Weekly Update (10/30/2023)

ESPP News & Announcements

Thank you to those who presented or attended ESPP Student Research Symposium and our sponsors (College of Social Science, College of Natural Science, College of Agriculture & Natural Resources, and the Graduate School) for making it a successful event!

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  • Call for nominations for ESPP Community Engagement Award

    The ESPP Community Engagement Award (CEA) is designed to recognize student efforts to directly engage with affected communities. The environmental science and policy-relevant research, creative, or teaching activity within which the engagement occurs need not be led by the student, but the application should detail the student’s specific contribution and commitment to community engagement. Self-nominations are encouraged. Application deadline is November 15, 2023.

  • Call for nominations for ESPP Student Leadership and Mentorship Award

    The ESPP Leadership and Mentorship Award (LMA) is designed to recognize student leadership or mentorship efforts at the nexus of environmental science and policy. The environmental science and policy relevant research, creative, or teaching activity within which the leadership or mentorship occurs need not be led by the student, but the application should detail the student’s specific contribution and commitment to leadership and mentorship or other students. Self-nominations are encouraged. Application deadline is November 15,2023

Course Announcements

  • GLG 898: Communicating Science Beyond Academia (T/Th 8:30-9:50)

    Are you interested in sharing your research to a broader audience but do not know how? Communicating beyond academia requires being able to convey the importance and rigor of a topic, as well as the excitement and resourcefulness that lead to scientific results. This course will teach you to effectively communicate with a non-expert audience. You will learn tools and techniques for sharing science in formal and informal settings in ways that engage the audience and build trust. You will gain greater skill, ease, and confidence in communicating beyond scientific publications and academic presentations to effectively communicate with a broad audience through writing, speaking, and other media. Communication strategies covered in this course include popular press articles, TED talks, K-12 education, policy briefs, and photo-journalism. Questions? Feel free to contact Jacqueline Gerson at gersonja@msu.edu

Scholarships, Awards & Fellowships

  • The King-Chavez-Parks Future Faculty Fellowship

    The King-Chavez-Parks Future Faculty Fellowship (KCP-FFF) application for the 2024-25 Academic Year is open October 1, 2023 to February 16, 2024. The KCP-FFF program aims to increase the pool of academically or economically disadvantaged candidates pursuing faculty teaching careers in postsecondary education. The program is implemented in partnership with the State of Michigan’s Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity (LEO).

  • Urban Community Engagement Fellows Program

    The Urban Community Engagement Fellows (UCEF) Program is a joint initiative of Michigan State University’s Graduate School and the Office of University Outreach and Engagement. UCEF will pair a multidisciplinary team of MSU graduate students with Lansing-area community partners to envision and complete community-identified projects that make a substantive difference in revitalizing Lansing.

    For the pilot period (Spring and Summer 2024), fellows will engage with community partners in the Greater Lansing area to design the UCEF program for Fall 2024 - Spring 2025 and subsequent years. Fellows in the pilot cohort will not be completing community-identified projects but will focus on developing the curriculum for the subsequent cohorts of fellows. Fellows will receive $7,500 total for the two semesters. Three to five applicants will be accepted into the program. Applications are due November 17, 2023.

  • MSU Graduate Student Award for Community Engaged Scholarship

    Master’s & Ph.D. students are invited to apply for this university-wide award that honors two-way, reciprocal, collaborations with community partners beyond the borders of MSU’s campus. Awards are given in four categories–community engaged research, creative activities, teaching/learning, and service/practice. Students (not their faculty or advisers) are encouraged to apply. Winners receive $750 and are honored at a spring awards ceremony. The application deadline is November 10, 2023.

  • MSU Graduate Student Award for Science Communication and Outreach

    Master’s and Ph.D. students are invited to apply for this university-wide awards that honors exemplary translation and communication of scholarly ideas, research findings, and advancements in all academic disciplines to the general public. This award honors more one-way outreach and communications with audiences beyond campus borders. The winner receives $750 and is honored at a spring awards ceremony. The application deadline is November 10, 2023.

Seminars, Workshops & Other Events

  • Ethics and Water Symposium | November 6, 2023, 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM | Minskoff Pavilion

    MSU’s Ethics Initiative and the Broad College of Business Center for Ethical and Socially Responsible Leadership are partnering with True Elements to host The Ethics and Water Symposium on Monday, November 6, 2023. Highlights:

    • Keynote speaker, Mr. Saroj Kumar Jha, Global Director for the World Bank Group’s Water Global Practice (GP), will provide a high-level overview of ethical issues and challenges he faces in his field.
    • Scholars from the MSU community will deliver five-minute flash talks to provide an overview of their research and work in water.
    • True Elements will share how their organization utilizes state of the art scientific and AI capabilities to translate water’s complex, multi-dimensional and interrelationships into clearly understandable patterns and scores for reliable analysis, forecasting, and informed decision making.
    • The event will close with a “fireside chat” with MSU experts highlighting how scientists, and business leaders and policymakers can work together to address water challenges.

    Please see https://ethics.msu.edu/2023-symposium/ for more details and to register.

  • AI Networking Event and Poster Session | November 17, 2023, 2:00 - 4:00 PM | MSU Union Ballroom

    As a leader in tackling complex problems, Michigan State University continues to explore new ideas and innovative technologies. In efforts to advance research related to artificial intelligence and to foster collaboration across campus, the Office of Research and Innovation is hosting an AI networking event with a poster session and reception in the MSU Union Ballroom November 17 from 2:00 – 4:00 p.m, with the goal of identifying those who perform research with AI, as well as those who are interested in learning more about AI and how to apply it in their research. In addition to networking, the poster session will present varied approaches MSU researchers are taking with AI. Space will be provided throughout the ballroom and in the adjacent MOSAIC Center to provide opportunities for collaboration, inquiry, and more.

Job and Training Opportunities

  • Water, energy, food systems fieldwork opportunity for early-career researchers in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed in June 2024

    Apply to participate with costs paid in the Collaborative Learning School (CLS) to be held in Pennsylvania and areas surrounding the Chesapeake Bay, June 1st - 14th, 2024. The CLS will be led by experts from Penn State, Michigan State, and Stockholm Environment Institute, who lead the SustainFood network project supported by the National Science Foundation. Participants selected to join the CLS will gain exposure to a multitude of water-energy-food (WEF) nexus topics including sustainable agriculture, food value chains, agroforestry, nutrient loading to waterways, instream ecological flows, climate-driven flood and drought extremes, bioenergy, manure-based biogas, solar and wind technologies, and legacy effects of historical coal mining and current development of oil, gas, and fracking. Application deadline: November 3, 2023

  • NCAR ASP Postdoctoral Fellowship Application Deadline Oct 31

    The ASP postdoctoral fellowship is an excellent opportunity to conduct independent research at the National Center for Atmospheric Research. ASP fellows are part of a collaborative cohort, are mentored by leading NCAR scientists and engineers, and benefit from the breadth of science and training happening at NCAR. The Advanced Study Program (ASP) Postdoctoral Fellowship Program has been a part of NCAR for over fifty years and has sponsored more than 500 postdoctoral scientists. Atmospheric scientists, physicists, chemists, applied mathematicians, computer scientists, engineers, and specialists from related disciplines such as biology, geology, science education, economics, and geography can participate in ASP and contribute to innovation and creativity at NCAR.

  • Graduate Research Assistant position in Department of Sociology

    The Department of Sociology is looking for a Graduate Research Assistant paid hourly ($20/hour) to assist with a project to:

    • Develop Qualtrics survey
    • Distribute survey
    • Create website
    • Assist with data analysis
    • Assist in facilitating focus groups/listening sessions
    • Prepare final report Application materials include a cover letter outlining experience and qualifications, CV, and a letter of recommendation from previous employer or a MSU faculty/staff person. Please apply through handshake https://app.joinhandshake.com/emp/jobs/8339854

Upcoming ESPP Events

  • November 17, 2023: Faculty Forum (Topic: TBD)

Weekly Update