Fellowships/Internships
FELLOWSHIPS/INTERNSHIPS:
- Summer Internships at White House Office of Energy and Climate Change, Washington, DC – due January 9
- George Melendez Wright Climate Change Fellowship Program, National Park Service and University of Washington College of the Environment – due February 4, see attached
- Internship as Africa Alternatives Analyst, International Rivers, Berkeley, CA
AWARDS:
- National Institutes of Health Environmental Health Sciences Core Center Grants – LOI due January 24
White House Issues Scientific Integrity Policy
The White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) issued guidelines on 17 December 2010 to ensure that research conducted by government scientists is not altered for political purposes. The new policy was released 18 months after the initial deadline set by President Obama.
“Science, and public trust in science, thrives in an environment that shields scientific data and analyses from inappropriate political influence; political officials should not suppress or alter scientific or technological findings,” wrote Dr. John Holdren, Director of OSTP and the President’s science adviser, in the memo setting forth the policy.
The policy outlines four principles for the foundations of scientific integrity in government: 1) ensuring a culture of scientific integrity, 2) strengthening the actual and perceived credibility of government research, 3) facilitating the free flow of scientific and technological information, and 4) establishing principles for conveying scientific and technological information to the public. These guidelines include directives to federal agencies to hire scientists based primarily on their technical expertise and not their ideology, to subject scientific information to independent peer review when feasible, and to ensure protections for whistleblowers.
Government agencies are also directed to establish policies that “promote and facilitate, as permitted by law, the professional development of Government scientists and engineers.” This includes encouraging the publication of research in peer-reviewed journals and the presentation of research at professional meetings, and allowing government scientists to fully participate in professional societies, including serving on task forces or on the governing board.
The policy addresses the communication of scientific information to the public and the use of federal advisory committees. Of note, the policy directive states that “[i]n no circumstance may public affairs officers ask or direct Federal scientists to alter scientific findings.”
So far, the policy has received mixed reviews. Some groups have criticized the policy for lacking details and for not explicitly inviting public involvement as federal agencies develop their own policies to implement the government-wide policy. Federal agencies have 120 days to implement the new policy.
Source: AIBS Public Policy Report, Volume 11, Issue 26, December 20, 2010
House Selects Committee Leadership for 112th Congress
Republicans and Democrats in the United States House of Representatives have now selected their Committee chairmen and ranking members, respectively, for the 112th Congress. The following provides a brief introduction to some of the new leaders of the House of Representatives. Additional details about subcommittee leadership will appear in a future AIBS Public Policy Report.
Two Republicans will run the House Science and Technology Committee next year. Representative Ralph Hall (R-TX) was selected to chair the committee; Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner (R-WI) will serve as the committee’s vice chair. Hall has served as the ranking member of the committee for the past four years. One of his primary interests in science policy is space exploration. Although he supported the America COMPETES Act of 2007, he voted against its reauthorization this year due to concerns over the cost of the legislation. Hall is also a vocal skeptic of climate change. In a statement released after his selection as chair, Hall said: “Our Committee will help ensure that taxpayer dollars are invested wisely in research and development programs by providing effective oversight of existing programs and by eliminating wasteful and duplicative programs and streamlining programs where needed.”
Sensenbrenner will play a supporting role to Hall. Sensenbrenner is currently the second most senior Republican on the panel. His promotion to Vice Chair may be a result of the discontinuation of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming, where he is the Ranking Republican.
Rep. Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX) will serve as the Ranking Member of the House Science and Technology Committee. The current top Democrat, Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN), is retiring. Johnson’s interests in science policy include science education, increasing diversity within science, and space exploration. In a statement released last month, Johnson outlined her priorities for the committee: “As Ranking Member, I would continue to advocate for STEM [Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics] education, clean energy, and for scientific research to improve the lives of all Americans….I would continue to emphasize the need to invest in basic scientific research and development to support our nation’s energy independence and security, to create new technologies, industries, and jobs that will catalyze our nation’s embattled middle class and fulfill a mission for the U.S. to lead the world in clean technology.”
Rep. Hal Rogers (R-KY) will serve as the new Chairman for the House Appropriations Committee. Rogers defeated bids by two other Republicans in his quest for the committee’s top position, including a bid by the current Ranking Member Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA). The Republican Steering Committee did not grant Lewis an exemption from the House GOP’s rule that Republicans may only hold the top committee spot (Chairman or Ranking Member) for six years. Rogers has pledged to ban earmarks in appropriations bills starting in fiscal year 2012, and is also considering voting on the federal budget on an agency by agency basis, rather than grouping agencies into 12 appropriations bills.
The top ranking Democrat on the Appropriations Committee is likely to be Rep. Norm Dicks (D-WA). Chairman David Obey (D-WI), the current head of the panel, is retiring at the end of the 111th Congress. Obey has served as the top Democrat on the Appropriations Committee since 1994. Dicks has previously served as Chairman of the Interior and Environment Appropriations Subcommittee, where he championed increased funding for the Department of the Interior and the Environmental Protection Agency. He currently serves as Chairman of the Defense Appropriations Subcommittee.
Rep. Doc Hastings (R-WA) will be the next Chairman of the House Natural Resources Committee. Hastings has served as the panel’s Ranking Minority Member for two years. Although the environmental legislation he sponsored in the 111th Congress was mainly related to issues specific to Washington state, Hastings has outlined a broad agenda for the next session of Congress. “Like all committees, one of our top priorities on the Natural Resources Committee will be cutting spending and bringing fiscal sanity back to Washington, D.C.,” Hastings said in a statement to the press. He also plans to address job creation through increased domestic energy production and the opening of public lands.
The ranking member of the Natural Resources Committee will be Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA). Although Markey has served on the committee since 1976, he has never been the senior Democrat. Markey is active on energy and climate policy, having served as Chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming for the past four years. He is a co-author of House-passed comprehensive legislation to address climate change.
Source: AIBS Public Policy Report, Volume 11, Issue 26, December 20, 2010
International Sustainable Development Research Society (ISDRS) conference “Moving Toward a Sustainable Future: Opportunities and Challenges,” May 8-10, Earth Institute, Columbia University, NYC – abstracts due January 17th
The 17th annual conference of the International Sustainable Development Research Society (ISDRS) will be hosted by the Earth Institute, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA. The conference will take place May 8 to 10, 2011. The abstract submission deadline has been extended to January 17, 2011.
The conference theme is “Moving Toward a Sustainable Future: Opportunities and Challenges.” Within this theme the 17th International Sustainable Development Research Conference will explore the fundamental question of whether the aspirations of global society to continued growth can be harmonized with the existing limits imposed by Earth’s resource base including mineral reserves,
capacity for renewable resources and ecosystems. ISDRC17 will explore how progress in the field of sustainable development can be translated into political action in preparation of the Rio+20 conference to be held in 2012.
To address this question the conference will explore what it would take to master the challenge of sustainable development in a future with increasing constraints under the assumption that developing countries will continue to strive for improvements in their standard of living. At the same time the conference will examine opportunities and mechanisms through which global society can move away from a non-sustainable path towards a sustainable future.
We invite contributions on the nature of the global sustainable development challenge ranging from investigations of fundamental pressures on the natural and socioeconomic systems in a developing world and limits of Earth to support further development, to solutions to the problems created by continuing development of a growing global population. The conference will serve as a forum for open and diverse intellectual discourse on these topics with focus on identifying practicable steps towards a sustainable future that are ready for implementation on the local, regional and global scale.
Conference themes: http://isdrc17.ei.columbia.edu/?id=about
Submission guidelines: http://isdrc17.ei.columbia.edu/?id=submission
Climate Action Manager, University of California, Santa Cruz – due January 2
The University of California, Santa Cruz Sustainability Office seeks a full-time climate action manager to coordinate campus climate action activities. The manager will work to ensure that the campus fulfills or exceeds relevant policies, commitments and regulations such as the Climate Action Compact, the American College and Universities Presidents’ Climate Commitment (ACUPCC), Assembly Bill 32 and the University of California on Sustainable Practices. The manager will serve as a liaison between the campus and the University of California Office of the President, other university campuses, local government and community organizations. The successful candidate should have experience in economic analysis and planning with the ability to analyze the feasibility of potential projects, a strong understanding of energy efficiency and a master’s degree in a related field.
Initial review of application materials will begin on January 2, 2011, but position will remain open until filled. View posting at https://jobs.ucsc.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?time=1293499188680.
Senior Manager, Knowledge Sharing and Policy Advocacy, EcoAgriculture Partners – due January 18
EcoAgriculture Partners is an international non-profit organization that works to advance the science and practice of ecoagriculture—an approach to managing rural landscapes to support sustainable food production, rural livelihoods, and ecosystem conservation. We do so by providing training, research, policy solutions, and support to farmers, communities, and diverse partner organizations at the local, national and international levels.
EcoAgriculture seeks to hire a full-time Senior Manager for Knowledge Sharing and Policy Advocacy to join our committed team in our Washington, D.C., headquarters as soon as possible. The Senior Manager’s principal responsibility (approx. 70% time) during 2011 and 2012 will be to coordinate the planning and implementation of the International Ecoagriculture Conference and Knowledge Exchange, to be held in Kenya in early 2012, and follow-up publications and policy engagement. In addition, the Senior Manager will work with other staff to develop and implement EcoAgriculture’s communications and policy advocacy strategies.
For more information and to apply, visit http://ecoagriculture.org/announcements.php?id=485. Application review will begin on January 18, 2011 and continue until the position is filled.
Assistant Professor, Sustainable Energy Resources, San Jose State University – due January 31
San Jose State University seeks a sustainable energy resources assistant professor. The main teaching responsibilities will be the Environmental Studies core courses, energy courses, a course in Climate Change, and other courses in the applicant’s specialties. Candidates should be prepared to teach the introductory Environmental Studies course. Additionally, the successful applicant may teach courses in research methods and environmental analysis. Other undergraduate responsibilities include advising students as well as supervising internships, directed readings, and special projects. Applicants must be willing to supervise graduate research leading to the Masters of Science thesis. The applicant should have a defined research program and be willing to seek external funding to support research and department activities.
The successful candidate should have a Ph.D. in a natural science, social or interdisciplinary science, and a strong background in qualitative research methods. Applications will be accepted through January 31, 2011.
Nine Faculty Positions In Planning, Regional Economics, Ecological Safety, Urban Sociology, Urban Anthropology, And Public Health, East China Normal University, Shanghai – see attached
The Shanghai Key Laboratory for Urban Ecology and Sustainability (SKLUES) and School of Resources and Environment at East China Normal University (ECNU), Shanghai, China invite nominations and applications for nine tenure-track, open-rank faculty positions, beginning May 1st, 2011.
Under a new campus-wide initiative, SKLUES has identified urban ecology and urban sustainability as two intertwined areas of strategic emphasis, and adopted a transdisciplinary approach to urban ecosystem and sustainability research. SKLUES views an urban area as a coupled human and natural system (CHANS), and believes that a sustainable future resides in a harmony between human communities and their natural and built environments. Its research, education, and outreach activities focus on “ecology of cities”, instead of “ecology in cities”, with an emphasis on human safety, health, and well-being. To substantiate this strategic re-orientation and re-structuring, SKLUES invites nominations and applications for nine tenure-track, open-rank faculty positions. For more information, see attached.
Five Faculty Positions in Urban Modeling, Simulation, and Visualization, East China Normal University, Shanghai
Shanghai Key Laboratory for Urban Ecology and Sustainability (SKLUES), East China Normal University, Shanghai, China invites nominations and applications for FIVE tenure-track, open-rank faculty positions, beginning May 1st, 2011.
Under a new campus-wide initiative, SKLUES has identified urban ecology and urban sustainability as two intertwined areas of strategic emphasis, and adopted a transdisciplinary approach to urban ecosystem and sustainability research. SKLUES views an urban area as a coupled human and natural system (CHANS), and believes that a sustainable future resides in a harmony between human communities and their natural and built environments. Its research, education, and outreach activities focus on “ecology of cities”, instead of “ecology in cities”, with an emphasis on human safety, health, and
well-being. To substantiate this strategic re-orientation and re-structuring, SKLUES invites nominations and applications for five tenure-track, open-rank faculty positions in the area of URBAN MODELING, SIMULATION AND VISUALIZATION.
SKLUES seeks scholars whose expertise in modeling, simulation, and visualization focuses on the intersection of urban ecology, society, and economy, all broadly defined. Especially welcome are applicants who are versed in diverse theoretical and methodological approaches and prepared to collaborate with ecological and social scientists, economists, and humanists. Of particular interest are applicants with expertise in agent-based modeling, complex adaptive systems, carbon-cycle modeling, such as GEOCARB, GIS and remote sensing based spatial modeling, spatial decision support, and geo-visualization.
Basic qualifications include a Ph.D. in a related field by the start date of the appointment; evidence of a high-quality research agenda; a track record of/or potential for excellence in research, scholarship, and teaching; capability of working in a trans-disciplinary team; and competence to teach classes in English. SCHOLARS WHOSE NATIVE LANGUAGE IS NOT CHINESE ARE WELCOME AND ENCOURAGED TO APPLY.
Application materials should be submitted electronically to the attention of Professor Wei-Ning Xiang, Chair of the search committee, at [email protected]. A complete application package includes a letter of application addressing applicant’s qualifications for the position; a curriculum vita; a statement outlining current and future research and teaching interests; three to five papers (published or in progress); names, affiliations, and email addresses of five referees. The review will begin on January 1, 2011, and continue on a rolling basis until all positions are filled.
The East China Normal University is one of China’s primary national research institutions under the prestigious Project 211 and Project 985 (http://www.ecnu.edu.cn/english/). It offers a competitive compensation and startup package, commensurate with the candidate’s experience and accomplishments.
Summer Internships at White House Office of Energy and Climate Change, Washington, DC – due January 9
The White House is recruiting interns for the next summer. Please check out the link below. All presidential departments do very interesting work, but those of you passionate about environmental/energy policy might find the Office of Energy and Climate Change or potentially the National Economic Council most interesting.
The application for the Summer 2011 internship is due January 9, 2011. The application can be found here: http://www.whitehouse.gov/about/internships/apply . There are NO exceptions on this due date.
The internship begins on May 31st and ends on August 12th.
George Melendez Wright Climate Change Fellowship Program, National Park Service and University of Washington College of the Environment – due February 4, see attached
The National Park Service and the UW College of the Environment are pleased to announce the 2011 George Melendez Wright Climate Change Fellowship Program.
The goals of this student fellowship program are to support new and innovative research on climate change impacts to protected areas and to increase the use of scientific knowledge to further resource management in parks. Awards will be made in the range of $5,000 to $20,000 per fellowship for research to be undertaken in calendar years 2011-12. Projects may consist of exploratory research that could lead to a larger project funded by other sources but must result in tangible outcomes that are aimed at informing resource decisions. Applications are encouraged for research in any area relevant to the natural and cultural resources of units of the National Park System. Examples include projects addressing vulnerability and risk assessment; adaptation strategies; public perceptions and values; and impacts to natural resources, cultural landscapes, and ethnographic resources. Attached, please find the fellowship announcement.
Additional information, along with application instructions, can be found on the fellowship website at: http://coenv.washington.edu/students/melendez_wright/index.shtml. Submission deadline is February 4, 2011.
Internship as Africa Alternatives Analyst, International Rivers, Berkeley, CA
International Rivers is a non-profit advocacy and analysis organization based in Berkeley, California, and with staff and consultants working in the Brazil, China, Laos, Thailand, and Switzerland. International Rivers supports communities around the world in protecting their rivers and rights. We work to halt destructive dams and encourage better methods of meeting needs for water, energy and protection from floods.
We are currently seeking an Africa Alternatives Analyst, who is passionate about international human rights and environmental issues, is familiar with a range of alternative energy solutions, and possesses solid research, writing and editing skills. The successful candidate will have the opportunity to communicate with International Rivers’ global staff and partners, contribute to print and web publications, and be an integral part of a dynamic Berkeley non-profit office environment
The Analyst’s primary responsibility will be to conduct a desktop study on alternative energy exports by China, through a case-study approach starting with Kenya, in order to understand the impact and potential of Chinese investments in alternative energy production in Africa. The Analyst’s research will contribute to expanding our understanding of what drives Chinese investment in green energy in Africa, and how International Rivers can encourage the development of positive alternative energy projects in Africa.
Specific responsibilities include:
- Research, develop and maintain a database of known alternative energy projects in Africa that have Chinese investors and contractors.
- Conduct in-depth research on specific solar, wind, hydro, geothermal, and energy efficiency projects in Kenya. Assess their costs and benefits.
- Assist in the development of a draft report that is useful for Chinese alternative energy providers/investors, as well as policy makers.
- Assist in small research-related tasks for the Africa Program when necessary.
Required qualifications and experience:
- Strong research, writing, strategic-thinking and communications skills
- Coursework and/or experience with alternative energy solutions and project finance, and energy development and needs in Africa
- Understanding of or experience working in African NGO networks
- Ability to multitask, stay organized, work as a team, and keep deadlines
- Chinese language skills recommended, but not required
International Rivers offers a stimulating, casual and flexible work environment. The Africa Alternatives Analyst’s work schedule requires an average of 20 hours per week for 3 months. Compensation: $10/hour. Course credit may be granted if applicable (please specify in your letter if your internship will be for credit.) See http://www.internationalrivers.org/en/node/5995 for more information.
Qualified applicants are encouraged to send a cover letter, 3-page writing sample, and resume to the Intern and Volunteer Coordinator, [email protected], with the subject line: Africa Alternatives Analyst. NO CALLS, PLEASE. This internship will be open until filled.
National Institutes of Health Environmental Health Sciences Core Center Grants – LOI due January 24
The National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) invites applications from qualified institutions for support of Environmental Health Sciences (EHS) Core Centers. These Centers are designed to establish innovative programs of excellence in the field of environmental health sciences by providing scientific and programmatic support for promising investigators and areas of research. A Core Center Grant is an institutional award to support centralized scientific resources and facilities shared by investigators with existing research projects. By providing a Center structure and Core resources this support is intended to enhance the ability of scientists working in the field of environmental health sciences to identify and capitalize on current and emerging opportunities that will lead to outstanding research advances to improve our understanding of the relationship between environmental exposures and both human biology and human disease.
For more information, visit http://www07.grants.gov/search/search.do?&mode=VIEW&oppId=60293. Letters of intent are due January 24, 2011, with full applications due February 24, 2011.
