My name is Kate McLean I’m producing a new documentary film on Bill Nye, the beloved TV educator who helped get millions of children excited about science through his show “Bill Nye The Science Guy.” Since we started working on the film, we have heard from a number of fans who grew up with Bill and went on to pursue careers in the STEM  fields — including many women who said the show empowered and inspired them.

We think The Women Chemists Committee is a natural strategic partner for our movie because Bill has passionately advocated for the need for more girls and women to be involved in science and engineering. It’s a personal issue for Bill: his mom was gifted in math and science and worked as a codebreaker for the US Navy during World War II. He credits her with his love of learning.

Over the course of the next year, we will be following Bill as he travels the globe with a message: “If 50% of humans are girls and women, why aren’t 50% of the scientists and engineers women too?!”

In order to fund this film we launched a Kickstarter Campaign (bit.ly/billnyefilm), and we are working hard to get the word out. I really think your WCC chapter members would enjoy this film’s deep dive into the life and work of Bill Nye. Can you please help spread the word?

·         Reach out to the members of your WCC chapter through email newsletters
·         Post on Facebook
·         Share on Twitter
·         Write an entry on your blog

Here are some sample tweets:

There’s a new documentary about @BillNye, the Science Guy who inspired a generation of women to become scientists:  bit.ly/billnyefilm

Nerds Unite: Help make @billnyefilm on @BillNye’s quest to change the world with #science → bit.ly/billnyefilm

New documentary @billnyefilm needs your help to show how @BillNye is aiming to “change the world!” → bit.ly/billnyefilm

To show our appreciation for your support, if you spread the word about the campaign, we would love to list your WCC chapter on our Kickstarter page and website under Supporting Partners.

I would be happy to send some sample language for emails and blog entries, tell you more about the film, and answer any questions you might have. In the meantime, you can watch a couple of sample scenes from the documentary about Bill Nye continuing Carl Sagan’s legacy and the launching of a solar sail called LightSail. We will also be releasing a special video message from Bill about how his mom’s story inspired him to advocate for women in STEM next week!

Thanks so much for your time and help!

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine is pleased to announce a call for nominations and applications for the 2016 Jefferson Science Fellows program.  Initiated by the Secretary of State in 2003, this fellowship program engages the American academic science, technology, engineering and medical communities in the design and implementation of U.S. foreign policy.

Jefferson Science Fellows (JSF) spend one year at the U.S. Department of State or the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) for an on-site assignment in Washington, D.C. that may also involve extended stays at U.S. foreign embassies and/or missions.

The fellowship is open to tenured, or similarly ranked, academic scientists, engineers and physicians from U.S. institutions of higher learning. Nominees/applicants must hold U.S. citizenship and will be required to obtain a security clearance.

The deadline for 2016-2017 program year applications/nominations is November 2, 2015. To learn more about the Jefferson Science Fellowship and to apply, visit the JSF website at:

nationalacademies.org/jsf

Attached is the invitation for companies to apply to the 2015 Bend Venture Conference. Everything that I have seen so far points to more investment dollars coming in, higher quality companies applying and record attendance. I would appreciate you forwarding this invite to any companies that you think could benefit from going through the process of vying to present at the BVC.

http://campaign.r20.constantcontact.com/render?ca=bd397c2c-8532-49b6-aaa2-1c24f90d0af0&c=c2b0c160-0633-11e4-89dc-d4ae527547e4&ch=c2b68dc0-0633-11e4-89dc-d4ae527547e4

Hello, Folks!  I wanted to let you know that once again, the Portland ACS section will be sponsoring an undergrad poster symposium and career fair this fall, in the afternoon of October 25.  The room will be full of star undergrads from the institutions in the Portland area, and we are hoping that you folks will send one or more people to set up a table and recruit them.  This year we will designate some time specifically for recruiting activities, so you will not (always) have to compete with poster presentations.   Please let me know if someone from your institution will be able to join us.  Thanks!

Dave Reingold
Chair, Portland ACS Section

-Rebecca

To view the schedule & download a program, please visit our site:
https://blogs.uoregon.edu/smallvol2/

Title:  Determining the Composition & Structure of Small Volumes II
Registration fees:  $160 Professional; $125 Student
Description:
This workshop includes 2 days of invited talks from analytical experts and industry leaders, exploring approaches, techniques, and challenges associated with determining composition and structure of small volumes. Day one will conclude with a poster session and day two with a discussion of remaining challenges and next steps facilitated by a panel of technique experts and industry leaders.  Local vendors, wine makers, and restaurants will cater the event in the Center for Advanced Materials Characterization, Lokey Laboratories, University of Oregon.

SVW 2015 – mktg flyer new

Action Research Fellowship for Instructors and Faculty – Applications include preliminary research plan and a few attachments.  Deadline EXTENDED to July 13th Midnight.  For more info http://stem.oregonstate.edu/ad-action-research-fellowship
 
·         Do you teach a lower division large enrollment course in the College of Science or Engineering?
·         Are  you using teaching practices focused on enhancing student learning?
·         Are you interested in knowing more about how your practices are working for your students?
·         Do you want to innovate in your classroom or try a novel teaching method?
·         Are you interested applying a research lens to the classroom to better understand practice and contribute to what we know about learning?

If you answered yes to of most of these then you are a great candidate for the ESTEME@OSU Action Research Fellowship.

The main part of the application is a 1-3 page preliminary research and dissemination plan.  This plan need only be preliminary since each awarded fellow will be paired with a partner to help refine and execute the research plan.  Applicants do not need IRB approval at time of submission.

We expect to award 8 fellowships as a non-recurring stipend (this is taxable, but above and beyond current salary).

If you have any questions about the application, eligibility, or would like assistance thinking through your research idea do not hesitate to contact Julie Risien.

The full request for applications can be found here http://stem.oregonstate.edu/ad-action-research-fellowship.

Deadline: Monday, August 3rd, 2015

The Graduate School is now accepting nominations for Graduate Student Travel Awards (for travel between September 1, 2015 and January 31, 2016). The nomination deadline is Monday, August 3rd at 5pm.
Directors of graduate programs (department chairs/heads, program directors) may submit one application per deadline, per graduate program.
NEW NOMINATION PROCESS: Nominations must be submitted by completing the on-line form on the Graduate School Travel Awards page: Graduate Student Travel Awards.
If you have questions, send email to Graduate.scholarships@oregonstate.edu.