^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ AWG E-MAIL NEWS No. 2000-18, April 10, 2000 ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ CONTENTS: 1) RESEARCH ON TEACHING & LEARNING IN GEOSCIENCE 2) GEOREF EXPANDS SERVICES FOR RESEARCHERS 3) REQUEST FOR ADVICE CONCERNING CAREER IN GEOSCIENCE EDUCATION 4) POSITION ANNOUNCEMENTS **National Park Service (Barstow, CA)-Hydrologist ***Don't forget to check the AWG JobWeb at www.awg.org*** 4) STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES **Link Foundation-Snithsonian Insitution Graduate Fellowships in Marine Science 6) SUBMISSION & MEMBERSHIP INFORMATION ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ 1111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111 1) RESEARCH ON TEACHING & LEARNING IN GEOSCIENCE Sponsors: Marilyn J. Suiter, National Science Foundation & AWG Potomac Chapter Michelle Hall-Wallace, National Association of Geoscience Teachers & University of Arizona This session will provide a forum for discussing the current status of geoscience education research and for developing strategies and targets. Greater interaction between educational researchers and Earth science educators is needed to continue advances in Earth science education. This session will support those explorations. Despite increased activity in science learning and teaching in the Earth sciences in the past decade, the research base that supports the development of systems- and standards-based curricula and pedagogy in geoscience is not sufficiently developed. We need to explore and understand the ways in which research in teaching and learning supports effective curriculum development and implementation. This session will highlight ways to enhance the existing research base and its application in geoscience education. There are three issues targeted for this session: 1. What is science education research and how does one build a productive research program? 2. What is being taught in geoscience? Why is that material selected? How does the design of the curriculum material and pedagogy affect learners (adult and juvenile)? 3. How do learners perceive and interact with visual information? How do those processes contribute to learning? This session will provide a forum for discussing appropriate development strategies and targets in geoscience education research. The goal is to produce a high-quality and thriving base of information to support geoscience teaching and learning. The session will also help to establish a portfolio of known studies. The program format is proposed to have two segments: The first segment will be a panel (invited presenters) on research on science and mathematics teaching and learning, developing the issues posed above. The second segment will begin with oral presentations from volunteered papers providing data from current research in teaching and/or learning research. The oral presentations will be followed by an interactive poster session where presenters can discuss their studies and the data presented with session attenders. Papers must reflect rigorous investigations in which data are gathered using accepted protocols and methodologies for research in teaching and learning. We hope you will consider volunteering an abstract for this session. We also ask that you think of the top 2-3 papers you have read in education research--especially in geoscience if possible--and provide us with briefly annotated citations (overview of paper contents, best elements it conveys). We hope to compile a reference list for dissemination. Please contact us if you have questions: Marilyn Suiter at msuiter@nsf.gov and Michelle Hall-Wallace at hall@geo.Arizona.EDU. A more formal announcement that includes information on the session identification (T-140) and the abstract submittal process (www.geosociety.org) is forthcoming. 222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222222 2) GEOREF EXPANDS SERVICES FOR RESEARCHERS The GeoRef (Geological References) Alert Service, offered by the American Geological Institute (AGI), provides individual researchers an efficient way to keep up with new literature on their topics for as little as $7.00 per month. As updates are added to GeoRef, the most comprehensive bibliographic database in the geosciences, each subscriber's predefined profile is run against the new references. For further information about the GeoRef Alert Service please contact: Kay Yost, American Geological Institute, 4220 King Street, Alexandria, VA 22302, Tel. (703) 379-2480, ext. 230, E-mail: kay@agiweb.org, or visit the GeoRef Web site, www.georef.org/alert.html. 33333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333333 3) REQUEST FOR ADVICE CONCERNING CAREER IN GEOSCIENCE EDUCATION I am new member of AWG looking for information regarding careers in geoscience education. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Chemistry and a Master's Degree in Geological Sciences, emphasis Metamorphic Petrology. Currently, I am working as an Oak Ridge Intern with the USGS. I have started looking at PhD programs in education in Colorado, where I now live and would like to stay for a while, but do not know what type of program in education would be best for my goals, or even if a PhD is completely necessary at this time. I would like to teach geology (and maybe chemistry) at a small, liberal arts or community college. I would also like the option to teach high school, if I end up moving to an area that does not have a small college. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Please send replies to Amy Johnson at amyjohns@usgs.gov 44444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444 4) POSITION OPENINGS **NATIONAL PARK SERVICE-HYDROLOGIST Vacancy Announcement Number: MOJA-DEU-00-002 Opening Date: 03/30/2000 Closing Date: 04/13/2000 Position: HYDROLOGIST GS-1315-09 /11 Salary: $36512 per year - $57431 per year Promotion Potential: GS-11 Duty Location:1 vacancy at BARSTOW, CA This position is being also being advertised under merit promotion announcement MOJA-00-007. Major Duties: Incumbent serves as the technical advisor for all matters relating to hydrology. Develops and prepares major portions of the resource management plan dealing with water resources and hydrology. Prepares action plans needed to management and protect water resources. Represents the superintendent when working with others on water resources. Coordinates water resource programs with similar activities on adjacent lands. Negotiates cooperative and interagency agreements. Identifies research needs, prepares requests for proposals and provides oversight for research project. Serves as a Contracting Officer's Technical Representative on projects. Provides designs, develops tests and implements scientific monitoring protocols to identify, evaluate and do long-term monitoring of water resources. Incumbent develops and implements scientifically credible protection, mitigation, and restoration projects needed to repair and/or maintain water resources, stream channels, and habitats based on science. Develops and carries out statistically valid data collection protocols for the monitoring. Incorporates appropriate GIS technology into job to provide comprehensive and scientifically sound answers to inquiries. Prepares environment assessments for project in compliance with the National Environmental Policy Act. Evaluates EA's and environmental impact statements prepared by other federal agencies or groups for impacts on resources. Works closes with park education staff to incorporate new information into park education programs. Qualifications Required: A combination of education and experience may qualify you for this position. All applicants must meet these basic qualifications in addition to the specialized experience listed below: Physical or natural science, or engineering degree that included at least 30 semester hours in a combination of courses in hydrology, the physical sciences, geophysics,chemistry, engineering, oceanography, or management or coservation of water resources. The course work must have included at least 6 semester hours in physics. OR Combination of education and experience - course work as shown in A above, plus appropriate experience and additional education. Specialized experience: In addition to the basic requirements applicants must possess specialized experience. Specialized experience is experience that equipped the applicant with particular knowledge, skills and abilities to perform successfully the duties of the position, and is typically related to the work of the position to be filled. Experience that would be qualifying is experience working in the field water resources and hydrology field which included performance of scientific functions relating to the study of water resources. Work as an hydrologist, geochemist, or civil enginer that made observations, took samples, operated instruments, assembled data from source materials, analyzed and interpreted data and reported findings both orally and inwriting may meet the qualifications. Work that would also be qualifying would be work in which the incumbent helped to implement and develop monitoring protocols for water resources or reviewed EA's and EIS's on water resources. Knowledges, Skills and Abilities Required: Candidates should submit a narrative statement on a separate page(s) with specific responses to the knowledge, skills, and abilities (KSAs) in this announcement. Failure to submit your narrative response to the KSAs for this job may negatively affect your eligibility and/or rating for this position. 1. Ability to apply the principles of hydroogy in a complex National Park Service unit, including knowledge of Federal water regulations, policies and programs. 2. Skill in developing planning documents, funding proposals and issue papers, to a wide gathering of professional and non-professional groups. 3. Skill in working with diverse hydrological projects and program development, including application of the latest models and hydrology tools (i.e., MODFLOW) to address and assess aquatic resource problems. 4. Ability to apply hydrologic studies at a field level in desert or arid environments including specific knowledge of groundwater hydrology and water resource issues. How To Apply: If application is submitted by mail, it must be postmarked by the closing date of the announcement and received within five (5) working days. Applicants must submit a copy of their college transcript or a list of college courses that includes hours and grades. Please submit the following documents to the address provided in this announcement: (1) A written application for employment. You may use OF-612 (Optional Application for Federal Employment), a resume, or submit an alternative format. You must include all of the information specified in this vacancy announcement and all information listed in the Office of Personnel Management's brochure "Applying for a Federal Job (OF-510). Applications must be Typed or Printed clearly in dark ink. (2) Narrative assessment of your qualifications in terms of the Knowledge, Abilities, Skills and Other Characteristics (KASOCS) identified within this announcement. Describe experience (paid or unpaid), education, training and self-development as related to the KASOCS. Submit a resume, Optional Application for Federal Employment (OF-612) or other written application format of your choice. Be sure you provide all of the information requested below: Job Information: - Announcement Number, title and grade(s) for which you are applying. Personal Information: - Full name, mailing address (with zip code) and day/evening telephone numbers (with area code). - Social Security Number - Country of Citizenship. - If ever employed by the Federal Government, please show the highest Federal civilian grade held, job series, and dates of employment in grade. Education: - High School name, city, state and zip code, date of diploma or GED. - Colleges and/or Universities attended, city state and zip code. - Major field(s) of study. - Type and year of degree(s) received. If no degree received, show total credit hours received in semester or quarter hours. Work Experience for each paid or non-paid position held related to the job for which you are applying (do not provide copies of job descriptions): - Job title. - Duties and accomplishments. - Number of hours per week. - Employers name and address. - Supervisor's name and phone number. - Starting and ending dates of employment (month and year). - Salary. - Indicate if your current supervisor may be contacted. Other Qualifications: - Job-related training courses (title and year). - Job-related skills (e.g., other languages, computer software/hardware, tools, machinery, typing speed, etc.) - Job-related certificates and licenses. - Job-related honors, awards, and special accomplishments (e.g., publications, memberships in professional or honor societies, leadership activities, public speaking, performance awards, etc.) Do not send copies of documents unless specifically requested. - If you are applying for Veteran Preference, submit evidence of eligibility, - If you are or have been a Federal employee, please submit a copy of your last Notification of Personnel Action, Form SF-50, and your most recent or last performance appraisal. Applicants who do not submit the required items will not be considered. Applicant's qualifications will be evaluated solely on the information submitted in their applications. Faxed materials will not be accepted. For additional information about this position please contact: MELISSA HEISER (760)255-8812 Submit your application package to: MOJAVE NATIONAL PRESERVE 222 E. MAIN ST. SUITE 102 BARSTOW, CA 92311 55555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555555 5) STUDENT OPPORTUNITIES **LINK FOUNDATION-SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS 12-week fellowships for 2000/2001 in marine sciences at the Smithsonian Marine Station at Fort Pierce, FL For more information and for application forms: call 561/465-6630 or e-mail rice@sms.si.edu or write: Dr. Mary E. Rice, Director, Smithsonian Marine Station, 701 Seaway Drive, Fort Pierce, FL 34949 Closing Date - May 15, 2000. Award Notification - May 30, 2000 The Link Foundation was established in 1953 by Mr. and Mrs. Edwin A. Link. The Link Trainer, invented by Mr. Link in 1929, was the first successful flight simulator and truly a pioneer engineering effort that started a whole new field of endeavor. It is the policy of the foundation to make grants to qualified nonprofit organizations interested in the mastery of the air and sea, and the development of energy resources and their conservation. Each year, fellowships have been awarded in these categories as one means of implementing policy. The Smithsonian Marine Station is a research center of the National Museum of Natural History. The Smithsonian Institution is an Equal Opportunity Employer 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.