EarthWorks, April 4, 2008
Submit items to Lauren Bivona or Norm Meader at enews@email.arizona.edu preferably by 5:00 pm Wednesday of each week. Please include "EarthWorks" in the subject line.
On-line version available at http://www.geo.arizona.edu/events/enewsletter/EarthWorks-04-04-08.html (for Pine and webmail users).
In This Issue:
Departmental News
• From the Head
• UA News: GeoDaze 2008 Features UA Student Research in the Earth Sciences
• U.S. News and World Report Ranks 9 UA Graduate Programs in Top 10 - from The Arizona Daily Star
• 2009 Leopold Fellowship Nominations Due April 14
• Congratulations to Richard Thompson, Jennifer McIntosh, and Julie Cole
• From the Business Office: Difference Between Cash Advance for Operations and Travel
Geosciences Publications
• Bob Down's Group Article on Bastnesite in American Mineralogist
University News
• MARS! The Biosphere 2 Institute Begins Series of Special Public Lectures - Mike Drake, Saturday, April 5
• Biosphere 2 Science Saturdays With Alan Weisman and Jonathan Lunine, Saturdays, April 5 and 12
• The Science Cafe With Paul Sheppard, Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research, Monday, April 7
• UA Foundation Accepting Small Grant Proposals Through April 14
• Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) Fulbright Workshop for Faculty - April 14
• Provost's Bulletin, March 26, 2008
Funding/Job/Intern Opportunities
• 2008 Sustainable Energy Fellowship Program for Undergrad/Graduate Students
Professional Organizations
• Third Annual Arizona Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists (AEG) Student Night
Upcoming Talks (Geosciences)
• Department of Geosciences Colloquium - Jason Naff on Land Use and Aeolian Dust in the Western US (Thursday)
Upcoming Talks (UA)
• Soil, Water, and Enrivonmental Science Seminar - Meinrat O. Andreae, Max Planck Institute, on Climate (Monday)
• Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research Seminar - Fire Regimes in Southern California (Wednesday)
• Hydrology and Water Resources Seminar - Abir Biswas (Geosciences) on the Global Mercury Cycle (Wednesday)
• IGERT Seminar in Archaeological Sciences - Natural Science and Conserving Archaeological Materials (Friday)
DEPARTMENTAL NEWS
From the Head
If this is Friday and you are reading this, stop! Get yourself over to GeoDaze, Student Union, North Ballroom. You won’t be sorry.
Karl W. Flessa
Professor and Head [top]
UA News: GeoDaze 2008 Features UA Student Research in the Earth Sciences
The 36th annual student-organized GeoDaze symposium showcases undergraduate and graduate researchers from several UA departments - UA News coverage by Mari Jensen, http://uanews.org/node/19113. [top]
U.S. News and World Report Ranks 9 UA Graduate Programs in Top 10 - The Arizona Daily Star, March 29, 2008
The University of Arizona has nine specific graduate programs that are among the Top 10 nationally in their fields, according to the latest graduate school rankings by U.S. News & World Report.
The UA garnered top-10 rankings in audiology, analytical chemistry, Earth science, geology, information systems, pharmacy, rehabilitation counseling, social psychology and speech-language pathology.
For the full article, see http://www.azstarnet.com/allheadlines/231943.php. [top]
2009 Leopold Fellowship Nominations Due April 14
The Leopold Leadership Program is pleased to announce the call for applications for the 2009 Leopold Leadership Fellowships. Information about the fellowship, including application forms, can be downloaded from the program web site at http://www.leopoldleadership.org
Deadline: Monday, April 14, 2008
The Leopold Leadership Program invites mid-career academic environmental scientists from North America (Canada, Mexico, and the United States) to apply for the 2009 Leopold Leadership Fellowships.
The mission of the Leopold Leadership Program is to advance environmental decision making by providing academic environmental scientists with the skills and connections they need to be effective leaders and communicators. Through a competitive process, the Leopold Leadership Program selects up to 20 Fellows annually to participate in an intensive training program designed to build and enhance their skills in communicating with policy makers, media representatives, business leaders, nonprofit organizations, and the general public. Our goal is to create a community of engaged scientific leaders to inform decision makers addressing society's most pressing environmental challenges.
The program seeks candidates with terminal degrees in a broad range of disciplines including the biological, physical, and social sciences (e.g., economics, political science) and technical, medical, and engineering fields related to the environment (e.g., wildlife veterinary medicine, environmental health, hazardous waste management). Applicants must be employed by an academic institution in North America, be tenured or tenure-track (associate professor level or equivalent or above), and be active in teaching and research. Every applicant must demonstrate:
- an academic position (either tenured or tenure track);
- an active role in research and teaching in an area of environmental science at a Canadian, Mexican, or U.S.-based higher education or research institution;
- a reputation for outstanding science;
- evidence of interest in making direct connections between scientific knowledge and environmental issues;
- interest, willingness, and an appropriate professional position to synthesize, interpret, and communicate the results of their work to peers, policy makers, the media, and the general public;
- passion and capacity to exercise leadership in the environmental science arena and enthusiasm to advocate the importance of science for improved environmental policies and practices;
- commitment to participate in the entire two weeks of training and contribute to the program as well as take advantage of its benefits;
- intent to share what is learned in the training program with students and colleagues and other stakeholders through courses, workshops, and broader outreach efforts; and
- ability and desire to remain an active member of the Leopold Leadership Network after the conclusion of the Fellowship year.
Full details and application documents are available online at: http://www.leopoldleadership.org. Support for the Leopold Leadership Program is provided by the David and Lucile Packard Foundation.
[top]
Congratulations
To Richard Thompson, named as the recipient of a Congressional Science Fellowship sponsored by the American Institute of Physics. From the AIP website:
"The American Institute of Physics annually sponsors one scientist to spend a year providing analytical expertise and scientific advice to Congress. In turn, the program enables scientists to broaden their experience through direct involvement with the legislative and policy processes.
"Fellows gain a perspective which, ideally, will enhance not only their own careers but also the physics community's ability to more effectively communicate with its representatives in Congress."
The program is administered through AAAS. After two weeks of training, Richard will spend a year as a Congressional staffer, working for either an individual or a committee.
To Jenniifer McIntosh (joint with HWR) - Science and Engineering Excellence Faculty Award from WISE (Women in Science and Engineering). The Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) program was established at the University of Arizona in 1976 as part of the Women's Studies Department and the Southwest Institute for Research on Women. Jennifer will be honored at the SEE Banquet on Thursday, April 10, 2008. For more information see http://ws.web.arizona.edu/wise/
diversity.php.
To Julie Cole - Nominated for Science and Engineering Excellence Faculty Award from WISE.
[top]
From the Business Office: Difference Between Cash Advance for Operations and Travel
Answer to a common question from the Geosciences Business Office: When do I request a travel advance and when do I request an operational advance?
A travel advance is the most common form of cash advance. It covers travel and incidental expenses associated with business travel for University of Arizona employees and students. It may include lodging, airfare, meals, taxis, rental car, fuel, meeting fees and other incidentals. The final expenses (except meeting registrations and incidental operations) are charged to the travel budget pool. The minimum is $250 and must be settled within ten days after returning to campus. It is not necessary to provide individual receipts for meals and taxis. All other expenses require an original receipt. Some travel expenses may be reimbursed in advance of the trip or paid with the P-card (airfare, meeting registration), thus reducing the dollar amount required for a travel advance.
The full travel advance policy is at http://www.fso.arizona.edu/fso/deptman/14/1411fund.html. However, some of the procedures have changed, and the website has not been updated recently. For example, a cash advance is now paid as a bank deposit for individuals with payroll direct deposit service.
An operational advance is less common. It covers expenses for an off-campus project, often in a remote field site for non-travel or non-UA personnel business expenses. These expenses generally include things paid on site such as field supplies, research permits, shipping costs, temporary labor, collaborator field support, rented facilities, and so on for operations expenses (not individual travel expenses). A cash advance for operations is issued to one responsible person and must be settled within 30 days of completing the field project. An itemized list and original receipts must accompany the settlement.
All expenses are charged to the operations budget pool (not travel budget). An operational advance is not usually paid as a direct deposit, but instead in the form of a check to the responsible individual.
The full policy for operational cash advance: http://www.fso.arizona.edu/fso/deptman/9/915opadv.html
[top]
GEOSCIENCES PUBLICATIONS
Bob Down's Group Publication on Bastnesite in American Mineralogist
Yang, H., Dembowski, R., Conrad, P. G., and Downs, R. T. (2008) Crystal structure and Raman spectrum of hydroxyl-bastnasite-(Ce), CeCO3(OH). American Mineralogist, 93, 698-701.
Link: http://www.geo.arizona.edu/xtal/group/pdf/AM93_698.pdf
Bastnesite is a mineral that contains 70% of the world's supply of rare-earth elements. In this paper we show that the previous model for the hydrogen-containing phase was incorrect, and we report a new model for the crystal structure with additional evidence from Raman spectroscopy.
[top]
UNIVERSITY NEWS
Biosphere 2 Begins Special Public Lecture Series on Mars - Mike Drake, Saturday, April 5
MARS! In advance of the landing of the Phoenix Mars Lander, scheduled for May 25th, 2008, B2 Institute is proud to present a series of special public lectures by some of the major players in the field.
The first lecture will take place this Saturday, April 5th at 11:00 am: Mars!: Arizona in Space by Mike Drake, Regents Professor, Head, Department of Planetary Sciences and Director, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory.
All lectures will take place in the Biosphere 2 Theater at 11:00 am. Attendance is free, but does not include admission to the Biosphere 2 tour. Please consider becoming a Biosphere 2 member (http://www.b2science.org/b2membership.html) and have unlimited free admissions if you plan on attending more than one public lecture.
For information on upcoming Mars! lectures, please view our web site a: http://www.b2science.org/b2institutemars.html.
Pierre Meystre
Director, B2 Institute
http://www.B2institute.org
The University of Arizona
[top]
Biosphere 2 Science Saturdays, April 5 and April 12
This spring, the B2 Institute is pleased to inaugurate its new Science Saturdays outreach program, a series of public lectures and other special events on the Biosphere 2 campus. The next two speakers in the series are as follows, speaking at 1:00 PM:
On April 5, Alan Weisman of the UA Journalism Department will discuss his book, The World Without Us, Time Magazine's #1 non-fiction book for 2007. A book signing will follow the discussion.
On April 12, UA Planetary Sciences Professor Jonathan Lunine will talk on Exploring the Outer Solar System.
Admission to the talk is included with the cost of admission to Biosphere 2, and a 50% discount is offered to you and your direct family upon presentation of your CatCard. You may also consider our membership program, which offers unlimited annual visits to Biosphere 2 as well as additional benefits. For more details, consult our website http://www.b2science.org/b2institute.html
Pierre Meystre
Director, B2 Institute
www.B2institute.org
The University of Arizona
[top]
The Science Cafe, Monday, April 7, With Paul Sheppard, Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research
Event: Science Cafe - Flandrau: The UA Science Center
Topic: Tree Rings: How do I love the Southwest? Let us count the ways!
Date/Time: Monday, April 7, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Location: Enoteca Pizzeria Wine Bar, 58 W. Congress Street, Downtown Tucson
Presenter: Dr. Paul R. Sheppard, University of Arizona associate professor, Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research
Admission: Free
Working together with scientists from various disciplines, Dr. Sheppard and the Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research informs some of the most important issues facing our planet such as climate change and drought. So if you're interested in the study of past human cultures, geology, hydrology, chemistry, or just love trees, you're sure to enjoy Dr. Paul Sheppard's Science Café presentation.
The Science Café is a casual forum for people to meet and discuss a particular science topic with UA scientists in the relaxed atmosphere of a local restaurant. For more information about Flandrau: The UA Science Center, see http://www.gotUAsciencecenter.org.
Sam Kane, Associate Director for Marketing
Flandrau: The UA Science Center
1601 E. University Blvd.
Tucson, AZ 85721-0091
520-626-3032
skane@email.arizona.edu. [top]
UA Foundation Accepting Small Grant Proposals Through April 14
The University of Arizona Foundation is accepting applications for independent and research grants through April 14. The Foundation's small grants program provides funding of up to $10,000 to highly technical and specialized research projects. The program is operated in conjunction with the UA Vice President for Research in the Office of Research. For full information, see http://lqp.arizona.edu/node/77. [top]
CIES Fulbright Workshop for Faculty - April 14
Would you like to teach or conduct research abroad? Interested in hosting a visiting foreign scholar? If so, bring your curiosity to the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES) Fulbright Workshop from 10:00-11:30 a.m., Monday, April 14, in the Tucson Room on the 3rd Level of the Student Union (See floor plan http://www.union.arizona.edu/infodesk/maps/SUMC
MapHandout.pdf). The workshop features Carol Robles. Senior Program Officer, Western Hemisphere Programs, CIES.
• Learn about lecturing and research opportunities in 140 countries
• Get advice on which country to apply to and how to make contacts abroad
• Learn how to prepare a successful Fulbright application
• Find out how you can host a visiting Fulbright scholar from abroad
The traditional Fulbright Scholar Program sends 800 U.S. faculty and professionals abroad each year. Grantees lecture and conduct research in a wide variety of academic and professional fields. Openings exist in almost every area of the arts and humanities, social sciences, natural and applied sciences, and professional fields such as business, journalism, and law.
Awards range from 2 months to a full academic year. A short-term grants program - the Fulbright Senior Specialist Program - offers 2- to 6-week grants in a variety of disciplines and fields.
Please contact Camilla Strausfeld, cstrausf@u.arizona.edu, Social & Behavioral Sciences Research Institute, by April 7 if you would like to attend or if you would like to schedule a follow up meeting with Carol Robles after her workshop. Although she will speak on behalf of the worldwide program and will spend most of her time on the application process and how to put together a competitive application, she has a special interest in meeting faculty working on U.S.-Mexico border issues, Latin America, the Caribbean or Canada.
[top]
Provost's Bulletin, March 26, 2008
Items in this issue:
- Report to the Provost of the Committee to Explore College Alignment
- 2008-2009 Academic Strategic Plan, template and outline
- Science as a Solution: An Innovation Agenda for the Next President by the American Association of Universities
Full text available at http://www.geo.arizona.edu/events/enewsletter/files/Provosts_Bulletin_03-26-08.pdf
[top]
FUNDING/JOB/INTERN OPPORTUNITIES
2008 Sustainable Energy Fellowship Program for Undergrad/Graduate Students
We are pleased to announce that student applications are now being accepted for the 2008 Sustainable Energy Fellowship Program.
Offered for the second consecutive year, faculty from Arizona State University, Duke University, the University of Michigan and Cornell University in partnership with representatives from industry, government and NGO's provide a unique collaborative learning experience for upper division undergraduate students and early in career graduate students. No more than 40 exceptional students will be accepted this year.
Held this year on the campus of Duke University, the program will run 24-31 May 2008. Expenses for accepted students are covered by the generous donations of our industry partners. Students will need to follow the application process (due 18 April) at http://www.TeachEnergy.org. Students are required to obtain two faculty references, provide GPA's and complete a written statement of purpose.
This is a unique learning experience that explores sustainability, biocomplexity, conventional and renewable energy, demand side management, climate-energy systems, policy, national security, economics and the role of institutions. Students will get hands-on experiences at actual generation facilities and demonstration sites in addition to lectures and discussions with thought leaders.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions.
Jay Golden, on behalf of Dr. Lincoln Pratson (Duke), Dr. Andy Hoffman (Michigan) and Dr. Larry Walker (Cornell).
Director, The National Center of Excellence for SMART Innovation
Assistant Professor, School of Sustainability, Global Institute of Sustainability
Faculty Affiliate, Civil & Environmental Engineering, Ira A. Fulton School of Engineering, Arizona State University
P.O. Box 5402, 800 South Cady Mall, Room 356
Tempe, Arizona USA 85287-5402
Phone: +1 (480) 965-4951 l Fax: (480) 965-8087
Email: Jay.Golden@asu.edu
[top
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS
Third Annual Arizona AEG Student Night
On behalf of the Arizona Section of the Association of Environmental & Engineering Geologists (AEG), I would like to call to your attention our upcoming Third Annual Arizona AEG Student Night meeting. We are inviting professionals and students practicing, teaching, and studying in the many related fields of economic, environmental, and engineering geology; geological, geotechnical, and mining engineering; groundwater, and water resources from all of Arizona to attend this event, and we respectfully request your support and participation in this endeavor.
The meeting will be co-hosted by the Arizona Hydrological Society (AHS), and is scheduled for the evening of Thursday, April 17, 2008 on the campus of the University of Arizona in Tucson beginning at 5:30 PM. This event should provide a great opportunity for networking between students and professionals and the further strengthening of ties between ongoing academic research and professional practice in Arizona.
- The event is free for students, in other words FREE FOOD! Not to mention good networking opportunities with professionals.
- Part of the evening is dedicated to student presentations, and we are currently seeking abstracts from interested undergraduate as well as graduate students. Cash prizes will be awarded for the best presentations.
- The RSVP deadline for the dinner (roast beef or vegetarian lasagna) has been extended to Thursday, April 10. The deadline for presentation abstracts has been extended to noon on April 7. Students will be notified on April 8 if they are presenting.
- Students interested in submitting an abstract can contact me directly.
Thank you for your time and I hope to see you and your students on the 17th!
Warm regards,
Randy Post, PE, GIT
2008 AEG Student Night Event Coordinator
Project Engineer – NCS Consultants, LLC
T: 520.544.2786 F: 520.544.3150
info@ncsconsultants.com
[top]
UPCOMING TALKS (GEOSCIENCES)
Department of Geosciences Colloquium
Who: Jason Neff, Environmental Biogeochemistry Laboratory, University of Colorado at Boulder
What: The Other Dust Bowl: Land Use Change and Increasing Aeolian Dust Deposition in the Western US
When: Thursday, April 10, 4:00-5:00 pm
Where: Koffler Building (CBS) Room 216
Semester Schedule: http://www.geo.arizona.edu/events/colloquium.htm
[top]
UPCOMING TALKS (UA)
Soil Water, and Environmental Science Seminar (Monday)
Who: Meinrat O. Andreae, Director, Biogeochemistry Department, Max Planck Institute for Chemistry
What: The Climate Tug-of-War — Greenhouse Gases vs. Aerosols in the 21st Century
When: Monday, April 7, 3:00-4:00 pm
Where: Marley Building Room 230
SWES Calendar: http://ag.arizona.edu/SWES/bulletin/calendar.htm
[top]
Laboratory of Tree-Ring Research Seminar (Wednesday)
Who: Richard Everett, University of California Berkeley
Title: Fire Regimes of Mixed-Conifer Forests in the Transverse and Peninsular Ranges of Southern California
When: Wednesday, April 9, 12:00 noon
Where: Tree-Ring West Room 20 (Math Annex/Old Purchasing and Stores)
Semester Schedule: http://www.ltrr.arizona.edu/events.html
[top]
Hydrology and Water Resources Seminar (Wednesday)
Who: Abir Biswas, Department of Geociences, University of Arizona
Title: Natural Mercury Isotope Variation in Coal Deposits and Implications for Our Understanding of the Global
Mercury Cycle
When: Wednesday, April 9, 4:00 pm
Where: Harshbarger Building Room 206
Semester Schedule: http://aegir.hwr.arizona.edu/calendar/Seminars/Seminars%202008/HWR%20-%20Fall%202007%20Schedule%20-%202.htm
[top]
IGERT Seminar in Archaeological Sciences (Friday)
Who: Hamdallah Bearat, Arizona State University
Title: Contribution of Natural Sciences to the Knowledge and Conservation of Archaeological Materials:
Approach and Some Case Studies
When: Friday, April 11, 3:00-5:30 pm
Where: Haury (Anthropology) Building Room 216
Semester Schedule: http://datamonster.sbs.arizona.edu/IGERT/sem2008.php
[top]