ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES NEWSLETTER
In this issue:
** Upcoming ES
Events: ES Colloquia: Climate
Change and the University: Lessons Learned from the Tufts Climate Initiative and
Sustainability Panel Discussion
** ES
Program news: New Spring Course: The
Environment and Human Health
** Campus
Sustainability: 3-mile loop clean up and Food Waste survey
both successes! This week Sustainability Panel. Dont miss it!
** Jan Plan Funding Opportunities: Mellon and more
** Beyond Colby: MOFGA conference, Grad School Fair
**
** Jobs and Internships:
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** Upcoming ES Events:
Climate Change and the
University: Lessons Learned from the Tufts Climate Initiative
Sarah Creighton, Project Manager, Tufts
Climate Initiative
Tuesday, October 25 in Olin 1
The Tufts Climate Initiative (TCI) began on Earth Day 1999
as Tufts became the first institution of higher education nationally to commit
to specific emission reduction goals.
TCI is an exemplary program that moves global warming beyond a classroom
topic and promotes practical actions to help solve this critical environmental
problem. In the past six years Tufts has
worked to reduce its own emissions of climate altering gases by taking direct
and measurable actions: a combination of renewable energy, energy efficiency,
fuel-switching, and behavioral change. Tufts has nearly leveled university
emissions despite growth in the number of campus buildings.
This presentation
will use the TCI share the lessons from the TCI experience to focus campus
sustainability efforts using the issue of climate change as well as to explore
the opportunities that climate change action presents for students, faculty,
staff and administrators.
Sarah Hammond
Creighton is Project Manager of the Tufts Climate Initiative. She is author
of Greening the Ivory Tower: Improving the Environmental Track Record of
Universities, Colleges and Other Institutions, a motivational and how-to guide for staff,
faculty, and students and offers detailed greening strategies. She holds a B.S. in Physics from
.
Sustainability Panel
Discussion
Do you want to hear
how Colbys president, faculty,
PPD staff, and a
Green House student view sustainability?
SURE you do! Come
to this event with questions for the panel!
PRESIDENT WILLIAM
BRO
PROFESSOR RUSS COLE
ENVIRONMENTAL
PROGRAM MANAGER, DALE DEBLOIS
PROFESSOR LINDA
TATELBAUM
EMILIA TJERNSTROM,
06
MODERATOR: SARAH
KELLY 06
WEDNESDAY OCTOBER
26,
OLIN 1
** ES Program News
Mellon grant supports
new spring course.
Following a successful Women
and the Environment course last Jan Plan, Research Scientist, Gail Carlson
will offer the following spring course:
ES298 The
Environment and Human Health
Tuesday/Thursday
Four credit hours. Carlson
An examination of how human health
is impacted by our physical, chemical, biological, and social environments; how
we measure the effects of these determinants at the level of the cell, tissue,
individual, and population; and how we assess these determinants in order to
make regulatory decisions. Topics include the basic concepts of toxicology,
epidemiology, and risk assessment, as well as the specific human health effects
of various forms of pollution, radiation, synthetic chemicals, global climate
change, and biodiversity loss. Students will conduct a community-wide audit of
potential environmental health threats as part of the course. Prerequisite:
Environmental Studies 118.
.
** Campus Sustainability:
Sustainability Month has been a great success:
The 3-mile loop clean up went quite well! Jenna Morrison organized 15 volunteers who filled 12 trash bags full and 1 bag of recyclable cans/bottles! Thank you all for this effort!
..
Also this past week
The ES Club and EnviroCo sponsored
a Food Waste Survey. This insightful survey showed us that we should all
remember to Take Only What You Can Eat!.
** Jan Plan Funding Opportunities:
ES113 Women and
the Environment
Three credit hours.
Gail Carlson
TWRF
The diverse and
complex ways in which women and the natural environment intersect, using the
works and voices of prominent women environmentalists and authors, including
Rachel Carson and Terry Tempest Williams. Topics include how women around the
globe participate in environmental issues, how women's participation has
influenced Western science and environmental policy, and how the physical and
chemical environment uniquely impacts women's health. An important theme of the
course is that understanding the experiences, messages, and actions of women is
critical to our approach to environmental issues today.
ES173
Environmental Law and Indian Tribes: The "Rez"
and the "Hood"
Three credit hours.
S. Peter Sly
M, T, W, R
Federal
environmental law often affects land use decisions. An examination of
environmental decision-making in the context of the most regulated lands in the
** Both of these
courses above will count toward the Humans
and the Environment requirements for science majors and Environmental Issues requirements for
policy majors.
Also in January:
PL197 Environmental Ethics
MTWR
An introduction to prominent questions and themes in environmental ethics. We will begin with a study of theoretical approaches to nature, animals, and the place of human beings in the environment, including Social Ecology, Deep Ecology, Ecofeminism, and Ecopsychology. Then we will consider a number of issues that raise ethical questions in the context of environmental philosophy, such as ecojustice, consumption, globalization, economics, poverty, pollution, biodiversity, education, population, technology, place, activism, and wilderness.
198Bj Ecological Teaching and Learning In a cooperative learning community, students explore the philosophical foundations of experiential, holistic, and ecological education. Students reflect on their own learning styles, levels of emotional engagement in various contexts, and messages received in school about their place in the web of life. Class sessions include theoretical discussion, observation of model educators, and practice using a variety of teaching techniques. Every student gains experience facilitating group activities, designing hands-on lessons, evaluating peer teachers, and teaching ecological concepts in the outdoors. A variety of learning environments are used for the course, including the dynamic winter ecosystems of riparian zones and forests during a three-day field trip. Nongraded. Three credit hours. EDELGLASS
Book Seminar: Natures Metropolis
STS Professor Paul Josephson is
hosting a book seminar Tuesdays at
.
** Beyond Colby: MOFGA conference
The 16th annual Farmer-to-Farmer
Conference
* A venerable institution in
* 12 sessions covering a range of
topics reflecting the diversity of
* Unique session format featuring
ample discussion time intended to capitalize on the accumulated knowledge of
all the farmers in attendance
* Lots of time to socialize --
catch up with old friends and make new ones
* Keynote by David Pimentel, the
renowned Cornell agroecologist
* Delicious meals featuring local,
organic food
For a full conference program,
including registration form, follow this link:
http://www.mofga.org/news20051006.html
October 24
Monday, October 24,
Admissions
representatives from over 95 institutions varying in size, program specialties,
and geographic locations, will be on-hand to distribute literature, answer
questions, and provide useful information. Fields related to arts and sciences,
law, public policy, international affairs, business, medicine, and social
services will be represented.
**
Environmental Science MS degree at
The Environmental Science Program at
DC invites applications from students interested in graduate work at
the interface of science and policy. Located minutes from downtown DC,
and the states of
program have the unique opportunity to build on classroom instruction
with internships and fellowships at all levels of government as well as
with the many NGO's headquartered in this region. The Environmental
Studies Program offers competitive fellowships, teaching assistantships
and student grants to qualified applicants. For more information, go
to: www.american.edu/cas/env_std/environ_about.html or contact Dr.
Steve MacAvoy at macavoy@american.edu or 202-885-3003
.
RA-ships are starting in summer or autumn 2006 for qualified
graduate students interested in systematic ichthyology here at the
UW is ranked among the top 20 universities in the world and SAFS is a fantastic department of some 30 faculty, 120 graduate students, 100 undergraduate majors, and state-of-the-art facilities for both lab and fieldwork. We provide a high-quality education in all aspects of marine and freshwater science. For more information, see:
http://www.fish.washington.edu
http://www.UWFishCollection.org
.
** Jobs and Internships:
Create Your World:
Celebrating 25 Years of Design/Build Yestermorrow
Design/Build School
The Yestermorrow Design/Build School, in
Bridge Design/Build:
The two week course
explores the design/build process in depth.
Using a small scale project, budget, and real life client as the
vehicle, the class as a team will be challenged to define an overriding design
concept from which the rest of the design decisions will flow. The team will be encouraged to explore materials
as well as creatively push the limits of design, all the while learning that
designing and building are not two separate/linear processes, but rather one
integrated process. Students will
participate in intensive round robin design exercises, model building, group
decision making, and most importantly, hands-on building.
Internship work
would include general support, upkeep, class preparation, and campus
improvement projects. Internship work
would qualify for tuition reduction.
There is limited lodging space available.
Now in its 25th
year, Yestermorrow is one of the only design/build
schools in the country, teaching both design and construction skills with a
focus on sustainability. For more
info, visit www.yesterm 413 4436999orrow.org, or call
888-496-5541.
..
Biodiversity
Research Expeditions to the Coastal Rainforest of
Your
students can gain valuable field work experience as a member of a Global Vision
International research expedition during their summer vacation or post
graduation. Expedition members are required to join the GVI research team
starting throughout the year to undertake biodiversity studies in remote
coastal habitat of
Expedition Focus
The expedition is focused on conducting a comprehensive research program in a biodiversity hotspot near Tortuguero on the Costa Rican coast. Expedition members are needed for periods of 5, 10 and 15 weeks. Research activities include mammal research; bird identification and bird song recording; turtle and jaguar predation surveys; GPS mapping; management of the trail system, and environmental education programs. No experience is necessary. Expedition members will be provided with a comprehensive training program upon arrival to equip them with the necessary knowledge to conduct the rainforest and coastline research.
This Global Vision International expedition works with the following organizations;
"Both GVI and COTERC are dedicated to the conservation of our environment and the dissemination of information about the rainforest"
Tom Mason, COTERC Director, March 2005
Further details are outlined on the relevant webpage at
http://www.gvi.co.uk/pages/expeditionDetail.asp?expedition=68 or can be requested by contacting
GVI directly on 1- 888-653-6028 (in AK, HI, and
Global Vision International
Global Vision International promotes sustainable development through research, education and direct financial support with the creation of global partnerships across the world. With an international network in 20 countries worldwide, GVI supports many of the world's most critical conservation and humanitarian projects. For more information about GVI, visit www.gviusa.com
Career Opportunities in the field
GVI
offers a large range of jobs, internships and other exciting field work
placements in the fields of education, research, environmental management and
wildlife research alongside its partner organizations in countries across the
world. More details can be seen on http://www.careersabroad.co.uk
MARK GINSBERG SUSTAINABILITY FELLOWSHIP BACKGROUND
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) created the Mark
Ginsberg Sustainability Fellowship to honor Mark Ginsberg, board member in the
Department of Energy's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. The
award will support a USGBC Fellow for one semester each year to research a
sustainability issue important to the growth and development of the USGBC,
"mirroring the contributions, spirit, and integrity of Mark
Ginsberg." The USGBC is currently seeking applicants for a fellowship beginning
January 2005. APPLICATION DEADLINE:
PROJECT CRITERIA
The scope of the project will mirror the contributions,
spirit and integrity of Mark Ginsberg. As such, it will contribute to a healthy
and prosperous future for the environment, for society as a whole, and for the
Council itself. The project will:
** Help to make our society more sustainable and reduce our
impact on the planet.
** Be pioneering and help us to broaden our understanding of
the possibilities of the sustainability movement.
** Contribute to the growth and effectiveness of the Council
by supporting work already underway at the Council and/or by advising the
Council about new horizons. The project's results may also increase the
knowledge and effectiveness of the Board and/or Senior Management.
** Demonstrate the Council's leadership and bring together
organizations and individuals in both the public and private sectors.
** Require and embrace imagination and creativity to enhance
and refine the Council's strategy and mission.
2006 PROJECT
The 2006 project is a 4-month activity designed to support
the development a national green building research agenda outlining the most
critical gaps in technical and market information needed to advance the
adoption and evolution of sustainable building design, construction and
operations practices in the
Work is expected to be part time, including a two-day
Research Committee retreat in February or March, (and synopsis), occasional
tasks throughout the spring, and completion during the summer. Minimum
compensation will be $5000.
APPLICANT CRITERIA
The successful applicant will be an advanced degree student committed to and enthusiastic about the mission of the Council and will have demonstrated the ability to support this mission. He or she will have excellent leadership skills and a strong desire to work toward positive change through the cooperation of public and private sectors. The applicant should have the business and research experience necessary to fulfill the goals of the project, in addition to excellent writing skills. Applicants are requested to submit a resume, a statement of interest, and a relevant writing sample, to Tom Dietsche (tdietsche@usgbc.org).
.
The State PIRGs Campus Organizer
2006-2007 Job Description
The
continues. For more information about the state PIRGs
student chapters, visit www.studentpirgs.org.
Run public interest campaigns. Campus Organizers lead a variety of public interest
campaigns on their campuses, giving students an opportunity to solve pressing social
need to A key part of the state PIRGsʼ mission is to train leaders who are capable of designing and winning be solved.
Training:campaignsfrom passing
clean air protections to toughening campaign fi nance laws. The state PIRGs conduct an intensive,
three-week, paid training program for Campus Organizers. Training begins in
late July and includes two weeks of campaign work and field work with the state
PIRGsʼ citizen outreach
staff , followed by one week of classroom training.
At the end of training, new Campus Organizers are placed at a specifi c college campus, with placement
determined by the individual organizerʼs skills and experience. Campus
Organizers also participate in
other training events, including regional conferences and a
national staff training in
Qualifi cations
We are looking for motivated individuals who are willing to work hard and commit themselves
to getting results. We value experience with campus groups or student government, academic
achievement, public interest commitment, and outstanding verbal, written and leadership skills. But most of all, we look for people who fi nd a way to make a diff erence.
Salary & Benefits
As a recent graduate, you will earn $23,750 in your first year with the state PIRGs. Salary for experienced candidates is commensurate with relevant professional experience and/or advanced degrees. You will be eligible to opt in to our group health plan, will accrue two weeks paid vacation and will be eligible to apply for college loan assistance.
Locations
The state PIRGs are hiring for positions in: AZ, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IA, IL, IN, LA, MA, MD, ME, MI, MO, NC, NH, NJ, NM, OH, OR, PA, RI, TX, WA, WI and Washington, D.C. During the interview process, applicants are asked to specify their geographic limitations and will only receive an offer if a position in one of those locations can be guaranteed.
How To Apply
You can pick up a brochure at your career placement offi ce and schedule an on-campus interview, or apply online at www.pirg.org/jobs.
Questions
Please contact Sarah Bennett in our Recruitment Department
with any questions: e-mail her at jobs@pirg.org or call (617) 292-4800.
..
The State PIRGs
Fellowship
Program
2006-2008 Job
Description
The goal of a PIRG
Fellowship is to develop leaders for the public interest movement. You might
see yourself becoming a fi eld
organizer, advocateor even director of a public interest group someday.
As a PIRG Fellow, you
gain hands-on experience in organizing, advocating, raising money, recruiting staff
and leading campaigns in your fi rst
year on staff . More importantly, you get real results, whether at the local,
state or federal level. And your experience is complemented by intensive
training and the direction and advice of a senior mentor. As a PIRG fellow, you
will build expertise on global warming, open space destruction or another
social problem. Youʼll
conduct research, craft policy solutions, act as a spokesperson to the media,
build diverse coalitions, write grants, recruit activists and members and
develop the kind of politically powerful support you need to win. Your
day-to-day work might include meeting with a state or national decision-maker,
researching or writing a report, canvassing door-to-door, conducting a news conference,
or directing a citizen outreach campaign. Upon successful completion of the
two-year program, youʼll
be eligible for a leadership role within the organization. The Fellowship
Program positions include, but are not limited to:
Issue Associates: As an Issue Associate,
you will master your issue area, research and
write reports, develop
and coordinate campaigns, prepare legislative testimony, build
statewide and national
coalitions, organize media events, raise funds, and meet with
elected officials.
Field Associates: As a Field Associate, you
will build and demonstrate support for
PIRG proposals at the state
or federal level. You must quickly master the basics of a
variety of issues, and
then reach out to individuals, media outlets and organizations to
build visibility and gain
their support. This year, Field Associates organized support for
measures to help solve
our dependence on oil, stop drilling in the
Each fellow takes on the
critical role of building the organization by canvassing
throughout the year in
addition to running a citizen outreach offi ce in the summer
months.
Address real
problems; get meaningful results.
If you want a job working
hard to solve our countrys problems each day,
consider a job with the state Public Interest Research Groups (PIRGs). The
state PIRGs are a national network of nonprofit organizations that advocate on
behalf of the public interest. Starting with thorough research, we tackle problems
that need to be solved.
Training
A key part of the PIRG
mission is to train leaders who are capable of designing and winning public interest
campaigns, from the first steps of research to the last news conference where
the governor signs our bill into law, all while building a sustainable
organization by recruiting members, raising money, and developing staff for the
long-term.
As a PIRG Fellow, you
attend a nine-day, paid training starting in mid-August in
You gain valuable skills
and experience building an organization, including fundraising through grant-writing
and canvassing, recruiting and managing staff , and directing campaigns.
Placement
Fellowship candidates are hired
nationwide and placed with state PIRGs in offi ces across the country. This year, we will also be placing
a few Fellows with PennEnvironment, Environment
California, Environment Colorado and Environment Maine, the homes of the state
PIRGsʼ
environmental work in these states.
.
GIS Program Director
Hopeworks
uses the skills of
geographic information systems (GIS) and web site design and development to
work with urban youth in
high school dropout rate
for African-American and Hispanic youth in
create hope, good-paying
jobs, business development and educational opportunities for those
that have dropped out of
school. There are 8,000 such youth in
Hopeworks has an advanced
curriculum and training program by which youth are able to earn
college credits and gain
valuable professional skills. As part of our program Hopeworks
offers GIS
services to paying clients
using the projects as an opportunity for training and youth
development.
The GIS Program Manager
reports directly to the Executive Director and is responsible for the
following areas:
1. Youth Development
a. Provide a positive
role model for youth, encourage respectful interaction with
others and respect, care
and ownership for Hopeworks and their lives
b. Involve youth in
project planning, client interaction and team management.
Structure learning
through projects that are managed by trainees, encouraging
both independence and
teamwork.
2. GIS Project Management
a. Seek out new GIS
business revenue. Manage timeline and workload for all the
GIS projects, keeping
projects within budget and deadline constraints.
b. Able to work
independently, be extremely organized, and able to keep cool under
deadlines. Must be able
to oversee multiple projects.
3. Resource Development
a. Write/modify
curriculum and plan training relating to GIS for Hopeworks
trainees
in light of current and
anticipated projects
b. Make decisions on GIS
hardware and software needs, keeping track of emerging
technologies
4. Instruction
a. GIS and related data
management software (ArcView 9.x, MS Access, Excel,
etc)
b. Seek out and oversee
accredited GIS training from local/online colleges as well
as other training
opportunities from ESRI, New Horizons, etc.
S K I L L S A N D O T H E R R E Q U I R E
M E N T S
1. Self-motivated and
independent
2. Interest and desire to
work with an innovative youth-development program and be
involved with the lives
of youth.
3. Understanding of the
concepts of geographic information systems
4. Experience with ArcView 9.X; Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word
5. Experience with
additional GIS software (ArcEditor/ArcInfo; ArcView Extensions-
Streetmap, 3-D Analyst, Spatial
Analyst, etc; ArcPad/ArcPad Studio); SQL; Microsoft
Access/PowerPoint/Publisher/Outlook
are pluses.
6. Additional skills for
client interaction are also pluses: Writing (grants and business
proposals), Public
speaking and presentations, Sales
7. Passion for youth and
their development and well being, a desire to make a difference in
a place of great need and
a desire to be a part of an innovative and entrepreneurial
enterprise are essential
H O U R S / S A L A R Y
40 hours/week
Commensurate with
experience
Medical and dental
benefits
H O W TO A P P L Y :
Requirements:
With their resume,
applicants must include a writing sample explaining what
they find compelling
about working with a youth-development program such
as Hopeworks
All applicants should
submit their resumes via post. No online applications or
phone calls will be
accepted.
Address:
Hopeworks
Attn: Jeff Putthoff
www.hopeworks.org