Upcoming Opportunities and Deadlines

June 2007 Mexico Field Trip
The spring SEEDS field trip will take place June 1-8, 2007 in Chiapas, Mexico, hosted by El Colegio de la Frontera Sur (ECOSUR). The theme of the field trip will be "forest and agroforest landscape transformation in southern Mexico: consequences for biodiversity, conservation, and rural livelihoods." The application deadline is January 31, 2007. More information and the application are available at http://www.esa.org/seeds/activities/FieldtripsInfo.php.

 

Chapter Maintenance Grants
The SEEDS Campus Ecology Chapter program offers a Maintenance Grant to support Chapters. This grant is intended to ensure that each Chapter has funds to establish itself and/or sustain its presence on campus and beyond. Chapters in good standing may submit a proposal anytime before March 1, 2007. More information and the application are available at http://www.esa.org/seeds/activities/CampusEcologyChapters/MaintenanceGrants.php.

 

ESA Annual Meeting Travel Awards
Applications for travel awards for students, alumni, and SEEDS Chapter advisors to attend the 2007 ESA Annual Meeting will be available in late December/early January. The application deadline will be March 12, 2007. The applications will be available at http://esa.org/seeds/activities/AnnualMeetingInfo.php.

 

Chapter Special Project Proposals
Chapters, do you have project ideas for which you'd like to seek funding? The next SEEDS Campus Ecology Chapter Special Project Grant proposal deadline is January 26, 2007. More information is available at http://www.esa.org/seeds/activities/CampusEcologyChapters/SpecialProjectGrants.php.

 

SEEDS Highlights

Ku'ulei Vickery, 2006-07 Undergraduate Research Fellow
Aloha, I’m Ku`ulei and a senior at the University of Hawai`i at Manoa, majoring in environmental studies with an emphasis in marine ecology. I am a waterwoman. I’ve played, worked, and lived on the ocean. As an ocean enthusiast, I’m a long-distance sailor, surfer, swimmer, open-water diver, oceanographer, and budding ecologist. My love for the ocean has blossomed into a lifestyle and worthwhile academic endeavor. I’m interested in endangered marine species, indigenous knowledge, endemic Hawaiian marine animals, island ecosystems, and migratory routes of sea turtles. Being a native Hawaiian, I have struggled for years to coexist in a dual relationship of western science and Hawaiian culture. Throughout this journey I’ve continued to follow the path of my ancestors, and in turn, pave the way for the future. Through SEEDS, I have the opportunity to live in Shark Bay, Western Australia for 6 months and study the food web ecology of stingrays. I’m very excited and thankful for this awesome chance to conduct my own research. I’ve also participated in two field trips and an ESA Annual Meeting. Thanks to SEEDS, I view the world through the eyes of an ecologist.

My advice to other students is to figure out what is important to you, personalize it, and run with it. Don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t do it, especially if it's yourself.

A’ohe pau ka ‘ike i ka halau ho’okahi. One can learn from many sources.
– Mary Kawena Pukui 1983
Olelo No’eau, Hawaiian Proverbs and Poetical Sayings

For more information on the SEEDS Undergraduate Research Fellowship, visit http://www.esa.org/seeds/activities/FellowshipsInfo.php

 

Mike Heithaus, PhD, 2006-07 Undergraduate Research Fellowship Mentor

How did you become interested in science?
I’ve been interested in biology and ecology for as long as I can remember. I grew up following my parents (both biologists) into the field and spent my time catching every creature I could find from snakes and lizards to butterflies and ants. I also loved to go fishing and spent as much time as possible at lakes or the ocean. Even as a kid I knew that I wanted to be a biologist. I have been very fortunate to be able to achieve my goals of working with amazing organisms in wonderful places and sharing my knowledge with students at many levels from undergraduate and graduate students to kids in middle school and elementary school.

What are your specific research interests in ecology?
I am interested in the influence of predator-prey interactions on community dynamics, and especially how predators influence their prey and communities through non-lethal mechanisms (e.g. fear of predators). Most of my work has focused on the role of tiger sharks in structuring a pristine seagrass community in Australia. These studies mostly involve work on tiger shark prey, like turtles and sea cows, to determine how they respond to the risk from sharks. Recently, I have become interested in using the insights that we have gained in Australia to studies in, and conservation of, marine communities that have been heavily impacted by humans through the removal of top predators.

What has been your experience with SEEDS and what effect have you seen it have on students?
Although I am just embarking on my journey as a SEEDS mentor, I have been able to provide research experiences for many undergraduate students in Shark Bay over the past decade. I have watched these students transform from classroom oriented students into confident field researchers with the tools to continue on in ecology professionally, as most of them have. I am very excited about the SEEDS project and helping Ku`ulei with her research. I am sure that this will help to crystallize her passion to be an ecologist and provide important experience and tools to help her achieve her professional goals. Seeing students take advantage of such opportunities and using them to launch their careers is one of the most rewarding experiences I have had as a teacher and researcher.

What professional advice would you give to other students thinking of making a career in ecology?
Wow, how much space do I get?! The most important advice that I can give is to be passionate about what you do and then work hard at it! Ecology is challenging in so many ways that if you don’t love what you are doing it will not be easy. Early in your career be prepared to work very hard and try to gain as many experiences as you can! Then you can tell your students how hard you worked back in the day. In all seriousness, it is hard work and dedication that distinguishes the students that do well from the rest of the crowd. Hard work means poring through the literature and staying up on the latest papers, paying attention to details in your writing, working long hours in the field or lab, and working well with collaborators. Some other bits of advice that I would give are: 1) Don’t be afraid of math – ecology is a quantitative science and you need to be comfortable with it. Take courses where you can and don’t be afraid to seek out advice from others 2) Learn plenty of non-academic skills – when you are in the field in remote locations, knowing how to tinker with gear (or boats and trucks) can save a field season. 3) Cultivate relationships – ecology requires teamwork with other scientists and usually people that live in the areas where we work. Teaming up with other hard-working ecologists is one of the most enjoyable aspects of this job, but so is spending time with non-ecologists who are interested in what we do. In graduate school, you may learn more from other students than from your advisors, so learn from your peers and be there to help fellow students when they could use your advice. Most of all – go out there and have fun with it!

 

Colleen Cooley, SEEDS Fellow, Radio Feature
On Arizona Public Radio KNAU, Colleen Cooley is featured on Edge of the Rez, a piece that looks at Native American college students who leave all they know on the reservation for the high expectations of campus life. To listen to Colleen's story, go to: http://www.knau.org/edgerez4.html.

 

2007-08 Fellows
In last month's issue we introduced the new fellows. This month we've asked each of them to share more with all of you.

My name is Jarrod Blue and I am a junior at Davidson College in Davidson, North Carolina. I'm a Biology major with a focused interest in ecology. I have always had an interest in environmental issues, but the ecology class that I took first semester sophomore year changed everything for me. I entered the class with pre-med floating in my mind as a possible career choice, but as a result of the labs and papers that we read, I quickly veered off the pre-med track and turned full speed ahead into ecology. Currently I have an interest in community ecology, and specifically with the concepts of competition, dispersal patterns, and metacommunities. Since January 2006, I have been researching the colonization and dispersal patterns of invertebrates, specifically mosquitoes, within a metacommunity framework. I am very grateful to ESA for receiving the SEEDS fellowship and I look forward to working and meeting all of you during this fellowship period and beyond!

 

 

 

Hi! My name is Annette Cardona. I was born and raised in Austin, Texas. I am currently attending Texas A&M University at Corpus Christi. I am in my fourth year and majoring in ecology. I was first drawn to marine biology when my sister made me go with her and her kids to SeaWorld. I saw the famous Shamu show and became hooked. The next year I attended the SeaWorld summer camp and took an aquatic science class. When I got to college all I wanted was to work at SeaWorld or an aquarium with the animals, but I started volunteering in a fisheries ecology lab on campus and took a general ecology class and my interest began to change. Understanding how the systems, marine life, and human impact work together was very intriguing. For about the past two years, I have been becoming increasingly interested in outreach and education, and conservation; not just of the marine mammals, but of the whole ocean, down to our estuaries. I would love to be a part of creating curricula or programs for aquaria, federal programs, college outreach programs, and other related places. With outreach I can help save and preserve the ocean systems and also inspire future scientists and educators.

 

 

Hello. My name is Colleen Cooley and I am currently attending Northern Arizona University (NAU) as a junior studying environmental sciences with an emphasis in management. I was born and raised on the Navajo Nation, specifically from a small rural community called Shonto, Arizona. My family and I grew up with no running water and electricity and we continue to live the same lifestyle ever since my parents moved to this beautiful place I call home. Therefore, my lifestyle revolved around animals and the environment and being creative with what we had around my home. From the time I began to understand the issues within the environment surrounding the Navajo tribe, I knew I wanted to return to the Reservation and help them in any way I can, which led me into the environmental sciences field. As I grew older, I learned more and more about the many issues surrounding our environment. I believe my older sister was another reason I chose to go into the environmental field because she knew a lot about the environment and the importance of recycling. I would love to learn more about the policy aspect of managing the environment, especially with the issues the Native American tribes are facing with their lands. In addition, I’m interested in learning more about conservation with water on Native lands because I come from a reservation where water is sacred and precious to my people and strip mining has taken most of our water just to provide electricity for people in Southern California and Las Vegas, Nevada. I would like to share my knowledge about policy and management on Native lands with the Native American tribes who don’t understand why these environmental issues on their lands are continuing to affect them and why not much is being done about it.

 

My name is Micki Lindeman. I am studying tribal environmental science at United Tribes Technical College in Bismarck, North Dakota. My late father was a full-blooded Native American of the Oglala Lakota Nation from the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in southern South Dakota. I am deeply interested in Native American land issues and I have an interest in environmental law and Native American law. I strongly believe that preserving our reservation lands is important in preserving our native cultures which are so deeply imbedded in our relationship with our environment. I believe my interest in Ecology came from my grandparents. I spent most of my childhood with my maternal grandparents who were avid outdoorsmen. I grew up hunting, fishing and camping on the beautiful Missouri River and on Lake Oahe. My paternal grandfather was a game warden on the Rosebud Indian Reservation and while I never was privileged to meet him, I believe I inherited some of his love for the reservation lands. I hope to someday teach at a tribal college and pass on my passion for the land and help to encourage future Native ecologists. I am grateful to SEEDS for all the opportunities they have given me and I hope to someday give to others the encouragement everyone in the SEEDS program has given me.

 

 

My name is Sheena Hillstrom. Originally from Shelton, Washington, I am an environmental science and regional planning major at Washington State University. Having grown up with the forests of the Pacific Northwest as my playground, I have a passionate interest in forest ecology as well as in the human impact on forests from our urban environments. My interest in ecology came about last spring in my Environment and Human Life class in which we studied the relationship between humans and the environment. This summer I had the opportunity to have some "hands-on" experience working in restoration plots in Costa Rica with the Organization for Tropical Studies' Native American and Pacific Islander Research Experience where I researched the role of decaying log microsites in a natural restoration situation. In the broader context, I found that there are ways that humans can aid in the restoration process of our natural resources. Working with other indigenous students and meeting the indigenous people of Costa Rica I had the opportunity to hear their concerns about their lands, opening my eyes to issues that need to be addressed. I look forward to meeting and working with you all!

 

SEEDS Updates

New SEEDS Chapters
SEEDS would like to welcome Iowa State University and the University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras to the Campus Ecology Chapter network.

 

ESA Blog: Contribute Your Opinion on Service in Ecology
ESA's Blog "News and Views" has an interesting piece from past and current student section chairs entitled "Proud to be ecologists (and students)" An excerpt: "We tend to think a lot about service, which isn’t something that grad school programs seem to emphasize to budding scientists. We like research, writing, statistics, and working with plants, birds, and prairie dogs as much as the next guy. But we are probably most proud to be ecologists because of the service we are able to provide to society and to each other." To read more, go to http://www.esa.org/esablog/?p=16.

 

Event Recaps

Coweeta Field Trip
From November 2-5, 2006 SEEDS sponsored a student field trip to Georgia and North Carolina, highlighting the research of the Coweeta LTER (Long Term Ecological Research) program. Attendees included seventeen students from twelve schools across the country, two SEEDS Chapter faculty, and two staff from the Ecological Society of America. Many activities took place during the field trip. Participants met with a number of people from the University of Georgia’s Institute of Ecology and graduate school and were given a tour of the Institute. Participants then traveled from Athens, Georgia to Otto, North Carolina to learn about the ecological research being done at the Coweeta LTER. The field trip also offered an opportunity for cultural enrichment with a stop at the Museum of the Cherokee Indian. To read the field trip report and look at photos, go to http://www.esa.org/seeds/activities/FieldtripsInfo/pastfieldtrips.php.

 

Ecology Bulletin Board

Kansas State University Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)

Location: Manhattan, Kansas
Participation Dates: late May - early August 2007
The REU Site Program at Kansas State University provides opportunities to conduct independent ecological research projects under the guidance of experienced researchers working in conservation biology and grassland ecology. The REU has been structured to include activities which will contribute to the professional development of the participants as young scientists. The intellectual focus of the REU program at Konza Prairie is the Ecology and Evolutionary Biology of a Temperate Grassland. A better understanding of the biology of temperate grasslands is essential to the management of these endangered ecosystems.
Benefits: Credit for a 3-credit college course: Research Seminar in Grassland Ecology. Tuition and book costs will be covered by the REU program. A summer stipend of $4,000 for the duration of the 10-week program
Eligibility: Citizens or permanent residents of the United States or its possessions (e.g., Puerto Rico). Undergraduate students enrolled in a degree program (full- or part-time) leading to a Bachelor's degree.
Application: Visit http://www.k-state.edu/bsanderc/reu/reuapply.htm
Application Deadline: March 1, 2007
Contact: Dr. Gail W.T. Wilson, REU Program Coordinator, Division of Biology, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506-4901; e-mail: gwtw@ksu.edu; phone 785-532-2892

 

University of Michigan Biological Station Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)

The UMBS REU is designed to provide "hands-on" experience and training in field biology and atmospheric science with all phases of research, from hypothesis formulation, through data gathering, to analysis, interpretation, and communication of scientific studies.
Location: Pellston, Michigan
Participation Dates: June 23 - August 18, 2007
Benefits: A stipend of $4,000 is paid to each student participant. Room and board expenses for the eight-week period are covered and an allowance for travel and research supplies is provided. Students may receive up to 3 semester hours credit for an independent study project (Biology 400: Advanced Research in Biology) by advance arrangement with a mentor/professor and the UMBS Office.
Eligibility: Students must be at least of junior status at the start of the summer program and a permanent resident of the United States.
Application: Visit http://www.lsa.umich.edu/umbs/forms/
Application Deadline: February 15, 2007
Contact: University of Michigan Biological Station, 2014 Natural Science Bldg., 830 N. University Ave., Ann Arbor, MI 48109-1048; Phone: 734-763-4461 Fax: 734-647-1952

 

University of Idaho Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)

Location: Moscow, Idaho
Participation Dates: early June - early August, 2007
The Environmental Science Program at the University of Idaho is providing a Research Experience for Undergraduates who are underrepresented in the sciences. Research projects will be conducted in areas such as forest canopy transpiration, ecohydrology of fish ecology, watershed restoration, water resources sustainability, forest hydrology, and groundwater microbiology.
Benefits: REU students receive a stipend of $3,600 for nine weeks of research, as well as a food allowance of $500, housing, and reimbursement for travel expenses up to $500. Upon successful completion of research projects, UI provides $750 support for students to present their research results at the National Congress for Undergraduate Research or other national conference.
Eligibility: Upcoming juniors and seniors are considered from a variety of science and engineering disciplines, including biology, ecology, natural resources, civil engineering, soil science, geology, and other environmental science and engineering programs related to water resources. You must be a U.S. citizen or a permanent resident to apply.
Application: Visit http://www.water.uidaho.edu/reu.htm
Application Deadline: February 15, 2007
Contact: envs@uidaho.edu

 

Canon National Parks Science Scholars Program

The Canon National Parks Science Scholars Program 2007 competition is a collaboration among Canon, the American Association for the Advancement of Science, and the US National Park Service.
Eligibility: PhD students throughout the Americas to conduct research critical to conserving the national parks of the region. Research projects in the biological, physical, social, and cultural sciences are eligible, as well as projects in technology innovation in support of conservation science.
Benefits: Thanks to a generous commitment by Canon, the program will be awarding eight US$80,000 scholarships to PhD students throughout the Americas.
Application: For information about the Canon National Parks Science Scholars Program and a copy of the application guide, please visit the website http://www.canonscholars.org .
Application Deadline: May 3, 2007
Contact: see application above

 

Prairie Biotic Research, Inc., Prairie Research Grants

Prairie Biotic Research (PBR), Inc., is a Wisconsin nonprofit established in 2000 to foster biotic research in prairies. One way we do this is through a Small Grants Program that funds grants up to $1,000 for the study of any grassland taxon in the USA.
Benefits: Since 2002, we have awarded 34 grants worth nearly $31,000 to researchers in 13 states to study insects, plants, mammals, reptiles, slime molds, mycorrhizal fungi, spiders, and invasive species.
Eligibility: We are especially eager to support independent researchers (individuals lacking institutional support), but anyone may apply.
Application: To apply for a grant, contact Michael Anderson at Prairie Biotic Research, Inc., PO Box 5424, Madison, WI 53705, or by email at pbr-grants@tds.net for a 2007 Grant Application Form and instructions.
Application Deadline: Applications must be postmarked on or before January 8, 2007
Contact: see application above

 

University of Alberta Graduate Assistantships

Three Graduate Research Assistantship’s leading to an MS or PhD at the University of Alberta in stress physiology of trees under the supervision of Dr. Mel Tyree are offered for research programs starting June to September 2007. Possible research areas include xylem structure/function, cold and drought stress physiology, tree hydraulics versus performance, and role of aquaporin gene expression in whole tree hydraulics.
Location: Alberta, Canada
Participation Dates: June to September 2007
Application: Contact mtyree@afhe.ualberta.ca with statements of research interest and a CV, and consult www.ualberta.ca for information on graduate school admissions.
Application Deadline: GRAs open until filled.
Contact: see application above

 

If you're interested in posting an opportunity, please visit http://www.esa.org/seeds/activities/newsletter.php

 

Help Support SEEDS

We invite you to contribute to ESA's SEEDS Program to help support and encourage greater diversity in the ecology profession. Contributions to the SEEDS program are tax deductible and are used to support special initiatives for underrepresented students. To contribute, visit www.esa.org/seeds/supportSEEDS.php