On 7–8 November 2008, the William L. Brown Center (WLBC) and the International Union of Biological Sciences (IUBS) will host a symposium entitled Ethnobotany: Integrating Science and Traditional Knowledge at the Missouri Botanical Garden. In a series of lectures and workshops, participants will consider the distinct epistemological systems that underlie, on the one hand, western science and, on the other, indigenous and traditional knowledge from around the world. The clash of world views is often a subject in international fora, with ethnobotanists at times divided into two opposing camps. Participants at the symposium will address the underlying theoretical issues as well as the need for an improved institutional and legal framework for promoting equal and mutually beneficial partnerships. Matters of concern include: intellectual property rights, equitable policy formation, and the facilitation of research and collecting permits. For more information on the symposium, please visit the website: http://www.wlbcenter.org/drawer/Symposium/website/homepage.htm.

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Conservation Studies Instructor &
Zoo-Aquarium Leadership Master’s Program Director
New Century College

New Century College (NCC), located at George Mason University, seeks applications for a Term Assistant Professor (non-tenured appointment), to serve as Director of the Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies in Zoological and Aquarium Leadership (ZAL), a high-profile, innovative graduate program affiliated with national networks in prominent science associations.  This appointment includes teaching in the undergraduate Integrative Studies Degree Program.

Applicants with any of the following areas of expertise (discipline open) will be considered: 1) conservation studies; 2) environmental sciences; 3) field-based scientific inquiry; and 4) program and curriculum development. This is a nine-month, renewable appointment with a salary of $41,000, plus an additional $8,000 stipend for ZAL-related work. A terminal degree is required.

Applicants should be prepared to contribute actively to an integrated, technology-enriched first-year curriculum and teach upper-level-courses dealing with conservation and sustainability from an interdisciplinary perspective.  Responsibilities include directing the Master of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies in Zoological and Aquarium Leadership (MAIS-ZAL) as well as developing NCC’s conservation studies concentration (major).  Competitive candidates will demonstrate an interest in student mentoring, interdisciplinary teaching, and program management and development.  Information about NCC can be found at ncc.gmu.edu.  Information about MAIS-ZAL can be found at http://mais.gmu.edu/.

Applicants should submit a cover letter, curriculum vita, and names and contact information on three references electronically through http://jobs.gmu.edu for position F7626z.  Review of applications will begin October 1, 2008.

Shawn Collins (Sandstone Archaeology, LLC), Deborah M. Pearsall (University of Missouri), and John G. Jones (Washington State University). Collapsing Assumptions: Climate and Agriculture in Prehispanic Coastal Guatemala. (Oral presentation). [Abstract]

J. Kevin Hanselka. (Washington University in St. Louis). Casual Cultivation among Contemporary Small Scale Farmers in Southwestern Tamaulipas, Mexico, and Implications for Prehistoric Low-level Food Production. (Oral presentation). [Abstract]

Members of the Society of Ethnobiology have free access to the Journal of Ethnobiology through BioOne, a unique aggregation of high-impact bioscience research journals. Click here to access the BioOne link. Note: you will require a valid login and password to access this page.