Talk by Dr. Christian Jones, Professor and Director, Potomac Environmental Research and Education Center, George Mason University. Part of George Mason University’s “Galileo’s Science Cafe” series of free science lectures open to the public.
25 October 2018
7:00-8:00 pm
Hylton Performing Arts Center, 10960 George Mason Circle, Manassas, Virginia
This is an online, self-paced class from +Acumen, taught by MAVA Foundation. It begins 9 October and ends 20 November. The class is free.
Course Description
How do you solve a problem like deforestation? How might you restore a marine ecosystem, while recognizing that the community depends on fishing to survive? When your renewable energy product is no longer wanted, does it end up in a landfill?
The challenges of poverty and environmental conservation are interconnected. This course will introduce mindsets and methodologies to help you promote both environmental sustainability and social impact in your work.
You will discover the dynamics that contribute to complex environmental and social challenges using systems thinking. Then, you will learn about the circular economy and find opportunities to reuse resources and reduce waste. Next, you will explore how behavior change principles can encourage people to act in ways that benefit the planet. Finally, you will make the case for environmental conservation with lessons from the natural capital movement.
The course features insights from Mark Tercek, CEO of The Nature Conservancy; Vien Truong, CEO of Green for All; and Michael Kobori, Vice President of Sustainability for Levi Strauss & Co. It also shares case studies from social entrepreneurs and conservation organizations around the world.
What You’ll Learn
This is a hands-on, project-based course for teams or individuals that consists of weekly readings, videos, and workshops. In the first week of the course, you will select an environmental challenge to explore. In each workshop, you will apply the concepts you learned in the reading to propose solutions to the environmental challenge.
More Questions
Please visit our +Acumen Page for more information.
Is This Course for You?
Virginia Cooperative Extension
12011 Government Center Parkway, Fairfax
Monday, 17 September 2018
7 -9 pm
Do you know what’s in your drinking water? While public water supplies are tested daily for contaminants, most private water supplies, like wells and springs, are rarely tested. It is recommended that well owners test their water at least annually for bacteria and nitrates. Learn more about the quality of your water and how to care for your water system at the Virginia Cooperative Extension (VCE) Fairfax County Well Water Clinic. At this brief informational meeting, you will pick up sample kits and get instructions on how to collect your sample. For more information, please contact VCE at 703-324-5369 or visit the website for more information.
Global Water 2020, an advocacy and facilitation initiative based in DuPont Circle, is working to solve various pieces of the global water security challenge. Their projects include: increasing access to sustainable Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) in healthcare facilities, water in peacebuilding, WASH and water security financing, and WASH in the prevention of Neglected Tropical Diseases (NTDs).
Global Water 2020 is currently looking to hire a Fall 2018 intern. The intern will be an undergraduate senior or graduate student in public health, environmental health, environmental studies, finance, business, political science, international relations, international development, anthropology, sociology or related field.
Her/his responsibilities include:
• Research U.S.-based and international non-profit, private sector and educational institutions working on global WASH and health efforts
• Develop inventory of global WASH and health funders
• Brainstorm and help identify domestic, regional and global collaboration opportunities
• Help write, edit, and format materials for Congressional meetings
• Track global and regional convenings and assist in prioritizing which events Global Water 2020 should influence
• Maintain the Global Water 2020 website and social media presence
• Support social media campaigns for global awareness days
• Assist Global Water 2020 team in all other duties as assigned
The intern will work part-time (20 hours/week) at an hourly rate of $15.00. Global Water will prioritize candidates based in DC.
Interested applicants may email their resume and cover letter to Kelly Bridges: [email protected]. Please email your application materials as soon as possible, as Global Water 2020 will be considering candidates on a rolling basis.
The Fairfax chapter has approved a new citizen science service project (C257) to perform water chemistry testing in Chesapeake Bay watershed streams and rivers.
The Alliance’s citizen water quality monitoring program is a regional network of trained volunteers who perform monthly water quality tests that help track the condition of waterways flowing toward the Chesapeake Bay.
Each month, volunteers complete an observational survey at their stream site and conduct tests for dissolved oxygen, pH, water clarity, salinity (where appropriate), temperature, and bacteria. Data is reported to the Alliance, which partners with other water quality monitoring groups in the Chesapeake Monitoring Cooperative.
Volunteers attend a training session where they learn about water quality and how to collect data following standardized protocols. Volunteers spend 1-2 hours monthly collecting data at their stream sites and completing the required tests within 8-48 hours, depending on the test. Volunteers complete a written report and submit data online or mail in the report. Volunteers may choose when they monitor, but they should try to monitor at the same time each month, although there is some flexibility for weather, etc. The Alliance would like each volunteer to monitor at least 10 times per year.
Data is annually submitted the to Virginia DEQ for use in the Virginia’s 305(b)/303(d) Integrated Water Quality Assessment Report to EPA, which summarizes water quality conditions and identified waters that do not meet water quality standards.
All volunteers are trained by Certified Watershed Coordinators under the Alliance’s Quality Assurance Program Plan (QAPP). Training includes an initial session where monitors learn about water quality and testing methods and an annual recertification session to check monitoring equipment, chemicals, and methods.
To learn more about the program, contact the program coordinator Amy Hagerdon at [email protected].
Join the Chesapeake Bay Foundation for a five-day summer professional learning adventure on the Bay or one of its tributaries. More than 30 courses are offered that will explore the mountains of Virginia, the rivers of Pennsylvania, the islands of the Bay, and many places in between. Learn how to integrate the environment into your classroom and to help your students achieve environmental literacy success.
Previous date was rained out! Please join the Northern Virginia Conservation Trust (NVCT) for its annual Kayak/Canoe Cleanup of the tidal estuary of Cameron Run at Hunting Creek in Alexandria. NVCT will have a limited number of boats available for volunteer use, but if you have your own, please bring it to support the cause! Coffee and snacks will be offered starting at 9.15 am. Gloves, trash bags, bug spray, and a water jug for refilling reusable bottles will be provided. Please bring sunscreen, hat and water shoes and a reusable mug if you’d like coffee.
This is a beautiful landscape and precious wildlife habitat, so it is a great opportunity to help nearby nature while enjoying a morning on the water.
Hunting Creek, Old Town Alexandria
RSVP to Emily Bowman at [email protected] or (703) 354-5093 for more details, including specific location, and to reserve a boat
Saturday, 30 June 2018
9.30 am – 1.00 pm
The Northern Virginia Soil and Water Conservation District has published an online book for those of us who live within the Virginia portion of the Potomac River watershed. The discussion on soils and plants and the references cited are all specifically related to this geographic area. This publication offers practical information to aid homeowners in the economical care and maintenance of their property. It provides a simple step-by-step approach to solving common problems found in most yards, gardens or common areas. Topics include:
And much more! Find the book here.
The AAAS Fellows Crowdsourcing & Citizen Science Affinity Group and the South Big Data Innovation Hub proudly present a free symposium: Community-driven Citizen Science for Health and the Environment
The democratization of science and technology represents a tremendous opportunity to empower communities to address issues of local concern and to expand scientific knowledge used in policymaking in both the environment and the health sectors. Citizen science presents a tangible opportunity for the general public to connect with research and science policy by creating opportunities for real, needs-based engagement. However, without intentional processes and design, it is possible to exacerbate existing inequalities. This symposium will address the intersection of two complementary approaches: community-driven research and citizen science.
At its core, community-driven research involves the impacted community into research question and hypothesis generation. Once identified, the research questions may combine traditional and citizen science approaches in data collection and analysis. In contrast, many citizen science projects are conceived and initiated by scientists to answer research questions and leverage non-professionals as a means to crowdsource data collection and/or analysis. This symposium seeks to focus on questions and techniques developed outside of the traditional scientific community to engage communities in both participation and co-creation.
This symposium will begin with a keynote address presenting a common understanding of community-driven research and citizen science. Related policies, projects, issues, and strategies will then be addressed in a series of three panels that focus on different aspects of community-driven citizen science.
Panels will cover these three themes:
Panelists will reflect viewpoints across the citizen science spectrum: from funders, to researchers, to members of impacted communities. The panelists will address policy considerations and contributions, broadening participation of underrepresented groups, project design and implementation, and outcomes.
Additionally, an expo for local community-driven citizen science projects will highlight local projects and organizations. Lightning talks by the exhibiting groups, sharing their interests in and/or experience with community-driven projects, will provide conversation-starters to facilitate networking.
At the end of the day, the goal is for attendees to gain a better understanding of the potential research, public engagement, and policy applications of community-driven citizen science and to advance their involvement with a broader network of interested communities.
* Co-sponsored by the AAAS Science and Technology Policy Fellowship and the South Big Data Regional Innovation Hub*
Follow the discussion on Twitter with #AAASCitSci and #BDHubs!
Symposium Panelists and Moderators:
Karen Andersen, Friends of the Shenandoah River
Jay Benforado, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
Gari Clifford, Emory University
Jennifer Couch, National Institutes of Health
John Dawes, Chesapeake Commons
Julia Drapkin, ISeeChange
Maura Duffy, National Aquarium
Scott Loarie, iNaturalist
Liam O’Fallon, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences
Raj Pandya, American Geophysical Union
Amanda Rockler, University of Maryland
Rodney Sampson, Opportunity Hub, Brookings
Lea Shanley, South Big Data Innovation Hub
Trey Sherard, Anacostia Riverkeeper
Stinger Guala, U.S. Geological Survey
Sacoby Wilson, University of Maryland
Organizations participating in the Expo:
Reston Association
OpenAQ (as DataKind DC volunteer)
GLOBE Observer/NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
ISeeChange
Audubon Naturalist Society
American Geophysical Union/ Thriving Earth Exchange (TEX)
U.S. Geological Survey
Washington Square Park Eco Projects
The New York Botanical Garden
AAAS
SciStarter
Agenda:
8:00 AM Arrival, check in, coffee
8:45 Welcome remarks by Carrie Seltzer and Stella Tarnay
9:00 Keynote address by Raj Pandya, Thriving Earth Exchange
9:30 Break
9:45 Panel 1: Community-Driven Projects Focused on Aquatic Systems
11:15 AM Lunch: Citizen science project lightning talks and expo
12:45 PM Panel 2: Addressing Equity in Environmental Health Using Community-Driven Citizen Science
2:15 Break
2:30 Panel 3: The Role of Large Citizen Science Platforms in Supporting Community-Driven Projects
4:00 Reception & citizen science project expo (continued)
5:30 End
American Association for the Advancement of Science
Auditorium
1200 New York Ave NW
Washington, DC 20005
Thursday, 14 June 2018
8:00 am-5:30 pm EDT
Register here: https://www.aaaspolicyfellowships.org/events/symposium-community-driven-ctizen-science-health-and-environment
State and federal grants are available for these conservation projects: