Post Category: Education and Outreach

The Center for Chemical Currencies of a Microbial Planet (C-CoMP) Bridge-to-PhD program supports the transition of post-baccalaureate students into ocean science graduate programs. Each year, 4-5 new B2P fellows will be placed in C-CoMP research groups. The 2-year, paid fellowship program will provide sufficient time for students to establish core competencies in their relevant fields while benefiting from tailored mentoring and professional development. Fellows will be chosen through an application process that prioritizes applicants from backgrounds traditionally excluded from the sciences. They will be placed in science disciplines ranging from marine chemistry to microbial ecology to data science by matching student interest with C-CoMP faculty, and their research experiences will be aligned with science objectives of the Center. Through virtual platforms, B2P Fellows will engage in peer mentoring and professional development, including: (1) fellowship and proposal writing, (2) ethics in research, and (3) science communication. Fellows will engage in C-CoMP outreach/education activities, participate in the C-CoMP annual meeting, travel to national meetings, and attend a week-long capstone experience at the Bermuda Institute of Ocean Science (BIOS). Applications will be accepted until May 30, 2022, and will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Now entering its 19th year, the International Geobiology Course is an intensive, multidisciplinary summer course exploring the coevolution of the Earth and it’s biosphere, with an emphasis on how microbial processes affect the environment and leave imprints on the roc4 record. Participants get hands-on experience in cutting-edge geobiological techniques, learn from a broad team of eminent scientists in the field, and work in research groups to solve relevant questions. Applications are due by February 7, 2022.

Ocean Exploration Trust is live streaming the current E/V Nautilus expedition Luʻuaeaahikiikapapakū. Returning to Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument (PMNM) after an expedition in 2018, this team is conducting ROV surveys on a chain of seamounts, and documenting whether these underwater mountains support vibrant coral and sponge communities like others in the region. Watch the live stream through December 6, 2021, and you might catch C-DEBIer Beth Orcutt waving to the camera at 7:30AM Hawaii / 9:30AM Pacific / 12:30PM Eastern!

The MATE Center and the University-National Oceanographic Laboratory System (UNOLS) are accepting applications for the 2022 Internship Program from undergraduate students and recent graduates. This is an incredible opportunity to work onboard research vessels and be exposed to a wide range of marine technologies, equipment and marine technical professionals. The National Deep Submergence Facility (NDSF) hosts interns to work with autonomous underwater vehicle Sentry, remotely operated vehicle Jason, and Human Occupied Vehicle Alvin through the MATE program. The MATE Center and the UNOLS fleet will sponsor 1 long-term (~ 6 months) and 10-12 short-term (4-16 weeks each) marine technical internships, some starting as early as January 2022. Application deadline: December 3, 2021.

The ECORD Summer School this year (September 13-17, 2021) will combine in-person sessions with asynchronous teaching, group activities, and exercises from the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) world. The Summer School introduces the interpretation and applications of downhole logs and physical property data primarily from the IODP. The School explores the relevance and unique insights of these data for a range of fields, including paleoclimatology, sedimentology, hydrogeology, and broader geological and ecological processes such as sediment provenance and water column productivity. The Summer School is open to applicants from all career stages and geoscience backgrounds. However, the course is tailored for individuals who are early in their career and/or would like to introduce and make use of more physical properties data in their research and/or; would like to get more involved in IODP in some capacity, either through accessing and using data or sailing on an IODP research expedition. Applications due August 2, 2021.

From May 14-27, 2021, NOAA Ocean Exploration will lead the 2021 Technology Demonstration on NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer from Cape Canaveral, Florida, to Norfolk, Virginia. The expedition provides an opportunity to test several technologies that will allow the ocean exploration community to explore deeper, farther, and more comprehensively than previously possible. Expeditions like this are vital for the advancement of ocean exploration technologies that will benefit partners and the broader field of ocean exploration alike in our collective mission to explore, map, and understand the vast ocean realm. During the 2021 Technology Demonstration, 24-hour-a-day operations will focus on field engineering trials of WHOI’s new Orpheus class of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs), piloting NOAA Ocean Exploration’s environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling protocols, regular CTD rosette casts, and acoustic mapping of the seafloor and water column with the new EM 304 multibeam and deepwater sonar suite. Watch the live stream May 14-27, 2021.

How curious are you about the deepest depths of the ocean? Within months the human-occupied submersible Alvin will be able to explore 99% of the ocean floor. Learn about what could be discovered from the latest Alvin upgrade. Hear from speakers Bruce Strickrott (Alvin program manager), Patricia “Trish” Gregg (marine volcanologist), and Peter Girguis (marine biologist) about how the iconic sub enables scientific discovery in the far reaches of Earth’s ocean. Register in advance for the webinar on April 28, 2021 (7:30PM Eastern).

We are happy to be able to offer the Global Environmental Microbiology course in summer 2021. Our plan is to host this course in-person at the University of Southern California (University Park Campus) and on Santa Catalina Island from Sunday, June 13 through Friday, July 2. However, if we cannot host the course in-person, we will offer a highly modified version of the course online from Monday, June 14 through Friday, July 2. We hope to know in mid-spring 2021 if it will be possible to hold the program in-person. Applications are closed.

Formerly known as part of the C-DEBI CC-RISE Program for community college students, CC-CREW is a paid, non-residential summer research experience for local community college students to work at WHOI for 8-10 weeks ~June 15-August 15 (exact dates depend on student availability). Right now, the opportunity is limited to up to 4 students per summer, working in the Huber lab under the direct guidance of Dr. Gretta Serres but we will be expanding post-COVID. The students are part of the lab, participate in research, and get exposure to the many STEM careers a research institution like WHOI has to offer. Students receive mentoring on the transition from a community college to a university and on options for graduate studies in areas they are interested in. Students also have a chance to present their research to an audience of peers and mentors. Our 2021 program will likely be mostly virtual due to COVID restrictions.  Applications are due March 31, 2021.

Researchers and scientists are needed to make the most of our exploration by transforming the data and samples collected into discoveries! You can participate live via telepresence with Exploration Vessel Nautilus as we explore the Eastern Pacific Ocean along the US West Coast and within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument. Registration is now open for Ocean Exploration Trust’s Scientist Ashore Program to receive full access to planning calls and detailed information about each of our 2021 expeditions. Researchers from all sectors, undergraduate, community college, and graduate students, and early career scientists are encouraged to register. The general public, including educators and students of all ages, are encouraged to watch our live stream and send in questions to our team on watch. Registration as a Scientist Ashore will allow you to engage with science teams in the planning and at-sea phases of our programs and receive updates from the field during expeditions. To receive details on an introductory webinar in late-February, register by February 18, 2021.

The Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations (C-DEBI), headquartered at the University of Southern California (USC) and funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF), is offering an all-expense paid, three-week, intensive introductory aquatic microbiology course called Global Environmental Microbiology (GEM).

We are recruiting early career undergraduates interested in a STEM career from 2- and 4-year colleges:

• to join us at the University of Southern California and Santa Catalina Island
• from June 13 through July 2, 2021
• for lectures, discussions, labs, fieldwork, networking, career panels and more
• focusing on aquatic microbes and their ecology
• taught by Drs. John Heidelberg and Eric Webb
• paid for by C-DEBI, including travel, room, board, and course expenses

HOWEVER, if we cannot offer an in-person program in summer 2021, we will offer a highly modified online version of the course: Summer OnLine Interactive/Discussion-Global Environmental Microbiology (SOLID-GEM).

We strive to recruit participants that reflect the diversity of students at the community college and university level with varied science learning and life experiences. We encourage students from groups underrepresented in STEM fields and first-generation college students to apply.

Application Deadline: February 25, 2021 at 5:00pm PST

For questions and comments, contact Gwen Noda at gnoda@usc.edu.

The mission of the Institute for Broadening Participation is to increase diversity in the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) workforce. Although it may seem early, fellowship deadlines are right around the corner – with many deadlines in October and early November for funding for the 2021/2022 academic year. Links to our database of STEM funding opportunities and tips are provided for undergraduates, graduates and other categories of STEM participant. Thank you in advance for sharing this info with any students who can benefit from it.

Caltech invites you and other faculty in your department to nominate your top rising junior or senior students of color (those who have been historically underrepresented in STEM including, but not limited to, African American/Black, Latin(x), Native/Indigenous/First Nation, and Hawaiian/Pacific Islander) who may be interested in pursuing a PhD in any division of science and engineering for FUTURE Ignited, an online virtual conference to be held on October 17. Participants in FUTURE Ignited will have an opportunity to engage in short science talks and “day in a life” presentations by current graduate students and to hear from panels of current students and faculty addressing topics including applying to graduate school, challenges of graduate life, financing graduate study, community-building, and much more. For seniors, the program includes small-group follow-up sessions about two weeks later to workshop the elements of graduate school applications. For juniors, the program includes information about Caltech’s WAVE program of summer undergraduate research experiences for students of color. The goal of FUTURE Ignited is to support the ambitions of aspiring young scientists of color and to cultivate a diverse next generation of scientific leaders. We are requesting that you or your colleagues complete a very short nomination form, which can be accessed through our website. Please distribute this announcement among your colleagues and encourage them to submit nominations. The student does not have to be from the same university as the nominator and does not have to be a U.S. citizen or a U.S. based student (we welcome you to nominate a student you may know through a research collaboration, visit, etc.). We strongly prefer nominations from faculty but will also consider nominations from non-faculty and self-nominations. Nominations are due by September 28, 2020. 

Authors: Man-Yin Tsang, Fumio Inagaki

Below the seafloor are trillions of single-celled microbial life. Marine sediments bury these microorganisms deeper and deeper. Meanwhile, the microorganisms face increasing pressures and temperatures and reduced amounts of food and water. Although they are living in difficult conditions, these microorganisms stay alive and maintain their communities. To date, we know that these microbial communities can survive for millions of years, at 2.5 km below the seafloor, and at temperatures over 100°C. Scientists use multiple approaches to study these fascinating microorganisms.

This webinar will provide an insight into the federal grant proposal opportunities available for geoscience students pursuing careers within academia. Speakers from four federal agencies will discuss the nuances of each of their individual programs as well as provide some advice on how to submit successful applications. This webinar will introduce a variety of federal fellowship programs, examine the key components of the application materials including eligibility and deadlines, and provide advice to submit successful applications. Our speakers are: Jessamin Straub, 2020 NOAA Knauss Fellow/R&D Advisor, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers HQ; Christina Richardson, NSF Graduate Research Fellow, Dept. of Earth & Planetary Sciences, UC Santa Cruz; Jessica Ball, former USGS Mendenhall Fellow, Staff Scientist, US Geological Survey; and Jeff Berger, NASA Postdoctoral Fellow, NASA Johnson Space Center.

The GEM Course is an all-expenses paid, three-week intensive introductory course in Global Environmental Microbiology (GEM) geared toward early-career undergraduates from 2- and 4-year institutions. The course focuses on microbes found in aquatic environments investigated through authentic research experiences (students collect, process & interpret data). This residential course includes lectures, labs and fieldwork at USC and on Santa Catalina Island.

Where:  University of Southern California campus and Santa Catalina Island, CA
When:  June 14 – July 2, 2020
Who:  Undergraduates from 2 or 4-year colleges
Cost:  FREE, including travel, plus modest stipend
How to apply: https://www.darkenergybiosphere.org/education-diversity/for-undergraduates/gem-course/

Note:  First generation college, women, and under-represented students encouraged to apply

Application Deadline:  March 25, 2020 at 5:00pm PDT

For questions and comments, contact Gwen Noda at gnoda@usc.edu.

STEMSEAS aims to provide ship-based, 6-10 day exploratory experiences for undergraduates from diverse backgrounds aboard NSF-funded research vessels. Students will sail with experienced faculty mentors and engage in geoscience and oceanography activities (while also having fun)! Most expenses (travel to/from the ports of call, materials, and living expenses while on the ship) will be paid by the program – there is very little cost to participants. To be eligible, you must be a U.S. citizen 18 years of age or over and enrolled in an accredited 2- or 4-year college or university. Applications extended to April 30, 2020.

For over 20 years, the Ocean Discovery Lecture Series (formerly the Distinguished Lecturer Series) has brought the remarkable scientific results and discoveries of the International Ocean Discovery Program and its predecessor programs to academic research institutions, museums, and aquaria. Since 1991, over 1,000 presentations to diverse audiences have been made through the Lecture Series. For the 2020-2021 academic year, an exciting lineup of distinguished lecturers is available to speak at your institution. The topics of their lectures range widely, including hydrothermal microbial communities with C-DEBI researcher, Jessica Labonté (Texas A&M, Galveston). USSSP will provide support for the lecturer’s travel to your institution, while hosting venues are responsible for housing, meals, and local transportation. Open to any U.S. college, university, or nonprofit organization. Deadline to apply to host a lecturer: May 15, 2020.

Returning to the University of Leicester for the fifth year, the ECORD Summer School: Downhole Logging for IODP Science focuses on downhole logging within IODP and the applications of downhole measurements in various geoscientific fields, including paleoclimatology and sedimentology, as well as for broader geological and ecological processes. The Summer School is a 1-week long CPD-accredited course offering 36 hours of training in the core principles of petrophysics and downhole logging, from data collection to interpretation. The School will be hosted at the University of Leicester (UK) and will run from the 4th July to the 10th of July 2020. The course is open to applicants from the international community, but applications from early career researchers (including PhD students) are particularly encouraged. U.S.-affiliated students and researchers may also apply for travel support through the U.S. Science Support Program. A limited number of travel grants are available and priority may be given to applicants actively engaged or interested in research using IODP data. The deadline to apply for travel support and for the course has been extended to February 21, 2020.

The USSSP Onboard Outreach Program gives formal and informal educators, artists, writers, videographers and other participants the opportunity to spend an entire expedition with an IODP shipboard party and translate their experiences for students and the general public via blogs, videos, social networking sites, live ship-to-shore video events and development of educational resources. Onboard Outreach Program participants are selected through a competitive application and interview process. All expenses for Onboard Outreach Program participants, such as travel to and from the ports of call, and a $10,000 stipend, are paid by USSSP. The selected individual(s) will also be flown to a three-day training session prior to their expedition. Non-US applicants will be directed to their country’s IODP Program Member Office but are still encouraged to apply. Deadline: February 10, 2020.

The Earth and Environmental Sciences department at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) is seeking graduate student applications. We have a rich geology, environmental science, and astrobiology program, as well as data science/ geoinformatics. Applications are welcome at any time.

Join us for a National Science Foundation (NSF) sponsored workshop focused on the integration of Ocean Observing Initiative (OOI) data into undergraduate teaching of oceanography themes and concepts. Participants will explore a collection of Data Labs created by oceanography professors who attended the 2019 OOI Data Lab summer workshops. Learn from your peers lessons learned on how to effectively teach with data. Participants will share new teaching resources and brainstorm new ideas for how to integrate OOI data into introductory oceanography and Earth and environmental science courses. Professors who teach introductory (100 and 200 level) oceanography courses are encouraged to attend. Participants will receive a $300 stipend (issued post-workshop) along with complimentary light breakfast and lunch. Attendance is limited to 35 people. We will accept online submissions until January 15, 2020 or capacity is reached, whichever is sooner.

Stories from the Cores is a series of video games that let players act like scientists studying cores drilled from the ocean and uncovering their secrets. Watch this trailer to see what the games are like. You can download this game to play on you home computer.

The The UCLA SIMS laboratory hosts a 5 day workshop on ion microprobe applications in Earth and planetary sciences, with emphases on microanalytical geochronology and stable isotope geochemistry by large radius magnetic sector SIMS. Arrival and departure dates are Sunday Feb. 24th and Friday Mar. 1st. NSF’s Instrumentation and Facilities program will sponsor costs for travel, accommodation, and course materials for domestic participants. Graduate students and advanced undergraduates (with recommendation letter from an academic supervisor) can apply; applications due December 31, 2019.

As host to one of only three IODP core re­pos­it­or­ies in the world – the only one in Europe – the MARUM in Bre­men is an im­port­ant hub for mar­ine geoscient­ists. Tak­ing ad­vant­age of this set­ting, the new ECORD Train­ing Course will provide a “Virtual Drillship Experience” for sci­ent­ists from aca­demia and in­dustry. This one-week course of­fers a ba­sic train­ing fo­cus­ing on the IODP core flow pro­ced­ures, pre­par­ing the par­ti­cipants for par­ti­cip­at­ing in an off­shore drill­ship ex­ped­i­tion, and in­stilling them with an ap­pre­ci­ation for high stand­ards in all kinds of cor­ing pro­jects. IODP-style lab ex­er­cises will form the found­a­tion of the ECORD Train­ing Course fol­low­ing the pat­tern of the unique “Vir­tual Ship” ap­proach de­veloped for the Bre­men ECORD Sum­mer Schools. The participants will be early ca­reer and es­tab­lished sci­ent­ists from aca­demia and in­dustry from all over the world who have an in­terest in sci­entific drilling and de­vel­op­ment of pro­fessio­nal skills in core ana­lysis. The application deadline is January, 17 2020.

The DOE Scholars Program is designed to provide opportunities and attract talented undergraduate and graduate students, as well as recent graduates to appointments that are carefully designed to help prepare participants towards the full range of entry and mid-level research, technical and professional positions within DOE and organizations that support the DOE mission.  DOE Scholars Program will introduce highly qualified students and postgraduates to DOE missions, functions, and operations. You will receive a stipend for your living expenses during this educational experience. Payments rates are determined by DOE, and are based on your educational level, skills, and experience. The minimum stipend for undergraduates is $ 600/week and $650/week graduate students and recent graduates. Travel reimbursement of inbound and outbound costs up to $1,000 for participants who live more than fifty miles, one-way, from the assigned hosting site. Depending on your project assignment, duration of appointment and funding availability, you may be eligible to receive an allowance for travel and training. Application deadline: January 3, 2020.

This NSF-funded Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program will support ten highly motivated and talented undergraduate students to conduct independent but guided research that focuses on Coastal Ocean Processes during an intensive 10-week program at the USC Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island, CA. The program will provide students with hands-on research experience, training in laboratory and field methodologies, introductory lectures and special seminars in oceanography and marine science, academic and career advisement, professional development workshops, group activities and field trips to explore Catalina Island’s unique ecosystems. Applications are due by Feb. 14, 2020.

The Single Cell Genomics Center (SCGC) at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences will host a week-long bioinformatics course in October 2020. The purpose will be to enable existing and potential users of microbial single cell genomics data to work with their data more efficiently and effectively.  Please help us determine potential topics to cover by filling this online survey.

The International Geobiology Course is an intense, multidisciplinary summer course that explores the co-evolution of the Earth and it’s biosphere, with an emphasis on how microbial processes affect the environment and leave imprints in the rock record. Participants get a hands-on learning experience in cutting-edge geobiological techniques including molecular biology, microbiology, geochemistry, and sedimentology and work in research groups to solve real research questions. Themes for this years’ course include: (1) Molecular biology and biogeochemistry of Mono Lake and its sediments;(2) Viruses and microbial biosignatures in hot springs;(3) Sedimentology and ecology of fossil seep environments. The course is directed by Alex Sessions, Woody Fischer, and Victoria Orphan, and will remain in a format similar to previous years. It begins with a field trip up the eastern Sierra Nevada to visit hot springs, Pleistocene sediments, and Mono Lake, across to the central valley to work on ancient seep outcrops. Two weeks of lab rotations at Caltech will introduce students to cutting-edge analytical techniques, such as metagenomics, FISH-SIMS, biomarkers, X-ray spectroscopy, and stable isotopes. We finish with 10 days at the Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island where students pursue research projects based on data collected by the course. The 2020 course is open to graduate students and postdocs at any level. For postdocs, preference will be given to those who earned PhD’s in other fields, and are seeking to enter the field of geobiology. The cost of the course is US$4000 which includes food and lodging; financial aid is available for those with demonstrated need. Applications due February 3, 2020.

Follow along on IODP Expedition 385 “Guaymas Basin Tectonics and Deep Biosphere” with the cruise blog of Andreas Teske, co-chief scientist and professor in the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. This expedition will explore the most famous ocean spreading center in the Gulf of California, Guaymas Basin, by drilling a Northwest-to-Southeast transect across its flanking regions and axial valley.  Look for expedition updates and images from the drill ship, the JOIDES Resolution, and for background on this expedition, deep earth science, hydrothermal vents, seafloor spreading in action, and subsurface microbiology and geochemistry. Take this opportunity to follow an exciting expedition probing the inner workings of an active seafloor spreading center!

Eight members of the DCO science network volunteered to become Wikipedia Fellows and to improve the content of science material on the free online encyclopedia. Through their efforts, they improved 23 articles and contributed more that 13,000 words to this widely read resource.

The U.S. Science Support Program for IODP is currently accepting nominations for the 2020-2021 Ocean Discovery Lecture Series. For over 20 years, the Ocean Discovery Lecture Series (formerly the Distinguished Lecturer Series) has brought the exciting scientific results and discoveries of the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) to academic research institutions, museums, and aquaria. Since 1991, over 1,000 presentations to diverse audiences have been made through the Lecture Series. Lecture topics range widely, and include monsoon history, ice sheet dynamics, sediment diagenesis, and more. To learn more about the Ocean Discovery Lecture Series and the current lecturers (including deep biosphere researchers Ginny Edgcomb and Brandi Kiel Reese), visit the USSSP webpage. Nomination deadline: July 5, 2019.

Janice McDonnell (Science Agent, Department of Youth Development, Rutgers University) leads the next C-DEBI Professional Development Webinar on “How to Use the Broader Impact Wizard: A Tool to Help Advance the Impact of Research in Society.” The access URL for the webinar is http://usccollege.adobeconnect.com/cdebiremote/. Missed the last Professional Development Webinar on “Broadening your thinking and your impact: Tips on how to develop effective outreach programs” with Pete Girguis (Harvard)? Watch it on YouTube.

The ma­jor goal is to bring PhD stu­dents and young Postdocs in touch with IODP at an early stage of their ca­reer, in­form them about the ex­cit­ing re­search within IODP as (I)ODP and DSDP have been proven to be the most suc­cess­ful in­ter­na­tion­ally col­lab­or­at­ive re­search pro­grams in the his­tory of Earth sci­ences, and to pre­pare them for future participation in IODP expeditions. Such train­ing will be achieved by tak­ing the sum­mer school par­ti­cipants on a “virtual ship” where they get fa­mil­i­ar­ized with a wide spec­trum of state-of-the-art ana­lyt­ical tech­no­lo­gies and core de­scrip­tion and scan­ning meth­ods ac­cord­ing to the high stand­ards of IODP ex­ped­i­tions. In ad­di­tion, the them­atic topic of the sum­mer school will be re­viewed by vari­ous sci­entific lec­tures by the lead­ing ex­perts in the field. Application deadline: June 19, 2019.

The USSSP Onboard Outreach Program gives formal and informal educators, artists, writers, videographers and other participants the opportunity to spend an entire expedition with an IODP shipboard party and translate their experiences for students and the general public via blogs, videos, social networking sites, live ship-to-shore video events and development of educational resources. Onboard Outreach Program participants are selected through a competitive application and interview process. All expenses for Onboard Outreach Program participants, such as travel to and from the ports of call, and a $10,000 stipend, are paid by USSSP. The selected individual(s) will also be flown to a three-day training session prior to their expedition. Non-US applicants will be directed to their country’s IODP Program Member Office but are still encouraged to apply. We are now accepting applications to sail as an Onboard Outreach Officer on Expedition 387: Amazon Margin or Expedition 388: Equatorial Atlantic Gateway. Application period closes April 26, 2019.

The National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT)’s Early Career Workshops provide a stimulating and resource-rich environment where participants can engage in topical sessions involving effective teaching strategies, course design, establishing a research program in a new setting, working with research students, and balancing professional and personal responsibilities. The Early Career Geoscience Faculty Workshop application deadline is March 24, 2019.

Know someone who can share their knowledge of essential skills not learned in graduate school, like developing a syllabus, how to choose what professional service committees to serve on or how to transition to a career in industry? C-DEBI seeks nominations for its Professional Development Webinar series. In addition to providing training in state-of-the-art technologies and instrumentation for graduate students and beyond, we emphasize professional development training targeting skills needed both in and out of academia. These live interactive webinars provide transferable skills for all early career scientists and will be archived on the website for those unable to “attend” the live events. Potential speakers can be nominated by colleagues, mentors, or those mentored by C-DEBI participants; they can also self-nominate. Selected C-DEBI Professional Development Speakers will make a presentation online, using video conferencing tools, with assistance from the C-DEBI main office at USC. Nominated C-DEBI Professional Development Speakers should be capable of combining compelling visual materials with the ability to communicate effectively to a broad audience. Please send nominee name, contact info/description, and subject topic to Education, Outreach, & Diversity Managing Director, Stephanie Schroeder slschroe@usc.edu.

Pete Girguis (Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University) leads the next C-DEBI Professional Development Webinar on “Broadening your thinking and your impact: Tips on how to develop effective outreach programs.” The access URL for the webinar is http://usccollege.adobeconnect.com/cdebiremote/. Missed the last Professional Development Webinar on “Lessons Learned: Adventures in Online Teaching and Trying to Balance Research & Teaching” with Jason Sylvan (Texas A&M)? Watch it on YouTube.

UNOLS is pleased to announce that the US National Science Foundation together with the Office of Naval Research and the State of Hawaii have provided funding for a Chief Scientist Training Cruise Opportunity with an emphasis on Biological and Chemical Oceanographic research. The research cruise will take place in June 2019 (15-24 June 2019) aboard the R/V Kilo Moana. The cruise will depart from and arrive into Honolulu, HI. Participants will help plan and execute 10 days of at-sea oceanographic research that will take advantage of shipboard and PI supplied equipment to address scientific questions related to the role of biology in regulating vertical exchanges of bioelements between the upper ocean and the ocean’s interior waters. The research cruise will focus on biogeochemical and ecological dynamics at Station ALOHA (22°45´N, 158°W), field site for the Hawaii Ocean Time-series program in the subtropical North Pacific Ocean. The wealth of contextual information available from decades of research at this field site will help guide the scientific foci for this training cruise. Pre-cruise meetings and workshops will be used to identify participant-specific research questions and objectives. Travel costs and research supplies will be provided. Space is limited. To apply you must be an employee, trainee, or student (U.S. Citizen or permanent resident) at a U.S. institution or a U.S. citizen working abroad. To be considered, applications must be received by March 18, 2019.

For over 20 years, the Ocean Discovery Lecture Series (formerly the Distinguished Lecturer Series) has brought the remarkable scientific results and discoveries of the International Ocean Discovery Program and its predecessor programs to academic research institutions, museums, and aquaria. Since 1991, over 1,000 presentations to diverse audiences have been made through the Lecture Series. For the 2018-19 academic year, an exciting lineup of distinguished lecturers is available to speak at your institution, including C-DEBI researchers Ginny Edgcomb and Brandi Kiel Reese. The topics of their lectures range widely, and include monsoon history, ice sheet dynamics, sediment diagenesis, and more. Open to any U.S. college, university, or nonprofit organization. Application deadline to host an Ocean Discovery Lecturer: May 17, 2019.

The 2019 Petrophysics Summer School will provide a unique workshop that will bring together experts from both academia and industry to give training in the theory and practice of petrophysics and, notably its applications across both IODP and industry. It will include lectures, discussion groups, and practical exercises on the different elements and data types used in petrophysical analysis. In addition, basic training in an industry-standard software package, Schlumberger’s Techlog, will form a core part of the school. The European Petrophysics Consortium and its collaborators offer this unique training opportunity for a summer school through the provision of technical and scientific expertise in the fields of downhole logging and core petrophysics. The course is open to applicants from the international community, but applications from early career researchers (including PhD students) are particularly encouraged. U.S.-affiliated students and researchers may apply for partial travel support through the U.S. Science Support Program. The deadline to apply for travel support and for the course is April 22, 2019.

CC-RISE is an eight-week, paid, summer research internship program for community college students run by the Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations. Students will gain firsthand exposure to the scientific process by working in a faculty-led research lab at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Woods Hole, MA. In addition to research, students will participate in activities focusing on how to transition from a two-year college to a university and information on graduate school. At the end of the program, students will present their results to an audience of peers and mentors. Applications are due March 29, 2019.

This training course will encompass the different technical and scientific aspects of downhole measurements and their analysis in scientific drilling, including borehole logging under various conditions and scientific demands, seismic borehole measurements, downhole hydraulic tests, fluid logging & sampling, and fibre optical methods. The training course is recommended for graduate students, PhD students, Early-Careers and Senior Scientists involved in running or upcoming scientific drilling projects. Preference will be given to applicants involved in ICDP drilling projects, applicants from ICDP member countries, developing countries, and those from countries considering ICDP membership. For the successful candidates, expenses including those for travelling, visa, meals and accommodation will be covered by ICDP. The deadline for applications is February 15, 2019.

Jason Sylvan, (Assistant Professor, Texas A&M) leads the next C-DEBI Professional Development Webinar on “Lessons Learned: Adventures in Online Teaching and Trying to Balance Research & Teaching.” The access URL for the webinar is http://usccollege.adobeconnect.com/cdebiremote/. Missed the most recent C-DEBI Professional Development Webinar on “Scientific Editing as a Career” with Delphine Defforey (Nature Communications)? Watch it on YouTube.

Undergraduates in Bigelow Laboratory’s summer REU Program spend ten weeks at the Laboratory conducting independent research with guidance from a scientist mentor. Directed by Senior Research Scientist Dr. David Fields, and funded by the National Science Foundation, the REU Program is designed to give students pursuing degrees in the sciences, mathematics and engineering a laboratory-based research experience with an emphasis on hands-on, state-of-the-art methods and technologies. REU students are immersed in the Bigelow community and participate in seminars, field trips, Laboratory outreach programs, social events, and more. Each student in the program is paired with a Bigelow Laboratory scientist based on mutual research interests. During the ten weeks, students work with their mentors to identify a research question, develop a proposal, conduct their research, and prepare an abstract and poster. At the end of the program, students present their poster and give a talk at a student symposium. Research areas vary year to year, but include marine microbiology, ocean biogeochemistry, optical oceanography, remote sensing, bioinformatics, sensory biology and phytoplankton ecology. The 2019 program dates are May 28 through August 2 and will be held at the Laboratory’s East Boothbay campus. Successful applicants receive a stipend, free housing, and funds for travel to and from Bigelow Laboratory. Application period closes February 15, 2019.

We know more about Mars than we know about Antarctica’s subglacial environment, but new information about its nature is changing the way we view the continent. The Subglacial Antarctic Lakes Scientific Access (SALSA) project aims to uncover new knowledge about this newly explored biome through an integrative study of subglacial geobiology, water column and sedimentary organic carbon, and geobiological processes in one of the largest subglacial lakes in West Antarctica. Over December 2018 – January 2019, SALSA will set up a field camp of 50 scientists, drillers, and support staff to drill 4,000 feet into the ice and sample from this scarcely studied environment. Located roughly 500 miles from the South Pole, team members will reach the study site using specialized tractors and ski equipped aircraft. Follow us on our Blog, Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. Click here to view news stories highlighting SALSA’s work.

The Environmental Microbiology and Astrobiology Labs of the Desert Research Institute (DRI) in Las Vegas, NV, in partnership with the School of Life Sciences (SoLS) at the University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), invite applications for graduate studies beginning in Fall of 2019. These joint positions will based at DRI, but coursework, academic advisement, and degrees will be provided through UNLV. We seek highly motivated individuals to contribute to NASA- and NSF-funded research at the interface between environmental science, cultivation-based microbiology, and genomics. The successful applicant will join a dynamic research team with primary collaborators from the Single Cell Genomics Center (Bigelow Lab, ME), the Universities of New Hampshire and New Mexico, and NASA in Silicon Valley (NASA Ames). Major field activities will focus on caves at Lava Beds National Monument, deep boreholes associated with Death Valley, and other (often) extreme desert environments. Open until filled, UNLV application deadline – January 15, 2019.

As host to one of only three IODP core re­pos­it­or­ies in the world – the only one in Europe – the MARUM in Bre­men is an im­port­ant hub for mar­ine geoscient­ists. Tak­ing ad­vant­age of this set­ting, the new ECORD Train­ing Course will provide a “Vir­tual Drill­ship Ex­per­i­ence” for sci­ent­ists from aca­demia and in­dustry. The participants will be early ca­reer and es­tab­lished sci­ent­ists from aca­demia and in­dustry from all over the world who have an interest in sci­entific drilling and de­vel­op­ment of pro­fes­sional skills in core ana­lysis. This one week course of­fers a ba­sic train­ing fo­cus­ing on the IODP core flow pro­ced­ures, pre­par­ing the par­ti­cipants for par­ti­cip­at­ing in an off­shore drill­ship ex­ped­i­tion, and in­stilling them with an ap­pre­ci­ation for high stand­ards in all kinds of cor­ing pro­jects. IODP‐style lab ex­er­cises will form the found­a­tion of the ECORD Train­ing Course fol­low­ing the pat­tern of the unique “Vir­tual Ship” ap­proach de­veloped for the Bre­men ECORD Sum­mer Schools. Application deadline: January 18, 2019.

Delphine Defforey, (Associate Editor at Nature Communications) leads the next C-DEBI Professional Development Webinar on “Scientific editing as a career.” The access URL for the webinar is http://usccollege.adobeconnect.com/cdebiremote/. Missed the most recent C-DEBI Professional Development Webinar on “Work-life Balance is Essential and also it can’t Possibly Exist” with Drew Steen (UTK)? Watch it on YouTube.

Now entering its 16th year, the International Geobiology Course is an intense, multidisciplinary summer course exploring the coevolution of the Earth and it’s biosphere, with an emphasis on how microbial processes affect the environment and leave imprints on the rock record. Participants get hands-on experience in cutting-edge geobiological techniques, learn from a broad team of eminent scientists in the field, and work in research groups to solve relevant questions. Geobiology 2019 begins with a 10-day field trip to the Mammoth Springs area of the Eastern Sierra, to study hot springs, ancient sedimentary rocks and fossils, and the modern biogeochemistry of Mono Lake, as well as the coast near Ventura, CA to see sulfur springs and a world-famous exposure of the Monterey Formation. The course then returns to Caltech in Pasadena for ~2 weeks of laboratory instruction and hands-on experience with many of Caltech’s cutting edge facilities and instrumentation. We finish with 11 days at the Wrigley Marine Center on beautiful Catalina Island, learning from a rotating cast of geobiology instructors and working on project data. Geobiology 2019 is open to all graduate students and postdocs interested in pursuing geobiologic research as a career. We expect to admit 16 participants this year via competitive admissions. Preference is generally given to those in the midst of their program, rather than at the very beginning or end. Postdocs with training in other fields who want to work in geobiology are encouraged to apply. Applicants from around the world, including developing nations, are encouraged to apply. Financial aid is available for those with demonstrated need. Applications are due by February 8, 2019.

All Guaymas Basin and deep biosphere aficionados are thoroughly encouraged to join the 2018 R/V Atlantis expedition team via Andreas Teske‘s cruise blog! Expedition participants from Germany, Mexico and all over the USA (Georgia, Massachusetts, Montana, North and South Carolina, Texas) are convening today at the Port of Guaymas on the Gulf of California for a new deep-sea adventure with submersible Alvin and AUV Sentry.

The USSSP Onboard Outreach Program gives formal and informal educators, artists, writers, videographers and other participants the opportunity to spend an entire expedition with an IODP shipboard party and translate their experiences for students and the general public via blogs, videos, social networking sites, live ship-to-shore video events and development of educational resources. Onboard Outreach Program participants are selected through a competitive application and interview process. All expenses for Onboard Outreach Program participants, such as travel to and from the ports of call, and a $10,000 stipend, are paid by USSSP. The selected individual(s) will also be flown to a three-day training session prior to their expedition. Non-US applicants will be directed to their country’s IODP Program Member Office but are still encouraged to apply. Application period ends on October 19, 2018.

The field of astrobiology includes the search for life elsewhere in our universe. To learn how to look for life on other planets, we must first examine the limits of life as we know it here on Earth. In this Café Sci, C-DEBI Postdoctoral Fellow Dr. Jackie Goordial describes the microorganisms that inhabit some of the most extreme environments on Earth, and discusses how these environments may be similar to other planetary bodies in our solar system and beyond.

The Genomics and Geobiology Undergraduate Research Experience (GGURE) is a research internship program for USC sophomores, juniors, and seniors majoring in the life sciences, earth and marine sciences, computational sciences, and engineering. There is both a part-time program during the academic year and a full-time program over 10 weeks during the summer break at the University of Southern California. The GGURE program offers USC undergraduates the opportunity to participate actively in a research group, with either an experimental or computational focus, and perform original research under the direct supervision of a faculty mentor. We will begin reviewing applications on Monday, August 20, 2018 but will continue to review applications until all positions are filled.

Drew Steen (C-DEBI Assistant Professor of Environmental Geology, University of Tennessee) leads the next C-DEBI Professional Development Webinar on “Work-life Balance is Essential and also it can’t Possibly Exist.” The access URL for the webinar is http://usccollege.adobeconnect.com/cdebiremote/. Missed the most recent C-DEBI Professional Development Webinar on “What I wish I knew before I knew it: Surviving the early years of tenure-track faculty” with Brandi Kiel Reese (TAMU)? Watch it on YouTube.

The International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) invites scientists from upcoming scientific drilling projects to apply for the ICDP Training Course on Continental Scientific Drilling to be held from November 18-23, 2018 at the Geocenter KTB in Windischeschenbach (Germany). This training course will touch upon all relevant aspects of continental scientific drilling, including project planning and management, pre-site surveys, drilling engineering, sample handling and storage, on-site studies, downhole logging and monitoring, data management, and post-drilling measures. The training course is recommended for masters students, doctorate students, and post-docs involved in scientific drilling. Preference will be given to applicants involved in ICDP drilling projects, applicants from ICDP member countries, developing countries, and those from countries considering ICDP membership. For the successful candidates, expenses including those for traveling, visa, meals, and accommodation will be covered by ICDP. The deadline for applications is September 14, 2018.

Check out this recent presentation on deep biosphere research with C-DEBI Senior Scientist Beth Orcutt on YouTube!

The new JOIDES Resolution traveling exhibit (which if you’re not familiar with, you can see a video preview of it here: https://youtu.be/lbnQIXIcync) was created through an NSF grant that also provides funding to allow the exhibit to visit sites around the United States to the end of 2021. If you would like the exhibit to come to your community, there is an online application form to nominate your community as a future host site during 2019-2021. Before you go and do that though, there are a couple stipulations. The grant requires each host community to be a collaboration between an organization such as a library, museum, science center, or university and a local girl scout council. The organization will provide the facilities to present the exhibit to the public, as well as provide opportunities for underserved audiences to easily experience the exhibit. The girl scout council will commit to training some of their girl scouts to be volunteer docents for the exhibit while it is in town. If you have any contacts with local organizations and/or girl scout councils who may be interested in hosting this exhibit, please pass this information onto them.

Brandi Kiel Reese (Assistant Professor, TAMU-CC) leads the next C-DEBI Professional Development Webinar on “What I wish I knew before I knew it: Surviving the early years of tenure-track faculty.” The access URL for the webinar is http://usccollege.adobeconnect.com/cdebiremote/. Missed the most recent C-DEBI Professional Development Webinar on “Sharing Data: The Joys of Open Science” with Ben Tully (C-DEBI Bioinformatic Specialist)? Watch it on YouTube.

The goal of the Deep Life in Buried Salt Deposits course is to provide training for Ph.D. students and early career researchers in the microbiology and geochemistry needed to investigate life in buried salt deposits. The course includes lectures, laboratory practicals and an underground experience at the Boulby International Subsurface Astrobiology Laboratory! The organizing committee and lecturers include Giovanni Aloisi (IPGP, France), Terry McGenity (University of Essex, UK), Tina Treude (University of California, Los Angeles, USA), Charles Cockell (University of Edinburgh, UK), Sean Paling (University of Sheffield, UK), Josefa Anton Botella (University of Alicante, Spain) and Petra Rettberg (German Aerospace Center, DLR). MEDSALT will support the participation of up to 20 trainees with a fixed grant to cover travel and subsistence costs. Applications due June 15, 2018.

UNOLS is seeking applications from early career scientists at U.S. universities who are interested in participating in an oceanographic research cruise that will continue an investigation of a chain of seamounts west of the East Pacific Rise at 8° 20’ N followed by a detailed survey the East Pacific Rise ~ 9° 50’ N that last erupted in 2005-2006. The NSF-funded cruise will take place aboard RV Atlantis Dec. 3-21, 2018, departing Manzanillo, MX and returning to San Diego, CA. The primary ECS objective will involve hands-on instruction on conducting deep-submergence vehicle-based field research.  New faculty and post-docs are welcome to apply. It may be possible to accommodate graduate students; however, this will depend on the applicant pool and disciplinary breadth. A maximum of 10 applicants will be selected to participate on the cruise and others may be selected for shore-based collaboration as there will be daily ship/shore and reverse communications capabilities via increased satellite bandwidth on the ship for the cruise duration. Applicants should submit their application materials by May 15, 2018.

Detailed insight into the microbiome of a system can shape our understanding of it, but the learning curve for incorporating computationally intensive tools can be very high! Join instructor Dr. Benjamin Tully, C-DEBI Bioinformatic Specialist, for an upcoming bioinformatics workshop at the University of Southern California, June 21-22, 2018. All expenses are covered courtesy of the NSF STCs C-DEBI, EBICS, and BEACON. Topics include: Unix command line; Illumina sequence quality control; Metagenomic experimental design; Sequence Assembly; Metageomic binning; Functional Annotation; and Phylogenetic analysis. Note: participation requires a laptop with 40 GB of hard drive space. To apply: email tully.bj@gmail.com by May 28, 2018 – be sure to include your home institution, your home STC, and what you hope to get out of the workshop. All levels are welcome. There is a 15 participant maximum, so apply soon!

Missed the most recent C-DEBI Professional Development Webinar on “Sharing Data: The Joys of Open Science” with Ben Tully (C-DEBI Bioinformatic Specialist)? Watch it on YouTube.

Deep DNA sequencing using massively-parallel, next-generation technology has enabled nearly comprehensive environmental surveys that can describe the different kinds of microbes in a community and their relative abundance. These descriptions of richness and evenness make possible estimates of microbial diversity, but the size of the required data sets pose enormous computational challenges. The rapidly expanding flow of information from next generation DNA sequencing platforms has fueled healthy debate about best practices for data analysis while at the same time building a user demand for tools that can address important ecological questions. The STAMPS course will promote dialogue and the exchange of ideas between experts in analysis of metagenomic data and offer interdisciplinary bioinformatic and statistical training to practitioners of molecular microbial ecology and genomics. Application Deadline: April 20, 2018.

Our School of Rock program is a professional development opportunity for formal and informal educators on board or involving the JOIDES Resolution. Teachers will work with scientists and technicians to learn about many aspects of earth science, geology, paleo-oceanography and more done aboard this amazing ship, what we learn from scientific drilling, and how to do the kinds of scientific analyses and lab exercises program-scientists do. This new-found knowledge will help teachers in creating or modifying existing resources for their students in many areas of the science curriculum. This year’s School of Rock is being jointly organized by the United States Science Support Program (USSSP) and the Australia and New Zealand International Ocean Discovery Program Consortium (ANZIC). It will focus on Pacific Rim geology and the science research of the JOIDES Resolution. In our continuing goal to broaden participation in the geosciences, we are especially interested in applicants from diverse backgrounds and/or who serve diverse communities. Apply by April 20, 2018.

This summer school will combine lab exercises on IODP-style shipboard methodologies (“virtual ship”) as well as interactive lectures by world-leading scientists in the field of mid-ocean ridge research. Participation will prepare you for future involvement in IODP and for research work on mid-ocean ridge processes. The summer school will take advantage of the unique and integrated facilities offered by the IODP Bremen Core Repository and MARUM laboratories. To apply, please visit the course web page given below. A total of 30 participants can be accepted. The course fee is €150. Travel, accommodation and meals must be covered by the participants. The application deadline is May 25, 2018.

The goal of the IUSE:EHR Program is to catalyze colleges and universities and their faculties to provide highly effective, evidence-based teaching and learning experiences for their undergraduate students taking STEM courses. It supports the development and use of practices that are rooted in a solid research base. In pursuit of this goal, IUSE: EHR supports a broad range of projects on two tracks. The Engaged Student Learning track supports the development, use, and testing of instructional practices and curricular innovation that engage and improve student learning and retention in STEM. The Institutional and Community Transformation track supports efforts to increase the propagation of highly effective, evidence-based teaching and learning by promoting this activity broadly at the discipline, academic department, and institutional levels. IUSE: EHR, managed by the Education and Human Resources Directorate, is one component of NSF’s larger cross-directorate investment in improving undergraduate STEM education. Beginning in FY 2018, there will be no single date deadlines for Exploration and Design proposals, which may be submitted at any time from October 1, 2017 onward.  Please note however that proposals received after May 1, 2018 will be held over to the subsequent financial year for possible award (for example awards will be made in FY 19 for proposals received after May 1, 2018).

Missed the last webinar on “Surviving (and Maybe Even Thriving!) in a Soft Money Position” with Julie Huber (C-DEBI Associate Director, Associate Scientist, WHOI)? Watch it on YouTube.

It’s not too late! If you know of any students still looking for STEM summer research programs for this summer, now’s the time to apply. Deadlines are fast approaching, but we still have 100+ programs in our database that have deadlines coming up in the next 45 days. All programs in our database are funded programs — most provide a stipend of around $3,000 – $5,000 plus travel and housing. Students can use our advanced search page to find programs with upcoming deadlines: http://pathwaystoscience.org/programs.aspx?adv=adv. And this quick video tutorial on using our search engine may be helpful: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FxKsAGk8dAw&t=16s. Any students who need help finding a program should feel free to email the Institute for Broadening Participation’s Senior Advisor, Liv Detrick (ldetrick@ibparticipation.org).

Petrophysics is the study of the physical (and chemical) properties of rocks and their interactions with fluids, and integrates downhole in situ data from logs with core and seismic data. This has significant applications in the hydrocarbon industry in terms of both exploration for, and production of, oil and gas. It is also an important component of the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) in helping to answer the many and varied questions posed by ocean research drilling expeditions around the world. This third Petrophysics Summer School will provide a unique workshop that will bring together experts from both academia and industry to give training in the theory and practice of petrophysics and, notably its applications across both IODP and industry. There are few opportunities for training, especially for non-industry researchers, and with recent reports indicating significant skills shortages in the hydrocarbon sector, the workshop could attract a variety of participants including those who might not normally engage with the IODP community. In addition, the summer school will strengthen links between IODP and industry, increase the visibility of IODP, provide essential training to the next generation of petrophysicists and, importantly, enable future expedition participants to best utilize these data in their investigations of the ocean floor. U.S.-affiliated students and researchers may apply for partial travel support through the U.S. Science Support Program. A limited number of travel grants are available. To apply for U.S. travel support, complete an online application by March 23, 2018.

the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program ICDP invites Principal Investigators, project managers and leading scientists of upcoming continental scientific drilling projects to apply for the ICDP Training Course on Planning, Management and Execution of Continental Scientific Drilling Projects to be held from May 15-17, 2018, at the GeoZentrum KTB (Germany). This training course will touch upon relevant aspects for managing a scientific drilling project, including: Proposal Writing & Multi-Source Fundraising; Drilling Workflow & Terminologies; Health, Safety and Environment; On-Site Management; Sample Handling and Curation; Dowhhole Logging Planning and Execution; Data Management; Outreach. Preference will be given to applicants involved in ICDP drilling projects, applicants from ICDP member countries, developing countries, and those from countries considering ICDP membership. For the successful candidates, costs including those for travel, visas, and accommodation will be covered by the ICDP. The application deadline is March 15, 2018.

CC-RISE is an eight-week, paid, summer research internship program for community college students run by the Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations. Students will gain firsthand exposure to the scientific process by working in a faculty-led research lab at the University of California Santa Cruz or at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Woods Hole, MA. In addition to research, students will participate in activities focusing on how to transition from a two-year college to a university and information on graduate school. At the end of the program, students will present their results to an audience of peers and mentors. Applications are due March 31, 2018.

The NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) program is designed to encourage the development and implementation of bold, new, and potentially transformative models for STEM graduate education training. The NRT program seeks proposals that explore ways for graduate students in research-based master’s and doctoral degree programs to develop the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to pursue a range of STEM careers. The program is dedicated to effective training of STEM graduate students in high priority interdisciplinary research areas, through the use of a comprehensive traineeship model that is innovative, evidence-based, and aligned with changing workforce and research needs. For FY2018, proposals are requested in any interdisciplinary research theme of national priority, with special emphasis on two high priority areas: (1) Harnessing the Data Revolution (HDR) and (2) Innovations at the Nexus of Food, Energy, and Water Systems (INFEWS). Proposal deadline: February 6, 2018.

Undergraduates in Bigelow Laboratory’s summer REU Program spend ten weeks at the Laboratory conducting independent research with guidance from a scientist mentor. Directed by Senior Research Scientist Dr. David Fields, and funded by the National Science Foundation, the REU Program is designed to give students pursuing degrees in the sciences, mathematics and engineering a laboratory-based research experience with an emphasis on hands-on, state-of-the-art methods and technologies. REU students are immersed in the Bigelow community and participate in seminars, field trips, Laboratory outreach programs, social events, and more. Research areas vary year to year, but include marine microbiology, ocean biogeochemistry, optical oceanography, remote sensing, bioinformatics, sensory biology and phytoplankton ecology. The 2018 program dates are May 29 through August 3 and will be held at the Laboratory’s East Boothbay campus. Successful applicants receive a stipend, free housing, and funds for travel to and from Bigelow Laboratory. Applications are due February 15, 2018.

In Search of Earth’s Secrets is a special project that aims to bring the JOIDES Resolution and IODP science to communities around the country. It is a 5-year project funded by the NSF’s Education and Human Resources (EHR) division, designed to create “pop-up” science events in the style of pop-up restaurants, stores and art fairs [the microbiology component was supported by a C-DEBI Education & Outreach grant to Sharon Cooper (LDEO)]. The aim is to bring high quality Earth and ocean science content to rural communities and those with a high percentage of traditionally underserved populations, and to create interest in the discoveries of IODP. The project involves working with libraries, youth organizations, program scientists, educators, and museums across the country. The exhibit includes interactive kiosks, a large interactive floor map, and an inflatable walk-through JR showing an immersive ScienceMedia-produced film inside, narrated by actress Michelle Hurd. For more information, to get involved, and to apply to bring Earth’s Secrets to your community, please visit: http://www.insearchofearthssecrets.com.

This is an exciting time for IODP outreach and education. Several high-profile drilling expeditions have greatly increased public awareness of the program, international collaboration on IODP outreach activities is at an all-time high, and the U.S. is poised to launch a major outreach effort focused on scientific ocean drilling and the JOIDES Resolution. At the same time, resources for these activities are limited, so the U.S. Science Support Program and U.S. Advisory Committee for Scientific Ocean Drilling would like to solicit feedback from members of the U.S. IODP community regarding your hopes and priorities for the outreach and education programs. Please take a few moments to complete an online education and outreach survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/EO-Community-Survey, and let us know your thoughts. The survey is open through February 2, 2018. Community input is critical to the implementation of a successful outreach program, so we are grateful for your opinions and guidance. You can find a concise annual review of 2017 U.S. outreach and education activity at http://bit.ly/2CJDPd2.

The Genomics and Geobiology Undergraduate Research Experience (GGURE) is a research internship program for USC sophomores, juniors, and seniors majoring in the life sciences, earth and marine sciences, computational sciences, and engineering. There is both a part-time program during the academic year and a full-time program over 10 weeks during the summer break at the University of Southern California. The GGURE program offers USC undergraduates the opportunity to participate actively in a research group, with either an experimental or computational focus, and perform original research under the direct supervision of a faculty mentor. We will begin reviewing applications on Tuesday, January 2, 2018 but will continue to review applications until all positions are filled.

The fellowship awards $4,000 to undergraduate, community college, and post-baccalaureate students to perform 10-12 weeks of summer research. Also, awardees submit their research for presentation at ASM Microbe 2019. If their abstract is accepted, they receive up to $2,000 in travel funds to attend the Microbe Academy for Professional Development prior to the meeting and present their research at the meeting. Application Deadline: February 15, 2018.

The Research Capstone Fellowship is available to underrepresented minority students at three different levels: 1) Community college, undergraduate, and post-baccalaureate students; 2) Master’s level and early-graduate students (prior to taking the preliminary exam); and 3_ Doctoral candidates (post-preliminary exam). All Fellows receive up to $2,000 to attend and present at the ASM Microbe Academy for Professional Development (MAPD) and the ASM Microbe Meeting (contingent upon abstract acceptance). Doctoral candidates receive up to $2,000 in additional funding during years two and three of the fellowship to participate in professional development courses/training and/or attend local or national meetings (contingent upon approval of progress report and annual budget plan). Application Deadline: March 1, 2018.

The Ocean Exploration Trust (OET) is now accepting applications for students to participate in the Science & Engineering Internship Program during the 2018 E/V Nautilus Expedition! Check out www.NautilusLive.org to learn more about the work of Ocean Exploration Trust. Founded by Dr. Robert Ballard in 2008, OET is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to bringing ocean exploration to the world via live telepresence and providing experiential opportunities for students, educators, and early career professionals. Opportunities for undergraduates, graduate students, and recent graduates are available in ocean science, seafloor mapping, ROV (remotely operated vehicle) engineering, and video engineering through the Science & Engineering Internship Program. Accepted students will have the chance to sail aboard E/V Nautilus for 2-4 weeks learning from experts in the field receiving a paid stipend or college credit. Application Deadline: January 26, 2018.

Applications are available now for you to explore the Eastern Pacific Ocean with Dr. Robert Ballard’s Corps of Exploration as a Science Communication Fellow! This team of explorers conducts cutting-edge scientific exploration of parts of the global ocean never seen before using remotely operated vehicles (ROVs) and multibeam mapping technology. Fellows will spend 1-3 weeks at sea between June – November 2018 in the Pacific Ocean. The Science Communication Fellowship invites K-20 and informal educators for a professional development experience aboard Exploration Vessel Nautilus as science interpreters among a team of STEM professionals. Participants will gain exposure to and experience in the applications of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) in the field of ocean exploration. Fellows will collaborate with a cohort from across North America, explore side-by-side with scientists and engineers, and share the adventure with their students, community, and the world as the expedition is broadcast live on www.NautilusLive.org. Applications for the Science Communication Fellowship are due by January 15, 2018.

The International Geobiology Course is an intense, multidisciplinary summer course that explores the co-evolution of the Earth and it’s biosphere, with an emphasis on how microbial processes affect the environment and leave imprints in the rock record. Participants get a hands-on learning experience in cutting-edge geobiological techniques including molecular biology, microbiology, geochemistry, and sedimentology and work in research groups to solve real research questions. This year the course will be directed by Alex Sessions, Woody Fischer, and Victoria Orphan, and will remain in a format similar to previous years. It begins with a field trip up the eastern Sierra Nevada to visit hot springs, Cambrian rocks, and Mono Lake, and back down to the coast near Ventura to study sulfur springs and tar seeps, and a world-famous exposure of the Monterey Formation. Two weeks of lab rotations at Caltech will introduce students to cutting-edge analytical techniques, followed by two weeks at the Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island. The 2018 course is open to graduate students and postdocs at any level. For postdocs, preference will be given to those who earned PhD’s in other fields, and are seeking to enter the field of geobiology. The cost of the course is US $4000; financial aid is available for those with demonstrated need. Application deadline: February 9, 2018.

Andrew Fisher (C-DEBI Co-PI, University of California Santa Cruz) leads the next C-DEBI Professional Development Webinar on “Speaking as a Scientist with Press, Politicians, and the Public.” The access URL for the webinar is http://usccollege.adobeconnect.com/cdebiremote/. Missed the last webinar on “How to Negotiate in Academia”? Watch it on YouTube.

Mentoring365 is a program developed among Earth and space science organizations to facilitate sharing professional knowledge, expertise, skills, insights, and experiences through dialogue and collaborative learning. The program provides mentors and mentees with structured, relationship-building tools to develop and attain focused career goals. Mentors: must be current members in one of the program sponsors, AGU, AWG, or SEG. Mentors range in career stage from post docs to senior scientists. The most important requirements are that the Mentoring365 mentor is dedicated to providing guidance and has knowledge and experience that will be useful to the mentee. By serving as a Mentoring365 mentor, you’re giving back to the community and helping to support the next generation of Earth and space scientists. Mentees: All current undergraduate, graduate, and post-doctoral students that are current members in one of the program sponsors (AGU, AWG, or SEG) are eligible. Before being accepted into the Mentoring365 program, mentees must fill out a one-page online application.

The NOAA Graduate Research and Training Scholarship Program (GRTSP) leverages the initial investment made by the agency in the NOAA EPP/MSI Cooperative Science Centers (CSC). GRTSP helps establish a pipeline of well trained and educated individuals who attend Minority Serving Institutions and earn degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) disciplines that support NOAA’s mission. Scholars are offered the following for one year based on the degree being pursued. For PhD. Degree candidates: $45,000 stipend to support tuition and fees and other costs associated with opportunities for professional development; $10,000 (maximum) travel cost to support research travel and to present findings at conferences; and, Funding for a second year of training if a renewal application is successful and approved by NOAA EPP/MSI. For Masters Degree candidates: $36,000 to support tuition and fees as well as other costs associated with opportunities for professional development; and, $7,000 (maximum) travel cost to support research travel and to present findings at conferences. Applications may be obtained from the NOAA Cooperative Science Center Director and are submitted through the CSC Director directly to NOAA EPP/MSI.

Providing scholarships & internships to outstanding students studying at Minority Serving Institutions.The EPP/MSI Undergraduate Scholarship Program provides scholarships for two years of undergraduate study to rising junior undergraduate students at Minority Serving Institutions majoring in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) fields that directly support NOAA’s mission. Participants conduct research at a NOAA facility during two paid summer internships. Since 2001, over 186 students have completed the program and over 75% go on to graduate school. Students attending Minority Serving Institutions as defined by the US Department of Education (Hispanic Serving Institutions, Historically Black Colleges and Universities, Tribal Colleges and Universities, Alaskan-Native Serving Institutions, and Native Hawaiian Serving Institutions) are eligible to apply for the program. Application deadline: January 31, 2018.

A full–tuition scholarship for a woman in science, technology, engineering, or math. Funded by Cards Against Humanity. Film a three–minute video of yourself explaining a topic in STEM you are passionate about. You must be a high school senior or an undergraduate college student to apply. To view examples of previous application videos, click here. Applications close on December 11, 2017.

The Data Incubator is a Cornell-funded data science training organization. We run a free advanced 8-week fellowship (think data science bootcamp) for PhDs looking to enter industry. A variety of innovative companies partner with The Data Incubator for their hiring and training needs, including LinkedIn, Genentech, Capital One, Pfizer, and many others. The program is free for admitted Fellows. Fellows have the option to participate in the program either in person in New York, San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle New, Boston New, Washington DC, or online. Early deadline: October 9, 2017; regular deadline: October 16, 2017.

At Box, we believe that diversity and inclusion are critical to our success. We’re not only committed to building an incredibly diverse and inclusive company, but also to using our position as technology leaders to ensure our industry reflects those values. We created the Box Diversity Scholarship to ensure that the perspectives of historically underrepresented people are included in the creation of the future through technology by identifying and financially supporting high-potential individuals, particularly those who identify as people of color, women, LGBTQ+, and/or people with disabilities. Box will award five scholarships to support students with a passion for technology including one $20,000 grand-prize scholarship and four additional $4,000 finalist scholarships. Applicants must be studying in a STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, math) or related major, and enrolled in or transferring into a 4-year accredited degree program by Spring 2018. This includes rising college freshman beginning college in Fall 2017 or Spring 2018, exiting college seniors graduating in/after Spring 2018, and community college students who are transferring to a 4-year school by Spring 2018. Applications are due October 2, 2017.

The K-16 Educator Small Grants program supports K-16 teachers who have attended a C-DEBI educator training program and have incorporated C-DEBI content into their classrooms.  These awards up to $2500 support items including but not limited to the following: funds for student field trips, classroom supplies, travel for presenting C-DEBI curriculum at educator meetings, or additional professional development directly related to C-DEBI research.  Proposals for funding should indicate how C-DEBI research content is being translated into the classroom and how the proposed activities connect to that content. Applications are due October 2, 2017.

The Innovations in Graduate Education (IGE) program is designed to encourage the development and implementation of bold, new, and potentially transformative approaches to STEM graduate education training. The program seeks proposals that explore ways for graduate students in research-based master’s and doctoral degree programs to develop the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to pursue a range of STEM careers. IGE focuses on projects aimed at piloting, testing, and validating innovative and potentially transformative approaches to graduate education. IGE projects are intended to generate the knowledge required for their customization, implementation, and broader adoption. The program supports testing of novel models or activities with high potential to enrich and extend the knowledge base on effective graduate education approaches. The program addresses both workforce development, emphasizing broad participation, and institutional capacity building needs in graduate education. Strategic collaborations with the private sector, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), government agencies, national laboratories, field stations, teaching and learning centers, informal science centers, and academic partners are encouraged. Full Proposal Deadline: October 25, 2017.

Karen G. Lloyd (University of Tennessee) leads the next C-DEBI Professional Development Webinar on “How to Negotiate in Academia,” covering why negotiation is essential, tips for how to do so successfully and what to expect from post-doc and assistant professorship job negotiations. Missed the last webinar on “Proposal Writing, Management, and Budget Planning”? Watch it on YouTube.

You are invited to join us for our Undergraduate Research Poster Symposium featuring research on coastal ocean processes, subseafloor microbes and more by undergraduates of the USC Wrigley Institute for Environmental Studies Summer REU program and the Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations C4 and GGURE programs. Light refreshments will be served. Please send an email to Gwen Noda gnoda@usc.edu to let us know that you plan to attend. See the flyer for more details.

C-DEBI teamed up with the Consortium for Ocean Leadership’s Marine Geoscience Leadership Symposium (MGLS) for this comprehensive webinar on proposal preparation June 15, 2017. The webinar focused on topics related to preparing research proposals by providing advice on writing, constructing planning timelines, managing a team through the process, and preparing a budget. In addition to the 1 hour 20 minute video, PDFs are available of the presentation slides and a supplemental question answered from the extensive Questions and Discussion at the end of the webinar.

The 2017 Science Showcase Video Contest celebrates the best in researcher-created science videos. A staggering number of people use YouTube — over 200 million in the U.S. alone – many of whom are passionate about science. Yet there are remarkably few researchers making videos that people want to watch. This is a huge missed opportunity, and one we’re on a mission to address. Wouldn’t it be awesome if scientists were as fluent in “YouTube” as they are in “Blog” and “Twitter”? The Science Showcase Video Contest is all about getting researchers excited about communicating their science to curious-minded people on YouTube. So if you are doing cool research, and have a passion for telling others about it, get creating! Qualifying videos will be showcased on the Science Showcase YouTube channel, and the best reviewed by our panel of distinguished guest judges, including BrainCraft’s Vanessa Hill, NPR’s Richard Harris, ACS Reaction’s Adam Dylewski, and Google’s Cat Allman. Submissions close August 31, 2017.

C-DEBI’s last annual meeting was preceded by a C-DEBI/Metcalf Institute Graduate Student and Postdoctoral Professional Development Workshop on “Building Leadership in Science Communication.” The following workshop speaker videos are now available on YouTube:

1. Talking to the Media and Using Conduits to the Press
   Mario Aguilera, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, UC San Diego
2. Composing Opinion Pieces
   Edward Ortiz, California Energy Commission
3. Sharing Science with Video
   Katie Pratt, URI GSO Office of Marine Programs

More resources from the day-long workshop are available at http://metcalfinstitute.org/training/scicomm-cdebi/.

A new series of DCO webinars focusing on big data modeling and visualization will launch Wednesday, 17 May 2017 at 2 pm EDT. Called “DCO Webinar Wednesdays,” this webinar series builds on the successful workshop program at the Third DCO International Science Meeting and will take place monthly over the summer.  We hope you join in to learn from DCO experts in data science, modeling, and data visualization, who will guide you through a series of available modeling tools and software packages that you can integrate into your research now. Synthesis Group 2019 and the DCO Engagement Team are hosting this series. You can join the webinars live, and follow along on Twitter on the hashtag #DCOWebWed. All webinars will begin with a 30-minute presentation, followed by 15 minutes for open discussion and Q&A. We will archive the webinars as they happen, so don’t worry if you miss one! The final webinar of this series on 12 October 2017 will bring together the presenters for a live Q&A, giving you plenty of opportunity to view the archive and have your questions answered by our panel of experts. Contact Katie Pratt (katie_pratt@uri.edu) or Darlene Trew Crist (dtcristdco@gmail.com) with any questions about the webinar series, or if you would like to propose a future series.

The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects specifically designed for the REU program. This solicitation features two mechanisms for support of student research: (1) REU Sites are based on independent proposals to initiate and conduct projects that engage a number of students in research. REU Sites may be based in a single discipline or academic department or may offer interdisciplinary or multi-department research opportunities with a coherent intellectual theme. Proposals with an international dimension are welcome. (2) REU Supplements may be included as a component of proposals for new or renewal NSF grants or cooperative agreements or may be requested for ongoing NSF-funded research projects. Full proposal deadline: August 23, 2017.

On behalf of the entire NSF STC network of Centers, we invite PhD students and postdocs to apply to this NSF sponsored professional development workshop – PrePARE (Paths Afforded by the Research Enterprise). The all expenses paid workshop will run from August 6 to August 11, 2017 in Indianapolis, IN. In its third year, the workshop is designed to help participants succeed in both academic and industry careers by providing them with a wide range of important professional skills and knowledge. The workshop has been developed with input from STC students, post docs and staff, along with guidance from a range of academic, industry, and career services professionals from the STC network and beyond. Nominees should be Ph.D. students at any level. Post Docs that will be entering the job market and have an interest in this professional development opportunity will also be considered. Participants should be U.S. Citizens or permanent residents. International students will be considered if they show high promise for joining the U.S. workforce. NSF particularly encourages the nomination of U.S. citizens and applicants from underrepresented groups. Applications are due by June 9, 2017.

Designed to help junior faculty, postdocs, and scientific staff, this weeklong course will teach participants how to run their research program like a successful business. Topics include: The Parallels Between Research Labs and Small Businesses, The Elements of a Compelling Research Pitch, Economic Impact Analysis in Your Grant Proposals, Managing Your Research Team, Conflict Resolution, Strategic Planning and Elements of Decision Making, Foundations as Sources of Extramural Funding, Proposal Preparation and Grant Management, Intellectual Property and Technology Transfer. A limited number of travel scholarships are available to graduate students, postdocs, or junior faculty from the NSF Science and Technology Centers EBICS, BEACON and C-DEBI. The workshop is free to attend, but space is limited! RSVP to ibest@uidaho.edu before May 5, 2017.

Undergraduate and graduate students are invited to participate in the AAAS Science and Human Rights Coalition Essay Competition. This essay competition was created to inspire students to explore connections between human rights and science, engineering and the health professions. Students may write on any topic at the intersection of science and/or technology with human rights. Submissions should be written in the form of an analytical or critical paper that raises thought-provoking questions. For example, potential essay topics might include: the applications of a scientific approach or a new technology to address specific human rights concerns; an analysis of synergies between human rights obligations and the social responsibilities of scientists, engineers and/or health professionals; or the ways in which full implementation of the right to enjoy the benefits of scientific progress may influence realization of other human rights. These examples are only provided to spark ideas: students are encouraged to write essays that reflect their own ideas, interests, and insights. Essay submission open through April 30, 2017.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) has funded an Early Career Scientist Training Cruise in Seismic Data Acquisition and Processing to take place aboard the R/V Revelle in September 2017.The official announcement and application form for this opportunity will be forthcoming.nAs part of this effort, the program’s Principal Investigators will be hosting a three-part webinar series, which will provide participants with necessary information to complete the application package, including a 2-page (max) science proposal. The webinars will introduce the participants to the process of defining science goals, developing detailed cruise plans to meet those goals, and to fundamentals of active source marine seismology. The course will also cover the use of currently available data, open source processing, and interpretation tools to help develop a proposal. The cruise has been designed for (but is not limited to) graduate students and early career scientists who are “non-specialists” in active source seismic, but we welcome any interested parties for this webinar series! The program PIs are: Masako Tominaga (TAMU), Anne Trehu (OSU), Mitch Lyle (OSU), and Gregory Mountain (Rutgers), with additional support from Nathan Bangs (UTIG). Interested individuals can sign up for the free webinars, even if they do not intend to apply to the cruise opportunity. Please RVSP at the following link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/CSWSeismicWebinars and the UNOLS Office will send login and participation instructions prior to the start of the webinars. The deadline for webinar registration is April 3, 2017.

2017 Summer School on Engineered Living Systems (ELS) will convene forward-looking thought-leaders whose primary goal is to develop the scientific/engineering base and probe the ethical implications that arise from these complex biological interactions; their resultant emergent behaviors; and the ultimate creation of complex biological systems engineered to perform specific, targeted functions. Priority deadline for rolling admissions: March 31, 2017.

Authors: Janelle J. Sikorski and Brandon R. Briggs

Microbial processes in the deep biosphere affect marine sediments, such as the formation of gas hydrate deposits. Gas hydrate deposits offer a large source of natural gas with the potential to augment energy reserves and affect climate and seafloor stability. Despite the significant interdependence between life and geology in the ocean, coverage of the deep biosphere is generally missing in most introductory oceanography textbooks, so there is a need for instructional materials on this important topic. In response to this need, a course module on the deep biosphere with a focus on gas hydrate deposits was created. The module uses Google Earth (Google, Mountain View, CA) to support inquiry-based activities that demonstrate the interaction of the deep biosphere with geology. The module was tried as both a series of in-class exercises and as an out-of-class assignment in an introductory, undergraduate oceanography course. The students took short, preactivity and postactivity quizzes to determine the effectiveness of the module in improving student knowledge about gas hydrates. The module was effective at increasing student knowledge about the basic environmental and biological controls on the formation of gas hydrates on the seafloor. Students showed a consistently low initial comprehension of the content related to gas hydrates, but most (>80%) of the students increased their quiz scores for all module activities. This module on gas hydrate deposits increases the available teaching resources focused on the deep biosphere for geoscience educators.

The major goal is to bring PhD students and young Postdocs in touch with IODP at an early stage of their career, inform them about the exciting research within IODP as (I)ODP and DSDP have been proven to be the most successful internationally collaborative research programs in the history of Earth sciences, and and to prepare them for future participation in IODP expeditions. Such training will be achieved by taking the summer school participants on a “virtual ship” where they get familiarized with a wide spectrum of state-of-the-art analytical technologies and core description and scanning methods according to the high standards of IODP expeditions. In addition, the thematic topic of the summer school will be reviewed by various scientific lectures by the leading experts in the field. The application deadline is May 5, 2017.

The 2nd Petrophysics Summer School will provide a unique workshop that will bring together experts from both academia and industry to give training in the theory and practice of petrophysics and, notably its applications across both IODP and industry. It will include lectures, discussion groups, and practical exercises on the different elements and data types used in petrophysical analysis. In addition, basic training in an industry-standard software package, Schlumberger’s Techlog, will form a core part of the school. The European Petrophysics Consortium and its collaborators offer this unique training opportunity for a summer school through the provision of technical and scientific expertise in the fields of downhole logging and core petrophysics. The course is open to applicants from the international community, but applications from early career researchers (including PhD students) are particularly encouraged. For more information and to apply to participate, visit the Petrophysics Summer School webpage. U.S.-affiliated students and researchers may apply for partial travel support through the U.S. Science Support Program. A limited number of travel grants are available. To apply for U.S. travel support, visit the USSSP webpage to submit an online application. Note: Applicants must be accepted to participate in the course itself to receive travel support from USSSP. The deadline to apply for travel support and for the course is March 17, 2017.

Who: For dedicated early career researchers who care about the Oceans: PhD candidates and honors MSc students majoring in one of the ocean science fields, professors, lecturers and active young scientists holding an equivalent advanced degree with specialization in oceanography. What: Work at sea, and conduct analyses in the laboratory. Sampling, sample preservation, designing and executing experiments, computer-supported exercises, lectures, paper discussions, model development. Application deadline:March 10, 2017.

CC-RISE is an eight-week, paid, summer research internship program for community college students run by the Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations. Students will gain firsthand exposure to the scientific process by working in a faculty-led research lab at the University of California Santa Cruz or at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Woods Hole, MA. In addition to research, students will participate in activities focusing on how to transition from a two-year college to a university and information on graduate school. At the end of the program, students will present their results to an audience of peers and mentors. Applications are due March 20, 2017 for UCSC and March 24, 2017 for WHOI.

This US National Science Foundation sponsored Antarctic Biology Course will be held during January 2018 in Antarctica, at the United States Antarctic Program’s McMurdo Station. The training program is designed to provide early-career scientists with opportunities to work in Antarctica and to study polar biology. Applications are invited from graduate students currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program and researchers who have completed a Ph.D. within the past five years. This is an international training program, open to all nationalities. Partial support is available to cover the cost of travel from each participant’s home institution. While in Antarctica, full support is provided for room & board and science activities. The emphasis of the Antarctic Biology Course is on integrative biology, with laboratory- and field-based projects focused on adaptations to extreme polar environments. This program will also provide opportunities to understand and appreciate the complexities and logistical challenges of undertaking successful science in Antarctica. A diverse instructional faculty will offer participants the opportunity to study a wide range of Antarctic organisms (bacteria, algae, invertebrates, fish), using different levels of biological analysis (spanning molecular biology, physiological ecology, species diversity, and evolution). Deadline for receipt of completed applications is April 17, 2017. More information and the on-line application form are at https://www.usfca.edu/arts-sciences/antarctic-biology-training-program and https://goo.gl/forms/7zAH4pzRf85x5Tt62.

The Center for Environmental Biotechnology at the University of Tennessee is now recruiting undergraduate students for the International Research Experience for Students (IRES) program IRES program, funded by the NSF, which take place June 8-July 22, 2017 in Russia. The research projects will focus on the microbiology and biogeoscience of Siberian deep subsurface permafrost. Stipends and travel expenses will be covered by the program. The newly extended deadline is February 14, 2017. More information about the IRES program and application process could be found here: http://micro.utk.edu/ires/index.php. Please contact Karen Lloyd, klloyd@utk.edu, with any questions.

Undergraduates in Bigelow Laboratory’s summer REU Program spend ten weeks at the Laboratory conducting independent research with guidance from a scientist mentor. Directed by Senior Research Scientist Dr. David Fields, and funded by the National Science Foundation, the REU Program is designed to give students pursuing degrees in the sciences, mathematics and engineering a laboratory-based research experience with an emphasis on hands-on, state-of-the-art methods and technologies. REU students are immersed in the Bigelow community and participate in seminars, field trips, Laboratory outreach programs, social events, and more. Each student in the program is paired with a Bigelow Laboratory scientist based on mutual research interests. During the ten weeks, students work with their mentors to identify a research question, develop a proposal, conduct their research, and prepare an abstract and poster. At the end of the program, students present their poster and give a talk at a student symposium. Research areas include the deep biosphere (check out C-DEBI researcher Orcutt’s lab page), as well as marine microbiology, ocean biogeochemistry, optical oceanography, remote sensing, bioinformatics, sensory biology and phytoplankton ecology. The 2017 program dates are May 30 through August 4 and will be held at the Laboratory’s East Boothbay campus. Successful applicants receive a stipend, free housing, and funds for travel to and from Bigelow Laboratory. Applications due February 15, 2017.

The International Geobiology Course is an intense, multidisciplinary summer course that explores the co-evolution of the Earth and it’s biosphere, with an emphasis on how microbial processes affect the environment and leave imprints in the rock record. Participants get a hands-on learning experience in cutting-edge geobiological techniques including molecular biology, microbiology, geochemistry, and sedimentology and work in research groups to solve real research questions.

Themes for this years’ course include:

1. Molecular biology and biogeochemistry of Mono Lake, with an emphasis on sulfur cycle processes in this unusual alkaline lake.
2. Microbiology and molecular biology of organisms living in sulfidic and/or hydrocarbon-rich environments.
3. Mineral, sedimentologic, and geochemical evidence for life in ancient rocks of the Monterey Formation.

This year the course will be directed by Alex Sessions, Woody Fischer, Victoria Orphan, and Hope Johnson, but remains in a format similar to previous years. It begins with a field trip up the eastern Sierra Nevada to visit hot springs, Cambrian rocks, and Mono Lake, and back down to the coast near Ventura to study sulfur springs and tar seeps, and a world-famous exposure of the Monterey Formation. Two weeks of lab rotations at Caltech will introduce students to cutting-edge analytical techniques, followed by two weeks at the Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island.

The 2017 course is open to graduate students and postdocs at any level. The cost of the course is US$4000. This year, two fellowships are available to help support postdocs trained in other fields who wish to enter geobiology as a new field of study.

Applications due February 10, 2017.

Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Honor Society invites high school, undergraduate and graduate students to participate in the 2017 Student Research Showcase, an innovative opportunity to develop their science communication skills using a virtual platform. Effective communication to a broad audience is becoming increasingly important in our digital-driven world. Participants in the Student Research Showcase create a website that contains three components; a short video to introduce their project, an abstract, and a technical slideshow. They receive feedback from judges, who are qualified Sigma Xi members and the public. Monetary awards of up to $500 are given to the top Graduate, Undergraduate and High School winners. The winner of the People’s Choice Award is selected based on a public vote and receives a $250 monetary award. All student presenters will receive a certificate of participation.Project approval and registration deadline: February 22, 2017.

Are you a community college student who has a novel idea that uses science, technology, engineering or mathematics (STEM)? The National Science Foundation (NSF) and the American Association of Community Colleges (AACC) present the third annual Community College Innovation Challenge (CCIC) that asks student teams to innovate a STEM-based solution to a real-world problem. Teams will submit projects in one of three themes: Maker to Manufacturer, Energy and Environment, and Security Technologies. Form your team with a faculty mentor and community and/or industry partner to enter. An entry consists of a written portion and a 90-second video. Visit the Promotional Toolkit, where you can download posters, postcards and more.  Entry period closes February 15, 2017.

Follow along with IODP Expedition 366: Mariana Convergent Margin & South Chamorro Seamount (co-chief Geoff Wheat, Dec 8, 2016 to Feb 7, 2017) with onboard videos from Education and Outreach Officer Kristen Weiss on Vimeo.

Follow and circulate the unfolding Guaymas Basin cruise under hashtag #GuaymasBasin and teskelab2016.wordpress.com. So far the cruise has started in a very eventful manner which defies easy summary. The blog is bilingual, thanks to Tito Montenegro, a columbian student on the boat who translates everything. If all goes well, we will also visit some of the proposed IODP drilling sites with Sentry and Alvin!

C-DEBI’s NSF REU, C4, is a 9-week research internship targeting community college students nationwide. Students will spend their summer doing cutting edge research as they help grow, isolate, and describe previously unknown microorganisms. C4 students will work in teams in laboratories at USC, learning state-of-the-art techniques ranging from DNA sequencing to microscopy and sterile techniques to analytical chemistry. Applications due February 15, 2017.

The GEM Course is an all-expenses paid, three-week intensive introductory course in Global Environmental Microbiology (GEM) geared for early career undergraduates from 2 and 4 year institutions. The course focuses on microbes found in aquatic environments investigated through authentic research experiences (students collect, process & interpret data).  This residential course includes lectures, labs and fieldwork at USC and on Santa Catalina Island.

Where:  University of Southern California campus and Santa Catalina Island, CA
When:  June 11 – June 30, 2017
Who:  Undergraduates from 2 or 4-year colleges
Cost:  FREE, including travel, plus modest stipend
How to apply: http://www.darkenergybiosphere.org/education-diversity/for-undergraduates/gem-course/
Note:  First generation college, women, and under-represented students encouraged to apply

Application Opens:  December 05, 2016
Application Deadline:  February 01, 2017 at 5:00pm PST

For questions and comments, contact Gwen Noda at gnoda@usc.edu.

Greetings C-DEBI scientists and educators, have you seen Delaware Sea Grant and C-DEBI’s 15 Second Science segments and thought, “Gee, I want to do that!” Well, now is your chance. On Wednesday, December 14 at the AGU Fall Meeting in San Francisco, we will be setting up our exclusive 15 Second Science/Dive Deeper video camera, and we need you! If you are interested in filming your own 15 Second Science segment, please sign up for a 30-minute recording block at http://doodle.com/poll/yk9sb5ctm4ymrs8m. Once you have signed up for a time slot, you need to prepare a script—we can help! Typically, our segments are 2-3 brief sentences that flow into one another, and have a nice, firm closing. We just need the basics of your science; think elevator pitch in a very short building. We have found the audience of 15 Second Science to be all over the charts in terms of science background. If you send us your script, we’ll work with you to fine tune it. We’ll also need your help in finding appropriate B-roll—photos, videos, animations, graphs, etc. that drive your point home (your actual face will only be on screen for about 2-3 seconds), so your suggestions and B-roll contributions are welcome, as long as they are free to use for education purposes with attribution. Once recorded and produced, your segment will be featured on all Delaware Sea Grant social media channels, shared by C-DEBI, and open to sharing as you/your institution see fit. They will also become part of the Project VIDEO website/collection. We hope you will join us and film a 15 Second Science episode at AGU! Help us, help you share your science!

Click here to join us on the #HydrothermalHunt livestream!

Click here for the Cruise Log

Home of the deepest spot on the planet, the Mariana subduction system serves as a valuable natural laboratory for testing ideas about what governs the distribution of animals at hydrothermal vent systems. The deep trench, shallow to mid-depth volcanic arc, and mid-depth to deep spreading back-arc, provide a wide variety of habitats for research. Of these, more than 600 km of the back-arc has remained relatively unexplored. This December, the science team will follow up from a discovery cruise that occurred on Falkor last winter. During the previous visit, three new hydrothermal vents were discovered; one of them being among the deepest vents in the world.  This time, the team will return with our brand-new 4,500 m capable ROV SuBastian to explore the life and activity at the vent sites.

As host to one of only three IODP core repositories in the world – the only one in Europe – the MARUM in Bremen is an important hub for marine geoscientists. Taking advantage of this setting, the new ECORD Training Course will provide a “Virtual Drillship Experience” for scientists from academia and industry. This one-week course offers a basic training focusing on the IODP core flow procedures, preparing the participants for sailing in an offshore drillship expedition, and instilling them with an appreciation for high standards in all kinds of coring projects. IODP-style lab exercises will form the foundation of the ECORD Training Course following the pattern of the unique “Virtual Ship” approach developed for the Bremen ECORD Summer Schools. The application deadline is January 9, 2017.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate Office of University Programs sponsors a 10-week summer internship program for undergraduate and graduate students majoring in homeland security related science, technology, engineering and mathematics (HS-STEM) disciplines. The program provides students with quality research experiences at federal research facilities located across the country and allows students the opportunity to establish connections with DHS professionals. It is open to students in a broad spectrum of HS-STEM Disciplines and DHS mission-relevant Research Areas. Undergraduate students receive a $6,000 stipend plus travel expenses. Graduate students receive a $7,000 stipend plus travel expenses. Application deadline: December 7, 2016.

IUSE: EHR supports a broad range of projects, including: research and development of innovative learning resources; design research to understand the impact of such resources; strategies to implement effective instruction in a department or multiple departments, within or across institutions; faculty development projects; design and testing of instruments for measuring student outcomes; and proposals for untested and unconventional activities that could have a high impact on learning and contribute to transforming undergraduate STEM education. Proposals are particularly encouraged that address immediate challenges and opportunities facing undergraduate STEM education, as well as those that anticipate new structures (e.g. organizational changes, new methods for certification or credentialing, course re-conception, Cyberlearning, etc.) and new functions of the undergraduate learning and teaching enterprise. Exploration and Design Tier for Engaged Student Learning & Institution and Community Transformation proposal deadline: November 02, 2016.

The USSSP Onboard Outreach Program (formerly known as the Educator Officer Program) gives formal and informal educators, artists, writers, videographers and other participants the opportunity to spend an entire expedition with an IODP shipboard party and translate their experiences for students and the general public via blogs, videos, social networking sites, live ship-to-shore video events and development of educational resources. Onboard Outreach Program participants are selected through a competitive application and interview process. All expenses for Onboard Outreach Program participants, such as travel to and from the ports of call, and a stipend, are paid by USSSP. The selected individual(s) will also be flown to a three-day training session prior to their expedition. Non-US applicants will be directed to their country’s IODP Program Member Office but are still encouraged to apply. The current deadline to apply is November 2, 2016.

C-DEBI invites proposals to support education and outreach projects, with a budget of up to $50,000 and a project duration of 1 year. The C-DEBI Education & Outreach Grants Program will fund the development of educational opportunities and materials that are pertinent to deep biosphere research in the subseafloor environment in support of our education and outreach goal to create distinctive, targeted education programs and promote increased public awareness about life below the seafloor. Help us further our mission to explore life beneath the seafloor and make transformative discoveries that advance science, benefit society, and inspire people of all ages and origins. C-DEBI welcomes proposals from applicants who would enhance diversity in C-DEBI and STEM fields. Proposal deadline: December 1, 2016.

The Data Incubator is a Cornell-funded data science training organization. We run an advanced 8-week fellowship for PhDs looking to enter industry. A variety of innovative companies partner with The Data Incubator for their hiring and training needs, including LinkedIn, Genentech, Capital One, Pfizer, and many others. The program is free for admitted Fellows. Fellows have the option to participate in the program either in person in New York City, Washington DC, the San Francisco Bay Area, or online. Application deadline: November 17, 2016.

The Southeast Chapter of The Hydrographic Society of America will be awarding four (4) $1,000 scholarships this year to students enrolled full-time (12 credits/semester), in a two year, four year or a graduate program and demonstrates a keen interest in pursuing a career hydrographic surveying or related fields or a High school senior who has applied and accepted in a fulltime U.S. college or university located in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama or Florida with accreditation recognized by the U. S. Department of Education, and who also demonstrates a keen interest in pursuing a career in hydrographic surveying or related fields. Additionally, the National THSOA scholarships are available to full-time students seeking a 2-year, 4-year, or graduate degree in Hydrographic Surveying, Ocean Mapping, Geomatics, Ocean Sciences, Geographic Information System (GIS), Ocean Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or other related field. Application deadlines: November 15, 2016.