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January 26, 2018

Posted by entomology.office | January 30, 2018

Seminars and Colloquium

Dr. Laura Lavine

The speaker for the Entomology Colloquium on January 29, 2018, will be Dr. Laura Lavine.  The title of her presentation is “Life History Trade-offs and Phenotypically Plastic Trait Evolutions in Insects.”  Dr. Lavine is a WSU Faculty Member in the Dept. of Entomology and is Assistant Director, CAHNRS Office of Research. The presentation is at 12:10 PM in FSHN 354.  The AMS dial number is 772402.

APAC’s Spring Professional Development Seminars: The professional development seminars offer a range of training opportunities for WSU staff and faculty. We encourage you to attend.

Please click on the event links below to register.

  • February 6   1:00–2:30 PM                The Language of Appreciation –  Jaime Green, Director of Faculty Talent &   Recognition, Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine
  • February 16 10:00 AM –12:00 PM   Coaching’s Role in Student Success – Michael Heim, SSC Technology Coordinator, Academic Success and Career Center
  • March 7 3:30–5:00 PM                      Individual Problem-Solving: Hurdles and Strategies  – Craig Parks, Assistant Vice Provost, Office of the Provost & Executive Vice President
  • March 21 10:30 AM.–12:00 PM       Our Responsibility as Career Developer Facilitators – James Bledsoe, Senior Career Coach, Academic Success and Career Center
  • May 2 3:30–5:00 PM                          Proven Keys to Career Building & Recovering from Self Inflicted Wounds,  Mike Worthy, Regent, Washington State University
  • May 17 TBA Servant                         Leadership – Robin Blanchard, CEO of Blanchard Consulting LLC

AMS sites will be scheduled.  Sponsored by the Office of the President.

Grants

Congratulations to recent Entomology Department grant awardees:

  • Jeb Owen, Rocio Crespo and Bill Snyder are the recipients of a $458,145 grant from USDA/NIFA to work on “An ecological approach in disease risk management on organic poultry farms. (1/19/2018)
  • Doug Walsh is the recipients of a $6000.gGrant from the Washington Hop Commission to work on the Bioassay on a Hop (1/25/2018)
  • Carol Black is the recipient of a $24,775 grant from Extension/PSEP/EPA for Training support for Applicator Certification in Washington. (1/110/2018)

For more info go to:  http://informer.or.wsu.edu/RecentFacultyAwards.aspx

CAHNRS Announcements

CAHNRS Student Senate is excited to announce the call for nomination packets for the CAHNRS Superior Club of the Year Award for 2017-2018. Please visit the following link for more information on how CAHNRS clubs can apply: http://cahnrs.wsu.edu/academics/superior-club-award/.  Packets are due to Alanna Ellis (acellis@wsu.edu) by February 1, 2018.

University Announcements

Helping scientists learn to convey their passion. Scientists need to convey the passion they have for their field, not just the logic of their method and findings.  Alli Coffin just wanted to do well on her thesis defense.  So when her mom invited her to a meeting of Toastmasters International, the communications and leadership nonprofit, she went. But while the meeting was the beginning of learning how to speak to a room of strangers, it also set her on a path in which communication took on an ever greater role in her career as a neuroscientist. Now the WSU Vancouver assistant professor is leading her second conference on the subject, Science Talk ’18 this March 1 and 2 at the Oregon Convention Center in Portland. She will also lead a research communication workshop in Pullman next week.  “Science touches everyone, whether they realize it or not,” says Coffin, who specializes in how fish sense their environment, particularly how they hear. “But a lot of people don’t appreciate why science is important or how it affects them. I’m not saying that everyone needs to love science, but I think to have an educated public, one that can participate in important civic and policy decisions, it’s critical for people to appreciate the role of science and technology in those decisions.” After her first exposure to Toastmasters, Coffin assumed the presidency of a club in Maryland and put on workshops for local business groups. From there, she started teaching science communications at universities.  She acknowledges that the pursuit has its challenges. It can be hard to catch the attention of non-scientists, then “work with them, not just talk at them.” It’s hard for scientists to get out of their own world of labs and field sites. It’s also hard to bring policy makers, a key audience, into the world of science.  “Some legislators aren’t interested in the science if it contradicts their beliefs,” she says, “but others want to base decisions on sound science. They just don’t have the background to find and understand the relevant scientific information.” Still, she said, “If scientists don’t want to talk to policy makers, it’s not the policy makers’ fault if they don’t use our science to make decisions.” At the outset, says Coffin, scientists need to convey the passion they have for their field, not just the logic of their method and findings. “Logic is great for puzzling through complicated data, but logic alone makes for a boring presentation,” she says. “Let people see your excitement, and they will get excited too.” She also stresses going to the audience and speaking in its terms and interests—what they as non-scientists care about. Two years ago, Coffin was talking over coffee with a U.S. Fish and Wildlife researcher when they thought to somehow bring together other Portland-area researchers interested in science communication. ’Science Talk’ was born that day,” she says. The inaugural conference quickly sold out 250 seats in the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, drawing a dynamic mix of academic, government, non-profit and journalism attendees. One of them, WSU Spokane doctoral student Panshak Dakup, took second place in a science communication contest for students.

He went on to win last year’s Three Minute Thesis competition at WSU.  This year’s conference will have room for 500 attendees and be centered on professional development, personal growth and networking. It will feature workshops on practical topics such as preparing for media interviews, using social media to reach non-science audiences, and displaying complex information graphically.  “Scientists will also learn improve theater techniques that will better prepare them for working with any audience, and will meet other enthusiastic science communicators who can support them as they continue improving their skills,” Coffin says.  The Office of Research is providing registration and travel support to eight faculty members who want to attend Science Talk. They are encouraged to express an interest by writing Emily Brashear at res.dev@wsu.edu by Jan. 31. “Communicating scientific ideas is an important skill for professional scientists – be it for teaching undergraduate students or communicating ideas in proposals to obtain research funding or presenting research findings to lay audiences,” says Geeta Dutta, director of the Office of Research Advancement and Partnerships. “Unfortunately, most scientists are not trained in effective communication skills. We want to give our faculty a leg up by providing them opportunities to improve their science communication skills.”  Coffin will also be on the Pullman campus Friday, Feb. 2, to lead two free workshop sessions on improving research communication skills, from eliminating jargon to creating compelling presentations. The workshops are open to all WSU researchers and communications staff, but space is limited, so would-be attendees are encouraged to register soon at https://economicdevelopment.wsu.edu/researchers/efa/events/.  By Eric Sorensen, WSU News, Jan 26, 2018

Tuesday, February 6, 2018 is the last day that a student may drop a course without penalty.  Drops will result in the course being removed from the student’s transcript. To drop a course, students will go to myWSU, select Student Center, click on Enroll, then choose the Drop tab.

Then they will take the following steps:

  • Select the class by clicking on the box to the left of the course and click “Drop Selected Classes.”
  • Click “Finish Dropping” to process request.
  • View the results of request. A green check mark under the status indicates success.

The drop will show throughout myWSU immediately, in real time.

Notes:

  • Deadline applies only to regular term (1/8/2018 – 4/27/2018) classes.
  • Some holds will prevent a student from dropping a class, but not all do. Select the details link to see what impact the hold has, and what action is needed. Students must contact the appropriate office to release the hold.
  • International Students
  • For Pullman Students: International Programs – Global Services located in Bryan Hall 108 must approve class drops for International Students.
  • For Urban Campus Students: The International Advisor on your campus must approve class drops for International Students.
  • After Tuesday, February 6, 2018 course withdrawals cost $5.00 each and are recorded on the student’s transcript as W’s.
  • After Tuesday, February 6, 2018 course withdrawals do not reduce tuition charges

For Graduate Students

Are you looking to recruit excellent scholars to your graduate program for Fall 2018? Consider nominating students for the Graduate School’s Research Assistantships for Diverse Scholars (RADS), which are intended to increase access and opportunities to graduate education for U.S. students from underrepresented/underserved communities and to increase graduate student diversity in our degree programs and Washington State University. Applications for RADS are due Friday, February 2nd, 2018 at Noon.  As an additional incentive, the Campus Visitation Program provides RADS nominees with a unique opportunity to visit WSU and meet with departments and communities on campus. The Campus Visitation Program has served as a powerful recruiting incentive for prospective WSU graduate students. Only students, who are nominated for RADS and have been admitted by the prospective department, will be eligible to participate in the Campus Visitation Program.  The campus visit will take place on the Pullman campus, March 4th– 7th, 2018.

Please Note:

  • Nominations for the RADS and Campus Visit use the same form
  • Please limit nominations to a maximum of 3 per Program

For more information about guidelines and eligibility, and the RADS/ Campus Visitation Program nomination form, please visit our website: https://gradschool.wsu.edu/research-assistantship-for-diverse-scholars/  and feel free to send questions to gs.rads@wsu.edu.

The Honey and Pollination Center at the Robert Mondavi Institute, UC Davis is hosting its fourth annual Bee Symposium on Saturday, March 3, 2018. Each year we host a graduate student poster competition with cash prizes awarded (First place-$1000, Second place-$750, Third place-$500, Fourth place-$250). Please forward this on to graduate students who are involved in pollinator-related research. The competition is open to any graduate student at any University. However, applicants must be present at the event to defend their poster. All graduate student participants will receive complementary seating to the 2018 Bee Symposium. Our lead speaker this year is Tom Seeley, Horace White Professor in Biology, Department of Neurobiology and Behavior, Cornell University, New York.

See the attachment for more details and Submission form.  Send to Liz Luu at luu@caes.ucdavis.edu. Deadline is February 12, 2018.  For more information, please visit our website here: http://honey.ucdavis.edu/events/2018-bee-symposium   Elizabeth Luu UC Davis Honey and Pollination Center,  http://honey.ucdavis.edu/  Office: (530) 754-9301

The January Professional Development Initiative event will be January 30th. The presenter will be Elitza Kotzeva, Graduate and Professional Writing Center.  The Professional Development Initiative (PDI) provides a range of programs, training opportunities, and resources to graduate and professional students that will help prepare them for academic and career success.  See the attachment for the complete list of spring 2018 events.

Awards

Call for nomination:

The Association for Faculty Women’s Outstanding Graduate Student Awards (nomination deadline February 27) recognizes the academic achievements and professional potential of WSU’s graduate students. Nominees need no affiliation with the AFW to be nominated, and women or men may be nominated.  The AFW Founders Award is presented to an outstanding Masters student. The Harriett B. Rigas Award is presented to an outstanding PhD student. The Karen P. DePauw Leadership Award is awarded in conjunction with the Graduate School, and is open to all doctoral candidates. See ‘Awards for Graduate Students’ at https://afw.wsu.edu/ for more information, nomination instructions, and the nomination form.

Kenneth J. Morrison Extension Award Nominations Due February 15, 2018:  The Kenneth J. Morrison Extension Award in Crop and Soil Sciences was established in 1987 by “Kenny” — as he was affectionately called by his friends — for the purpose of recognizing an Extension faculty member who has made outstanding contributions to Washington state’s agriculture, especially in agronomic crop production and/or soil management.  Kenny was an extension agronomist at Washington State University for over 35 years.  He was responsible for directing and coordinating extension activities for all major field crops grown in Washington, including small grains, forages, oilseed crops, pulses, grasses, and legumes. He taught farmers how to manage semi-dwarf wheat effectively, make the transition from dryland to irrigated cropping agriculture, appreciate the value of high-quality seed, and minimize pest losses through proper management. As a liaison among producers, processors, researchers, and county extension faculty, Kenny received credit for the excellent rapport that links scientists at Washington State University to growers and the agricultural industry. Through him, researchers obtained unique insights into grower and processor problems. His integrity and reputation as a tireless worker gained him the respect of the entire agriculture industry.  Washington State University Extension faculty is encouraged to apply and/or nominate individuals for this award.  Others — WSU faculty, growers, industry representatives, etc. — are also encouraged to nominate. Eligible candidate include WSU County Extension Faculty and Extension Specialists. The individual selected will receive a plaque and $750 cash award.

Application/nomination packet should include:

  • Nominee name
  • A two-page narrative describing the nominee’s contributions to Washington state agriculture in the areas of agronomic crop production and/or soil management, including:
    • Brief description of nominee’s position and role.
    • Extension approaches used by the nominee.
    • Evidence and description of impact of nominee’s programming on Washington state agriculture.
  • A one-page list of publications, articles, key presentations, and other notable career accomplishments.
  • Two letters of support addressing the nominee’s qualifications for the award (one from the nominator; one from another individual)

Submit application materials by Thursday, February 15, 2018 to:

Richard T. Koenig, Professor, Interim Chair, Department of Crop and Soil Sciences and Department of Horticulture, Associate Dean, WSU Extension, CAHNRS, Washington State University, P.O. Box 646248, Pullman, WA  99164-6248,  509-335-2933 (p); 509-335-2926 (f)

2018 Regents’ Distinguished Alumnus:  Nominations are being sought for the 2018 Regents’ Distinguished Alumnus Award.  This award, first presented in 1962, is the highest honor bestowed upon a Washington State University alumnus.  The Regents’ Distinguished Alumnus Award honors alumni who shall have made a truly distinguished contribution to society, or who, through personal achievement, shall have brought distinction to Washington State University. The recipient will be selected by the WSU Board of Regents based on a review of nominations and the recommendations of the Regents’ Distinguished Alumnus Award Committee. The committee does not consider nominations of individuals currently holding public/political office. Posthumous nominations are not considered. For more information, to download the nomination form, or to submit the form online visit www.regents.wsu.edu/distinguished-alumni.  The nomination process will be open through February 1.

Employment Opportunities

  1. Assistant Professor, Entomology Dept, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS
  2. Assistant Professor, Biological Sciences, Campbell University, Buies Creek, NC
  3. Research Scientist, R&D, The Dow Chemical Company, Alberta, VA
  4. Postdoc Scholar in Postharvest Disease Management, USDA/ARS, Salinas, CA
  5. Superv CBP Ag Specialist, Customs & Border Protection Office Field Operations; Preclearance Div., Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
  6. Assistant Researcher (Urban Pest Management, Ctr Tropical Agr & Human Resources, Plant & Environmental Protection Sciences, Manoa, Hawaii

Importnat Dates and Deadlines

Mark your calendars to attend the week of April 16, 2018, to attend the E. Paul Catts Lecture events.  Our speaker is, Dr. Rufus Isaacs from Michigan State University. More details to come.