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April 24, 2013, Vol. 45, #5       SEFS  |  Offshoots  |  Facebook  |  Support SEFS  |  College of the Environment

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Weather Proof

From snow in the Hoh Rainforest to late-night frog hunting and freezing stream surveys, students in Professor Steve West’s ESRM 351 class (“Wildlife Research Techniques”) got a crash course in the rigors of field work out on the Olympic Peninsula two weekends ago. Did they wilt from the driving rain and long hours? Not this buoyant group! It was the first of four trips this quarter, and later stops include a foray out to Friday Harbor and then two camping trips, where students will try their hands at trapping small mammals and bats.

BLOG BITS

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Undergrad Spotlight: Sarra Tekola

If you want to see fierce incarnate, just ask ESRM major Sarra Tekola to recite one of her poems—particularly a recent piece about climate change—and see if you don’t get tingles. You can feel her passion burn through every word.

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Chinese Forestry Delegation Visits SEFS

Hosted by CINTRAFOR, a delegation from the Chinese Academy of Forestry visited SEFS on April 3 for two hours of discussions and short presentations, including talks from Professors Greg Ettl, David Ford, Stevan Harrell and Tom Hinckley.

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A Friday Tour of the ONRC

The incredibly versatile facility features a host of lab and conference spaces, a library, social and dining hall with an indoor/outdoor fireplace, dormitories and larger apartments, classroom space for distance learning, and even a two-mile walking trail around the property.

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SEFS Students Volunteer at Beaver Pond

Earlier this quarter, students in Professor Rob Harrison’s “ESRM 100: Environmental Science” course volunteered at the Beaver Pond Natural Area in Seattle, removing invasive plants and planting some native species.

UPCOMING EVENTS


May 1, 2013:

SEFS Seminar Series; 3:30-4:20 p.m., AND 223

May 4, 2013: 

SEFS Alumni Union Spring Gathering

May 14, 2013: 

SEFS Recognition Event

June 14, 2013:

SEFS Graduation Celebration

 

GET INVOLVED

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ANNOUNCEMENTS & KUDOS

Don’t forget to send in your award nominations for the 2013 SEFS Recognition Event coming up on Tuesday, May 14—the final deadline for submissions is Friday, May 3, but the sooner the better!
             
We have kudos galore for this issue, starting with Professor Sharon Doty, who served as a workshop presenter at the 2013 Expanding Your Horizons conference. Designed for middle and high school girls, these conferences aim to increase interest in young women to enter science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) careers.

Kudos, as well, to Professor Susan Bolton and her team—which includes SEFS graduate student Corey Dolbeare—participating in the EPA P3 Competition with their fog-catching project! No final decision yet on the top winner, but they’ve already won first place in the “People’s Choice” category, and second place for the American Society of Civil Engineers Sustainability Award!
         
Hearty kudos also go to SEFS graduate students Stephani Michelsen-Correa and Jason James, who recently attended and presented at the annual meeting of the Center for Advanced Forest Systems (CAFS) in Georgia. Michelsen-Correa’s presentation, "Use of Stable Isotopes to Trace the Fate of Applied Nitrogen in Forest Plantations to Evaluate Fertilizer Efficiency and Ecosystem Impacts,” and James’ talk, “Understanding Site-Specific Factors Affecting the Nutrient Demands and Response to Fertilizer by Douglas-fir," were rated first and second by industry cooperators in on-site ranking of importance and interest from among 30-some projects presented!

Congratulations to SEFS graduate student Brooke Cassell, who recently earned a NASA Washington Space Grant for Spring Quarter, and who also received Honorable Mention from the Ford Foundation. Nice work, Brooke!

And one more kudos to SEFS graduate student Lauren Clark, who recently presented at the Spring 2013 “Scholar’s Studio” with her five-minute talk, “Potential for Hybridization Between Castilleja Hispida and Endangered Castilleja Levisecta in a Restoration Setting.”

PUBLICATIONS

Barbara Clucas, a former post-doc with Professor John Marzluff, and two former SEFS undergrads—David Mackovjak and Ila Palmquist—recently published a paper in Ethology: The International Journal of Behavioural Biology. The article, “Do American Crows Pay Attention to Human Gaze and Facial Expressions?” was first published online in February 2013.

SEFS IN THE PRESS

Don’t forget to pass along news coverage of your work!

ALUMNI UPDATES

Dr. Jana E. Compton, who earned her Master of Forest Resources from the College of Forest Resources (CFR) in 1990, and then her Ph.D. in 1994—also from CFR—is now working as a research ecologist for the EPA. Last month, she and Daniel Sobota, a National Research Council Fellow, published a synthesis of information about reactive nitrogen inputs in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment. Their research was also highlighted on EPA’s Health and Environmental Effects Research site.

After graduating in Spring 2012, SEFS alumnus David French backpacked his way through Nepal and India. He now works as a GIS technician for Natural Systems Design, and as a research aid for the UW School of Oceanography. He attributes these opportunities to the diverse nature of the ESRM program and faculty!

Also, this is your final reminder for the upcoming SEFS Alumni Spring Gathering! This year’s event will be a potluck-style picnic at the Graham Visitors Center at the Washington Park Arboretum, from 3-7 p.m. on Saturday, May 4. SEFS staff and faculty are also welcome to join, and if you are coming, don’t forget to RSVP to help with planning!