GA5 Conference – Data Science in Indian Country
New Article in Nature: How to include Indigenous researchers and their knowledge
Researchers from Native American and Indigenous communities explain how colleagues and institutions can help them to battle marginalization.
Waasamoogikinwaa’amaading – Post Pandemic Online and Distance Learning at Tribal Colleges, April 14-15, 2021
A virtual conference hosted by Leech Lake Tribal College
Boozhoo Dear Colleagues,
We cordially invite you to join us in a conversation about online education at Tribal Colleges and Universities, and other minority serving institutions. This conference’s planning began in late 2019, but 2020 compelled all of us into emergency online teaching. Now, after 12 months of innovation and perseverance, we are ready to convene virtually and look at what online skills, technologies, and pedagogies may improve student success at TCUs in a post-pandemic environment.
Leech Lake Tribal College, in partnership with the National Science Foundation, is hosting this virtual exploration of challenges and barriers to online and distance education, particularly with in S.T.E.M. fields, and we would like to start the discussion with practitioners and administrators of online learning. We also invite a conversation about how future online education fits into nation-building and our service to community at TCUs.
This two day symposium will discuss lessons learned about student preparation and technology access, faculty training and resources, humanizing learning management systems, and cultural integration challenges with computer based content. We are in the process of collecting information from potential attendees and speakers, and would like to hear from you. This conference is open to all, but we especially invite TCU and MSI administrators, information technology staff, and faculty.
Please follow this link to access a brief questionnaire (2 minutes): https://forms.gle/wi2i1zr11WdKKEAGA . We are asking for input on sessions, and collecting contact information. Please forward this announcement on to your networks, and look for the publication of the conference website and a call for presentations soon.
Miigwech, Gigawaabamin-
Melinda Neville and Antonio Arce
Chair of Dept. of Natural Sciences and Technology: melinda.neville@lltc.edu
Distance Education Coordinator: antonio.arce@lltc.edu
Our mission is to provide quality higher education
grounded in Anishinaabe values
Research Opportunity: REU OCEANUS at Texas A&M University
REU: OCEANUS is an interdisciplinary research program at Texas A&M University, Galveston that advances scientific understandings of coastal system sustainability. Funded by the National Science Foundation (Award#1950910), OCEANUS invites talented undergraduate students from diverse backgrounds to participate in a 10-week immersive online experience. The program is 100% online and runs from May 31 to August 6, 2021. Student benefits include:
- Enhanced scientific research and communication skills through high-impact learning and hands-on training
- Increased social capital via the Aggie Network (http://www.aggienetwork.com)
- Access to tools to help navigate the academic pipeline
- $6,000 summer stipend
Applications are due by February 15, 2021. To learn more and apply, visit: https://tamug.edu/research/oceanus/.
Summer Undergrad Internships at Woods Hole
The Woods Hole Partnership Program is accepting applications for the 2021 summer undergrad internship research program. Application materials and program information are available on the PEP website.
The program dates are May 29 through August 7. Application deadline is February 13.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, it is uncertain whether we will be able to host students for a residency program in Woods Hole in 2021. We are keeping open the option of a residency program but we also are prepared to offer a virtual program if that is necessary.
In 2020 we offered a successful virtual PEP that provided students with all the major program components, including a four-credit course, a research project, and a series of career-building and cohort-building activities.
For 2021 we will accept a class of interns in March and will announce by the end of April whether the program will include residency in Woods Hole. The program will provide a $5000 stipend and tuition for PEP’s four-credit course offered in the first four weeks of the program. If we are able to bring students to Woods Hole, the program also will cover all students’ costs for travel, housing, and food.
Please direct any program questions to George Liles at george.liles@noaa.gov
Please direct any application questions to Kwanza Johnson at Kwanza.Johnson@noaa.gov
Ph.D. position: microplastics in snow Reno, NV USA
The Microplastics Lab at the Desert Research Institute (DRI) is recruiting two PhD students to study microplastics and snow hydrology. This successful applicant will be enrolled in the Graduate Program of Hydrologic Sciences (GPHS) at the University of Nevada, Reno (UNR).
Position: The students will study microplastics deposited within snow-dominated montane watersheds during periods of snow accumulation and melt in the Sierra Nevada of California and Nevada. These findings will be used to determine the sources of microplastics in the remote environment and their downstream fate in vulnerable, semi-arid watersheds. As part of an ongoing DRI education activity, their research findings will be integrated into a middle school mobile teaching kit, to engage students in cutting-edge science at the middle school level.
Preferred Qualifications: An undergraduate or MS degree in geology and/or hydrology (or related field) with an interest in: fieldwork, analytical laboratory work, microplastics, snow hydrology, and/or water quality.
Please visit the lab website (https://www.dri.edu/labs/microplastics/) for information about our research program and the University of Nevada Reno Graduate Program of Hydrologic Sciences website (https://www.unr.edu/hydrologic-sciences) for information about the program and application process. Applications must be received by January 5th for fall 2021 admission. Prospective applicants are asked to contact Dr. Monica Arienzo for further information (monica.arienzo@dri.edu<mailto:monica.arienzo@dri.edu>).
In partnership between DRI and UNR, the Graduate Program of Hydrologic Sciences is one of the most well-established interdisciplinary programs of its kind in North America. The mission of the GPHS is provide outstanding academic training for students to become the hydrologists and hydrogeologists who will understand and address critical water challenges facing the world. The Program focuses on studies of water in the environment including its surface and subsurface roles in geologic and biogeochemical processes, ecosystem functions, and climate science.
This position is based in Reno NV, a wonderful city to live in, with its bike paths, the Truckee River, access to world-class skiing, hiking, mountain biking and trail running, and a well-connected airport. Reno is also located close to Lake Tahoe, Yosemite National Park, and Lassen National Park.
Two PhD positions on studying boreal forest fires at University of Alaska Fairbanks
Two funded PhD positions are available at University of Alaska Fairbanks, to study boreal forest fires and its impact on climate and air quality. We are looking for 2 PhD students to join our group, to study boreal forest fires and its impact on climate and air quality. The first position is to measure and model brown carbon (BrC) from boreal fires, and the second position is to use NASA satellites, chemical transport models and ground-based measurements to improve surface PM2.5 forecast during fire season in Alaska! Applicants with background in atmospheric chemistry measurements (PILS, ACSM, etc.) and modeling (GEOS-Chem, AM3/4, MOZART, WRF-CHEM, CMAQ, MCM etc.) are preferred.
Prospective students should send me an email at jmao2@alaska.edu, with a complete CV and a paragraph describing your research interests. Further information about our group can be found here (https://atmoschem.community.uaf.edu/).The PhD positions can start as soon as the summer of 2021. Please contact me immediately if you are interested.
Jingqiu Mao
Assistant Professor
Geophysical Institute, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks, AK 99775
Phone: 907-474-7118Email: jmao2@alaska.edu
Website: https://atmoschem.community.uaf.edu/
3 new Tenure-track faculty positions in the School of Geosciences at the University of Oklahoma
Assistant Professor in Applied Structural Geology/Tectonics
The School of Geosciences at the University of Oklahoma (OU) invites applications for a tenure-track position in Applied Structural Geology / Tectonics at the rank of Assistant Professor. The position will contribute to and expand upon existing interdisciplinary strengths in the department via the study of the 3D architecture and evolution of Earth’s surface/crust, associated deformation and deformation processes, and applications to practical questions. The candidate must hold a Ph.D. in a related field at the time of appointment and exhibit strong research potential. Further, the candidate must have an interest in teaching both undergraduate and graduate courses and mentoring graduate students. Example courses include, but are not limited to Applied Structural Geology, Tectonic Geomorphology, Faulted & Fractured Reservoirs, and Tectonics & Climate. The candidate is expected to establish an innovative, independent, and externally funded research program, build collaborations within and outside the School, and work with colleagues and students toward OU’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion goals. Salary and start-up funds will be commensurate with experience.
We are looking for a broad-minded colleague whose skills and interests will complement and build upon existing areas of research within the department. The research area is open, but can include topics such as; landscape evolution and geologic hazards, the structure and long-term stability of subsurface reservoirs, and tectonics & the carbon cycle. The School of Geosciences, part of the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy, has a large, vibrant faculty with a broad range of research activities in energy geosciences, paleoclimate and environmental geology, seismicity and earth structure, among others. Current emphases include induced seismicity, groundwater flow, and subsurface reservoir characterization and monitoring. The position supports college initiatives and research priorities in energy geosciences, seismicity, and water. The position also integrates into university-wide major research initiatives in energy, resiliency, and computer/data science.
Application: https://apply.interfolio.com/81256
Assistant Professor in Environmental Geophysics
The School of Geosciences in the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy at the University of Oklahoma (OU) invites applications for a tenure-track position in Environmental Geophysics at the rank of Assistant Professor to start in August 2021. This position is part of three new positions to be filled at the School of Geosciences, which are part of a university-wide strategic shift towards collaborative, convergent research that addresses pressing societal needs. We seek colleagues who will establish innovative, independent, and externally funded research programs; build collaborations within and outside the School; teach and mentor undergraduate and graduate students from diverse backgrounds; and work with colleagues and students toward OU’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion goals.
Application: https://apply.interfolio.com/81257
Assistant Professor in Critical Zone Geoscience
The University of Oklahoma seeks a tenure-track Assistant Professor in critical zone (CZ) geoscience to join the School of Geosciences in the Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy. This position is part of a strategic shift towards collaborative, convergent research that addresses pressing societal needs. In particular, this position will help OU develop and strengthen burgeoning transdisciplinary collaborations across environmental science, policy, and justice by integrating knowledge and expertise from OU’s research strengths in geoscience, meteorology, geography, anthropology, environmental science and engineering, public policy, economics, and community planning focused around key issues that affect how humans live and work sustainably within our ecosystem. Potential areas of research include, but are not limited to, geomorphology, soil science, groundwater/surface water interactions, geobiology, geomicrobiology, biogeochemistry, carbon and/or nutrient cycling in soils and the hydrosphere, computational modeling of CZ processes, responses of the CZ to climate change (past, present, or future), and/or isotope geochemistry applied to critical zone processes.
We seek a colleague who will engage with both the research and teaching missions of the University and work with faculty, staff, and students to address diversity, equity, and inclusion issues within the geosciences. We expect that this faculty member will teach a general education geoscience course (e.g. Earth, Energy, and the Environment; Physical Geology, History of Earth and Life, the Dynamic Earth; Earth Resources and the Environment; or a new course of their design), as well as develop and teach upper level undergraduate and graduate courses within their area of expertise and/or contribute to teach one or more of our required major courses (e.g. Earth History, Principles of Geochemistry, Mineralogy, Invertebrate Paleontology, GeoWriting, Introduction to Field Geology, Field Camp, etc.).
Application: https://apply.interfolio.com/81168
Postdoc position at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution for Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry.
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) is currently searching for a Postdoctoral Investigator to join the Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry Department. This is a regular, full-time, exempt position, and is eligble for full benefits. The initial appointment will be for one year with the possibility of a one-year extension.
We seek a Postdoctoral Investigator to conduct research with an interdisciplinary team as part of a new NASA Exobiology grant exploring photochemical processes involved in the oxidation and precipitation of manganese (Mn) minerals. The overall objectives of the project are to: (1) constrain the reaction space within aqueous incubations that support photochemical Mn(II) oxidation and Mn oxide formation; (2) identify the role of drying and cyclical humidity changes on photochemical-derived Mn oxide formation at the rock/mineral-water interface; and (3) investigate structural, morphological and isotopic signatures harbored within photochemically produced Mn oxides.
The Institution has a top-rated postdoctoral program (www.whoi.edu/postdoctoral/) that supports a dynamic postdoctoral community with formal mentoring and career guidance programs. While the primary focus of the work will be in research, the Postdoctoral Investigator will have the opportunity to participate in educational and outreach activities associated with the project.
Online application forms should be submitted with a cover letter, complete curriculum vitae, and three letters of recommendation. Applications will be reviewed upon submission.
Essential Functions
The Postdoctoral Investigator will be the project lead, working in close collaboration with, and trained by, three principal investigators at WHOI. The Postdoctoral Investigator will lead laboratory incubations of aqueous and mineral/rock suspensions under a matrix of conditions and subsequent characterization of Mn oxide products using a suite of techniques, including X-ray diffraction and absorption spectroscopy, electron microscopy, and oxygen isotope ratio mass spectrometry.
Education & Experience
- A PhD in Chemistry, Earth Sciences, or a related field is required.
- Any experience in photochemistry, mineral chemistry and characterization, and/or reactive oxygen/nitrogen species concentration and isotopic composition would be especially valuable.
University of Texas Rio Grande hiring Assistant/Associate/Full Professor-Environmental Science and Policy
https://careers.utrgv.edu/postings/26665
Deadline 01/15/2021
Scope of the Job
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley seeks new faculty to help with its mission to transform the region, the Americas, and the world through an innovative and accessible educational environment that promotes student success, research, creative works, health and well-being, community engagement, and sustainable development https://www.utrgv.edu/strategic-plan/). In support of this mission, The School of Earth, Environmental, and Marine Sciences (SEEMS; https://www.utrgv.edu/seems/index.htm) aims to recruit two tenure-track (assistant professor) positions and one open rank (assistant, associate, or full professor) position who can contribute to the research, teaching, and community engagement efforts across our unit. In particular, we seek faculty that can help increase the representation of historically underrepresented faculty in the environmental sciences, including underrepresented minority and women faculty. We value applicants who can understand and have overcome race, gender-based, and ability-based barriers, and who can bring with them the wealth of worldview, perspective, and experience that is critical to an innovative and accessible educational environment. As a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution, UTRGV and SEEMS is committed to inspiring and preparing its students to succeed, excel, and lead in an increasingly diverse and interconnected world, and seeks new faculty committed to help in this goal.
The successful applicants will teach and conduct research in at least one of the following five broadly defined areas: (1) Environmental Justice, (2) Systems Modeling of coupled human-natural systems, (3) Sustainable Energy, (4) Natural Resource Economics, and (5) Environmental Data Science. We seek applicants with disciplinary depth who can apply their expertise in a cross-disciplinary or multidisciplinary approach, and can contribute across the multiple degrees offered in SEEMS: BS in Environmental Science, BS in Marine Biology, BS in Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems, MS in Agricultural, Environmental, and Sustainability Sciences, MS in Ocean, Coastal, and Earth Science. Faculty are also expected to contribute to future doctoral programs currently in development. SEEMS has a particular need for a social scientist (e.g., geographer, political scientist, sociologist) capable of instructing a graduate course in ecosystem-based management and an undergraduate course in environment & society. In addition to teaching, the candidates will be expected to mentor students, to develop and maintain an active research program with student and community engagement, and to provide service to SEEMS, UTRGV, the profession, and the community.
Relevant areas of environmental justice expertise include, but are not limited to, tribal fishery and water rights, racial disparities in the siting of environmental amenities and disamenities in urban settings, the conservation of global biodiversity in locations with indigenous and First Nation communities, food justice and food sovereignty, and climate justice.
Relevant areas for research associated with the modeling of coupled natural-human systems include empirical quantitative modeling; simulation-based modeling; agent-based modeling/multi-agent systems; complexity science; neural networks; social network analysis; visualization; spatial social science; developing quantitative, predictive and computational modeling of food-water-energy systems that increase decision support capability for critical systems; or using data and mathematical models for analysis of the ecosystem services of interconnected food, water and/or energy systems in affecting human well-being.
Relevant areas of sustainable energy expertise include renewable energy (i.e., solar, geothermal, hydro, wind, biomass); ways in which non-renewable resources can be used more effectively, by minimizing environmental impacts; technologies and policies for enabling sustainable energy development and use (e.g., smart grids, net metering, clean energy financing, automobile efficiency standards); and domestic and international sustainable energy and climate policy and treaties.
Relevant areas of natural resource economics include, but are not limited to, environmental valuation (including environmental accounting and contingent valuation) in forest, marine, and coastal settings, and agricultural economics.
Relevant areas of environmental data science include those that involve investigating how individual and collective behavior affects biodiversity outcomes and vice versa. The candidate should have strong quantitative skills in one or more of the following areas: econometrics, causal data analysis, integration and analysis of large datasets, social and behavioral field experiments, spatial statistics, and other commensurate approaches.
The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley (UTRGV) is in the middle of one of the fastest growing areas in the nation, the southern tip of Texas known as the Rio Grande Valley. Located along the US-Mexico Border, the region is a vibrant, bicultural and bilingual area, well known for its unusual biological diversity and as a state epicenter for agricultural production. The RGV is dotted with several growing metro areas that are centers for international trade, culture, tourism and agriculture. This subtropical region includes the vibrant cities of McAllen and Brownsville, recently ranked #3 and #4 among US cities for the best places to live for quality of life.
With a total enrollment of over 32,000, UTRGV is one of the largest institutions of higher education in Texas and the second largest Hispanic-serving institution in the nation, with an emphasis on educating 21st century leaders and professionals who are culturally fluent and have a deep understanding of the perspectives, languages, and values of different cultures. UTRGV is an energetic and progressive institution, seeking faculty who are committed to making a difference and leading innovation. UTRGV became home to a new medical school in fall 2016 and is developing cross disciplinary initiatives to become a premier research institution in South Texas. The College of Sciences recently inaugurated a new buildings and spaces for SEEMS faculty, which includes state-of-the-art lab spaces and a core facility for instrumentation across our main campuses in Edinburg and Brownsville, and at the Coastal Studies Labs in South Padre Island and in Port Isabel. SEEMS also manages research and teaching gardens, a 5-acre farm, and work closely with local area partners (local farms, local city and federal agencies) on collaborative opportunities for research and teaching. As part of the University of Texas System, UTRGV has access to UT System resources, such as the Texas Advanced Computing Center (https://www.tacc.utexas.edu/). The university offers a start-up package and reduced teaching load for incoming faculty. Highly qualified candidates may also be eligible for the University of Texas System Rising Star Award to enhance start-up packages. Applicants should submit the following documents, with statements written in the context of being a professor at a minority serving institution.
1. Cover letter
2. Statement of research
3. Statement of teaching philosophy
4. Statement of commitment to justice, equity, diversity, and inclusion in the sciences (1 page)
5. CV
6. Unofficial Transcripts
7. List of 3 or more references