Terrorism Research Award

Application Information for 2013-2014 START Terrorism Research Award

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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.

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.

Post-doctoral Fellowship at ICRAF

 ICRAF is in the process of recruiting for a Post-Doctoral Fellow – Geoscience Lab to be based in Nairobi, Kenya. We would greatly appreciate your assistance in bringing this announcement to the attention of friends and colleagues who may be qualified candidates.

Attached is the vacancy announcement for your ease of reference; the same may also be found on our website. Should you need any further information on this position, please do not hesitate to contact us.
 Regards,
 Human Resources Unit

(The original posting was in a PDF... here is the content):

 VACANCY: Post-Doctoral Fellow – Geoscience Lab

About the organization
 The World Agroforestry Centre is an independent research institution which generates science-based knowledge about the complex role trees play in agricultural landscapes and rural livelihoods. As part of the Centre’s work to bring tree-based solutions to bear on poverty and environmental problems, researchers – working in close collaboration with partners – are developing new technologies, tools and policy recommendations for increased food security and ecosystem health. The Centre’s headquarters are located in Nairobi, Kenya, and research is conducted in 23 countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America. We are supported by the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) and receive funding from over 50 different donors.

Main purpose of the job 
 Focusing primarily on smallholder adaptation to climate change, the main purpose of the job is to conduct remote sensing analysis, spatial modelling and related research linking biophysical monitoring approaches to indicators of agricultural sustainability.  

Duties and responsibilities
 Conduct research on the opportunities and limitations of remote sensing and GIS-based data for smallholder climate change adaptation planning.
 Develop knowledge products that can be published in peer reviewed journals and disseminated for practical programming purposes.
  Contribute towards the development of a near-real-time geoscience laboratory at ICRAF that utilizes remote sensing and rigorous statistical approaches for smallholder adaptation planning under different scenarios.  

Qualifications and experience 
 PhD in ecology, hydrology, soil science or related field.
 Strong background in GIS, remote sensing and spatial modelling.
  Advanced knowledge of the R statistical environment.
  Excellent communication skills in written and spoken English, and good speaking capacity in French.
 Excellent interpersonal communication and good personal organization skills.
  Ability to show initiative and work independently.
 Proven analytical skills in GIS, remote sensing analysis and spatial modelling using open source tools.
  Experience with Python and Java programming.
  The capacity to communicate with colleagues in a multidisciplinary and multicultural research team. 

Terms of offer
We offer a collegial, diverse and gender-sensitive working environment, and we strongly encourage applications from qualified women. This position is remunerated on international terms. The appointment will be for an initial period of two (2) years, subject to a nine (9) month probation period. The recommended duty station for the position is at the World Agroforestry Centre Headquarters in Nairobi.

How to apply
Prepare:
  A cover letter illustrating your suitability for the position, and your salary expectations.
 Detailed and up-to-date curriculum vitae.
  The names and addresses of three referees, including telephone numbers, email addresses, and fax details, if available.

Address these to:
The Human Resources Unit, World Agroforestry Centre (ICRAF) via email to: icrafhru@cgiar.org. Indicate “Application for Post-doctoral Fellow – Geoscience Lab” on the application letter. Applications will be considered until 15 March 2013. Please note that only short-listed applicants meeting the above requirements will be contacted. To learn more about us, visit our website: www.worldagroforestry.org

THE PROF. R. RAHAMIMOFF TRAVEL GRANTS PROGRAM FOR YOUNG SCIENTISTS

A CALL FOR APPLICATIONS IN THE PROF. 

R. RAHAMIMOFF TRAVEL GRANTS

PROGRAM FOR YOUNG SCIENTISTS

BSF is announcing the availability of funds for short scientific trips by young
American or Israeli scientists to the other country.
 
In 2012 the program will have two calls and  each will support 10 trips.  Grants
will be $4,000 each. This is the 2nd CALL for 2012.
The program is open to PhD students  and post-doc fellows doing research
that requires facilities or expertise  that are not available in their home
countries.
Applications will be evaluated on the basis of their merit in light of the overall
aim of the program, and the qualifications of the applicants. The grant will be
awarded through the institute that submits the application. As guiding principles,
support will be awarded to applications that meet the following criteria:

• The applicant is a young American or Israeli researcher, and the visit is to
the other country.
• The research is in an accredited higher education or scientific institution
(including hospitals).
• The applicant's research is in any of the scientific fields supported by the
BSF (full list is on the BSF website), regardless of the split program.
• The purpose of the trip is limited to the use of facilities, or acquiring
expertise not available in the applicant's home country.

Additional information about the Prof. R. Rahamimoff program can be found at:
http://www.bsf.org.il/bsfpublic/DefaultPage1.aspx?PageId=25&innerTextID=25, and
must be submitted using the form and the instructions that can be downloaded from
the BSF website www.bsf.org.il in the “Guidelines & Forms” section.
Deadline for application submission is December 6, 2012 at 5 pm Israel time.
Applications that do not follow the instructions on the BSF website will not be
processed.

We've Come a Long Way!

While our college's history dates back to the early 1900s, 'The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences' was formed in 1986 when the University of Maryland's five academic divisions were combined, and subsequently split into fourteen individual colleges. Believe it or not, the "LISTSERV" (a tool for managing large-scale email communications) was also developed in 1986. The college has come a long way since then...and so has communication technology.

In 1997, the same year that The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences created the Environmental Science and Policy Program, another major communications tool came into existence - the weblog, or 'blog'.

Fast forward to 2012: The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences is proud to announce the retirement of one more LISTSERV, and the launch of its very own Graduate Student Blog, created to provide our [Terrapins] with news, updates, and important information. Here you will be able to search our posts (both by keyword & category), subscribe to our blog via email and share information on a number of social media platforms. Hooray BSOS!