Cook Community Weekly News

In This Issue

1. Upcoming Events
2. Announcements

I. Upcoming Events

Want your club/organization events listed here? Please send an email with the event information to studentmail@aesop.rutgers.edu.

Become a fan of the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences on Facebook to get updates on important dates, events, and other happenings! Go to  http://facebook.com/RutgersSEBS. 

1/23/12 - Presented by American Cancer Society-Rutgers Colleges Against Cancer Relay for Life Kickoff
Monday January 23, Rutgers Student Center, Multipurpose Room 8:30pm-9:30pm. Get back in the Relay Spirit! Join the fight against cancer and learn more about Relay for Life 2012. Free food, prizes and games! Celebrate the lives of those who have battled cancer. Remember loved ones lost to the disease. Fight Back. We Relay because we have been touched by cancer and desperately want to put an end to the disease. Join the event on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/events/185676474864624/. Sign up for Relay for Life at www.relayforlife/RutgersUniversity. Email: rucac@eden.rutgers.edu.

1/26/12- Energy Café – a conversation with the Rutgers Energy Institute(REI) on Sustainability and Clean Energy at Rutgers EcoComplex:  Learn about existing environmental partnerships with New Jersey businesses and industries.   The REI is pleased to be sponsoring a morning Café Hour for conversation on a broad range of energy related topics. Students, faculty, and staff from a variety of disciplines will be attending and are welcome to join in. No reservation is required…just come to learn and share ideas. Date: January 26, 2012 Time: 8:30AM to 9:30AM, Location: The COVE at the Busch Campus Center Email contact: bea@marine.rutgers.edu More information: http://rei.rutgers.edu/ .

1/30/12 - Students for Environmental Awareness
First Meeting: January 30, 2012 Meeting Times: Every Monday, 9:00 PM. Location: George H. Cook Room, Cook Campus Center. What We Do: Students for Environmental Awareness (SEA) seeks to make a difference to "green" our campus and the surrounding community. This semester we plan to increase campus recycling efforts, reduce waste, and grow environmental awareness at Rutgers. Some of the events we have planned are an Earth Day Extravaganza, a beach clean-up, and a hiking trip. SEA seeks to make a difference to improve our environment while having fun! Join our Facebook group (SEA: Students for Environmental Awareness), check out our website (http://www.rusea.rutgers.edu/index.php) and come out to one of our meetings to learn more and share any ideas you may have.

1/31/12 – The 2012 Karl Maramorosch Lecture will feature Dean Robert M. Goodman and Associate Dean Xenia K. Morin presenting “The Emerging Ecological Paradigm of Agriculture and Scholarship” on Tuesday, January 31, 2012 at 11 a.m. (refreshments at 10:45 a.m.) in the Alampi Room of the  Marine and Coastal Sciences Building 71 Dudley Rd., New Brunswick, NJ 08901.  In this talk, Executive Dean Goodman and Dr. Morin will team up to reflect on the emerging ecological paradigm of agriculture over the past 200 years and the work of Maramorosch over the past 60 years. Both demonstrate the power of building institutions and networks of researchers that foster innovation, collaboration and identification of pressing problems that take an ecological approach to problem solving.  This lecture is sponsored by the Department of Entomology at the School of Environmental and Biological Sciences. Space is limited, so registration is suggested. Please register online here, or call 848-932-4211. To sign up to join the Discovery mailing list, or to find us on Facebook, go to www.discovery.rutgers.edu/ and stay informed on important dates, events and other happenings!

1/31 & 2/1 - SHADES Theater Auditions
SHADES is a multicultural, improvisational peer theater ensemble that explores issues that impact college students like sexual health, alcohol and other drugs, racism, homophobia, mental health & more. Auditions will be held 8:00-10:00 p.m. on 1/31at the Livingston Campus Center, Room 111, 2/1 at the Douglass Campus Center, Meeting Room C, & Thursday, February 2 at the Rutgers Student Center, Room 407. No experience necessary! For more info about SHADES go to http://rhshope.rutgers.edu/peer-education/shades-theater or e-mail fmaresca@echo.rutgers.edu.

2/1/12 - Art After Hours: First Wednesdays at the Zimmerli
February 01, 2012, 5-9pm. February's Art After Hours features a tour of the exhibition Rachel Perry Welty 24/7 at 5:30 pm, followed by a conversation between the artist, Rachel Perry Welty, and Donna Gustafson, the museum's Andrew W. Mellon Liaison for Academic Programs and Curator. The local rock band Cotton takes the stage from 7:30 to 8:45 pm. Stop by the Museum Store for a complimentary set of Zimmerli coasters (one set of four per party) until 8:30 pm and 20% discount on all purchases. Cafe Z is offering $2 off all purchases over $5. Admission is FREE to Rutgers students, faculty, staff, and museum members. $6 general admission.

2/2/12 - The Rutgers Energy Institute (REI) and the Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy (BSPPP) will kick off  its Energy Policy Seminar Series on Feb.2nd with: Speaker: Hunt Allcott, New York University. Title: "Is there an Energy Efficiency Gap?" Date: Feb. 2, 2012. Time: 10:30am-12Noon (refreshments start at 10am). Location: IMCS, Alampi Room. Email contact: bea@marine.rutgers.edu More information: http://rei.rutgers.edu/ .

2/2 & 2/3/12 - 2012 Symposium - Microbiology at Rutgers University - Cultivating Traditions, Current Strength and Future Frontiers will be held on Thursday, February 2 and Friday, February 3, 2012 in Trayes Hall, Douglass Campus Center. Our keynote speaker will be: Stephen Picataggio, Ph.D.,
Chief Scientific Officer, Verdezyne Inc. Stephen Picataggio (Ph.D. Rutgers, 1983) is Chief Scientific Officer at Verdezyne, Inc., (Carlsbad, CA) that focuses on the metabolic engineering of industrial yeasts for production of fuels and chemicals such as adipic acid, a precursor for renewable BioNylon. Steve graduated from Wagner College (1975) in Bacteriology and Public Health, and earned his Ph.D. in Microbiology from Rutgers (1983) including studies of yeast. He considerably expanded such interests while a post-doc at MIT both characterizing the E. coli xylose operon and gaining expression of xylose isomerase in yeast. Then at Henkel Research Corporation/Cognis, he established their metabolic engineering program based on Candida tropicalis which led to the successful production of long-chain dicarboxylic acids, precursors for renewable polyesters and polyamides. Later at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) Golden, CO, his team engineered a pentose metabolism pathway into Zymomonas mobilis leading to conversion of cellulosic biomass to ethanol, a project currently being jointly developed by DuPont and Danisco. He joined DuPont and there led a team to engineer Yarrowia lipolytica in the production of polyunsaturated omega-3 fatty acids the basis for the highly successful neutraceutical New Harvest. Steve was also a founding team member that engineered E. coli to commercially produce 1,3-propanediol (100MM PPY), a precursor of polyethylene plastics (PET and PTT) and nylon. Steve’s accomplishments have been recognized through NREL’s Staff Award for Outstanding Team Performance, the DuPont Sustainable Growth Award, The Charles D. Scott Award, the Environmental Protection Agency’s Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Award, and R&D Magazine’s annual R&D 100 Award. Steve was recently elected as a Fellow of the Society for Industrial Microbiology. SAVE THE DATE!

2/5/12 - FREE FIRST SUNDAYS at the Zimmerli Art Museum
Time: 12-5pm, Cost: Free. Admission is free to all the first Sunday of every month at the Zimmerli. Scavenger hunts are offered between 12:30 and 4pm and tours for children and adults are available at 1pm and 2 pm. Visit Studio Z throughout the day for self-guided learning and creativity.

3/4/12 - FREE FIRST SUNDAYS at the Zimmerli Art Museum
Time: 12-5pm, Cost: Free. Admission is free to all the first Sunday of every month at the Zimmerli. Scavenger hunts are offered between 12:30 and 4pm and tours for children and adults are available at 1pm and 2 pm. Visit Studio Z throughout the day for self-guided learning and creativity.

4/1/12 - FREE FIRST SUNDAYS at the Zimmerli Art Museum
Time: 12-5pm, Cost: Free. Admission is free to all the first Sunday of every month at the Zimmerli. Scavenger hunts are offered between 12:30 and 4pm and tours for children and adults are available at 1pm and 2 pm. Visit Studio Z throughout the day for self-guided learning and creativity.

4/28/12 - Rutgers Day
http://rutgersday.rutgers.edu/

5/6/12 - FREE FIRST SUNDAYS at the Zimmerli Art Museum
Time: 12-5pm, Cost: Free. Admission is free to all the first Sunday of every month at the Zimmerli. Scavenger hunts are offered between 12:30 and 4pm and tours for children and adults are available at 1pm and 2 pm. Visit Studio Z throughout the day for self-guided learning and creativity.

6/3/12 - FREE FIRST SUNDAYS at the Zimmerli Art Museum
Time: 12-5pm, Cost: Free. Admission is free to all the first Sunday of every month at the Zimmerli. Scavenger hunts are offered between 12:30 and 4pm and tours for children and adults are available at 1pm and 2 pm. Visit Studio Z throughout the day for self-guided learning and creativity.

Looking for More Events on Campus and at Rutgers?
SEBS Calendar | G. H. Cook Campus Calendar | Rutgers Calendar

II. Announcements

1. FIGS PEER INSTRUCTOR SELECTION PROCESS

   Are you passionate about your major and interested in teaching first-year students?  Do you enjoy mentoring?  

   If you answered yes, then we invite you to apply to become a FIGS Peer Instructor!  

   Peer Instructors (PIs) are instructors and mentors for First-Year Interest Group Seminars (FIGS).  FIGS are topical-based, one-credit courses that meet for 10 weeks in the fall semester.  PIs receive training that prepares you to plan, develop, and implement your curriculum for your FIGS seminar.  Open to all eligible Rutgers undergraduates who will be Juniors or Seniors in Fall 2012 with a 3.0 GPA and are interested in encouraging the success of first-year students.  The Rutgers University FIGS Program is one of the few in the nation that allow undergraduates to teach their own course and only 1 in 200 upper-class students at Rutgers have this opportunity.  

   For a detailed overview of the position and selection process, please visit http://figs.rutgers.edu/content/peer-instructors-1.  The online application is available at the same link and due by Tuesday, February 14, 2012.   

   Learn more by attending one of our information sessions (these are not mandatory): 

   Friday, January 27, 1:00 PM (Busch Campus Center, Room 116 BC) 

   Friday, February 3, 3:00 PM (Douglass Campus Center, Meeting Room C) 

   Thursday, February 9, 9:00 PM (Rutgers Student Center, Room 411 AB - CAC Campus) 

   Friday, February 10, 4:00 PM (Rutgers Student Center, Room 402 - CAC Campus)

    We hope you consider applying for this unique and rewarding leadership opportunity!  Feel free to contact us at rulc@echo.rutgers.edu or 732-932-7442 with questions.

2. Happy New Year and welcome back to RU! I hope you have all had a great holiday break.
   
   I trust you are excited to start playing intramural sports again this Winter and spring. Get your past teammates, friends, classmates, hallmates, together now!
   
   Check out our website to see what we have in store for you: http://www1.recreation.rutgers.edu/images/customer-files/IM_Calendar.pdf
   
   Leagues are very popular- Don't be shut out, register early!
   
   DON'T FORGET all teams are required to attend the scheduled mandatory captain's meetings. And if you are not there, you can be replaced by teams on the wait list. If you are a FREE AGENT- do not register on-line, simply come to the respective captain's mtg). Be sure to be up to date with all IM news, pictures, and videos on Facebook and Youtube.
   
   Become a fan www.thefacebook.com/rurecintramurals
   Subscribe to www.youtube.com/rurintramurals
   

3. Pre-med, pre-dental, pre-optometry, pre-nursing, pre-PA?? This is the event of the semester you don't want to miss! Registration for the 4th Annual Rutgers AMSA Conference is now available! To register, please visit our website: http://eden.rutgers.edu/~amsa/Conference/Home.html Registration fills up quickly so register today!

4. Mindfulness is the art of becoming a compassionate observer of your own experience. Meditation practice helps us to achieve mindfulness and reduce stress. All are welcome, whether you are a beginner or have been practicing meditation for years. Several techniques will be introduced. Participants are encouraged to find their preferred method. No previous experience required. Sponsored by CAPS (Counseling, ADAP & Psychiatry Services). No registration necessary OPEN to students, staff and faculty. Every Thurs 12.00-1.00 Douglass Campus Center Room C.

   For further information contact Siobhán Gibbons @   siobhang@echo.rutgers.edu.
   
   

5. 2012 International Summer Scholarships
   APPLY before February 15, 2012!

   SEBS students are encouraged to apply for the 2012 SEBS International Summer Scholarship. Scholarships will be provided to help defray the program cost of an international summer program or internship up to $3000.00 per student. We want you to study/intern/do research abroad this summer. Find a program that complements your academic studies and apply for the scholarship before February 15, 2012.

   Individual awards will depend on the specific program costs.

   To learn more about this opportunity for funding please visit http://sebs.rutgers.edu/international/summer-scholarships/default.asp. For a list of potential summer programs please visit our Student Resources page at http://sebs.rutgers.edu/international/student-resources.asp.  Come to our November 15 panel to learn more about putting together a winning application. Foran Hall Room 138B at 7:30PM.

   If you have any questions, please email us at sebsglobal@aesop.rutgers.edu.

6. BRAZIL-USA Paid Research Fellowship (FIPSE)
   Deadlines: March 1, 2012 for Spring 2013

   The FIPSE-CAPES Fellowship offers a high level of training in environmental biotechnology in partnership with sustainable development. We are looking for a total of three Fellows for Spring 2012. The ideal student is currently a sophomore who is self-motivated, organized and ambitious. The Fellows will study and conduct research in Brazil for one semester Feb-June 2013. Fellows will receive a stipend of $4000 in addition to funding for a Portuguese language course and cultural immersion. Personal research projects are highly encouraged.  For more information please visit http://www.suagm.edu/ut_pr/i3/fipse-usa-brazil/about.html.

   Please contact sebsglobal@aesop.rutgers.edu to learn more about this rare opportunity. Start planning NOW.

7. Dear students,
   

   
   

   Rutgers Day is Saturday, April 28, 2012.  We have updated the website with the most current information, and we’ve added some new features. 

   
   

   Log on with your NetID to see a PowerPoint presentation that provides tips and reminders for new and experienced program providers and includes important Rutgers Day policies. You can also download Save-the-Date and various web graphics to promote the day and your program.  A list of key dates, which gets updated includes deadlines and when you’ll receive confirmation information.
   

    

   December 1 to February 29 is the program submission period. As in the past, we’re offering incentives to early submitters who get programs in by February 1. The name of the person who submits the program will be entered into a random drawing to win one of the following:

    

   ·         50% off parking fee for 2012

   ·         Dinner for two at the Rutgers Club

   ·         50% off the base private event package at the Rutgers Zone in the Livingston Student Center

   ·         Football autographed by Coach Schiano

   ·         Basketball autographed by Coach Stringer

   ·         Basketball autographed by Coach Rice

    

   Log on with your Net ID at rutgersday.rutgers.edu to submit your program.

    

   Email questions to rutgersday@ur.rutgers.edu or call Terre Martin @ 732-932-7823, ext. 672

8. Attention Pet Sitters: Local Pet Sitting Co. is looking for Dog Walkers for the North Brunswick & Franklin Township Areas Monday-Friday (11am-3pm). Will work around school schedule Must have your own transportation. Please call Michele Andrea at 732-713-3532.

9. Announcing the 2011 - 2012 Energy Innovation Contest for Undergraduates on New Brunswick Campus
   
   The Rutgers Energy Institute will offer three awards ($2,500 for first place, $1,500 for second place, and $1,000 for third place) to students who develop the best innovative plans to reduce student energy consumption and promote eco-friendly practices throughout the New Brunswick Campus.
   
   Individual or teams of enrolled undergraduate students in any program on the New Brunswick Campus are eligible. Students are encouraged to consult with faculty advisers in various departments to help form teams and develop plans.

   Register for the competition by sending an email indicating intent to submit an entry to Beatrice Birrer at bea@marine.rutgers.eduThis e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it by February 27, 2012. Go to the REI web site for more information: http://rei.rutgers.edu/

   Proposals should be submitted on or before April 2, 2012.

10. The Rutgers Energy Institute (REI) offers summer internships to a select group of motivated undergraduate students. They are intended to help students understand the breadth of the energy challenge, from the environmental impacts that motivate the transition, to the technological innovation needed to create a viable new system and the socio-economic, policy and energy system frameworks necessary to enable wide-spread deployment. To that end, REI will support students working on research projects that address more than one of these elements: for example, examining novel solar photovoltaic technologies and how they might be integrated into the grid, or the geological potential of carbon sequestration and political barriers to its deployment.

    Eligibility: You may apply if you are currently an undergraduate freshman, sophomore, or junior at any school in Rutgers University. No previous research experience is necessary, and you do not need to be a science or engineering major to apply. Students are expected to work full-time (40 hours/week) for the duration of the program, so participation is not compatible with attending summer school. March 16, 2012 deadline

    Application Submission Guidelines and additional information can be found at http://rei.rutgers.edu/.

11. Rutgers Center for Management Development has teamed up with NYSSA to offer CFA Level 1 Exam Prep right here at Rutgers! Current Rutgers University undergraduate and graduate students will receive a $725 discount on the course.  Inquire about discounted rates for alumni as well!
    Passing the CFA Level 1 exam is the first step in becoming a specialist and noted professional in the investment industry.  According to the CFA Institute, candidates for the CFA Program include students entering the investment field, professionals increasing their expertise and marketability, and people making a career change into the investment profession from other disciplines.
    Interested in learning more about the CFA Level 1 exam prep courses?  Attend the free orientation and sample class on Thursday, January 26 at Rutgers Livingston campus in Piscataway, NJ. The program kicks off at 6:00 PM.  To register, please click here.  For more information, please contact NYSSA CFA Program Education at 646-871-3428.
    
    Exam Prep Course Offerings:
    NYSSA/Rutgers University Level I Weekly Review
    Dates: Tuesdays, February 7 - May 1, 2012
    (No class scheduled for April 10)
    Time:  6:00 PM – 9:00 PM
    Location: Rutgers University/ Livingston Campus
    
    NYSSA/Rutgers University Level I Saturday Review
    Dates: Saturdays, March 3, 2012 - March 31, 2012
    Time:  10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
    Location:  Rutgers University/ Livingston Campus