Sign up for the Drift (to have it emailed to you every week)


Previous issues of the Drift

(Drift archives go back to 1995-1996)

THE DRIFT

February 22, 2008

Patricia Verdugo, Editor

Submissions to The Drift need to be submitted by 5pm on Thursday to:

eebdept@email.arizona.edu

Please reference the word “Drift” in the subject line.

~In This Edition~

EEB DEPARTMENT NEW

            Monday Seminar Series
            Tuesday “Noon” Seminar Series

           CoS “The Edges of Life" Seminar Series

            Special Seminar by Lawrence Grossman

            Biosphere 2 Offers Special Events for Saturday Visitors

            Free Journals – Michod Lab

            Free Back Issues of Science and Nature

NEWS FROM OTHER AREAS

              Science Cafe-  "Women in Science"- Tuesday, February 26, 2008

              Researchers needed to mentor AZ-START teacher interns in Summer 2008

              Nominations for the Packard Fellowships

              Forum for the Human Subjects Protection Program

NEW COURSES/SEMINARS OF INTEREST

     BioComputing Workshops

     Fire, Climate, and Ecosystems In Northern Mexico: A Special Colloquium

             American College of Epidemiology Annual Meeting

            One-Day Conference - Future of the Federal-State Relationship in Addressing Climate Change

             Entomology Seminar – February 21, 2008

             Astrobiology and the Sacred Spring 2008 Lecture Series

FELLOWSHIP/EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES/CLASSIFIEDS

            Post-Doctoral Research Associate (renewable for up to 3-years)

             PhD Studentship - Dr. Daniel Reuman’s Group

             Maryland Sea Grant's Research Experience for Undergraduates Estuarine Science   Program

             Environmental Education Position

             Join Team Pi in Supporting Multiple Sclerosis Research

     Staff Advisory Council is sponsoring a Night at the Gaslight Theater

~EEB DEPARTMENT NEWS~

Monday Seminar Series
 
Date:            February 25, 2008
Time:            4:00 pm*
Location:       Biosciences West, Room 301

*Please note time change as of last semester’s seminar time.
 

Dr. David Storch

Center for Theoretical Study & Department of Ecology, Charles University in Prague

http://www.cts.cuni.cz/~storch/

Host: Dr. Brian Enquist

Relationship between species diversity and energy availability: the role of abundance, range dynamics and speciation

Tuesday “Noon” Seminar Series

Date:            February 26, 2008
Time:            12:30 pm
Location:       Biosciences West, Room 208
 
Joel Wertheim – Worobey Lab

Title: Relaxed Molecular Clocks and Phylogenetic Inference

And

Kristen Potter – Bronstein Lab

Title: Consequences of oviposition-site choice in Manduca sexta

CoS “The Edges of Life" Seminar Series

Today, perspectives are changing on a wide range of issues including the origins of life, how life differentiates itself from its surroundings and the discoveries regarding life that will emerge in the near future. The series will feature prominent researchers that will discuss how science and technology might address issues central to the concept of life.

The schedule of speakers (lectures begin at 7 p.m.):

Life's Technological Edge: The Singularity is Near: When Humans Transcend Biology
Ray Kurzweil, Founder, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Kurzweil Technologies
Wednesday, March 5

Special Seminar by Lawrence Grossman

Genetics Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in cooperation with the Departments of Pediatrics and  Ecology and Evolutionary Biology presents a special seminar by Lawrence Grossman, Ph.D. Professor and Director, Molecular Medicine and Genetics, Wayne State University School of Medicine

Title: “Cytochrome oxidase: Role in hypoxia and neuronal evolution”
 
Thursday, February 28, 2008
4:00 pm
Forbes Building – Room 229
 
Host:  Robert P. Erickson, MD <Erickson@peds.arizona.edu>
Staff contact:  Lori Taylor <lltaylor@email.arizona.edu>
Lori Taylor, Coordinator, Genetics Graduate Interdisciplinary Program
(520) 626-9821

Biosphere 2 Offers Special Events for Saturday Visitors

Talks by Biospherians and scientists, Physics Factory featured this spring. For more information please visit http://uanews.org/node/18337

Free Journals – Michod Lab

The Michod lab is getting rid of all of our print journals. We have largely uninterrupted sets of the following journals: Evolution (1974-2003), The Mathematical Journal (1992-1996), The Sciences (1987-2000), Scientific American (1985-2000), Trends in Genetics (1986-2003), Nature Biotechnology (1997-1999), American Scientist (1982-1988), Trends in Ecology and Evolution (1986-2004), The American Naturalist (2001-2003), Journal of Bacteriology (1984-1991), Science (1996-2003), Biotechniques (1999-2001), Nature (1986-1994), Ecology (1976-1994), and Ecological Monographs (1976-1994). There are also a few more recent issues of Journal of Mammalogy, Systematic Biology, Integrative Biology, and Invertebrate Biology. If you would like any or (yikes!) all of these, stop by BSW 413 any time.

Free Back Issues of Science and Nature

The Nachman lab is purging their back issues of Science and Nature.  If anyone would like any/all of them, please stop by BSW 333.  Our holdings for Science include volumes 270-318, and our holdings for Nature include volumes 404-450.

~NEWS FROM OTHER AREAS~

Science Cafe-  "Women in Science"- Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Like coffee?  Like science?  You are in luck!  The Southern Arizona Section of the American Chemical Society (SAZACS) and the Chemistry Department at the University of Arizona are sponsoring a series of Science Cafes on topics of particular interest to the Tucson community.  A Science Cafe is an entertaining evening out on the town sipping coffee  and talking science.  The idea started in the late 1990's with the “café scientifique” in the United Kingdom and “bars des sciences” in France.  A typical science cafe starts off with a brief informal presentation by a scientist followed by a questions and a free-for-all discussion.

This month's Science cafe: "Women in Science"

The presenters are:

-Vicki Wysocki

Professor Chemistry & Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics University of Arizona

-Karensa Tarkenton

Senior Engineer I Raytheon

-Otakuye Conroy

Post-Doctoral Scientist Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics University of Arizona

SAZACS/Department of Chemistry Science Cafe

Science Cafe: "Women in Science"

Espresso Art, 942 East University

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

Admission is free and open to the public.

On street parking or in the Tyndall garage for a nominal fee.

Courtesy of a grant from Science Foundation Arizona, summer research internships for Arizona middle- and high-school teachers will be available through the AZ-START (Arizona Science Teacher Advancement and Research Training) Program. The goal is to provide life science teachers throughout the state with opportunities to participate in authentic research and to use their research experiences to enhance their classroom teaching. Approximately 20 teachers will be selected to work for 7-8 weeks over Summer 2008 and will receive financial compensation for their participation in research (paid via our AZ-START grant).

If you would consider mentoring one or more teachers in your research group, please take about 10 minutes to fill the online form at <http://www.biochem.arizona.edu/AZ-START/forms/>, which will put your information into our research database.

User ID is: azstart

Password: teachers

Once we have received this information, applicants for the Summer 2008 program can use the database to search for potential mentors who would be a good match with their interests and geographical location. We will work with both teachers and mentors to make sure there is a common set of expectations for this experience. Of course, the final decision to accept a particular teacher will be yours. For more information, please contact Lisa Elfring at <elfring@u.arizona.edu>.

Nominations for the Packard Fellowships

FROM:   Joaquin Ruiz, Dean

RE:     David and Lucile Packard Fellowships for Science and Engineering - 2008

The Packard Foundation has invited the University to submit two nominations for the Packard Fellowships for Science and Engineering. The announcement can found at http://www.packard.org.  

Please submit your nominees to Bo Baylor (bbaylor@email.arizona.edu, 621-4060) in my office by Tuesday, March 3, 2008. 

The submission should consist of:

(1) One-page summary of the proposed program.

(2) Curriculum vitae of the nominee. 

The nominations will be ranked and forwarded to the office of the VP for Research. If more than two nominations are received University-wide, a committee of peers will be convened to select the University's two candidates. The deadline for submission to Packard is April 21, 2008. 

Dear Faculty Investigators, Clinical Trial Coordinators, and Graduate Students:

The Office of the Vice President for Research is hosting two forums for investigators, graduate students, and clinical trial coordinators who use the Human Subjects Protection Program. The purpose of the open forums is to identify specific changes that can be quickly implemented to better serve the needs of the research community. Your participation in this process is extremely valuable and important.

Forum for Behavioral Sciences Investigators Thursday, February 28, 1:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.

Presidio Room at the Student Union

Forum for Biomedical Investigators Friday, March 7, 1:30 P.M. to 4:30 P.M.

AHSC, Room 8403

For more information please contact:

Leslie P.  Tolbert, Ph.D.

Vice President for Research, Graduate Studies, and Economic Development

The University of Arizona Administration 601 Tucson, AZ 85721

~NEW COURSES/SEMINARS OF INTEREST~

BioComputing Workshops

As requested, there are several computing workshops scheduled this spring.

* Intro to Perl for Life Scientists workshop, Dates: Mar 3,5,7 2008

* Intro Perl REVIEW  for Life Scientists workshop, Dates: Mar 10 2008

* Intermediate Perl for Life Scientists workshop, Dates: Mar 12,14 2008

* NCBI Tools, BLAST, and Sequence Similarity Searching workshop, Date: April 2,

2008

* Intro to BioPerl for Life Scientists workshop, Dates: Apr 8, 10 2008

* High Throughput Computing for Life Scientists workshop, Dates: Apr 22,24 2008

To register, visit http://bcf.arl.arizona.edu/bcfworkshops.  For additional

information on these workshops, please contact Al Agellon 626-1672

agellon@u.arizona.edu or Susan Miller 626-2597 sjmiller@u.arizona.edu.

http://www.acepidemiology2.org/

Next year (2009) we celebrate the 200th anniversary of Darwin’s birth, and the 150th anniversary of the publication of “On the Origin of the Species.”  While evolutionary theory is the most fundamental of all biologic theories, it is not commonly applied in epidemiology. At this year’s ACE meeting, to be held September 14-16 in Tucson, Arizona, we will explore how an understanding of modern evolutionary theory can enhance our understanding of the distribution and determinants of health and disease. Thinking about organisms—humans included—as both products of, and active participants in, the ongoing evolutionary process can provide novel insights into epidemiological phenomena, and lead the epidemiological detective down new and exciting pathways to discovery and understanding.  How better to understand the distribution and determinants of disease, than to begin with some idea of why the organism came to be the way it is?  The evolutionary approach has yielded great advances in the understanding of virulence, host-pathogen interactions, toxins, chronic diseases, cancer, and many other diseases and biomedical processes.  It is also leading to significant advances in an understanding of human behavior. The ACE Meeting Program will include an overview of some of these successes, and identify areas where evolutionary theory might be usefully applied. 

The Program Committee is delighted to present a meeting which includes the most eminent scientists from epidemiology, genetics, and Darwinian medicine, who will discuss a range of applications of evolutionary theory in epidemiology, from genetic epidemiology, to health disparities, to infection, to mental health.  The Program also includes a session by the policy committee regarding how genome wide association studies impact epidemiology. 

Entomology Seminar – February 28, 2008

Department of Entomology

Spring 2008 Seminar Series

Dr. Joel McMillin

School of Forestry

Northern Arizona University

Title: Bark beetle outbreaks in western North America: Causes, trends, and impacts

Thursday, February 28, 2008

4:00 P.M.

Marley 230 Auditorium

Refreshments served outside auditorium at 3:45 p.m.

Astrobiology and the Sacred Spring 2008 Lecture Series

Spring 2008 Lecture Series

Astrobiology and the Sacred: Implications of Life Beyond Earth

Year 4: "Mission to Planets"

In the fourth and final year of the project, we recapitulate the current situation in astrobiology, but return the focus to the home planet. As techniques improve to allow the detection of Earth-like planets, we are reminded of the fragility and the potential rarity of our own ecosystem. From the perspectives of astronomy, history, philosophy, and biology, 11 scientists and writers will consider the Earth within the context of the search for life in the universe

Thursday March 6, 2008 - Tuesday March 11, 2008 - Thursday March 13, 2008

Templeton Fellow Jennifer Hecht - Poet, Author, Historian

"Cosmic Cosmopolitanism" (March 6)

"The Speed of Life and Hoarders of Magnitude" (March 11)

"Smarter Than Us" (March 13)

Tuesday March 25, 2008

Lynda Williams - Physicist, Chanteuse

"Starship Earth: Future Evolution"

Tuesday April 8, 2008

Alan Weisman - Journalist, Author

"The World, With or Without Us"

Tuesday April 15, 2008

Marty Hewlett - Biochemist, Philosopher

"What Does It Mean to be Human? Biological, Philosophical, and Theological

Issues"

Tuesday April 22, 2008

Tom Boyd - Philosophy, Religion

"Preparing the Planet for Interstellar Visitations: A Sense of the Sacred

and the Possibility of a Global Ethic"

Tuesday April 29, 2008

Ursula Goodenough - Biologist

"Biology and the Sacred: Implications of Life on Earth"

Tuesday May 6, 2008

Nick Woolf - Astronomer

"All Hitched Together"

LOCATION

All lectures will take place at the UA's Center for Creative Photography. Lectures begin at 7pm and are free. The closest parking garage (hourly fee) can be found at the Park Avenue Garage. Some speakers may have a book signing session after the lecture.

FOR MORE INFORMATION

For more information about speakers and their talks, campus maps, posters, and other information please visit our website at: http://scienceandreligion.arizona.edu or email templeton@as.arizona.edu

~FELLOWSHIP/EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES/CLASSIFIEDS~

Post-Doctoral Research Associate (renewable for up to 3-years)

Focus:  Carbon cycle science/atmospheric chemistry/infrared absorption spectroscopy

Institution:  Ecology & Evol. Biology and Biosphere 2, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ

Start Date:  Spring/Summer 2008

We seek a creative post-doctoral scientist with strong background in both physical and ecosystem/carbon cycle science to work with an interdisciplinary team on deploying a new optical spectrometer (using Quantum Cascade Lasers, QCL) for measurements of CO2 and its rare isotopes in both the field and within Biosphere 2.  The science goal is to study mechanisms controlling coupled carbon and water exchange between ecosystems and atmosphere.

Implementation goals of the project are two-fold:  first, to deploy, test and interpret results from a new QCL isotope ratio spectrometer making long-term eddy-covariance measurements of the isotopic composition (13C/12C and 18O/16O) of CO2 fluxes above Harvard Forest, Massachusetts;  second, to configure and use similar instrumentation for mass balance and isotope studies as part of the University of Arizona’s new program at Biosphere 2, the unique enclosed ecosystem system science facility outside of Tucson, AZ.

The position is based at University Arizona, but will involve significant time commitments in Boston, MA for the first year, during which the instrument would be deployed for testing and measurements at Harvard Forest (collaborating with scientists at Aerodyne Research, and at Harvard University’s laboratory for atmospheric chemistry).  Subsequent work would focus on interpretation of Harvard Forest data, and design and implementation of related Biosphere 2 studies. 

This position provides exceptional opportunities to learn new techniques and to make major scientific contributions to problems of both scientific and societal interest using cutting-edge technology (see web page below for more project details).  This is an interdisciplinary research program, and we do not expect candidates to be famil­iar with all of the relevant methods, although strong physical sciences back­ground relevant to spectroscopic techniques or to field deployment of instrumentation is strongly de­sired.  We expect to train the successful candidate in the relevant additional disciplines and skills (possibly including micrometeorology, forest ecophysiology and carbon cycling, isotope ecology). 

Competitive salary and benefits are provided; the University of Arizona is an equal-opportunity employer.

To apply, visit: https://www.uacareertrack.com (job number 40159)

Send (electronically) a description of research interests, CV, and the names and contact information of three references to:

Dr. Scott Saleska

Ecology & Evolutionary Biology

University of Arizona

saleska@email.arizona.edu

For more information on this project (including papers describing instrument and simulation of isofluxes) see web sites:

http://eebweb.arizona.edu/faculty/saleska/research.htm (Saleska group)
http://www.b2science.org/ (University of Arizona Biosphere 2)

http://www.aerodyne.com/ (Aerodyne Research, Inc.)

PhD Studentship - Dr. Daniel Reuman’s Group

A PhD studentship is available to join Dr. Daniel Reuman’s group (http://www3.imperial.ac.uk/people/d.reuman/) at Imperial College London in the Ecology and Evolution section of the Division of Biology. The focus of the research will be on the global effects of climate change on population dynamics. The student will analyze and model data from a large number of animal populations distributed worldwide.

Financial support will follow NERC guidelines. The student must be eligible for NERC funding (EU citizens).

To apply, please send CV, one-page statement of research interests, and contact information for two academic references to Daniel Reuman, care of Diana Anderson at d.anderson@imperial.ac.uk by 5pm on February 29, 2008.

Maryland Sea Grant's Research Experience for Undergraduates Estuarine Science Program

We would like to invite your students to apply for Maryland Sea Grant's Research Experience for Undergraduates Estuarine Science Program.

~12 week program during summer 2008.  May 18 to August 10.

~$4200 stipend plus housing, travel to and from site

~http://www.mdsg.umd.edu/REU ~Applications due: February 29, 2008

We invite applications from undergraduates in diverse disciplines, including engineering, biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, ecology and marine and environmental science.

Since 1989, NSF has supported this program that brings students to conduct individual research projects with a scientist-mentor at either Chesapeake Biological Lab or Horn Point Lab of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science.

Details and application guidance at our web site:

http://www.mdsg.umd.edu/REU

A downloadable PDF flyer is available at:

http://www.mdsg.umd.edu/programs/research/reu/reu2008.pdf

While an advisory committee selects students from large and small institutions throughout the U.S., NSF is particularly interested in supporting talented students from institutions where access to marine science and to research projects is limited and who are from underrepresented groups in marine science.

Please help us to "spread the word" about the terrific NSF REU program and, in particular, about the Maryland Sea Grant REU program.  We would be grateful if you could forward this email on to your students and to colleagues at other academic institutions that might have qualified undergraduates.

The Environmental Education Exchange is looking for an energized individual to assist in the coordination of a binational Environmental Education conference, working closely with the conference coordinator and committee in all aspects of the event organization. This is an excellent networking and professional development opportunity for an emerging EE professional, with possibilities for future collaboration.  Our office is within walking distance from campus and we offer an accommodating schedule.  Must be work study!  For more information contact pepe@eeexchange.org.

Environmental Education Position

SENIORS/GRADUATE STUDENTS:

A local environmental education program seeks a dynamic, responsible classroom presenter who works well with children. A Flexible schedule and your own vehicle required. The pay is great. Email resume and/or questions to outreach@eeexchange.org.

For more information please refer to http://www.eeexchange.org

Join Team Pi in Supporting Multiple Sclerosis Research

What's going on?

"Walk on the Wild Side" multiple sclerosis walk/fundraiser, Saturday, March 15, 8-10AM, Reid Park

Why get involved?

Support families like mine affected by MS and scientists trying to understand and treat this complex autoimmune disease.  And have fun doing it - walk and get free admission to Reid Park Zoo!  Register to walk or make a pledge through Team Pi by March 12 and join our Pi(e) party featuring an assortment of homemade pies the day before the walk!

Pi(e) Party?

Friday, March 14 (3.14 - Pi Day), 5PM, north patio of BioSci West

Register, donate, or learn more at the team website: http://www.nationalmssociety.org/goto/TeamPi ...or see the flyer/pledge sheet in the EEB mailroom!

FYI, there's no minimum donation required by the society to participate, but in

the spirit of Pi Day, please consider donating $3.14.

Contact: EEB grad student/team captain Tovah, tovahs@email.arizona.edu

Staff Advisory Council is sponsoring a Night at the Gaslight Theater

Staff Advisory Council is sponsoring a Night at the Gaslight Theater on May 6, 2008 at 7:00 p.m.

The Gaslight Theatre and SAC invites you to join us for the finest family theatre & dinner entertainment in Arizona. Thrill to authentic foot-stomping musical comedy melodrama, complete with honky-tonk piano playing, sing alongs and much, much more! Cheer the hero and Boo the villain while enjoying mountains of free finger lickin' good popcorn and your favorite soft drink or beer, pizza, ice cream (which you can order from Little Anthony’s located next door)! 
For $20.00 you can attend the “Arizona Smith and Relic of Doom – or – Safari so Good!”  Availability is limited.  Tickets will be sold on first-come, first-served basis.  To order your tickets, please open the attached order form.
You may also help us promote this event in your department or office by posting the flier for others to view who are not on our listserve!
Staff Advisory Council
Activities Committee

******************************************

Patricia Verdugo

Administrative Secretary

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

University of Arizona, BSW 310

Ph: 520-621-1588

Fax: 520-621-9190