Fellowships in Sustainability Science at Harvard

Fellowships in Sustainability Science

Harvard University's Center for International Development

Due date for applications: December 1, 2010

The Sustainability Science Program at Harvard University's Center for International Development invites applications for resident fellowships in sustainability science for the University's academic year beginning in September 2011. The fellowship competition is open to advanced doctoral and post-doctoral students, and to mid-career professionals engaged in research or practice to facilitate the design, implementation, and evaluation of effective interventions that promote sustainable development. Applicants should describe how their work would contribute to "sustainability science," the emerging field of use-inspired research seeking understanding of the interactions between human and environmental systems as well as the application of such knowledge to sustainability challenges relating to advancing development of agriculture, habitation, energy and materials, health and water while conserving the earth's life support systems. This year we will give some preference to applicants whose work addresses challenges of innovation for sustainable development, with special attention to innovation in the energy, health and agricultural sectors. In addition to general funds available to support this fellowship offering, special funding for the Giorgio Ruffolo Fellowships in Sustainability Science is available to support citizens of Italy or developing countries who are therefore especially encouraged to apply.

The Sustainability Science Program is directed by Professors William Clark and Michael Kremer, and Nancy Dickson.

For more information on the fellowships application process see http://www.cid.harvard.edu/sustsci/fellowship. Applications are due December 1, 2010.

The Galileoscope: The BEST Telescope Deal EVER!

If you love star-gazing and have been waiting for a super deal to buy a telescope, well, here's your chance. Its called the Galileoscope. I swear it will change astronomy for the developing world...

I just found out about it (thanks Adam!) and ordered mine just now, so I thought I would share my enthusiasm with you all, in case you don't already know about it.

What is it? Well, its a high-quality, low-cost ($30!!) telescope kit developed for the International Year of Astronomy 2009 by a team of leading astronomers, optical engineers, and science educators.

Why is it important? Well, the telescope changed everything!! Galileo's discoveries literally revolutionized our perception of the universe and Earth's place in it.

But not everyone has a telescope, especially in less developed parts of the world. To enable more people in more places to personally experience the wonders of the universe, these guys developed a remarkably inexpensive, very-high-quality, easy-to-use refractor. With this new instrument, called the Galileoscope, children and adults can learn how telescopes work and repeat for themselves the spectacular observations made by Galileo beginning in 1609.

So the Galileoscope is much more than a telescope - it's a strategic initiative to improve math, science, and technology literacy worldwide. With this easy-to-assemble kit, anyone can explore how optics work and then they can go outside at night to observe the celestial wonders first glimpsed by Galileo four hundred and one years ago!

Think of it as a "one-telescope-per-child" kind of project.

You can find out more about the project on it's website:
https://www.galileoscope.org/gs/



For proof, here's a happy Galileoscope owner (soon to be me!)

How those crazy "Studies show that..." get generated

I'm sure you've heard those repeated, "Scientists say that studies show eating xxx [insert anything ridiculous in here] will generate yyyy [insert something even more ridiculous here]."

Jorge Cham's brilliant comic strip PHD (Piled Higher and Deeper) Comics recently did a great analysis of how those random and often bizarre study results get generated. Sadly, this isn't too far from the truth:

Links and Opinions: Tworque Tweets for the week

I think I'm going to start a thing called "Tworque Tweets." Henceforth, like other bloggers, I'll add my cool links of the week, along with a one line ('tweet' from "twitter") opinion. Its more efficient for you and me.

Here are this week's Tworque Tweets (TT):

1. Time Magazine has two interesting and insightful photoessays:

• India's Health Care Crisis outlines the awful healthcare problems facing India's poorest. On this note, I wonder where agencies like the WHO should intervene and incentivize/encourage basic health care provisions for the poor; and how much other countries who want to eradicate disease (eg. the US) need to interfere in an issue like this.
• Psychic Scars of Kashmir outlines the psychological consequences of a long enduring war and where the people are turning for help. Its just a beautifully narrated and covered piece. I also ask you to read about Sufism before passing any judgement, it is one of the more tranquil sects of Islam.

2. Good Magazine highlighted the world's first billion dollar home being built in Mumbai, India, by and for an Indian petrochemical magnate. No place in the world is poverty more starkly visible than in India, where gaps like this (a billion dollar home and the world's largest slums) are so blatantly visible.

3. Rising rice prices have the world's largest rice producers considering a rice cartel. Good idea, but somehow I don't think this will fly. It would need good leadership...something Asia is desperately lacking (in my opinion!).

4. The geekiest science fair is on this weekend (may 3 and 4) in San Francisco. Check out video of the Maker Faire.

5. Check out the preview for the impressive film Africa Investment Horizons. I really do think that Africa is the place to be right now...so much happening, SO much potential, so badly needed.

6. The World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) has an impressive Youtube channel with excellent videos from around the world highlighting sustainable and socially responsible businesses in developing countries.