[DIALOGnews] DISCCRS News 9/28/2007
Ruth Ladderud
ladderra at whitman.edu
Fri Sep 28 20:09:42 CDT 2007
DISCCRS News
9/28/2007
************************************
TABLE OF CONTENTS
RESOURCES and FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES
NSF Program Announcement: Dynamics of Coupled Natural and Human Systems
http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=nsf07598
Program Provides Blueprint for Recruiting Minorities to Science and
Engineering URL
http://www.nsf.gov/publications/pub_summ.jsp?ods_key=pr07125
Going beyond panaceas - National Academies of Science paper from
Ostrom et al
(see RESOURCES 1 below)
Climate Change and Environmental Anthropology Excel files available
(see RESOURCES 2 below)
U.S. CCSP - Synthesis and Assessement Products
(see RESOURCES 3 below)
Nature Reports Climate Change Website
Nature has recently launched a new free-access website dedicated
to in-depth coverage of climate change at www.nature.com/climate.
(see RESOURCES 4 below)
SCIENCE NEWS
Clouds of Mystery
http://www.oregonlive.com/science/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/
science/1190157920139310.xml&coll=7 Or: http://tinyurl.com/2ej3f9
(see NEWS 1 below)
Bog Helps Build Climate Insights
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7003668.stm Or: http://
tinyurl.com/2q6zvb
(see NEWS 2 below)
US Mayors endorse CO2 emissions trading
(see NEWS 3 below)
Poll: Many Pessimistic About Environment
http://www.examiner.com/
a-956850~Poll__Many_Pessimistic_About_Environment.html
Or: http://tinyurl.com/2dqwow
(see NEWS 4 below)
Rising Seas Likely to Flood U.S. History
http://www.examiner.com/
a-951249~Rising_Seas_Likely_to_Flood_U_S__History.html Or: http://
tinyurl.com/yq5r7s
(see NEWS 5 below)
Deal Reached to Phase Out Greenhouse Gas
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/Science/
Climate_Change_Treaty.html\ Or: http://tinyurl.com/2qou39
(see NEWS 6 below)
Scientists Report Severe Retreat of Arctic Ice
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/21/science/21arctic.html
(see NEWS 7 below)
Man Causing Climate Change - Poll
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/7010522.stm Or: http://
tinyurl.com/2lyp3a
(see NEWS 8 below)
Global Warming Inaction More Costly Than Solutions?
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/09/070924-global-
warming.html Or: http://tinyurl.com/2jhlq9
(see NEWS 9 below)
“Crosscutting 3-hr video conference - Oct 16, 2007 - Issues of
global climate change and the potentially disastrous consequences,
especially for millions of poor and chronically undernourished people
Email jennmarlon at gmail.com if you want the details on how to join.
(see NEWS 10 below)
Lovelock Urges Ocean Climate Fix
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7014503.stm Or:
http://tinyurl.com/27aj4n
(see NEWS 11 below)
SUMMER PROGRAMS, COURSES, INTERNSHIPS, MEETINGS, OPPORTUNITIES
Climate Information: Responding to User Needs, October 22-23, 2007-
University of Maryland, College Park (USA)
http://climateneeds.umd.edu/
(see WORKSHOP 1 below)
JOBS
Conservation International - various climate-related jobs
http://web.conservation.org/xp/CIWEB/about/jobs/
Post-doc - Center for the Environment - Tyndall Centre, Oxford
University - (UK).
http://www.ouce.ox.ac.uk/news/jobs/070831.php
Asst Prof- Cultural Anthropology - Hunter College, CUNY – New York NY
(USA)
Applications Due: 01/01/2008
http://www.higheredjobs.com/details.cfm?JobCode=175267221
Asst Prof - Geography - University of South Carolina - Columbia SC
(USA)
(see JOB 1 below)
Asst Prof – Land-use/land-cover change - Department of Geography -
University of California, Santa Barbara (USA)
(see JOB 2 below)
Research Scientists (2 or more positions) - Computational Ecological
& Environmental Sciences Group Microsoft Research - Cambridge (UK)
http://research.microsoft.com/ero/compecology.aspx
(see JOBS 3 below)
Post-doc Fellowship - NOAA C&GC - (USA)
http://www.vsp.ucar.edu
(see JOB 4 below)
Post Doc Research Associate – Western Water Assessment - Boulder CO
(USA)
http://cires.colorado.edu/jobs/
(see JOB 5 below)
Asst Prof Tenure Track - Critical Political Ecology - University of
California, Riverside CA (USA)
(see JOB 6 below)
Asst Prof Tenure Track - Human Geography - University of California
Berkeley
http://geography.berkeley.edu/
(see JOB 7 below)
Asst Prof/Prof (3 positions) – Ecology - School of Natural Sciences -
University of California, Merced (USA)
(see JOBS 8 below)
Post-doc - Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech - Atmospheric and
climate modeling, analysis and prediction research group (USA)
http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc
(see JOB 9 below)
Asst. or Assoc. Scientist (2 openings) - Institute of Ecosystem
Studies - Impacts of global change on forests/Ecology of infectious
diseases - Milbrook, NY (USA)
http://www.ecostudies.org/
(see JOBS 10 below)
2 Post-docs - Global Climate Division - Royal Netherlands
Meteorological Institute (The Netherlands)
(see JOBS 11 below)
Asst Prof non-tenure - Practice of Geospatial Analysis- Nicholas
School of the Environment and Earth Sciences - Duke University –
Durham NC (USA)
(see JOB 12 below)
Scientists/modelers - Climate change Regional Modelling, Impacts and
Risk - NIWA - Wellington (New Zealand).
http://www.niwa.co.nz/about/jobs/jobs/scientist_climate_change
(see JOB 13 below)
Asst. Prof - Sociocultural Anthropology - Dept. of Anthropology -
University of Washington –Seattle – WA (USA)
(see JOB 14 below)
Asst Prof - Environmental Policy & Science - McDaniel College -
Westminster, MD (USA)
(see JOB 15 below)
Post-doc - Ice and climate systems modeling - Department of Physics
and Physical Oceanography - Memorial University of Newfoundland (Canada)
(see JOB 16 below)
Tenure-track position - Human Geography - Department of Geography,
Planning and Environment – Concordia University - Montreal (Canada)
(see JOB 17 below)
Post-doc - Biogeophysical consequences of expanded cultivation of
biofuel feedstocks across the Northern Great Plains - South Dakota
State University (SDSU), South Dakota School of Mines and Technology,
and the USGS Center for EROS (USA)
(see JOB 18 below)
Asst Prof - Climate Science - University of California - Santa
Barbara (USA)
(see JOB 19 below)
Research scientist - Walker Institute for Climate System Research (UK).
www.reading.ac.uk/Jobs Look for Job reference: RS07053
(see JOB 20 below)
Post-doc - Climate modeling - Department of Earth and Environmental
Sciences University of Texas - Arlington (USA)
(see JOB 21 below)
Asst Prof - Ecological Forecasting - University of South Carolina –
Columbia SC (USA)
(see JOB 22 below)
Prof - Marine and Atmospheric Sciences - Institute of Low Temperature
Science (ILTS) - Hokkaido University (Japan)
(see JOB 23 below)
Post-doc - Modeling - Dept. of Meteorology - Univ of Reading (UK)
http://www.info.rdg.ac.uk/newjobs/jobdetails/RS07051.pdf
(see JOB 24 below)
***************************************************
Resources and Funding Opportunities
(RESOURCES 1) Going beyond panaceas - National Academies of Science
paper from Ostrom et al
Published online before print September 19, 2007
Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 10.1073/pnas.0701886104
In the context of governance of human–environment interactions, a
panacea refers to a blueprint for a single type of governance system
(e.g., government ownership, privatization, community property) that
is applied to all environmental problems. The aim of this special
feature is to provide theoretical analysis and empirical evidence to
caution against the tendency, when confronted with pervasive
uncertainty, to believe that scholars can generate simple models of
linked social–ecological systems and deduce general solutions to the
overuse of resources. Practitioners and scholars who fall into
panacea traps falsely assume that all problems of resource governance
can be represented by a small set of simple models, because they
falsely perceive that the preferences and perceptions of most
resource users are the same. Readers of this special feature will
become acquainted with many cases in which panaceas fail. The
articles provide an excellent overview of why they fail. Furthermore,
the articles in this special feature address how scholars and public
officials can increase the prospects for future sustainable resource
use by facilitating a diagnostic approach in selecting appropriate
starting points for governance and monitoring, as well as by learning
from the outcomes of new policies and adapting in light of effective
feedback.
Author contributions: E.O., M.A.J., and J.M.A. wrote the paper.
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
To whom correspondence should be addressed: Elinor Ostrom, E-
mail: ostrom at indiana.edu
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0701886104v1?etoc
www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.0701886104
The articles in this special feature challenge the presumption
that scholars can make simple, predictive models of social–ecological
systems (SESs) and deduce universal solutions, panaceas, to problems
of overuse or destruction of resources. Moving beyond panaceas to
develop cumulative capacities to diagnose the problems and
potentialities of linked SESs requires serious study of complex,
multivariable, nonlinear, cross-scale, and changing systems. Many
variables have been identified by researchers as affecting the
patterns of interactions and outcomes observed in empirical studies
of SESs. A step toward developing a diagnostic method is taken by
organizing these variables in a nested, multitier framework. The
framework enables scholars to organize analyses of how attributes of
(i) a resource system (e.g., fishery, lake, grazing area), (ii) the
resource units generated by that system (e.g., fish, water, fodder),
(iii) the users of that system, and (iv) the governance system
jointly affect and are indirectly affected by interactions and
resulting outcomes achieved at a particular time and place. The
framework also enables us to organize how these attributes may affect
and be affected by larger socioeconomic, political, and ecological
settings in which they are embedded, as well as smaller ones. The
framework is intended to be a step toward building a strong
interdisciplinary science of complex, multilevel systems that will
enable future diagnosticians to match governance arrangements to
specific problems embedded in a social–ecological context.
Author contributions: E.O. contributed new reagents/analytic
tools, analyzed data, and wrote the article. The author declares
no conflict of interest.
Elinor Ostrom, E-mail: ostrom at indiana.edu
www.pnas.org/cgi/doi/10.1073/pnas.0702288104
http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/abstract/0702288104v1?etoc
********************
(RESOURCES 2) Climate Change and Environmental Anthropology
I've created Excel files on climate change, and will be happy to
send them to those who are interested. Two are of a search on all
climate change references in the Icons database, split into 2 parts
and zipped to make transfer easier (a little over 11,000 references).
The other is a search using 'climate' and "indigenous", 'social',
'anthropology', 'community' and 'livelihoods', with about 800
references. I could probably be talked into doing one on 'human
dimensions', 'climate adaptation', 'climate justice" etc. - but these
will all be contained in the larger files.
The Tulalip Tribes has authored three papers on climate change and
indigenous peoples (co-authored by Terry Williams and myself) that
look at some of the policy issues in climate adaptation from a tribal
perspective, and I would be happy to send those to anyone who is
interested. We will be tabling another, more in-depth look at the
upcoming CBD Article 8(j) meetings, and I'll let people know when
that is ready.
From an indigenous point of view, one of the greatest threats is
what can be called "ecological dispossession". The biotic and
socioeconomic impacts of climate change have to be set against the
political context in which indigenous peoples find themselves. There
is ample evidence that indigenous peoples (and other communities)
have suffered climate-induced disasters in the past. Formerly, they
were likely able to persist
through diet switching, migration and social networks of trade and
reciprocity, and similar responses. The Pacific Decadal and
Centennial Oscillations, for example, have caused wide fluctuations
in salmon runs in the past. Currently, they are tied to their
homelands through cosmology, ancestral relations and mostly in
reservations that set the political boundaries for their rights.
Native Americans, for example, have rights to resources on their
territories and to varying extents, "usual and accustomed" and
"traditional use" areas. Species range shifts, local extirpations
from exceeding bioclimatic tolerances, climate-induced pests and
diseases, and invasive species are already disrupting the ecosystems
they depend on and moving their culturally-important species out of
range. This ecological dispossession is pulling their environments
out from under them, moving them to areas where tey don't have
tenure, ownership, usufruct or other rights. It is also disrupting
their traditional knowledge systems, as they do not always have
traditions that can cope with the pace and scale of current change,
and they may lack traditional knowledge of the introduced species or
the behavior of climate-disturbed ecosystems. This calls into
question the long-term viability of some of the policies - such as
access and benefit-sharing arrangements under the CBD that have been
proposed to aid in the conservation of biodiversity and traditional
knowledge.
The extremes of climate change effects also pose significant
risks, such as the occurrence of megadroughts, El Niño/Southern
Oscillation-related droughts, sea level rise, etc. Climate change is
likely to disrupt patterns of gene flow, putting many local species
populations at risk. Where more cosmopolitan cultures may adapt
through shifting food production or migration, this is a less
available option for indigenous peoples. There are many examples of
using ethnoclimatological knowledge to adapt to climate impacts (e.g.
in the Peruvian Andes, indigenous communities participating in a
climate adaptation project to adjust to the 15 meter vertical
migration of the snowline and the accompanying hydrological changes
did better than communities who had decided not to participate in
adaptation planning). There is great concern that adaptation measures
will fall far behind impacts - in the Pacific Northwest, for example,
some models that the Tulalip tribes have developed with Battelle
Pacific Northwest suggest the streams will be sterilized of salmon in
the next 50-100 years through the combined impacts of climate change
and land use change.
Indigenous peoples are also extremely vulnerable to what I have
been calling "ecological teleconnections" - the delivery or
disruption of flows of various biotic agents or processes through
long-distance ecological transport (e.g. brown dust and dust-borne
pathogens, vector-borne pathogens, invasive species, pollinators and
other mututalists, gene flow disruption, and so on). Cosmopolitan
societies can adapt through resource substitutions and trade flows to
a greater extent than the "ecosystem people" who rely on local
resources. The food catchments of these communities are often much
smaller, and cultural resource substitution is not affordable and a
significant threat to cultural identity. Liability regimes need to be
put into place, and climate-resilient ecosystems and communities must
be started yesterday (the Tulalip Tribes, for example, have been
promoting restoring overstream canopies, revegetation and expanding
beaver populations to restore water infiltration, manage a climate-
forced hydroregime, and cool down salmon rivers). Both climatological
and ecological teleconnections can have impacts that constitute
unconsented shifts of burdens from carbon exporters to local
communities. Some of the polluting countries and indutries have used
the equitable defense of "unclean hands" to claim that any inequities
are not entirely their fault, as consumers have driven the
consumption that drives climate change (see: Gerrard, 2007: Global
Climate Change and U.S. Law, pp. 207ff for a discussion). But this is
not the case for most indigenous peoples.
Regards,
Preston Hardison <prestonh at COMCAST.NET>
********************
(RESOURCES 3) U.S. CCSP - Synthesis and Assessement Products
The U.S. Climate change Science Program announces the
availability for review of public drafts of Synthesis and assessment
Products:
3.3 "Weather and Climate Extremes in a Changing Climate"
www.climatescience.gov/Library/sap/sap3-3/public-review-draft/
default.htm
4.3 "The effects of climate change on agriculture, land
resources, water resources, and biodiversity"
www.climatescience.gov/Library/sap/sap4-3/public-review-draft/
default.htm
4.4 "Preliminary review of adaptation options for climate-
sensitive ecosystems and resources"
www.climatescience.gov/Library/sap/sap4-4/public-review-draft/
default.htm
5.1 "Uses and limitations of observations, data, forecasts, and
other projections in decision support for selected sectors and regions"
www.climatescience.gov/Library/sap/sap5-1/public-review-draft/
default.htm
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, PLEASE CONTACT:
Fabien Laurier, Ph.D.
Climate Change Science Program Office
1717 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Suite 250,
Washington, DC-20006,
Email: flaurier at usgcrp.gov
********************
(RESOURCES 4) Nature Reports Climate Change Website
Nature has recently launched a new free-access website dedicated
to in-depth coverage of climate change at www.nature.com/climate.
Nature Reports Climate Change provides you with free, up-to-date,
authoritative information on current climate change research,
comprising news, in-depth features, research highlights, commentaries
and reviews. As well as highlighting the best peer-reviewed research,
it also covers the wider implications of global climate change for
policy, society and the economy.
Interactive features:
The Journal club, a forum where you can recommend interesting and
outstanding papers. Readers can comment on the recommended papers and
vote for their favourites .
Climate Feedback, the blog hosted by Nature Reports Climate Change
enables you to join in informal lively debate on climate change in
the scientific literature, in the news, and the world at large. Visit
http://blogs.nature.com/climatefeedback/
Plus: A digital issue is available free to download every month –
get all the monthly content of Nature Reports Climate Change in
magazine format delivered directly to your desktop without using paper.
Please direct any comments, queries and general feedback to the
Editor at o.heffernan at nature.com.
***************************************************
Science News
(NEWS 1) Clouds of Mystery
http://www.oregonlive.com/science/oregonian/index.ssf?/base/
science/1190157920139310.xml&coll=7 Or: http://tinyurl.com/2ej3f9
Oregonian (Registration Required) - Relaxing in the hot tub
behind his Warrenton home one evening in June, Brad Hill spotted a
strange wiry cloud unlike any he had ever seen. It glowed electric
blue. As the sun fell below the horizon, the tendril grew brighter
and brighter.
Scientists strongly suspect that such curious clouds, now
expanding around the planet and growing brighter, are one of the most
visible signs yet that global warming is altering Earth's atmosphere.
They're known as noctilucent, or night-shining, clouds. They
resemble normal cirrus clouds but build mysteriously in summer about
50 miles higher in the sky. They were first reported in the late
1800s and seem to be proliferating with the rise of greenhouse gases.
********************
(NEWS 2) Bog Helps Build Climate Insights
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7003668.stm Or: http://
tinyurl.com/2q6zvb
BBC News Online - A 55-million-year-old British bog uncovered by
the Channel Tunnel rail link is giving scientists insights into a
ancient period of global warming. The researchers found methane
released from the bogs played a major role in the Palaeocene-Eocene
Thermal Maximum, when temperatures suddenly rose.
They suggest in the journal Nature that this is likely to clarify
the role of bogs in present-day global warming. Methane released by
warmer conditions could make temperatures rise faster.
"This is the first time that we have seen evidence from the
geological record of methane cycling in response to a warming event,"
said study leader Richard Pancost from Bristol University. "It
provides insight into how some ecosystems could respond to rapid
warming-induced changes in climate, and, therefore, how they could
respond to warming in the future."
********************
(NEWS 3) US Mayors endorse CO2 emissions trading
Climate disruption is an urgent threat to the environmental and
economic health of our communities. Many cities, in this country and
abroad, already have strong local policies and programs in place to
reduce global warming pollution, but more action is needed at the
local, state, and federal levels to meet the challenge.
On February 16, 2005 the Kyoto Protocol, the international
agreement to address climate disruption, became law for the 141
countries that have ratified it to date. On that day, Seattle Mayor
Greg Nickels launched the US Mayors Climate Protection Agreement to
advance the goals of the Kyoto Protocol through leadership and
action. Two years later in anticipation of over 500 signatories to
the Agreement, The US Conference of Mayors launched its Climate
Protection Center in February to administer and track the agreement.
Under the Agreement, participating cities commit to take the
following three actions:
Strive to meet or beat the Kyoto Protocol targets in their own
communities, through actions ranging from anti-sprawl land-use
policies to urban forest restoration projects to public information
campaigns;
Urge their state governments, and the federal government, to
enact policies and programs to meet or beat the greenhouse gas
emission reduction target suggested for the United States in the
Kyoto Protocol -- 7% reduction from 1990 levels by 2012; and
Urge the U.S. Congress to pass the bipartisan greenhouse gas
reduction legislation, which would establish a national emission
trading system
********************
(NEWS 4) Poll: Many Pessimistic About Environment
http://www.examiner.com/
a-956850~Poll__Many_Pessimistic_About_Environment.html
Or: http://tinyurl.com/2dqwow
San Francisco Examiner - WASHINGTON - People want their leaders
to move boldly to help the environment but give them dismal grades
for their actions so far, according to a poll released Wednesday that
highlighted rampant pessimism on the issue.
Only about one in five voiced approval of how President Bush,
Congress and U.S. businesses have been handling the environment. And
while decisive majorities said they want strong public and private
action, fewer than one in 10 said they had seen such steps in the
past year, according to the poll by The Associated Press and Stanford
University's Woods Institute for the Environment.
The survey, conducted days before Bush was convening an
international climate conference in Washington, showed that though
Democrats and independents were consistently more critical than
Republicans, anxiety is widespread over the environment and global
warming.
********************
(NEWS 5) Rising Seas Likely to Flood U.S. History
http://www.examiner.com/
a-951249~Rising_Seas_Likely_to_Flood_U_S__History.html Or: http://
tinyurl.com/yq5r7s
San Francisco Examiner - Ultimately, rising seas will likely
swamp the first American settlement in Jamestown, Va., as well as the
Florida launch pad that sent the first American into orbit, many
climate scientists are predicting. In about a century, some of the
places that make America what it is may be slowly erased.
Global warming - through a combination of melting glaciers,
disappearing ice sheets and warmer waters expanding - is expected to
cause oceans to rise by one meter, or about 39 inches. It will happen
regardless of any future actions to curb greenhouse gases, several
leading scientists say. And it will reshape the nation.
Rising waters will lap at the foundations of old money Wall
Street and the new money towers of Silicon Valley. They will swamp
the locations of big city airports and major interstate highways. ...
That's the troubling outlook projected by coastal maps reviewed by
The Associated Press. The maps, created by scientists at the
University of Arizona, are based on data from the U.S. Geological
Survey.
********************
(NEWS 6) Deal Reached to Phase Out Greenhouse Gas
http://www.ajc.com/news/content/shared-gen/ap/Science/
Climate_Change_Treaty.html\ Or: http://tinyurl.com/2qou39
Atlanta Journal-Constitution (Registration Required) - TORONTO -
Governments of almost 200 countries have agreed to speed the
elimination of a major greenhouse gas that depletes ozone, U.N. and
Canadian officials said Saturday, describing a deal they said was a
significant step toward fighting global warming.
The agreement reached Friday night will accelerate a treaty to
freeze and phase out hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) which are used
in home appliances, some refrigerators, hair sprays and air
conditioners, said Nick Nuttall, spokesman for the United Nations
Environment Program.
"With this plan of an accelerated freeze and accelerated phase-
out, we could have potentially significant benefits arising in terms
of combating climate change and ozone loss," Nuttall said. "It's a
remarkable change in how we view the issue of climate change." The
treaty known as the Montreal Protocol was originally established in
the Canadian city in 1987 to protect the ozone layer from destructive
chemicals. It was negotiated by 191 countries to cut back on
chemicals blamed for destroying the ozone layer.
********************
(NEWS 7) Scientists Report Severe Retreat of Arctic Ice
http://www.nytimes.com/2007/09/21/science/21arctic.html
FAIRBANKS, Alaska, Sept. 20 — The cap of floating sea ice on the
Arctic Ocean, which retreats under summer's warmth, this year
shrank more than one million square miles — or six Californias —
below the average minimum area reached in recent decades, scientists
reported Thursday.
A satellite image from last Saturday shows shrinking ice opening
Canada's Northwest Passage. Scientists said on Thursday that this
year's ice retreat was probably unmatched in the 20th century.
The minimum ice area for this year, 1.59 million square miles,
appeared to be reached Sunday. The ice is now spreading again under
the influence of the deep Arctic chill that settles in as the sun
drops below the horizon at the North Pole for six months, starting
Friday.
The findings were reported by the National Snow and Ice Data
Center in Boulder, Colo., and posted online at www.nsidc.org.
While satellite tracking of polar sea ice has been done only
since 1979, several ice experts who have studied Russian and Alaskan
records going back many decades said the ice retreat this year was
probably unmatched in the 20th century, including during a warm
period in the 1930s. "I do not think that there was anything like we
observe today" in the 1930s or 1940s, said Igor Polyakov, an ice
expert at the University of Alaska, Fairbanks.
The ice retreat has been particularly striking this year. The
Alaskan side of the Arctic Ocean has stretches of thousands of square
miles of open water; the fabled Northwest Passage through the islands
of northern Canada was free of ice for weeks; and the sea route
between the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans north of Russia was nearly
clear a week ago, with one small clot of ice around a group of
Siberian islands.
Mark Serreze, a senior researcher at the snow and ice center,
said it was increasingly clear that climate change from the buildup
of greenhouse gases was playing a role in the Arctic warming, which
is seen not only in the floating ice but also in melting terrestrial
ice sheets, thawing tundra and warming seawater.
"We understand the physics behind what's going on," Dr. Serreze
said. "You can always find some aspect of natural variability that
can explain some things. But now it seems patterns that used to help
you don't help as much anymore, and the ones that hurt you hurt you
more."
"You can't dismiss this as natural variability," he said. "We're
starting to see the system respond to global warming."
Still, he and other scientists acknowledged that both poles were
extraordinarily complicated systems of ice, water and land, and that
the mix of human and natural influences was not easy to clarify.
Sea ice around Antarctica has seen unusual winter expansions
recently, and this week is near a record high.
********************
(NEWS 8) Man Causing Climate Change - Poll
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/in_depth/7010522.stm Or: http://
tinyurl.com/2lyp3a
BBC News Online - Large majorities in many countries now believe
human activity is causing global warming, a BBC World Service poll
suggests. A sizeable majority of people agreed that major steps
needed to be taken soon to address global
warming.
More than 22,000 people were surveyed in 21 countries and the
results show a great deal of agreement on the issue. The survey is
published a day after 150 countries met at the United Nations to
discuss climate change. An average of 79 percent of respondents to
the BBC survey agreed that "human activity, including industry and
transportation, is a significant cause of climate change."
Nine out of 10 people said action was necessary, with two-thirds
of people going further, saying "it is necessary to take major steps
starting very soon." In none of the countries did a majority say no
action was necessary to combat climate change.
********************
(NEWS 9) Global Warming Inaction More Costly Than Solutions?
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/09/070924-global-
warming.html Or: http://tinyurl.com/2jhlq9
National Geographic News - Whether or not people are heating up
the planet, the best course of action is to do something about global
warming, some experts are arguing. But others think that's moving too
fast.
Peter Tsigaris, a statistician at Thompson Rivers University in
Kamloops, Canada, is one of many scientists who favor taking
immediate action against global warming. Tsigaris has made waves in
Canada by asserting that doing nothing about climate change is more
damaging to the economy than acting on it.
He points to a 2006 report published by England's Government
Economic Service. The report says if people do not act to curb global
warming, the impacts of climate change will drain at least 5 percent
- and up to 20 percent - of the global gross domestic product each year.
********************
(NEWS 10) “Crosscutting 3-hr video conference - Oct 16, 2007 -
Issues of global climate change and the potentially disastrous
consequences, especially for millions of poor and chronically
undernourished people
Email jennmarlon at gmail.com if you want the details on how to join.
Three international leaders -- Suzanne Hunt, independent
consultant, currently dividing her time among the Natural Resources
Defense Council and the Global Bioenergy Partnership, Dr. Cynthia
Rosenzweig, Research Scientist and Leader of the Climate Impacts
Group at the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and Dr. Stephen
H. Schneider, Stanford University professor for Interdisciplinary
Environmental Studies and founder and editor of the Interdisciplinary
journal, Climate Change, -- will discuss the many crosscutting
issues of global climate change and the potentially disastrous
consequences, especially for millions of poor and chronically
undernourished people.
********************
(NEWS 11) Lovelock Urges Ocean Climate Fix
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7014503.stm Or:
http://tinyurl.com/27aj4n
BBC News Online - Two of Britain's leading environmental thinkers
say it is time to develop a quick technical fix for climate change.
Writing in the journal Nature, Science Museum head Chris Rapley
and Gaia theorist James Lovelock suggest looking at boosting ocean
take-up of CO2. Their idea, already being investigated by a US firm,
involves huge flotillas of vertical pipes in the tropical seas. The
two scientists say they doubt that existing plans for curbing carbon
emissions can work quickly enough.
"We are taking the very strong line that we are not going to save
the planet by the regular approaches like the Kyoto Protocol or
renewable energy," Professor Lovelock told BBC News. "What we have to
do is to look at it in a systems sense, or a Gaian sense, and see if
it's curable by direct action."
***************************************************
Summer Programs, Courses, Internships, Meetings, Opportunities
(WORKSHOP 1) Climate Information: Responding to User Needs, October
22-23, 2007- University of Maryland, College Park (USA)
http://climateneeds.umd.edu/
The Earth System will experience real climate change over the
next 50 years, substantially exceeding the scope of natural
variability. A paramount question facing society is how to adapt to
these changes. Success will require unprecedented collaborations and
powerful partnerships between climate scientists and the consumers of
climate information - businesses, government agencies from federal to
local, policy organizations, and planning offices that need specific
kinds of information to ensure the best decisions in adapting to
climate change.
The University of Maryland, College Park invites you to attend a
two-day workshop at their Inn and Conference Center, October 22-23,
2007. This event will foster dialogue between the providers of
climate information and its diverse user community to define specific
measures needed to enhance the use of climate observations, data
management, modeling, and predictions in support of business and
policy decisions. The workshop will consist of plenary and breakout
panel sessions, and a peer-reviewed poster session. The keynote
speaker will be Norman Augustine, retired Chairman/CEO, Lockheed
Martin Corp., who will discuss "What Business Needs to Know about
Climate Change." In addition, R. James Woolsey, Vice President for
Booz Allen Hamilton and former Director of Central Intelligence, will
discuss “Energy, Security, and the Long War of the 21st Century."
The cost of the workshop is $190 for university or government
participants and $290 for private sector participants on or before
October 1, 2007. After October 1, the cost will be $250 for
university or government participants and $350 for private sector
participants.
For more information or to register, please visit: http://
climateneeds.umd.edu/ or contact: cirunworkshop at bcs-hq.com
***************************************************
Jobs
Planktonnet: Great listserv for aquatic-science jobs
To subscribe to the list, send an empty email to:
planktonnet-subscribe at yahoogroups.com
Or, visit http://groups.yahoo.com/group/planktonnet/ and click on
'Join this group'
********************
(JOB 1) Asst Prof - Geography - University of South Carolina -
Columbia SC (USA)
As part of the Faculty Excellence Initiative at the University of
South Carolina, the Department of Geography and School of the
Environment invite applications for a Geographic Information
Scientist specializing in ecological mapping and spatial analysis for
a tenure track assistant professor position to begin August 16, 2008.
This position is one of several university-funded cluster hires whose
goal is to build strategic research capabilities in Environmental
Microbiology, with a focus in the emerging research area of
Environmental Stresses and Microbial Stress Responses. Interests
should include, but are not limited to, the general area of
geospatial dynamics of waterborne microbial pathogens. We are
seeking a candidate who can integrate, analyze, model, and/or
interpret microbiological information along with spatial and temporal
environmental data. This is a joint search involving the Department
of Geography and the School of the Environment in the College of Arts
and Sciences. The position is a 9-month academic year tenure-track
appointment in Department of Geography. A Ph.D. is required at the
time of appointment.
We are searching for a geographer with outstanding research and
teaching capabilities who will complement existing campus-wide
strengths in geospatial techniques and analysis, environmental
microbiology, gene-environment interactions, and the assessment of
environmental water quality. Specifically, we are interested in a
specialist who can contribute to mapping and describing the
geospatial aspects of environmental stressors, such as pathogen
distribution, abundance, and dynamics, to integrate the results of
research on stress response with land/water use over large
geographical areas. The successful applicant will demonstrate
experience in this topical area, or in another area where the
experience can be transferred. The successful candidate is expected
to teach courses in geographic information systems and their
application, as well as other undergraduate and/or graduate courses
in geography and related environmental studies, and to direct an
active externally funded research program.
For more information about the Department of Geography and the
School of the Environment, visit our Web sites at www.cas.sc.edu/
geog/ and www.environ.sc.edu/.
Applicants should include with their application a vita,
statement of research and teaching interests and goals, and the
names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses of at least
three references. This information should be sent to: Chair, FEI
Environmental Microbiology Search Committee, Department of Biological
Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208.
To ensure full consideration, applications should be submitted by
December 1st, 2007.
********************
(JOB 2) Asst Prof – Land-use/land-cover change - Department of
Geography - University of California, Santa Barbara (USA)
University of California, Santa Barbara, Department of Geography,
invites applications for a tenure-track position at the Assistant
Professor level in Land-use Land-cover Change. The Department seeks
candidates whose research and teaching interests focus on compelling
science questions and approaches towards observing and modeling the
causes and consequences of Land-use Land-cover Change. The successful
candidate is expected to have research expertise in remote sensing in
addition to one or more of the following technical areas: agent-
based, numerical, predictive and/or statistical modeling and/or
integrative surveys. Areas of particular interest to the department
include but are not limited to 1) impacts of anthropogenic and
natural disturbances on climate, biogeochemistry and ecosystems; 2)
large-scale changes in food production and security; 3) population,
development and health linkages; 4) urbanization and 5) modeling of
dynamic land-cover. The Department has strengths in three systematic
areas: (1) modeling, measurement, and computation; (2) human-
environment relations; and (3) Earth system science. Candidates will
support one or more of these areas in teaching and research and
contribute to the teaching of remote sensing.
The Department has a strong commitment to multidisciplinary
research and teaching, and provides opportunities for interactions
with other departments and research units on the campus, including
unique facilities such as the Center for SPOT Imagery
(www.spot.ucsb.edu). Candidates must have a Ph.D. degree by July 1,
2008 in Geography or a related field, excellent promise for quality
teaching, and evidence of outstanding potential for developing a
vigorous research program. The department is especially interested in
candidates who can contribute to the diversity and excellence of the
academic community. The application deadline is November 30, 2007,
and the starting date is July 1, 2008. Qualified applicants should
send their complete curriculum vitae, statement of research and
teaching interests, and names of three referees with addresses
preferably by email to lucc_search at geog.ucsb.edu, or by mail to
Search Committee, Department of Geography, University of California,
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-4060. To learn more about the department,
visit our website at www.geog.ucsb.edu.
********************
(JOBS 3) Research Scientists (2 or more positions) - Computational
Ecological & Environmental Sciences Group Microsoft Research -
Cambridge (UK)
http://research.microsoft.com/ero/compecology.aspx
Apply to human resources: camhrall at microsoft.com
The Computational Ecology & Environmental Science group at
Microsoft Research, based in Cambridge, England, undertakes research
to deepen our understanding of critical basic and applied problems in
the environmental sciences, and develops novel computational methods
and tools for addressing these problems. The group is linked to a
team that develops the computational methods generated by the CEES
into useable, freely available software for use by the scientific
community. To complement existing strengths in multi-trophic ecology,
theoretical ecology, plant community ecology, spatial ecology and
behavioural ecology, we seek to hire a permanent research scientist
and one or more postdoctoral scientists.
For the permanent position, we are seeking a scientist with a
focus on microbial ecology, microbial systems biology, and / or
biogeochemistry, broadly defined. The candidate will be expected to
develop a diverse program of collaborative research projects with
academic and other partner institutions. This position requires at
least 2 years of postdoctoral research experience.
One of the postdoctoral positions provides an opportunity to work
with Dr. Drew Purves on plant community ecology from local to global
scales, theoretical ecology, and / or studies of the terrestrial
carbon cycle and climate change. Otherwise, the group wishes to hear
from any potential postdoctoral scientists whose research interests are
compatible with the group¹s. Postdoctoral candidates will also be
expected to pursue collaborative projects.
A demonstrated interest and strong background in computational
ecology / environmental science, interest in research at the
interface of ecology, biology, computer science and other related
disciplines, an interest in novel computational methods and a
willingness to engage with technology development are required.
Interested candidates are welcome to contact any member of the CEES
for informal discussions prior to applying.
Application should include a statement of research interests and
curriculum vita. Review of applications will begin Oct 1st and
continue until the positions are filled.
********************
(JOB 4) Post-doc Fellowship - NOAA C&GC - (USA)
http://www.vsp.ucar.edu
UCAR announces the continuation of the NOAA C&GC Postdoctoral
Fellowship Program. UCAR manages this NOAA-sponsored program, which
pairs recently graduated postdoctorates with host scientists at U.S.
institutions to work in an area of mutual interest. The objective of
this program is to help create the next generation of researchers
needed for climate studies. It endeavors to attract recent PhDs in
sciences which address studies of relevance to the NOAA Climate and
Global Change Program (refer to NOAA's Web site at: <http://
www.climate.noaa.gov>).
The NOAA C&GC Program seeks to provide an effective national
climate service based on the development and application of global
and regional climate forecast information. The Program focuses on
observing, understanding, modeling, and predicting the climate system
on seasonal to centennial time scales and assessing the regionally
specific socioeconomic consequences of climate variability.
The program offers two-year postdoctoral fellowships reviewed
annually. Fellows receive a fixed annual salary and receive a full
line of UCAR employee benefits. Application and recommendation
letter deadline: 15 January 2008. Applications must be submitted in
electronic form and preferably (pdf), send e-mail attachments to:
vspapply.ucar.edu. Reference letters should be sent electronically,
but hard copies or faxes are accepted.
If unable to send electronically, please mail to: Meg Austin,
Director, UCAR/VSP, P.O. Box 3000, Boulder, CO 80307-3000 USA.
NOAA Climate Program Office (Chester J. Koblinsky, Director)
sponsors this program.
********************
(JOB 5) Post Doc Research Associate – Western Water Assessment -
Boulder CO (USA)
http://cires.colorado.edu/jobs/
The WWA (http://wwa.colorado.edu/) is one of the NOAA-funded
Regional Integrated Science and Assessment (RISA) programs, and this
person will work with Brad Udall and I and others at WWA, which is
housed at the NOAA Earth Systems Research Labs in Boulder, CO. Feel
free to forward this announcement to others who may be interested.
I'd be happy to talk to anyone who is interested in applying. The
review of applications will start October 15, 2007 and continue until
the position is filled.
********************
(JOB 6) Asst Prof Tenure Track - Critical Political Ecology -
University of California, Riverside CA (USA)
The Department of Anthropology invites applications for a tenure-
track position in cultural anthropology at the assistant professor
level, beginning July 1, 2008. Ph.D in Anthropology is required.
Salary will be commensurate with education and experience. This
position is focuses on critical political ecology, coupled with
environmental studies and international development; human-
environment relationships; and land use and distribution. This can
include issues such as social discrimination; spatial segregation,
urban violence, and human agency and rights in the context of
transformed natural and built environments, including degraded,
devastated or threatened ones; within that context, concerns with
environmental recovery, sustainable food and energy production, and
environmental justice are strongly encouraged. The position
articulates with interests in Health Initiative, Public Policy,
Economics, Ethnic Studies, Religious Studies, Sociology, History,
Women's Studies and Global Studies in CHASS and the Center for
Conservation Biology in CNAS. It potentially articulates with the
concerns of UC-MEXUS as well as the various organized research units
on campus, e.g. CCERT, the Presley Center, the Genomics Institute,
and the Blakely Center for Sustainable Development.
Applications should include a Curriculum vitae, a letter
describing current and future research and teaching directions,
copies of publications and three letters of reference. Send
applications and inquiries to: Professor Wendy Ashmore, Chair, Search
Committee, Department of Anthropology, University of California at
Riverside, Riverside, CA 92521-0418
Review of completed applications will being November 1, 2007 and
will continue until the position is filled.
********************
(JOB 7) Asst Prof Tenure Track - Human Geography - University of
California Berkeley
Application Deadline: 7 December 2007
http://geography.berkeley.edu/
The Department of Geography at the University of California
Berkeley invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor
position, starting 1 July 2008, pending budgetary approval. The
department is seeking a Human Geographer working at the intersections
of society, nature, and space on issues of contemporary global
significance. Examples of such issues include, but are not limited
to, the social dimensions of climate change and natural disasters;
environmental dimensions of civil, racial, or ethnic conflicts; socio-
spatial and environmental dimensions of pandemics; water and food
security; or the emergence and dynamics of mega-cities and slums.
Regional or comparative expertise is open and applications are
welcome across all geographical scales and methods.
Applicants should submit letter of application, curriculum vitae,
up to three reprints, and three letters of reference by 7 December
2007, to: Search Committee, Department of Geography, 507 McCone Hall,
University of California, Berkeley, CA 94720-4740
Applicants should refer their referees to the university's
statement on confidentiality found at: http://apo.chance.berkeley.edu/
evalltr.html
********************
(JOBS 8) Asst Prof/Prof (3 positions) – Ecology - School of Natural
Sciences - University of California, Merced (USA)
The University of California, Merced, invites applicants for
three faculty positions in Ecology. Appointments will be made at both
the Assistant (tenure-track) and the Associate or Full Professor
(with tenure) ranks. We seek outstanding individuals with research
interests in areas such as global change, biodiversity,
biocomplexity, microbial ecology, soil ecology, plant ecology,
conservation biology, community ecology, biogeography, invasive
species, paleoecology, ecology of infectious disease, ecological
physiology, and behavioral ecology. We welcome applicants using
experimental, field, computational, and/or theoretical approaches and
working at population to ecosystem scales. Applications from
interdisciplinary teams of ecologists offering an integrated research
approach will be considered.
Qualifications: Applicants must have a Ph.D. in ecology, biology,
microbiology, biogeosciences, or other relevant field, and a record
of research, publication, and teaching commensurate with a faculty
appointment at the University of California at the appropriate
level. Applicants at the Assistant Professor level must have a
strong publication record, potential to develop an independent,
innovative research program, and ability to teach effectively at
undergraduate and graduate levels. Applicants for tenured
appointments must have a well established, funded, internationally
recognized research program as evidenced by publication and grant
record, and must have demonstrated effectiveness as educators. For
Associate or Full Professor appointments, we seek distinguished
scholars who will provide leadership in establishing a program of
international repute in ecology and environmental research at UC
Merced. At all levels, we seek individuals who will participate
actively in the development of innovative, interdisciplinary
curricula, and in the teaching and mentoring of a diverse student
population.
To Apply: Interested applicants are required to submit 1) a
cover letter 2) curriculum vitae 3) statement of research 4)
statement of teaching and 5) a list of five references with contact
information including mailing address, phone number and e-mail
address. Please do not submit individual letters of recommendation.
Applications must be submitted via the website: http://
www.ucmerced.edu/jobs/ (Academic Positions) For appointment as
Assistant Professor, submit materials to Job ASNS1219A
For appointment as Associate or Professor, submit materials to Job
ASNS1221A
For more information: Contact Professor Peggy O'Day, search
committee chair (poday at ucmerced.edu).
********************
(JOB 9) Post-doc - Jet Propulsion Laboratory/Caltech - Atmospheric
and climate modeling, analysis and prediction research group (USA)
http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc
The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, an operating division of Caltech,
invites applications for the NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP),
administered by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU). The
successful applicant will join an atmospheric and climate modeling,
analysis and prediction research group focused on the weather and
climate processes and their representation in regional and global
models. Specific areas of focus are clouds, deep convection, climate
feedbacks, water cycle, and coupled atmosphere and land/ocean
processes. Research activities utilize data from a number of
satellite sensors, such as the Atmospheric Infrared Sounder (AIRS),
Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS), Clouds and Earth’s Radiant Energy
System (CERES), Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM), Gravity
Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), CloudSat as well as other
instruments in the NASA A-Train satellite constellation. These data
are being used to assess atmosphere and coupled ocean-atmosphere-land
model simulation and prediction capabilities and guide model and
parameterization development for improving model performance. Strong
emphasis is being placed on multi-scale and interdisciplinary
processes. In addition, there are local collaborative efforts with
faculty at Caltech and UCLA, where the latter focuses on the
application of a regional Earth System model to climate downscaling
and satellite mission design.
The position is awarded for nominally one year, and is renewable
for one additional year and possibly two, depending on funding
availability. Dr. Duane Waliser (duane.waliser at jpl.nasa.gov ),
principal scientist in the Earth and Space Science Division at JPL,
will serve as postdoctoral adviser to the selected candidate. The
appointee will be guided by the JPL adviser to ensure that the
research work will result in publications in open literature. Awards
include an annual stipend of $52,000 (with moderate supplements for
degree specialties); an $8,000 professional travel budget; a
relocation allowance; and health insurance partially paid by NASA.
The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) is administered by Oak Ridge
Associated Universities (ORAU). The next application deadline is
November 1, 2007, although award offers can be made earlier depending
on early submission of application.
********************
(JOBS 10) Asst. or Assoc. Scientist (2 openings) - Institute of
Ecosystem Studies - Impacts of global change on forests/Ecology of
infectious diseases - Milbrook, NY (USA)
http://www.ecostudies.org/
Deadline extended to October 1, 2007.
The Institute of Ecosystem Studies seeks two individuals at the
level of Assistant or Associate Scientist. The successful candidates
will have a proven track record of research funding and publication
in top scientific journals. We are particularly interested in
research interests that relate to:
1) The impacts of global change on forest and associated
ecosystems. Ecologists studying the future composition,
biogeochemical function, and/or management of forested ecosystems in
the face of climate change, ex-urban development, invasive species,
or potential large-scale biofuel production are particularly
encouraged to apply.
2) The ecology of infectious diseases. Ecologists studying
zoonoses, wildlife diseases, and plant diseases caused by viral,
bacterial, fungal, protozoan, or metazoan parasites are welcome to
apply.
The Institute, a privately-endowed research and education
organization located on a 2000-acre arboretum in the Hudson River
Valley of New York, currently hosts a staff of 16 scientists, who
investigate human impacts on forest, freshwater and urban ecosystems.
We seek individuals who can join this team and establish
interdisciplinary collaborations that extend the Institute's work to
consider human interactions with ecosystems, especially in light of
global change.
We will begin to review applications on 1 October 2007, with the
anticipation of filling these positions in early 2008. Apply by
sending curriculum vitae, statement of research interests and goals,
and the names and addresses of three potential references to: Human
Resources, The Institute of Ecosystem Studies, Job Ref. # 07029-I, PO
Box AB, Millbrook, NY 12545; jobs at ecostudies.org. The Institute of
Ecosystem Studies is an equal opportunity/affirmative action
employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.
********************
(JOBS 11) 2 Post-docs - Global Climate Division - Royal Netherlands
Meteorological Institute (The Netherlands)
The Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) is an
agency of the ministry for Transport, Public Works and Water
Management. It is the Dutch national institute for weather, climate
and seismology. KNMI provides weather and climate information to the
general public, the government and different other sectors related to
the security, economy and sustainable environment. KNMI works
together with national and international partners and has a unique
combination of infrastructure, technique, academic research and
services. One of our tasks is to describe, understand and eventually
predict climate changes. For our climate research and for developing
climate scenarios we make use of numerical models of the atmosphere
and ocean circulation, coupled to land and sea-ice models.
Post Doc 1- Abrupt Climate Change (vac nr. KNMI 2007/42)
In the ESSENCE project we performed calculations with a global
coupled climate model for climate change in the 21st century. We made
a large ensemble such that climate extremes and changes therein can
be investigated. In some of the ensembles a fresh water perturbation
was applied such that the meridional overturning circulation in the
Atlantic weakens strongly. In this project you will investigate the
impact of this strong reduction on western European climate. You will
distinguish the effect of greenhouse forcing and the effect of the
changing ocean circulation. To study the effects in detail you will
use the regional climate model RACMO with boundary conditions from
the global model simulations from the ESSENCE project. The results
will be used for developing climate scenarios of abrupt climate
change in Europe.
Qualifications: You have a PhD in meteorology, physical
oceanography or a related field. You have experience with large
geophysical data sets and numerical atmosphere-ocean models. You are
able to focus your work and translate questions to scientific
analyses. You have good communicative skills in English. Inquiries
can be addressed to Dr. W. Hazeleger, phone +31 30-2206-718, e-mail:
Wilco.Hazeleger at KNMI.nl . Dutch civil servants will have priority.
Post Doc 2 - Abrupt Climate Change (vac nr. KNMI 2007/47)
Last century, sea level has risen by approximately 20 cm due to
global warming. Regional sea level scenario's for the Northeast
Atlantic show a further rise between 35 and 85 cm in 2100. A large
fraction of this uncertainty can be attributed to uncertainties in
melting of the ice sheet of Greenland. In this research, the mass
balance of the Greenland ice sheet will be further investigated. The
regional climate model RACMO with boundary conditions from global
climate models and an ice sheet model will be used. The candidate
will couple the regional climate model with the ice sheet model and
perform sensitivity studies and climate integrations for the 21st
century. He/she will make use of estimates of calving as function of
environment variables as well. This research will result in a more
detailed mass balance of the Greenland ice sheet. It will lead to
better estimates of the contribution of the melting of ice sheets to
sea level rise in the next century. The results will be used for
development of scenarios for abrupt climate change.
Qualifications: You have a PhD in meteorology, physical
oceanography, glaciology, or a related field. You have experience
with large geophysical data sets, numerical atmosphere-ocean models
and/or computational fluid dynamics. You are able to focus your work
and translate questions to scientific analyses. You have good
communicative skills in English. Inquiries can be addressed to Dr. W.
Hazeleger, phone +31 30-2206718, e-mail: Wilco.Hazeleger at KNMI.nl.
Dutch civil servants will have priority.
For both positions, application letters and a CV, including
references and the appropriate vacancy number ( 2007/42 or 2007/47),
can be sent to KNMI before the 20th of October:
KNMI, Afdeling P&O, t.a.v. Mw. H. Loeb, Postbus 201, 3730 AE De
Bilt, The Netherlands or e-mail: loeb at knmi.nl
********************
(JOB 12) Asst Prof non-tenure - Practice of Geospatial Analysis-
Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences - Duke
University – Durham NC (USA)
Applications are invited for an Assistant Professor of the
Practice of Geospatial Analysis position, beginning August 2008. We
are searching for an individual interested in teaching undergraduate-
and graduate-level curricula and developing a focused research
program that directly joins geospatial analysis tools and
technologies with environmental science and management research and
practice. Responsibilities are primarily undergraduate and graduate
instruction (75%), with a secondary emphasis on research and research
support (25%). Though not tenure-track, the position is intended to
be long-term (renewable 3-yr contracts) with comparable compensation
and benefits to that of the tenure track. The ideal candidate will
have demonstrated technical and analytical skills in terrestrial
geospatial analysis ( e.g. geographic information systems, satellite
remote sensing, spatial analysis and modeling) as well as
disciplinary interests in an active area of environmental science and
management. The Nicholas School has particular strength in the areas
of conservation science, ecosystem management, watershed ecology,
environmental health, environmental economics and policy, and earth
sciences. An interest and ability to effectively work across
disciplinary boundaries will be highly desirable for this position.
The Nicholas School offers a stimulating teaching and research
environment, undergraduate, professional and graduate programs, and
is recognized as one of the leading institutions for scholarly
activity in the field of environmental science and policy. The
Geospatial Analysis Program is a cross-cutting activity of the
Nicholas School and this position is advertised as a school-wide
search. A successful candidate will select an appropriate primary
appointment in one of the three divisions of the school:
Environmental Science and Policy, Earth and Ocean Sciences; or Marine
Science and Conservation. Excellent opportunities exist for
collaboration with faculty in a wide range of disciplines within the
Nicholas School, the Duke University community and the larger
Research Triangle regional consortium of universities and research
centers (Duke, UNC, NCSU, NCCU).
Applicants must possess a Ph.D. in an appropriate area of
environmental science, environmental management or other closely
allied discipline, and have demonstrated excellence in teaching,
research, and communication. The successful candidate will be
expected to teach undergraduate and graduate courses, develop a
productive research program and actively supervise undergraduate,
graduate and professional students.
Please send any inquiries by email to: Patrick N. Halpin
( phalpin at duke.edu ), Chair, Geospatial Analysis Search Committee,
Nicholas School of the Environment and Earth Sciences, Duke
University, Durham, NC 27708. Please send applications documents to
include a letter of interest, curriculum vitae, representative
publication reprints, and names and contact information for three
references to: Laura Turcotte ( ljturcotte at duke.edu ). Consideration
of applicants will begin December 15 and will continue until the
position is filled.
Geospatial Analysis Program: http://www.nicholas.duke.edu/geospatial
********************
(JOB 13) Scientists/modelers - Climate change Regional Modelling,
Impacts and Risk - NIWA - Wellington (New Zealand).
http://www.niwa.co.nz/about/jobs/jobs/scientist_climate_change
NIWA is a leading environmental research institute and a key
provider of atmospheric, freshwater and marine research in New Zealand.
We currently have multiple opportunities within our climate
change group. Successful candidates will have demonstrated experience
in one or more of the following areas: 1) Running global and regional
climate models and analysing results 2) Collaborating with others who
are modelling climate-sensitive systems (biophysical or economic) 3)
Working with end-users in central and local government, the
agricultural sector and the energy sector on a risk-assessment and
risk-management-based approach to adaptation
Your ability to work with the UK Met Office Unified Model is
preferable as is climate dynamics, meteorology, statistics, risk
assessment, and scientific visualization skills.
You will have a research degree (preferably PhD) in an
appropriate science or engineering topic, further relevant post-
doctoral work is highly desirable. Being familiar with regional
climate models and / or their use in climate impacts and adaptation
research is advantageous.
If you enjoy working in a team environment, are willing to
collaborate with people from other disciplines and organisations, and
are sympathetic to the needs of end-users, then this is the
opportunity for you. Quality written and oral communication skills
are a must.
********************
(JOB 14) Asst Prof - Sociocultural Anthropology - Dept. of
Anthropology - University of Washington –Seattle – WA (USA)
The Department of Anthropology at the University of Washington,
whose faculty engages in teaching, research and service, invites
applications for an Assistant Professor in Sociocultural
Anthropology. The position is full time, tenure-track, and begins
Fall 2008. We seek applicants in one of the following fields: new
media, critical environmental studies; science and technology
studies; race and genomics. We are especially interested in
applicants with research interests in South Asia, Mainland Southeast
Asia, or the Middle East. A PhD is required by time of starting the job.
Interested individuals should submit a letter of application,
curriculum vitae, and names only (no letters) of three referees. We
must receive these materials by December 1, 2007 (receiving these by
November 15 will facilitate our scheduling of interviews at the AAA
meetings). Address all materials to Chair, Sociocultural Search
Committee, Department of Anthropology, Box 353100, University of
Washington. Seattle, WA 98195. Emailed and faxed materials will not
be accepted.
Apply online at http://aaanet.jobcontrolcenter.com/jobdetail.cfm?
job=2671367.32
********************
(JOB 15) Asst Prof - Environmental Policy & Science - McDaniel
College - Westminster, MD (USA)
The Environmental Policy and Science Program at McDaniel College
invites applications for a tenure track appointment at the Assistant
Professor level to begin Fall, 2008.
Working collaboratively with faculty from the environmental,
political and social sciences departments, the successful candidate
will have the opportunity to teach student-centric courses that
demonstrate the linkages between environmental science, policy and
economics. Areas of research interest, preferably involving students,
include water rights, urbanization, conservation, environmental
crisis management, environmental conflict or migration, or hazardous
contamination. This colleague will play a leadership role in EPS,
responsible for both majors and non-majors offerings in EPS and
Political Science, research and program development.
A Ph.D. in Environmental Science/Policy, Political Science,
Geography, Regional Planning, Economics or a related field is
preferred; A.B.D. considered. Previous experience in teaching
environmental policy is strongly desired.
Send letter of application, c.v., statement of teaching
philosophy, and three letters of recommendation to Dr. Esther Iglich,
Coordinator of EPS, 2 College Hill, Westminster, MD 21157-4390.
Review of applications will begin Oct 15, 2007 and continue until
the position is filled.
********************
(JOB 16) Post-doc - Ice and climate systems modeling - Department of
Physics and Physical Oceanography - Memorial University of
Newfoundland (Canada)
Fall 2007 start date (or no later than March 1st, 2008)
Project: Large ensemble calibrated modelling of the ice and
climate system
Project details: Setup, carry out, and analyze data-integrated
large ensemble runs of past and future ice and climate system
evolution with a focus on non-linear interactions between ice-sheets
and climate. Such interactions have been implicated in past threshold
behaviour and are among the most poorly constrained and highest risk
routes to future climate system "tipping points". The general intent
is to develop meaningful probability distributions for past, present,
and future ice and climate system evolution. The earth system model
to be employed will include an evolving 3D glacial systems model and
a fast (reduced/coarse resolution) atmosphere/ocean/vegetation GCM.
Resources include Teraflop scale clusters and supercomputers and a
strong physical oceanography group.
Other project tasks: 1) Couple the MUN/UofT (Memorial University
of Newfoundland/University of Toronto) glacial systems model with
various reduced GCMs (initially the Hamburg Planet Simulator). 2) Re-
calibrate the coupled ice/atmosphere/ocean/vegetation model using in-
house Bayesian methodologies. 3) Mentor graduate students. 4) Engage
opportunities for collaborative earth systems modeling projects with
other groups. 5) Participate at conferences, publish, and present
project results.
Required experience/skills: mucking about with GCMs, model
coupling, analysis of model results, F90, MPI, and Unix/Linux
environment. A solid understanding of atmospheric and/or ocean
dynamics.
Useful assets: A PhD.D. in atmospheric sciences, physical
oceanography, or related disciplines. Experience with processing and
analyzing large data sets. Enjoyment of exceptionally beautiful
natural environments.
Duration: Two years with a possible extension. Preferred start
date: Nov. 2007
To apply send your CV, a brief statement of interest and long-
term goals, names of three referees, and one publication or preprint
to me at the email address below. Only serious applications will be
considered and responded to.
Review of the applications will begin immediately and will
continue until the position is filled.
For more information, please contact: Prof. Lev Tarasov, Dept of
Physics and Physical Oceanography, Memorial University of
Newfoundland, Canada email: lev at physics.mun.ca http://www.mun.ca/
physics/people/faculty/tarasov.php
********************
(JOB 17) Tenure-track position - Human Geography - Department of
Geography, Planning and Environment – Concordia University - Montreal
(Canada)
The Department of Geography, Planning and Environment is seeking
applicants for one tenure-track position in human geography, with an
expertise in political ecology, or environmental change. While not a
requirement, a regional interest in the developing world is
preferred. The successful applicant is expected to develop their own
research agenda, to contribute to the department's new MSc program in
Geography, Urban and Environmental Studies, and its graduate Diploma
in Environmental Impact Assessment. A demonstrated ability to teach
both undergraduate and graduate courses will be an asset.
Applications must consist of a cover letter, a current curriculum
vitae, copies of recent publications, a statement of teaching
philosophy/interests, a statement of research achievements, and
evidence of teaching effectiveness. Candidates must also arrange to
have three letters of reference sent directly to the department.
Applicants should have a completed PhD. Subject to budgetary
approval, we anticipate filling this position, at the rank of
Assistant Professor, for 1 July 2008. All applications should reach
the address below no later than 1 November 2007. Review of
applications will begin immediately and continue until the position
is filled. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however,
Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada will be given
priority.
Please send applications to: Dr A. Nash, Chair, Department of
Geography, Planning and Environment, Concordia University, 1455 de
Maisonneuve Blvd.W., Montreal, Quebec, Canada, H3G 1M8. Email:
nash at alcor.concordia.ca (if applying electronically, please send
documents in MSWord or pdf only). Additional information about the
Department of Geography, Planning and Environment can be seen at
http://artsandscience1.concordia.ca/GEOG/
********************
(JOB 18) Post-doc - Biogeophysical consequences of expanded
cultivation of biofuel feedstocks across the Northern Great Plains -
South Dakota State University (SDSU), South Dakota School of Mines
and Technology, and the USGS Center for EROS (USA)
We seek a broadly trained scientist to work on a project funded
by NASA to explore the biogeophysical consequences of expanded
cultivation of biofuel feedstocks across the Northern Great Plains.
The post-doc will interact with an interdisciplinary team of
scientists from South Dakota State University (SDSU), South Dakota
School of Mines and Technology, and the USGS Center for EROS. Desired
qualifications include experience with mesoscale meteorological
modeling (e.g., MM5 or WRF-ARW) and/or land surface hydrological
modeling (e.g., SWAT or VIC) as well as remote sensing and geospatial
data processing, programming, and analysis. The position is based in
the Geographic Information Sciences Center of Excellence (GIScCE) at
SDSU.
The position is initially available for one year and renewable
for up to two additional years. Email an application letter, CV,
reprints, and contact information of three references before November
1st to postdocsearchSDState at gmail.com . US citizenship is not
required; SDSU is an AA/EEO employer and encourages applications from
women and minorities. For additional information about the position
and GIScCE visit the Opportunities page at <http://
globalmonitoring.sdstate.edu>.
********************
(JOB 19) Asst. Prof - Climate Science - University of California -
Santa Barbara (USA)
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 Climate Science effective July 1,
2008, Ph.D. required. The Department seeks candidates whose research
and teaching interests focus on understanding coupled climate
processes using numerical modeling and observations. Research focus
areas include climate scale interactions of the atmosphere with
terrestrial, oceanic and/or cryospheric processes; global climate
change and its feedbacks with regional climates; climate impacts on
humankind and potential feedbacks; and the role of the mesoscale
atmospheric processes in climate and climate change. The successful
applicant should be versed in the use of observational data ( e.g.,
remote sensing, historical or paleo records) as well as in the
numerical and/or mathematical modeling of climate. It is expected
that the candidate should be able to (1) conduct state of the art
research in association with the diverse group of scholars in the
Departments of Geography, Earth Science and Ecology, Evolution and
Marine Biology, the Institute for Computational Earth System Science,
the Marine Science Institute, and the Donald Bren School of
Environmental Science and Management; (2) help focus
interdisciplinary graduate training and research programs in the
study of Earth's climate and its changes; and (3) to teach classes at
both the graduate and undergraduate level in physical geography and
atmospheric sciences. Application deadline is October 15, 2007.
Qualified applicants should send their complete curriculum vitae,
statement of research and teaching interests, and names of three
referees with addresses preferably by email to
climate_search at geog.ucsb.edu, or by mail to Search Committee,
Department of Geography, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA
93106-4060.
********************
(JOB 20) Research scientist - Walker Institute for Climate System
Research (UK).
www.reading.ac.uk/Jobs Look for Job reference: RS07053
Understand and reduce the uncertainty in model predictions of the
future of the Atlantic overturning circulation
We need a talented and imaginative scientist to work on a project
aiming to understand and reduce the uncertainty in model predictions
of the future of the Atlantic overturning circulation.
You will investigate the physical reasons for the differences in
the changes simulated by various models, and evaluate them against
theoretical understanding. This is an opportunity to work on an
important subject in collaboration with other leading groups in the
UK and abroad.
You will have: a PhD in physical or mathematical science;
strong scientific analytical ability, creativity and self-
motivation; an interest in climate science, especially climate
change; competence in programming and data analysis; good
communication skills, both written and oral; ability to maintain
productive working relationships with collaborators
A PhD or research experience in climate or Earth System science
would be an advantage.
For informal enquiries please contact:
Professor Jonathan Gregory tel. +44(0)118 378 7376,
email j.m.gregory at reading.ac.uk or
Dr Remi Tailleux tel. +44(0)118 378 8328, email
r.g.j.tailleux at reading.ac.uk
Contact details: Further information and application forms are
available at www.reading.ac.uk/Jobs or telephone 0118 378 6771
(voicemail). Look for Job reference: RS07053
********************
(JOB 21) Post-doc - Climate modeling - Department of Earth and
Environmental Sciences University of Texas - Arlington (USA)
Experience in oceanography or related sciences and an interest in
paleoceanography is expected.
Postdoctoral Research Position in Climate Modeling. An opening
exists in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences,
University of Texas at Arlington to investigate the interactions of
climate and the marine carbon cycle in earth history. The position
includes opportunities to interact with researches from the
University of Texas campuses and the National Center for Atmospheric
Research.
The position is available from October 1, 2007 for a 1-year term
with renewal for a second year by mutual agreement, and includes a
minimum salary of $43,000 plus benefits. The candidate should have a
Ph.D., or should expect to complete her/his requirements by September
30, 2007. A Ph.D. with experience in oceanography or related sciences
and an interest in paleoceanography is expected. Preference will be
given to applicants with a strong knowledge in programming languages
such as Fortran and C, as well as UNIX.
To apply send CV, publication list, statement of individual
research interest, and names of three potential referees via email
(pdf) to Prof. Arne Winguth (awinguth at uta.edu ) (Dept. of Earth and
Environmental Sciences, University of Texas at Arlington, 107
Geoscience Bldg., Box 19049, Arlington, Texas 76019-0049).
Evaluations will start immediately and will continue until the
position is filled.
A Ph.D. research assistantship is available to study the dynamics
of oxygen isotopes in the earth system and the effects of vertical
transport, mixing and geochemistry on their distribution in the
ocean. The research will be based on a combination of theory,
modeling, and data analysis and will be supervised by Prof. Arne
Winguth (awinguth at uta.edu). Applications are encouraged for Fall 2007
or Spring 2008 for admission to the graduate program at the
University of Texas at Arlington. The successful applicant will be
hosted in the Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences.
Qualified students possessing strong physics, geoscience, and
computer skills should contact the advisor above.
********************
(JOB 22) Asst Prof - Ecological Forecasting - University of South
Carolina – Columbia SC (USA)
The University of South Carolina at Columbia invites applications
for a tenure-track position at the rank of Assistant Professor in the
area of Ecological Forecasting. This position is part of the
University's Faculty Excellence Initiative (FEI) program, and will
enhance an interdisciplinary research group developing forecasts of
ecological responses to climate change in coastal regions. The
faculty member will be expected to form strong research
collaborations with other hires in this cluster and with existing
faculty having strengths in this area. We seek candidates in the
following areas (i) conservation biogeography, with an emphasis on
issues of habitat fragmentation, connectivity, and changes in
community composition across biogeographic scales; (ii)
microclimatology, with focus on moisture and energy fluxes in the
boundary layer; and (iii) signal analysis, with experience in
environmental science and capacity to "translate" large scale
environmental signals to the scale of an individual organism. Tenure-
home departments may include Biological Sciences, Geography, and
Computer Science and Engineering, and a joint appointment with the
School of the Environment may be possible.
Successful applicants are expected to hold a PhD, to have a
strong publication record, to establish and maintain an extramurally
funded research program, and to teach undergraduate and graduate
courses. Applicants should submit a letter of application, statements
of teaching and research interests, a curriculum vitae and arrange to
have three letters of recommendation sent directly to the chair of
the search committee: Prof. Brian Helmuth, Department of Biological
Sciences, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208. General
inquiries may be made via e-mail to helmuth at biol.sc.edu; Ph
803-777-2100; Fax: 803-777-4002. To receive full consideration
applications must be received by November 1, 2007.
********************
(JOB 23) Prof - Marine and Atmospheric Sciences - Institute of Low
Temperature Science (ILTS) - Hokkaido University (Japan)
A Professor position in the Marine and Atmospheric Sciences
Section of the Institute of Low Temperature Science (ILTS) is now
open. ILTS, a research institute affiliated with Hokkaido University,
promotes interdisciplinary studies on various natural phenomena
occurring in the cryosphere. The Marine and Atmospheric Sciences
section investigates roles of high-latitude seas, especially ice-
covered seas, in the global climate system.
The successful applicant should have demonstrated abilities to be
an excellent researcher and have high research productivity with the
potential to lead new and innovative research programs. He or she is
expected to conduct studies on physical processes in the high-
latitude seas mainly based on observations. This includes publishing
results regularly in high-impact journals and actively seeking
funding in support of research. The applicant is also required to do
education-related duties in the Graduate School of Environmental
Science in Hokkaido University and supervise graduate students. He or
she should have a PhD and evidence of teaching at the university
level in Japanese or English (or both). The conditions of employment,
such as the duration, will follow University regulations, and the
starting date should be the earliest possible date after April 1, 2008.
Documents needed for application are as follows: (1) Curriculum
Vitae: includes your address, your complete academic career including
your history of both teaching and research, your degrees, and your
prizes; (2) Publication list: classify these into original papers
published in peer-reviewed journals, review papers, books, and other
publications; (3) Reprints or copies of your most significant
publications: limit this to 5 and clearly reference them by labels on
your publication list; (4) List of major research funds; (5) List of
activities in international and domestic societies: includes
committee activities and the editing or organizing of meetings or
symposiums; (6) Outline and results of past research (approx. 1000
words); (7) Research plans and perspective (approx. 1000 words). (8)
Names of two references.
The deadline for application is November 30, 2007, and the
application documents should be sent by mail to Dr. Akira Kouchi,
Director Institute of Low Temperature Science, Hokkaido University,
Kita-19, Nishi-8, Kita-ku, Sapporo 060-0819, Japan.
Information about our organization, including institute faculty
and staff, is on our web-site (<http://www.lowtem.hokudai.ac.jp>).
Direct inquiries can be made to Dr. Naoto Ebuchi (Tel
+81-11-706-5470, Fax +81-11-706-7142, E-mail:
ebuchi at lowtem.hokudai.ac.jp).
********************
(JOB 24) Post-doc - Modeling - Dept. of Meteorology - Univ of Reading
(UK)
http://www.info.rdg.ac.uk/newjobs/jobdetails/RS07051.pdf
Closing Date: 12/10/2007
We need a talented researcher to undertake research and perform
model experiments and analysis for a NERC funded project entitled
'Sting jets in severe Northern European windstorms'. Sting jets lead
to localised regions of extremely damaging winds in intense storms.
You will determine the mechanisms leading to sting jets by performing
experiments with the Met Office forecast model and develop a
climatology of sting jets.
You will have: 1)(or expect shortly to obtain) a PhD in
atmospheric science or a closely related subject (e.g., in physics or
applied mathematics) 2) the ability to write and adapt computer
models 3) the ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in
writing 4) the ability to collaborate with other researchers 5) the
ability to manage your own time effectively.
Candidates with research experience in atmospheric science and
using (and ideally adapting) complex numerical models of the
atmosphere would be at an advantage.
For informal enquiries please contact Dr Suzanne Gray, Principal
Investigator, tel +44(0)118 378 6791 or email s.l.gray at reading.ac.uk
Application form: <http://www.rdg.ac.uk/personnel/
application_form.htm>
**************************************************
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 at 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 at whitman.edu or
disccrs at 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 at whitman.edu
Programs for Recent PhDs http://disccrs.org
DISCCRS poster http://disccrs.org
Workshop Report, Meeting the Needs of
Interdisciplinary Ph.D. Graduates in a
Changing Global Environment
http://marcus.whitman.edu/~weilercs/biocomplexity/
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