There will
be two different Stable Isotope Short Courses at the University of Utah in
2015:
Stable
Isotope Biogeochemistry and Ecology, June 15-26, 2015
Isotopes in
Spatial Ecology and Biogeochemistry, June 15-26, 2015
We are
pleased to open the application period for the 2015 Stable Isotope Short
Courses at the University of Utah. In addition to the 20th annual offering of
the Stable Isotope Biogeochemistry and Ecology Course (aka “Iso-Camp”),
emphasizing fundamental environmental and biological theory underlying isotope
fractionation processes and a broad spectrum of ecological and environmental
applications, we are excited about the 3rd offering of the companion course,
Isotopes in Spatial Ecology and Biogeochemistry (aka “The SPATIAL Short
Course”), focused on large datasets, spatial analysis and modeling, and scaling
with isotopic data.
Both
classes will be limited-enrollment, multi-instructor lecture (morning) and
laboratory (afternoon) short courses.
The courses are targeted to graduate students and postdoctoral
investigators interested in learning more about the applications of stable
isotopes at natural abundance levels to environmental, biogeochemical, marine,
and ecological studies. A limited number
of lecture-only slots will be reserved for postdocs and faculty looking to gain
exposure to scientific and technical course content without the full immersion
experience offered by the full lecture+lab sequence. The courses will:
1) be offered at the University of Utah in Salt
Lake City
2) be limited to 25-27 participants in order to
maximize interaction and access to laboratory resources; an additional 5
openings for the lecture-only course will be made available for postdocs and
faculty
3) consist of a morning lecture/discussion and
an afternoon laboratory; each course will feature ~17 instructors, experts
selected from across the country for their breadth of experience and for their
interest in teaching and interacting with students
4) include a hands-on laboratory experience each
day.
For
Iso-Camp the laboratory experiences will include full access and use of
ThermoElectron isotope ratio mass spectrometers and Picarro cavity-ring down
spectrometers. The IRMS is equipped with elemental analyzers, continuous flow
capacities, GC, TCEA, pre-con, laser, common-acid-bath. Available also are
vacuum preparation lines for organic and inorganic compounds of biological and
environmental interest.
For the
SPATIAL short course students will work with Picarro CRDS analyzers and a range
of geospatial data management and modeling environments, including MySQL,
ArcGIS, IsoMAP, R, and various research software packages developed and used by
the instructors, their students, and collaborators.
Many of the
evenings in both courses will be set aside for discussions of current research
interests, group dinners and additional talks. There will also be opportunities
for social events in the nearby Wasatch Mountains.
Typically
our applicants have come from all across the United States as well as from many
different foreign countries. We select
students with a diversity of academic interests, geographical diversity, and
research experiences in mind. We seek students who are interested in learning
broadly about stable isotope applications and in interacting with other
students and faculty. We encourage
applications from members of underrepresented groups. Past participants have
had backgrounds in disciplines including animal and plant physiology, ecology
and ecosystem science, biogeochemistry, anthropology, atmospheric science, marine
science, oceanography, paleontology, forensic science, industry, and geology.
Applications
will be accepted until February 6, 2015. Application forms for both courses can
be reached through the webpage https://itce.utah.edu/apply.html. We will notify applicants by the last week of
February 2015 regarding acceptance into the course and how to begin planning
for lodging arrangements, tuition payments, reading materials, etc.
We will be
offering a limited number of participant support awards to offset expenses
related to participation in the courses. If you are interested in being
considered for one of the awards, additional information beyond the initial
application is required. Details are posted on the application website. We will
announce recipients by the last week of February 2015, as well.
On behalf
of the other instructors who participate in these courses from our campus as
well as from across (and beyond!) the United States, let us say that we look
forward to your application and encourage you to explore the program
information on our website.
Happy Holidays.
Gabe Bowen,
Thure Cerling, and Jim Ehleringer
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