Wednesday, April 10, 2013

Summer Jobs at Argonne National Laboratory - Apply Immediately!

Argonne is looking for curious, self-directed graduate and undergraduate students who can help us explore the intersection of sensors, scientific computing, cloud computing, image recognition, plant biology, terrestrial ecology, and 3D printers.

Project Description:
Large-scale computer simulations use experimental data as starting points.  We are interested in setting up an experimental workflow that would gather data from a field site at Argonne and possibly a local organic community farm.  Data would include soil moisture, temperature, images, and possibly CO2.  Data collected would be made available to cloud-based HPC computation to process the image data, identify plant types and growth rates, and provide input to weather codes predicting moisture, etc. The project is to sketch out and create this testbed from scratch, including the purchase of image, soil, and weather sensors, setting up appropriate power delivery mechanisms (battery, solar power and energy harvesting methods), working with a 3D printer (Replicator 2X) to build cases, develop software tools chains for collecting and analyzing the data on HPC systems, and finally launching cloud instances and then exploring the performance of HPC simulations running on Argonne cloud platforms and Amazon.com.  We may also explore the use of hyperspectral imaging of plants in a test environment.  We will assemble a small, diverse team of summer students to participate in the design and then test components of such a testbed.

Key work areas that applicants would be matched to:

1) Assembling and analyzing cloud-computing workflows for image processing, data analysis, soil models, weather prediction, and plant model prediction
         Key skills:  Linux toolchains, C/C++, HPC and MPI.  Will take existing programs and modify for cloud-computing workflow.

2) Finding, exploring specifications, purchasing, and building sensors to be deployed at a local field site.  
         Key skills:  Understanding of imaging, sensors, field data collection.  Experience with electronics, steppers, arduinos, etc, a plus.

3) Collecting, understanding, and analyzing environmental data, GIS would be helpful.
         Key skills: experience with collecting and exploring environmental data sets

4) Developing a 3D printing configuration so sensors and cameras can be mounted and deployed
         Key skills: basic engineering and understanding of 3D models, willingness to learn new tools develop new ideas for sensor / 3D printing.

5) Explore hyperspectral imaging concepts for testing and possible deployment in future projects
         Key skills: Understanding of terrestrial ecology, plant biology, willingness to read technical material, test imaging system, and explore data sets

This project will help us develop ideas for a remote sensing with combined HPC simulation and modeling project that we are interested in developing.

Students who are interested in working with us this summer should *immediately* apply here: http://www.dep.anl.gov/catalog/application.html

We would like to have a handful of students beginning in late May/Early June.

While filling out the web form, select:
         * Period:  Research Aide
         * Projects: 229-MCS-1: SENSORS and SENSOR NETWORKS

Argonne Scientists:  Pete Beckman, Nicola Ferrier, Rao Kotamarthi, Kate Keahey, Yuki Hamada, Rajesh Sankaran, Kazutomo Yoshii

Friday, April 5, 2013

Internship & Job opportunity

Midwest Museum of Natural History wrote: We're seeking two Environmental Education Interns for this summer. In addition to being at least 18 and having experience with elementary-age children, interns must enjoy getting wet and muddy. Internships are unpaid and applications are due April 30. Info: http://www.mmnh.org/donatetime.html

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DuPage County is currently seeking a Wetland Mapping/ Senior Environmental Technician for a one-year temporary grant funded position.  Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Science, Geography, Biology, or a related field, and one year of experience is required. Experience identifying wetlands and wetland vegetation as well as GIS is preferred. Please post the job notification for 30 days in the appropriate departments. Posting can be found at:http://www.dupageco.org/HR/Jobs/40653/

Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Plant Systematics


Internship Opportunities


The Illinois Department of Natural Resources has several paid "urban collegiate conservation" internships available in the Office of Resource Conservation (working with varied issues like restoration projects, waterfowl, Asian carp, etc.) suitable for environmental studies majors. These will be focused in the Chicagoland areas (field work but periodically reporting into the Chicago office of IDNR) and are available to students from Cook County and the collar counties only. 

For information please contact Jason Brewer of the IDNR (Springfield): jason.brewer@illinois.gov
Please let me know if you contact Mr Brewer. 

Mr Brewer is the Assistant Director of the IDNR Office of Compliance, Equal Employment Opportunity and Ethic, and is also interested in getting in touch with students from under-represented ethnic minorities regarding opportunities in conservation and environmental studies. 
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The IL DNR and Division of Natural Heritage are anticipating the opening of 9 Natural Heritage Resident positions. We are hoping to be able to formally announce these openings in April with selection to occur in May. Positions will start sometime after 1 July 2013.

Recall the Residency Program provides 12-month, full-time employment with benefits under the mentoring of Natural Heritage staff in field or central office locations. Candidates must be graduate students currently enrolled in a full-time graduate program in plant biology, forestry, zoology or related biological science field and have the approval of their academic advisor.

The proposed locations for these positions are:
McHenry County
Cook County
Ford County
McDonough County
Peoria County
Jasper County
Madison County
Sangamon County (2)
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