^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ AWG E-MAIL NEWS No. 2000-16, April 3, 2000 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ CONTENTS: 1) SEE YOU AT THE AWG RECEPTION!!!! ** GSA NORTH CENTRAL MEETING April 5, 2000, 6:30-8:00 pm, Marriot Courtyard-Downtown, Indianapolis 2) COULD YOU USE A ROOMMATE FOR THE SEPM/AAPG MEETING? 3) REQUEST FOR ADVICE AND FUTURE DIRECTION 4) AGI GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS MONTHLY REVIEW-MARCH 2000 5) POSITION ANNOUNCEMENTS **Eastern Kentucky University **MHA Environmental Consulting, Inc. **University of Zürich ***Don't forget to check the AWG JobWeb at www.awg.org*** 6) SUBMISSION & MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 1) AWG RECEPTION-GSA NORTH CENTRAL MEETING An AWG reception will be held on Wednesday, April 5, from 6:30-8:00 pm at the Marriot Courtyard-Downtown in Indianapolis, IN, on the opening night of the Geological Society of America-North Central Section meeting. The reception is FREE and refreshments will be served. We hope that all AWG members in the region will come to the reception, and we invite all other women geoscience students, professionals from industry, academia, and government, retirees and un- or under-employed to attend. So, please, help us get out the word. Tell your students and colleagues about the reception and urge them to join us. This will be a great opportunity for networking! Hope to see you there. Note: The evening reception will replace the AWG breakfast at this section meeting. 222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222 2) COULD YOU USE A ROOMMATE FOR THE SEPM/AAPG MEETING? Suzanne O'Connell needs a room at the SEPM/AAPG meeting in New Orleans for the nights of April 15 (arriving late), 16 and 17. If you have a room to share, please contact her at: soconnell@wesleyan.edu 3333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333 3) REQUEST FOR ADVICE AND FUTURE DIRECTION A USGS intern asked me for advice and I gave her my dad's advice: "Go talk to three people who solved this problem, and ask them what they did." She needs advice on changing her field from volcanology, but not knowing what field she wants to go in next. Who of you has stopped successfully in the middle of your PhD program because you realized it wasn't the right direction for you, gone to work, figured out the next direction, and returned to school and successfully finished your PhD? Please send your responses to: Eleanora I. (Norrie) Robbins, U.S. Geological Survey at I'm sure that there are at least three AWG members who have done this and are willing to share their advice--Editor 44444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444 4) AGI GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS MONTHLY REVIEW-MARCH 2000 **High Oil Prices Drive Legislation in Congress What a difference a year makes! Last March, Congress was considering measures to help the domestic oil industry survive record low prices. Talk has again turned to the importance of domestic production but now the reason is high prices due to OPEC cutbacks. While most members of Congress agree that something must be done about the recent rise in oil prices, they cannot seem to agree on an appropriate solution. Legislation has been introduced to tap the Strategic Petroleum Reserve, repeal a portion or all of the federal gasoline tax, increase investment in renewable energy and alternative fuels, and open the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) in Alaska and other federal lands for petroleum exploration. All of the proposals have met with opposition and face uncertain futures. On March 27th, OPEC ministers did agree to increase production, but analysts say that gasoline prices will stay high through the peak summer driving months. More at http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis106/oil_price.html **Congressional Natural Hazards Caucus Growing Early this month, AGI sent out an alert encouraging member society members to contact their senators and ask them to become charter members of the Congressional Natural Hazards Caucus. The alert included a letter sent by Senators Ted Stevens (R-AK) and John Edwards (D-NC), who co-chair this informal organization of members of Congress focused on finding ways to better prepare for and help mitigate the costs of natural disasters. For over a year, AGI has been working with member societies AGU, the Geo-Institute of ASCE, and the Seismological Society of America along with many other organizations to establish such a caucus in order to build lasting support for hazard mitigation as a public value. In order to make this caucus a success, geoscientists should contact their senators and encourage them to join. Five senators have already signed up, but many more are needed. Organizers also are looking for co-chairs in the House to make the caucus bicameral. The AGI alert can be found at http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis106/caucus_alert0300.html. **House Passes Budget Resolution, Boosts Science In 1997, Congress and the White House enacted strict caps on future discretionary spending (all non-mandatory spending that includes nearly all funding for science-related programs) in order to balance the government's books. Last year, the final numbers for discretionary spending overshot the caps by nearly $55 billion due to "emergency" spending for items such as the highly unexpected 2000 census. The caps are even tighter for FY 2001--in order to meet them, Congress and the Administration would have to make deep cuts. As a result, most are declaring the budget caps a moot issue given that the continuing economic boom has already balanced the budget. As part of his budget request, President Clinton proposed new spending caps that would add nearly $70 billion over the 1997 agreement level. Now it is Congress' turn, and both houses are currently working on their own budget resolutions, which will determine the amount of money that the Appropriations Committees will have to divvy up. On March 24th, the House passed its budget resolution on a party-line 211-207 vote. The final version included an amendment that boosted the budget for basic research by $1 billion over FY 2000 level, which bodes well for agencies such as the National Science Foundation. Rep. Vernon Ehlers (R-MI) sought to rally support in the House for increased spending on science and technology by circulating a "Dear Colleague Letter." AGU released an alert on the budget resolution and Ehlers's letter at http://www.agu.org/cgi-bin/asla/asla-list?read=2000-08.msg. The Senate budget resolution is still bottled up in committee as dissension within the majority party over priorities has slowed progress to a crawl. **Controversial Asbestos Legislation Passes House Judiciary Committee The Fairness in Asbestos Compensation Act of 1999, H.R. 1283, narrowly made it past the House Judiciary Committee on March 16th. The bill, which was introduced by Committee Chairman Henry Hyde (R-IL), is designed to ease the burden that the massive amount of asbestos lawsuits puts on the court system by creating a new federal agency that would try to resolve the claims before they reach the courtroom. Supporters claim that the legislation would streamline a process that threatens to overwhelm the federal courts. Opponents of the bill argue that it would make things worse for everyone except those being sued, because it would make it easier for the companies to limit their liabilities by limiting the amount that individual victims could receive. Many also feel that the medical standards that the bill sets are too restrictive. The Senate version of the bill, S. 758, is pending in the Senate Judiciary Committee. **House Passes Nuclear Waste Bill, Falls Short of Veto-Proof Majority On March 22nd, the House of Representatives voted 253-167 in favor of the Nuclear Waste Policy Amendments Act of 2000 (S. 1287), Senate-passed legislation to overhaul the nation's high-level nuclear waste disposal efforts. The bill is now cleared for the President, who has indicated that he will veto it. As with the Senate vote of 64-34, the tally was well short of the two-thirds majority needed to override a veto. Although Congress could try to recraft the bill, further action in the 106th Congress appears unlikely. EENews reported that aides to bill sponsor Sen. Frank Murkowski (R-AK) said they "were done trying" with the Clinton Administration. Nevada's delegation and environmental groups hailed the vote as a victory. The vote margin was considerably closer than in the 105th Congress when the House voted 307-120 in favor of an earlier nuclear waste program overhaul bill, H.R. 1020. More at http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis106/yucca106.html. **Senate Moves Ahead on Education Bill As reported in February, AGI joined forces with other science, engineering and math societies to request that Congress maintain federal support for science and math educator's professional development. On March 9th, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee passed the Education Opportunities Act, S. 2, without including language specifically for math and science educators. Committee Chairman James Jeffords (R-VT) introduced S. 2 as the majority's version of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) reauthorization legislation. During the three days of meetings, amendments supported by the committee minority were quickly voted down along party lines, including an amendment proposed by Ranking Member Edward Kennedy (D-MA) that would reinstate language aimed at professional development for math and science educators. More information on ESEA is available on AGI's Update on Science Education at http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis106/ike106.html. **New Poll Shows Americans Favor Teaching Evolution in Science Class A recent poll commissioned by the People For the American Way Foundation (PFAWF) reports that 83% of Americans think that evolution should be taught in public school science classes. About 70% of Americans feel that the Bible and evolutionary theory go hand in hand, which contrasts with the contention of biblical literalists who argue that the two are in conflict. This poll differs from previously conducted polls because it focuses solely on the evolution/ creation issue. The poll shows that 60% of Americans reject the Kansas State Board of Education's 1999 decision to take evolution out of state science standards. The results of the poll also indicated that there is broad agreement that creationist beliefs should be acknowledged, but not taught as a science, and that the presentation of evolution and creationism in the classroom should follow national standards. A PDF version of the poll is available at: http://www.pfaw.org/issues/education/creationism-poll.pdf. **Norwegian Government Falls Over Climate Change Issue On March 9th, Kjell Magne Bondevik, the Prime Minister of Norway, resigned in protest of a parliamentary vote to build several new gas-fired power plants. According to Environment News Service, the resignation marks the first government breakup that has ever resulted from issues related to global warming. Although most of Norway's electricity is currently produced from hydro-electric dams, there has been recent resistance to the construction of more dams because of their effect on the landscape. While Bondevik's government wanted to put off building power plants until cleaner gas-burning technology was developed, his opposition felt that they must come up with a way to meet the growing demand for electricity. More on climate change issues at http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis106/climate.html. **AASG Awards Pick and Gavel Awards to Rep. Gibbons, NSF Director Colwell On March 14th, the Association of American State Geologists presented its second annual Pick and Gavel awards to Rep. Jim Gibbons (R-NV), the only geoscientist in Congress, and NSF Director Rita Colwell. The award was established last year to recognize leaders who have made major contributions to the advancement of the geosciences. Both recipients were on hand at the reception and dinner at the Cosmos Club in Washington, DC to receive their awards-a plaque bearing a large orpiment specimen from a Nevada gold mine on its base. **AGI Participates in USGS Customer Listening Session On March 22nd and 23rd, the U.S. Geological Survey held a "Conversation with Customers" during which stakeholders could provide input on the agency's Fiscal Year (FY) 2002 budget request. The stated purpose was "looking at opportunities for growing our programs in new or enhanced ways...build[ing] on the strengths of what has been successful and what we do well, while at the same time seeking out the science challenges of tomorrow." AGI's government affairs staff spoke on the importance of developing initiatives that conform to the congressional mandate that the agency focus on its core capabilities. With congressional interest in natural hazards running high, USGS has a great opportunity to expand its efforts in that sector. AGI staff also spoke on the value of the geologic mapping program, resource assessments, and the need to improve awareness in the land management agencies of the valuable information that USGS geoscientists can provide to support decisionmaking. 5555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555 5) POSITION ANNOUNCEMENTS **Eastern Kentucky University-Soils Geologist/Geomorphologist/Surface Hydrologist The Department of Earth Sciences invites applications for a tenure-track position at the Assistant/Associate Professor level beginning August 15, 2000. We seek a colleague with academic training and practical experience in surface active geological processes and their consequences, who will complement the department's existing strengths in hydrogeology and environmental science. Candidates must exhibit a commitment to excellence in teaching general education science courses, as well as courses for geology majors and masters degree candidates. We expect the incumbent to involve students in his/her research. Ph.D. required. Candidates should submit a letter of application, curriculum vitae, statement of teaching and research interests, and arrange to have three letters of recommendation sent to Dr. Malcolm P. Frisbie, Acting Chair, Department of Earth Sciences - 6, Eastern Kentucky University, Richmond, KY 40475-3102. Review of applications will begin 1 May 2000; position will remain open until filled. Eastern Kentucky University ( is a large, comprehensive, regional university located in the Bluegrass region of Kentucky 25 miles south of Lexington. The city of Richmond, home to Eastern Kentucky University, has a population of 22,000, and is part of an area with a rich cultural and natural heritage. The Department of Earth Sciences offers B.A. and B.S. Degrees in Geology, as well as the M.S. Degree in Geology. Central Kentucky, as well as the entire Commonwealth, offers an excellent natural laboratory for the study of surface geology. Our central location allows easy access to an even greater variety of geological features in surrounding states. Eastern Kentucky University is an equal opportunity / affirmative action employer and encourages applications from minority and female candidates/ **MHA Environmental Consulting, Inc.-Project Manager Immediate Opening. MHA Environmental Consulting, Inc. is a small woman-owned business located in San Mateo, California. We just celebrated 16 years in business serving clients such as PG&E, the Public Utilities Commission, and the City and County of San Mateo. MHA is seeking several CEQA/NEPA experts to manage land use, recreation, energy, wetlands, and water use projects. The successful applicant will have at least 5 years of experience managing preparation of CEQA or NEPA documents, and a geology, hydrology, environmental or planning degree. Advance degrees are preferred, but experience can substitute for education. We need someone who has excellent project management, writing, editing, proofreading skills, able to organize and plan strategies including the details, supervise staff members, and maintain and create strong relations with our growing client base. MHA offers full benefits including a 401k plan, free parking and a place where you can create a niche for yourself by pursuing projects you like to manage. Please FAX a cover letter with salary history to the attention of our Office Manager, Deborah Durden at (650)373-1211 or email her at: durden@mha-inc.com. **University of Zürich-Professorship in Palaeozoölogy The position includes the directorship of the Institute of Palaeontology and the Palaeontological Museum. The professorship is also associated with the Department of Geology of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zürich. Applications including a curriculum vitae, a publication list, a short summary of current and future activities in research and teaching, copies of three recent key publications, and names and addresses of three referees, should be sent by May 15, 2000 to: Prof. Dr. V. Ziswiler, Dekanat der Mathematisch-naturwissenschaftlichen Fakultät der Universität Zürich, Winterthurerstr. 190, CH-8057 Zürich phone +41 1 635 4006, fax: +41 1 635 6806, e-mail: zis@zoolmus.unizh.ch. 66666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666666 6) SUBMISSION & MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION ***Thanks to everyone who contributed to this issue of AWG E-Mail News. For submissions to AWG E-Mail News, contact Editor Joanne Kluessendorf at editor@awg.org. For advertising, contact Ad Editor Kata McCarville at ads@awg.org. PLEASE SEND AD COPY OR OTHER SUBMISSIONS AS RTF FILES OR AS PART OF AN E-MAIL MESSAGE ***For membership information or to join AWG, visit our website at or contact our business office at ***E-mail or address changes? Send to office@awg.org, please.