Dear Graduate Students,

We would like to introduce ourselves as the graduate student representatives to the RSS Council. As your representatives, we would like to share information about exciting student-oriented activities planned for the upcoming annual meeting in Atlanta, Georgia.

If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us at Stephanie_Teixeira@ncsu.edu or gsoult2@illinois.edu. We look forward to seeing you in Atlanta.

Sincerely,

Stephanie Teixeira-Poit and Gwen Soult

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Meeting Details

The annual meeting will take place August 12th through 15th at the Westin Peachtree Plaza located in downtown Atlanta. The theme of the annual meeting is “How Flat is Rural: Diversity in the Age of Globalization”.

Registration

Until July 10th, the conference registration fee for students is $100 US.

After July 10th, the conference registration fee for students increases to $135 US.

Accommodations

The conference room rate at the Westin Peachtree Plaza is $139 US per room per night (plus taxes).

Please make reservations no later than July 21st by using the following website: http://www.starwoodmeeting.com/StarGroupsWeb/booking/reservation?id=0902270007&key=E72DA

Discounted Accommodations

We would like to offer a low-cost alternative to the Westin Peachtree Plaza for graduate students attending the annual meeting.

We reserved a block of rooms at the Baymont Inn & Suites, which is located within walking distance of the Westin Peachtree Plaza. We booked 10 rooms which are available to graduate students at $69 US per room per night (plus taxes). Please note that this rate includes a complementary continental breakfast each morning.

To receive this discounted rate, please call the Baymont Inn & Suites at (404) 659-7777 and make reservations no later than August 12th. Please mention that you are with the RSS so that you receive the discounted rate.

Professional Development Certificate Program

The Rural Sociological Society offers professional development certifications in three tracks: (1) research; (2) teaching; and (3) application.

This is the third year of the program entitled “Preparing Future Rural Sociologists”, which was initiated at the 2008 annual meeting in Manchester, New Hampshire. Through post-conference surveys, we have learned that participants enjoy this program, especially since this program enables one to effectively engage in the annual meeting.

If you attend four sessions designated as counting toward a specific track, then you receive a professional development certification in that specific track. To participate in this no-cost activity, simply follow these steps:

1. Pick up a worksheet at the conference registration desk.

2. Attend four sessions designated as counting toward the track that you are interested in pursuing (the worksheet outlines the eligible sessions for each track).

3. When attending eligible sessions, be sure to have the session chair sign your worksheet.

4. Drop off your completed worksheet at the conference registration desk.

Graduate Student Roundtable Session

The RSS strongly encourages graduate student involvement.  At the annual meeting, the graduate student representatives facilitate a business meeting. At this business meeting, we will distribute information on how to become involved in RSS. For instance, we will provide opportunities for graduate students to sign-up as student members to several committees, such as the Awards, Development, Diversity, Endowment, Membership, Professional Communications, Publications, and RSS 75th Anniversary Committees.

Jobs book

If you are on the job market, please consider looking at the jobs book on display near the conference registration desk. The jobs book contains a collection of available employment opportunities offered in academic departments with RSS faculty members.

Candidate book

Please consider submitting your curriculum vitae to be included in the Candidate Book. To participate, submit a Word version of your curriculum vitae to Stephanie Teixeira-Poit (Stephanie_Teixeira@ncsu.edu) no later than July 21st.  When you send the e-mail, please include the phrase “Candidate Book_RSS” in the Subject Line.

This is a no-cost opportunity for RSS graduate students on the job market to have their curriculum vitae included in the Candidate Book, which will be on display near the conference registration desk.

Curriculum Vitae Review

Please consider allowing a RSS faculty member to review your curriculum vitae. To participate in the curriculum vitae review, submit a Word version of your curriculum vitae to E. Helen (Eddy) Berry (Eddy.Berry@usu.edu) no later than July 21st. When you send the e-mail, please include the phrase “CV Review Request_RSS” in the Subject Line.

This is a no-cost opportunity for RSS graduate students that would like to receive feedback on the content and format of their curriculum vitae.

RSS TEACHING AND CURRICULUM INTEREST GROUP ANNOUNCES AVAILABILITY OF SCHOLARSHIPS TO PARTICIPATE IN ASA TEACHING WORKSHOP

The Best Teachers We Can Be: Learning Scholarly Teaching
The ASA Section on Teaching and Learning Pre-Conference Seminar
ASA Annual Meeting Atlanta 2010
8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Friday, August 13, 2010 (first full day of RSS meeting)

The ASA Section on Teaching and Learning in Sociology has extended an invitation to graduate students and early career rural sociologists to participate in their 2010 ASA Pre-Conference Seminar “The Best Teachers We Can Be: Learning Scholarly Teaching” to be held in Atlanta.  This annual event is usually sold out early.  Until the registration deadline, ten seats have been set aside for rural sociologists.  After the deadline, they will be released for use by other applicants. 

Designed for graduate students and newer teachers of sociology, this faculty development opportunity provides knowledge, resources, modeling of good practices, and inspiration.  Throughout a day of engagement with experienced colleagues and with each other, mini-workshops, keynotes, panels, discussions, roundtables and networking are structured to provide an integrated learning experience grounded in the scholarship of teaching and learning.  A break-out session will be devoted to the interests of rural sociologists.   Colleagues at the earlier stages of their teaching careers who are particularly dedicated to the science and art of teaching sociology to are invited to become part of this community of scholarly teachers. 

ASA and Section membership is being waived for ten RSS participants.  The RSS Teaching and Curriculum Interest Group is making available registration scholarships for RSS participants.  The scholarship application is attached to this message.  The scholarships are competitive, with priority given to newer instructors who are formally participating in the RSS meeting.  Applications will be evaluated by the Chair and Co-chairs of the Teaching and Curriculum Interest Group, and every effort will be made to ensure that participants are not scheduled to present the day of the seminar.

Procedure and Deadlines (firm):

May 3 – Deadline to submit RSS scholarship application to Jennifer Steele, Chair of Teaching and Curriculum Interest Group (contact information provided on application). 

May 17 – Scholarship winners will be notified and the procedure for formally registering for the seminar will be explained. 

"As a member of both the ASA Section on Teaching and Learning in Sociology and the RSS-RIG:  Curriculum and Instruction, I can assure you that the colleagues facilitating this professional development opportunity are the best in the business.  It is an opportunity not to be missed" (Carol A. Jenkins, PhD,  2002 RSS Excellence in Instruction Award, 2008 ASA Distinguished Contributions to Teaching Award).  

For further information or clarifications about the seminar, please contact Dr. Carol Jenkins (carol.jenkins@gcmail.maricopa.edu). Inquiries about the RSS scholarship should be sent to Jennifer Steele (jksteele@mail.wvu.edu).

More Helpful Information

***RIDE THE MARTA***

From Hartsfield-Jackson AtlantaInternational Airport, you can ride the MARTA subway system to the Westin Peachtree Plaza or to the Baymont Inn & Suites. The fare costs $2.50.

When riding the MARTA, simply get on at Airport Station and get off at Peachtree Center Station. Both the Westin Peachtree Plaza and the Baymont Inn & Suites are within walking distance of Peachtree Center Station.

For more information, please see http://www.itsmarta.com/. 

***EAT CHEAP FOOD***

Peachtree Center, located directly across the street from the Westin Peachtree Plaza, has two food courts with several low-cost food options. For more information, please see http://www.peachtreecenter.com/Mall%20-%20Shopping&Dining.htm.

Click the link below for a job opportunity!

http://jobview.usajobs.gov/GetJob.aspx?JobID=86483651&JobTitle=Area+Specialist&q=&where=birmingham%2c+al&brd=3876&vw=b&FedEmp=N&FedPub=Y&x=0&y=0&AVSDM=2010-02-24+10%3a43%3a00

Sociology of Agriculture and Food Research Interest Group Student Paper Award
The Sociology of Agriculture and Food Research Interest Group (SAFRIG) will present a Student Paper Award at the 2010 Rural Sociological Society meetings in Atlanta, Georgia. Requirements for this award include that the paper: 1) is authored by a student or group of students (no faculty co-authors), 2) focuses on an agrifood topic, and 3) uses the Rural Sociology journal guidelines for style, formatting and references.  Papers will be particularly competitive if they demonstrate effective use of innovative theories and/or methods. In order to compete, all authors must be members of the Rural Sociological Society. The winner will receive a certificate and check award.  The winner must present the paper at the RSS Annual Meeting, and the award will be presented during the SAFRIG Business Meeting. Submissions for this competition should be sent as an e-mail attachment by June 15, 2010 to Ann Finan (asfinan@stcloudstate.edu). The SAFRIG Student Paper Award Committee also includes Elizabeth Ransom, Meredith Redlin, and Ray Jussaume.

The Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) announces
the FY 2010 Grant Competition for the Program for North American Mobility in Higher Education

FIPSE is pleased to announce the Program for North American Mobility in Higher Education competition for fiscal year 2010.  The competition has been posted in the Federal Register and is now open.  The competition closes March 24, 2010.  The purpose of the Program for North American Mobility in Higher Education is to provide grants that promote academic student-centered cooperation between the United States, Mexico, and Canada for cross-national education and training opportunities. 

The Program for North American Mobility in Higher Education is jointly administered by the Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) in the U.S. Department of Education, Human Resources and Social Development Canada (HRSDC) in Canada, and the Dirección de Desarollo Universitario, Secretaría de Educación Pública (SEP) in Mexico.  The Program is open to all disciplinary and professional fields, vocational programs, as well as cross-disciplinary studies, both at graduate (masters) and undergraduate levels.   Funded projects add value to a field or profession by developing a tri-lateral North American approach. 

The program funds collaborative consortia of two academic institutions from each country.   The U.S. Department of Education funds the U.S. partners only.  The Canadian government funds the Canadian partners and the Mexican government funds the Mexican partners.   Applicants can include universities, colleges, businesses, community organizations, professional and trade associations, museums, and other non-profit organizations.   Grants range from $180,000 to $200,000 for a four-year total.  Students receive a stipend for study abroad. 

U.S. applicants may download guidelines and application materials and submit proposals at http://e-grants.gov .  The program is listed under CFDA number 84.116N.  Electronic submission is required. 

Applicants are also encouraged to check the program website for more information. You may also check the North American Mobility in Higher Education Google Map for links to grants made between 2006 and 2009.

Contact:
Frank Frankfort, Ph.D.
U.S. Department of Education
202-502-7513
frank.frankfort@ed.gov

The Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE) announces the FY 2010 U.S. – Brazil Program Competition

FIPSE is pleased to announce the U.S.-Brazil Program competition for fiscal year 2010.  The competition opened January 22, 2010 and closes March 25, 2010.  The U.S.–Brazil Program is designed to assist colleges and universities in the United States and Brazil by giving students a U.S.-Brazil perspective to education and training in a wide range of subject areas.  The program is based on objectives outlined in a 1997 Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Education between the United States and Brazil.  The MOU laid out a plan to “enhance and expand cooperative efforts in education” by attempting to “identify new areas for joint activities in the field of education” by attempting to “identify new areas for joint activities in the field of education wherever they deem appropriate and to strengthen or expand existing programs.” 

The U.S.-Brazil program is funded jointly by the Ministry of Education in Brazil (CAPES) and by the U.S. Department of Education’s Fund for the Improvement of Postsecondary Education (FIPSE).  Joint applications must be submitted by the U.S applicant to FIPSE and by the Brazilian applicant to CAPES.  Program information and application instructions for U.S applicants may be found at http://e-grants.ed.gov.   Applicants are also encouraged to check the FIPSE website at www.ed.gov/fipse for more information. You may also check the US-Brazil Program Google Map for links to grants made between 2006 and 2009.

U.S. applicants must apply as a consortium of institutions for projects in all disciplines.  Since 2001 over 100 consortia have been funded involving more than 250 Brazilian and United States institutions of higher education.  More than 2000 U.S. and Brazilian students have completed programs of study abroad with these consortia projects.  Awards are made for four years in the amount of approximately $250,000 for the four-year period.   CAPES awards grants in approximately the same amount, however the funding process is different in Brazil. 

Contact:
Sarah T. Beaton
U.S. Department of Education
202-502-7621
sarah.beaton@ed.gov

ANNOUNCING
2010 Extension Competition for Graduate Students
AAEA Denver, Colorado July 25 – 27, 2010
The Extension and Graduate Student Sections of the
Agricultural and Applied Economics Association

Click here for a PDF of the announcement.

El Valor & Forest Service International Programs
Seek Summer Intern For U.S.D.A International Programs 2008

About USDA Forest International Programs:

The USDA Forest International Programs promotes sustainable forest management and biodiversity conservation internationally. By linking the skills of the field-based staff of the USDA Forest Service with partners overseas to address the most critical forestry issues and concerns. International Programs regularly taps into the agency's wide range of expertise. Wildlife biologists, forest economists, hydrologists, disaster and fire management specialists, and policy makers are among those who comprise the staff of over thirty thousand employees.

About El Valor:

El Valor's mission is to support and challenge urban families to achieve excellence and participate fully in community life. Our programs exist to enrich and empower people with disabilities, the disenfranchised and the underserved. El Valor seeks to be an international model for inclusion of people with disabilities, to be the best in the nation in early childhood and youth enrichment and to become the premier organization developing Hispanic leadership.

Purpose:

To give one talented Latino undergraduate student the opportunity to learn about:

• International conservation and assistance to other countries
• Cultures and economies of different nations
• Public and private assistance programs and policies at the national and international scales
• Roles and operations of the US Congress, Forest Service, other Federal agencies and organizations for international cooperation and assistance

When & Where:

July, 2008-December, 2008
Washington, DC-office of Forest Service International Programs

Work Description:

Students will participate in International Programs meetings and activities, including Technical Cooperation, Policy, Disaster Assistance Support, and Outreach and Partnerships staffs. Most time will be spent in the Latin American and Caribbean program of Technical Cooperation. Students will review documents, write issue and program summaries, make recommendations, as well as attend meetings with partners, discuss international work with other Federal Agencies and partners, sit in on Congressional hearings and sessions, review individual programs of Forest Service staffs, including International Programs, National Forest Systems, State and Private Forestry, and Research. Other agencies include US Department of State, US Agency for International Development, US Fish and Wildlife Service. Partners include National Audubon Society, National Wildlife Federation, and The Nature Conservancy. No work travel outside the Washington DC metro area is anticipated. Each student will be asked to write a summary of their experience for the summer and state what the experience means to them and how they might apply their experience to their future.

Compensation:

This is a paid internship, including hourly wage, transportation to Washington, DC, housing allowance, and DC commuting expenses. Upon acceptance into the program, El Valor and Forest Service International Programs will discuss specific compensation package.

Eligibility:

The ideal candidate will meet all of the following criteria, no exceptions:

• Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0, with proven research skills
• Bilingual (Spanish and English) and bicultural
• Committed advocate for inner city populations. We are seeking a Latino student who will apply what is learned during this internship to improve his/her community
• Awareness about environmental issues, conservation and urban ecology
• Desire to work with international and local communities, specifically Latin American cultures
• Ability to communicate effectively in writing, with strong public speaking skills
• Ability to build strong rapport with various stakeholders
• Previous work or volunteer experience with environmental issues

How to apply:

This is a very competitive internship. Due to the high selectivity of this internship all materials are due no later than May 1st, 2008. For those candidates who meet the criteria, an in person interview will be scheduled. Please send a letter of intent: stating why you are interested in this position and why you are the ideal candidate, a copy of your most recent transcripts (unofficial copy is acceptable), 1-2 page resume (listing 2 references) to:

Anel Ruiz
El Valor
University Programs
1951 W. 19th Street
Chicago, IL 60608

Telephone: (312) 997- 2021
Fax: (312) 432- 9849

Anel.ruiz@elvalor.net

Dear RSS Colleagues:

The Department of Environmental Studies at the State College of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF), in Syracuse, is pleased to report that we have recently been authorized to offer two new, interdisciplinary Master's programs in environmental studies. Approximately 27% of graduate students at SUNY-ESF are international, adding to a robust, stimulating graduate environment. Applications for fall admissions are being accepted through February 1 (for priority consideration). The press release below contains further information, as does our website, also referenced below. Please share this information with any outstanding undergraduates you think may be interested. Thank you.

Kind regards,
David Sonnenfeld

David A. SONNENFELD, Ph.D.
Professor and Chair
Dept. of Environmental Studies
107 Marshall Hall
State University of New York
College of Environmental Science and Forestry (SUNY-ESF)
1 Forestry Drive
Syracuse, NY 13210-2787
USA

ESF Introduces Graduate Programs in Environmental Studies

SYRACUSE - The SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) has established two new graduate programs in environmental studies. These programs focus on the social and policy dimensions of environmental issues, and take an interdisciplinary approach to solving environmental problems.

"These are programs that can make a real difference in the world," said Dr. David A. Sonnenfeld, chair of the Department of Environmental Studies at ESF.

The new programs are a master of science (MS) and a master of professional studies (MPS), both in environmental studies.

"The MS program is research-focused, offering students an interdisciplinary understanding of environmental issues, the problems that underlie them, and the paths that lead to sustainable communities," said Sonnenfeld.Ê It is intended for students with a wide range of undergraduate degrees.

The MPS program is a non-thesis degree aimed at professionals already working in various environmental fields and others seeking a graduate program with less emphasis on research. Those choosing the MPS track will find a more career-focused program, often including an internship that adds real-world applications to the curriculum.

Both graduate programs offer unique blends of social science, humanities and physical science, and allow students to take a hands-on approach to developing their own personal curriculum.

"Working with a graduate advisor, students establish a plan of study, learning and career objectives," said Sonnenfeld. "Students think systematically about what they want to accomplish."

At ESF, the Department of Environmental Studies is a well-defined, interdisciplinary academic unit with its own faculty members who are experts in their respective fields. This provides an important advantage over the more loosely defined programs found at many other colleges. The department is enhanced also by ESF's diverse expertise in related environmental fields in the natural sciences and engineering, and by the focus and mission of the entire college.

"There are few places with so many environmentally focused experts in one place," said Dr. Susan Senecah, professor in the environmental studies program.

Students in the environmental studies graduate programs also will benefit from ESF's relationship with neighboring Syracuse University (SU). Students can take supplemental courses from SU in closely related social science areas, including energy and climate policy, environmental history, environmental and/or ecological economics, anthropology, religion, human ecology, management methods for public agencies and non-profits, and environmental law.

In addition, environmental studies graduate students at ESF may work toward concurrent degrees at SU's Newhouse School of Public Communications, or the Maxwell School of Citizenship & Public Affairs.

ESF's environmental studies programs identify several core areas. These include: sustainability, policy, governance, conflict resolution, advocacy, ethics, and perception and behavior.

For further information about the environmental studies graduate programs, visit http://www.esf.edu/es/graduate.htm.