City Learning: New fellowship in Philly provides environmental research experience

Image via esf.edu/urban/Are you a graduate or undergraduate student studying urban and environmental studies? Are you interested in topics like landscape architecture, engineering, conservation and urban natural resources? The new Sustainability Science Fellowship is an ideal opportunity to put those interests to practice right here in Philadelphia.

The fellowship, a new program of the U.S. Forest Service, City of Philadelphia and Pennsylvania Horticultural society, will provide students with research experience aimed at promoting environmental literacy and increasing the number of young scientists within the field.

Projects proposed should foster collaboration, science delivery, and communication to help sustain the environmental well-being of Philadelphia’s urban areas. Students will be paired with Forest Service scientists who will serve as mentors and help oversee the completion of each project. For more information visit the Philadelphia Field Station website.

Applications are due to the Philadelphia Field Station by February 20.

The Local Tweet: Philly birds in the news

Image via allaboutbirds.orgHere's something worth tweeting about: The Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education is doing a bird census this Saturday, January 7, and they're looking for volunteers. Don't worry, budding ornithologists, no experience is required. You can join their birding team to help collect important data about wintering bird populations. My phone is predicting a beautiful day, sunny and 51 degrees, and to sweeten the deal, the SCEE will provide coffee, tea and light breakfast foods.

In other bird news, the Spruce Hill Bird Sanctuary, who we'll be covering in our next issue, is looking for some help, too. Located at Spruce & Locust, 45th & Melville Streets, this unique urban green space is a neighborhood spot, but open to the public as well (the entrance is next to 233 S. Melville). They're looking for bird food, plant material and cold, hard cash. 

All About Philly: TEDx bringing conference on “The City” to Philadelphia

TEDxPhilly Promo from Free Film Collective on Vimeo.

Last year’s sold out success, TEDxPhilly, will be making its second appearance next Tuesday, November 8. This year’s theme is “The City” and features speakers, performers, and exhibitors who will share their experiences and perspectives of being part of Philadelphia. The all-day “idea” conference is multidisciplinary and will include architects, educators, urban planners, journalists, filmmakers, business people and more. 

Some featured speakers will be Glen J. Abrams, Philadelphia Water Department’s manager of Policy and Strategic Initiative; Dr. Jeffrey Brenner, founder of the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers; Haas&Hahn, Dutch street artists; and even GRID’s own Marisa McClellan, a food writer, canning enthusiast, and soon-to-be cookbook author. 

TED is a nonprofit organization formed in the early 1980s to unite the worlds of technology, entertainment, and design. TEDxPhilly is spin-off in the independently organized event series, designed to foster the forming, sharing and spreading of ideas. This year’s Philly conference will provide interactive opportunities for both attendees and speakers to share “the lived experience of city life through high-energy exchange of ideas.” The event will also host local community exhibitors and vendors. 

Tickets are still available. Admission is $100 and includes the day’s TEDxTalks, a catered lunch, refreshments and the post-event reception. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit tedxphilly.com.

November 8, 9 a.m.-6 p.m., Temple Performing Arts Center (1837 N. Broad St.)

- Anna Louise Neiger

Intersections: Money Matters

If Philadelphia hopes to become one of the greenest cities in America, now is the time. Thanks to two multi-million dollar grants from the federal government (distributed as part of President Obama’s Recovery Act), Philly is embarking on initiatives that will create green jobs, address energy concerns and offer sustainable solutions to some of the city’s longtime problems.

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