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AWG E-MAIL NEWS 2005-4
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CONTENTS
1) AGI GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS MONTHLY REVIEW - JANUARY 2005
2) GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS PROGRAM SPECIAL UPDATE: 2 FEBRUARY
2005
3) GEOLOGIST-IN-THE-PARKS POSITIONS FOR 2005
4) AWG CHRYSALIS SCHOLARSHIP
5) REQUEST FOR 2005 SCIENCE FAIR JUDGES
6) NEW GEOLOGIC MAP OF NORTH AMERICA ILLUSTRATES
DISCOVERIES AND ADVANCES IN GEOSCIENCE
7) LEGENDARY DIBBLEE MAPS TO BE RELEASED
8) POSITION OPENINGS
2004-137 Undergraduate Internships in physics at SRI International
2005-014 Boise State University - Tenure-track position in
geophysics
9) CONTACT INFORMATION
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Thanks to everyone who contributed to this issue of E-mail News
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1) AGI GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS MONTHLY REVIEW - JANUARY 2005
* New Congress, New Committee Assignments
* New Cabinet Secretaries for Bush's Second Term
* Earthquake and Tsunami Brings Natural Hazards Mitigation to Forefront
* IUGS Statement Promotes Applied Knowledge of All Natural Hazards
* Senate Moves Forward on 'Clear Skies'
* Senators Press White House on Oil and Gas Research Funds
* DOE Explores Savings on Natural Gas through Renewable Energy Programs
* Evolution Roundup
* Information for Planning Washington, DC Fly-Ins for Congressional
Meetings
* Congressional Visits Day is May 10-11
* Welcome Linda Rowan, AGI's New Director of Government Affairs
* Another New Face in the Government Affairs Program
* Key Federal Register Updates
* New Updates to Website
*** New Congress, New Committee Assignments ***
The new Congress has convened and has been quite focused on electing
leadership, selecting committee chairpersons, establishing procedural
rules, and considering assorted proposals to reorganize some committee
jurisdictions.
In the House, Representative Dennis J. Hastert (R-IL) retained his
position as Speaker of the House, and Rep. Tom DeLay (R-TX) was re-elected
Majority Leader. For their part, House Democrats re-elected Rep. Nancy
Pelosi (D-CA) and Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-MD) as Minority Leader and
Democratic Whip, respectively. Other key House leadership positions include
committee chairpersons, particularly for the House Appropriations
Committee, which is now led by Rep. Jerry Lewis (R-CA). Rep. David R. Obey
(D-WI) retained his post as the committee's senior Democrat. Chairman
Lewis battled fellow long-time appropriators Rep. Ralph Regula (R-OH)
and Rep. Harold Rogers (R-KY) for the top post. In outlining some of
his goals for the spending panel, Chairman Lewis said: "We have a
historic opportunity and a unique responsibility to reform the appropriations
process and change the culture of the committee. I intend to lead a
committee that is dedicated to fiscal restraint and committed to bei
ng an integral part of our Republican leadership's effort to rein in
spending and balance the federal budget." Chairman Lewis further
expressed his commitment to this objective stating: "Shortly after I became
chairman of the subcommittee on Veterans Affairs and Housing in 1995, I
conducted a top-to-bottom review of the spending plan for that fiscal
year, and recommended a package of $10 billion in cuts - half of all
rescissions that were approved after Republicans became the majority.
We reduced spending in that subcommittee by an additional $9 billion in
the following fiscal year."
The chairman has already begun to make some committee staff changes,
naming a former VA/HUD subcommittee staff director as the new director of
the full committee. Rumors of various proposals to restructure the
number and jurisdiction of subcommittees are now circulating through the
Capitol.
Proposals to reduce the number of subcommittees from 13 to 10, or
alternatively to add a fourteenth subcommittee with jurisdiction over
homeland security and intelligence matters are reportedly on the table for
discussion. Chairman Lewis has also stated his intent to return the
House to the practice of passing individual appropriations bills, rather
than the recent practice of combining multiple pieces of legislation into
huge omnibus spending packages. Not long ago, Rep. Vernon Ehlers
(R-MI), a member of the Science Committee and a vocal advocate for basic
research, noted that the fiscal year 2005 omnibus spending bill
contributed to the deep cuts made to the NSF budget. The size of the omnibus
legislation essentially hid the cuts to NSF until it was too late for
members to act to restore the cuts.
Leadership of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, which oversees
programs in the Department of Energy, EPA, and NIH, remains with
Chairman Joe Barton (R-TX) and ranking minority member John Dingell (D-MI).
Rep. Sherwood Boehlert (R-NY) retained his post as Chairman of the House
Science Committee and Rep. Bart Gordon (D-TN) will again serve as the
committee's ranking Democrat. Rep. Richard Pombo (R-CA) retained his
post as Chairman of the House Resources Committee. Chairman Pombo has
already outlined his priorities for the 109th Congress, stating that
"strengthening the Endangered Species Act (ESA) and increasing domestic
energy supplies" will be top priorities. Chairman Pombo promised that:
"We will get to work right away and build on our great record of
accomplishment during the last Congress. I want to change the debate on the
challenges that lie ahead of us. The discussions on updating the ESA and
producing energy in ANWR have been so mired in inane hyperbole th
at facts and true analysis have completely escaped the debate." The
chairman further stated that he would continue the committee's
"bipartisan efforts to strengthen and update the ESA, which has posted a less
than 1% success rate for species recovery in the last thirty years."
Pombo has appointed Rep. Jim Gibbons, the only geologist in Congress, to
head the Energy and Minerals Subcommittee.
Across the Capitol, Senator Bill Frist (R-TN) returns as Majority
Leader, while Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV) replaces former Minority Leader Tom
Daschle (D-SD). As the Republican majority expanded to 55 seats, the body
has reorganized giving Republican committee staff control of 60 percent
of committee budgets and space allocations. Consequently, some changes
in Democratic committee staff are likely. With respect to committee
leadership, Sen. Thad Cochran (R-MS) is the new chairman of the
Appropriations Committee, while Sen. Robert Byrd (D-WV) remains the senior
Democrat on the spending panel.
Sen. Ted Stevens (R-AK), the new chairman of the Committee on Commerce,
Science and Transportation, formally recently approved a new
subcommittee structure by creating a new climate change panel, an oceans
subcommittee, and a disaster prevention and prediction body. The disasters
panel comes partly in response to the Dec. 26 tsunami tragedy in Southeast
Asia that left more than 150,000 people dead. Both Stevens and Inouye
come from states hit by tsunamis and have had a longtime interest in
tsunami and other disaster warning systems.
All Republican members of the full committee with the exception of
Chairman Ted Stevens (R-Alaska) and former Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.)
will chair a subcommittee. McCain was said to be interested in heading
up the climate change panel but chose to take the reins of an Armed
Services subcommittee instead, making him ineligible to chair a Commerce
subcommittee under Republican rules, Committee spokeswoman Melanie
Alvord told Greenwire. She said members are "in the process" of choosing
subcommittee assignments. Sen. Daniel K. Inouye (D-HI) is the full
committee's ranking Democrat.
*** New Cabinet Secretaries for Bush's Second Term ***
Once re-elected in November 2004, President Bush has faced the task of
replacing Cabinet members who have opted not to serve in his
Administration for a second term. In January the Senate confirmed Kellogg Co.
Chief Executive Officer Carlos Gutierrez to be the next Commerce
secretary. Gutierrez had won the unanimous approval of the Senate Commerce
Committee on Jan. 6. At that hearing and on the Senate floor, senators
praised Gutierrez for rising from the ranks of a poor Cuban immigrant to
head a major company, all without ever receiving a college degree.
"Our new Commerce secretary is a true American success story," Commerce
Committee Chairman Ted Stevens (R-AK) said in a statement. Gutierrez is
expected to spend a great deal of time on issues pertaining to the
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. NOAA comprises about 60
percent of the department's budget, but few Commerce secretaries,
including Gutierrez, have had a background in the agency's portfolio.
In related news, Stephen Johnson took charge of U.S. EPA on January
26th as former administrator Mike Leavitt was sworn in as Health and Human
Services secretary. Johnson, 53, took over in July 2003 as EPA's
deputy chief. A Washington D.C. native, Johnson has 24 years experience at
EPA, serving during the Bush administration's first two years as
assistant administrator in the Office of Prevention, Pesticides and Toxic
Substances. Johnson's primary focus over his EPA career has revolved
around pesticide regulations. President Bush has not nominated a new,
permanent EPA administrator. Some in Washington suspect that Bush may delay
a nomination until the Senate completes work on the administration's
planned revision of the Clean Air Act, explaining that a confirmation
battle could distract lawmakers.
The day after President Bush began his second term, former Nebraska
Governor Mike Johanns (R) was sworn in as Secretary of Agriculture. The
Senate unanimously approved Johanns for the post hours after President
Bush took the oath of office. Secretary Johanns was one of several
cabinet secretary designees that the White House and Senate viewed as
uncontroversial. The quick action by the Senate was meant to demonstrate
the Senate's willingness to work with the President.
Secretary Johanns received bipartisan support throughout the
confirmation process. According to some sources, the nomination and confirmation
reflects an agreed upon national priority to expand farm trade over the
next four years. In announcing his choice, President Bush highlighted
Mr. Johanns' experience in expanding trade with foreign markets as a
primary reason for his selection. Many in the Senate have also expressed
concern about the recent ban on U.S. beef in foreign countries and were
quick to question Johanns on the issue during his confirmation hearing.
As the former governor of Nebraska, Johanns has six years experience
dealing with agriculture issues at the state level. He is also quick to
point out that he grew up on a dairy farm in Iowa and has therefore
been involved with farming issues since he was a child. As governor,
Secretary Johanns led state agricultural leaders on trade missions to ten
foreign countries, supported efforts to expand bioenergy, and
worked on drought relief programs. Another priority will be
reauthorization of the Farm Bill. He is expected to have similar priorities as
Secretary of Agriculture.
And finally, the full Senate confirmed Samuel Bodman as energy
secretary by a unanimous voice vote on January 31st. He was sworn in on
February 1st with a private ceremony. "It is a great honor and personal
privilege to serve President Bush and the American people as Secretary of
Energy," Secretary Bodman said in a press release. "I look forward to
working with the fine men and women of the Energy Department to advance
this department's critically important missions, including preserving
America's pre-eminence in the physical sciences, ensuring the
responsible stewardship of our nation's nuclear weapons stockpile, advancing our
international nuclear nonproliferation efforts, and ensuring reliable,
secure, affordable and environmentally responsible supplies of energy
for our growing economy."
More information about Bodman's confirmation can be found on AGI's
website at http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis109/bodman_doe.html.
*** Earthquake and Tsunami Brings Natural Hazards Mitigation to
Forefront ***
Following the massive earthquake and tsunami of December 26, 2004,
which claimed over 225,000 lives from Indonesia to Somalia, the Bush
administration has committed to expanding the nation's tsunami detection and
warning capabilities. A new proposal called for $37 million to enhance
USGS and NOAA operations and incorporate them into a Global Earth
Observation System of Systems (GEOSS) involving the cooperation of 50
countries.
NOAA currently controls six buoys in the Pacific, three of which are
off-line. Under current capabilities, NOAA was unable to issue a
definitive tsunami warning until two hours after the quake struck, when
casualties were announced in Sri Lanka. The new plan would add 25 Deep-ocean
Assessment and Reporting of Tsunami (DART) buoys to the Pacific Ocean,
and an additional 12 buoys to accompany new early warning systems in
the Atlantic and Caribbean.
The USGS would also enhance seismic monitoring and delivery
capabilities within their Global Seismic Network.
On January 26th, NOAA and USGS officials were called to present their
joint proposal for a U.S. tsunami warning system at a House Science
Committee Hearing. Dr. Groat and Gen. Johnson listed the technical
operations they will expand in coordination with expanding the Global Earth
Observation System of Systems (GEOSS). Committee Chairman Sherwood
Boehlert (R-NY) pressed the need for a comprehensive approach, while other
expert witnesses emphasized the need to support effective local and
regional tsunami hazard mitigation plans.
Likewise, on February 2nd, the Senate Commerce, Science and
Transportation Committee heard testimony regarding S.50, the Tsunami Preparedness
Act of 2005. This legislation calls for more funds than requested in
the Administration's initial proposal of $37.5 million over the next two
years, authorizing $35 million for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) for every year between FY 2006 and 2012.
The bill authorizes NOAA to coordinate regional detection and warning
systems for the basins bordering the US, and to integrate these with
global efforts with the help of seismic information provided by the USGS.
NOAA would also to work with the USGS, the Federal Emergency Management
Agency, and NSF to expand upon NOAA's Tsunami Hazard Mitigation
Program, which would conduct "community-based" programs, including inundation
mapping, training, long-term mitigation and public outreach programs,
in the country's most at-risk states.
Information about lawmakers' response to the tsunami can be found on
AGI's website at http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis109/tsunami.html.
Summaries of both the House and Senate hearings can be found at
http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis109/tsunami_hearings.html.
*** IUGS Statement Promotes Applied Knowledge of All Natural Hazards
***
The International Union of Geological Sciences (IUGS) issued a
resolution mid-January in response to heightened public awareness of natural
hazards following the December 26th Earthquake and Tsunami. The
resolution emphasized increased support for geoscience education and effective
distribution of sound geologic information as it called for the
establishment or improvement of regionally-based disaster management systems
for "all natural hazards."
The resolution was meant to directly address the high cost of low
public awareness of geologic principles, citing the tendency of the
international community to "concentrate on reaction to natural hazards, rather
than on preparation and their mitigation."
They recommended that "comprehensive education in the Geological
Sciences, including knowledge of local geological hazards and their risk,
become an integral part of education systems at all levels and in all
countries"
The resolution can be accessed online by logging onto
http://www.iugs.org/iugs/news/iugs_hazards_statement.htm
*** Senate Moves Forward on 'Clear Skies' ***
Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), Chairman of the Senate Environment and
Public Works (EPW) Committee and a cosponsor of Bush's plan known as the
Clear Skies initiative, S. 131, introduced the bill on January 24th. It
has only minor technical changes from last year's version.
Greenwire reported that Inhofe, Senator George Voinovich (R-OH), Senate
EPW Clear Air Subcommittee Chairman, and the administration are working
with limited time to pass this legislation into law. The U.S.
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is poised to issue a final regulation by
mid-March known as the Clean Air Interstate Rule that sets Clear
Skies-like limits on SO2 and NOx emissions for power plants. EPA also is
facing a legal deadline of March 15 to complete a separate rule for
mercury pollution from the electric-utility industry.
To learn more about the Clear Skies bill and how it would amend the
Clean Air Act, go to http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis109/cleanair.html. To
read the Subcommittee and full Committee hearing summaries log onto
http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis109/cleanair_hearings.html.
*** Senators Press White House on Oil and Gas Research Funds ***
Six members of the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee are
urging the White House not to cut funds for Energy Department oil and gas
research programs aimed at boosting domestic production. The move
comes as the Bush administration is preparing to submit its fiscal year
2006 budget request.
The White House sought to cut funding for the R&D programs by $37
million in its FY '05 request but Congress restored the funding. Now,
Senate Energy Committee ranking member Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) is asking the
White House Office of Management & Budget to increase funding for these
programs because smaller, independent producers cannot afford the
research on their own.
The Jan. 11 letter to OMB seeking increased funding for the programs
was also signed by Sens. Daniel Akaka (D-HI), Craig Thomas (R-WY), Byron
Dorgan (D-ND), Mary Landrieu (D-LA) and Ken Salazar (D-CO). It cites
the national security implications of reliance on imported oil and the
effects of recent high oil and natural gas prices.
The administration also sought to slash $3.5 million from the Bureau of
Land Management's oil and gas leasing program and raise new revenues
through leasing and permitting fee increases, but Congress restored $2
million of that funding and blocked the fee increases, according to the
letter and Bingaman's committee office.
Addressing the DOE and BLM programs, the letter states, "We hope that
the president's budget for FY '06 will reflect the importance of these
activities to enhance domestic oil and gas production and that it will
contain a substantial increase in these areas."
*** DOE Explores Savings on Natural Gas through Renewable Energy
Programs***
In a report released in early January, the Department of Energy found
that improving energy efficiency and increasing the use of renewable
energy could significantly lower the cost of natural gas. Researchers at
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory reviewed 19 previous national
energy models, specifically tracking how the displacement of gas-fired
electricity by more efficient and renewable power drives down gas prices.
The studies generally showed that a 1% reduction in natural gas demand
leads to a long-term price reduction of 0.8-2%.
Based on these economic models, the analysts developed a "simple,
transparent analysis tool" with which they evaluated the impact of several
existing state and national renewable portfolio standards (RPS) and
energy efficiency programs, including those established in California and
New England. The projected national savings in reduced natural gas
prices in these scenarios range from roughly $1-23 billion, while savings
on the regional level are more modest.
The tool developed in the study as well as the results are directed at
policy-makers who are concerned about the domestic and macroeconomic
impacts of rising gas demand, a concern that is likely to be central to
the energy policy debate this year on Capitol Hill.
The DOE Report can be found online at
http://eetd.lbl.gov/ea/ems/reports/56756.pdf.
For more information on natural gas policy, see
http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis108/naturalgas.html.
*** Evolution Roundup ***
In January, members of state legislatures returned to their capitols
and began introducing legislation that reflects their policy priorities.
Not surprisingly, given the increased public profile of evolution
education, legislators in many states have introduced measures that would
require disclaimers be placed in textbooks, require that intelligent
design/creationism be taught along side evolution, or requiring that
science teachers 'teach the controversy.' Before providing an update on some
of the anti-evolution legislation, it is interesting to note that a
Montana State Senator from Helena introduced a resolution that, if passed,
would communicate to local school districts that there is a separation
of church and state clause in the Constitution and that school
districts should teach students only sound science. Not to be outdone, a newly
elected member of the Montana House, State Representative Roger Koopman
(R-Bozeman), announced his intent to introduce legislation (LC
1199) that would allow schools to teach intelligent
design/creationism.
Back in Georgia, where a federal judge recently ruled that Cobb
County's textbook disclaimers are unconstitutional, a member of the Georgia
House of Representatives introduced House Bill 179. This legislation
would require that "Whenever any theory of the origin of human beings or
other living things is included in a course of study," evidence against
evolution would also be included. When the Speaker of the
Republican-controlled state House was asked about the measure, he simply noted that
any member of the caucus can introduce any legislation they like.
Georgia Citizens for Science Education and other organizations that support
a strong K-12 science curriculum are not taking the measure lightly.
Staying in the south, legislation introduced in the Mississippi State
Senate (SB 2286) would require that classic creationism be taught in
schools where evolution is taught. The South Carolina Senate will again
be able to consider legislation (S 114) designed to provide
anti-evolutionists with control over how textbooks dealing with evolution are
approved and adopted by school districts. A similar measure was introduced
in the last session.
Policy threats to a sound science education are not limited to southern
states. As has been previously reported, Grantsburg, Wisconsin spent
most of 2004 flirting with ways to introduce intelligent
design/creationism into the science curriculum. Following a prolonged process in
which local parents, educators, and university faculty and members of the
clergy from across the state expressed strong opposition to the
district's plans, in December 2004 the board adopted a resolution stating:
"Students are expected to analyze, review, and critique scientific
explanations, including hypotheses and theories, as to their strengths and
weaknesses using scientific evidence and information. Students shall be
able to explain the scientific strengths and weaknesses of evolutionary
theory. This policy does not call for the teaching of creationism or
intelligent design." While the policy is an improvement over earlier
iterations, science education advocates remain concerned that evoluti
on is the only area of science listed in the statement. Local
evolution education supporters have pledged to remain vigilant.
The challenges in Dover, Pennsylvania are far from over. Following the
school board's decision to approve the teaching of intelligent
design/creationism, local parents in conjunction with national organizations
filed a lawsuit against the school district. Meanwhile, the school
district prepared a four-paragraph long disclaimer statement that high
school biology teachers were to read to their classes prior to beginning a
unit on evolution. In short, citing their obligation under the state's
Code of Professional Conduct and their professional and "solemn
responsibility to teach the truth" the district's biology teachers sent a
letter to their administrators refusing to read the disclaimer statement.
The statement was, however, read before each class by a school
administrator.
The latest information on challenges to evolution is available on AGI's
website at http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis108/evolution.html.
In related evolution news, Michael D. Lemonick, Noah Isackson, and
Jeffrey Ressner wrote "Stealth attack on evolution" in the January 31,
2005, issue of Time magazine. Asking "Who is behind the movement to give
equal time to Darwin's critics, and what do they really want?" the
article warns of a new wave of assaults on evolution education, coming "not
from Bible-wielding Fundamentalists but from well-funded think tanks
promoting a theory they call intelligent design." Noting the dubious
constitutionality of teaching "intelligent design" in the public school
science classroom, the Time reporters explain that its promoters now
recommend that "schools should continue teaching evolution but also resent
what [the Discovery Institute's John] West calls 'some of the scientific
criticism of major parts of the theory.” NCSE executive director
Eugenie C. Scott was quoted, however, as explaining that "[t]eaching
evidence against evolution is a back-door way of teaching creationism," a
nd the article later suggests that "[a] look at where the Discovery
Institute gets much of its money and at the religious beliefs of many
scientists who support I.D. makes it reasonable to suspect that Scott's
assertion is correct: intelligent design is just a smoke screen for those
who think evolution is somehow ungodly."
To read "Stealth attack on evolution" in Time, visit:
http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1019856,00.html
To read Glenn Branch's 2004 article in Seed, which discusses the "teach
the controversy" slogan in detail, visit:
http://www.seedmagazine.com/?p=article&id=100000043&cp=0
Similarly, a January 23, 2005 editorial appeared in The New York Times
entitled "The crafty attacks on evolution". It notes that creationists
have "become more wily" since banning the teaching of evolution and
teaching creationism have both been ruled unconstitutional. The editorial
identifies two strategies recently tried out by creationists: attempts
to discredit evolution, as in the disclaimers in biology textbooks in
Cobb County, Georgia, and promotion of so-called intelligent design, as
in the school board policy passed in Dover, Pennsylvania. Both "still
constitute an improper effort by religious advocates to impose their
own slant on the teaching of evolution." The Cobb County school board
wins some praise for its good intentions in trying both to please local
anti-evolutionists and to support teaching evolution. Nonetheless,
"[t]he sad fact is, the school board, in its zeal to be accommodating,
swallowed the language of the anti-evolution crowd." Speaking of the
board's decision to appeal, the editorial comments: "Supporters of
sound science education can only hope that the courts, and school
districts, find a way to repel this latest assault on the most well-grounded
theory in modern biology." Considering the situation in Dover, the
editorial points out that advocates of "intelligent design" have no body of
scientific research and, indeed, no real research plan, so "[i]t should
not be taught or even described as a scientific alternative."
A briefer January 24, 2005 editorial in the Washington Post, "God and
Darwin," also recognizes a new level of sophistication in anti-evolution
activity, referring to "intelligent design" and its "slick Web sites,
pseudo-academic conferences and savvy public relations." Beneath the
meretricious packaging of "intelligent design" creationism, however, the
editorial finds little substance, commenting that its proponents "do no
experiments and do not publish in recognized scientific journals." By
being "very careful in their choice of language, eschewing mentions of
God or the Bible," they have enjoyed a degree of success, but "to teach
intelligent design as science in public schools is a clear violation
... of the separation of church and state" as well as of "principles of
common sense." The editorial ends by warning that continued
anti-evolutionism is endangering American world leadership in science.
To read "The crafty attacks on evolution" in The New York Times
(registration required), visit:
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/01/23/opinion/23sun1.html
To read "God and Darwin" in the Washington Post (registration
required), visit:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A31521-2005Jan23.html
*** Information for Planning Washington, DC Fly-Ins or Congressional
Meetings ***
The following dates are useful in planning appointments with
representatives or senators. While in session, Members of Congress are generally
in Washington on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. As expected, the
schedule of most Members is very busy during these days. Much of the
time it is easier to schedule a meeting with Members when they are in
their district or state offices. These appointments may be longer in
duration, and not subject to interruption by committee hearings, floor
votes, or other time conflicts. Planning information for meeting with a
Member of Congress can be found on AGI's website at
http://www.agiweb.org/gap/resources/communicate.html.
Inauguration Day: January 20
President's Day recess: February 21 - 25, Spring recess: March 21 -
April 1, Senate-only recess: May 2 - 6, Memorial Day recess: May 30 - June
3, July 4 recess: July 4 - July 8, Summer recess: August 1 - September
5, Target adjournment date (rarely met): September 30, Start of FY
2006: October 1.
*** Congressional Visits Day is May 10-11 ***
The 10th annual Congressional Visit Day is scheduled for May 10-11,
2005. The CVD is a two-day annual event that brings scientists,
engineers, researchers, educators, and technology executives to Washington to
raise visibility and support for science, engineering, and technology.
CVD is an important opportunity to make science issues and science
funding a priority for the 109th congress. More information about CVD is
available at www.aas.org/cvd/. The site contains a downloadable packet of
briefing materials updated to demonstrate the need for sustained
federal investment in scientific research.
*** Welcome Linda Rowan, AGI's New Director of Government Affairs ***
The Government Affairs Program is pleased to announce a new Director of
Government Affairs. Starting on February 1, Linda Rowan will take over
the program and is looking forward to working as an effective liaison
between geologists and the government. Linda comes to AGI from
Science-AAAS, where she was a senior editor at Science magazine. Linda
received her Bachelor of Science degrees in geology and computer
science/mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. She
received her Masters and Ph.D. in geology from the California Institute of
Technology, where she focused on magma dynamics beneath Kilauea volcano
illuminated with tomography and the equation of state of liquid basalt
determined from shock wave experiments. She spent 3 years at
NASA-Johnson Space Center studying meteorites on a National Research Council
fellowship before coming to Washington DC to work at Science magazine.
Linda looks forward to working with the AGI member societies on issue
s critical to the broad community.
Please feel free to contact her at rowan@agiweb.org or 703-379-2480
x228 with questions, comments or concerns.
*** Another New Face in the Government Affairs Program ***
Katie Ackerly, this year's AGI/AAPG Spring Semester Intern, joined the
Government Affairs Program on January 11th. She graduated last spring
with a Bachelor of Arts in Geosciences from Williams College, and has
recently moved to Washington, D.C. from her home in San Francisco, where
she worked as a GIS mapping volunteer at the USGS in Menlo Park. Over
the next few months she will be busy tracking legislation on the FY06
budget, Clear Skies, national energy policy, and natural hazard
mitigation efforts, among others.
*** List of Key Federal Register Notices ***
Below is a summary of Federal Register announcements regarding federal
regulations, agency meetings, and other notices of interest to the
geoscience community. Entries are listed in chronological order and show
the federal agency involved, the title, and the citation. The Federal
Register is available online at
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/fedreg/frcont05.html. Information on
submitting comments and reading announcements are also available online
at http://www.regulation.gov.
NSF-NASA: The National Science Foundation is hosting a NSF-NASA
Astronomy and Astrophysics Advisory Committee meeting, open to the public.
The purpose of the meeting is to provide advice and recommendations to
NSF and NASA on issues within the field of astronomy and astrophysics
that are of mutual interest to both agencies. Representatives from NSF,
NASA and other agencies will give presentations of current programming
and discuss current and potential areas of cooperation between the
agencies. The meeting will take place on February 15-16, 2005, 8 a.m.-5
p.m. at the National Science Foundation, Room 1235, 4201 Wilson Blvd.,
Arlington, VA, 22230. Contact Dr. G. Wayne Van Citters at 703-292-4908.
[Federal Register: January 7, 2005 (Volume 70, Number 5)]
NWTRB: U.S. Nuclear Waste Technical Review Board will meet on February
9, 2005 from 8:30 to 5:30 in Las Vegas, Nevada to discuss technical and
scientific issues related to the U.S. Department of Energy's efforts to
develop a repository at Yucca Mountain in Nevada. Another meeting the
following day from 10 to 4:30 in Caliente, NV, will be held discuss DOE
plans for transporting spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive
waste to the proposed repository. Final meeting agendas will be
available approximately one week before the meeting dates. They can be
obtained from the Board's Web site at http://www.nwtrb.gov or by telephone
request. The meetings will be open to the public, and opportunities for
public comment will be provided at each session's end. Wednesday's
meeting will be held at the Alexis Park Hotel; 375 Harmon Avenue;
Thursday's meeting will be held at the Caliente Youth Center; Highway 93, North
4. For more information, contact Karyn Severson, NWTRB External
Affairs: 703-235-4473 [Federal Register: January 12, 2005 (Volume 70,
Number 8)]
MMS: The Minerals Management Service intends to prepare an
environmental assessment (EA) for proposed Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) oil and
gas Lease Sale in the Western Gulf of Mexico (GOM), scheduled for August
2005. Interested parties are requested to send comments regarding any
new information or issues that should be addressed in the EA. Comments
may be submitted within 30 days of this Notice's publication using
MMS's new Public Connect on-line commenting system at
http://ocsconnect.mms.gov or sent to the MMS e-mail address:
environment@mms.gov. Contact Mr. Dennis Chew, Minerals Management at
(504) 736-2793 for more information. [Federal Register: January 19, 2005
(Volume 70, Number 12)]
BLM: In a letter published in the Federal Register, The Bureau of Land
Management rejected the Governor of New Mexico's appeal regarding plans
to authorize new oil and natural gas leasing and development in Sierra
and Otero Counties, New Mexico. [Federal Register: January 25, 2005
(Volume 70, Number 15)]
*** New Updates to Website ***
Senate Energy and Natural Resource Committee's Conference on Energy
Issues (1-27-05)
Hearings on Clean Air Issues (1-27-05)
Clean Air Issues: Clear Skies Initiative/Multi-pollutant Legislation
(1-27-05)
Everglades (1-27-05)
Political Challenges to the Teaching of Evolution (1-25-05)
Special update prepared by Emily Lehr Wallace, AGI Government Affairs
Program, Linda Rowan, AGI Director of Government Affairs and Katie
Ackerly, AGI/AAPG 2005 Spring Semester Intern
Sources: American Institute of Biological Sciences, American Institute
of Physics, Environment and Energy Daily, hearing testimony, Greenwire,
House Committee on Resources, House Committee on Science,
HouseDemocrats.gov, National Center for Science Education, National Oceanic and
Atmospheric Administration, The New York Times, Time Magazine, THOMAS
legislative database, Triangle Coalition Electronic Bulletin, U.S. House of
Representatives Republican Conference, Washington Post.
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2) GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS PROGRAM SPECIAL UPDATE: 2 FEBRUARY 2005
*** Voluntary Public Access at NIH ***
In A Nutshell: The National Institutes of Health (NIH) held a 30
minute telephone press conference on 3 February 2005 to unveil their new
policy on public access to federally funded scientific research and
respond to a few questions. The new policy requests any author whose
research received any direct support from NIH-funding to submit their
accepted, but not necessarily edited, manuscripts related to that research to
PubMed Central, the digital library maintained by the National Library
of Medicine (NLM) within 12 months of acceptance. PubMed Central will
post the paper within 12 months of the final publication date. This new
policy is voluntary and allows for a longer time period from
publication to posting than the previously suggested 6 month period. Although
this new policy will only affect NIH-funded research, it will probably
influence the future of publication and dissemination practices for all
federally-funded scientists, publishers and funding agencies.
The new policy is stated on the NIH site at:
http://grants.nih.gov/grants/guide/notice-files/NOT-OD-05-022.html
As stated in the NIH press release
http://www.nih.gov/news/pr/feb2005/od-03.htm, the new policy will be as
follows:
"Beginning May 2, 2005, the policy requests that NIH-funded scientists
submit an electronic version of the author's final manuscript, upon
acceptance for publication, resulting from research supported in whole or
in part by NIH. The author's final manuscript is defined as the final
version accepted for journal publication, and includes all
modifications from the publishing peer review process.
The policy gives authors the flexibility to designate a specific time
frame for public release - ranging from immediate public access after
final publication to a 12 month delay - when they submit their
manuscripts to NIH. Authors are strongly encouraged to exercise their right to
specify that their articles will be publicly available through PubMed
Central (PMC) as soon as possible."
The policy changes the initially proposed requirement to post
manuscripts on PubMed Central within 6 months of publication to a more flexible
and variable 0 to 12 months of publication. Publication is also defined
as the final publication date specified by the journal, which allows
journals that post express online versions to extend the time period to
the final publication date of their print or final online versions. The
policy only requests authors to submit their manuscripts, it does not
require them to do so and there are no specific penalties for authors
who do not comply with the policy. One incentive for an author to
voluntarily comply is that the submitted manuscript can be used as an
alternative to submitting a progress report to NIH. The policy also allows
publishers to submit a published version of the paper to supersede the
author's accepted version and regardless of which version is posted; NIH
will provide a link to the journal in which the paper was publish
ed. During the telephone press conference, there were questions about
whether the policy is contrary to copyright law and whether conflict of
interest statements that are required by some publishers will be
required of authors who submit accepted manuscripts. NIH is considering
these matters and will provide answers in the near future. There was also
concern about whether this policy puts the author in a difficult
situation between publishers and NIH. To help address this and other
concerns, NLM will form a Public Access Advisory Working Group to monitor how
the new policy is working.
Additional questions or concerns about the new policy can be mailed to
Office of Extramural Research, National Institutes of Health, 6705
Rockledge Drive, Room 350, Bethesda, MD 20892-7963 or emailed to
PublicAccess@nih.gov.
There were 2 special updates in 2004 on public access at NIH in the GAP
archives that provide more relevant background on this issue.
http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis108/update_openaccessinomni.html has
more information about how Congress requested NIH to develop a new policy
and http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis108/update_openaccess.html has more
background on how and why this may influence future publication and
dissemination practices for non-NIH funded work.
Special update prepared by Linda Rowan, AGI Director of Government
Affairs and Emily Lehr Wallace, AGI Government Affairs Program
Sources: National Institutes of Health
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3) GEOLOGIST-IN-THE-PARKS POSITIONS FOR 2005
AWG ANNOUNCES FOUR NEW 2005 GEOLOGIST-IN-THE-PARKS (GIP) POSITIONS.
Please see the AWG website (http://www.awg.org/about/gip.html) for
detailed position descriptions and application information. Send all
inquiries and applications to office@awg.org by April 15, 2005.
KNIFE RIVER INDIAN VILLAGES NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE & FORT UNION TRADING
POST NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE (NORTH DAKOTA)
FLUVIAL GEOMORPHOLOGIST - A river reach assessment is needed to
understand and manage bank stability and lateral migration of the Missouri
River near Fort Union National Historic Site (FOUS). The GIP will review
and summarize existing reports on the geomorphology, bank stability and
sediment transport of the upper Missouri and lower Yellowstone Rivers,
identify and map water resource projects in the river near FOUS and
determine their potential impacts to channel morphology, shape and pattern
of the Missouri River. Potential influences of sediment transport and
deposition should be evaluated, such as the upper extent of the
deposition zone of Sacagawea Reservoir, impacts from releases from Fort Peck
Reservoir, the confluence of the Yellowstone River and its sediment
supply, and past major avulsions of the Missouri River downstream from the
park.
Outcomes from this assessment (which could be the basis for a river
management plan) should include: 1) recommendations to address information
deficiencies about the fluvial geomorphology of this river reach, 2)
developing alternatives to address lateral migration of the river and
associated bank erosion, and 3) identification of potential avenues of
funding and/or partnerships to manage bank erosion on the Missouri River.
Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site (KNRI) has been
working with FOUS, Midwest Regional Office staff and the Water Resources
Division of the National Park Service to address similar riverbank
erosion issues. An assessment at KNRI would include both the Knife and
Missouri River systems. Knife River Indian Villages NHS is requesting
assistance with initial data collection, stream characterization work and
identification of the type of detailed analyses required to develop
alternative approaches to address the riverbank erosion of the Knife River.
The river is near both a significant archeological site and a county
road system that may be threatened by continued bank erosion in the
future. The assessment will assist KNRI in determining the alternative
actions and assist in identifying potential avenues of funding and
partnerships to manage the bank erosion on the Knife River.
BRYCE CANYON/CEDAR BREAKS NATIONAL PARKS (SOUTHWEST UTAH)
GEOLOGICAL LIAISON with Bryce Canyon National Park's Resources
Management and Interpretive divisions. The GIP will inventory research
projects conducted in the park to date, and providing suggestions for future
research and interpretation (informal education). The second focus is
to develop a geology resource kit for interpreters to use in creating
geology programs for adults and children. The GIP will work with the
education specialist in developing a wish list of materials for improving
the quality of geology programs in the park. In addition the GIP will
participate in interpretive training and develop high quality geology
talks for visitors. As time allows, there will be the opportunity to
test programs with school children. The individual may at times assist
answering general park questions in the visitor center.
Since much of the geologic resources at Cedar Breaks are similar to
Bryce Canyon's, up to 10% of the GIP’s time would be spent adapting the
information to share with Cedar Breaks. This includes one to two site
visits to meet with park staff to share the information. The parks are
located in the Colorado Plateau region of the southwest, at the top of
the Grand Staircase. Bryce Canyon is located on the side of the
Paunsaugaunt Plateau and forms an amphitheater with oddly shaped pinnacles
protruding from within the bowl. Cedar Breaks is located on Cedar
Mountain, west of Bryce Canyon. The main amphitheater for Cedar Breaks erodes
to the west and undergoes geomorphic processes similar to Bryce Canyon.
Both parks are located in southwest Utah.
MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK (WASHINGTON)
GLACIAL/FLUVIAL GEOMORPHOLOGIST - Assist Regional Geomorphologist in a
variety of field tasks associated with fluvial geomorphology, landform
mapping, and some glacier survey work. Mount Rainier’s major rivers
are glacier-sourced, and the vast amounts of sediment generated are
causing the rivers to aggrade on the order of inches per decade.
Additionally, debris flows on at least an annual basis for the last 30 years add
to deposition. Both of these natural phenomena are likely exacerbated
by the on-going retreat of glaciers on Mount Rainier. This means that
for the same size storms, the flood potential is ever increasing, since
the capacity of the river channel is reduced, as the channels fill in.
For this position, we propose to: (1) quantify the historic rate of
river aggradation; and, to the extent possible, (2) start to
systematically evaluate the factors that control the increasing sedimentation.
Additionally, as time and expertise permit, we will continue “forensic"
geomorphology on recent in-park debris flows. The intent is to
identify the triggering mechanisms to failure, with the purpose of ultimately
determining if the average rates of debris flows are increasing (as
snow and ice fields shrink). Finally, we would like to field determine
the spatial extent of Rainier’s major glaciers. This is a nontrivial
task mainly because of large areas of debris-covered and stagnant ice.
GLACIER NATIONAL PARK (NORTHWEST MONTANA) Building on the summary of
Santucci and Koch in 2004, the GIP will prepare a synthesis of
information that describes the paleontological resources of Glacier, with maps,
references and field photos. The park plans to use the resulting
documents, in whole or in part, to form the basis of a park paleontological
field survey. This project is primarily an intensive literature search,
followed by a presentation to the staff and public.
Glacier National Park hosts some of the most spectacular glacial
geomorphology on earth. It exhibits one of the most pristine Precambrian
sedimentary records on earth and the Lewis Overthrust is a focal point of
students and researchers from around the world. Paleontologic
resources, including stromatolites, have been found in the Precambrian layers
and in the Cretaceous layers below.
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4) AWG CHRYSALIS SCHOLARSHIP
The Chrysalis Scholarship provides degree-completion funding for female
graduate students in the geosciences whose education has been
interrupted for financial or personal reasons. The awards are intended to cover
thesis/dissertation costs such as drafting, binding, child-care, or
anything needed to complete an MS or PhD during those critical, final
days.
General Information
Award Amount: Two $2000 awards will be given each year.
Application Deadline: All materials must be received at the address
below by March 15.
Application Criteria and Procedures
The applicant must be:
A woman whose education has been interrupted for at least one year,
A candidate who will complete an advanced degree in a geoscience field
during the calendar year in which she applies,
A person who contributes to the geosciences and the larger world
community through her academic and personal strengths.
The application consists of three letters (there is no application
form):
A letter from the applicant in which she describes her background,
studies, expected graduation date, career objectives, community service,
how the scholarship will be used, and the nature and length of the
interruption to her education.
Two letters of reference, one from the applicant’s thesis/dissertation
advisor and one from a second geoscientist of her choice. Both letters
should address the topics above and describe the applicant’s potential
contributions to the geosciences and her community.
All application materials should be sent as a complete packet, labeled
with the applicant's name, street address, e-mail address, phone
number, school affiliation, and should be sent to the address below. E-mail
submissions are welcome and may be sent as three separate documents,
with the email subject "Chrysalis Scholarship - applicant's name".
Tania Brice Coffin, P.G., Chrysalis Scholarship Chair
40 School Street, Keene, NH 03431
chrysalis@awg.org
Scholarships are funded by the Association for Women Geoscientists
Foundation
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5) REQUEST FOR 2005 SCIENCE FAIR JUDGES
AWG provides Student Award for Geoscience Excellence (SAGE)
certificates through Science Service, the sponsoring organization of the
International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), to young women whose projects
exemplify an understanding of our world and its processes. As the AWG
point-of-contact for Science Service, fair directors often contact me
with requests for science fair judges. I would like to share
information concerning several fairs searching for judges from the AWG
membership. Ph.D.s are strongly encouraged to volunteer, but people with Masters
degrees or Bachelors degrees in Geology are welcome to be judges at the
local, regional, or state levels.
I neglected to mention this in my last request, but if you respond to
any of these fairs, I would also appreciate hearing from you
(styles@hpnc.com) so I will know whether this method of outreach is
successful. Thanks! Valerie Honeycutt
The science fairs currently requesting Special Awards judges to present
the AWG certificate are as follows:
1) Milwaukee Regional Science and Engineering Fair on Saturday,
February 26, 2005. Please contact Ahmet Akyol, Fair Director, immediately at
akyol_us@yahoo.com or 414- 483 2117 ext 109.
2) Central Western Oregon Science Expo in Monmouth, Oregon on March
11-12, 2005. See http://www.3sigmainstitute.org for fair information.
Please contact Dr. David Hackleman (Chemical Engineering, Oregon State
University) at (541) 737-8988 or David.Hackleman@oregonstate.edu.
3) 18th Annual National American Indian Science & Engineering Fair
(NAISEF) on March 24 – 26, 2005 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This fair is
sponsored by the American Indian Science and Engineering Society.
Contact Lucille Kelley at 505.765.1052 ext. 107 or lucille@aises.org.
Lucille provided me with a judge registration form, which I can forward to
any interested parties.
4) Mississippi Region VI Science and Engineering Fair to be held in
Biloxi, Miss. on Feb. 23, 2005. This fair is located on the Miss. Gulf
Coast between New Orleans (70 miles to the west) and Mobile, AL (70 miles
to the east). Please contact Becky Rotundo immediately at 228 688 5328
or brotundo@nrlssc.navy.mil.
4) District of Columbia Citywide Mathematics, Science and Technology
Fair with judging to be held on March 19, 2005. The Walter Reed Army
Institute of Research is assisting the District of Columbia Public Schools
organize the fair. Please contact Margery Anderson, Ph.D., Co-Director
- Science Fair, Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, at 301.319.7195
or Margery.anderson@na.amedd.army.mil, or SR2@na.amedd.army.mil.
5) 2006 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, which will
be held in Indianapolis, Indiana on May 7-13, 2006. They are looking for
50 individuals including qualified women (in academia, government and
industry) who can judge in the earth/space category as Category Judges,
not just Special Awards judges. Judges need either a Ph.D. or 6 years
experience beyond the master's degree, and will need to be present on
Tuesday, May 9 and Wednesday, May 10, 2006. Please contact Anne Argast,
Dept. of Geosciences, Indiana-Purdue University Fort Wayne at
Argast@ipfw.edu.
6) AWG would also like to field a team of at least three AWG Special
Awards judges at the 2005 ISEF to be held in Phoenix, Arizona from May
8-14, 2005. AWG presents three female students with awards each year at
the ISEF, but we can't present these awards if we don't have judges!
We need YOU! Ph.D.s are strongly encouraged to volunteer, but members
with Masters degrees are also encouraged to volunteer. Judging is on
Tuesday afternoon May 10 and all day Wednesday May 11, with the award
presentation on Thursday evening, May 12. I have several resources to
share, including a "calling card", the certificate paper and certificate
templates, AWG judging guidelines, and other miscellaneous information.
Some travel funds may be available. Please contact Valerie Honeycutt
(styles@hpnc.com or 972-723-2260) to find out how you can help!
7) Other - Over 600 ISEF-affiliated regional fairs are held world-wide
each year, many in the United States, and these fairs are also looking
for judges to present the AWG SAGE certificates at their fairs. If
anyone in your Chapter might be interested in participating as a judge, or
if your Chapter is interested in sponsoring an additional award at a
local fair, please contact Valerie Honeycutt at styles@hpnc.com or
972-723-2260 for affiliated local fair information in your area. You can also
visit the Science Service website for more information or a list of
their regional affiliated science fairs at
http://www.sciserv.org/isef/aff_fairs/aff_fairsearch.asp.
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6) NEW GEOLOGIC MAP OF NORTH AMERICA ILLUSTRATES DISCOVERIES AND
ADVANCES IN GEOSCIENCE
The last definitive geologic map of North America was published before
the theory of plate tectonics was widely accepted, back in the days
when impact craters were known simply as “anomalies” and knowledge of
ocean floor geology was in its infancy. Earlier this month the Geological
Society of America (GSA) introduced the 2005 Geologic Map of North
America. It’s like no other in its representation of the grand
architecture of the continent.
A work of beauty as well as science, the map is printed in 11 colors
with approximately 700 shades and patterns. It distinguishes more than
900 rock units, 110 of which are off-shore. It depicts more than seven
times as many on-land units as the 1965 map. Perhaps its most
significant additions are detailed features of the seafloor, including
spreading centers, seamount chains, and subduction zones.
“Our knowledge of the Earth and how it works has grown exponentially
over the last 40 years," said Jack Hess, Executive Director of GSA. “We
are pleased and excited to offer this great mapping achievement to the
scientific community."
The map is the result of a cooperative effort by GSA, the U.S.
Geological Survey (USGS), the Geological Survey of Canada (GSC), and the Woods
Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). John C. Reed Jr. (USGS) and John
O. Wheeler (GSC) compiled the on-land geology, while Brian E. Tucholke
(WHOI) mapped and compiled the seafloors. The Pikes Peak Lithographing
Company, Colorado Springs, Colorado, printed the map.
More than twenty years in the making, the map illustrates approximately
15% of Earth’s surface. It spans an area from the North Pole to
Venezuela and from Ireland to Siberia.
The map's developers describe it as a source for new interpretations of
North American geology and insights into the evolution of the
continent. "It will also aid in the discovery of mineral and energy resources,
increase our ability to understand and mitigate geological hazards, and
support improvements in land and resource management," said John
Wheeler of the Geological Survey of Canada.
Unlike its predecessor, the map is not a static end-product. Because
it was produced with digital technology, a digital database is planned
by David Soller of the U.S. Geological Survey. According to Soller,
"Geoscientists for years to come will be able to access and analyze the
data behind the map. This will stimulate additional research, expanding
our body of knowledge at an increasingly rapid rate."
The map is available for purchase through the Geological Society of
America. For additional information, visit www.geosociety.org/bookstore or
contact GSA Sales and Service, gsaservice@geosociety.org,
+1-888-443-4472.
Reed, J.C., Jr., Wheeler, J.O., and Tucholke, B.E., 2005 Geologic Map
of North America – Perspectives and explanation: Boulder, Colorado,
Geological Society of America, Decade of North American Geology.
3 sheets (74 x 39), scale 1:5,000,000, 28 p. text
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7) LEGENDARY DIBBLEE MAPS TO BE RELEASED
On February 23, 2005, the Dibblee Geology Center of the Santa Barbara
Museum of Natural History will release ten new maps of the San Francisco
Bay area and the San Joaquin Valley region created by legendary Thomas
W. Dibblee. This set of 10 maps will complete a major section of
northern California mapped by Dibblee himself. The exciting process of
digital map-making enables the Dibblee Geology Center to complete maps of
interest in a timely manner while preserving the integrity of Dibblee's
work.
Over the course of 75 years, Dibblee created maps that have been
instrumental in understanding California's geology. Dibblee, who personally
mapped more than a quarter of the state of California - from the Mohave
Desert to the Santa Cruz Mountains - remained actively involved in the
publication of each new map until his death in November, 2004. The
magnitude, integrity, and permanence of Dibblee's geologic mapping are
truly unprecedented and legendary which is why it is the first priority of
the Dibblee Geology Center to complete the publication of Tom's maps.
Dibblee maps are renowned for their high quality and serve a diverse
group of users such as engineering geologists, oil companies, U.S. Forest
Service, environmentalists and students, among others. To date, the
Dibblee Geology Center has released 127 maps and 3 CDs. The newest maps
of the San Francisco Bay area and San Joaquin region are 7.5-minute
quadrangles of:
San Joaquin Valley Area
DF139 Parkfield
DF141 Cholame Hills
DF142 Cholame Valley
DF143 Orchard Peak
DF144 Cholame
San Francisco Bay Area
DF145 Mare Island
DF146 Benicia
DF147 Richmond
DF148 Briones Valley
DF149 Walnut Creek
To purchase Dibblee maps go to the Museum's online store at
www.sbnature.org/estore <http://www.sbnature.org/estore> or the Museum's Gift Shop
at 2559 Puesta del Sol Road in Santa Barbara or call (805) 682-4711,
ext. 122. Dibblee maps are available rolled ($20.00 plus tax) and folded
($15.00 plus tax) - shipping and handling are additional if ordering
online or by phone. For more information contact Mary Anne Prince via
email at mprince@sbnature2.org
The Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History was founded in 1916. The
mission of the Museum is to enlighten the public by developing and
presenting fundamental knowledge through natural history research, so as to
teach and inspire a lifelong passion and abiding respect for the
natural world.
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8) POSITION OPENINGS
2004-137
Undergraduate Internships in physics at SRI International
The Molecular Physics Laboratory of SRI International, a not-for-profit
research organization located in the San Francisco Bay Area (CA),
solicits applications for its NSF sponsored Research Experiences for
Undergraduates (REU) program. This program provides a stipend and travel
funds for undergraduate students from U.S. colleges and universities to
participate in research projects at SRI for 12-weeks during the summer.
Participants must be enrolled in a program leading to the bachelor's
degree in physical sciences or engineering and must be U.S. citizens or
permanent residents.
The deadline for applications for this year is March 1, 2005. For
further information and application forms visit our website at
http://www.sri.com/psd/reu.
* * * * * * * * * *
2005-014
Boise State University
Tenure-track position in geophysics
The Department of Geosciences at Boise State University invites
applications for a tenure-track position in geophysics. The position will
likely be filled at the rank of Assistant Professor but appointment to a
higher level will be considered depending on the qualifications and
experience of the applicant. The department is interested in enhancing its
strengths in applied geophysics with an emphasis in computational
geophysics and its applications including but not limited to environmental
near-surface problems, engineering, UXO, and exploration for energy and
natural resources. We are particularly interested in candidates with a
specialty in wave-based geophysical methods.
Geophysics at Boise State has a growing reputation in near-surface
geophysics including hydrogeophysics, engineering geophysics, geohazards,
electrical and electromagnetic geophysics, and paleoclimate studies. We
have both undergraduate and graduate programs in Geophysics at B.S,
M.S. and Ph.D. levels. The geophysics group has strong ties with the
mathematics and engineering programs and does much of its research and
software development under the Open Source model of the Linux operating
system. Boise State University is a growing institution (>18,000
students) serving Idaho’s metropolitan center with a population of over
400,000. As the state’s capital and business, financial and cultural center,
Boise is recognized as one of America’s best places to live. A
favorable cost of living, coupled with moderate climate and a wide variety of
cultural and recreational opportunities contribute to an outstanding
quality of life for our faculty. A vibrant intellectual community d
raws from scientists at the university, regional high-tech industries,
and numerous state and federal agencies; the Department of Geosciences
benefits from collaborative activities with partners across this
spectrum.
Qualifications: A Ph.D. degree in geophysics with computational
background or related fields like applied physics, applied mathematics or
engineering disciplines is required at the time of appointment. Excellent
teaching skills, demonstrated research experience in academia or
industry through research publications are strong assets.
Responsibilities: The successful applicant will develop an
internationally recognized program in applied geophysics, supported by external
funding, and participate in the continued growth and development of the
Department through research and teaching. We encourage candidates to
establish collaborative research efforts, provide research opportunities
for students, and deliver courses at both undergraduate and graduate
level.
Application Procedure: Applicants should send a (a) Curriculum Vita,
(b) Statement of Research and Teaching Interests, and (c) contact
information for at least three referees to:
Geophysics Search Committee
Department of Geosciences
Boise State University
1910 University Drive
Boise, ID 83725.
Review of applicants will begin March 1, 2005. E-mail correspondence
(questions or submission of application materials) can be sent to
geopsearch@boisestate.edu.
Boise State University is an EOE/AA institution and is strongly
committed to achieving excellence through cultural diversity. The University
actively encourages applications from women, persons of color, and
members of other underrepresented groups. Veteran's preference is
applicable.
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9) CONTACT INFORMATION
To submit an item to E-MAIL NEWS contact: editor@awg.org
To submit advertising contact: ads@awg.org
To change your address or be removed from the list contact: office@awg.org