[ECOLOG-L] Post-doc abuse; was faculty overtime
Related to this is the practice of letting go (i.e., not renewing or higher-level hiring) post docs and still expecting them to be actively engaged in publishing the mentor's work up to a year or more later. Geoff Patton Wheaton, MD Sent from my iPhone On Feb 14, 2013, at 6:47 PM, David Inouye ino...@umd.edu wrote: I suspect most faculty fall into this exempt category. http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/fairpay/fs17d_professional.pdf Fact Sheet #17D: Exemption for Professional Employees Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) This fact sheet provides general information on the exemption from minimum wage and overtime pay provided by Section 13(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act as defined by Regulations, 29 CFR Part 541. The FLSA requires that most employees in the United States be paid at least the federal minimum wage for all hours worked and overtime pay at time and one-half the regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 hours in a workweek. However, Section 13(a)(1) of the FLSA provides an exemption from both minimum wage and overtime pay for employees employed as bona fide executive, administrative, professional and outside sales employees. Section 13(a)(1) and Section 13(a)(17) also exempt certain computer employees. To qualify for exemption, employees generally must meet certain tests regarding their job duties and be paid on a salary basis at not less than $455 per week. At 06:10 PM 2/14/2013, Aaron T. Dossey bugoc...@gmail.comwrote: Doesn't a requirement that a salaried employee work more than 40 hours (literally or de-facto) violate labor laws? Maybe it's just a matter of a greater need for professors, sit down for this one law enforcement, accountability and transparency? On 2/14/2013 3:08 PM, Judith S. Weis wrote: It should be strongly recommended to all grad school applicants to learn about their potential advisors ahead of time by talking to grad students in that lab and in other labs. That way you can find out about the person's attitudes towards grad students having a life, having a family etc. and whether or not they demand 12-hour days and weekends etc. That way you know what you will be getting into and can make a more informed choice of advisor. There are many humane professors out there. I'd like to think that I have been one of them.
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Post-doc abuse; was faculty overtime
That's quite reasonable. Publishing work done in the previous mentor's lab will be more beneficial to the postdoc's fledgling career than the former mentor's. It's not the mentor's work its the postdoc's work, or their joint work and the postdoc will likely be the first author. Related to this is the practice of letting go (i.e., not renewing or higher-level hiring) post docs and still expecting them to be actively engaged in publishing the mentor's work up to a year or more later. Geoff Patton Wheaton, MD Sent from my iPhone On Feb 14, 2013, at 6:47 PM, David Inouye ino...@umd.edu wrote: I suspect most faculty fall into this exempt category. http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/fairpay/fs17d_professional.pdf Fact Sheet #17D: Exemption for Professional Employees Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) This fact sheet provides general information on the exemption from minimum wage and overtime pay provided by Section 13(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act as defined by Regulations, 29 CFR Part 541. The FLSA requires that most employees in the United States be paid at least the federal minimum wage for all hours worked and overtime pay at time and one-half the regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 hours in a workweek. However, Section 13(a)(1) of the FLSA provides an exemption from both minimum wage and overtime pay for employees employed as bona fide executive, administrative, professional and outside sales employees. Section 13(a)(1) and Section 13(a)(17) also exempt certain computer employees. To qualify for exemption, employees generally must meet certain tests regarding their job duties and be paid on a salary basis at not less than $455 per week. At 06:10 PM 2/14/2013, Aaron T. Dossey bugoc...@gmail.comwrote: Doesn't a requirement that a salaried employee work more than 40 hours (literally or de-facto) violate labor laws? Maybe it's just a matter of a greater need for professors, sit down for this one law enforcement, accountability and transparency? On 2/14/2013 3:08 PM, Judith S. Weis wrote: It should be strongly recommended to all grad school applicants to learn about their potential advisors ahead of time by talking to grad students in that lab and in other labs. That way you can find out about the person's attitudes towards grad students having a life, having a family etc. and whether or not they demand 12-hour days and weekends etc. That way you know what you will be getting into and can make a more informed choice of advisor. There are many humane professors out there. I'd like to think that I have been one of them.
Re: [ECOLOG-L] how we lose good scientists - silence?
As a follow-up to Bjorn's comment about scoring happiness in an academic department, several universities have recently begun to do just that, albeit in a more formal context. My institution recently contracted for a survey of faculty satisfaction. The survey measured about 20 dimensions related to satisfaction, compared departments within the university and with peer institutions, and provided the basis for discussions about how to improve overall satisfaction in the future. I suspect that the expense for such an institution-wide study like this is considerable. Less formally and expensively, our department has conducted anonymous surveys of both graduate students and faculty to assess satisfaction with mentoring, and to highlight attributes valued in mentors. Response rates of 70-80% in the departmental survey indicated strong interest in the topic among all groups. Rob Swihart Professor and Head Department of Forestry and Natural Resources Purdue University West Lafayette, IN 47907-2061 PH: 765-494-3590
Re: [ECOLOG-L] how we lose good scientists - silence?
I'm piping up here as a 40-something heading into grad school. Maybe it's a bit of a digression but one of the disturbing things I have noticed as a non-traditional student is that my younger fellow students were often afraid to speak up when something was amiss or to be honest about their needs. Rather they will say and do what they think the advisor/mentor/instructor wants without discussing it which often resulted in frustration and resentment by one or both parties. In my experience, honesty has proven to be the best policy even if it is not the news the other wants to hear. Things happen and life doesn't stop just because you are in a demanding job or a M.S. or PhD program. If we are honest about what we need and what our limitations are, adjustments can be made and we can move forward. At the very least you retain your self-respect and gain the respect of the other party for your honesty. It's really all about communication as in any relationship. That said, some people are just unreasonable but then why would you want to work with them? Life is just too short. Cheers, CR On Feb 14, 2013, at 5:09 PM, Aaron T. Dossey wrote: Doesn't a requirement that a salaried employee work more than 40 hours (literally or de-facto) violate labor laws? Maybe it's just a matter of a greater need for professors, sit down for this one law enforcement, accountability and transparency? On 2/14/2013 3:08 PM, Judith S. Weis wrote: It should be strongly recommended to all grad school applicants to learn about their potential advisors ahead of time by talking to grad students in that lab and in other labs. That way you can find out about the person's attitudes towards grad students having a life, having a family etc. and whether or not they demand 12-hour days and weekends etc. That way you know what you will be getting into and can make a more informed choice of advisor. There are many humane professors out there. I'd like to think that I have been one of them. OK, after a couple of days of thought, I'll take up the gauntlet. Academia is extremely competitive. That's because there are a lot of really smart people out there who want to do this work and not a lot of positions available for them. That's a fact we can't get around. If you want to survive in the ecology pond, you either need to be a big, fast fish, or you need to be a fish that doesn't eat much. Or you leave, and ecology becomes a hobby or side interest while you make a living doing something else. But in the pond, we can still be good to each other. During my time in grad school, I had a life. I got married and started a family. It took me 8 years to get my PhD. But at no time did anyone say I should be working more instead of being with my family. And I did not work nights and weekends. I always had the full support of my advisors, committee and department. (Some of whom are on this list - you know who you are, and thank you!) I was on the verge of crawling out of the pond, but someone decided to give me a chance, despite my unwillingness to commit to more than 40 hours a week. I now have a (non-tenure track) faculty position, which is perfect for me right now because I STILL don't work nights and weekends (usually anyway). I am not a big fish, but I'm in the pond, well, a neighboring pond. And now as I work with grad students, I support them in pursuing their own research interests and in their desire to have a life outside of school (sometimes I need to remind them). I can't change the competitiveness of academia, but academia is made up of individuals. As one individual in the system, I can affect my own little sphere of it, and I don't think, based on other individuals that I know, that I'm particularly unusual. Not every fish will be able to stay in the pond, but I personally will do what I can to help the fish around me. I wish the writer of the original blog every success in his new endeavor, and I am happy he has found a supportive community. Hurray for beer! Sarah Sarah Jack Hinners, PhD Assistant Professor - Research Metropolitan Research Center City and Metropolitan Planning University of Utah 375 S 1530 E rm 226 Salt Lake City, UT 84112 From: Aaron T. Dossey bugoc...@gmail.com To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Sent: Wednesday, February 13, 2013 9:31 AM Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] how we lose good scientists - silence? Nature intended me for the tranquil pursuits of science, by rendering them my supreme delight. But the enormities of the times in which I have lived, have forced me to take a part in resisting them, and to commit myself on the boisterous ocean of political passions. -- Thomas Jefferson ╲In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.╡ ╠Martin Luther King Jr. If you see something, SAY SOMETHING. -- origin unknown On 2/13/2013
Re: [ECOLOG-L] how we lose good scientists - silence?
...i'm assuming you'll be in graduate school in some area related to Ecology...what, perchance, are you seeking...what do you want to do...data suggest that females are relationship-oriented, males, instrumental [yes, i understand that those generalizations are not universal or statistically independent]...you don't need to go to grad school to find relationships...but you can't find a terrific education anywhere...great professors are not necessarily nice...and have no obligation to relate to students personally... On Thu, Feb 14, 2013 at 9:07 PM, Cynthia Ross cyn_r...@sbcglobal.netwrote: I'm piping up here as a 40-something heading into grad school. Maybe it's a bit of a digression but one of the disturbing things I have noticed as a non-traditional student is that my younger fellow students were often afraid to speak up when something was amiss or to be honest about their needs. Rather they will say and do what they think the advisor/mentor/instructor wants without discussing it which often resulted in frustration and resentment by one or both parties. In my experience, honesty has proven to be the best policy even if it is not the news the other wants to hear. Things happen and life doesn't stop just because you are in a demanding job or a M.S. or PhD program. If we are honest about what we need and what our limitations are, adjustments can be made and we can move forward. At the very least you retain your self-respect and gain the respect of the other party for your honesty. It's really all about communication as in any relationship. That said, some people are just unreasonable but then why would you want to work with them? Life is just too short. Cheers, CR On Feb 14, 2013, at 5:09 PM, Aaron T. Dossey wrote: Doesn't a requirement that a salaried employee work more than 40 hours (literally or de-facto) violate labor laws? Maybe it's just a matter of a greater need for professors, sit down for this one law enforcement, accountability and transparency? On 2/14/2013 3:08 PM, Judith S. Weis wrote: It should be strongly recommended to all grad school applicants to learn about their potential advisors ahead of time by talking to grad students in that lab and in other labs. That way you can find out about the person's attitudes towards grad students having a life, having a family etc. and whether or not they demand 12-hour days and weekends etc. That way you know what you will be getting into and can make a more informed choice of advisor. There are many humane professors out there. I'd like to think that I have been one of them. OK, after a couple of days of thought, I'll take up the gauntlet. Academia is extremely competitive. That's because there are a lot of really smart people out there who want to do this work and not a lot of positions available for them. That's a fact we can't get around. If you want to survive in the ecology pond, you either need to be a big, fast fish, or you need to be a fish that doesn't eat much. Or you leave, and ecology becomes a hobby or side interest while you make a living doing something else. But in the pond, we can still be good to each other. During my time in grad school, I had a life. I got married and started a family. It took me 8 years to get my PhD. But at no time did anyone say I should be working more instead of being with my family. And I did not work nights and weekends. I always had the full support of my advisors, committee and department. (Some of whom are on this list - you know who you are, and thank you!) I was on the verge of crawling out of the pond, but someone decided to give me a chance, despite my unwillingness to commit to more than 40 hours a week. I now have a (non-tenure track) faculty position, which is perfect for me right now because I STILL don't work nights and weekends (usually anyway). I am not a big fish, but I'm in the pond, well, a neighboring pond. And now as I work with grad students, I support them in pursuing their own research interests and in their desire to have a life outside of school (sometimes I need to remind them). I can't change the competitiveness of academia, but academia is made up of individuals. As one individual in the system, I can affect my own little sphere of it, and I don't think, based on other individuals that I know, that I'm particularly unusual. Not every fish will be able to stay in the pond, but I personally will do what I can to help the fish around me. I wish the writer of the original blog every success in his new endeavor, and I am happy he has found a supportive community. Hurray for beer! Sarah Sarah Jack Hinners, PhD Assistant Professor - Research Metropolitan Research Center City and Metropolitan Planning University of Utah 375 S 1530 E rm 226 Salt Lake City, UT 84112 From: Aaron
[ECOLOG-L] Brazilian Ecosystems Call for Students
Dear ECOLOG Community, Please invite your students to participate in Antioch Education Abroad's Brazilian Ecosystems Program. It is an outstanding opportunity for direct field experience with the ecology and biodiversity of Brazil's preserved environments, and with real world conservation problem solving where those preserved areas are under threat. The program is a 16-credit fall semester for undergraduate students that takes place from 30 August to 29 November. The program travels to the Atlantic Forest, Cerrado Savanna, Amazon Rainforest, and Pantanal Wetland, across four different states: Paraná, Goiás, Amazonas, and Mato Grosso. Students return to campus inspired and energized about continuing their education towards more realistically defined career goals. Please encourage your students to learn more about this program by directing them to aea.antioch.edu/brazil Thank you for your time, Suzanne Kolb, Ph.D. Ecology Associate Professor of Environmental Science Director, Brazilian Ecosystems Program sk...@antioch.edu Antioch Education Abroad Antioch University 900 Dayton Street Yellow Springs, OH 45387
[ECOLOG-L] dust storms
This month's Bulletin of the United Nations Environmental Programme's Global Environmental Service focuses on dust storms. We've been seeing the consequences of those in SW Colorado in recent years, as they leave a layer on snow that then results in earlier snowmelt, which then has significant effects on phenology and abundance of flowering. The frequency of such events seems to be increasing. Forecasting and early warning of dust storms http://na.unep.net/geas/archive/pdfs/GEAS_Feb2013_DustStorm.pdf
Re: [ECOLOG-L] faculty overtime
David Inouye ino...@umd.edu wrote: I suspect most faculty fall into this exempt category. I would imagine that postdocs and graduate students working in their field of training also fall into the exempt category. However, there may be quite a few grad students around the country who are not compensated at a level that qualifies them for the exemption. But most of them are not recognized by their employers as working as much as forty hours per week. David McNeely http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/fairpay/fs17d_professional.pdf Fact Sheet #17D: Exemption for Professional Employees Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) This fact sheet provides general information on the exemption from minimum wage and overtime pay provided by Section 13(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act as defined by Regulations, 29 CFR Part 541. The FLSA requires that most employees in the United States be paid at least the federal minimum wage for all hours worked and overtime pay at time and one-half the regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 hours in a workweek. However, Section 13(a)(1) of the FLSA provides an exemption from both minimum wage and overtime pay for employees employed as bona fide executive, administrative, professional and outside sales employees. Section 13(a)(1) and Section 13(a)(17) also exempt certain computer employees. To qualify for exemption, employees generally must meet certain tests regarding their job duties and be paid on a salary basis at not less than $455 per week. At 06:10 PM 2/14/2013, Aaron T. Dossey bugoc...@gmail.comwrote: Doesn't a requirement that a salaried employee work more than 40 hours (literally or de-facto) violate labor laws? Maybe it's just a matter of a greater need for professors, sit down for this one law enforcement, accountability and transparency? On 2/14/2013 3:08 PM, Judith S. Weis wrote: It should be strongly recommended to all grad school applicants to learn about their potential advisors ahead of time by talking to grad students in that lab and in other labs. That way you can find out about the person's attitudes towards grad students having a life, having a family etc. and whether or not they demand 12-hour days and weekends etc. That way you know what you will be getting into and can make a more informed choice of advisor. There are many humane professors out there. I'd like to think that I have been one of them. -- David McNeely
[ECOLOG-L] Research Internships in Wetland Plant Ecology
Research Internships in Wetland Plant Ecology Beginning Summer 2013 Ideal for Students with Undergraduate Degrees Contemplating Graduate School Includes independent research project. Provides Weekly stipend, Room, and Food stipend. Internships at MacArthur Agro-ecology Research Center, a division of Archbold Biological Station, in south-central Florida in the Agro-Ecology Program. Interns will work in the agro-ecology laboratory of Dr. Elizabeth (Betsey) Boughton, which emphasizes wetland ecology, community ecology, restoration ecology, landscape ecology, and disturbance ecology (grazing, fire, flooding). We study plant communities in wetlands, wet prairies, and grasslands embedded in low and high intensity ranchland in the Northern Everglades. Long-term studies on wetland restoration, fire management, and wetland management manipulating grazing and fire provide outstanding opportunities for short-term comparative studies. Interns receive room, a meal allowance, and a weekly stipend of $100. They work 20 hours per week as research assistants and the remainder on an independent research project. Internships generally run for 6-12 months but are flexible in their starting dates and durations. Internships offer an opportunity for experience in every aspect of scientific research, from project choice and experimental design to oral and written presentations. Additional information can be found at our web site: http://www.archbold-station.org/station/html/research/internship/internship.html To apply for an internship in the agro-ecology lab, please provide the following: a cover letter stating research interests, a resume or CV, a summary of grades, and three references by 1 April 2013. Please email applications to: Elizabeth (Betsey) Boughton ebough...@archbold-station.org Phone: 863-699-0242 ext 2
[ECOLOG-L] Conference: Evolution 2013 Registration Now Open
EVOLUTION 2013 - THE ANNUAL EVOLUTION MEETING, JOINTLY SPONSORED BY THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OF NATURALISTS (ASN), THE SOCIETY OF SYSTEMATIC BIOLOGISTS (SSB) AND THE SOCIETY FOR THE STUDY OF EVOLUTION (SSE): http://www.evolutionmeeting.org/ REGISTRATION AND TALK TITLE SUBMISSION IS NOW OPEN -The meeting schedule will follow that of recent years with a few modifications -On Monday there will be a 1/2 day recess for recreation and field trips -There will be an all-society mixer/award ceremony instead of a banquet on Tuesday evening INCLUDED with your registration fee The meeting will be held June 21-25, 2013 at the Meeting and Conference Center Snowbird, Utah, USA. The Snowbird Conference Center and Alpine Pedestrian Village is located at 2365 m (7,760 ft) elevation, just a short distance from Salt Lake City International Airport in Little Cottonwood Canyon on the west slope of the Wasatch Range of the Rocky Mountains. Recreation opportunities abound in and near the village/conference site with easy access to hiking, biking, and skiing (conditions permitting). All lodging, meeting rooms, restaurants, shopping, and childcare facilities are just a few minutes walk from each other and all located within the village. Snowbird is surrounded by spectacular views of mountain slopes covered with alpine meadows, cottonwoods, conifers, and impressive rock formations. RESERVATIONS FOR LODGING IN THE SNOWBIRD ALPINE VILLAGE CAN NOW BE MADE -For reservations by phone please call 800-453-3000 -Please remember to mention EVOLUTION 2013 when you reserve by phone. -Your reservation for lodging with Snowbird helps reduce registration costs STUDENT PARTICIPATION IS SUPPORTED BY STUDENT AWARDS OFFERED BY THE SOCIETIES (ASN, SSB, AND SSE) AND BY VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES FOR STUDENTS WITH SOCIETY AFFILIATION TO HELP WITH THE MEETING IN EXCHANGE FOR FREE REGISTRATION We look forward to welcoming you to Evolution 2013 SEE YOU IN SNOWBIRD! The Snowbird Organizing Committee (Drs. Fenster, Dudash and Cruzan)
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Post-doc abuse; was faculty overtime
I agree with Judith. I am still working on manuscripts pertaining to the postdoc work I did for which funding ended three years ago. Never for once did I consider it as abuse or slave work. In fact, working on them is one of the few opportunities of enjoyment I have these days (especially when my manuscript submissions get accepted). -GW On Fri, 15 Feb 2013 08:28:16 -0500, Judith S. Weis jw...@andromeda.rutgers.edu wrote: That's quite reasonable. Publishing work done in the previous mentor's lab will be more beneficial to the postdoc's fledgling career than the former mentor's. It's not the mentor's work its the postdoc's work, or their joint work and the postdoc will likely be the first author. Related to this is the practice of letting go (i.e., not renewing or higher-level hiring) post docs and still expecting them to be actively engaged in publishing the mentor's work up to a year or more later. Geoff Patton Wheaton, MD Sent from my iPhone On Feb 14, 2013, at 6:47 PM, David Inouye ino...@umd.edu wrote: I suspect most faculty fall into this exempt category. http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/fairpay/fs17d_professional.pdf Fact Sheet #17D: Exemption for Professional Employees Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) This fact sheet provides general information on the exemption from minimum wage and overtime pay provided by Section 13(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act as defined by Regulations, 29 CFR Part 541. The FLSA requires that most employees in the United States be paid at least the federal minimum wage for all hours worked and overtime pay at time and one-half the regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 hours in a workweek. However, Section 13(a)(1) of the FLSA provides an exemption from both minimum wage and overtime pay for employees employed as bona fide executive, administrative, professional and outside sales employees. Section 13(a)(1) and Section 13(a)(17) also exempt certain computer employees. To qualify for exemption, employees generally must meet certain tests regarding their job duties and be paid on a salary basis at not less than $455 per week. At 06:10 PM 2/14/2013, Aaron T. Dossey bugoc...@gmail.comwrote: Doesn't a requirement that a salaried employee work more than 40 hours (literally or de-facto) violate labor laws? Maybe it's just a matter of a greater need for professors, sit down for this one law enforcement, accountability and transparency? On 2/14/2013 3:08 PM, Judith S. Weis wrote: It should be strongly recommended to all grad school applicants to learn about their potential advisors ahead of time by talking to grad students in that lab and in other labs. That way you can find out about the person's attitudes towards grad students having a life, having a family etc. and whether or not they demand 12-hour days and weekends etc. That way you know what you will be getting into and can make a more informed choice of advisor. There are many humane professors out there. I'd like to think that I have been one of them. =
[ECOLOG-L] MSc Assistantship at the University of Lethbridge
A Graduate Research Assistantship leading to an MSc degree in biology at the University of Lethbridge is available starting September 2013 in entomology. The successful candidate will be a member of the Department of Biology Sciences at the University of Lethbridge, and will be supervised by Dr. Robert Laird, http://people.uleth.ca/~robert.laird/people.html. The project is to determine the cold and heat tolerance of the khapra beetle (Trogoderma granarium), a quarantine insect that feeds on stored products. In addition to using established methods, the student will develop methods to examine the response of khapra beetle to extreme temperatures. The overarching goal of the project is to use extreme temperatures as an alternative to methyl bromide fumigations. The experiments will be carried out at Agriculture and Agri-Food Canadas Lethbridge Research Centre, Containment Facility under the supervision of Dr. Kevin Floate, http://www4.agr.gc.ca/AAFC-AAC/display-afficher.do?id=1181937270657amp;lang=eng with guidance from Dr. Paul Fields http://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~fieldspg/fields/fields.htm. Qualifications: Candidates need to have completed an undergraduate degree in the life sciences. Ability to complete all admission requirements of the University of Lethbridge Graduate Studies is required. Refer to http://www.uleth.ca/graduatestudies/ for application and degree requirement details. Stipend: Funding $17,000 to $27,000 (depending upon grants and including Graduate Teaching Assistantship of $7,000/year) Deadline for Application: 1 April 2013 For additional information, please contact: Robert Laird Assistant Professor Biological Sciences University of Lethbridge Lethbridge, AB T1K 3M4 Canada (403) 317-5074 robert.laird at uleth.ca
[ECOLOG-L] assistant professor Environmental Sciences Utrecht University
Dear All, We have a vacancy for an assistant professor Environmental Sciences at Utrecht University, the Netherlands (see attached file). I would very much appreciate it if you could share this announcement with potential suitable applicants. Kind regards, Karin Rebel dr. Karin Rebel | Assistant Professor Environmental Sciences | Environmental Sciences, Copernicus Institute of Sustainable Development | Faculty of Geosciences | Utrecht University | Heidelberglaan 2, 3584 CS Utrecht, NL | Room 1101B | P.O. Box 80115, 3508 TC Utrecht | +31 (0)30 253 5898 | k.t.re...@uu.nl
[ECOLOG-L] How has language influenced your work?
Greetings, I am doing some research on the influence of language in the biological realm and would love some feedback from researchers and managers alike within the ecolog community. Some questions to be addressed could be…. Has a language barrier hindered your research? At what geographic/temporal scales does language hinder communication? Regional vs international? Current vs historic? etc. How does language influence interdisciplinary cooperation? Have you ever dismissed potential research or job opportunities due to a language gap? or embraced them? How can we overcome obstacles related to language? Feel free to include anecdotes, reoccurring themes, strange encounters or other resources that may be relevant. Unfortunately, I fall into the category known abroad as a “typical American” who only speaks English so please respond accordinglyJ. Thanks! Peter
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Post-doc abuse; was faculty overtime
I cannot imagine any defined term research position (2-3 years) in which all publication of the research done is completed by the time you leave. At least that has not been the case in my employment history. What you were working on in the field, or on the bench-top, the last couple months of any position is more than likely going to be tied up after you leave, unless you completely abandon active research long before termination. I am still in (albeit now very infrequent) talks with my first PI with whom I stopped working 5 years ago, about data that never found a home, or is being repurposed toward new ends. I think it is a fundamental part of the business, if you do choose to maintain connections with previous mentors/bosses, or if you wish to get the most out of data with limited time officially in a position. Andrew On Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 12:36 PM, George Wang pseudotelph...@gmail.comwrote: I agree with Judith. I am still working on manuscripts pertaining to the postdoc work I did for which funding ended three years ago. Never for once did I consider it as abuse or slave work. In fact, working on them is one of the few opportunities of enjoyment I have these days (especially when my manuscript submissions get accepted). -GW On Fri, 15 Feb 2013 08:28:16 -0500, Judith S. Weis jw...@andromeda.rutgers.edu wrote: That's quite reasonable. Publishing work done in the previous mentor's lab will be more beneficial to the postdoc's fledgling career than the former mentor's. It's not the mentor's work its the postdoc's work, or their joint work and the postdoc will likely be the first author. Related to this is the practice of letting go (i.e., not renewing or higher-level hiring) post docs and still expecting them to be actively engaged in publishing the mentor's work up to a year or more later. Geoff Patton Wheaton, MD Sent from my iPhone On Feb 14, 2013, at 6:47 PM, David Inouye ino...@umd.edu wrote: I suspect most faculty fall into this exempt category. http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/fairpay/fs17d_professional.pdf Fact Sheet #17D: Exemption for Professional Employees Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) This fact sheet provides general information on the exemption from minimum wage and overtime pay provided by Section 13(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act as defined by Regulations, 29 CFR Part 541. The FLSA requires that most employees in the United States be paid at least the federal minimum wage for all hours worked and overtime pay at time and one-half the regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 hours in a workweek. However, Section 13(a)(1) of the FLSA provides an exemption from both minimum wage and overtime pay for employees employed as bona fide executive, administrative, professional and outside sales employees. Section 13(a)(1) and Section 13(a)(17) also exempt certain computer employees. To qualify for exemption, employees generally must meet certain tests regarding their job duties and be paid on a salary basis at not less than $455 per week. At 06:10 PM 2/14/2013, Aaron T. Dossey bugoc...@gmail.comwrote: Doesn't a requirement that a salaried employee work more than 40 hours (literally or de-facto) violate labor laws? Maybe it's just a matter of a greater need for professors, sit down for this one law enforcement, accountability and transparency? On 2/14/2013 3:08 PM, Judith S. Weis wrote: It should be strongly recommended to all grad school applicants to learn about their potential advisors ahead of time by talking to grad students in that lab and in other labs. That way you can find out about the person's attitudes towards grad students having a life, having a family etc. and whether or not they demand 12-hour days and weekends etc. That way you know what you will be getting into and can make a more informed choice of advisor. There are many humane professors out there. I'd like to think that I have been one of them. =
[ECOLOG-L] Post Doc Position in Climate-Hydrology-Ecology
Postdoctoral Research Associate (Statistical Ecology, Hydrology and Climate Change) Location Tempe Campus Full/Part Time Full-Time Regular/Temporary Regular Fiscal Appointment Position Type This is a grant funded position. Continuation is contingent on future grant funding. Appointments are year-to-year, with subsequent renewal, based upon performance, the needs of the department, and availability of funding. Hiring Range $32,000 - $42,000 annually, depending on experience Anticipated Start Date April, 2013 Job Description The Water Sustainability and Climate project seeks a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to lead one component of this NSF-funded project that aims to develop mechanistic statistical models of riverine fish communities and the relationships between climate driven changes in hydrologic regimes and community structure. The successful applicant will be advised by Dr. John Sabo and work closely with his team and partners at North Carolina State University (hydrologists) and NOAA (climatologists). The main goal for the position is to link hydrology and ecology using a combination of spectral analysis of observed and future discharge data and Multi-Variate Autoregressive State Space (MARSS) methods to represent community dynamics of riverine fishes. The selected applicant will perform the following specific tasks: 1. Mine and collate necessary data from easy to access sources from several locations across the sunbelt of the US (Arizona, Texas and North Carolina). 2. Learn, adapt and improve on published spectral methods for analyzing discharge data 3. Learn and implement MARSS models for stream fish community data 4. Collaborate with NCSU and NOAA to develop approaches for forecasting future extreme discharge events and implementing these as covariates in MARSS simulations of fish community resilience 5. Advise and manage a large team of undergraduate and graduate personnel in rugged field conditions during a spring-summer field research program 6. Perform essential administrative duties associated with the project, including financial reporting, progress reports and project collaboration 7. Actively publish in scientific journals, present research at society meetings, and interact regularly with other faculty in related fields at ASU, NCSU, FIU and NOAA Minimum Qualifications Successful candidates must have earned a doctorate at the time of appointment in ecology, hydrology, ecohydrology, statistics or related field. The candidate must exhibit strong quantitative and communication skills, should demonstrate a strong record of publishing in peer-review journals. Desired Qualifications Familiarity with Matlab, R, Python and other languages. Working knowledge of spectral analysis (Fourier and wavelet transforms) and Multi-Variate Autoregressive State Space (MARSS) methods. Disciplinary breadthhydrology, ecology, statistics. Department and Project Information The Global Institute of Sustainability conducts research, education, and problem-solving related to sustainability, with a special focus on urban environments. The Institute initiates and nurtures work on issues of sustainability across many departments on the four campuses of ASU, and collaborates with other academic institutions, governments, businesses and industries, and community groups locally, nationally, and globally. Water Sustainability and Climate project is multi-disciplinary and involves three partner institutionsNorth Carolina State University, Florida International University and NOAA-National Climate Assessment. See the project website for more information: http://www.waterforthesunbelt.org/. More information about John Sabos research can be found at the following URLs: Sabo: http://sols.asu.edu/people/faculty/jsabo.php Sabo Lab: http://www.public.asu.edu/~jlsabo/about_sabo.html News: http://asunews.asu.edu/20101014_riverresearch, http://asunews.asu.edu/20101213_cadillac_desert Field Site: http://www.grayhawknaturecenter.org/ Instructions to Apply To review and apply to this position, please visit www.academicjobsonline.org and search for job number 2535. Applicants must submit a cover letter addressing interest, experience (in response to the requirements stated above) and future career goals, a curriculum vitae, three most relevant publications in PDF form, and the names, addresses, email addresses, and telephone numbers for three professional references. Only electronic applications will be accepted. Application Close Date Initial close date is March 1, 2013. Applications will continue to be accepted and reviewed until position is filled. Background Check Statement ASU conducts pre-employment screening for all positions which includes a criminal background check, verification of work history, academic credentials, licenses, and certifications. Arizona State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. The Global Institute of
[ECOLOG-L] New Postdoctoral Fellowship Program in Conservation
New Postdoctoral Fellowship Program in Conservation Dear Colleagues, We are delighted to announce a new post-doctoral fellowship program, the Liber Ero Fellowship Program. With funding from Canadian donors, the newly formed Liber Ero Fellowship Program supports exceptional post-doctoral fellows who address pressing conservation challenges of relevance to Canada. The Program aims to train the next generation of conservation scientists in the latest methods and in the skills necessary to affect policy and improve conservation of Canada's wild places and natural resources. The Liber Ero Fellowship is open to candidates from any country whose research furthers conservation goals within Canada. Fellows must be hosted at a Canadian institution, with mentorship teams drawing from expertise in non-governmental organizations, government, and universities. Applications are now being accepted, with a deadline of March 31, 2013. See http://liberero.ca/http://liberero.ca/ for more details. Sincerely, Sally Otto (Director)
Re: [ECOLOG-L] how we lose good scientists - silence?
Jarrett, thanks for sharing. I think this issue (and many of those in academia regarding gender gaps, socio-economic accessibility) boil down to...Ego-tripping. A lot of fiercely talented and passionate people trying to leave their mark on the world enter the halls of academia, and many fewer find it their permanent career home. The people who have always been the players in these halls will grasp onto that power and resist the changing of the guard. This isn't to say Academia isn't full of many wonderful, inspiring people, but I do think there is often an aire of elitism and separatism that discourages many talented and passionate people unnecessarily. Many who have rightfully earned a place to grace the halls end up leaving dissatisfied or even feeling like they were run out of town. Striving to have an impact as Ecologists, we should be striving to be inclusive, collaborate - without borders. We should be striving to demystify science, to make it more accessible to everyone. Ecology is a way of thinking, not just a gilded profession of which few are worthy. Elitism in science and the externalization of the concepts of Ecology or the Environment work against all of us. Empowering and encouraging different minded colleagues grows our network and links disciplines. Living by example, illustrating the inherent nature of ecology in each of our daily lives, connecting the community at large with their environment - these all grow your impact as an Ecologist, all simply by focusing on things like being inclusive and collaborative, rather than competitive. Sure, not everyone can or has the desire to stay in Academia. When people find themselves on a divergent path, they should be wished well on their way and better educated on the great alternatives out there. They likely still have loads to contribute to science, ecology and the world in general - their passion and intelligence shouldn't be snuffed from the world because their original plan changed. We should all avoid guarding science, being noninclusive. It is Ego sabotaging positive growth. Good work speaks for itself. Let's focus on what we can do together. Cheers, Todd On Wed, Feb 13, 2013 at 7:52 AM, Aaron T. Dossey bugoc...@gmail.com wrote: Complete silence. Could academia be feeling some shame here? . nah The article has a few new comments on the article itself though, check them out! http://deepseanews.com/2013/**02/19294/http://deepseanews.com/2013/02/19294/ https://www.facebook.com/**notes/national-postdoc-union/** ideas-for-expanding-**opportunity-and-innovation-in-**science-careers/** 279532325495663https://www.facebook.com/notes/national-postdoc-union/ideas-for-expanding-opportunity-and-innovation-in-science-careers/279532325495663 On 2/11/2013 10:24 AM, Jarrett Byrnes wrote: Colleagues, I just read a piece that describes how one young bright and very talented scientist was lost to our profession. It's an open and honest discussion of one man's struggles with the way modern academia works, and how it can make use eat our young, as it were. I think it points out a lot of the hidden corners and the darker sides of how academic science currently works - things we make jokes about or shake our heads at, and sometimes, in moments of bravery, we confront and try to change. Heck, I'd like to think that we Ecologists are better than most other fields, but I know that to not always be the case. The post is at http://deepseanews.com/2013/**02/19294/http://deepseanews.com/2013/02/19294/ I think there is a lot in this piece to unpack. I know a some on this list or out in academia who will think that the author _should_ leave science and does not deserve to be here. And I'm sure that there are other sides to the story being told, etc. etc. The specifics, though, are less important than the broad patterns and themes it evinces. Given the conversation is has spawned in comments, other blogs, and Twitter, it is clear this is not an isolated story. It dovetails with many issues that we traditionally relegate to 'leaky pipeline' discussions, but are true regardless of gender - indeed, gender, race, class, and lack privileged background often only amplify them. The piece is worth reading, and then asking, what effect does driving out voices like this have on science as a whole? Are we better or poorer for such losses? Is this acceptable? Food for thought. -Jarrett --**-- Jarrett Byrnes Assistant Professor Department of Biology University of Massachusetts Boston 100 Morrissey Blvd. Boston, MA 02125 617-287-3145 http://jarrettbyrnes.info b: http://imachordata.com t: @jebyrnes g+: http://gplus.to/jebyrnes -- Aaron T. Dossey, Ph.D. Biochemistry and Molecular Biology Founder/Owner: All Things Bugs Capitalizing on Low-Crawling Fruit from Insect-Based Innovation
Re: [ECOLOG-L] Post-doc abuse; was faculty overtime
I should have been more explicit. I was not refering to those situtations where the post-doc has full freedom to stop lab/field work before their tenures expire and take some time to write and publish and prefers to continue to collect data. Perhaps they wish to take advantage of the opportunities, equipment, season or what-have-you. Many of us have willingly volunteered the extra hours over months or years to have results see the light of day and benefit Science. What I was refering to are situations where, due to poor management by the PI, the post-doc gets steam-rolled into lab or field work right up to the time of departure and is expected (i.e., coerced) into a situation where the results will never get published unless the individual continues to work uncompensated while they try to build a career elsewhere. The alternative is risking recommendations and reputation for subsequent employment opportunities. This is why I called it abuse. Cordially yours, Geoff Patton, Ph.D. Wheaton, MD 20902 Nothing so needs reforming as other people's habits. Mark Twain From: George Wang pseudotelph...@gmail.com To: ECOLOG-L@LISTSERV.UMD.EDU Sent: Friday, February 15, 2013 1:36 PM Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Post-doc abuse; was faculty overtime I agree with Judith. I am still working on manuscripts pertaining to the postdoc work I did for which funding ended three years ago. Never for once did I consider it as abuse or slave work. In fact, working on them is one of the few opportunities of enjoyment I have these days (especially when my manuscript submissions get accepted). -GW On Fri, 15 Feb 2013 08:28:16 -0500, Judith S. Weis jw...@andromeda.rutgers.edu wrote: That's quite reasonable. Publishing work done in the previous mentor's lab will be more beneficial to the postdoc's fledgling career than the former mentor's. It's not the mentor's work its the postdoc's work, or their joint work and the postdoc will likely be the first author. Related to this is the practice of letting go (i.e., not renewing or higher-level hiring) post docs and still expecting them to be actively engaged in publishing the mentor's work up to a year or more later. Geoff Patton Wheaton, MD Sent from my iPhone On Feb 14, 2013, at 6:47 PM, David Inouye ino...@umd.edu wrote: I suspect most faculty fall into this exempt category. http://www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/fairpay/fs17d_professional.pdf Fact Sheet #17D: Exemption for Professional Employees Under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) This fact sheet provides general information on the exemption from minimum wage and overtime pay provided by Section 13(a)(1) of the Fair Labor Standards Act as defined by Regulations, 29 CFR Part 541. The FLSA requires that most employees in the United States be paid at least the federal minimum wage for all hours worked and overtime pay at time and one-half the regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 hours in a workweek. However, Section 13(a)(1) of the FLSA provides an exemption from both minimum wage and overtime pay for employees employed as bona fide executive, administrative, professional and outside sales employees. Section 13(a)(1) and Section 13(a)(17) also exempt certain computer employees. To qualify for exemption, employees generally must meet certain tests regarding their job duties and be paid on a salary basis at not less than $455 per week. At 06:10 PM 2/14/2013, Aaron T. Dossey bugoc...@gmail.comwrote: Doesn't a requirement that a salaried employee work more than 40 hours (literally or de-facto) violate labor laws? Maybe it's just a matter of a greater need for professors, sit down for this one law enforcement, accountability and transparency? On 2/14/2013 3:08 PM, Judith S. Weis wrote: It should be strongly recommended to all grad school applicants to learn about their potential advisors ahead of time by talking to grad students in that lab and in other labs. That way you can find out about the person's attitudes towards grad students having a life, having a family etc. and whether or not they demand 12-hour days and weekends etc. That way you know what you will be getting into and can make a more informed choice of advisor. There are many humane professors out there. I'd like to think that I have been one of them. =
Re: [ECOLOG-L] How has language influenced your work?
Hi Peter -- You may be interested in a paper we wrote in 2008 that has a section on the role of terminological ambiguity and how that can affect researchers understanding of issues. We review some approaches to using ontologies in ecology to formalize language usgae. We also provide references to a number of other papers that deal with this issue as part of our review. Madin, J. S., S. Bowers, M. P. Schildhauer, and M. B. Jones. 2008. Advancing ecological research with ontologies. Trends in Ecology Evolution 23:159–68. doi:10.1016/j.tree.2007.11.007. The link on Google Scholar is: http://scholar.google.com/citations?view_op=view_citationhl=enuser=W0SpAvYJcitation_for_view=W0SpAvYJ:IjCSPb-OGe4C Hope this is helpful, Matt Jones -- Matthew B. Jones Director of Informatics Research National Center for Ecological Analysis and Synthesis (NCEAS) University of California Santa Barbara http://www.nceas.ucsb.edu/ecoinfo On Fri, Feb 15, 2013 at 6:26 AM, Duerkop, Peter . [dupe1...@stcloudstate.edu] dupe1...@stcloudstate.edu wrote: Greetings, I am doing some research on the influence of language in the biological realm and would love some feedback from researchers and managers alike within the ecolog community. Some questions to be addressed could be…. Has a language barrier hindered your research? At what geographic/temporal scales does language hinder communication? Regional vs international? Current vs historic? etc. How does language influence interdisciplinary cooperation? Have you ever dismissed potential research or job opportunities due to a language gap? or embraced them? How can we overcome obstacles related to language? Feel free to include anecdotes, reoccurring themes, strange encounters or other resources that may be relevant. Unfortunately, I fall into the category known abroad as a “typical American” who only speaks English so please respond accordinglyJ. Thanks! Peter
Re: [ECOLOG-L] how we lose good scientists - silence?
There are at least a couple nice books that I have used in preparing course material for new graduate students. As you will see from the publication dates, this is not a new problem. Doesn't mean we shouldn't keep trying to solve it, tho! Feibleman, P.J. 1993. A Ph.D. is not enough: guide to survival in science. Basic Books, Perseus Books Group, New York. Peters, R.L. 1997. Getting what you came for: the smart student's guide to earning a Master's or Ph.D. (revised edition). Farrar, Strauss, and Giroux, New York. On 2/15/2013 1:06 PM, Todd Doherty wrote: Jarrett, thanks for sharing. I think this issue (and many of those in academia regarding gender gaps, socio-economic accessibility) boil down to...Ego-tripping. A lot of fiercely talented and passionate people trying to leave their mark on the world enter the halls of academia, and many fewer find it their permanent career home. The people who have always been the players in these halls will grasp onto that power and resist the changing of the guard. This isn't to say Academia isn't full of many wonderful, inspiring people, but I do think there is often an aire of elitism and separatism that discourages many talented and passionate people unnecessarily. Many who have rightfully earned a place to grace the halls end up leaving dissatisfied or even feeling like they were run out of town. Striving to have an impact as Ecologists, we should be striving to be inclusive, collaborate - without borders. We should be striving to demystify science, to make it more accessible to everyone. Ecology is a way of thinking, not just a gilded profession of which few are worthy. Elitism in science and the externalization of the concepts of Ecology or the Environment work against all of us. Empowering and encouraging different minded colleagues grows our network and links disciplines. Living by example, illustrating the inherent nature of ecology in each of our daily lives, connecting the community at large with their environment - these all grow your impact as an Ecologist, all simply by focusing on things like being inclusive and collaborative, rather than competitive. Sure, not everyone can or has the desire to stay in Academia. When people find themselves on a divergent path, they should be wished well on their way and better educated on the great alternatives out there. They likely still have loads to contribute to science, ecology and the world in general - their passion and intelligence shouldn't be snuffed from the world because their original plan changed. We should all avoid guarding science, being noninclusive. It is Ego sabotaging positive growth. Good work speaks for itself. Let's focus on what we can do together. Cheers, Todd On Wed, Feb 13, 2013 at 7:52 AM, Aaron T. Dossey bugoc...@gmail.com wrote: Complete silence. Could academia be feeling some shame here? . nah The article has a few new comments on the article itself though, check them out! http://deepseanews.com/2013/**02/19294/http://deepseanews.com/2013/02/19294/ https://www.facebook.com/**notes/national-postdoc-union/** ideas-for-expanding-**opportunity-and-innovation-in-**science-careers/** 279532325495663https://www.facebook.com/notes/national-postdoc-union/ideas-for-expanding-opportunity-and-innovation-in-science-careers/279532325495663 On 2/11/2013 10:24 AM, Jarrett Byrnes wrote: Colleagues, I just read a piece that describes how one young bright and very talented scientist was lost to our profession. It's an open and honest discussion of one man's struggles with the way modern academia works, and how it can make use eat our young, as it were. I think it points out a lot of the hidden corners and the darker sides of how academic science currently works - things we make jokes about or shake our heads at, and sometimes, in moments of bravery, we confront and try to change. Heck, I'd like to think that we Ecologists are better than most other fields, but I know that to not always be the case. The post is at http://deepseanews.com/2013/**02/19294/http://deepseanews.com/2013/02/19294/ I think there is a lot in this piece to unpack. I know a some on this list or out in academia who will think that the author _should_ leave science and does not deserve to be here. And I'm sure that there are other sides to the story being told, etc. etc. The specifics, though, are less important than the broad patterns and themes it evinces. Given the conversation is has spawned in comments, other blogs, and Twitter, it is clear this is not an isolated story. It dovetails with many issues that we traditionally relegate to 'leaky pipeline' discussions, but are true regardless of gender - indeed, gender, race, class, and lack privileged background often only amplify them. The piece is worth reading, and then asking, what effect does driving out voices like this have on science as a whole? Are we better or poorer for such losses? Is this acceptable? Food for thought.
[ECOLOG-L] Research Ecologist Postion - Fort Collins, CO
Career Opportunity at the Rangeland Resources Research Unit, Fort Collins, Colorado The Agricultural Research Service seeks a full-time Research Ecologist or Research Rangeland Management Specialist to serve on an interdisciplinary research team. The incumbent's primary research responsibility is the application of ecological theory and knowledge to develop management strategies for large landscapes in semiarid rangelands that balance objectives of improving livestock production and enhancing the provision of other ecosystem goods and services, such as soil resources, greenhouse gas emissions, plant community composition, wildlife habitat. Conducting successful research requires an understanding of applied rangeland management, landscape ecology, plant community/ecosystem ecology, and the role of climate, management, and disturbances in structuring semiarid rangelands. The incumbent is expected to apply quantitative approaches to assess potential trade-offs and synergies associated with livestock production and management for other ecosystem services, and develop innovative approaches to adapt rangeland management strategies to extreme climatic events, e.g. drought. The incumbent will lead research in the large landscapes of mixed-grass prairie and sagebrush grasslands of eastern Wyoming, including the Thunder Basin National Grassland and contribute to team research in the shortgrass steppe of eastern Colorado. Interested? Go to www.usa.jobs.govhttp://www.usa.jobs.gov and search ARS-X13W-0040; applications MUST be received no later than 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on the Closing Date of the Vacancy Announcement. U.S. Citizenship is required for all positions. USDA/ARS is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Provider This electronic message contains information generated by the USDA solely for the intended recipients. Any unauthorized interception of this message or the use or disclosure of the information it contains may violate the law and subject the violator to civil or criminal penalties. If you believe you have received this message in error, please notify the sender and delete the email immediately.
[ECOLOG-L] Summer job: wildlife technician, AK
To view and/or apply to this vacancy go to: http://www.usajobs.gov/www.usajobs.gov BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE TECHNICIAN (Wildlife): Duty Station Girdwood, AK - OR - Moose Pass, AK 1 position in support of the Kenai Peninsula Zone Terrestrial Program Description: Technician will be assisting wildlife biologists on the Seward and Glacier Ranger Districts with primarily wildlife surveys and wildlife habitat assessments for the summer field season. Wildlife surveys will be conducted for: breeding birds, bird point count, goshawks, and general wildlife habitat. Other projects involve working with crews on habitat improvement projects, recording and entering data into databases, and assisting wildlife biologists as needed. Work is primarily outdoors, requiring hiking along and off of trails for one to multiple day field trips. Some projects will be accessed by truck, boat, plane, or mountain bike. USAJOBS Vacancy announcement number(s): TEMPOCR-0404-7-WLDLF-DT Contact name and phone number: Jessica Ilse, 907-754-2322 Note: You can find Office of Personnel Management Qualification Standards for the noted positions above, at the following web site: http://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/group-stds/index-Group.asphttp://www.opm.gov/qualifications/standards/group-stds/index-Group.asp
[ECOLOG-L] grad student positions, OSU, insect ecology
Oregon State University is recruiting two graduate students to study insect ecology under a USDA NIFA National Needs Fellowship at Oregon State University's Hermiston Agricultural Research and Extension Center. One position will focus on terrestrial invertebrates and the other on aquatic invertebrates. Graduate students will work in agro ecosystems in eastern Oregon. Students will be part of an interdisciplinary team working on complex, emerging issues related to the provisioning of ecosystem services in irrigated agricultural landscapes. See website for more information about the overall program. The terrestrial insect ecology graduate student will focus on research related to invertebrate mediated ecosystem services in riparian and other uncultivated areas in irrigated agricultural landscapes. Candidates with interests in pollinators and natural enemies (e.g. spiders, carabids, parasitic Hymenoptera) and/or plant-insect interactions are particularly encouraged to apply. The aquatic invertebrate ecology graduate student will work on the impact of land-use/agricultural practices on stream aquatic invertebrates. Suitable projects include, but are not limited to, stream assessment using trait-based approaches, life history analyses of specific taxa, and field experiments. Participation dates - Beginning Summer 2013 Eligibility restrictions - US Citizenship Application Deadline - February 15, 2013 (or until position filled) Contact David Wooster, Associate Professor - mailto:david.woos...@oregonstate.edudavid.woos...@oregonstate.edu
[ECOLOG-L] Research manager position at University of Michigan
The University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, is seeking to hire a Research Manager to organize research tasks across grants and projects in the lab of Dr. Bill Currie. Please see this link for more information and to apply: The posting number is 79408. It can be found at http://umjobs.org/job_detail/79408/research_area_specialist_interhttphttp://umjobs.org/job_detail/79408/research_area_specialist_inter://umjobs.org/job_detail/79408/research_area_specialist_inter.
[ECOLOG-L] Ecology REU / Internship in Iceland Summer 2013
We are looking for up to four undergraduates or recent graduates to join our team of interdisciplinary researchers in Northeast Iceland during this coming summer. Broadly, we study the dynamics of Lake Mývatns aquatic insect emergences and their effects on in-lake and around-lake ecosystems and communities. Interns will be expected to both assist in ongoing research at this LTREB (Long-Term Research in Ecological Biology) site and complete an independent research project. ELIGIBILITY: Two of the four positions must meet requirements for the NSF-REU program. To be eligible for an NSF-REU, applicants must be non-graduating undergraduate students with US citizenship. We do have non-REU internships available. Please contact us if you are interested in working on this project but do not meet REU eligibility criteria. SELECTION CRITERIA AND RESPONSIBILITIES: We will consider the ability of a student to conduct a semi- independent research project, live and work with our team under field conditions in rural Iceland, benefit from the experience, and contribute to our overall research project. The research focuses on understanding the population dynamics of midges in Mývatn and the role they play in the dynamics of the aquatic and surrounding terrestrial food webs. The students will participate with international faculty, post-docs and graduate students conducting research in Iceland. This includes collecting and processing arthropod, zooplankton, sediment, and plant samples and conducting lab and field experiments. Roughly half the research will be conducted in aquatic systems, and half in terrestrial. Relevant skills and experience include previous lab and (especially) field research, strong work ethic, microscope proficiency, enjoying working outdoors, experience on boats, operation of power tools and small-engine machinery, foreign travel/cross-cultural experiences, strong interpersonal skills, and ability to work both in a team and independently. APPLICATION COMPONENTS: 1. Cover letter Your cover letter should outline your background and the reasons why you would be a good candidate for this position. Include a discussion of why you want this position and how it relates to your career goals. Also, be specific about experiences and skills you are bringing to the position. Make your case for why you should get the position, highlighting details from your CV or other pertinent information that might not appear on your CV. 2. Resume / Curriculum vitae Submit a current resume that details your education and work experience. Include references on your resume. Please provide the names and contact information for at least two people who we can contact to ask specific questions about your background and qualifications for the position. Submit your application as a single pdf file (only 1), including cover letter and resume/CV. Send your pdf by e-mail to Kyle Webert, Department of Zoology, web...@wisc.edu. Include your surname in the file (e.g., Smith_Iceland_application.pdf). Put 2013 Summer REU in Iceland in the subject line of the email. After initial screening of materials, finalists will be contacted for interviews in mid-March. DEADLINE: For full consideration for summer 2013 internships, please submit your application by March 3, 2013. OTHER DETAILS: All internship positions (REU and non-REU) include travel expenses to and from Iceland, food and lodging, and a small stipend. Interns are expected to join the research team in Iceland from early-June to late-August. A critical part of the program is conducting your own research project with our guidance. We also expect the student to take the lead ommunicating the results of that work. Past summer research interns have completed their projects as senior research theses or have presented their work at national conferences. We are excited about this research and our 2013 field season! If you have any questions about the position, or our work in general, please dont hesitate to email us. More information about our work and field experience can be found at our blog, http://uwmyvatn.blogspot.com/ Contacts: Kyle Webert (graduate student) web...@wisc.edu Cristina Herren (graduate student) cher...@wisc.edu Tony Ives (professor) ari...@wisc.edu Claudio Gratton (professor) cgrat...@wisc.edu
[ECOLOG-L] Fwd: DeNovo Scientific Journal
With the release of LIFE, which sounds like a serious and very good new journal, I thought I might introduce to you a publication of sorts that fall more into the opposite dimension. This is DeNovo Scientific Journal. For those of you unfamiliar with this journal, it has but one publication although this one has been the subject of the national news media. My own opinion is that the story behind this journal will certainly cost someone all of their credibility as a forensic genetics scientist. Seen Bigfoot lately? http://www.denovojournal.com/ Recent news story: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/02/14/bigfoot-dna-results-final_n_2681135.html the point to me posting this is strictly as a piece of advice to those who might submit papers somewhere and then not like the results of peer review. DO NOT DO WHAT THE AUTHOR OF THIS PAPER DID! Essentially, bought a domain name, posted the article there because no journal would publish it, then while it was supposedly in review, the author contacted news media around the world declaring to have proven the existence of Bigfoot. I guess even the cryptozoology and paranormal psychology journals refused to take it. IT is better to have no publications than to have a publication in a journal that you established a few days before the release of its single publication which you authored Its even worse, when you broadcast what you did by making a press release through PR WEb so that it goes to every media outlet...its not like people are going to miss what was done. However, I guess if you don't get it, you don't get it. Its further not real wise to broadcast it via twitter: https://twitter.com/DrMelbaKetchum And to place the press release on your personal business site: http://www.dnadiagnostics.com/press.html I am sure that the diagnostics she does are very good, but your credibility gets seriously tarnished. In science, credibility is one of the few currencies you cannot afford to lose. Enjoy. Malcolm -- Malcolm L. McCallum Managing Editor, Herpetological Conservation and Biology If the government is covering up the existence of aliens, then they are doing a better job of it than they do at anything else, Stephen Hawking 1880's: There's lots of good fish in the sea W.S. Gilbert 1990's: Many fish stocks depleted due to overfishing, habitat loss, and pollution. 2000: Marine reserves, ecosystem restoration, and pollution reduction MAY help restore populations. 2022: Soylent Green is People! Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message. -- Malcolm L. McCallum Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry School of Biological Sciences University of Missouri at Kansas City Managing Editor, Herpetological Conservation and Biology Peer pressure is designed to contain anyone with a sense of drive - Allan Nation 1880's: There's lots of good fish in the sea W.S. Gilbert 1990's: Many fish stocks depleted due to overfishing, habitat loss, and pollution. 2000: Marine reserves, ecosystem restoration, and pollution reduction MAY help restore populations. 2022: Soylent Green is People! The Seven Blunders of the World (Mohandas Gandhi) Wealth w/o work Pleasure w/o conscience Knowledge w/o character Commerce w/o morality Science w/o humanity Worship w/o sacrifice Politics w/o principle Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message.
[ECOLOG-L] Bigfoot footage in TX (gag me).
I am very familiar with the Texas Bigfoot society folks having got in a tuff with them back in the early part of the decade. They are total charlatans, see this video of a bigfoot from the twitter of Melba Ketchum. Is there anything we can do to discredit these folks with the public? We really need to address this and make it obvious they are literally making stuff up http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khHSX3ZYaKI -- Malcolm L. McCallum Department of Molecular Biology and Biochemistry School of Biological Sciences University of Missouri at Kansas City Managing Editor, Herpetological Conservation and Biology Peer pressure is designed to contain anyone with a sense of drive - Allan Nation 1880's: There's lots of good fish in the sea W.S. Gilbert 1990's: Many fish stocks depleted due to overfishing, habitat loss, and pollution. 2000: Marine reserves, ecosystem restoration, and pollution reduction MAY help restore populations. 2022: Soylent Green is People! The Seven Blunders of the World (Mohandas Gandhi) Wealth w/o work Pleasure w/o conscience Knowledge w/o character Commerce w/o morality Science w/o humanity Worship w/o sacrifice Politics w/o principle Confidentiality Notice: This e-mail message, including any attachments, is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain confidential and privileged information. Any unauthorized review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy all copies of the original message.
