The Wellcome Trust Science Writing Prize 2012

Building on last year's inaugural competition, the Wellcome Trust are announcing the launch of the Wellcome Trust Science Writing Prize 2012. They are looking for 800-word articles that address any area of science and would be suitable for publication in the Guardian or the Observer in print and online. You must demonstrate that you have thought about and understood your audience and can bring a scientific idea to life. The deadline for entries is 25 April 2012. To enter, you must be a non-published writer based in the UK or the Republic of Ireland. You can enter in either of two categories, with the winner of each receiving a prize: professional scientists of postgraduate level and above, and anyone else with a non-professional interest in science, including undergraduate students. For more information follow the link to the Wellcome Trust website

New international project

The Global Volcano Model is now live.
For further information see the website

New Opportunities - March 2012

Are you looking for a PhD?
Check our news and events pages for new posts and look at http://www.findaphd.com/search/phd.aspx?DID=6&Location=UK for all Earth Science PhD adverts. Most deadlines are soon - good luck with your applications!

Voluntary work - Geochemical Baselines Survey of the Environment (G-BASE)
The British Geological Survey (BGS) will be recruiting earth and environmental science students for voluntary work, during the 2012 summer vacation, to assist with geochemical sampling in the South West of England. Fieldwork will involve the systematic collection of geochemical samples for the G-BASE project. There will also be a limited number of vacation posts in other departments within BGS.

Applicants need to have a high degree of commitment to fieldwork, be able to traverse difficult terrain and work in all weather conditions. Sampling is undertaken by students working in pairs and will involve map work, walking long distances, and carrying equipment and samples. Students work a six-day week and will be expected to undertake evening work as necessary. It will not be possible for students to take time off during their period of employment, except in an emergency. The work will give successful applicants an opportunity to gain valuable experience in the more practical aspects of geology and geochemistry.

Accommodation (self-catering) will be paid for by BGS but students will be required to pay for food. A standard subsistence allowance of £30.00 per night (£210.00 per week) will be paid, based on each overnight stay. Posts will be available from June to September 2012 and preference will be given to those available for a minimum of 4 consecutive weeks. Application forms and further details are available from the BGS web site.

The closing date for applications is Friday 7th April 2012

Deep Carbon Observatory: calling young researchers!

The DCO is a multidisciplinary, international initiative dedicated to achieving a transformational understanding of Earth's deep carbon cycle,  funded for 10 years through the Sloan Foundation and operated from the Geophysical Laboratory, Carnegie Institution of Washington (Director: Craig Schiffries).  Of the Four specialist Directorates, the Reservoirs and Fluxes is probably most relevant to VMSG, steered currently by Eric Hauri and Bernard Marty, but take a look at all of the Directorates.  A rolling programme of exciting new postdoctoral positions is available, not only in the USA but globally.  Please see their main website https://dco.gl.ciw.edu/  which contains a rapidly updated appearance, DCO news and regular announcements of opportunities; you may have to dig around a bit to find the postdoc links, and perhaps email the Directorate leaders.  Adrian Jones (mailto:adrian.jones@ucl.ac.uk) can also provide some further details.

Free membership for IAVCEI (International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior)

There are many benefits to being a member of IAVCEI because volcanology is a truly international and inter-disciplinary research field, and IAVCEI is the only international learned society or association for volcanology. It is a great vehicle for networking internationally with colleagues who have related interests, or if you are a research student or early career researcher, for beginning to develop your scientific network, and your international profile as a research scientist in one of the many volcanological disciplines.

Secondly, IAVCEI Scientific Assemblies, General Assemblies and Cities on Volcanoes conferences, and the workshops of its Research Commissions and Working Groups are truly international, attended by leading research scientists from all over the world. They are held at different international locations each time, always in proximity to important volcanic provinces. This allows members to participate in major conferences at fantastic locations all over the world, enjoying a great diversity of cutting edge research symposia and workshops by the world’s leading scientists, but also to visit the nearby volcanic provinces and benefit from those field experiences.

For more info please see the website http://www.iavcei.org/IAVCEI.htm

Edinburgh International Science Festival

30th March - 15th April 2012 http://www.sciencefestival.co.uk/

AGU Session announcement

Dear colleagues,

At the 2011 Fall Meeting of American Geophyscial Union (5-9 Dec San Francisco), Mathilde Sørensen, David Wald, Vince Quitoriano and I are convening a poster session entitled "How can we use earthquake scenarios as a catalyst for action?"

This is the session description:

Techniques for computing earthquake scenarios are developing rapidly and such information can be a powerful catalyst for risk reduction activity. Here, we wish to explore what has already been achieved and the potential for the future. Topics we hope to cover include are: what are the challenges in developing scenarios, characterising uncertainty and communicating implications to decision makers? How is the development of earthquake scenarios driven by users? What level of complexity is needed for different purposes and how much uncertainty can be tolerated? We particularly welcome contributions involving policy makers and non governmental organisations, especially those engaged in disaster risk reduction and preparedness activities.

Our session is in the Public Affairs section. According to AGU policy, first authors/submitters may have a maximum of 1 contributed and 1 invited abstract (or two invited abstracts). However, one additional abstract from the first author/submitter may be submitted to a Public Affairs session. Also note that you do not have to be a member of AGU to submit an abstract and members can sponsor the submissions of non-members.

Do contact me if you need any more information. Deadline for abstracts is 4 August 2011.

Thanks, and best regards,

Susanne Sargeant

Seismologist & NERC Knowledge Exchange Fellow, British Geological Survey, Murchison House, West Mains Road, Edinburgh, EH9 3LA

T: 0131 6500245, F: 0131 6671877, E: slsa@bgs.ac.uk

Volunteers wanted for active volcano monitoring

Additional enthusiastic students required to assist with research and monitoring at Volcán de Colima, Mexico. The minimum period is usually 2 months, but those who can stay longer have priority. Successful applicants will have the opportunity to participate in various projects covering a variety of aspects, one major goal being a dynamic model to explain the volcano’s behaviour. Time will be spent assisting with field and lab work, including: routine collection of thermal data, water and gas samples, maintenance of installed sensors, development of new systems, geophysical surveys etc. Analysis will be carried out of a variety of data types. Applicants should have or be working towards a degree in geology or a related earth science with some field experience. Geophysicists or physicists are also welcome. Some knowledge of Spanish would be useful, and a reasonable level of fitness is necessary for hiking at altitude. There is a particular demand for applicants with some programming experience, principally Matlab. There may be the possibility to visit some of Mexico’s other active volcanoes for other projects.
This is an excellent opportunity to obtain experience working on an active (currently erupting) volcano and to use various field, laboratory and analysis techniques. It could be of great benefit to someone waiting to enter graduate studies in volcanology. No salary can be paid, but cheap accommodation is available. Further information can be found on the website: http://www.ucol.mx/ciiv/. If interested please email Dr. Nick Varley, Centre of Exchange and Research in Volcanology, Facultad de Ciencias, Universidad de Colima at nick@ucol.mx.

Calling all researchers working in Africa

The  African Association of Women in Geosciences and the African Geoparks Network (AGN) are creating a common task group in order to promote the african geology. So, these organisations are calling all geoscientists  who are working on the African continent to send nice photos of geological sites of scientific and/or educative interest or just with a scenic beauty with a short description that will be published on the AGN  website http://www.africangeoparksnetwork.org/ as well as on its related facebook page. This action will help to create a data base related to the geological heritage of the African continent and will allow to promote the geology of the continent. Please don't forget to mention your full name, your address and email.

So, please send us your photos on the following email address: contact@aawg.org 
Thank you very much for collaboration. 
   
Prof. Ezzoura ERRAMI
AAWG president, http://www.aawg.org/, IUGS Councillor, http://www.iugs.org/
Chouaïb Doukkali University, Faculty of Sciences, B.P. 20, 24000, El Jadida, Morocco

Committee positions available in the YES UK National Chapter

The following positions in the YES UK National Chapter are now open to applications:

National Chapter Secretary:

- Maintain and register documents of the YES National Committee,

- Prepare live or webinar meetings for the National Committee,

- Present feedback to all members of the network at national level regarding any matters which may rise.

Web development and outreach:
- Maintain UK YES National Chapter blog,
- Identify new areas / methods for furthering the YES Network,
- Develop links with other UK and Europe-based YES groups.

University Liaison Officer:
- Maintain contact with UK university geoscience departments,
- Gather feedback from university contacts on the requirements, hopes, development of YES members,
- Contribute to professional development resources.

Industry Liaison Officer:
- Maintain contact with UK geoscience industry,
- Gather feedback from contacts on the requirements, hopes, development of YES members,
- Contribute to professional development resources for the UK.

Please submit a brief CV and statement of intent to ukyesnetwork@gmail.com
In the event of mulitple applications for any one position, we will conduct a vote of all current UK YES Network members. All nominees / applicants must be a YES member at the time of application.