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Please send your news items to Marcella Fickes.

 

 

 

  

NEWS AND HIGHLIGHTS

  • [03/20/2008] 1-yr. Position Available in STS

    • One-Year Visiting Position in Science, Technology, and Society Penn State University (University Park)

      The Pennsylvania State University (University Park) Program in Science, Technology, and Society seeks a one-year visiting assistant professor to teach core undergraduate STS courses for the 2008-2009 academic year.  This position is full time with benefits, and the successful candidate will offer five courses during the year (maximum two preparations per semester). Courses will primarily be general introductory STS courses and possibly an upper-level course in the successful applicant’s area of expertise.  For further information on the Program at Penn State as well as course offerings, visit <http://sts.psu.edu>.  The successful candidate will also be invited to take part in STS and university-wide talks, workshops, and reading groups.

      Candidates should submit a letter of application explaining teaching interests and experience as well as disciplinary background, a curriculum vitae, sample syllabi for undergraduate courses in STS, and a single sample of written work demonstrating the candidate’s approach toward STS topics. Candidates should also provide addresses and contact information of three referees to be contacted regarding the application. Candidates with a Ph.D. in STS or a related field are preferred. Advanced ABDs will be considered, but must show evidence of relevant teaching experience. 

      Review of candidates will begin on 16 April 2008 and continue until the position is filled.  All application materials and queries should be sent electronically to Marcella Fickes (Administrative Assistant, STS) at <myf1@psu.edu>.  We encourage applications from individuals of diverse backgrounds to apply.  Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce.

  • COLA-Brown[5/30/2007] Prof. Don Brown adresses the United Nations on the Ethical Dimensions of Climate Change [10:54] [and featured on the main Liberal Arts webpage! - click at right to enlarge]

    • [12/21/2007] WPSU produced video on Climate Change featuring PSU faculty [10:34]

    • Mars Rover

      [12/08/2006] Janet Vertesi (Cornell STS),
      "Making Mars: Digital Image Processing and the Mars Rover Mission"

    • [12/13/2007] Penn State team a gold medal winner at iGEM competition
      A Penn State student team won a gold medal at the 2007 International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition hosted by MIT. The competition provides students the opportunity to design and build genetic machines using a library of standard DNA parts. The competition challenges students to develop biological systems through standard, interchangeable parts referred to as ''BioBricks,'' which are provided by the Registry of Standard Biological Parts. The genetically engineered systems must be run in living cells. For further information, please seet he press release.
    • [Nov. 2006] STS is proud to annouce that Jesse Ballenger was interviews for the national broadcast of NPR's This Morning on his Alzheimer's work. See their story here [archived here] or go directly to the broadcast as WMA or RealAudio file (also available from their page)
    • [March 2007] STS is proud to host a major interdisciplinary conference on Alzheimer's Disease organized by our own Jesse Ballenger, to take place at the Penn Stater Hotel. For more information, see their website.
    • [July 2006] Wenda Bauchspies, while working in Benin on her own research, has made connections with the African Rice Center (formerly the West African Rice Development Authority [WARDA]) and will be working on projects with them in the next academic year.
    • An article on her recent work in West Africa while a Fullbright fellow from 2004-05 appeared recently in the Penn State International Mosaic magazine (vol. 10.2 [Spring 2006]: 6-7): "Fullbrighting in the Mono River Region" [3.5MB]
    • [July 2006] STS welcomes its new faculty members to the newly intercollege program: Jonathan Marks, Chloe Silverman, Jennifer Mensch (1/2), and Bettina Mathes (1/4). We also welcome Eric Schienke, a postdoctoral fellow.
    • [Fall 2005-Spring 2006] Big changes are afoot for the broader community of Studies in Science and Technology at Penn State. The program is growing and becoming a jointly administered program between the College of Engineering (as it has been) and the college of Liberal Arts. The SMTC (Science, Medicine, Technology, & Culture) Program in Liberal Arts will now be merged into the old STS program, along with minors in Disability Studies and Environmental Studies. Details are being worked out at this time.
    • [spring 2004] Farewell and Best Wishes: STS would like to wish Dr. Barbara Anderson the best in her retirement. Barbara leaves us after many years of important service to the department. She shall be missed.
    • [spring 2004] Congratulations: STS would like to congratulate Dr. Joshua Pearce on completing his dissertation and for being immediately hired by Clarion University. We will miss him.
    • [spring 2004] Position Announcement: STS has an opening for an assistant professor, 3 yr. fixed term appointment. [DETAILS]
    • [winter2003/4]In conjunction with the 2004 PSU Medieval Studies Conference, Steven Walton is helping coordinate the design and potential construction of a medieval windmill on campus. Follow that progress here.
    • Congratulation to Dr. Wenda Bauchspies who has just been awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Guinea from Nov. 2003-June 2004. Her project on women in science in Africa was chosen from stiff competition. We wish her well and will miss her for the next academic year.
    • STS faculty are involved with a number of cross-campus initiatives:
      • Tania Slawecki and Steven Walton are supervising projects for students in the Mechanical Engineering Capstone Design Course.
      • Dorothy Blair and Tania Slawecki are involved with the Local Foods Day for PPAHEE (PA Partners in Ag. Health, Environment and Education).
    • [fall2002] The STS Program would like to welcome its newest faculty members:
      • Andrea Tapia, who arrives from the University of Arizona. Her position is shared jointly by STS, ISLR and IST.
      • Steven A. Walton who arrives from Michigan Tech.
      • Chuck Eisenstein, a local author and generalist.
    • [fall2002] STS is pleased to announce upcoming renovations of the Old Botany Building.
      • Much of the first floor will be redesigned, removing poor mid-century renovations and restoring some areas to their original grandeur.
      • An ADA accessible washroom will be installed along with a wheelchair ramp to the formerly disused west door.
      • A new conference room will be installed in the SE corner of the first floor, taking advantage of two original grand arched windows.
      • The former conference room will become the support area, with photocopying, mail, and kitchen facilities.
      • Work is expected to begin in the spring of 2003.