for the time of their award and be an active colleague within UM. Applications received by April 1, 2006, will be given first consideration, although we will continue to accept applications after that date. Please send application materials, including a CV, letter describing research and teaching interests, a statement outlining the proposed research project, evidence of teaching excellence, and three letters of reference to: STPP Fellow Search Attn: Sharon Disney Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy 440 Lorch Hall, 611 Tappan Street Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1220 USA (734) 763-7489 sdisney@umich.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/20060224/1818b4b6/attachment.htm From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Mar 3 18:17:46 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Mar 3 18:18:40 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 03/03/06 Message-ID: <8FA0C34A-9614-4CDA-AE5E-CA85424A6B61@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 03/03/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES New web resources for Complex Systems (see below) FORUM A Case Study on the perils of Society-relevant Research (see below) SCIENCE NEWS President Bush Proposes to Double the National Science Foundation Budget (see below) Ethanol may get a pollution pass http://edition.cnn.com/2006/BUSINESS/03/01/us.ethanol.ap/ Mild winters loose beetle on Canada's forests Insect infestation tied to warming climate http://msnbc.msn.com/id/11612281/ Global Greenhouse Gas Trade Soared in 2005 - Study says global trading in greenhouse gas credits grew explosively last year to be worth more than nine billion euros, 25 times the value of deals recorded in 2004 http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/35363/story.htm China's waste could be treasure for Kyoto scheme - Hundreds of rubbish landfill sites across China have vast potential to help foreign governments and companies meet Kyoto Protocol climate change targets... http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L01266301.htm The Greenland Ice - new satellite observations of the speed of glaciers of Greenland find that they are sliding towards the sea almost twice as fast as previously thought http://www.realclimate.org/index.php?p=267 JOBS Visiting Fellowship in International Studies for Scholars and/or Practioners, Watson Institute for International Studies, Brown University (see below) ESRC-SSRC Collaborative Visiting Fellowship (see below) *************************************************** Resources New web resources for Complex Systems To enhance communication and dialog and create new resources for the Complex Systems community we are pleased to announce that NECSI will host a new web based - forum : http://www.necsi.org/community/forum and - wiki: http://www.necsi.org/community/wiki for the complex systems community. There are initial contributions already there as "starters." These systems are designed to be largely self-explanatory. In brief: The Discussion Forum is an internet message board for questions, sharing recent research and receiving feedback, finding out about upcoming conferences and job opportunities, and engaging in general discussion. To receive forum messages click on "log in," then after registering and logging in, at the bottom of every thread will appear the option to "Subscribe to this topic." You can also post new messages. The Complex Systems Wiki is a collection of webpages that can be edited by anyone who visits it. Feel free to create new pages, link to other websites, or upload pictures and other media files. It works much like other wiki sites, including Wikipedia, the online encyclopedia. Click on the "edit" tab at the top of a page to edit the page. Save by clicking on the "save page" button. Add new pages by inserting [[pagename]] into an existing page, save the page, and click on the new link. We look forward to having a rich dialog and information resource that will reflect the growing activity in our field. For more information see: http://necsi.org/community/info/ ************************************************** Forum A Case Study on the perils of Society-relevant Research Jenn Marlon shared this article with me as an example of: "Be careful what you wish for: you may end up on the front page of a lot of papers after being browbeaten at a congressional hearing" http://tinyurl.com/sxcdb OR http://www.oregonlive.com/news/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/news/ 1140839731241210.xml&coll=7 *************************************************** Science News President Bush Proposes to Double the National Science Foundation Budget President George Bush is proposing to double the budget of the National Science Foundation (NSF) over the next ten years. As the first step in the doubling process, the President's budget request would increase funding for the National Science Foundation by $439 million or 7.9 percent to $6.02 billion in fiscal year 2007. "This is a great day for NSF, and that means it's a great day for the nation," said NSF Director Arden L. Bement, Jr. "There has been a lot of rhetoric about doubling the NSF budget, but now the Administration is behind it. The FY 2007 Budget Request is the first installment. We are grateful to the Administration for its recognition and leadership," Bement continued. The proposal to double the NSF budget is part of the American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI), which President Bush announced in his State of the Union address and reinforced in his FY 2007 budget request to Congress. Reflecting its focus on the physical sciences, the American Competitiveness Initiative would also double the budgets of the Department of Energy's (DOE) Office of Science and the National Institute for Standards and Technology's (NIST) core research programs. Noting that most of the increase in federal funding for research and development since 2001 has gone toward biomedical research and advanced security technologies, President Bush wrote, "To ensure our continued leadership in the world, I am committed to building on our record of results with new investments - especially in the fields of physical sciences and engineering." In response to a question from NCSE, White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) Director Jack Marburger said that the National Science Foundation will have considerable latitude in allocating its new funding across all scientific disciplines, rather than focusing only on the physical sciences. Moreover, the definition of "physical sciences" appears to include some geoscience programs. An OSTP table of "selected civilian physical sciences- related programs" includes NSF's Geosciences Directorate and NOAA's Oceanic and Atmospheric Research. Even if Congress approves the President's request to increase the NSF budget by 7.9 percent in FY 2007, the NSF budget would still be slightly below the FY 2004 funding level in real dollars (after accounting for inflation), according to the American Association for the Advancement of Science). However, NSF funding for R&D (excluding education, training, and overhead costs) would reach a record level in real dollars after falling in FY 2005 and 2006. The President's FY 2007 budget request for the National Science Foundation would boost funding for Research and Related Activities by 7.7 percent or $334.5 million to $4.666 billion. Funding for Education and Human Resources would increase by 2.5 percent or $19.5 million to $816.2 million. Investments in Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction would increase by 26.0 percent or $49.6 million to $240.5 million. The 7.7 percent increase proposed for NSF's Research and Related Activities account would benefit all scientific disciplines. Among the major disciplinary directorates, the Biological Sciences Directorate would receive the smallest increase (5.4 percent), the Geosciences Directorate would increase by 6.0 percent, and the Engineering Directorate would receive the largest increase (8.2 percent). Funding for the U.S. Polar Research Programs would increase by 12.5 percent reflecting the buildup to the International Polar Year (2007-2008). After adjusting for inflation, funding for the Mathematical and Physical Sciences, Geosciences, Biological Sciences, and Social, Behavioral and Economic Sciences directorates would remain below their FY 2004 funding levels even if the FY 2007 increases are approved by Congress, while the computer sciences, polar, and engineering directorates would reach record highs in real dollars. NSF's priority area in Biocomplexity in the Environment is being phased out, and FY 2007 is the final year of this highly successful initiative. NSF will continue to support interdisciplinary studies of this type within the structure of its regular programs. After FY 2007, this research portfolio will be referred to as Complexity in Environmental Systems. In FY 2007, funding for Biocomplexity in the Environment will decline to $42.6 million, a cut of $40.8 million or 48.9 percent compared to FY 2006. Three primary areas that will be supported in FY 2007 are Carbon and Water in Earth Systems; Dynamics of Coupled Natural and Human Systems; and Materials Use: Science, Engineering and Society. It is anticipated that these three areas will continue as independent programs in the future after the BE priority area ends in FY 2007. NSF's Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MFEFC) account contains several projects that will advance the environmental sciences. The FY 2007 budget request contains $12.0 million in the MREFC account for initial implementation of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON) and an additional $11.9 million in other accounts for NEON concept and development activities. The budget request for NSF's Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction account also contains $27.4 million for EarthScope, $42.9 million for the Scientific Ocean Drilling Vessel, and $9.1 million for the South Pole Station Modernization project. Two new starts in the MREFC account are the Alaska Region Research Vessel ($56.0 million) and the Ocean Observatories Initiative ($13.5 million), both of which help fulfill the Administration's 2004 U.S. Ocean Action Plan, developed in response to the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy. The National Science Foundation budget request for FY 2007 has received praise from members of Congress. Legislation is being introduced to implement the American Competitiveness Initiative as well as recommendations in related reports by the National Academy of Sciences and other organizations. Optimism about the current proposal to double the NSF budget in ten years is tempered by the failure of recent legislation to double the NSF budget in five years. The National Science Authorization Act of 2002, which was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Bush, called for a doubling of the NSF budget from FY 2002 to FY 2007. The annual appropriations bills have fallen far short of the doubling path specified in the NSF Authorization Act. The FY 2007 budget request for NSF is nearly $4 billion below the level authorized in the last doubling initiative. However, the current doubling initiative has been given a high priority in the President's budget request and has strong support from key members of Congress. Craig M. Schiffries, Ph.D. Director of Science Policy National Council for Science and the Environment Email: Schiffries@NCSEonline.org The National Council for Science and the Environment (NCSE) is a non-profit organization working to improve the scientific basis for environmental decisionmaking. NCSE is supported by nearly 500 academic, scientific, environmental, government and business organizations. *************************************************** 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' Visiting Fellowship in International Studies for Scholars and/or Practioners, Watson Institute for International Studies, Brown University The Watson Institute for International Studies at Brown University seeks a scholar and/or practitioner for a visiting fellowship to be affiliated with an existing research project within the Institute's Global Environment program, during the 2006/2007 academic year (earliest start date July 1, 2006). The mission of the Watson Institute is to analyze contemporary global problems, working at the intersection of academia and policymaking. We seek individuals with a commitment to multi- disciplinary collaboration. Preference will be given to scholars/practitioners who can make contributions to the Watson Institute - Global Environment Program's climate change research initiatives. Specifically, candidates are being sought to complement one or more of the following research projects: * Demography, energy-use, and greenhouse gas emissions, with a focus on urbanization in China * Integrated assessment modeling with a specific focus on linking natural and social science components of IA models * The practice and politics of using "scenarios" as a decision- making tool in global environmental governance * The Clean Development Mechanism and environmental entrepreneurialism in the developing-country private sector The successful candidate will be expected to teach one undergraduate course in his or her area of specialty. There is possibility of a renewal of this fellowship. The salary and duration of the Visiting Fellowship will vary depending on the candidate's seniority and experience. Maximum salary: $40,000, plus the option to purchase insurance at the university?s group rate, access to research and travel funds, and support for some relocation expenses. Closing date for initial review of applications: March 15, 2006. Brown University is an AA/EEO employer and especially welcomes applications from women and minority candidates. All Applications must be submitted online. For further information and a link to the application form, see http:// www.watsoninstitute.org/visitingfellow/ ******************** ESRC-SSRC Collaborative Visiting Fellowship Deadline: 20th April, 2006 http://www.ssrc.org/fellowships/esrc/ The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) and the Social Science Research Council (SSRC) are pleased to announce a fellowship for U.S. and Canadian scholars to visit and engage in collaborative activities with members of ESRC-supported projects in Britain, or for British scholars at ESRC-supported projects to visit collaborators in the U.S. or Canada, between June 2006 and September 2007. Approximately ten research fellowships of up to $8,500 (approx. ?5,000) will be awarded. Goals of the Fellowship The ESRC and the SSRC have a common mission of promoting, funding, and disseminating important and socially useful knowledge in the social sciences. This is the third round of a pilot scheme designed to encourage communication and cooperation between social scientists in Great Britain and the United States and Canada, and to explore and develop possibilities for future exchanges to be organized by the ESRC and the SSRC. More information about the goals and activities of the ESRC and the SSRC is available on their respective websites: * http://www.esrc.ac.uk * http://www.ssrc.org Eligibility and Competition Guidelines Applicants from the U.S. and Canada must be endorsed by the Director of the ESRC-supported centre, programme, group or network with which they are interested in collaborating. For a listing, with web links, click here . Interested scholars may initiate contact with the relevant Director and propose a collaborative agenda for their visits. Alternatively, Directors may also approach U.S. or Canadian scholars with whom they would like to collaborate. All ESRC Directors have been alerted to this call. As the Directors are allowed to make only one nomination, they will be responsible for nominating their preferred visitor in the event that several U.S. or Canadian scholars approach them. Similarly, scholars at ESRC-funded investments who wish to visit the U.S. or Canada should seek endorsement of their application from their ESRC Director. Applicants from the U.S. and Canada should have received a PhD in one of the social sciences (including history) by the time the proposed visiting fellowship would start. They should have been based in the U.S. for at least two years before the application deadline of April 20, 2006. The fellowship scheme is open to scholars from U.S. and Canadian universities, colleges, independent research organisations, and public agencies and to scholars at ESRC-supported centres, programmes, groups and networks in Britain. Fundable activities include but are not strictly limited to: * engaging in collaborative or complementary research that will add a new international comparative focus to existing research projects; * engaging with a range of researchers, including younger scholars, to stimulate international and comparative dimensions to their thinking; * writing co-authored papers, articles, and books; * developing new proposals for joint research. Preference will be given to applicants: * whose proposed research offers clear opportunities for collaboration or comparative development; * whose research agenda will result in ongoing scholarly exchange and cooperation; * whose work has the potential to advance future cooperation between U.S. or Canadian and British scholars and research institutions; * whose visit will be particularly timely given the stage in the lifecycle of the ESRC project. Applications will be assessed jointly by ESRC and SSRC; decisions on awards will be final. Award and Requirements The amount of each visiting fellowship award will vary according to project needs up to a maximum of $8,500 (or roughly ?5,000). Funds may be used for transportation, accommodation, living expenses, and, exceptionally, to cover salary costs for the duration of the visit (a strong case will need to be made for this). Visits may take place at any time of year, starting on or after June 1, 2006 as long as they are completed by September 1, 2007. Applicants are responsible for ensuring that they visit at a time when productive collaboration with their hosts is most likely, taking into consideration differences in academic calendars as well as programme meetings or conferences relevant to the applicant's research and writing agenda. The length of the visit should reflect the nature of the project but we anticipate that most visits will last between 1-3 months. Applicants are encouraged to seek additional funding for their visits from other sources. Visiting fellows will be expected to give at least one talk/ seminar to the host department and to other relevant colleagues. On their return, they will also be asked to write a short report on their visit, describing their accomplishments, and their plans for on- going collaboration, and making suggestions for improving upon or expanding such scholarly exchanges and collaborations. Awards shall be made to the ESRC Director hosting/nominating the fellow. Awardees will be informed by the relevant Director how to claim expenses. Applications This call is administered by the SSRC. Applicants should submit the following materials to the SSRC: 1. Completed application form 2. Curriculum Vitae (2 pages) 3. A description of proposed activities (maximum 5 pages/1250 words, including bibliography and appendices) including the nature and duration of the work and collaboration to be undertaken and the expected social science contributions of the project 4. Budget (1 page) detailing expenses for travel, lodging, living expenses, and (where a strong case can be made) salary costs to be supported by the award, and also indicating additional sources of support for these and any other related activities. (The Visiting Fellowship award may be used to supplement other funding, for which a full budget is required) 5. A letter of nomination from the Director of the sponsoring ESRC research centre, programme, group, or network, including a statement indicating why the visit would benefit the ESRC investment (2 pages) When you are ready to apply, click on the link to the online application portal below. All other materials (items 2-5 above) can be added as electronic attachments to the application form. If this is not possible, four copies of items 2-5 should be sent to: Samip Mallick International Migration Program Social Science Research Council 810 Seventh Avenue New York, NY 10019 The deadline for applications to arrive at the SSRC is 12 noon, April 20, 2006 (UK time). Awards will be announced during the first week of May 2006. Supported activities can begin on or after June 1, 2006 and continue until September 1, 2007. If you have questions about the ESRC/SSRC fellowship, please contact Samip Mallick at migration@ssrc.org. ************************************************** 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/20060303/32caab38/attachment.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Mar 10 15:48:34 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Mar 10 15:49:27 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 03/10/06 Message-ID: <7E28D628-222D-4656-8C36-A4E4769EE721@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 03/10/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES Must-Read Book: CHILDREN OF THE SUN, by Al Crosby. http://www.yesterdaysisland.com/04_articles/life/crosby.html or http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0228/p14s04-bogn.htm World Climate Research Programme electronic newsletter: The WCRP announces its first electronic newsletter or e-zine. This newsletter will be emailed quarterly to all WCRP friends, stakeholders and researchers. If you wish to subscribe to WCRPs e- zine please send your contact details to wcrp@wmo.int! NSF Call for Proposals: Research and Evaluation on Education in Science and Engineering (REESE), emphasis on graduate education http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf06019 SCIENCE NEWS Church joins crusade over climate change (see below) Scared of Sharks? Just Dive 10,000 Feet (see below) Carbon Burial Plan for North Sea (see below) The Critical Importance Of Mangroves To Ocean Life http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/02/060227123154.htm Shell unveils carbon burial plan for North Sea http://news.independent.co.uk/business/news/article350122.ece Global warming may melt away fun, study says http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/ 2002851014_warming08m.html Japan - Coal power station shelved because of climate change cost http://tinyurl.com/q9agb NASA SURVEY CONFIRMS CLIMATE WARMING IMPACT ON POLAR ICE SHEETS http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/environment/ice_sheets.html Bering Sea Ecosystem Responding to Changes in Arctic Climate http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pr06042 FORUM Gender and Climate Change - a Forgotten Issue? http://www.tiempocyberclimate.org/newswatch/comment050711.htm SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES Symposium on Hypoxia in Gulf of Mexico (see below) NECSI SUMMER SCHOOL -- June 12-23, 2006 (see below) Summer school on identification & modelling of controls in marine ecosystems - June 2006 http://www.eur-oceans.org/eamr/school/ *************************************************** Resources Must-Read Book: CHILDREN OF THE SUN, by Al Crosby See http://www.yesterdaysisland.com/04_articles/life/crosby.html for info about Al and http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0228/p14s04- bogn.htm for info on his latest book. I give this book by Environmental Historian Al Crosby my highest personal recommendation -- this is the latest in a long line of superlative books by Al-- Ecological Imperialism is my favorite, but probably only because it was the first of his books that I read. They are all terrific! -- He has always been a pioneer. Jared Diamond drew on much of his material for Guns, Germs and Steel. *************************************************** Science News Church joins crusade over climate change Nature 440, 136-137 (9 March 2006) | doi:10.1038/440136a Special Report Evangelical leaders have called on the United States to step up its efforts to control greenhouse-gas emissions. But can they force action where others have failed, asks Amanda Haag. Fire and brimstone are coming to the aid of US science, as evangelical scientists and their allies in the religious community embark on a battle against climate change. "The time has come...for destroying those who destroy the Earth," says Calvin DeWitt, a professor of environmental studies at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, quoting from the Scriptures. The Bible teaches stewardship of the planet, he says, which is partly why 86 prominent US evangelical Christians last month signed the 'Evangelical Climate Initiative' calling for mandatory limits on greenhouse-gas emissions. The movement began in 2000, when 50 evangelical scientists ? including DeWitt ? signed a statement calling for policy-makers to take steps towards reducing the threat of climate change. It is a rare move in the United States, where environmentalists and the religious community often find themselves in opposite camps. Climate activists hope the initiative will have the political clout to help sway President George W. Bush's administration towards mandatory emissions cuts. Bush has not signed up to the international Kyoto Protocol on regulating greenhouse gases. Instead, he is promoting clean-energy technologies through agreements such as the six-nation Asia?Pacific partnership. Yet many of Bush's core supporters are religious conservatives. Evangelicals are a powerful social force in the United States, with the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) boasting 30 million members. 'Evangelical' is an umbrella term encompassing more than 50 denominations whose members typically believe in Jesus Christ and that the Bible is the authoritative word of God. The NAE has not officially endorsed the climate initiative, but many of the organization's leaders believe it represents a growing consensus that climate change is a matter for concern. Climate researchers are watching the movement with optimism. Jim White, a University of Colorado geochemist who studies ice sheets in Greenland, says that it will almost certainly accelerate public support for action on climate change. "To have a group that has historically fought the notion come around ? I think that does impact on the public's thinking," he says. Climate-induced changes in sea level are seen by many evangelicals as having a moral dimension. And it is this public support that some believe could influence conservative legislators. Eileen Claussen, president of the Pew Center on Global Climate Change, based in Arlington, Virginia, says that the lack of significant public demand for action on climate has hampered acceptance by members of Congress. "So I think the evangelical initiative is welcomed by all," she adds. One reason many are hopeful about change is that certain key evangelicals ? such as Ted Haggard, president of the NAE, and Richard Cizik, the group's vice-president of government affairs ? speak regularly with the White House. "That's very significant," says DeWitt. "I think the president really wants evangelicals to see him as evangelical." If Bush does not warm to the idea of mandatory emissions, DeWitt says, he could lose some of his key support. To have a group that has historically fought the notion come around does impact on the public's thinking. Backers of the initiative are now distributing the statement to Congress, hoping to educate legislators on their views. "They may be able to hear the message about climate change from us where they couldn't necessarily hear it and really listen to it from others," says Reverend Jim Ball, executive director of the Evangelical Environmental Network, which is championing the initiative. A positive development would be to bring together two bipartisan groups of senators ? one led by John McCain (Republican, Arizona) and Joe Lieberman (Democrat, Connecticut), and the other by Pete Domenici (Republican, New Mexico) and Jeff Bingaman (Democrat, New Mexico) ? who have separately put forward climate-change legislation. Domenici and Bingaman have scheduled an April congressional climate conference to discuss ways of mandating emissions cuts. The evangelicals say they realize they won't change minds overnight. "We're under no illusions that our statement, or its circulating, is going to break open the log jam," says Ball. In the meantime, the group is airing advertisements on major television networks. They next aim to build relationships within the business community, in part by planning for a November meeting between business leaders and evangelicals to help show that climate change can be tackled in ways that will not harm the economy. John Houghton, a leader in the Christian environmental movement (see 'The man who preaches science'), says the task is particularly hard in the United States. He lectures frequently to international audiences and says that, outside the United States, he rarely encounters resistance to the validity of climate-change science. But leaders of the initiative feel the science is now solid enough to convince even the unbelievers. "If there was not such an overwhelming scientific consensus, we probably wouldn't be able to get traction on this issue in our community," says Ball. Biblical imperative But there is still plenty of ground to cover. The NAE's Cizik opted not to sign the statement, although he is a convert to accepting climate change as a reality and helped persuade many supporters of the initiative. Cizik had originally signed the document, but 22 evangelical leaders asked him not to be seen as taking a stand for the NAE, which historically acts only in cases of consensus on an issue. Cizik retracted his name, feeling that he could make a stronger case as a facilitator than an advocate. For him, the ramifications are greater than politics alone. "I believe the very reputation of the gospel is at stake," he says. He likens climate change to the civil-rights movement of the 1960s, in which evangelicals did not act aggressively. A union between evangelicals and scientists was only a matter of time, says DeWitt, who has written at length on "evangelical environmentalism". Raised in the Christian Reformed Church, he grew up believing that investigation of the natural world goes hand in hand with biblical theology. Not until he went to college did he become aware of the divide between the two communities. "We've built this illusion that we can talk about ourselves on the one hand and the environment on the other hand," says DeWitt. For many evangelicals, the flashpoint was the growing realization that climate change could wreak its worst effects on the poorest countries, in the form of heat waves, floods and tropical diseases. Sea-level rise could immerse low-lying regions, and agricultural productivity could be sharply reduced in areas such as sub-Saharan Africa. More than ever, evangelicals are viewing their call to respond as a biblical and moral imperative. "It's a bigger question now," says DeWitt. "Do you really answer to the creator of Heaven and Earth?" ******************** Antarctica Is Shrinking - Gravity Survey Shows Overall Loss in Ice from Nature News First Greenland, and now Antarctica. Research shows that both of these massive ice sheets are getting smaller. "In my mind, there is no doubt that Antarctica is losing mass," said Isabella Velicogna of the University of Colorado at Boulder, and lead author of a paper published in Science1, the latest study in an avalanche of research on the topic. Just two weeks ago, Science also published an article stating that Greenland is melting more quickly than it is growing (see 'Glacial pace picks up'). Previous work on both of these areas has shown that the edges of the ice sheets are melting while their centres are growing thanks to increased snowfall. It has been unclear until recently whether the sum of these two effects is a growing or shrinking mass of ice. http://tinyurl.com/rb5kh ******************** Scared of Sharks? Just Dive 10,000 Feet from the New York Times (Registration Required) Here's a little secret: There are no sharks in the deep oceans. That may come as a surprise, but for years, scientists who study the deep sea have had a sneaking suspicion that sharks do not live below about 10,000 feet. And now that suspicion has been confirmed by Imants G. Priede of the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. The finding, published in The Proceedings of the Royal Society B, has implications for efforts to conserve shark species. Dr. Priede has studied the deep oceans for more than two decades, deploying cameras and other equipment 20,000 feet down near Hawaii, among other places. "One of the facts that emerged was that we never see sharks out on the abyssal plains," he said, referring to the deep ocean basins far from land. http://tinyurl.com/povl3 ******************** Carbon Burial Plan for North Sea from BBC News Online British and Norwegian oil companies have announced plans to bury carbon dioxide under the bed of the North Sea. Statoil and Shell plan to take CO2 from a power station in Norway and pipe it to an oil field, where it will be used to force oil to the surface. The $1.2bn-1.5bn scheme will require major investment from governments. The process of carbon sequestration is viewed by some as a partial solution to climate change, but can also help companies exploit oil reserves further. http://tinyurl.com/evps6 *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities Symposium on Hypoxia in Gulf of Mexico The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency are co-sponsoring a symposium on 25-27 April 2006 in Baton Rouge, Louisiana to evaluate the current scientific understanding of factors influencing hypoxia in the Gulf of Mexico. Additional information on the symposium may be found at http://www.cop.noaa.gov/stressors/pollution/features/fs-2005-11-25- hyp.html ******************** NECSI SUMMER SCHOOL -- June 12-23, 2006 http://necsi.org/education/school/summer06.html Week One - Complex Physical, Biological and Social Systems Week Two - 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 CX201: Complex Physical, Biological and Social Systems Dates: June 12-16, 2006 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 CX202: Modeling, Networks & Evolution of Complex Systems Dates: June 19-23, 2006 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/ summer06.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 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/20060310/0bc6488b/attachment.html From weilercs at whitman.edu Wed Mar 15 21:38:42 2006 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Wed Mar 15 21:39:37 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] Geoscience Career workshop, deadline March 17 Message-ID: <4041D530-3F6A-4000-B103-F28CEDEEA6CA@whitman.edu> Preparing for an Academic Career in the Geosciences: A Workshop for Graduate Students and Post-doctoral Fellows July 27-30, Stanford University Application deadline is March 17, 2006 http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/careerprep06/index.html This workshop is designed specifically for graduate students and post- doctoral fellows who are interested in pursuing academic careers. Faculty members and administrators will provide guidance and information that will help participants to be stronger candidates for academic positions and to succeed in academic jobs. Session topics focus on becoming both a successful teacher and researcher. Application must be made on-line by March 17. An important part of each application is a statement of endorsement from a faculty member. http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/careerprep06/ application_form.html Each applicant must arrange for a faculty member to provide an endorsement, which is also due by March 17. The faculty member will provide a statement regarding the potential of the applicant to benefit from and contribute to the workshop. It is the responsibility of the applicant to make sure that the letter of endorsement is submitted by the deadline. There is a link to the endorsement form on the navigation menu on the workshop website. 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 Cathy Manduca (cmanduca@carleton.edu) or Robyn Wright Dunbar (robyn.dunbar@stanford.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 Interdisciplinary Training for Ph.D. Graduates: http://aslo.org/phd.html http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ Aquatic Science: http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf Climate-Change and impacts: http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20060315/dfe01a74/attachment.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Mar 17 16:45:54 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Mar 17 16:46:49 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 03/17/2006 Message-ID: <01C99781-D084-4DF1-98B0-B53554B5EDE2@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 03/17/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES Call for Entries-Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge (see below) SCIENCE NEWS U.S., China Launch New Wind Power Tool (see below) Immigration In High-Skill Labor Markets: The Impact Of Foreign Students On The Earnings Of Doctorates (see below) Arctic Sea Ice Faces Another Year of Decline (see below) A Contnient Splits Apart (see below) SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES UK Workshop: London South Bank University-Education for Sustainability Programme http://www.lsbu.ac.uk/efs/pdfs/conference_flyer_globe.pdf Workshop for Early Career Faculty in the Geosciences: Teaching, Research, and Managing Your Career (see below) American Meteorological Society's Environmental Science Seminar Series (see below) 2006 GOLDSCHMIDT meeting, Melbourne, Australia, 27 Aug - 1 Sept 2006 (see below) JOBS Assistant/Associate/ Program Director Biological Oceanography AD-1360-02/03/04 GEO/OCE (Closes: 04/28/2006) http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=e20060046a UK - Lecturer in Atmospheric Science/Air Pollution http://www.personnel.bham.ac.uk/vacancies/furtherParticulars.htm? refNo=S35103 UK - Post-doctoral Research Scientist, The Open University (see below) One Year Sabbatical Replacement, Assistant Professor/Instructor in Geography, University of Minnesota Duluth (see below) NYC - Program Coordinator - The Global Roundtable on Climate Change, Earth Institute at Columbia University (see below) NYC - 2nd GROCC Position - Program Manager (see below & email jennmarlon@gmail.com for detailed posting) *************************************************** Resources Call for Entries-Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge National Science Foundation and "Science" Magazine Submission Deadline: Wednesday, 31 May 2006 For further information, please go to: http://www.nsf.gov/news/ special_reports/scivis/index.jsp The ability to convey the essence and excitement of research in digitized images, color diagrams, multimedia, and animation has given researchers the perspective needed to set new research directions and equipped other citizens to see and understand complex science concepts. The National Science Foundation and "Science", published by the American Association for the Advancement of Science, invite you to participate in the fourth annual Science and Engineering Visualization Challenge. The competition recognizes scientists, engineers, visualization specialists, and artists for producing or commissioning innovative work in visual communication. Award categories include photographs, illustrations, interactive media, non-interactive media, and informational graphics. Winners in each category will be published in the September 22, 2006 issue of "Science" magazine and "Science Online" and displayed on the NSF website. *************************************************** Science News U.S., China Launch New Wind Power Tool U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) News for Release (Washington, D.C.? March 10, 2006) The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Wind Technology Partnership rolled out a new tool to aid energy planners and wind developers in China's Hebei province. The new Geospatial Toolkit identifies where wind resources lie in Hebei province and their proximity to features like power transmission lines, protected lands and access routes. The province is a priority in China's wind development efforts due to its high wind potential and closeness to major transmission lines and cities. "We all share the same environment," said Bill Wehrum, acting assistant administrator for Air and Radiation. "Working together through this partnership, the United States can assist Chinain shifting to a greener, more sustainable path." China's high-paced economic growth has fueled a dramatic increase in the country's energy consumption. Wind power is the fastest growing source of renewable energy in China, providing a clean alternative to fossil fuels while displacing greenhouse gas and air pollution emissions. The Chinese government plans to increase installed wind capacity from approximately one gigawatt last year to 30 GW by 2020. The Wind Technology Partnership is a joint effort by EPA, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the Chinese government to increase the use of grid-connected wind power in China. For more information on the Wind Technology Partnership program, see: http://yosemite.epa.gov/oar/globalwarming.nsf/content/ ActionsInternationalTechnologyCooperationTCAPP.html#cwtp ******************** Immigration In High-Skill Labor Markets: The Impact Of Foreign Students On The Earnings Of Doctorates George J. Borjas Abstract: The rapid growth in the number of foreign students enrolled in American universities has transformed the higher education system, particularly at the graduate level. Many of these newly minted doctorates remain in the United States after receiving their doctoral degrees, so that the foreign student influx can have a significant impact in the labor market for high-skill workers. Using data drawn from the Survey of Earned Doctorates and the Survey of Doctoral Recipients, the study shows that a foreign student influx into a particular doctoral field at a particular time had a significant and adverse effect on the earnings of doctorates in that field who graduated at roughly the same time. A 10 percent immigration-induced increase in the supply of doctorates lowers the wage of competing workers by about 3 to 4 percent. About half of this adverse wage effect can be attributed to the increased prevalence of low-pay postdoctoral appointments in fields that have softer labor market conditions because of large-scale immigration. ******************** Arctic Sea Ice Faces Another Year of Decline from the New York Times (via sfgate.com) For the second year in a row, the cloak of sea ice on the Arctic Ocean failed to grow to its normal winter expanse, scientists said Tuesday. The finding led some climate experts to predict a record expansion of open water this coming summer. "We keep looking for the ice to recover, but it isn't," said Mark Serreze, a senior scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colo., which monitors the region using satellites. "Unless conditions turn unusually cold this spring and summer, we may be looking at sea ice losses in 2006 that will rival what we saw in 2005." The ice retreat in September was the biggest measured since satellites began routinely monitoring the region in 1979 and probably the biggest in 100 years, according to Serreze's research group and an independent team at the University of Illinois. http://tinyurl.com/ n3rt6 ******************** A Contnient Splits Apart from Spiegel Online courtesy of Sigma Xi Science in the News Normally new rivers, seas and mountains are born in slow motion. The Afar Triangle near the Horn of Africa is another story. A new ocean is forming there with staggering speed -- at least by geological standards. Africa will eventually lose its horn. Geologist Dereje Ayalew and his colleagues from Addis Ababa University were amazed -- and frightened. They had only just stepped out of their helicopter onto the desert plains of central Ethiopia when the ground began to shake under their feet. The pilot shouted for the scientists to get back to the helicopter. And then it happened: the Earth split open. Crevices began racing toward the researchers like a zipper opening up. After a few seconds, the ground stopped moving, and after they had recovered from their shock, Ayalew and his colleagues realized they had just witnessed history. For the first time ever, human beings were able to witness the first stages in the birth of an ocean. http://tinyurl.com/ngzo7 *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities Workshop for Early Career Faculty in the Geosciences: Teaching, Research, and Managing Your Career College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA June 7-11, 2006, optional trip to NSF on June 12 Application Deadline: March 17, 2006 Information and on-line application form: http:// serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/earlycareer06/index.html Participants in this workshop must hold a teaching position at a university or college (including two-year colleges) for the following academic year and must be in their first four years of full-time teaching at the time of application (or be starting their first year of full-time teaching in the fall). These workshops are offered through On the Cutting Edge, a professional development program for current and future geoscience faculty. On-site workshop expenses are covered through a CCLI National Dissemination grant from the Division of Undergraduate Education of the National Science Foundation. The grant covers the operational costs of the workshop plus room, board, and workshop materials for the participants. Participants or their home institutions must provide transportation to and from the workshop. http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops ******************** American Meteorological Society's Environmental Science Seminar Series Human Alteration of the Nitrogen Cycle: Implications for Plant Growth, Food Supply, Climate, Water Quality, and Human Health What is the nitrogen cycle; what are its components; and how does it operate? How does the operation of the nitrogen cycle affect humans and other living organisms? What impact are humans having on this natural cycle and the movement of nitrogen in various forms, between living organisms, soil, water and the atmosphere? How fast are these changes taking place? What are the consequences and implications of these changes? Public Invited-(No Pre-Registration Necessary) *Please provide us with a business card if you would like to be on our future mailing list* Date and Time: Tuesday, March 21, 2006, 12:00 Noon - 2:00 pm Location: Russell Senate Office Building, Room 385, Washington, DC Reception Following Moderator: Dr. Anthony Socci, Senior Fellow, American Meteorological Society Speakers: Dr. William H. Schlesinger, James B. Duke Professor of Biogeochemistry & Dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Duke University, Durham, NC Dr. James N. Galloway, Professor, Environmental Sciences Department, and Chair of the International Nitrogen Initiative, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA Nitrogen: An Essential Ingredient for Life and Food The chemical elements nitrogen (N), carbon (C), phosphorus (P), oxygen (O) and sulfur (S) are all necessary for life. With one exception, they are generally available in global reservoirs to sustain life forms ranging from single-cell organisms to vertebrates. It is ironic that while nitrogen has the greatest total abundance, it is also the element that is the least readily available to sustain life. The total amount of nitrogen in the atmosphere, soils, and waters of the Earth is more than the mass of all five of these other elements combined. However, more than 99% of this nitrogen is not available to > 99% of living organisms. The reason for this seeming contradiction is that while there is an abundance of nitrogen in nature, it is almost entirely in a chemical form (N2) that is not usable by most organisms. At the very end of the 19th century, it was realized that there was not enough useable nitrogen available from naturally occurring sources to provide food for a growing global population. The pressure to obtain additional nitrogen for food production led to the 1913 development of the Haber-Bosch process in Germany to produce NH3 from N2 and H2. We are now at the beginning of the 21st century. It is estimated that 40% of the worlds population owes its existence to the discovery of the Haber-Bosch process. This is a tremendous achievement, but in the process humans have become the primary source of the introduction of biologically-active nitrogen to continents. There are three general consequences. On the positive side, there is more food for more people. On the negative side, there are large regions of the world where there is too much nitrogen with resulting negative consequences to both ecosystem and human health. The multiple linkages among the ecological magnify the consequences and human health effects of nitrogen as it moves from one environmental system to another. This phenomenon is called the nitrogen cascade, which is defined as the sequential transfer of nitrogen through environmental systems, which results in environmental changes as nitrogen moves through or is temporarily stored within each system. In addition, there are also other regions, notably Africa, where there is still not enough nitrogen to sustain the human population. Implications of Excess Nitrogen Nitrogen is, of course, a major component of plant fertilizer, which we all put on our garden in the spring to ensure a bountiful crop. But, too often, some of this nitrogen escapes its intended purpose and moves into the atmosphere or to runoff waters, with unexpected consequences. Nitrogen in runoff waters, usually found as nitrate (NO3) causes blooms of algae growth in down-stream regions, including the coastal estuaries that are so important to our fisheries. When the algae dies and sinks to the bottom, its decomposition consumes oxygen, depriving fish and shellfish in those deep waters of oxygen condition known as hypoxia. Large areas of the Gulf of Mexico, which receive runoff waters from the Mississippi, are depleted of oxygen nearly every summer, with catastrophic losses to the traditional coastal fishery in that region. Similar, hypoxic conditions are seen in waters affected by leakage from lagoons built to contain the wastes of hog and chicken farms in North Carolina. Excess nitrate in freshwater is a direct human health hazard and an indirect hazard in some areas where it leads to a release of arsenic from sediments. The problem of fertilizer runoff is exacerbated by the channelization of headwater streams, so that runoff from agricultural operations is often shunted directly into larger rivers. Excess nitrogen fertilizer also results in the emission of various nitrogen-containing gases to the atmosphere, especially ammonium (NH3), nitric oxide (NO) and nitrous oxide (N2O) to the atmosphere. All three have deleterious effects on our environment. Ammonium, which is highly soluble in rainwater, is quickly removed from the atmosphere, joining nitrogen in runoff waters that contaminate estuaries. About 20% of the nitrogen delivered to the Chesapeake Bay is deposited from the atmosphere, with direct agricultural runoff contributing most of the remainder. Nitric oxide is a precursor to the formation of ozone, which is a potent air pollutant and health hazard for those that suffer from emphysema and asthma. Nitric oxide is also a component of acid rain, and excessive deposition of nitrogen from the atmosphere leads to losses of species diversity and increases in invading grasses that are a fire hazard in the arid Southwest. Nitrous oxide is a gas that contributes to the warming of Earths atmosphere, where it is roughly 200 times more powerful in global warming than carbon dioxide. Excess nitrogen in our environment represents a human perturbation of the natural cycle of nitrogen in the environment. Industrial emissions of nitric oxide to the atmosphere must be reduced as soon as possible. The problem of excess nitrogen can be addressed by more judicious and efficient applications of nitrogen fertilizer in agriculture, and by better management of wetland ecosystems that return nitrogen to the atmosphere in its nearly inert or unreactive form, N2. Biographies Dr. James N. Galloway is Professor of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia. Following a postdoctoral appointment with Gene Likens at Cornell University, he accepted a position as Assistant Professor of Environmental Sciences at the University of Virginia in 1976. He served as President of the Bermuda Biological Station for Research from 1988 to 1995, and as chair of Environmental Sciences, University of Virginia from 1996 to 2001. Dr. Galloway is currently chair of the International Nitrogen Initiative, a program sponsored by SCOPE and IGBP, and is a member of the USA EPA Science Advisory Board. In 2002, he was elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. His research on biogeochemistry includes the natural and anthropogenic controls on chemical cycles at the watershed, regional and global scales. His current research focuses on beneficial and detrimental effects of reactive nitrogen as it cascades between the atmosphere, terrestrial ecosystems and freshwater and marine ecosystems. Dr. Galloway received the B.A. degree in Chemistry and Biology from Whittier College in 1966 and the Ph.D. degree in Chemistry from the University of California, San Diego in 1972. Dr. Galloway is the author of over 140 peer-reviewed papers in the scientific literature. Dr. William H. Schlesinger is James B. Duke Professor of Biogeochemistry and, Dean of the Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences at Duke University. Dr. Schlesinger was elected to The National Academy of Sciences in 2003. He was President of the Ecological Society of America for 2003-2004. His research work has taken him to diverse habitats ranging from the Okefenokee Swamp in southern Georgia to the Mojave Desert of California. Portions of his research have also been featured on NOVA, CNN, NPR, and on the pages of Discover, National Geographic, The New York Times, and Scientific American. Completing his A.B. at Dartmouth (1972), and Ph.D. at Cornell (1976), Dr. Schlesinger joined the faculty at Duke University in 1980. He is the author or coauthor of over 160 scientific papers and the widely-adopted textbook Biogeochemistry: An Analysis of Global Change (Academic Press, 2nd ed. 1997). This seminar series is open to the public and does not require a reservation. Please forward this notice to friends and colleagues at your discretion. The Next Seminar is tentatively scheduled for the week of April 17, 2006 Topic: TBD Please see our web site for seminar summaries, presentations and future events: www.ametsoc.org/atmospolicy For more information, please contact: Anthony D. Socci, Ph.D., Tel. (202) 737-9006, ext.412, E-mail: socci@ametsoc.org Or Tory Colvin, Tel. (202) 737-9006, ext.427, E-mail: colvin@ametsoc.org ******************** 2006 GOLDSCHMIDT meeting, Melbourne, Australia, 27 Aug - 1 Sept 2006 website: http://www.goldschmidt2006.org/ Session on high-resolution paleoclimate records S10-05: High Resolution Quaternary Palaeoclimate Proxies Using in-situ techniques such as laser ablation (MC)-ICP-MS and SIMS, or high-sensitivity isotopic and elemental analysis of tightly- spaced solid samples, annual to sub-annual-resolution records are now frequently produced from corals, speleothems and other palaeoclimate archives. This session will focus on these high-resolution palaeoclimate records, the recent progress in understanding the controls on the spatial variability of geochemical parameters in palaeoclimate archives at high resolutions, and records or techniques that further advance the threshold at which a given proxy might be considered ?high-resolution?. The Abstract deadline is Thursday 13 April 2006. For more information on session (S10-05) contact Erica Hendy (ejhendy@ldeo.columbia.edu) John Hellstrom (j.hellstrom@unimelb.edu.au) or Russell Drysdale (Russell.Drysdale@newcastle.edu.au). *************************************************** 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' UK - Post-doctoral Research Scientist, The Open University Post-doctoral Research Scientist, Earth Sciences Department, The Open University, (with up to 50% time spent at the Earth Sciences Department, Oxford University) Starting salary ?25,633 (a higher starting salary may be negotiable, subject to previous experience and a reduction in the term of the contract) Closing date: 17th March 2006 Based in Milton Keynes, Ref: 2427 Three year fixed-term contract We invite applications for a post-doctoral scientist to work on the three-year Quaternary QUEST project funded by NERC to examine the regulation of atmospheric carbon dioxide on glacial-interglacial timescales and its coupling to climate change. You will be working as part of a multidisciplinary, multi-institution team involving eight universities. Your part in this will be to collate existing carbon isotope and other marine tracer data, and incorporate models for the behaviour of these tracers into the GENIE Earth system model. This work will test and refine hypotheses proposed to explain glacial-interglacial CO2 changes that rely on changing nutrient utilisation or ocean circulation. You should have a PhD or equivalent qualification in oceanography, Earth sciences, or a related discipline and experience of numerical modelling of physical systems. The ability to formulate simple mathematical models and to manage large observational datasets is essential. Knowledge relating to ocean circulation and biogeochemical cycles would be advantageous. You will need to be able to communicate effectively with scientists from other disciplines and to work independently and as part of a collaborative research team. Informal enquiries can be made to Dr Neil Edwards (n.r.edwards@open.ac.uk) or Dr Gideon Henderson (Gideon.Henderson@earth.ox.ac.uk) For detailed information, and to apply online, go to www3.open.ac.uk/employment, or call the Earth Science Recruitment Co- ordinator on 01908 653012 or email earth-sciences- recruitment@open.ac.uk quoting the reference number. Closing date: 17 March 2006. Interview date: 15 May 2006. http://www3.open.ac.uk/ Earth-Sciences/ Disabled applicants who meet the essential job requirements will be interviewed. Further particulars are available in large print, disk or audiotape (minicom 01908 654901). We promote diversity in employment and welcome applications from all sections of the community. ******************** One Year Sabbatical Replacement, Assistant Professor/Instructor in Geography, University of Minnesota Duluth One Year Sabbatical Replacement, Assistant Professor/Instructor in GEOGRAPHY to teach a course in Environmental Conservation and a course in Weather and Climate. Additional courses assignments will include any combination from the following: Biogeography, Soils, Global Resources, Introduction to Environmental Studies, a non-North American, non-European regional specialty, and courses in the candidate's specialty. Ph.D. in Geography or Environmental Studies/ Science by 9/1/2006 desired. MA by 9/1/2006 essential. Teaching at the university/college level essential. Send letter of application, curriculum vitae, and complete contact information including name, address, phone and email for up to 3 references. Include available teaching evaluations. Review of complete applications will begin March 1, 2006 and will continue until the position is filled. Apply to Olaf Kulhke, Search Chair, Geography/Environmental Studies Position, Department of Geography, University of Minnesota-Duluth, 329 Cina Hall, 1123 University Drive, Duluth, MN 55812. The University of Minnesota is an equal opportunity educator and employer. ******************** NYC - Program Coordinator - The Global Roundtable on Climate Change, Earth Institute at Columbia University The Global Roundtable on Climate Change is hiring a Program Coordinator. The Global Roundtable on Climate Change is the Earth Institute?s effort to assist global consensus and catalyze effective cross-sectoral action on climate change. The Roundtable brings together high level stakeholders from business, civil society and government to discuss responses to climate change and attempt to reach consensus on some basic elements of an international strategy to mitigate and adapt to climate change. See www.grocc.org DIALOG and DISCCRS News 03/23/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES New Data: Trends in Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide NOAA ESRL Global Monitoring Division http://www.cmdl.noaa.gov/ccgg/trends/ SCIENCE NEWS Storm Intensity Tied to Warming of Sea Surfaces (see below) Ship Endures Record-Breaking Waves (see below) Treading on thin ice. The warmest Canadian winter since records began officially ends this week... http://www.guardian.co.uk/elsewhere/journalist/story/ 0,,1735203,00.html Aid workers: Climate change hurts poor nations http://edition.cnn.com/2006/WORLD/americas/03/20/water.forum.ap/ Australia bears onslaught of huge cyclone http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn8869-australia-bears- onslaught-of-huge-cyclone.html Reining In Carbon Dioxide Levels Imperative But Possible Report from The Earth Institute at Columbia http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/03/060308213229.htm NASA Finds Stronger Storms Change Heat And Rainfall Worldwide http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/03/060312211757.htm SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES Summer 2006 - Climate & Health Colloquium - ISSE - NCAR - Boulder, CO* (see below) 4th Biennial CALFED Bay-Delta Program Science Conference 2006 (see below) JOBS Program Coordinator - Global Roundtable on Climate Change (see below) Spain - Positions at Parc Cient?fic de Barcelona (see below) *************************************************** Resources Guiding National Ocean Research Investment: Public Workshop on the Ocean Research Priorities Plan The U.S. National Science and Technology Council Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology (JSOST) is hosting a workshop to solicit public input on the Ocean Research Priorities Plan. This important plan will guide ocean science and technology for the next 5 to 10 years. The workshop will be held April 18-20, 2006 in Denver, Colorado and is open to any interested individuals. Registration fees are $100 before April 7, 2006 ($150 if after April 7). In addition to the workshop, there will be an opportunity for public comment on the Ocean Research Priorities Plan, scheduled to begin soon (the dates have not yet been announced). The workshop and subsequent public comment session will be key venues for setting the national ocean research agenda. Please consider attending the workshop and/or submitting comments on the Ocean Research Priorities Plan. For more information on the workshop: http://ocean.ceq.gov/about/ jsost_workshop/welcome.html For more information on the Ocean Research Priorities Plan: http://ocean.ceq.gov/about/sup_jsost_prioritiesplan.html *************************************************** Science News Storm Intensity Tied to Warming of Sea Surfaces from the Los Angeles Times (Registration Required) Rising ocean temperatures have stoked the growing fury of hurricanes, according to a study made public Thursday that intensifies a debate over the link between global warming and the ferocity of storms. Of all the factors that drive a major storm - such as humidity, wind shear or broad air circulation patterns - only the steady increase in sea surface temperatures over the last 35 years can account for the rising strength of tempests in six oceans around the world, including the North Atlantic, Pacific and Indian oceans, scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology reported. http:// tinyurl.com/nwrgm ******************** Ship Endures Record-Breaking Waves from Nature News On the dark and stormy night of 8 February 2000, you wouldn't want to have been on board the Discovery, a British oceanographic research ship. Out in the North Atlantic, 250 km west of Scotland and close to the tiny island of Rockall, the ship was forced to sit through what researchers think are the biggest waves ever directly recorded in the open ocean. The two largest measured just over 29 metres from peak to trough - about the height of a ten-storey building. The tempest, which hit its peak close to midnight, was terrifying for the scientists on board. "It was pretty horrendous," says oceanographer Naomi Holliday of the University of Southampton in England, who was on the Discovery. "Nobody got any sleep - we were literally thrown out of our bunks." But the ordeal may have an important scientific payoff in showing that such extreme ocean conditions could be more common in this area than previously recognized, say Holliday and colleagues in a paper in Geophysical Research Letters. http://tinyurl.com/p9hcp ******************** Tweaking the Climate Nightmare from Wired News A distributed-computing project that rocked the science world with dire predictions about global warming a year ago is enlisting thousands of new volunteers to test various climate models and fine- tune researchers' forecast of possible climate catastrophe. ClimatePrediction.net, a climate-modeling project operated by Oxford University scientists, uses donated computer-processing power to run simulations of climactic change under a wide range of different scenarios. Participants from around the world can download unique climate models that will run automatically when their computers aren't being used. The models will simulate Earth's climate from 1920, the earliest period for which reliable records are available, to 2080. http://tinyurl.com/fdvoh *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities Summer 2006 - Climate & Health Colloquium - ISSE - NCAR - Boulder, CO* The Institute for the Study of Society & Environment (ISSE) http://www.isse.ucar.edu is pleased to announce its Summer 2006 ? Climate & Health Colloquium, July 16- July 22, 2006. This colloquium exposes graduate and post-graduate students to methods for integrating climate change, climate variability and public health research. It will include presentations, opportunities for students to discuss integrated work with leaders in their respective fields, and gain hands-on experience with analytic tools. Please apply online - http://www.isse.ucar.edu/climatehealth/ or contact Veronica Wynne vwynne@ucar.edu, (303)497-8117. DEADLINE CHANGE! *The application http://www.isse.ucar.edu/climatehealth/ apply.html period for the Summer '06 Climate & Health Colloquium begins on February 6 ? with an /extended deadline/ of April 7, 2006. ALSO, the date by which we will make acceptance notifications has been moved to April 28, 2006.* ******************** 4th Biennial CALFED Bay-Delta Program Science Conference 2006 Making Sense of Complexity: Science for a Changing Environment The conference program will feature both poster and oral presentations that describe scientific advances in ecosystem restoration and improving levee system integrity, water quality, and water supply reliability. The primary goal of the conference is to make new information (i.e. results, models, syntheses, analyses) available to the broad community of scientists, engineers, managers, and stakeholders working on Bay-Delta program-related issues. All participants who wish to make a presentation (poster or oral) at the Science Conference will be required to submit an abstract. Abstracts are due June 2, 2006. Proposals for special oral sessions and special poster sessions will be accepted at the same time as presentation abstracts with the same deadline. The on-line abstract and special session submission forms will be available at the conference web site the first week of April. More information can be found in the attached Call for Abstracts or at the conference web site (http://science.calwater.ca.gov/conferences/conferences.shtml). Anke Mueller-Solger, Department of Water Resources (916) 227-2194 amueller@water.ca.gov *************************************************** 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' Program Coordinator - Global Roundtable on Climate Change The Global Roundtable on Climate Change is hiring a Program Coordinator. The Global Roundtable on Climate Change is the Earth Institute?s effort to assist global consensus and catalyze effective cross-sectoral action on climate change. The Roundtable brings together high level stakeholders from business, civil society and government to discuss responses to climate change and attempt to reach consensus on some basic elements of an international strategy to mitigate and adapt to climate change. See www.grocc.org for more information. The Program Coordinator conducts background research on climate related business and policy developments, helps to draft and edit documents and communications, co-authoring conference papers and other publications, assists with the bi-monthly newsletter, handles communication with participant companies, keeps a database of participants, scheduling meetings, supports all aspects of the operation of GROCC, and supervises two student work study employees. This is a great opportunity for people interested in climate change, environmental policy issues, business and the environment. It is also a good networking opportunity, with lots of interaction with corporate environmental representatives and ngo?s working on the issue. This is a Columbia University grade 10 position, with salary in the 40s and full benefits. Resumes and cover letters should be submitted to: Kate Brash, Program Manager Global Roundtable on Climate Change The Earth Institute at Columbia University tel. 212-854-6067 fax: 212-854-6309 kbrash@ei.columbia.edu ******************** Spain - Positions at Parc Cient?fic de Barcelona The Laboratori de Recerca del Clima (Climate Research Laboratory of the Parc Cient?fic de Barcelona, University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain) invites applications to the following positions: 1. One research scientist contract (broad post-doctoral experience required) in coupled ocean-atmosphere modelling. Proved capacity in leading a research group/initiative is required. An academic qualification comparable in the field of meteorology, physics, chemistry, or a related discipline is required. Experience in programming (FORTRAN90, UNIX, C++, Matlab) is a plus. The selected candidate is expected to contribute to the current research programme on natural climate variability and predictability (seasonal-to- interannual) in the Mediterranean region, using either a CGCM, a regional model or a simplified atmospheric general circulation model (AGCM) either forced by historical or prescribed sea surface temperatures. For this reason he/she must be capable of developing a research programme for the next five years, which will be submitted together with the application. A good basis on climate diagnostics is encouraged as well as a proven capability to work with interactive diagnostic packages for the analysis of gridded data-sets. Important notice: The application must be directly filled via the website of the Spanish Ministry of Education http://wwwn.mec.es/ciencia/jsp/ plantilla.jsp?area=cajal_eng&id=11 by 3th April 2006. The contract is offered for five years, if successful after external evaluation with payment according to a Ramon y Cajal contract. Extension to tenure is possible for very successful candidates, after strict evaluation at completion of the five year contract. Please submit a complete cv separate from the direct application to the attention of: N?ria Ros?s (project manager) nroses@pcb.ub.es On behalf of Prof. Xavier Rod? ICREA and Climate Research Laboratory If you consider you are not in time for this call, send also the info because we will open new positions in the forthcoming months. 2. One post-doctoral contract (3yr duration) to work on mesoscale models and in the development and implementation of regional atmospheric models of the transport, chemical transformation and fate of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere of the Mediterranean region towards the accurate characterization of regional budgets for specific atmospheric species. Knowledge of MESO-NH is highly valued though lack of it will not result in a negative assessment. Applicants with previous experience in regional atmospheric modelling in any region of the world will be given preference. The contract is offered for three years, if successful after external evaluation with payment according to a Juan de la Cierva contract: http://www.mec.es/ciencia/jsp/plantilla.jsp? area=delacierva_eng&id=14 Please submit your application by 27 March 2006, together with a complete cv, the names, addresses and telephone numbers of three references and a tentative workprogramme (max. two pages) for the next three years to the attention of: N?ria Ros?s (project manager) nroses@pcb.ub.es On behalf of Prof. Xavier Rod? ICREA and Climate Research Laboratory If you consider you are not in time for this call, send also the info because we will open new positions in the forthcoming months. 3. One post-doctoral contract (3yr renewable subject to evaluation) to work on climate variability and predictability issues in tropical regions and/or midlatitudes. Experience in climate modelling will be positively valued and programming (FORTRAN90, UNIX, C++, Matlab) is a plus. Skill in climate diagnostics is encouraged as well as a proven capability to work with interactive diagnostic packages for the analysis of gridded data-sets. The contract is offered for three years, if successful after external evaluation with payment according to a Juan de la Cierva contract http://wwwn.mec.es/ciencia/jsp/plantilla.jsp? area=delacierva&id=21. Please submit your application by 27 March 2006, together with a complete cv, the names, addresses and telephone numbers of three references and a tentative workprogramme (max. two pages) for the next three years to the attention of: N?ria Ros?s (project manager) nroses@pcb.ub.es On behalf of Prof. Xavier Rod? ICREA and Climate Research Laboratory If you consider you are not in time for this call, send also the info because we will open new positions in the forthcoming months. N?ria Ros?s Laboratori de Recerca del Clima Parc Cient?fic de Barcelona (Torre D) Baldiri i Reixach 4-6, 4t pis 08028 BCN +34 93 403 45 24 nroses@pcb.ub.es ************************************************** 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/20060323/0ea9cab2/attachment.html From weilercs at whitman.edu Thu Mar 30 09:46:04 2006 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Thu Mar 30 09:46:57 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DATE OF NEXT DIALOG MEETING In-Reply-To: <7.0.1.0.0.20060330132524.0198ee40@icbm.de> References: <7.0.1.0.0.20060330132524.0198ee40@icbm.de> Message-ID: Dear all, I've been working with the program officers who support DIALOG to see about the frequency of future meetings. At this time, the agencies agree that once per year is too frequent. I am in the process of submitting a new proposal, and so I expect the next symposium will be 2007 since the last was in Dec. 2005. We will work the eligibility window so that anyone who gets a degree after the deadline for the last proposal will be eligible, Last deadline was May 1, 2005. I will post new dates once I get my proposal in. best, sue On Mar 30, 2006, at 3:27 AM, Mirko Lunau wrote: dear colleagues, do you have the exact dates for the next dialog which is announced for fall 2006. thanks for the information, best regards, mirko Dr. Mirko Lunau Institute for Chemistry and Biology of the Marine Environment (ICBM) Biology of Geological Processes Aquatic Microbial Ecology Fon: +49 (0) 441 / 798-3416 Fax: +49 (0) 441 / 798-3438 e-mail: lunau@icbm.de mail: University of Oldenburg Postbox 2503 26129 Oldenburg Germany shipping adress: Carl-von-Ossietzky-Str. 9 - 11 26129 Oldenburg Germany http://www.icbm.de/watt/ ******************* 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 Interdisciplinary Training for Ph.D. Graduates: http://aslo.org/phd.html http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ Aquatic Science: http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf Climate-Change and impacts: http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20060330/a197c1c5/attachment.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Apr 14 15:34:57 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Apr 14 15:35:51 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 04/14/2006 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 04/14/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES GlobalWarmingArchive.com http://globalwarmingarchive.com/ Chronicles the discovery and debate of global climate change through newspapers. This is a free archive of 50,000 historical newspaper pages sponsored by NewspaperARCHIVE.com, & contains detailed newspaper accounts on the diverse opinions and scientific discoveries surrounding global warming. SCIENCE NEWS "How We Did It: A department head chronicles how a hiring committee narrowed its pool from 300 applicants to one" (at a liberal arts college) (see below) Oceans Rising Fast, New Studies Find (see below) U.S., Mexico to Collaborate on Capture and Reuse of Methane Gas (see below) Blair Demands Green "Revolution" (see below) Polar Ice Caps Melting Faster Than Ever http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1176980,00.html Scientists Discover Interplay Between Genes and Viruses in Tiny Ocean Plankton http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pr06048 Climate Researchers Feeling Heat From White House, Washington Post http://tinyurl.com/l3zr7 Employees and contractors working for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, along with a U.S. Geological Survey scientist working at an NOAA lab, said in interviews that over the past year administration officials have chastised them for speaking on policy questions; removed references to global warming from their reports, news releases and conference Web sites; investigated news leaks; and sometimes urged them to stop speaking to the media altogether. Brown University Geologists Create 5-Million-Year Climate Record http://www.brown.edu/Administration/News_Bureau/2005-06/05-106.html The longest continuous record of ocean surface temperatures, dating back 5 million years. The record shows slow, steady cooling in the eastern equatorial Pacific, a finding that challenges the notion that the Ice Ages alone sparked a global cooling trend. Results are published in Science. FORUM Message from Jane Lubchenco, "Fight Global Warming" Campaign (see below) JOBS Associate Research Scientist ? Economics of Institutions and Public Policy The International Research Institute for Climate and Society is seeking candidates for the position of Associate Research Scientist ? Economics of Institutions and Public Policy. For details go to: http://iri.columbia.edu/aboutiri/job/html/67006006.html Ocean Ecologist at Princeton (see below) Teaching/Academic Professional Job At GA Tech (see below) Project Scientist, Ecology, University of California at Santa Cruz (see below) *************************************************** Science News "How We Did It: A department head chronicles how a hiring committee narrowed its pool from 300 applicants to one" (at a liberal arts college) By ZELDA RIFKIN My department just successfully concluded our largest search ever, with more than 300 applicants for a tenure-track position in the sciences. As head of the department and a member of the search committee, I thought it might be helpful to share how we made our decision ? where candidates went wrong and what we learned. Our goal was to find a dedicated teacher and active researcher who really wanted to be at a liberal-arts college. That meant weeding out all those candidates who saw our type of institution as a backup, in case they couldn't get a job at a research university. Because most of our students (and faculty members) are female, we also wanted someone who respected women as scientists. That meant vetoing candidates who addressed their cover letters "Dear Sir." Still, we were not concerned with the gender of our hire. Some students (outside of our department) demanded that we hire a person of color, a suggestion the committee ignored as illegal and unethical. We felt our students ? of whatever ethnicity ? would be best served by our hiring the strongest candidate. Our first task was to narrow the applicant pool to 50 people, whom we planned to briefly interview either locally or at the major conference in the discipline. As I pored over the applications, I found the most important parts to be the cover letter, the teaching statement, and the letters of recommendation. While I looked at publication lists and research statements, I knew that many of them were too far from my area of expertise for me to accurately judge their quality. I was happy to short list candidates without publications whose advisers attested that one or more excellent papers would come out of their dissertations. I tried to discern the applicant's level of interest in liberal- arts colleges in general and in ours in particular. That was often evident in the cover letter ? if, for example, it mentioned the fine graduate students at our "university." (We don't have graduate students in my discipline at the college, just undergraduate majors.) At the other extreme were letters that showed some positive interest in our college by making a reference to our mission, our geographic location, or the applicant's own experience at a liberal- arts college. That interest never made up for an applicant's weaknesses in teaching or research. But it did help narrow the pool, as we saw far too many applicants with teaching awards who were "top young scientists" in their specialty for us to meet with them all. In one case, we received an unexpected clue as to the applicant's level of interest in our college. Attached to one of her letters of reference was a note stating: "Due to physical limitations, Professor X is unable to readily sign the very large number of reference letters requested by Job Candidate Y." That kind of note is a job candidate's nightmare. Although it provided us with useful information ? clearly she was casting a wide net in her search and was not singularly interested in liberal-arts colleges ? the note seemed unfairly prejudicial so I removed it from the application packet. I also e-mailed an administrator I knew at the candidate's institution, suggesting that the note be removed from the letter of reference in the future. I know from my own graduate school days that support staff members (the ones who make all the copies of reference letters) sometimes hold grudges against graduate students and sabotage them wherever possible. This seemed as likely an explanation as any for the note. We were surprised to find two applicants with suspiciously similar teaching statements. Both had posted their version of the statement on their Web sites. I suspected that its original author was the more experienced teacher, a postdoctoral fellow at a top university, and that the plagiarist was the less-experienced graduate student. I e-mailed the adviser of the less-experienced applicant, pointing out the two teaching statements and suggesting that, whether her advisee or the other applicant did the copying, she should be aware of the situation. The adviser soon replied that she had spoken with her student, who had admitted "borrowing" from the other teaching statement the passages that he felt applied to him, too. Had we not already independently ruled out the applicant, I would have done so at that point. The odds were against our even detecting the plagiarism, since each committee member read an alphabetical subset of applications. By coincidence, the two applicants shared the same last initial. If I ever write a guide for wrongdoers, I will advise copying from people far from oneself in the alphabet. Based on past experience, we decided not to waste any of our precious on-campus interviews on anyone who had not been first personally vetted by a committee member. When told that, one strong applicant who had not planned on attending our discipline's annual conference drove several hours for a 30-minute interview. Another candidate flew a long distance to our campus, at his own expense, to meet with the head of the search committee. Both of those applicants went on to receive on-campus interviews. The committee head also interviewed a number of local candidates and invited them to sit in on a class. One applicant read a newspaper during the class; he did not get invited for a full interview. In the end, the provost gave us permission to invite seven candidates to the campus. Each candidate met with the provost, guest lectured in a class, gave a research seminar, met with students, was interviewed by the committee en masse, and had lunch and dinner with available committee members. One mistake that several candidates made during the interview was pretending to be perfect (or perhaps they believed that they were). For example, one candidate's cover letter praised our department for its breadth and depth of course offerings. At his interview, I pointed out that our small program did not match that description and asked if he really meant what he wrote or if it had been a form letter, remarking that I myself had applied to more than 100 institutions in my first job search. He insisted that he really thought that of our department. I would not have minded carelessness in a form letter, but I did object to his disingenuousness and became distrustful of other things he said. Candidates were particularly unwilling to admit mistakes in the classroom. In my first college interviews, I had been acutely aware of my weakness as a teacher: When a search committee member praised my performance at the end of a class where I had guest lectured, I recall expressing surprise and skepticism. Fortunately, my desire to be a better teacher apparently trumped my inexperience. Not so our candidates, many of whom had years of teaching experience and had won awards. During one guest lecture, a candidate declined a student's suggestion for simplifying an equation. The student was right. So I asked the candidate after class whether, in hindsight, he would have done anything differently, expecting him to say that he should have taken the student's suggestion or to express some other regret. Instead, he expressed complete satisfaction. I've been teaching for longer than he has and still rarely make it through a lecture without mistakes. Intrigued, I asked whether he had received any criticisms from students on his teaching evaluations. (I was trying to tell whether he was responsive to constructive feedback.) He said that he had never received any criticism, except from a disgruntled student who was failing the course, or complaints about the material covered. I hid my incredulity. We had dinner at the end of the interview with every candidate. In general, that meeting was purely social, but some candidates managed to use it to lower our opinions of them. One was unable to carry on a conversation and showed little interest in what anyone else had to say. At first he earned points with me by discussing how he had encouraged his middle-school daughter in mathematics, but that turned into concern when he said that nothing in life, including having friends, was more important to her than earning A+'s in math. We did use the dinners to try to determine the candidate's level of interest in our college. Most candidates were coy, but one told us straight out that he would accept an offer from us. We did not know how to interpret another candidate's remark that he aimed to be at a "world-class, liberal-arts college." We were unsure whether he was flattering our institution (which is prestigious but not world class) or expressing a desire to use us as a steppingstone. At the end of our interviews, two candidates stood out above the rest. One was a more skilled teacher, the other a stronger researcher, although both were well qualified in all areas. While we hoped to get the best possible candidate, our biggest fear was not that we would wind up with our second or third choice, but that we would not hire anyone. Not only did we dread the idea of repeating all of our effort, but also we were unsure whether the administration would approve another search. (Our previous attempt to fill this position failed after we let our favored candidate string us along for weeks while she waited to hear from her first-choice department, and we had struggled for years to get our current search approved.) The stronger researcher was the candidate who had told us we were his top choice; the other candidate had hemmed and hawed before admitting we were not at the top of his list. Furthermore, the researcher already had another offer. A few days before it expired, we asked the provost to make him an offer, which he has accepted, to our delight. We will do everything we can to make him successful not just for his benefit and that of our students but because we do not want to perform another search. Zelda Rifkin is the pseudonym of the head of a science department at a liberal-arts college in the West. For an archive of previous Heads Up columns, see http://chronicle.com/jobs/news/archives/columns/ heads_up http://chronicle.com Section: Chronicle Careers Volume 52, Issue 31, Page C1 ******************** Oceans Rising Fast, New Studies Find from the San Francisco Chronicle Glaciers and ice sheets on opposite ends of the Earth are melting faster than previously thought and could cause sea levels around the world to rise as much as 13 to 20 feet by the end of the century, scientists are reporting today. If the researchers' estimates are correct, a rise in ocean waters projected by the new studies not only would drown many of the low- lying inhabited atolls and islands that are already endangered by rising ocean waters, it also would threaten coastal cities and harbors on every continent. Scientists have been warning for decades that greenhouse gases from autos and industry are warming the planet and raising the seas, but the studies appearing today in the journal Science are the first to suggest that sea levels could climb as high as 20 feet as a result of global warming. http://tinyurl.com/opg3w ******************** U.S., Mexico to Collaborate on Capture and Reuse of Methane Gas Release date: 03/24/2006 Contact Information: EPA: Roxanne Smith, (202) 564-4355 / smith.roxanne@epa.gov USAID: Jessica Garcia, (202) 712-5606 / jegarcia@usaid.gov (Washington, D.C. ? March 24, 2006) To improve the environment at local and global levels, the United States and Mexican governments have committed to developing clean energy projects in Mexico that will lead to economic benefits and enhance energy security and public health. Today, U.S. EPA Deputy Administrator Marcus Peacock and U.S. Agency International Development Acting Administrator Frederick Schieck joined Mexico's Undersecretary of Environment Jos? Ram?n Ardav?n in signing a letter of cooperation to advance the capture and beneficial use of methane, a greenhouse gas. "EPA is looking forward to working closely with our colleagues in Mexico and USAID to reduce methane emissions and bring clean energy to markets," said U.S. EPA Deputy Administrator Peacock. "This work will help us realize our joint commitments under Methane to Markets and meet our shared goals of reducing global methane emissions while enhancing economic growth, promoting energy security, and improving the environment." USAID Acting Administrator Schieck announced that the agency will be providing more than $800,000 for initiative programs in Mexico. "USAID is committed to working with EPA and the Government of Mexico to promote and find productive uses for renewable energy." He continued, "USAID is providing this aid in continued support for environmental protection and economic growth in Mexico to assure Methane to Markets Partnership success." Today's letter of cooperation represents a concrete step toward developing methane reuse projects in Mexico. Under the terms of this agreement, EPA, USAID, and the Mexican Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources will work with local governments and the private sector to share and expand the use of technologies to recover and use methane gas that is currently released from natural gas and oil systems, landfills, underground coal mines, and agricultural operations. The projects will be developed under EPA's Methane to Markets Partnership, a U.S. led Presidential initiative. The United States and Mexico are two of the 17 countries currently participating in the partnership, an international initiative launched in November 2004 to advance cost-effective, near-term methane recovery and use as a source of clean energy. Methane is a clean-burning fuel that is the main component of natural gas. The U.S. Government is committing up to $53 million over the next five years to support the Methane to Markets Partnership. For more information, visit: http://www.methanetomarkets.org or http://www.epa.gov/methanetomarkets or http://www.usaid.gov/our_work/ global_partnerships/gda/methanetomarkets.htm ******************** Blair Demands Green "Revolution" from BBC News Online Tony Blair has called for a "technological revolution comparable to the internet" to slow global warming. Speaking in New Zealand, he said it was important to develop machines which produced fewer emissions, while maintaining economic growth. Mr Blair promised to push for an international framework to supersede the Kyoto Protocol when it expires. The speech came after the government admitted it was unlikely to meet its target for cutting greenhouse gases. http://tinyurl.com/l7kfl *************************************************** Forum Message from Jane Lubchenco, "Fight Global Warming" Campaign Dear Colleagues from the Governor?s first Advisory Group on Global Warming, I thought you would want to know about a new 3-year national consumer awareness campaign called ?Fight Global Warming? that was launched today by the Ad Council, Environmental Defense and the Robertson Foundation. (I?m one of the scientists on the Board of Trustees of Environmental Defense who made sure that the information is scientifically accurate.) The Ad Council is a private, non- profit organization that delivers critical public service messages to the American public. You?ll undoubtedly remember some of the Ad Council?s ad campaigns: ?A Mind is a Terrible Thing to Waste?, ?Friends Don?t Let Friends Drive Drunk?, etc. The information and messages in this new Fight Global Warming campaign are completely consistent with our global warming report to the Governor and his responses. We all agreed that education would be essential to real progress on this issue. The campaign is intended to do just that: educate the public about the urgency of addressing climate change and the existence of solutions. The campaign consists of TV, radio, print and web ads. You can view the TV ads on the website http://www.fightglobalwarming.com The ads are powerful. They are intended to create a visceral sense of urgency, educate people about the issue, and create engaging and easy ways for citizens to get personally involved in solutions. The ads have been sent to every TV and radio station in the country, plus thousands of newspapers and magazines. These ads are not paid ads, but because they are from the Ad Council they are run by stations or papers as public service announcements. If you don?t see or hear them, let your stations or papers know that you think they should be aired/printed. Complementary media efforts for the launch week include: a congressional briefing in D.C. this morning, a National Press Conference today, a satellite media tour tomorrow (Friday). The website includes summaries of the science, the dangers, tips about how to reduce your own emissions, a special section for the press, and more. I particularly like the downloadable ?The Low Carbon Diet: A Consumer?s Guide to Fight Global Warming.? There is also a kit that you can order from the website. I think the fact that the Ad Council has taken this topic on is a powerful statement. This campaign is the most compelling effort to date to engage the public in this critically important issue. The campaign does not have lots of hype and scare tactics, but real facts, real consequences and real solutions. ?Our? solutions (in our report to the Governor) are a perfect complement. I believe that this campaign provides each of us with an opportunity to help Oregonians learn more about the topic. I send this information to you so you can share information about the campaign and the website with whomever you think appropriate, along with your suggestions about actions specific to our recommendations here in Oregon. As a scientist who studies the causes and consequences of climate change, I?m hopeful that the campaign will communicate effectively the urgency of the issue and the existence of solutions. Our GAGGW effort was a good start, and the subsequent current efforts are needed. This campaign provides an opportunity to engage a much broader array of citizens. http://www.fightglobalwarming.com Sincerely, Jane Lubchenco *************************************************** 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' Ocean Ecologist at Princeton Applications are invited for a new postdoctoral or more experienced Ph.D. level ocean ecologist in the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Program at Princeton University. The successful candidate will join a diverse research group working to understand natural and anthropogenic global climate change. The specific research is part of an ongoing project in Jorge Sarmiento?s ocean biogeochemistry group, which is employing in situ data and space- based marine phytoplankton and organic carbon observations to develop ecosystem models capable of predicting the biological response to and impact on climate change. We seek an individual with a strong background in ecological theory and observations and with the mathematical, statistical and/or computational skills to participate in the development and deployment of quasi-empirical ecological models. In collaboration with colleagues at NOAA?s Geophysical and Fluid Dynamics Lab, these ecosystem models will be deployed in coupled atmosphere-ocean global circulation climate simulations. Inquires and applications including CV and the names of three references should be sent to: Laura Rossi (lrossi@princeton.edu), Princeton University, AOS, PO Box CN710, Princeton, NJ 08544. Review of applications will begin on May 1, 2006 and will continue until the position is filled. Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/ Affirmative Action employer. For general information about applying to Princeton University and how to self-identify, please see http:// web.princeton.edu/sites/dof/ApplicantsInfo.htm. ******************** Teaching/Academic Professional Job At GA Tech We will soon be searching for a Ph.D. that can teach ecology, ecology lab, and introductory biology. This will be a TEACHING position, not a teaching/research position. If you know of someone that may be good and interested, please have them contact me. There is no official job announcement out yet, but it should come out soon. This is just to get the word out. Below, I outline what I know of the position. One of our "academic professionals" has just taken a job elsewhere meaning that we will soon be recruiting for someone to teach ecology lecture, ecology lab, and part of intro. Biology (around 12-15 total contact hrs/week). This person will also be advising approximately 130 students each year. The salary range, I THINK, is approximately $55-$60 K for 12 months and we will want a start data of early August 2006. The job is not tenure track, but those that perform well can depend on being here long-term. This job will require a Ph.D. with training in ecology. Candidates need to be devoted to teaching, rather than research, as they will not have a lab, not be expected to bring in grants, etc. Thus, this is a teaching job, but the students here are exceptional (among the highest SAT/ACT scores of any public institution in the nation), and teaching can be fun for someone that really wants to make a difference in that arena. Mark Hay Teasley Professor of Environmental Biology School of Biology Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA 30332-0230 Voice - 404-894-8429 Fax - 404-385-4440 Internet mark.hay@biology.gatech.edu http://www.biology.gatech.edu/faculty/mark-hay/ ******************** Project Scientist, Ecology, University of California at Santa Cruz The National Marine Fishery Services' Landscape Ecology team, located in Santa Cruz, CA, through a cooperative agreement with UCSC, seeks individuals to assist with studies of river, ocean and terrestrial habitats as part of a team conducting basic and applied research on the ecology of anadromous fish that spawn in California. We conduct field and modeling studies to investigate how the structure and dynamics of the physical environment (including climate) act to control the distribution and abundance of anadromous fish and the communities to which they belong. See http:// santacruz.nmfs.noaa.gov/fisheries_branch/landscape_ecology for more information on our projects. Ideal candidates for this position would possess some of the following: a desire to work as part of a highly motivated team driven by societal needs and intellectual curiosity; knowledge of physical and biological processes in watersheds, rivers and the coastal ocean; experience with field and remote sensing techniques to measure habitat attributes and the response of animals to their environment. Candidates should have knowledge of quantitative methods and techniques, especially spatial data analysis using Matlab, R/S-Plus, and ArcGIS or equivalent. The candidate will be expected to formulate and carry out original research, work with minimal supervision, disseminate scientific results through publications and other venues, and supervise a small staff of GIS analysts. For application instructions and more information, please see http://www2.ucsc.edu/ ahr/employment/bulletin/05-06/T06-33.pdf. Application period closes April 28, 3006. UCSC is an affirmative action/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/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20060414/41115f51/attachment-0001.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Apr 21 15:16:05 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Apr 21 21:17:19 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 04/21/2006 Message-ID: <79E24CC7-4D26-4E1A-A5C4-9337E13C6763@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 04/21/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES ?Real Climate" Discussion on Global Dimming & Climate Models http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2006/04/global- dimming-and-climate-models/ Simon Donner's Blogspot: climate, science and energy issues http://simondonner.blogspot.com/ Climate change and forestry mailing list (see below) New book edited by UGA anthropologist addresses societal impact of global warming (see below) http://www.eurekalert.org/bysubject/index.php?kw=89 SCIENCE NEWS Global warming can spark mass species extinctions: A Conservation Biology study finds that global warming represents one of the most pervasive threats to our planet's biodiversity ? in some areas rivaling and even surpassing deforestation as the main threat to biodiversity. The study expands on a much-debated 2004 paper published in the journal Nature... http://www.earthwire.org/redirect.cfm?aid=110292 The great diminishing reef - Warming of the oceans threatens the long- term survival of the Great Barrier Reef....an annual check-up. http://tinyurl.com/qc6j3 US reveals sins of emission - The EPA has published a round-up of greenhouse gas emissions in the United States from 1990 to 2004, showing record highs. http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060417/full/060417-9.html Battle Over Cape Cod Wind Farm Blows Into Congress http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/apr2006/2006-04-20-10.asp China to Issue Emissions, Energy Use Report Card Every 6 Months http://tinyurl.com/etmfz Scientists Focus on Warming Disasters (see below) Globalization, vulnerability to climate change, and perceived injustice (see below) New climate projections for 2100 (see below) FORUM Blog on Climate Change by Simon Donner (see below) SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES Tutorial workshop: Simulation methods in the social sciences 25th Biennial meeting of the Society for Multivariate Analysis in the Behavioural Sciences (SMABS) and 2nd Conference of the European Association of Methodology (EAM) (see below) NAGT/AMQUA Teaching Climate Change Workshop this Summer (see below) JOBS Tenure-track climate-change positions - University of Leads, UK (see below) Postdocs (2), Social Scientists, Climate Change - The Oxford University Centre for the Environment, UK (see below) Postdoctoral Investigator ? Marine Ecosystem and Ocean Carbon Cycle Modeling. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. (see below) *************************************************** Resources Climate change and forestry mailing list The Forest Resources Division of FAO is running CLIM-FO-L, a mailing list for climate change and forestry now in its sixth year. It serves as a forum for sharing information and experiences about climate change and forestry including publications, web sites, events and job opportunities, project information and developments of climate change negotiations. The mailing list is open to everyone, to receive CLIM-FO-L on a monthly basis and to share your insights and information with the forestry and climate change community, you are kindly invited to subscribe at www.fao.org/forestry/site/17828/en. We highly appreciate your input and hope that our service proves to be useful for you. Heiner von Luepke, CLIM-FO-L List Editor, Forest Resources Division Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) ******************** New book edited by UGA anthropologist addresses societal impact of global warming http://www.eurekalert.org/bysubject/index.php?kw=89 "We are, for the most part, in denial about global warming's impact on humanity," said Robert Rhoades, editor of the new textbook Development with Identity: Culture, Community, and Development in the Andes. "Regardless of whose fault you believe it is, or if you think that this is just a natural state of progression for the planet, the real issue is how to deal with it." To develop a clearer picture of the societal and economic impact of global warming, Rhoades studied a specific indigenous population in the Andes Mountains. Cotacachi is the highest volcanic peak in northern Ecuador, and the Cotacache?os live on and around the base of the mountain, which has completely lost its glacier over the past 5 years. "The Cotacache?os believe that they live on the mountain's 'skirt' under the watchful eye of the goddess Cotacachi," Rhoades said. "She is a mother-figure that regulates and supports their society." As a result of the glacial melting high on Cotacachi's peaks, the agriculture-based local economy is suffering as rains become more sporadic and sources of irrigation dry up. Many older members of the community refer to the weather as "playing" with them and their livelihood, although younger members tend to cite global climate change and scientific factors as the cause. "What makes this community so interesting and this study so important is the way that local lore is influencing reaction to a major environmental issue," Rhoades said. "Because current cultural memory views the mountain ? and its glacier ? as a provider, reactions to the decrease in water availability and agricultural adaptations ? for example, changing the types of crops planted on the mountain's slopes ? has been sluggish. Societal memory dictates that the mountain is unchanged; when researchers requested local drawings of the mountain, even the most recent depictions display a non- existent snow-capped peak. "There is definitely a mental lag between what they [indigenous people] know about the past and what is now happening," Rhoades said, "and I think this case is a microcosm for all of humanity." This lag can slow the social changes that are imperative to the survival of these local communities, such as revamping outdated water concessions to achieve more equitable distribution and creating more efficient irrigation and potable water infrastructure. *************************************************** Science News Scientists Focus on Warming Disasters from the Associated Press WASHINGTON, (AP) -- A man stands on a railroad track as a train rumbles closer. "Global warming?" he says. "Some say irreversible consequences are 30 years away. Thirty years. That won't affect me." He steps off the tracks - just in time. But behind him is a little blonde-haired girl left in front of the roaring train. The screen goes black. A message appears: "There's still time." It's just an ad, part of a campaign from the advocacy group Environmental Defense, which hopes to convince Americans they can do something about global warming, that there's still time. But many scientists are not so sure that the oncoming train of global warming can be avoided. Temperatures are going to rise for decades to come because the chief gas that causes global warming lingers in the atmosphere for about a century. http://tinyurl.com/enxwf ******************** Globalization, vulnerability to climate change, and perceived injustice Bradley C. Parks & J. Timmons Roberts IN:Society & natural resources 19 (4, 2006): 337-355 As the earth's climate begins to shift into a hotter and less predictable period, there is a basic injustice in who will suffer worst and first. Nations facing rising oceans and drought are those least responsible for the problem, and they have the least resources to cope with them. To evaluate claims of environmental injustice, we examine three cases where the first signs of climate change are being felt worst and first: murderous flooding from Hurricane Mitch in Honduras, rising sea levels swamping entire Pacific Island atoll nations, and devastation from flooding among squatter settlements in Mozambique. In each case these nations are suffering not only because of bad geography or management. Rather, because of their colonial past and current positions in the world economy, they are brutally vulnerable to forces outside their control. We conclude by offering an explanation for generalized mistrust among Southern nations vis-?- vis Northern nations and the Kyoto treaty. ******************** New climate projections for 2100 Science 21 April 2006: Vol. 312. no. 5772, p. 351 Latest Forecast: Stand By for a Warmer, But Not Scorching, World Richard A. Kerr While newly climate-conscious news reporters seek signs of apocalyptic change in hungry polar bears and pumped-up hurricanes, evidence-oriented researchers are working to nail down some numbers. They are concerned with climate sensitivity: how much a given increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide will warm the world. If it's extremely high, continued emissions of greenhouse gases could ignite a climatic firestorm. If it's very low, they might merely raise the global thermostat a notch or two. Now two new studies that combine independent lines of evidence agree that climate sensitivity is at least moderately strong-- moderate enough so that a really scorching warming appears unlikely. Even with the most conservative assumptions, says climate researcher Chris E. Forest of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, the studies cool the maximum warming. And the reinforced low end of the range, he says, means continued emissions will fuel a substantial warming in this century. The new studies use a technique called Bayesian statistics to gauge how adding new information improves past estimates of climate sensitivity. Most previous estimates used only a single line of evidence, such as how climate warmed as greenhouse gases increased during the 20th century or how climate cooled right after the debris from a major volcanic eruption shaded the planet. Lately, such analyses have tended to support a 25-year-old guess about climate sensitivity: If the concentration of CO2 were to double, as is expected by late in the 21st century, the world would warm between a modest 1.5?C and a hefty 4.5?C (Science, 13 August 2004, p. 932 http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/305/5686/932. The low end of that range looked fairly firm; the negligible warming claimed by greenhouse contrarians looked very unlikely. But no one was sure about the high end. Some studies allowed a real chance that doubling CO2 could raise temperatures by 7?C, 9?C, or even 11?C (Science, 28 January 2005, p. 497 http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/ 307/5709/497a. Figure 1 Sharpening the odds. Analyzing how climate forces changed temperature in the past yields a wide range for climate sensitivity (left), but combining independent data sets (right) narrows the range. CREDIT: ADAPTED FROM HEGERL ET AL., NATURE (2006) The two new studies rein in those soaring upper limits for climate sensitivity while reinforcing the substantial lower limit. Climate modeler Gabriele Hegerl of Duke University in Durham, North Carolina, and colleagues started with Northern Hemisphere temperatures between 1270 and 1850 extracted from records such as tree rings. In those preindustrial times, volcanoes, the waxing and waning of the sun, and natural variations in greenhouse gases were changing temperature. Hegerl and her colleagues then combined the preindustrial temperature response to those climate forcings with the global response in the 20th century to volcanoes, rising greenhouse gases, and thickening pollutant hazes. In this week's issue of Nature, they report a 5% probability that climate sensitivity is less than 1.5?C and a 95% chance that it's less than 6.2?C. That's still pretty high, but a far cry from 9?C or 11?C. In a similar study published on 18 March in Geophysical Research Letters, climate modelers James Annan and Julia Hargreaves of the Frontier Research Center for Global Change in Yokohama, Japan, found the same lower limit of 1.5?C and a 95% upper limit of 4.5?C. They combined published 20th century warming data with records of coolings after recent volcanic eruptions and estimates of chilling in the depths of the latest ice age. "Combining multiple lines of evidence is certainly the way to go," says Forest. An extremely high climate sensitivity "is probably less likely than we thought a year ago," agrees climate researcher Reto Knutti of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. More importantly, "we start to see a much better agreement on the lower bound," says Knutti. "We can be pretty sure the changes will be substantial" by the end of the century, he says. *************************************************** Forum Blog on Climate Change by Simon Donner Submited by Simon Donner, Princeton University People ask me all the time for a source of regular news or commentary on climate, science and energy issues. I decided to start a blog: http://simondonner.blogspot.com/ It will include short notes about climate, environment + energy issues in the news, as well as links to other good sites and stories, aimed at a general audience. It will be updated every couple days. I encourage you to take a look, to tell friends, and tosend suggestions (especially all you scientists who want to write guest posts!). I hope that, in some small way, this will get a few more people thinking and talking about these issues. Simon Donner, Woodrow Wilson School, Princeton University, www.simondonner.com, 609-439-1227 *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities Tutorial workshop: Simulation methods in the social sciences 25th Biennial meeting of the Society for Multivariate Analysis in the Behavioural Sciences (SMABS) and 2nd Conference of the European Association of Methodology (EAM) SMABS - EAM Conference 2006, Budapest, 2-5th July 2006 Pre-conference Workshop: Simulation methods in the social sciences 1 July 2006, Budapest Klaus G. Troitzsch, University of Koblenz-Landau Nigel Gilbert, University of Surrey This workshop will provide a rationale for using simulation in the social sciences and outline a number of approaches to social simulation. Programme: (1) An overview of and introduction to simulation for social scientists to give them an idea what they could do in general with the help of this method, (2) an overview of the very data-oriented method of microanalytical simulation (starting from a large sample of a nation's population from which future states of this population can be predicted in terms of demography, taxes, labour market, pension claims and so on) and of freely available software tools, with a number of practical examples with real data from Germany and New Zealand, (3) an overview of agent-based methods used in concept-based simulation (computer-assisted theory building of processes of the emergence of norms, institutions and so on), with a number of practical examples with freely available software tools. Conference website: http://smabseam2006.tatk.elte.hu/[1] Workshop details: http://smabseam2006.tatk.elte.hu/tro-gil.htm[2] Registration: http://smabseam2006.tatk.elte.hu/regmet.htm[3] Professor Nigel Gilbert, ScD, FREng, AcSS, Professor of Sociology, University of Surrey, Guildford GU2 7XH, UK. +44 (0)1483 689173 ******************** NAGT/AMQUA Teaching Climate Change Workshop this Summer Workshop on Teaching Climate Change: Lessons From the Past. Montana State University, Bozeman, MT - August 14 (evening) and 15, 2006. DEADLINE: May 1, 2006. This teaching workshop is co-sponsored by the NAGT On the Cutting Edge faculty professional development program and AMQUA/USNC-INQUA. The workshop will be held just prior to the 2006 AMQUA Meeting. Dr. William Ruddiman and Dr. Mark Chandler are confirmed keynote speakers. Workshop activities will include large and small group discussions, demonstrations of instructional activities, and planning/ writing sessions. Instructional materials and other information will be organized and compiled as collections of digital resources for use by instructors of climate change throughout the world. More information about the teaching workshop can be found at: http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/climatechange06/index.html And information about the AMQUA 2006 Meeting can be found at: http://bsi.montana.edu/web/amqua/ *************************************************** 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' Tenure-track climate-change positions - University of Leads, UK The School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds in the UK (www.see.leeds.asc.uk) is creating a series of tenured research positions in the area of climate and environmental change. These positions will be jointly appointed to various of the school?s research institutes, including the Sustainability Research Institute and the Institute for Atmospheric Science. The goal is to bring on board established researchers who will be able to develop innovative and inter-disciplinary research programmes across existing research strengths. Further particulars can be found off link at http:// www.see.leeds.ac.uk/vacancies/index.htm Evan Fraser, PhD, Sustainability Research Institute, University of Leeds evan@env.leeds.ac.uk ******************** Postdocs (2), Social Scientists, Climate Change - The Oxford University Centre for the Environment, UK The School of Geography and Environmental Change Institute is seeking two individuals for research positions associated with the new Oxford node of the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research. The positions are (1) Probabilistic Climate Change Impacts Assessment and Adaptation Planning (geographer, env. scientist, economist, statistician) and (2) Analysis of Options for International Action on Climate Change (geographer, env. sci. or related). Details can be found via the link at the top of this page: http:// darkwing.uoregon.edu/~jmarlon/disccrs/index.htm ******************** Postdoctoral Investigator ? Marine Ecosystem and Ocean Carbon Cycle Modeling. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Applicants are sought for a postdoctoral research position for one year with the potential for extension to a second year in the areas of marine ecosystem and ocean carbon cycle modeling in Scott Doney's group at WHOI (http://www.whoi.edu/science/MCG/doneylab/ index.html). The position will involve the development, implementation and data-based evaluation of marine ecosystem and biogeochemical models within the framework of the global, three-dimensional ocean simulation in the NCAR Community Climate System Model (CCSM). Specific research foci include the role of multi-nutrient limitation, trace metals, and community structure on ocean carbon storage; the biogeochemical cycling of dimethylsulfide; and ocean climate-carbon cycle interactions under past, present and future conditions. A significant fraction of the applicant?s research will be devoted to model-data comparisons with in-situ observations and satellite remote sensing. This work is part of a long term scientific project focused on the interaction of global carbon cycle and the climate system. EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE Ph.D. is required. Applicants with an interest and experience in environmental numerical modeling and/or the analysis of large data sets and a background in a relevant field which could include but is not limited to biological, chemical or physical oceanography, marine or aquatic ecology, biogeochemistry, fluid dynamics, or ocean and environmental engineering are encouraged to apply. APPLICATION PROCESS Send curriculum vitae, including a list of publications, statement of research interests, and the names and addresses (including email addresses) of four references to the following address: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Human Resources, MS 15 BoxPR284, Woods Hole, MA 02543 OR you may email your documents to the following email address: seayou@whoi.edu Please be sure to reference the announcement number 06-04-05. http://jobs.whoi.edu/cgi-bin/user/funcer?eng&15&380 ************************************************** 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/20060421/ea51ecc9/attachment-0001.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Apr 28 14:34:36 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Apr 28 14:35:52 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 04/28/2006 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 04/28/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES EGU Journal: Climate of the Past (see below) SCIENCE NEWS Backstory: What is the value of a tree? Antoinette Campbell loses an oak: Her air conditioning bill goes up $120 a month - the toll on her city is even bigger. http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0426/p20s01-sten.html Corals go fishing to survive: Catching dinner could save some corals from climate doom. Marine biologists have discovered that some corals can weather 'mass bleaching' events by gorging on marine animals. Their stinging tentacles can reach out a short distance to snag prey, allowing them to eat without the help of algae. http://www.nature.com/news/2006/060424/full/060424-6.html Kicking carbon can be simple. AUSTRALIA could reduce its emissions of planet-warming greenhouse gases up to 20 per cent by taking steps as cheap and easy as installing double-paned windows and energy efficient light bulbs. That's the message from new Adelaide thinker in residence Stephen Schneider... http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/ 0,20867,18928046-12332,00.html Around the World, Warmer Temperatures Mean More Infections. Malaria, Lyme Disease, and Even Rare Shellfish Disease Spreading. At first glance, an outbreak of diarrhea among passengers on board a cruise ship in Alaskan waters in the summer of 2004 seemed to be relatively harmless... But then the lab reports started trickling in ? many of the afflicted the passengers had eaten raw oysters raised in Alaska that were infected with a type of cholera-like bacteria, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, that normally grows on shellfish harvested in much warmer waters. http://abcnews.go.com/Health/story?id=1884312&page=1 Why the world is not about to run out of oil "The oil industry: steady as she goes" Economist 379 (8474, Apr. 22) 65-67 http://www.economist.com/finance/displaystory.cfm?story_id=6823506 LONDON - European carbon prices continued a collapse on Thursday that has wiped up to 50 percent off the value of carbon credits over the past week, hitting power prices and rattling utilities' share prices. http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/36175/story.htm 10 States Sue E.P.A. on Emissions http://www.climateark.org/articles/reader.asp?linkid=55724 Climate Change Forces Plants to Search for Better Places to Live (see below) Worst-Case Climate Change Called Unlikely (see below) Computer Glitch Hits Climate Prediction Project (see below) Secret Rivers Found in Antarctic (see below) The woods fill up with snow. by Michael N. Evans (in Nature) Permission needed to view whole article (but see first paragraph below) SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES Arctic Change and Coastal Communities - Canada Coastal Zone Association (see below) ASLO 2006 Summer Meeting (see below) Summer School - Geophysical & Environmental Fluid Dynamics (UK) (see below) JOBS Climate Economist - Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). Washington, D.C. (see below) Post-doctoral Position - IAI Project Officer, Collaborative Research Network, Argentina (see below) Post-doctoral Position - Arctic Stream Invertebrate Ecology (see below) Junior Faculty Position - Yale University - Solid-Earth Geophysics (see below) Post-doctoral Position ? Loyola University Chicago (see below) Post-doctoral Investigator ? Marine Ecosystem and Ocean Carbon Cycle Modeling. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. (see below) Senior Scientist - The TBE Group (see below) Post-doctoral Position - UCAR Visiting Scientist: Ensemble Prediction Techniques, USA (see below) Post-doctoral Position - MeteoSwiss - Reforecasting Extreme Events (Switzerland) (see below) *************************************************** Resources EGU Journal: Climate of the Past Some of you will (we hope) have started to see references to papers in the journal "Climate of the Past" (CP), but may be unaware of how to access this journal. CP is a new open-access journal from the EGU (European Geosciences Union), devoted to the publication and discussion of research articles, short communications and review papers on the climate history of the Earth. CP has a two-stage publication process: after an initial screening, papers appear online in Climate of the Past Discussions (CPD), where they are open for traditional peer review but also for public comment. After this stage is complete, papers undergo a normal editorial process before appearing in CP itself. CP and CPD are available freely (and free of charge) at http://www.copernicus.org/EGU/cp/cp.html; if you would like to be aware of new papers coming in (which gives you the chance to read them and also to comment on papers in the discussion phase) then please subscribe to an alert at http://www.copernicus.org/EGU/cp/ alert_service.html : you can subscribe to all papers in CP, or just to subject areas that interest you. Of course the editors (mailto:cp-chief-editors@copernicus.org) would also welcome your papers being submitted to CP! On behalf of the Chief Editors (Denis Didier Rousseau, Gerald Ganssen, Martin Claussen, Eric Wolff) Best regards, Denis-Didier Rousseau *************************************************** Science News Climate Change Forces Plants to Search for Better Places to Live from the Guardian (UK) Climate change is reshaping the landscape of Britain as rising temperatures allow orchids and ferns to flourish in the north, while other species retreat to cooler conditions on high land and mountainsides. The conclusion, published today in a comprehensive survey of the nation's flora, suggests that the changing climate has already brought about a rapid and dramatic shift in the country's plantlife, a trend researchers say will be exacerbated by future warming. Volunteers working for the Botanical Society of the British Isles and the charity Plantlife recorded more than 200,000 plants in patches four kilometres square around the country and found the number and distribution of one third of all species had changed substantially since an earlier survey in 1987. http://tinyurl.com/jx8j4 ******************** Worst-Case Climate Change Called Unlikely from the Washington Post (via sfgate.com) Earth will experience significant climate change in the coming century as a result of greenhouse gas buildups, but the more extreme estimates of global warming generated by some studies are unlikely to occur, according to newly published research. "This still commits us to quite a bit of climate change, but it leaves the door open to avoiding the largest and most devastating consequences," said Gabriele Hegerl, a Duke University climate expert who led the study. The new work extends a difficult line of research that uses historical climate data and computer models to predict the impact of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, which are increasing as a result of human activity such as burning fossil fuels. http://tinyurl.com/ozqka ******************** Computer Glitch Hits Climate Prediction Project from Nature News A software error has hit one of the world's most sophisticated climate simulations. Participants in the BBC-sponsored project, which uses spare time on home computers to predict Britain's climate in 2080, will have to wait longer than expected to see their work on television. The results, due to be presented as part of the BBC's "Climate Chaos" television season, will be delayed by about two months as experts at climateprediction.net, the research project based at the University of Oxford, reset the software. Some 200,000 volunteers had pledged their computers to the effort, making it possibly the largest mass-participation climate experiment ever. The model aims to simulate the British climate from 1920 to 2080. But users found that the program was mysteriously crashing at 2013. What's more, the models were predicting far greater global warming up to that point than experts expected. http:// tinyurl.com/nmko9 ******************** Secret Rivers Found in Antarctic from BBC News Online Antarctica's buried lakes are connected by a network of rivers moving water far beneath the surface, say UK scientists. It was thought the sub-glacial lakes had been completely sealed for millions of years, enabling unique species to evolve in them. Writing in the journal Nature, experts say international plans to drill into the lakes may now have to be reviewed. ******************** The woods fill up with snow. by Michael N. Evans (in Nature) http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eXwG0MCRns0Ch0zbp0E2 "The woods fill up with snow" by Michael N. Evans (in Nature) Palaeoclimatological evidence covering the past millennium suggests that the global water cycle has changed in the past century. Agreement with climate models points to human activity as the main cause. Two principal uncertainties in predicting climate change are the net effect of water in the climate system and the way in which water will be redistributed over the surface of the planet1. On page 1179 of this issue, Treydte et al.2 present a reconstruction of precipitation in central Asia for 826?1998 AD, developed from tree- ring data. Their results reveal a striking increase in snowfall over the past century compared with that over the previous millennium. This picture and other observations from around the world are concurring with predictions made by climate models, suggesting that the most pertinent aspects of the water cycle are adequately represented in the models. Furthermore, it seems that recent changes in precipitation patterns probably exceed the range of natural variability estimated for the past several hundred to one thousand years. *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities Arctic Change and Coastal Communities - Canada Coastal Zone Association 12-18 August 2006 - Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories Abstract Submission Deadline: Sunday, 30 April 2006 For further information, please go to: http://www.czc06.ca The Coastal Zone Canada 2006 conference, titled Arctic Change and Coastal Communities, will be held on 14-18 August 2006 in Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories. The deadline to submit abstracts for poster and paper presentations is Sunday, 30 April 2006. This conference will explore the rapid and significant changes taking place in the Arctic, examine the issues coastal people are facing as a result, and evaluate current frameworks for ocean management and governance in the Arctic and elsewhere. Space is limited to 300 delegates and is filling up fast. Please submit abstracts and register early at: http://www.czc06.ca For more information, please contact: Steve Newton, Conference Coordinator Phone: 204-984-5561 - E-mail: Steve.Newton@czc06.ca ******************** ASLO 2006 Summer Meeting June 4-9, 2006 - Victoria, British Columbia, Canada www.aslo.org/victoria2006/ All current information has been posted including the schedule. Printed programs will not be mailed, but a draft PDF file is available for downloading on the conference website at the following address - http://www.aslo.org/meetings/victoria2006/files.html All registered attendees will receive a printed program and abstract book in Victoria as part of their conference materials. June is a busy time in Victoria, so be sure to make your travel arrangements as soon as possible. You will find full information to assist you in your arrangements available on the website. We are looking forward to an exciting meeting. If you have not yet registered, don't forget that the early registration discount ends May 5, 2006! ASLO Business Office 5400 Bosque Blvd., Suite 680 Waco, TX 76710 800-929-ASLO or 254-399-9635 Phone 254-776-3767 Fax business@aslo.org www.aslo.org ******************** Summer School - Geophysical & Environmental Fluid Dynamics (UK) Geophysical & Environmental Fluid Dynamics Summer School (UK) I am pleased to announce that we are now accepting online applications for the 2006 Geophysical and Environmental Fluid Dynamics Summer School at http://www.gefd.damtp.cam.ac.uk. The deadline for applications is 30 April 2006. Details of the school can be found below and on the website. Best regards, Emily Shuckburgh, Director, GEFD Summer School 16th GEOPHYSICAL AND ENVIRONMENTAL FLUID DYNAMICS SUMMER SCHOOL Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, University of Cambridge, UK Sunday 10th to Saturday 23th September 2006 (Deadline for applications 30th April 2006) Further Details and On-line Application: http:// www.gefd.damtp.cam.ac.uk This intensive Summer School aims to introduce participants to fluid dynamics as applied to geophysical and environmental flows. It is intended primarily for students pursuing research towards a PhD and is also suitable for those in industry and government interested in improving their background in the fluid mechanical aspects of environmental problems. Students are accepted from a variety of scientific backgrounds, though knowledge equivalent to a first Degree involving mathematics, physics or mechanics is an advantage. Core Lecturers: 'Large-scale Atmosphere-Ocean Dyanmics' by Peter Haynes 'Geological Fluid Mechanics' by Herbert Huppert 'Ocean Circulation' by David Marshall 'Fluid-Dynamical Fundamentals' by Michael McIntyre 'Buoyancy-Driven Flows' by Grae Worster 'Weather and Climate' by Emily Shuckburgh 2006 Invited Lectures: * Dr Myles Allen, University of Oxford, on 'Predicting Climate Change' * Dr Isaac Held, GFDL, on 'Latent Heat and Atmospheric General Circulation' * Prof Susan Kieffer, University of Illinois, on 'Planetary Volcanism' * Prof Ric Williams, University of Liverpool, on 'Ocean Circulation and Biological Productivity' The Summer School will be held in Cambridge at the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics, Centre for Mathematical Sciences. In addition to attending lectures, participants will carry out programmes of laboratory experiments and computer demonstrations. Details of the tuition and full-board accommodation fees, as well as the grants available can be found on the web-site. Closing Date for Applications: 30th APRIL, 2006 Enquiries to: Lindsay Denton, GEFD Conference Secretary: gefd@damtp.cam.ac.uk. Further Information: http://www.gefd.damtp.cam.ac.uk To join our Mailing List: email listserv@jiscmail.ac.uk with SUBSCRIBE GEFD First-name Last-name in the body of the message. Lindsay Denton, GEFD Summer School Secretary DAMTP Pavillion G, Centre for Mathematical Sciences Wilberforce Road, Cambridge CB3 0WA Ph:00 44 1223 760533 website: www.gefd.damtp.cam.ac.uk ******************** Summer Workshop: Teaching Climate Change (Montana, USA) Dear Colleagues, We would like to call your attention to a workshop on Teaching Climate Change: Lessons From the Past which will be held at Montana State University, Bozeman, MT on August 14 (evening) and 15. This teaching workshop is co-sponsored by the NAGT On-the-Cutting-Edge Faculty Professional Development Program and AMQUA/USNC-INQUA. The workshop will be held just prior to the 2006 AMQUA Meeting. Dr. William Ruddiman and Dr. Mark Chandler are confirmed keynote speakers. Workshop activities will include large and small group discussions, demonstrations of instructional activities, and planning/writing sessions. Instructional materials and other information will be organized and compiled as collections of digital resources for use by instructors of climate change throughout the world. More information about the teaching workshop can be found at: http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/ climatechange06/index.html And information about the AMQUA 2006 Meeting can be found at: http://bsi.montana.edu/web/amqua/ We encourage you to attend both of these events this summer! The registration deadline for the Teaching Climate Change workshop is May 1 so please take a few minutes and register now. Thanks in advance, and hope to see you in Montana this summer, Dave Mogk and Cathy Whitlock, Montana State University Allan Ashworth, North Dakota State University Sheri Fritz, University of Nebraska *************************************************** 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' Climate Economist - Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). Washington, D.C. SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES: Under the direction of the Climate Campaign Manager, lead UCS's work to bring sound economics to bear on developing and building support for strong climate policies. Provide organizational leadership across UCS climate and energy programs on evaluating the economic feasibility of various climate policy approaches at the state, regional and federal levels; the integration of U.S. and international emissions limitation regimes; the economic costs and benefits of sectoral policy solutions, and the costs of climate change impacts. GENERAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The essential job duties/responsibilities of the position are included in but not limited to the information listed below. Provide organizational leadership on the design and economic feasibility of various climate policy approaches at the state, regional and federal levels as well as the integration of U.S. approaches with emerging international systems. Plan, design, and help implement appropriate UCS economic analyses and activities in support of UCS objectives, including the economic aspects of sectoral solutions as well as the economic costs of action versus the costs of inaction. Lead UCS "Roadmap" project to assess and communicate the technical and economic feasibility of the United States meeting reduction targets consistent with limiting warming to 20C as well as the economic and environmental tradeoffs of different technology and policy choices. Maintain up-to-date knowledge of major economic models and applications to assist and support UCS climate, vehicles and energy activities. Monitor and assess current and ongoing research and trends in environmental economics and policy. Exchange information, share resources and engage in collaborative studies with economists and analysts at other organizations as well as coordinate with analysts at UCS. Work with Climate Campaign Manager to initiate and maintain contacts with legislators and their staff, other government officials, constituency leaders and media representatives to promote UCS policies and positions. Provide technical information and expertise through testimony, written materials and public speaking. Actively promote promising legislation through testimony, letters of support and other efforts. Represent UCS in public forums, conferences and with the media. Provide expert technical information; present and promote UCS policies, objectives and activities; direct energies whenever possible to promote UCS, advance organization objectives, substantiate credibility and enhance funding opportunities. Supervise energy systems modeler. Additional Qualifications: BASIC KNOWLEDGE A Ph.D. in economics (preferred) or other advanced degree in financial analysis or a closely related field is required. Position requires a comprehensive understanding of the appropriate use of economic and technical information in the policymaking process. Candidates must be analytically oriented with a strong interest in policy. Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with economists and other professionals as well as with policymakers and the public is needed. Excellent written and verbal communications skills are required. Familiarity with the economic costs and benefits of economy-wide and sectoral climate and energy policies strongly preferred. Knowledge of basic climate science and energy technology issues helpful, but is not required. EXPERIENCE Work requires at least five years of related experience, including background in environmental and energy economic policy development and analysis and project management. Up to one year of on- the-job training is needed to become familiar with UCS organization, philosophy, programs and constituencies. How to Apply: To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, and writing sample to_ climatejobs@ucsusa.org_. (electronic applications only) Application Deadline: May 8, 2006 ******************** Post-doctoral Position - IAI Project Officer, Collaborative Research Network, Argentina Deadline for applications: 31 May 2006 Planned starting date: July 2006 Project Officer in Functional Diversity & Sustainability The Collaborative Research Network "Functional biodiversity effects on ecosystem processes, ecosystem services and sustainability in the Americas: an interdisciplinary approach", funded by the Inter- American Institute for global Change Research, is looking for post- doctoral level candidates to cover the position of full-time Project Officer. The position will be initially available for 3 years, renewable for a total of 5 years. The Project Officer will be based in C?rdoba, Argentina, and will work under the supervision of the CRN Principal Investigator Sandra D?az, at the Instituto Multidisciplinario de Biolog?a Vegetal (CONICET-Universidad Nacional de C?rdoba). The project will focus on the links between plant functional biodiversity, land use, and the ecosystem services perceived by different stakeholders in ecosystems at different latitudes of the Americas. The approach will have strong ecological and social components, and interdisciplinary work and stakeholder involvement will be encouraged at all stages. Project partners include groups in Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Costa Rica and USA. The selected candidate will have a PhD in biological, agronomical or environmental sciences, or a PhD in social sciences with an excellent grasp of the natural sciences. She or he will be in charge of the communication among scientists, coordination and general organization, including logistics, of CRN workshops and courses, data management, and the design and maintenance of the CRN webpage Excellent communication and networking skills are indispensable, and previous experience in project administration and interdisciplinary activities are highly desirable. She or he will be willing to work creatively and independently in an interdisciplinary environment and as member of a diverse team. She or he will be able to work flexible hours and days, travel frequently, and deliver under strong time pressure. Ideally he or she will have excellent command of both the Spanish and the English languages but candidates with excellent command of English and reasonable fluency in Spanish are also encouraged. Planned starting date: July 2006 Application procedure Applications should include a letter of intention, detailed CV and the names of three people who would be willing to provide academic references of the candidate. Enquiries and applications should be submitted to Sandra D?az (sdiaz@com.uncor.edu) c/c nperez@com.uncor.edu. ******************** Post-doctoral Position - Arctic Stream Invertebrate Ecology The University of Vermont and the Arctic Network (ARCN) of the National Park Service (NPS) seek a highly motivated post-doctoral candidate to join a multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary team of scientists who are exploring the freshwater resources of the arctic parks in Alaska. The five national parks of ARCN collectively comprise 7.6 million ha of some of the most remote, diverse, and pristine environments in the world. The NPS has established a national Inventory and Monitoring (I&M) program. The program goals are, in part, "to inventory the natural resources and park ecosystems under National Park Service stewardship to determine their nature and status" and "to monitor park ecosystems to better understand their dynamic nature and condition and to provide reference points for comparisons with other, altered environments." The successful candidate for this position will work with a team to advise ARCN on how best to fulfill the goals of the I&M program and will participate in the fieldwork required to achieve these goals. Applicants are required to have specialist experience in the ecology and taxonomy of benthic invertebrates in stream environments and should have a Ph.D. degree. A background in general stream ecology is expected and experience in high-latitude or high-elevation systems would be a benefit. The successful applicant will be expected to work collaboratively with the Freshwater I&M team and will lead the stream invertebrate sampling and analysis effort. The person filling this position will be expected to assist the Project Leader at the University of Vermont with preparation of workplans, general logistics, and reporting to the NPS. He/she will be expected to assist with staging of the fieldwork from Fairbanks, Alaska, to collaborate in all aspects of the field sampling, and to lead the stream invertebrate sampling, analysis, and reporting efforts. The ideal candidate will be sufficiently fit to work in the remote and unforgiving environment of the ARCN parks, capable of working as a team member, will be self-starting, and will have strong written and verbal communication skills. The person who accepts this position will be a staff member at the Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources at the University of Vermont in Burlington, Vermont. He/she will be expected to be in Fairbanks or in the field from at least mid-June to late-July and may be asked to travel to Fairbanks at other times of the year to meet and work with ARCN/NPS colleagues. This position will be held open until a suitable candidate is identified. It is preferable that the successful candidate be available for the 2006 field season from late June to late-July. The candidate does not need to move to Burlington until September 2006. Most of the background planning and logistics for the 2006 field season is underway. However, if a suitable candidate is identified quickly, that person will have an opportunity to help refine the workplans. This position is currently funded for one year with an expectation that it will be renewed for at least one year and perhaps more. To apply, please send, by e-mail attachment, a copy of your curriculum vitae, a narrative summary of your professional experiences, a statement of your personal research interests, and the name, phone number, and e-mail address for three references to: Breck Bowden, Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources University of Vermont, Burlington, VT 05405 Phone: 802-656-2513 - E-mail: breck.bowden@uvm.edu ******************** Junior Faculty Position - Yale University - Solid-Earth Geophysics The Department of Geology and Geophysics at Yale University invites applications for a junior-level ladder faculty position in Solid-Earth Geophysics with an emphasis on mineral physics. We seek a candidate who can develop a strong research program in the broad areas of the physics and chemistry of minerals that will complement the existing programs at the Department of Geology and Geophysics. One of our focus areas is the dynamics and evolution of Earth and Planetary interiors; we are therefore particularly interested in individuals who investigate fundamental problems from the crust to the core. A successful applicant should have strong potential for developing independent, externally funded research programs, advising students, and facilitating our effort to establish a strong interdisciplinary research program in Solid-Earth Geophysics and Geochemistry. Yale University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Applications from female and minority-group scientists are strongly encouraged. Applicants should submit curriculum vitae, statement of research and teaching interests, a list of publications, plus the names, addresses and e-mail addresses for four references to Professor Leo Hickey, Chairman, Department of Geology and Geophysics, Yale University, P. O. Box 208109, New Haven, CT 06520-8109. Applications that arrive before October 1, 2006 will receive full consideration. For full information regarding Yale Geology and Geophysics, visit our web site at http://www.yale.edu/geology. ******************** Post-doctoral Position ? Loyola University Chicago Loyola University Chicago invites applications for a Post-doctoral position in the laboratory of Nancy C. Tuchman to work in a research project addressing the effects of invasive wetland plant species on ecosystems. A field study is coupled with mesocosm experiments to determine mechanistic explanations of invasion success, including the role of leaf litter and shifts in nutrient cycling. The successful candidate would be involved in fieldwork at the University of Michigan Biological Station, Pellston, MI, where the research is being conducted, as well as laboratory work at the new Life Sciences Building at Loyola University Chicago, which houses a state-of-the-art Aquatic Facility with an array of experimental streams and large ponds. In addition, the candidate will be affiliated with the Center for Urban Environmental Research and Policy (CUERP) at Loyola, an interdisciplinary center that focuses on the interconnections and feedback loops between urban landscapes and humans, which could provide numerous opportunities for collaborations. The candidate should have a strong background in ecology, plant ecology, biogeochemistry of wetlands, or a closely related field. Preferred starting date is 1 June 2006. Please send CV, a summary of research interests, and the names of 3 references to: Nancy C. Tuchman ntuchma@luc.edu Loyola University Chicago is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer and educator. ******************** Post-doctoral Investigator ? Marine Ecosystem and Ocean Carbon Cycle Modeling. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Applicants are sought for a postdoctoral research position for one year with the potential for extension to a second year in the areas of marine ecosystem and ocean carbon cycle modeling in Scott Doney's group at WHOI (http://www.whoi.edu/science/MCG/doneylab/ index.html). The position will involve the development, implementation and data-based evaluation of marine ecosystem and biogeochemical models within the framework of the global, three-dimensional ocean simulation in the NCAR Community Climate System Model (CCSM). Specific research foci include the role of multi-nutrient limitation, trace metals, and community structure on ocean carbon storage; the biogeochemical cycling of dimethylsulfide; and ocean climate-carbon cycle interactions under past, present and future conditions. A significant fraction of the applicant?s research will be devoted to model-data comparisons with in-situ observations and satellite remote sensing. This work is part of a long term scientific project focused on the interaction of global carbon cycle and the climate system. EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE Ph.D. is required. Applicants with an interest and experience in environmental numerical modeling and/or the analysis of large data sets and a background in a relevant field which could include but is not limited to biological, chemical or physical oceanography, marine or aquatic ecology, biogeochemistry, fluid dynamics, or ocean and environmental engineering are encouraged to apply. APPLICATION PROCESS Send curriculum vitae, including a list of publications, statement of research interests, and the names and addresses (including email addresses) of four references to the following address: Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution Human Resources, MS 15 BoxPR284 Woods Hole, MA 02543 OR you may email your documents to the following email address: seayou@whoi.edu Please be sure to reference the announcement number 06-04-05. (http://jobs.whoi.edu/cgi-bin/user/funcer?eng&15&380) ******************** Senior Scientist - The TBE Group A senior-level professional position responsible for independently conducting ecological research in the Everglades is open at TBE Group. The TBE Group is an internationally recognized engineering and consulting firm with excellent Civil/Environmental Division located in West Palm Beach, FL. The Senior Scientist will join a multi-disciplinary ecosystem team to conduct a large-scale ongoing fire project focusing on major processes of wetlands, including nutrient biogeochemistry, vegetation regrowth and recruitment, and periphyton production. Applicant will implement field research, leading in data analysis and manuscript writing about nutrient cycling and biogeochemistry and enjoy the vastness of the Everglades. Please contact Shili Miao at "smiao@sfwmd.gov" or Mr. Larry Fluty at "lfluty@tbegroup.com" ******************** Post-doctoral Position - UCAR Visiting Scientist: Ensemble Prediction Techniques, USA The University Corporation for Atmospheric Research is seeking a postdoctoral level scientist to work with a group of scientists in a team environment at the Hydrology Laboratory of the NOAA/National Weather Service/Office of Hydrologic Development. Located in Silver Spring, MD, HL (http://www.nws.noaa.gov/oh/hrl/) is a national center for hydrologic sciences and operations support for NOAA/NWS hydrologic services. The scientist will work as a member of the Hydrologic Ensemble Prediction Group of the Hydrologic Science and Modeling Branch of HL in the areas of hydrologic ensemble prediction and data assimilation. The group is engaged in developing and infusing into operations innovative science and modeling capabilities for reliable and skillful hydrologic ensemble prediction across scale for water resources applications, water-related hazard mitigation and other water-related environmental applications in support of the NOAA/ NWS mission and services. Qualifications: Applicants should have a PhD in physical or natural science, or engineering, with an emphasis in hydrology. The specific areas of research and development priorities include, but not limited to: - Mathematical assimilation (including variational and ensemble) of hydrologic (including streamflow, soil moisture and snow information) and hydrometeorological (including precipitation, temperature and evaporation) data (in-situ and remote sensing) into hydrologic and hydraulics models (lumped and distributed) - Identification, assessment, quantification and modeling of hydrologic uncertainties (including parametric and structural) in hydrologic and hydraulics models (lumped and distributed) and in sources (e.g. return flow), sinks (e.g. consumptive use) and storages (e.g. reservoirs) that are usually not accounted for by the above models - Assimilation, via statistical post- or pre-processing, downscaling, blending across-scale, multi-model ensemble, etc., of long-, medium- and short-range predictions (both single-value and ensemble) of hydrometeorological variables (including precipitation and temperature) into hydrologic models - Verification of probabilistic and single-value hydrologic and hydrometeorological forecasts across scale Hydrologic ensemble prediction and mathematical data assimilation (DA) are relatively new areas in operational hydrology, and there are a number of significant challenges in development and infusion of science and technology solutions that are scientifically sound, operationally viable and cost-effective. This position offers a rare opportunity for creative thinkers to help innovate operational hydrologic forecasting through ensemble prediction and DA. This position also offers numerous opportunities to interact and develop collaborations with scientists in the Hydrology, Hydrometeorology and Hydraulics Groups of HL, collaborating universities, the River Forecast Centers (RFC), the National Centers for Environmental Prediction (NCEP), and NOAA laboratories. The selected candidate will receive a fixed annual salary. Benefits include health and dental insurance, sick and annual leave, paid holidays, mandatory participation in a retirement fund (TIAA/ CREF), and life insurance. Some funds are provided for scientific travel and other support costs. The application review process will begin on 1 June 2006. Applications will be accepted until 15 July 2006. To apply, send the following materials to: UCAR Visiting Scientist Programs: - A cover letter identifying this position - Curriculum Vitae with a list of publications, technical reports and professional presentations - Names and addresses of three professional references (applicants should request letters be sent to UCAR/VSP as soon as possible) - Ph.D. thesis title(s) and abstract(s) - One to two page statement of experience and interests as related to goals of this position Send application materials to: UCAR/Visiting Scientist Programs P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307-3000 USA ******************** Post-doctoral Position - MeteoSwiss - Reforecasting Extreme Events (Switzerland) MeteoSwiss, the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, provides services according to the Swiss meteorological legislation to the public as well as for the benefit of private and commercial customers. MeteoSwiss has a vacancy in the field of local area numerical weather prediction: In the framework of the Swiss project NCCR Climate (National Center of Competence in Research - Climate) for our project "PRECLIM - Climate and Operational Prediction" at MeteoSwiss, task "Reforecasting Extreme Events" we are looking for a Post-doc (Reforecasting Extreme Events) Your task is to set up and analyse the model climatology of a regional ensemble prediction system for weather forecasts. You will investigate the climatological characteristics of these complex data records and thus be able to generate better calibrated weather forecasts. The predictability of extreme events, especially heavy precipitation events, is of particular interest and will be analysed in co-operation with users in the field of hydrology (e.g. with the MAP D-PHASE project). You will present the results achieved in scientific journals and at international conferences. Moreover, you will be responsible for the development of new quasi-operational forecast products. The position requires a PhD in the field of meteorology or climatology. Experience in numerical weather prediction, statistics, and computer programming along with the ability to deal with large amounts of data are expected. Good oral and written skills in German and English are required. Knowledge of French would be an asset. Applicants should be no older than 35 years at the time of application. Applications from women will be particularly appreciated. We are looking forward to a motivated team player who appreciates working in a scientific project of great importance for the security relevant meteorological and hydrological forecasts and warnings in the Alpine region. Working place: Zurich Starting date: 1 July 2006 or later The position is limited to 2.5 years. For more information, please contact Dr. Philippe Steiner, philippe.steiner [at] meteoswiss.ch, +41 44 256 96 44. Applicants should send their documentation by surface mail and no later than the 16th of May 2006 to MeteoSwiss, Personal und Ausbildung, Postfach 514, Kraehbuehlstrasse 58, 8044 Zurich, Switzerland. ************************************************** 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/20060428/501ae95d/attachment.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Mon May 8 10:59:28 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Mon May 8 11:00:37 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 05/05/2006 Message-ID: <24875276-618F-4BC9-814A-F7F1C6BB5FC1@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 05/05/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES Pew Center on Global Climate Change Summary of Latest Research: "Global Fingerprints of Greenhouse Warming". http://ealert.pewclimate.org/ctt.asp?u=436458&l=122554 View a graph of U.S GHG Emissions from 1990 through 2004: http://ealert.pewclimate.org/ctt.asp?u=436458&l=122561 Call for Proposals: Advancing Capacity to Support Climate Change Adaptation (ACCCA) (see below) FORUM Call for Submissions: Women and Climate Change Spring 2007 (see below) 16,000 Species Said to Face Extinction (see below) Please Help With Our Online Grad Student Survey (see below) SCIENCE NEWS Federal Study Finds Accord on Warming (see below) Spacecraft Seek Climate Clarity (see below) Earlier Spring Starves Migratory Birds (see below) Deep Ocean Trawl Nets New "Bugs" (see below) Global Warming Differences Resolved http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060502/ap_on_sc/warming_temperatures US Posts Draft Of Sensitive Climate Report For Public Debate http://info.nature.com/cgi-bin24/DM/y/eX4K0MCRns0ElJ0z2m0ET Global warming weakens Pacific trade winds http://msnbc.msn.com/id/12612965/ Global Warming May Deprive Chicks of Food, Study Says (Update2) http://tinyurl.com/rc7p3 Wind Turbines Send Wildlife Diving For Cover http://tinyurl.com/f6seb Plants' role in global warming re-examined in ORNL Science paper http://tinyurl.com/ozu4u China's glaciers in rapid retreat due to climate change http://tinyurl.com/osyyk SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES International Conference on Complex Systems (see below) Summer School on Participatory Analysis of Sustainability 3rd Liphe4 Summer School 2006 (see below) Fellowships at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars (see below) JOBS Postdoctoral Research Position - Atmospheric Biogeochemical Data Assimilation - Max Planck Institute (see below) Earth System Modeler - The Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany (see below) Scientific Programmer - Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany (see below) 2 Senior Researchers / Heads of Research Group (see below) USGS research technician, Woods Hole, MA (see below) Executive Director, Alaska Bird Observatory, Fairbanks, Alaska (see below) *************************************************** Resources Call for Proposals: Advancing Capacity to Support Climate Change Adaptation (ACCCA) Outline proposals are invited for climate change adaptation projects to participate in the ACCCA project. Information about the ACCCA project, the call for proposals, and an application form are contained in the attachment to this email. The call will also be available for download from www.accca.unitar.org (website to go on- line week of April 10). Proposals are sought for projects in Africa and Asia that would: Identify and prioritize climate risks of targeted stakeholders and identify the climate influenced decisions that they face; Assess available knowledge about risks and adaptation opportunities, as well as synthesize the knowledge in terms that are directly relevant to stakeholder concerns and decision-making needs; Develop, test and disseminate risk communication materials that are designed to assist adaptation decisions; Use the risk communication materials in stakeholder forums to develop recommendations for climate change adaptation and promote their adoption; and Identify critical knowledge gaps that impede effective adaptation decisions and design assessment activities that would generate new knowledge to fill them. Summary Information: Deadline for application: 22 May 2006. Applicants must use the form included in the call. Available funding: 9 projects are expected to be awarded grants of up to USD 70,000 each. Project development grants of up to USD 5000 are also available. Regional scope: Developing countries of Africa and Asia. Eligibility: The lead applicant must be employed with an institution based in a developing country of Africa or Asia; proposals must have at least two institutional partners that include one stakeholder organization and one scientific organization. Award process: Outline proposals received by 22 May 2006 will be reviewed based upon criteria described in the call. Roughly 12 applicants will be invited by end of June to prepare a full proposal and to attend a project initiation workshop (tentatively scheduled for late August). Full proposals will be due in early September and final award decisions will be made by November. Project Period: Projects selected for awards are expected to begin in January 2007 and be completed by June 2008 (18 month duration). ACCCA Donors: ACCCA is funded by grants from the European Commission EuropeAid Cooperation Office and the United Kingdom Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. ACCCA Management Team: ACCCA is managed by UNITAR in partnership with the International START Secretariat, the Stockholm Environment Institute - Oxford, the Climate System Analysis Group of the University of Cape Town, Environnement et Development du Tiers Monde, the Southeast Asia START Regional Center and the Temperate East Asia START Regional Center. Contacts: For further information, please contact Annie Roncerel or Neil Leary . *************************************************** Forum Call for Submissions: Women and Climate Change Spring 2007 Women and Environments International Magazine is looking for submissions for its upcoming issue on climate change. This issue will contribute to meetings and discussions of the UN Commission on Sustainable Development and UN Framework Convention on Climate Change in 2006 and 2007. We encourage submissions that analyze climate change from diverse perspectives of gender, sexual identity, race, class, ability, age, socio-cultural and regional differences among others. Suggested (but not exhaustive) areas of interest are listed below. Case studies are particularly welcome. Gender Perspective on Climate Change in relation to: Science of global warming - ?Energy and transportation -?Health and reproductive health -?Water and biodiversity - Economic impacts and cost-benefit analysis - Human settlements and livelihoods - ?Agriculture, fisheries, and natural resources management -?Disasters and Conflict. Theoretical Perspectives: Framing the problem of climate change; framing the solutions - Alternative theoretical approaches to climate change - Neoliberal vs. 'subsistence' constructions of the problem of climate change - Historicizing and engendering the discourse of climate change. Instruments (Gender/Climate Change): Young women's leadership - Gender mainstreaming methods and tools - Women's participation, leadership, and empowerment - Flexible mechanisms (clean development, emissions trading, joint implementation). Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies: Natural disasters, emergency preparedness and reconstruction - Consumption and production - Energy efficiency and renewable energy - Corporate and institutional accountability Gender Advocacy Opportunities such as: UN Framework Convention on Climate Change and Kyoto Protocol - UN Commission on Sustainable Development -National governments and global institutions - Community-based and non-governmental initiatives. Deadlines: Abstracts or indications of interest by June 15, 2006 Final Manuscripts by Aug 30th, 2006. Writer's Guidelines: Features should not exceed 2500 words. Shorter pieces, book and film reviews, poetry and artistic expressions are welcome. If you would like to submit an article written in a language other than English, let us know and we'll do our best to facilitate translation. All written work must be original and not previously published. Detailed editorial guidelines and information can be found on our website http://www.weimag.com Women and Environments International: Women & Environments International Magazine is a unique Canadian magazine that examines women's relations to their natural, built, and social environments from feminist perspectives. WEI Mag provides a forum for academic research and theory as well as professional and community practices and experiences. Published by a volunteer editorial board since 1976 WEI Mag aims to contribute to feminist social change. Women and Gender Studies Institute, New College, University of Toronto 40 Willcocks Street, Toronto, ON Canada M5S 1C6 p: 416.978.5259 f: 416.946.5561 we.mag@utoronto.ca www.weimag.com ******************** 16,000 Species Said to Face Extinction from Associated Press GENEVA - Polar bears and hippos are among more than 16,000 species of animals and plants threatened with global extinction, the World Conservation Union said Tuesday. According to the Swiss-based conservation group, known by its acronym IUCN, the number of species classified as being in serious danger of extinction rose from about 15,500 in its previous "Red List" report, published in 2004. The list includes one in three amphibians, a quarter of the world's mammals and coniferous trees, and one in eight birds, according to a preview of the 2006 Red List. The full report is published later this week. http://tinyurl.com/qagpt ******************** Please Help With Our Online Grad Student Survey Submitted to STGRAD for distribution We are in the Research Methods class at a small Midwestern University, Spring Arbor University, and are doing a study on gender and online graduate student expectations of their instructors. If you would be willing to help us, would you please email me indicating your willingness to help, and I will send you the survey. It is about online classes and expectations of graduate students regarding their instructors. The survey takes around 5 minutes to complete. Thanks for your assistance. Sincerely, Darlene Mokrycki and Sharon Berry. dizzydar1@cox.net *************************************************** Science News Federal Study Finds Accord on Warming By ANDREW C. REVKIN New York Times May 3, 2006 A scientific study commissioned by the Bush administration concluded yesterday that the lower atmosphere was indeed growing warmer and that there was "clear evidence of human influences on the climate system." The finding eliminates a significant area of uncertainty in the debate over global warming, one that the administration has long cited as a rationale for proceeding cautiously on what it says would be costly limits on emissions of heat-trapping gases. But White House officials noted that this was just the first of 21 assessments planned by the federal Climate Change Science Program, which was created by the administration in 2002 to address what it called unresolved questions. The officials said that while the new finding was important, the administration's policy remained focused on studying the remaining questions and using voluntary means to slow the growth in emissions of heat-trapping gases like carbon dioxide. The focus of the new federal study was conflicting records of atmospheric temperature trends. For more than a decade, scientists using different methods had come up with differing rates of warming at Earth's surface and in the midsection of the atmosphere, called the troposphere. These disparities had been cited by a small group of scientists, and by the administration and its allies, to question a growing consensus among climatologists that warming from heat- trapping gases could dangerously heat Earth. The new study found that "there is no longer a discrepancy in the rate of global average temperature increase for the surface compared with higher levels in the atmosphere," in the words of a news release issued by the Commerce Department and approved by the White House. The report was published yesterday online at climatescience.gov. The report's authors all agreed that their review of the data showed that the atmosphere was, in fact, warming in ways that generally meshed with computer simulations. The study said that the only factor that could explain the measured warming of Earth's average temperature over the last 50 years was the buildup heat- trapping gases, which are mainly emitted by burning coal and oil. All other industrial powers except Australia have accepted mandatory restrictions on such gases under the Kyoto Protocol, but efforts to extend and expand that treaty face hurdles. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a United Nations body that conducts an exhaustive periodic review of causes and impacts of warming, has just finished reviewing drafts of its next assessment, to be published next year. Scientists involved in that effort, while refusing to comment on specific findings, said that research since the last assessment, in 2001, had generated much greater certainty that humans are the main force behind recent warming, and that much more warming is in store unless emissions are curtailed. Michele St. Martin, a spokeswoman for the White House Council on Environmental Quality, said, "We welcome today's report" and added that it showed that President Bush's decision to focus nearly $2 billion a year on climate monitoring and research was "working." Thomas Karl, the director of the National Climatic Data Center in the Commerce Department and the lead editor of the report, said it was not simply a review of existing work but also, by forcing scientists with differing views to meet repeatedly, resulted in breakthroughs. "The evidence continues to support a substantial human impact on global temperature increases," Dr. Karl said. John R. Christy, an author of the new report whose analysis of satellite temperature records long showed little warming above Earth's surface, said he endorsed the conclusion that "part of what has happened over the last 50 years has clearly been caused by humans." But Dr. Christy, who teaches at the University of Alabama, Huntsville, said the report also noted that computer simulations of the climate system, while good at replicating the globally averaged temperature changes, still strayed in projecting details, particularly in the tropics. This implied that the models remained laden with uncertainties when used to study future trends, he said. Dr. Christy also said that even given what the models projected, it would be impossible to slow warming noticeably in the coming decades. Countries would be wise to seek ways to adapt to warming, he added, even as they seek new sources of energy that do not emit heat- trapping gases. ******************** Spacecraft Seek Climate Clarity from BBC News Some of the gaping holes that exist in our understanding of the Earth's atmosphere will be answered by two new satellites launched on Friday. The Cloudsat and Calipso missions will study how clouds and aerosols (fine particles) form, evolve and affect our climate, the weather and air quality. Scientists say knowledge gaps in such areas severely hamper their ability to forecast future climate change. http://tinyurl.com/glpxk ******************** Earlier Spring Starves Migratory Birds from Live Science Trees are blossoming, plants are flowering, and temperatures are warming up. Spring is finally is here and everyone seems happier. Well, except for the pied flycatcher, a small bird that can't schedule its breeding time to cope with the earlier spring season caused by climate change. The pied flycatcher winters in West Africa then migrates to The Netherlands for spring breeding. Offspring feed on caterpillars. Because spring is arriving sooner than in the past, the caterpillar population peaks earlier than the flycatcher's arrival, resulting in scarcity of food for the chicks, a new study reports. http://tinyurl.com/o6n7e ******************** Deep Ocean Trawl Nets New "Bugs" from BBC News Online A three-week voyage of discovery in the Atlantic has returned with tiny animals which appear new to science. They include waif-like plankton with delicate translucent bodies related to jellyfish, hundreds of microscopic shrimps, and several kinds of fish. The voyage is part of the ongoing Census of Marine Life (CoML) which aims to map ocean life throughout the world. http://tinyurl.com/ ouuvn *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities International Conference on Complex Systems We are pleased to announce that NSF will be co-sponsoring the International Conference on Complex Systems. Applications for financial aid should be sent to Luke Evans at rlevans@necsi.org Financial aid will be available for students / postdocs / junior faculty and others who do not have adequate sources of funding. Please bring this to the attention of your colleagues and students. Members of underrepresented groups are particularly encouraged to apply. A preliminary program is available at http://www.necsi.org/ community/wiki/index.php/ICCS06 The ICCS program committee is still able to accept abstracts for oral or poster sessions. These should be submitted as soon as possible. Applications to attend and submission of abstracts can be done on-line through: http://www.necsi.org/events/iccs6/ ******************** Summer School on Participatory Analysis of Sustainability 3rd Liphe4 Summer School 2006 PROCEDURES AND TOOLKITS FOR INTEGRATED AND PARTICIPATORY ANALYSIS OF SUSTAINABILITY The purpose of the summer school is to provide a reference point on the state of the art in the field of sustainable development studies to young researchers and advanced students. In particular, the school will present a complete overview, both theoretical and applied, of recent analytical and participatory approaches for promoting sustainable development. The main objective of the school will be to provide an understanding of the fundamental character of the interaction of social and natural systems and of interventions aiming for enhancing sustainability. Resources draw from the fields of Integrated Assessment, Social Multicriteria Evaluation, Integrated Analysis of Social Metabolism, Participatory Approaches, as well as Spatial and Biophysical Analysis. Students will experience an intense level of interaction with peers and senior researchers during a 6-day residential course. Participants The summer school invites PhD and Master students, as well as young professionals, interested in problems related to sustainable development and natural resource management. Participants should have proficiency in English, which is the working language of the event. In addition, a basic knowledge of analytical tools used in the field of Ecological Economics is preferred. The total number of participants will not exceed 30 to allow for close interaction between participants and teachers. The application form is available at: http://www.liphe4.org/application.html Send the application form along with one-page CV to Reza Nourbakhch-Sabet reza@liphe4.org not later than May 15th, 2006. Organization of summer school The summer school is scheduled from 16th to 22nd July 2006. The program is organized along five days of morning presentations and related interactive afternoon sessions, plus introduction and conclusion. The summer school will take place at CEMACAM Torre Guil, an Environmental Education Centre of the Caja de Ahorros del Mediterraneo, in Sangonera la Verde, close to the city of Murcia, Spain. For a look at the Torre Guil facility go to http:// obrasocial.cam.es/medio/torreguil/guil.htm and then click on Multimedia and Galeria de Imagenes. Themes for the 2006 summer school on integrated and participative analyses of scenarios in relation to sustainable development. (i) Integrated Assessment for sustainability - epistemological and conceptual issues (ii) Resource use patterns in industrialized and developing countries (iii) Tools and methods for organizing scientific information for decision making (iv) Resources, time, and land - operationalizing the analysis of biophysical constraints (v) Geographical Information Systems applied to the Integrated Analysis of Sustainability (vi) Participatory approaches and Multicriteria Evaluation Methods In the facilitated working groups the participants will apply the theoretical inputs to case studies. The case studies will be referring to the sustainability of regional development in the South of Spain where competing socio-economic activities of agriculture, tourism and the building sector lead to severe problems in water availability, landscape and soil degradation and social disintegration. The working groups will seek to identify useful narratives based on multi-scale integrated analysis to be used in a debate about sustainable pathways of development for the region. The program is completed by an excursion to a site of contested socio- economic activities. List of resource persons (i) Mario Giampietro (Complex Systems) (ii) Jesus Ramos Martin (Ecological Economics) (iii) Heinz Schandl (Social Ecology) (iv) Clemens M. Gr?nb?hel (Ecological Anthropology, Rural Development) (v) Richard Aspinall (GIS, geography) (vi) Beg?m ?zkaynak (Participatory Approaches) ******************** Fellowships at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Fellowships in the Social Sciences and Humanities 2007-2008 The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is announcing the opening of its 2007-2008 Fellowship competition. The Center awards approximately 20-25 academic year residential fellowships to individuals from any country with outstanding project proposals on national and/or international issues. Topics and scholarship should relate to key public policy challenges or provide the historical and/or cultural framework to illuminate policy issues of contemporary importance. Applicants must hold a doctorate or have equivalent professional experience. Fellows are provided stipends (which include round trip travel), private offices, access to the Library of Congress, Windows-based personal computers, and research assistants. For more information and application guidelines please contact the Center at: Tel: 202-691-4170; Fax: 202-691-4001; E-mail: fellowships@wilsoncenter.org . You can download the application from the Center's website at http://www.wilsoncenter.org/fellowships . Application deadline: October 2, 2006 *************************************************** 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 Research Position - Atmospheric Biogeochemical Data Assimilation - Max Planck Institute The Max Planck Institute for Biogeochemistry (http://www.bgc- jena.mpg.de), a multidisciplinary institute for research in biogeochemical cycles in the Earth System, located in Jena, Germany, has a vacancy for a postdoctoral fellow in the field of atmospheric modeling of CO2 and other long-lived trace gases. The proposed work includes validation of model simulations against satellite based remote sensing data, inverse modeling of atmospheric measurements for the quantification of sources and sinks, and data assimilation into a coupled atmosphere-land surface carbon cycle model. Knowledge of global biogeochemistry is desirable, but not indispensable. The work will be conducted in part as a contribution to the EU-funded GEMS project (http://www.ecmwf.int/research/EU_projects/GEMS/). Applicants are expected to have a strong background in meteorology and climatology, good experience in programming (FORTRAN90, Unix) and running complex numerical computer simulation models and preferably knowledge of data assimilation techniques. The postdoctoral position is paid either as a tax-free stipend, or according to the German TV?D E13/14 scale depending on experience. It is initially limited to two years with a possibility of an extension until the end of the GEMS project (three years). The MPI-Society seeks to increase the number of female scientists and encourages them to apply. Handicapped persons with comparable qualifications receive preferential status. Please submit your application, together with curriculum vitae and the names, addresses and telephone numbers of two references, until May 21, 2006 in electronic form to Martin Heimann, Managing Director (martin.heimann@bgc-jena.mpg.de). ******************** Earth System Modeler - The Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany The successful candidate will join and coordinate a newly formed team of Earth system modelers in the framework of ENIGMA (Earth System Network of Integrated Modeling and Assessment), a joint project of the Max-Planck-Institutes for Meteorology, Hamburg, for Chemistry, Mainz, for Biogeochemistry in Jena, and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact research. The team will develop, evaluate and optimize an advanced next generation comprehensive numerical model of the Earth system. This model will be applied it in a suite of key simulation experiments for a better understanding of the Earth system behavior under a variety of past, present and future conditions and external forcing factors. The ENIGMA team has access to high-performance computing systems, a.o. at the German Climate Computing Center (DKRZ) in Hamburg. A PhD degree in Earth system science or related fields is required. Preference will be given to candidates with a proven publication record and experience in climate and/or Earth system modeling. Knowledge of biogeochemical cycles is advantageous. Good oral and written communication skills in English are required. The position is available for three years according to a civil service position (TV?D E13/E14, level according to experience) including extensive social security plans. An extension of the position is possible. The conditions of employment, including upgrades and duration follow the rules of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Sciences and those of the German civil service. The MPI-Society seeks to increase the number of female scientists and encourages them to apply. Handicapped persons with comparable qualifications receive preferential status. Please submit your application, together with curriculum vitae and the names, addresses and telephone numbers of two references, until May 21, 2006 in electronic form to Martin Heimann, (martin.heimann@bgc-jena.mpg.de). ******************** Scientific Programmer - Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry, Jena, Germany The successful candidate will adapt and run Earth system models and model components used within the framework of ENIGMA (Earth System Network of Integrated Modeling and Assessment), a joint project of the Max-Planck-Institutes for Meteorology, Hamburg, for Chemistry, Mainz, for Biogeochemistry in Jena, and the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact research. He or she will be responsible for implementing and optimizing model codes for the high-performance computing systems (vector and parallel architectures) at the German Climate Computing Center (DKRZ) in Hamburg, the compilation of input data sets and the post processing and visualization of the results. An academic degree in mathematics, computer sciences, geophysical or related sciences is required. Excellent programming skills (FORTRAN90, C/C++, Unix) are required as well as fluent proficiency of the English language. Experience in working with large computer code systems, e.g. climate models, is advantageous. The position is available for three years according to a civil service position (TV?D E13/E14) including extensive social security plans. An extension of the position is possible. The conditions of employment, including upgrades and duration follow the rules of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Sciences and those of the German civil service. The MPI-Society seeks to increase the number of female scientists and encourages them to apply. Handicapped persons with comparable qualifications receive preferential status. Please submit your application, together with curriculum vitae and the names, addresses and telephone numbers of two references, until May 21, 2006 in electronic form to Martin Heimann, Managing Director (martin.heimann@bgc-jena.mpg.de). ******************** 2 Senior Researchers / Heads of Research Group Eawag is the Swiss Federal Institute for Aquatic Science and Technology, a Swiss-based and internationally linked aquatic research institute within the ETH domain. Cirus - Innovation Research in Utility Sectors - is a young and growing social science department at Eawag that is dealing with sustainable innovation in and transformation of infrastructure systems. Its empirical focus lies on water and energy related utility sectors. Cirus is planning to build up two new research groups and therefore invites applications for: Tenure track positions, starting fall 2006, location Duebendorf/ ZurichApplications are invited from individuals with a strong interest in conducting high-level research and building up a research team in one of the following fields: Organisation of infrastructure systems: Strategic planning, risk- and innovation management, public private partnerships, demand side management, financial aspects of infrastructure planning, water pricing, etc. Governance of infrastructure systems: Policy integration and - evaluation (technology/innovation and infrastructure policies), regional governance, liberalisation, deregulation, policy approaches in the field of sustainable innovation and transformation. We expect: An excellent track record in research and publication in domains such as science and technology studies, political sciences, institutional or evolutionary economics, management science/ business administration, or in related fields. Ph D is required. Further requirements are an extensive international contact network, the willingness and ability to attract external research funds, the capacity and interest to collaborate in interdisciplinary research projects and to communicate research results to stakeholders from business, government and civil society. Finally, the capability to work in a multilingual environment, in which a good knowledge of both spoken and written English are essential and fluency in other languages, particularly in German are an additional asset. Applications should include a letter describing their particular interest in the position and pertinent experience, a curriculum vitae, including a list of publications, the names and addresses of at least two referees, and copies of the certificates of academic qualifications held. Please send your application to Eawag, Human Resources Dept., J. Voegelin, Ueberlandstrasse 133, CH-8600 Duebendorf. For additional information please consult www.cirus.ch or contact Dr. B. Truffer, +41-41-349 21 15, _bernhard.truffer@eawag.ch_ Deadline for applications is May 19, 2006 (post mark). Dr. Kornelia Konrad, Cirus - Innovation Research in Utility Sectors Eawag - Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Sciences and Technology Seestrasse 79 CH - 6047 Kastanienbaum Tel.: +41 41 349 2164 Fax: +41 41 349 2162 kornelia.konrad@eawag.ch www.cirus.ch, www.eawag.ch ******************** USGS research technician, Woods Hole, MA Contract research technician position available with the U.S.Geological Survey in Woods Hole, MA to work on projects examining submarine groundwater discharge, and other biogeochemical processes in the coastal ocean. Must be willing to travel and to participate in and lead field efforts at both nearshore locations and on sea- going research vessels. The position will also involve laboratory analyses of geochemical tracers of groundwater discharge, nutrients, and dissolved gases, as well as data processing and instrument calibration and troubleshooting. Additional responsibilities are also possible depending on the qualifications and interests of the individual. salary: $36-$49k, depending on experience (w/ health benefits) approximate start date: June 1, 2006 minimum appointment: two years necessary qualifications: B.S. or M.S. degree in chemistry, geochemistry, oceanography, or related field. Send cv/resume with names and contact info of 3 references to John Crusius (jcrusius@usgs.gov). It is anticipated that this position will be filled by mid to late April. ******************** Executive Director, Alaska Bird Observatory, Fairbanks, Alaska Application Review Begins: Monday, 29 May 2006 Fur further information, please go to: http://www.alaskabird.org The Alaska Bird Observatory (ABO) is a non-profit corporation dedicated to advancing the appreciation, understanding, and conservation of birds and their habitats through research and education. Founded in 1991, ABO is the only observatory specializing in long-term studies of migrant and resident landbirds of Alaska. The Alaska Bird Observatory is looking for an experienced leader with a proven record of non-profit or general business management who is committed to the mission and work of ABO. The ability to sustain and nourish organization-wide vision and cohesion are essential. Excellent verbal and written communication skills, experience developing and managing budgets, and the ability to manage research and education programs are critical qualities. The position requires experience with fundraising, supervision, and human resource management. Responsibilities of the Executive Director include program administration, fundraising, community relations, financial management, human resource management, and facilities and technology development and oversight. Applicants should provide a cover letter, detailed resume, and contact information for three references. Direct inquires and application materials can be addressed to the search committee in care of Kelly Wien (KWien@alaskabird.org). Application review will begin Monday, 29 May 2006 and will continue until a suitable candidate is selected. For position details, please see: http://www.alaskabird.org ************************************************** 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/20060508/cb6abedb/attachment.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri May 12 09:46:41 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri May 12 09:47:33 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 05/12/2006 Message-ID: <7D993E7E-81C9-4438-8769-943AC4A19E87@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 05/12/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES The World Ocean Observatory http://www.thew2o.net (see below) SCIENCE NEWS For the U.S., the cost of the Iraq war will soon exceed the anticipated cost of the Kyoto Protocol... For both, the cost is somewhere in excess of $300 billion. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/05/09/ AR2006050901502.html The "RealClimate" scoop on Al Gore's movie: http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2006/05/al-gores- movie/#more-299 New World Bank project to promote clean energy in developing countries. http://www.tiempocyberclimate.org/newswatch/index.htm Tibet Provides Passage for Chemicals to Reach the Stratosphere http://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/news.cfm?release=2006-074 Monster Hurricanes: New research calls into question the linkage between major Atlantic hurricanes and global warming (EurekAlert!) http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/2006/2006GL025757.shtml No winner in future climate league (New Scientist) (see below) Plankton Blooms Linked to Quakes (see below) Shivering and Unsung, Scientists Monitor the Arctic Year After Year After Year (see below) SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES Second Announcement and Call for Registration for the 2006 World Water Week in Stockholm (see below) JOBS Postdoctoral Positions, Science, Technology and Society - University of Texas at Austin (see below) *************************************************** Resources The World Ocean Observatory http://www.thew2o.net The World Ocean Observatory is dedicated to information, education and public discourse about the ocean defined as an integrated global social system. We believe that informed citizens worldwide can unite to sustain the ocean through mitigation and change of human behavior on land and sea. Our intent is to communicate the full spectrum of ocean issues ? climate, fresh water, food, energy, trade, transportation, public health, finance, governance, recreation and culture ? as a realization of our belief that the sea connects all things. The w2o.net is a place of exchange for ocean information, education and public discourse about the future of the ocean and its implication for human survival. Incorporating The Physical Ocean, the UN Atlas of the Oceans and other useful sites; The World Ocean Directory, an indexed network of organizations worldwide with ocean interests; The World Ocean Forum, a digest of ocean conferences, publications, exhibits, news and media; and The World Ocean Classroom, an inventory of curriculum, ocean exemplars and educational resources for global distribution. For Breaking Waves, an on-line posting of ocean-related news, please follow this link: http://www.thew2o.net/oceanForum.html. To subscribe to our monthly newsletter, The W2O Observer, please follow this link: http://www.thew2o.net/subscribeNewsletter.html. *************************************************** Science News No winner in future climate league (New Scientist) FLASH floods in the Mediterranean, more snow for north-eastern Europe and irregular weather patterns across eastern North America. That's the forecast for later this century, according to the most recent climate-change predictions. Using the latest data from 20 global climate simulations, Filippo Giorgi of the Abdus Salam International Centre for Theoretical Physics in Trieste, Italy, has calculated which parts of the world will have experienced the biggest swings in climate by the end of this century. Based on projected changes in precipitation, temperature and climate variability, he developed a climate-change index that he used to rank regions according to the severity of change they will experience. The Mediterranean and north-eastern Europe came out top of the list of climate-change extremes (Geophysical Research Letters, DOI: 10.1029/2006GL025734). The Med can expect less rainfall overall but more variability in summer rain, making both droughts and flash floods more likely. North-eastern Europe looks set to have much more snow. Eastern North America was also high up on the list, with a variety of changes in different locations. ******************** Plankton Blooms Linked to Quakes from BBC News Online Concentrations of the natural pigment chlorophyll in coastal waters have been shown to rise prior to earthquakes. These chlorophyll increases are due to blooms of plankton, which use the pigment to convert solar energy to chemical energy via photosynthesis. A joint US-Indian team of researchers analysed satellite data on ocean coastal areas lying near the epicentres of four recent quakes. Details of the research appear in the journal Advances in Space Research. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4750557.stm or http://tinyurl.com/z43p8 ******************** Shivering and Unsung, Scientists Monitor the Arctic Year After Year After Year from the New York Times (Registration Required) On April 22, two divers from the University of Washington entered a manhole-size opening in the veneer of floating sea ice around the North Pole. For the fifth year in a row they descended into the blue-green 29- degree water in pursuit of the least glorious, and perhaps most important, facet of earth and ocean science: the collection of basic information on conditions in the same place year after year. Their task was to retrieve a two-mile-long strand of instruments that for a year had been anchored to the sea floor recording shifting currents, temperatures, salinity, ice thickness and other vital signs. Now, after an acoustic signal released it from the anchor, the strand was bunched in a tangle of floats and Kevlar line under the ice. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/09/science/09arct.html or http://tinyurl.com/z46jb *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities Second Announcement and Call for Registration for the 2006 World Water Week in Stockholm The 2006 World Water Week in Stockholm will continue its important role at the nexus of the water, environment, development and poverty reduction fields when it takes place August 20-26 at the Stockholm City Conference Centre in the Swedish capital. The full programme has just been announced and can now be found online at www.worldwaterweek.org. (To view, save or print the programme announcement directly in Adobe Acrobat PDF Format, click here: http://www.worldwaterweek.org/ Downloads/2006_WWW_2nd_%20Announcement.pdf) In 2006, the World Water features 10 workshops, 35 seminars and 23 side events and an overarching theme of ?Beyond the River ? Sharing Benefits and Responsibilities?. Some 90 diverse organisations are on board as convenors or co-convenors of different activities. Plenary sessions, panel debates, technical tours, social events, exhibitions and special events, including the 2006 Stockholm Water Prize presentation and the international Stockholm Junior Water Prize competition, round out the programme for the 2006 World Water Week in Stockholm. Among the many events and activities taking place in Stockholm are the 10th anniversary celebration of the Global Water Partnership, the presentation of the results of the Comprehensive Assessment of Water Management in Agriculture, the multi-stakeholder meeting of the European Union Water Initiative, and much more. For more on these and the other events in Stockholm, visit www.worldwaterweek.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' Postdoctoral Positions, Science, Technology and Society - University of Texas at Austin The Science, Technology & Society Program at the University of Texas at Austin is pleased to announce two positions for postdoctoral research in its growing program in societal impacts of science and technology. The successful applicants will conduct research on some aspect of the societal impacts of science and technology. As postdoctoral fellows they will teach one seminar course per semester and will work with faculty and graduate students in activities designed to foster the understanding of social impacts of science and technology. Major focus areas can include: impacts of nanoscience, biotechnology, emerging communication technologies, digital gaming, the environment, as well as other areas. Fellows will be expected to participate in the STS Program's educational and outreach activities. The University of Texas at Austin provides many opportunities for collaboration, with leading programs in public policy, business, engineering, the sciences, law, and liberal arts. Applicants should be recent recipients of a PhD degree; areas of specialization and disciplinary approach open. The positions are 12- month positions with a flexible starting date. Salary $35,000, plus benefits. Postdocs are expected to be in residence in Austin, Texas for the time of the fellowship. Please send a detailed cover letter, CV, and 1-page proposal for research work during the postdoc period to Professor Elizabeth Keating, Director, Science, Technology & Society Program at: ekeating@mail.utexas.edu Applications received by July 1 will be given first consideration. For further information about the program, please see the website of the STS program www.sts.utexas.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/20060512/85c9230c/attachment-0001.htm From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri May 19 13:58:26 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri May 19 13:59:49 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 05/19/2006 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 05/19/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES Census Of Marine Life Sabbatical Funding Opportunity - Joint Ocean Biogeographic Information System (Obis)-Ocean.Us Project (see below) Presentations from Sharing Knowledge meeting in Darwin, Australia (see below) SCIENCE NEWS Why global warming is to blame for Britain's hay fever epidemic http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article364611.ece Americans and Climate Change: Problem Summary http://gristmill.grist.org/story/2006/5/12/164351/213 Scientists find new zooplankton http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s1631423.htm (see below) Preparing for an Academic Career in the Geosciences" webpages are now live at: http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/careerprep/index.html US$60 million to research African climate change http://www.scidev.net/News/index.cfm? fuseaction=readNews&itemid=2845&language=1 Water shortages in Northeast Linked to Human Activity http://www.earth.columbia.edu/news/2006/story05-12-06.php Global Warming Has Devastating Effect on Coral Reefs http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/05/warming-coral.html Linking Climate Change Across Time Scales http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/05/060518175714.htm Meltdown Fear as Arctic Ice Cover Falls to Record Winter Low (see below) Group: Global Warming Threatens Millions (see below) Fabled Equatorial African Icecaps to Disappear (see below) UN-Sponsored Efforts To Combat Climate Change Move To Next Level (see below) Coral reef reveals history of fickle weather in the central Pacific (see below) FORUM A new ad campaign is being launched by the Competitive Enterprise Institute (www.cei.org) in the USA to "counter global warming alarmism". The ad can be viewed here: Quicktime: http://interface.audiovideoweb.com/lnk/ avwebdsquick2235/eresources/cei/Global_Warming_Energy-high.mov/play.qtl WindowsMedia: http://interface.audiovideoweb.com/lnk/ny60win16080/ eresources/cei/Global_Warming_Energy-high.wmv/play.asx Paper in 12 May 2006 issue of Science ? Vol. 312 p.829: Senate Panel Chair Ask Why NSF Funds Social Sciences (see below) Proposed Amendment to curtail Behavioral (and probably Biological) NSF Science Grants (see below) SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES China-U.S. climate change forum: U.C. Berkeley May 23 & 24, free & open to the public http://chinausclimate.org/en/ (see below) International Foundation for Science - research grant opportunities for scientists resident in developing countries (Closing Date: 30 June 2006) http://www.ifs.se/index.asp American Society for Environmental History - Annual Meeting Announcement and Call for Papers (see below) U.S. and Japan Partner to Promote Climate Change Actions and Co- benefits- (see below) Ocean Carbon Biogeochemistry Workshop (see below) JOBS IIASA: Postdoctoral Program 2006 http://www.iiasa.ac.at/Admin/YSP/pdoc/index.html Postdoc - Regional Paleoclimate Analysis. Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln. (see below) Assistant Professor - tenure-track position in the Department of Geography at the University of Utah (see below) Senior Research Associate (3 year contract); QUEST Earth System Modelling Project (see below) Director, NOAA Climate Assessments and Services Division (CASD) (see below) Two positions at ESRC Center for Analysis of Risk and Regulation, London School of Economics (see below) *************************************************** Resources Census Of Marine Life Sabbatical Funding Opportunity - Joint Ocean Biogeographic Information System (Obis)-Ocean.Us Project The Census of Marine Life and Ocean.US are jointly offering a short-term (e.g., one semester) sabbatical or part-time fellowship opportunity to work on a Joint Ocean Biogeographic Information System (OBIS)-Ocean.US Project. One goal of the joint project is to understand better the human resource needs and organizational arrangements in Ocean.US to have a system that provides outstanding services on data about living marine resources. A second goal is to lead by example, i.e., to develop, implement, and document software required for the integration of the OBIS global systematic, ecological, and environmental data with IOOS data. For more information about this unique opportunity and application procedure, please see the full position description at http://coml.us/? anchor=coml_us_funding_opportunities. ******************** Presentations from Sharing Knowledge meeting in Darwin, Australia We?re pleased to announce that the Sharing Knowledge website is now live at: http://www.dar.csiro.au/sharingknowledge/index.html On the site you can find the presentations from the most recent workshop in Darwin, downloadable regional climate projections for Northern Australia, the initial environmental /climate experiences of Traditional Owners and resources and links for further information on related work. We plan to extend the international comparative section in the next few weeks as well as include scoping papers on climate change and health, and on specific vulnerabilities as well as adaptation options. Please let me know if you have any comments on the web site, or would like any information or links to be added. Dr Donna Green Climate Change Impacts & Risk Pye Laboratory, Black Mountain GPO Box 1666 Canberra ACT 2601 *************************************************** Science News Scientists find new zooplankton http://www.abc.net.au/science/news/stories/s1631423.htm This gelatinous zooplankton Athorybia was among the many species scientists found deep in the ocean (Image: L Madin) Scientists have found 10 to 20 new species of tiny creatures in the depths of the Atlantic, says an international report. The survey, of tropical waters between the eastern US and the mid- Atlantic ridge, used special nets to catch thousands of species of fragile zooplankton. New finds included six types of ostracods, a shrimp-like creature, and other species of zooplankton such as swimming snails and worms. Zooplankton are mostly millimeters long but range up to jellyfish trailing long tails. They live at lightless depths of 1 to 5 kilometres and are swept by ocean currents. "This was a voyage of exploration ... the deepest parts of the oceans are hardly ever sampled," says Dr Peter Wiebe, the cruise's scientific leader and senior scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in the US. "We found perhaps 10-20 new species of zooplankton," he says of the voyage by 28 scientists from 14 nations, including Australia, in April. The scientists also found new fish. Among 120 types of fish caught, the scientists found what may be a new type of black dragonfish, with fang-like teeth, growing up to about 40 centimetres, and a 20-centimetre-long great swallower, with wide jaws and a light-producing organ to attract prey. Most life, including commercial fish stocks, is in the top 1 kilometre of water, but the scientists say the survey shows a surprising abundance even in the depths. The survey will provide a benchmark to judge future changes to the oceans, the scientists say. "By 2010, the research ... will provide a baseline against which future generations can measure changes to the zooplankton and their provinces, caused by pollution, over-fishing, climate change, and other shifting environmental conditions," says Professor Ann Bucklin, lead scientist for the zooplankton census project at the University of Connecticut. The expedition was funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The findings are also part of a wider Census of Marine Life trying to map the oceans. ******************** Meltdown Fear as Arctic Ice Cover Falls to Record Winter Low from the Guardian (UK) Record amounts of the Arctic ocean failed to freeze during the recent winter, new figures show, spelling disaster for wildlife and strengthening concerns that the region is locked into a destructive cycle of irreversible climate change. Satellite measurements show the area covered by Arctic winter sea ice reached an all-time low in March, down some 300,000 square kilometres on last year -an area bigger than the UK. Scientists say the decline highlights an alarming new trend, with recovery of the ice in winter no longer sufficient to compensate for increased melting in the summer. If the cycle continues, the Arctic ocean could lose all of its ice much earlier than expected, possibly by 2030. http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/0,,1774815,00.html or http://tinyurl.com/em7m5 ******************** Group: Global Warming Threatens Millions from Associated Press LONDON -- Millions of people around the world face death and devastation due to floods, famine, drought and violence caused by global warming, according to a report by a charity group. A report to be released Monday by Christian Aid said 162 million people in sub-Saharan Africa alone could die of disease directly attributable to global warming by the end of the century. It urged the British government to lead the world's richer countries in taking urgent action to curb global warming. http://www.newsday.com/news/science/wire/sns-ap-britain-climate- change,0,10800.story or http://tinyurl.com/f3r3m ******************** Fabled Equatorial African Icecaps to Disappear AGU Release No. 06-16 WASHINGTON - Fabled equatorial icecaps will disappear within two decades, because of global warming, a study British and Ugandan scientists has found. In a paper to be published 17 May in Geophysical Research Letters, they report results from the first survey in a decade of glaciers in the Rwenzori Mountains of East Africa. An increase in air temperature over the last four decades has contributed to a substantial reduction in glacial cover, they say. The Rwenzori Mountains--also known as the Mountains of the Moon-- straddle the border between the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Republic of Uganda. They are home to one of four remaining tropical ice fields outside of the Andes and are renowned for their spectacular and rare flora and fauna. The mountains' legendary status was set during the second century, when the Greek geographer Ptolemy made a seemingly preposterous but ultimately accurate statement about snow-capped mountains at the equator in Africa: "The Mountains of the Moon whose snows feed the lakes, sources of the Nile." The glaciers were first surveyed a century ago when glacial cover over the entire range was estimated to be 6.5 square kilometers [2.5 square miles]. Recent field surveys and satellite mapping of glaciers conducted by researchers from University College London, Uganda's Makerere University, and the Ugandan Water Resources Management Department show that some glaciers are receding tens of metres [yards] each year and that the area covered by glaciers halved between 1987 and 2003. With less than one square kilometer [half a square mile] of glacier ice remaining, the researchers expect these glaciers to disappear within the next 20 years. Richard Taylor of the University College London Department of Geography, who led the study, says: "Recession of these tropical glaciers sends an unambiguous message of a changing climate in this region of the tropics. Considerable scientific debate exists, however, as to whether changes in temperature or precipitation are responsible for the shrinking of glaciers in the East African Highlands that also include Kilimanjaro [in Tanzania] and Mount Kenya." Taylor and his colleagues found that in the Rwenzori Mountains since the 1960s, there are clear trends toward increased air temperature without significant changes in precipitation. A key focus of the research is the impact of climate change on water resources in Africa. Glacial recession in Rwenzori Mountains is not expected to affect alpine river flow, the scientists say, due to the small size of the remaining glaciers. It remains unclear, however, how the projected loss of the glaciers will affect tourism and local traditional belief systems that are based upon the snow and ice, known locally as "Nzururu." "Considering the continent's negligible contribution to global greenhouse-gas emissions, it is a terrible irony that Africa, according to current predictions, will be most affected by climate change," added Taylor. "Furthermore, the rise in air temperature is consistent with other regional studies that show how dramatic increases in malaria in the East African Highlands may arise, in part, from warmer temperatures, as mosquitoes are able to colonize previously inhospitable highland areas." The research was funded by The Royal Geographical Society and The Royal Society. ******************** UN-Sponsored Efforts To Combat Climate Change Move To Next Level Read the press release on our website: English: http://unfccc.int/files/press/news_room/ press_releases_and_advisories/application/pdf/20060516_un- sponsored_effort_to_combat_cc-english.pdf French: http://unfccc.int/files/press/news_room/ press_releases_and_advisories/application/pdf/20060516_un- sponsored_effort_to_combat_cc-french.pdf Russian: http://unfccc.int/files/press/news_room/ press_releases_and_advisories/application/pdf/20060516_un- sponsored_effort_to_combat_cc-russian3.pdf Spanish: http://unfccc.int/files/press/news_room/ press_releases_and_advisories/application/pdf/20060516_un- sponsored_effort_to_combat_cc-spanish2.pdf (Bonn, 16 May 2006) The first stage of new talks on future action under the UN-sponsored climate change process concluded today in Bonn, Germany. Delegates from 165 countries discussed how to further strengthen international cooperation to reduce emissions of heat-trapping gases and to respond to climate change impacts. "There is now a strong consensus on the need to reduce emissions to protect the global climate. Much emphasis has been put on the promotion of economic incentives to promote action to reduce emissions - for both industrialized and developing countries", said Richard Kinley, acting head of the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat. The wide-ranging presentations of possible approaches included incentives for developing countries to mitigate climate change, ensuring cooperation on research and development and the transfer of cleaner technologies. Delegates also expressed strong support for the role of the carbon market and the need to find new ways to involve the private sector in climate protection. Rona Ambrose, President of the 11th session of the Conference of the Parties and Canadian Minister for the Environment, said that there was strong consensus among governments on the fact that humanity had a serious problem. "In Canada?s Arctic region, the changes noted by the Inuit community - such as melting permafrost, changes in sea ice and the arrival of new migratory animal species - has raised the need to address adaptation measures", she said. The round of discussions in the form of a ?Dialogue on long-term cooperative action to address climate change by enhancing implementation of the Convention? was facilitated by Howard Bamsey of Australia and Sandea de Wet of the South Africa. The dialogue workshop was the first of a series of four meetings involving all 189 contracting Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The series will conclude at the end of 2007. The next such meeting will be held in November 2006 in Nairobi, Kenya. Another important round of talks involving the 163 Parties to the Kyoto Protocol begins 17 May in Bonn and ends 25 May. The focus of this "Ad Hoc Working Group on Further Commitments for Annex I Parties under the Kyoto Protocol" will be on further measures to be taken by industrialized countries for the period after 2012, when the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol ends. ******************** Coral reef reveals history of fickle weather in the central Pacific Close examination of coral reef reveals that when the rest of the world was experiencing warm weather, the Pacific was cold. And during a period of cold weather elsewhere in the world, the Pacific was warm and stormy. For more than five decades, archaeologists, geographers, and other researchers studying the Pacific Islands have used a model of late Holocene climate change based largely on other regions of the world. However, in a new study from the June issue of Current Anthropology, Melinda Allen (University of Auckland, New Zealand) uses evidence from the long-lived Pacific corals to suggest that the climate in the Pacific diverged from the rest of the world during two major climate periods: the "Little Ice Age" and the "Medieval Warm Period." "These findings have relevance for both ancient and modern Pacific peoples," explains Allen. "Climate change, accelerated sea rise, and deterioration of coral reefs, along with their associated social and environmental costs, are among the most pressing concerns of Pacific Island nations today." The new climate models presented in this paper suggest that while the rest of the world was experiencing certain weather patterns, the Pacific island region and the people who lived there were experiencing something else entirely. During the "Medieval Warm Period" ca. A.D. 900-1200, conditions in the tropical Pacific were cool and possibly dry. Similarly, during the "Little Ice Age" ca. A.D. 1550-1900, the central Pacific was comparatively warm and wet, with stormy conditions more common. As Allen writes: "The ancient coral studies, in tandem with archaeology, offer an opportunity for investigating the impact of climate change on Pacific environment and Pacific peoples' responses to these changes ? conditions which their successors are again facing in the 21st century." Melinda Allen. "New ideas about late Holocene climate variability in the central Pacific." Current Anthropology 47:3. *************************************************** Forum Paper in 12 May 2006 issue of Science ? Vol. 312 p.829: Senate Panel Chair Ask Why NSF Funds Social Sciences Submitted by C.S. Weiler Dear all, the link between science and society has always been a close one, and with the growing impact of humans on the environment it us as important as ever, if not more so. I urge you to read the article in the 12 May 2006 issue of science. ******************** Proposed Amendment to curtail Behavioral (and probably Biological) NSF Science Grants Sen Kay B Hutchison (R-TX) was scheduled to propose an amendment on May 18 that will alter the future of the NSF by directing it to curtail Behavioral (and probably Biological) Science grants from now on. The American Institute of Biological Sciences posted an Action Alert in response: http://www.aibs.org/announcements/ 060517_action_alert_please_tell.html A recent article also appeared in Inside Higher Ed on the topic: http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/05/03/nsf *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities American Society for Environmental History - Annual Meeting Announcement and Call for Papers Living on the Edge: Human Desires and Environmental Realities Baton Rouge, LA, 28 February-3 March, 2007 Deadline For Submission: 1 July 2006 The program committee for the American Society for Environmental History invites panel, paper, and poster proposals for its March 2007 meeting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Proposals may address any area of environmental history, but in keeping with the conference?s theme, the committee specifically solicits submissions examining perceptions of risk and social responses to environmental disasters and the idea of living on the edge: edges of danger, edges of continents, edges of poverty, and the space between history and other disciplines. After the enormous destruction along the Gulf Coast resulting from Hurricanes Katrina and Rita in 2005, it seems all the more essential to consider the deep complexities of dealing with environmental hazards, and the varying roles of science, government, politics, and community. The committee supports approaches ranging from the transnational to the personal, from policy to politics, and we encourage proposals by anthropologists, ecologists, economists, geographers, and sociologists. Panels that integrate disparate geographic areas or disciplinary approaches will be particularly favored. By seeking interdisciplinary conversations about environmental disasters and their implications, we hope to cast new light on this subject. However, the committee strongly recommends proposals for complete panels. Individual papers are welcome, but they are more difficult to accommodate. To maximize the number of papers yet maintain opportunities for creative exchanges among panelists and the audience, the committee also requests that panel proposals be limited either to three papers and a discussant or four papers and no comment. Participants are limited to presenting only one formal paper, but they may also engage in roundtable, chairing, or commenting duties. To submit a proposal, go to http://www.chnm.gmu.edu/tools/surveys/ 1725/, and type or paste in the standard information. Should you have questions, please contact any member of the program committee: David Louter, Chair, National Park Service (David_Louter@nps.gov) Betsy Mendelsohn, University of Maryland (bmendel@umd.edu) Craig Colten, Louisiana State University (ccolten@lsu.edu) Laura Watt, EDAW Inc. (lawatt@california.com) Mission statement: The American Society for Environmental History (ASEH), founded in 1977, seeks to promote scholarship and teaching in environmental history, to support the professional needs of its members, and to connect its undertakings with larger communities. The ASEH aspires to advance a greater understanding of the history of human interaction with the rest of the natural world, to foster dialogue between humanistic scholarship, environmental science, and other disciplines, and to support global environmental history efforts that benefit the public as well as the general scholarly community. It promotes these activities through publication of the peer-reviewed journal Environmental History, annual conferences, scholarly awards, on-line discussions, conversation with other professional societies, and public outreach. Brinda Sarathy, Doctoral Candidate Environmental Science, Policy, & Management University of California, Berkeley bsarathy@nature.berkeley.edu ******************** China-U.S. climate change forum - U.C. Berkeley May 23 & 24, free & open to the public By Kathleen Maclay, Media Relations | 17 May 2006 BERKELEY ? Top climate scientists from China and the United States will gather May 23-24 with policymakers, Nobel laureates, think tanks officials, business representatives, members of the media and others at the University of California, Berkeley, to explore how the world's two biggest producers of greenhouse gas emissions can address global warming and minimize its impacts on the planet. "If the globe has any hope of coming to grips with climate change, the U.S. and China both have to get involved in this issue in a big way - and so far they haven't," said Orville Schell, who is dean of UC Berkeley's Graduate School of Journalism, a China scholar and an organizer of the conference. Thomas Gold, a UC Berkeley sociologist and head of the Berkeley- China Initiative that is helping to organize the conference, said next week's two-day China-U.S. Climate Change Program will be the initiative's first in a series of events on climate change and environmental issues involving China, the United States, and other regions of the world. Topics of discussion at the forum will include various perspectives on climate change, reports about the latest scientific research and technological innovation, coal, economic development, and social, policy and media-related dimensions of climate change. "This is a place where two giants with enormous influence on the planet get to talk to each other, scientist to scientist," said John Harte, a UC Berkeley professor in the Energy and Resources Group who will present an overview of the consequences of climate change. "We (scientists) don't distrust each other, so we can have really good exchanges and share our concerns and share our constructive ideas for solving climate problems." Steve Chu, the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory director and a Nobel Prize-winner in physics, will discuss historic climate data, including evidence that shows climate over the last five years is the warmest in the last 150 years. He calls carbon-based energy use and increasing demand for energy "one of the most important societal problems that science and technology can help solve," and he has committed the Berkeley Lab to finding carbon-neutral forms of energy that can sustain the world in an environmentally acceptable manner. As the major oil users in the world and with growing economies that promise more of the same, the United States and China have a special responsibility to address this issue in forums such as the one at UC Berkeley, said Chu. "If we don't solve this," he said, "the life style of the world will change dramatically." Schell said that traveling in China last fall, it became very evident that climate change has already become a huge problem. Elevating the concern, he said, are recent reports by Chinese scientists who calculate that 7 percent of the Tibetan Plateau's ice cap is disappearing each year, jeopardizing the glacial headwaters for six of Asia's major rivers, including China's Yangzi and India's Ganges. Meanwhile, in the United States, President Bush has told reporters that it is uncertain whether climate change is manmade or natural. Participants in the forum will include leading scientists from institutions such as Harvard University, the Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology, Stanford University and Tsinghua University. Participating business officials will include representatives from the China National Petroleum Corp., Global Business Network, Royal Dutch Shell and other firms. Among participating think tanks will be the Woods Hole Research Institute, Shanghai Institute of International Studies and the Natural Resources Defense Council. In addition, members of the American Association for the Advancement of Science and Chinese Meteorological Administration will be on hand, as will members of major media outlets in the United States and China. "That's the complete chain in the line of solutions to the climate change problem," said Schell, "Our intent is to make this a group of people whom we hope will knit together a sort of fabric for ongoing relationships and exchanges." The Berkeley-China Initiative, a group of UC Berkeley faculty members and graduate students with interests and expertise relating to China, is working to forge closer ties between China and UC Berkeley and also is raising funds for scholarships to enable Chinese students to pursue studies at UC Berkeley. The Open Society Institute, a private organization founded by financier George Soros to promote democratic governance, human rights and social reform, provided the seed money to bring the two sides together for next week's conference. The forum is free, open to the public, and at Wheeler Hall Auditorium. More detailed information about the forum and participants is online at: http://chinausclimate.org/en/. ******************** U.S. and Japan Partner to Promote Climate Change Actions and Co- benefits- On March 22 and 23, the Japanese Ministry of the Environment (MOEJ), the Japan-based Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) and U.S. EPA (EPA) held a workshop on Climate Change Actions and Co-Benefits. Participants agreed to strengthen international cooperation on actions that improve air quality and promote clean energy, energy security, and economic opportunities at home and abroad. EPA and its Japanese partners explored options for collaborating on projects to reduce greenhouse gas emissions globally and encourage sustainable development. MOEJ presented, in addition to other programs and policy initiatives, Japan?s new Climate Change Program which includes improved energy efficiency and an awareness campaign titled ?Cool Biz?. IGES highlighted Japan?s Voluntary Emissions Trading Scheme which provides an economic incentive to corporations to reduce emissions while building a base of knowledge and experience with trading scenarios. EPA showcased its experience in several voluntary and capacity building programs that reap environmental benefits, including the Landfill Methane Outreach Program and the Integrated Environmental Strategies Program. The U.S.-Japan partnership supports the recently launched Asia- Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate that promotes projects and programs to protect the environment, improve public health, and enhance economic growth worldwide. All presentations from the March workshop, as well as a summary of the workshop, are available on the internet at www.epa.gov/ies/ Workshop. ******************** Ocean Carbon Biogeochemistry Workshop The summer OCB workshop (July 10-13th) is fast approaching, and we have posted a web site for electronic registration http:// www.whoi.edu/sites/ocb2006workshop The workshop will run all day Monday-Wednesday and half day on Thursday (to allow people to return home Thursday afternoon if they want). The meeting plenary talks will be organized around several major themes: -marine ecosystem-biogeochemical dynamics of the euphotic zone and mesopelagic -the ocean carbon cycle and climate -air-sea CO2 fluxes (measurement, variability, impact on the atmosphere) In addition, there will be one (or more) poster sessions and some either plenary discussions/breakout groups to discuss future research opportunities on: -ocean acidification (building on St. Petersburg report that will be released shortly) -work in the Southern Ocean leveraging proposed Gas-Ex3 experiment and proposed CLIVAR work *************************************************** 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' Postdoc - Regional Paleoclimate Analysis. Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln. The successful candidate will have expertise in paleo time-series reconstruction and analyses, especially from the marine environment. Work on recreating sea surface temperatures and other climatic indicators from corals would be especially desirable. The candidate will work with the PI, who is a climate modeler, on analyzing regional climate variability from the mid-Holocene to the present, using a variety of model output and reconstructed datasets. The position is for one year, with a second year of funding available if performance is satisfactory during the first year. Subsequent years would depend on receipt of additional research funding and could include joint proposals with the PI. The University of Nebraska is committed to a pluralistic campus community through affirmative action and equal opportunity. We assure reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act; contact Dr. Robert Oglesby at 402-472-1507 for assistance. Review of applications will begin June 5, 2006 and will continue until the position is filled or the search closed. To be considered for this position go to http:// employment.unl.edu, requisition 060346, complete the Faculty/ Administrative application and attach required documents. ******************** Assistant Professor - tenure-track position in the Department of Geography at the University of Utah The Department of Geography at the University of Utah invites applications for a tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level starting July 2007. We seek a Physical Geographer interested in environmental change and specializing in: (1) Biogeography with a research emphasis in one or more of the following: past environments, climate change, dendrochronology or landscape analysis and modeling, or (2) Climatology with a research emphasis in paleoclimatology or climate change. The applicant's research skills should complement current departmental strengths in paleoecology, wildfire, fire modeling, Quaternary geomorphology, glaciology, and remote sensing of vegetation and the cryosphere. The ability to teach Cartography is desirable, as is field experience, remote sensing, GIS, or spatial statistical skills. Submit a letter of application including research and teaching interests, vitae, teaching evaluations (if available) and the names, addresses, phone numbers and email addresses of exactly three referees by 29 September 2006. Applications received after the deadline may be considered until the position is filled. The University of Utah is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer, encourages applications from women and minorities and provides reasonable accommodations for the known disabilities of applicants and employees. Apply: Harvey J. Miller, Chair, University of Utah / Department of Geography / 260 S Central Campus Dr Room 270 / Salt Lake City UT 84112-9155. More information: http://www.geog.utah.edu/~hmiller/documents/2006- physical_geographer.pdf http://www.geog.utah.edu/ ******************** Senior Research Associate (3 year contract); QUEST Earth System Modelling Project Deadline for application: June 2 2006 We are seeking a highly motivated Research Associate to help understand the feedbacks between marine ecosystems and climate, and identify potentially dangerous climate paths. The Research Associate will be based in the 5** School of Environmental Sciences and will work with Dr Corinne Le Qu?r? and Professor Andy Watson as part of a team coupling an existing ocean biogeochemistry model that is more closely based on ecological principles to an appropriate version of the Hadley's Earth System Model, and analysing the results in terms of feedback direction, feedback intensity, and potential extreme situations. The use of observations to constrain model behaviour is highly encouraged in this project. You must have a PhD and post doctoral experience in modelling of ocean biogeochemistry, ocean physics, climate, or related and transferable experience. The work will be done in collaboration with the multi-disciplinary scientists from the Dynamic Green Ocean Project (http://lgmacweb.env.uea.ac.uk/green_ocean). It is expected that you will take some leadership in the project and attend international conferences and co-ordination meetings. The full job description and application form can be found on http://lgmacweb.env.uea.ac.uk/green_ocean/jobs.shtml ******************** Director, NOAA Climate Assessments and Services Division (CASD) Supervisory Physical Scientist, GS-1301- 15 or Supervisory Social Scientist, GS-101-15, Salary range: $107,521-$139,774. The Climate Program of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is seeking an energetic individual with considerable experience in outcome-oriented, applied environmental research to lead a new division known as Climate Assessments and Services. The incumbent is responsible for managing a division that leads the effort to connect climate assessments, research and services to broader public interest goals associated with adapting to climate variability and change. The ideal candidate will have demonstrated themselves to be an innovator and initiator, will have experience working across public and private sector organizations, will have worked in the field of applied climate and environmental research or in a setting which required on- going interaction with the environmental research community, and will have a vision for the implementation of federal investments linking new climate-related interdisciplinary research with national needs for building adaptive capacity for climate variability and change. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are essential as is the ability to work in a team of senior program manager in support of agency goals and mission requirements. Ph.D. or equivalent experience required. Detailed job information and applicant instructions will be found at https://jobs1.quickhire.com/scripts/doc.exe under vacancy numbers OAR-HQ-2006-0092, 93, 94 and 96. Open to all U.S. Citizens. Posting dates : May 12 to June 26. The U.S. Department of Commerce is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Josh Foster, Program Coordinator Transition of Research Applications to Climate Services (TRACS) Program (formerly NOAA Climate Transition Program (NCTP)) Climate Assessments and Services Division (CASD) Climate Program Office (CPO) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) 1100 Wayne Ave., Suite 1215 Silver Spring, MD 20910 USA P) 301-427-2370; Main: 301-427-2089 x 2370; F) 301-427-2073 H) 202-237-5643; M) 202-277-5643 josh.foster@noaa.gov; joshua.foster.for.93@aya.yale.edu http://www.climate.noaa.gov ******************** Two positions at ESRC Center for Analysis of Risk and Regulation, London School of Economics The ESRC Center for the Analysis of Risk and Regulation at the London School of Economics is advertising two new postitions, a 3- year research officership and a 1-year postdoctoral fellowship. More details: http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/CARR/vacancies.htm or http://jobs.guardian.co.uk/browse/education/research/ vacancy-1139423-1.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 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/20060519/f0ac11f2/attachment-0001.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri May 26 15:47:46 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri May 26 15:48:55 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 05/26/2006 Message-ID: <07741110-AB9F-4CE2-962A-4537BB5E6416@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 05/26/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS SCIENCE NEWS Hutchison Attacks on "Peripheral" Social Sciences at NSF Defeated (see below) The End of the Everglades? Supreme court case jeopardizes 90 percent of U.S. wetland. (see below) Antarctic climate record points to greater warming than estimated (see below) Global Warming Risk "Much Higher" (see below) Subtropic Warming Could Mean Bigger Deserts (see below) SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES Conference Announcement - Arctic Frontiers, Tromso, Norway (see below) JOBS Researcher in Tropical Climatology (3-4 year part time position) - Ctr for the Environment, Univ of Oxford (UK) http://www.ouce.ox.ac.uk/news/articles/060518.php Two Visiting Assistant Professorships at Binghamton ? Remote Sensing/ Econ./Env. Geog. (see below) Senior Aquatic Ecologist, Museum Victoria, Melbourne, Australi (see below) Education and Public Outreach Coordinator for ANDRILL (Antarctic Drilling Program) (see below) Senior Policy Researcher of Long-term Perspective and Policy Integration Project (LTP) at IGES (see below) Professor/Associate Professor/Assistant Professor - City University of Hong Kong (China) (see below) Post-docs at Waterloo Centre for Atmospheric Sciences (WCAS) - Canada (see below) Post-docs, Biometeorology & Soil Physics - University of British Columbia (Canada) (see below) *************************************************** Science News Hutchison Attacks on "Peripheral" Social Sciences at NSF Defeated Hutchison Attacks on "Peripheral" Social Sciences at NSF Defeated Geography Spared Harshest Criticism (not so for political science and sociology programs) On May 2, Chairwoman Kay Bailey Hutchison (R-TX) convened a hearing of the U.S. Senate Subcommittee on Science and Space to examine funding priorities for the National Science Foundation (NSF). While the hearing was ostensibly called to discuss the American Competitiveness Initiative and other proposals to double the NSF's budget, Hutchison quickly made it clear that it was her mission to question NSF funding for "peripheral" sciences. She then explained that she considered certain social sciences to be "peripheral." Most of the specific studies cited critically by Hutchison in her attacks were from the NSF's political science and sociology programs. The news for geography during the hearing was mixed. On the one hand, Hutchison actually said at one point that "research in geography is valid," and NSF Director Arden Bement called geography and GPS and other mapping-related technologies "essential." On the other hand, Hutchison was, in a general sense, attacking funding for the NSF's Social Behavioral and Economic Sciences Directorate (SBE), and the foundation's geography program is part of SBE. Bement defended the importance of the whole science portfolio and interdisciplinary work. He also asserted that social sciences "compress the lead time from discovery to application." Hutchison asked the director whether NSF was "burdened" by the presence of the social sciences and noted at one point that she may consider putting forward a proposal to refocus NSF spending by moving the social sciences elsewhere. Bement said that he'd have to see a specific proposal before he could comment on it. Alan Leshner, CEO of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, also testified during the hearing and expressed strong support for the SBE disciplines. This issue came to a head in the weeks leading up to a May 18 Senate markup of a bill aimed at boosting NSF funding, as Hutchison proposed an amendment that would have forced Bement and the foundation's leadership to prioritize "the physical and natural sciences, technology, engineering, and mathematics." AAG staff worked closely with many other scientific societies in Washington to educate key Senators and their staff about the issue and to stress the importance of the SBE Directorate and a balanced NSF portfolio. Ultimately, a key victory regarding this significant potential threat to geography and social sciences funding at NSF was achieved during mark-up via compromise language added to the bill which will enable NSF leaders to support research projects deemed "consistent with its mandate." Fortunately, Bement, NSF Deputy Director Kathie Olsen, and the directorate heads seem committed to funding SBE in line with increases other directorates are slated to receive. ******************** The End of the Everglades? Supreme court case jeopardizes 90 percent of U.S. wetland. By Sara Beardsley http://tinyurl.com/zvebs AT RISK AT RISK: U.S. wetlands, such as this one in Medfield, Mass., could lose federal protection if the Supreme Court rules in favor of plaintiffs who say that the Clean Water Act goes too far. On February 21, his first day on the job, Justice Samuel Alito settled into one of the nine high-backed chairs at the Supreme Court to hear Rapanos v. United States and Carabell v. the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers--a pair of cases that, though not as well publicized as Jose Padilla's antigovernment petition nor as high profile as federal wiretapping, will probably eclipse their importance. Bundled together, the cases ask the justices (and Alito in particular, a projected swing vote) to declare whether national agencies can patrol the soggy patches of earth between dry, developable land and federally protected wetlands. A decision in favor of the plaintiffs could put most of the nation's watery habitats at risk. "The tension," summarizes Margaret Strand, a wetlands lawyer in Washington, D.C., "is that protecting biodiversity translates into regulating private property"--pitting two American precepts, federalism and environmentalism, against each other. That tension originated with the 1972 Clean Water Act, which tasked the Environmental Protection Agency with preserving all "navigable waters," later defined as "waters of the U.S.," against unpermitted discharges. At the time, wetlands protection was just an appendage to the broader water safety effort, but recognition of the biome's ecological value inspired courts to uphold broad-based government power over the next 20 years. They could do so because "almost anything a little bit squishy might count as waters of the U.S.," says Don Carr, another lawyer in Washington. Enter John Rapanos and June Carabell, two Michigan landowners who were denied development permits despite a 20-mile distance from the nearest navigable water and a berm blocking drainage, respectively. Over decades of court battles, the petitioners have marshaled a crusade against EPA jurisdiction they claim goes too far. One brief on their behalf traces government power to "remote desert washes hundreds of miles from the nearest navigable waters"--far beyond what they think Congress intended with the act. Instead Rapanos lobbies for federal jurisdiction limited to "navigable-in-fact" waters (commercial channels) and their adjacent wetlands. But such an interpretation would leave 90 percent of protected wetlands up for grabs, according to Richard Lazarus, a Georgetown University law professor. States are unlikely to replace federal enforcement because only half have wetlands programs, explains Jon Kusler, president of the Association for State Wetland Managers. And "there are pressures in local communities for land development" that keep district guidelines from being as rigorous, Strand adds. Carabell's experience is a good example: whereas Michigan authorized a permit for condominiums on the land in question, the federal government asserted jurisdiction and denied one. Relying on state laws becomes an even bigger problem with downstream pollution: discharge between differently regulated states presages a domino effect on the entire watershed. "All [polluters] have to do is [dump] far enough upstream," reasoned Justice David Souter during oral arguments; "it will eventually get in the navigable water." The petitioners, however, claim that their lands are just too detached to cause that kind of trouble. And a 2001 Supreme Court decision offers precedent for their case, finding that "hydrologically isolated" wetlands belong under state jurisdiction. Federalists such as Robert Pierce, a former Army Corps of Engineers official who once enforced the EPA's laws, believe that the government's permit denials are often off target. According to Pierce, states may be able to take up the slack, but perpetuating government programs is "a major economic drain" and a "waste" of money that could be used elsewhere. Yet with natural wetlands in constant decline, government inefficiencies may be a price worth paying. "You can't protect the nation's biological integrity without protecting these waters," notes Sandra Postel, director of the Global Water Policy Project. And one only has to recall Hurricane Katrina--gathering strength where wetlands once buffered the levee system--to measure the costs to society. Nevertheless, federalist watchdogs cling to Rapanos (which may be decided this month) as an opportunity to curb Washington's power. "This case isn't about losing wetlands or saving wetlands," says Pierce, who has conceded that a government rollback might cause environmental harm. "This is about putting the federal government where the Constitution says it should be. In my mind, that's more important." ******************** Antarctic climate record points to greater warming than estimated Antarctic climate record points to greater warming than estimated WASHINGTON - If Earth's past cycles of warming and cooling are any indication, temperatures by the end of the century will be even hotter than current climate models predict, according to a report by researchers in Berkeley, California. The scientists studied Antarctic ice cores containing a 360,000- year record of global temperature and levels of carbon dioxide and methane--two of the major greenhouse gases implicated in global warming. They found that during periods of warming, greenhouse gas levels rose and created significantly higher temperatures than would be expected solely from the increased intensity of sunlight that triggered these warm periods. Though the ice core data do not point to specific processes that amplify the warming, the researchers suspect that it is due to warmer soils and oceans giving off more carbon dioxide and methane, which add to the greenhouse effect of carbon dioxide from fossil fuel burning and other human activities. Thus, while current models predict temperature increases of 1.5 to 4.5 degrees Celsius [2.7 to 8.1 degrees Fahrenheit] from a doubling of atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, the natural processes injecting additional carbon dioxide into the atmosphere will lead to temperature increases of 1.6 to 6 degrees Celsius [2.9 to 11 degrees Fahrenheit], with the higher temperatures more likely, the researchers say. The report is scheduled for publication on 26 May in Geophysical Research Letters. "The warming caused by our release of carbon dioxide triggers changes in the Earth system that lead to release of more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere," says lead author Margaret Torn, head of the Climate Change and Carbon Management program at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. "If that is the case, then every bit of carbon dioxide released now is actually committing us to a larger carbon dioxide change in the atmosphere." "We are underestimating the magnitude of warming, because we are ignoring the extra carbon dioxide dumped into the atmosphere because of warming," says John Harte, professor of energy and resources at the University of California in Berkeley. "Warming gets an extra kick from carbon dioxide feedback." The result, Torn and Harte conclude in their paper, is "that the upper value of warming that is projected for the end of the 21st century, 5.8 degrees C [10 degrees F], could be increased to 7.7 degrees C [14 degrees F], or nearly 2 degrees C [4 degrees F] additional warming." Current climate models, called General Circulation Models, start from fundamental physical processes to calculate a probable temperature increase based on likely atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, typically a doubling of today's carbon dioxide concentration. But models are only now beginning to take into account the extra carbon dioxide and methane injected into the atmosphere as global temperatures increase. This effect is expected, because warmer soils decompose faster, releasing more carbon dioxide, and warmer oceans also release more carbon dioxide, but scientists have yet to quantify the full impact of these processes. "Without a mechanism, people feel uncomfortable putting it in a model. I think that's a big mistake," Harte says. It is possible to estimate the effect of carbon dioxide feedback by looking at how Earth responded to past cycles of warming and cooling, which were caused by natural variations in the strength of sunlight hitting Earth, rather than by human production of greenhouse gases. Ice cores drilled in Antarctica's Vostok ice sheet in 1998 and 1999 span nearly 420,000 years and carry information about four major climate cycles and many smaller temperature swings. Climate scientists had pointed out that the ice core data imply a strong positive feedback to global carbon dioxide and methane levels, but how much this impacted warming trends was unclear. Torn and Harte devised a way to use these data and current global climate models to estimate the effect of increased carbon dioxide entering the atmosphere as a result of warming, called the "gain." From previously published data, they were able to extract the effect of temperature on carbon dioxide and methane levels. They then calculated the reverse--the effect of carbon dioxide and methane levels on temperature, or the so-called climate sensitivity--from climate models. The researchers added the resultant gains from carbon dioxide and methane to the gain already known for other climate feedbacks, in particular the largest source, increased atmospheric water vapor, to arrive at a total gain. They used this figure to calculate the temperature increase that would result from a doubling of current carbon dioxide levels. Both researchers emphasize that the wide temperature range they predict--1.6 to 6 degrees Celsius [2.9 to 11 degrees Fahrenheit]-- does not mean that Earth has an equal chance of ending up with less warming as with greater warming, in other words, that the uncertainties are symmetric about an average increase of 3.8 degrees Celsius [6.8 degrees Fahrenheit]. "People see this uncertainty and think that we have an equal probability of dodging a bullet as catching it. That is a fallacy," Torn says. "By giving the appearance of symmetric feedback, people have an excuse to say maybe we don't have to worry so much," Harte says. "But while there are uncertainties in the feedbacks, all the major feedbacks are positive, meaning they would increase warming, and we know of no significant negative feedbacks that would slow warming." "Whatever the mechanisms that cause temperature to create a change in carbon dioxide and methane, they are repeatable again and again and again over many cooling and warming cycles. So, although the world is different today than it was then, we don't have a basis for ignoring them," Torn says. "We need to know the effect of warmer temperatures in all different habitats "says Harte, "not just temperate Rocky Mountain forests," where he has conducted experiments, "but also the tropics and European boreal forests and Eastern U.S. deciduous forests and savanna and prairie. There are huge data gaps." Torn notes, however, that humans are the biggest unknown. "To predict the future, you have to guess how much carbon dioxide levels will go up. That depends on the biggest uncertainty of all: what humans decide to do. Do we get smart and prevent carbon dioxide emissions? Do we continue with business as usual? Or will we end up somewhere in between?" The research was supported by the U.S. Department of Energy's Climate Change Research Division and by the National Science Foundation. ******************** Global Warming Risk "Much Higher" from BBC News Online Global temperatures will rise further in the future than previous studies have indicated, according to new research from two scientific teams. They both used historical records to calculate the likely amplification of warming as higher temperatures induce release of CO2 from ecosystems. They both conclude that current estimates of warming are too low, by anything up to 75%. The research will be published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5006970.stm or http://tinyurl.com/jmv2c ******************** Subtropic Warming Could Mean Bigger Deserts http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/36550/story.htm WASHINGTON - Earth's atmosphere is warming faster over the subtropics than anywhere else, which could mean bigger deserts and more drought from Africa to Australia to the Middle East, researchers said on Thursday. The fast-heating area girdles the globe at about 30 degrees north and south latitude, crossing the southern United States, southern China and north Africa in the Northern Hemisphere, and southern Australia, South Africa and southern South America in the Southern Hemisphere. Based on 25 years of satellite data, researchers at the University of Washington also determined that the jet streams...have shifted about 70 miles (112.7 km) toward their respective poles. This is important because the jet streams mark the northern and southern boundaries of the tropic climate zones, said John Wallace, an atmospheric scientist and co-author of a research paper in this week's Science journal. The jet streams' shift toward the poles means the zones are expanding. The research is not predictive, but does show a long-term trend, Wallace said by telephone. "If (this jet-stream shift) is going to stop and it just ends up being 70 miles (112.7. km), that's not a big deal," he said. "But if it were to continue at the same rate over the next century, then that would amount to a couple of hundred miles (kilometres) and that would start to have significant effects." Faster subtropical warming in the lower atmosphere, which moves the jet streams, could push storm tracks toward the poles, possibly reducing winter precipitation in places like southern Europe, including the Alps, and southern Australia, the scientists said in a statement. *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities Conference Announcement - Arctic Frontiers, Tromso, Norway 21-26 January 2007 Tromso, Norway For further information, please go to: http://www.arctic- frontiers.com/ The first annual Arctic Frontiers conference will take place in Tromso, Norway, on 21-26 January 2007 and will be hosted by the University of Tromso. This conference will provide an up-to-date view of the state of the arctic environment and developing economic and political trends at the beginning of the International Polar Year period in 2007. During part one of the conference, invited keynote speakers will provide a review of the current status of arctic science; introduce current social, economic, and political issues; and identify challenges facing these disciplines in the coming years. Part two will be a scientific conference focusing on arctic marine ecosystems and the potential impacts of environmental change on their structure and functions. Findings will be presented from three international research programmes focused on the European Arctic. These talks will be supplemented by invited and submitted presentations that will extend these findings across the pan-arctic region. For further information, please go to: http://www.arctic- frontiers.com/ *************************************************** 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' Two Visiting Assistant Professorships at Binghamton ? Remote Sensing/ Econ./Env. Geog. Our department recently received permission to hire two visiting assistant professors. One is for someone in remote sensing, which was advertised last month, and the newest one is a two-year appointment for someone who can teach introductory, large enrollment courses, as well as those in an environmental or economic specialization. We will hire the best candidate as soon as possible. The Department of Geography seeks candidates for a one or two- year visiting Assistant Professor beginning August 2006 (PhD is preferred but ABD acceptable but rank will be as Lecturer). The successful candidate must be committed to quality undergraduate teaching with the ability to teach introductory and world regional geography, as well as courses in either economic or environmental geography. The position requires a two or three-day teaching schedule and full-time presence on the campus to provide weekly service in student advising and departmental committees. The position also involves full participation in all departmental affairs and in faculty meetings. Please submit a cover letter, vita, copies of research and teaching philosophies and the names/addresses of three references to Binghamton University, Department of Geography, Attn: Search Committee, PO Box 6000 (or 4400 Vestal Parkway East) Binghamton, NY 13902-6000. The review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. SUNY-Binghamton is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer. ******************** Senior Aquatic Ecologist, Museum Victoria, Melbourne, Australi Our client is an Australian owned and managed consulting company which offers a range of multidisciplinary environmental services to a broad client base in Australia and overseas. Due to ongoing growth in their aquatic ecology area, they are looking to employ an experienced Senior Aquatic Ecologist to undertake ecological and related monitoring, investigation and research projects within Australia. The person will have the opportunity to work with a highly skilled, dynamic, multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers on a range of different and exciting projects which will require travel within Australia. As a Senior Aquatic Ecologist you will be required to contribute to the provision of innovative and cost-effective environmental monitoring, assessment, research and management solutions in the key discipline areas of water quality, aquatic ecology, environmental engineering and/or environmental science. Ideally you will be in a position to supply a client network and project work, and essentially provide leadership and project management experience to the Aquatic Ecology team. The successful candidate will be expected to possess: *A Science or Engineering degree (or equivalent) preferably with Honours or Masters postgraduate qualifications in a relevant discipline *Approximately five or more years of relevant work experience, preferably within a commercial consulting environment *Extensive experience and knowledge of aquatic ecology and biological monitoring principles, both practical and theoretical *Ability to analyse and interpret ecological data using a range of univariate and multivariate statistics and AusRivAS modeling techniques It is essential that you are able to work as part of a team while demonstrating self-sufficiency. You will be required to assess client needs and focus project outcomes to client requirements, and work within project budgets and deadlines. Experience with rapid bioassessment sampling techniques and current AusRivAS accreditation are highly desirable. The ability to communicate complex scientific and technical reports with colleagues and clients is essential for your success in this role. For more information please contact Marielle Bright on (03) 9614 1444 or email your resume to vic3@perkinsresources.com ******************** Education and Public Outreach Coordinator for ANDRILL (Antarctic Drilling Program) The ANDRILL Science Management Office, the University of Nebraska- Lincoln (UNL), has an immediate opening for a Coordinator of Education and Public Outreach. ANDRILL (ANtarctic geological DRILLing) is a multinational, multidisciplinary program investigating Antarctica?s role in global environmental change over geological time (visit http://andrill.org). Because attention to polar science will be high during the upcoming International Polar Year (2007-2009), we have an opportunity to broaden exposure of key scientific issues regarding climate change and the polar areas, as well as highlighting this large international research team. ANDRILL seeks an inspired, committed educator to coordinate an ambitious and innovative Education and Public Outreach program. Review of applications will begin on June 20, 2006, and will continue until the position is filled or the search is closed. For a complete description of this position, please go to http://employment.unl.edu, requisition 060271. To be considered for the position, complete the Faculty/Administrative application linked to requisition 060271, attaching required documents. The successful candidate will hold a professional degree or degrees (preferably in the geosciences or education field) with excellent interpersonal and articulation skills critical for successful collaboration and have a minimum 3 to 5 years of experience in some or all of the following areas: teaching, obtaining and administering grants for education programs, working with pre-service or in-service K-12 teachers, and education program assessment. A previous scientific focus, knowledge of marine or geological science, demonstrated familiarity with federal science education programs, and experience with federal grant and private foundation program procedures are desirable, as is the commitment to serve both the education and science communities. Salary will be commensurate with experience. UNL provides an excellent benefit and retirement package. It is the policy of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln not to discriminate based on gender, age, disability, race, color, religion, martial status, veteran?s status, national or ethnic origin, or sexual orientation. AA/EEO details may be secured by contacting 128 Canfield Administration Building, P.O. Box 880437, UNL, Lincoln, Nebraska 68588-0437, or by telephoning (402) 472-3417. Employment eligibility verification is required for all new hires pursuant to the Immigration and Control Act of 1986. ******************** Senior Policy Researcher of Long-term Perspective and Policy Integration Project (LTP) at IGES Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) is currently seeking applicants for Senior Policy Researcher of Long-term Perspective and Policy Integration Project (LTP) who takes charge f 3R (Reduce, Reuse and Recyle) policy area (one position). For more details on the position and how to apply can be found in the Recruitment Announcement at: http://www.iges.or.jp/en/news/saiyo/recruit20/index.html Izumi ISHIZUKA, Head of Research Supporting Section Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES) 2108-11, Kamiyamaguchi, Hayama Kanagawa 240-0115 JAPAN Phone:+81-46-855-3720 Fax:+81-46-855-3709 URL: http://www.iges.or.jp Email: ishizuka-ltp@iges.or.jp ******************** Professor/Associate Professor/Assistant Professor - City University of Hong Kong (China) Department of Physics and Materials Science City University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong, China Applications are invited from outstanding candidates for Assistant Professor and higher positions. The Department has a strong Laboratory for Atmospheric Research that focuses on the following areas: tropical meteorology and climate, environmental modeling and atmospheric remote sensing. Details of our research in this area can be found at http://weather.cityu.edu.hk/. The University recently set up a Joint Laboratory for Atmospheric Research with the Institute of Atmospheric Physics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences to enhance our research strength in the area of atmospheric sciences. A Ph.D, in atmospheric science/meteorology or related disciplines together with a promising research record and a strong teaching ability are required. Successful candidates are expected to develop new research directions and courses. Appointment will be on a fixed- term contract with contract-end gratuity. Fringe benefits include annual leave, medical and dental schemes, and housing benefits where applicable. Applications will be considered until positions are filled. Further general information are available at http://www.cityu.edu.hk http://www.ap.cityu.edu.hk/ More detailed enquiries can be sent to me at johnny.chan@cityu.edu.hk ******************** Post-docs at Waterloo Centre for Atmospheric Sciences (WCAS) - Canada Regional Atmospheric Modelling The Waterloo Centre for Atmospheric Sciences (WCAS) has an immediate position at the Post Doctoral Level in the regional atmospheric modelling group. The WCAS modelling group consists of about 12 Research Associates, Post Doctoral Fellows and Graduate Students who carry out research into chemical transport modelling of atmospheric processes in North America. The group also includes a meteorologist and a computer systems specialist. We use MM5 and WRF to generate meteorology and the SMOKE/CMAQ CTM system for the studies. Computations are done on our 190-processor Linux cluster, which we also use to produce a local weather forecast (see http:// www.forecast.uwaterloo.ca). The project involves the development of new CTM capabilities for studies of long range chemical transport processes with a focus on ozone, mercury and toxic organic pollutants. Applicants with previous experience in regional atmospheric modelling and chemical transport model development 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 ******************** Post-docs, Biometeorology & Soil Physics - University of British Columbia (Canada) Two positions (postdoctoral fellow or research associate) have just become available in the Biometeorology & Soil Physics Research Group, University of BC, Vancouver, Canada. The first position requires an individual with a micrometeorological background who will be responsible for analyzing high frequency eddy covariance data from several forest sites to obtain fluxes of CO2, water vapour and sensible heat. This person will assess data quality and test new calculation algorithms. Experience in programming with MATLAB and an interest in instrumentation are desirable. The second position requires an individual with knowledge of ecophysiology and hydrology to study the biophysical processes controlling forest-atmosphere CO2 exchange and explain the effects of climate variability on the carbon balance of different-aged forests. Both persons will also be involved in a new project evaluating the impact of mountain pine beetle attack on the carbon balance of lodgepole pine stands. The research, which is part of Fluxnet Canada, will involve interaction with scientists from other universities and government agencies. The successful candidate will join an established research group (see http://www.landfood.ubc.ca/biomet/), which is part of the UBC Atmospheric Science Program. The positions are available immediately for one year and are renewable for an additional 1-2 years depending on satisfactory performance and the availability of funds. Starting salary will be $40,000 - 48,000CAN/year (plus benefits) depending upon qualifications. Qualified candidates should email a cover letter, which includes contact address, curriculum vitae, and the names and contact information of 3 references to Dr. Andy Black, Biometeorology and Soil Physics Research Group, University of BC, 2357 Mail Mall, V6T 1Z4. Email: andrew.black@ubc.ca. Review of the applications will begin immediately and will continue until the positions are 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/20060526/9865ed2f/attachment.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Jun 2 14:47:44 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Jun 2 14:48:52 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 06/02/2006 Message-ID: <31E4AE06-7DF7-40BA-A617-E258E0A2191A@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 06/02/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES DB's Water for All Policy ? From Paper to Practice (see below) SCIENCE NEWS 2 Studies Link Global Warming to Greater Power of Hurricanes (see below) Study Finds Global Warming Boosts Poison Ivy (see below) Powerful hurricane season looms in Atlantic (see below) Arctic Once Felt Like Florida, Studies Say (see below) JOBS Postdoctoral Position in Zooplankton Ecology (see below) Post-Doctoral Zooplankton Specialist (see below) 2 Post Docs 1 yr. appts. - 1) Public Opinion & Survey Research, and 2) Policy Analysis, Public Policy & Decision Processes at The Institute for Science, Technology and Public Policy (ISTPP), at Texas A&M University in College Station (see below) Post-doc at Ctr for Ocean-Land-Atmos Studies (USA) (see below) Post-Doctoral Research Opportunity: Modeling Climate-Fire-Vegetation- Carbon Cycle Interactions In Africa (see below) Postdoctoral Position - Physical Oceanography - Norwegian Polar Institute (see below) Ph.D. Position Available - Arctic Marine Ecology - University of Tromso (see below) *************************************************** Resources DB's Water for All Policy ? From Paper to Practice Online Version - http://www.adb.org/Documents/Periodicals/Water/ 2006/issue23-may06.asp Text-only version - http://www.adb.org/Documents/Periodicals/ Water/2006/issue23-may06-text.asp After an unprecedented year-long consultative process, the review of ADB?s water policy implementation came to a close in May 2006. The independent panel tasked to lead the process submitted its report to ADB and has been dissolved. This issue looks at the recommendations of the panel to increase ADB?s investments and ability to secure Water For All in the Asia-Pacific region. It also covers experiences in translating the policy into specific actions on the ground, and presents projects that have incorporated the Water for All policy. *************************************************** Science News 2 Studies Link Global Warming to Greater Power of Hurricanes Climate researchers at Purdue University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology separately reported new evidence yesterday supporting the idea that global warming is causing stronger hurricanes. In one new paper, to appear in a coming issue of Geophysical Research Letters, Matthew Huber of the Purdue department of earth and atmospheric sciences and Ryan L. Sriver, a graduate student there, calculate the total damage that could be caused by storms worldwide, using data normally applied to reconciling weather forecast models with observed weather events. The Purdue scientists found that their results matched earlier work by Kerry A. Emanuel, a hurricane expert at M.I.T. Dr. Emanuel has argued that global warming, specifically the warming of the tropical oceans, is already increasing the power expended by hurricanes. The approach used by the Purdue researchers, concentrating on what is called reanalysis data, has never been tried for this purpose before, Dr. Huber said in an interview, adding, "We were surprised that it did as well as it did." In a statement accompanying the release of the study, Dr. Huber said the results were important because the overall measure of cyclone activity, whether through more intense storms or more frequent storms, had doubled with a one-quarter-degree increase in average global temperature. In the other new study, Dr. Emanuel and Michael E. Mann, a meteorologist at Pennsylvania State University, compared records of global sea surface temperatures with those of the tropical Atlantic and said the recent strengthening of hurricanes was attributable largely to the rise in ocean surface temperature. Some researchers say long-term cycles unrelated to global warming are the major cause of hurricane strengthening in recent decades. But Dr. Emanuel and Dr. Mann, whose work is to be published in Eos, a publication of the American Geophysical Union, maintained that the cycles, the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, had little if any effect. In fact, they reported that the most recent cooling cycle could just as well be attributed to the presence of particle pollutants in the atmosphere that block sunlight and, they said, could have temporarily counteracted some of the influence of warming from accumulating greenhouse gases. Dr. Mann said the new findings also suggested that as efforts to cut pollution by particles and aerosols continued to intensify, their cooling effects would diminish while the heating effects of greenhouse gases would remain unconstrained. As a result, he said, "we could be in for much larger increases in Atlantic sea surface temperatures, and tropical cyclone activities, in the decades ahead." He joked that some might urge an increase in pollution, but called it "a Faustian bargain." Stanley B. Goldenberg, a meteorologist with the Hurricane Research Division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration who has expressed skepticism about any connection between global warming and hurricane intensity, said he had not seen the new papers but had read nothing in other recent research to change his view. "There's going to be an endless series of articles from this circle that is embracing this new theology built on very flimsy interpretation" of hurricane data, Mr. Goldenberg said. "If global warming is having an effect on hurricanes, I certainly wouldn't base it on the articles I've seen." http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/31/science/31climate.html? _r=1&oref=slogin ******************** Study Finds Global Warming Boosts Poison Ivy Another reason to worry about global warming: more and itchier poison ivy. The noxious vine grows faster and bigger as carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere rise, researchers report. And a CO2-driven vine also produces more of its rash-causing chemical, urushiol, conclude experiments conducted in a forest at Duke University where scientists increased carbon-dioxide levels to those expected in 2050. (May 31, 2006 ? Associated Press) http:// www.enn.com/today.html?id=10575 ******************** Powerful hurricane season looms in Atlantic By Patrick Moser MIAMI (AFP) - Storm-weary residents along the US Atlantic coast this week begin six months of hurricane watching and forecasters say there is every chance they will see new devastation. The season officially starts Thursday and US experts say as many as 10 hurricanes could form in the Atlantic and four could slam ashore in the southern United States....And authorities admit they have not finished strengthening the levees that broke after Hurricane Katrina slammed into the US Gulf coast on August 29, 2005, flooding large parts of New Orleans. "We now have a much larger vulnerable population going into this hurricane season and it will not take a category three or four hurricane to devastate that citizenship," said Robert Latham, who heads the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. Katrina ranked as category three when it slammed ashore near New Orleans, causing the deaths of more than 1,500 people. In all, 2005 saw a record 15 hurricanes, among an unprecedented 28 named storms that formed in the Atlantic. For the first time on record, seven of the hurricanes were considered major, meaning they hit category three or higher. It was also the costliest hurricane season, with damage estimated at more than 100 billion dollars. In Florida, concern rose as engineers recently suggested a major storm could smash an aging levee that rings the 1,800-square- kilometer (700-square-mile) Lake Okeechobee, in the center of the state. Officials said they were readying for a worst-case scenario, in which residents from areas around the lake would have to be evacuated at the same time as people living along Florida's Gulf and Atlantic coast flee from a looming hurricane. But a recent poll indicated that 13 percent of the 34.6 million people in harm's way would not evacuate if ordered to do so and 56 percent do not feel vulnerable to a hurricane. That, says National Hurricane Center chief Max Mayfield, could spell disaster. "It takes just one hurricane over your house to make it a bad year." http://uk.news.yahoo.com/31052006/323/powerful-hurricane-season- looms-atlantic.html ******************** Arctic Once Felt Like Florida, Studies Say By ANDREW C. REVKIN The New York Times The first detailed analysis of an extraordinary climatic and biological record from the seabed near the North Pole shows that 55 million years ago the Arctic was much warmer than anyone had thought. The findings, in three separate papers in the issue of the journal Nature that comes out on Thursday, show how much remains to be learned about climate change, both natural and human-caused. But experts say that if anything, the papers suggest that scientists have greatly underestimated the power of greenhouse gases to warm the planet. Computer simulations done without the benefit of the seabed sampling do not reproduce an ancient Arctic nearly that warm, the authors said, and thus must be missing elements that lead to greater warming. "Something extra happens when you push the world into a warmer world, and we just don't understand what it is," said one lead author, Henk Brinkhuis, an expert on ancient Arctic ecology at the University of Utrecht in the Netherlands. At the same time, he said, the new work reveals no tendency in the polar climate system to turn things around, from warming to cooling. Some scientists have suggested that warming may be a self- limiting process."There is nothing pointing in the other direction," Dr. Brinkhuis said. The studies draw on the work of a pioneering 2004 expedition that defied the Arctic Ocean ice and pulled the first significant samples from the ancient layered seabed just 150 miles from the North Pole: 1,400 feet of slender shafts of muck, ancient organisms and rock representing a climate history that dates back 56 million years. While there is ample fossil evidence around the edges of the Arctic Ocean showing great past swings in climate, the ocean itself has been a glaring blank spot in scientists' understanding of climate history. . The new analysis confirms that the Arctic Ocean warmed to a remarkable degree 55 million years ago and that the warming was driven at least in part by an explosive buildup of heat-trapping greenhouse gases ? one far greater than the current human-caused rise. The samples also chronicle the subsequent cooling, with many ups and downs, that the researchers say began about 45 million years ago and led to the cycles of ice ages and brief warm spells of the last several million years. Experts not connected with the studies say they also support the idea that it is greenhouse gases ? not slight variations in the Earth's orbit around the Sun ? that largely determine the extent of warming or cooling. "In my opinion, the new research provides additional important evidence that greenhouse-gas changes controlled much of climate history, which strengthens the argument that greenhouse-gas changes are likely to control much of the climate future," said one such expert, Richard B. Alley, a geoscientist at Penn State. The $12.5 million Arctic Coring Expedition, run by a consortium called the International Ocean Drilling Program, was the first to drill deep into the layers of sediment deposited over millions of years in the ice-cloaked Arctic. The samples were gathered late in the summer of 2004 as two icebreakers shattered huge drifting floes so a third ship could hold its position and bore into the bottom for nine days. Estimates of the prevailing temperatures in the different eras represented by the sedimentary layers were made in part by tracking the comings and goings of certain dinoflagellates, a kind of algae that typically indicate subtropical or tropical conditions. Because the samples lacked remains of shell-bearing plankton that are usually relied on to provide temperature records, the researchers used a newer method for approximating past temperatures: gauging changes in the chemical composition of the remains of a primitive phylum of microbes called Crenarchaeota. Some scientists familiar with the research said that while there were still questions about the precision of this method at temperatures like those in the ancient Arctic Ocean, over all it was clear that the area was extraordinarily warm. Another significant discovery came in layers from 49 million years ago, where conditions suddenly fostered the summertime growth of vast mats of an ancient cousin of the Azolla duckweed that now cloaks suburban ponds. The researchers propose that this occurred when straits closed between the Arctic Ocean and the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. The flow of water from precipitation and rivers created a great pool of fresh water, but about 800,000 years after the blossoming of duckweed began, it ended with a sudden warming of a few additional degrees. The researchers suggest that this signaled when shifting land formations reconnected the Arctic with the Atlantic, allowing salty warmer water to flow in, killing off the weed. The researchers said the sediments held hints that earth's long slide to colder conditions and the recent cycle of ice ages and brief thaws began quite soon after the hothouse days 50 million years ago. A centerpiece of their argument is a single pebble, about the size of a chickpea, found in a layer created 45 million years ago. The stone could have been deposited on the raised undersea ridge only if it had been carried overhead in ice, said Kathryn Moran, a chief scientist on the drilling project, who teaches at the University of Rhode Island. The stone was most likely embedded in an iceberg or perhaps a plate of sea ice that tore free from a gravelly shore. It then sank as the ice melted or broke apart, Dr. Moran proposed. Such "dropstones" have long been used to date when an oceanic region has been ice covered or ice free. The amount of ice-carried debris in the sediment layers started increasing about 14 million years ago, the scientists said. That is also about when the great ice sheet that now weighs down eastern Antarctica originated, Dr. Moran noted. In general, the results from the Arctic drilling project suggest that the cooling and ice buildup at both poles happened in relative lock step. This simultaneity tends to support the idea that the cooling was caused by a drop in concentrations of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which mix uniformly in the atmosphere around the world, said Dr. Moran and other members of the team. Julie Brigham-Grette of the University of Massachusetts, an expert in past Arctic climates who was not connected with the new studies, cautioned against putting too much significance in the single sample, and particularly the single stone from 45 million years ago. She said it was vital to try to mesh the new core results with existing data gathered around Arctic coasts, where there is plenty of evidence for warm conditions in at least some places at some times as recently as 2.4 million years ago. Despite the questions, she said the project was a stunning achievement. "It's all very, very exciting to me, because now we can start to rewrite the history of the Arctic," Dr. Brigham-Grette said. "It's like working a giant landscape puzzle of 500 pieces. For a while we only had 100 pieces. Now we have 100 more, and the picture is getting clearer." ******************** 8 New Species Found in a Cave from the Boston Globe (Registration Required) JERUSALEM -- A chance discovery by a teenage spelunker has revealed the existence of eight new animal species in an underground cave in Israel, including the first terrestrial animal with no known relative found only in a cave, scientists announced yesterday. The new life-forms were discovered in a huge limestone cavern more than 300 feet below ground that experts said had probably been undisturbed for millions of years. Scientists at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem said at a press conference four aquatic species and four terrestrial species were found in the cave and that they were probably unique to the undisturbed ecosystem. Seven of the species were thought to be related to other known species, they said. http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/ 2006/06/01/8_new_species_found_in_a_cave/ http://tinyurl.com/mavc3 ******************** Studies Portray Tropical Arctic in Distant Past from the New York Times (Registration Required) The first detailed analysis of an extraordinary climatic and biological record from the seabed near the North Pole shows that 55 million years ago the Arctic Ocean was much warmer than scientists imagined - a Floridian year-round average of 74 degrees. The findings, published today in three papers in the journal Nature, fill in a blank spot in scientists' understanding of climate history. And while they show that much remains to be learned about climate change, they suggest that scientists have greatly underestimated the power of heat-trapping gases to warm the Arctic. Previous computer simulations, done without the benefit of seabed sampling, did not suggest an ancient Arctic that was nearly so warm, the authors said. So the simulations must have missed elements that lead to greater warming. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/01/science/earth/01climate.html? hp&ex=1149220800&en=e4cbc61c106cff3d&ei=5094&partner=homepage *************************************************** 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 Position in Zooplankton Ecology Washington State University Vancouver seeks an individual to contribute to a growing and dynamic program in environmental sciences. The successful candidate will work on one or more of the following topics: 1) zooplankton responses to coastal upwelling (see http://ccs.ucsd.edu/coop/west/); 2) predation effects and macrozooplankton/micronekton dynamics on Georges Bank (see http:// globec.whoi.edu/); and/or 3) any topic of mutual interest (see http:// www.vancouver.wsu.edu/programs/sci/aquatic-eco/home.htm). Qualifications: PhD degree in biological oceanography, marine or estuarine ecology, or related field. Starting salary range $38,000- $42,000 per year, plus benefits. Appointment renewable annually, depending on availability of funds. Washington State University Vancouver is a rapidly expanding institution located within the greater Portland/Vancouver metropolitan area, near the Columbia River, Cascade Mountains and coastal ocean, and as such offers an exceptional quality of life. Send statement of research interests, curriculum vitae, and names and contact information of 3 persons willing to serve as a reference to: Dr. Stephen M. Bollens Director of Sciences Washington State University Vancouver, 14204 NE Salmon Creek Avenue Vancouver, WA 98686-9600 bollens@vancouver.wsu.edu ******************** Post-Doctoral Zooplankton Specialist The Prince William Sound Science Center, a non-profit research and education institution located on the shores of Prince William Sound (www.pwssc.org) in Cordova, Alaska (www.cordovachamber.com and www.cityofcordova.net), is seeking a highly motivated and enthusiastic person for a post-doctoral research position focused on high-latitude zooplankton population dynamics. This individual will join a multi-disciplinary and multi-institutional team working on the ecosystem dynamics of Prince William Sound. Qualifications: Applicants are required to have oceanographic research experience and know high-latitude zooplankton taxonomy. The ideal candidate will be familiar with the operation of electronically controlled multiple-net zooplankton sampling devices. The Post-Doc will work both at sea and in the laboratory. The successful applicant will be expected to work independently, but in collaboration with other researchers, be able to publish the research findings in peer- reviewed scientific journals as well as write proposals, reports, and other publications. The ideal applicant will be organized, self motivated, independent, pro-active, have a proven ability to produce tangible results from significant or difficult tasks, have strong communication skills, be able to work as part of a research team, and complement the research interests of existing personnel. Some travel within the region will be required. This position is for 15 months commencing in 2006 with extension contingent on funding. Applicant must be U.S. or Canadian citizen or have U.S. Permanent Residence status. Salary range $50,000-52,000 annually with excellent benefit package. Application Process: Please send electronically your curriculum vitae, a statement of research interests, how you think you would fit into our organization, your professional experiences (be sure to provide documentation of at-sea and sampling device experience), and the names of three references with their contact information to: Dr. Tom Kline, Prince William Sound Science Center, P.O. Box 705, Cordova, AK 99574 tkline@pwssc.gen.ak.us. Review of applications will begin on June 19, 2006. Position is open until filled. ******************** 2 Post Docs 1 yr. appts. - 1) Public Opinion & Survey Research, and 2) Policy Analysis, Public Policy & Decision Processes at The Institute for Science, Technology and Public Policy (ISTPP), at Texas A&M University in College Station Public Opinion and Survey Research Policy Analysis, Public Policy and Decision Processes These are one-year (with a possible extension to two years), 12- month salaried positions with an approximate salary of $42,000 per year, depending on qualifications and experience. The Institute is a nonpartisan, interdisciplinary public policy research organization in the George Bush School of Government and Public Service at Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas. Institute personnel collaborate with natural and bench scientists on projects that combine findings from those sciences with social and policy sciences. Institute projects that will fund this position involve decision-making, policy development, and the use of science-based information on climate change. Both positions require a Ph.D. (by August 31, 2006) in political science, sociology, or related social science discipline, a thorough knowledge of social science research and data collection methods (qualitative and quantitative), and strong skills in database management and statistical analysis. Both positions may focus on a diverse set of substantive policy areas, including: climate change and variability issues, environmental policy, health policy, transportation policy, and homeland security issues. A background in environmental policy is desired. Both positions also include, but are not limited to, collecting data as a member of a research team, analyzing data, writing (co-author or single author) scholarly publications and research reports based on results, and maintaining research records and databases. The successful candidate should be a team player and be able to work in a collaborative and multidisciplinary environment. Candidates should send a letter of application, statement of research and career interests, curriculum vitae, writing sample and three letters of recommendation to Dr. Robert R. Shandley (r- shandley@tamu.edu), Institute for Science, Technology and Public Policy, George Bush School of Government and Public Service, Texas A&M University, 4350 TAMU, College Station, Texas 77843-4350. ******************** Post-doc at Ctr for Ocean-Land-Atmos Studies (USA) Postdoctoral Position - Center for Ocean-Land-Atmosphere Studies (COLA) invites applications for a post-doctoral position to develop a new method for reducing systematic errors in operational weather and climate models. The method is to develop stochastic models of initial tendency errors that will subtract forecast errors at every time step, and perturb the forecast model in a manner consistent with the errors. The candidate will run the NCEP Global Forecast System (GFS) and Climate Forecast System (CFS), and perform statistical analyses of the results. Good computational skills and a Ph.D. in atmospheric science or related field are required. The work will be done at COLA under the supervision of Dr. Timothy DelSole of George Mason University, and Dr. Hua-Lu Pan of the Environmental Modeling Center at NOAA. The position is available 1 June 2006 and renewable for up to three years. To apply, send a CV, brief statement of research interest, and three references to tdelsole@gmu.edu , or to: Dr. Timothy DelSole, 4041 Powder Mill Rd., Suite 302, Calverton, MD 20705-3106. USA The position will remain open until filled. COLA is an equal opportunity employer; women and minority candidates are especially encouraged to apply. ******************** Post-Doctoral Research Opportunity: Modeling Climate-Fire-Vegetation- Carbon Cycle Interactions In Africa We seek a post-doctoral research fellow to model the dynamic interactions of fire, vegetation, climate and human population in African ecosystems, and to analyse the effects on regional and continental carbon cycle. The researcher will be responsible for implementing and testing a revised version of the fire module of the dynamic global vegetation model framework LPJ-GUESS, and for the adaptation of the models' plant functional types for key African ecosystems. Model output will be evaluated against a range of observations (e.g., vegetation parameters, ecosystem carbon fluxes, remote-sensing fire information, etc). Further information about the project can be obtained from Almut Arneth (almut.arneth@nateko.lu.se). Requirements: Ph.D. degree (or equivalent) in a quantitative environmental sciences discipline, for instance meteorology, Environmental physics, -biology, or -engineering. Applications from candidates who are close to completion of their PhD degree will also be considered Expertise with process-based mathematical modelling of ecological processes Excellent programming skills (e.g., C++, Fortran) Expertise with the interpretation of field observations, satellite remote sensing products and with processing of information from data bases Willingness to communicate research results and to contribute to training courses We welcome candidates with enthusiasm for collaboration within a multidisciplinary environment, as well as an aptness to pose and solve problems individually. The work involves extensive international collaboration and the candidate must be willing to travel. The project is part of the EU-funded project 'CarboAfrica', and the position will be available from c. September 2006 (subject to final approval by the Commission), for a period of c. 24 months (depending on the entry level of the candidate). Lund is a pleasant university town in southern Sweden with excellent connections to Copenhagen International airport. Salaries will include full access to the Swedish social security system. Deadline for application is 23 June 2006. Applications, in the PDF format, should include a description of motivation and research interests, detailed CV, publication list and names and contact details of two referees. Incomplete applications, or applications in a format other than PDF will not be considered. Please email your documents to: Almut Arneth, almut.arneth@nateko.lu.se University of Lund, Sweden Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystems Analysis ******************** Postdoctoral Position - Physical Oceanography - Norwegian Polar Institute Application Deadline: Friday, 30 June 2006 For further information, please contact: Edmond Hansen Phone: +47 77 75 05 36 E-mail: edmond.hansen@npolar.no Ole Anders Nost Phone: + 47 77 75 05 13 E-mail: ole@npolar.no The Norwegian Polar Institute (NPI) Polar Climate Program invites applications for a three-year position as research scientist/postdoc in physical oceanography. The successful applicant will conduct research on the role of fresh water in the dynamics of the Nordic Seas. The research will mainly focus on observations of Fram Strait fresh water fluxes and the effect of their variability. The position is part of DAMOCLES (http://www.damocles-eu.org/), an EU funded Integrated Project. A collaboration with partners in DAMOCLES and oceanographers in the Polar Climate Program working on related topics is expected. The candidate must be willing to participate on scientific cruises and fieldwork in the Arctic. NPI seeks candidates with good knowledge of the Nordic Seas properties and role in the climate system. The applicant must hold a Ph.D. or possess equivalent experience within physical oceanography. Experience from cruises and/or oceanographic data analysis is an asset. Female candidates are encouraged to apply for the position. NPI is Norway's main institution for polar environmental research and advisory services, environmental monitoring, mapping, and expeditions to the polar regions. The Institute reports to Norway's Ministry of the Environment and is a liaison and service body for national and international polar research. Approximately 110 persons are employed at the Institute in Tromso, Svalbard, and Dronning Maud Land. Further inquiries about the position may be directed to project leader/researcher Edmond Hansen (+47 77 75 05 36, E-mail: edmond.hansen@npolar.no) or researcher Ole Anders Nost (+ 47 77 75 05 13, E-mail: ole@npolar.no). Applications should include a CV, name of referees, a list of publications, and details of relevant qualifications and experience. NPI prefers that an electronic application is submitted on http:// www.jobbnor.no. If this is not feasible paper copies may be sent to: Norwegian Polar Institute Polar Environmental Center 9296 Tromso Norway ******************** Ph.D. Position Available - Arctic Marine Ecology - University of Tromso Application Deadline: Monday, 19 June 2006 For further information, please contact: Dr. Stig Falk-Petersen Norwegian Polar Institute Phone: +47 77 75 05 32 E-mail: Stig@npolar.no A Ph.D. position in Arctic Marine Ecology is available at the Norwegian College of Fishery Science, University of Tromso, in collaboration with the Norwegian Polar Institute. The position is linked to the Arctic Marine Ecosystem Research Network (ARCTOS) science trainee school (http://www.nfh.uit.no/arctos). The candidate will conduct research on marine ecosystems in fjords on Svalbard and in the Marginal Ice Zone, with special focus on the daubed shanny (Leptoclinus maculates) and its role in these ecosystems. Lipid composition and its storage structures, stable isotopes for trophic relationships, and energy transfer between lower and higher trophic levels involving this species will be studied for different life stages of this fish. This species have pelagic, lipid- rich larvae and becomes a benthic dweller at soft bottoms during older stages. The physiological changes with regard to lipids and feeding modes during the different life stages will be studied both in the field and the laboratory. The successful candidate will become part of the ARCTOS collaboration between the University of Tromso, Norwegian Polar Institute, Akvaplan-niva, and the University Centre on Svalbard. The field work will be conducted in Svalbard waters, and the laboratory experiments at the Arctic Marine Laboratory in Ny-Alesund, Svalbard. Applicants should have a graduate degree in marine ecology/ fisheries biology or equivalent education with relevant course combination. It is desirable that applicants have qualifications in lipid chemistry, statistics, and experiments involving fish or other marine organisms. Academically, the position will be under the Norwegian College of Fishery Science, University of Tromso. The candidate will be supervised by experienced researchers at the University of Tromso and at the Norwegian Polar Institute. An application form is available at http://www.jobbnord.no. Applicants need to submit a two-page, relevant project description for a potential Ph.D. thesis on this topic as part of the application. CV, certified transcripts and attests, named references, as well as letter of interest need to be submitted in five copies, and reprints of papers as three full sets. Applications should be submitted to: Norwegian Fishery College University of Tromso N-9037 Tromso Norway For further information, please contact: Dr. Stig Falk-Petersen Norwegian Polar Institute Phone: +47 77 75 05 32 E-mail: Stig@npolar.no ************************************************** 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/20060602/644166c3/attachment.html From weilercs at whitman.edu Mon Jun 5 11:58:17 2006 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Mon Jun 5 11:59:03 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] Illustrated overview of DIALOG symposia Message-ID: <68659A0E-8F50-4402-B047-FCF70202B635@whitman.edu> Dear all, I've created a sort of illustrated overview of DIALOG symposia, and thought some of you might be interested in it. It is in PowerPoint format so there are some nice photos of a lot of you. Go to http://aslo.org/phd.html and click on "Click here for symposium overview", just under the images of the symposium posters. PHOTOS NEEDED: I don't have electronic photos from the first couple of DIALOG symposia. If any of you have some, or have some nice photos from other symposia you think I should add, please send them to me and I'll try to incorporate them, either into the PowerPoint or on the "Resources" page, http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/resources/ Still working on that next proposal -- hopefully the next symposium will be in 2007. cheers, sue ********** 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 Interdisciplinary Training for Ph.D. Graduates: http://aslo.org/phd.html http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/ Aquatic Science: http://www.aslo.org/phd/dialogposter.pdf Climate-Change and impacts: http://www.aslo.org/phd/disccrsposter.pdf -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20060605/7ffc6241/attachment.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Jun 9 14:42:04 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Jun 9 14:43:37 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 06/09/2006 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 06/09/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES NSIDC Images Viewable Using Google Earth (see below) SCIENCE NEWS Earth's ozone layer appears to be on the road to recovery, but the reasons why aren't fully understood. NASA Science News for May 26, 2006 http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2006/26may_ozone.htm?list14093 Global warming has forced animals to evolve already http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/article753745.ece Beaver Dams Create Healthy Downstream Ecosystems (see below) Deserts "Need Better Management" (see below) German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) (see below) Lloyd's tells members climate change could destroy insurers (The Guardian) (see below) Rocks May Hold Key to Oldest Life (see below) Same Species Responds Differently To Same Warming, Depending On Location (see below) Wet or dry? Sahel's uncertain future (see below) The ocean floor - can they dig it? (see below) SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES Acknowledge an Outstanding Junior Scientist in the Atmospheric Sciences With a Nomination for the James R. Holton Award (see below) Transantarctic Mountains Workshop: New Opportunities For Multi-Disciplinary Research (see below) JOBS Online Listing of Paleoscience Jobs - Past Global Changes (PAGES) All of the paleoscience jobs announced through the ArcticInfo, CRYOLIST, PALEOCLIMATE, and PALEOLIM listservers can now be found on the Past Global Changes (PAGES) website: http://www.pages-igbp.org/ services/jobs/index.html Climate Program Specialist (see below) Program Officer, Americas Program, U.S.National Science Foundation (see below) Ice Sheet Modelling - Danish Climate Centre (see below) Program Officer, Conservation and Science Program - The David and Lucile Packard Foundation (Apparently quite interested in candidates with a social science or economics background - see below) Two fellowships: Dept of Meteorology and Climatologyat Univ of Lodz (Poland) (see below) Post-Doc, Theoretical Modelling of Social-Ecological Systems: Case System Recreational Fisheries, The Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) of the Forschungsverbund Berlin (see below) *************************************************** Resources NSIDC Images Viewable Using Google Earth NSIDC has made a select set of images viewable through the popular interactive desktop application, Google Earth. Currently, Google Earth users can view images showing permafrost, snow, sea ice extent, and photographs of glaciers. Distribution of permafrost, snow, and ice are displayed as overlays on the Google Earth base map. Snow and ice information are updated daily. For more information, please visit NSIDC's Google Earth Web page at http://nsidc.org/data/google_earth/. As virtual globes, such as Google Earth, are becoming increasingly important, NSIDC is supporting the First Annual Virtual Globes Scientific Users Conference, in Boulder, CO, July 10-12. See http://www.earthslot.org/vgconference/index.php for more information and to register. If you have any questions about the images in Google Earth or any of our data products, please contact us at nsidc@nsidc.org *************************************************** Science News Beaver Dams Create Healthy Downstream Ecosystems AGU Release No. 06-19 WASHINGTON -- Beavers, long known for their beneficial effects on the environment near their dams, are also critical to maintaining healthy ecosystems downstream. Researchers have found that ponds created by beaver dams raised downstream groundwater levels in the Colorado River valley, keeping soil water levels high and providing moisture to plants in the otherwise dry valley bottom. The results will be published 8 June in Water Resources Research, a journal of the American Geophysical Union. Cherie Westbrook of Colorado State University and colleagues there and at the U.S. Geological Survey in Fort Collins, Colorado, conducted a three-year study in Rocky Mountain National Park, examining valley ecosystems downstream in the Colorado River. They noted that water diverted by beaver dams is forced out of the natural stream channel and spreads across and down the valley for hundreds of meters [yards]. In addition, dams built on the river changed the direction of groundwater flow in the valley. The changes caused water to infiltrate the river banks and flow underground toward the sides of the valley, instead of down the center of the valley. The researchers suggest that the elevated moisture levels found in soil surrounding the dams would otherwise require water from a very large natural flood, which they estimate as the 200-year flood, to achieve the same expansive water availability to the valley bottom. Additionally, beaver dams built away from natural river channels further redirect water across the valley, enhancing the depth, extent, and duration of inundation associated with smaller floods; they also elevate the water table to sustain plant and animal life during the dry summer season. "This study broadens the view of the importance of beaver in the valley bottoms beyond the upstream ponds," Westbrook said. "We found that upstream ponds were not the main hydrologic effect of the dams in the Colorado River valley. Instead, the beaver dams greatly enhanced hydrologic processes during the peak flow and low flow periods, suggesting that beaver can create and maintain environments suitable for the formation and persistence of wetlands." The study comes as the beaver population in Rocky Mountain National Park is dwindling. Approximately 30 of the animals currently live there, down from a high of nearly 600 estimated in 1940. The authors caution that additional reductions in the population could harm the current hydrologic balance in the river valley and affect the area's water cycle and soil conditions, potentially changing plant species and influencing the overall diversity of the ecosystem in the future. They suggest that although there are multiple explanations for the reduction in beaver population, such as alterations in the flow along the Colorado River, similar hydrologic effects downstream likely affect river systems worldwide. The research was funded by grants from the U.S. Geological Survey and Rocky Mountain National Park. Notes for Journalists Journalists (only) may obtain a pdf copy of this paper upon request to Jonathan Lifland: jlifland@agu.org. Please provide your name, name of publication, phone, and email address. The paper and this press release are not under embargo. Title: "Beaver dams and overbank floods influence groundwater- surface water interactions of a Rocky Mountain riparian area" Authors: Cherie J. Westbrook, David J. Cooper: Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA; Bruce W. Baker: U.S. Geological Survey, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA. Citation: Westbrook, C.J., D.J. Cooper, B.W. Baker (2006), Beaver dams and overbank floods influence groundwater-surface water interactions of a Rocky Mountain riparian area, Water Resour. Res., 42, [TBD], doi:10.1029/2005WR004560. Contact information for author: Cherie Westbrook (now at the University of Saskatchewan): cherie.westbrook@usask.ca or +1 (306) 966-1818 ******************** Deserts "Need Better Management" from BBC News Online Climate change, high water demand and even tourism are putting unprecedented pressures on the world's desert ecosystems, according to a report. The Global Deserts Outlook, produced by the UN's Environment Programme, is described as the first comprehensive look at the Earth's driest regions. It highlights the problems - and also the potential - in arid areas. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5041988.stm or http://tinyurl.com/gztkr ******************** German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) 2006 Special Report: CARBON DIOXIDE POSES DOUBLE RISK TO OCEANS AND COASTS P R E S S R E L E A S E Latest research findings show that failure to check mankind?s emissions of carbon dioxide will have severe consequences for the world?s oceans. The marine environment is doubly affected: continuing warming and ongoing acidification both pose threats. In combination with over-fishing, these two threats are further jeopardizing already weakened fish stocks. Sea-level rise is exposing coastal regions to mounting flood and hurricane risks. To keep the adverse effects on human society and ecosystems within manageable limits, it will be essential to adopt new coastal protection approaches, designate marine protected areas and agree on ways to deal with refugees from endangered coastal areas. All such measures, however, can only succeed if global warming and ocean acidification are combated vigorously. Ambitious climate protection is therefore a key precondition to successful marine conservation and coastal protection. Berlin, 31 May 2006. Today, the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) submits to Parliamentary State Secretaries Michael M?ller (Environment) and Thomas Rachel (Research) its new special report ?The Future Oceans: Warming Up, Rising High, Turning Sour?. In its report, WBGU shows that climate change is having severe impacts on the state of the oceans. Human activities are unleashing processes of change in the oceans that are without precedent in the past several million years. Three processes are critical: ocean warming, ocean acidification and sea-level rise. All three are a direct outcome of the atmospheric enrichment of pollution with greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide. To minimize the risk to the oceans and marine life it will thus be crucial to stem the increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide in time. WBGU stresses the need for a rapid response: because of the major time lags, human action now will determine the state of the oceans for many centuries to come. Ocean acidification is advancing The carbon dioxide released by human activities not only alters the atmospheric radiation balance and thus drives climate change. Carbon dioxide also dissolves directly in seawater. This causes rapid acidification of the oceans, which is already measurable today. If no action is taken, acidification could already reach a level within this century that will be greater than has probably occurred at any time for many millions of years. Furthermore, this process will be irreversible for a very long period of time. Acidification presents particular threats to calcifying marine organisms, such as corals, that have a key function in marine food webs and global biogeochemical cycles. Oceans are warming, sea ice is melting Warming seawater is threatening numerous marine ecosystems and fish stocks. This development poses incalculable risks, especially to human food security: about 15 per cent of the animal protein consumed worldwide derives from fish. One of the most visible consequences of warming is the retreat of Arctic sea ice. Over the past 30 years, summertime ice cover has declined by about 20 per cent. Without action to mitigate climate change, the Arctic Ocean is projected to be practically ice-free in summer by the end of the 21st century. This would have far-reaching consequences for climate worldwide. The destructive force of cyclones is mounting Observations and modelling results indicate that while climate warming does not increase the total number of tropical cyclones, it gives them greater destructive force. Tropical sea-surface temperatures have warmed by only half a degree Celsius, while an increase in the energy of hurricanes by 70% has been observed. Sea-level rise is accelerating Due to the melting of inland glaciers and continental ice sheets, in combination with the expansion of seawater that is a direct result of warming, sea levels are rising. The average global rate of rise throughout the 20th century was 1.5 2 centimetres per decade. Satellite measurements show that sea levels have risen by 3 centimetres in the past decade alone. Should the sea rise by more than 1 metre from the pre-industrial level, WBGU fears that the adaptive capacity of coastal societies will be overstretched. WBGU recommends: Limit acidification and temperature rise Adaptation measures can only succeed if sea-level rise, ocean warming and ocean acidification are limited to tolerable levels. The only way to do this is through aggressive climate protection policies. WBGU has already recommended previously that the rise in global mean temperature be limited to a maximum of 2 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial level. Ocean conservation is a further reason for imposing this limit. Furthermore, in order to restrain acidification it is essential to reduce not only emissions of the overall basket of greenhouse gases, but also to ensure that carbon dioxide emissions in particular are sufficiently abated. It follows in WBGU?s view that global anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions will need to be approximately halved by 2050 from 1990 levels. WBGU recommends: Strengthen the resilience of marine ecosystems To strengthen the resilience of marine ecosystems to elevated seawater temperatures and acidification, it is essential to manage marine resources sustainably. In particular, over-fishing must be stopped. In addition, WBGU recommends designating at least 20 30 per cent of the global marine area as conservation zones. The international community has already adopted goals in this regard, for instance at the World Summit on Sustainable Development in Johannesburg. These must now be implemented, and the regulatory gap for the high seas closed by adopting an appropriate international agreement. WBGU recommends: Develop new strategies for coastal protection About every fifth person lives within 30 kilometres of the sea. Many of these people are put at immediate risk by sea-level rise and hurricanes. Coastal protection is thus becoming a key challenge for society, not least in financial terms. National and international strategies for mitigation and adaptation need to be further developed and harmonized. This includes plans for a managed retreat from endangered areas. In developing countries, financing needs to be secured by means of both existing and innovative financing instruments such as micro-insurance. WBGU recommends: Give legal certainty to refugees from sea-level rise At present, international law neither establishes a commitment to receive people who are forced to leave coastal areas or islands because of climate change, nor is the cost question resolved. Over the long term, a quota system is conceivable, under which states would have to adopt responsibility for refugees in line with their greenhouse gas emissions. This will require formal international agreements and the establishment of dedicated funds for international compensation payments. WBGU recommends: Use carbon dioxide storage only as a transitional solution To mitigate emissions, carbon dioxide can be captured in energy- generating facilities and then stored in geological formations on land or under the sea floor. Direct injection into the deep sea is a further option under debate, but this lacks permanence and harbours a risk of ecological damage in the deep sea. WBGU therefore recommends prohibiting the injection of carbon dioxide into seawater in general. In contrast, storing carbon dioxide in geological formations under the sea floor can present a transitional solution for climate protection, complementing more sustainable approaches such as enhancing energy efficiency and expanding renewable energies. Permits should only be granted, however, if such storage is environmentally sound and is secure for at least 10,000 years. PLEASE NOTE: THE FULL ENGLISH TRANSLATION WILL BE AVAILABLE IN AUGUST 2006. Please direct your queries to the Secretariat of the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU), Tel. +49 30 263948 12. The full German version can be downloaded under http://www.wbgu.de/ ******************** Lloyd's tells members climate change could destroy insurers (The Guardian) Lloyd's of London, the oldest insurance market in the world, yesterday urged its members to start taking global warming more seriously, by increasing prices to avoid being "swept away" in a sea of future financial claims. Premiums will have to rise and some risks might even be classed as uninsurable due to greenhouse gases and rising sea levels, warned Lloyd's in a report entitled Climate Change, Adapt or Bust. ...In the short term the insurance industry would have to invest more time and money in academic research as well as convert scientific predictions into practical guidance for the sector. Lloyd's noted that high sea temperatures are a key ingredient in wind storms, and that over the past century overall sea water temperature had risen by between 0.2C and 0.6C. Increased hurricanes, such as Katrina, which devastated New Orleans last year, should not have been a surprise since academics had warned in 2001 of this kind of weather pattern. "Recent temperatures are probably outside the range of past oscillations and seem to suggest we will be caught in an upward cycle for some time to come," Lloyd's predicted. The market also noted the speculation about the polar ice cap melting and warned that a four-metre rise in water levels worldwide would inundate almost every coastal city. Rising sea levels should encourage insurers to consider how much business they wanted to have connected to vulnerable coastal areas. They might consider withdrawing or restricting cover in flood-prone "hotspots", it suggested. The unstable climate could have an impact on global asset values, reducing their value to insurers which have traditionally relied on investment returns to boost profits, it warned. "Consequently it will become even more important for insurers to price risk according to exposure, and to underwrite for profit, without reliance on investment income." It was time for insurers to stop treating climate change as a peripheral field of work and to put it at the centre of their operations. "Understanding and responding to it must become 'business as usual' for insurers and those they work with." Full story: http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,1791065,00.html http://tinyurl.com/q9qxy ******************** Rocks May Hold Key to Oldest Life from the Chicago Tribune As microbes go, they're renegades, perfectly at home in the world's hottest, coldest, saltiest or most sulfuric waters. They hang out near hydrothermal vents on the ocean floor or in the hot springs at Yellowstone, and happily colonize our digestive tracts and those of cows, termites and marine organisms. This microscopic branch of life--called archaea--likely has been thriving for more than 3.4 billion years, according to new research from a team of Australian scientists. Writing in the journal Nature, they argue that miles of oddly shaped mounds of layered sedimentary rock found in Western Australia are not geologic features but the very earliest fossil evidence of life on Earth. The rocks, they say, are remnants of thriving microbial communities that dominated the world in the days when the young planet roiled with boiling oceans and the atmosphere was rich in ammonia and methane and probably sizzling hot. Those conditions, while toxic to plants and animals, can nurture archaeans. http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/nationworld/ chi-0606080140jun08,1,933559.story or http://tinyurl.com/jckwb ******************** Same Species Responds Differently To Same Warming, Depending On Location Pre-cooked mussels? A "robomussel," actually an intertidal temperature data logger, can mimic the thermal characteristics of an individual mussel and record temperature data at 10-minute intervals for up to seven months. Based on current trends for both air and water temperatures, by 2100 the body temperatures of California mussels -- found along thousands of miles of coast in the northeast Pacific Ocean and not just in California ?- could increase between about 2 degrees F and 6.5 F depending on where they live. For areas where mussels already are living close to the edge, chances are that increases of 6.5 F will kill them, researchers say. Unlike humans, the body temperature of marine animals such as mussels is regulated by the temperature of the air and water around them ?- and it's not the simple 1-degree warmer and 1-degree rise in body temperature that has been assumed, says Sarah Gilman, a University of Washington postdoctoral researcher and lead author of a paper appearing online June 5 through June 9 in the Early Edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. For the first time, Gilman and her co-authors show that even if the weather warms the air and water the same amounts in one area as another, the actual effect on mussel body temperatures can vary because of local climate. For example, in Washington, air temperature appears to be more important in driving mussel temperature while in southern California, water temperature is the more important factor. "This is an important consideration for conservation biologists trying to understand how a species might handle global warming and to those proposing reserves in marine environments," Gilman says. "Protected areas will need to be in places where marine animals can live in the face of climate change." In work funded by the National Science Foundation, NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, data loggers ?- tiny computers with thermometers -? have been used to collect information in mussel beds. The data loggers, nicknamed "robomussels," record the temperatures being experienced by the surrounding mussels every 10 minutes for months at a time. A new computer model described in the paper relates the collected data to meterological information researched by Gilman. Using the model and applying a moderate air temperature warming of 2.25 F across the California mussels' range resulted in mussel body temperature increases ranging from just under 2 F to just over 2 F depending on the habitat. Modeling a more extreme air warming of 7.5 F by 2100 across the mussels' geographic range resulted in body temperature increases ranging from about 4 F to 6.5 F. "We have only contributed 'step one,' the tie between climate and body temperature," says co-author Brian Helmuth, associate professor of biological sciences at the University of South Carolina. "With our model we can predict temperatures based on satellites and computer models of climate change. The next step is to work with physiologists to see just what body temperatures California mussels can handle. "Unfortunately, from what we can tell so far, California mussels are likely already pretty close to the edge, at least at some places along the West Coast. Our study suggests that climate change may start to kill marine animals in some unanticipated places. However, we can use modern technologies such as remote sensing to forecast some of these impacts." Intertidal habitats, places uncovered at low tide and flooded with water at high tide, have long served as models for investigating the effects of climate on species distribution and monitoring the consequences of climate change for natural ecosystems, write Gilman, Helmuth and another co-author David Wethey, professor of biological sciences at South Carolina. In the course of some low tides, intertidal organisms such as California mussels ?- or Mytilus californianus -? may already experience temperatures near the maximum they can tolerate, so they are thought to be a good organism to watch for responses to climate change. "The bottom line is, as humans, we tend to have this very biased view of the world and we forget that changes in air temperature, which tend to have only very small direct effect on us, can have huge effects on other species," Helmuth says. "This is especially true for species that have temperatures driven by the sun, wind and air temperature, much as the way your car heats up on a sunny day." For more information, contact Sarah Gilman at 360-298-0971 or gilmans@u.washington.edu, or Brian Helmuth at helmuth@biol.sc.edu. For a copy of the paper, reporters can contact Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences at 202-334-1310; the paper appears in the June 20 print edition. ******************** Wet or dry? Sahel's uncertain future Climate change in Africa's Sahel region challenges researchers and policymakers because the best models around predict opposite outcomes, reports Catherine Brahic. Computer models of future climate often disagree about the scale of likely change but predictions for the Sahel are also contradictory about the direction of change and give policymakers little help in preparing for the future. http://www.scidev.net/content/features/eng/wet-or-dry-sahels- uncertain-future.cfm http://tinyurl.com/ea5gh ******************** The ocean floor - can they dig it? Not everyone is thrilled by a plan to mine the ocean floor for the first time. It follows the discovery of significant mineral deposits off the coast of Papua New Guinea. Nautilus Minerals, a mining company in Vancouver, Canada, has been scouring the ocean floor for dormant hydrothermal vents, which are known to contain metal sulphides - rich sources of gold and copper. For mining to be viable, such deposits must be at least 15 metres thick. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn9266-the-ocean-floor--can- they-dig-it.html *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities Acknowledge an Outstanding Junior Scientist in the Atmospheric Sciences With a Nomination for the James R. Holton Award The James R. Holton Junior Scientist Award was established in 2004 by the AGU Atmospheric Sciences Section to recognize the scientific accomplishments of a junior scientist to the field of atmospheric science. Candidates must be a member of the AGU, and no more than three years past the award of the Ph.D. degree. Nominations should clearly state how the nominated individual's research accomplishments are outstanding for one at his/her stage of career. Nominations deadline July 17, 2006 The nomination should consist of four items, each no longer than two pages in length: a nomination letter, the candidate's curriculum vitae, and two letters of recommendation. Send nomination packages to: Dr. Joan Alexander, Chair Holton Award Nominations, NWRA/CoRA, 3380 Mitchell Lane, Boulder, CO, 80301, USA. Fax: 1-303-415-9702. Please direct e-mail inquiries to Holly Hayes at holly@cora.nwra.com Additional information available at http://atmospheres.agu.org/ ******************** Transantarctic Mountains Workshop: New Opportunities For Multi-Disciplinary Research Byrd Polar Research Center, The Ohio State University Columbus, Ohio; 6 - 9 September 2006 Since the International Geophysical Year, 1957-58, research in the Transantarctic Mountains south of Darwin Glacier has focused on bedrock geology and to a lesser extent glacial geology; opportunities, however, include biology, geophysics, glaciology, meteorology, surface processes and others. This workshop will highlight these opportunities, bring in disciplines not usually represented in Transantarctic Mountains research, and involve new investigators, as well as providing opportunities to initiate new inter-disciplinary research. The objective is to develop a multi-year science plan for multi- disciplinary research that can be accomplished with logistic support that will include LC-130 Hercules and Twin Otter aircraft and helicopter-supported remote field camps. Those interested in attending should contact the conveners, and submit a detailed letter of interest, along with an abstract (not more than one page) for a short presentation. Contact: elliot. 1@osu.edu or lyons.142@osu.edu, with a copy to everett.2@osu.edu. The Workshop Conveners anticipate that partial support will be provided for up to 35 participants by a grant from the Office of Polar Programs, National Science Foundation Workshop Web Address: http://www-bprc.mps.ohio-state.edu/workshops/tam_2006.php Workshop Conveners: Dr. David H. Elliot Dr. W. Berry Lyons Workshop Coordinator: Ms. Lynn Everett (614-292-9909) everett.2@osu.edu *************************************************** 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' Climate Program Specialist The U.S. Climate Change Science Program (CCSP) Office in Washington, DC -- under the auspices of the Joint Office for Science Support (JOSS) with the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR) -- seeks an individual to help coordinate the CCSP Synthesis and Assessment Product line, assisting lead agency points- of-contact to manage document development and tracking/review mechanisms for both the existing suite of products (through FY2008) and future assessments, as defined by program leadership. This individual will also assist the Office Director in planning and preparation for CCSP Principals meetings and will serve as Executive Secretary for drafting a record of the discussion, decisions, and actions. The incumbent also will undertake budget analysis and other special projects as assigned. Requires B.S. degree in environmental science, public policy, or other discipline relevant to the global and/or climate change sciences (Master's desired), plus 3-5 years of experience in the scientific field of specialization and up-to-date knowledge of current scientific findings and controversies in the related scientific literature. Must have skill in attending to detail and effectively prioritizing and managing work in a multiple-project environment. Project management experience desired but not required. Initially a one-year term with the possibility of extension for multiple years. Relocation Benefits Not Offered. Initial consideration will be given to applications received prior to 7/7/06. Thereafter, applications will be reviewed on an as-needed basis. Apply online or send a scannable resume to 3065 Center Green Drive, Boulder, CO 80301. (Reference job #6119). We value diversity. AA/EOE. View the detailed job description at http://www.fin.ucar.edu/hr/ careers/uco.cfm?do=jobDetailExt&job_ID=672 ******************** Program Officer, Americas Program, U.S.National Science Foundation The National Science Foundation (NSF) is seeking a qualified candidate for the position of Assistant/Associate Program Manager in the Americas Program within the Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE), Office of the Director, Arlington, VA. The desired start date for this appointment is Spring 2006, subject to negotiation/availability. Please find the job posting here http:// www.nsf.gov/pubs/2006/e20060097/e20060097.pdf The Office of International Science and Engineering serves as a focal point for international science and engineering activities both inside and outside NSF. OISE promotes the development of an integrated, Foundation-wide international strategy, and manages international programs that are innovative, catalytic, and responsive to a broad range of NSF interests. OISE invests in programs that expand and enhance leading-edge international research and education opportunities for U.S. scientists and engineers, especially at the early career stage. OISE supports international-related research in any disciplinary field supported by NSF and in any global region. It works to build and strengthen effective institutional partnerships throughout the global science and engineering research and education community, and it supports international collaborations in NSF's priority research areas. OISE is in the Office of the NSF Director and carries out its functions through close partnership with all NSF Directorates and Offices. More information about OISE can be found at http://www.nsf.gov/div/index.jsp?div=OISE. ******************** Ice Sheet Modelling - Danish Climate Centre Application Deadline: Tuesday, 27 June 2006 For further information, please go to: http://www.dmi.dk/eng/ ice_sheet_modelling The Danish Climate Centre has a vacant position available for a climate scientist. The new employee will be occupied with modelling of the Greenland Ice Sheet. The main objective of the Danish Climate Centre is to analyze the likely climate in the 21st century. The tasks include development and application of complex climate models, mainly in wide international cooperation. The Centre is also responsible for the development and preparation of seasonal forecasts for Denmark and Greenland. Furthermore, the Centre communicates its results and scientific knowledge on climate in general to the public by publishing popular articles, electronic media and newspapers, and providing public lecture information via the web-pages of the Danish Meteorological Institute (DMI). Scientific results are also published in relevant international journals. Given its importance in the global climate/change arena, it is disconcerting that we still do not know the sign of mass balance of the Greenland Ice Sheet. Although recent airborne laser surveys suggest an overall negative balance, the question remains: how representative is this kind of short-term (few years') measurement of longer-term (multidecadal) state of balance and change? Modeling of the Greenland Ice Sheet using atmospheric data from a high resolution regional state-of-the-art climate model simulation of the most recent decades (simulations of 1960-2005, using spectral nudging at 10-20 km horizontal, and possibly even 5 km, resolution) will be applied as input to a state-of-the-art ice sheet model in order to assess recent variations. To assess the future state of the Greenland Ice Sheet, simulations are expected to be made using atmospheric conditions generated from the same regional model nested within a coupled GCM covering a longer historical time frame and into possible futures. Qualifications of the applicant include: - A scientific education - Good knowledge of atmospheric physics and glaciology - Qualifications and experience within numerical modelling of physical systems, e.g., the atmosphere and ocean, icecaps, and glaciers - Knowledge of statistical methods of analyses and experience in programming using Fortran - Capable of working as a team member, self-starting, and strong written, and verbal communication skills Further information can be obtained by contacting: Senior Advisor Jens Hesselbjerg Christensen Phone: +45 3915 7428 E-mail: jhc@dmi.dk Director Anne Mette K. Jorgensen Phone: +45 3915 7450 E-mail: amj@dmi.dk Send applications (marked "06-041-79") including examination results and CV, to: The Director General Danish Meteorological Institute Lyngbyvej 100 DK-2100 Copenhagen E-mail: job@dmi.dk ******************** Program Officer, Conservation and Science Program - The David and Lucile Packard Foundation (Apparently quite interested in candidates with a social science or economics background.) The David and Lucile Packard Foundation (Foundation) is recruiting for a person to serve as a Program Officer in the Conservation and Science Program, responsible for the Science subprogram. About the David and Lucile Packard Foundation The David and Lucile Packard Foundation is a private family foundation created in 1964 by David Packard (1912-1996), co-founder of the Hewlett-Packard Company, and Lucile Salter Packard (1914-1987). The Foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations in the following core program areas: Conservation and Science; Population; and Children, Families, and Communities. The Foundation makes grants at the state, national, and international level, including grants for the Northern California counties of San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Cruz, and Monterey, and is located in Los Altos, California. As of December 31, 2005, the Foundation's total investment portfolio, including donor stock, totaled approximately $5.8 billion. General program grant awards for 2005 totaled approximately $214 million. The Foundation has a grantmaking budget of approximately $210 million for 2006. A Board of Trustees, which includes five members of the founders' family, provides direction and sets the priorities for the Foundation. A staff of 85 conducts the day-to-day operations in a way that seeks to honor David and Lucile Packard's core values: integrity, respect for all people, belief in individual leadership, commitment to effectiveness, and the capacity to think big. CONSERVATION AND SCIENCE PROGRAM The Conservation and Science Program is focused on the challenge of sustainability, finding development paths that meet human needs while protecting and restoring the ecological systems upon which all life depends. We invest in action and in ideas. The Packard Foundation supports initiatives to secure public policy reforms and changes in private sector practices, and scientific activities that develop knowledge and tools critical for addressing current and future priorities. The Conservation and Science Program supports work in six areas: * The Science subprogram (listed on the website as "Science for Oceans and Coasts") supports scientific research, tools development, communications, and processes to strengthen the input of science in decision-making in support of the Conservation and Science Program's agenda. The sub-program currently emphasizes science for coastal and marine conservation. * The long-term goals of the Marine Fisheries subprogram are effective management of fisheries, an end to overfishing, and the elimination of destructive fishing practices. * The Coastal Systems grantmaking seeks to promote sustainability in coastal systems in three specific geographic regions: the California Coast, the Gulf of California, and the Western Pacific. * Atmosphere grantmaking seeks to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions that cause climate change through support for policy reforms in the United States and China and efforts to reduce deforestation in the Amazon. * The Packard Fellowships for Science and Engineering subprogram supports promising university-based researchers early in their careers. * The Foundation supports cutting-edge research and development at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute, a world-class oceanography research center. A current emphasis of the Science subprogram is to support the development and application of an ecosystem-based management (EBM) framework for coastal-marine conservation and fisheries management. The subprogram aims to advance decision-support tools for EBM implementation, foster a community of scientists, practitioners, stakeholders, and decision-makers engaged in EBM, and support science- based conservation by effectively linking science to action and supporting strategic science investments. The Foundation seeks to invest in the implementation of EBM as an important means for achieving conservation outcomes in its priority geographic areas and to learn from these EBM projects in order to shape future grantmaking and scientific research strategies. In addition to the EBM focus, the Science subprogram also supports work aimed at strengthening the contribution of science to public and private sector decision-making concerning conservation and the environment. In 2006, the grantmaking budget for the Conservation and Science Program is $85.4 million, which includes $35.4 million designated for the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute and $10 million designated for the Packard Fellowships for Science and Engineering. Program Officer for Science The Program Officer for the Science subprogram is responsible for the design and implementation of grantmaking strategies aimed at strengthening the contribution of science to achieving the goals of the Conservation and Science Program's agenda. A major emphasis of this work will be on the further development and implementation of the existing strategy focused on the application of EBM in coastal- marine conservation. This work will include an important emphasis on learning from the early experiences in this area and modifying the strategy as needed. The Program Officer will also guide the further evolution of the sub-program in such areas as additional work addressing the emerging debate in the United States regarding science and its role in setting critical public policy, or additional grantmaking in the area of science related to climate and energy policy. The Program Officer is responsible for facilitating and maintaining a science culture within the Conservation and Science Program that is dedicated to excellence and policy relevance. He or she will ensure that Packard Foundation continues to apply sound and innovative scientific analyses in its grantmaking activities. The Program Officer for the Science subprogram will report to Dr. Walter Reid, Program Director, Conservation and Science Program and will be based in Los Altos, California. An Associate Program Officer and a Program Associate will report to the Program Officer on issues related to science. The Associate Program Officer also supports specific special projects directed by the Program Director. The Program Officer will be an integral member of the Conservation and Science Program team working with Program staff to identify and address science needs in all of the program's initiatives. The position calls for a sophisticated understanding of the use of science in policy or management decision-making, such as might be gained, for example, through hands-on involvement in an ecosystem-based management project or integrated coastal zone management project. The role requires self-direction and decisiveness combined with flexibility and a capacity to give and receive feedback graciously. It is essential that the Program Officer be able to communicate complex scientific principles and issues in simple, straightforward language to many different types of audiences. The Program Officer should possess excellent interpersonal skills, including respectful attitude for the work of grantees. In this strategic role, the Program Officer should thrive in a team- based, collegial workplace culture. Professional Experience and Personal Attributes The Program Officer should ideally possess the following professional experience and personal attributes: Professional Qualifications * Recognition in their field of science and possessing a proven track record of success and accomplishment. * Demonstrated experience and understanding in the role science plays in policy development and conservation of natural resources. * Experience with project management, such as with the management of resource management or conservation projects. * A proven record of success in working with different stakeholder groups, including NGOs, government agencies at all levels, and the private sector. * Both domestic U.S. and international experience, in particular experience with the role of science in policy or management issues in the U.S. * Intellectual agility and the ability to analyze, think strategically, and relate scientific approaches that are directly relevant to the Packard Foundation's priority program areas. * An understanding of science funding and science policy issues. * Knowledge of ecosystem-based management and critical environmental and sustainability issues. * Familiarity with key academic and NGOs and structures. * Experience with interdisciplinary research or interdisciplinary program development. * Doctorate in a relevant natural or social science field, such as ecology, economics, political sciences, oceanography, marine science, atmospheric science, or sociology?the specific field of the candidate's doctoral work is less important than his or her research and professional experience. Personal Attributes * A deep commitment to science-based conservation and the mission of the Conservation and Science Program and the Packard Foundation. * Articulate, with proven ability to write effectively and speak persuasively. * Superlative interpersonal skills, including an ability to listen to others and learn from their best ideas, intellectual curiosity, approachability, and openness to input from all levels of staff. * High energy level, action-oriented, personable, good sense of humor, trustworthy, diplomatic, and in possession of impeccable integrity. * Proven team player and leader able to motivate and inspire staff as well as colleagues to work well as a team in a collaborative environment. * Ability to effectively manage time, handle pressure, manage budgets, meet deadlines, manage projects, and supervise, evaluate, and manage staff. * Ability and willingness to participate and coordinate administrative duties as required. * Ability to travel within the U.S. and abroad. * Experience with grantmaking desirable but not necessary. Compensation Compensation for the Program Officer for Science includes excellent benefits and a salary commensurate with experience. The salary range is $73,000 (minimum) - $99,000 (midpoint) - $125,000 (maximum). This is a full-time, exempt position. Interested candidates should reference job number 06-03-3700R and send their cover letter and resume to: Daniel Sherman, President Explore Company 1054 31st Street NW, Suite 330 Washington, DC 20007 ExploreCompany@aol.com The David and Lucile Packard Foundation is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes a diverse candidate pool. ******************** Two fellowships: Dept of Meteorology and Climatologyat Univ of Lodz (Poland) Two fellowships have just become available in the Department of Meteorology and Climatology, University of Lodz, in Lodz, Poland within the STATME project (within Marie Curie Host Fellowships for Transfer of Knowledge (ToK) Development Host Scheme) see (http:// www.geo.uni.lodz.pl/~jwibig/STATME/index.html) It is expected that the candidates has strong experience in at least one of four areas: 1. statistical downscaling 2. dynamical downscaling 3. cluster analysis 4. eigen techniques The researcher will join the research team and apply his/her own experience to analyse the large scale fields of meteorological variables in the Europe-North Atlantic area. The first fellowship requires an individual with completed a PhD degree or 4 years research experience in climatology, physics of atmosphere or related areas. Salaries follow the Marie Curie TOK-DEV guidelines for experienced researchers including mobility allowances. Eligible candidate has to be member of the EU or associated-state nationals, except Polish, in some cases the candidates from third countries can apply also. It is a temporary contract (6 months with possibility of extension for another 6 months) The second fellowship requires an individual with completed a PhD and 10 years research experience in climatology, physics of atmosphere or related areas. Salaries will follow the Marie Curie TOK- DEV guidelines for more experienced researchers with mobility allowances (stipend version). Eligible candidates have to be a member of the EU or associated-state national, except Polish, but members of third countries are also possible. It is a temporary contract (2 months with possibility of extension for another 2 months) Deadline for applications: June 30, 2006 Start date September 1, 2006 (approximately, negotiations possible) Qualified candidates should email a cover letter, which includes contact address, curriculum vitae, list of recent publications, and the names and contact information of 3 references to Dr Joanna Wibig, Dept. of Meteorology and Climatology, University of Lodz, Narutowicza 88, 90-139 Lodz, Poland, e-mail: zameteo@uni.lodz.pl Review of the applications will begin 1th of July 2006 and will continue until the fellowships are filled. ******************** Post-Doc, Theoretical Modelling of Social-Ecological Systems: Case System Recreational Fisheries, The Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) of the Forschungsverbund Berlin The Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries (IGB) of the Forschungsverbund Berlin e.V., Department Biology and Ecology of Fishes, in cooperation with the International Institute for Applied Systems Analyses (IIASA) in Laxenburg (Austria) (PD Dr Ulf Dieckmann) immediately invites applications for the following position within the framework project "Adaptive Dynamics and Management of Coupled Social-Ecological Recreational Fisheries (ADAPTFISH)" granted by the Pact for Research and Innovation of the Leibniz-Society (WGL) (2006-2009). Scientist (Post-Doc) Topic: Developing pattern-oriented, quantitative models to analyse the dynamic interactions between anglers and exploited fish stocks. Strategic effects of management regulations on the coupled social-ecological system of recreational fisheries (e.g., distribution of angling effort and structure of fish stocks) shall be studied using inputs from agent-based modelling of the likely reaction of different angler types (agents) to changing conditions of the fish stocks including evolutionary changes and altered size and age distributions. Expected results comprise illustrations of fish- angler-interactions at the landscape level as well as management recommendations for recreational fisheries. Qualifications: PhD; knowledge of and experience in agent/ individual-based modelling and preferably in fisheries; above-average skills in programming (e.g. C++) and data analysis; high publication record; good working knowledge of English; above-average communication skills and team spirit; ability to work independently; high motivation; preparedness to spend part of the time abroad at IIASA; familiarity with recreational angling would be a benefit. The position is open until filled. It is limited to three years with an option for a fourth year and will be paid according to TV?D (service class wage agreement, roughly 40.000 ? gross income p.a. including health insurance). Applications by females are particularly encouraged. Disabled persons with identical qualifications will be favoured. Please send your application, preferably by email, with the usual material (expression of interest, CV, copies of certificates, list of publications and copies of the five most important papers) including a short statement of personal research aims, interests and experiences, a short research program and the names of three referees (including email-address) ideally not later than June 18, 2006 to: Leibniz-Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries Dr Christian Wolter M?ggelseedamm 310 12587 Berlin, Germany wolter@igb-berlin.de ************************************************** 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/20060609/363fb94a/attachment.htm From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Jun 16 12:57:54 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Jun 16 13:00:08 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 06/16/2006 Message-ID: <26A45F4A-842C-490E-8A6A-D204FA6EC1FC@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 06/16/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES Research and Teaching Funding - Opportunity at NCEAS: Distributed Graduate Seminars (see below) Images Viewable Using Google Earth - National Snow and Ice Data Center http://nsidc.org/data/google_earth/ (see below) Radiosonde Data Products from NCDC (see below) SCIENCE NEWS Report to the Unites States Senate: From Sea to Shining Sea, Priorities for Ocean Policy Reform http://www.jointoceancommission.org/press/press/ release0613_assets/Sea%20Report.pdf Photographic Comparisons of Alaskan Glaciers National Snow and Ice Data Center http://nsidc.org/data/glacier_photo/special_collection.html (see below) (see below) New satellite set to collect most-detailed data yet about atmospheric particles (see below) Nighttime flights 'boost warming' (see below) How Melting Glaciers Alter Earth's Surface, Spur Quakes, Volcanoes (see below) Pollution From Chinese Coal Casts a Global Shadow (see below) Polar Bears Driven to Cannibalism because of Global Warming (see below) Alaska Coastal Villages Face Costly and Rapid Relocation (see below) Arctic Dips As Global Waters Rise (see below) Taking Evolution's Temperature: Researchers Pinpoint The Energy It Takes To Make A Species (see below) Thawing Permafrost Could Unleash Tons Of Carbon (see below) SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES RAPID Climate Change International Conference - Arctic Frontiers Conference in Troms?, January 2007. Deadline for registration is July 15 http://www.noc.soton.ac.uk/rapid//rapid2006/ic06prelimprog.php 2006-2007 INPE-IAI Research Internship Positions (see below) Earth Science, Logistics, and Outreach Terrainbases (EarthSLOT)? 1st Annual Virtual Globes Scientific Users Converence (see below) Meeting Announcement - Shelf-Basin Exchange at the Margins of the Arctic: IPY and Beyond (see below) Training Opportunity - IAI-NCAR Colloquium - ?Policy planning and Decision making involving Climate Change and Variability? (see below) JOBS Director of Climate Change Science, The Nature Conservancy, any large TNC office. (see below) Academic Coordinator, Institute of the Environment. University of California at Los Angeles. (see below) Assistant Professor in Political Science - The Donald Bren School of Environmental Science & Management - University of California, Santa Barbara, California (see below) Marine Resource Management Instructor needed for Fall Semester 2006 - Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) (see below) Research Position: Analytical Chemist - Ohio State University (USA) (see below) Post-Doc In Meso-Scale Air Quality Modeling - Western Kentucky University (USA) (see below) Job Opportunity for Climate Researcher - PartnerRe New Solutions Inc. (see below) Earth System Modeling Support Position (see below) Postdoctoral Research Positions Available in Science, Technology and Society - University of Texas at Austin (see below) *************************************************** Resources Research and Teaching Funding - Opportunity at NCEAS: Distributed Graduate Seminars The National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, at the University of California, Santa Barbara (NCEAS), invites PI?s to submit proposals for a unique research and teaching opportunity. Distributed Graduate Seminars involve faculty and students at multiple universities, distributed nationally or globally. Initially the scientific leaders of the seminar meet at NCEAS to collaboratively plan seminar courses that will take place at their own institutions, on the same topic, to address an overarching research question. Students at the participating institutions are then enrolled in these courses held simultaneously across sites, and each seminar leader teaches the seminar course in-person at his or her own institution. Each group works with local or regional data, interacting with other groups through web-based collaborative spaces (e.g., data entry portals). At the end of the seminar course representatives from each group come to NCEAS to conduct a ?grand synthesis?. The seminar affords students the opportunity to use data- sharing tools, and to participate in collaborative and synthetic research. Seminar leaders benefit from the opportunity to collaborate with their colleagues at widely distributed universities while engaging in meaningful and creative pedagogy at their home institutions. A relatively high level of participation (~25%) from Minority-Serving Institutions is expected, and the participation of undergraduates is encouraged. PIs may be faculty, professional researchers, postdoctoral associates or graduate students. Proposals may originate from and include undergraduate institutions. Since 1995, NCEAS has hosted 3,500 individuals, 50-75% of whom are typically new to NCEAS each year. Thus far NCEAS has supported 370 projects yielding more than 1,000 scientific articles. Proposal deadlines are twice a year. The next deadline is July 24, 2006. Prospective PIs are encouraged to contact the Deputy Director Stephanie Hampton (hampton@nceas.ucsb.edu ) or the Director Jim Reichman (reichman@nceas.ucsb.edu ) during proposal development. For additional information and application instructions, go to: http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/opportunity/rfp.html ******************** Images Viewable Using Google Earth - National Snow and Ice Data Center http://nsidc.org/data/google_earth/ The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) has made a select set of images viewable through the popular interactive desktop application, Google Earth. Currently, Google Earth users can view images showing permafrost, snow, sea ice extent, and photographs of glaciers. Distribution of permafrost, snow, and ice are displayed as overlays on the Google Earth base map. Snow and ice information are updated daily. ******************** Radiosonde Data Products from NCDC NOAA announces the availability of a new dataset consisting of monthly time series of homogeneity-adjusted radiosonde temperatures. These are more suitable for the study of longer-term climate variability and change (e.g., interdecadal time-scales and trends) than unadjusted data from more traditional data archives. Temporal homogeneity may be compromised by artificial changes introduced via historical changes in instruments and recording practices. These new data, Radiosonde Atmospheric Temperature Products for Assessing Climate (RATPAC), are now available online from the National Climatic Data Center. Data coverage is near-global from a limited network of 85 stations, beginning in 1958 and continuing to present. Data are available on 13 pressure levels from the surface to the stratosphere (up to 30 hPa). RATPAC consists of two subsets of data: (1) RATPAC-A contains averages over large regions (e.g., global, hemispheric, tropical and extratropical domains). This set is recommended for analysis of interannual and longer-term changes over large areas. (2) RATPAC-B contains data for individual stations. This set is recommended for analysis of interannual and longer-term changes at individual station locations or for regional means spatial scales smaller than those provided by RATPAC-A. The RATPAC datasets were created through a collaborative effort involving NOAA scientists from the Air Resources Laboratory, the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, and the National Climatic Data Center. For more a complete explanation of the dataset construction methodology and rationale, and to access these data visit: http:// www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/cab/ratpac/index.php *************************************************** Science News Photographic Comparisons of Alaskan Glaciers National Snow and Ice Data Center http://nsidc.org/data/glacier_photo/special_collection.html The National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) announces the release of a special photographic collection, featuring repeat photography of Alaskan glaciers. This collection matches photos of glaciers taken as early as the 1890s with recent photos taken at the same physical location. The photos tell a captivating visual story of the changes glaciers have experienced through time. ******************** New satellite set to collect most-detailed data yet about atmospheric particles A new satellite that last week began gathering data from the Earth's atmosphere could be a key tool in unraveling just how much effect the reflectivity of clouds and tiny particles called aerosols are having on the planet's changing climate..."For the first time we will have access to global data telling us the altitudinal location of clouds and haze plumes in the atmosphere," said Anderson. "This is going to greatly advance the space-based study of aerosol-and-cloud interactions because we will have authoritative knowledge about whether the aerosol layer and the cloud layer are really at the same level in the atmosphere." http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/ 2006-06/uow-nss061206.php ******************** Nighttime flights 'boost warming' Night flights by aircraft are much more damaging to the environment than air travel during the day, a study shows. The reason, says a UK team, is that vapour trails from aircraft have a greater warming effect during darkness. Writing in the journal Nature, they say cutting night flights could help minimise the climate impact of the aviation industry. Winter flights have a bigger effect on global warming than flights during the rest of the year, they add. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/5082918.stm ******************** How Melting Glaciers Alter Earth's Surface, Spur Quakes, Volcanoes Imagine the surface of Earth as a giant trampoline that accumulated a slab of ice over the winter, and you can get a sense of what a growing number of scientists say is in store for the planet as glaciers keep melting.... "It's unavoidable that glacial retreat will induce tectonic activity," says geoscientist Allen Glazner of the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill... That link has reared its ugly head in the past, especially during periods of rapid climate change such as the end of ice ages. When ice sheets retreated 10,000 years ago, for instance, Iceland experienced a surge in volcanic eruptions. Volcanoes in the Mediterranean, Antarctica and eastern California also seem to have been awakened by retreating ice... The retreat of ice sheets 10,000 years ago also triggered a wave of powerful earthquakes in Scandinavia. Since isostatic rebound continues for thousands of years, it may still be contributing to quakes in eastern Canada, says geoscientist Patrick Wu of the University of Calgary. Wall Street Journal: http://tinyurl.com/ltowk ******************** Pollution From Chinese Coal Casts a Global Shadow One of China's lesser-known exports is a dangerous brew of soot, toxic chemicals and climate-changing gases from the smokestacks of coal-burning power plants. In early April, a dense cloud of pollutants over Northern China sailed to nearby Seoul, sweeping along dust and desert sand before wafting across the Pacific. An American satellite spotted the cloud as it crossed the West Coast. Researchers in California, Oregon and Washington noticed specks of sulfur compounds, carbon and other byproducts of coal combustion coating the silvery surfaces of their mountaintop detectors. These microscopic particles can work their way deep into the lungs, contributing to respiratory damage, heart disease and cancer. China knows it has to do something about its dependence on coal. The government has set one of the world's most ambitious targets for energy conservation: to cut the average amount of energy needed to produce each good or service by 20 percent over the next five years. But with an economy growing 10 percent a year and with energy consumption climbing even faster, a conservation target amounting to 3.7 percent a year does not keep pace. All new cars, minivans and sport utility vehicles sold in China starting July 1 will have to meet fuel-economy standards stricter than those in the United States. New construction codes encourage the use of double-glazed windows to reduce air-conditioning and heating costs and high-tech light bulbs that produce more light with fewer watts. Meanwhile, other sources of energy have problems. Oil is at about $70 a barrel. Natural gas is in short supply in most of China, and prices for imports of liquefied natural gas have more than doubled in the last three years. Environmental objections are slowing the construction of hydroelectric dams on China's few untamed rivers. Long construction times for nuclear power plants make them a poor solution to addressing blackouts and other power shortages now. With Chinese leaders under constant pressure to create jobs for the millions of workers flooding from farms into cities each year, as well as the rapidly growing ranks of college graduates, there has been little enthusiasm for a change of strategy. Indeed, China is using subsidies to make its energy even cheaper, a strategy that is not unfamiliar to Americans, said Kenneth Lieberthal, a China specialist at the University of Michigan. "They have done in many ways," he said, "what we have done." http://www.climateark.org/articles/reader.asp?linkid=57264 ******************** Polar Bears Driven to Cannibalism because of Global Warming Several prominent polar bear biologists have published a stunning paper in the journal Polar Biology in which they report, for the first time, evidence of a male polar bear killing a mother in her maternal den (two cubs also died) (PDF copy attached, including graphic photos). They also describe two other bears who had been victims of cannibalism: a mother (who was with a cub) having recently emerged from her den, and also a yearling male (Amstrup et al., 2006). All of these field observations took place within a mere 2 ? month period in 2004. The killings occurred adjacent to the Southern Beaufort Sea, where global warming has caused significant ice retreats, and the nutritional condition of the bears was compromised. "During 24 years of research on polar bears in the southern Beaufort Sea region of northern Alaska and 34 years in northwestern Canada, we have not seen other incidents of polar bears stalking, killing, and eating other polar bears," stated the researchers in their paper. "We hypothesize that nutritional stresses related to the longer ice-free seasons that have occurred in the Beaufort Sea in recent years may have led to the cannibalism incidents we observed", concluded the scientists. The Associated Press article describing the report has appeared in over 125 newspapers worldwide. http://tinyurl.com/q8l28 ******************** Alaska Coastal Villages Face Costly and Rapid Relocation In response to a Congressional request, the Army Corps of Engineers has issued a report detailing relocation needs for seven Alaska coastal communities. Many communities on Alaska's western and northern coasts are being seriously threatened by global warming, for four reasons: 1) melting permafrost; 2) more intense storms; 3) less buffering from sea ice; and 4) rising sea level. The report estimates that Shishmaref, Kivalina and Newtok have only 10 to 15 years left at their present storm-battered locations, and predicts that it will cost as much as $355 million to move them. Stanley Tom, tribal liaison for Newtok noted: "I'd like to tell the Corps they're wrong about the timing. It's way off, 100 percent off. We have only three to four more years here." (Anchorage Daily News 6/11/06) (summarized by Deborah Lee Williams & Associates) ******************** Arctic Dips As Global Waters Rise Arctic sea level has been falling by a little over 2mm a year - a movement that sets the region against the global trend of rising waters. "We have high confidence in the results; it's now down to the geophysics community to explain them," said Dr Remko Scharroo, from consultants Altimetrics LLC, who led the study. ...Next year has been designated International Polar Year, and major oceanographic expeditions are planned to take research vessels into the northern region to sample its icy waters. "This may provide clues as to what is causing the changes we're seeing," explained co-researcher Dr Seymour Laxon, from University College London (UCL). "I think it's a true statement to say the Arctic Ocean is the least well understood body of water out there." The recent trend could be linked to changes in the temperature and salinity (saltiness) of Arctic waters. This would have to be investigated, he said. Full article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/5076322.stm ******************** Taking Evolution's Temperature: Researchers Pinpoint The Energy It Takes To Make A Species EurekAlert: GAINESVILLE, Fla. - Comfortable living is not why so many different life forms seem to converge at the warmer areas of the planet. Writing this week in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, scientists say higher temperatures near the equator speed up the metabolisms of the inhabitants, fueling genetic changes that actually lead to the creation of new species. The finding - by researchers from the University of Florida, the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, Harvard University and the University of New Mexico at Albuquerque - helps explain why more living species seem to exist near the equator, a scientific observation made even before naturalist Charles Darwin set sail to South America on the H.M.S. Beagle nearly two centuries ago. It may also have a bearing on concepts such as global warming and efforts to preserve diversity of life on Earth. "We've shown that there is indeed a higher rate of evolutionary change in the form and structure of plankton in the tropics and that it increases exponentially because of temperature," said James Gillooly, Ph.D., an assistant professor of zoology with the UF Genetics Institute. "It tells us something about the fundamental mechanisms that shape biodiversity on the planet." Speciation - when animals or plants actually evolve into a new species - occurs when life forms with a common ancestor undergo substantial genetic change. Using a mathematical model based on the body size and temperature-dependence of individual metabolism, the researchers made specific predictions on rates of speciation at the global scale. Then, using fossils and genetic data, they looked at rates of DNA evolution and speciation during a 30-million-year period in foraminifera plankton, a single-celled animal that floats in the ocean. Researchers compared arrivals of new species of this type of plankton with differences in ocean temperatures at different latitudes ranging from the tropics to the arctic. The results agreed closely with predictions of their model. "It takes more energy than all the fossil fuel people burn on the planet in a year to form one new species of plankton," said Andrew Allen, Ph.D., the study's lead researcher at the National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis at the University of California, Santa Barbara. "In terms of conservation, this really highlights that biodiversity does have a price, and the price is very high." To put a number on it, it takes about 10 to the 23rd power - that is a 1 followed by 23 zeros - of energy units called joules to generate a new species of foraminifera plankton. "From a scientific perspective, we can now quantify biodiversity in terms of energy," Allen said. "This will help efforts to identify and model areas for protection and conservation." By observing changes in a unicellular animal whose body temperature varies according to its surroundings, as opposed to a mammal, which regulates a constant body temperature, scientists could more precisely measure rates of speciation caused by the environment. In the end, it is individual metabolic rate - how fast an organism burns food relative to its body weight - that primarily determines evolutionary rate. And higher environmental temperatures help increase metabolism. "Diversity is the hallmark of the living. Understanding the principles underlying the generation and maintenance of diversity will allow us to understand life, and also how to preserve it," said Pablo Marquet, Ph.D., an associate professor and member of the Center for Advanced Studies in Ecology and Biodiversity at the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile, who was not involved in the research. "Changes in our environment, such as global warming, will not only affect the way the ecosystem functions, but also how life will evolve and hence how diversity is distributed across the planet." One of the novel insights in the paper is the finding that the energy required to produce a new species is a fixed quantity. "These authors are changing evolutionary biology, ecology and biogeography, putting them into a firm and quantitative foundation based on the first principles underlying individual metabolism," Marquet said. ******************** Thawing Permafrost Could Unleash Tons Of Carbon Ancient roots and bones locked in long-frozen soil in Siberia are starting to thaw, and have the potential to unleash billions of tons of carbon and accelerate global warming, scientists said on Thursday. This vast carbon reservoir, contained in permafrost soil in northeastern Siberia, contains about 75 times more carbon than the amount released into the atmosphere each year by the burning of fossil fuels, the researchers said in a statement. ..."There's a huge pool of carbon, even more than people thought before, perhaps double the amount of carbon that we thought," said Schuur, one of the article's co-authors. "If you have twice as much carbon there, essentially in the future twice as much could be released into the atmosphere." http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060615/ts_nm/ environment_permafrost_dc *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities 2006-2007 INPE-IAI Research Internship Positions A program for research internship positions in Climate Variability in the Americas at Brazil?s Center for Weather Forecast and Climate Studies (CPTEC). Brazil?s National Institute for Space Research (INPE) through the Center for Weather Forecast and Climate Studies (CPTEC) and the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) announce 6 internship positions. CPTEC?s mission is to be a leading weather and climate forecast center based on up to date scientific and technological capacity in order to continuously improve the meteorological information for the benefit of society. CPTEC started operations in 1994 and in addition to operations, research and development in numerical weather and climate forecasts, CPTEC represents a large investment in personnel capacity building, including 57 scientists with Doctorate and 62 with Master degrees of a total of almost 300 employees. IAI is an inter-governmental organization supported by 19 countries in the Americas dedicated to understanding global environmental change in the region. The Institute pursues the principles of scientific excellence, international cooperation, and the full and open exchange of scientific information relevant to global change. The IAI mission is to develop the capacity to understand the integrated impact of present and future global changes on regional and continental environments in the Americas and to promote collaborative research and informed action at all levels. Internship Objectives: To augment capacity building in global change research and to foster partnership and multinational collaboration with Latin American scientists. The internship program provides an opportunity for Masters, PhDs and young scientists to continue to pursue their research interest in global change and related sciences and to apply their training to research. Internship Positions: One time internship positions of 6 months duration to be developed at CPTEC in Cachoeira Paulista, S?o Paulo, Brazil. Internships must be related to the following science themes of global environmental change and must look at ways to promote multinational collaboration among Latin American countries. Understanding Climate Change and Variability in the Americas: Tropical Atlantic Variability (TAV), El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and other forms of low-frequency climate variability. Ocean variability, including sudden climate change, and its influence on climate and weather of the surrounding continents. Variability of the American Monsoon systems. Ocean/Land/Atmosphere interactions and Hydrology, including atmospheric mesoscale processes. Global and regional changes in the water cycle. Aerosol impact on climate change and variability. Climate change at regional scales: scenarios, impacts, vulnerability and adaptation. Climate changes in the past. Development of the Americas component for a Global Observing System for climate. Internships can be developed as a component of a Masters or a PhD program (sandwich type). Interns will have an appointed CPTEC adviser. CPTEC and IAI expect to develop collaboration with individuals and their home institutions based on the research developed during the internship program. Stipends and benefits: A stipend of R$ 2000,00 /month during the 6 months of the internship and low cost accommodation; Travel support (round-trip airfare, travel insurance, visa fees, vaccines); Expert mentorship and the use of CPTEC research facilities (computer time, office facilities, etc); A notebook to provide access to CPTEC network and that interns can take home after the internship program to continue developing their research work. Application requirements: To have (or to be enrolled in) a Masters or PhD degree; To be a citizen or permanent resident of an IAI member country in Latin America (Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Guatemala, Jamaica, Mexico, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay and Venezuela); To have the consent of their direct supervisor, employer or thesis adviser. Application documents: Curriculum Vitae; 2 letters of reference; 1 essay (3-5 pages maximum) describing research areas and internship proposal to be developed at CPTEC; Letter of agreement from supervisor/employer or academic advisor. Applications may be submitted in English or Spanish. Application deadline: Applications and references must be submitted on line at the IAI Website: http://www.iai.int/TrainingOpportunities by no later than June 16, 2006. All applications will be reviewed by IAI and CPTEC. Results of selection process will be announced by July 31st, 2006. Incomplete applications will not be accepted. Internships are supposed to start in second semester of 2006 and in 2007. For further information about the IAI, please visit the website www.iai.int For further information about CPTEC, please visit the website www.cptec.inpe.br ******************** Earth Science, Logistics, and Outreach Terrainbases (EarthSLOT)? 1st Annual Virtual Globes Scientific Users Converence As virtual globes, such as Google Earth, are becoming increasingly important, NSIDC is supporting the First Annual Virtual Globes Scientific Users Conference in Boulder, Colorado, on 10-12 July 2006. For more information and to register, please see: http:// www.earthslot.org/vgconference/index.php If you have any questions, please contact NSIDC at nsidc@nsidc.org. ******************** Meeting Announcement - Shelf-Basin Exchange at the Margins of the Arctic: IPY and Beyond 4th Shelf-Basin Interactions Pan-Arctic Meeting 26-29 September 2006 - Sopot, Poland For further information, please contact: Jackie Grebmeier, Director SBI Project Office E-mail: jgrebmei@utk.edu The U.S. Western Arctic Shelf-Basin Interactions (SBI) Project Office and the Institute of Oceanology of the Polish Academy of Sciences (IOPAS) are pleased to co-sponsor the 4th Shelf-Basin Interactions Pan-Arctic Meeting to be held in Sopot, Poland, on 26-29 September 2006. The meeting will be held at the Hotel Haffner with special events at the nearby IOPAS facility. The goal of the SBI Pan-Arctic meetings is to encourage open discussion of arctic science in a forum that will foster international collaboration on topics relevant "to providing a clear understanding of the physical and biogeochemical connections between the arctic shelves, slopes, and deep basin. That understanding will in turn allow realistic assessment both of the potential responses of the arctic system to global change, and of the role of these interactive processes on the global system" (SBI Science Plan, 1998; http://sbi.utk.edu). The challenge to the 2006 meeting participants is to evaluate and coordinate developing circum-arctic studies of Shelf-Basin Exchange (SBE) for both the upcoming International Polar Year (IPY) 2007-2008 and development of longer-term collaborative international efforts as planned under the umbrella of the International Study of Arctic Change (ISAC), Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH), and the International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARP) II Working Group 5 (Arctic margins and gateways) science plan. To this end, the 4th SBI Pan-Arctic Meeting will focus on two sub-themes: 1. Evaluation of ongoing and planned circum-arctic shelf-basin exchange and boundary current studies as part of the "ARCTIC SNAPSHOT" approach developed for the IPY (see http://sbi.utk.edu/ InternationalPolarYear.htm), and 2. Coordination of short-term SBE IPY implementation planning activities with proposed longer-term efforts to better evaluate pan- arctic margin and gateways dynamics and environmental change ( see http://www.iasc.se/). The meeting format will include 10-15 invited plenary speakers and 30-35 additional participants to a maximum of 50 participants. There is a $100 USD (or EURO equivalent) registration fee to cover coffee breaks, lunches, and partial meeting expenses. Limited financial support may be available for young and/or emerging scientists. For further information (meeting registration form, hotel information), please visit the meeting website at: http://sbi.utk.edu/ meetingsites.htm ******************** Training Opportunity - IAI-NCAR Colloquium - ?Policy planning and Decision making involving Climate Change and Variability? IAI-NCAR Colloquium. IAI and NCAR are pleased to announce their joint Colloquium on ?Policy planning and Decision making involving Climate Change and Variability? (Sept. 11 ? 22, 2006, National Center for Atmospheric Research Boulder, Colorado USA). Applications due July 10, 2006. For more information, visit http://www.iai.int/files/ opportunities/iai/FinalAnnouncement_NCAR.pdf to visualize the announcement *************************************************** 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' Director of Climate Change Science, The Nature Conservancy, any large TNC office. JOB TITLE: Director Of Climate Change Science JOB FAMILY: Applied Scientists JOB NUMBER: 6027 FLSA STATUS: Exempt RELATED JOB TITLES: Director, Research Program ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS: Director of Climate Change Science provides technical and scientific leadership on climate change science and conservation strategies. They are charged with incorporating science-based assessments of climate-change impacts into all aspects of/ Conservation by Design./ She/he reports to the Director of the Global Climate Change Initiative and advises senior management on complex aspects of this broad and important program. The work encompasses the following functions: Lead a team that assesses risks and vulnerabilities of conservation targets to climate change at global, regional, and local scales. Develop strategies for mitigating threats and facilitating adaptation to change, and communicate tools to TNC management and staff, to the global conservation community, TNC policy staff, and other decision makers. Lead development of a network of sites that will demonstrate field-based climate-adaptation strategies, serve as sentinels of climate-change effects, export best practices to other sites and programs, reinforce climate policy goals, and catalyze marketing and fundraising. Work across global boundaries and collaborate with scientists/ science community around the world to enhance conservation practices and establish TNC as a global leader in the integration of climate change science into conservation. With the support of a team, identify and secure public and private funding for climate change science work at TNC. Conduct original research; publish findings in scientific journals to add to the body of conservation science knowledge and support TNC conservation goals. Strengthen use of science within TNC by ensuring that climate change science is integral to conservation planning from the outset, and considered as a component before pursuing large organizational strategies. REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Master's degree in science-related field and 5-7 years experience or PhD and 3-5 years related experience Expert knowledge of current and evolving trends in relevant discipline(s) and regions Experience conceiving and implementing strategic initiatives. Knowledge of advanced techniques to modify practices in area of expertise Advanced knowledge of species, natural communities, ecosystems, ecosystem processes, and their conservation needs Working knowledge of common software applications (e.g. Word, Excel, Web browsers) and ability to use provided computer technology to enhance the quality of work Communicating clearly via written, spoken, and graphical means in English and other relevant languages Successful experience in fundraising Peer-reviewed publication record COMPLEXITY/PROBLEM SOLVING: As an individual researcher or specialist, creates and/or improves techniques and procedures for complex projects independently Directs major program of strategic importance to the Conservancy through management of multi-disciplinary teams. Diagnose complex problems and identify create solutions. Cultivate the creative ideas of others to identify potential solutions to complex and less-defined problems. Experiment to find creative solutions - thinks out of the box. Designs, implements, and directs complex and diverse projects, encompassing multiple programs and coordinating the work of other professionals inside and outside the organization. Incorporates cross- disciplinary knowledge to support program objectives. DISCRETION/LATITUDE/DECISION-MAKING: Maximum opportunity to act independently. Decisions may bind the organization financially or legally. Work checked through consultation and agreement with others rather than by directives of superiors. RESPONSIBILITY/OVERSIGHT - FINANCIAL & SUPERVISORY: Manage multi-disciplinary administrative and professional staff, with responsibility for performance management, training and career development. Establish clear directions and set stretch objectives. In supervisory capacity, plans, organizes, and directs assigned project programs. Supervises project staff of 2-5 Applied Scientists I-III and Science Technicians I-II Responsible for operating within budget guidelines to ensure sound financial performance. Develop and administer departmental budget and has authority to modify budget based on changing circumstances. Establish and maintain optimal standards of performance for the department or program while controlling costs and administering budgets. Responsible for ensuring that public and private funds are raised to meet program needs. COMMUNICATIONS/INTERPERSONAL CONTACTS: Acts as a technical liaison to individuals within and outside TNC with responsibility to act indendepently regarding technical matters pertaining to his/her field Ability to establish excellent working relationships with outside partners, state/local/federal agencies, land managers, private landowners and the academic community. Leverages constructive and effective relationships inside and outside TNC Work effectively in high-tension situations and maintain composure under pressure. Diffuses high-tension situations comfortably Work and communicate effectively with a diverse group of people, including scientists, preserve staff, and others, providing and obtaining needed information Collaborates with a wide range of conservation partners to identify research needs, present technical concepts at national or international conferences, and support fieldwork Provides training for internal and external colleagues on ecological and conservational scientific principles Ability to simplify and explain complex scientific data to general audiences WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL EFFORT: The Director of Climate Change Science may work in variable weather conditions, at remote locations, on difficult and hazardous terrain, and under physically demanding circumstances. These conditions may: require physical exertion and/or muscular strain present possibility of injury require long hours in isolated settings LOCATION: The location of the position is negotiable, but ideally will be in a TNC office of significant size. Strong relationships with leading universities or other climate change research institutions are encouraged. Location of the position may be influenced by this consideration. Please send CV and cover letter to: Selma Garrido (sgarrido@tnc.org) (703)841-7436 The Nature Conservancy is an Equal Opportunity Employer ******************** Academic Coordinator, Institute of the Environment. University of California at Los Angeles. The Institute of the Environment at The University of California at Los Angeles is accepting applications from qualified applicants for the newly-created position of Academic Coordinator. This position plays a central role in planning and execution of the Institute's new undergraduate major in Environmental Science, as well as in environmental research, policy development and public outreach. This individual will be heavily involved with curriculum design, program coordination and promotion, establishment of student advising services, faculty and departmental coordination. The Academic Coordinator is the Institute liaison with campus departments, the College of Letters and Science, and the Academic Senate regarding the Interdepartmental Degree Program (IDP) in Environmental Science. The Coordinator will work collaboratively with a wide range of UCLA administrators, faculty, staff and students to assure effective strategic planning and execution among all concerned parties. Opportunities exist for teaching and engagement in personal research. Candidates should possess a Ph.D. degree with an emphasis in ecology and have knowledge and experience in the pedagogical issues related to interdisciplinary education, preferably in the Environmental Science area. Also required is a proven record of achievement, including teaching, research experience and obtaining funding through the competitive grant process. The University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA or University) is an equal employment opportunity employer. How to Apply: Applications will be accepted through June 23, 2006. Interested candidates may submit an application including cover letter, Curriculum Vitae, and the names and contact information for three references to: Ms. Bonnie Barclay, Assistant to the Director, Institute of the Environment, University of California at Los Angeles, P.O. Box 951496, La Kretz Hall, Suite 300, Los Angeles, California 90095-1496. Electronic applications may be submitted to:_ bbarclay@ioe.ucla.edu_. No phone calls will be accepted. ******************** Assistant Professor in Political Science - The Donald Bren School of Environmental Science & Management - University of California, Santa Barbara, California The Donald Bren School of Environmental Science & Management (www.bren.ucsb.edu) invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position, to start July 1, 2007. Applicants should possess a PhD or have completed all requirements for the degree by the time of appointment. Although the initial appointment will be without tenure, we encourage candidates who are currently assistant professors to apply. We seek a scientist who is committed to research and teaching that brings the models, methods, and data of political science to bear on human-environment relations. The successful candidate will become a major player in the Bren School's research cluster on Governance for Sustainable Development and take an interest in collaborating with colleagues working in the areas of Environmental Economics and Corporate Environmental Management. Strong preference will be given to candidates whose existing or emerging research program engages with one or both of the School's research clusters dealing with the Sustainable Management of Water Resources and Ecological Sustainability. The successful candidate will have demonstrated skill in identifying and using methods suitable for the study of problems arising from human/environment interactions and is likely to have a high level of competence in statistical and quantitative methods. The Bren School is a graduate school providing rigorous, multi- disciplinary training in environmental science and management to Master's and PhD students. The faculty is drawn from the natural sciences, social sciences and management. Although this appointment will be wholly within the Bren School, a 0% affiliation with the Political Science Department is possible. Send applications to: Political Science Search Committee, Donald Bren School of Environmental Science and Management, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-5131; e-mail polisci@bren.ucsb.edu; fax (805) 893-7612. Applications must include a curriculum vitae, names of three references, a statement of research interests and teaching experience, and copies of up to three publications or research papers. Applicants should arrange to have three letters of reference sent directly to the Search Committee. For fullest consideration, all materials should be received no later than September 1, 2006, although the position will remain open until filled. We encourage applicants who would like to discuss the position at the 2006 APSA Conference to contact Professor Lorelei Moosbrugger (moosbrugger@polsci.ucsb.edu) before August 1st to arrange for a meeting. The University of California is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including minorities, women, and persons with disabilities. The school is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community through research, teaching and service. ******************** Marine Resource Management Instructor needed for Fall Semester 2006 - Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) The Council on International Educational Exchange (CIEE) seeks an Instructor for a Study Abroad Program in Bonaire, Netherlands Antilles. The program offers students a comprehensive semester abroad including four undergraduate courses and independent research. The position is a semester-long appointment. Responsibilities include: teaching Marine Resource Management, directing student research projects, participation in scientific and cultural excursions, providing diving support for the Coral Reef Ecology and Fundamentals of Scientific Diving courses and participating in center activities such as weekly cookouts. The course description can be found using the following link: http://ciee.org/program_search/ program_detail.aspx?page=2&sec=1&program_id=1739&type=part. Qualifications: PhD preferred (ABDs are welcome to apply), scientific dive experience with a minimum of 50 dives, teaching experience, and a commitment to undergraduate field education. A stipend, travel expenses, housing and most meals are provided. Send CV, teaching philosophy statement and cover letter to rpeachey@ciee.org. CIEE is a non-profit, non-governmental organization (NGO) dedicated to helping people gain understanding, acquire knowledge, and develop skills for living in a globally interdependent and culturally diverse world. ******************** Research Position: Analytical Chemist - Ohio State University (USA) The Ice Core Paleoclimatology Group at The Ohio State University (OSU) is seeking a scientist to join our research team and take responsibility for analyzing major, minor and trace chemical species in ice cores collected from polar and low-latitude ice fields. The group's goal is to reconstruct past atmospheric and climatic conditions with particular emphasis on volcanic history, biomass burning, and trace metal fluxes. Tasks include preparing samples under cold room and clean room conditions and conducting anion and cation analyses from ppm to ppt levels. Ion chromatography experience is essential. Other duties will include assisting graduate students in the laboratory on occasion, working with ice core group members on the interpretation of the chemical data, and preparing scientific manuscripts for publication, The potential exists for additional methods development that supports of the objectives of OSU's ice core paleoclimate reconstruction program. Qualifications: Ph.D. in environmental chemistry, analytical chemistry or geochemistry is preferred, but an M.S. degree with at least three years of experience with ion chromatography may also be acceptable. The successful candidate should have a demonstrated ability and interest in contributing to scientific inquiry. To apply for this position please send your letter of interest and curriculum vitae to: Dr. Lonnie Thompson & Dr. Ellen Mosley-Thompson at The Ohio State University, Byrd Polar Research Center, 108 Scott Hall, 1090 Carmack Road, Columbus, OH 43210. ******************** Post-Doc In Meso-Scale Air Quality Modeling - Western Kentucky University (USA) Western Kentucky University, Department of Geography and Geology is seeking applicants for a Post-Doctoral Research Associate in applications of meso-scale model in air quality simulation. This position is funded by the USDA. The position is available August 1, 2006 and expected to continue for several years pending budgetary approval and satisfactory performance evaluations. Responsibilities: Conducting research and writing papers for peer-reviewed journals. Qualifications: Must have a Doctoral Degree in Atmospheric Science, Science, Air Pollution Meteorology, Agricultural Meteorology, Geography, or in other related fields. Must have strong oral and written communication skills. Strong background in the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS) is preferred. Strong background in MM5, Eta, or other meso-scale models will also be considered. Additional background in emission transport simulation will be a plus. Must be able to move computers, connect computers with relevant accessories and upload software. Must be able to think creatively and perform research duties. Be able to couple a meso-scale model with other emission models. Expected Salary Range: $35,000 - $39,000 annually. Applications for employment will be accepted electronically only. Interested candidates should submit a cover letter with statement of professional goals, and up-to-date CV including list of publications, and names, addresses and daytime phone numbers of three professional references. Please refer to the following website to apply: http:// acsweb1.wku.edu/wkujobs. For further assistance please call (270) 745-5934. Please reference requisition number S1224. Additional questions can be forwarded to Dr. Rezaul Mahmood [e- mail: rezaul.mahmood@wku.edu; phone# (270) 745-5979]. To ensure full consideration please submit application materials by July 15, 2006. Position will remain open until filled. All qualified individuals are encouraged to apply including women, minorities, persons with disabilities and disabled veterans. Western Kentucky University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. ******************** Job Opportunity for Climate Researcher - PartnerRe New Solutions Inc I am responsible for the weather risk management unit of PartnerRe, a leading international reinsurer. We are seeking to expand our quantitative capabilities in the weather unit and are searching for individuals for our climate research team. Our unit underwrites weather risks around the world. Our clients include energy companies, agribusinesses, construction companies, wind farms and emerging market governments exposed to drought, excessive precipitation, adverse temperatures, low annual wind speeds and windstorms. The focus of our underwriting is to understand the physical forcing mechanisms behind the historical outcomes of climate with an ultimate objective of quantifying the distribution of outcomes of a given weather peril. As such, we prefer researchers with experience in the study of climatology over meteorologists with an emphasis on forecasting. The ideal candidate would have an advanced degree, strong knowledge of the physical processes behind seasonal and extreme weather outcomes in temperature, precipitation and wind, an excellent background in weather time series analysis, experience in testing for non-stationarity in weather time series, good programming skills, a top performer and have a commercial mindset. I would appreciate any recommendations you might be able to make. My contact details are below. Thank you! Brian Tobben, Vice President, Weather PartnerRe New Solutions Inc. One Greenwich Plaza, 4th Floor Greenwich, CT 06830 phone: +1-203-485-4626 fax: +1-203-485-4627 mobile: +1-203-952-7759 email: brian.tobben@partnerre.com web: http://www.partnerre.com ******************** Earth System Modeling Support Position The Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has an opening for a Physical or Earth Scientist (Master's level or above is desired, at least a Bachelor's is required) to provide computational and scientific support for the development and use of GFDL's Earth System Model (ESM). The starting salary will be between $38,378 and $67,202, depending on education level and experience. This is a government vacancy in the ZP Career Path and the 1301 Occupational Series. It will be filled at Pay Band Two, the equivalent of government grades GS-7-to GS-10, with known promotion potential to Pay Band Four, the equivalent of government grades GS-13 to GS-14. The goal of the work is to develop and use computer models that improve our understanding of natural climate, biogeochemical and ecological variability and anthropogenic interactions. The incumbent will serve in GFDL's Biospheric Processes Group as a member of a team responsible for the ongoing software support for the development, testing, and use of such models, including the coupling of various component sub-models (e.g., atmosphere, ocean, land, cryosphere, and biosphere) into an integrated ESM. The incumbent will perform and analyze model integrations to assess model suitability for scientific research and climate and Earth System product generation. The incumbent will have the opportunity to conduct research leading to the publication of scientific papers and participate in the design and construction of software for the efficient processing of model output for scientific analysis and public dissemination. Desired areas of experience include: background in one or more of the geosciences fields including atmospheric and/or oceanic sciences, geology or applied mathematics; diagnostic analysis, preferably using both model and observational data; strong computational skills, preferably with UNIX, Fortran 90, and parallel computer architectures; numerical modeling, preferably using atmospheric and/or oceanic general circulation models; ability to work in a team setting; good communication skill. This is a full time permanent position, U.S. Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research, Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, located in Princeton, New Jersey. It includes paid sick leave, vacation, health insurance, and retirement. The Department of Commerce is an equal opportunity employer and does not condone or tolerate discrimination based on race, color, religion, gender, national origin, age, physical or mental disability, or sexual orientation. For more information and to apply visit: http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/getjob.asp?JobID=44256293. ******************** Postdoctoral Research Positions Available in Science, Technology and Society - University of Texas at Austin The Science, Technology & Society Program at the University of Texas at Austin is pleased to announce two positions for postdoctoral research in its growing program in societal impacts of science and technology. The successful applicants will conduct research on some aspect of the societal impacts of science and technology. As postdoctoral fellows they will teach one seminar course per semester and will work with faculty and graduate students in activities designed to foster the understanding of social impacts of science and technology. Major focus areas can include: impacts of nanoscience, biotechnology, emerging communication technologies, digital gaming, the environment, as well as other areas. Fellows will be expected to participate in the STS Program's educational and outreach activities. The University of Texas at Austin provides many opportunities for collaboration, with leading programs in public policy, business, engineering, the sciences, law, and liberal arts. Applicants should be recent recipients of a PhD degree; areas of specialization and disciplinary approach open. The positions are 12- month positions with a flexible starting date. Salary $35,000, plus benefits. Postdocs are expected to be in residence in Austin,Texas for the time of the fellowship. Please send a detailed cover letter, CV, and 1-page proposal for research work during the postdoc period to Professor Elizabeth Keating, Director, Science, Technology & Society Program at: ekeating@mail.utexas.edu Applications received by July 1 will be given first consideration. For further information about the program, please see the website of the STS program www.sts.utexas.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/20060616/f14abe0e/attachment-0001.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Jun 23 15:36:43 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Jun 23 15:37:43 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 06/23/2006 Message-ID: <3DBEB631-325C-4DC1-8C3A-C92AFC03C231@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 06/23/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES New Funding Announcements for FY07 from NOAA Coastal Ocean Program (see below) SCIENCE NEWS Next Victim of Warming: The Beaches (see below) Human Activities In Arid Urban Environments Can Affect Rainfall And Water Cycle (see below) Hurricanes And The U.S. Gulf Coast: Science And Sustainable Rebuilding (see below) Mapping A Glacial Path Of Destruction (see below) Where climate is made in a greenhouse world (see below) Hawaiian Marine Reserve To Be World's Largest (see below) Algae Aids And Abets Coral Killers (see below) Hope For Coral' As Oceans Warm (see below) JOBS Post-doc at MPI for Biogeochemistry, Jena (Germany) Biospheric Theory and Modelling (see below) Post-doctoral position: "Chemistry-climate Interactions" National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), New Zealand (see below) WRF Data Assimilation Scientist Positions at NCAR (USA) (see below) *************************************************** Resources New Funding Announcements for FY07 from NOAA Coastal Ocean Program Announcements of Opportunity have been issued to submit proposals to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research/Coastal Ocean Program under four different program elements. Proposals under a COASTAL HYPOXIA RESEARCH PROGRAM (CHRP) closes 3:00 p.m. EST September 11, 2006. Proposals under MONITORING AND EVENT RESPONSE FOR HARMFUL ALGAL BLOOMS (MERHAB) closes 3:00 p.m. EST October 2, 2006. Proposals under CUMULATIVE IMPACTS OF MULTIPLE STRESSORS (Multi- Stress) closes 3:00 p.m. EST October 23, 2006. Proposals under CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEM STUDIES (CRES) closes 3:00 p.m. EST November 13, 2006. The Federal Register Notice and full Announcement of Federal Funding Opportunity can be accessed through the NOAA Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research/Coastal Ocean Program website at:: http://www.cop.noaa.gov/opportunities/grants/fundingarchive/ fy2007.html *************************************************** Science News Next Victim of Warming: The Beaches When scientists consider the possible effects of global warming, there is a lot they don't know. But they can say one thing for sure: sea levels will rise. This rising water will be felt along the artificially maintained beaches of New Jersey, in the vanishing marshes of Louisiana, even on the ocean bluffs of California. According to a 2000 report by the Heinz Center for Science, Economics and the Environment, at least a quarter of the houses within 500 feet of the United States coast may be lost to rising seas by 2060. There were 350,000 of these houses when the report was written, but today there are far more. And the remedies are not attractive, to say the least. Few coastal residents want to see their towns walled off and surrounded by water. And few want to elevate their houses by 20 feet or more, as flooding experts are beginning to recommend in some coastal areas. The approach favored by many scientists, a gradual retreat from the coast, is a perennial nonstarter among real estate interests and their political allies. At present rates of sea level rise, Dr. Moore said, the computer model she is using "suggests the barriers can maintain themselves, if they are allowed to migrate." But if a sea wall or other infrastructure is in the way, the island is pinned down. Sand that would wash over is blocked as the island erodes. In time, rising water meets the wall and drowns the beach. Meanwhile, storm waves scour the wall's base and erode the underwater beach slope. "Eventually the sea wall collapses because the situation is so extreme." In research in Santa Barbara, Calif., that was reported in the winter issue of the journal Shore and Beach, Jenifer E. Dugan and David M. Hubbard of the University of California, Santa Barbara, found that on armored beaches, there was much less accumulation of seaweed and other drift material, far fewer insects and crustaceans that feed on or in this wrack, fewer intertidal species like sand crabs and clams, and fewer species of birds. Their conclusion? "The combination of rising sea levels predicted by climate change models and the increasing extent of coastal armoring will accelerate beach loss and increase ecological consequences for sandy beach communities and shorebirds in many regions." In general, Mr. Wehrum said, it seemed quite likely that people would want to protect developed areas and might be willing to let undeveloped areas like wildlife refuges or coastal farms migrate. Meanwhile, though, people like Ms. Winters and Dr. Williams watch as, one by one, people make decisions that will collectively have big implications for beaches. Full article: http://www.climateark.org/articles/reader.asp? linkid=57477 ******************** Human Activities In Arid Urban Environments Can Affect Rainfall And Water Cycle In the past half-century, cities have begun to expand in some of the Earth's most arid areas. While scientists have known for some time that the so-called "heat-island" effect of large cities such as Atlanta and Houston can affect their weather, they knew less about this effect and other processes in arid cities, such as Phoenix, which have experienced explosive population growth. Now, a study by a climatologist in the department of geography at the University of Georgia has shown, using a unique 108-year-old data record and NASA's Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite, that arid cities such as Riyadh in Saudi Arabia and Phoenix have an effect on rainfall patterns around them. As important, it appears that human activities such as land use, aerosols and irrigation in these arid urban environments affect the entire water cycle as well. One of the most interesting findings in the new study was a 12-14 percent increase (which scientists call an anomaly) in rainfall in the northeast suburbs of Phoenix from the pre-urban (1895-1949) to post-urban (1950-2003) periods. A previous study first noted the possible anomaly but focused only on the post-urban period, so it was not clear whether the change was tied to post-1950 urbanization around Phoenix. It is hypothesized that this anomaly is related to urban-topographic interactions and possibly irrigation moisture. Indeed, the role of irrigation in changing the weather of cities in arid areas is one of the more intriguing findings, and one that will bear more study. "We think that these human activities can actually alter the natural system and interact with monsoon flow and mountain convection," said Shepherd. The weather in Phoenix, in fact, is affected by both. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/ 2006/06/060619222554.htm ******************** Hurricanes And The U.S. Gulf Coast: Science And Sustainable Rebuilding The American Geophysical Union today published the report of a Conference of Experts, intended to guide policy makers charged with rebuilding areas affected by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. The 20 scientists who participated in the conference looked at seven major areas: hurricanes, storm surge and flooding, subsidence, climate change, hydrology, infrastructure, and disaster preparedness and response. For each topic, they assessed current understanding of the phenomenon, near-term scientific needs, and longer-term directions. Full Report: http://www.agu.org/report/hurricanes/ ******************** Mapping A Glacial Path Of Destruction The dangerous power of glacial outburst floods - or jokulhlaups - will be easier to predict thanks to new models developed by a Leeds researcher and presented at the International Glaciological Society symposium in Iceland this Friday (June 23). These spectacular outburst floods happen as dams of ice and earth give way or, as from Vatnajokull in Iceland in 1996, when a volcano erupts beneath a glacier. That outburst flood was 10km wide, swept away a bridge and left behind icebergs 10m high. "This is really important for hazard management and also because flood size and frequencies will alter with climate change. In particular, global warming will lead to changes in how fast glaciers melt, and the mode by which meltwater is released." http:// www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/06/060620082017.htm ******************** Where climate is made in a greenhouse world New scientific results for the Late Cretaceous greenhouse indicate radically different climatic mechanisms operating about 75-90 million years ago compared to the ones that control today's climate. The study, published on 29 May 2006 in "Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology" as part of a special issue on "Causes and Consequence of Marine Organic Carbon Burial Through Time" by Sascha Floegel from the IFM-GEOMAR in Kiel/Germany and Thomas Wagner from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne/UK aims to identify the main 'climate kitchen' in a world with about 5-9?C warmer global temperatures than today. The researchers focus their interest on the causal relationships and feedbacks between the tropics and higher latitudes. Using marine geological records and data from global paleoclimate simulations they identify a previously unrecognized link between higher latitude climate dynamics and tropical African climate, the latter leading to exceptionally high burial of organic carbon in the deep tropical Atlantic. Marine geological record show that enhanced burial of organic carbon in the deep sea was confined to short time envelops of about 5 thousand years that reoccurred over millions of years at a regular pattern (see Beckmann and co-workers, published 8 September 2005 in Nature 437). Climate modelling is one key technique to identify and understand the larger-scale mechanisms that result in geological evidence. By varying one of Earth's orbital parameters, the precession of the equinoxes, the modelling setup used in this study provides new insights to the dynamics of global climate during past greenhouse conditions. Accordingly, changes in the amount of energy approaching the top of the atmosphere, called "insolation", finally triggered cyclic variations of the tropical water cycle in tropical Africa. Periods of enhanced precipitation and freshwater runoff then resulted in massive burial of organic carbon at the sea floor suggesting that processes in the atmosphere drive changes in the ocean. The remaining, fundamental question on the source area(s) where cyclic fluctuations in tropical water cycling and marine carbon burial were triggered was addressed using global climate simulation. Applying four different orbital configurations of one complete precession cycle the model identifies cross-latitudinal variations of atmospheric pressure systems, fluctuations in the magnitude and direction of surface winds, and associated precipitation and runoff patterns. Previously unrecognized, the model identifies the strongest variations in atmospheric pressure above the South Atlantic at mid- southern latitudes between 25?55?S. Establishment of an atmospheric teleconnection between this area and tropical Africa, however, is limited to one specific orbital configuration, which lasted for about 5 thousand years and caused strongest climate contrasts in a seasonal cycle. These new results challenge current notions on role of the tropics as main driver of Cretaceous climate. They rather support the conclusion that tropical climate in a greenhouse world is ultimately triggered by climate change at mid-southern latitudes, with precipitation and river discharge being the transport mechanisms. Today the tropics control a big fraction of Earth's climate. The new findings reported here suggest that the mid-latitudes will have a much stronger impact on low latitude climate system at predicted future levels of atmospheric CO2. This conclusion has severe consequences for the future low latitude water cycle and associated nutrient and carbon fluxes to coastal areas. The latter fluxes from the continent strongly influence surface ocean productivity, O2 consumption in the water column and thus marine ecosystems, and many other processes affecting the global carbon balance. The broader implications support substantial interaction between the water cycle and atmospheric circulation on regional and hemispheric scales during times of global warmth. As evident from this study we probably still do not realise all the relevant processes that drive future global warming. Knowing them, however, is critical to get prepared and mitigate the effects for society and ecosystems. http:// www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-06/uonu-wci060106.php ******************** Hawaiian Marine Reserve To Be World's Largest taken from SeaSpan President Bush has designated an island chain spanning nearly 1,400 miles of the Pacific northwest of Hawaii as a national monument, creating the largest protected marine reserve in the world. Establishing the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands as a strictly protected marine reserve could prove to be the administration's most enduring environmental legacy. The roughly 100-mile-wide area encompasses a string of uninhabited islands that support more than 7,000 marine species, at least a fourth of which are found nowhere else on Earth. The islands include almost 70 percent of the nation's tropical, shallow-water coral reefs, a rookery for 14 million seabirds, and the last refuge for the endangered Hawaiian monk seal and the threatened green sea turtle. The area also has an abundance of large predatory fish at a time when 90 percent of such species have disappeared from the world's oceans. Encompassing nearly 140,000 square miles, an area nearly the size of Montana and larger than all the national parks combined, the reserve will just surpass Australia's Great Barrier Reef Marine Park as the largest protected marine area in the world. It will also, however, be one of the least accessible. "This is a landmark conservation event," said Joshua Reichert, who heads the Pew Charitable Trusts' environment programs and had pushed to have the area designated as a marine sanctuary. "The government is saying in certain places, for certain reasons, it is important to restrict activities that have the potential to damage the marine environment, of which fishing is a big one." Source: Juliet Eilperin, The Washington Post,15 June 2006 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/14/ AR2006061402455.html?sub=new Additional articles: Andrew C. Revkin, The New York Times, 15 June 2006 http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/15/science/earth/15hawaii.html? _r=2&oref=slogin&oref=slogin Kenneth R. Weiss, L.A. Times, 15 June 2006 http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na- hawaii15jun15,1,501585.story?coll=la-headlines-nation&ctrack=1&cset=true Additional quote: "This is the best thing that President Bush has done for the environment since he took office," said Elliott A. Norse, president of the Marine Conservation Biology Institute. "Having discussed this with him, I know that the president is personally committed to this." Norse was one of the 50 guests who witnessed Bush's excitement after the screening of Jean-Michel Cousteau's "Voyage to Kure" in the White House. ******************** Algae Aids And Abets Coral Killers From SeaSpan Algae are often found growing where corals once lived. Most researchers supposed that the algae simply moved in once corals were already dead or dying. But a recent study (Science, 24 February 2006) revealed that organic carbon--which often leaks out of some plants and algae--promotes microbial activity that kills coral. To elucidate a possible connection between algae, microbes, and corals, marine ecologist Jennifer Smith of the University of California, Santa Barbara, and colleagues brought samples of coral and algae back to the lab from the Central Pacific. The team placed corals in tubs, half of which also contained algae. A filter separated the algae from the coral; it was fine enough to block bacteria and viruses, but large enough to allow passage of dissolved compounds. Within 2 days, all the corals with algae neighbors turned white and died, while all the solo corals survived. Near the dying corals' surface, oxygen levels had plummeted, and the energy molecule ATP spiked--both signs of microbial activity. In repeated experiments, over 95% of corals suffered to some degree from being near algae, the team (which includes Pew Fellow Enric Sala) reports online 5 June in Ecology Letters. Source: Katherine Unger, ScienceNOW Daily News, 7 June 2006 http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2006/607/2?rss=1 Citation: Smith, J. E., M. Shaw, R. Edwards, D. Obura, O. Pantos, E. Sala, S. Sandin, S. Smriga, M. Hatay and F. L. Rohwer. 2006. Indirect effects of algae on coral: algae-mediated, microbe-induced coral mortality. Ecology Letters 9: 835-845. http://www.blackwell-synergy.com/doi/abs/10.1111/j. 1461-0248.2006.00937.x ******************** Hope For Coral' As Oceans Warm From SeaSpan Coral live in close partnership with algae, but lose the algae when temperatures rise, causing death. Australian scientists have discovered that coral may be able to exchange their algae for varieties that can survive at higher temperatures. They say this provides a "nugget of hope" for some reefs threatened by climate change. "While this is likely to be of huge ecological benefit," write Ray Berkelmans and Madeleine van Oppen, "it may not be enough to help these populations cope with the predicted increases in average tropical sea temperatures over the next 100 years." Drs. Berkelman and van Oppen, from the Australian Institute of Marine Science (Aims) in Townsville, report their findings in the scientific journal Proceedings B, published by the UK's Royal Society. Source: Richard Black, BBC News website, 7 June 2006 http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5053812.stm Citation: Berkelmans, R. and van Oppen, M. J. H. 2006. The role of zooxanthellae in the thermal tolerance of corals: a ?nugget of hope? for coral reefs in an era of climate change. Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences. FirstCite Early Online Publishing. http://www.journals.royalsoc.ac.uk/(kjj1ky31m3emqb45ax2b3vz2)/app/ home/contribution.asp?referrer=parent&backto=searcharticlesresults,6,32; *************************************************** 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' Post-doc at MPI for Biogeochemistry, Jena (Germany) Biospheric Theory and Modelling The Max-Planck-Institute for Biogeochemistry in Jena, Germany, invites applications for a postdoctoral scientist in the Biospheric Theory and Modelling Group. The successful candidate will participate in the development and application of an Earth system model of intermediate complexity and apply the model to topics related to the role of the biosphere in Earth system science and evolution. Particular topics of interest include: optimum vegetation and land surface functioning, testing for optimality using observations; vegetation-aerosol-cloud interactions; nutrient cycling; Earth's entropy budget; Maximum Entropy Production; paleoclimatology. A PhD degree in Earth system science or related fields is required. Preference will be given to candidates with a proven publication record and experience in vegetation/land surface/climate system modeling. Excellent programming skills in FORTRAN 90 and knowledge of the Unix environment are required as well as fluent proficiency of the Eng-lish language. The position is available as soon as September 1, 2006. The position is available for three years and is similar to a civil service position (TV?D E13/E14, level according to experience) including extensive social security plans and generous funds for equipment, publications, and travel. An extension of the position is possible. The conditions of em-ployment, including upgrades and duration follow the rules of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Sciences and those of the German civil service. The Max-Planck-Society seeks to increase the number of female scientists and encourages them to apply. Handicapped persons with comparable qualifications receive preferential status. For best consideration, please submit your application, including a clear statement of your interest in this position, a curriculum vitae and the contact details of two academic referees before August 1st, 2006 in electronic form to Axel Kleidon. Further information about our research group can be found on the group's web page at http://www.bgc-jena.mpg.de/~akleidon. ******************** Post-doctoral position: "Chemistry-climate Interactions" National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA), New Zealand A post-doctoral researcher is required to join our global climate and atmospheric chemistry modelling group starting 1 July 2006 or as soon as possible thereafter. This group conducts a wide range of modelling activities including climate modelling and coupled- chemistry climate modelling. The primary tool used for this research is the UKMO Unified Model (UM) which is run on our Cray T3E supercomputer. The responsibilities of the post- doc could span both activities but with a focus on atmospheric chemistry modelling and in particular studying the evolution of the ozone layer in a changing climate. Initial activities would include participating in the ongoing development of our coupled chemistry-climate model UMETRAC (Unified Model with Eulerian TRansport and Chemistry), using UMETRAC to decompose the feedbacks between the chemical composition of the stratosphere and the climate, and validation of the model through comparison with measurements (supporting our participation in the CCMVal activity). Additional work would include participation in the development and running of UMeth (Unified Model with Methane), a version of the UM including emission and transport of methane isotopic species, and destruction by hydroxyl and chlorine sinks. The chemistry-climate modelling research is based at NIWA's research facility at Lauder while the climate modelling research is based at NIWA's Greta Point campus in Wellington. UMeth work is carried out at both sites. The expectation is that the post-doc would be based at Lauder but would spend some fraction of time working in Wellington. Travel between the two centres will be paid for by NIWA. On site accommodation in one of the four houses on the Lauder research station will be provided at very inexpensive rates (approx. 140 New Zealand dollars/month, including electricity usage and phone rental). The Lauder research station is in a sparsely populated region of Central Otago, chosen for its clean air and cloudless skies to facilitate the measurement programme. Central Otago provides excellent opportunities for outdoor pursuits including mountain biking, kayaking, cross-country skiing in winter, rock climbing etc. Most of the people working at Lauder live in Alexandra, 30 minutes drive from Lauder and an hour's drive from Queenstown. The NIWA campus on the foreshore in Wellington houses approximately 260 people working on a wide range of atmospheric and oceanographic research programmes. The campus is close to the city centre, and the many lively cultural activities that Wellington provides. The appointment will be for 2 years on the salary range of approximately 52000 New Zealand dollars per year. The applicant should have a PhD in atmospheric physics, atmospheric chemistry or a related field, a working knowledge of Fortran, and preferably some experience working with general circulation models. Knowledge of the UM and previous work with climate models would be advantageous. Applications, comprising a curriculum vitae, a list of publications and the names and addresses of two referees should be sent (ideally electronically) to: Dr. Greg Bodeker NIWA Private Bag 50061 Omakau Central Otago New Zealand email: g.bodeker@niwa.co.nz Closing date is: 1 July 2006 but I will continue to accept applications until a suitable candidate has been found. Please email me at g.bodeker@niwa.co.nz if you require additional information. ******************** WRF Data Assimilation Scientist Positions at NCAR (USA) The National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) is a National Science Foundation (NSF) federally funded research and development center, based in Boulder, Colorado, USA. NCAR's Mesoscale and Microscale Meteorology Division and Research Applications Laboratory currently have a number of openings for modelers with experience in atmospheric data assimilation. The jobholders' role will be to contribute towards research, further development, and applications of the WRF three/four dimensional variational (3/4D-Var) data assimilation system (WRF-Var). The positions focus on a number of areas including a) Polar Data Assimilation, b) Forecast Error Covariances Via Coupled EPS/DA, and c) Testing/tuning of Real-Time DA systems. The deadline for application is June 30, 2006. For further information, please visit the UCAR job opportunities website at: http://www.fin.ucar.edu/hr/careers/uco_jobList_ext.cfm or click on the direct links below. Project Scientist I - Job # 6124 http://www.fin.ucar.edu/hr/careers/uco.cfm? do=jobDetailExt&job_ID=677 Associate Scientist III - Job # 6125 http://www.fin.ucar.edu/hr/careers/uco.cfm? do=jobDetailExt&job_ID=678 Project Scientist I - Job # 6128 http://www.fin.ucar.edu/hr/careers/uco.cfm? do=jobDetailExt&job_ID=680 Associate Scientist III - Job # 6129 http://www.fin.ucar.edu/hr/careers/uco.cfm? do=jobDetailExt&job_ID=681 ************************************************** 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/20060623/86a6620a/attachment-0001.htm From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Jun 30 15:19:56 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Jun 30 15:21:01 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 06/30/2006 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 06/30/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS FORUM Comments on "How to Cool a Planet (Maybe)" (this e-newsletter) from RealClimate http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2006/06/geo- engineering-in-vogue/#more-320 The Threat to the Planet By James Hansen, The New York Review - submitted to DIALOG/ DISCCRS News by Sue Weiler: Dear all, I thought you might find this article by Jim Hansen worth reading -- it is posted on Hansen's website -- Copy and paste the following link: ftp://ftp.giss.nasa.gov/ outgoing/JEH/threat_to_planet_4pp17jul06.pdf SCIENCE NEWS National Academies Report: High Confidence in Surface Temperature Reconstructions since A.D. 1600. http://nationalacademies.org/morenews/20060622.html Panel Supports a Controversial Report on Global Warming (see below) Earth's Climate Warming Abruptly, Scientist Says (see below) Ruling May Affect Global Warming (see below) How to Cool a Planet (Maybe) (see below) Global Warming Beyond Natural Cycles Fueled 2005 Hurricane Season, New Study Concludes (see below) [Fish:] If You Want to Eat, Don't Cheat! (see below) A Possible Snag in Burying Carbon Dioxide (see below) Warming Was Top Factor in 2005 Hurricanes, New Data Says (see below) Global Atmospheric Carbon Level May Depend Primarily on Southern Ocean (New reserach from Sarmiento's lab - see below) Top court gets case on global warming California's key law on auto emissions at stake in ruling (see below) Catastrophic 'lake burst' chills climate (see below) JOBS Post-Doctoral Research Scientist, global nitrogen cycle, Columbia University, (see below) 3 Oceanography Research Scientist positions at Scripps Institution of Oceanography (see below) Biology Faculty Positions: University of Oregon - Marine Biology (see below) Post-doc at University of Leeds and Leicester - Institute for Atmospheric Science School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds (see below) Post-doc - numerical modelling of the global atmospheric circulation at Max Planck Inst for Meteorol (Germany) (see below) Coordinator - Tees Valley Climate Change Partnership (UK) (see below) *************************************************** Science News Panel Supports a Controversial Report on Global Warming from the New York Times (Registration Required) WASHINGTON, June 22 - An influential and controversial paper asserting that recent warming in the Northern Hemisphere was probably unrivaled for 1,000 years was endorsed Thursday, with a few reservations, by a panel convened by the nation's pre-eminent scientific body. The panel said that a statistical method used in the 1999 study was not the best and that some uncertainties in the work "have been underestimated," and particularly challenged the authors' conclusion that the 1990's were probably the warmest decade in a millennium. But in a 155-page report, the 12-member panel convened by the National Academies said "an array of evidence" supported the main thrust of the paper. Disputes over details, it said, reflected the normal intellectual clash that takes place as science tests new approaches to old questions. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/23/washington/23climate.html http://tinyurl.com/nuztd ******************** Earth's Climate Warming Abruptly, Scientist Says from the Washington Post (Registration Required) COLUMBUS, Ohio -- Earth's climate is undergoing an abrupt change, ending a cooler period that began with a swift "cold snap" in the tropics 5,200 years ago that coincided with the start of cities, the beginning of calendars and the biblical great flood, a leading expert on glaciers has concluded. The warming around Earth's tropical belt is a signal suggesting that the "climate system has exceeded a critical threshold," which has sent tropical-zone glaciers in full retreat and will melt them completely "in the near future," said Lonnie G. Thompson, a scientist who for 23 years has been taking core samples from the ancient ice of glaciers. Thompson, writing with eight other researchers in an article published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, said the ice samples show that the climate can and did cool quickly, and that a similarly abrupt warming change started about 50 years ago. Humans may not have the luxury of adapting to slow changes, he suggests. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/06/26/ AR2006062601237.html ******************** Ruling May Affect Global Warming from the Boston Globe (Registration Required) WASHINGTON -- The Supreme Court plunged yesterday into the debate over global warming and whether the government should regulate "greenhouse" gases, especially carbon dioxide from cars. The ruling could be one of the court's most important ever on the environment. Spurred by states in a pollution battle with the Bush administration, the court said it would decide whether the Environmental Protection Agency is required under the federal clean air law to treat carbon dioxide from automobiles as a pollutant that is harmful to health. The decision could determine how the nation addresses global warming. President Bush has rejected calls by environmentalists and some lawmakers in Congress to regulate carbon dioxide, the leading heat- trapping greenhouse gas going into the atmosphere. Bush favors voluntary actions and development of new technologies to curtail such emissions. http://www.boston.com/news/nation/washington/articles/2006/06/27/ ruling_may_affect_global_warming/ http://tinyurl.com/q7n6j ******************** How to Cool a Planet (Maybe) from the New York Times (Registration Required) In the past few decades, a handful of scientists have come up with big, futuristic ways to fight global warming: Build sunshades in orbit to cool the planet. Tinker with clouds to make them reflect more sunlight back into space. Trick oceans into soaking up more heat- trapping greenhouse gases. Their proposals were relegated to the fringes of climate science. Few journals would publish them. Few government agencies would pay for feasibility studies. Environmentalists and mainstream scientists said the focus should be on reducing greenhouse gases and preventing global warming in the first place. But now, in a major reversal, some of the world's most prominent scientists say the proposals deserve a serious look because of growing concerns about global warming. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/27/science/earth/27cool.html? _r=1&oref=slogin http://tinyurl.com/mfmvn ******************** Global Warming Beyond Natural Cycles Fueled 2005 Hurricane Season, New Study Concludes AGU Release No. 06-21 WASHINGTON - Global warming accounted for around half of the extra hurricane-fueling warmth in the waters of the tropical North Atlantic in 2005, while natural cycles were only a minor factor, according to a new analysis by Kevin Trenberth and Dennis Shea of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). "The global warming influence provides a new background level that increases the risk of future enhancements in hurricane activity," Trenberth says. The study appears 27 June in Geophysical Research Letters, published by the American Geophysical Union. Thestudy contradicts recent claims that natural cycles are responsible for the upturn in Atlantic hurricane activity since 1995. It also adds support to the premise that hurricane seasons will become more active as global temperatures rise. Last year produced a record 28 tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic. Hurricanes Katrina, Rita, and Wilma all reached Category 5 strength. Trenberth and Shea's research focuses on an increase in ocean temperatures. During much of last year's hurricane season, sea- surface temperatures across the tropical Atlantic between 10 degrees north and 20 degrees north, which is where many Atlantic hurricanes originate, were a record 0.9 degrees Celsius [1.6 degrees Fahrenheit] above the 1901-1970 average. While researchers agree that the warming waters fueled hurricane intensity, they have been uncertain whether Atlantic waters have heated up because of a natural, decades-long cycle, or because of global warming. By analyzing worldwide data on sea-surface temperatures (SSTs) since the early 20th century, Trenberth and Shea were able to calculate the causes of the increased temperatures in the tropical North Atlantic. Their calculations show that global warming explained about 0.45 degrees Celsius [0.81 degrees Fahrenheit] of this rise. Aftereffects from the 2004-2005 El Nino accounted for about 0.2 degrees Celsius [0.4 degrees Fahrenheit]. The Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO), a 60-to-80-year natural cycle in sea surface temperature, explained less than 0.1 degrees Celsius [0.2 degrees Fahrenheit] of the rise, according to Trenberth. The remainder is due to year-to-year variability in temperatures. Previous studies have attributed the warming and cooling patterns of North Atlantic ocean temperatures in the 20th century--and associated hurricane activity--to the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation. But Trenberth, suspecting that global warming was also playing a role, looked beyond the Atlantic to temperature patterns throughout Earth's tropical and midlatitude waters. He subtracted the global trend from the irregular Atlantic temperatures--in effect, separating global warming from the Atlantic natural cycle. The results show that the AMO is actually much weaker now than it was in the 1950s, when Atlantic hurricanes were also quite active. However, the AMO did contribute to the lull in hurricane activity from about 1970 to 1990 in the Atlantic. Global warming does not guarantee that each year will set new records for hurricanes, according to Trenberth. He notes that last year's activity was related to very favorable upper-level winds as well as the extremely warm sea surface temperatures. Each year will bring ups and downs in tropical Atlantic SSTs, due to natural variations, such as the presence or absence of El Nino, he says. However, he adds, the long-term ocean warming should raise the baseline of hurricane activity. The study was supported by the National Science Foundation. Notes for Journalists Journalists (only) may obtain a pdf copy of this paper upon request to Jonathan Lifland: jlifland@agu.org. Please provide your name, name of publication, phone, and email address. The paper and this press release are not under embargo. Title: "Atlantic hurricanes and natural variability in 2005" Authors: Kevin E. Trenberth and Dennis J. Shea: National Center for Atmospheric Research, Boulder, Colorado, USA. Citation: Trenberth, K. E., and D. J. Shea (2006), Atlantic hurricanes and natural variability in 2005, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L12704, doi: 10.1029/2006GL026894. Contact information for author: Kevin Trenberth: trenbert@ucar.edu or +1 303-497-1318 ******************** [Fish:] If You Want to Eat, Don't Cheat! from ScienceNOW Daily News It pays to keep an eye out for cheats, especially if you're a fish that regularly gets robbed. A new study shows that the bridled monocle bream spies on the fish that clean its friends to help ensure that it ends up with an honest broker. Cleaner wrasse (Labroides dimidiatus) offer the oceans' best fish- wash. They nibble on the skin of other fish, removing annoying parasites. One of the wrasse's clients is the bridled monocle bream (Scolopsis bilineatus), but the bream offers something tastier than parasites for the wrasse to dine on: protective skin mucus. A few bad apples abandon their cleaning duties and head straight for the mucus. If this happens, the bream chase them away. But the wrasse often come back and behave badly again. Behavioral ecologist Redouan Bshary of the University of Neuch?tel, Switzerland, and colleague Alexandra Grutter wondered if--instead of punishing cheaters--the bream have a way of avoiding them to begin with. http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2006/621/5 http://tinyurl.com/h8bev ******************** A Possible Snag in Burying Carbon Dioxide from ScienceNOW Daily News Scientists testing the deep geologic disposal of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide are finding that it's staying where they put it, but it's chewing up minerals. The reactions have produced a nasty mix of metals and organic substances in a layer of sandstone 1550 meters down, researchers report this week in Geology. At the same time, the CO2 is dissolving a surprising amount of the mineral that helps keep the gas where it's put. Nothing is leaking out so far, but the phenomenon will need a closer look before such carbon sequestration can help ameliorate the greenhouse problem, say the researchers. http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2006/628/3 or http://tinyurl.com/kv976 ******************** Warming Was Top Factor in 2005 Hurricanes, New Data Says Richard A. Lovett for National Geographic News June 28, 2006 Following the devastation caused by Hurricane Katrina, climate scientists began a heated debate: Was last year's superstrong hurricane season a result of global warming? Several experts say no, pointing to a natural long-term fluctuation in sea-surface temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean called the Atlantic multidecadal oscillation (AMO). Few scientists doubt that human-induced global warming is occurring. But some maintain that a natural cycle played a larger role in creating last year's bumper crop of storms. Now a new study argues that global warming is probably the larger of the two factors. Kevin Trenberth and Dennis Shea of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, in Boulder, Colorado, tried to untangle the competing factors by looking beyond the Atlantic records. Their research appears in this month's issue of the journal Geophysical Research Letters. They collected 130 years of temperature records for other tropical and mid-latitude waters, which they used to determine what portion of the changes in the Atlantic were due to global temperature shifts and which were because of regional factors, such the natural sea-temperature cycle. Full article: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/ 2006/06/060628-warm-hurricanes.html ******************** Global Atmospheric Carbon Level May Depend Primarily on Southern Ocean (New reserach from Sarmiento's lab) June 22, 2006 Earth Observatory Media Alert Circulation in the waters near the Antarctic coast may be one of the planet's critical means of regulating levels of carbon dioxide in the Earth's atmosphere, according to Princeton researchers. Though climate scientists have long debated the reasons behind the variation in atmospheric levels of carbon dioxide that occur over lengthy periods in Earth's history, the Princeton team may have found a clue to where the answer can be found. In a new research paper, the team reveals that the waters in the Southern Ocean below 60 degrees south latitude, the region that hugs the continent of Antarctica, play a far more significant role than was previously thought in regulating atmospheric carbon, and -- in contrast to past theories -- the waters north of this region do comparably little to regulate it. "Cold water that wells up regularly from the depths of the Southern Ocean spreads out on the ocean's surface along both sides of this dividing line, and we have found that the water performs two very different functions depending on which side of the line it flows toward," said Irina Marinov, the study's lead author. "While the water north of the line generally spreads nutrients throughout the world's oceans, the second, southward-flowing stream soaks up carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, from the air. Such a sharply-defined difference in function has surprised us. It could mean that a change to one side of the cycle might not affect the other as much as we once suspected." The research team, which also includes Princeton's Jorge Sarmiento as well as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Anand Gnanadesikan and Robbie Toggweiler, will publish their results in today's (June 22) issue of the scientific journal, Nature. Marinov, who led the study while working in Sarmiento's lab, is currently pursuing postdoctoral research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology as a NOAA Fellow in Climate and Global Change. The Southern Ocean has long been of interest to scientists, who have found that it influences the rest of the planet in many ways. Two years ago, Sarmiento's research team discovered that the nutrients in the world's oceans were dependent on the Southern Ocean's circulation pattern, but had not realized how the pattern affected the atmospheric carbon cycle. Scientists have also been aware that cold Antarctic waters have the ability to absorb atmospheric carbon dioxide, which could make the region one of the planet's lines of defense against rising greenhouse gas levels. These and other effects the Southern Ocean has on the Earth are not themselves new to science, but distinctions between one effect and another have been difficult to draw. "The new paper shows that carbon dioxide and nutrient flow are separated quite dramatically," said Sarmiento, a professor of geosciences. "What we are trying to do is understand better the balance of forces that help our planet maintain a steady environmental state, so we can anticipate what might cause that state to change. This paper helps us clarify how those forces interact." Changing levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide have long concerned the scientific community, as this well-known greenhouse gas could be a major influence on global warming. Marinov said the discovery could shed light on how the Earth reacted far back in history, which might offer clues to how it will behave in the future. "In the last ice age, for example, the atmosphere experienced very low levels of carbon dioxide, and no one is completely sure why," she said. "However, we now understand the Southern Ocean plays a large role in regulating how much of the gas gets dissolved in water, and how much remains in the atmosphere." The current study, she said, indicates that to better understand the Southern Ocean's effect on atmospheric carbon, scientists should pay greater attention to the Antarctic than to the more northerly sub- Antarctic region. "In the Antarctic, the circulation pattern moves the surface water carrying carbon dioxide deep into the ocean's depths, where the sequestered carbon could potentially be trapped for a long time," Marinov said. "According to the models we used, the deep Antarctic is the critical region where we need to concentrate our research." The team also indicated that the findings had implications for future research into carbon sequestration, a strategy for coping with increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels. Some scientists propose that sequestration could one day capture atmospheric carbon and store it in places such as the deep ocean, thus mitigating humanity's greenhouse gas emissions. "An interesting idea of recent years is that we can sequester a lot of carbon if we dump iron into the ocean to encourage the growth of certain microorganisms, which incorporate carbon as they grow," Marinov said. "These organisms would then fall to the ocean floor after they die, taking the carbon with them. The overall effect would be to lower concentration of carbon in the surface waters, allowing more atmospheric carbon dioxide to dissolve into the sea. Our research has implications for future iron fertilization experiments, the focus of which we conclude should shift to the Antarctic." Marinov said that the findings were based strongly on the team's computer models, which have limitations that they will now concentrate on eliminating. "While we are confident about the paper's conclusions, we are always looking for ways to clarify our understanding of the Southern Ocean," she said. "Our model, for example, does not take into account the fact that the circulation patterns are strongest in the winter, when the Antarctic is covered in darkness and the phytoplankton cannot grow very much. It is important that we understand the impact of this process on atmospheric carbon dioxide through future research." This research was sponsored in part by the U.S. Department of Energy and NOAA's Postdoctoral Program in Climate and Global Change, administered by the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research. The Princeton team worked closely with NOAA's Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Lab, which is affiliated with Princeton through the graduate program in atmospheric and oceanic sciences. Climate research at Princeton is strongly enriched by the relationship with researchers in the laboratory on the Forrestal Campus, who collaborate on research, supervise Princeton graduate students and teach University courses. http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/MediaAlerts/ 2006/2006062222513.html ******************** Top court gets case on global warming California's key law on auto emissions at stake in ruling Supreme Court agreed Monday to hear a case that will determine whether the Bush administration must regulate greenhouse gases, which could have broad consequences for California's landmark law reining in vehicle emissions to fight global warming. The case, brought by California, 11 other states and by environmental groups, is being heralded by legal experts as one of the most important environmental issues to be heard by the high court in years. The justices' decision could touch virtually every U.S. industry, from automobile makers and oil companies to airlines and electricity producers. Full story: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/ 2006/06/27/MNGPHJKN0H1.DTL ******************** Catastrophic 'lake burst' chills climate Ocean circulation changes during the present warm interglacial were more extensive than previously thought, according to new research by the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Cardiff University. The findings, reported in this week's edition of the international journal Science (30 June 2006), prove for the first time that sudden North American 'lake bursts' slowed ocean circulation and cooled the climate approximately 8200 years ago. The groundbreaking research increases our understanding of the complex link between ocean circulation and climate change and highlights the sensitivity of the Atlantic overturning circulation to freshwater forcing. Christopher Ellison and Dr Mark Chapman, of UEA's School of Environmental Sciences, and Dr Ian Hall, of Cardiff University's School of Earth, Ocean and Planetary Sciences, investigated whether there was a connection between the catastrophic freshwater release from glacial lakes in North America, ocean circulation changes and the dramatic cooling seen in many climate records approximately 8200 years ago. The research team studied a sediment core taken from the seabed of the North Atlantic. "The core contains sediments representing the warm interval since the last Ice Age," said Christopher Ellison of the University of East Anglia. "The sediment includes a variety of small animals called foraminifera that record surface water conditions in their shells when living. We analysed changes in the abundance of different species of foraminifera and the chemistry of the shells to examine past patterns of climate change. We also analysed the sediment grain size to gauge the speed of deep ocean currents and therefore the strength of ocean circulation." The new findings provide direct evidence of both the freshwater forcing and the climate response. "The 8200-year-old event is the most recent abrupt climate change event and by far the most extreme cooling episode in the last 10,000 years, but up until now we knew comparatively little about its impact, if any, on the ocean circulation," said Dr Mark Chapman of the University of East Anglia. "Our records show a sequenced pattern of freshening and cooling of the North Atlantic sea surface and an associated change in the deep ocean circulation, all key factors that are involved in controlling the state of northern hemisphere climate." Dr Ian Hall of Cardiff University said: "The impact of large- scale pulsed inputs of freshwater on ocean circulation and climate during the time of the last Ice Age are well documented, but our results clearly demonstrate that these sorts of abrupt reorganisations also can occur during periods of warm climate. These findings have important implications for future research because they aid our understanding of the magnitude of forcing involved in rapid climate changes and the mechanisms involved. This provides a useful target for assessing the models that are used to predict future patterns of climate change". http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/ 2006-06/uoea-cb062706.php *************************************************** 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' Post-Doctoral Research Scientist, global nitrogen cycle, Columbia University, Several departments at Columbia University (Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory; Earth and Environmental Engineering and Ecology, Evolution and Environmental Biology) and Barnard College are recruiting for a Postdoctoral Research Scientist to carry out interdisciplinary research on the global nitrogen cycle. This position will be supported for 2 years in conjunction with a newly established program in Earth Microbiology at Columbia University. Particular areas of interest include: the genomic diversity of the present day nitrogen cycle and the application of new approaches to the analysis of its structure and organization at the global scale. The ideal candidate would have a background in biogeochemical cycling and microbial ecology and be familiar with molecular biology techniques such as FISH, DGGE, cloning and q-PCR. We also are interested in applying methods from bioinformatics to the analysis of biogeochemical systems and some familiarity with these approaches is highly desirable. Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills in English are required. Search will remain open for at least 30 days after the ads appear and until position is filled. Applicants should send a cover letter specifying Search Number: LD 670 060 017, curriculum vitae (please include email address), a statement of research interests and contact details of three referees to: Ms. M. Mokhtari, Manager of Human Resources, Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Palisades, NY 10964 or email to personnel@admin.ldeo.columbia.edu Columbia University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Minorities and Women are encouraged to apply. ******************** 3 Oceanography Research Scientist positions at Scripps Institution of Oceanography Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO, http://sio.ucsd.edu/) invites applications for full time Research positions (9-month academic year appointment) to be funded by extramural research grants and contracts. The appointments may be at the Assistant, Associate, or Full Research level with rank and salary depending on qualifications and experience. Associate level appointments receive 25% matching salary support from SIO funds, and Full appointments receive 50% matching salary support for the academic year (subject to availability of institutional funds). Start-up funds and moving expenses may be available. 1) Oceans and Atmospheres: Candidates with research interests and experience in physical oceanography, meteorology, climate sciences, or closely related fields are invited to apply. Possible research areas include ocean-atmosphere observations and analysis, general circulation modeling, data assimilation, instrumentation for oceanic and atmospheric observations, and geophysical fluid dynamics. 2) Physical Coastal Oceanography: Candidates with research interests and experience in observational oceanography of inshore waters are invited to apply. Possible research areas include but are not limited to wind-driven flows, mixing, internal waves, coastal and estuarine circulation and sediment transport. Collaborations with chemical and biological oceanographers are encouraged. 3) Marine Biology/Biological Oceanography: Candidates with research interests and experience in any aspect of marine biology or biological oceanography are invited to apply. Possible research areas include planktonic, pelagic and benthic ecology, systematics, biophysics, and the biochemical, genetic, or physiological bases of adaptations to marine environments. All candidates will be judged on the basis of research excellence and ability to contribute to the diverse research programs at SIO. Interdisciplinary research is especially encouraged and the search committees will share candidate files when appropriate. Junior candidates should demonstrate outstanding potential to obtain extramural funding for their research; more senior candidates are expected to have a record of such funding. Researchers often obtain lecturer appointments in the SIO Graduate Department and serve as graduate student advisors; participation in SIO/UCSD undergraduate education is also possible. Interested applicants should send curriculum vitae, statement of research expertise, selected reprints, and names and address of three suggested referees to: Chair, Search Committee (Specify position) C/o Leslie Costi, 0209 Scripps Institution of Oceanography La Jolla, CA 92093 ******************** Biology Faculty Positions: University of Oregon - Marine Biology The Oregon Institute of Marine Biology (OIMB; http:// www.uoregon.edu/~oimb/) and the Department of Biology at the University of Oregon invite applications for a tenure track (Assistant Professor) position in marine biology at OIMB. We wish to hire a marine biologist whose research and teaching interests would take full advantage of habitats and organisms accessible from the coastal marine laboratory. Applications are welcome from any field of marine biology, including but not limited to physiological ecology, population genetics, marine benthic ecology, molecular physiology, ichthyology, evolutionary biology or systematics. Research may be focused on invertebrates, vertebrates, algae or microbes. The successful candidate will have an outstanding research program and a commitment to excellence in teaching. Ph.D. required. Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae, a statement of research interests, a statement of teaching philosophy, and three letters of recommendation to: Marine Biology Search Committee, Department of Biology, 1210 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1210. To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by September 5, 2006. ******************** Post-doc at University of Leeds and Leicester - Institute for Atmospheric Science School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds Postdoctoral Research Associate Modelling of Tropospheric Satellite Data A 2-year NERC-funded PDRA post is available from summer/autumn 2006 to study novel satellite observations of tropospheric trace gases a using three-dimensional chemical model. This project is a collaboration with the University of Leicester who will retrieve acetone and PAN distributions in the upper troposphere from MIPAS data. At Leeds we will interpret this data using a three-dimensional chemical model. For more details of project see: http://www.see.leeds.ac.uk/research/ias/composition/current/ panacea.htm For more information on atmospheric science at Leeds see: http://www.see.leeds.ac.uk For recent work on acetone with the TOMCAT 3D CTM see: S. Arnold et al. J.Geophys. Res., 110(D22), D22305 doi: 10.1029/2005JD005998, 2005. University Grade 7 (?25,633 - ?27,194p.a.) Informal enquiries please contact Prof Martyn Chipperfield tel 0113 343 6459 email martyn@env.leeds.ac.uk To apply on line please visit http://www.leeds.ac.uk and click jobs. Informal enquiries and application packs are available from Mrs Kate Higham, School of Earth and Environment, E C Stoner Building, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT, tel 0113 343 5201 email k.higham@see.leeds.ac.uk Job ref 315036 Closing date 7 July 2006, or until suitable applicant is found. Formal bit: Further Particulars You will work within the atmospheric chemistry modelling group in the Institute for Atmospheric Science (IAS), School of Earth and Environment. This 2-year post is funded by NERC and is a joint collaboration between Leeds and the University of Leicester. The Leicester team are using the ENVISAT MIPAS satellite to retrieve novel observations of acetone and PAN in the upper troposphere. The Leeds research will involve using our existing 3D CTM to study what the new global observations imply for our understanding or the tropospheric acetone budget and upper tropospheric PAN-related chemistry. Main Duties Responsibilities of the Post You will report to the PI of the grant but will be expected to work under your own initiative To evaluate methods and techniques used and results obtained by other researchers and to relate such evaluations appropriately to own work To communicate or present research results within the research group and through publication The role holder will be required to attend and actively participate in meetings within the research group To assist in the supervision of PhD students Any other duties in relation to the research activities of the school, as directed by the Principal Investigator of the research project, commensurate with the grade Person Specification Essential A PhD in a relevant area of atmospheric science. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills. Knowledge of scientific computing Good organisational and time management skills. Must be reliable and enthusiastic Ability to work as part of a team or using own initiative when appropriate. Desirable Knowledge of Unix/linux and IDL. Direct experience of tropospheric chemical modelling How to Apply Applications should include the following:- A completed application form. If you wish to download an application form please visit http://www.leeds.ac.uk/hr/policy/ forms.htm A Curriculum Vitae/information requested on page 2 of the form. Equal Opportunities Monitoring form. Please return the Form in a separate envelope marked 'EOs Monitoring'. If you wish to complete the Equal Opportunities Monitoring form on- line please visit: http:// tldynamic.leeds.ac.uk/equalopps/ Replies will be treated in complete confidence. Completed applications should be returned to Mrs Kate Higham, School of Earth and Environment, EC Stoner Building, University of Leeds, Leeds LS2 9JT. Email k.higham@see.leeds.ac.uk quoting job ref 315036 not later than 7 July 2006 If you are selected for interview you can expect to hear from the University not later than 4 weeks after the closing date. If you are not selected for interview the University will not contact you again. A Criminal Records Disclosure is not required for this position. Disabled Applicants The post is located in the Environment Building. Disabled applicants wishing to review access to the building are invited to contact the department direct. Additional information may be sought from the Team Co-ordinator in Disability Services, email disability@leeds.ac.uk or tel 0113 343 3927 Disabled applicants are not obliged to inform employers of their disability but will still be covered by the Disability Discrimination Act once their disability becomes known. Data Protection The information you provide in your application will be used to consider your suitability for the post for which you have applied. If your application is not successful the information will be disposed of confidentially within 8 months. If your application is successful and you are appointed, your information and future data will be processed in accordance with the University's Data Protection Code of Practice. A copy of this code can be obtained from either the University's Human Resources Department or by visiting: http:// www.leeds.ac.uk/hr/policy/index.htm Health and Safety Responsibilities You are required to adhere and comply to the provisions of the Health and Safety at Work Act, related Regulations and in accordance to the University?s Policy on Health and Safety which can be accessed via: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/ safety/usp/uspindex.htm In addition you are also required to cooperate with regard to the implementation of Health and Safety arrangements and should not interfere with or misuse anything provided in the interest of Health, Safety and Welfare at Work. For more information on the University and terms and conditions of appointments please visit: http://www.leeds.ac.uk ******************** Post-doc - numerical modelling of the global atmospheric circulation at Max Planck Inst for Meteorol (Germany) The Max Planck Institute for Meteorology (MPI-M), a multidisciplinary center for Climate and Earth System research located in Hamburg, Germany, has a vacancy for a Postdoctoral Position In the field of the numerical modelling of the global atmospheric circulation. The successful applicant will join the development of a global multi-scale, mass conservative, unified NWP-climate-chemistry model with the capability of local refinement. The work will be conducted in the framework of the joint MPI-M and Deutscher Wetterdienst (DWD) ICON project (http://icon.enes.org). The successful applicant is expected to work jointly and in close cooperation with the icosahedral model development teams at MPI-M, DWD and other scientific institutions. The applicant is expected to have a Ph.D. in applied mathematics, physics, meteorology, or oceanography, as well as further post- doctoral experience in this field. The applicant must have a thorough knowledge of the basic processes of atmospheric dynamics and of the advanced mathematical tools used in state-of-the-art atmospheric models. The applicant's ability to propose original and effective solutions in this field must be demonstrated by an appropriate publication record. Advanced scientific programming skills (FORTRAN90, C, UNIX, MPI) are required, and the ability to work efficiently in a team is regarded as essential. The position is offered for five years. The payment depends on qualification and experience according to a civil service position (TVoeD E14) including extensive social security plans. The conditions of employment, including upgrades and duration, follow the rules of the Max Planck Society for the Advancement of Sciences and those of the German civil service. For further information please contact Marco Giorgetta (marco.giorgetta@zmaw.de) or Erich Roeckner (erich.roeckner@zmaw.de). The Max Planck Institute for Meteorology seeks to increase the number of female scientists and encourages them to apply. Handicapped persons with comparable qualifications receive preferential status. Applications (including a cover letter, copies of diplomas, curriculum vitae, and the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of two references) shall be received before 28th of July 2006 at Max Planck Institut f?r Meteorologie - Verwaltungsleitung/ICON - Bundesstrasse 53 - 20146 Hamburg - Germany ******************** Coordinator - Tees Valley Climate Change Partnership (UK) The Tees Valley Climate Change Partnership was formed in 2005 by 5 local authorities, the Environment Agency, Renew Tees Valley and Scottish power. It is a three year project aimed at the creation and delivery of a Climate Change Strategy for the sub-region. In year 1 a Climate Change Strategy and baseline analysis has been completed which will go out to consultation at the end of June. We are now seeking a highly motivated individual to move the project forward in years 2 and 3 during which organisations must be engaged and committed to agreement of targets and to take action accordingly. Applicants should be graduates with a good degree in a relevant subject and be familiar with the key drivers behind the climate change agenda. The post is offered on the basis that 2 years of funding to October 2008 are currently secure. CVs should be submitted by e-mail to david.lacey@tadea.com no later than Friday 7 July 2006. Interviews will follow by the end of July and the successful candidate is expected to be in post by 1 September for a short hand-over period. Additional information: Tees Valley is one of the European hubs for the biofuels industry with a second biodiesel refinery being built in the the next 5 years, along with a bioethanol plant and a rapeseed crush to produce domestic biodiesel. We have a Fleet and Fuelling project which is focused on driving the alternative fuel market in the Tees Valley. The post is both exciting and challenging. It was the first of its kind in the UK and has been so successful the NE Regional Assembly has replicated the position at the regional level. The coordinator would work independently for most of the time, and therefore we require strong communication, analytical and research skills, in addition to a certain level of flare where candidates can demonstrate a level of lateral thinking. For an individual who is passionate about climate change and the opportunities that it brings this would be an ideal post. The company are fantastic to work for with a great work ethic . The successful candidate will have the opportunity to be involved in projects with the CPI Fuel Cell Application Facility, Government Office North East, One North East (Regional Development Agency), Environment Agency, Rural Communities Council, Regional Assembly, CarbonNeutral Northeast, DTI, DEFRA and many more. If any applicant would like to discuss any elements of the job with me, please e-mail - victoria.johnson@tadea.com Victoria Johnson Climate Change Officer Tees Valley Climate Change Partnership 18b Manor Way, Belasis Hall Technology Park Billingham, TS23 4HN direct +44 (0) 1642 373044 fax +44 (0) 1642 564221 ************************************************** 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/20060630/f1bd8341/attachment-0001.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Jul 7 13:39:58 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Jul 7 13:40:48 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 07/07/2006 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 07/07/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES Addressing the Challenges of Graduate and Post-Graduate Training in the Geosciences: PowerPoint presentation by NSF Assistant Geoscience Director Margaret Leinen http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/resources/OceanSciences2006/ index.html This site archives titles and Powerpoint files for presentations given at the 2006 AGU/ASLO/TOS Ocean Sciences Meeting held 20-24 February, 2006 in Honolulu, Hawaii. Please note that Margaret Leinen's presentation has just been added to this site. US NSF International Research Fellowship Program (IRFP) http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf06582 SCIENCE NEWS Articles on Carbon Dioxide and Ocean Acidification: NSF Press Release 06-100: Report warns of Rising Carbon Dioxide Threats to Marine Life. http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp? cntn_id=107060 Workshop Report, Impacts of ocean acidification on coral reefs and marine calcifers: A guide for future research. J.A. Kleypas, R.A. Feely, V.J. Fabry, C. Langdon, C.L. Sabine and L.L.Robbins. http:// www.ucar.edu/communications/Final_acidification.pdf See also a recent Scientific American article, The dangers of ocean acidification. S.C. Doney, Scienfific American March, 2006 294(3):58-65. Greenhouse Gas Turning Oceans Acidic (see below) Climate change could cause earthquakes and volcanic eruptions, scientists say Dennis Bueckert, Canadian Press - Published: Monday, July 03, 2006 http://www.canada.com/topics/news/national/story.html? id=0447a0d1-63be-4f15-8992-96131e57853c&k=42084 Bush the Environmentalist? Editorial by Jane Lubchenco http://washingtontimes.com/commentary/20060627-090829-7599r.htm Death By A Thousand Coasts: The Ethics Of Climate Change: World Experts Gather In DC To Address Imminent Threat (see below) NOAA Budget Slashed by $500 Million in House Bill (see below) SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES The Third International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability ~ University of Madras, Chennai, India, 4-7 January, 2007 http://www.SustainabilityConference.com A Joint Inter-American Institute (IAI) - NCAR Advanced Study Program (ASP) Colloquium - ?Policy planning and Decision making involving Climate Change and Variability? - Sept. 11 ? 22, 2006. National Center for Atmospheric Research - Boulder, Colorado USA (see below) JOBS Assistant Professor, Environmental Studies/International Intercultural Studies - Pitzer College - California http://chronicle.com/jobs/id.php?id=0000464483-01 2006 Request For Applications - Calfed Science Fellows Program (see below) Biology Faculty Positions: University of Oregon (see below) Post-Doc Program: IIASA Postdoctoral Program 2006 (see below) *************************************************** Science News Greenhouse Gas Turning Oceans Acidic from the San Francisco Chronicle The major greenhouse gas that drives global warming also is rapidly raising the acidity of the world's oceans, threatening widespread destruction of the tiny shell-building organisms that form the base of the entire marine food web and create corral reefs, a team of government-sponsored scientists said Wednesday. The culprit is carbon dioxide. As billions of tons of the carbon in the gas pour from industrial emissions into the ocean, it is causing "the most dramatic changes in marine chemistry in the past 650,000 years," said Richard Feely, a federal oceanographer in Seattle and one of the team's leaders. The landmark report by the research group, sponsored by the National Science Foundation, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the U.S. Geological Survey, was released Wednesday, and the findings are indisputable, said one lead scientist. http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/07/06/ MNGSPJQ8221.DTL http://tinyurl.com/jvlld ******************** Death By A Thousand Coasts: The Ethics Of Climate Change: World Experts Gather In DC To Address Imminent Threat Oldendorf, Germany, 5 July 2006 ? Al Gore?s docu-drama ?An Inconvenient Truth? presents countless disturbing scenarios about our planet?s ultimate threat: self-destruction by its dominant species, Homo sapiens. As Gore points out, this is not just a political issue. It is a moral issue; an ethically based tipping point of gargantuan proportions. As the leaders, researchers, teachers, city planners and parents of the generations who will be most drastically affected by these dangers, we are compelled to take action against this global destruction. An interdisciplinary team of renowned earth and social scientists will gather in Washington, DC this autumn to discuss local, regional and international responses to the imminent threats of climate change and the ethics surrounding these issues. Designed for academic researchers, city government leaders, planners and emergency managers, the symposium Death by a Thousand Coasts: The Ethics of Climate Change (www.ir-symposia.com) is sponsored by the international e-journal Ethics in Science and Environmental Politics (www.esep.de), its parent organization, the Eco-Ethics International Union (www.eeiu.org), and the Inter-Research Science Centre (www.int- res.com). While the scientific aspects of climate change have received significant attention, little focus has been placed on the underlying themes of this change: humankind and its relationship to the environment. The symposium aims to promote public dialogue about the science, history, ecology, economics, politics and ethics of climate change. In opening discussions, climatologists will highlight the newest data available on atmospheric and ocean systems and rates of climate change. For instance, a recent report from the United States National Academy of Sciences, entitled, Surface Temperature Reconstructions for the Last 2,000 Years, states that ?Based on current estimates, variations in natural climate forcings over the last 2,000 years were much less than the increase in current greenhouse forcing due to human activities.' (pg 102, http://fermat.nap.edu/catalog/ 11676.html). Thus, the most recent evidence indicates that climate change - driven by human activity - is upon us: ice sheets are melting, oceans are warming, sea levels are rising, deserts are expanding, and hurricanes are intensifying. The symposium will bring together social scientists, who will demonstrate the fates of past civilizations that failed to cope with climate changes, with ecologists who will outline impacts on endangered habitats and species. Economists will detail the financial strains of adapting to the increased dimensions and rates of climate change. Municipalities and regions must act now to protect lives and property and to assure future economic sustainability and growth. Will their actions be ethical? How many times can a port be rebuilt before the economy collapses? Is it ethical to try? Is it ethical to put taxpayer money at risk in government-guaranteed insurance pools? Is it ethical to invest retirees? money in property that is threatened by rising sea levels and increased storm surges or that lays below the 1000-year flood plane? What about the politics of climate change? Have Republicans?, Democrats? and conservatives? actions and inactions put Americans at risk? What of the politics of climate change elsewhere in the world, including the developing world? We invite you to join world-renowned experts to discuss these issues: November 24-27, 2006 at the Melrose Hotel, 2430 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington DC, 20037 (www.ir-symposia.com). Founded in 1998, the Eco-Ethics International Union is a worldwide network of concerned scientists, decision makers, educators, community leaders and affiliate organizations committed to making a difference in the way our societies relates to and interacts with our environment. With affiliates in 80+ countries, the Union provides a global forum for developing a new scientifically based ethical construct ? eco-ethics ? its bearing on science and politics, and its significance for our future. The EEIU collaborates with like- minded constituents around the world in a three-prong approach of research, education and grassroots advocacy to influence society?s current paradigm and to help shape the paradigm of the decision makers of the future. ******************** NOAA Budget Slashed by $500 Million in House Bill June 29, 2006 -- The U.S. House of Representatives passed an appropriations bill today that would cut approximately $500 million from the budget of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in fiscal year 2007. The massive budget cut passed the House of Representatives less than one year after NOAA was widely praised for its success in forecasting hurricane Katrina and protecting thousands of people from death or injury. According to NOAA, the House bill would fail to fund day-to-day operations of the agency's aircraft, which are the nation's first line of defense for monitoring and forecasting hurricanes and tropical storms. The House appropriations bill would provide $3.4 billion for NOAA in FY 2007, a decrease of approximately $500 million or 13 percent below its current funding level of $3.9 billion. The President proposed cutting NOAA's budget to $3.7 billion in FY 2007, eliminating numerous congressional earmarks and increasing the budgets of some core research programs. The House bill would protect the budgets of National Weather Service and NOAA's weather and climate satellite programs. Other NOAA programs would suffer enormous losses in order to absorb the entire $500 million budget cut. Funding for the National Ocean Service would be slashed by approximately by 46 percent or $277 million below the FY 2006 funding level. NOAA said this cut would reduce funding for basic mapping and charting activities needed to ensure safe marine transportation within U.S. ports and marine transportation routes. Funding for the National Marine Fisheries Service would decline by approximately 28 percent or $156 million below the current funding level. This cut would "force NOAA to close critical fisheries, terminate protected species programs and terminate the Seafood Quality and Safety Program, costing billions in economic losses and increasing the cost of seafood to US consumers," according to NOAA's impact statement. Funding for the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research would decline by about 11 percent or $40 million to $328 million. The budget for Oceanic and Atmospheric Research includes $130 million for a "consolidated competitive climate research program for the Climate Program Office." Within this amount, the House encourages NOAA to implement a new competitive national program for partnerships in coastal and ocean observing. *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities A Joint Inter-American Institute (IAI) - NCAR Advanced Study Program (ASP) Colloquium - ?Policy planning and Decision making involving Climate Change and Variability? - Sept. 11 ? 22, 2006. National Center for Atmospheric Research - Boulder, Colorado USA Overall Objective: The objective of the Colloquium is to introduce participants to the use of climate information in decision making, learning from experts in the physical, social and policy arenas from the Americas. Over a two week period, the colloquium will address issues of measurement, data, statistics, synthesis and modelling on the science side and of communication, negotiation and implementation on the policy interface. Through lectures, panel discussions and hands-on exercises, we will explore case studies from different regions, and the policy process under different modes of governance and legislation in local, national and international contexts. We plan a fairly diffuse boundary between presenters and students hoping for a mutually beneficial learning experience to explore topics which are important to the role of science in society. We would also like to see the event lead to more permanent engagement of participants in future networking and funding opportunities. Application Process: The Colloquium is designed to engage graduate students, practitioners and early career professionals (e.g. post-doctoral fellows) interested in policy and decision planning dealing with climate change and variability from the Americas. Applicants should be enrolled in, or a recent graduate of, an advanced degree program in the physical, social, or policy sciences; or hold an early career position working in one or more of these areas. All applicants should provide: A curriculum vitae (CV can be in native language) A written letter of intent, in English, describing the motivation for participation in the, Colloquium and its connection to the applicant?s area of study or work. A letter of recommendation is strongly encouraged, but is not required. Applications must be submitted on line at the website: http:// www.iai.int/TrainingOpportunities/IAI_NCAR_Colloquium2006 Applications are due July 10, 2006. Language Requirement: All sessions of the colloquium will be conducted in English and participants should have proficiency in this language. Travel Support and Visas: Funds are available for travel support, including airfare, lodging and per diem. Travel arrangements will be made for all successful applicants through the NCAR Advanced Study Program. Participants should not make separate travel arrangements as there is no guarantee these can be reimbursed. B-1 Visas are required for entry into the U.S. and are the responsibility of the participants to secure, although the cost of the visa will be reimbursed. Information on the visa process can be found at: http://www.unitedstatesvisas.gov/obtainingvisa/index.html. Colloquium Organizers: Holm Tiessen, IAI, Gerhard Breulmann, IAI, Marcella Ohira, IAI Rebecca Morss, NCAR, David Yates, NCAR, David Gochis, NCAR. For further information please contact Ms. Dale Kellogg, dkellogg@ucar.edu. *************************************************** 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' 2006 Request For Applications - Calfed Science Fellows Program CALFED Science Program California Sea Grant College Program The CALFED Science Program, in cooperation with California Sea Grant, is seeking applications from highly qualified predoctoral students and postdoctoral researchers who are interested in a career in multidisciplinary, multi-institutional, field-based research in riverine and estuarine systems. For 2006, the Science Program is interested in research that addresses the four priority topics as outlined in the CALFED Science Program 2006 Proposal Solicitation Package (PSP) or specific needs identified by CALFED implementing agencies. PSP Priority Areas *Environmental Water *Aquatic Invasive (Exotic) Species *Trends and Patterns of Populations and System Response to a Changing Environment *Habitat Availability and Response to Change CALFED Implementing Agency Science Needs *Environmental Water Account (EWA) *Drinking Water Quality *Pelagic Organism Decline (POD) ELIGIBILITY - Prospective Predoctoral Science Fellows, at the time of application, must be in or have recently been admitted to a PhD program in natural resources, environmental sciences, coastal, aquatic or related studies at any accredited US institution of higher education. Prospective Postdoctoral Science Fellows must hold a PhD or complete a PhD before the starting date of the fellowship in a doctoral degree program in environmental sciences or in a related field appropriate to priority areas. US citizenship or residency is required. AWARD - The fellowship will provide support for up to three years for both predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows in the form of a grant/ award that includes funds for a stipend ($45,000/yr-postdoctoral; $25,000/yr-predoctoral) and for research-related expenses (up to $25,000/yr-postdoctoral; $14,500/yr-predoctoral). SELECTION - Selection will be made competitively from applications submitted to the California Sea Grant College Program by August 31, 2006. In 2006, approximately five postdoctoral and three predoctoral fellowships will be awarded to begin approximately by November 1, 2006. APPLICATION/CONTACT - For complete details and application instructions, please refer to the CALFED Science Fellows Program - 2006 Request for Applications, on the Sea Grant web site: http://www.csgc.ucsd.edu/EDUCATION/CALFED/CBDA_RFA2006.html If you have specific questions or require additional information contact: CALFEDfellow@seamail.ucsd.edu ******************** Biology Faculty Positions: University of Oregon Marine Biology - The Oregon Institute of Marine Biology (http:// www.uoregon.edu/~oimb/) and the Department of Biology at the University of Oregon invite applications for a tenure track (Assistant Professor) position in marine biology at OIMB. We wish to hire a marine biologist whose research and teaching interests would take full advantage of habitats and organisms accessible from the coastal marine laboratory. Applications are welcome from any field of marine biology, including but not limited to physiological ecology, population genetics, marine benthic ecology, molecular physiology, ichthyology, evolutionary biology or systematics. Research may be focused on invertebrates, vertebrates, algae or microbes. The successful candidate will have an outstanding research program and a commitment to excellence in teaching. Ph.D. required. Applicants should submit a curriculum vitae, a statement of research interests, a statement of teaching philosophy, and three letters of recommendation to: Marine Biology Search Committee, Department of Biology, 1210 University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403-1210. To ensure full consideration, applications must be received by September 5, 2006. ******************** Post-Doc Program: IIASA Postdoctoral Program 2006 IIASA is now accepting applications for our annual postdoctoral program. Each year IIASA selects two post-graduate researchers to receive full funding for a 12-24 month stay at IIASA. The application deadline is 15 August 2006. The goals of the IIASA Postdoctoral Program are to encourage and promote the development of young researchers and offer them the opportunity to further their careers by gaining hands-on professional research experience in a highly international scientific environment; and to enrich IIASA's intellectual environment and help achieve research program goals. The Institute provides full funding for up to two postdoctoral researchers per year. IIASA conducts interdisciplinary scientific studies on environmental, economic, technological, and social issues in the context of human dimensions of global change. The work is organized in research programs and special projects. Candidates for the IIASA Postdoctoral Program can apply to work with any research program or special project. To explore productive synergies, candidates are encouraged to discuss, at an early stage of preparing their application, their scientific interests and research ideas with the intended IIASA hosts. For more information visit http:// www.iiasa.ac.at/Admin/YSP/pdoc/index.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 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/20060707/1cab3cc3/attachment.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Jul 14 15:55:25 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Jul 14 15:56:55 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 07/14/2006 Message-ID: <205B32EE-2D3F-4B85-AEBA-6C059A98E869@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 07/14/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES NOAA 2005 Annual State of the Climate Report, prepared for Bulletin of the American Meteorological Society http://www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/research/state-of-climate/ state-of-climate.html Past Global Changes (PAGES) Job Database Online. All paleoscience jobs announced through the PALEOCLIMATE, PALEOLIM, CRYOLIST and ArcticInfo listservers can now be found online in the PAGES Job Database at: http://www.pages-igbp.org/services/jobs/index.html AGU ASLA 06-12: House Passes NSF/NOAA/NASA (see below) FORUM Input into NSF Strategic Plan, 2006-2011 (7/17/06) (see below) SCIENCE NEWS Scientists worry decaying seaweed , early red tide will suck life from Gulf, estuaries http://www.naplesnews.com/news/2006/jul/10/ scientists_worry_decaying_seaweed_early_red_tide_w/?local_news The Messenger [This is a nice piece about Jim Hansen] http://www.technologyreview.com/read_article.aspx? id=17057&ch=biztech Warming and Earlier Spring Increases Western U.S. Forest Wildfire Activity A key research paper published July 6 in Science Express, suggests that climate change in the western United States has amplified forest wildfire activity in the region over the last 35 years. See http://www.scienceexpress.org, for the article and a related Perspective that discusses the findings. Wildfire Increase Linked to Climate (see below) Alpine glaciers could all but disappear within this century (see below) U.S. Emits Half of Car-Caused Greenhouse Gas, Study Says (see below) Rogue Giants at Sea (see below) Male Scientist Writes of Life as Female Scientist (see below) SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES 2007 AAAS Annual Meeting will address climate change and other topics related to "Science and Technology for Sustainable Well-Being" next February in San Francisco. http://www.aaas.org/meetings/Annual_Meeting/ JOBS Researchers needed, Climate Project at Institute for Global Environmental Strategies (IGES), Kanagawa, Japan http://www.iges.or.jp/en/news/saiyo/recruit18/ Assistant Professor, Environmental Policy and Institutions - University of California at Santa Cruz http://chronicle.com/jobs/id.php?id=0000463711-01 Post doctoral position to work on climate change and insurance at Carnegie Mellon, Wharton and UBC. Requires knowledge of climate science. Desire knowledge of policy analysis, insurance, etc. Details at http://cdmc.epp.cmu.edu/post_doc.pdf 2006 Request For Applications - Calfed Science Fellows Program (see below) Writers Wanted For Job Search Diaries - Chronicle Of Higher Education (see below) Postdoctoral Research Position In ?Plankton, Physiology, Biochemistry And Ecology ? At Virginia Institute Of Marine Science (see below) Post-doc at Yale Univ (USA) Ocean, Atmosphere and Climate dynamics. (see below) Post-doc, Univ of Leeds (UK) Institute Energy and Resources Research Institute (see below) Ph.D student/post-doc at ICG-II (Germany) (see below) Post-doc & PhD students at Alfred Wegener Inst for Polar & Marine Res (Germany) (see below) Post-doc, LOCEAN/IPSL, Univ Paris VI (France) The oceanic response to the North Atlantic Oscillation (see below) Postdoc at MeteoSwiss (Switzerland) at MeteoSwiss, Zurich, Switzerland: Probabilistic Prediction of Extreme Weather Events (see below) Senior Program Officer, Energy Program at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) to contribute to the Global Energy Assessment (GEA ), a major new initiative. (see below) Assistant Prof: Biogeographer - Kansas State University Dept. of Geography (see below) *************************************************** Resources AGU ASLA 06-12: House Passes NSF/NOAA/NASA Funding Bill Authored by Cathy O'Riordan, AGU On 29 June 2006 the House passed the FY2007 Science, State, Justice, and Commerce spending bill, H.R. 5672. The legislation would provide $59.8 billion in discretionary spending for the departments of Commerce, Justice and State and several independent agencies, approximately $2.6 billion more than appropriated for fiscal 2006 and $137 million more than the President's FY2007 budget request. The bill appropriates $6.02 billion to the National Science Foundation (NSF), $439 million, or 7.9 percent, more than last year and an amount intended to fully fund the NSF portion of the President's American Competitiveness Initiative (ACI). Within the recommendation for NSF, the bill provides $4.6 billion for Research and Related Activities (RNRA) this is equal to the President's request and represents an increase of $334.5 million, or 8 percent, above FY2006. For the Education and Human Resources (EHR) Directorate, the bill allocates $832.4 million an increase of $16.2 million over the request. The NSF Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC) program would be funded at $237.45 million just $3 million below the request. All other MREFC projects new starts and ongoing projects (such as the ALMA radio telescope project, EarthScope, the ocean drilling vessel, the National Ecological Observatory Network -- NEON, and the NSF's Ocean Observing Initiative) -- are funded at levels proposed in the FY2007 NSF budget request. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) would receive $16.71 billion, $462 million more than last year, but $83 million less than the President's FY2007 request. The bill would fund the President's Vision for Space Exploration, the Exploration Systems account, at $3.83 billion. The measure would also provide $824.4 million for aeronautics research; about $100 million above the budget request but still below the FY2006 level of $884.1 million. The bill funds the Science Mission Directorate at $5.40 billion, about $75 million above the request and about $151 million, or 2.9 percent, above the FY2006 level. The additional $75 million for science at NASA is to be distributed in the following way: +$50 million for research and analysis which is to be allocated among all the themes of the Science Mission Directorate; $15 million to initiate planning for a mission to Europa; and $10 million for continued technology development associated with the Terrestrial Planet Finder project. The Appropriations Committee report included language expressing concern about damage inflicted on research institutions that result from NASA's "abrupt and unexpected" termination of peer reviewed science projects. The Committee also expressed concern that the reductions from planned rates of growth in Science funding appear to have fallen disproportionately on smaller missions such as the competitively-run Explorer Program. Within the funding level provided, the Committee encouraged NASA to consider a restoration of funding to smaller missions and to fund already- competed missions to the extent possible. The bill would fund the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), at $3.39 billion, 13.3 percent below the FY2006 level, and $293 million below the President's request. NOAA Research the Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) is funded at of $328.5 million, $9.8 million below the President's request a request already more than 8 percent below the FY2006 level. Within the OAR recommendation for NOAA, the Committee provided $130 million for the newly reorganized Competitive Research Program for climate change research this is an increase of $4.3 million over the request; the phased array radar is funded at the request level of $3 million; and the Committee provided the full request for High Performance Computing and Communications ($12.9 million) and Research Supercomputing ($10.4 million). The Committee's recommendation fully funds the National Weather Service at $882.3 million, including $5 million for the Space Environment Center. The vast majority of NOAA's funding reductions came from programs within the National Ocean Service and other OAR marine science programs. During floor debate on the spending bill, Members of Congress resisted efforts to divert funding from the President's Moon-Mars initiative, including one attempt led by Rep. Wayne Gilchrest (R-MD), on behalf of the House Oceans Caucus, to divert approximately $770 million to support ocean and coastal research programs at NOAA. Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA), chairman of the SSJC Subcommittee, opposed the amendment, but acknowledged the need to address the NOAA funding shortfall. Rep. Ralph Hall (R-TX) also opposed the amendment and recognized the need to increase funding for NOAA, but could not advocate a withdrawal from the NASA account. Prior to a vote, Rep. Gilchrest withdrew the amendment. On 11 July, the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Commerce, Justice, and Science marked up their version of the spending bill. While full details are not yet available, the subcommittee report would provide: -$16.8 billion for NASA ($126 million above the FY06 enacted level) -$4.43 billion for NOAA ($536 million above the FY06 enacted level) -$5.99 billion for NSF ($410 million above the FY06 enacted level) The full Senate Appropriations Committee markup is scheduled for Thursday, 13 July, at 2pm EST. If you live in a state represented by a Member of the Senate Appropriations Committee, please call your Senator and urge them to support the FY2007 House figure for NSF, and increased funding for NASA and NOAA. If you are unsure who your Senators are, visit http://www.senate.gov and use the pulldown menu in the top right corner of the page. For the complete text and summaries of the bill, please see the Library of Congress' Thomas system at http://thomas.loc.gov/. To watch the hearing live on 13 July, visit http:// www.capitolhearings.org and click the title of the hearing. *************************************************** Forum Input into NSF Strategic Plan, 2006-2011 (7/17/06) June 23, 2006 Dear Colleague: The National Science Foundation is again asking for your input on our next NSF Strategic Plan. Last December, we asked for your thoughts on the current plan and the changing environment for science and engineering (S&E) research and education. That input together with comments from NSF staff, our Advisory Committees, and the National Science Board (NSB) led to development of the draft plan (see www.nsf.gov/about/performance/nsfplandraft.pdf ) now available for review by the public at large and the communities we serve. The draft FY 2006-2011 Strategic Plan communicates NSF?s vision, goals, objectives, priorities and strategies over this time period. Your comments are requested by July 17, 2006 through the website at www.nsf.gov/about/performance/input.cfm or by e-mail to strategicplaninput@nsf.gov . In particular, NSF requests comments on the following questions to assist us in finalizing the new plan: What are the strengths and weaknesses of the draft plan? Does NSF?s draft Strategic Plan effectively communicate NSF?s investments and priorities in supporting the S&E community? If not, what is lacking and specifically how can it be improved? [Please note that the photos and graphics in the current version are primarily place holders. We realize that they are low resolution, not readable, etc. If you are an NSF investigator and would like to volunteer an image from your research that would better illustrate one of the themes, please submit through the above email address. Please limit the size of any image or graphic you send to 1MB or less. If we decide to use your image, we will contact you for the appropriate permissions and for a high resolution version. ] After review in August by the NSB and the Office of Management and Budget, the final version of the Strategic Plan will be sent to Congress and posted on our website by September 30, 2006. Your assistance in this very important task is appreciated. Sincerely, Arden L. Bement, Jr. Director, Kathie L. Olsen Deputy Director http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2006/nsf06037/nsf06037.jspa *************************************************** Science News Wildfire Increase Linked to Climate from the Los Angeles Times (Registration Required) Rising temperatures throughout the West have stoked an increase in large wildfires over the past 34 years as spring comes earlier, mountain snows melt sooner and forests dry to tinder, scientists reported Thursday. More than land-use changes or forest management practices, the changing climate was the most important factor driving a four-fold increase in the average number of large wildfires in the Western United States since 1970, the researchers concluded. The average spring and summer temperatures were more than 1.5 degrees higher in Western states between 1987 and 2003 than during the previous 17 years. In fact, the seasonal temperatures were the warmest since record-keeping started in 1895, the researchers said. http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci- wildfire7jul07,1,23214.story?ctrack=1&cset=true http://tinyurl.com/fcngn ******************** Alpine glaciers could all but disappear within this century AGU Release No. 06-26 "Alpine glaciers to disappear within decades?" Authors: Michael Zemp, Wilfried Haeberli, Martin Hoelzle, Frank Paul: Glaciology and Geomorphodynamics Group, Department of Geography, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland. Citation: Zemp, M., W. Haeberli, M. Hoelzle, and F. Paul (2006), Alpine glaciers to disappear within decades?, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, L13504, doi:10.1029/2006GL026319. WASHINGTON - The European Alps could lose some 80 percent of their glacier cover by the end of this century, if summer air temperatures rise by three degrees Celsius [five degrees Fahrenheit]. And if temperatures increase by five degrees Celsius [nine degrees Fahrenheit], the Alps would become almost completely ice-free by 2100. These are the conclusions of numerical modeling experiments by scientists from the University of Zurich, Switzerland. The study will be published 15 July in Geophysical Research Letters, a journal of the American Geophysical Union. Scientists consider glaciers to be among the best natural indicators of climate change and, therefore, monitor them closely. Rapidly shrinking glacier areas, spectacular tongue retreats, and increasing mass losses are clear signs of the atmospheric warming observed in the Alps during the last 150 years. Michael Zemp and colleagues in the Department of Geography of the University of Zurich note that in the 1970s, about 5,150 Alpine glaciers covered a total area of 2,909 square kilometers [1,123 square miles]. This represented a loss of about 35 percent of glacial area from 1850 to that time. Accelerated loss of ice cover since then has resulted in a total loss of 50 percent of the 1850 area, culminating in a volume loss of 5 to 10 percent of the remaining ice during the extraordinary warm year of 2003. According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), an increase in summer air temperature of one to five degrees Celsius [two to nine degrees Fahrenheit] and a precipitation change between minus-20 percent and plus-30 percent by the end of the 21st century is a plausible scenario. The University of Zurich researchers say that for each one degree Celsius [two degrees Fahrenheit] increase in mean summer temperature, precipitation would have to increase by 25 percent to offset the glacial loss. "Our study shows that under such scenarios, the majority of Alpine glaciers might disappear within the coming decades", says glaciologist Zemp, lead author of the study. With an increase in summer temperature of more than three degree Celsius [five degrees Fahrenheit], only the largest glaciers, such as the Great Aletsch Glacier [in Switzerland], and those on the highest mountain peaks could survive into the 22nd century. "Especially in densely populated high mountain areas such as the European Alps, one should start immediately to consider the consequences of such extreme glacier wasting on the hydrological cycles, water management, tourism, and natural hazards," he says. The study was funded by the European Union, through the Swiss Federal Office of Education and Science. Figures Dr. Zemp has provided five explanatory figures, which are not, however, part of his GRL paper. They may be seen at: http://www.geo.unizh.ch/~mzemp/press/pressrelease_zemp_en.htm ******************** U.S. Emits Half of Car-Caused Greenhouse Gas, Study Says By Janet Wilson, Times Staff Writer June 28, 2006 Americans drive more in vehicles with lower fuel standards, says an environmental group. American cars and pickup trucks are responsible for nearly half of the greenhouse gases emitted by automobiles globally, even though the nation's vehicles make up just 30% of the nearly 700 million cars in use, according to a new report by Environmental Defense. Cars in the U.S. are driven more miles, face lower fuel economy standards and use fuel with more carbon than many of those driven in other countries, the authors found. According to the report by the environmental group, due out today, U.S. cars and light trucks were driven 2.6 trillion miles in 2004, equal to driving back and forth to Pluto more than 470 times. The report's authors hope their findings will bolster efforts in Congress to require federal regulators to raise fuel economy standards for vehicles and set a mandatory cap on greenhouse gases from all sources. Numerous studies have linked carbon dioxide emissions from burning of fossil fuels such as gasoline to global warming. One surprising finding was that small cars emitted more carbon dioxide than SUVs, 25% of the total compared with 21%. That is because there are more older small vehicles with higher emissions still in service, said lead author John DeCicco, a mechanical engineer specializing in automobile research. "Even though SUVs get worse fuel economy and burn more gas, there's roughly twice as many small cars in operation," he said. That will change in a few years based on car scrapping rates, he predicted, with SUVs bought over the last 10 to 15 years taking the lead, even if consumers begin buying small cars again because of sharply higher fuel prices. "As Americans we're going to be living down the SUV boom for a long time," he said. "The implication is that we can't turn the emissions problem on a dime?. It takes a generation." The study concludes that vehicles manufactured by the nation's Big Three automakers ? General Motors, Ford and DaimlerChrysler ? produce the most emissions, with Toyota ranked fourth. Nearly one-third of the emissions came from vehicles made by GM. GM spokesman Dave Barthmuss said he had not seen the report and did not know whether the company's cars created the highest percentage of greenhouse gas emissions. But he added that if it was true, it would make sense because GM sold the most cars. "Certainly the fact that we have the most cars on the road contributes, I'm sure, to these findings," he said. "As the world's largest automaker it's no surprise." He said the company was committed to cutting greenhouse gas emissions through continued research and development of alternative fuels and technologies to replace gasoline and the internal combustion engine. He said the company would like to see greenhouse gases completely eliminated eventually with the development of hydrogen-powered fuel cell vehicles that could be available for commercial sale within 10 years. Automakers said they were surprised to hear that small cars emitted more carbon dioxide than SUVs. In addition to the fact that there were more on the road, Barthmuss said, "if you get 30 miles to the gallon ? people will drive more, drive farther. The more fuel efficient the vehicle, the more inclined you are to drive. And the more you drive, the more fuel you burn. It's almost a Catch-22." DeCicco said: "We're not trying to paint a bull's-eye on GM's hide?. Everyone has a role to play, from the auto manufacturers to Joe the consumer buying a new car." He said the study was designed to show for the first time the huge amount of carbon dioxide released by American cars and to stimulate passage of tougher laws and policies aimed at reducing it. The Senate last year passed a nonbinding resolution to cap emissions, but bipartisan efforts to pass a law have thus far failed. Rep. Henry A. Waxman (D-Los Angeles) last week introduced a version that would freeze allowable levels of greenhouse gas emissions in 2010, reduce them by 2% each year through 2020, then reduce them further by 5% annually through 2050. The act would achieve the targets through a cap-and-trade program along with measures to advance renewable energy, energy efficiency and cleaner cars. Auto industry spokesmen did not respond to requests for comment on such a cap. The companies have fought efforts to pass tougher federal fuel economy standards and is suing California and several other states to block state-by-state tailpipe emission laws. Carbon emissions By vehicle class, 2004 (Figures in parentheses are in million metric tons of carbon equivalent) Small cars (77): 25% SUVs (67): 21% Pickups (60): 19% Midsize cars (54): 17% Vans (29): 9% Large cars (26): 8% *Note: Numbers do not add up because of rounding. Source: Environmental Defense ******************** Rogue Giants at Sea from the New York Times (Registration Required) Enormous waves that sweep the ocean are traditionally called rogue waves, implying that they have a kind of freakish rarity. Over the decades, skeptical oceanographers have doubted their existence and tended to lump them together with sightings of mermaids and sea monsters. But scientists are now finding that these giants of the sea are far more common and destructive than once imagined, prompting a rush of new studies and research projects. The goals are to better tally them, understand why they form, explore the possibility of forecasts, and learn how to better protect ships, oil platforms and people. The stakes are high. In the past two decades, freak waves are suspected of sinking dozens of big ships and taking hundreds of lives. The upshot is that the scientists feel a sense of urgency about the work and growing awe at their subjects. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/11/science/11wave.html http://tinyurl.com/qq7r3 ******************** Male Scientist Writes of Life as Female Scientist from the Washington Post (Registration Required) Neurobiologist Ben Barres has a unique perspective on former Harvard president Lawrence Summers's assertion that innate differences between the sexes might explain why many fewer women than men reach the highest echelons of science. That's because Barres used to be a woman himself. In a highly unusual critique published yesterday, the Stanford University biologist -- who used to be Barbara -- said his experience as both a man and a woman had given him an intensely personal insight into the biases that make it harder for women to succeed in science. After he underwent a sex change nine years ago at the age of 42, Barres recalled, another scientist who was unaware of it was heard to say, "Ben Barres gave a great seminar today, but then his work is much better than his sister's." http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/07/12/ AR2006071201883.html http://tinyurl.com/ep89y *************************************************** 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' 2006 Request For Applications - Calfed Science Fellows Program CALFED Science Program California Sea Grant College Program The CALFED Science Program, in cooperation with California Sea Grant, is seeking applications from highly qualified predoctoral students and postdoctoral researchers who are interested in a career in multidisciplinary, multi-institutional, field-based research in riverine and estuarine systems. For 2006, the Science Program is interested in research that addresses the four priority topics as outlined in the CALFED Science Program 2006 Proposal Solicitation Package (PSP) or specific needs identified by CALFED implementing agencies. PSP Priority Areas * Environmental Water * Auatic Invasive (Exotic) Species * Trends and Patterns of Populations and System Response to a Changing Environment * Habitat Availability and Response to Change CALFED Implementing Agency Science Needs * Environmental Water Account (EWA) * Drinking Water Quality * Pelagic Organism Decline (POD) ELIGIBILITY - Prospective Predoctoral Science Fellows, at the time of application, must be in or have recently been admitted to a PhD program in natural resources, environmental sciences, coastal, aquatic or related studies at any accredited US institution of higher education. Prospective Postdoctoral Science Fellows must hold a PhD or complete a PhD before The starting date of the fellowship in a doctoral degree program in environmental sciences or in a related field appropriate to priority areas. US citizenship or residency is required. AWARD - The fellowship will provide support for up to three years for both predoctoral and postdoctoral fellows in the form of a grant/ award that includes funds for a stipend ($45,000/yr-postdoctoral; $25,000/yr-predoctoral) and for research-related expenses (up to $25,000/yr-postdoctoral; $14,500/yr-predoctoral). SELECTION - Selection will be made competitively from applications submitted to the California Sea Grant College Program by August 31, 2006. In 2006, approximately five postdoctoral and three predoctoral fellowships will be awarded to begin approximately by November 1, 2006. APPLICATION/CONTACT - For complete details and application instructions, please refer to the CALFED Science Fellows Program - 2006 Request for Applications, on the Sea Grant web site: http://www.csgc.ucsd.edu/EDUCATION/CALFED/CBDA_RFA2006.html If you have specific questions or require additional information contact: CALFEDfellow@seamail.ucsd.edu ******************** Writers Wanted For Job Search Diaries - Chronicle Of Higher Education Earn $500 per column. The Chronicle's Careers section is looking for graduate students, postdocs, faculty members, and administrators who will be on the job market in the 2006-7 academic year and would be interested in keeping a diary of their job search. Submissions must be sent by August 18 to this email address: jobdiary@chronicle.com Since 1998, we've featured the job-market stories of academics in a variety of disciplines. They've written regular, first-person accounts throughout the year of their attempts to find a faculty or administrative job in academe, and in a few cases, a nonacademic job. (You can read their columns at http://chronicle.com/jobs/news/ archives/author_list_fp.html on the site.) If you have a flair for writing, here's an opportunity to use it and get paid. We select about 8 to 12 diarists a year; each writes three to five columns over the course of the year about his or her job search. Besides doctoral students and Ph.D.'s who are looking for their first tenure-track job, we welcome submissions from other academics who plan to spend this year hunting for a new position, including adjunct faculty members, professors already tenured or on the tenure track, and administrators. If you are part of a dual- career academic couple, you are welcome to write a diary together. What you need to do: Send us a sample column submission by August 18. If selected, your column will be published on our site in the fall as the first entry in your job-search diary. We pay diarists $500 per column published. The sample column should be between 1,000 and 1,500 words, written in a conversational, journalistic style. It should set the scene for your upcoming job search. It should tell us about your background, career goals, constraints, and job situation in the context of broader issues involving the job market and academic culture. Humor is a plus. Be creative, but not with the facts; we are interested in true stories, not fictionalized ones. Some diarists write under their own names, while others choose to use pseudonyms. Either way, we will need to know your name, institution, and discipline. Please make that information clear when you e-mail your submission. Diary entries will be edited for grammar, style, taste, and length. E-mail your submissions and questions by August 18 to: jobdiary@chronicle.com You may paste your column submission directly into an e-mail message, or send it as an attachment in Microsoft Word. Thanks for your interest. Denise Magner, Senior Editor, Chronicle Careers, denise.magner@chronicle.com ******************** Postdoctoral Research Position In ?Plankton, Physiology, Biochemistry And Ecology ? At Virginia Institute Of Marine Science The successful candidate will participate in the NSF-funded project investigating the biochemical mechanisms and processes involved in nutrient upgrading/modification and transfer at the algal- protist interface and the little understood ?trophic upgrading? effects among heterotrophic protists, using biochemical and tracer techniques. A PhD degree in Marine science or related fields and strong background in plankton biochemistry, physiology and ecology are required. Preference will be given to candidate with knowledge in nutrient transformation and transfer dynamics among trophic levels with skills and experiences in fatty acid and sterol analyses using GC/MS and HPLC. Excellent oral and written skills are required. The position is available as soon as September 1, 2006. The postdoctoral appointment is a one-year contract, renewable for a total of two years. Employment benefits include health insurance, TIAA retirement plan and leave time. Salary will be dependent upon the level of experience. For best consideration, please submit your application, including a clear statement of your interest in this position, a CV and the contact details of three academic referees to Dr. Fu-Lin E. Chu (chu@vims.edu), Virginia Institute of Marine Science, College of William & Mary, Gloucester Point, VA 23062. Further information about our research group can be found on our web page at http:// www.vims.edu/env/people/faculty/chu.html ******************** Post-doc at Yale Univ (USA) Ocean, Atmosphere and Climate dynamics. A new postdoctoral position in Ocean, Atmosphere and Climate dynamics is available at Yale University, Department of Geology and Geophysics (http://www.geology.yale.edu, http:// earth.geology.yale.edu/~avf5/). Particular fields of research include tropical ocean-atmosphere interactions, ENSO modeling, decadal climate variability, oceanic circulation and the role of ocean in climate, physical and paleo oceanography, climate change. The work will involve a combination of numerical modeling, analyses of proxy, observational and/or GCM data, and analytical approaches. Collaboration with scientists of GFDL, in Princeton NJ, is expected. A Ph.D. in physical oceanography, atmospheric sciences or related disciplines is required. Familiarity with oceanic and/or atmospheric general circulation models is a big plus. Funding is currently available for two years but may be extended in future. The review of applications will begin immediately and will continue until the position is filled. To apply sent your CV, a brief statement of interest, names of three referees and one reprint or print to this address: Professor Alexey Fedorov ATTN: Postdoctoral search Department of Geology and Geophysics Yale University KGL, P.O. Box 208109, New Haven, CT 06520 ******************** Post-doc, Univ of Leeds (UK) Institute Energy and Resources Research Institute Applications are invited for a postdoctoral research fellowship in the Institute Energy and Resources Research Institute at the University of Leeds supported by the UK Home Office. The post will form part of a cross University collaboration studying the short range dispersion of tracers through urban street networks via a variety of on street monitoring and computer modelling work. Other research partners include the Universities of Surrey, Reading, Bristol and Imperial College. The overall aim is to characterise street level wind and dispersion conditions with respect to prevailing meteorological conditions and to explore conditions that may lead to high exposures following a potentially hazardous release. The Leeds Research Fellow will be responsible for the preparation and deployment of sonic anemometry and high frequency data logging equipment during several field campaigns as well as subsequent field data analysis and interpretation. The Leeds fellow should expect to collaborate closely with the other research partners. Applicants should have a PhD in Physics, Atmospheric Science or Engineering and some experience of meteorological instrumentation, data logging and analysis. Some previous experience of turbulence analysis would be a particular advantage. The appointment will be for 24-30 months depending on the time of appointment and starting salary. University Grade 6 (?20,235 - ?27,194 p.a.) Informal enquiries to Dr. A.S. Tomlin, email A.S.Tomlin@leeds.ac.uk, tel. +44 (0)113 343 2500, Fax +44 (0)113 2467310. Application packs are available from Mrs Sheilagh Ogden, tel 0113 343 2508 email s.j.ogden@leeds.ac.uk Closing date 25 July 2006 ******************** Ph.D student/post-doc at ICG-II (Germany) At the ICG-II, research center J?lich, Germany, we seek an outstanding PhD student or postdoc in the field of atmospheric chemistry to model the global atmospheric hydrogen cycle. The modelling work will be done with a state-of-the-art three-dimensional chemistry-climate model and comprise the analysis of emissions and deposition, model evaluation with field data, and trend and budget analysis of atmospheric hydrogen. The contract can start in October 2006 or earlier, depending on the availability of the applicant. Further information can be found at: http://www.fz-juelich.de/icg/icg-ii/offers/openings/hydrogen_cycle Dr. Martin G. Schultz ICG-II Research Center J?lich m.schultz@fz-juelich.de ph: +49 2461 612831 (or +49 40 41173 308) ******************** Post-doc & PhD students at Alfred Wegener Inst for Polar & Marine Res (Germany) The AWI conducts numerical ocean modelling in order to better understand the general ocean circulation and the processes involved, with special emphasis on the circulation around the Antarctic and the production of deep and bottom waters there. One of our main tools is a finite-element general ocean circulation model, in which we assimilate measured data. To support this activity and to extend the application to research on tides and tsunamis, section 'Ocean Circulation' at the Climate System Department is looking for two oceanographers, meteorologists, mathematicians (Reference number 37/ III). The employment is subject to the regulations of the federal salary scale as far as they are applicable at the AWI. Requirements: PhD and very good knowledge in oceanography or another discipline relevant to ocean modelling. Good mathematical skills and experience with FORTRAN/UNIX are necessary. Knowledge in data assimilation, numerical modelling or finite-elements methods are an advantage. All positions are limited to three years. You may obtain further information from Dr. Jens Schroeter (jschroeter@awi-bremerhaven.de), phone +49 471/4831-1762. The AWI aims at increasing the number of female scientists. Therefore, qualified female scientists are explicitly required to apply. In case of equal qualifications the AWI will try to give the job to a female scientist. Severely disabled applicants will be preferred in case of equal professional and personal qualifications. Please consider the information on our homepage (www.awi-bremerhaven.de) under 'jobs'. The AWI supports balanced work-life career development via a variety of alternatives. In Bremerhaven, the AWI offers places in a day-nursery. Applications with the usual documents (CV, photographs, certificates and performance records) are to be sent, mentioning the reference number, until 20 Juli 2006 to: Alfred-Wegener-Institut fuer Polar- und Meeresforschung, Personalabteilung, Postfach 12 01 61, 27515 Bremerhaven http://www.awi-bremerhaven.de ******************** Post-doc, LOCEAN/IPSL, Univ Paris VI (France) The oceanic response to the North Atlantic Oscillation In the frame of the EU FP6 project DYNAMITE (Understanding the DYNAMIcs of the Coupled ClimaTE System , see http:// dynamite.nersc.no), LOCEAN/IPSL is opening a postdoctoral position. Deeper understanding of the intrinsic variability and stability properties of the main climate variability modes is needed to assess confidence in the detection, attribution and prediction of climate change, to improve seasonal predictions, and to understand the shortcomings of current prediction systems. DYNAMITE will explore the fundamental dynamical mechanisms of two of the most important modes of climate variability: the North Atlantic Oscillation/Arctic Oscillation (NAO/AO) and the El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The postdoctoral work will be to contribute to our understanding of the processes that determine the response of the large-scale circulation of the North Atlantic Ocean, both its horizontal gyre component and its meridional overturning component, to variations in the NAO. The Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC) makes a major contribution to the northward heat transport of the Atlantic Ocean, and it is thought that variations in the MOC on decadal timescales can modulate climate. MOC variations are driven partly by variations in wind-stress and partly by anomalous buoyancy fluxes, especially over the high latitude regions of deep oceanic convection. LOCEAN participates in coordinated experiments in which coupled ocean/sea- ice GCMs are forced with idealised surface wind stress and flux fields representative of NAO variability. The post doc will investigate the coupled ocean-sea ice processes that govern the formation of salinity anomalies in the arctic, the influence of the NAO on deep convection in the North Atlantic, and their subsequent impact on the MOC. The changes in the northward flux of warm and salty Atlantic surface water, and their back interaction on the formation of deep water will also be analysed. The position will be hosted by LOCEAN, University Pierre and Marie Curie (Paris VI) (see http://www.lodyc.jussieu.fr/), which is part of the Institut Pierre Simon Laplace (IPSL). Candidates should have a Ph.D in ocean or / and atmosphere dynamics, and /or research interests and experience in any aspect of large-scale ocean dynamics or ocean modelling. The position could be opened on October 1, and will end in February 2007. Salary will depend on qualification and follow CNRS scales. Applicants should submit a CV, a description of research interests, and the names and e-mail of three references to Prof. Claude Frankignoul (cf@lodyc.jussieu.fr) For more information, contact: Prof. Claude Frankignoul LOCEAN, case 100, Universit Paris 6, Tour 45-55, 4 tage 4, Place Jussieu 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France tel 33(0)144272732 fax 33(0)144273805 cf@lodyc.jussieu.fr ******************** Postdoc at MeteoSwiss (Switzerland) at MeteoSwiss, Zurich, Switzerland: Probabilistic Prediction of Extreme Weather Events MeteoSwiss, the Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, provides services according to the Swiss meteorological legislation to the public as well as for the benefit of private and commercial customers. In the framework of the Swiss project NCCR Climate (National Center of Competence in Research - Climate) for our contribution "PRECLIM - Climate and Operational Prediction" at MeteoSwiss we are looking for a Post-Doctoral Research Associate Your task is to analyse and enhance the capabilities of a probabilistic regional weather forecast model. The results will help to understand the predictability of extreme events, will improve current operational forecasting systems and will enable optimally calibrated weather forecasts. Extreme events, especially heavy precipitation events in the Alpine area, will be analysed in an end- to-end user approach in co-operation with hydrological applications (e.g. within the project MAP D-PHASE). You will present the results achieved in peer reviewed scientific journals and at international conferences. The position requires a PhD in the field of meteorology or climatology and ideally experience in numerical weather prediction, statistics, and computer programming along with the ability to deal with large, complex data sets. Good oral and written skills in German and English are required. Knowledge of French would be an asset. Applicants should be not older than 35 years at the time of application. Applications from women will be particularly appreciated. We are looking forward to a motivated team player who appreciates working in a scientific project of great importance for the security relevant meteorological and hydrological forecasts and warnings in the Alpine region. Working place: Zurich, Switzerland Starting date: 1 September 2006 or later The position is limited to 2.5 years. For more information, please contact Dr. Philippe Steiner, philippe.steiner [at] meteoswiss.ch, +41 44 256 96 44. Applicants should send their documentation by surface mail and no later than the 25th of August 2006 to MeteoSwiss, Personal und Ausbildung, Postfach 514, Kraehbuehlstrasse 58, 8044 Zurich, Switzerland. http://www.meteoswiss.ch/web/de/meteoschweiz/job_karriere/jobs.html ******************** Senior Program Officer, Energy Program at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) to contribute to the Global Energy Assessment (GEA ), a major new initiative. The Energy (ENE) Program at the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) is one of the leading research groups worldwide in the analysis of long-term interactions between energy, development, and the environment. IIASA is an interdisciplinary, non-governmental, independent international research organization, located in Laxenburg, Austria. The GEA was established by IIASA in late 2005 to help decision makers address the challenges of providing energy services for sustainable development while ameliorating existing and emerging threats associated with: security of supply; lack of access to modern forms of energy for development and poverty alleviation; local, regional and global environmental impacts; and securing sufficient investment. The GEA will be a major activity spanning a number of years, and will be produced by bringing together leading international experts from academia, business, governments and intergovernmental and non- governmental organizations. IIASA and partners are currently developing further the Assessment, which will be formally launched later in 2006. More information about the GEA and ENE Program is available at: http://www.iiasa.ac.at/Research/ENE/index.html. Tasks Support the management of the GEA Organize and coordinate the review process for the GEA, including: a. Reviewing and editing scientific and technical documents for GEA reports b.Recruiting and liaising with expert reviewers Manage the organization of meetings of the GEA Council, Executive Committee and chapter working groups Coordinate activities promoting the GEA, such as meetings and other events Draft research, funding and other GEA proposals Prepare letters and dissemination/communication material, such as presentations Contribute to scientific research for the GEA and ENE Program. Profile Advanced degree (PhD or equivalent) in economics, policy, energy engineering/economics, and/or environmental management Excellent written English essential Strong understanding of major global energy issues and analyses Ten to 15 years of relevant experience (i.e., in the field of energy, development or environment policy) in at least two of: academia; industry; government; or NGOs Experience in other global assessment activities, such as the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, the International Assessment of Agricultural Science and Technology for Development, or assessment activities of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Strong organizational skills; flexible and adaptable in responding to deadlines in a high-pressure environment; ability to work in an international team with colleagues from diverse backgrounds Appointment Terms The successful candidate will be offered an initial fixed-term contract for 1 year, beginning in the second half of 2006, with the possibility of extension. The salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. It is exempt from taxation in Austria, but subject to the principle of income aggregation. The appointment includes moving and settlement allowances. Preference will be given to applicants who are nationals of IIASA member countries. Applications from women are encouraged. Applications To apply send a cover letter, resume, plus names, addresses (including e-mail), telephone and fax numbers of three work-related references, as well as copies of two recent publications/papers (articles, research papers, model documentation, proposals, minutes of meetings, etc.) to: Walter Foith, Head of Human Resources International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) Schlossplatz 1, A-2361 Laxenburg, Austria Fax: (+43) 2236/713-13 E-mail: foithw@iiasa.ac.at Review of applications will begin immediately. Closing date for applications: 31 August 2006. For further information, please contact Prof. Dr. Nebojsa Nakicenovic. IIASA Fax: +43 2236/713-13. For general information about our institute and its research activities, please visit our IIASA Web site. ******************** Assistant Prof: Biogeographer - Kansas State University Dept. of Geography KANSAS, MANHATTAN 66506-2904. The Kansas State University Department of Geography invites applications for a tenure-track ASSISTANT PROFESSOR position beginning August 2007. For this new faculty line, we seek a physical geographer with expertise in hydrology or biogeography to complement our existing areas of strength. Cutting-edge skills in GIS and/or quantitative modeling of spatial complexity are highly desirable, and applicants should have an appreciation for the study of coupled human and natural systems. Visit http://www.kstate.edu/geography/ for information about the department. Candidates must have completed a Ph.D. by the time of the appointment, and be able to demonstrate the potential to develop a strong research program, including the pursuit of extramural research grants, collaborative research, and publication in highly-ranked journals. Candidates are expected to value diversity in all of its dimensions and consider different technical and cultural perspectives in solving problems appropriate to a land grant institution. Excellence in undergraduate and graduate teaching and advising is expected, as is a commitment to work with a wide range of constituents and diverse student populations. Submit an application letter that describes your qualifications and the contributions you could offer to the department. Please also provide a curriculum vita, evidence of scholarship and teaching effectiveness, a plan for extramural funding, plus names and contact information for three referees. Review of applications begins 15 October 2006 and will continue until the position is filled. Kansas State University is an equal opportunity employer and actively seeks diversity among its employees. Paid by Kansas State University. Apply to: Dr. Charles W. Martin, Search Committee Chair, Department of Geography, 118 Seaton Hall, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506-2904 ************************************************* 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/20060714/bc70152b/attachment.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Jul 21 14:25:28 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Jul 21 14:26:29 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 07/21/2006 Message-ID: <2606BC7D-B49F-4349-A9B6-608FD438BC6A@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 07/21/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES Woodrow Wilson International Center Fellowships in the Social Sciences and Humanities 2007-2008 (see below) Ethics, Place & Environment - Special Issue Call for Papers (see below) One Planet, Many People: Atlas of Our Changing Environment. Powerpoints of UNEP?s Atlas Released for Educational Purposes (see below) SCIENCE NEWS Earth Faces 'Catastrophic Loss of Species' By Steve Connor The Independent UK (see below) SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES Conference Announcement - Gordon Research Conference on Polar Marine Science. "An Interdisciplinary Look at Processes Over Multiple Scales of Variability" (see below) JOBS New Job Board for Environmental Markets Industry, for Employers and Job Seekers (see below) Visiting instructorship, Marine Biology, University of New England (http://www.une.edu/cas/biological/) Assistant Professor - Vertebrate Biologist - Whitman College (see below) Compass Director Of Science-Policy Outreach Location: Washington, D.C., USA (see below) The Climate Group is currently seeking candidates for three vacancies in its Woking (near London) UK, and New York, USA offices. (see below) *************************************************** Resources Woodrow Wilson International Center Fellowships in the Social Sciences and Humanities 2007-2008 The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars is announcing the opening of its 2007-2008 Fellowship competition. The Center awards approximately 20-25 academic year residential fellowships to individuals from any country with outstanding project proposals on national and/or international issues. Topics and scholarship should relate to key public policy challenges or provide the historical and/or cultural framework to illuminate policy issues of contemporary importance. Applicants must hold a doctorate or have equivalent professional experience. Fellows are provided stipends (which include round trip travel), private offices, and access to the Library of Congress, Windows-based personal computers, and research assistants. Application deadline is October 2, 2006. For more information and application guidelines please contact: Scholar Selection and Services Office Woodrow Wilson Center One Woodrow Wilson Plaza 1300 Pennsylvania Ave., N.W. Washington, D.C. 20004-3027, USA Tel: +1 202-691-4170 Email: fellowships@wilsoncenter.org Web: http://www.wilsoncenter.org/fellowships ******************** Ethics, Place & Environment - Special Issue Call for Papers From: "Shawn Margles" Technological change poses a series of challenges ? political, cultural, economic, and ethical. How can we adapt ourselves and our communities to new technologies? What new technologies should we or shouldn?t we adopt? When is technological change a problem and when is it a solution? Technological change also has profound geographical implications. How does the introduction and use of new technologies transform the landscape around us, our sense of space and place, and our mobility, activity, rootedness, and attachment to place? We seek to address these questions in the March 2007 special issue of Ethics, Place & Environment. For more information please visit www.tandf.co.uk/journals/cfp/ cepecfp.pdf To find out more about the journal, please visit www.tandf.co.uk/ journals/titles/1366-879X.asp ******************** One Planet, Many People: Atlas of Our Changing Environment. Powerpoints of UNEP?s Atlas Released for Educational Purposes One Planet, Many People: Atlas of Our Changing Environment provides a comprehensive, visual presentation of scientifically verifiable information about changes in the global environment, shown through state-of-the-art remote sensing technology. A collection of 405 Powerpoint slides divided into Regional and Thematic sets covering 11 contemporary and dynamic themes ? Introduction to the Planet, People and Planet, Atmosphere, Coastal Areas, Urban Areas, Water and Lakes, Forests, Cropland, Grassland, Tundra and Polar Areas and Extreme Events ? and 6 geographical regions ? Africa, Asia and the Pacific, Europe, Latin America, North America and Polar Regions ? can now be downloaded free of charge at http://www.na.unep.net/ OnePlanetManyPeople/powerpoints.html. This presentation of environmental hotspots and issues is based primarily on satellite imagery taken over 30 years showing how human actions and geophysical activities have changed various parts of the world. Examples include the shrinking ice in the Arctic, melting glaciers, growth of cities like Las Vegas, forest loss in the Amazon, and the decline of the Aral Sea and Lake Chad. Satellite images found in the 334-page hard-bound Atlas are packaged in this Powerpoint presentation format to facilitate the use of imagery by environmental policy makers, non-governmental organizations, the private sector, academics, teachers and citizens interested in using this material to visually demonstrate the changes resulting from natural processes and human-induced activities. Tejaswi Giri (Mrs.), UNEP/GRID USGS/EROS Data Center 47914 252nd Street Sioux Falls, SD, 57198, USA Tel: 1 (605) 594-2782 Fax: 1 (605) 594-6119 Email: tgiri@usgs.gov *************************************************** Science News Earth Faces 'Catastrophic Loss of Species' By Steve Connor The Independent UK Thursday 20 July 2006 Life on earth is facing a major crisis with thousands of species threatened with imminent extinction - a global emergency demanding urgent action. This is the view of 19 of the world's most eminent biodiversity specialists, who have called on governments to establish a political framework to save the planet. The planet is losing species faster than at any time since 65 million years ago, when the earth was hit by an enormous asteroid that wiped out thousands of animals and plants, including the dinosaurs. Scientists estimate that the current rate at which species are becoming extinct is between 100 and 1,000 times greater than the normal "background" extinction rate - and say this is all due to human activity. The call for action comes from some of the most distinguished scientists in the field, such as Georgina Mace of the UK Institute of Zoology; Peter Raven, the head of the Missouri Botanical Garden in St Louis, and Robert Watson, chief scientist at the World Bank. "For the sake of the planet, the biodiversity science community had to create a way to get organised, to co-ordinate its work across disciplines and together, with one clear voice, advise governments on steps to halt the potentially catastrophic loss of species already occurring," Dr Watson said. In a joint declaration, published today in Nature, the scientists say that the earth is on the verge of a biodiversity catastrophe and that only a global political initiative stands a chance of stemming the loss. They say: "There is growing recognition that the diversity of life on earth, including the variety of genes, species and ecosystems, is an irreplaceable natural heritage crucial to human well-being and sustainable development. There is also clear scientific evidence that we are on the verge of a major biodiversity crisis. Virtually all aspects of biodiversity are in steep decline and a large number of populations and species are likely to become extinct this century. "Despite this evidence, biodiversity is still consistently undervalued and given inadequate weight in both private and public decisions. There is an urgent need to bridge the gap between science and policy by creating an international body of biodiversity experts," they say. More than a decade ago, Edward O Wilson, the Harvard naturalist, first estimated that about 30,000 species were going extinct each year - an extinction rate of about three an hour. Further research has confirmed that just about every group of animals and plants - from mosses and ferns to palm trees, frogs, and monkeys - is experiencing an unprecedented loss of diversity. Scientists estimate that 12 per cent of all birds, 23 per cent of mammals, a quarter of conifers, a third of amphibians and more than half of all palm trees are threatened with imminent extinction. Climate change alone could lead to the further extinction of between 15 and 37 per cent of all species by the end of the century, the scientists say: "Because biodiversity loss is essentially irreversible, it poses serious threats to sustainable development and the quality of life of future generations." There have been five previous mass extinctions in the 3.5 billion- year history of life on earth. All are believed to have been caused by major geophysical events that halted photosynthesis, such as an asteroid collision or the mass eruption of supervolcanoes. The present "sixth wave" of extinction began with the migration of modern humans out of Africa about 100,000 years ago. It accelerated with the invention of agriculture 10,000 years ago and began to worsen with the development of industry in the 18th century. Anne Larigauderie, executive director of Diversitas, a Paris- based conservation group, said that the situation was now so grave that an international body with direct links with global leaders was essential. "The point is to establish an international mechanism that will provide regular and independent scientific advice on biodiversity," Dr Larigauderie said. "We know that extinction is a natural phenomenon but the rate of extinction is now between 100 and 1,000 times higher than the background rate. It is an unprecedented loss." The scientists believe that a body similar to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change could help governments to tackle the continuing loss of species. "Biodiversity is much more than counting species. It's crucial to the functioning of the planet and the loss of species is extremely serious," Dr Larigauderie said. "Everywhere we look, we are losing the fabric of life. It's a major crisis." Species Under Threat Land Mammals The first comprehensive inventory of land mammals in 1996 found a quarter, including the Iberian lynx were in danger of extinction. The situation has worsened since. Reptiles and Amphibians The Chinese alligator is the most endangered crocodilian - a survey in 1999 found just 150. Frogs, toads, newts and salamanders are the most threatened land vertebrates. Birds One in five species are believed to be in danger of extinction; that amounts to about 2,000 of the 9,775 named species. Most are at risk from logging, intensive agriculture, trapping and habitat encroachment. Many experts believe the Philippine eagle and wandering albatross could become extinct this century. Marine Life The oceans were thought to be immune from the activities of man on land, but this is no longer true. Pollution, overfishing, loss of marine habitats and global warming have a dramatic impact on biological diversity. More than 100 species of fish, including the basking shark are on the red list of threatened species. Plants Many plants have yet to be formally described, classified and named - and some are being lost before they have been discovered by scientists. Plants of every type are being lost. Insects and Invertebrates Many insects are wiped out by pesticide-reliant intensive agriculture. Others, such as the partula tree snails of Tahiti are menaced by invasive species. ************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities Conference Announcement - Gordon Research Conference on Polar Marine Science. "An Interdisciplinary Look at Processes Over Multiple Scales of Variability" 25-30 March 2007 For further information, please go to:http://www.grc.org/ Every other year, the Gordon Research Conference (GRC) on Polar Marine Science brings together an outstanding and diverse group of scientists at the forefront of research, as well as younger scientists and students. The format and intimate nature of these meetings (maximum attendance is 125) makes them ideal venues to learn about the latest research and to meet and discuss new and exciting directions with a highly interdisciplinary group of colleagues. The focus of the 2007 GRC on Polar Marine Science, which will take place 25-30 March at the Four Points Sheraton in Ventura, California, will be "An Interdisciplinary Look at Processes Over Multiple Scales of Variability." The rationale behind this choice of topic is to explore in detail the physical, chemical, and biological processes that dominate temporal and spatial scales ranging from the "micro" to the "paleo". The guiding principle of a Gordon Conference is the presentation of new, unpublished work and the free, unhampered discussion that follows. This tradition of freely sharing ideas is due in large part to GRC's "off the record" policy which prohibits photography or tape recording of sessions or the publication of conference proceedings. The agenda for this meeting is still being developed (http:// www.grc.org/programs /2007/polar.htm), but organizers hope that you will consider attending and presenting a poster of your most exciting new research results. For application details, please go to: http://www.grc.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' New Job Board for Environmental Markets Industry, for Employers and Job Seekers This exclusive job board is one of the first job boards that specifically targets the environmental markets industry. The environmental markets industry is experiencing a period of growth and evolution. With this tool, both employers and job seekers will have access to the most update employment information within this sector. EMPLOYERS Whether you are looking for early-career or more experienced candidates, The CEMA CareerSite offers you specialized tools and services to help you reach qualified candidates, and post jobs so that you can find your new hires quickly and easily! Post jobs 24/7 Direct access to qualified employees Secure job management that allows you to post and edit jobs Automatic pre-screening of candidates into ?A-lists? and ?B- lists? Search by over 10 different criteria 60-day job postings that can be utilized at any time Build your team with talent, on time and under budget! JOB SEEKERS The CEMA CareerSite is your online career and employment connection, created with the needs of the industry in mind. We know that the profession has specialized career needs and therefore the CEMA CareerSite is the best place on the web to support your job search. Whether you are actively looking for a job, casually searching for your ?dream? job, or would just like a place to store your resume, this is the place FOR YOU! Search for and apply to jobs 24/7- Upload your resume in PDF or word format Complete control over the confidentiality of your information Store up to 3 unique profiles- FREE! Receive jobs in your toolbox Search by over 10 different criteria- Customized Job Search Agents working for you 24 hours per day To view listing and to register, please visit: ca.EnvironmentalMarkets.org Who is CEMA? The Canadian Environmental Markets Association (CEMA) is an industry association dedicated to supporting the growth of the environmental markets by enhancing emission reduction efforts in Canada. As well as, by providing our members a forum for discussion and a vehicle for the communication of knowledge regarding the Environmental Markets in Canada. ******************** Assistant Professor - Vertebrate Biologist - Whitman College BIOLOGY (VERTEBRATE BIOLOGIST): Whitman College seeks full-time tenure-track Assistant Professor of Biology, starting August 2007. Ph.D. required; post-doctoral experience preferred. We seek a vertebrate biologist with interests in anatomy, evolution, and/or ecology, to teach courses in vertebrate anatomy and general ecology, contribute to an introductory course, ?The Biological World,? and supervise student research and thesis preparation. (Information on the Whitman biology program and course offerings is available at http://www.whitman.edu/biology.) Whitman College, located in historic Walla Walla near the Blue Mountains in eastern Washington state, has a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching and research in a liberal arts environment. Send (as hard copy): curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation, brief statements on teaching and research interests, and transcripts (college and graduate) to: Vertebrate Biology Search, Biology Department, Whitman College, 345 Boyer Avenue, Walla Walla, WA 99362. Deadline: October 13, 2006. Diversity, broadly defined, is a core value of Whitman College; candidates are therefore encouraged to address in their application how they can contribute to enhancing the inclusiveness of the Whitman community. ******************** Compass Director Of Science-Policy Outreach Location: Washington, D.C., USA The COMPASS (COMmunication PArtnership for Science and Sea) Director of Science-Policy Outreach will direct, develop and implement mechanisms to connect marine conservation science and scientists to federal-level decision-making processes and discussions. Priority efforts will focus on communicating peer- reviewed science related to ecosystem-based management, aquaculture and marine reserves, however other timely and salient marine conservation science will be included. Initiatives to connect science and policy will be designed to condition the climate for increased public awareness and understanding of oceans and marine conservation. COMPASS works to advance marine conservation science and communicate science to policymakers, managers, the media, and the public. Candidates should send a letter of intent, resume, and three references to: Brooke Simler, COMPASS Executive Director, Department of Zoology, Oregon State University, Corvallis OR 97331. Electronic submissions are strongly encouraged and can be sent to simlerb@science.oregonstate.edu ******************** The Climate Group is currently seeking candidates for three vacancies in its Woking (near London) UK, and New York, USA offices. 1. Carbon & Finance Programme Manager (based Woking, UK) To lead the organisation's work on banking and finance, as well as programmes relating to the voluntary carbon market including the recently released Voluntary Carbon Standard. 2. Research Programme Manager (based Woking or New York) To drive forward the organisation's research programme, including the annual 'Carbon Down Profits Up' report and associated projects. 3. Researcher (based Woking or New York) To work on the organisation's research programme, with a dual focus on energy and corporate strategy internationally Please note the deadline for applications is 5th August 2006 Full job descriptions and further details on application can be downloaded from: http://www.theclimategroup.org/index.php?pid=816 Best regards Jim Walker MSc Chief Operating Officer www.theclimategroup.org ************************************************** 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/20060721/555d87a0/attachment.htm From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Jul 28 14:41:53 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Jul 28 14:43:45 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 07/28/2006 Message-ID: <529AE78B-D78D-4AF0-8781-B63864E7718A@whitman.edu> DIALOG and DISCCRS News 07/28/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS SCIENCE NEWS NASA'S GOALS DELETE MENTION OF HOME PLANET http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/22/science/22nasa.html? ex=1154318400&en=0adecf837a451ea3&ei=5070&emc=eta1 From 2002 until this year, NASA?s mission statement, prominently featured in its budget and planning documents, read: ?To understand and protect our home planet; to explore the universe and search for life; to inspire the next generation of explorers ... as only NASA can.? In early February, the statement was quietly altered, with the phrase ?to understand and protect our home planet? deleted. In this year?s budget and planning documents, the agency?s mission is ?to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research.? Rise in Sea Level, Loss of Wet Lands May Account for Unstable Ground in Mississippi Delta http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pr06107 Deadly Heat Continues in Calif.: Slight Cooling Trend This Week May Ease Blackout Concerns (see below) Marine 'dead zone' off Oregon is spreading (see below) Hot? Yes. Global Warming? Maybe. (see below) A Hard Look at Aerosols (see below) Ice sheets drive atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, inverting previous ice-age theory (see below) Utilities give warming skeptic big bucks (see below) SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES Call for Abstracts: Climate Uncertainty Session at AGU Annual Meeting (see below) C A L L FOR P A P E R S 'Earth System Governance: Theories and Strategies for Sustainability' - 2007 Amsterdam Conference on the Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change (see below) Time to Adapt: Climate Change and the European Water Dimension. Vulnerability ? Impacts ? Adaptation - 12 to 14 February 2007 - Berlin, Germany (see below) JOBS National Marine Sactuary Science Coordinator (see below) Tenure-Track Position - University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Geography (see below) Post-doc - Tropical Radiation Measurement Analysis: Atmospheric Science and Global Change Divisionat Pacific Northwest National Lab (see below) One-year Lecturer in Physical Geography, University College Cork (Ireland) (see below) Professional on climate change scenarios for the Global Environmental and Climate Change Centre (McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada) (see below) 2 Post-docs - precipitation processes - Univs of Cologne (Germany) and Leuven (Belgium) (see below) Research Scientist - statistical cloud modeling. Univ. of Maryland Goddard Earth Sciences and Technolgoy (GEST) center (see below) Research Scientist/Engineer position at University of Washington Sand Point. (http://www.washington.edu/admin/hr/jobs/apl/ and see below) Post-doc: Cloud modelling research using CloudSat data - NCAR (USA) (see below) Assistant Professorship (Tenure-track) in Paleoecology, University of Bern (see below) *************************************************** Science News NASA'S GOALS DELETE MENTION OF HOME PLANET http://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/22/science/22nasa.html? ex=1154318400&en=0adecf837a451ea3&ei=5070&emc=eta1 From 2002 until this year, NASA?s mission statement, prominently featured in its budget and planning documents, read: ?To understand and protect our home planet; to explore the universe and search for life; to inspire the next generation of explorers ... as only NASA can.? In early February, the statement was quietly altered, with the phrase ?to understand and protect our home planet? deleted. In this year?s budget and planning documents, the agency?s mission is ?to pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research.? ******************** Deadly Heat Continues in Calif.: Slight Cooling Trend This Week May Ease Blackout Concerns By Blaine Harden Washington Post Staff Writer Wednesday, July 26, 2006; Page A04 The 50-person refrigerator at the morgue in Fresno is full, primarily with the bodies of elderly people who are believed to be victims of a sustained blast of triple-digit heat that has tormented most of California in the past two weeks. I have never seen these kinds of numbers," said Loralee Cervantes, the coroner in Fresno, where she said the temperature outside her office yesterday was 110. "There are so many we can't keep up." California edged away from mandatory electricity blackouts yesterday as slightly cooler air -- although still in the low 100s -- began to filter across much of the state. A day after the nation's most populous state shattered its record for electricity consumption, power managers said clouds and lower temperatures in coming days would lessen the likelihood of rolling blackouts. "At this point, if everything remains okay, then we are all right through the day," said Kristina Osborne, spokeswoman for the California Independent System Operator, which manages the state power grid. "It is supposed to cool as we go through the week." A power emergency on Monday required some businesses to curtail power use in exchange for lower electricity rates. It has ended, although residents were being warned to conserve power and limit the use of large appliances during daytime hours. Most of the heat-related deaths occurred in the sweltering Central Valley. In Fresno, in the north of the valley, the coroner said many victims collapsed inside their homes and were found somewhere other than in their beds. "Some people had power outages, some can't afford to pay their bills, some were using fans, and we had one case where a man was scared of the sound of his air conditioner," Cervantes said. She said most of the dead were 65 to 80 years old. With the heat wave, residents across Southern California have put up with multiple, widely scattered power outages as hundreds of overtaxed power-pole transformers have blown up or otherwise stopped functioning. More than 50,000 homes and businesses were without power yesterday. The aging electricity-transmission grid in and around Los Angeles -- some of it built in the 1920s and 1930s -- could not handle the spiking power demands that came with persistent high temperatures -- on top of a booming population and houses full of air conditioners and computers, according to regional utilities. "Transformer failure was driven by the prolonged heat wave, which since July 13 has meant that they cannot cool down at night," said Ron Litzinger, senior vice president for transmission and distribution at Southern California Edison. He said that in recent years power consumption per customer in the region has been double what the utility had expected, mostly because of air conditioners, computers and assorted home electronics. The heat wave comes at a time when ambient year-round temperatures in Southern California are on the rise. In the past century, average temperatures in the region have risen about three degrees during the daytime and a whopping seven degrees at night, according to Bill Patzert, a climatologist at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena. Houses, freeways, golf courses and shopping centers retain heat far longer than the native desert chaparral of Southern California. "We have had an extreme makeover in the past century, with the population between Tijuana and Santa Barbara jumping from 1 million to more than 20 million," Patzert said. Global warming in urban areas, often thought of as a function of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, is also strongly correlated with urban and suburban development, Patzert said. He said most major cities in the world, including Washington, are getting warmer as they sprawl. "The long-term trend here -- we are getting warmer," he said. "It is a preview of coming attractions, if we don't change our behavior." ******************** Marine 'dead zone' off Oregon is spreading CORVALLIS, Ore. ? A hypoxic "dead zone" has formed off the Oregon Coast for the fifth time in five years, according to researchers at Oregon State University. A fundamental new trend in atmospheric and ocean circulation patterns in the Pacific Northwest appears to have begun, scientists say, and apparently is expanding its scope beyond Oregon waters. This year for the first time, the effect of the low-oxygen zone is also being seen in coastal waters off Washington, researchers at OSU and the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary indicate. There have been reports of dead crabs stretching from the central Oregon coast to the central Washington coast. Some dissolved oxygen levels at 180 feet have recently been measured as low as 0.55 milliliters per liter, and areas as shallow as 45 feet have been measured at 1 milliliter per liter. These oxygen levels are several times lower than normal, and any dissolved oxygen level below 1.4 milliliters per liter is hypoxic, capable of suffocating a wide range of fish, crabs, and other marine life. "There is a huge pool of low-oxygen water off the central Oregon coast with values as low as 0.46 milliliters per liter," said Francis Chan, marine ecologist in the OSU Department of Zoology and with the Partnership for Interdisciplinary Studies of Coastal Oceans (PISCO), a marine research consortium at OSU and other universities along the West Coast. "OSU researchers have documented this year's region of low-oxygen bottom waters from Florence to Cascade Head," Chan said. "The lack of consistent upwelling winds allowed a low-oxygen pool of deep water to build up. Now that the upwelling-favorable winds are blowing consistently, we're seeing that pool of water come close to shore and begin to suffocate marine life. If these winds continue to blow, we expect to see continued and possibly significant die-offs." As events such as this become more regular, researchers say, they appear less like an anomaly and more like a fundamental shift in marine conditions and ocean behavior. In particular, a change in intensity and timing of coastal winds seems to play a significant role in these events. "We're seeing wild swings from year to year in the timing and duration of winds favorable for upwelling," said Jack Barth, an oceanographer with PISCO and the OSU College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences. "This change from normal seasonal patterns and the increased variability are both consistent with climate change scenarios." Barth and his colleagues are working on new circulation models that may allow scientists to predict when hypoxia and these "dead zones" will occur. No connection has been observed between these events and other major ocean cycles, such as El Ni?o or the Pacific Decadal Oscillation. The lack of wide-scale ocean monitoring makes determining the size and movement of the dead zone difficult, although some new instrumentation being used this year by OSU scientists is helping. Dissolved oxygen sensors have been deployed on the sea floor both close to shore and in 260 feet of water off Newport, some of which are sending data in near real-time. In addition, a new underwater unmanned vehicle equipped with sensors to measure temperature, salinity, chlorophyll and dissolved oxygen is routinely sampling across central Oregon waters. During normal years, cold water rich in nutrients but low in oxygen upwells from the deep ocean off Oregon, mixes with oxygen-rich water near the surface, causes some phytoplankton growth and provides the basis for a thriving fishery and healthy marine food chain. During dead zone periods, some of the normal processes ? including wind and current conditions ? can change. This allows huge masses of plant growth to die, decay and in the process consume even more of the available oxygen near the sea floor, causing hypoxic conditions for marine life. The first event in 2002 caused a massive die-off of fish and invertebrate marine species on the central Oregon coast. Less severe and somewhat different events occurred in 2003, 2004 and 2005. The 2006 "dead zone" has a wider north-south extent. Some crabbers in the central Washington coast reported all dead crabs in pots at depths of about 45-90 feet, north of the Moclips River. Large numbers of dead Dungeness crab have been reported on the beach as far north as Kalaloch. Numerous species of bottom fish have been found dead on the beach south of the Quinault River in Washington. In Oregon, the most vulnerable area in recent years has been the central third of the coast between about Newport and Florence, where conditions seem to be conducive to the development of low-oxygen waters. It's not always easy to measure the biological impact of the dead zones, because many dead animals may be washed out to the deep sea. But researchers say that this year's event may ultimately be as severe as the first one in 2002, although it reflects slightly different wind and ocean current conditions. Collaborating on this research are scientists from OSU, PISCO, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, University of Washington and the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. Researchers say that it's difficult to tell what long-term ecological impacts these dead zone events may have on marine ecosystems. "Many marine species live in fairly specialized ecological niches and any time you change the fundamental physics, chemistry and nature of the system, it's a serious concern," Barth said. Jane Lubchenco, the Valley Professor of Marine Biology at OSU and principle investigator for PISCO, also said that the biological monitoring of species health and impacts in the nearshore Pacific Ocean is "grossly inadequate," making it difficult to evaluate the long-term impacts of low-oxygen and other events. By David Stauth, 541-737-0787 Sources: Jane Lubchenco, 541-737-5337; Jack Barth, 541-737-1607; Francis Chan, 541-737-9131 http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-07/osu-mz072606.php ******************** Hot? Yes. Global Warming? Maybe. from the Los Angeles Times (Registration Required) The heat was unreal - so blistering that a windowsill thermometer overlooking Olympic Boulevard in downtown Los Angeles blew its top when the mercury hit 130 degrees. People consumed so much water that parts of the city briefly ran dry. Four people died. Dozens were hospitalized. It was still 89 degrees at 1 a.m. The record hot spell did not occur in 2006, but 1955, long before scientists raised the prospect of global warming and climate change. The extreme temperatures of this year's heat wave have been so intense that they have created a sense of fundamental change - that somehow Los Angeles is on the verge of a searing future. ...Climate experts at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in La Canada Flintridge and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla cautioned Tuesday that no single event - no matter how unusual - could be directly attributed to global warming and the effects of pollution. http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-sci- heatwave26jul26,1,203711.story?co ll=la-news-science http://tinyurl.com/l7akr ******************** A Hard Look at Aerosols from the Christian Science Monitor If you are concerned about man-made climate change, keep an eye on aerosol pollution. The concentrations of tiny particles, called aerosols, that float in the global atmosphere are on the rise. They come from dusty deserts and industrial emissions. They can change the way clouds form and can redistribute rainfall. They heat or cool parts of the atmosphere and Earth's surface depending on their composition. Their influence is one of the biggest unknowns in climate science. Until scientists know more about what aerosols are up to, they can't fully predict future climate change. Global warming due to carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases is only part of the picture. And so, the aerosol hunt is on. On Monday, NASA released the first images from Calipso, one of two satellites launched in April to make detailed observations of clouds and aerosols. More images are needed to produce meaningful conclusions. But two weeks ago, NASA took what it called "a big step forward" in its understanding of aerosols. http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0727/p17s01-stss.html http://tinyurl.com/q43kx ******************** Ice sheets drive atmospheric carbon dioxide levels, inverting previous ice-age theory Ruddiman - press release from Eurekalert In the early 20th century, Milutin Milankovitch, a leading astronomer and climatologist of the time, proposed that the Earth's ice-age cycles could be predicted because they correspond directly with routine changes in the Earth's orbit and its tilt over cycles of tens of thousands of years. Because of these changes, there are predictable variations in the amount of solar radiation striking the Earth's surface. Milankovitch argued that low levels of summer radiation permit snow to accumulate as permanent ice, while high levels of solar radiation melt snow and ice. It all seemed so clean and simple. And indeed the hypothesis was partially confirmed in the 1970s from marine sediment records extending through 2.75 million years of northern hemisphere ice-age cycles. As Milankovitch predicted, ice grew and melted at cycles of 23,000 and 41,000 years. But two observations were unexpected: from 2.75 until 0.9 million years ago, the ice sheets grew and melted almost entirely at the 41,000-year cycle. Since then, an oscillation near 100,000 years has dominated. This knocked Milankovitch's theory for a loop. Scientists have since turned to changes in atmospheric carbon dioxide as a possible explanation. Carbon dioxide concentrations can be measured in ancient air bubbles preserved in sequences of cores drilled into the Antarctic ice sheet. Because some changes in carbon dioxide have been found to occur slightly before changes in ice volume, the prevailing interpretation has been that carbon dioxide is an additional independent 'driver' of the size of ice sheets, along with solar radiation. Now, a new hypothesis inverts this view. William Ruddiman, an environmental scientist with the University of Virginia, provides a novel explanation for the rhythms of the ice ages in a paper just published online in the journal Climate of the Past. Ruddiman found that carbon dioxide is a driver of ice sheets only at the relatively small 23,000-year cycle, but not at the much larger ice-volume cycles at 41,000 years and approximately 100,000 years. In those cases he found that ice sheets instead control atmospheric carbon dioxide and drive feedbacks that amplify ice growth and melting. He says his carbon dioxide feedback hypothesis explains why the strongest cycles of ice response are not in correspondence with those in the orbital cycles. Ruddiman concludes (as Milankovitch proposed) that ice sheets are initially driven by the Sun, but then the ice takes control of carbon dioxide changes, producing its own positive feedback (the amplifying effect) at the 41,000-year cycle. This enhancement explains the strength of the 41,000-year ice- sheet changes over the first two-thirds of the ice ages. But over time, as polar climate cooled, summer melting weakened. During the last 0.9 million years, ice sheets have continued to grow at the 41,000-year cycle, but some of the new ice remained in place to help build larger ice sheets. Ice build-up continued until unusually large solar radiation peaks triggered rapid melting at intervals of 85,000 to 115,000 years. Although solar radiation peaks were the initial trigger for these melting episodes, most of the ice was removed by feedbacks in the climate system, and CO2 feedback was the largest of these. "The origin of the ice-age cycles has been a major mystery in studies of past climates, and some scientists felt the answer must be very complex," Ruddiman said. "Yet this hypothesis is quite simple, requiring only the Sun, the carbon dioxide feedback, and a gradual cooling. The prominent role proposed for carbon dioxide is consistent with its likely effect on future climate." Two years ago Ruddiman published a study hypothesizing that humans have been altering the global climate for thousands of years since the advent of agriculture, possibly halting the start of a new ice age. That study received extensive international media coverage and is still being widely discussed in the climate community. His new paper can be accessed at: http://www.climate-of-the- past.net/. From that page, type "Ruddiman" where it says, "Site search?" From there, find the Ruddiman paper "Ice-driven CO feedback on ice volume" as a PDF file or in HTML form. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-07/uov-isd072406.php ******************** Utilities give warming skeptic big bucks By SETH BORENSTEIN, AP Science WriterThu Jul 27, 5:40 PM ET Coal-burning utilities are passing the hat for one of the few remaining scientists skeptical of the global warming harm caused by industries that burn fossil fuels. Pat Michaels ? Virginia's state climatologist, a University of Virginia professor and senior fellow at the libertarian Cato Institute ? told Western business leaders last year that he was running out of money for his analyses of other scientists' global warming research. So last week, a Colorado utility organized a collection campaign to help him out, raising at least $150,000 in donations and pledges. The Intermountain Rural Electric Association of Sedalia, Colo., gave Michaels $100,000 and started the fund-raising drive, said Stanley Lewandowski, IREA's general manager. He said one company planned to give $50,000 and a third plans to give Michaels money next year. "We cannot allow the discussion to be monopolized by the alarmists," Lewandowski wrote in a July 17 letter to 50 other utilities. He also called on other electric cooperatives to launch a counterattack on "alarmist" scientists and specifically Al Gore's movie "An Inconvenient Truth." Michaels and Lewandowski are open about the money and see no problem with it. Some top scientists and environmental advocates call it a clear conflict of interest. Others view it as the type of lobbying that goes along with many divisive issues. "These people are just spitting into the wind," said John Holdren, president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. "The fact is that the drumbeat of science and people's perspectives are in line that the climate is changing." Frank O'Donnell, president of Clean Air Watch, a Washington advocacy group, said: "This is a classic case of industry buying science to back up its anti-environmental agenda." Donald Kennedy, an environmental scientist who is former president of Stanford University and current editor-in-chief of the peer-reviewed journal Science, said skeptics such as Michaels are lobbyists more than researchers. "I don't think it's unethical any more than most lobbying is unethical," he said. He said donations to skeptics amounts to "trying to get a political message across." Michaels is best known for his newspaper opinion columns and books, including "Meltdown: The Predictable Distortion of Global Warming by Scientists, Politicians and the Media." However, he also writes research articles published in scientific journals. In 1998, Michaels blasted NASA scientist James Hansen, accusing the godfather of global warming science of being way off on his key 1988 prediction of warming over the next 10 years. But Hansen and other scientists said Michaels misrepresented the facts by cherry- picking the worst (and least likely) of three possible outcomes Hansen presented to Congress. The temperature rise that Hansen said was most likely to happen back then was actually slightly lower than what has occurred. Michaels has been quoted by major newspapers more than 150 times in the past two years, according to a Lexis-Nexis database search. He and Lewandowski told The Associated Press that their side of global warming isn't getting out and that the donations resulted from a speech Michaels gave to the Western Business Roundtable last fall. Michaels said the money will help pay his staff. Holdren, a Harvard environmental science and technology professor, said skeptics such as Michaels "have had attention all out of proportion to the merits of their arguments." "Last I heard, anybody can ask a scientific question," said Michaels, who holds a Ph.D. in ecological climatology from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. "It is a very spirited discussion that requires technical response and expertise." Other scientific fields, such as medicine, are more careful about potential conflicts of interests than the energy, environmental and chemical fields, where it doesn't raise much of an eyebrow, said Penn State University bioethicist Arthur Caplan. Earlier this month, the Journal of the American Medical Association announced a crackdown on researchers who do not disclose drug company ties related to their research. Yet days later, the journal's editor said she had been misled because the authors of a new study had not revealed industry money they got that posed a conflict. Three top climate scientists said they don't accept money from private groups. The same goes for the Web site realclimate.org, which has long criticized Michaels. "We don't get any money; we do this in our free time," said Realclimate.org contributor Stefan Rahmstorf, an ocean physics scientist at Potsdam University in Germany. Lewandowski, who said he believes global warming is real just not as big a problem as scientists claim, acknowledged this is a special interest issue. He said the bigger concern is his 130,000 customers, who want to keep rates low, so coal-dependent utilities need to prevent any taxes or programs that penalize fossil fuel use. He said his effort is more aimed at stopping carbon dioxide emission taxes and limits from Congress, something he believes won't happen during the Bush administration. http://tinyurl.com/erws8 *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities Call for Abstracts: Climate Uncertainty Session at AGU Annual Meeting CRITICAL CLIMATE UNCERTAINTIES: SOURCES, CONSEQUENCES AND METHODS TO ADDRESS THEM The American Geophysical Union annual meeting will draw more than 10,000 earth scientists to San Francisco from December 11-15, 2006. This session is designed specifically to encourage and highlight candid investigations of uncertainty in climate change and methods for dealing with it in scientific study relevant to policy formulation. Session Description: Radiative forcing that drives global climate change is affected by interactions of a number of factors including emissions of carbon dioxide, aerosols and black carbon, and non-CO2 greenhouse gases. Uncertainty in the current strength of these forcings, and in feedback cycles that affect their future trajectory, presents a challenge to scientists and policy-makers addressing climate change. This session will highlight assessments of uncertainty in factors affecting radiative forcing, as well as methods for treating that uncertainty in support of both policy formulation and further scientific investigations into the response of the climate system and potential impacts. Relevant to this session is work that explores the policy implications of uncertainty in radiative forcing and transient temperature change, probabilistic treatment of climate sensitivity and other climate system parameters, and global energy and emission scenarios. DEADLINE FOR SUBMISSIONS: September 7, 2006 Full submission guidelines: www.agu.org/meetings/fm06 Session Code: GC02, Section co-sponsors: Global Environmental Change: Climate Dynamics (1620) Public Affairs / Public Issues: Science Policy (6620) Atmospheric Processes: Climate Change and Variability (3305) Biogeosciences: Carbon Cycling (0428) The AGU Program Committee will determine the format of the session (oral presentations, a poster session, or both) after all the abstracts have been submitted. To assist with the session preparation, please consider notifying session conveners of your interest in submitting an abstract prior to the deadline: hummel@stanford.edu. Session description online: http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm06/? content=search&show=detail&sessid=396 We look forward to your participation! Holmes Hummel, Michael Mastrandrea, and Paul Baer Stanford University Reply to: Holmes Hummel, hummel@stanford.edu ******************** C A L L FOR P A P E R S 'Earth System Governance: Theories and Strategies for Sustainability' - 2007 Amsterdam Conference on the Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 24-26 May 2007 The Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM) at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and its partner institutions invite papers for the 2007 Amsterdam Conference on the Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change, to be held in Amsterdam on 24-26 May 2007. This conference will be the seventh event in the series of annual European Conferences on the Human Dimensions of Global Environmental Change, begun in Berlin in 2001. This year's conference will address the theme 'Earth System Governance: Theories and Strategies for Sustainability'. We define earth system governance as the sum of the formal and informal rule systems and actor--networks at all levels of human society (from local to global) that are set up to influence the co- evolution of human and natural systems in a way that secures the sustainable development of human society--that is, a development that meets the needs of present generations without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. This notion of earth system governance is phenomenological inasmuch as it describes an emerging social trend expressed in hundreds of international regimes, international bureaucracies, national agencies, local and transnational activists groups and expert networks. At the same time, earth system governance can be understood as a political project that engages more and more actors who seek to strengthen the current architecture of institutions and networks at local and global levels. In both meanings, earth system governance is a demanding and vital subject of research in the social sciences, which we hope will be reflected in lively discussions at the 2007 Amsterdam Conference. The theme of earth system governance also reflects recent attempts at defining the role of the social sciences within the Earth System Science Partnership, which unites the World Climate Research Programme, the International Biosphere-Geosphere Programme, the DIVERSITAS programme, and the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change (IHDP). The mission statement of the Earth System Science Partnership calls upon social scientists to develop 'strategies for Earth System management'. Yet what such strategies might be, and how such strategies are to be developed, remains poorly understood in the social sciences. The challenge of earth system governance raises many theoretical, methodological and empirical questions. For the 2007 Amsterdam Conference, we invite papers on the following seven core conference themes: 1. Theories and Methods for Analysing Earth System Governance, that is, papers on new theoretical advances and methodological tools to better study earth system governance, including new methods and tools that combine quantitative and modelling approaches-also from the natural sciences-with qualitative, case-based methods and participatory, stakeholder-oriented methods; 2. Architectures of Earth System Governance, that is, papers on the effectiveness of the overall governance system including problems of institutional fragmentation, interlinkages, and change; 3. Adaptive Governance, that is, papers on the ways in which institutions at all levels-ranging from local to global-can adapt to large-scale changes in their natural environment; 4. Agency Beyond the State, that is, papers on the influence of non-state actors in national and global environmental governance, including the effectiveness of private governance and stakeholder involvement at all levels; 5. Accountability and Legitimacy of Earth System Governance, that is, papers on the democratic foundations of environmental governance at the local, national, and global levels; 6. Allocation Mechanisms in Environmental Governance, that is, papers on the distributive effects of global and national environmental institutions and governance mechanisms; and 7. The Reflexive Governance of Global Public Goods, that is, papers on the institutional analysis of participatory decision- making, deliberative policy-making and capacity building in the governance of global public goods, including global biodiversity, climate, health, security and fair trade issues. We also invite papers that focus on teaching global and national environmental governance and that discuss new approaches, experiences and programmes in this field. KEY DATES: Deadline for proposals: 1 Oct 2006 Notification of acceptance: 1 Dec 2006 Full papers due: 1 April 2007 Details on abstract submission and more information is available at our conference website www.2007amsterdamconference.org We look forward to welcoming you in Amsterdam in May 2007! On behalf of all co-hosts and sponsors: Frank Biermann, Chair, 2007 Amsterdam Conference Institute for Environmental Studies (IVM), Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam E-mail: ac2007@ivm.vu.nl CO-HOSTS AND SPONSORS -- ADAM Project--Adaptation and Mitigation Strategies: Supporting European Climate Policy (EU Integrated Project) -- GLOGOV.ORG--The Global Governance Project -- Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP) -- NEWATER Project--New Approaches to Adaptive Water Management under Uncertainty (EU Integrated Project) -- REFGOV Project--Reflexive Governance in the Public Interest (EU Integrated Project) -- SENSE--The Netherlands Research School for Socio-Economic and Natural Sciences of the Environment -- Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research ENDORSEMENTS -- International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change (IHDP) -- World Academy of Art and Science INTERNATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE Frans Berkhout, IHDP Industrial Transformation project, and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Tom Dedeurwaerdere, EU REFGOV project, and Universite catholique de Louvain Mike Hulme, EU ADAM project, and Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research Klaus Jacob, Berlin Conference Steering Committee, and Freie Universitaet Berlin Rajendra Pachauri, IPCC, and The Energy and Resources Institute Claudia Pahl-Wostl, EU NEWATER project, and University of Osnabrueck Andreas Rechkemmer, IHDP Secretariat Agus Sari, IHDP Institutional Dimensions core project, and Pelangi-Ecosecurities Bernd Siebenhuener, Berlin Conference Steering Committee, and Oldenburg University Oran Young, IHDP, and University of California at Santa Barbara NATIONAL STEERING COMMITTEE Pieter Glasbergen, Utrecht University Joyeeta Gupta, KNAW Global Change Commission, and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Fred Langeweg, Netherlands Environmental Assessment Agency (MNP) Rik Leemans, KNAW Global Change Commission, and Wageningen University Pim Martens, Maastricht University Arthur Mol, Wageningen University Hans Opschoor, Institute for Social Studies, The Hague, and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Pier Vellinga, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam CONFERENCE MANAGERS Man-san Sander Chan [sander.chan@ivm.vu.nl] Aysem Mert [aysem.mert@ivm.vu.nl] ORGANISING COMMITTEE Sliman Abu Amara, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Harro van Asselt, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Ad van Dommelen, Netherlands Research School for Socio-Economic and Natural Sciences of the Environment (SENSE) Dave Huitema, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Marleen van de Kerkhof, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Philipp Pattberg, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Heike Schroeder, IHDP Institutional Dimensions of Global Environmental Change project Kyla Tienhaara, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam> Anna Wieczorek, IHDP Industrial Transformation project Summer School on Earth System Governance Back-to-back with the 2007 Amsterdam Conference, the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and the University of Maastricht will jointly offer an International Summer School on Earth System Governance for PhD students and other researchers in their early career stages. This international summer school will be supported by the Netherlands Research School for Socio-Economic and Natural Sciences of the Environment (SENSE) in co-operation with the Dutch national research programme BSIK-Climate for Space, Space for Climate. Participation in the summer school requires a separate application. www.2007amsterdamconference.org ******************** Time to Adapt: Climate Change and the European Water Dimension. Vulnerability ? Impacts ? Adaptation - 12 to 14 February 2007 - Berlin, Germany As part of Germany?s activities during its EU presidency, the Federal Ministry for the Environment will host an international symposium titled ?Time to Adapt - Climate Change and the European Water Dimension? from 12 to 14 February 2007 in Berlin. The initiative is supported by the relevant services of the European Commission. The Symposium aims to provide a platform for representatives from governments, science and research, stakeholder groups and non- governmental organizations to discuss the impacts of climate change on water resources. In addition, adaptation strategies for water management and water dependent sectors, in particular agriculture, energy, inland navigation and tourism, will be evaluated. The conference is organized by Ecologic, Institute for International and European Environmental Policy (www.ecologic.de), in cooperation with the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (www.pik-potsdam.de). For further information please visit the conference website at http://www.climate-water-adaptation-berlin2007.org/index.htm. *************************************************** 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' National Marine Sactuary Science Coordinator http://jobsearch.usajobs.opm.gov/getjob.asp? JobID=45784181&aid=44572312%2D2376&WT.mc_n=MKT000125&TabNum=1&rc=3 Sanctuary Science Coordinator in Key West, FLA SALARY RANGE: 77,576.00 - 100,845.00 USD per year OPEN PERIOD: Tuesday, July 18, 2006 to Monday, July 31, 2006 MAJOR DUTIES: The incumbent assists in the interpretation of relevant research findings in order to develop resource protection policies; represents the Sanctuary on science-related committees and councils; reviews grant proposals and documents; provides information on the FKNMS science program; develops and implements the Sanctuary's science plan; presents findings of the science program at conferences; develops a regional science program in consultation with relevant sanctuary managers and research coordinators; coordinates the allocation of available funds and helps administer science agreements with institutions conducting research in the Sanctuary, including development of funding agreements, tracking science activities, and facilitating communication between science project leaders; submits fiscal documents pursuant to established FKNMS schedules and adheres to fiscal/purchasing and budget tracking procedures and the approved budget for assigned programs; participates in management plan review and implementation; approves Sanctuary research permits. ******************** Tenure-Track Position - University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Geography University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Geography www.geog.ucsb.edu invites applications for a tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level in Terrestrial Processes effective July 1, 2007, Ph.D. required. The Department seeks candidates whose research and teaching interests focus on the interaction of geomorphological and ecosystem processes. The position will complement existing strengths in spatial analysis of natural and anthropogenic modifications to earth and ecosystem function. Areas of particular interest are 1) interpretation of LIDAR and satellite- based topographic data for characterizing landscape change, 2) spatial analysis and modeling of the physical, chemical and biological processes that modify ecosystems and landscapes, 3) monitoring and predicting ecosystem response to disturbance, including climate change, erosion, fire, disease and invasive species, and 4) spatial modeling of interactions between physical and biological systems at regional to global scales, including biogeochemical cycling, eco-hydrology, and biogeography. We are looking for candidates who develop and apply novel analytical and modeling techniques, and who can provide field-based teaching at the graduate and undergraduate level. The successful candidate will be expected to develop a vigorous externally funded research program in the primary areas of his/her interest, to direct graduate students, and to teach graduate and undergraduate courses in physical geography, biogeography, global change, and/or geomorphology. The Department strongly encourages interdisciplinary collaborations and has expertise in marine science, climate science, earth surface processes, remote sensing, GIScience, transportation geography, urban/ economic geography, cognitive science and human-environment interactions. Application deadline is October 31, 2006. Qualified applicants should send complete curriculum vitae, statement of research and teaching interests, and names with addresses of three referees to recruit@geog.ucsb.edu or Search Committee, Department of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106-4060. The department is especially interested in candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the academic community through research, teaching and service. An EO/AA Employer. ******************** Post-doc - Tropical Radiation Measurement Analysis: Atmospheric Science and Global Change Divisionat Pacific Northwest National Lab Job Description The Atmospheric Science and Global Change Division is seeking Postdoctoral scientist to assist with the analysis and application of measurements from the Tropical Western Pacific (TWP) Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) program sites. The successful candidate will contribute to relating measurements at the TWP ARM sites to the larger tropical environment and applying TWP ARM measurements toward the improved representation of clouds and radiation in climate models and will be expected to contribute as a co-author or lead author to technical reports and journal articles. Some travel is expected. Potential research directions include the application of mesoscale or cloud resolving models in combination with ARM observations to study cloud/radiation/dynamic feedbacks or the application of scanning radar or satellite observations to provide spatial extensions of ARM cloud and radiation measurements. Minimum Requirements A doctoral degree obtained in the last five years in atmospheric science or a related field is required. Qualifications Prior experience with tropical model simulations or data sets that characterize the spatial variability of convection as well as working knowledge of one or more programming languages such as Fortran, C, C++, Matlab, IDL, and Unix/Linux is highly desirable. Equal Employment Opportunity Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) is an Affirmative Action / Equal Opportunity Employer and supports diversity in the workplace. Applicants will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, veteran status, marital status, or sexual orientation. For further consideration please visit www.jobs.pnl.gov and reference posting # 112089 ******************** One-year Lecturer in Physical Geography, University College Cork (Ireland) Applications are invited for a one-year post in the Department of Geography in the field of climate/ meteorology, or cognate area in Physical Geography, at the level of Lecturer. Possession, or imminent completion, of a relevant PhD is desirable. The appointee will be expected to teach and examine courses at primarily undergraduate levels and will be required to contribute to the administration, postgraduate and research work of the Department. The successful candidate will be encouraged to continue and develop their research studies. Start of position will be early October 2006, or as soon thereafter as possible. Geography is a major research and teaching subject in UCC working within the fields of Human and Physical Geography, the Environmental and Earth System sciences and is a constituent of the Colleges/ Faculties of Science and of Arts. Geography has been a key innovator discipline in UCC since the mid-1970s; at the levels of providing new degree and diploma programmes and courses in the earth-environmental sciences, as well as working internationally at the research front in areas of geomorphology, atmosphere/climate, oceanography and marine science, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing, environmental management and in palaeoenvironmental studies and palaeoecology. Salary scales [new entrants]: Pro-Rata EUR33,895 - EUR55,061 Bar EUR60,336 - EUR79,483 Appointment will be made at the appropriate point of the relevant scale in accordance with qualifications and experience. For informal discussion contact: Professor Robert Devoy, Head of Department of Geography, Email r.devoy@ucc.ie Tel: + 353 21 4904360 or Ms Rose Walsh, Email r.walsh@ucc.ie Tel: + 353 21 4902517. Closing date: Monday, 28 August, 2006 Application forms and accompanying CVs must be completed and returned to: Ms Rose-Mary Walsh Department of Geography College Road University College Cork Ireland Tel: + 353 21 4902517/ Email: r.walsh@ucc.ie/ Fax + 353 21 4271980 Application Form can be downloaded at http://hradmin.ucc.ie/docs/ AcadAppForm.doc ******************** Professional on climate change scenarios for the Global Environmental and Climate Change Centre (McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada) The Global Environmental and Climate Change Centre (GEC3; www.mcgill.ca/GEC3) is a university research centre grouping over 40 researchers from five universities in Quebec (McGill University, Universit? du Qu?bec ? Montr?al, Universit? de Montr?al, Universit? de Sherbrooke and Universit? Laval). The research within GEC3 spans a wide range of environmental and climate change issues, ranging from the global to regional scales. The secretariat of GEC3 is located at McGill University. This position is jointly funded by GEC3 and the Adaptation Impacts Research Division (AIRD) of Environment Canada, under a partnership arrangement between GEC3 and Environment Canada. Responsibility Centre members use climate change scenarios for their research on climate change and impacts, from different regional and global climate models and from statistical downscaling. AIRD staff and stakeholders access scenarios through the Climate Change Scenarios Network (CCSN). The successful candidate will help GEC3 members and CCSN users to access and analyze climate change scenarios, use scenarios and downscaling tools, provide training, and to prepare new global scenarios for Canada for access through the CCSN. The duties include data download, gaining expertise with statistical and statistical downscaling software packages, performing diagnostic analysis and providing tutorials. Job knowledge requirements The successful candidate will have a M.Sc. in atmospheric or related environmental sciences with strong computer skills and experience working with climate change scenarios, statistical downscaling and related methods for creating high-resolution scenarios. Work experience in relevant areas is preferred, with research experience being an asset. Bilingual ability (English and French) is required. The candidate will report jointly to the centre Director and a CCSN research scientist. Good interpersonal skill and ability to work in a team setting are essential. Work location The work will primarily be performed at McGill University and the Ouranos consortium on climate change and impacts (www.ouranos.ca). Conditions of employment The initial appointment is for 1 year at an annual salary of $40,000, renewable for another two years subject to satisfactory performance and the availability of funds. Application Please submit your CV and arrange to have three letters of reference sent directly to the following address, before August 31, 2006: Ms. Angie Mansi Assistant to the Director, Global Environmental and Climate Change Centre McGill University, Room 722, Burnside Hall 805 Sherbrooke Street West Montreal, Quebec, Canada H3A 2K6 (Tel: 514-398-3758; Fax: 514-398-1381; Email: angela.mansi@mcgill.ca) ******************** 2 Post-docs - precipitation processes - Univs of Cologne (Germany) and Leuven (Belgium) Two Postdoc positions are available at the University of Cologne (Germany) and the University of Leuven (Belgium) for motivated scientists with an interest in understanding precipitation processes. The successful candidates will have the opportunity to work within the project QUEST (Quantitative Evaluation of Precipitation Forecasts), which takes place in collaboration with several German universities and research institutes (http://www.meteo.uni-bonn.de/ projekte/SPPMeteo/), the German Weatherservice and the Royal Meteorological Institute of Belgium. Within QUEST, information from ground-based and satellite remote sensing instruments and from 'state of the art' numerical weather prediction models is used to improve insight in the temporal and spatial variability of precipitation. The Postdoc position in Cologne will be for an initial period of 2 years with a possibility of extension for 2 years. The work will focus on an integrated model evaluation which focusses on multiple parameters (water vapor, cloud properties, precipitation) from different instrument. The evaluation encompases long-term comparisons as well as detailed case studies. For the latter sensitivity studies aiming at model improvements through testing of different parametrisation should be performed. For more information on the working group see http://www.meteo.uni-koeln.de/crewell/. The position in Leuven will be for a period of four years preferably starting 1 Oktober 2006. After a model evaluation and model improvement phase, a precipitation climatology for Belgium at high spatial (2.8 km) and temporal (15 min) resolution will be created based on a combination of measurements and model output. This dataset will be used to study mechanisms behind the precipitation distribution in Belgium and for fundamental research in different fields like geography, hydrology and agriculture. For more information on the research unit see http://www.kuleuven.be/geography/ frg/index.htm Requirements: A PhD in atmospheric or related sciences, excellent programming skills (e.g. fortran) as well as familiarity with LINUX/UNIX environment, experience with analysis of remote sensing data or numerical modelling and good communicational skills. Applicants should submit a CV, a description of research interests and the names and e-mail of at least two references to Prof. Crewell and Prof. van Lipzig at the email adresses given below. Review of the applications will begin 1 August 2006 and will continue until the positions are filled. For more information, contact: Prof. Dr. Susanne Crewell, University of Cologne, crewell@meteo.uni-koeln.de, +492214706489. Prof. Dr. Nicole van Lipzig, University of Leuven, Nicole.VanLipzig@geo.kuleuven.be, +3216326453 Disclaimer: http://www.kuleuven.be/cwis/email_disclaimer.htm ******************** Research Scientist - statistical cloud modeling. Univ. of Maryland Goddard Earth Sciences and Technolgoy (GEST) center Subject to funding approval, the Goddard Earth Sciences and Technology Center (GEST) will make Research Faculty appointments at the Research Associate, Assistant Research Scientist, Associate Research Scientist, and Senior Research Scientist levels as commensurate with experience. GEST is a Cooperative Agreement between the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) and the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) to collaborate in research programs in the Earth, Information, and Instrumentation sciences. GEST is a Consortium whose members include UMBC, Hampton University, Howard University, and Caelum Research Corporation. Positions will generally be located either at GSFC or at the offices of one of the consortium members. More than one candidate may be chosen for some positions. All candidates must have degrees in an appropriate physical discipline and a demonstrated research record in accordance with the specific qualifications listed for each of the following positions. GEST 613-77-000 Research Activity - Statistical Cloud Modeling A Research Associate (postdoctoral position) is required for work on three-dimensional (3D) statistical cloud models based on satellite data. The successful applicant will be involved in the analyses of ICESat and MODIS data, cloud modeling and 3D radiative transfer calculations leading to better interpretation of cloud products and GCM parameterizations. Requires - A Ph.D. in atmospheric physics or related field. Candidate must have experience with remote sensing data, atmospheric radiation and cloud microphysics. Knowledge of stochastic modeling is an asset. Selection is contingent upon obtaining Goddard security clearance and possessing appropriate visa status to meet requirements for employment. Applicants should identify the position by number on a cover letter which includes home address and submit it together with a complete curriculum vitae, including the names, addresses, and telephone numbers of three references, to Dr. Tom Low, Associate Director, GEST/JCET, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Suite 320, 5523 Research Park Drive, Baltimore, MD 21228. Applications are requested prior to August 7, 2006, but will be accepted until position is filled. GEST partners are equal opportunity/affirmative action employers. ******************** Research Scientist/Engineer position at University of Washington Sand Point. http://www.washington.edu/admin/hr/jobs/apl/ Req #: 22902 Department: JISAO Job Location: Sand Point Posting Date: 07/26/2006 Closing Info: Closes On 08/25/2006 Salary: $40-60,000/yr. Salary is commensurate with experience and education. The University of Washington (UW) is proud to be one of the nation?s premier educational and research institutions. Our people are the most important asset in our pursuit of achieving excellence in education, research, and community service. Our staff not only enjoys outstanding benefits and professional growth opportunities, but also an environment noted for diversity, community involvement, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty. Our Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean (JISAO) has an outstanding opportunity for a Research Scientist/ Engineer 3 to conduct field and laboratory research on the sources and sinks of CO2 in the oceans. JISAO is a "Center of Excellence" that fosters research collaboration between NOAA and the University of Washington. Its research themes are aligned with the NOAA Strategic Plan and include Climate, Environmental Chemistry, Marine Ecosystems, and Coastal Oceanography. This individual will build and operate equipment for obtaining high precision chemical and hydrographic data in the laboratory, onboard ships, and on moored buoys. Prepare graphics and statistical analyses of data and help with the preparation of technical reports and articles for publication in reviewed journals. Additionally, the person in this role will build, maintain, and operate equipment to make high precision measurements of dissolved inorganic carbon and total alkalinity on ocean seawater samples. Participate in up to 3 cruises per year to make inorganic carbon measurements. Provide data quality control and quality assessments, generate property-property plots of data, and perform calculations with data under supervision. Write and edit technical documents involving ocean carbon data. Applicant must be able to work at sea, should be able to work on their own with minimal supervision, and be able to diagnose and resolve instrumental problems (including mechanical, chemical, or software problems). As a UW employee, you will enjoy generous benefits and work/life programs. For a complete description of our benefits for this position, please visit the benefits website. Requirements: Bachelor of Science degree in Oceanography or inorganic chemistry and/or 3-5 years experience in a scientific laboratory; experience operating scientific equipment; education or experience in inorganic chemistry. Equivalent education and experience may substitute for stated requirements. Desired: Master of Science degree and/or 5 years experience in a scientific laboratory; experience making inorganic carbon measurements; have coauthored scientific publication; experience designing, building and maintaining scientific equipment; programming experience. Condition of Employment: The applicant will be expected to work a standard 40 hour work week in an inorganic chemistry laboratory setting. Office and laboratory space will be located at NOAA/PMEL on Sand Point Way. Applicant will be expected to participate in oceanographic cruises and equipment deployments on ships of opportunity. Application Instructions: Part of the application process for this position includes completing an on-line cover letter assessment as well as the Employment Eligibility Assessment to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process. The assessment(s) will appear on your screen for you to complete as soon as you select "Apply to this Position" on this job announcement. Once you begin the assessment, it must be completed at that time. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until the assessment is complete. The University of Washington is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer. To request disability accommodation in the application process, contact the Disability Services Office at 206.543.6450 / 206.543.6452 (tty) or dso@u.washington.edu. ******************** Post-doc: Cloud modelling research using CloudSat data - NCAR (USA) Post-doctoral Fellowship in Cloud observations and modeling. We seek a postdoctoral fellow to conduct analyses of cloud and precipitation processes in models and observations. The fellow is expected to focus on new global satellite observations from CloudSat and atmospheric simulations from a state of the art global climate model, the Community Atmosphere Model (CAM). We are particularly interested in research regarding the vertical structure of cloud fields, cloud condensate, precipitation, and deep convection. The successful applicant will analyze observed and simulated cloud properties and evaluate the model with observations using advanced analytical tools. It is expected that the position will focus on specific areas and cloud types of scientific interest. These areas include high latitude cloud processes, tropical or continental deep convection and drizzle. We seek an individual who is interested in global or cloud-resolving modeling and/or satellite remote sensing of clouds. The Postdoctoral Fellow will work jointly with the CloudSat team at Colorado State University (CSU) and the Climate and Global Dynamics Division of the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR). The position will be physically based at NCAR in Boulder, CO. CloudSat home page: http://cloudsat.atmos.colostate.edu/ CAM home page: http://www.ccsm.ucar.edu/models/atm-cam ******************** Assistant Professorship (Tenure-track) in Paleoecology, University of Bern The Faculty of Science of the University of Berne invites applications for a position of a tenure-track Assistant Professorship in Palaeoecology from 1 March 2007 at the Institute of Plant Sciences, University of Berne, Switzerland. Candidates should have a strong research record in palaeoecology or vegetation history. The position lasts for four years with the possibility of promotion to an associate professorship, depending on performance. The successful candidate is most welcome to participate in the National Center of Excellence in Research on "Climate" (NCCR Climate) in Berne, and he or she will be required to contribute to the teaching in B Sc Biology (Plant Sciences) and in the M Sc "Ecology and Evolution", and the Graduate School of Climate Sciences (M Sc and Ph D). The climate research group at U Bern has been built on a long tradition of an excellent network of units and faculty (biology, physics, geography, geology, statistics, environmental economy, climate and social history, http://www.climatestudies.unibe.ch/ content/faculty/index_eng.html), and on outstanding research facilities. Bern is a focal point for international networks and hosts the IGBP-PAGES (Past Global Changes) Project Office (www.pages.unibe.ch). U Bern is the leading house of the National Center of Excellence in Research on "Climate" (http://www.nccr- climate.unibe.ch/), and hosts the Graduate School of Climate Sciences (MSc and PhD), University of Bern (http://www.climatestudies.unibe.ch/ content/index_eng.html). Contact regarding collaboration with NCCR Climate and Graduate School of Climate Sciences: Prof Martin Grosjean grosjean@giub.unibe.ch The University of Berne strongly encourages women to apply. Applications, including curriculum vitae, publication list, record of external funding and copies of the most important publications, together with an outline of research plans, should be sent to the address below by 15 September 2006 Prof Dr Paul Messerli, Dean, Faculty of Science, University of Berne, Sidlerstrasse 5, CH-3012 Berne, Switzerland For further information please contact Prof Cris Kuhlemeier, Institute of Plant Sciences (tel +41-31-631 49 13; email: cris.kuhlemeier@ips.unibe.ch) Print Ref: W86337R : Assistant Professorship Don't forget to mention naturejobs when replying to this advert. ************************************************** 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/20060728/8bc18a96/attachment.html From weilercs at whitman.edu Wed Aug 2 16:43:46 2006 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Sue Weiler's Whitman Acct) Date: Wed Aug 2 16:44:23 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] NSF Geoscience Directorate posts guidelines for postdoctoral and graduate student training References: <33054E39E0A5EE439F932378D164F4A702281AE2@nsf-mbx-01> Message-ID: Dear all, The NSF Geoscience Directorate has just posted some guidelines for principal investigators (PI's) concerning professional development training for postdocs and graduate students. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2006/nsf06038/nsf06038.jsp These are great guidelines to follow even if you are not supported by NSF Geoscience. If you are on a post-doc, you could show this document to your advisor/mentor and ask for professional-development help if it is not already being provided. And, If you are now in a position to have graduate students and post-docs of your own, read the recommended workshop reports and visit the websites listed as resources to help you become a better mentor. I thought you all might be interested in this, as it "institutionalizes" a lot of the sorts of training that has gone on at DIALOG symposia. I'm pleased to see that the DIALOG/DISCCRS webpage on "Resources for Early-Career Development" is listed as one of three resource sites in the document: http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/resources/ I thank all the past DIALOG and DISCCRS symposium participants who have contributed to these resources! Best, Sue ********** 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/20060802/184a4fe7/attachment.htm From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Aug 4 13:32:41 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Aug 4 13:33:40 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 08/04/2006 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 08/04/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS RESOURCES "The Future Oceans: Warming Up, Rising High, Turning Sour" Released by the German Advisory Council on Global Change (WBGU) is now available for download at http://www.wbgu.de/wbgu_sn2006_en.html NSF Geosciences Directorate Support for Postdoctoral Appointees and Graduate Students: Guidelines for Principal Investigators (this Dear Colleague Letter mentions DIALOG/DISCCRS resource page -- be sure to check it out if you haven't already) http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf06038 FORUM New York Times Editorial on NASA changes (see below) SCIENCE NEWS Former President Clinton Launches Clinton Climate Initiative (see below) Reflecting Global Warming http://www.scenta.co.uk/scenta/news.cfm? cit_id=990567&FAArea1=widgets.content_view_1 Time to get serious about climate change John P. Holdren, Alan I. Leshner - Sunday, July 30, 2006 http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/ 2006/07/30/EDG7BIQ76J1.DTL New Report Says Human Tampering Threatens Planet's Life-Sustaining Surface http://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=107127 Altered Oceans: A 5-Part Series from the LA Times http://www.latimes.com/news/local/oceans/la-oceans-series, 0,7842752.special Part I: A Primeval Tide of Toxins Part II: Sentinels Under Attack Part III: Dark Tides, Ill Winds Part IV: Sea Preserves a Plastic Plague\ Part V: A Chemical Imbalance Media attacked for 'climate porn' (UK) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/5236482.stm "Warm Words" report: http://www.ippr.org.uk/ecomm/files/ warm_words.pdf Extreme heat: Who is most likely to die? Public health professionals should pay particular attention to the elderly, diabetics and African Americans on days with extreme heat, such as during the current heat wave sweeping across much of the U.S. http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2006-08/hsop- ehw080406.php Amazonian drought - RealClimate discussion about an experiment that diverted rain over a 1-ha plot of rainforest. http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2006/08/amazonian- drought/ Energy from the Restless Sea (see below) Performing High-Altitude Research on Global Warming (see below) New Social Science Strategy - Harmful Algal Blooms (see below) SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES SMHI Course on Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation (see below) JOBS National Science Foundation Social Scientist, AD-0101-03, Survey Statistician, AD-1530-03 OR Economist, AD-0110-03. http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2006/e20060117/e20060117.txt - Annual salary ranges from $77,353 to $121,856. LOCATION: Directorate for Social, Behavioral, and Economic Sciences, Division of Science Resources Statistics, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA. *************************************************** Forum New York Times Editorial on NASA changes our editorial page, at least, followed up: Published: July 28, 2006 At a time when global warming has become an overriding issue, NASA has been delaying or canceling programs that could shed light on how the climate changes. The shortsighted cutbacks appear to result from sharply limiting NASA?s budget while giving it hugely expensive tasks like repairing the stricken shuttle fleet, finishing construction of the space station, and preparing to explore the Moon and Mars. Something had to give, and NASA?s choices included research into how the planet?s climate is responding to greenhouse gas emissions. The agency?s shifting priorities may have been signaled by subtle changes in its mission statement this year, as described by Andrew Revkin in The Times. Although the agency had previously led off its goals with ?to understand and protect our home planet,? a new mission statement reads simply, ?To pioneer the future in space exploration, scientific discovery and aeronautics research.? Agency officials note that sub-goal 3A still proposes to ?study earth from space to advance scientific understanding and meet societal needs.? But earth studies seem to be in trouble. The agency has canceled a deep space observatory to monitor solar radiation, water vapor, clouds, aerosols and other things important to climate change. It has delayed a mission with Japan to measure global precipitation, decided not to pay for a mission to measure soil moisture around the world, and reduced the money available to analyze data. Under Congressional pressure, the agency has reinstated a mission to study aerosols and solar radiation from orbit. But it has little money to do much else in coming years. A National Academy of Sciences panel warned that the nation?s system of environmental satellites was ?at risk of collapse.? The problems in earth sciences are part of a broader slowdown in science missions as NASA tries to do too much with too little. NASA officials sometimes say that they are slowing the rate of growth in science budgets. But Congressional analysts say the agency cut its science spending in 2006 to cover unexpectedly expensive shuttle repairs. It now plans small increases that won?t keep up with inflation or bring spending back to previous levels for many years. One analyst likened NASA to a mugger who takes $100 from a victim and then returns $20 a year, telling the recipient to be thankful. A Senate committee has approved $1 billion in emergency funds to reimburse programs that were cut to pay for the shuttle repairs. If that doesn?t fly, count home-planet studies and other science programs as a casualty of the administration?s insistence on completing the space station. *************************************************** Science News Former President Clinton Launches Clinton Climate Initiative Press Release, August 1, 2006, Clinton Foundation Press Office President Clinton, Mayor Ken Livingstone Announce Partnership Between Clinton Climate Initiative and Large Cities Climate Leadership Group Partnership Will Reduce Carbon Emissions and Increase Efficiency In Largest Cities Across the World Los Angeles, CA - President Clinton today launched the Clinton Climate Initiative (CCI), a Clinton Foundation initiative dedicated to making a difference in the fight against climate change in practical and measurable ways. President Clinton was joined by London Mayor Ken Livingstone, Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa and San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom to announce the first project of CCI, a partnership between the Clinton Climate Initiative and the Large Cities Climate Leadership Group. The Large Cities Climate Leadership Group, chaired by the Mayor of London, is an organization comprised of most of the largest cities in the world that have pledged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Urban areas are responsible for over 75% of all greenhouse gas emissions in the world. Therefore reducing energy use and greenhouse gas emissions in cities is fundamental to any effort to slow the pace of global warming. "It no longer makes sense for us to debate whether or not the earth is warming at an alarming rate, and it doesn't make sense for us to sit back and wait for others to act," said President Clinton. "The fate of the planet that our children and grandchildren will inherit is in our hands, and it is our responsibility to do something about this crisis. The partnership between my Foundation and the Large Cities Climate Leadership Group will take practical and, most importantly, measurable steps toward helping to slow down global warming, and by taking this approach I think we can make a big difference. I commend Mayor Livingstone and the Large Cities Group for their leadership on this issue." Last October, London convened a meeting of large cities to discuss cooperation on addressing global warming. The Large Cities Climate Leadership Group recognized the need for action and cooperation on reducing greenhouse gas emissions and pledged to work together towards that end. Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone said: "There is no bigger task for humanity than to avert catastrophic climate change. The world's largest cities can have a major impact on this. Already they are at the centre of developing the technologies and innovative new practices that provide hope that we can radically reduce carbon emissions. "Former President Clinton and his Foundation have proved that they can intervene decisively to make a real impact on one of the world's biggest problems, AIDS. On behalf of the Large Cities Climate Leadership Group, I am delighted to be able to enter into this new partnership to rapidly accelerate cities' response to global warming. Our aim is simple - to change the world." The Clinton Climate Initiative will assist the large cities in the group in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and increasing energy efficiency by using the same business-oriented approach that has made other Clinton Foundation initiatives successful. The Clinton Foundation has made a major contribution to the global fight against HIV/AIDS over the past four years by building efficient and effective systems for procurement and distribution of medicine and tests, thus drastically reducing the cost of treatment. More recently, the Clinton Foundation used the same business-oriented approach to make strides against childhood obesity, working with major beverage manufactures to take high-sugar drinks out of the nation's schools. To enable partner cities to reduce energy use and green house gas emissions CCI will: 1. Create a purchasing consortium that will pool the purchasing power of the cities to lower the prices of energy saving products and accelerate the development and deployment of new energy saving and greenhouse gas reducing technologies and products. This will be similar to the Clinton Foundation HIV/AIDS Initiative total quality management approach that has substantially lowered AIDS drug prices for members of its purchasing consortium. 2. Mobilize the best experts in the world to provide technical assistance to cities to develop and implement plans that will result in greater energy efficiency and lower greenhouse gas emissions. 3. Create and deploy common measurement tools and internet based communications systems that will allow cities to establish a baseline on their greenhouse gas emissions, measure the effectiveness of the program in reducing these emissions and to share what works and does not work with each other. Many cities have worked individually to reduce energy use and greenhouse gas emissions but most of these practices are not in widespread, systematic or coordinated use, thus greatly reducing their effectiveness. CCI will engage the largest cities in the world and allow them to be leaders for all cities by making the direct benefits from the purchasing consortium, technical assistance, and measurement and communication tools available to other cities throughout the world. There are a number of practical steps cities can take to increase efficiency and reduce emissions including: -More energy efficient lighting for traffic and street lights. -Building codes and practices that make use of more effective insulation, more energy efficient windows, more energy efficient heating and ventilation systems and more energy efficient lighting. -More energy efficient municipal water and sanitation systems -Localized, cleaner electric generation systems -Use of bio-fuels or hybrid technologies for city buses, garbage trucks and other vehicles -Schemes to reduce traffic congestion -Reduction of emissions from city garbage dumps and the use of biomass to generate electricity -More intelligent design of electric grids both across the city and within office and municipal buildings The CCI-Large Cities partnership begins with 22 of the largest cities in the world participating - Berlin, Buenos Aires, Cairo, Caracas, Chicago, Delhi, Dhaka, Istanbul, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Madrid, Melbourne, Mexico City, New York, Paris, Philadelphia, Rome, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Toronto, Warsaw and the partnership anticipates that many more cities will join over the next four to six months. Contact: Clinton Foundation Press Office 212-348-0360 ******************** Energy from the Restless Sea from the New York Times (Registration Required) NEWCASTLE, England - There is more riding the waves here than surfers, thanks to a growing number of scientists, engineers and investors. A group of entrepreneurs is harnessing the perpetual motion of the ocean and turning it into a commodity in high demand: energy. Right now, machines of various shapes and sizes are being tested off shores from the North Sea to the Pacific - one may even be coming to the East River in New York State this fall - to see how they capture waves and tides and create marine energy. The industry is still in its infancy, but it is gaining attention, much because of the persistence of marine energy inventors, like Dean R. Corren, who have doggedly lugged their wave and tidal prototypes around the world, even during the years when money and interest dried up. Mr. Corren, trim and cerebral, is a scientist who has long advocated green energy and pushed through numerous conservation measures when he was chairman of the public energy utility for the city of Burlington, Vt. http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/03/business/worldbusiness/ 03tides.html http://tinyurl.com/gdgez ******************** Performing High-Altitude Research on Global Warming from the San Francisco Chronicle Stately corpses of bristlecone pine trees, some dead for 2,000 years but still refusing to lie down, stood watch last week as botanist Ann Dennis and a crew of naturalists stepped off plots on the shoulders of 14,246-foot White Mountain Peak near the Nevada border. Working more than 10,000 feet above the sunbaked floor of the Owens Valley, the scientists were transforming one of California's highest mountaintops into a living laboratory of climate change. Dennis and her colleagues are part of a global network of mountain-climbing researchers, all using precisely the same methods to observe the impact of global warming at high altitudes on five continents simultaneously. "This is an international effort to deal with an international problem," Dennis said. http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/02/ BAGMOK9D6J1.DTL http://tinyurl.com/egw96 ******************** New Social Science Strategy - Harmful Algal Blooms A new multi-agency report, "Harmful Algal Research and Response: A Human Dimensions Strategy," provides a detailed implementation plan for human dimensions research necessary to reduce the public health, sociocultural, and economic impacts of harmful algal blooms. The report is an important first effort to stimulate and guide routine integration of public health, sociocultural, and economic researchers into national efforts to implement the President's U.S. Ocean Action Plan, the Harmful Algal Bloom and Hypoxia Amendments Act of 2004 (HABHRCA), and the National Plan for Algal Toxins and Harmful Algal Blooms (HARRNESS). Beyond HABs, the report serves as a framework for developing human dimensions research as a cross-cutting priority of ecosystem science supporting coastal and ocean resource management. It substantially informs priorities of the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology (JSOST) and Subcommittee on Integrated Management of Ocean Resources (SIMOR). The research strategy can be accessed electronically at: www.coastalscience.noaa.gov/stressors/extremeevents/hab/HDstrategy.pdf For more information, please contact: Marybeth Bauer, Human Dimensions Research Coordinator, NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, marybeth.bauer@noaa.gov. *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities SMHI Course on Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation At SMHI, we are proud to announce the new course "Climate Change- Mitigation and Adaptation", scheduled for March 2007, as we have been commissioned by Sida to organise this International Training Programme. A first set of information can be found on our web-site "http:// www.smhi.se/en/" where you follow the link=> "Climate change training programme". More and detailed information, incl application form, will become available on the same web-site in the later part of August 2006, information will also be disseminated through Swedish Embassies. Deadline for applications is November 15th, 2006. Check that your country is on the Sida list as eligible for participation before considering an application. Please send any questions regarding the course to => climate2007@smhi.se The training programme is designed not only for hydrologists, meteorologists and climate change specialists, as a matter of fact main target group is persons that have managing or key positions related to national, regional or local community planning. ************************************************** 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/20060804/a401f023/attachment.html From bennetsk at whitman.edu Fri Aug 11 14:57:24 2006 From: bennetsk at whitman.edu (Susan Bennett) Date: Fri Aug 11 14:58:28 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG and DISCCRS News 08/11/2006 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 08/11/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS FORUM State of the Ocean (see below) Ocean Research Priorities-public briefings (see below) Scientists think communication is bad for their careers (see below) SCIENCE NEWS 'Dead Zone' threat grows [Oregon and Washington] http://159.54.227.3/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060807/NEWS/ 608070356 Scientist Links Nitrogen to [Louisiana] 'Dead Zone' (see below) Experts: DNA Technique May Save Whales (see below) More Frequent Heat Waves Linked to Global Warming (see below) Top Scientist Makes Climate Plea (see below) Sea-bed Plan to Store Carbon (see below) Cities, States Aren't Waiting for U.S. Action on Climate (see below) Greenland Melt 'Speeding Up' (see below) JOBS Research Associate II - Executive Officer for Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry Project Office. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. New academic, research and technical positions for SAGES Alliance http://www.sages.ac.uk/vacancies Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of California at Santa Cruz (see below) Assistant Professor of Science, Technology, and Environment- University of California at Berkeley-College of Natural Resources (see below) Six positions at Macquarie University (Australia) (see below) Post-doc at LOCEAN/IPSL (University Paris VI, France) (see below) Post-doc at Alfred Wegener Inst (Germany) (see below) Tenure-track faculty position at Univ of North Carolina - Asheville (USA) (see below) Faculty Research Assistant or Research Associate (Postdoctoral), climate modelers, Oregon State University College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences (see below) *************************************************** Forum State of the Ocean Submitted by Stephanie Hampton, Deputy Director, National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis, University of California, Santa Barbara Hi Sue, I'm glad you got news of that LA Times work - they have done a great job! A lot happened in the US on ocean policy at exactly the same moment on Thursday! The Senate Subcommittee ?State of the Oceans 2006" met Thurs, and I hear that the meeting was abuzz with talk of the LA Times articles (which seem to have reverberated in media throughout the US this past week!). http://commerce.senate.gov/public/index.cfm? FuseAction=Hearings.Hearing&Hearing_ID=1788 Then at the same time, a Science Policy Forum was published on problems with ocean management, and this paper was brought up by "witness" Mike Chrisman at the senate committee meeeting and entered into the congressional record. http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/summary/313/5787/617 Check out the interdisciplinary author list... You know these folks were not all speaking the same language during this collaboration! The LA Times articles are very good, but wow, how depressing. Maybe this convergence of attention to oceans will make a difference. I hope. When I read through the DIALOG newsletter, seeing the LA Times link made me want to share this other related stuff with you too! I'm at ESA, maybe I will see you here... Stephanie E. Hampton, Deputy Director National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis University of California, Santa Barbara 735 State Street, Suite 300 Santa Barbara, CA 93101-3351 http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu hampton@nceas.ucsb.edu Tel (805) 892-2505 Fax (805) 892-2510 ******************** Ocean Research Priorities-public briefings The Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology is holding a series of public briefings on the ocean research priorities plan. The current document outlining the national ocean research priorities has an emphasis on the "human dimension" of future ocean research activities. The national ocean research priorities document will be available for public comment later this summer. More information about the next public comment period will be forwarded when the document is set for public release. Charting the Course for Ocean Science in the United States: Research Priorities for the Next Decade The National Science and Technology Council Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology is developing Charting the Course for Ocean Science in the United States: Research Priorities for the Next Decade, a draft document that outlines the national ocean research priorities for the United States for the next ten years. Called for in he U.S. Ocean Action Plan, this draft document, along with a follow-on Implementation Strategy, will describe a vision for U.S. ocean science and technology, highlight key areas of interaction of our society and the ocean, and identify critical ocean research priorities for these areas. The draft document is scheduled to be released for public comment late summer 2006. Public briefings on the national ocean research priorities will be held during the next few months in the following cities: Seattle, WA; Anchorage, AK; Miami, FL; Honolulu, HI; Baton Rouge, LA; West Long Branch, NJ; Chicago, IL; and La Jolla, CA. Town hall meetings and panels will also be held at several conferences across the country including Oceans 2006, California and the World Ocean '06, and the American Fisheries Society Annual Meeting. A developing list of public briefings and meetings with venue details is located at: http://ocean.ceq.gov/about/sup_jsost_orpp_outreach.html Members from the research community, Industry groups, ocean educators, government representatives (federal, state, tribal, and local), international representatives, non-governmental organizations, and any interested individuals are invited to attend. For more information, contact: Shelby E. Walker, JSOST Project Manager USGCRP/CCSP Office, 1717 Pennsylvania Ave., Suite 250, Washington, DC 20006 T:202-419-3464; F:202-223-3064; e-mail:swalker@usgcrp.gov ******************** Scientists think communication is bad for their careers A study examining the factors affecting science communication by British university scientists shows that scientists perceive public engagement activities as done by those with weak academic credentials. Scientists in UK universities are struggling to meet all the demands of a modern ?research-driven' culture, according to a new study commissioned by the Royal Society. And communicating their work to the public ? as urged by their governments and the EU alike ? is not their main priority, they say. Newsletter: http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/ article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/ article_06_08_02_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=2033 Report: http://www.euractiv.com/en/science/scientists-think- communication-bad-careers/article-156581?_print *************************************************** Science News Scientist Links Nitrogen to [Louisiana] 'Dead Zone' from the Miami Herald (Registration Required) BATON ROUGE, La. - A Louisiana State University scientist says his accurate predictions for the large low-oxygen "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico prove that nitrogen is a main factor in its creation. Eugene Turner, a professor with LSU's Coastal Ecology Institute, several years ago designed a method using the Mississippi River's nitrogen level in May at St. Francisville to calculate the likely size of the Gulf of Mexico's summer dead zone. Turner said the model is not 100 percent accurate - that's very difficult to achieve with predictive models - but that it has been very close in the last three years, he said. http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/nation/15220198.htm http://tinyurl.com/lajrg ******************** Experts: DNA Technique May Save Whales from the Boston Globe (Registration Required) BANGKOK, Thailand --Australian researchers said Thursday that analyzing the skin flakes of some whales could help determine their age, a development that could invalidate one argument for killing them. Japan has long argued that killing baleen whales, such as humpbacks and minkes, is the only way to determine how old they are, and vital to better understanding the animals' behavior. Tokyo plans to kill over 1,000 minke whales in 2006, over 400 more than last year and more than double the number it hunted a decade ago, as part of its scientific research program. But a team at the Southern Cross University Whale Research Center in New South Wales state said DNA in the whale's skin flakes could tell scientists how long they have lived. http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2006/08/03/ experts_dna_technique_may_save_whales/?rss_id=Boston.com+%2F+News+%2F +Science http://tinyurl.com/pkn8h ******************** More Frequent Heat Waves Linked to Global Warming from the Washington Post (Registration Required) Heat waves like those that have scorched Europe and the United States in recent weeks are becoming more frequent because of global warming, say scientists who have studied decades of weather records and computer models of past, present and future climate. While it is impossible to attribute any one weather event to climate change, several recent studies suggest that human-generated emissions of heat-trapping gases have produced both higher overall temperatures and greater weather variability, which raise the odds of longer, more intense heat waves. Last week, Paul Della-Marta, a researcher at Switzerland's Federal Office of Meteorology and Climatology, presented findings at an international conference on climate science in Gwatt, Switzerland, showing that since 1880 the duration of heat waves in Western Europe has doubled and the number of unusually hot days in the region has nearly tripled. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/03/ AR2006080301489.html http://tinyurl.com/gqact ******************** Top Scientist Makes Climate Plea from BBC News Online World leaders have been urged to put more money into developing new energy technologies to tackle global warming. Royal Society president Martin Rees wants a publicly funded international research programme, he says in the US journal Science. Lord Rees says a pledge to increase governments' investments in energy technologies should have been made at the recent G8 summit in Russia. He describes a "worrisome lack of determination" among world leaders. Lord Rees said: "Energy security was a key issue at the St Petersburg summit of G8 leaders last month. Their joint communique included many important commitments, but it omitted one crucial pledge - a significant increase in their governments' investments in R&D (research and development) for energy technologies." http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5244240.stm http://tinyurl.com/qphwp ******************** Sea-bed Plan to Store Carbon Storing carbon dioxide under the sea-bed could help to reduce global warming, according to US scientists. The proposals involve pumping the gas miles underground then injecting it under the sea floor. There is enough space for almost unlimited carbon emissions, a US team reports in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Previous plans to store carbon under the sea have drawn criticism because of concerns over leakage and safety. Supporters of the latest idea say that it overcomes these drawbacks and can be done with existing technology. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5255444.stm http://tinyurl.com/qxk4b ******************** Cities, States Aren't Waiting for U.S. Action on Climate from the Washington Post (Registration Required) With Washington lawmakers deadlocked on how best to curb global warming, state and local officials across the country are adopting ambitious policies and forming international alliances aimed at reducing greenhouse gases. The initiatives, which include demands that utilities generate some of their energy using renewable sources and mandates for a reduction in emissions from motor vehicles, have emboldened clean-air advocates who hope they will form the basis for broader national action. But in the meantime, some businesses say the local and state actions are creating a patchwork of regulations that they must contend with. This flurry of action is part of a growing movement among state and local leaders who have given up hope that Congress and the administration will tackle major issues, and are launching their own initiatives on immigration, stem cell research and energy policy. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/10/ AR2006081001492.html http://tinyurl.com/omd9v ******************** Greenland Melt 'Speeding Up' from BBC News Online The meltdown of Greenland's ice sheet is speeding up, satellite measurements show. Data from a US space agency (NASA) satellite show that the melting rate has accelerated since 2004. If the ice cap were to completely disappear, global sea levels would rise by 6.5m (21 feet). Most of the ice is being lost from eastern Greenland, a US team writes in Science journal. Jianli Chen of the University of Texas at Austin and colleagues studied monthly changes in the Earth's gravity between April 2002 and November 2005. These measurements came from the US space agency's Grace (Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment) satellite, launched in 2002. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4783199.stm http://tinyurl.com/loop5 *************************************************** 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 II - Executive Officer for Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry Project Office. Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Announcement Number 06-08-04 Applicants are sought for a full-time Research Associate II position to act as the Executive Officer for the new Ocean Carbon and Biogeochemistry (OCB) Project Office being formed at WHOI (http:// ocb.whoi.edu/). The project office will facilitate and coordinate efforts across the U.S. ocean carbon, marine biogeochemistry and related ocean ecological research communities. The Executive Officer position will involve helping to formulate and organize scientific workshops; liaise with the OCB scientific steering committee, program managers in federal agencies, scientists in the research community, and other science programs; and create written and electronic scientific products including coordination and planning documents, workshop reports, web-page material for both the scientific community and the general public, and the program newsletter. Review of applications will begin on September 15, 2006. EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE A Masters or equivalent work experience is required. Applicants with experience in biogeochemical and/or oceanographic research are strongly encouraged as are applicants with a prior background in scientific program management. The applicant should demonstrate strong organizational abilities as well as strong verbal and written communication skills in English. APPLICATION PROCESS Follow directions on web page: http://jobs.whoi.edu/cgi-bin/user/ funcer?eng&15&413 ******************** Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of California at Santa Cruz The Department of Anthropology at University of California Santa Cruz invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor position in the anthropology of nature or the environment beginning July 1, 2007. We welcome applicants doing research in these fields through emphases on multi-species relations or science studies; space and place; law, society, and the state; local/global politics and institutions; or historical issues of social justice in relation to culture and power. Applicants should demonstrate a strong commitment to undergraduate and graduate teaching and mentoring. Requirements: Applicant must have a Ph.D. or equivalent in Anthropology or closely related field, completed by July 1, 2007. The successful candidate must present strong evidence of research activity and university teaching experience or demonstrated potential for university teaching. Applicants should provide a letter of application, curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation (all letters will be treated as confidential documents; please direct your references to UCSC?s confidentiality statement at http:// www2.ucsc.edu/ahr/policies/confstm.htm) copies of publications, or other writing samples, no later than October 16, 2006, to Faculty Search Committee, Department of Anthropology, 361 Social Sciences I, University of California, 1156 High Street, Santa Cruz, CA 95064. Please refer to 248-07 in your reply. Apply online at http://aaanet.jobcontrolcenter.com/jobdetail.cfm? job=2370931.32 ******************** Assistant Professor of Science, Technology, and Environment- 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, 2007. The successful candidate will have an earned doctoral degree in a relevant field such as (but not limited to) the social sciences; science, technology, and society (STS); the history of science and technology; science studies; environmental studies; or public policy studies. An emphasis on emerging technologies is preferred. The successful applicant will be expected to develop a nationally- recognized research program on the interaction of science, technology, and the environment. Candidates should have an interest in the social processes, ecological implications, and distributional and equity impacts of science and technological change. The candidate's research should explore the ways in which science and its applications - e.g., emerging biological, chemical, energy, and nanotechnologies - both shape and are shaped by politics, regulation, and governing institutions. Questions of control, access, and power should be core concerns. Within this broad purview, research topics might include: the implications of new technologies for race, gender, and class relations; technology, immigration, and the global economy; chemical technologies and environmental health; the regulation of transgenic organisms and nanoparticles; relations between science, technology, and governance; the political, ecological, and ethical aspects of genomic sciences for agriculture, forestry, and/or fisheries; the global, regional, and local politics of science and technology policy formation. The successful candidate will teach an undergraduate course on Society and Environment, 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 science, technology, and society (STS), and will engage public issues pertaining to the implications of science and technology applications on the environment. Applications must be electronically dated or postmarked by 15 October, 2006. Electronic submissions preferred; send pdf files to STESearch@nature.Berkeley.edu. Please submit a cover letter (including a statement of how you view the relationships between science, technology, and the environment), 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, Science, Technology, and Environment 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 ******************** Six positions at Macquarie University (Australia) Macquarie University (Sydney, Australia) has launched a major initiative on Climate Risk, building on existing strengths in this area. Appointments in physical climate, climate impacts on water, agriculture, natural ecosystems, policy framworks, adaptation and financial risk are planned but we remain highly flexible on the precise nature of each appointment. Six continuing positions (permanent) are available: two full professors, two mid-range appointments and two entry positions (requiring a PhD). Details are available at: http://www.research.mq.edu.au/ excellence/climate_riskecology__and__evolution_team Further details can be obtained from Andy Pitman (apitman@els.mq.edu.au). ******************** Post-doc at LOCEAN/IPSL (University Paris VI, France) The oceanic response to the North Atlantic Oscillation In the frame of the EU FP6 project DYNAMITE (Understanding the DYNAMIcs of the Coupled ClimaTE System , see http:// dynamite.nersc.no), LOCEAN/IPSL is opening a postdoctoral position. Deeper understanding of the intrinsic variability and stability properties of the main climate variability modes is needed to assess confidence in the detection, attribution and prediction of climate change, to improve seasonal predictions, and to understand the shortcomings of current prediction systems. DYNAMITE will explore the fundamental dynamical mechanisms of two of the most important modes of climate variability: the North Atlantic Oscillation/Arctic Oscillation (NAO/AO) and the El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The postdoctoral work will be to contribute to our understanding of the processes that determine the response of the large-scale circulation of the North Atlantic Ocean, both its horizontal gyre component and its meridional overturning component, to variations in the NAO. The Meridional Overturning Circulation (MOC) makes a major contribution to the northward heat transport of the Atlantic Ocean, and it is thought that variations in the MOC on decadal timescales can modulate climate. MOC variations are driven partly by variations in wind-stress and partly by anomalous buoyancy fluxes, especially over the high latitude regions of deep oceanic convection. LOCEAN participates in coordinated experiments in which coupled ocean/sea- ice GCMs are forced with idealised surface wind stress and flux fields representative of NAO variability. The post doc will investigate the coupled ocean-sea ice processes that govern the formation of salinity anomalies in the arctic, the influence of the NAO on deep convection in the North Atlantic, and their subsequent impact on the MOC. The changes in the northward flux of warm and salty Atlantic surface water, and their back interaction on the formation of deep water will also be analysed. The position will be hosted by LOCEAN, University Pierre and Marie Curie (Paris VI) (see http://www.lodyc.jussieu.fr/), which is part of the Institut Pierre Simon Laplace (IPSL). Candidates should have a Ph.D in ocean or / and atmosphere dynamics, and /or research interests and experience in any aspect of large-scale ocean dynamics or ocean modelling. The position could be opened on October 1, and will end in February 2008. Salary will depend on qualification and follow CNRS scales. Applicants should submit a CV, a description of research interests, and the names and e-mail of three references to Prof. Claude Frankignoul (cf@lodyc.jussieu.fr) For more information, contact: Prof. Claude Frankignoul LOCEAN, case 100, Universit? Paris 6, Tour 45-55, 4? ?tage 4, Place Jussieu 75252 Paris Cedex 05, France. tel 33(0)144272732 fax 33 (0)144273805 cf@lodyc.jussieu.fr ******************** Post-doc at Alfred Wegener Inst (Germany) The Alfred Wegener Institute for Polar and Marine Research invites applications for 1. two PostDoc positions (Reference no. 52/POL and 53/MAR) 2. one Ph.D. position (Reference no. 54/POL in the framework of the BMBF-funded project "The North Atlantic as part of the Earth System: From understanding of the system to analysis of regional impact", AP1.3: "Variation of fresh water transport in the Arctic", starting October 1st, 2006. Background: Large river-runoff and sea ice melt cause an enormously stable stratification of the Arctic Ocean. The circulation and budget of the huge surplus of fresh-water in the upper Arctic Ocean are recognized to have a considerable effect on the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation. Changes of the latter are expected to have the potential to cause climate change. Understanding the involved mechanisms and the dynamics that regulate the release of the Arctic fresh water to the deep convection sites of the North Atlantic requires a combination of sustained observation of motion and properties of the Arctic Ocean upper layers and their exchange with the North Atlantic with the numerical simulations of the Arctic and North Atlantic ocean-sea ice system. Tasks: The successful applicants will become members of a team that combines observational and numerical investigations in Arctic Ocean and sea ice variability. One PostDoc position (reference no. 52/ POL) is intended for conducting and analyzing observations of the velocity and hydrography from newly developed ice-tethered platforms with automated systems as well as tracer data. The observations are part of the international programme iAOOS (international Arctic Ocean Observing System). The second PostDoc position (reference no. 53/MAR) is intended for conducting and analyzing numerical simulations with the North Atlantic-Arctic Ocean-Sea Ice Model (NAOSIM) hierarchy of the AWI. This includes hindcast simulations of the variability over the previous century as well as future scenario calculations. The PhD student position (reference no. 54/POL) is intended for investigations of the past and future developments of the fresh water, ice, and snow balances of the Arctic Ocean. Close co-operation with the members of the existing Arctic circulation group as well as of the entire project is expected. The candidates must be willing to participate in scientific cruises in the Arctic. Requirements: We seek enthusiastic persons holding a PhD degree (PostDocs) in physical oceanography or related disciplines. For the modelling position (53/MAR) experience in numerical modelling, good mathematical skills and experience with FORTRAN/Unix are necessary. Knowledge of statistical data analysis would be advantageous. For the observational oceanographer position (52/POL) experience from cruises and/or oceanographic data analysis is an asset. For the PhD position (54/POL) we expect completed university studies (Masters degree or equivalent) in physics, physical oceanography, meteorology or mathematics and a deep interest in understanding the high latitude climate system. Further information can be obtained from Ursula Schauer (uschauer@awi-bremerhaven.de) or Dr. R. Gerdes (rgerdes@awi- bremerhaven.de). The position is limited to three years. Position 1. the salary will be paid following the German Bundesangestelltentarifvertrag (BAT). Position 2. is a part time position. The AWI supports balanced work-life career development via a variety of alternatives. Please forward your applications with the standard documentation (resume, photograph, credentials and activity reports) by 31, August 2006 under reference number to: Stiftung Alfred-Wegener-Institut f?r Polar- und Meeresforschung Personalabteilung Postfach 12 01 61 27515 Bremerhaven http://www.awi-bremerhaven.de AWI is an equal opportunity employer. ******************** Tenure-track faculty position at Univ of North Carolina - Asheville (USA) The Department of Atmospheric Sciences (ATMS) at the University of North Carolina at Asheville (UNCA) is seeking a tenure-track faculty member at the rank of Assistant Professor, effective July 2007. UNCA is part of the UNC system, and is the only North Carolina public liberal arts university. Small in size, UNCA emphasizes excellence in the teacher-scholar model. Asheville is a culturally vibrant city located in picturesque western North Carolina and is the home of the NOAA/National Climatic Data Center. The department offers a BS degree in atmospheric sciences and satisfies course requirements recommended by the American Meteorological Society and NOAA. The department was established in 1980 and specializes in the fields of operational meteorology and forecasting. Candidates with a completed or expected Ph.D. in atmospheric sciences or meteorology, and a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching are encouraged to apply. All specialties in atmospheric sciences are welcomed but the position will entail teaching Radar/Satellite Meteorology, Meteorological Instruments, Physical Meteorology, Introduction to Meteorology, and courses in the UNCA Integrative Liberal Studies (ILS) program. Experience and knowledge in remote sensing technology and field experiments will be beneficial. Evidence of teaching effectiveness is strongly desired. Candidates should also have excellent communication skills, and be able to work closely with faculty and students. Applicants should send a cover letter, curriculum vitae, and three letters of recommendation to Dr. Alex Huang, Chair of ATMS Search Committee, CPO #2450, ATMS, UNCA, Asheville, NC 28804-8511 by November 1, 2006. Further information about UNCA and ATMS can be found at www.unca.edu and www.atms.unca.edu. UNCA is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Women and minorities are strongly encouraged to apply. Alex Huang, Ph.D. Professor and Chair ATMS, CPO #2450, UNCA One University Heights Asheville, NC 28804-8511 (828) 232-5157 (O) 232-5046 (fax) ahuang@unca.edu, www.atms.unca.edu ******************** Faculty Research Assistant or Research Associate (Postdoctoral), climate modelers, Oregon State University College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences Position: The College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences (COAS) at Oregon State University announces the availability of a full-time position for a Faculty Research Assistant or Research Associate (Postdoctoral) depending on qualifications. We seek a research colleague who will work within the multi-disciplinary project PaleoVar (sponsored by NSF's Paleoclimate Program) to use climate models in order to investigate the relation between climate variability and the mean state during the past 50,000 years. A simplified circulation model of the atmosphere will be coupled to an ocean-sea ice-biosphere model in order to create a novel tool for climate and paleoclimate research. Background Information: COAS is one of the world?s leading oceanographic and atmospheric sciences graduate research institutions, with more than 200 faculty and staff members, more than 90 graduate students, and a wide variety of assets including an excellent computing infrastructure, state-of-the-art analytical facilities, and two research vessels. Appointment: Full-time (1.0 FTE), 12-month fixed-term appointment. Annual salary range is $45,000-$48,000, commensurate with qualifications. Duration is 21 months, but may be extended depending on grant funding and satisfactory job performance. Responsibilities and Duties: Key duties of the position include model development, coupling and tuning, design and execution of numerical experiments including comparison with modern and paleo observations, publication of the results in the peer reviewed literature and the creation and maintenance of the PaleoVar web site. Qualifications for Faculty Research Assistant: Required: Masters degree in science or engineering; extensive programming experience (FORTRAN); experience in the use and/or development of ocean or atmosphere models; experience using scientific analysis and graphing software; good oral and written communication skills; ability and desire to work in a multi-disciplinary, international team. Preferred: Experience with parallel programming (e.g. MPI); demonstrable commitment to promoting and enhancing diversity. Qualifications for Research Associate (Postdoctoral): Required: PhD in oceanography or atmospheric science; independent development and pursuit of research ideas; publication record. Extensive programming experience (FORTRAN); experience in the use and/or development of ocean or atmosphere models; experience using scientific analysis and graphing software; good oral and written communication skills; ability and desire to work in a multi- disciplinary, international team. Preferred: Experience with parallel programming (e.g. MPI), demonstrable commitment to promoting and enhancing diversity. University and Community: OSU is one of only two American universities to hold the Land-, Sea-, Sun- and Space-Grant designations and is the only Oregon institution recognized for its ?very high research activity? (RU/VH) by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching. OSU is comprised of 11 academic colleges with strengths in natural resources, earth dynamics and sustainability, life sciences, entrepreneurship and the arts and sciences. OSU has facilities and/or programs in every county in the state, including 12 regional experiment stations, 41 county extension offices, a branch campus in Bend, a major marine science center in Newport, and a range of programs and facilities in Portland. OSU is Oregon?s largest public research university, conducting more than 60 percent of the research funded throughout the state?s university system. OSU is located in Corvallis, a community of 53,000 people situated in the Willamette Valley between Portland and Eugene. Ocean beaches, lakes, rivers, forests, high desert, the rugged Cascade and Coast Ranges, and the urban amenities of the Portland metropolitan area are all within a 100 mile drive of Corvallis. Approximately 15,700 undergraduate and 3,400 graduate students are enrolled at OSU, including 2,600 U.S. students of color and 950 international students. The university has an institution-wide commitment to diversity, multiculturalism and community. We actively engage in recruiting and retaining a diverse workforce and student body that include members of historically underrepresented groups. We strive to build and sustain a welcoming and supportive campus environment. OSU provides outstanding leadership opportunities for people interested in promoting and enhancing diversity, nurturing creativity and building community. Application Deadline: For full consideration, applications must be received by 8 September 2006. To Apply: Send a statement of interest referencing position 005-570, resum?, and names, addresses (including electronic addresses) and telephone numbers of three references, by regular or electronic mail, to: Andreas Schmittner, Assistant Professor College of Oceanic and Atmospheric Sciences Oregon State University Corvallis, OR 97331-5503 Inquiries about the position may be sent to Dr. Andreas Schmittner (aschmitt@coas.oregonstate.edu). Oregon State University is an Affirmative Action/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/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://aslo.org/pipermail/dialognews/attachments/20060811/cd4f0035/attachment.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Fri Aug 25 14:10:28 2006 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Sue Weiler's Whitman Acct) Date: Fri Aug 25 14:11:33 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DIALOG/DISCCRS News 8/25/2006 Message-ID: DIALOG and DISCCRS News 8/25/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS News from Sue Weiler's Office: Ruth Ladderud has just joined the DISCCRS staff and will be taking over the newsletter and program logistics previously handled by Susan Bennett. Congratulations to Susan Bennett, who has moved up in the world and is now assistant to Whitman's Dean of Faculty. RESOURCES Warm Words: How Are We Telling the Climate Story and Can We Tell it Better? U.K. Institute for Public Policy Research http://www.ippr.org.uk/ecomm/files/warm_words.pdf FORUM Improved rationale for state control of climate-changing pollutants by James Hansen Section 10 (Abrupt Climate Change) argues that climate thresholds make moderate contributions important, i.e., the argument "we are only a small fraction of global emissions" is not a valid defense. http://www.giss.nasa.gov/~dcain/recent_papers_proofs/ vermont_14aug20061_textwfigs.pdf SCIENCE NEWS Worst Is Yet to Come, US Hurricane Chief Says http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/37825/story.htm Scientists Issue Second Coral Warning Due to High Caribbean Sea Temperatures http://www.enn.com/today.html?id=11116 WWF Report: Water crisis hits rich countries http://tinyurl.com/npomd Establishing a connection between global warming and hurricane intensity (see NEWS 1 below) Palm trees on Florida's west coast appear to be dying because of sea level rise tied to global warming. (see NEWS 2 below) Greenland?s melting ice sheet may speed rise in sea level; study finds no boost in arctic snowfall to mitigate problem http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/10/ AR2006081001557.html?sub=AR http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/2006/810/3 (see NEWS 3 below) Global warming is expected to heat up already toasty tourist spots http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060822/LIFESTYLE/ 608220383/1005 (see NEWS 4 below) Dying Salt Marshes Puzzle Scientists http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/2006/08/22/ dying_salt_marshes_puzzle_scientists/ Boston Globe (Registration Required http://tinyurl.com/klt2b ) (see NEWS 5 below) SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES 13th Ph.D. Workshop on International Climate Policy 27th/28th October 2006 (http://www.see.leeds.ac.uk/research/sri/index.htm) (see WORKSHOP 1 below) Workshop on Communicating Climate Change, International Networking for Young Scientists (INYS), Washington DC (USA) www.britishcouncil.org/usa-science (see WORKSHOP 2 below) JOBS Asst. professor - Env. studies - conservation biology. Ursinus College, PA (USA) (see JOB 1 below) Tenure-track Assistant Prof. - Human Geography - University of California, Berkeley, CA (USA) (see JOB 2 below) Post-doc - RA-PDF Positions in Arctic Troposphere Studies - U Waterloo (Canada) http://www.wcas.uwaterloo.ca (see JOB 3 below) Post-doc - Ice sheet and earth system modeling -Vrije Univ Brussel Belgium - Free University of Brussels, Belgium (VUB) (see JOB 4 below) Post-doc - Biosphere-atmosphere interactions - Univ of Georgia (USA) www.biometeorology.uga.edu (see JOB 5 below) Lecturer Atmospheric Science - Univ of Leeds, School of Earth and Environment Institute for Atmospheric Science (UK) http:// www.leeds.ac.uk (see JOB 6 below) SOLAS Project - Project Integrator - NERC (UK) http://www.uea.ac.uk/ env/vacancies/env_vac.shtml (see JOB 7 below) Tenure-track Asst. Prof - Phys. Geography - Univ of British Columbia (Canada) http://www.geog.ubc.ca/department/recruitment.html (see JOB 8 below) SOLAS Project Integrator - SOLAS Project Office and British Oceanographic Data Center, Liverpool (UK) http://www.uea.ac.uk/env/ vacancies/env_vac.shtml (see JOB 9 below) FRESHWATER POLICY ADVISOR, JOB NUMBER: 5106 The Nature Conservancy (USA) (see JOB 10 below) Postdoc - Numerical modeling of ocean biochemistry - University of Minnesota Dept. of Geology and Geophysics, MN (USA) Http:// www.geo.umn.edu (see JOB 11 below) Tenure-track Assistant Professor - The Department of Science, Technology, and Society (STS) in the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) at the University of Virginia (USA) (see JOB 12 below) *************************************************** Science News (NEWS 1) Establishing a connection between global warming and hurricane intensity WASHINGTON -- Climate change is affecting the intensity of Atlantic hurricanes, and hurricane damage will likely continue to increase because of greenhouse warming, according to a new study. It provides for the first time a direct relationship between climate change and hurricane intensity, unlike other studies that have linked warmer oceans to a likely increase in the number of hurricanes. James Elsner of Florida State University in Tallahassee examined the statistical connection between the average global near-surface air temperature and Atlantic sea surface temperature, comparing the two factors with hurricane intensities over the past 50 years. He found that average air temperatures during hurricane season between June and November are useful in predicting sea surface temperatures-- a vital component in nourishing hurricane winds as they strengthen in warm waters--but not vice-versa. Elsner's paper is scheduled to be published 23 August in Geophysical Research Letters, a journal of the American Geophysical Union. Several recent studies have warned that human-induced climate warming has the potential to increase the number of tropical cyclones (hurricanes), and previous research and computer models suggest that hurricane intensity would increase with increasing global mean temperatures. Others, however, hypothesize that the relationship between sea surface temperatures and hurricanes can be attributed to natural causes, such as the Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation, an ongoing series of long-term changes in the sea surface temperature of the North Atlantic Ocean. "The large increases in powerful hurricanes over the past several decades, together with the results presented here, certainly suggest cause for concern," Elsner said. "These results have serious implications for life and property throughout the Caribbean, Mexico, and portions of the United States." Using highly detailed data from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to monitor sea temperature anomalies over the past half-century, Elsner used a causality test to establish evidence in support of the climate change/hurricane intensity hypothesis. His analysis helps provide verification of a linkage between atmospheric warming caused largely by greenhouse gases and the recent upswing in frequency and intensity of Atlantic hurricanes, including Katrina and Rita, which devastated parts of Mississippi, Louisiana, and Texas in 2005. "I infer that future hurricane hazard mitigation efforts should reflect that hurricane damage will continue to increase, in part, due to greenhouse warming," Elsner said. "This research is important to the field of hurricane science by moving the debate away from trend analyses of hurricane counts and toward a physical mechanism that can account for the various observations." The research was funded by the National Science Foundation and the Risk Prediction Initiative of the Bermuda Biological Station for Research. Citation: Elsner, James B., (2006), Evidence in support of the climate change: Atlantic hurricane hypothesis, Geophys. Res. Lett., 33, [TBD], doi: 10.1029/2006GL026869. Author: James Elsner, Florida State University, Tallahassee, Florida, U.S.A. jelsner@fsu.edu.edu or +1 (850) 877-4039 ******************** (NEWS 2) Palm trees on Florida's west coast appear to be dying because of sea level rise tied to global warming. GAINESVILLE, Fla. ? University of Florida scientists who began monitoring a large coastal study area in North Florida in 1992 reported widespread deaths of palms and other trees in low-lying coastal areas in the past. But the latest survey of the waterfront area along the Gulf of Mexico reveals more new and unsettling numbers: Of 88 large, mature palms that died at the rural Levy County site between 1992 and 2005, 66 percent, or 58, have died since 2000. In a project led by UF botany Professor Jack Putz, researchers in 1992 tagged and counted all trees and seedlings on 13 nearby, 400- square-meter plots on forested islands on the coast at Waccasassa Bay State Preserve. They returned periodically to note changes to the tree populations, correlating them with measurements of local tidal flooding and salinity. The researchers reported not only dying palms, southern red cedars and other species, but also the lack of tree seedlings on the lowest plots in a 1999 paper in the journal Ecology. They studied the 1993 Storm of the Century and droughts but said rising sea level is the primary cause of the coastal forest decline.... Studies by Kim Williams, an associate professor of biology at California State University in San Bernardino, linked the failure of new trees to grow to increasing salt levels. She said she suspects that increasing salt hastens the death of older trees as well. ******************** (NEWS 3) Greenland?s melting ice sheet may speed rise in sea level; study finds no boost in arctic snowfall to mitigate problem Two new scientific studies measuring Greenland's rapidly melting ice sheet and the pace of Antarctic snowfall suggest that the sea level may be rising faster than researchers previously assumed. The papers, both published in the journal Science, provide the latest evidence of how climate change is transforming the global landscape. JianLi. Chen and other University of Texas at Austin researchers, using twin satellites, determined that the Greenland ice sheet, Earth's second-largest reservoir of fresh water, is melting at three times the rate at which it had been melting over the previous five years. A separate study by Andrew J. Monaghan and 15 international scientists concluded that Antarctic snowfall accumulation has remained steady over the past 50 years, with no increases that might have mitigated the melting of the ice shelf, as some researchers had assumed would occur. SOURCES: Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post, 11 August 2006 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/08/10/ AR2006081001557.html?sub=AR Phil Berardelli, ScienceNOW Daily News, 10 August 2006 http://sciencenow.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/ full/2006/810/3 CITATIONS: Chen, J. L., C. R. WIlson and B. D. Tapley. 2006. Satellite gravity measurements confirm accelerated melting of Greenland Ice Sheet. Science Express online August 10, 2006. Andrew J. Monaghan and 15 coauthors. 2006. Insignificant change in Antarctic snowfall since the International Geophysical Year. Science 313(5788): 827-831. ******************** (NEWS 4) Global warming is expected to heat up already toasty tourist spots Vancouver and Bangor are unlikely to replace Vera Cruz or the Bahamas as sun-and-fun destinations for international tourists. But they just might -- thanks to global warming. An international team of economists predicts that by the end of the century, the expected rise in temperature will make many current tourist hot spots a bit too toasty, while making some currently chilly places warm enough to entice fair-weather travelers. The United States is predicted to be one of the tourism winners, with international tourism increasing an estimated 13.7 percent over what it would be if the atmosphere weren't warming up, says researchers Andrea Bigano of the Fondazione Eni Enrico Mattei in Milan, Jacqueline M. Hamilton of Hamburg University, and Richard S.J. Tol of the Economic and Social Research Institute in Dublin. "Climate change would shift patterns of tourism toward higher altitudes and latitudes," they wrote. "Tourism may double in colder countries and fall by 20 percent in warmer countries." The biggest winners: Canada, which they predict will experience a 220 percent increase in international arrivals by 2100; Russia (174 percent); and Mongolia (122 percent). The biggest losers: Mauritania, where they say international arrivals will drop by 60 percent; Mali (-59 percent); and Bahrain (-58 percent). These researchers used a mathematical simulation model developed by Hamburg University researchers that predicts tourist flows to and from 207 countries based on characteristics known to affect leisure travel. The factors included population growth, the economy and temperature. Then they plugged in estimates that global warming will cause the world's temperature to rise about three degrees Celsius by 2100, or about five degrees Fahrenheit, to see its effect on tourism. http://detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060822/LIFESTYLE/ 608220383/1005 ********************* (NEWS 5) Dying Salt Marshes Puzzle Scientists WELLFLEET, Mass. - Pockmarked muck blots this formerly lush marsh on Cape Cod. Dead plant roots jut from barren mud once covered with wavy mats of marsh hay. New England scientists began noticing dead patches like this one near Lieutenant Island four years ago and called it sudden wetland dieback. Then more such spots were found. Ecologists warn that saltwater marshes from Maine to Connecticut are suddenly and inexplicably dying, leaving behind land resembling honeycombs, Swiss cheese or an eroded desert landscape. Few scientists can explain it or recommend what to do. Even skeptics concede something unusual is happening. "It's something that people who have spent their entire careers working in salt marshes have never seen before," said Stephen Smith, a plant ecologist for the National Park Service. "There's no precedent for it." http://www.boston.com/news/science/articles/ 2006/08/22/dying_salt_marshes_puzzle_scientists/ Boston Globe (Registration Required http://tinyurl.com/klt2b ) *************************************************** Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities (WORKSHOP 1) 13th Ph.D. Workshop on International Climate Policy 27th/ 28th October 2006 The 13th PhD Workshop on International Climate Policy of the independent scientific community the European Ph.D. Network on International Climate Policy 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 meeting will be hosted by the Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, University of Leeds, United Kingdom (http://www.see.leeds.ac.uk/research/sri/index.htm). The Sustainability Research Institute is a dedicated team of more than 20 inter-disciplinary researchers working on the different dimensions of sustainability. Research within the SRI draws on aspects of geography, ecology, sociology, politics, planning, economics and management, and our broader activities combine social and natural sciences in leading-edge, interdisciplinary research. As well as being a centre of excellence for inter-disciplinary research, the SRI is home to around 25 PhD students, and it teaches a range of postgraduate and undergraduate programmes on sustainability. Our specialist areas are: ? Sustainable development and environmental change ? Environmental policy, planning and governance ? Ecological and environmental economics ? Business, environment and corporate responsibility ? Sustainable production and consumption Through these areas of interest we explore a wide range of issues including climate change, energy, transport, water, resource use, land use, conservation, cities and industry. In all of these areas, we specialise in participatory, action-oriented research that brings together government, business, NGOs and local communities to enhance the relevance, quality and practical influence of our research. You can qualify as a participant to the workshop if you: (1) Work as PhD students on a topic relevant to Climate Policy (2) Are able to cover all expenses for travelling and during the stay (3) Register before 15th September, 2006. Request the registration form from Karin Hufnagel (karin@env.leeds.ac.uk). If you make a presentation, it should be sent to the organizer before 30th September to allow the discussant to prepare the response. Contributions to the following four streams are especially encouraged but not limited to: (1) Adaptation to Climate Change (2) Post 2012 climate negotiations (3) Market based climate change policy instruments (4) Technology and innovation policy Practical information on accommodation and transportation can be found here: http://www.leeds.ac.uk/regions/accommodation.htm http:// www.leeds.ac.uk/visitors/getting_here.htm For questions, please contact: Karin Hufnagel, Sustainability Research Institute, School of Earth and Environment, Leeds, LS2 9JT email: karin@env.leeds.ac.uk Tel: +44-113-3437432 Fax: +44-113-3436716 ******************** (WORKSHOP 2) WORKSHOP ON COMMUNICATING CLIMATE CHANGE, International Networking for Young Scientists (INYS), Washington DC (USA) Young American Scientists Invited to Apply for Fully-Funded Workshop at American University, Washington DC (USA) The British Council USA, the UK's international organization for educational and cultural relations, in partnership with American University and SeaWeb/COMPASS, encourages early career scientists involved in climate change research to apply for the International Networking for Young Scientists (INYS) program in Washington, DC. Designed to develop scientists' skills in communicating climate change science to the media, "Communicating Climate Change: Science and Media Networking for the Future" will bring prominent environmental journalists together with young researchers from the US and the UK to discuss issues in climate change communication and create a lasting collaborative network. "Communicating Climate Change: Science and Media Networking for the Future" will take place at American University November 15-18, 2006. The four-day workshop includes intensive, hands-on media training by SeaWeb/COMPASS; participants will also hear from several prominent journalists from US and UK publications, including Michelle Nijhuis, contributing editor for High Country News, and NPR science correspondent Christopher Joyce. Approximately seven candidates from the US and seven candidates from the UK will be selected to participate in the program. Travel and expenses will be fully funded by the British Council USA. The competition is open to PhD students in their final year of research or early post-doctoral researchers in fields related to climate change; all applicants must be American or British scientists currently living and working in the US and UK. Completed applications must be submitted to the British Council USA by no later than September 22, 2006. Successful candidates will be selected and notified by October 1, 2006. For more information or to download an application form, please visit www.britishcouncil.org/ usa-science. *************************************************** 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' ******************** (JOB 1) Asst. professor - Env. studies - conservation biology. Ursinus College, PA (USA) Ursinus College invites applications for a tenure-track assistant professor of environmental studies with expertise in conservation biology to begin in fall 2007. This position will be housed in the Ursinus Environmental Studies Program. A Ph.D. in conservation biology is expected by the start of employment. We seek a broadly trained individual with expertise in both conservation science and environmental teaching and research. Prior experience teaching in an interdisciplinary environmental program is desirable. Teaching responsibilities will include courses and labs in biology (introductory, conservation biology, and topics within the candidate's field of expertise), and interdisciplinary environmental studies. The successful candidate must demonstrate a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching in a liberal arts setting and will be expected to participate in the College's liberal studies freshman seminar, establish a research program that involves students, and participate fully in the continuing development of the Environmental Studies Program and its many extracurricular programs. Send a letter, c.v., undergraduate and graduate transcripts, statement of teaching philosophy, a plan for research involving students, and three letters of recommendation (at least one of which must address teaching) to Dr. Richard L. Wallace, Director, Environmental Studies Program, Ursinus College, P.O. Box 1000, Collegeville, PA 19426. Applications (no e-mail applications, please) must be received by October 15, 2006. For inquiries contact Dr. Wallace at rwallace@ursinus.edu. Ursinus College, established in 1869, is a highly selective, independent, co-educational, residential liberal arts college of 1600 students located 25 miles northwest of center city Philadelphia. Ursinus College is an EEO/AA employer. In keeping with the college's historic commitment to equality, women and minorities are especially encouraged to apply. ******************** (JOB 2) Tenure-track Assistant Prof. - Human Geography- University of California, Berkeley, CA (USA) We are searching for a Human Geographer who studies problems of Geographical Vulnerability and Human Security. We are particularly interested in scholars with specializations in migration, health, and disease -- especially as they are shaped by forces like natural disasters, global climate change, war and civil conflict, economic dislocation, or agrarian upheaval. Topical interests might include, but are not limited to: international migration; health and disease among slum dwellers in megacities; environmental refugees from extreme events such as floods, droughts, and epidemics; displacement and impoverishment caused by war and violence; and vulnerability to agroecosystem changes caused by global warming. This is a social science position, but we would look with favor on a social scientist familiar with bio-physical systems and thus able to complement our strengths in the areas of human-environment relations and the geographic dimensions of global environmental change. Any regional, comparative, or transnational interest will be considered. Position to start 1 July 2007, pending budgetary approval. Submit letter of application, curriculum vitae, up to three reprints, and three letters of reference (please refer your referees to the University's statement on confidentiality at http:// apo.chance.berkeley.edu/evalltr.html) Apply by December 1, 2006 to: Search Committee, Department of Geography, 507 McCone Hall #4740 Berkeley, CA 94720-4740 ******************** (JOB 3) Post-doc - RA-PDF Positions in Arctic Troposphere Studies - U Waterloo (Canada): The Arctic Troposphere Transport and Air Quality (ATTAQ) project of the Canadian Network for the Detection of Atmospheric Change (CANDAC) has a new position at the Post Doctoral Level in field studies and modeling in the area of Arctic aerosol transport and chemistry. The aims of the program are to investigate pollutant transport to the Arctic and to identify source regions as well as the chemical and physical processing that the particles undergo during transport. In this way, we hope to provide information about both the climate and health consequences of Arctic pollution. The appointee will work from an office at the University of Waterloo and will coordinate and interpret measurements that are carried out at the Polar Environmental Atmospheric Research Laboratory at Eureka (80N, 86W) in Nunavut, Canada. The instruments available at the PEARL laboratory for this work include an aerosol mass spectrometer (Aerodyne, Inc.) for aerosol chemical composition and additional particle measurement equipment for ground level aerosol number and size distribution measurements. In addition, sun and star photometers will be available for aerosol optical thickness and water vapour column measurements and spectroscopic instruments (FTIR and UV-Visible) for column abundances and profiles of other gas phase species. In addition to the field work, there will be a modelling program intended to identify source regions and explore chemical processes occurring during transport. Both Eulerian chemical transport models and Lagrangian trajectory models will be used in this work. Candidates with experience in mass spectrometry of the condensed phase will be given preference. Further information on the technical aspects of the work may be obtained from Professor J.J. Sloan, Departments of Chemistry and Earth Sciences, University of Waterloo (http:// www.science.uwaterloo.ca/~sloanj). 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: 36667 Fax: +1 519 746 0435 e- mail: wcas@uwaterloo.ca http://www.wcas.uwaterloo.ca ******************** (JOB 4) Post-doc - Ice sheet and earth system modeling -Vrije Univ Brussel Belgium - Free University of Brussels, Belgium (VUB) The Ice and Climate Group of the Department of Geography at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel (VUB) invites applications for a research position in ice sheet and earth system modeling in the framework of the project ASTER (Assessment of modelling uncertainties in long-term climate and sea-level change projections) funded by the Belgian Federal Government Science Policy Office. The job entails numerical studies with LOVECLIM, a newly developed global Earth System Model of intermediate complexity including the atmosphere, oceans, and ice sheets, with the main objective to improve climate and sea level projections over the next millennia validated by a large number of ensemble simulations covering the whole Holocene. The project is part of a collaborative effort with groups at the Universit? catholique de Louvain (Thierry Fichefet) and the Universit? de Li?ge (Anne Mouchet). At the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, the successful applicant will be responsible for the cryospheric component of LOVECLIM. This will entail (i) refinements of the ice-sheet model components and its coupling procedure, (ii) the conduct and analysis of numerical experiments focusing on the behaviour of the Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, and (iii) the coupling of a northern hemisphere ice sheet model component to improve insight in the 8.2 kyr abrupt cooling event. The desired qualifications are a PhD in earth or physical sciences, excellent programming skills in a Fortran/Unix-type of environment including familiarity with graphics tools (e.g. GMT), and good communication skills, both orally and in writing. Previous experience with the operation of large-scale ice-sheet and/or climate models would be beneficial. Candidates at the postdoctoral level are preferred, but experienced researchers at PhD level with the right qualifications will also be considered. The position is funded until the end of 2009 subject to a mid- project review in the autumn of 2007 and forms part of a long-term research effort by the Belgian Federal Government Science Policy Office under their Global Change/ Plan for Sustainable Development Research Programme. The preferential starting date is 1 October 2006 or as soon thereafter as possible. Renumeration depends on qualification and age and starts at about 3600 ? gross per month for a Postdoc with 3 years of experience. Applicants should email a cover letter and a Curriculum Vitae to Philippe Huybrechts at the E-mail address to: Prof. Dr. Philippe Huybrechts, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, phuybrec@vub.ac.be http:// homepages.vub.ac.be/~phuybrec/ tel: +32-2-6293593 Review of the applications will begin 15 September 2006 and will continue until the position is filled. ******************** (JOB 5) Post-doc - Biosphere-atmosphere interactions - Univ of Georgia (USA) Ph.D. in Atmospheric sciences /meteorology/environmental sciences or related fields with experience in micrometeorological and eddy covariance measurements and data analysis. We are also looking for a graduate student at the Master' or Ph.D. level to work in some of the above related problems. The successful candidates are expected to work in close association with other members of the group in designing and implementing micrometeorological experiments, tracer experiment, PBL observation with Sodar and Lidar, large eddy simulation, Lagrangian modeling, mesoscale modeling, data analysis and interpretation. The candidates will have to travel from time to time to different sites nationwide to carry out the measurements. The major part of an ongoing field experiment is being carried out at several sites throughout the Southeast of the US and the candidates are expected to participate fully in the research activities at the sites for field campaigns, signal processing data analysis and publications. This position is available immediately. Please contact M. Y. Leclerc, Professor at email: MLeclerc@griffin.uga.edu and check out the web page www.biometeorology.uga.edu. Expect approximately two weeks for a reply. ******************** (JOB 6) Lecturer Atmospheric Science - Univ of Leeds, School of Earth and Environment Institute for Atmospheric Science (UK) Available immediately for a fixed term of 2 years, with the possibility of further funding. The Institute for Atmospheric Science (IAS) is a leading research centre with research interests in atmospheric composition, clouds and aerosols, and atmospheric dynamics. You will be expected to contribute to the teaching profile of IAS across overarching themes of climate change and air quality. You will have research interests complimentary to those of IAS and will be developing, or have developed, a research profile in one of these key research areas. Research support and mentoring will be provided. You will have a PhD or expect to be awarded shortly) University Grade 7 (?26,402 ? ?30,606p.a.) Further details concerning the School, its research activities and structure are available on our Web site: http:// www.see.leeds.ac.uk/ Informal enquiries may be made to Dr Steven Dobbie, email: s.dobbie@see.leeds.ac.uk tel 0113 343 6725 or Professor Stephen Mobbs email: stephen@env.leeds.ac.uk tel 0113 343 5158. To apply on line please visit http://www.leeds.ac.uk and click on ?jobs?. Application packs are also available via email: recruitment@adm.leeds.ac.uk or tel 0113 343 5771. Job ref 315041 Closing date 8 September 2006 Possible date for Interviews week commencing 18 September 2006 ******************** (JOB 7) SOLAS Project - Project Integrator - NERC (UK) NERC has awarded funds through the UK SOLAS (Surface Ocean * Lower Atmosphere Study) programme for the appointment of a Project Integrator to coordinate the UK and International community to produce air-sea flux products from data generated by SOLAS worldwide (http://www.solas-int.org). The post will be located either at the University of East Anglia (http://www.uea.ac.uk/env) or at the British Oceanographic Data Centre (http://www.bodc.ac.uk), Liverpool, and will spend significant time at the Hadley Centre for Climate Research, Exeter. Closing date 22 September 2006 Interviews will be held on 10 October 2006 For more information visit: http://www.uea.ac.uk/env/vacancies/env_vac.shtml ******************** (JOB 8) Tenure-track Asst. Prof - Phys. Geography - Univ of British Columbia (Canada) The Department of Geography at the University of British Columbia invites applications for a tenure-track position in Physical Geography at the level of Assistant Professor. Applicants should have a PhD degree in Geography or a closely related discipline with research and teaching interests in climatology. We seek a colleague who will develop productive linkages with one or more of the following departmental strengths (land surface and boundary layer processes, hydrology, biogeography and human impacts on the environment, including climate change). The appointment will be effective July 1, 2007 and is subject to final budgetary approval. Details about the Department, position and application procedure can be found online at: http://www.geog.ubc.ca/department/recruitment.html Dr Ian G. McKendry, Professor Geography/Atmospheric Science, The University of British Columbia, 1984 West Mall, Vancouver V6T 1Z2 Canada Ph: 604-822 4929 Fax: 604 822 6150 ******************** (JOB 9) SOLAS Project Integrator - SOLAS Project Office and British Oceanographic Data Center, Liverpool (UK) The SOLAS International Project Office, in collaboration with the British Oceanographic Data Center (BODC; http://www.bodc.ac.uk/) is seeking an exceptional individual for the unique position of "SOLAS Project Integrator". The UK Natural Environment Reseach Council (NERC) has awarded funds through UK-SOLAS for the appointment of a Project Integrator to help the UK and International community produce air-sea flux products from data being generated by SOLAS worldwide (http://www.solas- int.org). You will prepare, sort, calibrate, compare and analyse data sets for providing air-sea flux products. The post will be located either in the School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia (http://www.uea.ac.uk/env) or at the British Oceanographic Data Centre (http://www.bodc.ac.uk), Liverpool, and will spend significant time at the Hadley Centre for Climate Research, Exeter. This full time post is available immediately for a fixed term period of 3 years. For more information: http://www.uea.ac.uk/env/vacancies/ env_vac.shtml ******************* (JOB 10) FRESHWATER POLICY ADVISOR, JOB NUMBER: 5106 The Nature Conservancy (USA) The External Affairs Freshwater Policy Position is focused on providing direction and support on freshwater conservation for The Nature Conservancy and its freshwater related programs. The Advisor is responsible for working with the Senior Advisor to ensure that TNC?s approaches and strategies on freshwater conservation are coordinated by External Affairs and TNC freshwater related programs. The Advisor supports efforts to establish the Conservancy as a major conservation player and partner on freshwater conservation internationally. ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS SPECIFIC TO THIS POSITION: (1) Research funding and projects of multilaterals and analyze potential role of TNC freshwater programs. Develop relationships with multi-lateral and bilateral institutions to help secure funding for TNC?s freshwater programs. Potential partners include the World Bank, the Inter- American Development Bank, the Asian Development Bank, and European bilaterals (e.g., EU, Dutch, Swedish, and UK). (2) Help define and advance implementation of TNC freshwater strategies to achieve the 2015 goal. (3) Provide WO support to TNC freshwater programs (e.g., GRP, SWP, Great Lakes) in maintaining relations with partners and others in Washington DC (e.g., NGOs, institutes, associations, U.S. State Department, MCC). (4) Lead on the development and writing of documents (e.g., concept notes, proposals) and presentations to multilaterals, bilaterals and corporate partners to help secure funding for TNC freshwater programs. (5) Identify and assess the major public-funded projects currently in development for river basins where TNC works and develop strategies for influencing the design and implementation of priority projects. (6) Maintain on- going communications among TNC freshwater programs (e.g., listserv). Work with international freshwater project teams (i.e. Brazil, China) to identify opportunities for government agency funding for their projects. (7) Develop policy statements and documents for global water and related conferences and lead coordination of TNC freshwater participation in priority conferences. (8) Participate in committees and working groups among TNC initiatives and programs to help advance freshwater component of other sectors (e.g., agriculture, marine, protected areas). (9) Help filter external requests for partnerships with TNC on freshwater. (10) Participate in TNC freshwater program meetings and retreats. (11) Coordinate with XA MRC and freshwater program MRCs to help develop consistent messages for external audiences and to help ensure that TNC freshwater programs (SWP, GRP) are producing materials in language appropriate to XA audiences. (12) Work closely with Senior Freshwater Policy Advisor, External Affairs, and U.S. Government Affairs to coordinate global, North American, and U.S. freshwater policy approaches. KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS: (1) Bachelor?s degree in political science, environmental policy or other relevant field and 3 or more year?s related experience. (2) Experience with water policy development and implementation. (3) Knowledge of operations of multilateral and bilateral institutions. (4) Work experience in developing countries preferred, (5) Experience researching information from divergent sources and compiling it into a cohesive reporting structure. (6) Capacity to develop proposals, including funding proposals, to multilateral and other institutions. (7) Ability to organize time and manage diverse activities. Meet deadlines. (8) Demonstrated experience in MS Office, Word, and Excel. May require database management skills with ability to produce reports. Ability to use advanced computer functions including navigating the Internet. Ability to manipulate, analyze and interpret data. (9) Proven organizational skills and attention to detail. (10) Strong writing and analytical skills. Written and oral communications skills in English and Spanish preferred. COMPLEXITY/PROBLEM SOLVING: (1) Analyze situations, evaluate alternatives, and implement solutions. (2) Coordinate multiple projects with several variables, set and meet deadlines, and manage a timeline. (3) Resolve routine problems independently; consult with supervisor to develop plans for resolution of unusual or complex problems. (4) May act as a resource to others to solve problems. DISCRETION/LATITUDE/DECISION-MAKING: (1) Perform duties under general supervision and established guidelines. (2) Prioritize work independently, working with supervisor as needed. (3) Make day to day decisions within the scope of work assignments. (4) Consult with supervisor to address any issues that affect the work of others or the program as a whole. RESPONSIBILITY/OVERSIGHT ?FINANCIAL & SUPERVISORY: (1) Supervises no staff but may help plan and direct the work of volunteers or interns. (2) Limited financial responsibility which may include processing check requests, travel expense reports, and petty cash. (3) May purchase equipment and supplies as provided for in budget and in consultation with supervisor. (4) May assist with program budget preparation and monitoring. (5) May organize meetings and conference with TNC programs and partners. COMMUNICATIONS/INTERPERSONAL CONTACTS: (1) Excellent communication and presentation skills; ability to persuasively convey the mission of TNC to diverse groups. (2) Work and communicate with a diverse group of people, including government officials, board of directors, government and legislative staff, partner organizations, the public, program leadership and other staff. (3) Consistently demonstrate professional, positive, and approachable attitude/ demeanor and discretion. (4) Writes and edits promotional and informational material. (5) Good team-playing skills, including diligence, creativity, good personality, and a healthy sense of humor. WORKING CONDITIONS/PHYSICAL EFFORT: (1) Work requires only minor physical exertion and/or strain. Work environment involves only infrequent exposure to disagreeable elements. (2) Work requires willingness to travel on short notice (domestic and international). To apply, please submit r?sum? and cover later no later than August 31, 2006 to wojobs@tnc.org. You must include the complete job title in the subject line of your email. ******************* (JOB 11) Postdoc - Numerical modeling of ocean biochemistry - University of Minnesota Dept. of Geology and Geophysics, MN (USA) Research topics include response of ocean carbon cycle to anthropogenic and natural forcings, and nutrient and isotope dynamics. A PhD in oceanography, biogeosciences, or related field, and familiarity with numerical models are required. Funding is available for two years initially and may be extended. To apply, send your CV, brief statement of interest, names of three references, and one reprint to Prof. Katsumi Matsumoto (katsumi@umn.edu). The position will remain opened until filled. Http://www.geo.umn.edu ******************* (JOB 12) Tenure-track Assistant Professor - The Department of Science, Technology, and Society (STS) in the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS) at the University of Virginia (USA) seeks to hire an Assistant Professor with research and teaching experience in science, technology and society studies and/or technology policy. This is a tenure-track position beginning in Fall of 2007. STS is an interdisciplinary unit that provides undergraduate courses for engineering students, undertakes research focused on science, technology, society, ethics, and policy, and is planning a graduate program. We are especially interested in candidates with expertise in a social science or policy. The teaching load will be two courses per semester. All undergraduate courses have STS, communications, and ethics components. A Ph.D. in STS or a related field is required. Please submit a letter of application, CV, three letters of reference, teaching evaluations, and samples of written work to: Professor W. Bernard Carlson, Department of STS, SEAS, University of Virginia, P.O. Box 400744, Charlottesville, VA 22904-4744. We will begin reviewing applications on September 30, 2006; the position will remain open until filled. The University of Virginia is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. Women and minorities are 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/20060825/70bbe770/attachment.htm From weilercs at whitman.edu Mon Aug 28 18:15:16 2006 From: weilercs at whitman.edu (Susan Weiler) Date: Mon Aug 28 18:15:55 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] NASA briefing about phytoplankton growth Message-ID: <8C0346CA-CFDE-471A-A31F-D376BE0B1771@whitman.edu> Sorry for any double postings. This briefing is scheduled for Aug. 31, before the next newsletter. NASA ANNOUNCES MEDIA BRIEFING ABOUT OCEAN PLANT GROWTH NASA is hosting a media teleconference about a new technique that enables scientists to determine what limits the growth of ocean plants and affects world climate. The telecom starts at 1 p.m. EDT Thursday, Aug. 31. Briefing Participants: - Paula Bontempi, ocean biology and biogeochemistry program scientist, NASA Headquarters, Washington - Michael J. Behrenfeld, ocean plant ecologist, Oregon State University, Corvallis, Ore. - Scott Doney, senior scientist at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Mass. The study focused on the tropical Pacific Ocean, an area of the ocean that plays a particularly important role in regulating atmospheric carbon dioxide and the world's climate. This study solved the mystery why healthy looking ocean plants, or phytoplankton, are actually not so healthy. An article on this technique appears in the Aug. 31 issue of Nature. Audio of the teleconference will be streamed live at: http://www.nasa.gov/newsaudio Related images will be available during the teleconference at: http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2006/ mystery_plants.html ********** 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/20060828/c6875cea/attachment.html From ladderra at whitman.edu Fri Sep 1 15:40:50 2006 From: ladderra at whitman.edu (Ruth Ladderud) Date: Fri Sep 1 15:42:13 2006 Subject: [DIALOGnews] DISCCRS News 9/1/2006 Message-ID: DISCCRS News 9/1/2006 ************************************ TABLE OF CONTENTS DIALOG FUTURE Message from Sue Weiler: The grants which have supported the last four DIALOG symposia, webpage and newsletter have now ended. After lengthy discussions with program officers from the various supporting agencies (NSF, NASA, ONR, NOAA), a decision has been made that, with the current tightness of Federal research funds in the U.S., the scope of the DIALOG initiative should be reduced to focus on activities directly related to the symposia. The activities concerning the webpage and newsletter will no longer be supported by the research programs which have funded DIALOG. I will continue to seek other sources of support for these activities. Maarten Boeersma has tried several times to obtain funds from outside the U.S. to support annual DIALOG symposia and these have not been successful. If anyone has ideas on how to obtain non-US funds for DIALOG, please let me know. I am pleased to announce that the U.S. Federal agencies have encouraged me to resubmit a proposal for bi-annual symposia (ca. 24- month cycle) with the DIALOG goal of bringing together the the brightest minds in biologically oriented aquatic science for a focused workshop to: facilitate intellectual cross-fertilization; enhance inter-disciplinary thinking, catalyze establishment of long- lasting interdisciplinary, international collegial peer networks; and foster development of interdisciplinary collaborative research over professional lifetimes. The next symposium will most likely be in 2008. Those already subscribed to DIALOG, and those subscribing to the DISCCRS Newsletter will receive updates once funding for the DIALOG VIII Symposium has been obtained. Announcements will also be posted on the ASLO website and the DISCCRS website. Aquatic scientists already on this newsletter will automatically continue on the DISCCRS News. If you don't wish to continue receiving the newsletter, send a message to phd@whitman.edu. Aquatic scientists are most welcome to register with DISCCRS We will keep the "DIALOG" button active on the Ph.D. Dissertation Registration form. So, basically you won't notice much change except that the only aquatic science info will be that related to climate change. RESOURCES Announcement of Opportunity: National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) Interagency Committee on Ocean Science and Resource Management Integration (ICOSRMI) http://www.onr.navy.mil/02/baa/ (see RESOURCES 1 below) Seed Funding Facility of Wetlands International www.wetlands.org/WPRP (see RESOURCES 2 below) New Report: Up in smoke? Latin America and the Caribbean: The threat from climate change to the environment and human development English: http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/uploads/ 15erpvfzxbbipu552pnoo1f128082006213002.pdf (see RESOURCES 3 below) East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes for U.S. Graduate Students (EAPSI) NSF Wide Programs http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5284 (see RESOURCES 4 below) FORUM Nominate colleagues for ASLO Lindeman Award for outstanding paper by young scientist http://www.aslo.org/information/awards.html (see FORUM 1 below) PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD Charting the Course for Ocean Science in the United States: Research Priorities for the Next Decade http://ocean.ceq.gov/about/sup_jsost_public_comment.html (see FORUM 2 below) SCIENCE NEWS 'Dead Zone' off Oregon Creates Alarm, and Skepticism http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/23/us/23deadzone.html? _r=1&ref=us&oref=slogin Clues from a hotter Earth http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/nation/15368284.htm California's Historic Deal on Warming http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/08/31/ MNGMGKSMHH1.DTL http://tinyurl.com/lbl6g (see NEWS 1 below) California Takes Lead in Global-Warming Fight http:// www.csmonitor.com/2006/0901/p01s01-usgn.html (see NEWS 2 below) In Oregon, a Close-Up Look into a Coastal Dead Zone http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0825/p01s04-usgn.html http:// tinyurl.com/hazcz (see NEWS 3 below) High-Elevation Studies Try to Predict Impact of Climate Change http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/27/ MNG5TKQA5Q1.DTL http://tinyurl.com/k9hn6 (see NEWS 4 below) Unearthing Storm Clues in West Africa http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0829/p07s02-woaf.html http:// tinyurl.com/kjgaa (see NEWS 5 below) Cities in Peril as Andean Glaciers Melt http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/story/0,,1860206,00.html http://tinyurl.com/j52kt (see NEWS 6 below) Bacteria Can Help Predict Ocean Change http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/08/060816014332.htm (see NEWS 7 below) NASA study solves ocean plant mystery http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2006/ mystery_plants.html (see NEWS 8 below) Climate Changes Shift Springtime http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5279390.stm http:// tinyurl.com/fwq2x (see NEWS 9 below) JOBS Research Technician - Oceanic carbon dioxide (CO2) studies - Bermuda Biological Station for Research (St. Georges, Bermuda) http:// www.bbsr.edu/Labs/co2lab/co2main.html (see JOB 1 below) Faculty Position - SAGE (Center for Sustainability and the Global Environment) University of Wisconsin, Madison WI (USA) http:// www.sage.wisc.edu/) (see JOB 2 below) Post-Doctoral Research Position - Zooplankton Ecology - Prince William Sound Science Center, Cordova, Alaska (USA) http:// www.pwssc.org (see JOB 3 below) Post-doctoral Scholar - Ocean biogeochemical modeling - The Department of Earth System Science, University of California, Irvine (USA) (see JOB 4 below) Tenure-Track - Human Geography - U.C. Berkeley, California (USA) (See JOB 5 below) Resident Lecturer in Environmental Policy and Socio-Economic Values Center for Marine Resource Studies,Turks & Caicos Islands (British West Indies) (See JOB 6 below) *************************************************** Resources (RESOURCES 1) Announcement of Opportunity: National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) Interagency Committee on Ocean Science and Resource Management Integration (ICOSRMI) http://www.onr.navy.mil/ 02/baa/ The National Oceanographic Partnership Program (NOPP) and the President's Interagency Committee on Ocean Science and Resource Management Integration (ICOSRMI) have released their Broad Agency Announcement for this year. It may be accessed directly at: http:// www.onr.navy.mil/02/baa/docs/baa_06_029.pdf This announcement seeks proposals under Topic 4, "Collaboration" addressing: Topic 4A - Coastal Effects of a Diminished-Ice Arctic Ocean Topic 4B - Marine Mammals Please note that Topic 4A, Coastal Effects of a Diminished-Ice Arctic Ocean, represents an International Polar Year opportunity for arctic scientists. Full proposals are due Thursday, 30 November 2006. ******************** (RESOURCES 2) Seed Funding Facility of Wetlands International www.wetlands.org/WPRP Greetings from Wetlands International. We are very please to announce the recent launching of the Seed Funding Facility of the Wetlands and Poverty Reduction Project of Wetlands International. The facility is an opportunity to provide funds to support the process of project proposal development and local partnerships strengthening for on-the- ground activities that deepen the understanding of how well-managed wetlands can help sustain the livelihoods and security of wetland- related communities. The intention is that the Seed Funding Facility will allow different sectoral organizations (i.e. conservation and development/aid) to work collaboratively and engage with local and regional actors in the development of a project proposal that address wetlands-poverty issues. The Seed Funding Facility is not intended to fund small projects ? only processes whose aim is the development of a project proposal. Upon completion of developing the proposal, the partners will be expected to submit their proposal to a donor for funding consideration. The maximum amount that can be requested under the Seed Funding Facility is ?25.000. Criteria and guidelines for applications can be all downloadable from Wetlands International website www.wetlands.org/WPRP. Kindly contact Maria Stolk, Seed Funding Facility Coordinator at maria.stolk@wetlands.org for more information about the Seed Funding Facility or for sending your application. The 2006 deadline for submission is October 15. ******************** (RESOURCES 3) New Report: Up in smoke? Latin America and the Caribbean: The threat from climate change to the environment and human development English: http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/uploads/ 15erpvfzxbbipu552pnoo1f128082006213002.pdf And Spanish: http://www.neweconomics.org/gen/uploads/ 15erpvfzxbbipu552pnoo1f128082006213236.pdf The third report from the Working Group on Climate Change and Development, a coalition of 20 major environment and development groups is now available. With a foreword by Juan Mayr, former Colombian Environment Minister and President of the first Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, the report catalogues the impact of climate change and environmental degradation ranging from drought in the Amazon to floods in Haiti and elsewhere; vanishing glaciers in Colombia to extreme cold in the Andes; and hurricanes, not only in Central America and the Caribbean, but also in southern Brazil. ******************** (RESOURCES 4) East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes for U.S. Graduate Students (EAPSI) NSF Wide Programs http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5284 The East Asia and Pacific Summer Institutes (EAPSI) provide U.S. graduate students in science and engineering 1) first-hand research experience in Australia, China, Japan, Korea, or Taiwan; 2) an introduction to the science and science policy infrastructure of the respective location; and 3) orientation to the society, culture and language. The primary goals of EAPSI are to introduce students to East Asia and Pacific science and engineering in the context of a research laboratory, and to initiate personal relationships that will better enable them to collaborate with foreign counterparts in the future. The institutes last approximately eight weeks from June to August. The National Institutes of Health (NIH) co-sponsor the Summer Institute in Japan. *************************************************** Forum (FORUM 1)Nominate colleagues for ASLO Lindeman Award for outstanding paper by young scientist This is a great way to recognize a colleague, former student or postdoc, etc. etc. The nominator must be an ASLO member, but the paper doesn't have to be written by an ASLO member. It is not a difficult process. cheers, sue Raymond Lindeman Award for the Outstanding Paper in Aquatic Science by a Young Scientist Detailed information about the awards, the history and criteria, as well as the composition of the current committees is on the ASLO web site at: http://www.aslo.org/information/awards.html PROCEDURES: The process for nominating someone is for the ?lead nominator? to submit a full nomination package to the particular sub- committee (there is a separate sub-committee for each award). The package will consist of a CV of the nominee, letters of support, and an essay of why this individual should receive the particular award. Nomination packages must be submitted on the ASLO web site: http:// www.aslo.org/forms/awards.html ******************** (FORUM 2) PUBLIC COMMENT PERIOD Charting the Course for Ocean Science in the United States: Research Priorities for the Next Decade http://ocean.ceq.gov/about/sup_jsost_public_comment.html The public comment period is now OPEN for Charting the Course for Ocean Science in the United States: Research Priorities for the Next Decade, a draft document that outlines the national ocean research priorities for the United States for the next ten years. All interested parties are encouraged to review the document and provide input during this 45 day public comment period (scheduled to close October 20, 2006). Called for in the U.S. Ocean Action Plan and developed by the Joint Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology, this draft document, along with a follow-on Implementation Strategy, will describe a vision for U.S. ocean science and technology, highlight key areas of interaction of our society and the ocean, and identify critical ocean research priorities for these areas. *************************************************** Science News (NEWS 1) California's Historic Deal on Warming http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/08/31/ MNGMGKSMHH1.DTL http://tinyurl.com/lbl6g San Francisco Chronicle California will become the first state in the country to require industries to lower greenhouse gas emissions under a deal struck Wednesday by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and Democrats that could dramatically reshape the state's economy. After weeks of intense negotiations between the administration and legislative leaders, and just a few hours after Schwarzenegger threatened to veto the bill, Democrats and the governor announced an agreement on legislation that sends the state on a markedly different environmental path from the federal government. By 2020, when industries would have to lower carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases by 25 percent, solar panels, alternative fuels and electric cars could be commonplace, according to advocates of the legislation. ******************** (NEWS 2) California Takes Lead in Global-Warming Fight http:// www.csmonitor.com/2006/0901/p01s01-usgn.html Christian Science Monitor -- LOS ANGELES AND BOSTON - California's landmark deal to require a 25 percent cut in industrial greenhouse gases by 2020 is a largely symbolic victory with only a tiny impact on climate. But it's one that could prompt significant change in the nation's stance on global warming - and give the state a competitive edge in future years. The agreement, which has not yet cleared the state legislature, would require industries - including oil refineries, chemical manufacturers, and utilities - to slash carbon-dioxide emissions. Coming just two weeks after seven Northeast states officially approved a cap on CO2 emissions from electric utilities, California's far broader measure could presage a growing push among states to cut emissions. Thus far, the Bush administration has resisted efforts to institute federal mandatory reductions on CO2 that might increase costs to business and harm the economy. Many California business groups also worry the measure will encourage businesses to locate elsewhere. ******************** (NEWS 3) In Oregon, a Close-Up Look into a Coastal Dead Zone http://www.csmonitor.com/2006/0825/p01s04-usgn.html http:// tinyurl.com/hazcz Christian Science Monitor --- OFF CAPE PERPETUA, ORE. - A half- dozen scientists huddle in a cramped lab aboard the research vessel Elakha, bracing themselves against the rolling swells. As they stare at a pair of TV monitors, images of an aquatic graveyard glide across the screens. Some 150 feet below, a robotic submersible . . . motors just above the bottom, capturing macabre images of Oregon's newly minted and poorly understood "dead zone." The zone is a bottom-hugging layer of water with oxygen levels so low that it can't support the variety of marine life that typically lives in these near-shore coastal waters. The bottom is littered with dead crabs, worms, and starfish. White anemones, brilliant in the submersible's spotlights, look as if they are taking their last gasp. In two runs lasting roughly an hour each, not one fish - dead or alive - appears on screen. Unlike the dead zone that sets up each year in the Gulf of Mexico, Oregon's version can't be traced to the effects of nutrient- laden river run-off. Here, as in a handful of other coastal regions worldwide, the culprit may be global warming. ******************** (NEWS 4) High-Elevation Studies Try to Predict Impact of Climate Change http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2006/08/27/ MNG5TKQA5Q1.DTL http://tinyurl.com/k9hn6 San Francisco Chronicle -- Some of the world's best evidence of global warming was buried under 18 feet of snow in the Sierra Nevada last winter, and Connie Millar was determined to dig it out. Millar, a veteran field scientist for the U.S. Forest Service, sweated uphill with three colleagues on a July morning, headed deep into Lundy Canyon, just north of Mono Lake, one of the few access points to the Sierra crest along its rugged eastern flank. She was hunting for rock glaciers ? a cache of ice under a pile of boulders - which she suspects may be more common than realized in the Sierra. Insulated by its rocky cover, the ice is slow to melt and could become a significant source of summer water for mountain animals and plants if one of the main predictions of global warming is realized: a radical reduction in the Sierra's snowpack. Millar is finding and monitoring as many of these hidden ice caches as she can, to better predict how ecosystems might change as temperatures rise. ******************** (NEWS 5) Unearthing Storm Clues in West Africa http:// www.csmonitor.com/2006/0829/p07s02-woaf.html http://tinyurl.com/kjgaa Christian Science Monitor -- KAWSARA, SENEGAL - Ed Zipser knew Ernesto as a baby. The meteorologist flew through the weather system a little over a week ago when it was just a patch of turbulence off the coast of West Africa. Ernesto then grew up to be the first hurricane of the 2006 season. Scientists know that 4 out of 5 tr