[ECOLOG-L] MEETINGS Organized or Unorganized? Re: [ECOLOG-L] alcohol consumption and citation counts

[Wayne Tyson]

Ecolog:



Methinks there might be even more elephants in the saloon--perhaps of many 
hues.




It has been my observation in the past that I have learnt more in the 
hallways, WC's, and saloons than I have being driven nuts listening to 
20-minute "presentations" (attention ethologists!), in darkened halls 
enduring the maddening, warp-speeding of laser traces across extensive, 
unreadable tables and under-wowed by power-pointless pontifications and 
dull-drumming, self-indulgent preening reading of newly-minted 
number-crunchers, ad nauseam.




"Yea, tho there be the occasional exception, I have long dreamt of 
unorganized groupings, pre-read pre-publication papers cussed and discussed 
with the authors in a more playfully serious atmosphere than the arbitrary, 
jammed, expensive "meetings" at resort destinations. I even participated in 
one experiment in unorganizing such a gathering; it was soon organized into 
a "real" organization, however. The only such unorganization I ever knew to 
last was "The Friends of the Pleistocene," which still exists, I believe, in 
some form. Not a bad model, though, even though it would never pass PC 
muster these days . . . too much wild behavior back in the sixties and 
seventies.




The trouble with unorganizations is that they don't pad résumés or bring in 
money for institutions, not to mention "status." With or without booze, they 
seem to me to work better than organized meetings.




WT



PS: Seriously, folks, whatever it takes to puncture caution, lower guards, 
and stir up passions. I may yet collect the beer Silvert promised me a long 
time ago, but I'd rather he came to San Diego . . . I love Europe, but have 
come to hate airlines so much . . .






- Original Message - 
From: "David Inouye" 

To: 
Sent: Friday, September 17, 2010 5:09 AM
Subject: [ECOLOG-L] alcohol consumption and citation counts


http://blogs.nature.com/news/thegreatbeyond/2010/09/make_mine_a_double.html

Make mine a double - September 15, 2010

There have been
some
radical suggestions to increase citation counts
of late but heavy drinking would probably rank at
the bottom of most researchers' lists.

Yet a new study has found that the world's most
highly cited ecologists and environmental
scientists typically consume more than double the
amount imbibed by the general population.

Published
in the October issue of
Scientometrics,
John Parker, a post-doctoral sociologist at the
National Center for Ecological Analysis and
Synthesis at the University of California, Santa
Barbara, and colleagues report the results of a
survey of the drinking habits of 124 of the most
highly cited researchers in ecology and
environmental science: the vast majority men aged
between 50 and 70 based in either North America or Western Europe.

The results reveal that consumption for this
group averages around 7 alcoholic beverages per
week, about 2.5 drinks over the weekly
consumption of the average American. Though a
fifth of the group does not drink, more than half
consume 10 or more alcoholic beverages a week,
20% consume 12 or more and 10% consumer 21 or
more. The largest consumer downed 31 per week.

The researchers are quick to point out the
obvious - correlation does not equal causation.
"We are definitely not saying 'drink more to do
better'," Parker stresses. But he does believe
that more and better information is needed to
unravel the observed relationship and the
"non-scientific activities that affect scientific productivity".

The results support the positive association
between national per capita beer consumption and
a country's citations per paper reported
in
a 2009 paper by Canadian ecologist Christopher
Lortie, who collaborated with Parker on the current paper.

But they stand in contrast to a
2008
survey of Czech ecologists by Thomas Grim, also
an ecologist. Grim, based at Palacky University
in the Czech Republic, found the opposite: that
increased levels of beer consumption were
associated with lower numbers of citations.

"Because of well documented negative and causal
effects of ethanol, independently of dose, on
both mental performance and health, I find it
unlikely that the Parker et al. finding reflects
more than a spurious relationship," Grim told Nature News.

Eminent Oxford ecologist Bob May - a lifelong
teetotaller - also said he did not recognise
Parker's picture. "My experience is that my
ecologist friends are not at all heavy drinkers."

Michael Hochberg from the University of
Montpellier in France speculated on why - if this
were so - highly cited researchers might be
pushed to drink more. They might attend more
functions, be more "stressed out", or they may
just be 

[ECOLOG-L] Post-doc/PhD positions - Climate change effects on freshwater food webs & fish in Alaska

[Mark S. Wipfli]

 *Post-doc/PhD positions*


 *Climate change effects on freshwater food webs & fish in Alaska*


 * *


 *University of Alaska Fairbanks*


 We are seeking to fill two positions, at either the post-doc and/or
 PhD (Research Assistantship) levels, on a study that aims to
 understand climate change effects on the food base (freshwater
 invertebrates and fishes) of eiders and loons on the Arctic Coastal
 Plain of Alaska. Primary goals are to document freshwater invertebrate
 communities across a range of eider and shore-bird habitats, conduct
 manipulative field experiments that elucidate how environmental
 changes from climate warming influence nutrient flux and invertebrate
 communities, and determine the role of hydrologic connectivity and
 limnological controls on occupancy, growth, and dynamics of fish in
 lakes used by breeding loons.


 This is a highly collaborative, team-oriented, research effort among
 University and USGS scientists, graduate students, and technicians.
 Strong academic training in appropriate field (e.g., entomology,
 invertebrate ecology, freshwater ecology, avian ecology, fish
 ecology), excellent communication (written and oral) and interpersonal
 skills, supervisory skills, solid field experience and competence, and
 ability to work in team and individual settings are essential.
 Candidate will be required to complete training in boat operation,
 aviation, gun/bear safety, wilderness survival, first aid, and CPR.
 Driver's license is required. Work will be based from the University
 of Alaska Fairbanks, and fieldwork will involve camping and working in
 remote field sites during most of the field season (May -- Sept).
 Weather during the research season ranges widely (0 C -- 25 C) and can
 be wet, as well as bear and bug-ridden.


 PhD students will have the option of obtaining their degrees in either
 Fisheries or Biology, and will be expected to assist with course
 instruction (TA) one out of every three semesters during their
 program. Funding is for 3.5 years. To begin the application process,
 submit via email a cover letter that includes a brief review of your
 research experience and interests, and professional goals (1 page
 max), resume, transcripts, GRE scores, and names of at least three
 references to:


 Dr. Mark Wipfli, Alaska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit,
 Institute of Arctic Biology, 209 Irving I Bldg, University of Alaska
 Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK 99775, USA; mwip...@alaska.edu
 ; www.iab.uaf.edu/~mark_wipfli/
 


 To learn more about graduate studies at the University of Alaska
 Fairbanks, visit www.uaf.edu/gradsch. Position to be filled no later
 than spring 2011. Contact Dr. Mark Wipfli (mwip...@alaska.edu) for
 more information on the invertebrate component, and Dr. Chris
 Zimmerman (czimmer...@usgs.gov) on the fish component.

--
 note new email address mwip...@alaska.edu 
~
Mark S. Wipfli
Associate Professor and Assistant Unit Leader
USGS Alaska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
209 Irving I Bldg
Institute of Arctic Biology
University of Alaska Fairbanks
Fairbanks, AK 99775

office: 138 AHRB
907-474-6654
labs 474-6740 and -7061
fax 474-6101
mwip...@alaska.edu
skype: mark_wipfli
www.iab.uaf.edu/~mark_wipfli/
~

[ECOLOG-L] Restoration Crew Member

[Bridget Walden]

Description: 
Spend a year working and camping in some of the Southwest’s premier 
natural areas, with a focus in Nevada and Southern California. Serve 
alongside AmeriCorps members from across the country while making a 
lasting contribution to the natural heritage of the southwest. The 
Mountain Alliance of Conservation Corps Restoration Team (MACC RT) will 
work alongside Nevada Conservation Corps crews and potentially other 
conservation corps throughout the western US, while gaining valuable field 
experience working to reduce hazardous fuels, restore habitat, remove 
invasive species, and build/maintain hiking trails. Service will be 
performed for a variety of federal, state, and local agencies including 
the US Forest Service, Nevada Fire Safe Council, National Park Service, 
and many more.  The MACC RT will receive training in chainsaw 
certification and first aid. 
 
Compensation:
This is an AmeriCorps position, and candidates will receive a living 
stipend of $14,122 for the year. This is not an hourly wage or a salary 
and is paid to members bi-monthly throughout the entire year. Upon 
completion of AmeriCorps service, members shall receive an additional 
education award in the amount of $5,350 that can be used for paying off 
student loans, or paying tuition for a Title IV accredited college.
 
Timeline: 
October 25th, 2010 - October 20th, 2011
 
Projects:
• Forest thinning
• Habitat restoration
• Riparian rehabilitation
• Invasive species eradication
• Trail Building
 
Duties:
• Maintaining a positive and professional attitude at all times while 
providing service.
• Communicating with agency project staff.
• Complying with both production and quality work standards established by 
NCC administration, crew supervisors and project partners.
• Contributing to basic duties at the campsite including cooking, cleaning 
and organizing crew equipment.
 
Work Schedule:
The schedule will include both 4-day on, 3-day off tours and 8-day on, 6-
day off tours. These are dependent on the length of travel required to 
reach the work site. There may be travel required to other southwestern 
states periodically to participate in joint trainings and projects. 
 
Training:
Members will attend a 5-day orientation session where they will receive 
training in chainsaw use, leave-no-trace ethics, CPR/First Aid, and 
effective citizenship. 
 
Locations:
• The team will begin their service stationed in the Las Vegas area 
through May 2011 and will travel statewide to perform service projects.  
Based on project demand, the crew has the potential to transition to our 
northern NV field station based in Reno, NV or continue service based from 
our Las Vegas field station. 
• The team may also work in other southwestern states including Arizona, 
Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico depending on our ability to set up corps 
exchanges.
 
Qualifications:
To qualify, you must be at least 17 years of age and a US citizen that has 
received a high school diploma or GED (or be willing to achieve this 
before using education award). All offers of employment are conditional 
upon completion of an acceptable check of the National Sex Offender Public 
Registry.
 
To Apply:
Step 1: Copy and paste the following link into your browser: 
https://my.americorps.gov/mp/listing/viewListing.do?id=38463 
Step 2: Click “Apply” then register. 
Step 3: Once registered login and complete the application. 
Step 4: Click the “Search Listings” link and search for program name: 
Nevada Conservation Corps
Step 5: Click on the position then hit the “Apply Now” button at the 
bottom of the listing.
 
Please direct all questions regarding the application process to Bridget 
Walden at bwal...@gbinstitute.org  or 775-674-5496.
 
These AmeriCorps positions are made possible by a generous grant from the 
Nevada Commission for National and Community Service. This program is 
available to all, without regard to race, disability, age, sex. Person 
with disabilities are encouraged to apply. NCC is an Equal Opportunity 
Employer. 

[ECOLOG-L] Graduate Research Assistantship - Forest Entomology at MS State Univ - Introduced insects

[Gary N. Ervin]

Please note the contact on the following announcement is:
Dr. John Riggins; jrigg...@entomology.msstate.edu
http://www.entomology.msstate.edu/people/faculty/riggins.php


The Forest Entomology Laboratory in the Department of Entomologyand
Plant Pathology at Mississippi State University announces a
M.S.assistantship in forest entomology.  Theresearch project will
utilize remote sensing and GIS to model potential risk ofspread of an
introduced forest pest, the European woodwasp,  in southern pine
species.  Additionally, the student would have opportunityto study
another introduced forest pest, the redbay ambrosia beetle, by using
remotesensing to detect forest change associated with the beetle and the
laurel wilt pathogenit carries.  Field studies of thebehavior and
ecology of redbay ambrosia beetle, laurel wilt disease, andinteractions
with native flora and fauna will also be encouraged.  Both of these
projects are of interest at thenational level, and will provide the
student with great opportunities to workwith scientists across the
Southeast Region. Generous stipends (~$22K/yr) and tuition waivers will
be awarded tosuccessful applicants.  The positionstarts in January,
2011.
The forest entomology laboratory at Mississippi State Universityhas four
broad researchgoals: 1) broaden applied scientificknowledge regarding
the best integrated pest management of native (e.g.southern pine bark
beetle guild) and introduced forest insect pests (e.g. redbayambrosia
beetle); 2) expand basicscientific knowledge about the biology,
behavior, ecological roles, andbiodiversity of non-pest forest insects;
3) broaden scientific understanding ofthe “disturbance ecology” of
forest insects (both pests and non-pests) inresponse to various
anthropogenic and environmental disturbances (e.g. climaticdisturbances,
habitat restoration, pollution, etc…); 4) develop and utilizeGeographic
Information Systems (GIS) and Remote Sensing techniques to
enhancedetection, monitoring, prediction, and ecological modeling of the
forest insectsystems.  The successful applicantwill receive training in
GIS/Remote Sensing applications, Forest Entomology, andStatistics, as
well as gaining experience sampling insects and studying them inthe
field.
Mississippi State University is the flagship researchinstitution in the
state of Mississippi, with long-standing strengths inAgriculture and
Natural Resources.  Withan enrollment representing all 82 Mississippi
counties, 50 states and over 75foreign countries, Mississippi State
truly is an outstanding choice fortomorrow's scholars and leaders.
Interested individuals should contact Dr. John Riggins andprovide a
C.V., including GRE scores, TOEFL scores (If not a citizen of theU.S.),
GPA, and a list of references. 
 
Dr. John Riggins
Assistant Professor of Forest Entomology 
Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology
Mississippi State University
Box 9775
Mississippi State, MS 39762
jrigg...@entomology.msstate.edu

[ECOLOG-L] Graduate Position Restoration Ecology

[Coston, Mylea]

Dear Eco-loggers,

I am an undergraduate at Texas Tech University. I graduate in May and am 
looking for a graduate school to attend next year. I would like to study 
restoration ecology. Does anyone know of professors looking for grad students?

Thanks,

Mylea Coston

Student Assistant
Department of Natural Resources Management
Texas Tech University



Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is that little voice
at the end of the day that says: "I'll try again tomorrow." -- Anne
Hunninghake

Re: [ECOLOG-L] alcohol consumption and citation counts

[Martin Meiss]

If the citation frequency in question is comprised of citations for drunken
driving, then the correlation becomes more understandable.  The original
posting was somewhat vague on this point.
   Martin Meiss

2010/9/17 William Silvert 

> An interesting observation. However the two following paragraphs suggest an
> explanation.
>
> With regard to Czech ecologists, given that the Czech Replic is famous for
> its beer and I believe that beer consumption is high, it may well be that
> high citations are associated with a moderate level of alcohol consumption,
> higher than the US average but lower than the Czech average. This would of
> course imply a nonlinear correlation, which most ecologists ignore.
>
> I think that Hochberg's first hypothesis makes sense. I am a great believer
> in informal scientific communication and going to meetings to talk to
> colleagues, which often leads to sitting in bars and writing on napkins. In
> other words, I think that perhaps drinking is a proxy for socialising.
>
> Bill Silvert
>
> - Original Message - From: "David Inouye" 
> To: 
> Sent: sexta-feira, 17 de Setembro de 2010 13:09
> Subject: [ECOLOG-L] alcohol consumption and citation counts
>
>
>  But they stand in contrast to a <
>> http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10./j.0030-1299.2008.16551.x/abstract>2008
>> survey of Czech ecologists by Thomas Grim, also an ecologist. Grim, based at
>> Palacky University in the Czech Republic, found the opposite: that increased
>> levels of beer consumption were associated with lower numbers of citations.
>>
>> Michael Hochberg from the University of Montpellier in France speculated
>> on why - if this were so - highly cited researchers might be pushed to drink
>> more. They might attend more functions, be more "stressed out", or they may
>> just be "past their heyday and drowning their sorrows", he suggested.
>>
>

[ECOLOG-L] Canada Research Chairs in Ecotoxicology and Wastewater Engineering

[Steven Vamosi]

As a member of the Search Committee for the Ecotoxicology position, I
would like to draw the attention of folks with a solid background in
ecology to these positions & highlight the application deadline (Oct
15th). Although I am happy to answer general questions about the
positions, CRCs & the University, please note that applications should NOT
be sent to me (see end of email for information) -- thanks for your
attention! Best wishes, SMV

*

We invite applications from leaders and emerging leaders in the areas of
(1) Environmental Toxicology and (2) Wastewater Engineering for two Canada
Research Chair positions at the University of Calgary. The incumbents will
join an existing team of scholars in ecophysiology, comparative physiology
& endocrinology, environmental microbiology, biochemistry, systems
biology, and analytical & geochemistry, as well as groups in the Schulich
School of Engineering involved in water research. One CRC (Tier II) will
be based in the Department of Biological Sciences, Faculty of Science, and
one CRC (Tier I) will be based in the Department of Civil Engineering
within the Schulich School of Engineering. The incumbents will be expected
to exploit advanced techniques and novel approaches in ecotoxicology and
engineering to address an urgent need in Canada and globally to improve
engineering processes to ensure the availability of water free of harmful
chemicals. The incumbents will be expected to actively participate in
research associated with the Advancing Canadian Wastewater Assets (ACWA)
facility, which is a unique, world-class research facility embedded within
the City of Calgary’s new Pine Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant.

ACWA is an innovative partnership between the University of Calgary and
the City of Calgary, whose main goal is to advance wastewater treatment
technologies to address increasing environmental and public health issues.
 Engineering modules will test novel wastewater treatment technologies at
full-scale, thereby avoiding scale translation issues associated with
bench and pilot-scale research, and ensuring rapid adoption by wastewater
utilities.  The engineering component will investigate parallel treatment
trains with membrane bioreactors and conventional biological nutrient
removal coupled to ozone, advanced oxidation (e.g., UV/H2O2), and membrane
based approaches (e.g., nano-filtration, reverse osmosis).  Effluent from
the engineering modules will be discharged to 12 replicate, constructed,
“natural” streams to test the impact of emerging pollutants on natural
aquatic ecosystems.  Four laboratories (one at Pine Creek and three at the
at U of C including aquatic, stable isotope and medical laboratories) will
enable researchers to analyze samples from the engineering and stream
systems for pollutants, water quality, and pathogens.  To maximize
opportunities that arise from ACWA, we are in the process of establishing
a University of Calgary based Institute for Environmental Toxicology,
which will provide opportunities for interdisciplinary research within the
university as well as partnerships between the university, private sector
and governments to address important challenges concerning the health and
environmental impact of chemical contaminants. The main objectives of the
research team are health-risk assessment, study of environmental impact
and remediation to develop effective and sustainable water resource
management strategies in Alberta, and globally.

Faculty of Science, Department of Biological Sciences - Tier II

Research Area: Aquatic Ecotoxicology

We seek an ecotoxicologist with a strong field-based research program that
addresses fundamental, process-oriented questions regarding the fate and
consequences of aquatic environmental pollutants on populations. The
successful candidate will address the dynamics of contaminants in flowing
aquatic ecosystems and their impacts on resident organisms, populations
and/or communities. The incumbent will be expected to build a program to
investigate a link between environmental contaminants and population-level
consequences. The individual should have interest in developing diagnostic
tools for the assessment of contaminant effects.  Emerging contaminants of
interest may include personal care products, pharmaceuticals, veterinary
drugs, pesticides and herbicides or other compounds with biological
activity.

Schulich School of Engineering, Department of Civil Engineering – Tier I

Research Area: Advanced Wastewater Engineering

The successful candidate will take a leading role in directing research
that evaluates treatment efficiencies of wastewater treatment practices
and/or contaminants of emerging concern and how to eliminate them from the
waste stream. The applicant will have an established research record in
the area of wastewater treatment systems, and industrially oriented
research experience is considered an asset.  Candidates are expected to
have a doctoral degree in a relevant field, and must

Re: [ECOLOG-L] alcohol consumption and citation counts

[William Silvert]

An interesting observation. However the two following paragraphs suggest an 
explanation.


With regard to Czech ecologists, given that the Czech Replic is famous for 
its beer and I believe that beer consumption is high, it may well be that 
high citations are associated with a moderate level of alcohol consumption, 
higher than the US average but lower than the Czech average. This would of 
course imply a nonlinear correlation, which most ecologists ignore.


I think that Hochberg's first hypothesis makes sense. I am a great believer 
in informal scientific communication and going to meetings to talk to 
colleagues, which often leads to sitting in bars and writing on napkins. In 
other words, I think that perhaps drinking is a proxy for socialising.


Bill Silvert

- Original Message - 
From: "David Inouye" 

To: 
Sent: sexta-feira, 17 de Setembro de 2010 13:09
Subject: [ECOLOG-L] alcohol consumption and citation counts


But they stand in contrast to a 
2008 
survey of Czech ecologists by Thomas Grim, also an ecologist. Grim, based 
at Palacky University in the Czech Republic, found the opposite: that 
increased levels of beer consumption were associated with lower numbers of 
citations.


Michael Hochberg from the University of Montpellier in France speculated 
on why - if this were so - highly cited researchers might be pushed to 
drink more. They might attend more functions, be more "stressed out", or 
they may just be "past their heyday and drowning their sorrows", he 
suggested. 

[ECOLOG-L] Graduate research assistantship in morphological evolution, biogeography and community ecology of New World bats

[Richard Stevens]

Graduate Research Assistant

A Graduate Research Assistant is needed to assist in a NSF-funded study
examining the morphological evolution, biogeography and community
ecology of New World bats.  The applicant would matriculate at the Ph.D.
level.  It is anticipated that the appointment would start in the fall
semester of 2011, however flexibility exists based on qualifications.
Responsibilities will include fieldwork and specimen collection,
digitizing and capturing landmarks and subsequently analyzing
morphometric data on bats.  Remaining time will be spent pursuing
scholarly activities, conducting lab related work, as well as analyzing
and publishing results.  Ability to use GIS as well as independently
perform a wide variety of univariate and multivariate statistical
analyses, and design and implement statistical tests based on
permutation, bootstrap and randomization is a plus.  A strong desire and
ability to learn these quickly is requisite.  Interested persons should
apply directly to the graduate program in Biological Sciences at LSU and
also send a vitae, GPA,  GRE and TOEFL scores as well as three letters
of recommendation to:  Dr. Richard D. Stevens, 202 Life Sciences Bldg.,
Department of Biological Sciences, Louisiana State University, Baton
Rouge, LA 70803, e-mail:  rstev...@lsu.edu.  Applications will be
considered until the position is filled, at the latest by May 2011.  

***
Richard D. Stevens
Assistant Professor
Department of Biological Sciences
Louisiana State University
Baton Rouge, LA 70803

(225) 578-0224--Office
(225) 578-4284--Lab
(225) 578-2597--Fax

Check out my webpage at:
http://www.biology.lsu.edu/faculty_listings/fac_pages/rstevens.html

**

[ECOLOG-L] POSTDOC POSITION (Reposting): Climate Change Effects on Forest Insect Dynamics

[Kyle Haynes]

Postdoctoral Research Position at University of Virginia – Effects of
climate change on outbreak dynamics of forest-defoliating insects

I invite applications for a postdoctoral scientist to conduct NSF-funded
research on the effects of climate change on the frequency, severity, and
periodicity of outbreaks of a variety of forest-defoliating insect species.
 The successful candidate will conduct quantitative analysis of several
exceptionally long time series of outbreak and climate data.  Applicants
should possess (or be on the verge of possessing) a PhD in ecology or a
closely related field.

Competitive salary and benefits will be provided for 2 years.  The start
date is flexible.  Review of applications will begin immediately and will
continue until the position is filled.  Applications should include a cover
letter (expressing your background, accomplishments, and research
interests), CV, and contact information for three references.  Applications
should be sent to Dr. Kyle Haynes at hay...@virginia.edu.

Re: [ECOLOG-L] Earth Future Designs Re: [ECOLOG-L] Introduction and article: The Seed Vision (sustainable earth model).

[Mr. Jan Hearthstone]

The article that WT is referring to has been rewritten and is at
http://www.modelearth.org/seed.html 

Thanks, Hearthstone.

[ECOLOG-L] Tenure-track position in Organismal Biology

[A Throckmorton]

The Westminster College Department of Biology invites applications for a
tenure-track position at the Assistant Professor level in Organismal Biology
to begin fall, 2011.  Teaching responsibilities will include, but are not
limited to, introductory courses for majors, Biodiversity/Conservation
Biology, and Biostatistics and Experimental Design. In addition, the
candidate will be expected to contribute to introductory biology courses for
non-majors and to the College’s Liberal Studies program.  The successful
candidate will exhibit versatility, dedication to quality teaching and
advising in a liberal arts environment, teaching and research experience
within at least one area of expertise listed above, and a strong commitment
to research with undergraduates. An ability to contribute to the
Environmental Science and/or Environmental Studies programs will also be
taken into consideration.

Westminster College is a coeducational, national liberal arts institution
with historical ties to the Presbyterian Church (USA).  The College enrolls
about 1,500 full-time students and employs approximately 105 full-time
faculty.  Located in rural western Pennsylvania, Westminster is within a
short drive to both Pittsburgh and Cleveland.  The Department of Biology
possesses both excellent teaching and research facilities, including a
modern science building together with 120 acres of outdoor resources
adjacent to the main campus.

The department requests that applicants send a cover letter, unofficial
academic transcripts, curriculum vita, and statements of teaching philosophy
and research experience.  Applicants should arrange to have three letters of
recommendation sent separately.  Evaluation of applications will begin
October 22, 2010.  Send materials to Dr. Joshua Corrette-Bennett, Chair,
Department of Biology, Westminster College, New Wilmington, PA, 16172-0001.  EOE

[ECOLOG-L] Two PhD-positions: ‘Biodiversity, Macroecolo gy and Conservation Biogeography (U Göttingen, Germany)

[Holger Kreft]

 The ‘Biodiversity, Macroecology and Conservation Biogeography’ group 
(Prof. Dr. Holger Kreft) at the Georg-August-University Göttingen 
invites applications for


*Two Ph.D. positions.*

Positions are initially available for two years, but can be extended to 
three years after positive evaluation. The salary is defined according 
to the German E13 TV-L scale (50%).


Research in the group focuses on documenting and understanding 
broad-scale ecological and biogeographic patterns as well as 
implications of human activities on global biodiversity. Model groups 
are mainly plants and terrestrial vertebrates. Another emergent focus is 
the ecology of megadiverse tropical systems.


*Position 1: Global-scale macroecology of plants*
Research opportunities for a PhD project include basic and 
conservation-related topics on the macroecology of the global mainland 
floras. Depending on the individual research interests, the project may 
involve the testing of species richness hypotheses, biotic 
homogenization and geographic patterns of plant invasions. A number of 
methods will be applied, such as predictive geostatistical modelling, 
integration and comparisons of phylogenetic, functional, and species 
diversity. Working knowledge in at least two of the following areas is 
required: management and analysis of large relational databases, GIS 
(ArcGIS/ArcInfo), statistical methods (package R), scripting and 
programming languages (C++, Python). A strong interest in modern 
macroecological and biogeographical research questions is required.


*Position 2: Modelling spatial dynamics and demographic aspects of 
vascular epiphytes*
This DFG-funded project aims at developing demographic models for 
vascular epiphytes and at ultimately integrating this group of plants 
into process-based forest models. The PhD work involves field work in 
Panama and Brazil. The successful candidate will be responsible for 
developing demographic simulation models at both local and 
metapopulation scales as well as simulating scenarios of 
spatial-temporal distributions of epiphytes within forest fragments. 
Strong quantitative and computational skills and some experience with 
modeling techniques (C++ and/or R) are required. Experience with field 
work in the tropics, possibly with vascular epiphytes, is a plus. The 
project is in close cooperation with Prof. Gerhard Zotz (Functional 
Ecology Lab - University of Oldenburg, Germany).


Applicants for both positions should have a master or diploma degree in 
biology, geography, environmental sciences or a related field. The 
doctoral thesis will be published as a series of English manuscripts in 
international peer-reviewed journals.


We explicitly welcome applications from abroad. The University of 
Göttingen is an equal opportunities employer and places particular 
emphasis on fostering career opportunities for female scientists and 
scholars. Qualified women are therefore strongly encouraged to apply. 
Disabled persons with equivalent aptitude for the position will be favoured.


Applications including a CV and a statement of research interests should 
be sent as a single PDF document by email to Prof. Dr. Holger Kreft 
(hkr...@uni-goettingen.de). For informal enquiries about the posts 
please contact Prof. Dr. Holger Kreft (hkr...@uni-goettingen.de, 
position #1), Dr. Juliano Cabral (jsar...@uni-goettingen.de, position 
#2) or visit www.uni-goettingen.de/biodiversity for further information. 
Review of applications will start on October 7 and continue until the 
positions are filled.


The ‘Biodiversity, Macroecology and Conservation Biogeography’ group is 
a Free-Floater Research Group recently established at the 
Georg-August-University Göttingen in the scope of the German Excellence 
Initiative (www.uni-goettingen.de/free-floater). The university ranks 
among the top research institutions in the country, offering great 
career opportunities for young researchers and a vibrant academic 
environment in biodiversity research.


--

Prof. Dr. Holger Kreft

Free Floater Research Group
Biodiversity, Macroecology&  Conservation Biogeography
Georg-August University of Göttingen
Büsgenweg 2, 37077 Göttingen, Germany

phone: ++49-(0)551-39-10727
fax: ++49-(0)551-39-3618
email: hkr...@uni-goettingen.de
website: http://www.uni-goettingen.de/biodiversity

[ECOLOG-L] PhD-position in Frankfurt (Germany): Movement/Pollination ecology

[Matthias Schleuning]

A PhD position in "Movement/Pollination ecology" is available at the 
Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F), Lab K. Böhning-Gaese, in 
Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
 
The successful applicant will investigate the determinants of bird 
pollination and plant reproduction in South African heathlands. He/she 
will examine how resource distributions shape bird movements and plant 
reproduction, combining observational and experimental approaches. The 
project is carried out in close collaboration with another PhD-student 
(supervised by Frank Schurr, University of Potsdam, Germany) and aims at a 
deeper understanding of spatial interactions between plants and animals.
The applicant should hold a master/diploma in Biology or a related field, 
and needs to have expertise in conducting ecological field work and a 
strong interest in statistical modelling, preferably with R. He/she is 
expected to carry out several field work periods in South Africa and to 
analyze the data with advanced statistical methods. Experience in 
tropical/subtropical ecosystems, in experimental pollination studies and 
basic ornithological knowledge are an advantage. Good written and oral 
English language skills are required.

Please send your application by e-mail attachment in a single pdf file, 
mentioning the reference of this position (#B40), and including a letter 
outlining your suitability and motivation, a detailed CV, contact details 
of 2 referees, a list of your most important publications and a summary of 
your thesis before September 30th to recruit...@senckenberg.de.
For scientific enquiries please write to 
matthias.schleun...@senckenberg.de. 
More details about the announcement and application procedures are found 
at: http://www.bik-
f.de/files/stellenausschreibungen/b40_phd_schleuning_web.pdf

[ECOLOG-L] alcohol consumption and citation counts

[David Inouye]

http://blogs.nature.com/news/thegreatbeyond/2010/09/make_mine_a_double.html

Make mine a double - September 15, 2010

There have been 
some 
radical suggestions to increase citation counts 
of late but heavy drinking would probably rank at 
the bottom of most researchers' lists.


Yet a new study has found that the world's most 
highly cited ecologists and environmental 
scientists typically consume more than double the 
amount imbibed by the general population.


Published 
in the October issue of 
Scientometrics, 
John Parker, a post-doctoral sociologist at the 
National Center for Ecological Analysis and 
Synthesis at the University of California, Santa 
Barbara, and colleagues report the results of a 
survey of the drinking habits of 124 of the most 
highly cited researchers in ecology and 
environmental science: the vast majority men aged 
between 50 and 70 based in either North America or Western Europe.


The results reveal that consumption for this 
group averages around 7 alcoholic beverages per 
week, about 2.5 drinks over the weekly 
consumption of the average American. Though a 
fifth of the group does not drink, more than half 
consume 10 or more alcoholic beverages a week, 
20% consume 12 or more and 10% consumer 21 or 
more. The largest consumer downed 31 per week.


The researchers are quick to point out the 
obvious - correlation does not equal causation. 
“We are definitely not saying 'drink more to do 
better',” Parker stresses. But he does believe 
that more and better information is needed to 
unravel the observed relationship and the 
“non-scientific activities that affect scientific productivity”.


The results support the positive association 
between national per capita beer consumption and 
a country's citations per paper reported 
in 
a 2009 paper by Canadian ecologist Christopher 
Lortie, who collaborated with Parker on the current paper.


But they stand in contrast to a 
2008 
survey of Czech ecologists by Thomas Grim, also 
an ecologist. Grim, based at Palacky University 
in the Czech Republic, found the opposite: that 
increased levels of beer consumption were 
associated with lower numbers of citations.


“Because of well documented negative and causal 
effects of ethanol, independently of dose, on 
both mental performance and health, I find it 
unlikely that the Parker et al. finding reflects 
more than a spurious relationship,” Grim told Nature News.


Eminent Oxford ecologist Bob May – a lifelong 
teetotaller – also said he did not recognise 
Parker's picture. “My experience is that my 
ecologist friends are not at all heavy drinkers.”


Michael Hochberg from the University of 
Montpellier in France speculated on why – if this 
were so – highly cited researchers might be 
pushed to drink more. They might attend more 
functions, be more “stressed out”, or they may 
just be “past their heyday and drowning their sorrows”, he suggested.

[ECOLOG-L] Postdoctoral position at CU-Boulder (Fire Ecology)

[Sarah Hart]

University of Colorado-Boulder postdoctoral associate position

Feedbacks and consequences of altered fire regimes in the face of climate
and land-use change in Tasmania, New Zealand, and the western U.S.

Description: A 2-yr position is available for a postdoctoral associate to
join an interdisciplinary  long-term research effort on wildfire funded by
NSF’s Partnership in International Research and Education (PIRE) program.
The project will utilize the similarities and contrasts in fire, climate,
and land-use interactions in three settings as a platform for integrated
fire-science research and education: Tasmania, New Zealand, and the U.S.
Rocky Mountains. A strong candidate will have broad experience in fire
ecology, plant community ecology and/or landscape ecology; experience in
ecological modeling is a desirable asset. Field research experience, an
ability to work in remote locations, and willingness to work in a
collaborative setting and adapt to foreign cultures are essential assets.
The desired start date is November 1, 2010.

Additional information can be found on our web page:
http://www.colorado.edu/geography/biogeography/. 
For more information on the Wildfire PIRE project see: 
http://www.wildfirepire.org.

To apply. Candidates should send their CV, a sample of representative
publications, a one-page statement of research interests, and the names and
contact information of three references. Review of applicants will begin 1
October 2010; the position will remain open until a suitable candidate is
found. Application packages (emailed as a single PDF file) should be sent to
Dr. Thomas T. Veblen (veb...@colorado.edu).

[ECOLOG-L] Fwd: SSE & the USA Science & Engineering Festival

[David Inouye]

Dear SSE Members,

Below is a note from Larry Bock, Executive Director of the first USA 
Science & Engineering Festival.


Please read the note and pass it on. I suggest you email your 
Senators and Representative with a "have you seen this note" at the 
very least. We really do need to CELEBRATE SCIENCE! If you happen to 
be in Washington, DC over the next month, please plan to enjoy some 
of the festivities! FYI - the Society for the Study of Evolution 
will take part in the final expo in Washington DC, October 23 & 24.


Larry states:
"I need your HELP and it will take just three simple steps: Forward, 
Insert addresses and Send.


For the past year I have been organizing the USA Science & 
Engineering Festival - what I hope will be the country's largest 
celebration of science and engineering -- a FUN, entertaining, 
educational and FREE event geared toward reinvigorating the interest 
of Americans in the Sciences. I have put as much energy and 
imagination and effort into this as any of the companies I started. 
And now I need your help getting the word out.


Why is this important?

In a nutshell:
-- according to Nobel Laureate Richard Smalley, by the end of 2010 
(just months from now) 90% of the world's scientists and engineers 
with advanced degrees will live in Asia.
-- 80% of people being trained in the advanced physical sciences in 
the United States are from abroad.
-- because the opportunities are now greater abroad, we are no 
longer retaining them in the USA.

-- If we do not turn this trend around, we will have outsourced innovation.

And once we have outsourced innovation, our country's ability to 
compete will be over. My concern over this is so great that I have 
devoted the past year and a half (7 days a week 10 hours a day) to 
organizing this Science Festival.


So why have a Science Festival? Society gets what it celebrates! As 
a culture, we celebrate movie stars, rock stars and athletes and we 
generate a lot of them, but we don't celebrate science and engineering.


The Festival is analogous to an art, music or literary Festival but 
it is focused on Science and Engineering and accomplishes its 
mission via hands-on demonstrations, fun demos, and presentations 
including art, music, comedy, film and theatre.


The Festival kicks off in just three weeks, offering over 150 FREE 
events for the public - all geared toward sparking an interest in 
Science. I have pulled together over 750 companies, universities, 
research labs, federal agencies, professional societies, community 
groups and science outreach organizations.


You can find out all the details at: 
www.usasciencefestival.org.


Click on the calendar to see dates, times and descriptions of all 
the fascinating events and opportunities.


The grand finale will be a two day EXPO on the National Mall in 
Washington D.C. (and surrounding venues) on October 23-24, 2010--- 
over 1,500 fun, hands-on interactive activities and 75 stage shows 
for all ages. There will be stuff for the mildly curious to the 
science professional. You can learn about fun topics like the 
science of the magic of Harry Potter, the mathematics of jump 
roping, the physics of superheroes, the chemistry of Thanksgiving 
Dinner, the engineering of baseball bats and balls, the science 
behind special effects in movies, trends in Global Warming, 
renewable energy sources of the future  (This is a completely 
non-profit, non-commercial, fun and educational initiative.)


You can operate state-of-the-art robots, laugh with science 
comedians, be mesmerized by science magicians and mathemagicians, 
converse with astronauts, Nobel Laureates, science celebrities like 
Bill Nye the Science Guy and even scientists of the past, fly a 
fighter jet simulator, enter a virtual reality environment, be a CSI 
agent, make a virus out of marshmallows and toothpicks, try your 
hand at using a surgical robot, discover methods of measuring global 
warming, learn how to transform your car so it can run off a cuisinart etc.


And --- while having fun --- you can leave with information about 
science scholarships, internships, mentorship programs, jobs and much more.


But that's not all - there will be 50 satellite events occurring 
throughout the United States. Look here to view a map of Satellite 
Events: 
www.usasciencefestival.org/satellite-event-directory


So, why should you forward this message?

You could be the one who passes it on to the student (or their 
parent or teacher) who is inspired and excited enough by the science 
they see to eventually cure AIDS or cancer, solve Global Warming, 
invent the next source of renewable energy, discover how to extend 
life or combat world hunger.


We have received bipartisan support for our program from over 100 
Senators and Representatives.


Please consider sending this to your employees, colleagues, friends, 
teachers etc.