Project Manager – Pollination biology of wildflowers and pines
 
Research technician wanted for summer 2011 to oversee field research projects in southwest Montana.  Work in May is on pollination ecology of Astragalus scaphoides, a perennial wildflower, in relation to foraging/population biology of bumblebees, and requires living near field sites in Beaverhead County (near Dillon, MT and Bannack State Park) and helping to provide logistic support for an undergraduate student.  Work in July is on pollination biology of white bark pines, and requires travel throughout western Montana, camping at remote field sites, climbing into tree canopies to survey pollen cone production, and coordinating a team of 2-3 project participants.  Work in June is flexible, and could be part-time, depending on the successful candidate’s interests and commitments.  The successful candidate should also be prepared to travel as needed (at most once or twice during the summer) to meet with me at field sites in Oregon and/or Harvard Forest.

Minimum qualifications include excellent field skills, knowledge of working in remote areas, and experience conducting an independent field research project and/or coordinating a research team.  Preferred qualifications include a graduate degree in ecology or related field, knowledge of Montana natural history, and academic interest in pollination biology and/or theoretical ecology.  Pay is $15-20/hour, depending on experience.  This is a 13-week, temporary position, starting between 18-25 April 2011.
 
Review of applications will begin 1 March 2011, and continue until the position is filled. 

To apply, send a resume or CV and cover letter to Elizabeth Crone, Senior Ecologist, Harvard Forest, [email protected].  Phone: 978-756-6145; cell: 406-531-3498.
Harvard University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity employer.

The Bodega Marine Laboratory and Reserve, located on the Sonoma County coast 60 miles north of San Francisco, will be hosting the annual meeting of the Organization of Biological Field Stations (OBFS) on September 22-25, 2011.

The theme of the meeting will be facilitating field research and education in the changing physical, social and financial landscapes that field stations and reserves face today.

We would like your input on topic ideas for plenary and concurrent sessions addressing this theme.  We are also looking for plenary speakers and discussion leaders, so please let us know if you would like to give a presentation or organize a session, or if you would like to nominate someone.
If you have a topic you would like to see addressed at the meeting, please submit a half-page proposal to Karie Slavik ([email protected]) by Friday, February 25th. The proposal should define the items you would like to see covered. We will contact you for more details once we collect all of the proposals.

Thank you for helping to make the 2011 OBFS Annual Meeting a valuable and interesting event.
Information about the meeting location and agenda

We hope you will be joining us at the September 2011 OBFS annual meeting at the Bodega Marine Laboratory and Reserve!

Karie Slavik,
OBFS Vice President & Associate Director, Univ. of Michigan Biological Station

Suzanne Olyarnik,
Bodega Marine Reserve Director

Dear OBFS Community-

I want to draw people’s attention to the fact that NSF’s FSML program has been delayed for the year; proposals will not be accepted in early March. 

At the OBFS meetings in the fall the program officer for FSML, Peter McCartney, indicated that NSF is working through issues in terms of how to manage construction projects, including general project management issues as well as NEPA requirements.  Having talked with Peter since the delay was announced, as well as reviewing NSF’s 2010 Committee of Visitor’s Report which explicitly identifies support of field stations as a highlight, I believe that the delay is largely a matter of resolving how to manage NSF construction projects and does not reflect a decision to discontinue the program.  I’ll note that five or six years ago, the FSML program skipped a fiscal cycle.  Consequently a delay of even 6-9 months in the program cycle will not mean that we lose a fiscal year of funding for FSML.  Hopefully the program will stay in track, even though NSF has some issues to work through.

As anybody who has been reading the papers knows, there is considerable uncertainty about the federal budget and we do not know yet how this will impact NSF’s overall budget. 

I encourage people to stay informed by subscribing to AIBS’ public policy alerts:
http://www.aibs.org/about-aibs/get_involved.html

Notice of the delay to FSML can be found at:
http://www.nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=5449. 

People that have an interest in the program should continue to check this link.  When a decision has been made about releasing a program announcement, it should promptly appear on that webpage.

Ian Billick
Executive Director, RMBL

The North Carolina Science, Mathematics and Technology Education Center based in Research Triangle Park will honor Highlands Biological Station in April 2011 with the Partnership Award in Science, Mathematics, and Technology Education.

The award will be presented along with a video produced by Nightlight Productions of Chapel Hill about Highlands Biological Station’s efforts to support science education April 16 at the Cary center’s annual Celebration of Science, Mathematics and Technology Education. “It is clear that Highlands can serve as a model for other organizations committed to strong STEM education,” said Lisa Rhoades, a program associate with the center.

You can read more about the award here!