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Thursday, October 31, 2013 12:07 PM |
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OBFS is a signatory to a letter sponsored by the Ecological Society of America urging Biosphere Reserve Managers and the Department of State to participate in the UNESCO process. The letter is reproduced below.
PDF Version 
October 30, 2013
Biosphere Reserve Administrator:
As scientific organizations, we write to request that you work with the United States (U.S.) Department of State in the submission of the necessary survey credentials to continue participation of the U.S. in the World Network of Biosphere Reserves through the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization’s (UNESCO) Man and the Biosphere Program. The World Network, currently including 621 biosphere reserves in 117 countries, provides increasingly significant opportunities for addressing conservation and sustainability challenges, such as climate change, through policy relevant site-based research, education and demonstration. U.S. participation is essential to realize the Network’s full potential.
Through the U.S. MAB Program (USMAB), the U.S. has established the world’s largest number of biosphere reserves, with a total of 47 containing 100 designated administrative areas. USMAB is an interagency and inter-organizational collaborative effort with the stated mission to “explore, demonstrate, promote, and encourage harmonious relationships between people and their environments, building on the MAB network of Biosphere Reserves and interdisciplinary research.”
Since 1974, USMAB’s biosphere reserves have contributed to documenting and assessing changes in ecosystems and biodiversity, and the impacts of these changes on human welfare. Unfortunately, the U.S. has not fulfilled the UNESCO periodic review requirement for its biosphere reserves since the last new U.S. biosphere reserve designation in 1991. Given that UNESCO requires these periodic reviews every ten years, existing US biosphere reserves are currently at least one or two cycles behind schedule.
Biosphere reserves provide a cooperative framework for facilitating and sustaining a multitude of activities in ecological research, conservation, and education that, when integrated, further our understanding of natural reserves and the landscapes containing them while maintaining vital ecosystem services for economic and recreational use by human communities. Such services benefit federal, state and local natural resource educators and managers, private landowners, and the scientific community. Internationally, the World Network helps promote exchange of scientific research and collaboration about sustainable development practices in ways that address shared environmental goals and facilitate collaborative adaptation to climatic and other environmental changes at local to landscape scales.
The biosphere reserve periodic reviews serve an important purpose of identifying ecosystem and landscape changes and the reserves’ overall contributions to biodiversity conservation; opportunities for research into and utilization of ecosystem services; and socioeconomic trends relating to sustainable development, including recreation and tourism. To avoid initiation of steps by UNESCO to delist U.S. biosphere reserves from the World Network, the Department of State must submit reviews for U.S. biosphere reserves to UNESCO by December 31, 2013.
Maintaining the U.S. biosphere reserves in good standing with the international community is critical to the advancement of scientific collaborations that benefit the American people both locally and in their relationships with other countries. We urge you, as an administrator of one or more biosphere reserve sites, to support the timely coordination and completion of the required periodic review, and the future strengthening of U.S. participation in UNESCO’s World Network of Biosphere Reserves.
Sincerely,
The Ecological Society of America
George Wright Society
Organization of Biological Field Stations |
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Tuesday, October 22, 2013 03:01 PM |
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Research Assistant, Requisition#1300035S
CLOSING DATE: November 7, 2013
REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS: A Bachelor's degree in Biology, Soil Science. Environmental Sciences or field of research applicable to the position. Must have a Valid Driver's License.
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS: Prefer 2 years of directly related experience. The selected individual will be self-motivated, flexible, possess strong supervisory and organizational abilities, enjoy working under desert field conditions with high heat and sun exposure (as this is primarily a desert field position), work reliably both independently and as part of a team, establish and maintain effective working relationships with associates and principle investigators, be comfortable working safely with moderately hazardous materials, recognize the extreme accuracy and consistency essential to long term research, follow detailed oral and/or written instructions precisely, communicate well both verbally and in writing, and be able to coordinate needs with other agencies/groups. Acute attention to small details, enthusiasm, and the ability to get along well with co-workers, supervisors, and principle investigators are musts.
Ideally, the successful candidate will have field experience in plant identification and the use of dichotomous keys, experience working in a lab environment, good working knowledge of Microsoft Office products, be comfortable using hand and power tools, and have field experience in research related to the research areas addressed by this LTER program as well as demonstrated skills in training and directing work of assigned staff. Applied experience with wireless Campbell Scientific datalogger networks, including programming, sensor wiring, solar voltaic power systems, and related troubleshooting skills are a plus.
RESPONSIBILITIES: Work is based out of New Mexico State University in Las Cruces, NM. Individual will participate in the on-going and multi-disciplinary Jornada Basin Long-Term Ecological Research (LTER) program on desertification in the Chihuahuan Desert. Research disciplines include wireless data acquisition and data management (~5%), plant ecology (~35%), aeolian studies (~25%), hydrology (~5%), animal ecology (<5%), soils (~9%), and climatology (~5%). Approximately 80% of the time will be spent outdoors collecting data, with the remaining 20% of the time spent in the lab processing samples, cleaning equipment, checking data, and maintaining appropriate documentation.
Although the position is usually 40 hours a week, additional hours may occasionally be required both during the week and on weekends. Specific field responsibilities include plant measurements and identification (~200 species); soil moisture measurements using a neutron probe; collection of aeolian dust and hydrology samples; handling and identification of small mammals (~20 species); and maintenance of field instruments, equipment, and infrastructure. The position will entail manual labor such as routine carrying of heavy instruments in the field for extended periods and that related to infrastructure maintenance.
General responsibilities include collecting and recording moderately complex data in both field and laboratory environments in accordance with established protocols; data entry; maintaining organizational and historical data for each study; aiding principle investigators with data collection; design, testing, and/or modification of experimental equipment and procedures; and the installation of experimental apparatus. Information about the Jornada Basin LTER program: http://jornada-www.nmsu.edu.
BENEFITS: Group medical and hospital insurance, group life insurance, state education retirement, worker's compensation, sick leave, and unemployment compensation.
APPLICATIONS: Review of applications will begin November 7. The position closes November 8. Submit letter of interest, resume or CV, copy of unofficial transcripts, and 3 letters of reference with contact information.
REPLY TO: For a complete job description or to apply for this position, visit http://jobs.nmsu.edu, Requisition #1300035S. Questions about the position may be directed to John Anderson, Jornada LTER Site Manager, Voice: 575-646-5818; Email: [email protected].
Note to applicants: The NMSU electronic application is the "official" document that will be used to qualify applicants. Letter of Interest and Resume will only be used as a screening tool for the hiring department. Paper/email documents will not be accepted. Required documents must be attached to the online electronic application. The other attachment option is being made available to facilitate attaching transcripts.
NMSU IS AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY/AFFIRMATIVE ACTION EMPLOYER. All offers of employment, oral and written, are contingent on the university*s verification of credentials, individual*s eligibility for employment in the United States and other information required by federal law, state law, and NMSU policies/procedures, and may include the completion of a criminal history check. |
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Tuesday, October 01, 2013 08:33 AM |
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Archbold is a not-for-profit center dedicated to long-term ecological research, education and conservation in south central Florida, one of the world's most important regions for water, wildlife, and rare species. As scientists, educators, and caring stewards of more than 20,000 acres, we seek an enthusiastic Development Director who is passionate about conservation and believes deeply in Archbold’s mission.
The Director of Development will support the Board, Development Committee and the Executive Director in achieving annual and long-term fundraising and philanthropic goals, and will be responsible for all aspects of an emerging development program. The ideal candidate will have a demonstrated track record of raising and growing unrestricted giving and of cultivating major gifts.
Bachelor’s degree with at least 4 years relevant experience preferred. This is a full-time exempt position that offers competitive benefits and salary commensurate with experience. Position will involve occasional travel. Incumbent may have flexibility to work a portion of their work week from home.
To apply, please submit a cover letter, resume, three relevant writing samples and three professional references, to [email protected].
Deadline Nov 1, 2013 or until filled.
To view job description, go to http://www.archbold-station.org/station/html/aboutus/employ.html. |
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Friday, September 27, 2013 10:57 AM |
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Want the notes from the Social Media Session held this year?
Did you want to go to SM Session but couldn't make it? Here you go!
The social media landscape can be overwhelming, especially to busy station staffers who have a full to-do list. How do you choose and manage media outlets? And how do you keep it from taking over your life, when you are already bombarded with emails, texts, and phone calls?
Good news! Skills you already have apply online. You already know how to navigate social circles where you use a network of colleagues for problem solving, decision making, and personal interaction. You already know how to plan a scientific experiment. These two things together can help you decide what sort of online network you should build.
You wouldn’t start an experiment by randomly measuring variables, or by measuring all possible variables. You’d look at the system and make some informed choices. It works the same online.
I included a copy of a Logic Model on the handout for those that aren't familiar with the process. It works well in this situation! Worksheet Handout (PDF)
The online revolution has been primarily a change from a push strategy to a pull strategy. In a push strategy, you have information that you want to push out to a constituent group. It might be an educational program, a science factoid, or a research opportunity. It might be emailing people to push your information outward (and can be viewed as “spammy”). It’s basically telling people you are having a party, and hoping they show up.
Pull strategies go where the party already exists. Instead of trying to gather people around a resource you created, you go where people already are gathered online, and offer something that adds value. It becomes an opt-in, rather than an intrusion. Scientists have to ENGAGE with the public to get them to see the relevance of our science, and convince them we are worthy of interest. It's not a lecture, it’s a conversation.
FREE Guides to Effectively Using Social Media
These resources are helpful, but this is a huge, constantly evolving topic. Make sure you reach out to your peers for advice and help!
Helpful resources about social media:
Helpful resources about Facebook:
Helpful resources about Video, Twitter, & other online channels:
FREE guides to website building and monitoring:
Web Analysis and Tracking Utilities:
Use tools and information based on best practices and DATA:
Helpful Books (Readable for Beginners!)
Did you know....mentioning your research on social media actually increases citations and views?
- Shema H, Bar-Ilan J, & Thelwall M (2012). Research blogs and the discussion of scholarly information. PloS one, 7 (5) PMID: 22606239
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Darling ES, Shiffman D, Côté IM, Drew JA. (2013) The role of Twitter in the life cycle of a scientific publication. PeerJ 1:e16v1 https://peerj.com/preprints/16/
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