Sustainability Digest 112219

The Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability provides this list to announce seminars, meetings, colloquiums, lectures, brown bags, announcements of interest, and job opportunities to the Institute community. If you have items you’d like to add please submit them to Cindy.Zisner@asu.edu before 5:00 p.m. Wednesday. This Digest is sent out on Friday morning. You may subscribe, unsubscribe, or change subscriber settings at http://lists.asu.edu/archives/giosasu.html on the menu on the right of the page at Subscribe or Unsubscribe. You can also view archives here.

NEW ITEMS

(Current items remain in the Digest until they happen so don’t forget to peruse the web listing in case you missed something in the previous week.)

Please note that there will not be a Digest on Friday, November 28 (after Thanksgiving).

Institute Events

1. Fall 2019 School of Sustainability Student Showcase

2. PhD Prospectus Defense: J. Leah Jones

3. PhD Prospectus Defense: Tomasz Jasinski

4. School of Sustainability Internship Poster Session

5. Sustainability Storytelling: Short Documentaries from Peter Byck's Class: 13th Edition

6. Sustainability@ASU: Arizona Riparian Council Speaker Series: Wetland Habitat Conservation in Southern Arizona

Other Events - On Campus

7. Transportation Seminar: Energy Efficient Mobility Systems: The Transforming Transportation Ecosystem

8. School for the Future of Innovation in Society 2019 Annual Charter Awards and Poster Jamboree

Other Events - Off Campus

9. GreenBiz Webcast: How EV Charging & Fleet Electrification is Changing the Value Chain of the Grid

10. Scottsdale Green Building Program: Dirty Electricity and Electromagnetic Fields

11. GreenBiz Webcast: Metrics, Standards and Disclosure: Inside the Changing World of ESG

News and Announcements

12. Turning plastic waste into educational opportunity

13. ASU ranks No. 9 in nation for students studying abroad

14. ASU solar awards eclipse other universities in latest round of DOE funding

15. New Humanities Lab gives insight on social justice and energy

16. ASU study shows some aquatic plants depend on the landscape for photosynthesis

17. Being a successful vegan is about more than just food

18. A life of lichen

19. Undergraduate Student Research Opportunity

20. Prey-size plastics are invading larval fish nurseries

Other Jobs

21. Sales Prep Forester, Oregon Department of Forestry, Tillamook, OR

22. Senior Engineer/Scientist, Water Research & Technology Advocacy, Phillips 66, Bartlesville, OK

23. Hydrologic Technician, U.S. Forest Service, Garden Valley, ID

24. Communications Associate, Goldman Environmental Foundation, San Francisco, CA

25. Ecosystem Services Analyst, Ecosystem Services Unit, Winrock International, Arlington, VA

26. Faculty Positions, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA

27. Remote Sensing Analyst, Cloud to Street, Brooklyn, NY

28. Senior Research Associate, Department of Geography, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC

29. Climate and Energy Coordinator, City of Flagstaff, Flagstaff, AZ

EVENTS

Institute Events

PhD Prospectus Defense: Estève Giraud

(Friday, November 22, 2019) Estève Giraud will defend her prospectus Urban Food Autonomy: The Flourishing of an Ethics of Care for Resilient Food Systems. Faculty, students and the public are invited. At 9:00 a.m. in room 481, Wrigley Hall, Arizona State University, Tempe campus. More information.

PhD Prospectus Defense: Eric Vahid

(Friday, November 22, 2019) Eric Vahid will defend his prospectus The Impacts of Residential Flood Irrigation on Nitrous Oxide Emissions in Maricopa County, AZ. Faculty, students and the public are invited. At 12:00 p.m. in room 102, Wrigley Hall, Arizona State University, Tempe campus. More information.

NEW!

Fall 2019 School of Sustainability Student Showcase

(Monday-Friday, December 2-6, 2019) Students in the School of Sustainability will be showcasing culminating experience projects during the bi-annual Student Showcase. Please join us as Wrigley Hall opens its doors to highlight student research, projects, coursework, and internships from the Fall 2019 semester. More information.

NEW!

PhD Prospectus Defense: J. Leah Jones

(Tuesday, December 3, 2019) J. Leah Jones will defend her PhD prospectus Implications of Urban Water Crisis on the Food-Energy-Water Nexus. Faculty, students and the public are invited. At 4;:00 p.m. in room 308, Wrigley Hall, Arizona State University, Tempe campus. More information.

NEW!

PhD Prospectus Defense: Tomasz Jasinski

(Wednesday, December 4, 2019) Tomasz Jasinski will defend his PhD prospectus A Scalable Grid Storage Option for Near-Term System Flexibility. Faculty, students and the public are invited. At 2:00 p.m. in room 323, Wrigley Hall, Arizona State University, Tempe campus. More information.

NEW!

School of Sustainability Internship Poster Session

(Thursday, December 5, 2019) This event is the celebration and display of some of the incredible work sustainability interns have done this semester. Interns apply their talent and innovative thinking to applied experiences in professional settings including public, private, and educational sectors. From 4:30-5:45 p.m. in room 102 and breezeway, Wrigley Hall, Arizona State University, Tempe campus. More information.

NEW!

Sustainability Storytelling: Short Documentaries from Peter Byck’s Class: 13th Edition

(Friday, December 6, 2019) Join us for the annual screening of two short films created by students from the School of Sustainability and Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication, under the direction of sustainability scientist and director of Carbon Nation™, Peter Byck. From 9:00-10:30 a.m. in room 481, Wrigley Hall, Arizona State University, Tempe campus. More information and registration. They will also be shown from 11:00 a.m-12:30 p.m. in room 252, Cronkite School of Journalism, Arizona State University, Downtown Phoenix campus. More information and registration.

NEW!

Sustainability@ASU: Arizona Riparian Council Speaker Series: Wetland Habitat Conservation in Southern Arizona

(Wednesday, December 11, 2019) Andrew Salywon, Desert Botanical Garden, will present Wetland Habitat Conservation in Southern Arizona from 6:30-7:30 p.m. at the Biodiversity Knowledge Integration Center, 734 W Alameda, Tempe. More information and registration.

Other Events

On Campus

NEW!

Transportation Seminar: Energy Efficient Mobility Systems: The Transforming Transportation Ecosystem

(Wednesday, December 4, 2019) Prasad Gupte, Department of Energy, will present Energy Efficient Mobility Systems: The Transforming Transportation Ecosystem from 1:30-2:45 p.m. in room 333, College Avenue Commons, Arizona State University, Tempe campus. More information.

NEW!

School for the Future of Innovation in Society 2019 Annual Charter Awards and Poster Jamboree

(Thursday, December 5, 2019) At the end of each semester, we celebrate the accomplishments of our community members with a student research poster jamboree and awards ceremony. This poster jamboree showcases both undergraduate and graduate research, including final projects, theses and dissertations. The SFIS Charter Awards are made annually to three students within each SFIS degree program who embody and demonstrate the core ASU Charter values of access, excellence and impact within their studies, activities and lives. We invite you, your peers, your families, friends and professors to join us for this school-wide celebration of our students. Awards presentation at 3:30 p.m. in the Pima Auditorium, Memorial Union and Poster Jamboree at 4:30 p.m. in room 220 (Turquoise), Memorial Union, Arizona State University, Tempe campus. Registration.

Off Campus

NEW!

GreenBiz Webcast: How EV Charging & Fleet Electrification is Changing the Value Chain of the Grid

(Wednesday, December 4, 2019) It’s clear that the electrification of transportation is the future, but the outlines of that future remain shrouded in a complex, confusing web of uncertainties. This ABB-hosted webcast will offer glimpses into the future of electrified transportation – from individual vehicles to fleets of delivery trucks to rideshare vehicles – through real-world and imminent use cases that illustrate how to optimize EVs’ interactions with the grid in ways that benefit owners and operators of both EVs and electric grids – as well as society as a whole. From 1:00-2:00 p.m. EST. More information and registration.

NEW!

Scottsdale Green Building Program: Dirty Electricity and Electromagnetic Fields

(Thursday, December 5, 2019) Dirty electricity is a term coined by the electrical utility industry to describe electromagnetic interference (EMI) caused by plugging incompatible electronics into the electric grid, or outlets in your home or at work. Some levels of dirty electricity are found in almost every building. Wherever electronics like computers, battery chargers, Wi-Fi, TVs, game consoles, compact fluorescent lighting or solar panels operate the electrical circuits are likely radiating some dirty electricity. Research and case studies have shown that consumers should learn about electrical pollution, how it is controlled, measured and mitigated. From 7:00-8:30 p.m. at Scottsdale Granite Reef Senior Center, 1700 N Granite Reef Rd, Scottsdale. More information.

NEW!

GreenBiz Webcast: Metrics, Standards and Disclosure: Inside the Changing World of ESG

(Tuesday, December 17, 2019) In this one-hour, interactive webcast, we’ll explore some of the issues and challenges confronting corporate reporters on sustainability issues. You’ll hear the latest developments, emerging trends and practical solutions. From 1:00-2:00 p.m. EST. More information and registration.

GreenBiz 20

(Tuesday-Thursday, February 4-6, 2020) GreenBiz 20 brings together a powerful community of more than 1,500 professionals from business, government, academia and NGOs to explore the pressing challenges, emerging trends and promising opportunities that will leave you feeling inspired and prepared for a successful year ahead. The conference will be at the JW Marriot Camelback Inn in Phoenix. More information and registration.

18th Annual Climate Prediction Applications Science Workshop

(Tuesday-Thursday, April 14-16, 2020) The 18th Annual Climate Prediction Applications Science Workshop (CPASW) will bring together a diverse community to share developments in research and application of weather and climate information for societal decision-making. Participants will include researchers, service producers, resource managers, planners, practitioners, social scientists, and others making weather and climate-sensitive decisions. NOAA’s National Weather Service Climate Services Branch, Arizona State University, the Arizona State Climate Office, and many climate services partners are collaborating in the organization of the 2020 CPASW. The workshop will be held in Phoenix, AZ. Abstract submissions are due by December 2, 2019. Registration will open in February 2020. More information.

NEWS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

NEW!

Turning plastic waste into educational opportunity

Three Arizona State University students have won $6,000 in startup funds through the Microsoft Community Impact Pitch-Off for their new circular economy project. Brian Boyle, Matthew Burmeister and Andrew John De Los Santos — three master's students from the School of Sustainability — were awarded the funds for their project, "The Circular Classroom." Read more.

NEW!

ASU ranks No. 9 in nation for students studying abroad

As it has for each of the past five years, Arizona State University this year increased its university study abroad ranking in the annual Institute of International Education Open Doors 2019 report. Last year ranked No. 10, ASU now ranks at No. 9 for sending 2,567 students on credit-bearing study abroad programs. Read more.

NEW!

ASU solar awards eclipse other universities in latest round of DOE funding

Arizona State University has received five prestigious Department of Energy awards totaling $9.8 million, ranking it first among all university recipients and second overall for this year’s Solar Energy Technologies Office (SETO) awards to advance solar energy research and development. Read more.

NEW!

New Humanities Lab gives insight on social justice and energy (from State Press)

A new class is being introduced to the Humanities Lab this spring focusing on the social justice issues surrounding energy sources and the energy industry. The lab will focus on the move to cleaner energy sources and the negative social aspects of that change, which one of the course teachers said is an important local issue to Arizonans. The course, which is called Energy and Social Justice will be co-taught by two professors from two different colleges. Associate professor Christopher Jones with the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies will teach the class with professor of practice at the School of Sustainability Gary Dirks, who is senior director at the Global Futures Laboratory and director of LightWorks at ASU. Read more.

NEW!

ASU study shows some aquatic plants depend on the landscape for photosynthesis

All plants need carbon dioxide, or CO₂, to live. They extract it from the air and use it during the photosynthesis process to feed themselves. But what happens to aquatic plants? How do they get carbon dioxide? Read more.

NEW!

Being a successful vegan is about more than just food

Colleen Patrick-Goudreau didn’t grow up vegan. She grew up in New Jersey. As well as eating a typical omnivorous diet in the land of gabagool and prosciutto, her family owned ice cream stores. They had a separate freezer for ice cream in the house. Now an expert and leader in vegan living, Patrick-Goudreau recently spoke at Arizona State University on how to become, and stay, vegan. Her new book, “The Joyful Vegan: How to Stay Vegan in a World That Wants You to Keep Eating Meat, Dairy, and Eggs,” was published this month. The talk was sponsored by the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability. Read more.

NEW!

A life of lichen

A couple miles away from Arizona State University’s Tempe campus is a building filled with fascinating sights ranging from stuffed javelinas to ancient fossils and rocks. Amid all these eye-catching items is a collection of less-conspicuous organisms often so tiny, you’d miss them if you were out in the wild: lichens. Lichens are composite organisms made up of a fungus and a photosynthetic partner, living together in a mutually beneficial relationship. Read more.

NEW!

Undergraduate Student Research Opportunity

Lauren Reed, assistant professor in the School of Social Work, is undertaking a study and is looking for undergraduate students for a focus group on what healthy relationships mean to them. For an hour and a half of your time you can earn a $25 Amazon gift card for your participation. Signing up is confidential through this Google form link. The discussion will be confidential, will focus on your ideas about college students as a whole rather than your personal experiences, and no identifying information will be collected. You must be 18 years old or older to participate, and you must be currently enrolled as an undergraduate student at ASU. Focus groups will be led by one of your fellow ASU students and a member of our research team (a graduate student or AmeriCorps staff member, no faculty!). You have the opportunity to sign up for a focus group that most closely matches your gender identity and the groups you belong to on campus. There are groups for International students, student athletes, LGTQ+ students, those in Greek life, and open groups if you do not closely identify with any of the categories. Groups are being held on multiple campuses. Your views will help us to better understand how college students define and think about dating relationships to help inform services and programs for students on ASU campuses. More information will be sent to those who sign up. Do not hesitate to email Lauren.A.Reed@asu.edu with any questions you may have.

NEW!

Prey-size plastics are invading larval fish nurseries

A new research study has revealed that larval fish species from various ocean habitats are now being threatened by plastic pollution that infects their nursery habitats — at levels on average eight times higher than those recently found in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch. Read more.

Foundations of Sustainability Online Course for Professionals

How are companies applying sustainability strategies for long-term success? How can incorporating sustainability in organizational strategy positively impact revenue and reduce risk? Learn how in this 6-hour online self-paced course from the ASU School of Sustainability. Questions? Contact SustainabilitySkills@asu.edu. Learn more and enroll.

Board of Directors, Stardust Nonprofit Building Supplies

Interested in advancing your career through nonprofit board service? Contact Stardust CEO at kjayne@stardustbuilding.org. Help give new life to discarded materials and keep them from entering the landfill.

Maricopa County Fireplace Retrofit and Propane Fire Pit Programs

The Maricopa County Air Quality Department (MCAQD) offers air pollution reduction financial incentives or grants for implementing clean air technologies. Help clear the air with these vouchers and incentives! More information.

Urban Land Institute Student Competition

The ULI Hines Student Competition—entering its 18th year in 2020—offers graduate students the opportunity to form their own multidisciplinary teams and engage in a challenging exercise in responsible land use. Teams of five students pursuing degrees in at least three different disciplines have two weeks to devise a development program for a real, large-scale site in a North American city. Teams provide graphic boards and narratives of their proposals including designs and market-feasible financial data. Register your team by December 13, 2019. More information and registration.

2020-2021 Project Cities Request for Proposals

The Project Cities program is now accepting applications from Arizona cities, towns, counties, tribal communities, and/or regional partnerships to be the partner for the Fall 2019-2020 Program Cycle. Partner communities benefit from thousands of hours of research and work by ASU students and faculty members, from a variety of disciplines, working to advance the community’s sustainability and community initiatives. This competitive selection process requires higher-level support from elected officials and key city staff, and payment of project fees to cover associated costs and ensure a successful partnership. The proposal submission deadline is November 27, 2019. More information.

Multi-State Salinity Coalition (MSSC) Future Leaders Scholarship

The $2,500 scholarship is awarded to the student based on the overall evaluation of a 500-word essay about career objectives, transcript(s), a letter of recommendation, and leadership in extracurricular activities related to water resources. Application deadline is December 31, 2019. More information and application.

EPA Green Chemistry Challenge Awards

The Green Chemistry Challenge Awards promote the environmental and economic benefits of developing and using novel green chemistry. These prestigious annual awards recognize chemical technologies that incorporate the principles of green chemistry into chemical design, manufacture, and use. EPA’s Office of Chemical Safety and Pollution Prevention sponsors the Green Chemistry Challenge Awards in partnership with the American Chemical Society Green Chemistry Institute^® and other members of the chemical community including industry, trade associations, academic institutions, and other government agencies. Application are due December 31, 2019. Learn more and apply.

Arizona Department of Water Resource Drought Program

October 2019 drought summary is online.

October Southwest Climate Outlook

The October 2019 Southwest Climate Outlook is online.

CLIMAS Podcast: October 2019: Conservation of Misery and Lapse Rate Doping

Tune into the Southwest Climate podcasts on Apple Podcasts or Southwest Climate Change Network.

OPPORTUNITIES

Institute Job Openings

Faculty Associate Pool, School of Sustainability, Arizona State University

Application open until filled. More information.

Postdoctoral Research Scholar, Center for Biodiversity Outcomes