Big deal speaker at SIS

Science in Society Author Interview with Roger Pielke

1:30 pm – 3:00 pm, Friday, February 25, School of International Service Founder's Room

Prof. Matthew Nisbet from the School of Communication will interview author Roger Pielke about his new book, Climate Fix: What Scientists and Politicians Won't Tell You About Global Warming. In it Pielke contends that whenever environmental and economic objectives are placed in opposition to each other, economic concerns always rule. Co-sponsored by CAS and SOC, this is part of the Spring 2011 Science in Society Film and Lecture Series.

For additional information, contact Adell Crowe: crowe@american.edu

The Second Annual African Justice Initiative Symposium

The Second Annual African Justice Initiative Symposium

Presented by the African Justice Initiative
March 1, 2011 10:00 am – 1:00 pm
American University Washington College of Law
4801 Massachusetts Avenue, NW, Room 603

Africa’s history of rich oil reserves in countries like Nigeria and Egypt, and the recent discovery of new oil in countries like Ghana and Uganda, has placed the African continent front and center on the world oil and gas map. As transnational oil companies set their sights on these new oil reserves, we address the damage already caused in African communities by oil spills that dwarf the BP and Exxon Valdez spills. Speakers from the affected African communities, environmental and human rights organizations, law firms, and law school faculty, speak about the oil crises and access to legal redress.

Keynote Speaker:
Omoyele Sowore - Mr. Sowore is a Nigerian Journalist and Human Rights Activist who has previously been jailed and tortured. Among other things, Mr. Sowore works to promote human rights and democracy in Nigeria in relation to oil exploration.

Panelists:
Judith Chomsky - Ms. Chomsky is a renowned American Human Rights Attorney. She represented the Saro-Wiwa family in Wiwa v. Royal Dutch Petroleum, concerning the summary execution of Ken Saro-Wiwa and others.

Andrew Ndubisi Ucheomumu – Mr. Ucheomumu is a Nigerian attorney practicing in Maryland and WCL Alumnus. He is currently authoring several books about Africa, Law and Development, among other issues.

Professor Perry Wallace – Professor Wallace is a Professor of Law at American University Washington College of Law. He specializes in Corporate Law and Finance, Environmental Law, and International Arbitration.

Moderator:
Professor Daniel Bradlow - Professor of Law, American University Washington College of Law.

General Registration, no charge. CLE Accreditation (1.5 hours) will be applied for – CLE Registration, $55). To register, please go to www.wcl.american.edu/secle/registration.

For further information, contact: Office of Special Events & Continuing Legal Education, 202.274.4075 or secle@wcl.american.edu.

Research job with Fintrac

Fintrac is an international consulting firm implementing agricultural
projects in Africa, Asia and Latin America for USAID and other donors.
Fintrac has worked for over 20 years to increase incomes and improve
livelihoods for the world’s most vulnerable farm families, while also
building sustainable commercial value-chains. We have an immediate
need for a Research Analyst to support a USAID/Food For Peace project.

About the Bellmon Estimation Studies for Title II (BEST) Project
As a result of changes mandated in the 2008 Farm Bill, the USAID
Office of Food for Peace is implementing a new approach to meeting
requirements of food aid legislation. Fintrac Inc. is now tasked,
under the auspices of the USAID/ Bellmon Estimation Studies for Title
II (BEST) project, with conducting the data collection, field visits,
and analyses required to assess the potential impact of Title II food
aid on local production and markets. The BEST project team provides
independent, third-party analysis to inform programming decisions
regarding distributed and monetized food aid, and regarding local and
regional procurement (including cash and vouchers).

About the Position

Fintrac is seeking a Research Analyst to provide technical and
administrative support to home and field office operations. This
position is based in our Washington, DC office, with up to 20%
international travel anticipated.

Technical:
• Assist senior staff to conduct market research on staple food
commodities and data collection, both in the office and in field
locations overseas
• Contribute to technical report preparation, writing, and editing
• As needed, assist in conducting interviews with local market
stakeholders (producers, traders, wholesalers, retailers, Ministry of
Agriculture, food aid donors and implementing partners, etc.) in study
countries
Administrative:
• Provide logistical and managerial support to deploy short-term
consultants for country studies, including coordination of
communication with field-based teams
• Provide organizational support for the project
• Organize, with other team members, periodic workshops on findings/
best practices

About the Candidate
The successful candidate will have:
• A degree (preferably a Masters) in agricultural economics,
agribusiness, statistics, international relations, or related field is
strongly preferred.
• French, Spanish, or Portuguese language skills (French preferred).
• Strong quantitative analysis and research skills required;
preferably, familiarity with international trade data.
• At least three years of experience working in international
development, preferably with substantial experience working and/or
living in developing countries, especially sub-Saharan Africa.
• Knowledge of food aid programs and general food security issues;
familiarity with FEWS NET food security products a plus.
• Administrative experience: project administration (preferably
USAID), monitoring budget and expenditure, recruiting consulting
teams, arranging travel, and providing support to field teams.
• Familiarity with GIS (i.e., ESRI ArcMap), database design and
management (i.e., MS Access), and graphic design programs (Photoshop,
Illustrator, InDesign) a plus.
• Demonstrated self-motivation, attention to detail, team-building,
and communication skills.

Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States, and be
able to travel abroad. To apply, please submit CV to
bestrecruit@fintrac.com.

Short Film on Campus

You are invited to join us!

CLALS Presents a Screening of the Short Film

Protecting Sanctuary

A film by Rebecca Bartola and Kavita Myneni

Sarah Menke-Fish, Associate Professor at the School of Communication, is the Director of “Discover the World of Communication” program at American University. Through this program, student filmmakers Bartola and Myneni directed Protecting Sancturary, a documentary film that takes audiences on a journey to explore the exotic flora and fauna found in Costa Rica’s Manuel Antonio National Park. Protecting Sanctuary promotes the protection of the forest and its inhabitants and seeks to explore the implications of the booming ecotourism economy in Costa Rica.


When: Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Time: 7:00 - 8:30 pm

Where: SIS 300

Refreshments will be provided


Feel free to visit our website: www.american.edu/clals

For more information please contact Andrea Mesa

at amesa@american.edu or Tel: 202-885-6178

ding Private Sector Investment and Public-Private Partnerships in African Agriculture and Nutrition

Center for Strategic & International Studies
and the Partnership to Cut Hunger & Poverty in Africa

SAVE THE DATE

Expanding Private Sector Investment and Public-Private Partnerships in African Agriculture and Nutrition

Thursday, March 3, 2011
2:00-5:15pm

CSIS B1 Conference Center, Room C
1800 K St. NW
Washington, DC 20006

Agenda

Panel One: Agribusiness Development in Africa in A Time of Global Food Price Volatility

Panel Two: U.S. Government Partnerships with African Private Sector Partners

Panel Three: Market-Based Solutions to Nutrition and Links to Agriculture

Details to follow. If you have any questions or wish to RSVP, please contact Anna Applefield at aapplefield@csis.org or (202) 775-3168.

SPACE IS LIMITED

Movie Reminder - "Pig Business"

SAVE THE DATE

When: Wednesday, March 9, 2011 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.

The Capitol Visitors Center, U.S. Capitol, Washington D.C

The Center for Food Safety (CFS) is pleased to sponsor the first U.S. screening of Pig Business, a film featuring Robert Kennedy, Jr. and UK eco-campaigner and director Tracy Worcester, that discusses the damaging environmental, social, and health effects of industrial pig operations.

There will be a screening of the film, followed by a panel discussion featuring:

Robert Kennedy, Jr. (Moderator), has worked on environmental issues across the Americas and has assisted several indigenous tribes in Latin America and Canada in successfully negotiating treaties protecting traditional homelands.

Dr. Michael Greger, is a physician, author, and internationally recognized professional speaker on a number of important public health issues. Currently Dr. Greger proudly serves as the Director of Public Health and Animal Agriculture at the Humane Society of the United States.

Kathy Ozer, has worked on farm, rural, and fair trade policy for the past 20 years for the National Family Farm Coalition. Since 1999, Kathy has been part of the farmer delegations at the WTO in Seattle and Cancun and at the United Nations. Her current work addresses the credit and global food crisis; implementation of the 2008 farm bill; and efforts to address the dairy farmer crisis.

Andrew Kimbrell, attorney, author of Your Right to Know and The Human Body Shop, director and founder of the Center for Food Safety, and expert on genetic engineering and its implications for the livestock industry.

Event: Fresh Water

Please join the Woodrow Wilson Center's Brazil Institute and Environmental Change and Security Program as well as George Mason University for a dialogue on

Managing the Planet’s Freshwater

featuring

Karin M. Krchnak, Senior Advisor for International Water Policy, The Nature Conservancy

Dann Sklarew, Sustainability Fellow, George Mason University

Thomas Lovejoy, University Professor, Environmental Science and Policy, George Mason University, and Biodiversity Chair, Heinz Center for Science, Economics, and the Environment

Moderator: Paulo Sotero, Director, Brazil Institute

Wednesday, February 23, 2011
3:00 to 5:00 p.m.
Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars 6th Floor Flom Auditorium 1300 Pennsylvania Ave, NW Washington, DC 20004 USA

Please RSVP (acceptances only) with your name and affiliation to
michael.darden@wilsoncenter.org



The environmental challenges of climate change, ecosystem change, energy demands, and demographic trends continue to mount. The first decade of the 21st century was the warmest in 130 years of recorded global temperatures and 2010 may be close to the warmest year yet recorded. Extreme events related to the environment -- such as the major wildfires in Russia, devastating floods in Pakistan and Australia, and record drought in the Amazon basin -- are becoming more frequent.
Meanwhile, over a billion people are without access to safe drinking water. Desertification and aquatic and wetland habitat destruction are rampant. Many now call for collective action at the global level to address these trends and move the planet and humanity toward a more sustainable future. This response requires the best of the sciences (including social sciences) and an integrated effort with the world of policymakers and practitioners.

The result is a set of "Managing the Planet" dialogues -- developed jointly by George Mason University and the Wilson Center's Environmental Change and Security Program and Brazil Institute. This session will focus on how we manage our planet’s increasingly stressed freshwater resources. Presenters will introduce key challenges, global responses and options, followed by full-audience participation in exploring solutions.

For more information and directions, visit www.wilsoncenter.org\brazil

Woodrow Wilson Center - 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. - Washington, DC
20004