EES NEWSLETTER
WEEK OF SEPTEMBER 17, 2024
EES 5010 GEOSCIENCE SEMINAR - 9/20/2024
There is no seminar this week as faculty and students prepare for the annual Geological Society of America Conference.
REMINDERS
- Final exam schedule published: 9/23
- Spring/summer MyUI offerings available: 9/30
- Degree application deadline - grad & undergrad: 10/4
- Degree application late fee - grad & undergrad: 10/5
- Plans of study deadline - grad: 10/15
- Early registration - winter ‘24 & spring ‘25: 11/11 - 11/30
NOTICE
Faculty & grad student mailboxes have moved to 114 TH. Room is unlocked 8AM - 6PM, M - F. Please do not push papers under door after hours.
FACULTY RESEARCH AWARD
Valerie Payré, EES assistant professor, has been granted a $492,599 grant from NASA to analyze the geologic makeup of Mars with hopes of better understanding our planet’s history. Congratulations, Valerie!
Environmental sciences club rock sale!
The Environmental Sciences Club presents their Fall ‘24 Rock Sale - Wednesday, 9/18 & Thursday, 9/19, from 11AM - 3:30PM in the Trowbridge Hall first floor entryway.
Buy books, rocks, geological maps, and more! Cash & Venmo accepted.
geological society of america connects 2024, annual conference - Anaheim, CA - 9/22 - 9/25/24
Are you attending the annual geological society of American meeting in Anaheim, CA from 9/21 - 9/25? The Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences will have a booth (#747). Members of faculty will be on hand with some goodies (pins, lanyards) and information about EES academic programming.
Stop by and say ‘hello!’ if you are attending. We look forward to seeing you there!
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
PROFESSIONAL / POST-GRAD
The School of Earth, Environment, and Sustainability (SEES) at Missouri State University is hiring a tenure-track Assistant Professor in Sedimentary Geology starting in August 2025!
We seek expertise in any area of Sedimentary Geology or Stratigraphy. The successful applicant will teach introductory geology general education courses, Sedimentary Geology, have the ability to teach undergraduate and graduate courses in the selected candidate’s area of expertise, and lead geology field trips.
Full posting at: https://jobs.missouristate.edu/postings/77296
First Date of Consideration: October 14, 2024
SEES has 21 full time faculty spanning a broad range of expertise and interests across multiple disciplines. We are housed in Blunt Hall which is undergoing state-of-the-art upgrades including new laboratory space. On campus analytical instrumentation includes ICP-MS and SEM facilities and the School houses the Ozarks Environmental and Water Resources Institute.
Colorado College is hiring a tenure-track assistant professor in sedimentary geology to join the Geology Department starting in August 2025.
Geology Department website: https://www.coloradocollege.edu/academics/dept/geology/
We seek an individual who uses quantitative methods and the rock record to explore topics of societal relevance. We welcome researchers studying:
(1) extreme events, such as abrupt climate transitions, flooding, mass movements, extinction events, etc.;
(2) sedimentary and associated responses to tectonic or other external forcings; or
(3) carbon cycle through time.
Well-qualified candidates will have a demonstrated interest in teaching and a commitment to conducting research with undergraduate students. The successful candidate will teach introductory-level courses in earth systems and earth history, an upper-division process-oriented sedimentology course, and advanced topical and/or methodological electives in their area of expertise. Strong candidates will present a research agenda that complements the existing disciplinary expertise in the Department and/or the College.
Full posting at: https://jobs.coloradocollege.edu/jobs/assistant-professor-of-geology-on-campus-colorado-united-states
Application due by: October 16, 2024
GEOLOGIST IV - KENTUCKY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY - UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY, LEXINGTON, KY
The Kentucky Geological Survey (KGS), a publicly supported research center within the University of Kentucky (UK), is recruiting a Geologist IV. Key position responsibilities include leading a field team to collect methane concentration measurements from orphaned oil and gas wells, examine and analyze gas samples collected, and digital database entry of measurements.
This position will be responsible for personnel and grant management. This position will manage projects which includes supervision of project teams, routine budget tracking, and project reporting. This position must collaborate and communicate with KGS staff, other UK researchers, project stakeholders/sponsors, professionals, and landowners to enable successful completion of project. This position will publish reports and present findings at professional meetings.
Required Education: Ph.D. in Geosciences
Knowledge/Experience of Gas and Brine Geochemistry, Hydrocarbon Geochemistry; 5+ years of state issued driver’s license; competent in use of Microsoft Excel
Preferred Skills/Knowledge/Abilities: Familiarity with oil and gas wells; sampling for hydrocarbons and brine; coding in Python or Matlab.; ARC GIS
INTERNSHIP, RESEARCH, SCHOLARSHIP, FELLOWSHIP, & GRANT OPPORTUNITIES
INTERNSHIP
SUMMER INTERNSHIPS 2025 AT FREEPORT-MCMORAN
Freeport-McMoran is the largest publicly traded producer of copper in the world. It is headquartered in Phoenix and the North American mines are in Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado.
Internship categories include geology, environmental science, geomechanical engineering, mine engineering, and other types of engineering and supply chain. Working at a mine or in mining is a unique experience!
Apply here: https://lnkd.in/gBvnHNMy
Qualifications include: Full-time student currently enrolled at an accredited four-year university majoring in an appropriate discipline or closely related field; OR Recent college graduate having graduated within 12 months prior to internship start date with a degree or closely related field
The estimated pay range for this role is currently $27.50 - $34.25 /hour
Graduate Student Support: $24,000/year includes academic stipend and summer internship at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL).
Research Topics: Climate Extremes including Drought, Flooding, Wildfire, and Heatwave Analysis using Remote Sensing Observations in Southern California.
Qualifications:
- US citizens and Lawful Permanent Residents with interests in climate change, data analysis and geospatial modeling
- Pursue a M.S. program in Environmental Science for Spring 2025 at Cal State Los Angeles
- Application deadline: October 15th, 2024
- Under-represented minorities, females, veterans, and students with a disability are strongly encouraged to apply.
Interested applicants please send a copy of your resume/CV to Dr. Jingjing Li at jli104@calstatela.edu and Dr. Alireza Farahmand at afarahm2@calstatela.edu
The hydroclimate research group at Auburn University is looking for 1-2 fully funded PhD students interested in terrestrial hydroclimate monitoring, predictions, and assessment for water and food systems using data science/machine learning/deep learning and physics-based modeling approaches. The student will have the opportunity to work on one or more of the following topics: 1) subseasonal-to-seasonal predictions of hydroclimate extremes (droughts, heat waves, and extreme precipitation) and impacts, 2) improving long-term observations of evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and precipitation, and 3) finer-scale assessment of climate change impacts on food and water systems. The expected start dates are Spring or Fall semester of 2025. More information about the lab: https://aub.ie/hydroclimate.
Qualifications: Applicants must have a MS or BS in a science or engineering field at the time the graduate program begins. Deserving candidates should have a strong motivation to study climate-related issues for water and food systems using data science/machine learning/deep learning, physics-based models, and multi-dimensional data, preferably have experience with one computing tool (such as Python, R, or MATLAB), and possess or demonstrate a potential for excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Location: The position will be on the campus of Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama.
Application: If interested, please send an email to Dr. Di Tian (tiandi@auburn.edu) with a brief statement of interest, CV, unofficial transcripts, and contact information for 3 references. Formal application will be made via Auburn University’s graduate school (https://graduate.auburn.edu/prospective-students/application-instructions/). The students can choose to pursue Crop, Soil, and Environmental Science or Earth System Science Ph.D. program.
Auburn University is a land grant institution recognized for its commitment to world-class scholarship, interdisciplinary research with an elite, top-tier Carnegie R1 classification. Auburn is home to more than 30,000 students, and its faculty and research partners collaborate to develop and deliver meaningful scholarship, science and technology-based advancements that meet pressing regional, national and global needs. The campus is located in the city of Auburn, which is a beautiful university town ranked by U.S. News & World Report among the top ten list of the best places to live in the United States in 2009.
CSE GRADUATE SCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES SHOWCASE
Monday, Oct. 21, 2024 9 a.m.-6 p.m. — Attend as much you can!
Various locations—University of Minnesota Twin Cities campus
This event is designed to explore pathways for historically under-represented students interested in learning more about University of Minnesota College of Science and Engineering graduate programs. Open to all.
Apply by Friday, September 27, to be considered for a travel scholarship. Registration is open until Friday, Oct. 4.
RESEARCH
2025 NASA ASTROPHYSICS MISSION DESIGN SCHOOL APPLICATIONS OPEN SEPTEMBER 10, 2024 - NOVEMBER 4, 2024 - NASA JET PROPULSION LABORATORY - PASADENA, CA
2025 NASA Astrophysics Mission Design School Applications Due November 4, 2024
Offered by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA, AMDS is a 3-month long career development experience to learn the development of a hypothesis-driven robotic space mission in a concurrent engineering environment while getting an in-depth, first-hand look at instrument design, mission life cycle, costs, schedule & the inherent trade-offs.
Engineering students close to completion of their MS degree, science & engineering, Doctoral candidates, recent PhDs, Postdocs, & Junior Faculty who are U.S. Citizens or Legal Permanent Residents are eligible. Applicants from diverse backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply; we highly value diversity, equity, and inclusion.
Session: Feb 6 - Apr 25
AMDS is roughly equivalent in workload to a rigorous 3-credit graduate course, requiring an average effort of 10-12 hours per week. Participants act as a space science mission team during the first 10 weeks of preparatory webinars, with the final culminating week mentored at JPL by JPL’s Advance Project Design Team or Team-X for refining the mission concept design & presenting it to a mock review board of NASA Center experts.
Register here for AMDS Application Q&A Webinar on October 7, 2024 from 3:00 – 4:00 pm Pacific Time.
For more information and to apply, visit: https://go.nasa.gov/missiondesignschools
FELLOWSHIP
The Desert Research Institute Jonathan O. Davis Research Fellowship is awarded annually to outstanding Masters and PhD students conducting research relevant to the Quaternary geology, geomorphology, and/or geoarchaeology of the Great Basin. Awards are made to the highest ranking Masters and PhD student proposals. A Masters student will be funded up to $2500 and a PhD student will be funded up to $5000. To be eligible, students must be enrolled in a Masters or PhD program in the United States. If the award nominee’s enrollment status changes during the semester in which the award is made, the fellowship funds will be forfeited. Previous awardees in each category (Masters or PhD) are ineligible for subsequent submission in the same category. However, awardees at the Masters level are eligible for subsequent submissions at the PhD level. The fellowship funds are intended to support students conducting graduate research activities within the Great Basin. Students doing research on any aspect of the Quaternary geology, geomorphology, and/or geoarchaeology of the Great Basin are encouraged to apply.
Jonathan O. Davis was a Quaternary geologist, geoarchaeologist, and DRI faculty member who was dedicated to research in the Great Basin. The endowment that supports this award was established in his memory by his family and friends to support and promote Quaternary research that impacts the understanding of the Quaternary science of the Great Basin.
Applications should include:
- Cover letter: 1 page. A cover letter addressed to the committee should introduce the applicant, explain their eligibility, describe their research experience and interests, and demonstrate the significance of the proposed research to Quaternary geology, geomorphology and/or geoarchaeology in the Great Basin.
- Research Proposal: Up to 2 pages of text and up to 3 pages of figures. The research proposal should include a title and the following sections:
- Summary: One paragraph that summarizes the proposal.
- Introduction: Explain the background and significance of the research to the Great Basin.
- Study area: Describe where the study takes place.
- Hypotheses: Present the hypotheses or research questions that guide the research.
- Methods: Explain how geological methods are essential to your research question, how the study will be achieved, and what activities will take place.
- Anticipated Results and Significance: Describe the anticipated results. Explain how the data generated from the methods will be used to evaluate the hypotheses or answer the research question. Explain the significance of the anticipated results and their impact on understanding the Great Basin.
- Figures: Up to 3 pages of figures with captions should follow the text.
- References: Should follow the figures. No page limit.
- Proposal formatting: Single spaced, 11-12 pt Arial or Times New Roman font, left justified, includea space between paragraphs. Reference formatting and style should be consistent and should follow that of a major journal in the discipline with which the proposal is aligned.
- Budget justification: 1 page. Describe how the funds will be allocated to the research activities. Include any other sources of funding to demonstrate feasibility of the project. Funding for field work and laboratory analysis are preferred.
- Curriculum Vitae
- Letter of support: 1 page. A letter written by the research supervisor should document the student’s abilities and potential as a Quaternary scientist, the advisor’s involvement in the development of the proposal, and the advisor’s role in the execution of the proposed research activities.
The application package should be submitted as a single PDF file to JODFellowship@dri.edu by December 1, 2024, for consideration.
UPCOMING EVENTS
CAMPUS EVENTS
CLIMATE CHANGE AND HEALTH SOLUTIONS CHALLENGE
This challenge seeks to leverage the entrepreneurial spirit of the University of Iowa community to develop innovations that reduce the health effects of climate change. This challenge is open to individuals or teams composed of undergraduate and graduate students, staff, and/or faculty. Proposals are due October 7.
This event on September 19-20 will gather scholars from across the country to discuss how public and private institutions can collectively address climate change on both national and international levels.
Join Jill Sanchez — the Vice President, Financial Reporting for Deere & Company — for a keynote lecture at the Iowa Law Review's 2024 Symposium, The Economics of Climate Change. Jill will deliver a keynote addressing industry's perspectives in a climate changed world.
At John Deere (Deere & Company) Jill is responsible for overseeing the preparation of the company's consolidated financial statements and providing accounting guidance and related counsel to company business units worldwide. Prior to this role, Sanchez was Director, Sustainability for the company, where she was responsible for leading the company’s sustainability strategy and execution, communicating the company’s ESG strategy and outcomes, and overseeing Deere’s sustainability reporting.
Sanchez joined Deere & Company in 2011 as Senior Tax Attorney and previously spent time in private practice at Latham & Watkins in Washington, D.C. and Fredrikson & Byron in Minneapolis.
A native of Farmersburg, Iowa, Jill graduated in 2004 from the University of Iowa College of Business with a BBA in Accounting and obtained her CPA license in 2006. She attended law school at the University of Iowa, earning her JD in 2007.
This fair will focus on recruiting students in ALL MAJORS for full time positions and internships!
PREPARE FOR THE FAIR CHECKLIST FOR STUDENTS
- No pre-registration is required; however, view all details about the fair in Handshake including a list of employers and keep up to date with changes!
- Tips for Connecting with Employers at an event
- Download a map to your mobile device -map will be available the week of the event
- Update Your Resume - Drop-in hours are M-Th, 10 am - 3 pm, C310 Pomerantz Center or schedule an appointment on MYUI.
- Attend a Prepare for the Fair Session: Do's Don'ts & Donuts! Both sessions are in the lobby of the Pomerantz Career Center (C310 Pomerantz Center) - September 23 & 24 - 3:00-4:00 pm.
- Prepare for the Fair Handout
- DEI Resource Guide - Resource guide of employers attending the fair that provided DEI websites + statements for students researching DEI practices at organizations --available week of the event
- Bring your Student ID, copies of your resume and Dress for Success! The event is business casual or professional attire. **If you are in need of free business casual or professional attire, please visit the Clothing Closet at Iowa, G200 (ground floor) of the Iowa Memorial Union.
- Make sure you visit the Student Hospitality in Room 245 across from International Ballroom to get final advice from a career coach or print your resume.
- If you need a break from distraction and need a break from the noise, Quiet Room provided in Room 259 - we ask that noise is kept to a minimum for student guests.
- Parking will be busy this day. IMU Ramp and North Ramp most likely will be full. We suggest trying the Old Capitol Ramp and Tower Place Ramp or find street parking.
- Download the Handshake app in advance to navigate the Fair and research employers in advance! (available for download on both iOS and Android)
- Get your free photo taken at the LinkedIn Booth in International Ballroom Lobby (2nd floor)!
INFORMATION FOR STUDENTS & ALUMS
- Students will Explore + Connect with:
- Life science, health science & sustainability companies
- Internship/full-time positions
- Graduate and service programs
- Research and volunteer opportunities
- Register in Handshake to stay up to date with changes/list (not required to participate though!)
- Check-in at Ballroom Lobby in Iowa Memorial Union
- Bring your Student ID, copies of your resume and Dress for Success! *If you are in need of free professional attire, please visit the Clothing Closet at Iowa, G200 (ground floor) of the Iowa Memorial Union.
- Parking will be busy this day. IMU Ramp and North Ramp might be full - build in extra time for parking.
- Download the Handshake app in advance to navigate the Fair and research employers in advance! (available for download on both iOS and Android)
- Need some help on how to network with employers? Read our networking tips here!
Additional information:
Update Your Resume and talk with a Peer or a Career Coach - connect virtually and schedule an appointment on MYUI.
Alums - go here to get a Handshake account to participate! Current students - you will already have a Handshake account even if you have not accessed yet - click here to activate and/or login.
Employers & Organizations Registered: TBD
This event is sponsored by: Pomerantz Career Center, Department of Biology, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Department of Chemistry, College of Public Health, Department of Health & Human Physiology, Office of Sustainability & Environment, Global Health Studies
AREA EVENTS
SUNDAY AT THE QUARRY - OCTOBER 6, 2024 - 10AM - 4PM @ BMC’S RAYMOND QUARRY (6900 DUBUQUE RD, RAYMOND, IOWA) - THEME: “EXPLORING FOSSILS”
Start Earth Science Week with a free outdoor experience, collect some fossils, learn about ancient life on earth. This year’s event features programming from the Iowa Geological Survey, UNI Earth Science Department, Black Hawk Gem & Mineral Club, Mid America Paleontology Society, State of Iowa Fossil Repository, and more.
WANT TO SHARE SOMETHING IN THE WEEKLY EES NEWSLETTER?
The EES Department newsletter is published every Tuesday during the academic year, outside of semester breaks. If you would like to add an event, club meeting, or other item of interest, please submit an email to clas-ees@uiowa.edu, with the subject heading "Newsletter item," on Fridays by noon, and your submission will be added to the following Tuesday's newsletter.
Thank You & Have a Great Week!