Environmental Science and Policy

Environmental Science and Policy

Happenings & Events

At a Glance…
1. Focus the Nation presentations posted on the ENSP website
2. Job opportunity at SeaCamp
3. City of Williamsburg Earth Day Celebration
4. Summer job opportunity-Field Biologist
5. Geological Society of America’s Birdsall-Dreiss Hydrogeology Lecturer in Geology
6. Earth Visions/Visiones Terrestres Call for Submissions
7.  VIMS Spring 2008 Seminar Schedule
8. “Migration in a Global World”
9. Summer Internships at Huntley Meadows Park

Focus the Nation

Presentations posted on the ENSP website: http://www.wm.edu/environment/eventshappenings1.31.08.php

Job opportunities in the Florida Keys at SeaCamp

SEACAMP is a private, non-profit organization located in the lower Florida Keys that operates a marine science/SCUBA camp for teenagers, and an
outdoor marine education facility.  We are currently in the process of hiring staff for the coming summer.  There are science instructor and other
positions available for summer employment.  This is an excellent opportunity for science majors and graduates to receive exposure to the tropical
marine environment as well as gaining valuable experience in teaching and working closely with teenagers.

For more information about SEACAMP please visit the website at www.seacamp.org or email staff@seacamp.org.

City of Williamsburg Earth Day Celebration

Sunday, April 20, 2008

The City of Williamsburg Parks and Recreation Department is planning the 2nd Annual Earth Day Celebration on Sunday, April 20th, Waller Mill Park
is set to be the location of an afternoon of environmentally themed demonstrations and activities for all to enjoy.  Our first year was a success
with over 200 attendees.  To ensure this event is fun, educational, successful, and will have a lasting environmental impression, your help is
needed.  Due to your organization’s environmental awareness and positive impact, I would like to ask for your participation in the form of a
demonstration or exposition, donation of materials, and/or possibly just your support and enthusiasm.  Last year’s demonstrations and
volunteers were wonderful and truly the means for our success.  Please join us again or explore for the first time.

For more information on how you can get involved, see the attached pdf and/or call Adrianne Pelton at (757) 259-3760 or apelton@williamsburgva.gov.

Field Biologist Openings

Positions open for a bird and herp technician in Richmond area this summer......any seniors interested?

The Geological Society of America's Birdsall-Dreiss Hydrogeology lecturer, Dr. Larry McKay, of the University of Tennessee
Wednesday at 4 pm
Room 230 in the Geology Department (McGlothlin-Street Hall)

He will be giving an environmental-issue packed talk titled: "Chattanooga Creek: How 30,000 tons of Coal Tar Brought Together Scientists, Social Workers and a Community"

Description:
Chattanooga Creek flows through a mixture of low income urban neighborhoods, commercial developments and old industrial sites. One of the largest contaminant sources in the area is a former manufactured gas/coke plant, which is typical of many of the thousands of such sites found across the U.S. Researchers at the University of Tennessee (UT) investigated distribution and transport coal tar compounds (mostly PAHs) in the soils at the coke plant site and in laboratory experiments. The studies show that immiscible tar and dissolved PAHs can readily penetrate fractures and macropores in the fine-grained soils and are transported through groundwater at substantially higher rates than previously expected. However, contamination is also widespread in the creek, which was the principal concern of local residents. In response to community concerns, we shifted our research to focus on transport and persistence of PAHs in the streambed and floodplain, as well as investigations of the residual contamination that remains after typical excavation-based cleanup measures. In conjunction with the scientific research, we’ve worked with the UT College of Social Work and local community groups to establish an Environmental Health and Justice Collaborative, which is funded by the National Institute for Environmental Health. Activities for the collaborative include environmental education for residents, health and wellness training, mentoring of high schools students and collaboration with environmental health researchers. The point of this story is that successfully dealing with environmental problems often requires collaboration between a variety of different groups, including local residents, community activists, scientific researchers and regulatory agencies.

Earth Visions/Visiones Terrestres Call for Submissions

Dear colleagues, students and staff,
I attach a call for submissions and form for a bilingual poetry and photo exhibit Teresa, Regina, and I, along with some folk from the libraries and the sciences, are organizing this semester. The idea is
to have the sciences and humanities come together in creative ways to dialogue about environmental issues in the Americas. There are several events associated with this initiative in addition to this
poetry and photo exhibit, including a festival de poesia organized by  Teresa's class, and a panel discussion featuring graduate students and faculty.

Please distribute the call for submissions to anyone you think might be interested.   The call is not limited to students--faculty, staff, and members of the community interested in participating are welcome to do so. 

Do let me know if you have any questions.

Silvia Tandeciarz
srtand@wm.edu

VIMS Spring 2008 Seminar Schedule

Friday, March 14th
Heidi Nepf “How submerged vegetation impacts flow and transport in rivers”
Friday, April 4th
Fred Quinn “Mycobacterium shottsii: a novel pathogen and vaccine vector”
Friday, April 18th
Margaret Leinen “Geoengineering and the Oceans”

Phi Beta Kappa Visiting Scholars Program Presents:
Dr. Saskia Sassen
Columbia University, Committee on Global Thought
“Migration in a Global Wold”

Monday, February 18th
4:30pm
Washington 201

Summer Internships at Huntley Meadows Park

This internship is designed to give interested college students and recent graduates the
opportunity to work with professional park staff at a 1,428 acre wetland preserve operated by
Fairfax County, Virginia. It provides practical experience in a hands-on setting and gives
participants the chance to develop skills needed for a career in environmental education, wildlife
conservation, and nature center operation. In addition, because this internship is funded by
Friends of Huntley Meadows Park, a non-profit, volunteer organization, participants will learn how
volunteer groups can work in concert with government institutions.

For more information, please visit their website at: http://www.friendsofhuntleymeadows.org/#intern

TO APPLY: Send resume to Carolyn Gamble, Site Manager, at the above address or via
email at carolyn.gamble@fairfaxcounty.gov by March 7, 2008.
Call 703-768-2525 for more information.