Marin Municipal Water District offers spring and summer internships

Dear Sonoma State,

Marin Municipal Water District offers spring and summer internships related to the fields of ecology and vegetation management on the Mount Tamalpais Watershed. The internships provide students, or recent graduates, with practical experience and direct application in a professional setting. Internships also provide participants the chance to learn from personal observation and synthesis, to participate directly in problem-solving activities and to better prepare students for their careers or continuing education. Participants must commit to 35 hours during a semester and have substantial knowledge in one of these disciplines or the aptitude to learn. We accept four to six interns per semester.

Internship projects are involved with vegetation ecology, biological monitoring, GIS, GPS and mapping. There will be opportunity to work on such projects as our 2012 Bio Blitzes (citizen science inventory of biological species on the Watershed), updating the Mt Tamalpais Rare Plant Report, the Douglas-fir encroachment project or mapping and updating the Mt Tamalpais Watershed facilities. Mentorship is provided by MMWD's vegetation ecologist, GIS analyst and volunteer coordinator.

Applications must be received by January 15th for consideration. A Saturday volunteer event would be a great place to meet us and to get an introduction to the watershed. Visit the website for the application, details and directions to the Watershed, http://marinwater.org/controller?action=menuclick&id=580.

Marin Municipal Water District will be commemorating its centennial in 2012 and will be celebrating with a year-long series of naturalist walks, workshops and bio-blitzes on the Watershed. If you or your department may be interested in partnering with us on the citizen science and educational programming please let me know and I will give you an update regarding our planning in the new year.

Thank you for your interest in working with the natural resources team at MMWD.

Peace.

Suzanne Whelan



Volunteer Program
Sky Oaks Watershed Headquarters
Marin Municipal Water District
415-945-1128
volunteerprogram@marinwater.org

Love Mt Tamalpais? Want to see photos of our volunteers in action? Friend us! http://www.facebook.com/marinwater

CaGIS student scholarships in cartography and GIS

Each year, the Cartography and Geographic Information Society (CaGIS) sponsors two scholarships to students whose research and accomplishments support the mission of CaGIS. The scholarships recognize academic achievement and encourage the continuing success of outstanding cartography, geographic information systems (GIS), and geographic information science (GIScience) students. The scholarships also recognize achievement or potential for achievement in original research advancing the specific disciplines of cartography or GIScience. Winners are selected based on academic achievement, particularly in the calendar year prior to the award. Applications are reviewed by the CaGIS Scholarship Committee, and awards are announced in February or March.

Awards

CaGIS Masters Scholarship Award ($500): This award is to be granted to a student enrolled in, or accepted into, a Masters' degree program during 2010 or 2011. The winner will have demonstrated excellence in cartography or GIScience coursework and the potential to contribute to cartography or GIScience research. Outstanding undergraduates seeking to support Masters' level research in GIScience are also eligible to apply (see below).

CaGIS Doctoral Scholarship Award ($1000): This award is to be granted to a student enrolled in, or accepted into, a PhD degree program during 2010 or 2011. The winner will have demonstrated excellence in cartography or GIScience coursework and the potential to contribute to cartography or GIScience research.

Winners are invited to present their research at an upcoming CaGIS-sponsored conference (such as AAG, GIScience, or AutoCarto) and may be eligible for limited travel or registration support if they choose to present.

Eligibility

Candidates must be enrolled full-time in a four-year undergraduate or graduate degree program during 2010 or 2011, studying cartography, geographic information science, or a closely related field. A letter of recommendation from a faculty member attesting to these eligibility requirements and to scholarly achievement and potential is required. Membership in CaGIS is not required, though professional and service activities such as participation in CaGIS is one of the selection criteria (see below). Prior scholarship winners are eligible to apply in subsequent years if all appropriate criteria are satisfied. Undergraduate applicants who have not yet been accepted into graduate school should request that their faculty advisor assess their potential for graduate study in their reference letter.

Selection Criteria

Valid applications for CaGIS awards (see below for application procedures) are reviewed by the CaGIS Scholarship Committee, which will use the following criteria to judge applications:

• 50% academic record;
• 20% applicant's statement;
• 20% letter of recommendation;
• 10% professional activities (CaGIS membership, conference participation, publications, community service, etc.).

Level of financial need will be considered, if necessary, to break ties, after the primary criteria have been considered. The committee can choose to award no scholarships.

Application Procedure

1. Compile the following:

• - The completed application form
• - A 400-word statement of educational objectives, future study or research plans and professional activities, and relationship of activities and/or research to mission of CaGIS
• - A digital transcript showing records for 2010-2011
• - One letter of recommendation from a faculty member or supervisor familiar with your work

2. E-mail these documents; see instructions on form. Applications must arrive no later than 5:00pm CST on JANUARY 15, 2012.

Notification of Winners

The selected applicants for the scholarships will be notified on or near February 15. The winners are encouraged to attend the awards ceremony at the 2012 AAG conference or the annual AutoCarto conference.

CaGIS Scholarship Committee:

• Daniel Cole, Max Baber, and Michael Finn

Contact Information:

• Daniel Cole, CaGIS Student Activities Coordinator
• IT Office, MRC 136, P.O. Box 37012, Smithsonian Institution
• 10th & Constitution NW, Washington, DC 20013
• Phone: (202) 633-0747

E-mail: coled@si.edu