PLSC 105
Web-based, GEC2c and 4, 3 credits + 1 honors add-on credit
May 20th – June 28th, 2013
Dr. Sven Verlinden, Sven.Verlinden@mail.wvu.edu, (304) 293-2944

Did you know that?
?.most plants have more genes than human beings?
?.plants provide most of the calories and protein for the human diet?
?.tomatoes were once considered an aphrodisiac?
?.one hundred and fifty acres of forest are cut down for each New York Times Sunday edition?

Learn this and much more this summer and get a head start on your 2013-2014 academics!
Plants and People explores the intricate relationship between plants, animals, and human beings and takes the student through a whirlwind tour of the make-up of plants, the link between plants and human history, and uses of plants for food and fiber.

Receive honors credit by signing up for HONR 298J, a one credit honors add-on course. To receive honors credit you will read, discuss, and report back on sections in four books:
• Diamond, Jared. 2005. Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed. Viking, Penguin Group, NY. pp. 592. ISBN 978-0670033379.
• Harlan, Jack R. 1992. Crops and Man. American Society of Agronomy – Crop Science Society of America, Inc. pp.284. ISBN 978-0891181071.
• Polan, Michael. 2006. Omnivore’s Dilemma: A Natural History of Four Meals. The Penguin Press, NY. pp. 450. ISBN 978-0143038580.
• Chamovitz, Daniel. 2012. What a Plant Knows: A Field Guide to the Senses. Scientific American/Farrar, Strauss and Giroux, NY. pp. 177. ISBN 978-0-374288730

Geography 240 (H) United States and Canada

Geography 240, United States and Canada, will only be offered one time in the calendar year 2013. United States and Canada will be offered the first part of Summer School I as a three-week- three-hour course. Date, times, and contact information are below, and syllabus is on the opposite page.

West Virginia University Summer School I – Monday May 20, 2013 through Friday June 7, 2013

Three weeks – Three hours credit

9:00 am to 11:50 am in Brooks Hall

Instructor: Ken Martis
Office: Room 237 Brooks Hall
Telephone: 293-9662
E-mail: kmartis@wvu.edu

Geography 240 fulfills the WVU General Education Curriculum (GEC) requirements for: Objective 4: Contemporary Society, or Objective 7: American Cultural Diversity. In addition, it is required and/or recommended by various programs in Social Science Education, International Studies, and Geography majors.

Applications are now available for Mortar Board, Chimes and Helvetia, three prestigious honoraries at West Virginia University. Students who excel academically and are interested in giving back to their campus and community are urged to apply. Mortar Board is a national honorary for senior students, and Helvetia and Chimes are unique to West Virginia University and are for sophomores and junior students respectively.

Selection is based on how the student has stood out thus far in their college career with criteria including a combination of academics, honors and awards, campus activities, leadership, community service, and contributions to the field of study. To be considered, students must have at least a 3.3 GPA for Helvetia and Chimes and a 3.4 GPA for Mortar Board. Students inducted into these honoraries will be recognized during the University’s annual Week of Honors activities in April.

Current “juniors” (defined as those with 89 or more credits by the end of the Spring 2013 semester, and a graduation date of no earlier than December 2013) are invited to complete the Mortar Board application no later than Friday, February 8, 2013 by 11:59 pm by using the following links (note that the Mortar Board application includes a letter of reference):

https://aspirewvu.wufoo.com/forms/mortar-board-application-2013/

https://aspirewvu.wufoo.com/forms/mortar-board-recommendation-2013/

Current “sophomores” (defined as those with 59-88 credits by the end of the Spring 2013 semester) are invited to complete the Chimes application no later than Friday, February 22, 2013 by 5:00 pm by using the following link:

https://aspirewvu.wufoo.com/forms/chimes-application/

Current “freshmen” (defined as those with 29-58 credits by the end of the Spring 2013 semester) are invited to complete the Helvetia application no later than Friday, February 22, 2013 by 5:00 pm by using the following link:

https://aspirewvu.wufoo.com/forms/helvetia-application/

The Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Program is seeking student applicants who exhibit a strong commitment to a career in mathematics, the natural sciences, and eligible engineering disciplines. Students who intend to pursue a doctoral degree and who show the potential for a significant future contribution in their field of study are encouraged to apply.

Established by Congress in 1986, the Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation seeks to alleviate a critical current and future shortage of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians, and engineers who will foster excellence in those fields.

In April 2013, the Foundation will award scholarships to students who will be college juniors or seniors during the 2013-2014 academic year. (Juniors are defined as students who plan two more years of full-time undergraduate study beginning September 2013 and Seniors are defined as students who plan one more year of full-time undergraduate study beginning September 2013.)

The scholarship award covers eligible expenses (tuition, fees, books, room and board) up to a maximum of $7,500 per year. Junior scholarship recipients can expect to receive a maximum of two years of support. Senior scholarship recipients are eligible for a maximum of one year of support.

Each nominee’s field of study and career objectives, as well as his or her commitment and potential to make a significant contribution to his or her field, will be considered during the selection process. To be eligible, you must:

• Be a current full-time sophomore or junior, pursuing a baccalaureate degree

• Have at least a 3.8 college grade-point average

• Stand in the upper fourth of your class

• Be a U.S. citizen, permanent resident, or U.S. national

Application materials can be found at http://aspire.wvu.edu, under the “Prestigious Scholarships” tab. The university’s deadline for applications is October 26, 2012. A committee will then select four applications to be submitted by West Virginia University to the national review committee.

NOTE: The following list is TENTATIVE; therefore it is subject to change. As more information becomes available, these descriptions will be updated and a new post made to the blog outlining the changes made. If you have any questions, please contact the Honors College. Latest updates were posted 25-Sept-2012.

Key

M = Monday, T = Tuesday, W = Wednesday, R = Thursday, F = Friday
Times are given in 24-hour (“military”) time
To convert from 24-hour to 12-hour time, take the time given and subtract 12 from the hour. To convert from 12-hour to 24-hour time, add 12 to the hour. E.g., 15:00 – 12:00 = 3:00 PM. 5:00 PM + 12:00 = 17:00.

Helpful Links

University Course Schedule: http://courses.wvu.edu
General Education Curriculum (GEC): http://registrar.wvu.edu/current_students/general_education_curriculum
Course Catalogs: http://coursecatalog.wvu.edu/

Add-On Courses:

Some Honors course offerings are classified as “Add-On” courses. These are 1-credit courses that supplement the materials taught in specific regular course sessions. Students must register and complete the coursework for the regular course as well as the Honors Add-On section. Upon successful completion, the amount of Honors credit awarded is equal to the amount of credit granted by the regular course taken.

For example, a student may register for BIOL 298, which is the Add-On course to BIOL 101 and 103. A total of 5 credit hours will be registered: 1 for the Honors section, 3 for the BIOL 101 Lecture, and 1 for the BIOL 103 Lab. At the end of the semester, the student will earn 4 Honors credit hours (3 for BIOL 101 plus 1 for BIOL 103).

Please note that some Add-On courses require that you register for specific sections of regular courses. These are noted in the course description.

Course List

NOTE: The following list is TENTATIVE; therefore it is subject to change. As more information becomes available, these descriptions will be updated and a new post made to the blog outlining the changes made. If you have any questions, please contact the Honors College.

Key

M = Monday, T = Tuesday, W = Wednesday, R = Thursday, F = Friday
Times are given in 24-hour (“military”) time
To convert from 24-hour to 12-hour time, take the time given and subtract 12 from the hour. To convert from 12-hour to 24-hour time, add 12 to the hour. E.g., 15:00 – 12:00 = 3:00 PM. 5:00 PM + 12:00 = 17:00.

Helpful Links

University Course Schedule: http://courses.wvu.edu
General Education Curriculum (GEC): http://registrar.wvu.edu/current_students/general_education_curriculum
Course Catalogs: http://coursecatalog.wvu.edu/

Add-On Courses:

Some Honors course offerings are classified as “Add-On” courses. These are 1-credit courses that supplement the materials taught in specific regular course sessions. Students must register and complete the coursework for the regular course as well as the Honors Add-On section. Upon successful completion, the amount of Honors credit awarded is equal to the amount of credit granted by the regular course taken.

For example, a student may register for BIOL 298, which is the Add-On course to BIOL 101 and 103. A total of 5 credit hours will be registered: 1 for the Honors section, 3 for the BIOL 101 Lecture, and 1 for the BIOL 103 Lab. At the end of the semester, the student will earn 4 Honors credit hours (3 for BIOL 101 plus 1 for BIOL 103).

Please note that some Add-On courses require that you register for specific sections of regular courses. These are noted in the course description.

Course List

Partners in the Parks is an outdoor experiential learning program co-sponsored by Southern Utah University and NCHC in cooperation with the National Park Service. In 2012 they will host a variety of academic adventures at national parks across the country. These week-long projects include seminars led by university faculty and park rangers as well as exciting recreational opportunities to broaden participant’s understanding of the value of national parks to our country and its citizens. PITP programs are open to honors faculty and students from all majors and disciplines. More information and online registration can be found on the PITP web site.

1. Acadia National Park, ME (Aug 4-10)
2. Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, CO (Aug 13-18)
3. Bryce Canyon National Park, UT (Aug 6-11)
4. Fire Island to Ellis Island, NY (June 3-9)
5. Grand Canyon-Parashant National Monument, AZ (May 28-June 2)
6. Olympic National Park, WA (Aug 5-11)
7. Sequoia & King’s Canyon, CA (Aug 6-11)
8. Virgin Islands National Park,VI (May 19-26)

Projects fill fast so interested students and faculty should register ASAP. Send questions to: honors@suu.edu.

U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Summer 2012 Research Experiences

Undergraduates, Graduate Students, and Faculty

http://www.orau.gov/dhseducationprograms

DHS HS-STEM Summer Internship Program

Undergraduate students
10 week research experience
$5,000 stipend plus travel expenses
Areas of research:

Engineering, computer science, mathematics, physics, chemistry, biological/life sciences, environmental science, emergency and incident management, social sciences

Projects offered at:
National research laboratories: Argonne, Idaho, Lawrence Livermore, Los Alamos, Oak Ridge, Pacific Northwest, Sandia, Savannah River
DHS laboratories: Transportation Security Laboratory
Other research facilities, including Air Force Research Laboratory, Homeland Security Studies and Analysis Institute, National Institute of Standards and Technology
Locations include CA, CO, ID, IL, MD, NM, NJ, OH, SC, TN, WA, VA
U.S. citizenship required
Application deadline: January 5, 2012

DHS Summer Research Team Program for Minority Serving Institutions

Early career faculty teamed with undergraduate and graduate students
10-week summer research experiences at university-based DHS Centers of Excellence nationwide
Faculty and student stipends, housing allowances, travel expenses
Areas of research:

Homeland security related science, technology, engineering and mathematics

Faculty apply for up to $50,000 in follow-on funding at end of summer
U.S. citizenship required
Faculty application deadline: January 8, 2012

Questions regarding DHS Education Programs can be sent via e-mail to dhsed@orau.org.

Your assistance in distributing this email to students and colleagues is greatly appreciated.

Portland State University’s Ecosystem Services for Urbanizing Regions (ESUR) program, in conjunction with the National Science Foundation’s Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship program (IGERT), is seeking prospective PhD applicants for Fall 2012. The substantive focus of this program is on ecosystem services (terrestrial and marine) to support urbanizing regions. They aim to recruit up to six PhD students for their second cohort. Of particular interest are underrepresented or minority candidates who are permanent residents or US citizens. For information about this IGERT program, please visit the ESUR-IGERT website.

Participants in the IGERT PhD program will receive multiple benefits, including an annual stipend of $30,000 for the duration of the two-year traineeship, tuition remission at PSU, up to $10,500 in research funding, national and international conference travel, and more. The IGERT program offers extensive opportunities for PhD trainees to engage faculty from a broad array of disciplines, community partners in local, national, and international organizations and agencies, and involvement in team-based research in an emerging area of scholarship.

A printable program brochure can be found HERE .

Are you an Honors College first year student who is interested in attending the WVU School of Medicine? Then come to an information session for MedBound, a program that provides for medical school admission to highly qualified, extremely motivated first year students from the Honors College!

Now in its 5th year, the MedBound program offers a curriculum designed to produce well-rounded, compassionate and scientifically advanced physicians. The linked undergraduate and professional school experience promotes excellence not only in the sciences but also in the humanities and social sciences.

An information session is being held on Wednesday, November 30 at 5:30 in the Media Room in Honors Hall. Representatives from the WVU School of Medicine will be there to answer all of your questions. Please also see the attached application , which is due by 4:00 pm Friday, January 13, 2012. If you have any questions, please contact Amy Cyphert at amy.cyphert@mail.wvu.edu.

Applications for the new Scribe program are now open!

The program will be hiring a minimum of 4 new scribes at this time and will hire another 4 scribes in early February. Scribes need to be interested in emergency medicine and are required to work a minimum of 2 shifts per week in the ED. Applications will be accepted until Wednesday, October 26, 2011 and candidate interviews will be conducted November 2-4 at WVU. Return the attached application form via fax (757.221.8085) or email (kim.campbell@md-scribes.com) to Kim Campbell.

Questions can also be directed to Kim at (757.941.0660).