Category Archives: Uncategorized

Maryland Sea Grant’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Estuarine Science

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Undergraduate students are invited to apply for Maryland Sea Grant’s Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Estuarine Science. http://www.mdsg.umd.edu/REU

Since 1989, NSF has supported bringing students to conduct individual research projects with a scientist-mentor at either Chesapeake Biological Lab or Horn Point Lab of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. This is a great opportunity to conduct research with a mentor and spend a summer by the Chesapeake Bay.

DETAILS:
– Program Flyer download http://bit.ly/MDSGREU18
– 12-week program: May 20 to August 12, 2018
– $6,000 stipend plus housing and travel support to and from host institution
– Funded by the National Science Foundation and thus limited to US citizens or permanent residents
– Applications due: February 16, 2018
– Application and guidance http://ww2.mdsg.umd.edu/reu/apply/index.php

We select undergraduates in diverse disciplines, including engineering, biology, chemistry, physics, mathematics, ecology and marine and environmental science.

We are particularly interested in supporting talented students from institutions where access to marine science and to research projects is limited and who are from underrepresented groups in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM).

If you have any questions please feel free to email us at reu@mdsg.umd.edu.

Integrated Pest Management Technician Position at Longwood Gardens

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Longwood Gardens is seeking a self-motivated, dynamic individual for the position of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Technician in the Horticulture Department. Primary responsibilities include assisting the IPM Specialist by scouting, diagnosing, treating, and training staff on plant health care issues and evaluating cultural, biological, mechanical, and chemical control strategies to reduce pests to tolerable levels across all areas of the conservatory, greenhouses, outdoor gardens and natural areas. This work requires a thorough understanding of horticultural practices, plant-pest interactions, control techniques and application equipment. This individual will conduct large tree sprays and other pesticide applications throughout the property, help train and direct the IPM team (staff, students, volunteers, and contractors) and assist with the management of all aspects of Longwood Gardens’ pesticide safety program.

Minimum of an Associate’s degree in entomology, plant pathology, or horticulture equivalent with two years’ experience working in landscape and/or greenhouse horticulture with special emphasis in pest management scouting, diagnosis, and treatment of a variety of ornamental plants is required. Must have or be willing to obtain a Class B commercial driver’s license and a PA Pesticide applicator’s license.

The successful candidate will possess good time management, organizational, and observation skills with strong attention to detail; fluency with Microsoft office, and strong communication skills with the ability to present to diverse audiences.

Please mail your resume with salary requirements to the address below.
Longwood Gardens, Inc.
Attn: Human Resources
P.O. Box 501
Kennett Square, PA 19348
Fax 610.388.5495 or e-mail jobs@longwoodgardens.org.

The job posting can be found here: http://longwoodgardens.org/employment/full-time-job-opportunities

If I Knew Then What I Know Now…standardized exams

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Throughout the semester we will provide words of wisdom to freshmen and underclassmen. Please check back for advice on midterms, finals, getting involved, and more!

As a Senior, I can honestly say I have seen my fair share of standardized tests. As a student teacher, I have observed my students worry about these same tests. I’ve never been the best test taker- however my scores have always been good enough to get by. I made the mistake of assuming that I would get by with the PRAXIS tests and put them off for a long time.

If I could give one word of advice to students, be aware of the tests required to get certification in majors or to get into graduate school. PREPARE! PREPARE! PREPARE! I waited until the last minute to take tests for certification and regret waiting as long as I had.
By waiting so long, I put myself at risk of graduating without a passing score. Know the dates and know the scores. Take tests over the summer or when you have time to dedicate to these tests. GOOD LUCK!

-Emily Gribben

COMMON ERRORS THAT PREVENT STUDENTS FROM GRADUATING!

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  • Counting ENGL166 as credit for ENGL110 is an error.
  • Double counting credits: If you took a course more than once, you only count the credits ONE time, even if you got a better grade. Also, if you used a course to fulfill two requirements, you can only count the credits one time.
  • Counting duplicate credits. You can only count credits for MATH113, 114, 115, OR 117, not two or more of these. Similarly, you can only count credits for CHEM101 OR 103 and CHEM102 OR 104.
  • Using unapproved courses to fulfill Literature & Arts, Ag & Bio Sciences, and Social Sciences/Humanities courses will prevent you from graduating. Refer to your catalog for a list of approved courses.
  • Counting non-college credit courses, such as MATH010 or ENGL011 for credit is an error.
  • Forgetting the C- and/or GPA rules in some department’s major requirements- check your catalog.
  • Not having enough credits or not having at least a 2.0 GPA.

Finals Study Tips

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Finals are right around the corner!
Here are some last minute tips:
1. Don’t Panic (Don’t become overwhelmed)
2. Don’t be too relaxed (Don’t underestimate your finals)
3. Don’t cram for your exams
4. Set a study schedule!
5. Get enough sleep
6. Utilize effective study techniques (that work for YOU)
              a. Start early
              b. Study with a group or partner
              c. Review old exams
              d. Review old assignments
              e. Organize and review your notes
              f. Make flash cards
              g. Test yourself (create a mock test or test yourself using flash cards)
              h. Avoid studying in your room where you can easily get distracted
              i. Great Study Areas!
                        The Townsend Commons
                        The Library
                        Residence Hall Lounge
                        Math Tutorial Lab (answer booklets and tutor on site)
                        Daugherty Hall (in Trabant)
                        Perkins Student Center
                        Panera, Starbucks, or similar places on Main Street
7. Understand how the grade for your course is calculated
            a. What percentage of your grade is your final exam?
            b. Understand how you can use the final exam to improve your grade
            c. Review your syllabus
            d. Talk to your professor
8. Resist the urge to “party” on off days!
9. Arrive EARLY for your exam. Arriving late only increases your anxiety
10. Don’t worry about others finishing before you

"If I Knew Then What I Know Now"

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If I knew now what a commitment being president of an organization is I would not have taken on so many other activities. This past year I was president of my sorority, a member of FFA, a member of Food Science Club, an Ag Ambassador, a manager at my job, and took eighteen credits each semester. I am really good at time management but I do not recommend over committing yourself. I found myself working late, losing sleep, being stressed and not having a good time. I also felt as though I was letting people down. This is when I realized I over committed myself and needed to cut back on things. School and classes was not an option so I only helped out in my clubs when I could and did not commit to being a leader or in charge of anything without knowing that one hundred percent I could commit.

I do not want to discourage you from getting involved however I know there are only 24 hours in a day and you can only stretch so far. Therefore, my advice to you is to join things you are overly passionate about. And only commit to lead if you know you can give it your all. This way you will have fun while you are learning and leading.
-Megan Coy

"If I Knew Then What I Know Now" …Final Weeks

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During the final weeks of the semester it is so easy to lose focus on your schoolwork knowing that the holidays are just around the corner. The last couple of weeks of school are filled with fun end-of-semester activities and as classes begin to wind down it is also easy to fall behind in them with so many good distractions. As a freshman last year I wish I had foreseen the amount of cramming that I would have to do the few days before finals. Had I been able to do so I would have definitely started studying in short spans during the last 2-3 weeks of the semester because my finals week was exhausting! Reading Day provides a great opportunity for studying so I suggest you make use of it! It is so easy to slack off because it is basically a day off but it would have helped me out to study that Thursday rather than cram the following week.

-Bonnie McDevitt

If I Knew Then What I Know Now… MORE MIDTERM ADVICE

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As a new feature in the Talk of Townsend blog, throughout the semester we will provide words of wisdom to freshmen and underclassmen. Please check back for advice on midterms, finals, getting involved, and more!

This month’s feature focuses on midterm grades. What do you do if you are not performing as well as you expected? How can you improve your study habits? Upperclassmen share some advice…

“When I first saw my midterm grades, I was satisfied to be completely honest. I had almost all B-‘s! Not bad I thought at the time! I still had half of a semester to bring those minuses up. Honestly, I wish I had set a higher standard for myself at the time. I continued studying the way I had been from the beginning of the year, and even did a few extra credit assignments to bring those grades up. I ended up with 2 B-‘s and 2 B+’s! My GPA however, ended up being a 2.974 which was below the 3.0 required to maintain my scholarship. My advice to anyone who is satisfied with their grades, do more than is required. If a professor offers an opportunity to up that grade by even one point, do the extra work. You do not want to end up .026 away from a scholarship! I have worked so hard over the past four years to bring my GPA up to a 3.5, yet i am still .05 away! Trust me, I am a senior now and I wish I had learned sooner!”
-Upperclassman

  • I would go to office hours after a test I didn’t do so well on. Many professors give points back, and if even they don’t, I find it’s a really good way to understand the things I didn’t understand when I took the test.
  • I would get at least 2 hours of homework done on a Saturday. Even if you don’t think you have a lot of work, just getting one assignment out of the way will really cut down on your stress level for the coming week.
  • Especially for the more difficult classes, always studying with at least one other person is important. It helps you stay on task, and it’s more likely you’ll figure something out that you don’t understand if you have someone else to bounce ideas off of.
  • For classes where the professor wants you to print out powerpoint slides, it can be annoying to do this before every class, especially now that you have to pay to print at the library. However, I found a big difference in my ability to absorb information in class after I started printing the slides out instead of trying to write everything that was up on the projector. When you have all the info on the slides in front of you already, it’s easier to just make little notes next to them if the professor says anything extra.

-Sarah Cordova