Nominations for classified or professional faculty to receive a monthly Merit Award are now being accepted. The award recognizes and encourages outstanding performance in the work place. The nominator may be anyone from the campus community. Potential qualities include great working attitude, cooperation, courtesy, creativity, flexibility, professionalism, quality of work, sense of humor, and other qualities the nominee admires. Nominations are due by the 10th of each month. For more information: http://oregonstate.edu/aop/awards-recognition.  December’s awardee was Kathleen Lillis from College of Business.

Congratulations to Chemistry Graduate Student Leah Chibwe for receiving a 2015 Graduate Student Award for Environmental Chemistry from the American Chemical Society.

The Center for Teaching and Learning funds instructors for the redesign of established on-campus courses as hybrid courses through the Hybrid Course Initiative. These funds are in support of participation in a faculty learning community in Spring term and the development of a hybrid course. See Request for Proposals; due date extended to Jan. 20. Questions? Contact cub.kahn@oregonstate.edu

We are writing to ask that you consider sending a departmental team to a national workshop on physics and chemistry graduate teaching assistants (GTAs). As you know, GTAs play a pivotal role in the teaching mission of research universities; however, best practices for preparing/supporting GTAs are not widely known or implemented in many departments. (The need for more comprehensive career development efforts for GTAs was recently discussed here: http://chronicle.com/article/We-Must-Prepare-PhD-Students/142893/.)

The workshop, “Mobilizing the Forgotten Army: Preparing TAs for Leadership in STEM Education” (sponsored by Research Corporation for Science Advancement and co-sponsored by the American Physical Society, the American Chemical Society, and the American Association of Physics Teachers) offers the opportunity for a small group of departmental teams to interact together with colleagues who have expertise in supporting GTAs in physics and chemistry. The workshop, which will be held May 27-29, 2015 on the campus of the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA, is designed for departmental teams consisting of one “mentor/master” TA and one faculty member. Ground costs (lodging, meals, registration) for a single team per department (up to about 15 teams) will be covered through a grant from the Research Corporation. Multiple teams from each department are welcome to apply, but only one team per department will receive financial support. Please note that applications for the workshop must include a letter of support/commitment from you, the Department Chair, as described on the workshop website: http://www.physics.utah.edu/~jgerton/CSC_TA_Workshop/.

The nomination deadline is February 13, 2015. The online nomination form and additional information can be found here: http://www.physics.utah.edu/~jgerton/CSC_TA_Workshop/apply-now.html
We look forward to working with you to identify appropriate candidate teams for this workshop. Please let us know if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Jordan Gerton (U of Utah) and Mike Schatz (Georgia Tech)
Workshop Co-chairs
csc.ta.workshop@gmail.com

The Joy Drive pairs OSU Sponsoring departments/individuals with OSU students who have children and are in need of help creating a joyful winter holiday season for their family.  This year, the Chemistry Department sponsored three children.   A 5-year-old girl, a 2-year-old boy and a 3-month-old baby girl.  Because of the generosity of our faculty, staff and graduate students, we were able to raise almost $400 to give these kids a great holiday season.

The parents requested a LOT of clothes… kids grow fast.  But even after all the loot below, we were still able to get a gift card for the parents to spend on whatever they liked.

Happy Holidays Everyone!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are asking your assistance in forwarding this message to inform students and faculty in your department of these outstanding fellowship opportunities. More detailed information and an online application can be found at www.nationalacademies.org/rap.

The National Research Council of the National Academies sponsors a number of awards for graduate, postdoctoral and senior researchers at participating federal laboratories and affiliated institutions. These awards include generous stipends ranging from $42,000 – $80,000 per year for recent Ph.D. recipients, and higher for additional experience. Graduate entry level stipends begin at $30,000. These awards provide the opportunity for recipients to do independent research in some of the best-equipped and staffed laboratories in the U.S. The program is open to U.S. citizens, permanent residents, and for some of the laboratories, foreign nationals.

Detailed program information, including online applications, instructions on how to apply, and a list of participating laboratories, are available on the NRC Research Associateship Programs website (see link above).

Questions should be directed to the NRC at 202-334-2760 (phone) or rap@nas.edu.

There are four annual review cycles.

Review Cycle:  February; Opens December 1; Closes February 1

Review Cycle:  May; Opens March 1; Closes May 1

Review Cycle:  August; Opens June 1; Closes August 1

Review Cycle:  November; Opens September 1; Closes November 1

Applicants should contact prospective Adviser(s) at the lab(s) prior to the application deadline to discuss their research interests and funding opportunities.

Fellowship Positions at the

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Environmental Health

Division of Laboratory Sciences

The Protein Biomarker- Lipid Reference Laboratory at the National Center for Environmental Health, CDC is performing research in the areas of human biomonitoring and chronic disease biomarkers. This research involves the development of analytical methods to measure biomarkers such as steroid hormones, lipids, and trans-fatty acids, which have been linked with chronic disease.  Information obtained from this research will be used to determine the extent of exposure in the population as well as to identify normal ranges for chronic disease biomarkers.  Findings will be used to help to identify population subgroups with increased exposure or risk, and to assess possible associations between exposure, risk, and health effects.

The research involves activities such as sample preparation using automated equipment, analysis of samples by mass spectrometry, data processing and analysis, and presentation of results.  The candidate will perform these tasks in compliance with CDC and CLIA policies and regulations, which requires record keeping activities and performing administrative tasks.

This fellowship will provide the opportunity to obtain hands-on experience in human exposure research as well as laboratory medicine, using state-of-the-art laboratory equipment and procedures, working in a CLIA regulated environment, and in biomonitoring related public health activities.

We are seeking candidates at the Ph.D., M.S., and B.S. levels with a degree in science (Minimum GPA: 3.0) and experience in chemical and analytical laboratory work.

At the Doctoral level, the following skills are desired:

??         The ability to conceive, organize and carry out basic and applied research directed towards expanding scientific knowledge and understanding of human measurements of lipids and/or chemistry principles associated with clinical measurements.
??         The aptitude to review scientific literature, formulate research plans, conduct laboratory experiments, interpret and evaluate results and other findings, and write reports describing the results and conclusions.
??         The ability to interact with professional and technical laboratory personnel detailed to assist in accomplishing specifically designated program activities.
??         Experience with HPLC, GC, and MS instrumentation is required.

At the Master’s level, the following skills are desired:

??         The ability to organize and carry our basic and applied research directed towards expanding scientific knowledge and understanding of human measurements of lipids and/or chemistry principles associated with clinical measurement.
??         The aptitude to review scientific literature, formulate research plans, conduct laboratory experiments, interpret and evaluate results and other findings, and write reports describing the results and conclusions.
??         Experience with HPLC, GC, and MS instrumentation is required.

At the Bachelor’s level, the following skills are desired:

??         Experience conducting routine laboratory tasks.
??         HPLC, GC, and MS instrumentation experience.
??         Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.

This fellowship is administered by the Oak Ridge Institute for Science and Education (ORISE) (visit http://orise.orau.gov/cdc/ for further information). The initial appointment is for one year, but may be renewed for up to four year. The participant will receive a monthly stipend depending on educational level and experience and following the federal salary tables (GS tables). The appointment is full-time at CDC in the Atlanta, Georgia, area. Participants do not become employees of CDC or the program administrator, and there are no fringe benefits paid.

Applications should be emailed to Heather Kuiper, Ph.D. (HKuiper@cdc.gov) by December 23rd, 2014. The application should include a curriculum vitae or resume, copy of transcripts, current pay stub or salary on letterhead (if applicable) and two letters of recommendation (letters by E-mail are sufficient).