Environmental Studies Student News

Friday, January 10, 2014

Harvard Forest - Summer Research Program

The Harvard Forest Summer Research Program in Ecology is an opportunity for students to participate in 11 weeks of mentored, paid, independent research focusing on the effects of natural and human disturbances on forest ecosystems, including global climate change, hurricanes, forest harvest, changing wildlife dynamics, and invasive species (see 2014 research projects and 2013 student abstracts). Read student experiences from past summers on our blog.

The on-line application system for Summer 2014 is now open.

2014 Summer Program Dates

Monday, May 26 - Friday, August 8, 2014

Monday, May 26 is Memorial Day and while the University is closed, this is the planned arrival date for students. Staff will be on-site to greet you. The program will begin on Tuesday, May 27 at 8:00am.

Benefits

Stipend of $5500 for the 11-week session
Free furnished housing at Fisher House or Raup House
Free full meal plan
Travel reimbursement for one round trip to the Forest (federal grant restrictions apply)

Where is the Harvard Forest?

The Harvard Forest is located in the town of Petersham, in Western Massachusetts.

How to Apply

Application Deadline is Friday, February 7, 2014, midnight EST.

Thursday, January 9, 2014

Happy New Year!

Happy 2014!

We hope this first blog post of the year finds you well.

Field Studies Of Animal Behavior

A 10-day Course for Students, Teachers, Museum Docents, Wildlife Professionals, and Nature Enthusiasts.
Dates: July 5 - 15, 2014

Sponsored by: The Southwestern Research Station Of The American Museum of Natural History. Located in the Chiricahua Mountains of Southeastern Arizona.
Instructor: Dr. Howard Topoff, Professor Emeritus of Biopsychology, The City University of New York.

The study of animal behavior is by nature interdisciplinary - crossing the boundaries between biology, psychology, and anthropology. It utilizes a combination of laboratory and field science, with strong emphasis on development, ecology, and evolution. Accordingly, it contributes both to our appreciation of human evolution, and to our ability to preserve biological diversity through conservation.

According to Conservation International, the sky islands of southern Arizona (which include the Chiricahua Mountains) contain some of the richest reservoirs of plant and animal life on earth. It is this outstanding biodiversity that attracts scientists (and their students) from all over the world. During this intensive field course, we will focus on the behavior of a variety of invertebrate and vertebrate species. Emphasis is given to educators, using projects that can be "taken home" and used with students at all levels of science education.

The course will include a daily multimedia lecture. Although most of the course will be devoted to class projects, we often are able to participate in research being conducted by scientists at the Research Station. We also attend evening seminars given by Station scientists. Indeed, it is the presence of so many scientists (and their students) from around the world that makes this field course so unique!

The course is limited to 15 participants. At the end of the course, the Southwestern Research Station will issue a Certificate of Completion. Cost: $1,020 per person for 10 nights. This includes course tuition ($350) as well as room and 3 meals each day at the Research Station ($670).

To apply: Please send a brief description of your educational status, interests, and professional plans to: htopoff@mac.com

For additional information about the course including a biography of the instructor, please see the course web site at: http://www.animalbehaviorcourse.com

Friday, December 20, 2013

Fragments: Haiti Four Years after the Earthquake

The NIU Anthropology Museum is proud to announce the official opening of the exhibit, "Fragments: Haiti Four Years after the Earthquake." It will be an evening of performance and reflection from Haitian American artists and community leaders: Consul Lesly Conde, Judge Lionel Jean-Baptiste, Jan Sebon, Kantara Souffrant, and Elsie Hernandez.

The opening is from 6 to 8 p.m. on Friday, January 24th, at the museum, located in Cole Hall, on the NIU campus in DeKalb.

For more information visit the website:

http://www.niu.edu/anthro_museum/index.shtml