Monday, January 23, 2006

Our Future???

This post is coming to you due to the growing concern about the specialty group. As of mid-January, 2006, the specialty group consists of 169 student members and 102 non-student members (271 total). This is a great showing on paper; however, participation in the specialty group is very low. Over the past several years less than 5% of the membership has attended the business meeting at the national meeting. We have had very few students enter the paper competition or apply for the travel grants. Specialty group-sponsored sessions at the national meeting have also dwindled to only one or two in the recent past (2005 AAG – 0 sessions; 2006 AAG – 2 sessions). The lack of participation will certainly cause a problem when my term as chair ends (2006) and the current vice-chair, who would typically move into the chair position, steps down (2006). At present, there appears to be no one willing to step into these roles.

We, as a specialty group, need to decide if we should continue or fold. If continuation is the overwhelming favorite people need to step up to the plate and participate by organizing specialty group-sponsored sessions, encouraging students to submit their work for the paper competition and apply for the travel grants, and becoming officers.

So what does all of this mean? We need to generate some discussion of whether or not to continue the specialty group. In late February, we (the current board) will call for a vote so that the outcome will be known prior to the Chicago AAG meeting. If the membership votes to continue the specialty group but no one volunteers to step onto the board either before or during the business meeting (Thursday, March 9, 11:50am-12:50pm) we will send a recommendation to the AAG that this specialty group fold.

Lisa M. DeChano, PhD
President
Environmental Perception & Behavioral Geography Specialty Group


Thursday, January 19, 2006

Job Opening

OUTREACH NOTICE
Social Scientist/Team Leader
GS- 13 -14

At the Pacific Northwest Research Station, Seattle Washington

The USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest (PNW) Research Station intends to advertise a permanent position for a Research Social Scientist / Research Geographer. The scientist is social science team leader with the Rural-Urban Wildland Interactions (RUWI) Team of the Human and Natural Resource Interactions (HNRI) Program located in Seattle, Washington. The position reports to the Program Manager for the HNRI Program. The position will be a GS 13 or 14 depending on scholarly accomplishments. The salary range is $77,636 to $119,263.

The major responsibilities of this position are to develop and implement a social science research program in the Pacific Northwest that demonstrates scholarly effort and meets the needs of the Forest Service for applied social science in support of planning and management activities. The RUWI Team focuses on two key problem areas: 1) identify and evaluate alternative institutional structures and processes that support effective, responsive and efficient resource management and 2) expand our understanding of community and natural resource interactions at multiple scales. Potential research in support of these two areas varies in scope and complexity and involves a variety of social science disciplines. Among the contributions of recent or ongoing research are assessments of the adaptability of communities to social and economic change, analysis of the impacts of land management activities on social and economic conditions, description of the trends in and determinants of recreation and tourism activities, analysis of implications of population dynamics for forest and recreation management, and analysis of agency institutional capacity for using new knowledge in recreation management. There is an expectation that his/her personnel research focus will include recreation and recreation management with emphasis on public lands. Implementation of a successful program of work involves developing collaborative relations with University and other research institutions and coordination among federal land management, regulatory and research agencies, tribal governments, and state and local governments and agencies.

In addition to developing a personal program of scholarly work, this individual is expected to provide technical RD&A leadership to team of researchers. Administrative responsibilities include formal supervision of members of a research team, accountability for management of appropriated funds and cooperative relationships, and contributions to management of the research program. The team leader is responsible for designing a coordinated research effort that is responsive to the complex resource situation in the Pacific Northwest. Often the breadth and complexity of the issues require integrated approaches and may involve collaboration with scientists within the Program, in other Programs, at other Stations, with academics and practitioners.

The PNW Research Station is seeking candidates who can demonstrate a strong scholarly background as well as a familiarity with both resource issues in the Pacific Northwest and National Forest Management. Candidates must also have strong skills in planning, organizing, coordinating, and implementing a program of work that includes scientists and technical specialists not necessarily under their direct supervision. Candidates must also have a demonstrated ability to work on complex and controversial issues.

Interested applicants, or those desiring further information, should complete the attached Outreach Notice Form by March 15, 2006. If interested, please contact Richard Haynes, Program Manager, Human and Natural Resource Interactions Program, at internet e-mail rhaynes@fs.fed.us; or write to USDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, Attention: Richard Haynes, Box 3890, Portland, Oregon 97208, or call (503) 808-2002. For more information about the position contact either Richard Haynes or Linda Kruger, Acting Team Leader (907-586-8811 extension 240 or internet email lkruger@fs.fed.us)

ABOUT THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST RESEARCH STATION:

The PNW Research Station is one of seven research units in the USDA Forest Service. The USDA Forest Service’s Research and Development program conducts the most extensive and productive program of integrated forestry research in the world. The mission of the PNW Research Station is to generate and communicate scientific knowledge that helps people understand and make informed choices about people, natural resources and the environment. The PNW Research Station has primary responsibility for Forest Service research in Alaska, Washington, and Oregon, but also has active research in several other places in the United States and the world. The scientific information produced by the PNW Research Station has application on public, private, and tribal lands.

The PNW Research Station has an average annual budget of 50 million dollars, with about 530 employees located at 9 labs and 1 Wood Utilization Center in Alaska, Oregon and Washington. The Station headquarters is in Portland, Oregon. The Station has 10 active experimental forests, watersheds and ranges located mostly within national forests in the three states, plus 20 research natural areas. Much of the Station’s research is conducted on lands managed by its many partners, including federal, state, and private lands.

OUTREACH NOTICE FORM

Team Leader, Social Science Research
PACIFIC NORTHWEST RESEARCH STATION
USDA FOREST SERVICE


If you are interested in this position and want to receive a copy of the Vacancy Announcement, please complete this form and send via e-mail to mahamilton@fs.fed.us. If you are not a current Forest Service employee or do not have access to e-mail please complete the form and mail to: Margaret Hamilton, PNW Research Station, and Box 3980, Portland, OR 97208. You may also FAX the form to the PNW Research Station at FAX #503-808-2033, attention Margaret Hamilton. Please respond no later than March 15, 2006. The position will be advertised on the OPM USAJobs website www.usajobs.opm.gov after the outreach is completed.


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