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AWG E-MAIL NEWS 2006-08
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CONTENTS
1) REQUEST FOR 2006 SCIENCE FAIR JUDGES
2) SAGEEP 2006: APRIL 2-6, 2006 SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
3) NATIONAL ACACDEMIES COMMITTEE REQUESTS YOUR COMMENTS ON GRAND
RESEARCH QUESTIONS IN THE SOLID-EARTH SCIENCES
4) AGI GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS MONTHLY REVIEW - FEBRUARY 2006
5) POSITION OPENINGS
2006-023 The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost
College
(UTB/TSC): Environmental Chemistry Faculty Position
2006-024 - Geosciences Department, Middle Tennessee State University:
Paleontology - Tenure-track, Rank Open
6) CONTACT INFORMATION
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Thanks to everyone who contributed to this issue of E-mail News
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1) REQUEST FOR 2006 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.
Please contact Valerie Honeycutt (jvhoney@sbcglobal.net (NEW EMAIL!) or
972-723-2260) to find out how you can help! Thanks! Valerie Honeycutt
The science fairs which have sent an email requesting Special Awards
judges to present the AWG certificate are as follows:
1) ScienceMONTGOMERY 2006, the 50th Anniversary Montgomery County
Science Fair to be held on March 11, 2006 in Building 6, at the Montgomery
Co. Fairgrounds/Agricultural Center, in Gaithersburg, MD. Maps are on
the website, www.ScienceMONTGOMERY.org. NOTE: Special Awards judges do
not register on the website – only Category judges. The fair opens at
12 Noon. Students in grades 6-8 will be at their projects from 12
Noon--3 PM; Students in grades 9-12 will be at their projects from 2 PM--5
PM. The Awards Ceremony will be on Sunday, March 12, 2-4 PM at the
Gaithersburg High School Auditorium. Please contact Pepper D. Buckley,
Ph.D., 2006 ScienceMONTGOMERY Fair Director at (301) 987-7278 or
SciFairJudge@aol.com for more information.
2) The 2006 Eastern Iowa Science and Engineering Fair to be held
Saturday, March 18, 2006 at Lindale Mall, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. See
http://www.eisef.org/ for fair information or contact Colleen Kobe at
awards@eisef.org. Sponsored Award Judge Registration is 8am-9:30am and
the Sponsored Award Time to Judge is 8am-2pm. See last year's
sponsored award prizes and winners at http://www.eisef.org/aw2005.htm
3) The Science Engineering Fair of Houston to be held on March 24, 2006
in Houston, Texas. Please contact Heather Davis at 713.221.8015 or
davish@uhd.edu for more information.
4) The American Indian Science & Engineering Society will once again
sponsor the 19th annual National American Indian Science & Engineering
Fair (NAISEF) at the national level. NAISEF will be held on March 23 –
25, 2006 in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Please contact Peter Moulson,
AISES Membership Services Coordinator, at 505.765.1052, ext. 109 or email
peter@aises.org for fair information.
Peter Moulson writes:
NAISEF enables Native American students to actively showcase their
science-based research projects and participate in opportunities to receive
monetary and achievement awards. With the support of individual and
organizations that provide special awards, students are motivated to
acquire valuable skills in science, engineering, and mathematics in their
pursuit of educational success. Last year AWG sponsored a Special Award
for NAISEF participants. This year we invite you to judge for your
special award. Judging will occur on Friday, March 24, 2006. There is
not an official deadline to sponsor a Special Award, but in order for
Special Awards to be included in the official NAISEF Program, we would
need to receive confirmation of all Special Awards no later than March 3,
2006.
5) The 58th Prince George’s Area Science Fair to be held March 31 –
April 2, 2006 at Prince George’s Community College, Largo Student Center,
Large Rd. (Rt. 202), Large, PG County, Maryland. Judges check-in from
7:45 am - 8:15 am on April 1, and judging begins at 8:15 am. Please
contact Alex Imholtz at 301-386-7539 or imholtat@pgcc.edu for fair
information or contact Valerie Honeycutt for judge registration paperwork.
6) The State Science and Engineering Fair of Florida to be held April
19-21, 2006 at the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, Florida.
Judging will be Thursday April 20 from 9:30 am until 4:30 pm. Please
contact Nancy Besley of the Florida Foundation for Future Scientists at
407-823-4347 or nbesley@mail.ucf.edu if you are interested, or go to
www.fffs.ucf.edu for more information.
7) The Nebraska Junior Academy of Sciences (NJAS) is hosting the 2006
NJAS State Science Fair Competition for students (grades 6-12) on April
21, 2006. Please contact Judy Williams, NJAS Director, at
AEJWilliam@aol.com for more information concerning times and fair
location.
8) 2006 Intel International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), to 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.
9) AWG would also like to field a team of at least three AWG Special
Awards judges at the 2006 ISEF (Indianapolis, Indiana, May 7-13, 2006).
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!
Judging is on Tuesday afternoon May 9 and all day Wednesday May 10,
with the Special Awards presentation on Thursday evening, May 11. 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. AWG
members interested in participating as an AWG Special Awards judge at the
ISEF are invited and encouraged to contact Valerie Honeycutt at
(jvhoney@sbcglobal.net (NEW EMAIL!) as soon as possible. The ISEF
requires that it's Grand Award Judges have either a Ph.D., M.D. or
equivalent _OR_ a minimum of 6 years professional experience in one of 14
specific
disciplines including behavioral and social sciences, biochemistry,
botany, chemistry, computer science, earth science, engineering,
environmental science, mathematics, medicine and health, microbiology, physics,
space science, and zoology. So, in accordance with the ISEF guidelines
for judge’s experience, we welcome AWG members with those
qualifications to volunteer as an AWG Special Awards judge.
10) 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 (jvhoney@sbcglobal.net 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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2) SAGEEP 2006: APRIL 2-6, 2006 SEATTLE, WASHINGTON
Good News!
We've extended the deadline date for the Special Hotel Rate to March 9,
2006.
Now, you've got a little more time to secure your special hotel rate
for SAGEEP 2006 to save money! Call today for reservations:
1-800-222-Tree and ask for group code "EEG". Or, get hotel information and
register online at www.bellevue.doubletree.com (be sure to sign up using your
group code EEG: at the Bellevue Doubletree online page, click on
"reservations" near the top of the page, enter the State - Washington -
click "Find it", then scroll down and click "View Rates" to enter your
group code). To go directly to the online reservation page, click here.)
Have you registered for SAGEEP 2006 April 2-6, 2006 Seattle,
Washington?
Don't Wait!
Early-Bird Registration Deadline: March 10, 2006.
If you haven't already, register now for SAGEEP 2006. Register online
for the symposium or print your SAGEEP 2006 registration form and fax
or mail it in today. Register now and save!
Visit EEGS' SAGEEP web site to learn more about the 19th Annual SAGEEP,
"Geophysical Applications for Environmental and Engineering Hazards -
Advances and Constraints", including:
• Keynote Speaker Ines Pearce, Project Impact Director for the City of
Seattle Emergency Management and Board Member for the Cascadia Region
Earthquake Workgroup.
• Invited Speakers: Dr. Derecke Palmer, School of Biological, Earth and
Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Australia and
Dr. John Delaney, University of Washington's School of Oceanography
• Technical Program - Oral and Poster Presentations
• Short Courses
• Mt. St. Helens All Day Field Trip on Thursday, April 6 from 7:00 am
to 6:30 pm
• Paleo-Seismicity (Puget Sound area) Field Trip
• Evening Event - "Spirit of Washington" Dinner Train and Winery Tour
Don't Forget to Register for the "5th Short Course"
We've added a special, 5th Short Course, "Borehole Geophysics &
Hydrophysics for Environmental and Geotechnical Applications (Advanced)" but
you must register separately. The special registration form and
additional course information is available at EEGS' SAGEEP '06 website "5th
Short Course ") but don't delay - Early-Bird Registration Discount
Deadline is March 10, 2006! If you've already registered for SAGEEP 2006 and
are interested in attending this course, be sure to sign up via the
separate "5th Short Course" registration form and fax or mail it in today.
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3) NATIONAL ACACDEMIES COMMITTEE REQUESTS YOUR COMMENTS ON GRAND
RESEARCH QUESTIONS IN THE SOLID-EARTH SCIENCES
At the request of NSF, DOE, USGS, and NASA, the National Academies has
convened a committee to identify grand research questions in the
solid-earth sciences. The agencies are not requesting a new topical
justification of the field, but rather a serious attempt to identify a set of
key intellectual questions that will help drive research over the coming
decade. A preliminary set of questions and background on the study can
be found at http://dels.nas.edu/besr/grq_input.php. Comments received
by March 15, 2006 will be considered at the committee's next meeting
(March 29-30, 2006). However, the committee welcomes any ideas until
August 2006.
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4) AGI GOVERNMENT AFFAIRS MONTHLY REVIEW - FEBRUARY 2006
1. White House, Congress Release Reports on Hurricane Katrina
2. Geoscience Funding in President’s FY2007 Budget Request
3. NEHRP Receives Request for NIST Funding
4. Join Us for Congressional Visits Day on March 28-29
5. AGI Geoscience Leadership Forum
6. Teaching Evolution at the AAAS Meeting
7. 100th Anniversary Earthquake Conference Adds More Policy Content
8. NOAA Requests Your Input on Strategic Plan
9. MMS Releases Draft 5-Year Plan for OCS Leasing Program
10. Senators Seeking Response to Climate Change White Paper
11. Cost-Effective Mitigation Topic of Congressional Briefing
12. China Vows to Double Research Spending
13. AGU Releases Ocean Research Position Statement
14. GSA Releases White Paper on Coastal Impacts of Hurricanes
15. Public Access Bill for Federal Research May be Introduced Soon
16. Asbestos Bill May Return to Senate Floor
17. AGI Summer Internship Deadlines Fast Approaching
18. Key Federal Registers Notices
19. New Updates to the Website
1. White House, Congress Release Reports on Hurricane Katrina
Six months after Hurricane Katrina, a series of hearings and
investigations have culminated in the release of reports by Congress and the
White House. On February 15, the House Select Bipartisan Committee to
Investigate the Preparation for and Response to Hurricane Katrina released
its final report, “A Failure of Initiative.” The report cites
“failures at all levels of government,” focusing on incomplete evacuations, the
lack of a coherent National Response Plan, the unfamiliarity of federal
agencies with their responsibilities, the lack of preparation within
the Department of Homeland Security and the affected states, and problems
of coordination and communication. The report also addresses problems
with the levees, including the “diffuse” nature of responsibilities for
levee maintenance, the lack of a warning system for levee breaches, and
the fact that the levees were not built to withstand the most severe
hurricanes. The House report is available at http://www.katrina.house.gov/.
About one week after the release of the House report, the White House
released its own version, entitled “Hurricane Katrina, Lessons Learned.”
The White House Report also cites a number of government failures,
including communications problems, delays in supply deliveries, and
confusion among federal agencies about their roles in managing the disaster.
Regarding levees, the report cites problems caused by the delay in
reporting the breach of the levees, due mainly to a misunderstanding about
the difference between breaching and overtopping. The White House
report is available at
http://www.whitehouse.gov/reports/katrina-lessons-learned/.
The Government Accountability Office (GAO) is also addressing the issue
with over 30 studies related to the hurricane. In a preliminary
statement released February 1, David Walker, the GAO Comptroller General,
identified three key problems with the Katrina response: clear and
decisive leadership; strong advance planning, training, and exercise programs;
and capabilities for a catastrophic event. The GAO has since released
specific reports on major emergency issues, hospital and nursing home
evacuation, the National Flood Insurance Program, and fraud problems in
FEMA’s expedited assistance program. The GAO reports are available at
http://www.gao.gov/docsearch/repandtest.html.
The Senate has not yet released a report on Katrina; however, the
Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs is continuing a
series of hearings to investigate the disaster.
In addition to its recommendations, the White House report provides an
updated assessment of the scope of the disaster. It cites an estimated
$96 billion worth of damage caused by the hurricane and storm surge,
including the destruction of roughly 300,000 homes. The storm created
118 million cubic yards of debris. In addition to property damage,
Katrina caused 10 oil spills, releasing 7.4 million gallons of oil, over
two-thirds the amount that was spilled during the 1989 Exxon Valdez
disaster. It also caused 11 petroleum refineries to be shut down, preventing
114 million barrels of production capacity from being used.
The report also revises estimates of the human impacts of Hurricane
Katrina. 770,000 people were displaced by the storm, 1330 were killed,
and 2096 are still missing. The majority of the fatalities occurred in
Louisiana, where 1080 people perished. In addition, there were 231
fatalities in Mississippi, 15 in Florida, 2 in Alabama, and 2 in Georgia.
Additional information on congressional action related to Hurricane
Katrina is available at http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis109/katrina.html.
2. Geoscience Funding in President’s FY2007 Budget Request
As reported in a series of AGI Special Updates, the President released
his fiscal year (FY) 2007 budget request at the beginning of February.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) would see a healthy increase of
8% to its total budget and a 6% increase for the Geoscience Directorate
while the Office of Science at the Department of Energy would receive a
14% increase. Geoscience programs in other parts of DOE and at other
federal agencies are slated for a mixed bag of significant cuts to slight
increases. Highlights from the President’s budget request are given
below and additional information on the request and the congressional
budget process is available online, at
http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis109/appropsfy2007.html
The NSF budget request totals $6,202 million, which represents an 8%
increase from last year’s level of $5,581.2 million. Within this amount,
$744.9 million would go to the Geoscience Directorate and $438.1
million would go to the Office of Polar Programs, a 12.5% increase. This
amount for the Geoscience Directorate is a 6% increase from last year’s
allocation of $702.8 million and includes $11.2 million (+66%) for
EarthScope operations. The Major Research Equipment and Facilities account
includes $27.4 million for the final phase of implementing EarthScope –
future funding for EarthScope is projected to come primarily from the
Geoscience Directorate after FY 2007.
The DOE budget request totals $23,557 million, a slight decrease of $6
million compared to FY 2006 and includes $649 million for programs at
the Office of Fossil Energy, a 23% decrease from last year’s allocation
of $842 million. Within Fossil Energy, oil and natural gas research
and development would be eliminated. The President also requests that
the Ultra-Deepwater and Unconventional Natural Gas and Other Petroleum
Research Fund passed as a mandatory funding program with revenues through
oil and gas leases in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 be repealed by
future legislation. The Office of Science budget request is $4,102
million, a 14% increase from last year’s level of $3,596 million, which
includes $1,421 million (+25%) for Basic Energy Science programs. Funding
for the Yucca Mountain project, which is divided between the Nuclear
Waste Disposal and Defense Nuclear Waste Disposal accounts, requested $545
million, a 10% increase from last year’s $495 million allocation.
The budget request for NASA totals $16,792.3 million, a 1% increase
from last year’s $16,623 million enacted level. Funding for the Science
Mission Directorate total $5,330 million, a 1.5% increase from FY 2006,
and includes $1,610.2 million (+2%) for programs under the Solar System
Exploration account, $1,509.2 million (+0.1%) for activities supporting
The Universe program, and $2,210.6 million (+2%) for programs under the
Earth-Sun System.
The budget request for the USGS totals $944.8 million, a 3% decrease
from last year’s allocation. This amount includes $217.4 million (-8%)
for Geological programs, $76.6 million (-41%) for Mapping programs,
$204.4 million (-3.5%) for Water programs, and $172.6 million (-3%) for
Geological Resources programs. The Mineral Resource Assessment program is
again slated for a massive reduction and the termination of several
activities. There are four projects highlighted in the budget request,
including a new Integrated Multi-Hazards Demonstration Project, the
National Streamflow Information Program, the Energy Resources Program, and
some new funding to begin development of the Landsat 8 ground system.
The budget request for NOAA totals $3,684 million, a 5.8% decrease from
FY 2006 funding. Most major divisions are slated for a decrease with
the exception of the National Weather Service that would receive $881.9
million a 4% increase and the National Environmental Satellite, Data,
and Information Service that would receive $1,034 million, a 8.6%
increase. The National Ocean Service would receive a total of $413.1
million, a 30% decrease from last year's funding level, and the Office of
Oceanic and Atmospheric Research would receive $348.7 million, an 8.2%
decrease.
Additional information on each of these agencies as well as the budget
request for the Environmental Protection Agency, other Department of
the Interior agencies, and science education programs at the Department
of Education are available from the Overview of Fiscal Year 2007
Appropriations webpage, at
http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis109/appropsfy2007.html
3. NEHRP Receives Request for NIST Funding
In 2004 President Bush signed the National Earthquake Hazards Reduction
Program (NEHRP) reauthorization (P.L. 108-360). This legislation
reauthorized NEHRP for another five years and authorized $176.5 million
dollars in spending spread over four agencies (NIST, FEMA, USGS and NSF).
As the lead agency, NIST was eligible to receive $8 million in FY 2004,
$10 million in FY 2005 and $13 million in FY 2006, however, NIST has
not received any funding in these years and the program remains without
coordinated leadership. For FY 2007, the President’s request calls for
$2 million for earthquakes, wind hazards, wildfires at the urban
interface and complex systems-multihazard analysis. About 70% of these funds
will be for NEHRP and wind hazards. NIST has recently named a new
director, Jack Hayes, to run the NEHRP program and the four agencies will
establish an advisory committee. In the near future, NIST will put out a
request in the Federal Register for nominations for this commit
tee and also for comments on revisions to the strategic plan which
needs to be updated for 2006-2010. There will also be a special session at
the 100th Anniversary Earthquake Conference on Monday, April 17 at 4:00
to 5:30 pm to explain the process for establishing an advisory
committee and updating the strategic plan. Representatives from all four
agencies will be at this session and members of the Earth science community
are welcome to attend. Please follow updates from AGI’s Government
Affairs Program, the Federal Register or the special session of this
conference so you can provide input for NEHRP leadership at NIST, the
strategic plan and the advisory committee.
For more information about the session and the conference please visit:
http://www.1906eqconf.org/
4. Join Us for Congressional Visits Day on March 28-29
Join us for the 11th annual Congressional Visits Day (CVD) on March
28-29, 2006. This two-day annual event brings scientists, engineers,
researchers, educators, and technology executives to Washington to raise
visibility and support for science, engineering, and technology. This
year’s theme is closely tied to the National Academies' report “Rising
Above the Gathering Storm” and the issue of national competitiveness.
Several bills have been introduced in Congress to increase federal
support for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics education at
all levels and to increase federal support for basic research in the
physical sciences. President Bush has also announced his American
Competitiveness Initiative. There is wide-spread bi-partisan support for the
recommendations from the “Rising Above the Gathering Storm” report, and
this support provides an ideal time for the geoscientist to communicate
with members of Congress. Individuals interested in participating
should contact the Government Affairs Program at govt@agiweb.org.
Additional information on the recent competitiveness bills and
proposals is available at http://www.agiweb.org/gap/legis109/innovation.html
5. AGI Geoscience Leadership Forum
This Forum will bring together the presidents, executive directors and
AGI council representatives for a full day of discussion on
“Communicating Geosciences to the Public”. This year’s Forum is a collaborative
effort, organized by AGI, the American Association of Petroleum
Geologists, the American Geophysical Union and the Geological Society of
America. The Forum will be hosted by the American Geophysical Union at their
Washington DC headquarters on May 1. A summary of the forum, the
presentations of the speakers and other details will be posted on AGI’s
webpage under AGI events. We hope this will be a very constructive and
productive meeting for the member societies.
6. Teaching Evolution at the AAAS Meeting
There were many sessions at the American Association for the
Advancement of Science (AAAS) annual meeting in St. Louis related to the teaching
of evolution in public schools. On February 17, there was a symposium
and clinic on “Teaching and Learning About Science”. Speakers in the
symposium encouraged members of local communities to get involved in
their local school systems to ensure quality science education. They also
supported inquiry-based science education as an effective way to
improve the understanding of scientific concepts and motivate students to
study the many intriguing facets of science. There was considerable
discussion about whether teachers should identify their own religious
beliefs in the classroom and about how science and religion might be
discussed in a philosophy class.
On February 18, there was a session on “Constitutional Law and
Evolution” which focused on legal battles related to teaching evolution in
public schools. The attorneys who spoke noted that the Supreme Court has
never defined religion or science and they suggested that it may not be
possible or appropriate for the court to do so. In deciding cases
regarding the separation of church and state, they rely on the Lemon test,
the endorsement test and the coercion test. The Lemon test, formulated
by Justice Burger, based in the majority opinion for Lemon v.
Kurtzman (1971) determines when a law has the effect of establishing
religion. The endorsement test, formulated by Justice O’Connor,
determines when a law causes excessive entanglement with religious institutions
and suggests government endorsement or disapproval of religion. The
coercion test, formulated by Justice Kennedy, determines when a law
coerces religious participation or support. The attorneys suggested that
the Supreme Court is now almost evenly divided between conservative and
liberal perspectives and Justice Kennedy is the only “swing” vote left.
Justice Kennedy may not support the endorsement test in future
deliberations because he did not favor the test in previous cases. So without
defining religion or science, the court may be left with the Lemon
test, the coercion test and the possibility of defining a new test based on
a specific case.
On February 19, there was a morning session on Anti-Evolution sponsored
by the Alliance for Science which reviewed some of the history and
current debates about teaching evolution in public schools. The Alliance
for Science describes its mission to achieve public understanding and
support for science and they are encouraging more scientists to join
their alliance. Information about the alliance is available at
www.allianceforscience.org.
An afternoon session entitled “Evolution on the Frontline”, sponsored
by the AAAS and the Geological Society of America, brought in more than
140 K-12 teachers and about 140 scientists to listen to several
speakers, take part in a small survey and discuss the priorities of the survey
in a panel discussion. In the survey the teachers were asked to list
their top 4 priorities regarding the teaching of evolution from a list
of 10. The top 4 picked by the teachers were (1) Need help with how
teachers should respond to the question “Why not teach the controversy”;
(2) Need help with framing the issue so that students know they should
approach science with open minds, but understand that teachers are not
equivocal about teaching evolution; (3) Need help with reducing the
amount of time and pressure they experience when dealing with objections
from a few students or parents; and (4) Need help with answers to basic
questions about evolution.
Video and power point presentations of the full session are available
at:
http://www.aaas.org/programs/centers/pe/evoline/index.shtml
7. 100th Anniversary Earthquake Conference Adds More Policy Content
The Seismological Society of America (SSA) is celebrating its 100th
anniversary this year. The society's Centennial Annual meeting will be
held in San Francisco from April 18 - 22 and will commemorate the 100th
anniversary of the 1906 San Francisco earthquake. The meeting is joint
with the Earthquake Engineering Research Institute's Eighth U.S.
National Conference on Earthquake Engineering and the Disaster Resistant
California Conference of the California Office of Emergency Services.
AGI, the American Society of Civil Engineers and the Incorporated
Research Institutions for Seismology (IRIS) have organized a policy session
on Wednesday, April 19 and a tutorial session on Friday, April 21. The
tutorial will provide information, exercises and discussion about how
government works and how to communicate with policymakers.
Congressional members, congressional staff and state legislators will participate
in our discussion. In addition, scientists and engineers, who have
worked for a member of Congress for one full year as Congressional Science
Fellows, will share their perspectives. The tutorial session is
entitled "How to Communicate with Policy-Makers". You may sign-up for this
free session on the conference website after you have registered for the
conference.
On April 17, a special session on the National Earthquake Hazards
Reduction Program (NEHRP) has been added to the schedule of events. This
session will bring together representatives from the four agencies
responsible for NEHRP to discuss the formation of an advisory committee and
the updating of the strategic plan. There may also be a field hearing
organized by the Senate Subcommittee on Disaster Prevention and
Prediction on April 18 and several members of Congress have been invited to
speak at the conference throughout the week.
More information about the joint conference is available at:
http://www.1906eqconf.org
8. NOAA Requests Your Input on Strategic Plan
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is beginning
to develop their strategic plan for 2009-2013 and they are requesting
input from the community on priorities. NOAA’s administrator sent out an
email and asked “As you think about NOAA priorities, please consider
the issues and trends that you believe are key to effective long-term
NOAA planning, focusing on emerging societal needs, market trends, and
technologies that could affect NOAA’s portfolio of services.” You can
submit your comments by March 9, 2006, via NOAA’s Program Planning and
Integration website (www.ppi.noaa.gov), or by e-mail to
strategic.planning@noaa.gov.
You will find NOAA’s current strategic priorities at:
http://www.ppi.noaa.gov/AGM_FY08.pdf.
9. MMS Releases Draft 5-Year Plan for OCS Leasing Program
The Minerals Management Service (MMS) released a draft proposed 5-year
plan for the oil and natural gas leasing program on the outer
continental shelf (OCS) and is seeking public comment. More than 85% of the OCS
around the lower-48 states has been placed off limits to energy
development by presidential withdrawals or congressional moratoria. The
current draft proposal includes studies to look at the potential for oil and
gas development off the coast of Virginia and a previously undeveloped
area in the North Aleutian Basin off the coast of Alaska. The
inclusion of these two areas is in response to discussions with the state
legislatures. The draft proposal includes 21 OCS lease sales in seven of
the 26 OCS planning areas. MMS will accept public comments through April,
10, 2006. Additional information on the draft proposed plan and on how
to submit comments is available at,
http://www.mms.gov/5-year/2007-2012main.htm
10. Senators Seeking Response to Climate Change White Paper
In early February, Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee Chair
Pete Domenici (R-NM) and Ranking Member Jeff Bingaman (D-NM) released a
white paper designed “to lay out some of the key questions and design
elements of a national greenhouse gas program in order to facilitate
discussion and the development of consensus around a specific bill.”
Rather than advocate specific viewpoints on a potential greenhouse gas
reduction program, the white paper poses four key questions that Senate
staff hope will induce discussion between policymakers, industries, and
environmentalists. The questions are: (1) Should regulations apply to
specific sectors or to the economy as a whole, and should the regulatory
process be “upstream” (targeting energy producers and suppliers) or
“downstream” (targeting emitters)? (2) Should regulatory costs be
mitigated through allocation or auction of allowances, and who should receive
allocated allowances? (3) Should the U.S. system be designed to e
ventually allow trading with other systems worldwide? (4) Should the
U.S. system encourage “comparable actions” by major trading partners?
The committee is currently seeking public comments in response to the
White Paper. Comments should be submitted to
Climate_Conference@energy.senate.gov by 5 pm EST on Monday, March 13th
following the guidelines at
http://energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Conferences.Detail&Event_id=4&Month=4&Year=2006.
A limited number of responders will be invited to participate in the
Conference on Climate Change being held on Tuesday, April 4th.
The full text of the Climate Change White Paper is available at
http://energy.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=IssueItems.View&IssueItem_ID=33.
11. Cost-Effective Mitigation Topic of Congressional Briefing
On February 3rd, the Congressional Natural Hazards Caucus Alliance
hosted a Capitol Hill briefing on “Benefits of Mitigation: Overview of
Assessments of Future Savings” that focused on the recently released
reports by the Multihazard Mitigation Council (MMC) and the National
Academies of Sciences (NAS). The MMC report, entitled “Natural Hazard
Mitigation Saves: An Independent Study to Assess the Future Savings from
Mitigation Activities” was the topic of the first half of the briefing, with
David Maurstad, Acting Mitigation Division Director and Federal
Insurance Administrator for Federal Emergency Management Agency providing the
opening statement. Thomas Tobin, MMC Project Manager, and Adam Z.
Rose, an economist at Pennsylvania State University, provided an overview
of the MMC report and key findings. The second half of the briefing
focused on the NAS report, entitled “Improved Seismic Monitoring, Improved
Decision Making, Assessing the Value of Reduced Uncertainty”, was
the focus of the presentations by William Leith, Advanced National
Seismic System Coordinator, and Adam Z. Rose, an economist at Pennsylvania
State University. Information about the speakers and copies of their
presentations are available online at
http://www.hazardscaucus.org/briefings/assessments_briefing0206.html
12. China Vows to Double Research Spending
On February 9, 2006, the State Council of China vowed to double
research investment over the next 15 years. They urged defense companies to
develop new technologies for the civilian economy and civilian companies
to develop new technologies for the People’s Liberation Army. The
Council (similar to the U.S. Cabinet) will set-up mechanisms to make the
research and development of civilian and defense companies more
interactive. According to the New China News Agency, the plan notes “As a
rapidly developing country, China must put the emphasis on basic research in
order to achieve national goals and solve key problems that could
appear in the future.” Key technologies that need more support include
software, telecommunications, nuclear energy and the military-managed space
program. The Council would like to see research and development
spending rise from 1.23% of the gross domestic product in 2004 to 2.5% of the
gross domestic product in 2020.
13. AGU Releases Ocean Research Position Statement
On February 8th, the American Geophysical Union (AGU) held briefings in
the House and the Senate to discuss a new position statement entitled
“Renewing Investment in Ocean Research.” The statement, which was
adopted in December 2005, endorses the findings of the U.S. Commission on
Ocean Policy. Specifics of the Commission’s report include implementing a
framework of ecosystem-based ocean management, increasing funding for
basic ocean research, developing a comprehensive ocean observing system,
improving ocean modeling capabilities, modernizing the entire fleet of
research vessels, and increasing investments in ocean education.
Speaking at the briefing, Representative Sam Farr (D-CA), Co-chair of the
House Oceans Caucus, noted the importance of ocean research to a number of
disparate groups, including fishermen, oil companies, and coastal
populations. “We’re all in it together,” Farr said. Dr. Steven Bohlen,
Chair of AGU’s ocean statement panel, added, “We are damaging the o
ceans, and what we don’t know could hurt us.”
The full text of AGU’s ocean research position statement is available
at http://www.agu.org/sci_soc/policy/positions/oceaninvest.shtml.
14. GSA Releases White Paper on Coastal Impacts of Hurricanes
The Geological Society of America and the University of New Orleans
have released a white paper entitled “The Impact of Hurricanes Katrina and
Rita in Louisiana: America’s Coasts Under Siege.” Written by Mark Kulp
and Shea Penland of the University of New Orleans along with Duncan
Fitzgerlad of Boston University, the report details the economic
importance of the Louisiana coastal zone and the human-induced loss of land in
the region. The authors recommend either strategically re-engineering
the coast or planning a managed retreat from the coastal areas where
hazard risks are greatest. They conclude that “To lift the siege on
coastal Louisiana demands strategic, federally supported plans that address
the entire coastal zone and provide strong coastal management policies
that place preservation of the coastal zone above individual
stakeholder needs.”
The white paper is available at
http://www.geosociety.org/science/gpp/wp_0602katrina.pdf.
15. Public Access Bill for Federal Research may be Introduced Soon
A bill that requires every federal agency with extramural research
expenditures in excess of $100 million to develop a public access policy
for published research may be introduced in Congress in the near future.
The policy would request authors to submit the final manuscript of an
article accepted for publication in a peer-reviewed journal to a stable
digital repository maintained by the agency. The final manuscript can
be replaced by the published version with the consent of the publisher.
The manuscript must be made available for public access no later than 6
months after publication. This policy is similar to the National
Institutes of Health Open Access policy. The legislation has not yet been
introduced in Congress, however, the government affairs staff at AGI is
closely following this issue and we will update the community when any
legislation is considered.
16. Asbestos Bill May Return to Senate Floor
The Fairness in Asbestos Resolution (FAIR) Act of 2005 (S.852) lost a
February 14 vote to remain on the Senate floor. The bipartisan bill
would reform the current litigation-based system of compensation for
asbestos victim by establishing a $140 billion trust fund financed by
insurance companies and asbestos manufacturers. To move forward, the bill
required 60 votes to overrule a budgetary point of order. It came in one
vote short at 59-40.
Senator Arlen Specter (R-PA), who sponsored the bill along with Senator
Pat Leahy (D-VT), is confident that the bill will return to the Senate
Floor for another vote. “Senator Inouye told me he would vote to
overrule the point of order which would have provided the sixtieth vote and
victory but he went home because his wife was sick,” Specter stated in
a press release following the vote. He has since met with Senate
Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN). Frist said he would like to bring the
bill back for another vote eventually, but that the Senate is currently
focusing on the Patriot Act. In the meantime, Senator Specter is
working to gain additional support for the act. “We may change another vote
or two,” he said, “so we may win this one yet.”
17. AGI Summer Internship Deadlines Fast Approaching
AGI is seeking outstanding geoscience students and recent graduates
with a strong interest in federal science policy for a twelve-week
geoscience and public policy internship in summer 2006. Interns will gain a
first-hand understanding of the legislative process and the operation of
executive branch agencies. They will also hone their writing and
web-publishing skills. Stipends for the summer interns are made possible
through the generous support of the AIPG Foundation. Applications must be
postmarked by March 15, 2006. For more information, please visit
http://www.agiweb.org/gap/interns/internsu.html.
18. Key Federal Registers Notices
Below is a summary of Federal Register announcements regarding federal
regulations, agency meetings, and other notices of interest to the
geosciences 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.
DOI: The DOI’s Natural Resource Damage Assessment and Restoration
Advisory Committee will hold a meeting on March 2, 2006, in Washington, DC,
to discuss subcommittee reports. Additional information on the
committee is available at, http://restoration.doi.gov.
[Federal Register: February 15, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 31)].
DOI: The Bureau of Land Management will hold listening sessions to
solicit suggestions from the public on how best to implement the split
estate provisions of the Energy Policy Act of 2005. BLM will review
current policies and practices for managing oil and gas resources in split
estate situations, that is, how the BLM provides for oil and gas
development and environmental protection where the surface estate is privately
owned and the mineral estate is owned and administered by the federal
government. Listening sessions will be scheduled during late March 2006
in Colorado, Montana, New Mexico, Wyoming, and Washington, DC.
Additional information is available at http://www.blm.gov/bmp.
[Federal Register: February 15, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 31)].
EPA: The EPA is soliciting nominations for scientists to serve on the
Science Advisory Board to conduct an evaluation of the complex
scientific and technical issues that affect the causes, location, magnitude and
duration of the hypoxic zone in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, as well as
the priority and feasibility of management and control options in the
Mississippi River Basin and Gulf to reduce it.
Nominations should be submitted by March 10, 2006, by contacting Dr.
Holly Stallworth, Designated Federal Officer, EPA Science Advisory Board
Staff, at stallworth.holly@epa.gov or (202) 343–9867.
[Federal Register: February 17, 2006 (Volume 71, Number 33)].
19. New Updates to the Website
FY2007 Environmental Protection Agency Appropriations (2-24-06)
Hearings on Energy Policy (2-22-06) Innovation and US Competitiveness
(2-22-06) Hearings on Innovation and U.S. Competitiveness (2-22-06)
FY2007 Department of Commerce Appropriations (2-22-06)
FY2007 Department of Education Appropriations (2-17-06)
FY2007 NASA Appropriations (2-14-06)
FY2007 Department of the Interior Appropriations (2-9-06)
FY2007 Department of Energy Appropriations (2-8-06) Hearings on
Hurricane Katrina (2-8-06)
FY2007 National Science Foundation Appropriations (2-7-06)
Monthly Review prepared by Linda Rowan, Director of Government Affairs,
Jenny Fisher, 2006 AGI/AAPG Spring Intern, and Margaret Anne Baker,
Government Affairs Staff
Sources: American Geophysical Union website, E&E Daily, Press Releases
of Senators Frist and Specter, Senate Energy and Natural Resources
Committee website, Geological Society of America website, Washington Post,
New York Times, NOAA National Hurricane Center, Government
Accountability Office, and Minerals Management Service.
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5) POSITION OPENINGS
2006-023
The University of Texas at Brownsville and Texas Southmost College
(UTB/TSC)
Environmental Chemistry Faculty Position
The Department of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences invites
applications for a tenure-track position in environmental chemistry beginning
Fall 2006 at the anticipated rank of Assistant Professor. Applicants
with a specialization in any field within or related to the environmental
chemistry are encouraged to apply; however, the strongest consideration
will be given to those specializing in coastal, estuarine, or riparian
environmental chemistry. The applicant must have a Ph.D. in their
field at the time of appointment. We seek an outstanding individual who
demonstrates excellence in teaching introductory and upper-level
environmental sciences, chemistry lectures and associated laboratories. The
successful applicant will be expected to establish a rigorous, externally
funded research program in environmental chemistry along the US/Mexico
border, which will complement on-going research in the department.
To assure full consideration, applicants should submit a curriculum
vitae, a statement of teaching philosophy, a statement of research plans
and objectives, copies of graduate and undergraduate transcripts, and
the names with contact information of three references to be sent by June
1, 2006 to: UTB College of Science, Mathematics & Technology, ATTN:
Environmental Sciences Search Committee, The University of Texas at
Brownsville and Texas Southmost College, 80 Fort Brown, SETB 2.342,
Brownsville, TX 78520. Screening of applicants with completed files will occur
immediately after the application deadline and will continue until the
position is filled. Further information on the university and the
department can be found at http://www.utb.edu and
http://blue.utb.edu/chemenv/. UTB/TSC is an EO/AA/ADA institution
committed to cultural diversity.
* * * * * * * * * *
2006-024
Geosciences Department, Middle Tennessee State University
Paleontology - Tenure-track, Rank Open
The Geosciences Department of Middle Tennessee State University seeks a
broadly trained geologist with research and teaching expertise in area
of paleontology and background in stratigraphy, historical geology, and
field geology (Position #125040). Ph.D. in Geology (or Paleontology,
or closely related) with specialization in paleontology, is required.
Teaching responsibilities may include the following undergraduate
courses: Introductory Earth Science, Historical Geology, Invertebrate
Paleontology, Stratigraphy, and Regional Geomorphology. Research,
university/community service, and cooperative work with Department faculty and
staff are expected. Some college teaching and research experience
preferred; rank and salary dependent upon qualifications and experience.
To apply for this position, go to http://mtsujobs.mtsu.edu and follow
the instructions on how to complete an application, attach documents,
and submit materials online. If you have questions regarding the
application process, please contact Dr. Hilary Stallings at 615-898-5986;
queries about the position should be directed to Dr. Clay Harris, search
committee chair, at cdharris@mtsu.edu or 615-904-8019. Review of
applications will begin on 04/10/2006 and continue until the position is
filled. Rank and salary commensurate with education and experience. Proof
of U.S. citizenship OR eligibility for U.S. employment will be required
prior to employment (Immigration Control Act of 1986). Clearly Act
crime statistics for MTSU available at
http://police.mtsu.edu/crime_statistics.htm. EO/AA employer.
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