Tenure-track position - Environmental Geography - Cal State Northridge
Apologies for cross-postings! This position could work for a landscape ecologist / spatial ecologist as well as an environmental geographer. http://www.csun.edu/csbs/departments/geography/pdf/AA-1_environmental_geography.pdf Department: Geography Effective Date of Appointment: August 2008 (Subject to Budgetary Approval) Rank: Tenure-Track Assistant Professor Salary: $53,772 - $59,000 Responsibilities: Teaching responsibilities will include lower division general education courses in physical and/or human geography, upper division courses in environmental geography, world ecosystems, environmental hazards, field studies, conservation, environmental impact studies, plus advanced and graduate courses in area of specialization. We look for a geographer who will involve students in field-based research and data analysis, and who will mentor students undertaking senior thesis and masters research. The successful candidate will also be expected to advise students, contribute to department, college, and university committees, participate in professional conferences, publish in peer-reviewed geography journals, and seek external grants. CSUN is a large, primarily undergraduate institution with a strong commitment to teaching a diverse student population and teacher education. Applicants should demonstrate a firm commitment to excellent teaching as well as to research and service. Normal teaching load is 12 units per semester, though new faculty receive 3 units release for the first year. Qualifications: Ph.D. in Geography required at time of appointment. ABD will be considered, however, applicants who do not have a Ph.D. at time of appointment will be appointed as a one-year lecturer, converted to tenure track at completion of the doctorate. A Ph. D. is required for the granting of tenure. The Department of Geography seeks an environmental geographer with a demonstrated field component of research. Other desirable areas of expertise include GIS, field/laboratory techniques, historical environmental studies, resource and environmental management, and habitat restoration. Experience with funded research projects and familiarity with the American west are also advantageous. At time of appointment the successful applicant, if not a U.S. citizen, must have authorization from Immigration and Naturalization Services to work within the United States. CSUN is a Learning Centered University. The successful candidate will be expected to join faculty and staff in a commitment to active learning, to the assessment of learning outcomes, and to multiple pathways that enable students to graduate. Evidence of degree(s) required at time of hire. Application Deadline: Screening begins November 9, 2007 and priority is given applications received by that date. Position will remain open until filled. Applicants should submit a letter of application stating teaching philosophy and research agenda, curriculum vitae, three current letters of recommendation and, if possible, evidence of teaching effectiveness. E-mail applications are not accepted. Inquiries and nominations should be addressed to: Chair, Search and Screen Committee Department of Geography California State University Northridge Northridge, CA 91330-8249.
Re: Environmental consequences of having a child
On the topic of reproduction, I offer three points. 1) I went to a talk a few years ago where the speaker presented data on Pakistan, I believe. Over the course of just a decade, concerted government efforts led to birth rates being reduced from something like 6 births per woman to 4 - a phenomenal success, apparently unprecedented in a non-compulsory, peacetime development context. Over the course of that same decade, surveys indicated that the desired number of children per woman fell from about 5 to about 3. So the massive reduction in fecundity was driven (or at least accompanied by) as massive shift in public attitudes about desired family size. The kicker here is that women continued to have, on average, 25% more children than they wanted to have. The desire for smaller families already exists in (at least some) developing countries. Access to family planning, by itself, would dramatically lower global fertility. And what could be more humanitarian than allowing women to have no more children than they are actually willing to take care of? 2) It seems to me that those who argue that depopulation is a more serious threat than overpopulation (in any of the myriad ways that threats have been measured) would do well to support immediate measures for population control (i.e., free and easy access to family planning services) in order to reduce the magnitude of the eventual disruption of depopulation. 3) The anti-immigrant "cultural dilution" argument is specious - it presumes today's cultural moment is the one that is better than all previous instances of our rapidly evolving, cross-pollinating cultures. Compare cultural snapshots through the last few centuries, or even decades. Change is the only constant, and I for one am pleased at the diversity of world foods, music, and art that are now within walking distance of my house. --Doug Fischer Department of Geography UC Santa Barbara
Job opening: Santa Barbara - Natural Areas Resource Planner
NATURAL AREAS RESOURCE PLANNER (ASSOCIATE PLANNER) $2,301 - $2,797 Biweekly $59,834 - $72,729 Yearly THE POSITION In the Parks Division of the Parks and Recreation Department, perform high level professional planning and related duties associated with planning and/or natural resource/open space planning. Assist Parks Manager, Landscape Architect/Project Management Team, and Assistant Parks and Recreation Director with variety of park planning functions; assist in the planning and management of all phases of project development for park improvement projects. Prepare grant applications; secure local, state and federal permits for parks and natural area operations, and maintenance and capital projects. Assist in the development of plans for sensitive environmental areas such as the Andree Clark Bird Refuge and Mission Lagoon and involvement in a multi-jurisdictional effort to develop a master plan for Front Country Trails. Manage projects as assigned related to natural areas, environmentally sensitive areas, and planning and special studies, and inter-departmental teams reviewing projects which will have an impact on parkland or open space; and perform other duties as required. EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS Knowledge of: Principles and practices of urban planning and development, landscape architecture, natural resource management and project planning, environmental review for projects, and landscape construction including planting design, irrigation design, construction details, grading, and specification writing, preparation of reports, graphs, and maps; applicable sections of Federal and State laws and regulations and their practical application to local situations; principles and practices of municipal planning, policy development, public participation, and environmental issues. Ability to: Manage multiple and complex park improvement or landscape construction projects; undertake local, State and Federal permit processing; write comprehensive and concise reports; work with interdepartmental teams on major projects; communicate clearly and make verbal presentations to Boards, Commissions and City Council; read and understand site plans, project proposals; propose and analyze projects for consistency with CEQA, Coastal Act, and Federal, State and local planning and environmental regulations; effectively operate Microsoft Office products; maintain effective communication with others, reading and writing, and operating assigned equipment. Experience and Education: Bachelor's degree in planning, landscape architecture, environmental studies, city and regional planning, or closely related field is desirable. Four to five years of increasingly responsible experience in current or comprehensive urban planning or natural resource planning, parks and recreation and landscape architecture including at least two years with a local governmental agency is highly desirable. License Requirement: Applicants must possess a valid California Driver's License. SELECTION PROCESS It is important that your application and supplemental questionnaire show all relevant education, training, experience, knowledge, abilities and skills you possess that qualify you for this position. Applications may be rejected if incomplete. All applications and supplemental questionnaires will be reviewed, and the most qualified candidates will be invited to participate in the selection process. The selection process may consist of an oral exam and/or application rating. Those candidates receiving a passing score will have their names placed on the eligibility list. FILING DEADLINE CITY APPLICATION AND RESPONSES TO THE SUPPLEMENTAL QUESTIONNAIRE MUST BE RECEIVED BY 5:00 P.M. ON FRIDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2006. http://www.santabarbaraca.gov/Government/Employment/Openings/Natural+Areas+Resource+Planner.htm
