Upcoming Opportunities and Deadlines

SEEDS Travel Awards for 2007 ESA Annual Meeting in San Jose, CA
SEEDS offers travel awards for undergraduate students, program alumni in graduate school, and Campus Ecology Chapter faculty advisors to attend the Ecological Society of America (ESA) Annual Meeting. Travel awards cover air travel, meals, lodging, and registration. Applications for travel awards are available at http://esa.org/seeds/activities/AnnualMeetingInfo.php. The application deadline is March 12, 2007. Don't forget to tell your Chapter members and other potential SEEDS students!

 

May 1 Chapter Report Deadline
May 1st is the annual report deadline for all SEEDS Campus Ecology Chapters. Annual report forms are at http://esa.org/seeds/activities/CampusEcologyChapters.php We look forward to learning more about what your Chapter has been doing.

 

ESA Student Section Travel Grants for Student Presenters
The ESA Student Section is awarding travel grants to help defray the costs of attendance for students (undergraduate or graduate) who plan to present poster or oral presentations at the 2007 ESA Annual Meeting. Awards are available for students from within and outside of the US. The application deadline is April 20, 2007. The application is available at www.esa.org/students. Direct questions to Abe Miller-Rushing (ajmr@bu.edu) or Jenny Talbot (talbot.jenny@gmail.com).

 

Please note that the SEEDS travel awards and the Student Section travel grants are separate opportunities. Student may, and are encouraged to, apply for both.

 

Event Recaps

SEEDS Leadership Meeting
A joint SEEDS Advisory Board meeting and second annual SEEDS Leadership Meeting was held in San Jose California on Feb. 23 and 24. The SEEDS leadership meeting consisted of almost all SEEDS fellowship students since the program was initiated in 2003. It was the first time that all the Advisory Board members had a chance to interact with SEEDS students. In addition, leaders of the Ecological Society of America (ESA) - governing board members Meg Lowman and Rich Pouyat - attended the meeting to give students a glimpse inside the ESA governing board.

The meeting theme was “Education and outreach in ecology: recognizing our responsibility, funding our ideas.” The meeting theme and location were selected to coincide with a student outreach planned for the upcoming ESA Annual Meeting in San Jose. Several SEEDS fellows took the initiative to plan the first-ever outreach field trip for San Jose high school students and teachers, as well as ESA members and their families, to be offered during the Annual Meeting in August. Participants will visit the Don Edwards wetlands in San Jose. SEEDS Fellows are following up on the field trip with a special session during the meeting on how to more effectively reach out to the communities that host ESA meetings. The February meeting gave students an opportunity to see the Don Edwards wetlands and prepare for the August field trip, and to introduce the field trip to other SEEDS fellowship students, the SEEDS Advisory Board, and governing board members.

In addition to preparing for the this field trip, students participated in a workshop series given by ESA members Jeff Herrick, Sonia Ortega, Cindy Wilber, Meg Lowman, and Rodolfo Dirzo on a variety of subjects, all with the intention of encouraging students to be leaders. A full description of the joint Advisory Board and SEEDS leadership meeting, along with photos, will be available in the April newsletter.

 

University of Michigan Chapter Visit
Jason Taylor, ESA’s Director of Education and Diversity Initiatives, met with the University of Michigan SEEDS Chapter in January. While he was there, faculty advisor Dr. Ivette Perfecto and student members reported to Jason their activities since the chapter began in the fall of 2006. Bi-weekly meetings, field trips, planning collaborations with local communities, and a “sciencepalooza” were some of the activities mentioned. In the future, they plan to invite local ecologists to participate in an environmental careers information session, and promote the science of ecology and its importance to non-ecology majors.

They are an extremely motivated young chapter with a future that promises to be very active. They would like to have better means of communication among chapter members and potential members, possibly with a website. They also feel that it is sometimes a challenge to start relationships with local schools for outreach activities. They suggested that ESA create a “how to” guide on contacting schools, and have grants specifically for working with local schools.

They also mentioned their interest in mitigating communication and interaction with other SEEDS chapters and brought up the idea of a regional SEEDS chapter meeting.

 

SEEDS Updates

Jorge Ramos, SEEDS Student Coordinator
The tables have turned! Now I have the amazing opportunity to be behind-the-scenes at the SEEDS program! Since I joined the SEEDS program on the Lafayette, Louisiana 2004 field trip, my life has not been the same. I participated in two field trips, three ESA annual meetings, and was a SEEDS Undergraduate Research Fellow two years ago. I wouldn’t be where I am and I wouldn’t be the person I am without the support I have received from SEEDS. Now, it is my time to give back and provide other students the opportunities that I enjoyed. Working for ESA with the SEEDS program in Washington, D.C. has been a life changing experience. I have discovered new things about myself and I have found new ways of making a difference in the world. I promise to do my best to serve all the past, present and future SEEDS participants. For all you past and present, SEEDS students, please keep in touch, as we are always anxious to hear about your current achievements and future plans. Future SEEDS students are out there, and they are just waiting for you -yes, you- to forward them this e-mail and invite them to join the SEEDS family!

 

Science and Policy

What is IPY?
On February 26, Jorge Ramos attended the inauguration of the International Polar Year (IPY) at the National Academies of Science. The IPY is a large scientific program focused on the Polar regions from March 2007 to March 2009. It promises to advance our understanding of how the Earth’s Polar regions impact global climate systems; it will be an intense campaign of polar research and analysis that will be multidisciplinary and international in participation. IPY involves over 200 projects, with thousands of scientists from more than 60 nations examining a wide range of physical, biological, and social research. One of the proposed goals is to fire the enthusiasm of the young population from every part of the world for future careers in science and engineering.

The IPY website contains many multimedia and interactive applications that everyone can access for free. There are many ways everyone can get involved and be part of the IPY, from scientists and science educators to students interested in polar research. Please visit their webapges for more information: www.ipy.org and www.us-ipy.org.

 

Ecology Bulletin Board

Research Experiences for Undergraduates
The National Science Foundation (NSF) Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the NSF. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects designed especially for the purpose.
Here is a sampling:
University of Colorado: Mountain Research Station
Location: Boulder, CO
Participation Dates: June 4 - August 10, 2007
Application Deadline: March 2, 2007

Georgia Southern University: Chemistry and Biology
Location: Statesboro, Georgia
Participation Dates: May 14 - July 20, 2007
Application Deadline: March 23, 2007

Marine Biological Laboratory: Amazon Tropical Watershed Studies
Location: Matto Grosso, Brazil
Participation Dates: July-August, 2007
Application Deadline: March 15, 2007

For more REU opportunities, go to: http://www.nsf.gov/crssprgm/reu/reu_search.cfm

 

Bat Ecology Research Assistant
A research assistant is needed for a project examining factors affecting foraging activities of the insectivorous Brazilian free-tailed bat. Work will include: nightly recording of foraging bat calls; measuring environmental variables; data entry/analysis; potential help/participation in additional bat research being conducted in the region
Location: South-central Texas
Participation Dates: Mid May to mid August of 2007
Benefits: Paid field position (w/ housing)
Eligibility: Looking for someone who is highly enthusiastic and interested in scientific research and the field of conservation biology. Applicants must have a valid driver's license, and should be comfortable working in the field at night.
Application Deadline: Until position is filled

Contact: For more information please contact Noa Davidai at ndavidai@utk.edu. Please attach a CV or resume.

 

Arctic Ecology Field Assistants
The Ecosystems Center of the Marine Biological Laboratory is seeking applicants for summer field assistant positions on an on going ecological research project. These positions will be located at the Toolik Field Station in northern Alaska.
Location: Toolik Field Station, Northern Alaska
Participation Dates: June - August, 2007
Benefits: Travel and living expenses will be paid in addition to a salary.
Eligibility: Applicants must be in good health, capable of rigorous physical outdoor activity (e.g., working long hours outside in potentially severe weather, carrying >40 pound pack across uneven terrain, hiking many miles per day across tundra) and be prepared to live in an isolated setting with harsh environmental conditions. Applicants should be prepared to live in a setting where cooperation with others is essential, personal privacy is limited and living accommodations are spare and simple. Candidates should be available to travel and live at Toolik Field Station during June, July and August. Applicants should be recent college graduates (BS or MS) with significant course work and/or field experience in ecology. Some background in terrestrial ecology, soil science, aquatic ecology, hydrology, chemistry, fish ecology and/or ecosystems ecology preferred.
Application: To apply, send a letter of interest, resume, copy of transcripts, the names addresses and phone numbers of 3 references and email addresses to: The Marine Biological Laboratory, ATTN: Human Resources reference code [SFA LTER], 7 MBL Street, Woods Hole, MA 02543-1015, or email materials including reference code SFA LTER to: resume@mbl.edu. Application Deadline: Until suitable candidates are identified
Contact: http://ecosystems.mbl.edu/

 

Judge Bay Wetlands Sanctuary Intern
We are accepting applications from university students to participate in new and on-going studies of turtles and wetlands for the 2007 field season. The fieldwork takes place at the Jug Bay Wetlands Sanctuary, a 1400-acre research station and environmental education center located on the Patuxent River Estuary, 20 miles east of Washington, D.C.
Location: Patuxent River Estuary, east of Washington D.C.
Participation Dates: The intern position is for a 3.5 or 4 month period. The preferred start date is April 15, but this could be pushed back to May 1. The work project ends on August 15. Interns work five full days a week; occasionally nights and on weekends.
Benefits: Stipend Award $3,600 stipend. There is no on-site housing at this time. Interns will need to find their own housing accommodations.
Eligibility: Applicant must be a junior, senior, or recent graduate majoring in the life sciences. Must be motivated, capable of independent work, and enjoy learning about the natural world. Fieldwork is in wet and muddy habitats. Experience with small boats, kayaks, and canoes is a plus.
Application: Please send all of the following: 1. Resume 2. Statement of intent, including summary of academic and field experience, qualifications, career goals, and interests. Tell us why you want the position. 3. Transcripts (need not be “official”) 4. Names, email addresses and phone numbers of three academic or professional references.
Application Deadline: March 30, 2007
Contact: Send application by email to: Christopher Swarth cswarth@jugbay.org. To learn more about the Sanctuary, visit our web site at www.jugbay.org.

 

Sustainability and Exotic Invasion Research Assistant
Field assistant positions (project leader and field crew members) starting this spring on a project addressing the sustainability of invasive Artichoke Thistle (Cynara cardunculus) control efforts in southern California. Work will predominantly be in the field, in coastal sage scrub and grassland near Irvine, and focus on the success of passive restoration and the presence of restoration thresholds following 2-8 years of exotic removal. Work includes plot selection using GIS, field surveys of vegetation, species identification, and data management/analysis, with the goal of providing management recommendations based on the work.
Location: University of California Irvine
Participation Dates: early April-June or April-September, 2007
Benefits: Pay will range from $12-16/hr depending on education and experience, plus full benefits and paid vacation.
Application: Send cover letter, resume, contact information for two references and any questions you may have to Katharine Suding, ksuding@uci.edu.
Application Deadline: Applications will be considered immediately Contact: http://sudinglab.bio.uci.edu/

 

Undergraduate Research Program in Ireland
"Integrating Ecology and Evolution in a Changing World" is a summer, undergraduate research program based in Dublin, Ireland. Its aim is to provide research training and experience, as well as an introduction to Ireland, to national and international undergraduate students. Students will work within active research groups in Trinity College Dublin, Ireland's premier university.
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Participation Dates: July 2 – September 7, 2007
Benefits: Full funding is available for ten students to participate in this 10-week programme. International students are also entitled to assistance with travel costs.
Eligibility: Completion (in 2007) of the penultimate year of an undergraduate biological science degree. Proficiency in English (written and spoken). Willingness to work hard, and ability to work independently. Strong interest in the project of choice. Aspiration to pursue research in ecology or evolution.
Application: Your application must include a CV (with 2 referees) and a completed application form, which you will download from the website (see below). Details for the application process can be found on the website.
Application Deadline: March 16, 2007
Contact: For more details, please see: http://www.tcd.ie/naturalscience/ureka or e-mail: fimolony@tcd.ie

 

Smithsonian Botany Assistant
Position available to assist botanist in resurvey of herbaceous and woody plants within multiple plots that differ in their abundance of invasive species and deer herbivory.  Work is part of a multi-year National Park Service and Smithsonian Institution-sponsored study in Great Falls National Park, MD-VA and the Conservation and Research Center, Front Royal, VA.
Location: Greater Washington, D.C. Metro area
Participation Dates: May 15 - mid-August, 2007
Benefits: Stipend of $1000/month, plus possibility of free housing.
Eligibility: Need biology background and working knowledge of plant identification for eastern deciduous forests.
Application: Send resume, copy of transcript, and contact information for references to mcsheaw@si.edu
Application Deadline: March 11, 2007

 

National Museum of Ireland Research Program
CoBiD-UREKA is a research summer programme in Dublin, Ireland for international undergraduate students to work with the National Museum of Ireland (Natural History) and University College Dublin.
Location: Dublin, Ireland
Participation Dates: June 11th to August 17th 2007
Benefits: Full funding is available for a limited number of students to attend this 10-week course, beginning 11 June 2007. All applications must be received by 25 March.
Eligibility: Completion of the third (junior) year of an undergraduate biosciences degree. Proficiency in English (written and spoken). Willingness to work hard, and ability to work independently. Strong interest in the project of choice. Career goals in organismal biology.
Application: Your application must include a total of three documents received as e-mail attachments in MS- Word format. Two documents (CV and letter of interest) in an email received from the applicant, and a separate letter of recommendation in an e-mail received directly from your reference.
Application Deadline: March 25, 2007
Contact: http://www.ucd.ie/ureka/ or ureka@ucd.ie

 

Woods Hole Sabbatical Leave and Student Off-Campus Study Opportunities

Sabbatical Leave
The Ecosystems Center at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, MA is seeking applicants for a guest faculty / research appointment during Fall 2007 from qualified professionals on sabbatical leave at a college or university serving under-represented groups in environmental science. The successful applicant is expected to sponsor one or two undergraduates (juniors or seniors) from his/her home institution who will enroll in the Semester in Environmental Science (SES) in Woods Hole during Fall 2007. Through joint participation in the program by both faculty and students at colleges serving under-represented groups in environmental science, the Center hopes to foster development of environmental science programs within institutions serving African-American, Hispanic, Native-American and other minority groups in science.

Semester in Environmental Science (SES)
The SES is a unique, hands on training program for undergraduates (primarily Juniors/Seniors) focused on biogeochemistry and ecosystems science. Students are taught by distinguished faculty at The Ecosystems Center who are conducting research world wide on topics ranging from land use change in urban settings to climate change in the arctic and deforestation in the Amazon. The program stresses field work in coastal forests, freshwater and salt ponds, and estuaries. Students in the SES pursue their own independent research on local ecosystems on Cape Cod during the program.
Location: Woods Hole, Massachusetts
Participation Dates: Fall 2007 Semester
Benefits: More than sixty colleges and universities have approved the SES for credit. Students from non-affiliated colleges and universities may receive credit for the semester through Brown University.
Eligibility: Only undergraduate students enrolled at colleges or universities that are members of the MBL Consortium in Environmental Science are eligible to participate in the program (contact the Off-Campus Studies Office to check the status of your school).
Application: Visit http://courses.mbl.edu/SES/
Application Deadline: March 23, 2007
Contact: Dr. Kenneth Foreman, Program Director, Semester in Environmental Science, Marine Biological Laboratory, 7 MBL St., Woods Hole, MA or email SES@mbl.edu.

 

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