Abell Award in Urban Policy

The Abell Award in Urban Policy is given annually to the student(s) who authors the most compelling paper on a policy problem facing the City of Baltimore. The competition invites students to identify a policy problem affecting the city and offer a feasible solution. The top paper can win up to $5,000. For more information about the Abell Award, please check out our website: http://ips.jhu.edu/pub/Abell-Award-in-Urban-Policy.

This year, we're really trying to make sure that students from ALL of the Baltimore schools are notified about this opportunity and we appreciate your help. Over the next week or so, I was hoping you could send an email to students in your department or in relevant student groups and organizations about the program and let them know that entry forms can be found on our website (http://ips.jhu.edu/pub/Entry-Form) and must be sent to abellaward@jhu.edu by Friday, October 18th at 4:00 p.m.

Seminar: “Differences in Timing Perception Due to Aging May Not Entail Difference in Timing Use”

EVENT #4 (HESP)

Seminar: “Differences in Timing Perception Due to Aging May Not Entail Difference in Timing Use”

DATE:  Wednesday, October 2, 2013

TIME:  noon – 1 p.m.

LOCATION: 2208 LeFrak Hall

HOST:  Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences

Guest Speaker

Chris Heffner

Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences/Program in Neuroscience and Cognitive Science

http://hesp.umd.edu/gradprofile/Heffner/Christopher

CONTACT: Matthew Goupell

Goupell@umd.edu

301-405-8552

Workshop: “Charting Collections of Connections in Social Media: Creating Maps and Measures with NodeXL”

EVENT #3 (SOCY)

Workshop: “Charting Collections of Connections in Social Media: Creating Maps and Measures with NodeXL”
DATE: Wednesday, October 2, 2013
TIME: 9 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.
LOCATION: 2115 Art-Sociology Building (Sociology Conference Room)

HOST: Department of Sociology

Guest Speaker

Dr. Marc A. Smith

Chief Social Scientist

Connected Action Consulting Group

Abstract:  Networks are a data structure common found across all social media services that allow populations to author collections of connections.  The Social Media Research Foundation's NodeXL project makes analysis of social media networks accessible to most users of the Excel spreadsheet application.  With NodeXL, Networks become as easy to create as pie charts.  Applying the tool to a range of social media networks has already revealed the variations present in online social spaces.  A review of the tool and images of Twitter, flickr, YouTube, and email networks will be presented. 

CONTACT: Alan Neustadtl

smilex3@umd.edu

301-405-6411

Discussion: “Grassroots Voices: Lessons from Building A Civil Society Movement”

EVENT #2 (CIDCM)

Discussion: “Grassroots Voices: Lessons from Building A Civil Society Movement”
DATE: Tuesday, October 1, 2013
TIME: 3:30  - 5 p.m.
LOCATION: 2212 B Banneker Room, Stamp Student Union

HOST: Center for International Development and Conflict Management (CIDCM)

Moderator- Professor Suheil Bushrui (BSOS)

Baha’i Chair for World Peace

Refreshments will be served.

Guest Speakers

Tal Harris

Executive Director, OneVoice Israel

Samer Makhlouf

Executive Director, OneVoice Palestine

CONTACT: CIDCM

CIDCMinfo@umd.edu

“Individual Behavior and Population Health Disparities: The Affordances Framework for Understanding Population Disparities in Physical and Mental Health”

EVENT #1 (MPRC/AASD)

Seminar: “Individual Behavior and Population Health Disparities: The Affordances Framework for Understanding Population Disparities in Physical and Mental Health”
DATE: Monday, September 30, 2013
TIME: noon – 1 p.m.
LOCATION: Margaret Brent Room, Stamp Student Union

HOSTS: The Maryland Population Research Center, African American Studies Department, and Center for Health Equity in the School of Public Health

Guest Speaker

James S. Jackson

Professor, Department of Psychology

Director, Institute for Social Research

University of Michigan

http://www.popcenter.umd.edu/new_e/event_1369852627115

Tea Time Tech Talks: Technology in the Classroom

Tea Time Tech Talks are informal conversations about pedagogical challenges in teaching in a technologically-enhanced learning environment, co-hosted by the Division of Information Technology and the University of Maryland Libraries. Each talk is mentored by a knowledgeable faculty member or librarian, but the conversation is free flowing and intended to raise as many questions as might be answered.

All sessions are located in McKeldin 2109 (Terrapin Learning Commons) from 3-4pm on Thursdays; light refreshments will be served and no registration is required.

9/26: Facilitated by Scott P. Roberts, Psychology Department and Ronald A. Yaros, Philip Merrill School of Journalism
”Mobile Devices in the Classroom:  BYOD (Bring Your Own Device or Your Own Distraction)?”

The facilitators represent a range of views on the topic.  Dr. Roberts, along with his colleague Dr. Ryan Curtis, has collected and analyzed performance and behavior data from hundreds of students that supports other studies that indicate digital devices can have a negative impact on learning.   Dr. Yaros is a university innovator in the successful integration of mobile devices and technologies in his teaching.  The conversation should be lively!

"Ways To Fail A Ph.D. Program"

A light-hearted article on "Ways That Students Fail PhD Programs". Not without merit, according to many recent UMD Ph.D. program graduates & faculty. Enjoy!

http://matt.might.net/articles/ways-to-fail-a-phd

EBay Policy Scholars! Apply Now!

SESYNC: Professional Development and Training Opportunities

The National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC) is excited to offer new professional development and training opportunities specially designed for graduate students interested in conducting research on the complex interactions between human and natural systems.

We are now accepting applications from currently-enrolled PhD students in the natural, social, and computational sciences for a Networking & Proposal Writing Workshop. This workshop will provide graduate students with:

§  introductions to SESYNC, socio-environmental synthesis research, team science, and actionable science;

§  networking opportunities to build professional relationships with other students, particularly those from different disciplines interested in the same types of research questions;

§  training sessions on the methods, challenges, and strategies associated with writing successful proposals, especially those related to the type of work SESYNC supports; and

§  an overview of the two graduate research Themes, for which SESYNC will solicit proposals following the Networking & Proposal Writing Workshop.

The workshop will be held over 2½ days in Annapolis, MD, from January 15–17, 2014. It is intended to maximize progress by graduate students intending to apply to the research opportunities described atwww.sesync.org/graduate-student-themes . Travel to our facilities in Annapolis, MD, accommodations, and food expenses for workshop attendees will be provided by SESYNC in accordance with our travel policies.

Deadline for applications: September 20, 2013

For more information, including how to apply, visit www.sesync.org/opportunites/graduate-theme-workshop .

About SESYNC

The National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC) is a national research center funded through a National Science Foundation grant to the University of Maryland.

Located in Annapolis, MD, SESYNC is dedicated to solving society’s most challenging and complex environmental problems. We foster collaboration amongst scholars from a diverse array of the natural and social sciences (such as ecology, public health, and political science), as well as stakeholders that include resource managers, policy makers, and community members.

Melissa Andreychek

Communications Coordinator

The National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC)

www.sesync.org

mandreychek@sesync.org

(410) 919-4990

Institute for Governmental Service and Research Part-Time Position

We are looking for someone to do data analysis and management on a couple of ongoing court-related projects.  The person would be picking up on work done so far, mostly involving merging, mixing and matching of data from multiple secondary data sources and conducting, at least in the short run, fairly simple descriptive analyses. Ideally, we need someone with real experience and knowledge using SPSS for all of the above, though we may have some flexibility in terms of the stat software.

 

We need someone to start ASAP. Minimally, they would need to commit to 15 hours a week, and it could range upwards to fulltime for the summer months, depending on fit and availability.  On these conditions, it could continue part-time in fall. Given the nature of the work required, the weekly work hours and location are negotiable – the priorities are reliable communication and getting the tasks done correctly and expeditiously. 

 

Interested parties should send an email, CV, and contact info to Doug Young at dyoung@umd.edu and he’ll get back to them forthwith. 

SESYNC Graduate Student Theme Proposal Writing Workshop

Graduate Student Theme Proposal Writing Workshop
www.sesync.org/opportunites/graduate-theme-workshop

SESYNC is now accepting applications for its Graduate Student Theme Proposal Writing Workshop.

The SESYNC Graduate Scholars Program (June 2012–January 2013) harnessed the creative abilities of graduate students from the social and natural sciences to identify and develop SESYNC Themes. Two of these will form the basis of a request for proposals to which graduate students exclusively may apply.

Prior to requesting proposals for the graduate student Themes, SESYNC will hold a Graduate Student Theme Proposal Writing Workshop for students interested in submitting proposals. This workshop will provide networking and training opportunities and activities that may help potential applicants to form synthesis teams, as well as to build professional relationships amongst emerging socio-environmental synthesis (SES) scholars. The workshop also will offer training sessions on SES research and team science, actionable science, and methods, challenges, and strategies associated with writing successful SESYNC Pursuit proposals.

Dates

The workshop will be held over 2.5 days in Annapolis, MD, in early December 2013 or late January 2014 (specific dates are to be determined). Travel to Annapolis, MD, accommodations, and food expenses for workshop attendees will be provided by SESYNC.

Eligibility

Applicants must be currently-enrolled social, computational, or natural science Ph.D. students who have completed at least two years of their doctoral degree.

More Information

To learn more about the workshop, the graduate Themes, and how to apply, visit the opportunity page here: www.sesync.org/opportunites/graduate-theme-workshop


Melissa Andreychek


Communications Coordinator

The National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYNC)

www.sesync.org

mandreychek@sesync.org

(410) 919-4990

NSF Law & Social Sciences (LSS) Awards

Link: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2012/nsf12507/nsf12507.htm

1. STANDARD RESEARCH GRANTS AND GRANTS FOR COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH

2. INTERDISCIPLINARY POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS

3. DOCTORAL DISSERTATION RESEARCH IMPROVEMENT GRANTS

4. CONFERENCE AND WORKSHOP AWARDS

5. OTHER GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

I. INTRODUCTION

The Law & Social Sciences Program at the National Science Foundation supports social scientific studies of law and law-like systems of rules. The program is inherently interdisciplinary and multi-methodological. Successful proposals describe research that advances scientific theory and understanding of the connections between law or legal processes and human behavior. Social scientific studies of law often approach law as dynamic, made in multiple arenas, with the participation of multiple actors. The program considers and funds proposals from many disciplinary perspectives, including anthropology, communication, criminology, economics, legal scholarship, political science, public policy, psychology, and sociology.

II. PROGRAM DESCRIPTION

An Overview of Program Components

The Law & Social Sciences Program at the National Science Foundation supports social scientific studies of law and law-like systems of rules. Successful proposals describe research that advances scientific theory and understanding of the connections between law or legal processes and human behavior. The Law & Social Sciences program funds the best proposals submitted within the field broadly defined, regardless of specific subfield, and strives to support an interdisciplinary community of scholars studying relevant topics.

Social scientific studies of law often approach law as dynamic, made in multiple arenas, with the participation of multiple actors. Scholars study mobilization, the creation and implementation of law, and the meanings of rules or laws to both individuals and institutions. The program considers proposals that examine historical, social, cultural and policy-related questions that arise concerning law, and invites proposals relying upon both qualitative and quantitative methods. The program also considers and funds proposals from many different disciplines, including anthropology, communication, criminology, economics, legal scholarship, political science, public policy, psychology, and sociology. The sites for the study of law are multiple and may include appellate and trial courts; domestic and international regulatory offices; federal, state, and local law enforcement; and the variety of settings in which organizations deploy law. Proposals are welcome that address legal processes that extend beyond any single nation, as well as about how local and national legal institutions, systems, and cultures engage transnational or international phenomena.

The Law & Social Sciences program has funded research on a wide variety of topics relevant to social science and legal scholars. The themes identified below are representative of previous awards from the Law & Social Sciences Program, but do not constitute an exclusive listing of relevant topics. Scholars conducting research in social science related to law (broadly defined) that are outside or beyond these major themes are also encouraged to apply for funding.

Crime, Violence, and Punishment: Research develops theories of crime and methods of crime control based upon social science theories. It examines the etiology of violence in the context of domestic criminal behavior, terrorism, and cross-national conflict.

Economic Issues: Research explores the significance of property rules or contracts in legal disputes, claims in social welfare states, and the role of law in labor and migration policies.

Governance: Research examines the deployment of law, including conceptions of what counts as law both cross-nationally and over time. Inquiry in this area addresses how rules have been understood, and the varying format that governing takes in local, regional, national and transnational settings.

Legal Decision Making: Research examines how people and institutions make decisions in the context of particular rules or statutes, and the values revealed in those decisions concerning pressing public issues or criminal justice processes. Research also examines how law is interpreted and reinterpreted by individuals, and how expectations concerning the law influence how people claim rights and responsibilities.

Legal Mobilization and Conceptions of Justice: Research assesses how and when people understand their challenges as legal problems, how individuals choose among systems to pursue justice (e.g., family, communities, non-profit organizations, or state actors), how individuals or groups access justice systems (as well as various equity issues that arise in mobilizing justice), and how well individuals and groups understand justice.

Litigation and Legal Professions: Research addresses the mutual constitution of the legal professions and the world in which they work, and assesses the influence of these professions on public policies and policies. Research also investigates the various forms of litigation and legal services available to people, professionals' understanding of their ethics and responsibility, and issues regarding equity in participation in the profession.

These topics are meant to be illustrative. The Law & Social Sciences Program welcomes all scholarship that advances social scientific understandings of law.

Research can use a variety of methods, including ethnography, analysis of documents, interviews, case studies, surveys, quasi-experimental and experimental approaches, network analysis, and content analysis, or a combination thereof. The methods should be appropriate to the research questions.

Terrorism Research Award

Application Information for 2013-2014 START Terrorism Research Award

---

Applications are encouraged from individuals who:

• Are currently enrolled in a doctoral program or have completed a doctoral program no earlier than 2008;
• Have a background in the social or behavioral sciences (including anthropology, criminology, economics, geography, history, political science, psychology, or sociology);
• Are engaged in research related to the START Center's research agenda, including projects examining aspects of:
  • terrorist group formation and recruitment;
  • behavior of terrorist groups; or
  • societal responses to terrorism;
• Have the support of a START investigator, who has agreed to serve as the nominee's mentor for the fellowship year; and
• Have not received more than one previous START Terrorism Research Award (TRA).

Applications from minorities and women are especially encouraged.

Please note: Junior faculty members receiving financial support from START are not eligible to apply for the award. Graduate students on a START-funded research assistantship, however, are eligible and encouraged to apply.

Terrorism Research Award Program

Requirements of Terrorism Research Award Recipients

It is expected that all Terrorism Research Award (TRA) recipients will be actively engaged in research related to the study of terrorism and responses to terrorism during their award year, and that they will use their START TRA funds to support that research, as well as to advance their professional development. Specifically, START requires that TRA recipients:

• Attend the September 2013 START Annual Meeting in College Park, MD, and present a three-minute “quick-fire” presentation on their research;
• Attend the September 2014 START Annual Meeting in College Park, MD, and present both a three-minute “quick-fire” presentation and a poster on the research they have completed over the course of their award terms;
• Participate in eight of ten quarterly START TRA Program Webinars (a series of interactive, online meetings in which TRA recipients present their work and comment on the work of their colleagues);
• Submit quarterly research progress reports to START and to TRA mentors;
• Complete at least one START Research Brief during the award year;
• Meet regularly with START mentor to review progress;
• Acknowledge START funding in any products or publications that result from award-enabled research; and
• Remain in good standing with their home institutions.

Terrorism Research Award

START will award 10 Pre- and Post-Doctoral Terrorism Research Awards for the 2013-2014 academic year. Funds will be paid directly to TRA recipients on a set schedule, assuming appropriate progress. Funds will be disbursed as follows:

• Payment 1: $2,000 to be disbursed on October 1, 2013
• Payment 2: $2,000 to be disbursed on April 1, 2014
• Payment 3: $1,000 to be disbursed on October 1, 2014
• In addition to these payments directly to TRAs, START will pay for TRAs' travel to and participation in the 2013 START Annual Meeting and the 2014 START Annual Meeting.
• Please note that a delay in START's receipt of funding for academic year 2013-2014 may require a shift in these dates.

Application Process

Applicant Materials

Applicants should submit the following materials:

• Completed application form [Pre-Doctoral Terrorism Research Award Application Form | Post-Doctoral Terrorism Research Award Application Form]; and
• A curriculum vitae.

These materials should be submitted electronically to education@start.umd.edu.

Mentor Letter of Support
In addition, mentors should submit a letter indicating support for the applicant and stating a willingness to work with the applicant throughout the 2013-14 academic year. Mentors should email these letters of support directly toeducation@start.umd.edu.

Due Date
Applicant materials and mentor letters of support are due to START by May 1, 2013. Review of Applications will not start until application deadline has passed.

Review and Notification
A review committee will evaluate applications utilizing the following criteria:

• Project's alignment with START research goals;
• Project's capacity to expand START research portfolio;
• Applicant's relationship to his/her mentor (demonstrated in large part through recommendation letter);
• Applicant's demonstrated capacity to complete research;
• Application's clarity of deliverables;
• Application's clarity of research design; and
• Project's demonstrated need for funds.

START will announce its class of 2013-2014 Terrorism Research Award recipients by April 2013. Applicants will be notified of this announcement via email. The period of the 2013-2014 Terrorism Research Award will be from September 1, 2013 through July 31, 2014. Awards are contingent upon DHS approval.

Please note we will not be accepting applications for the Terrorism Research Awards for the academic year 2012-13.

Questions
Questions about the Terrorism Research Award program or the application process should be directed toeducation@start.umd.edu.

Open Forum for Student Feedback on Dean Townshend

Open Forum for Student Feedback on Dean Townshend

BSOS graduate students and undergraduate majors are invited to attend this open forum to provide feedback on Dean Townshend's tenure as Dean. Members of the Dean's Review Committee will be available to hear your praise/concerns/feedback in a confidential setting as a part of the Dean's review process. 

Monday, April 8 3:00-5:30pm 1102 Woods Hall

UMD Geographers Participate in Joint GEO-GLAM/CEOS Workshop on Satellite Observation Requirements for Global Agriculture Monitoring

By Alyssa K. Whitcraft

Drs. Chris Justice and Inbal Becker-Reshef, along with graduate student Alyssa Whitcraft, travelled to Montre- al, Canada in July 2012 to participate in a joint wor kshop between GEO-GLAM (Group on Earth Observations – Global Agriculture Monitoring G20 Initiative) scientists and CEOS (Committee on Earth Observation Satel- lites). The workshop focused on tabulating the necessary satellite observation requirements (spatial resolution, frequency, and timing/duration of coverage) for the GEO-GLAM initiative, whose goal is to reinforce the inter- national community’s capacity to produce and disseminate relevant, timely, and accurate forecasts of agricul- tural production at national, regional and global scales . The small and highly collaborative meeting was hosted by the Canadian Space Agency, and attended by scientists from around the world; in all, the group of sixteen was comprised of ten different nationalities, thereby providing a range of regional perspectives to strengthen a global collaborative network of agriculture monitoring systems.

The workshop was a part of an ongoing international initiative to secure adequate Earth observations for na- tional/international operational agricultural monitoring programs, thereby establishing a coordinated network of monitoring “system of systems” for agricultural produc tion and food security. The two day meeting involved a suite of presentations on regional and global monitoring activities followed by a lively discussion on how to best characterize the wide array of imagery needs into a quantifiable and actionable set of requirements for CEOS and the space agencies to review and implement over the next six years. Dr. Becker-Reshef gave a presentation on the EO perspectives and considerations for implementation of the GEO-GLAM components and on relevant ongoing work at UMD as a part of the GEO-GLAM initiative – including examples from her own research on yield forecasting as well as Ms. Whitcraft’s dissertation research on agricultural growing sea- son calendars and cloud cover probability throughout the growing season. Dr. Justice presented the meeting objectives and helped guide the discussion and synthesize the requirements into a cohesive document. Dur- ing the coming months, these requirements will be strengthened through the addition of spatially explicit articu- lation of imaging timing and resolution requirements, a process that UMD Geographical Sciences is helping to implement and lead.

More information on GEO-GLAM can be found through this press release: http://www.earthobservations.org/ documents/pressreleases/pr_1111_geo_glam.pdf

UMD Geographers Bring Expertise to Workshop on Monitoring Agricultural Production and Land Use in Latin America

By Alyssa K. Whitcraft

In late September, five members of the Department of Geographical Sciences traveled to Buenos Aires, Ar- gentina to participate in a four day workshop focused on monitoring agricultural production and land use/land cover (change) in Latin America. The workshop was hosted by INTA, Argentina’s “Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria”, and co-organized by Chris Justice and Inbal Becker-Reshef of UMD. It was an in- ternational workshop attended by scientists representing public, private, and academic agricultural research organizations from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Uruguay, Par aguay, and Mexico, as well as by scientists from Eu- rope, North America, and Asia who are a part of the GEO Agriculture (Group on Earth Observations) Commu- nity of Practice. The workshop was held within the framework of a new GEO Agriculture initiative called GEO- GLAM (GEO Global Agriculture Monitoring) which was ado pted by the G-20 in June of 2011 and is co-led by Chris Justice with partners from the USDA, the European Commission Joint Research Center (JRC), China, France, Canada and the GEO Secretariat in Geneva.

The goals of the workshop were to discuss the state of the art of agricultural monitoring in Latin America, to share methodologies used in agricultural monitoring applicati ons, to identify gaps and priorities specific to Latin America, and particularly to strengthen connections between agencies and organizations that share overlap- ping research objectives and themes. The workshop was conducted in both English and Spanish as facilitated by two very capable translators who provided an opport unity to bridge an otherwise challenging language gap.

Drs. Chris Justice, Eric Vermote, Matt Hansen, I nbal Becker-Reshef and graduate student Alyssa Whitcraft have been conducting agricultural monitoring research and/ or providing scientific & programmatic guidance for the GEO Agriculture Task and the GEO-GLAM initiative for several years. Each UMD Geographer presented agricultural related research and activities, and were reciprocally enriched through insight gained on cropping practices and agricultural monitoring methodologies employed throughout Latin America. During the workshop, it was reiterated that remotely sensed data must be relia- bly & freely available, interoperable, and of high-quality in order to be adopted by regional and national agencies for operational agricultural monitoring. This fact is at the core of the GEO-GLAM initiative: data quality, accessibility, and continuity are paramount in encouraging the use of EO for operational agricultural monitoring.

The final day of the workshop involved a field trip to the rolling Pampas of Argentina, where attendees visited ag- ricultural fields that grow wheat, corn, or soy, as well as pasture lands. Local agricultural experts accompanied the trip and discussed their cultivation practices. This unique opportunity provided insight into the processes that many remote sensing scientists see in the data, but are not always capable of explaining by EO data alone, highlighting the key linkages between local knowledge on field level processes and regional or global scale anal- yses performed remotely using EO data.

Agricultural research has been central to the Department of Geographical Sciences for many years, a tradition that the GEO Agriculture task and its GEO-GLAM initiative is now strengthening and continuing through inter- national collaboration and coordination with strong support from UMD. The outcomes of the workshop will be summarized in a joint synthesis paper outlining the lessons learned and the path forward to generate an inter- national network of EO-based agriculture monitoring. More information on the meeting can be found at: http:// sepa.inta.gov.ar/sites/default/files/imagenes/workshop/index.htm , and more information on GEO-GLAM can be found through this press release: http://www.earthobservations.org/documents/pressreleases/pr_1111_geo_glam.pdf

Eric Vermote, Inbal Becker-Reshef, Matt Hansen, Alyssa Whitcraft, and Chris Justice taking in the agricultural landscape of the Argentine rolling pampas, outside Buenos Aires.

Assistant Professor in Urban Studies - Hong Kong

Closing Date: April 30, 2013 (note at the bottom it says applications will be accepted until the post is filled)

The Department/Unit Department of Geography and Resource Management at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong offers a number of undergraduate and postgraduate
degree programmes, including a new BSSc programme in Urban
Studies which is co-organized with the School of Architecture.

The Urban Studies Programme seeks an outstanding candidate with a
PhD degree in urban studies, geography or other related disciplines,
specializing in housing studies and sustainable urban development.

Applicants should also have (i) demonstrated excellence in teaching
and research; (ii) a track record of being a professionally active member
in transferring knowledge in the field; (iii) a proven record/a great
potential of gaining competitive research grants and strong research
productivity as evidenced by scholarly publications. Preference will be
given to those with substantial experience in urban studies in China and
the Asia-Pacific region.

The appointee will teach both introductory and advanced courses at
undergraduate and postgraduate levels, as well as general education
courses.

Appointment will normally be made on contract basis for up to
three years initially commencing January 2014, which, subject to
performance, funding and mutual agreement, may lead to longer-term
appointment or substantiation later.

Applications will be accepted until the post is filled.\

Application forms are obtainable
(a) at http://www.per.cuhk.edu.hk; or
(b) in person/by mail with a stamped, self-addressed envelope from the
Personnel Office, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong
Kong; or
(c) by fax polling at (852)3943 1461.

Please send the completed application form and/or full curriculum vitae,
together with copies of qualification documents, a publication list and/
or abstracts of selected published papers, and names, addresses and
fax numbers/e-mail addresses of three referees to whom the applicants’
consent has been given for their providing references (unless otherwise
specified), to the Personnel Office by post or by fax to (852) 3943 1462
by the closing date.

Please quote the reference number and mark 'Application - Confidential'
on cover. The Personal Information Collection Statement will be
provided upon request.

Associate Professor / Assistant Professor - Urban Environment

Closing Date: 31 March 2013 (note that it says below that applications will be accepted until the post is filled...)


The Department/Unit Department of Geography and Resource Management at The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong invites applications for a full-time Associate Professorship /Assistant Professorship in urban environment. Applicants should have a PhD
degree in geography, environmental science and engineering, or other related
disciplines, and specialize in one or more of the following fields:

•urban environmental problems
•urban sustainability and resilience
•environmental planning and assessment
•environmental pollution and monitoring

Preference will be given to those with substantial expertise and experience in
urban environment in Hong Kong, the Chinese mainland and the Asia-Pacific
region.

The appointee will teach both introductory and advanced undergraduate
courses, as well as general education courses. He/she will be expected to
demonstrate potential for teaching excellence, and to contribute actively and
productively to research programmes.

Appointment will normally be made on contract basis for up to three years
initially commencing September 2013, which, subject to performance, funding
and mutual agreement, may lead to longer-term appointment or substantiation
later.

Applications will be accepted until the post is filled.

Further information about the Department is available at http://
www.grm.cuhk.edu.hk/eng/.

Application forms are obtainable
(a) at http://www.per.cuhk.edu.hk; or
(b) in person/by mail with a stamped, self-addressed envelope from the
Personnel Office, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Shatin, Hong Kong; or
(c) by fax polling at (852)3943 1461.

Please send the completed application form and/or full curriculum vitae,
together with copies of qualification documents, a publication list and/or
abstracts of selected published papers, and names, addresses and fax
numbers/e-mail addresses of three referees to whom the applicants’ consent
has been given for their providing references (unless otherwise specified), to
the Personnel Office by post or by fax to (852) 3943 1462.

Please quote the reference number and mark 'Application - Confidential' on
cover. The Personal Information Collection Statement will be provided upon
request.

20 faculty positions at Sun Yat-sen Universities in Guangzhou, China

Guangzhou, China.  School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-sen University.  We invite applications for 20 faculty positions in the areas of Physical and Environmental Geography, Human Geography and Regional Science, GIScience and Remote Sensing, Water Resources and Hydrology, and Urban Planning. These positions will be appointed at the rank of full professor, associate professor or lecturer (equivalent of assistant professor).  We seek applicants with expertise in the aforementioned areas, with a Ph.D. in geography or related fields.  Successful candidates must demonstrate strong evidence of quality publications, funded research and effective teaching. Salaries and startup packages are highly competitive and commensurate with experience and qualification

Our Geography program is among top 8 in China. More information about School of Geography and Planning is available at http://gp.sysu.edu.cn/. Evaluation of applications will begin May 1, 2013, and the search will remain open until all positions are filled. Please contact Professor Shenjing He <mailto: heshenj@mail.sysu.edu.cn> for further information.

Suffolk County Community College - Political Science or Geography candidate needed!

Suffolk County Community College

Vacancy Announcement #2013-05

 TO:              All College Employees

FROM:        Office of Human Resources

SUBJECT:    Instructor/Assistant Professor – Political Science

Announcement is hereby made for a full-time tenure track appointment for the Fall 2013 Semester on the Ammerman Campus. 

Job Description:

The successful candidate will demonstrate evidence of the ability to teach a variety of introductory political science and geography courses.  Political science course assignments may include Political Thought, State and Local Politics and Government, American National Politics and Government, World Politics, and others.  Geography course assignments may include World Regional Geography, Culture and the Environment, and Political Geography.  In addition, the successful candidate will be expected to participate in student advisement activities, contribute to curriculum development, serve on departmental, campus, and college-wide committees, and maintain professional and creative development.

·       Teaches assigned courses in accordance with description published in the catalog and the approved course outline, incorporating alternative approaches and methods when appropriate and possible.

·       Must possess the willingness and ability to integrate technology and distance education into the curriculum. 

·       Meets all scheduled classes and all scheduled office hours.

·       Advises Academic Chairperson of absences in a timely manner.

·       Maintains and submits accurate grade and attendance records for students enrolled in classes.

·       Works and cooperates in developing and revising courses of study and curricula.

·       Incorporates an appreciation of diverse lifestyles, cultures and national perspectives into courses.

·       Advises students as per contractual obligation throughout every semester.

·       Serves on campus and college-wide committees.

·       Attends scheduled departmental and discipline meetings.

·       Engages in continual discipline professional development activities.

·       Adheres to college policies and procedures.

Minimum Qualifications: 

A Master’s degree in Political Science, with significant coursework in Geography is required; a doctorate in Political Science is strongly preferred.  Candidates must have 21 units of geography coursework (15 at the graduate level) and will teach two geography courses each term, in addition to three political science courses.  College-level teaching experience is required; community college teaching experience is preferred. 

Full-time faculty interested in transferring to this position must send a letter of intent to the Office of Human Resources by Wednesday, February 6, 2013.

If no transfer candidate is identified by this date, the position will be posted on the College website and candidates will have to follow these steps to apply: 

Step 1

Click on the following link:

http://www3.sunysuffolk.edu/Administration/humanresources/employment.asp

Step 2

Select position #13-03 and read the description.

Step 3

Click Apply Online to submit resume and cover letter.

The New York State Retirement and Social Security Law requires retirees of a public pension plan within the State or City of New York to disclose prior public employment and pension plan history for the purpose of establishing a retiree’s eligibility for employment.

2013 Science Internships for Students @ WWF

2013 WWF Science Internships

 

The following internships are available at the World Wildlife Fund – United States. They are designed typically for graduate students, although some may be appropriate for advanced undergraduates. Projects can be undertaken over the summer (with extensions, as necessary, into the fall semester). Most projects could also be extended over the course of one or two semesters as part of a student’s course work or thesis requirements; advance arrangements would be necessary with faculty advisors. Internships are typically unpaid unless otherwise noted, but facilities, library resources, and computers at WWF headquarters are available. Hours are flexible. To qualify for an unpaid internship, the student must provide documentation that they are receiving credit from their university, or that the work they will be performing is consistent with a course requirement.

 

In general, our interns need solid data management and writing skills, self-motivation, an ability to work both independently and collaboratively. Specific skills (required or preferred) are listed with each project, along with the primary contact person.

 

To apply, please email a cover letter and resume/CV to the contact individual listed for each project, with

“INTERNSHIP” and the relevant internship number listed in the subject line.

 

 

 

1.       Analyzing and Mainstreaming Forest Certification

 

Intern sought to help consolidate new knowledge and tools at the business-policy interface for forests and agricultural commodities; build and synthesize evidence that demonstrates ways to capture environmental impacts of forest certification; and, mainstream results by bringing them to the attention of potential users and decision makers. Specific areas of focus may include:

 

Using standardized methods for measuring carbon and other co-benefits

 

Role of various voluntary carbon certification schemes e.g. VCS, CAR

 

Overlaps with existing certification schemes

 

The successful applicant will have an interdisciplinary background in environmental policy or and/or environmental economics. Position requires excellent research and writing skills, with a preference for demonstrated expertise in policy analysis or framework analysis. Must be able to work efficiently and independently. Experience with agriculture and certification schemes would be a plus.

 

Stipend: Negotiable

 

Due date for CV and cover letter: March 15, 2013

Contact: Charlie Parker,   charlie.parker@wwfus.org

 

2. Protected Area Research Intern

 

 

Protected areas are a cornerstone of global conservation strategy. Conservation policy assumes that national parks and other protected areas are permanent fixtures on the landscape, but recent WWF research demonstrates that a contrary phenomenon is affecting protected areas worldwide: Protected Area Downgrading, Downsizing, and Degazettement, or PADDD. WWF is analyzing patterns, trends, and causes of PADDD, and their implications for the sustainability of conservation efforts. We are looking for a motivated intern to help us continue building our understanding of PADDD.

Internship responsibilities may include data collection on PADDD from existing datasets, popular, gray, and peer-reviewed literatures; administration of PADDDtracker.org (a wiki-style online database that integrates spatial mapping tools to collect and deliver data on PADDD); assistance in editing and producing content for PADDDtracker; development of new promotional material for outreach to the conservation community.

 

This internship is an excellent opportunity to interact with scientists in WWF-US and around the world; gain exposure to a wide range of conservation science and policy issues; and play an important part in contributing to our growing knowledge of the role of protected areas in conservation.

 

Minimum Requirements:

 

A successful candidate with have strong research, writing, and communication skills; excellent organizational skills, interest in conservation (particularly in global protected area systems), and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team. Knowledge of GIS, Drupal, database management, reference management databases (such as EndNote or Mendeley), and website management experience preferred. Spanish or other language skills preferred.

 

Duration: May 2013 through August/September 2013 (Minimum 12 weeks)

 

Stipend: Unpaid internship. Only enrolled students are eligible for this internship and you must be able to receive academic credit from your current academic institution.

Due date for CV and cover letter: April 1, 2013

 

How to apply: Please email a resume & cover letter with the subject line “Internship Application” to Roopa

Krithivasan at   roopa.krithivasan@wwfus.org.

 

3.       Protected Area Research Intern – Democratic republic of Congo

 

 

Protected areas are a cornerstone of global conservation strategy. Conservation policy assumes that national parks and other protected areas are permanent fixtures on the landscape, but recent WWF research demonstrates that a contrary phenomenon is affecting protected areas worldwide: Protected Area Downgrading, Downsizing, and Degazettement, or PADDD. WWF is analyzing patterns, trends, and causes of PADDD, and their implications for the sustainability of conservation efforts. We are looking for a motivated intern to help us continue building our understanding of PADDD in the Democratic republic of Congo (DRC).

 

Internship responsibilities may include data collection on PADDD from existing datasets, archival legal documents, and popular, gray, and peer-reviewed literatures; will include review of legal documents (including microfilm) at the Library of Congress in Washington DC.

 

This internship is an excellent opportunity to interact with scientists in WWF-US and around the world; gain exposure to a wide range of conservation science and policy issues; and play an important part in contributing to our growing knowledge of the role of protected areas in conservation.

 

Minimum Requirements:

 

A successful candidate with have strong research, writing, and communication skills; excellent organizational skills, interest in conservation (particularly in African protected area systems), and have the ability to work both independently and as part of a team. Fluency in French necessary. Knowledge of GIS and database management preferred.

Duration: May 2013 through August/September 2013. (Minimum 12 weeks)

 

Stipend: TBD.

 

Due date for CV and cover letter: April 1, 2013 or until filled.

How to apply: Please email a resume & cover letter with the subject line “Internship Application - DRC” to Roopa

Krithivasan at   roopa.krithivasan@wwfus.org

 

 

4.  Getting conservation to scale: Research Intern

 

Despite billions of dollars invested, “getting to scale” remains a fundamental challenge for conservation donors and practitioners. Effective community-based projects often struggle to deliver national-scale results, while a well-recognized “implementation gap” frequently exists between regional conservation plans and action. Occasionally, however, a conservation intervention will have widespread adoption and implementation that transforms the relationship between people and nature across large areas. Understanding why an intervention scales up is essential to evidence-based conservation policy and practice.

 

Internship responsibilities will include:

 

Review the peer-reviewed social science literature on “getting to scale”, employing a conservation lens.

 

Provide support to identify specific conservation interventions which have been scaled up, to better understand the patterns of adoption.

 

This work will help contribute building our understanding of the social factors that determine spatial patterns and temporal trends in the adoption and implementation of conservation policies and practices.

 

Minimum Requirements:

 

A successful candidate with have strong research, writing, and communication skills; excellent organizational skills, interest in conservation (particularly in global protected area systems), and the ability to work both independently and as part of a team. Knowledge of GIS and database management experience strongly preferred. Duration: May 2013 through August/September 2013 (Minimum 12 weeks)

 

Stipend: Unpaid internship. Only enrolled students are eligible for this internship and you must be able to receive academic credit from your current academic institution.

 

Due date for CV and cover letter: April 1, 2013.

 

How to apply: Please email a resume & cover letter with the subject line “Internship Application: Getting conservation to scale” to Roopa Krithivasan at  roopa.krithivasan@wwfus.org

 

 

5. Evaluating forest certification: Does certification reduce regional deforestation or degradation?

 

Tropical forests are the store-houses of most of the world’s biodiversity and carbon dioxide, but have also been under the threat of deforestation and degradation for many decades. In response to the rising commercial pressure on forestland, forest certification (e.g. Forest Stewardship Council) was developed as a conservation tool to ensure sustainable management of production forests. To better understand the effectiveness of this policy instrument, we seek an intern to help conduct a preliminary evaluation on the degree to which forest certification may have led to a decrease in the amount of regional deforestation or degradation.

 

Specific areas of focus may include:

 

Impact evaluation research design, using spatial counter-factual areas to set up our comparison/assessment Remote sensing analyses of select countries or sub-national regions, comparing FSC areas, connectivity, and deforestation (degradation) rates. Countries may include Peru, Indonesia, Cameroon, Costa Rica or Colombia Exploring connections with carbon markets and links to avoided deforestation carbon emissions estimates Exploring links to agricultural production and the agricultural-forest frontier with respect to forest conversion and indirect forest loss.

 

The successful applicant will meet the following requirements:

 

Interdisciplinary background in relevant fields, such as conservation biology, spatial ecology, spatial statistics Excellent GIS and remote sensing skills

 

Excellent research, writing, and analytical skills Ability to work efficiently and independently

 

Demonstrated knowledge of tropical forests, forest certification, or other forest management approaches preferred

 

Knowledge of impact evaluation methods preferred Proficiency in Spanish is a plus.

 

Stipend: Paid-internship

 

Duration: May 2013 through August 2013

Hours: Negotiable

 

Due date for CV and cover letter: April 1, 2013

 

Contact: Colby Loucks,   Colby.Loucks@wwfus.org

 

 

6. U.S. Climate Change Intern

 

The WWF climate change team seeks an intern to assist in the development and advocacy of strong US action on climate change. The intern will assist with WWF’s  Earth Hour City Challenge (EHCC) around adaptation, emissions reduction, renewable energy and public engagement. They will contribute to the formation and execution of a monitoring and evaluation plan used to measure the effectiveness of the EHCC program as a tool to engage publics, motivate local action and increase support for climate change policy

 

Internship responsibilities may include research, writing & analysis on various U.S. cities, their climate change plans (with a specific focus on adaptation, renewable energy and public outreach) and local climate advocacy groups; crafting communication materials targeting cities and other audiences; working with local climate advocacy groups and their staff/membership; performing research into news archives; communication with local government staff; compiling database of findings, and working with WWF staff on determining data needs and program assessment strategy. 


 

Requirements for the position include: Interest in climate change, environmental policy, economics, city policy or other related field; interest and willingness to learn about campaigns and public engagement; excellent written and verbal communications skills; ability to work in a fast-paced environment, collaboratively and independently; strong interpersonal skills crucial for developing working relationships internally and externally; strong organizational skills; and attention to detail.

 

Stipend: Unpaid. The intern must receive academic credit through his/her university for their work. Expected to work at least 25-30 hours per week.

Due date for CV and cover letter: March 15th, 2013, applications reviewed as received

 

Contact: To apply send resume and cover letter to   lynn.englum@wwfus.org

 

 

7. Renewable Energy Intern – Scaling up corporate demand for renewable energy

 

Intern sought to help research and advance corporate demand for renewable energy. Companies have significant potential to drive voluntary use of renewable energy; many have set specific goals to increase renewable energy use and are making progress toward meeting them but are also encountering barriers. WWF’s renewable energy work is focused on helping companies overcome barriers to scaling up their use of renewable energy, including addressing awareness, policy, finance and accounting barriers. Internship responsibilities will focus on gathering information and data on corporate renewable energy demand, related goals, and corporate progress in meeting goals. Some research and analysis may also be required on policy and green power programs.

 

The successful applicant will have an interdisciplinary background in environmental policy, renewable energy, climate change, business sustainability and/or corporate social responsibility. Position requires excellent research and writing skills, with a preference for experience in renewable energy and business engagement. Must be able to work efficiently and independently, remaining flexible to tasks and shifting priorities. Expected to work at least 25-30 hours per week. Flexible schedule.

 

Stipend: Course credit for full-time student

 

Due date for CV and cover letter: April 1, 2013

Contact: Bryn Baker,   Bryn.Baker@wwfus.org

 

 

8. Spatial analysis of ecosystem services

 

Intern(s) sought to work on mapping ecosystem services using InVEST (Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs), an ArcGIS based modeling tool developed by the Natural Capital Project  http://www.naturalcapitalproject.org/InVEST.html). Interns will work on one or more of the following:

 

Compile spatial and other data relevant to ecosystem services in WWF priority sites, especially the Greater Mekong region, the Eastern Himalayas (Nepal, Bhutan), Brazil, Mozambique, United States, and potentially

other locations. Parameterize InVEST models using a range of sources, including scientific literature review, Internet searches and contacting experts.

 

Format spatial data sets for use with InVEST;

 

Run InVEST models for a range of ecosystem services under current land use patterns and future scenarios, and analyze spatial variation in these services.

 

Provide feedback on InVEST that will contribute to its further development, and help improve the documentation.

 

Provide technical support to WWF staff in mapping ecosystem services

 

This is a great opportunity to gain experience in spatial analysis and ecosystem services. A minimum of two semesters ArcGIS coursework, or equivalent work experience required. Optional but helpful: prior experience with ecosystem services, and advanced spatial analysis skills (including remote sensing). Must be able to work independently (e.g., following up on leads for data sources, troubleshooting technical issues). Graduate students are preferred.

 

Stipend: Negotiable

Due date for CV and cover letter: Applications reviewed as received

 

Contact: Derric Pennington (derric.pennington@wwfus.org)

 

 

9. Science-Policy Intern – Integrating ecosystem services into decision-making

 

Intern(s) sought to help consolidate new knowledge and tools at the science-policy interface for ecosystem services; build and synthesize evidence that demonstrates the impact of ecosystem service approaches; and, mainstream results by bringing them to the attention of potential users and decision makers.

 

Specific areas of focus may include:

 

evaluating the impact of ecosystem service approaches and capacity building mainstreaming ecosystem services into public and private sector decision-making institutional and policy analysis

scenario development

connecting ecosystem services to human wellbeing

 

The successful applicant will have an interdisciplinary background in environmental policy, geography, political economy, economics, organizational development, pedagogy and/or ecology. Position requires excellent research, writing and communication skills. Must be able to work efficiently and independently. Experience with ecosystem services and GIS would be a plus.

 

Stipend: Negotiable

Due date for CV and cover letter: March 15, 2012

Contact: Emily McKenzie,   emily.mckenzie@wwfus.org