Wednesday, December 23, 2020

Assistant Curator of Invertebrate Paleontology or Paleobotany - The Field Museum, Chicago, IL

The Field Museum invites applications for an Assistant Curator in the fields of Invertebrate Paleontology or Paleobotany. This term position has a probationary period of 3 + 3 years; after successful promotion to the Associate level it is renewable every 7 years, according to the Field Museum’s Policy Statement on the Curatorial Ranks. The start date for the position is on or after January 1, 2022.

The Field Museum's Geology Section has a record of scientific excellence in collections-based research, with current strengths in phylogenetic systematics, functional morphology, paleoecology, macroevolution, history and philosophy of biology, meteoritics, and cosmochemistry. Our Fossil Invertebrate and Paleobotany collections are world class. The Fossil Invertebrate collection is focused on the Paleozoic of the Midwest with significant collections of the Pennsylvanian Mazon Creek Lagerstätte, Devonian fossils from the Falls of the Ohio area, Silurian reef fossils from the Chicago area, and Paleozoic echinoderms. The Paleobotany Collection contains significant holdings of Late Carboniferous fossil plants preserved as compression-adpressions, permineralized peats, and within sideritic concretions. Cretaceous through Paleogene floras are well-represented, including angiosperm mesofossil assemblages from the Upper Cretaceous Raritan and Magothy Formations. Substantial fossil palynological collections and comparative extant pollen and spore preparations are also housed within the Collection.

We are seeking a collegial individual with strong communication skills who conducts innovative, integrative research that will complement and broaden the section’s strengths. The successful candidate will be expected to maintain an externally funded field and/or laboratory research program, to contribute to building and using the Invertebrate Paleontology or Paleobotany collections, and to participate in Museum exhibition, public outreach and education, and programmatic efforts. We particularly value a commitment to equity and inclusion in the context of museum-based research, curation, education, and outreach. Close relationships with local universities provide opportunities for participation in graduate and undergraduate training. A Ph.D. in a relevant discipline must be held by the start of employment.

To apply and for inquiries, please email: paleontology-search2021@fieldmuseum.org
Applications should include: 
  1. a Curriculum Vitae
  2. a statement of research interests and career objectives
  3. a statement describing experience in and/or vision for increasing diversity and inclusion in a museum setting
  4. names and contact information for three people from whom letters of recommendation may be sought
  5. copies of up to five relevant publications in PDF format. 
Review of applications will begin on March 15, 2021.

The Field Museum is committed to equity, diversity, and inclusion in science, and strives to create a working environment that is free of sexual, racial, and ethnic discrimination, and that promotes human dignity among all staff. As such, it is the policy of the Field Museum to hire without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability, or veteran status.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran, you may request a reasonable accommodation. The Field Museum strives to ensure that our career website is accessible to all, including individuals with disabilities. Email us at accessibility@fieldmuseum.org if you are unable or limited in your ability to use or access our online application as a result of your disability.

Tuesday, December 15, 2020

URGE- Unlearning Racism In Geoscience

Hi y'all,

I wanted to draw your attention to a new initiative: URGE- Unlearning Racism In Geoscience (https://urgeoscience.org/). This NSF Funded program seeks to help geoscientists learn how to create more equitable spaces through coordinated local groups (called "Pods"). 

Here's a brief overview of the mission, more detail at https://urgeoscience.org/.
"Many geoscience programs and societies are currently having conversations surrounding racism. These conversations are inspired by recent reminders (e.g., the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery) that the injustices in society are reflected and perpetuated in Geoscience. Morris et al., (2020) appropriately describe the effects of racism on the careers of black, brown, and indigenous Geoscientists by stating that “in place of mass incarceration, there is mass exclusion [and] in place of police brutality, [geoscience] careers are killed through forced attrition and under-investment.” Like the rest of the world and academia, the Geosciences need to unlearn racism.

We designed a community-wide journal-reading and policy-design curriculum to help Geoscientists unlearn racism and improve accessibility, justice, equity, and inclusion (AJEDI) in our discipline. We call this program Unlearning Racism in Geoscience (URGE; www.urgeoscience.org). URGE’s primary objectives are to (1) deepen the community’s knowledge of the effects of racism on the participation and retention of black, brown, and indigenous people in Geoscience, (2) use the existing literature, expert opinion, and personal experiences to develop anti-racist policies and strategies, and (3) share, discuss, and modify anti-racist policies and strategies within a dynamic community network and on a national stage. By meeting these objectives, we hope that Geoscience departments and societies will be able to implement a well-researched crowdsourced group of anti-racist policies."


 Congratulations to the excellent PIs and coordinating crew!

Tuesday, December 8, 2020

Summer 2021 Opportunities with the National Park Service!

Applications for Students are Now Open!
Please share this announcement with your students.
The Scientists in Parks (SIP) Fellows program is now accepting applications from current upper-level undergraduate and graduate students for summer 2021 opportunities with the National Park Service.
The application deadline is January 24th, 2021 at 11:59PM EST
Why Become an SIP Fellow?
  • Full-time work for 11-12 weeks at $500/wk
  • Professional development through a workshop at the end of the summer
  • Mentoring by a NPS supervisor
  • Networking with NPS and DOI leaders
  • Ability to earn Direct Hire Authority status upon successful completion

[ABOUT]     [OPPORTUNTIES]     [APPLY]
The Ecological Society of America is the proud partner and host of the National Park Service's Scientists in Parks program.

Ooid Swag from GBGM ... Just in time for Holiday Shopping

To celebrate #TooidTuesday (and impending Holiday gift-giving) we have added some Ooidy items to our Geobio store! All proceeds go to the GBGM Division of the Geological Society of America! Huge thank you to Dr. Tracy Frank (University of Nebraska–Lincoln) for the beautiful photomicrographs! 


Like a clean plane-polarized light (PPL)? Check out the collection here: www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/64528748

Prefer cross-polarized light (XPL) for lots of color? Check out the collection here:  www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/64513984

Want both? Here are the two images mirrored (with a scale bar): www.redbubble.com/shop/ap/64527763