[internship] – UW Geoduck Research Project for Summer 2012

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The UW geoduck research project is looking for additional interns for summer quarter. We think this could be a great opportunity for undergrads so please let me know if you have students interested in 1-3 credits of internship/Experiential Learning. In particular, we’d like to find students eager to gain field experience. To do so, they’d have to be available for the daylong field trips on some of the dates indicated below (3 trips = 30 hours = 1 credit). We might also be amenable to a mix of field and lab work (e.g., 2 field trips + 10 hours of lab work = 1 credit). I’ve included more details about the project below, as well as our trip dates. Interested students can contact “P. Sean McDonald” <psean@uw.edu> and Kate McPeek <mcpeek@uw.edu> for more information.

 

Thanks,

 

Sean McDonald

**

BACKGROUND:
A variety of studies have suggested that shellfish aquaculture operations can cause significant change in resident ecological communities at or near project sites, and development of intertidal aquaculture operations for Pacific geoduck clams, Panopea generosa, provides an opportunity to investigate the phenomenon. As part of a NOAA Sea Grant-funded project, we are using experimental and comparative analytical techniques to determine how geoduck aquaculture affects communities of plants and animals on Puget Sound beaches. Our approach compares punctuated disturbances associated with culture methods to naturally occurring background levels of disturbance and will provide the scientific foundation for policy decisions that must balance the needs and concerns of multiple stakeholders.

Project website http://www.wsg.washington.edu/research/geoduck/research/vanblaricom_overview.html

LEARNING OBJECTIVES:
– Learn about lab/field safety and chemical hygiene.
– Gain experience collecting and processing samples, including coarse sorting and invertebrate identification and enumeration.
– Gain experience using microscopes and other lab equipment.
– Develop knowledge of procedures for collecting data in the field, including site selection, sample acquisition, and preservation.
– Gain familiarity with techniques for the culture/harvest of geoduck clams and the environmental, social, and political debate over intertidal aquaculture.

FIELDWORK DETAILS:
Each trip will depart from the loading dock on the west side of the Fisheries Sciences Building (FSH, aka SAFS; across from Recycled cycles). Please try to be there about 10 minutes before the departure time so we can load all of the gear. We will most likely head straight to our research sites without delay so plan on packing a travel mug if you need java to keep yourself warm and motivated. Once we get to the sites we’ll give everyone an overview of the activity and divide up into groups to complete tasks. Our trips typically take 8-10 hours.

ITEMS YOU SHOULD BRING: I would recommend preparing for variable weather. Dress in layers and expect to get muddy/dirty. Gloves and a warm hat are often a good idea, particularly in the mornings. Sunscreen and a broad-rimmed hat are important once the sun comes out! If you have rubber boots, please bring them. You should also bring rain gear (rain pants or overalls might help you stay a bit cleaner too). If you’re lacking boots/gear, please let me know and I’ll find something for you. You should pack a lunch., snack, and water too. Please let me know if you have any questions.

TRIP DESCRIPTIONS:
invertebrate sampling trips (Infauna/Epifauna – We’ll be collecting/preserving benthic core samples and epibenthic pumps, and photographing quadrats, in 4-6 person teams (each team is led by a graduate student or senior researcher). See dates below.

fish sampling and tagging trips (Marke-recapture) – We’ll be beach seining fish and tagging them as part of a recapture experiment. We’ll also preserve tissue samples for diet and chemical analysis. Teams will be up to 11 people (each team is led by a graduate student and senior researcher). See dates below.

 

Date UW Departure Low tide Site Activities

Sunday, June 3 5:30am -3.4’ @ 11:30am Manke Infauna/Epifauna
Monday, June 4 6:15am -3.9’ @ 12:16pm Rolf Infauna/Epifauna
Tuesday, June 5 7:00am -4.0’ @ 1:03pm Foss Infauna/Epifauna
Thursday, June 14 3:30am 0.8’ @ 9:36am Foss Mark-recapture
Friday, June 15 4:15am 0.1’ @ 10:13am Rolf Mark-recapture
Saturday, June 16 4:45am -0.5’ @ 10:47am Manke Mark-recapture
Sunday, July 15 4:15am -0.2’ @ 10:12am Manke Mark-recapture
Monday, July 16 4:45am -0.7’ @ 10:51am Foss Mark-recapture
Tuesday, July 17 5:30am -1.2’ @ 11:28am Rolf Mark-recapture
Wednesday, Aug 1 5:45am -2.3’ @ 11:47am Manke Infauna/Epifauna
Thursday, Aug 2 6:30am -2.0’ @ 12:32pm Rolf Infauna/Epifauna
Friday, Aug 3 7:15am -1.3’ @ 1:15pm Foss Infauna/Epifauna
Tuesday, Aug 14 4:15am -0.1’ @ 10:20am Foss Mark-recapture
Wednesday, Aug 15 5:00am -0.4’ @ 11:01am Rolf Mark-recapture
Thursday, Aug 16 5:30am -0.6’ @ 11:40am Manke Mark-recapture
Wednesday, Sept 12 4:45am 1.0’ @ 9:42am Foss Recapture
Thursday, Sept 13 5:30am 0.7’ @ 10:28am Rolf Recapture
Friday, Sept 14 6:00am 0.8’ @ 11:10am Manke Recapture

[course] Autumn 2012: Green Laboratories and Sustainability on Campus

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ENVIR 480 Sustainability Studio

Autumn 2012: Green Laboratories and Sustainability on Campus

TTH 10:30-12:20

SLN 13799

Help make UW’s laboratory spaces more environmentally-friendly!  Did you know that laboratory facilities comprise about 13% of the UW’s building inventory – altogether almost 2.4 million square feet? Did you know that laboratories use significantly more energy and water, per square foot, than office and residential buildings?

In response to this challenge, the UW Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability Office is launching a new Green Labs program. In Autumn 2012, ENVIR 480: Sustainability Studio, students will support this new program by engaging in activities such as:

·  Pilot testing the new Green Labs tool with specific groups on campus
·  Creating a framework for competitions among labs regarding resource use
·  Conducting outreach to different lab groups on campus to create awareness about the program
·  Developing a list of “how to” resources for the reporting tool

[event] “Red, black & GREEN: A blues”

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WHERE: Playhouse/Intiman Theater  

DATES: May 30th June 2nd 

TIME: all shows @ 7:30pm

Red, black & GREEN: a blues (rbGb) is a full-length, multimedia performance work designed to jumpstart a conversation about environmental justice, social ecology and collective responsibility in the climate change era by combining dance, text and visuals in a new mode of kinetic performance.

Set into Gates’ malleable stage installation of repurposed building materials and clay objects, and heightened by Jacobs-Fantauzzi’s vivid films and vibrant graffiti murals from Life is Living, the poetry and performance in rbGb puts forward the idea that valuing your own life, and the life of your community, is the first step to valuing planet Earth.

Facebook     Flyer     Group Order Form (for tickets)

[event] – Conservation Remix – a one day event packed with revoluationary ideas for a greener future

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Dear PoE students:

Would you like to attend Conservation Remix – a one day event packed with revolutionary ideas for a greener future for FREE?
Normally students tickets to this event are $25 but attend for FREE by e-mailing poeadv@uw.edu by tomorrow, Friday, May 18 at 2 p.m.

WHO: Anyone interested in a sustainable future!
WHAT: Conservation Remix: A Fusion of Science, Technology, Policy and Design for a New Kind of Green
WHEN: Saturday, June 2, 2012 from 9:15 a.m. – 5 p.m.
WHERE: Seattle Town Hall, in Downtown Seattle
WHY: To learn and to connect with others!
This event is hosted by UW Emerti Biology Professors Gordon Orians and Estella Leopold.
Remember, e-mail poeadv@uw.edu by tomorrow, Friday, May 18 at 2 p.m. if you want to attend for FREE!

[lecture] – Chernobyl: The World’s Worst Nuclear Accident

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Tuesday, May 22nd from 5 – 7pm @ Thomson 125 
sponsored by SAGE (Student Association for Green Environments)

Chernobyl – The World’s Worst Nuclear Accident

Twenty six years ago, the Chernobyl nuclear power plant exploded and created, according to the United Nations, “The Greatest Environmental Catastrophe in the History of Humanity”. Thousands of square miles were polluted as 190 tons of highly radioactive material were flung into the atmosphere. Many people died, and hundreds of thousands were evacuated in days.  A 30 Km exclusion zone (still in existence) was created around the plant, and the battle began to stabilize the precarious situation before the perilous task of clean-up could begin.
Nearly three decades have passed, and still the exclusion zone is too contaminated for human habitation; the region inside has turned into an unsettling mixture of nuclear dungeon and sanctuary, as some wild species have adapted to the toxic environment and lack of man.

This presentation will describe why the accident happened, how the clean-up was performed, and how things are now.  The session will conclude with a haunting slideshow of photos taken inside the exclusion zone by the presenter.

[student job]: Work with visiting Japanese students this summer in the Residence Halls

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Looking to get involved with the Keio University program at the UW the summer and you don’t want to be a peer instructor (link)? Say no more, and see below!

Hello!

Want to get involved with international students this summer? The UW ISP Office (International Specialized Programs) is looking for friendly, responsible and outgoing UW students to help out with a specialized program with Keio University, one of Japan’s most prestigious universities.

What we’re looking for:  Current UW students who can live in UW dorms from August 5th – August 23rd with the Keio University students as roommates. The Keio program provides the dorms and meal cards. If you are selected for the program, you’ll get great friendships, an experience to remember and a great resume builder. We ask that you be available most evenings to eat dinner with the Keio students and to organize and attend fun activities with the students. (Shopping in U-Village, Frisbee at Denny Field, attending a Mariners or Sounders game… it’s up to you and the students!)

If you wish to apply or are interested in learning more about this opportunity and are a native English speaker, send your resume and cover letter to Joe Marino (jmarino@pce.uw.edu) by 5 pm on JUNE 6th at the latest!

Joe Marino

Assistant Coordinator

International specialized programs

[event] – UW Toastmaster Clubs – improve your public speaking skills

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Everyone is welcome: students, faculty, staff and the general public.

University of Washington Toastmasters Clubs SPRING QUARTER OPEN HOUSES MAY 15 – 17

Looking to improve your speaking skills?  Improve that next class presentation?  Win that job interview?

Come and visit a campus Toastmasters Club!  Toastmasters is a world leader in helping people improve their speech and impromptu communication skills.  Our clubs focus on helping UW students, staff and faculty become experienced and successful public speakers. Members become more confident in their public speaking skills within 6 months, learn something new every meeting, and have fun in a supportive environment!

There are three University area clubs to choose from:

UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON TOASTMASTERS

Tuesday, May 15 (TODAY)

12:00pm – 1:00pm

Electrical Engineering Bldg, Rm. 403

uwtmclub@gmail.com

PURPLE TOAST TOASTMASTERS

Wednesday, May 16

6;05pm – 7:20pm

(located off-campus, in the Wallingford area) Seattle First Church of the Nazarene – 4401 2nd Ave NE purpleto@gmail.com

HUSKY TOASTMASTERS

May 17

12:00pm – 1:00pm

Schmitz Hall, Rm. 170

huskytoastmasters@gmail.com

[scholarship] – McNair Scholars Program for Graduate Study

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The Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program prepares undergraduates for doctoral study through involvement in research and scholarly activities.  For more information please go to: http://depts.washington.edu/uwmcnair/description.htm

 

In order to apply for the McNair Program, you must meet the following eligibility criteria, set by the U.S. Department of Education. Because this is a federally funded program, these are strict requirements.

 

To be eligible, you:

  • must be a U.S. citizen or U.S. permanent resident
  • must be a low-income student who is also a first-generation college student (for detailed descriptions, click on the links); or 
    must be a member of a group that is underrepresented in graduate education (African American, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Hispanic/Latino, or Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander)
  • must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate in a degree program at the UW1
  • must have completed 36 credits by the time of initial entry into the program
  • must have at least one year remaining before graduation (i.e., if you are graduating within the year, you are not eligible for the program)
  • must have a minimum cumulative GPA of: 2.8 (sophomores), 3.0 (juniors), 3.2 (seniors)
  • must have STRONG desire to attain a Ph.D.

 

1Post-baccalaureate students and students who already have one bachelors degree are not eligible for the program. 
2Students whose career goals include a medical (MD) or other professional degree (JD, MBA, PharmD, etc.) are not eligible for the program.

http://depts.washington.edu/uwmcnair/eligible.htm

[opportunity] – 2012 NW Sierra Student Coalition’s Summer Training Program

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2012 Northwest Sierra Student Coalition’s Summer Training Program (NW SPROG) 
What is SPROG? SPROG is a youth (generally ages15-30) summer camp focused on environmental leadership and organizing. 
When is NW SPROG? June 24th to July 1st 
Where is NW SPROG? Camp Fife in Goose Prairie, Washington (near Mt. Rainier) 

Why should I go to SPROG? At SPROG you will engage with one of the nation’s top curriculum and other passionate changemakers to learn about leadership development, facilitation skills, anti-oppression, working with the media, meeting with decision makers, campaign planning, messaging and framing, grassroots outreach, etc. SPROG is a perfect space for those wishing to gain concrete tools, skills, and support for social and environmental change organizing or those who wish to create a passionate network building a movement together. SPROG is a one-of-a-kind experience that will be remembered forever.

How I can I go to SPROG? The registration deadline is May 15th so sign up soon! Apply to a SPROG today!

How much is SPROG? Tuition for SPROG is $350 per person, which covers food, lodging, and all trainings for the week. (Sign up in a group of 3 or more and receive a $50 discount each!) Need-based scholarships are also available, just apply and we will work with you to make it affordable. 

How can I find out more about SPROG?  Check out the website at http://ssc.sierraclub.org/content/sprog-0 and please feel free to contact myself or Drew Serres at djserez@gmail.com for more information.

Thank you and don’t forget to apply to a SPROG by May 15th!

Terra Marie Smith
(707) 738-3689

Become an Environmental and Social Leader! Register for the Sierra Student Coalition Summer Training Camp (SPROG) Today! http://ssc.sierraclub.org/sprog