Daily Archives: October 21, 2021

Brackenridge Field Lab Looking for Undergraduate Research Assistants to Complete Their Thesis/Capstone

In a collaboration with the Farrior and Wolf labs of UT Austin EEB, we are working on the second trial of a plant ecology field experiment at the Brackenridge Field Laboratory here in Austin.

There are multiple opportunities for undergraduate students interested in plant ecology to perform their capstone/thesis research. Example research questions for capstones projects include:

  • How do plant seedling characteristics of species differ depending on the diversity of the plant community (phylogenetic diversity and species richness)?
  • How is the insect herbivore community different in plant communities, in and out of an insect herbivore exclusion treatment?
  • What is the “real” impact of the insect herbivores on plant communities of different diversity levels?
  • How do pollination levels differ in plant communities of different diversity levels?

Undergraduates interested in pursuing research questions related to these but also differ from these are encouraged to contact us! Interested undergraduate students in need of a capstone project starting in Spring 2022 (and/or continuing throughout Fall 2022 or later) should contact one of the graduate students working on the project, Damla Cinoglu (dcinoglu@utexas.edu). Please include your year, major, relevant coursework, a timeline for capstone, research interests to set up a meeting to further discuss the project.

Job Opportunity at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) is recruiting this fall for the Director’s Financial Analyst (DFA) position, and we want to encourage qualified graduating seniors to apply!

 

ABOUT THE PROGRAM

This unique, two-year rotational fellowship sits at the intersection of the federal government and the financial services industry. Director’s Financial Analysts are given the opportunity to hone analytical and problem-solving skills while helping to make consumer financial markets work for Americans.
All analysts will complete developmental rotations in offices throughout the CFPB. These rotations are designed to provide exposure to the analysis, strategy, research, education, policy development, supervision, enforcement, and rulemaking activities throughout the Bureau. In a short period of time, analysts will play an integral role in everything the Bureau does, from rigorous data-driven policy creation and market monitoring to the supervision of market participants.

ELIGIBILITY AND HOW TO APPLY

  • The DFA program is recruiting for full-time positions that begin in June 2022.
  • Recent graduates who will have received an undergraduate degree on or after April 2019 and before June 2022 are eligible to apply.
  • Those interested should apply at https://www.consumerfinance.gov/careers during our live application window on USAJobs. The application will be open from December 6th through January 3rd.
  • To be notified when the application becomes available, students and alumni can send an email expressing interest to CFPB_DFA_Program@cfpb.gov.

 

FOR MORE INFORMATION
Please encourage interested students and alumni to email CFPB_DFA_Program@cfpb.gov. Additionally, they can also reach out to me directly with questions about the position or application process at jack.sollows@cfpb.gov.

The Bureau will be hosting hour-long information sessions about the DFA Program and the application process, including a question-and-answer period, conducted over WebEx. These sessions will take place on the following dates:

EJC Presents: The Traditional Caretakers of the Land

The Environmental Justice Collective is hosting its first discussion of the year, the Traditional Caretakers of the Land, on October 21st from 6-7 pm over Zoom! Join us for a brief introduction to Traditional Ecological Knowledge and to learn about Indigenous values and perspectives as they relate to land conservation.

The meeting will be hosted over zoom and the Facebook event is linked here.

ASI Civic Texas Event

You’re invited to the upcoming event, Civic Texas, on Sunday, October 24 from 10:00 – 11:30 am at DMC 2.106, The University of Texas at Austin!

The Civic Texas program will include educational, civic, artistic, and interactive components. We will discuss the intersectionality of traditional media, social media, and the new ways we’ve interacted with both over the last two years. Our conversation will revolve around the concept of civic life in Texas, the role of public and private institutions in society, and the ways that we have interpreted these messages and engaged with these different forms of media.

Our featured panelists include:

  • Jason Stanford, Austin ISD Communications and Community Engagement
  • Sanika Nayak, Editor in Chief at The Daily Texan
  • Cynthia Martinez, Digital Strategist
  • Dr. Jamie Pennebaker, University of Texas at Austin, Regents Centennial Professor of Liberal Arts
  • Cole Wilson, Annette Strauss Institute for Civic Life staff member, serving as moderator.

Not to mention, slam poetry with nationally recognized Andre Bradford, aka SC Says. The community event culminates through Interactive art with participants. T-shirts and breakfast will be provided.

Civic Texas Registration: https://bit.ly/CivicTX21

Longhorn SHARE Project

The application is NOW OPEN for students interested in becoming SHARE Peer Support Specialists, beginning with training in Spring 2022.

What is Peer Support?

Peer support is not the same thing as peer mentorship, peer education, or clinical counseling! Those are valuable roles that can share some characteristics with peer support, but the ‘participants’ and ‘facilitators’ in peer support spaces typically have similar lived experience(s) with mental health, recovery, identity, and/or trauma and freely share their emotions, struggles, ideas, and healing processes with each other. Peer facilitators simply have more training to ensure that these conversations are healthy, safe, and nonjudgmental.

Peer support minimizes the power imbalances and formal structures that can make other types of support feel intimidating, inaccessible, and/or too clinical for all needs. Peer support isn’t a replacement for therapy (peers are not licensed professionals) but it can be therapeutic and validating to be share space with someone who “gets it”. It’s also a great way for students to build social confidence & emotional awareness, learn about themselves and others, and get information about other resources when peer support isn’t enough.

INTERESTED?? Program Overview & Activities

Participation in the Longhorn SHARE Project is a three-semester commitment – one semester to develop peer support skills followed by two semesters of on-campus peer activities.

Spring 2022: Learning & Skill-Building

  • HED 370K: Foundations of Peer Support & Social Wellness
    • Course content will cover common mental health and social concerns of students; active listening, group facilitation, and other interpersonal skills; how to create accessible, trauma-aware, anti-oppressive spaces; how to respond in a crisis and set healthy emotional boundaries, and more!
  • Mental Health First Aid training & certification (one 8-hour training on a weekend)

Fall 2022 – Spring 2023: Peer Support Activities

  • Group check-ins & skills practice – 1 hr/week
  • Peer Support Activities – Variable, up to 4 hrs/week. May include the following:
    • Co-facilitating a peer support group on a topic of your choice
    • Meeting with students individually to listen, share resources, and problem-solve
    • Leading workshops or one-time discussion circles
    • Offering support during campus events containing sensitive or intense content
    • Others TBD!

Who We’re Looking For:

  • Students from any UT major or field of study – graduate or undergraduate!
  • Must not intend to graduate until Spring 2023 or later.
  • Prior work or leadership experience (especially in mentorship, tutoring, or other peer-based leadership roles) is desirable, but not required.
  • You don’t need to have it “all together” to apply for this program! Folks who have been through hard things (e.g. mental health struggles, trauma, recovery, ableism, racism, sexism, homophobia, transphobia, surviving violence or difficult family dynamics, grief, impostor phenomenon, etc.) have wisdom and experience that could benefit others a peer support setting and help reduce stigma.
  • A GPA of 2.5 or higher is recommended, but not required.