Join us for Mapping Spectral Traces Symposium, 12-15 October 2010

VT Humanities Symposium and SOVA Visiting Artists Series

Mapping Spectral Traces

12-15 October 2010

Mapping Spectral Traces is an international and interdisciplinary Virginia Tech Humanities Symposium and exhibition series that considers how difficult pasts can be researched, documented, represented, and animated in responsible and ethical ways.

How might we listen to and recognize stories, remnants, and submerged ways of knowing as unresolved remainders of memory? What might mappings that are sensitive to past injustices look, sound, and feel like? Might there be approaches to environment that treat ground as home and resting place, as thresholds through which the living can make contact with those who have gone before?

Mapping Spectral Traces will initiate the development of an international network between partner institutions that seek to promote respectful ways of knowing, acknowledging, representing, and mapping spectral traces through various media, creative and community-based projects, and publications. The various media used in this symposium include digital photography, printmaking, painting, performance, installation, video, sculpture, and collaborative qualitative research. Creative practices that empower communities and various publics to care for and represent their pasts will be particularly relevant for K-12 educators and professionals working in urban design and policy at the neighborhood scale.

For details see: http://www.research.spia.vt.edu/events/spectral-traces/

Day One: Tuesday/Oct 12

Armory Gallery

4-6pm: Symposium and exhibitions launch

Short talks by artists Judith Tucker and Mary Modeen

Day Two: Wednesday/Oct 13

Odd Fellows Hall

8:45-9:45am: Posters of local projects

Town of Blacksburg (Terry Nicolson and Anne McClung), Jeff Kirwan, Wendy Jacobsen, CL Bohannon, Terry Clements, Edwin Henderson, Nikki Graves Henderson

10-11:30am: Workshop: “Haunted Archaeologies: Native American Memory;” Papers by: Crandall Shifflett, Dane Webster, Mona Smith, Karenne Wood

Local Excursions: Landscape as Archive in Christiansburg

12-1:30pm: Yellow Sulphur Springs, Christiansburg, Guides: Brian Katen and Victoria Talyor

2-4pm: Christiansburg Institute, Guides: Bob Leonard and C.I. Alumni (limited space, by reservation only)

Hillcrest Dining Hall

5:30-7pm, Keynote Lecture, Iain Biggs, “Deep Mapping”

Day Three: Thursday/Oct 14

Experiential Gallery, Kent Square, Blacksburg

9-10:30am: Workshop: “Environments & Landscapes of Memory and Recovery”

Papers by: Christine Baeumler, Mary Modeen, Rebecca Krinke

11-12:30pm: Workshop: “Stories and Scenes of Trauma”

Papers by: Judith Tucker, Laurie Beth Clark, Gülgün Kayim

Local Excursion: Hidden Social Histories at VT

2-4pm: Solitude VT, Guides: Betty Fine and Anita Puckett (limited space, by reservation only)

Experiential Gallery: Group Exhibitions Launch

5-7pm: Artists available to discuss their works: Christine Baeumler, Iain Biggs, Laurie Beth Clark, Gülgün Kayim, Rebecca Krinke, Mona Smith, Dane Webster

Day Four: Friday/Oct 15

Local Excursion: Spectral Traces in Roanoke

9-11am: Multiple sites, Guide: Gerry Kearns (limited space, by reservation only); 9am: Mountain Ave/Franklin Rd SW; 9:30: Oliver Hill Home, 10: Henry Street, 10:30: Hotel Dumas (apprx)

Hotel Dumas, Henry Street, Roanoke

11-12: Community Workshops: tba

12:30-2pm: Lunch Workshop: The City of Roanoke’s Arts and Culture Proposal, Host: Tom Carr (limited space, by reservation only)

2:30-4pm: Workshop: “Mapping Spectral Traces as a Practice of Care”

Papers by: Talya Chalef, Victoria Walters, Karen Till

Sponsors: Virginia Tech’s: School of Visual Arts Visiting Artists Series; College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences; College of Architecture and Urban Affairs; Center for the Arts; Institute for Society, Culture and Environment; School of Public and International Affairs; Armory Gallery; Experiential Gallery; Alliance for Social, Political, Ethical, and Cultural Thought; Vice President’s Office of Outreach and International Affairs; Women and Minority Artists and Scholars Lecture Series; Urban Affairs and Planning; Institute for Policy and Governance; Department of Landscape Architecture; and University Honors. Additional sponsors include: the PLaCE Research Centre, University of the West of England, Bristol; Land²; University of Leeds, School of Design; University of Dundee, Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art & Design; the University of Minnesota; Town of Blacksburg Museums; and the Christiansburg Institute.

Neighborhood Development Internship Available

The *Neighborhood Development Internship* is an opportunity to gain a strong understanding of the LEED for Neighborhood Development technical criteria, market outreach strategy, and policy research; as well as gain knowledge of smart growth, urbanism, and green building. Candidates must be able to work in USGBC’s Washington, D.C., office.

*Internship Details Include***

- Conduct research on LEED-ND market, including developers and local planning departments
- Carry out a comparison of LEED-ND and other sustainable community standards
- Analysis of LEED-ND pilot projects and the strategies they used to achieve certification
- Provide assistance to Affordable Green Neighborhoods Grant Program
- Research and write case studies and PowerPoint slides on LEED-ND projects and complete guidance for market sectors
- Develop content and outreach for an upcoming exhibit about sustainable neighborhood development

*Education and Training Requirements/Preferences***
- Current enrollment in graduate program in Urban Planning, Public Policy, or Environment Science, or a related field required

*Experience Requirements***
- Prior professional experience preferred

*Other Required Skills and Qualifications***
- Strong written and research skills
- Excellent project coordination, organizational, and problem-solving skills with meticulous attention to detail
- Ability to manage multiple projects, set priorities, and work with short deadlines
- Strong sense of personal responsibility and accountability for delivering high quality work
- Team player with strong interpersonal skills
- Commitment to USGBC mission

*Internship Application Instructions*
Please submit resume and letter of interest via email to jobs@usgbc.org or fax to 202-478-5046, ATTN: Human Resources. Please indicate where you saw the posting for this opportunity. *No phone calls please.*

Graduate Fellow Position–National Assn of Development Organizations

The National Association of Development Organizations (NADO) is seeking a graduate student fellow to support research and education work related to various aspects of rural and small metropolitan economic development in the United States.  NADO is a nonprofit, public interest group providing advocacy, education, research and training to multi-jurisdictional councils of governments, economic development districts, and regional planning commissions.

The graduate fellow will work closely with NADO’s staff on various projects related to planning and development issues in the U.S., which may include regional transportation, post-disaster economic recovery, regional planning and comprehensive economic development strategies, business finance, and sustainable development.  Responsibilities will include conducting research and contributing to written reports, developing content for the www.NADO.orgwebsite, recruiting speakers to participate in training events, and other duties as assigned.

This position is open to graduate students in the Washington, DC area.  NADO typically seeks applicants pursuing degrees in the social sciences, communications, planning, government, public policy, and public administration fields.  Candidates must possess strong research, analysis, and writing skills, particularly in collecting and analyzing qualitative information.  Applicants should be proficient in MS Office applications such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook.  In addition, candidates should be comfortable with being assigned tasks that include updating social media and website information, including learning to use a website content management system.

This is a paid position. Hours are flexible, and fellows should expect to work approximately 20 hours per week.  The position is available immediately for the fall semester.  Depending on candidate availability and performance, the fellowships may continue into the spring semester.   Graduate fellows become an integral part of our small staff, so candidates should expect to contribute to substantive projects during the fellowship.

Visit www.NADO.org for more information about our organization and programs.  To apply, submit a cover letter, résumé, and short writing sample by email to ckissel@nado.org.


Kathy Quillinan Nothstine, AICP
Program Manager
NADO & NADO Research Foundation
202-624-5256
knothstine@nado.org

Publish Post

Sat 9/25: Bike Swap and Fix Fest next to Blacksburg Farmer’s Market

The NRVBA's Fall Bike Swap is on for Saturday September 25, 2010 from 9:00am to 12:00 noon.  This is open to all.  A great opportunity to sell, buy, swap, or give away any unused bicycles or bicycle related items.  We will be located across from the Farmer's Market in the parking lot of the National Bank on the corner of S. Main and Roanoke St.

East Coasters Bicycle Shop has committed to being on site to check your bicycles and assist you in any way.  Other local bicycle shops may also be present.   

New at this event will be a T-shirt/bike jersey swap/giveaway.  Bring any of your old T-shirts and/or jerseys and donate them to a give away or swap them for a different one.  We'll have bins for the various sizes.  Hey, it will be just like going to Goodwill, without paying!!!!

Thanks,

Ed Hokanson, NRVBA Program Director

540-552-7825

edh@email.com

9/24 Begins MURP Planning Film Series in Alexandria

From Jed Grubbs:

This Friday (Sept. 24) we'll be kicking off a Planning Film Series with director Ridley Scott's 1982 classic Blade Runner.  We're hoping the series will be a good time and will promote interesting conversations about planning themes found in the movies.  Depending on how many people want to participate this week we'll either be watching at Scott Picken's place (703 Washington St. Apt 2) or perhaps somewhere in the Annex. We'll also probably grab some dinner somewhere before hand.

The movie will start at 8pm.

If you are interested in checking out a planning themed reading associated with this film, please let Scott or myself know and we'll make sure to print you a copy. The reading is the final chapter of Mike Davis' "Ecology of Fear" ....Beyond Blade Runner. It takes a look at the future Los Angeles imagined in the film and current/projected trends for the city in the author's view. Social theme's of race, safety+security, the riots of 92, and other's are all explored.

Please RSVP if you'd like to come either through Facebook, by responding to this email, or giving me a call (423-667-9342), so that we'll know where to hold the event and so that we can keep you in the loop!

Info about Blade Runner on Wikipedia:

"Blade Runner is a 1982 American science fiction film, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, and Sean Young. The screenplay, written by Hampton Fancher and David Peoples, is based loosely on the novel Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? by Philip K. Dick.

The film depicts a dystopian Los Angeles in November 2019 in which genetically engineered organic robots called replicants—visually indistinguishable from adult humans—are manufactured by the all-powerful Tyrell Corporation as well as other mega manufacturers around the world. Their use on Earth is banned, and replicants are exclusively used for dangerous, menial or leisure work on Earth's off-world colonies.

Blade Runner has been hailed for its production design, depicting a "retrofitted" future."

VT Rideboard up and running for Blacksburg

On behalf of SGA Transportation/VT Transportation and Campus Services we now have an official VIRGINIA TECH RIDE BOARD! Yay for carpooling.

https://secure.hosting.vt.edu/www.vtrideboard.transportation.vt.edu/index.php

Fri 9/24: Blacksburg Clean Commute and Walk/Bike to School Day

WHEN: Friday, September 24
LOCATION: Market Square Park and Farmer’s Market, Hospitality Tent
TIME: 7:30 – 9 am

Do your part to improve our air by taking the pledge to commute clean during Sustainability Week! On Clean Commute Day, Friday September 24, choose a clean commute option to get to work, school, or your location – biking, walking, carpooling or public transit. Mix and match modes to see what best fits your schedule!

A hospitality station will be set up at the Farmer’s Market during Friday’s morning commute. Stop by, say hello, and enjoy a cup of coffee and a pastry.

Thurs 9/23 in Blacksburg: VA Bike/Walk Cyclist Commuter Confidence Pres

On Thursday, September 23, 2010, Virginia Bike Walk representatives will be hosting a talk at the YMCA at 1000 North Main Street, in Blacksburg.   The discussion will provide tips on how to bike and walk confidently in your community.  The event runs from 7:30 - 8:30 pm.

If you have any questions, please contact Jeanne Duddy at (540)344-4803 or jeanneduddy@yahoo.com.

LIBRARY: librarians in NoVA Oct 4-5

Several of my colleagues will be coming to the National Capital Region in a couple weeks, should you want to tap their expertise.

The following subject librarians are thinking about coming, depending on demand. So if you want to talk to them about subject-specific information sources (or simply vent), let them know ASAP:

• Art/Architecture: Patrick Tomlin, 540-231-9272 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              540-231-9272 or tomlin@vt.edu
• Business (including public management and non-profits): Ellen Krupar, 540-231-2490 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              540-231-2490 or 540-231-4863 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              540-231-4863 or kellen@vt.edu
• Engineering (and sci-tech more generally): Larry Thompson, 540-231-8693 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              540-231-8693 or larryt@vt.edu
• Dave Beagle -- our distance-services librarian, subject specialist for law, and EndNote maven -- is definitely coming in order to do instruction sessions on EndNote at 1021 Prince St in Alexandria Oct 4 and the Falls Church Center Oct 5. Spaces are filling fast, so please register online at http://www.training.lib.vt.edu/classesoffered.php.

Bruce Pencek
College Librarian for Social Sciences

Survey on Research Methods Consortium (RMC) at National Capital Region

Research Methods Consortium (RMC) at VT-NCR would like to have your opinion about improving its service to the faculty and students here at VT-NCR. The questionnaire should take approximately 5 minutes to complete. Your responses will be confidential and only summary statistics will be reported. The link for the questionnaire is:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/PL9HGZ7

Graduate School Information Fair, National Capital Region, 10/18/10, 5:00-7:00pm, Room 214, NVC

Please share with your friends and family who might be interested in earning a graduate degree or certificate from Virginia Tech in the metro DC area. Explore opportunities in master’s and doctorate programs. Free parking to the first 50 people – tell the parking attendant that you are here for the Open House.

For further information contact the Graduate Student Services Office (GSSO) at (703)538-8327 begin_of_the_skype_highlighting              (703)538-8327      end_of_the_skype_highlighting or gsso@nvc.vt.edu

Research Methods Consortium (RMC) Session, 9/30/10, 3::00-4:00pm, Room 325, NVC

Introduction to stat packages - JMP and R

An hour long interactive session with demos introducing to the basics of the statistical packages: SAS-JMP® and R. Learn how to use these packages for basic operations like setting up projects, data import/export, manipulating data types, simple univariate analysis like ANOVA, plotting figures, simple multivariate analysis like multiple regression etc…LIMITED SEATS ONLY!

For registration and further details please send an email to Reghu Anguswamy (reghu@vt.edu) with the following information: Name, PID, Department and e-mail address

Sept 21 Lecture on Constitutional Divides in Intelligence Integration in the US

Virginia Tech Politics and Planning Speaker Series, 9/21/10, 7:00pm, School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), Room 304 (3rd floor), 1021 Prince Street, Alexandria, VA

Constitutional Divides in Intelligence Integration in the United States by Professor Louise Stanton

Abstract: Globalization processes and conditions tempt us to agree that lines between foreign and domestic are blurring, that the world is more interdependent and integrated than in previous times, and that states are no longer the principal actors in international affairs. Today, however, intelligence is still very much about states, and the political map of the world shows that geography matters in the constitutional operationalization of intelligence. The talk explores this paradox between global threats and the state's legal ability to respond to them.

Louise Stanton is a lawyer, Assistant Professor and PreLaw Advisor at New Jersey City University, and Adjunct Professor in the Department of Political Science Masters Program at New York University. Her book, The Civilian-Military Divide: Obstacles to the Integration of Intelligence in the United States, was published by Praeger Security International. Prof. Stanton received her PhD from Rutgers University, JD from Seton Hall University School of Law, and B.A. from Georgetown University.

Forthcoming attractions: Wednesday, October 20, 2010: Economic Development and Revitalization in Fairfax County: Fostering Economic Success, by Dr. Jerry Gordon (President and Chief Executive Officer of the Fairfax County Economic Development Authority) and Barbara Byron (Director of the Fairfax County Office of Community Revitalization and Reinvestment).

For more information please visit: http://www.nvc.vt.edu/uap/courses/new_metropolis.html

Electronic Thesis & Dissertation Wiki

The Graduate School has created an ETD wiki open to all Virginia Tech graduate students and is intended to assist students as they work to complete their thesis or dissertation.

Please select the link below and bookmark it for future reference https://secure.grads.vt.edu/GSITWiki/Wiki.jsp?page=GAAPSETD

ETD Speaker Series – ETD Formats, 9/23/10, 7:00-8:00pm, Room 401, NVC

Dr. Karen DePauw will discuss standard and manuscript formats for ETDs. For further information go to: https://secure.grads.vt.edu/GSITWiki/Wiki.jsp?page=GAAPSETD

Postdoc Position Now Available w/ Great Lakes Integrated Sciences and Assessment (GLISA) Center

Here is a note about this opportunity sent by Thomas Dietz, Professor of Sociology and Environmental Science and Policy and Assistant Vice President for Environmental Research at Michigan State University. Please note that they will be interviewing NEXT WEEK so please apply quickly if interested.

"The University of Michigan and Michigan State with participation by Ohio State and Guelph, have been funded by NOAA to create the Great Lakes Integrated Science and Assessment Center. As part of this effort we are conducting a series of innovate research projects on stakeholder engagement, including efforts using network methods to identify and monitor changes over time. We are seeking a postdoc.

This is a really neat opportunity as we have a really great team, including Ken Frank and Maria Carmen Lemos, and of course the postdoc will interact with the very strong environmental social science faculty at both U of M and MSU."

See the announcement here

New Facebook Group for UAP Alums

We've created a new Facebook group for UAP alums -- join by going to http://groups.to/vtuap/.

The group is open to alums as well as faculty, staff and current students, although we'll focus largely in this group on information of interest to alums.  (Current students are also encouraged to join the Urban Affairs and Planning Student Association at Virginia Tech Facebook group).

VT Studying Abroad Info Fair on Wed Sept 22 in Blacksburg

Come out to the Drillfield at the Blacksburg campus on Wednesday, September 22, 2010 to learn about new and exciting opportunities to study abroad!

UAP will have a table at this event and you can learn about opportunities to learn abroad for a semester, a summer or a full year.  See the VT Education Abroad website for details.

Graduate Certificate in Local Govt Management

Did you know that Virginia Tech offers a Graduate Certificate in Local Government Management?

It's a four-course graduate certificate program emphasizing:

• Local Government and the Professional Manager
• Human Resource, Financial, and Performance Management for Local Government Managers
• The Context of Local Government Management
• Local Economic Development Planning

Learn more about the program, which is offered through the Center for Public Administration and Policy at Virginia Tech, by clicking here.