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ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES PROGRAM NEWSLETTER
SEPTEMBER 23 , 2008
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In this issue:
** UPCOMING ES PROGRAM EVENTS: Lunchtime Colloquia Wednesday — Maureen Drouin Maine League of Conservation Voters
** IN THE NEWS:  Maine League of Conservation Voters publishes its annual scorecard
** BEYOND CAMPUS:   Northern Forest Alliance 2008 Climate Change Conference, Kindle — the Northern New England Bioneers Conference
** OFF CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY:   Volunteers needed at Evening for the Environment
** GRAD SCHOOL: Masters Research Assistantship in amphibian ecology and conservation
** JOBS & INTERNSHIPS: U.S. Department of Justice, New England Aquarium
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** UPCOMING ES PROGRAM EVENTS:  
Lunchtime Colloquia
Wednesday, September 24 noon in the Fairchild Room in Dana, Join us at 11:30 for lunch with Maureen.

Making Maine’s Environment a Political Priority
Maine’s extraordinary environment is the foundation of our health, our jobs, and our identity, both as individuals and as a state. Our clean water, clean air, and natural beauty sustain much of our economic base.  But Maine is changing rapidly, and its natural heritage, economy and sense of place are all at risk. Sprawling development patterns degrade wildlife habitat and our quality of life.  Skyrocketing energy costs challenge us to develop renewable power sources and increase energy efficiency. Global warming will change our lives and the state in innumerable ways. Addressing these threats requires political action. Join Maureen Drouin, Executive Director of the Maine League of Conservation Voters, to discuss why Maine needs political leaders committed to passing strong laws to protect our environment.  From the U.S. presidency to the Maine Legislature, find out how you can get involved to make a difference for Maine’s environment this November.
 
** IN THE NEWS:   
 The Maine League of Conservation Voters publishes an annual Environmental Scorecard, tracking each legislator's votes on key environmental issues of the session.
You can see why Baldacci was given a B- and find out your legislators' scores, and let them know how you feel about their work using the interactive 2008 Maine House & Senate Scorecards at http://www.mlcv.org.
Maureen Drouin will talk about this and more at the lunchtime talk in Dana tomorrow!

** BEYOND CAMPUS:   
Northern Forest Alliance 2008 Climate Change Conference

The Northern Forest Alliance (NFA) is a non-profit organization based in
Stowe, Vermont. Our priorities are threefold:

production
 the jobs these industries support
 We are hosting a conference to address the impact of climate change. Our cherished Northern Forest is at risk. For example, recent scientific studies
show that Sugar Maples will shift northward, out of the Northern Forest by the end of the century. The time to address these challenges and ensure the
health of our natural and human communities is now.

Our upcoming 2008 Climate Change Conference is designed to engage students from Northern Forest oriented colleges and universities to create a set
of principles that will help address the challenges of climate change in the areas of forests and biofuels. Our program schedule includes:
 Day One: student attendees explore, with the help of experts, emerging climate change issues
 Day Two: student attendees work in plenary and breakout sessions and adopt Top Ten Principles to Enhance Forests and Biofuels for 2009
Goal: students and engaged faculty bring the list of principles back to their schools to be deliberated, adapted, and implemented
NFA understands that everyone can be part of the solution to climate change, hence the reason for holding a climate change conference focused on
Northern Forest colleges and universities. These institutions serve asmodels for their communities and the students graduating from these schools
will be the leaders of tomorrow. They are the perfect group to identify and create practical strategies to mitigate climate change. The principles
developed at the conference will help preserve the Northern Forest and will educate the student attendees on emerging issues within the Northern
Forest.

The 2008 Climate Change Conference is November 1 and 2, 2008 at Dartmouth
College in Hanover, New Hampshire. The event is free of charge. Spots
are limited. Registration is required. Student registration forms, faculty
and staff registration forms, and fliers are available at
www.northernforestalliance.org.
Questions: Contact Shelly Martin at (802) 253-8227 ext. 13 or at
smartin@nfainfo.org

What is Bioneers?
A Leading Source of Innovative Solutions.
A Northern New England Bioneers Conference
October 17th - 19th, 2008
USM Portland, Maine

As a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, we share the solutions presented at the Bioneers Conference and through our programs. Our media productions leverage this content to reach millions of people around the nation and the world: our award-winning radio series, Bioneers: Revolution From the Heart of Nature; book series; television programs; and our interactive website. We act as a key source for the media, including third-party films and the press.
An Annual Conference.
Every October, we convene brilliant social and scientific innovators to share breakthrough solutions with more than 10,000 people attending both our main Bioneers Conference in San Rafael, California, and Beaming Bioneers Satellite conferences around the country. This year it is happening in Portland! Details at http://www.kindledinme.com/index.php

** CAMPUS SUSTAINABILITY:  
Volunteers Needed at Evening for the Environment
MAINE LEAGUE OF CONSERVATION VOTERS
Autumn is upon us - the days and nights are cooler and political signs are popping up all over town.  Here at Maine League of Conservation Voters' new Augusta office, we are smack in the middle of the busiest and most important election season in recent history.
Not only are we leading our most strategic and sophisticated electoral campaign to date to elect pro-environment candidates to the Maine State Legislature - we are also gearing up for our sixth annual Evening for the Environment on October 2nd.
Over the years, the Evening has become Portland's biggest environmental benefit and the environmental community's largest social gathering.  Last year, more than 300 environmentalists, business and industry leaders,  elected officials, and other concerned citizens crammed into USM's Glickman Library to hear an inspiring speech by author and global warming activist Bill McKibben.
By popular demand, we've moved to a roomier location and I hope you will join us this year!
Following a tradition of having top-notch, engaging speakers, we've got another great speaker lined up this year.  Mr. Gary Hirshberg is Chairman, President and CE-YO of Stonyfield Farm, the leading manufacturer of all-natural and organic yogurt in the United States and author of the newly released book, Stirring It Up: How to Make Money and Save the World.
We also will present MLCV's annual Environmental Leadership Award to Representative Ted Koffman for his exceptional dedication and effectiveness in making Maine's environment a legislative priority.     
Come be inspired, meet friends, eat wonderful local foods, and enjoy the speaker! If you  are interested in volunteering they should contact Tracy (tracy@mlcv.org, 620-8811).
   
** GRAD SCHOOL:
MASTERS RESEARCH ASSISTANTSHIP IN AMPHIBIAN ECOLOGY AND CONSERVATION
JOB DESCRIPTION
We are seeking a highly motivated Masters student to conduct research on Crawfish Frogs
in west-central Indiana starting in 2009 (start date is flexible). The focus of this MS
research project will be on the habitat use of Crawfish Frogs during the breeding and non-
breeding seasons (including overwintering sites) via radio-telemetry. This research is part
of a larger project examining local and landscape habitat associations and population
ecology of this state-endangered species. Extensive local field work (under sometimes
harsh conditions) will consist of radio-telemetry, monitoring of drift fence arrays, and
vegetation sampling.

QUALIFICATIONS

Applicants should have a BS in ecology, wildlife biology, zoology, or other closely related
field. Successful applicants will also have a strong academic record including a GPA of 3.2
or greater and GRE scores of 1100 (verbal + quantitative) or greater. Desired field
experience includes radio-telemetry, amphibian handling/marking experience (PIT-
tagging and toe-clipping), and monitoring of drift fence arrays. Working knowledge of GPS
and GIS applications beneficial. The student will be expected to present results of his/her
research at regional and national meetings and to prepare manuscripts of these findings
for publication in peer-reviewed journals. To apply, e-mail the following as attachments to
John Crawford (email below): 1) cover letter clearly summarizing interests, career goals,
relevant experience, and earliest date you could start the appointment; 2) CV or resume; 3)
copies of transcripts (unofficial acceptable); 4) GRE scores; and 5) contact information of
three references. The selected applicant will apply to the graduate program at Indiana
State University. Please feel free to email Dr. Crawford with any informal inquiries
regarding the position.
SALARY
$15,000 per year (in addition to a tuition waiver)
APPLICATION DEADLINE
5 December 2008. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until a
suitable applicant is found.
PROJECT DIRECTORS
Mike Lannoo – mlannoo@iupui.edu
John Crawford – jcrawford10@isugw.indstate.edu
John Crawford
Post-Doctoral Research Associate
Indiana University School of Medicine
135 Holmstedt Hall
Terre Haute, Indiana 47809-9989
(812) 237-3419
jcrawford10@isugw.indstate.edu

** INTERNSHIPS:
Intern Position Available
U.S. Department of Justice
Environment and Natural Resources Division
Law and Policy Section

The Law and Policy Section (LPS) advises and assists the Assistant Attorney General on legal and policy issues.  Working with the Office of Legislative Affairs, LPS coordinates the Environment and Natural Resources Division's legislative program.  LPS also represents the Department of Justice on interagency groups of a variety of issues that relate to the mission of the Division.  LPS also litigates amicus cases and undertakes other specially assigned litigation projects at the trial and appellate levels. Other duties include monitoring citizen suits, responding to citizen mail, congressional, and FOIA requests, and serving as the Division's ethics officers.  LPS attorneys also coordinate the Division's activities on international environmental matters and environmental justice matters.

Duties of the unpaid undergraduate intern position include: attending congressional hearings and reporting on environmental legislation; researching legal and policy issues; and providing support for the section's amicus litigation.  

Applicants must be U.S. citizens, pass a mandatory background check, and be willing to commit for a period of at least ten weeks.  Applicants should be either enrolled as undergraduates during the internship, or planning on returning to their school in the time period following the conclusion of the internship.  

Applications will be considered on a rolling basis but must be received no later than the following application deadlines:

- For Winter Internships (January- March 2009, dates flexible): November 7, 2008;
- For Spring Internships (March- May/June 2009, dates flexible): January 16, 2008.

To apply, please fax a cover letter, resume, unofficial transcript, and 3-5 page writing sample (may be an excerpt from a longer paper on any topic) to Jacob Lipson at (202) 514-4231, or mail the above to:

Jacob Lipson
Environment and Natural Resources Division / LPS
P.O. Box 4390
Ben Franklin Station
Washington, DC 20044-4390
For more information, please call (202) 305-0641.

New England Aquarium
Internships at the Aquarium offer college students and recent college graduates experience in areas ranging from veterinary services and animal husbandry to communications and program and exhibit development.
Internship Benefits
Internships are a great way to gain valuable, hands-on work experience and build your resume. You'll have the opportunity to network with marine sciences professionals both inside and outside of the Aquarium, and help work towards the Aquarium's mission. In addition to the opportunity to earn academic credit, there are valuable tangible benefits for interns at the Aquarium.
Internship Positions
Internships are available for the January term, spring, summer and fall. Most spring, summer and fall internships range between 9-12 weeks long, while January term internships require 125 total hours. Not all positions are available year round, and the time commitment varies slightly dependent on the department. Internships are unpaid and we do not provide housing assistance.
Applying for an Internship
The internship application process at the Aquarium involves a formal application submission, an initial interview with the Office of Volunteer Programs and Internships, and a second interview with the respective department of interest. Before applying, please review the application requirements and the individual position descriptions to ensure you can fulfill all requirements.
    * E-mail: vols@neaq.org