Number 31, December 2001

WeatherZine News

GuaranteedWeather.com Contest

Aquila Energy, a global leader in weather derivatives and energy, announces the launch of the world’s first online weather risk management portal. Through this Web site, businesses with weather sensitive risk can learn about weather risk in their industry, quantify it and purchase financial derivatives to help manage it. Aquila Energy is offering academics and professionals the opportunity to publish weather risk management-related studies on the site in exchange for worldwide exposure, full authorship credit, a small gift and the opportunity to win a cash prize. Aquila is seeking papers and studies on:

1. Uses of Weather Derivatives – Unique uses of weather derivatives to manage a specific weather risk. The articles should address the application of HDD, CDD and GDD puts, calls, collars or swaps – or precipitation caps or floors.
2. Effects of Weather on Specific Industries – Examples of how derivatives have been used to address a business’ weather risk, for example: a profile of a particular business’ weather risk, the decision process used in analyzing and choosing a derivative strategy, and the pricing methodology used in determining the final outcome of the weather hedge.
3. Pricing Methodologies – Theoretical and practical issues relating to pricing weather derivatives.
4. Climate Events – The impact of climate events such as El Nino, La Nina, Pacific Decadal Oscillations, and Sunspot Activity – and their influence on business and the economy.
5. Seasonal Forecast Methodologies – Different methods of producing seasonal forecasts.
   
   For more information, visit GuaranteedWeather.com.
   

The Christine Mirzayan Internship Program of the National Academies

The Christine Mirzayan Internship Program of the National Academies is designed to engage graduate science, engineering, medical, veterinary, business, and law students in the analysis and creation of science and technology policy and to familiarize them with the interactions of science, technology, and government. As a result, students develop essential skills different from those attained in academia and make the transition from being a graduate student to a professional.

During the program, interns work on studies and activities throughout the National Academies. Each intern is assigned to a senior staff member who acts as his or her mentor. The mentor provides guidance and ensures that the intern's time is focused on substantive work and activities. In addition, the interns select topics, plan, and organize sessions for a seminar series whose audience includes not only NRC interns but also other interns throughout the Washington area.

For the year 2002, applications are being accepted for the June 3 through August 9 session. To apply, candidates should submit the on-line application and reference letter forms meeting the requirements described at the web site. Materials must be received by March 1. Decisions will be made within two or three weeks of the application deadline. Applications for the internships are invited from graduate students through postdoctoral candidates in any physical, biological, or social science field or any field of engineering, medicine/health, or veterinary medicine as well as business and law students.

Funding Opportunities: New Directions in the Earth Sciences and the Humanities Interdisciplinary Team Projects

The New Directions Initiative (NDI) will award up to six grants to support collaborative partnerships between scholars in the earth/environmental sciences and the humanities. Interdisciplinary teams made up of at least one earth/environmental scientist and one humanist can apply for up to $10,000 per team, contingent upon 1:1 matching support by the team's home (or other) institution, for a total of up to $20,000. The projects being proposed should be case-based, that is, tied to environmental issues of concern to local, state, regional, national or international governments, private corporations, and/or community groups. The outcomes of this collaboration will include a presentation at the New Directions national conference and an essay in the subsequent proceedings volume.

Proposals are welcome across a wide spectrum of disciplines within both the earth sciences and the humanities. To enhance learning and dialogue across the sponsored teams, we ask that all proposed interdisciplinary projects be organized around the theme of water. This theme will be interpreted quite broadly: representative topics include issues in environmental remediation, global climate change, pollution control and abatement, water quality and quantity, the long-term storage of nuclear waste, and the discovery of life on other planets. Examples of possible projects can be found at the NDI website.

Proposals are due by January 15, 2002. See the New Directions site for application instructions. Decisions will be made by January 30, 2002

For additional information contact: rfrodema@mines.edu