Service Learning – Sustainable Rebuilding in N.O.

Payson Professors Charles Reith and Marty Roland will be offering a one-credit service learning course to graduate students wishing to work and learn toward environmentally responsible development in New Orleans East.  This region of the metro area has struggled economically since its inception, and has been the dumping ground for the City’s waste.  It was also severely damaged by Katrina, providing something of a tabla rasa for redevelopment. The service learning opportunities build upon a pre-Katrina EPA study performed by Dr. Reith and Payson students entitled “Launching a Waste-fueled Economy in New Orleans East.”

Students working in New Orleans East will focus on one of three projects: (1) deployment of distributed solar lighting with accompanying WIFI and cell-phone/laptop charging stations, (2) establishment of a biodiesel coop using vegetable oil recycled from the Vietnamese community, and (3) economic and logistic planning for a 1500 ton/day waste-to-energy plant that will produce electricity, natural gas, and usable solids.  All three represent deployments of “leap frog” technology such as can contribute to environmentally responsible development in emerging economies.  All three projects will provide experience and resume-fodder that will directly benefit your careers in sustainable human development.

Dr. Reith is an ecologist and small business owner; Dr. Rowland is an engineer/urban planner who runs environmental programs at New Orleans’ NASA facility.  Both are long-time adjunct professors at Tulane, and are deeply dedicated toward a responsible rebuild of post-Katrina New Orleans.  You many contact them at:  creith@tulane.edu and Martin.A.Rowland@maf.nasa.gov.  Sheila Favalora has enrollment details.

Permaculture

Payson graduate students have a unique opportunity to learn about permaculture and earn a permaculture design certificate for academic credit.  A one-credit special topic will be offered in the Spring that will provide students with academic and practical training in permaculture design, which is an integrated application of engineering, architecture, and organic growing to produce food in complex, waste-fueled systems.  You can read more about permaculture at:  http://www.permaculture.org.au/.  Payson Professor Charles Reith, PDC, offers the course at the ArtEgg Farm in Central City, a permaculture site that demonstrates how distressed urban environments may be ecologically restored and converted to food production.  The course meets Thursday evenings and is best (but not necessarily) taken as a practicum in accompaniment with Dr. Reith’s graduate course in Environment and Development, which meets Monday Nights. The permaculture course will involve outdoor activities, including the design and building of waste-fueled growing systems, and will offer several weekend field trips.  For more information, you can contact Professor Reith at 504.481.7344 or creith@tulane.edu.  Sheila Favalora has enrollment details.

First Annual Payson Center Symposium for Communication and Development Between the USA and the Muslim World

Call for Help

We need help planning this symposiyum. We’re going to need everything from lecturer-wranglers to food and beverage gurus.

What: Statement of purpose for calling the First Annual Payson Center Symposium for Communication and Development Between the USA and the Muslim World:

We the students of the Payson Center for International Development and Technology Transfer recognizing recent changes in relations between the Muslim World and the USA, and feeling heartfelt distress over the changes, wish to open a frank discussion of the issues and differences pertaining to communications and development that cause friction between the parties. Contact Andrew at award1@tulane.edu

Careers in Africa North-America Recruitment Summit

Careers in the private sector –

The summit is scheduled to take place in Washington D.C., December 1-3, 2006
This is an invitation-only event featuring pre-scheduled interviews, presentations and networking sessions with leading employers from across Africa. It will provide an unparalleled opportunity for students and professionals to meet with leading HR directors over one weekend. Details on the summit can be found on our website:  http://www.careersinafrica.com/northamerica/

Participating companies include Sasol, Heineken, Eskom, Shell, SAB, Cisco and Standard Bank. Available positions range from entry-level and graduate openings to senior management appointments across a wide variety of professional functions. Candidates wishing to be considered for this event should apply online at http://www.careersinafrica.com by October 30th 2006.

PGSA Brown Bag Lunch #1

The Payson Graduate Student Association is proud to announce it first Brown Bag Lunch Talk of the Year. Stephanie Pedro, a recent graduate of LSU’s Master’s in Environmental Planning and Management program, will discuss her Master’s research on Tuesday, October 3rd at 12:15 in the Robing Room of McAllister Auditorium. Ms. Pedro’s research, which was begun pre-Katrina, focuses on delineating hurricane-vulnerable populations in New Orleans. She used census and GIS data to identify high-risk flood areas that were inhabited by populations with limited evacuation resources. Ms. Pedro, who currently works with the Regional Planning Commission, was wooed by many employers upon graduating from LSU and can offer real insight into the knowledge and skills that are highly sought after in the regional job market.

Bring your lunch (PGSA will provide additional sustenance) and please join us.

How to Post

Everyone can comment on postings freely. To write your own post, you must be a member of the blog – which you become by getting a sign-on at http://wordpress.com/signup/ and then e-mailing Brian at brianroot2@yahoo.com. Once you are a member, log in when you visit the sight. You can post by clicking “New Post” at the top of the screen and writing and saving your work. The PGSA will see newly saved postings and will publish them on the site. Once a posting is published, everyone should be able to comment on your posting, and I believe you will also be able to edit your posting. Any questions or having trouble? Try the FAQ section of wordpress.com or e-mail Brian.

Gracias.

Tubing!

Come float lazily and merrily down the Boga Chita river in an
inflatable donut. Sing songs, laugh at the Spanish moss and make new friends.
All are heartily welcome to join this Payson-sponsored event.

On Sunday, September 24 at 10am. Please come to Gibson Hall at that time armed with a bathing suit, beverages and raw meat. John is willing to grill if you are willing to bring.
PLEASE RSVP no later than Thursday at noon. That way we can organize transportation and cut costs for you, the blessed Paysonites.

Call for Conferences

Do you know any international development practitionner coming to town? Is there any academics, policymaker or simply someone with field experience that you would like to hear share their experiences?  Send your suggestions to … or simply post a reply to this entry.

PGSA meeting Tuesday Sept. 19- 5:30 p.m.

Up to a fresh start – The first PGSA meeting of the year was held this Tuesday Sept. 5th – Will add the list of participants and details on what was discussed soon – The general idea was to revive the association and there were plenty of ideas to do so, starting with this blog…

The next meeting will be held Tuesday Sept. 19 at 5:30 p.m. For those not in NOLA, this blog will be the best way to stay in touch.