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THE DRIFT

 

July 3, 2008

*Please take note that next issue for The Drift will be sent out on July 18, 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

             Congratulations to Scott Stark!

             “NO PRINT” OPTION – PAY STUBS –PLEASE!

NEWS FROM OTHER AREAS

                KISSING BUGS NEEDED

NEW COURSES/SEMINARS OF INTEREST

               New Course: Fall 2008

               Topics in Entrepreneurship for Scientists

FELLOWSHIP/EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES/CLASSIFIEDS

               Postdoctoral Position in Michod Lab

            Project Ecologist – Nature Conservancy in Arizona

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

            Internships in Madagascar – last few places available for July 2008

             Position Announcement – Wildlife Phenology Program

            House for Rent – Near Reid Park Zoo

            House for Rent – West Side Tucson

            Guest House for Rent

            House for Rent – Foothills

            

 

~EEB DEPARTMENT NEWS~

Congratulations to Scott Stark!

Scott Stark has been awarded the NSF Doctoral Dissertation Improvement grant for dissertation research: Testing multiple determinants of growth rate-mass scaling relationships in an Amazonian forest. We in the Ecology Program wish you the best of luck in pursuing your research goals.  

"NO PRINT" OPTION – PAY STUBS – PLEASE!

Attention EEB Dept.:
Please help us SAVE the Environment by choosing the "NO PRINT" option of your pay stubs.

To choose the no Print Option
Follow the next 3 simple steps:
1) First go to http://emplink.arizona.edu/ and click on the tab that says PAYROLL INFO
(7th down from menu on the left)
2) Then go to  Set Advice Print Option
(4th down on Payroll Info menu)
3) Finally, Change your preference to Don't Print Advice

It should only take you 2 minutes and you will be helping us  SAVE the environment by not wasting paper as well as save the time it takes for one our staff members to distribute your paystub. Should you want to view the information on the Paystub you can view it online:

Login into Employee Link and click on the tab labeled PAY STUBS
http://emplink.arizona.edu/

Please contact Lili Schwartz should you have any questions regarding this matter.

 

~NEWS FROM OTHER AREAS~

KISSING BUGS NEEDED

Researchers in the Hildebrand lab at the ARLD Neurobiology are collecting kissing bugs as part of an undergoing research project. You can help us by collecting any insects that you might find (preferentially alive!). You can use any jar or container (if you need containers please let us know, we will hand-deliver them to you), just avoid touching them with your bare hands. Please record your name, address and date of collection, for tracking and mapping purposes. For more information about the project, pictures of the insects, etc, please visit:

http://www.neurobio.arizona.edu/faculty/hildebrand/kissingbug/

Primary contact: Teresa Gregory (tgregory@neurobio.arizona.edu), 621 6631
Secondary contacts: Carolina Reisenman (carolina@neurobio.arizona.edu), 621 6631 and Pablo Guerenstein (pgg@neurobio.arizona.edu).

 

~NEW COURSES/SEMINARS OF INTEREST~

New Course: Fall 2008

Ecol 220:  Evolutionary Medicine

This course reviews how the Darwinian theory of evolution by natural selection can help us understand, prevent, and  treat human disease. We will explore evolutionary explanations to questions such as: Why do parasites harm us? Why do we age? Why do we suffer from allergies or develop cancer? Why do we reproduce sexually? Through lectures, readings, student presentations, and class discussions, the students will be exposed to basic evolutionary principles that can be applied not only to medicine, but also to agriculture and other life sciences.

Topics in Entrepreneurship for Scientists

Fall 2008 - for graduate and undergraduate students
PHYS/MATH/ENTR/MCB 495f/595f - Topics in Entrepreneurship for Scientists
Weds 5:15pm-6:30pm
1 credit

This course will present different topics in and aspects of entrepreneurship specifically for graduate and undergraduate students in science and engineering. The goals of the course are:

  • to give students exposure to and understanding of the elements of the entrepreneurship process in scientific ventures to prepare them for scientific careers in industry, and/or to pursue the development of a new scientific venture;
  • to introduce the connection between science, scientific innovation, and business in an entrepreneurial venture, and in scientific and high technology industries overall;
  • to give students access to and detailed accounts from established entrepreneurs, scientists, business people, venture capitalists, intellectual property attorneys, and other industry leaders who have successfully created careers that combine science, business, and industry, or/and have been intimately involved in the scientific entrepreneurial process;
  • to introduce the concept of technology transfer and its role in bringing scientific innovation to commercialization;
  • to give students experience in thinking like an entrepreneur by developing and writing their own early stage business plan (595f), or new venture case study (495f);
  • to give students the opportunity to learn the resources available to an entrepreneur and how to take advantage of those resources.

Perks: Students get extensive interaction time and networking opportunities with scientific, business, and entrepreneurial leaders, attend industry functions, and are assigned a mentor from industry to help guide them and their project. Interaction opportunities with guests speakers are plentiful. There are also professional development and leadership skill-building opportunities as well.

Read the article about the class: "UA Program Preps Science Students for Business World", Arizona Daily Star, December 6, 2007: http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/byauthor/214944

More info: http://psm.arizona.edu/content/entrepreneurshipcourse/index

Contact: Alaina Levine, alaina@u.arizona.edu, 621-3374

 

~FELLOWSHIP/EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES/CLASSIFIEDS~

 

Postdoctoral Position in Michod Lab

A POSTDOCTORAL POSITION is available immediately in the laboratory of Dr. Richard E. Michod (http://www.eebweb.arizona.edu/Michod/) in the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Arizona (Tucson, AZ; http://eebweb.arizona.edu/). We are looking for a motivated, enthusiastic and independent individual with a strong background in evolutionary biology and/or genomics and molecular biology to address questions concerned with the evolution of multicellularity, using the green algal group, Volvocales (Chlamydomonas and its multicellular relatives), as a model-system.  Current projects in the lab include studying the genetic basis for the evolution of germ-soma differentiation, measuring life history trade-offs as colony size changes and artificial selection experiments on body size in volvocalean green algae.We are especially interested in a person with a strong molecular background with familiarity in developing genetic tools (e.g., reversible inducible/silencing gene expression systems) for altering gene expression in Chlamydomonas. The initial appointment is for one year, with an additional two years' funding available conditional on satisfactory performance. The position is funded by an NSF grant, at 35K per year (plus benefits). The start date is flexible but the position is available immediately. To apply, please e-mail (michod@u.arizona.edu) with the following information:  (i) a statement detailing your research interests and qualifications and how they relate to the possible postdoctoral position, (ii) a CV, and (iii) the names and contact information of three references.

The University of Arizona is an EO/AA Employer.

 

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.)

Internships in Madagascar – last few places available for July 2008

We have been overwhelmed by the number of applications we have received this year from US based students looking to intern on our Pioneer Madagascar and Lemur Venture programs. Whilst our July teams are nearly full, we do have one or two places left for students who are still looking for an internship opportunity this summer. We also have a limited number of spaces available for our October teams. Working closely with local communities, interns on our Pioneer Program take part in a range of practical construction work, conservation research and educational activities, whilst our Lemur Venture scheme provides the chance to focus on the conservation of endangered primate populations in the south-east of the island. Both programs also offer interns the unique opportunity to experience how a grassroots NGO operates on the ground.We feel our internships would be especially beneficial to the students in your Ecology & Evolutionary Biology Department and will particularly suit those who have a specific interest in working in the international sustainable development or conservation sector. Feedback from past US interns has been very positive with many people telling us that their internship experience enabled them to gain course credits at their university or college.We expect our July and October teams to be full within the next couple of weeks so would ask any student interested in applying to do so as soon as possible. Please click here for a web version of the information sheet. To get a good sense of the work of Azafady in general you can also download the latest issue of our newsletter from here.

Position Announcement – Wildlife Phenology Program
Position Title:  Coordinator, Wildlife Phenology Program, The Wildlife Society

Location:  Tucson, AZ

About The Wildlife Society:

The Wildlife Society (www.wildlife.org) is an international, membership organization dedicated to excellence in wildlife stewardship through science and education.  Since 1937, TWS has worked to advance the science and practice of wildlife management and conservation, promote continuing education of wildlife professionals, and advocate for science-based wildlife policy.  These activities further the Society’s mission to represent and serve wildlife professionals – the scientists, technicians, and practitioners actively working to manage, conserve, protect, and study wildlife and their habitats worldwide.  The Wildlife Society currently has nearly 8,000 members in the U.S., Canada, and worldwide.

General Qualifications:

The Wildlife Society (TWS) seeks an individual with knowledge and/or training in the wildlife profession and with exceptional communication and interpersonal skills that can serve as an effective planner, facilitator and ambassador for a new Wildlife Phenology Program. This is a temporary two-year position, which has the possibility of transforming into a longer-term position, depending on the program’s success.

Duties and Responsibilities:

The WPP Coordinator, under the direct supervision of the TWS Executive Director/CEO, provides leadership and management oversight for a new Wildlife Phenology Program being developed by TWS in partnership with the USA-National Phenology Network (NPN). The USA-NPN (www.usanpn.org) is a relatively new partnership among NGOs, academia, citizen volunteers, federal agencies, and other organizations.   The goal and mission of the USA-NPN is to establish a nationwide network of phenological observations of plants and animals to understand better how natural ecological systems respond to changing environments through changes in phenology, and to aid the development and implementation of facilities and tools required for human adaptation to future climate conditions.  This effort employs the observational skills of scientists, managers, the public and other stakeholders to document dynamics aspects of plant and animal biology that are affected by seasonal changes, such as foliage emergence, fruit production, migration and reproduction.  Such long-term monitoring studies have taken on new importance as our nation and the world begin to track and attempt to adapt to the pervasive impacts of global climate change.

Responsibilities include:

Scope, develop and implement a wildlife phenology program to parallel and interface the plant phenology program of the USA-NPN; Develop and facilitate workshops and working groups consisting of scientists, stakeholders and resource managers to identify and justify wildlife species (including insect, birds, amphibians, mammals, reptiles, fishes) broadly distributed across the US that may serve as important phenological indicators of environmental change, and that can be monitored within the context of a national phenology networ; Build partnerships and develop public interest in the program; Identify projects that can be completed readily to demonstrate use of phenology end products and demonstrate early successes; Assist in the development of a schema for linking plant and animal phenology data; Develop data management/database requirements for the animal phenology program, and coordinate with the USA-NPN working group for cyber-infrastructure to develop and implement tools to input, download and visualize data; Identify and develop opportunities for education, outreach and citizen science involvement in the study and understanding of animal phenology; Seek possible sources of future support for the WPP in collaboration with USA-NPN and TWS.

Qualifications:  

Excellent communication skills required, both verbal and written. Ability to communicate effectively with both scientists and non-scientists critical.  Broad understanding of effects of environmental variation or climate change on  natural ecological systems; solid understanding of processes controlling animal populations and communities; understanding of plant-animal interactions; experience with animal or plant phenology preferred (e.g., empirical or modeling research on contemporary or legacy datasets); experience with meeting facilitation preferred.  The emphasis of this program is on terrestrial systems, but some knowledge of aquatic/marine systems would also be helpful.  

Education:  Master’s or doctoral degree in wildlife biology or ecology, or at least 4 years equivalent experience in wildlife management, ecology or related disciplines.

Salary:  High 40’s-low 50’s, depending on educational background and experience.

Benefits:  Package includes health insurance, annual and sick leave, and paid holidays.

Application process: Qualified candidates should submit a resume and letter of interest to:

Janine (Yanin) Walker
yanin@wildlife.org (email preferred)
Operations Manager
The Wildlife Society
5410 Grosvenor Lane
Bethesda, MD 20814

Application deadline:  15 July 2008

Anticipated starting date:  1 August 2008

 

House for Rent – Near Reid Park Zoo
3 bd 2 ba home for rent in central Tucson, just south of Reid Park Zoo. 4 miles to the U of A. Home is in pristine condition as it just had a floor to ceiling eco-friendly remodel (new kitchen, baths, floors, etc.).  Pets okay, 925$/ month.  Call or email Jordanna Sprayberry for more information (jspray@neurobio.arizona.edu, 520 437 4717).

 

House for Rent – West Side Tucson

Near Silverbell and Sweetwater. Bright 2bdr/1.5 ba. (1600 sq ft.) Separate 600 sq. ft. guesthouse with 1/2 bath and kitchenette. Very peaceful place to live, with hiking/riding/biking trails right out the back door. Lots of desert wildlife.  (rural ranch/3 acre min. lot zoning). 20 min drive to U of A. 10 min. walk to Robins Elementary School.  $1500/month. Contact Frans at 250-4280 or fetax@email.arizona.edu

Guest House for Rent

In foothills area, near Campbell and River. Two story (bedroom + bath upstairs; living room + kitchen downstairs), secluded, private, quiet, good parking, ~700 sq ft. $800/mo. Cats O.K. Call Rick Brusca at 883-3007, 615-3069, or 906-8174. EMAIL: rbrusca@desertmuseum.org

House for Rent – Foothills

Spacious 3 bedroom, 2 bath house, built in 1998 (1785 sq. feet) in the foothills (off of Orange Grove, between La Cholla and La Cañada). Great spacious kitchen, living room and dining room.  Built in BBQ and covered patio great for entertainment within an enclosed backyard with plenty of land between neighbors.  Rent is $1,400 a month plus one month security. Washer, dryer and stainless steel refrigerator included. Rent includes trash pickup, association fees and yard maintenance. House is available starting July 15th.  For more information or to apply please contact Luciano at 520-370-6615 or email at lmatzkin@email.arizona.edu.

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

Patricia Verdugo

Administrative Secretary

Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

University of Arizona, BSW 310

Ph: 520-621-1588

Fax: 520-621-9190

 

 



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