Category: Education

Education-related posts; primary this is a top-level category and not one to use

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CRITICAL: 2025-2026 Restoration Ecology Option Plan for Senior Capstone is HERE, as is an update about Department Honors

Hi folks,
This message is for ESRM: Restoration Ecology and Environmental Horticulture (REEH) majors who (A) are graduating in Winter 2026, Spring 2026, Summer 2026 or Autumn 2026 AND (B) who has not completed/started a Senior Capstone.  If you are graduating AFTER Autumn 2026, this does not apply to you, though some of this information may be of interest; it is subject to change for 2027 and beyond.
If you have ESRM friends in other options, notices to them will be coming very soon as well.
_______________________________________________
REEH students graduating in 2026 – please note below the updates and alternatives to Capstone and to requirements to declare Department Honors.
Department Honors
ESRM Department Honors is declared at the same time you register for Capstone.
Effect Autumn 2025, subject to final approval but we will be operating under the assumption that this will happen, the GPAs required to declare ESRM Department Honors will be increasing substantially.    The most current information regarding the GPAs, the reasoning for this increase and the percentage of expected honors-eligible students is  available on the SEFS web site.   To be clear, just because you are eligible doesn’t mean you are required to do Department Honors!  The percentage of eligible students who do Honors Capstones has been relatively low in recent years.  But if it is something you would like to do and you meet the new eligibility requirements, you can certainly indicate an interest in doing an Honors capstone on your Senior Selection Form.
Capstone Updates: Please Complete the REEH Senior Selection Form
Effective Autumn 2025, REEH Option students can complete the 10 credit Capstone requirement via EITHER of the following 2 ways:
VERY IMPORTANT: Every REEH student graduating in 2026 MUST fill out the (new) REEH Senior Selection Form. Please note that you will need to be signed in to your UW NetID account to fill this out (which means you may need to open up this link in a web browser you don’t normally use).
On the selection form, you will EITHER be committing to doing the additional 10 course credits, which means you’ll only have a couple of questions to answer, OR you will be completing an application for Capstone placement.  Capstone applicants will need to be indicating their top 3 SEFS Faculty they wish to do research with, and supply a resume, unofficial UW transcript, and an essay about why they wish to do a capstone with one of the faculty they have selected.  There are more instructions about these requirements on the form.
Once applications are received, we will connect your materials up with your interested faculty and attempt to place you in one of your preferred placements.  The time frame this will take is unknown.  Many faculty don’t work in the Summer and thus may (literally or figuratively) be in the woods right now.  Faculty are back on contract as of September 16th and may be more responsive at that point.  However, depending on the faculty member, they may still be responding to email right now.
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Postdoctoral Scholar: Sustainable Polymers

Postdoctoral Scholar: Sustainable Polymers

SEFS, Mutian Hua, mthua@uw.edu

 

Description

Dr. Mutian Hua’s lab at the University of Washington (the RISE Polymer Lab) seeks to hire a highly motivated postdoctoral researcher to engage in the scalable synthesis and manufacturing of novel sustainable polymers derived from biomass. The candidate hired to this position will have the opportunity to join an interdisciplinary team to develop sustainable polymers with tunable characteristics, establish advanced manufacturing routes for these polymers and implement computational algorithms to assist their optimization. 

The RISE Polymer Lab is dedicated to developing the next generation of robust, intelligent, sustainable, and evolving (RISE) polymers with high robustness, bio-renewability, life-like responsiveness, and evolvable properties to resolve the conflict of global development and plastic waste accumulation. The lab seeks to understand the structural-property relationship in polymers through molecular engineering, structural engineering, and advanced characterization across scales. With these insights, we resolve conflicting design principles required to combine diverse properties for advanced applications in consumer, biomedical, and robotic soft materials.

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Postdoc Fellowship Opportunity – Harvard University

Sponsor: Harvard University

Program: Rowland Institute Fellowships

https://www.rowland.harvard.edu/fellowships/

Program number: 2025

Award amount: $300,000 per year for up to 5 years

Sponsor deadline: 8/15/2025

 

Program Description:

The Rowland Institute aims to support the most promising young scientists in their independent pursuit of groundbreaking research. We are looking for individuals who have already demonstrated exceptional achievements in their fields and who are ready to begin independent research groups (including the hiring of small teams), take on new challenges, and push the boundaries of their fields. The program is open to scientists from a wide range of experimental fields, including physics, chemistry, biology, engineering, and neuroscience.

 

The Rowland Institute seeks outstanding early-career experimentalists in all fields of science and engineering. The Rowland Fellowship provides an opportunity to establish an independent program in the rich intellectual environment of Cambridge, Massachusetts. To qualify, applicants should currently be in the process of either completing their PhDs and/or have received their PhD after May 1, 2024. Fellows must have completed their doctoral degree prior to starting their Fellowship term.

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Postdoctoral Scholar Position in Biology Education Research at UW


Postdoctoral Scholar Position in Biology Education Research

The Halmo lab in the Biology department at the University of Washington seeks applicants for a postdoctoral scholar in biology education research. The postdoctoral scholar will join an NSF-funded project to investigate the impact of social metacognition on collaboration in undergraduate biology classes. The postdoctoral scholar will lead mixed methods analyses of a large dataset of small group work recordings from biology classes and join the Biology Education Research Group and the Biology Learning & Teaching Community at the University of Washington.

Key Responsibilities

·  Lead multi-dimensional qualitative coding of small group work transcripts

·  Perform quantitative analyses of nested data using multilevel modeling

·  Collaborate with and mentor undergraduate researchers from diverse backgrounds

·  Manage and organize a large dataset

·  Prepare manuscripts for publication

·  Present and disseminate research findings

 

Qualifications

Applicants must have:

·  a Ph.D. in a life sciences discipline, STEM higher education, or a closely related field,

·  a strong record of publication,

·  high self-motivation to lead data analysis and widely disseminate results

Preference will be given to applicants with the following characteristics:

·  background in discipline-based education research (DBER),

·  strong written and verbal communication skills,

·  experience with qualitative or quantitative research methods and/or interest in developing these skillsets,

·  experience with management and organization of large projects,

·  strong background in life sciences content

Terms of Employment

This position is a full-time, 12-month appointment with a flexible start date as early as October 2025. The salary range for this position is $6,250-6,500/month ($75,000-$78,000 annually) with associated benefits. There is a possibility of reappointment based on performance and funding. Postdoctoral scholars are represented by UAW 4121 and are subject to the collective bargaining agreement, unless agreed exclusion criteria apply. For more information, please visit the University of Washington Labor Relations website.

The University of Washington is an affirmative action and equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, gender identity or expression, age, disability, or protected veteran status.

Applications

Candidates should electronically submit a single PDF file to halmo@uw.edu containing:
(1) a 1-page cover letter indicating their interest in and qualifications for the position,
(2) a curriculum vitae with the names and contact information for 3 professional references, and
(3) a 1-page summary of their education research experience and/or interests.

Review of applications will begin July 25, 2025 and will continue until the position is filled. Please contact Stephanie Halmo (halmo@uw.edu) with any questions.

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Natural Resources Policy course [AUT 25]

Natural Resources Policy course – PUBPOL 599 for grad students; PUBPOL 499 for undergrads

This course offers a graduate-level or upper-level undergraduate overview of natural resources policy in the United States. Natural resources policy raises significant societal dilemmas in terms of how to efficiently, equitably, and/or sustainably manage resource use and preservation. In this class, we will survey natural resources policy regimes including those for fisheries, wildlife, public lands, freshwater, mining, and energy development. We will evaluate shortcomings of current regimes, especially how they are challenged by modern pressures including climate change, and how those regimes might be adapted or improved. During the course, emphasis will be placed on analyzing and identifying the distinct roles of government agencies, legislative bodies, and judicial courts in shaping natural resources policy and management. Given the prominent role that government agencies play in natural resources policy and management, we will emphasize understanding the role of administrative agencies, how they shape policy and law, and how their ability to shape policy and law relates to legislatures and courts. We will also emphasize the key role of Native American Tribes in U.S. natural resources policy. Another recurring topic will be the function and structure of market-based policy instruments (e.g., individual transferable quota, habitat banking, water quality trading) across varying natural resources contexts. Because there is no single body of natural resources policy and law, we will survey a variety of natural resources regimes with the goal of drawing coherent lessons across these diverse regimes. The course is intended for students with varying backgrounds, including those in public policy, planning, marine affairs, environmental sciences, resource management, engineering, or related programs.

More Information

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NASA DEVELOP Research Opportunities available to current undergrads, current graduates, recent alumni and early career professionals: Apply by June 13

ParticipantFlyer2025v2

Fall2025_Webinar Flyer FD

Good Morning,

I’m writing to inform you about 10-week paid research opportunities with the NASA DEVELOP National Program, open to current students (undergraduate or graduate), recent college graduates, and transitioning/early career professionals. Please pass this information, along with the attached flyer, to those who may be interested.

NASA DEVELOP is an applied science and capacity building program in NASA’s Earth Science Division. Our projects help local, state, and national communities address environmental and public policy issues through the use of satellite-sourced data and imagery, geographic analyses, and other tools. We have 10 offices throughout the country with both in-person and virtual opportunities.

DEVELOP participants work in teams with partner organizations, NASA scientists, and science advisors to learn how NASA Earth science data can be applied to eight thematic areas: agriculture, climate, disasters, ecological forecasting, energy, health and air quality, water resources, and wildfires. Responsibilities include literature review, data processing and analysis, and communicating the methodology and results of scientific research in presentations and a technical report.

It is helpful to have some experience in Earth science/environmental studies/environmental justice, science communication, remote sensing, and/or GIS, but it is not required! As a capacity building program, we provide a space for participants to learn more about these areas in a hands-on project, as well as share the skills they already have. This is a multi-disciplinary opportunity for all those interested in Earth science, and we encourage those in the social sciences, general science, engineering, computer science, etc. to apply.

Applicants must have excellent verbal and written communication skills and be able to work in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment. Days of the week are flexible, but applicants should be able to commit to 20 – 29 hours per week during the term. The position is paid hourly and determined by education level and work location.

Applications for the fall term (September 15 – November 21) open on May 5 and close June 13.

The DEVELOP program will be hosting informational webinars for the Fall 2025 term on May 21 (this webinar has already passed) and June 6 where potential applicants can learn more about the project opportunities, application process, and the program itself. You can find more details about the webinars and the links to attend in the attached webinar flyer.

For more information, visit our website: https://appliedsciences.nasa.gov/what-we-do/capacity-building/develop.

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URBAN 480 and URBAN 407 in Fall Quarter 2025!

Hi All!

Below are two classes that may be of interest with space in AUT quarter!

URBAN 480

Meet and interact with professional planners from the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Hear firsthand experiences of post-graduation, current projects, and lessons learned in the process. Learn about skills needed for each representative field of planning while exploring possible career paths.

URBAN 480 Fall 2025 Flyer

URBAN 407 Fall 2025 Flyer

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URBAN 480 Planning as a Profession AUT 25!

MyPlan link: https://myplan.uw.edu/course/#/courses/URBAN480

Course: Planning as a Profession (URBAN 480)

Credits: 1

SLN: 23050

Grading: credit/ no credit

When: Friday 12-1:20 pm

Instructor: David Blum

Meet and interact with professional planners from the public, private, and non-profit sectors. Hear firsthand about the experiences of post-graduation, current projects, and lessons learned in the process. Learn about skills needed for each representative field of planning while exploring possible career paths.

Please contact blumedw@uw.edu for more information!

URBAN 480 Fall 2025 Flyer