…from Neil Banas, University of Washington Applied Physics Lab…
“This is a tool for exploring the dynamics of coastal marine ecosystems, developed as part of the NSF RISE project.”
[via Jim Tobias]
Day: December 7, 2009
GIS Solutions for Pacific Isles Saluted
…from the Fiji Times…
“Geographical Information System and Remote Sensing technologies are sometimes the most practical way to get fast and accurate data on geographic changes in Pacific Island Countries.
“Pacific Islands Applied Geoscience Commission director Cristelle Pratt said many island countries are were using these technologies for vegetation mapping to monitor the amount and extent of coconut, mangrove and other vegetation cover for a range of reasons.
“She said the technology could also help prepare for and deal with natural disasters and climate change.”
Scientists Believe Current Models Do Not Accurately Represent the Sensitivity of Global Temperatures to CO2
…from The Telegraph…
“The scientists compared temperature reconstructions from sediments in the ocean floor with a global climate simulation model which aimed to map climate three million years ago.
“Study leader Dr Dan Lunt, from the University of Bristol, said: “We found that, given the concentrations of carbon dioxide prevailing three million years ago, the model originally predicted a significantly smaller temperature increase than that indicated by the reconstructions. This led us to review what was missing from the model.”
“They believe current models do not accurately represent the sensitivity of global temperatures to CO2.
“Climate models used by bodies such as the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change often fail to take full account of such effects, said the researchers, whose findings are reported in the journal Nature Geoscience.”
Post Doctoral Research Scientist, Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets
The Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets (CReSIS) located at the University of Kansas is a Science and Technology Center established by the National Science Foundation in 2005. Its mission is to understand and predict the role of ice sheets in sea level change.
CReSIS is currently inviting applications to fill a post-doctoral position in geophysical data management and processing of CReSIS field data.
Required Qualifications
- Ph.D. in Geography, Geosciences, or related field.
- Proficient in the use of GIS software tools as evidenced by applicable coursework or work history.
- Strong written communication skills as demonstrated by application materials and publications.
Ph.D. Graduate Assistantship to Investigate Spatially‐explicit Relationships between Human‐induced Stressors and Environmental Landscape Factors, University of Florida
Fall semester 2010 (mid Aug. 2010)
Soil and Water Science Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, FL.
Applications are invited for the position of a Ph.D. student to investigate spatially‐explicit relationships between human‐induced stressors (such as land use and climate change) and environmental landscape factors (soil, climate, land use / land cover, terrain, geology, and hydrology). A goal of this research is to gain insight into biophysical feedbacks (soil‐vegetation‐water‐atmosphere interactions) and carbon dynamics modulating sequestration and/or losses of carbon in a mixed upland/aquatic ecosystem.
Simulation models (e.g. DayCent) and/or mixed deterministic/stochastic methods will be used to conduct this research.
Desired skills: Ecosystem modeling, database management, geostatistics, statistics, GIS, and environmental sciences or related discipline.
Contact Sabine Grunwald, Associate Professor, sabgru@ufl.edu (352‐392‐1951 x204) and submit a curriculum vitae and letter of intend to apply (pre‐screening).
For admission into the Ph.D. Program offered by the Soil and Water Science Department, University of Florida (http://soils.ifas.ufl.edu) a complete application must be submitted following the guidelines at http://soils.ifas.ufl.edu/academics/application.html.
Application deadline is March 30, 2010
New Book: The Impact of Climate Change on European Lakes
Edited by Glen George
“In this book, scientists from eleven countries summarize the results of an EU project (CLIME) that explored the effects of observed and projected changes in the climate on the dynamics of lakes in Northern, Western and Central Europe. Historical measurements from eighteen sites were used to compare the seasonal dynamics of the lakes and to assess their sensitivity to local, regional and global-scale changes in the weather. Simulations using a common set of water quality models, perturbed by six climate-change scenarios, were then used to assess the uncertainties associated with the projected changes in the climate. The book includes chapters on the phenology and modelling of lake ice, the supply and recycling of nitrogen and phosphorus, the flux of dissolved organic carbon and the growth and the seasonal succession of phytoplankton. There are also chapters on the coherent responses of lakes to changes in the circulation of the atmosphere, the development of a web-based Decision Support System and the implications of climate change for the Water Framework Directive.”
Resource for the Future Launches Global Adaptation Atlas
“The Adaptation Atlas is a dynamic mapping tool, developed by Resources for the Future, in collaboration with a diverse network of partners.
“As adaptation is both a global and a local problem affecting populations and ecosystems around the world, it is natural that responses will be sector-, site-, and population-specific. Success depends on site-specific attention and effective large-scale real-time coordination of impacts and actions. Without this, we run the risk of investing in adaptation measures that could undercut one another.”
2010 UCGIS Education Award Call for Nominations
The University Consortium for Geographic Information Science (UCGIS) Education Committee is pleased to invite nominations for the 2010 UCGIS Education Award. The award is presented annually to an individual who has made outstanding contributions to GIScience education. Announcements of previous awards are published at http://www.ucgis.org/ucgisawards.htm.
The award is intended to recognize continuing professional contributions of both national and international significance to GIScience education. Such contributions may be reflected in:
- Sustained effectiveness in the teaching of formal GIScience courses;
- Generating enhanced public awareness of GIScience through informal science education;
- Supervision of outstanding undergraduate and graduate students who enter careers in GIScience education and research or GIScience related professions;
- Authorship of significant GIScience textbooks;
- Authorship of significant journal articles, book chapters, or monographs concerned with GIScience education;
- Leadership in GIScience curriculum development and program design; and
- Leadership in the development of GIScience education policy in academic and professional organizations and the public sector.
Nominations must include the following information:
- Nominee’s name;
- Nominee’s affiliation(s);
- Nominee’s contact information;
- Substantial evidence of the nominee’s specific contributions to GIScience education as set forth above(including references to significant GIScience education publications);
- A substantial discussion of the significance of the nominee’s contributions;
- Nominator’s name;
- Nominator’s affiliation;
- Nominator’s contact information; and
- In addition to the nominating letter, one or more letters supporting the nomination should be obtained (these may be sent directly to the Chair of the UCGIS Education Committee and need not be included with the letter of nomination).
Nominations will be reviewed by a subcommittee of the Education Committee. The Education Award Subcommittee may identify additional nominees, or may recommend that no award be given in a particular year. The name of the person selected for the award, if any, will be forwarded to the UCGIS Board for final approval. All GIScience educators worldwide are eligible for the award, except for previous awardees and current members of the Education Award Subcommittee. However, only people affiliated with UCGIS member institutions may make official nominations. Please see http://www.ucgis.org/Membership/members.asp for a list of institutional members.
Nominations should be forwarded in PDF format to Steve Prager, UCGIS Education Committee Chair, by March 1, 2010, via electronic mail (sdprager@uwyo.edu ). Supporting letters should be sent to the same address.
The award will be presented at the UCGIS Summer Assembly June 15-16, 2010, in Hilton Head, South Carolina.
[Source: UCGIS press release]
Analysis of Community-contributed Space-and Time-referenced Data (Example of Panoramio Photos)
…from the Proceedings of the 17th ACM SIGSPATIAL International Conference on Advances in Geographic Information Systems…
“Space- and time-referenced data published on the Web by general people can be viewed in a dual way: as independent spatio-temporal events and as trajectories of people in the geographical space. These two views suppose different approaches to the analysis, which can yield different kinds of valuable knowledge about places and about people. We present several analysis methods corresponding to these two views. The methods are suited to the large amounts of the data.”
Harvard University Center for Geographic Analysis: November 2009 Newsletter
Highlights include:
- CGA 2010 Conference Announcement: Research on Religion
- Getty Thesaurus of Geographic Names available for Harvard Use
- GeoTime Software Available for Trial
- Harvard University Web Map
- HealthMap on the iPhone
- UCGIS 2010 Winter Meeting
- Call for Papers: GIScience Research Track
- 2010 GeoDesign Summit
- Geography of a Recession
…and much more…
GIS and Science 