Center for the Environment http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:27:37 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 Spring Environmental Science Colloquium http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2107/spring-environmental-science-colloquium/ http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2107/spring-environmental-science-colloquium/#comments Thu, 09 Feb 2012 01:25:39 +0000 June https://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/?p=2107 Our spring semester Environmental Science Colloquium will be held on Wednesday afternoons from 4-5 pm at the Boyd Science Center, Room 001. The talks cover a wide range of topics around environmental science and sustainability. The colloquium is available for graduate credit and we also invite the community to come for free. For more information, contact Angela Uhlman. Read on for the complete list of dates and speakers.

February 22: Migratory Birds and Climate Change: Local Uncertainties, Global Challenges

Nicholas L. Rodenhouse. Professor of Biological SciencesFrost Professor of Environmental Studies, Wellesley College

March 14: Natural Dams in Northern Headwater Streams

Denise Burchsted, Postdoctoral Scholar Center for the Environment, Plymouth State University

March 28: Linking Research and Decision-Making through Community-University Partnerships: Maine’s Sustainability Solutions Initiative

Karen Hutchins, PhD candidate, Department of Communication and Journalism, University of Maine

April 11: Defining, Measuring, Monitoring and Managing the Carrying Capacity of National Parks

Robert Manning, Professor of Natural Resources/Director Park Studies Lab Rubenstein School of Environment and Natural Resources University of Vermont

April 18: Saga of the Soils: How Iceland’s Past Environmental Changes Affect Modern Landscapes

Lisa Doner, Research Assistant Professor Center for the Environment, Plymouth State University

April 25: Harnessing the Market Power of…Marshes?

Linwood Pendleton, Director of Ocean and Coastal Policy, Duke University’s Nicholas Institute; Acting Chief Economist, NOAA

May 9: Climate Change and Precipitation: Are Ecosystems at Risk?

Lindsey Rustad, Team Leader/Research Ecologist, Center for Research on Ecosystem Change, USDA Northern Research Station

]]> http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2107/spring-environmental-science-colloquium/feed/ 0 Ecological Economist Position Available http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2074/ecological-economist-position/ http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2074/ecological-economist-position/#comments Thu, 05 Jan 2012 20:08:32 +0000 June https://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/?p=2074 Plymouth State University seeks an integrative environmental analyst with expertise in the economics of and policy related to aquatic ecosystem services for its Center for the Environment (CFE) with a joint appointment in the Department of Environmental Science and Policy. Primary duties include, but are not limited to conducting research related to an NSF funded initiative on the interactions among climate, land use, ecosystem services, and society; developing a research program that complements existing strengths in CFE; teaching relevant courses in the MS program in environmental science and policy; mentoring and advising graduate students; and contributing to CFE through service and collaboration. This is a new, tenure-track position to begin in the fall of 2012.

The successful candidate will spend approximately half time engaging with a team of researchers across New Hampshire colleges and universities on a major research project over the next four years. This will provide a unique opportunity for building research capacity at PSU and in New Hampshire around climate, land use, and ecosystem services.

For more information, please visit PSU’s Human Resources website.

]]> http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2074/ecological-economist-position/feed/ 0 CFE Students Present at AGU Meeting http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2058/cfe-students-present-at-agu-meeting/ http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2058/cfe-students-present-at-agu-meeting/#comments Thu, 08 Dec 2011 18:38:30 +0000 June https://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/?p=2058 Three Center for the Environment graduate students in the MS in Environmental Science and Policy program presented posters at the AGU meeting in San Francisco on December 5-9, 2011. The Sid Lovett Fund for the Center for the Environment provided support for their work.

]]> http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2058/cfe-students-present-at-agu-meeting/feed/ 0 Graduate Student Opportunities http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2044/graduate-student-opportunities/ http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2044/graduate-student-opportunities/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 18:08:25 +0000 June https://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/?p=2044 CFE is inviting applications for the MS program in Environmental Science and Policy. The work of the Center for the Environment (CFE) is primarily focused on the White Mountains and Lakes Region of New Hampshire or in the broader New England region, and applies the environmental sciences and interdisciplinary approaches to important environmental issues. Students will have opportunities to collaborate with interdisciplinary teams of faculty and students, and scientists from other institutions working at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest and other academic, governmental, and non-governmental organizations. Individuals from all disciplinary backgrounds will be considered.

Graduate research assistantships (GRA) may be available in the areas of hydrology, forest ecology, environmental social sciences, climate change, limnogeology, or a combination of those topics. Students receiving assistantships will conduct field sampling, analytical, and/or theoretical work on projects related to our mission. Research topics for the assistantships are varied, but all GRAs support students enrolled in the Environmental Science and Policy M.S. program at Plymouth State University. These GRAs provide an excellent opportunity to work with a broader cohort of students and their mentors, working at the intersection of earth systems, plant ecology, biogeochemistry, hydrology, and social sciences. A signature of the program is that graduate work must involve a substantive contribution to outreach.

Prospective students should contact Betsy Ayotte. In addition to the application materials required by the College of Graduate Studies, please submit a statement of interest and a current resume/CV to Betsy Ayotte to be considered for graduate assistantship funding. The priority deadline for funding consideration is February 15, 2012.

]]> http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2044/graduate-student-opportunities/feed/ 0 Paleoclimatology Graduate Research Assistantship Available http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2046/paleoclimatology-graduate-research-assistantship-available/ http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2046/paleoclimatology-graduate-research-assistantship-available/#comments Fri, 02 Dec 2011 16:14:56 +0000 June https://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/?p=2046 The Center for the Environment (CFE) at Plymouth State University (PSU) seeks applicants for an M.S. graduate research assistant (GRA) in paleoclimatology, with research opportunities in paleolimnology, dendrochronology and geochemistry, the North Atlantic Oscillation and lake sedimentation in Iceland. The GRA will work as part of a trans-disciplinary team of researchers and students from PSU and three other institutions. The team’s expertise in synoptic climatology, paleoclimatology, hydrogeology, paleontology and watershed sedimentology provides the GRA excellent opportunity to interact with a broad cohort of faculty and students on environmental science applications in climate change and to develop interdisciplinary research skills.

Students with prior field and/or laboratory research experience and academic training in geology, physical geography or meteorology are preferred, but all interested individuals are encouraged to apply. The GRA will work on a variety of project activities, including but not limited to: (1) sampling and analyses of lake and soil sediments, (2) summer field work in Iceland in support of the project; and (3) reporting of results by publication, presentation, and website documentation.

PSU is an equal-opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of age, race, gender or religious preference. In addition, the project leaders have a strong commitment to enhancing research opportunities for under-served groups and we strongly encourage individuals belonging to any perceived minority group to apply. The GRA includes a stipend of up to 24 months and tuition coverage for up to 30 credits, plus travel support for field work and conferences.

Applicants should contact Lisa Doner for details on the project. All GRA candidates must be eligible for acceptance to the graduate program at PSU. For details on this, contact Betsy Ayotte.

]]> http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2046/paleoclimatology-graduate-research-assistantship-available/feed/ 0 Field Work for Transpiration Research Project http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2017/field-work-for-transpiration-research-project/ http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2017/field-work-for-transpiration-research-project/#comments Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:56:24 +0000 June https://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/?p=2017 In the fall of 1999, wollastonite (CaSiO3) was applied to a watershed at the Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (HBEF). This appears to have stimulated ~20% of additional transpiration for three years. This unexpected response has been recently studied by CFE’s Mark Green and colleagues. The physiological cause of the increased transpiration or the transience of the response are not well understood because detailed data addressing forest transpiration were not collected.

A new fertilization study is beginning at the HBEF, Bartlett Experimental Forest, and at Jeffers Brook on the impacts of additional nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium to forest dynamics. This study had not intended on collecting transpiration data, but given the recent discovery of the whole watershed transpiration response to wollastonite addition, Mark received funding from the National Science Foundation to fertilize forested research plots with wollastonite and collaborate with Michele Pruyn to collect sap flow data that will inform mechanisms responsible for the watershed 1 response to wollastonite addition.

This fall, a group of people from CFE, PSU, and Hubbard Brook worked with Mark on spreading over 9,500 pounds of wollastonite on 6 research plots. This involved hiking 50 pound bags to the sites and then applying the material by hand. The days were long and the work was hard. Thank you to everyone that helped!

Additional information:

]]> http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2017/field-work-for-transpiration-research-project/feed/ 0 Call for Abstracts for 2012 NH Water & Watershed Conference http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2014/call-for-abstracts-for-2012-nh-water-watershed-conference/ http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2014/call-for-abstracts-for-2012-nh-water-watershed-conference/#comments Thu, 17 Nov 2011 15:24:59 +0000 June https://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/?p=2014 East Inlet, Pittsburg, NH by Philip HaskellThe 2012 New Hampshire Water and Watershed Conference will be held on Friday, March 23, 2012 at Plymouth State University. We invite abstracts on current water related research as well as effective strategies at the local, regional, state, and federal levels that address the changing environmental and societal conditions and their effects on New Hampshire’s water resources and aquatic environment. Abstracts are due December 15, 2011. For more information, please visit the conference website.

]]> http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/2014/call-for-abstracts-for-2012-nh-water-watershed-conference/feed/ 0 GLEON Meeting http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/1971/gleon-meeting/ http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/1971/gleon-meeting/#comments Mon, 24 Oct 2011 16:56:20 +0000 June https://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/?p=1971 CFE research professor Lisa Doner and graduate student Christina Maki attended the Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network (GLEON) meeting at Lake Sunapee, NH on October 10-14.  GLEON is a grassroots network of limnologists, ecologists, information technology experts, and engineers who have a common goal of building a scalable, persistent network of lake ecology observatories. Christina presented a poster, co-authored by Lisa and Mark Green, titled “Monitored sediment loading to a northwestern Icelandic lake.”

]]> http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/1971/gleon-meeting/feed/ 0 CFE Project is part of EPA Watershed Academy Webcast Seminar http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/1963/cfe-project-is-part-of-epa-watershed-academy-webcast-seminar/ http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/1963/cfe-project-is-part-of-epa-watershed-academy-webcast-seminar/#comments Thu, 20 Oct 2011 17:47:58 +0000 June https://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/?p=1963 The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Watershed Academy is sponsoring a free Webcast Seminar on Thursday, October 27, 2011 “Conducting Effective Stormwater Outreach.” A CFE project, “Changing Homeowner’s Lawn Care Behavior to Reduce Nutrient Runoff in New England’s Urbanizing Watersheds” led by interim director Brian Eisenhauer, will be featured as part of the Webcast. Brian’s work involved applying environmental and behavioral research to educational efforts by Cooperative Extension offices to reduce the application of excess nutrients by homeowners in targeted, urbanizing neighborhoods throughout New England. The project helped develop materials for Think Blue Maine. CFE graduate students also participated in the project.

The webinar will help state and local agencies, municipalities, watershed groups and others design effective outreach initiatives. It will showcase EPA’s Nonpoint Source (NPS) Outreach Toolbox, which offers a variety of stormwater TV, radio and print ads, and other tools. Featured products cover: general stormwater, lawn and garden care, pet care, septic system care, motor vehicle care, and household chemicals. The webinar will also feature Think Blue Maine. This successful awareness and behavior change outreach effort by the Think Blue Maine partnership included the development and airing of a 30-second Public Service Announcement (Devil Ducks) and the creation of posters, door hangers and other products. Recent survey results show a marked increase in public understanding and a willingness to take actions to protect water quality.

More information is available from the EPA Watershed Academy.  (Thanks to EPA’s Water Headlines for part of this story.)

]]> http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/1963/cfe-project-is-part-of-epa-watershed-academy-webcast-seminar/feed/ 0 CFE Director http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/1947/cfe-director/ http://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/1947/cfe-director/#comments Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:17:29 +0000 June https://www.plymouth.edu/center-for-the-environment/?p=1947 Plymouth State University seeks a director for its Center for the Environment (CFE). CFE facilitates interdisciplinary environmental research, education, and public engagement in the northern New England region. The successful applicant will initiate, implement, and coordinate strategic projects and partnerships to further the CFE’s distinction in the field of environmental science and policy. Qualifications include a Ph.D. in an environmental science and at least 8 years of professional experience; excellent communication skills; the ability to work collaboratively with faculty, students, and administrators, other research units on campus, professional and business leaders, and local, state and federal officials; experience in external engagement, mentorship, teaching, and a demonstrated record of acquiring extramural funding; evidence of leadership abilities in past positions; demonstrated experience in program development, evaluation, assessment and strategic planning; a record of experience in personnel and finance management; evidence of building and maintaining highly motivated and success-orientated teams.

For a full description of the position and/or to apply, please go online to University System of New Hampshire and Plymouth State University Human Resources websites. For more information, please contact June Hammond Rowan.

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