Volunteer at SEEDs Spring Festival

The Global Change Center's Invasive Species Collaborative (ISC) is seeking volunteers for the SEEDs Spring Festival on April 27th at SEEDs Nature Center in Blacksburg. SEEDs hosts an annual Spring Festival geared towards kids in Kindergarten through 6th grade. ISC will have a table with hands-on demonstrations and activities to educate children about invasive species. If you are interested, please fill out this form, and we will follow up with more information closer to the event.

Register Now for ISCE's 3rd Team Science Workshop

The Institute for Society, Culture, and Environment (ISCE) is offering a three-part workshop series on team science fundamentals. The third, Managing Difference and Conflict in Cross-Disciplinary Research Teams, will be held via Zoom on Friday, April 12 from 10:00-11:30 am. Participants will learn effective interdisciplinary communication strategies, leveraging team diversity, fostering productive disagreement, and addressing conflict prevention and mitigation.

Now Hiring: Reston Microbiology Laboratory

The USGS Reston Microbiology Laboratory in Reston, VA, seeks a highly motivated scientist that is interested in interdisciplinary, environmental microbiology research with expertise in environmental microbiology, biogeochemistry, or related fields, proficient in DNA extraction, PCR assays, and bioinformatics. This is a full-time, permanent position with telework options and occasional travel. Applications will be accepted starting Monday, April 1 to Friday, April 5, 2024, OR until 50 applications are received.

Scholarship Opportunity from the MSRA

The Maryland Stream Restoration Association (MSRA) announces the opening of the Jim Gracie Memorial Scholarship for 2024, available to students pursuing degrees or training in natural resource preservation, stream restoration, and environmental sciences, with preference given to those in MD and VA. Applicants should be able to demonstrate their passion for nature and the natural environment and should be enrolled in a degree seeking program or training program for these fields.

Free Film Screening at the Lyric

Together with the Town of Blacksburg, the Global Change Center's Invasive Species Collaborative (ISC) is hosting a film screening of “Uninvited: The Spread of Invasive Species” on Saturday, April 20th from 2-4 PM. Uninvited introduces the concept of invasive species and explains how diverse partnerships and strategies can be used to prevent the spread of harmful species. Following the screening, a panel of invasive species professionals will be on hand to answer audience questions, including:

• Eric Day – Virginia Tech Insect ID Lab | Manager
• Nicole Hersch - Local landowner & Plant SWVA Natives | Campaign Coordinator
• Ryan Klopf – DCR Natural Heritage Program | Regional Supervisor (Mountain Region)  

This is free and open to the public, so bring along family, friends, and neighbors! 

Plan to Attend the ISC Proposal Derby 

The Invasive Species Collaborative (ISC) welcomes your attendance at the first “ISC Proposal Derby" on April 25th from 9-11 AM in room #101 of LS1. This 2-hour workshop will provide a space where proposal and research ideas related to invasive species can be pitched, collaborators are identified, and new teams are generated. Proposal ideas can be individual or team-focused, and participants from all academic disciplines are encouraged to attend.

Pandemic Prediction and Prevention Symposium

Plan to attend the 2024 Pandemic Prediction and Prevention Destination Area (PPP DA) Symposium, scheduled for May 13, 2024, from 1pm to 5pm at the Data and Decsions Science Building. This event offers a platform for presentations in pandemic sciences alongside networking opportunities and a poster session. Virginia Tech faculty and students are invited to register and submit abstracts for poster presentations on topics related to pandemic prediction and prevention.

Grant Boosts Bird Habitats Through Forest Management

A $2 million grant awarded to the National Audubon Society’s Bird-Friendly Maple program, in collaboration with GCC faculty affiliate Ashley Dayer, aims to enhance bird habitats by promoting forest management practices among maple syrup producers. Funded by a new program in the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Forest Service, this initiative encourages producers to dedicate a portion of their land to diverse tree species and foster growth of understory plants, crucial for North American bird species.

Increasing Accessibility for Wildlife Enthusiasts

A Virginia Tech study led by researchers from the College of Natural Resources and Environment, including GCC faculty affiliate Ashley Dayer, aims to enhance accessibility for wildlife enthusiasts of all abilities. Dayer's Human Dimensions Lab collaborates with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to research and support wildlife viewers with disabilities, emphasizing inclusive conservation efforts through social science applications and representation of diverse voices in research and conservation initiatives.