Monday, October 19, 2009
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CES News
- CES Fall Seminar Series, October 22 (Thursday at 4 pm)
- CCURB Info Session, October 20 (Tuesday)
- Open Seminars for “Cultural Competence and Ethics”
On Campus
- International Scholars Program Deadline Extension
- Brown Environmental Fellows Information session, October 20 (Tuesday)
- Open House: Brown M.A. Program in Public Humanities, October 29
Off-Campus
- Providence youth release environmental videos, October 19 (Today)
- 350.ORG World Climate Awareness Day, October 24 (Saturday)
- Bioneers by the Bay Conference, October 23-25 (Fri-Sun)
- Follow the Water!, October 27
Internships & Opportunities
- Call for applications: Internship at World Wildlife Fund- US Headquarters in Washington DC
- Job Opening at World Resources Institute: Research Assistant Leveraging Lacey
- Environmental Health Research – Endocrine Disruptors, Cancer Research Assistant
- Undergraduate research symposium in April 2010
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CES News_________________________
CES Noon Seminar
An update on the global carbon cycle
Jorge Sarmiento
Professor, Geosciences and Atmospheric and Ocean Sciences, Princeton University
Thursday, October 22, 4pm
Macmillan 115
Co-sponsored by the Department of Geological Sciences
Dr. Jorge L. Sarmiento is a Professor of Geosciences at Princeton University . He has published widely on the oceanic cycles of climatically important chemicals such as carbon dioxide, on the use of chemical tracers to study ocean circulation, and on the impact of climate change on ocean biogeochemistry. He has participated in the scientific planning and execution of many of the large-scale multi-institutional and international oceanographic biogeochemical and tracer programs of the last two decades. He was Director of Princeton's Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences Program from 1980 to 1990 and 2006 to the present, and is Director of the Cooperative Institute for Climate Science.
[Note special time and location]
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CCURB Info Session
You like light bulbs?
You'll love this!
(in case you care about people and/or environment and/or having a paycheck...)
CCURB Info Session
Tuesday, October 20 @ 4 pm
UEL Classroom, 135 Angell St
brown.edu/ccurb
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/event.php?eid=188829269357&ref=nf
Work for Social and Environmental Good
How can I find a meaningful part-time job? Where does Project 20/20 get all its money? What's the connection between utility bills and climate change?
Community Carbon Use Reduction at Brown (CCURB) is looking for more ideas and broader participation, come and learn how you can build upon existing work.
CCURB is an initiative that engages students in implementing projects that have positive social and environmental impacts in Providence and Rhode Island communities. Grants are available for projects that demonstrate student and community engagement, and a measurable reduction in carbon emissions.
Letters of Interest - Due Nov 2 @ 11:59 pm
Individuals and teams are invited to submit a Letter of Interest to provide a brief overview of the proposed project.
Grant Applications - Due Nov 30 @ 11:59 pm
Grant application available for download at http://www.brown.edu/Departments/CCURB/documents/GrantApplication.doc
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Open Seminars for “Cultural Competence and Ethics”
Mondays: 3:00 pm – 5:20 pm, UEL Classroom
Students can attend any one of these seminars for training in these ethical issues with environmental field studies. Please contact Professor Quigley (Dianne_Quigley_1@brown.edu if you are interested in attending a seminar and for guest access to MyCourses course webpage for relevant readings.
Monday, Oct. 26, 2009
Defining and Representing the Community for Community-based Interventions
This seminar provides a review of why researchers need to define the community for research partnership/engagement; what are common ways that community is defined and how have researchers developed strategies for recruiting community representatives for advice/collaboration or partnership.
Upcoming Seminars on
“Moral Obligations to Communities for Field Studies”, Monday, Nov. 16, 2009;
“Cultural Diversity and Cultural Competence Theory for Engaging Culturally-Diverse Groups in Research/Interventions”, Monday, Nov. 23, 2009;
“Best Practices in Intercultural Research Designs with Culturally-Diverse Communities”, Monday, Nov. 30, 2009
On Campus_____________________
Brown Environmental Fellows Information session
Are you hooked on environmental research…
…but curious how it connects with policy and practice?
Interested in pursuing urgent policy questions…
…but concerned that answers be grounded in relevant research?
Learn more about the Brown Environmental Fellows program and enjoy free pizza.
Brown Environmental Fellows will fund up to 10 undergraduate research projects, developed jointly with a Brown faculty member and a mentor at a non-profit organization or regulatory agency. Fellows will also participate in a seminar the following year that will help place the research in a broader context and build additional skills in leadership and policy engagement.
Brown Environmental Fellows Information Session
Tuesday October 20 at Noon
MacMillan Hall, Room 317
http://brown.edu/Research/ECI/activities/bef.html
Prospective faculty mentors include:
Professor Kenneth Breuer (fluid mechanics and animal motion)
Senior Research Engineer Chris Bull, (engineering, energy and sustainable technologies)
Assistant Professor Erika Edwards (plant physiology and evolution and global change)
Assistant Professor Meredith Hastings (atmospheric chemistry, nitrogen cycling and global change)
Assistant Professor Heather Leslie (marine conservation science and policy)
Assistant Professor Sri Navagarapu (environmental economics, development)
Assistant Professor Stephen Porder (biogeochemistry and global change)
Assistant Professor Jeremy Rich (microbial ecology)
Assistant Professor Dov Sax (invasive species and global change)
Assistant Professor Kate Smith (conservation medicine)
Professor Emeritus Tom Webb (paleoecology, climate modeling)
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International Scholars Program Deadline Extension
The application deadline for the International Scholars Program has been extended to Friday, October 30th in response to requests from students. This program provides an opportunity for undergraduate students to make international studies an integral part of their Brown curriculum. Twenty scholarships will be awarded for the current academic year. Students will receive up to $5000 to support an international research project in Summer 2010. Sophomores and juniors are encouraged to apply.
More info: http://www.brown.edu/Administration/International_Affairs/international/BrownInternational
ScholarsProgram.html
Open House: Brown M.A. Program in Public Humanities
Thursday, October 29
5-7 p.m.
John Nicholas Brown Center
357 Benefit St.
Do you want to learn about Brown's master's program in public
humanities? Come to our open house! Enjoy refreshments, learn more about
the program, and meet current and former students. A brief presentation
on the program will take place at 6 p.m.
Please RSVP for the open house to publichumanities@brown.edu or 401
863-1177
Following the open house, join us at 7 p.m. for a lecture by Marci
Reaven of Place Matters entitled Beer Gardens, Bookstores, and
Ballrooms: Finding the Places that Make a City Thrive.
For more information visit our Web site at www.brown.edu/jnbc.
Off-Campus_______
Providence Youth Release Environmental Videos
WHAT: Green Teenz, an environmental justice program for Providence youth, will release two videos made by program participants. The first video is a 30 second public service announcement about litter; the second video teaches viewers about health hazards associated with common household cleaning products. Both videos are available in English and Spanish (subtitled). Green Teenz was funded by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency under the agency’s Environmental Justice Small Grant Program.
WHERE: Community Room, Hartford Park High Rise, 1st Floor, 375 Hartford Avenue, Providence, RI
WHEN: Monday, October 19, 2009 at 6PM
SPEAKERS: Steven Fischbach, RI Legal Services, Project Coordinator
Desi Washington, MY TV, Green Teenz Instructor
Green Teenz Participants
VISUALS: Videos produced by Green Teenz youth.
DIRECTIONS: From downtown Providence, take Route 10 South to Route 6 West, exit at Hartford Avenue, turn left at light, take right at second traffic light and high rise will be immediately on your right.
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350.ORG World Climate Awareness Day, October 24th
350.Org is worldwide movement to build awareness of the need to reduce the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the earth’s atmosphere. The term 350 comes from a study by Jim Hansen, a renowned NASA climate scientist. In his study, Hansen concluded that if the amount of carbon dioxide in earth’s atmosphere continues to exceed 350 parts per million (PPM), the earth’s environment will no longer be “similar to the one on which civilization developed and to which life on earth is adapted.” 350.Org’s mission is to organize a global grass roots movement demanding an international treaty that will enforce reducing atmospheric CO2 below the 350 PPM level.
350.Org created the October 24th International Day of Climate Action as a focal point for the formation of local grass roots actions, each organized by an ad hoc organizing committee or existing environmental group. Each local group is encouraged to put on a CO2 impact awareness event on October 24th. 350.Org is banking that the sheer numbers of participants at the world-wide events will sway international leaders to take appropriate regulatory action at the December Copenhagen climate conference.
There is evidence that the 350.Org grassroots movement is taking hold. As of October 18th the www.350.Org website already shows close to3560 events planned in 161 countries. First Unitarian’s event is one of several International Day of Climate Action events being held in Providence on October 24th. The complete schedule of all Providence events can be found at http://www.350.org/action-list?country=us&city=providence . There are also events planned in Newport and Wakefield.
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Bioneers by the Bay Conference
Bioneers By the Bay is a progressive conference focusing on the interconnectedness between environmental sustainability and social justice. It originated in California and has sprung up at various locations all around the country. Bioneers By the Bay is hosted by the Marion Institute and will address visionary and practical solutions for addressing environmental and social issues.
The conference will take place in downtown New Bedford, October 23-25. Some keynote speakers include Will Allen, Robin Chase, Paul Hawken, Winona LaDuke, and many more. There will also be youth-led workshops and presentations, films and live music, and local, organic food.
This conference has a youth focus and is centered on empowering and involving youth with problems that will face our generation. It costs $225 for a 3-day pass, $175 for a 2-day pass, and $100 for a 1-day pass and scholarships are available (both individual and group).
For more information, visit http://www.connectingforchange.org/.
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Follow the Water!
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
4:00 to 7:00 PM
Community College of RI - Warwick Campus, Rm. 4080
A presentation on streamflow and water availability in Rhode Island featuring:
Alisa Richardson, Principal Engineer, Office of Water Resources, Rhode Island DEM
Mark Smith, The Nature Conservancy, Director, Eastern Freshwater Program
Kenneth Burke, General Manager, RI Water Resources Board
Jon Reiner, Director of Planning, Town of North Kingstown
Meg Kerr, Watershed and Community Projects Coordinator, Narragansett Bay Estuary Program
The starting point for managing our state's shared water resources is a look at how much water we have and where it is. Get a glimpse of the big picture of regional water supplies, Learn about DEM's study of water availability in RI. Hear how the RI Water Resources Board and one local community are using this information.
Internships & Opportunities_______
Call for applications: Internship at World Wildlife Fund- US Headquarters in Washington DC
Protected Area Downgrading, Downsizing and Degazettement – Africa Internship
Conservation policy assumes that protected areas are 'forever', but reality suggests otherwise. World Wildlife Fund – US (WWF-US) is systematically investigating patterns, trends, and causes of protected area degazettement, downgrading, and downsizing(PADDD), and their implications for the sustainability of conservation efforts. WWF-US is seeking a currently enrolled graduate student to conduct an internship to investigate PADDD in Africa. The successful candidate will identify and explore PADDD in Africa by drawing upon existing datasets (e.g., UNEP-WCMC); popular, gray, and peer-reviewed literatures, and personal communication. Outputs may include map and graphs of PADDD patterns and trends, as well as statistical analyses identifying predictors of PADDD. Results will be published in the peer reviewed scientific literature and shared widely across the conservation community. These outputs will inform conservation policy and practice by providing a scientific assessment of PADDD; allow conservation decision-makers to identify potentially "at risk" protected areas; and potentially inform REDD negotiations regarding the appropriateness of REDD funding to support forest protected areas.
Requirements: Current enrollment in a graduate degree program in the social sciences, natural resources management/conservation, or related; strong research skills; proficiency in French, Arabic and/or Portuguese; and familiarity with GIS and statistical software. Preference will be given to applicants for whom this research could serve as the foundation for a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation This position requires eligibility to work or study in the United States.
Duration: This is an unpaid full-time position, up to six months, based at WWF-US headquarters in Washington DC.
Deadline for Applications: November 15, 2009
Contact:Please contact Sharon Pailler atSharon.pailler@wwfus.orgfor more information.
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Job Opening at World Resources Institute: Research Assistant Leveraging Lacey
The People & Ecosystems Program (PEP) at the World Resources Institute (WRI) is seeking a results-oriented research assistant to help implement WRI efforts to leverage new laws and procurement policies to tackle illegal logging. The successful candidate will join a team that is building capacity within the forest product supply chain to comply with new laws aimed at reducing global demand for illegal wood (e.g., the U.S. Lacey Act), demonstrate enforcement of these laws, and encourage replication in major forest product importing countries.
The research assistant will be part of PEP’s Forest Landscape Initiative, which seeks to increase the ability of governments, businesses, and civil society to act upon better and more widely shared information to protect intact forests, manage working forests more sustainably, and restore deforested lands. Focused on forest-rich regions, the Initiative utilizes spatial and other forest-related information to stimulate, support, and monitor actions that promote more sustainable forest management.
Major responsibilities
Conduct research and analysis to help team members and partners to:
Pilot test Lacey Act compliance in 3-5 pilot supply chains. This work will include analyzing the flow of selected products back to their point of origin, interacting with suppliers, manufacturers, and trans-shippers along the supply chain. In addition, this work will systematically identify, document, and assess information flow obstacles.
- Develop tools and write publications that will help forest legality stakeholders (importers, supply chains, enforcement officials, and civil society) as they seek to identify instances of illegal logging and/or reduce the risk of purchasing forest products of illegal origin. Tools will include a website, an online risk assessment tool, and practical guides.
- Train companies in the forest products supply chain, non-governmental organizations, and others about the Lacey Act, other relevant forest legality legislation, and their implications.
- Trace and document the step-by-step movement of wood-based products from the forest through the mill to the U.S. port of entry.
- Reach out to U.S. federal policymakers about the importance of the Lacey Act, its efficacy, and need for sufficient ongoing support.
- Engage governments of other leading forest product importing countries/regions (e.g., Australia, the EU, Japan) about how to strengthen their laws to mimic or complement the Lacey Act.
Send cover letter and resume/curriculum vitae to (electronic preferred):
World Resources Institute
Attn: Richard Waite
Suite 800, 10 G Street, N.E.
Washington, DC 20002
Fax: 202-729-7798
e-mail: richard.waite@wri.org with subject line of “Research Assistant: Leveraging Lacey”
No phone calls please.
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Environmental Health Research – Endocrine Disruptors, Cancer Research Assistant
Silent Spring Institute, a non-profit institute studying the environment and health, seeks research assistant with skills and interests in environmental health science. We are a multi-disciplinary team with expertise in epidemiology, toxicology, chemistry, GIS, community-based research, and communications. Annual budget of approximately $1.8 million supports a staff of 13, working with collaborating investigators at Harvard, Brown, UC Berkeley etc. Research focuses on breast cancer and environmental pollutants, especially endocrine disrupting compounds and animal mammary gland carcinogens, and path-breaking studies of household exposures.
Responsibilities:
§ Provide research support for studies of household contaminants and drinking water pollutants.
§ Varied responsibilities include data management, data analysis, literature reviews, coordinating and conducting field sampling, working with community partners, and monitoring environmental policy. Assist with proposals and manuscripts.
§ Monitor scientific literature for relevant publications and help manage the Institute’s information center/library.
§ Opportunities for applicants familiar with R or GIS. Experience with R or ArcIMS and web-based GIS a plus.
§ Occasional evening/weekend responsibilities at public events.
Additional Qualifications:
Excellent academic record. Chemistry, biology, statistics, epidemiology, environmental science coursework an asset. Excellent attention to accuracy, quantitative reasoning, good writing and communications skills, ability to work independently within a multidisciplinary team. Commitment to careful and impartial research in a context of partnership between scientists and the public. Visit our web site at www.silentspring.org.
Send cover letter describing your interests and experience, resume, example of your writing, and copy of academic transcript (photocopy is ok) to Anna Claeys, Silent Spring Institute, 29 Crafts Street, Newton, MA 02458 or email to careers@silentspring.org with 'Research Assistant' in the subject line. EO Employer.
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2nd Annual Northeast Undergraduate Research Development Symposium
(NURDS)
This NSF-supported conference promotes “scientific exploration through peer collaboration”. Created, organized and run by undergraduate and graduate students, the symposium will provide a comfortable environment for undergraduate students to present their research. This research may have been done as an independent project, honors thesis, or senior thesis. Students can present their research as an oral presentation, poster or data blitz before an audience of peers. This is an excellent forum for students to get valuable feedback as well as develop meaningful scientific discussions between students from multiple universities.
At last years' NURDS symposium more than 200 students from 39 different universities attended. Students came from as far south as Connecticut, as far west as Vermont, and as far north as Halifax, Nova Scotia!
Don't miss NURDS 2010!
Undergraduate students studying biology, chemistry, physics, environmental science, or any other related natural science in the New England region and Maritime Canada are invited to attend.
We will accept presentations that fulfill the definition of undergraduate research as stated by the Council of Undergraduate Research, CUR: "An inquiry or investigation conducted by an undergraduate student that makes an original intellectual or creative contribution to the discipline"
REGISTRATION WILL OPEN ON NOVEMBER 17
The symposium will be held on April 17, 18 2010 at UNE Biddeford campus in southern Maine. We look forward to seeing you then!
For more information and registration go to http://nurds.une.edu or http://www.nurds.une.edu
For questions contact us at nurds@une.edu
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Please send questions, comments and stories to:
CES Newsletter Editor, Kelly Nichols
kelly.maree.nichols@gmail.com
Thanks!