S&T Opportunities
Living with climate change: are there limits to adaptation?
February 7 & 8 2008
Royal Geographical Society, London
The Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and the University of Oslo, with the support of the Global Environmental Change and Human Security (GECHS) project, announce a two day international conference to be held on 7 and 8 of February 2008 at the Royal Geographical Society in London. The title of the conference is "Living with climate change: are there limits to adaptation?"
The overall objective of this conference is to consider strategies for adapting to climate change, in particular to explore the potential barriers to adaptation that may limit the ability of societies to adapt to climate change and to identify opportunities for overcoming these barriers. The conference is aimed at researchers and practitioners with an interest in understanding how societies adapt to climate change.
The conference will explore the following three themes:
Theme 1: Adapting to thresholds in physical and ecological systems
Keynote speaker: Garry Peterson, McGill University
Projections indicate significant physical and ecological changes as a result of a changing climate.
What barriers and limits exist to adapting to such changes? What thresholds are there in physical and ecological systems beyond which it is not feasible for societies to adapt? In what ways is adapting to +2 degrees Celsius possible? What might adaptation mean in a system nearing a threshold? How is adaptation possible if the change occurring is irreversible? Which habitat ranges, ecosystem functions and threats of extinction of particular species have been identified to constitute thresholds?
Theme 2: The role of values and culture in adaptation
Keynote speaker: Benjamin Orlove, University of California
Values and culture underpin how societies perceive and interpret the world, and this in turn influences adaptation decisions and actions.
In what ways do values, including non-material values, underpin adaptation decisions and actions? What role does culture play in adaptation? What do irreversible losses of cultural heritage mean to societies? How do impacts of climate change on culture differ from other changes in culture? How can the potential values of future generations be incorporated into current adaptation?
Theme 3: Governance, knowledge and technologies for adaptation
Keynote speaker: Susanne Moser, National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)
Governance structures determine the way in which existing adaptive capacity can be utilised. Knowledge and technology also affect how adaptation can proceed in societies.
What are the barriers to adaptation within various governance structures? In what ways does the status of knowledge and embedded uncertainty about climate change act as a limit to adaptation? How do different ways of knowing influence adaptation? Are there limits to the opportunities that technology can provide for adaptation? How may different forms of governance, including democratic governance, act as barriers to adaptation?
Registration at reduced rate before: 15 December 2007
Submission of full papers: 31 December 2007
Close of registration 18 January 2008
The call for abstracts is closed but you can register here.
American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting
December 10-14, 2007
Session U13: Cooler Living in a Warming World: Solutions to the Carbon Problem
This unique session will bring together scientists, policy experts, business leaders, and government officials to discuss potential solutions to addressing the problem of human-induced climate change. We hope to stimulate discussion among different individuals and groups who often do not have the opportunity to interact.
Are you a researcher working on mitigation, adaptation, or technological solutions to global warming? A business leader working on greening your company? A policy person thinking about national or local responses to the problem? We want to hear from you!
Session Description: Given the mature body of evidence on human-induced climate change, this session will focus on real-world solutions to the carbon problem. The enormous scale of the problem and the potentially short time period remaining in which to effect meaningful change call for solutions that will succeed within the current world economy. We seek contributions from: (1) experts in energy conservation, alternative energy generation, carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), and other strategies to decrease carbon emissions, (2) the policy community on the status of legislation to encourage positive change and prepare for large climatic change, (3) private companies on their current efforts to shrink their environmental footprint while becoming more profitable, and (4) citizen and government leaders from cities or smaller communities which are taking steps toward sustainability. Our goal is to spark ideas and increase collaboration between these diverse sectors.
For more information click here.
University of Illinois at Chicago
New Appointment in Public Administration
Faculty Position in S&T Policy
The Graduate Program in Public Administration (GPPA) in the College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs (CUPPA), University of Illinois at Chicago (UIC) plans to hire a new faculty member at the senior Assistant or Associate level beginning in August 2008.
A strong commitment to an active research program, to excellent teaching at both the graduate and undergraduate levels, and to public service is expected. Candidates with research and teaching interests in science and technology policy, public management, and program evaluation are especially sought. The program is particularly interested in attracting individuals who have experience in conducting funded research.
The public administration program offers two graduate degrees: the Master in Public Administration (MPA), which is fully accredited by the National Association of Schools of Public Affairs and Administration, and the Ph.D. Beginning fall 2007, the Public Administration program will also co-direct an undergraduate degree program (B.A. in Urban and Public Affairs) with CUPPA’s Urban Planning and Policy program.
Candidates must have an earned Ph.D. in public administration, political science, public policy, economics, or a related field. Successful candidates will be required to teach four courses over two semesters. Underrepresented faculty are particularly encouraged to apply.
The University of Illinois at Chicago is a Carnegie Doctoral/Research – Extensive institution. Located just west of Chicago’s Loop, it enrolls 25,000 students and is the largest public research university in the Chicago area. The College of Urban Planning and Public Affairs was created in 1995 as part of UIC’s Great Cities Initiative. It houses two academic programs (Public Administration and Urban Planning). The College also hosts seven research centers: the Survey Research Laboratory, the Great Cities Institute, the Urban Transportation Center, the Institute for Research on Race and Public Policy, the Great Cities Urban Data Visualization Lab, the Center for Urban Economic Development, and the Voorhees Center for Neighborhood and Community Improvement.
Application Procedure. Please submit a curriculum vitae, confidential letters of recommendation from at least three references, two sample publications, a one-page statement of research interests, and a statement of teaching philosophy and experience to: Prof. Eric Welch, Chair, Public Administration Search Committee, Graduate Program in Public Administration (M/C 278), University of Illinois at Chicago, 412 S. Peoria St., Chicago, IL 60607-7064. Applications received by November 1, 2007, will receive fullest consideration. The University of Illinois is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.
It is the policy of the University of Illinois at Chicago not to engage in discrimination or harassment against any person because of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, unfavorable discharge from the military, or status as a disabled veteran or a veteran of the Vietnam era and to comply with all federal and state nondiscrimination, equal opportunity, and affirmative action laws, orders and regulations.
Faculty Position, Center Director
Science and Technology Policy Research
CIRES, University of Colorado at Boulder
The University of Colorado at Boulder seeks to hire a Faculty Director for the Center for Science and Technology Policy Research of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences. Applicants must have demonstrated achievement in science and technology policy research. This position allows substantial time for research as well as leadership and administrative service as Center Director. For more information about this position please see the full job description.
Assistant Professor
Tenure Track Position
Purdue Departments of Political Science and Earth and Atmospheric Science
Climate Change Policy and Science
The Purdue Departments of Political Science and Earth and Atmospheric Science, along with the Purdue Climate Change Research Center, announce an opening for a tenure track position in the area of Climate Change Policy and Science, beginning August 2008. The appointment will be at the assistant professor level.
The successful candidate must have a promising, theoretically driven research agenda and an ability and commitment to provide effective graduate and undergraduate teaching. Applicants should have a demonstrated research interest in issues related to climate change policy and science. The ideal applicant will have interest in and experience with interdisciplinary teaching or research, and have a commitment to working with the Purdue Climate Change Research Center, an emerging area of interdisciplinary research and teaching emphasis at Purdue.
A Ph.D. in political science, public policy, or another appropriate interdisciplinary program is required. The position will be appointed 75% in the Department of Political Science and 25% in the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Science, with the tenure home in Political Science. Teaching obligations will be shared between the two departments with the majority of courses taught in Political Science.
Application should include curriculum vitae, three letters of reference, samples of written work, instructional materials such as syllabi and course evaluations, and a cover letter discussing the applicant’s commitment to and experience with interdisciplinary research and teaching.
Send materials to:
Prof. Leigh Raymond, Search Committee Chair
Department of Political Science, Purdue University
100 N. University St.
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2098.
Review of applications will begin October 15 and will continue until the position is filled. Women and under-represented candidates are especially encouraged to apply. Purdue University is an equal access/equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.
