Sunday, October 23, 2011

Blog Post #7


General Ethics:

What/why ethics?
-        -   Personal and social ethics
-       -    Standards for living- assumed/in place/ made up
-       -   Minimize conflicts between connections and networks
-      -     Born as a blank slate, and can be taught good or bad

Ethics code for USA Forest Service:
Code of Scientific Ethics

This document outlines 11 codes for scientific methods and ethics that are used in the USFS. Each code has a description and examples to go with it. This document also goes though how to handle allegations of scientific misconduct.
“This code has been developed by a committee of scientists in USDA Forest Service Research & Development (FS R&D) after feedback from colleagues and extensive research on science ethics.  The code is based on the Code of Scientific Ethics of the USDA Agricultural Research Service, but has been modified for application to the FS R&D organization by a team of Forest Service employees. The Code is a tool for self-regulation.”
  1. 1.       I dedicate myself to the pursuit, promotion, and advancement of scientific knowledge.
  2. 2.       I will conduct, manage, judge, and report scientific research honestly, thoroughly, and without conflict of interest. 
  3.      ,       I will prevent abuse of all resources entrusted to me, and endeavor to treat human and animal subjects humanely, following established guidelines where they are available.
  4.             I will not willfully hinder the research of others nor engage in dishonesty, fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, or other professional misconduct.
  5.             I will welcome constructive criticism of my personal scientific research and offer the same to my colleagues in a manner that fosters mutual respect amid objective scientific debate.
  6.             I will recognize past and present contributors to my research and will neither accept nor assume unauthorized and/or unwarranted credit for another's accomplishments
  7.              I will claim authorship for a research product only if I am willing to be held responsible for both the interpretation of the data and the conclusions as presented.
  8.             I will claim authorship for a research product only if I have made a major intellectual contribution (as part of conception, design, data collection, data analysis, or interpretation) and made significant contributions to its preparation (write, review, or edit).
  9.              I will not publish or use original ideas, research data, or unpublished findings of others without written approval. 
  10. .           I will refrain from duplicative publication of the same research findings as original.
  11.       I will show appropriate diligence toward preserving and maintaining resources, such as data records, that are entrusted to me.


Ethics code for Israel:
The Israel Defense Forces are the state of Israel's military force. The IDF is subordinate to the directions of the democratic civilian authorities and the laws of the state. The goal of the IDF is to protect the existence of the State of Israel and her independence, and to thwart all enemy efforts to disrupt the normal way of life in Israel. IDF soldiers are obligated to fight, to dedicate all their strength and even sacrifice their lives in order to protect the State of Israel, her citizens and residents. IDF soldiers will operate according to the IDF values and orders, while adhering to the laws of the state and norms of human dignity, and honoring the values of the State of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state. 
http://dover.idf.il/IDF/English/about/doctrine/ethics.htm
Ethics code for China, India, Thailand, Saudi Arabia,  Israel:
Center for international Forestry Research
Board of Trustee’s Code of Conduct:
“We care about our behavior as Board members and how we get results.
We, the Board of Trustees of CIFOR apply the principles in this Code to our relationships with each other and with all those people with whom we deal in our work for CIFOR. Our Code of Conduct is a guide for us all in the way we do business as Trustees of CIFOR and members of the CGIAR system.
In our individual capacity as members of the Board of CIFOR, and in our collective capacity as the Board of CIFOR, we will abide by the following minimum standards:
1. We respect the law and act accordingly
·         Our objective is always to comply with the laws of the country in which we are operating.
·         Everyone of us will notify our Chair of any failure to comply with the law.
·         In interpreting the law, we will always endeavor to adopt a course which reinforces our reputation for integrity.
2. We conduct ourselves with integrity, are fair and honest in our dealings and treat others with dignity
·         Integrity for us means doing the right thing and behaving properly.
·         We do not use oppressive or misleading practices or falsify or wrongfully withhold information to achieve a benefit for ourselves or for CIFOR.
·         We operate in countries with many different laws, customs and business practices. We recognize these but do not compromise the principles embodied in this Code. Honesty is valued in every culture.
·         Dignity for us means that everyone is entitled to be treated with respect as a person, regardless of individual difference.
·         We aim to work as a team and to promote cohesiveness and loyalty among us.
3. We do not place ourselves in situations which result in divided loyalties
·         For us, divided loyalties arise when:
  • Our private or professional interests conflict directly or indirectly with our obligations to CIFOR and the CGIAR;
  • We receive benefits (such as gifts or entertainment) from a person doing or seeking to do business with CIFOR which could be seen as creating an obligation to someone other than CIFOR.
  • We do not act in ways which may cause others to question our loyalty to CIFOR.
4. We use CIFOR assets (including funds, equipment and information) responsibly and in the best interest of CIFOR
·         Using CIFOR's funds to provide excessive benefits (such as gifts or entertainment) for ourselves or others is unacceptable.
·         Using CIFOR's assets (such as equipment or stores) other than for CIFOR's business or interests in unacceptable.
·         We respect the nature of Board information and do not disclose confidential information relating to the Board of CIFOR without authorization by the Board Chair.
5. We are responsible for our actions and accountable to the CIFOR Board for their consequences
·         We take responsibility for:
  • being well prepared for Board meetings;
  • ensuring CIFOR's good name and its role as a CGIAR center;
  • informing the Chair and/or the Board of any possible conflicts of interest we may face;
  • being proactive in seeking to achieve the objectives assigned to us;
  • the way in which we achieve those objectives;
  • the attitude we adopt in achieving those objectives;
  • honestly and fully reporting the results of our actions.
  • For us, accountability means we take responsibility for and will be judged by the outcome of all manners over which we have control.”

Blog Post #4


Post #4:

Carbon Dioxide Paper Evaluation


1.       Post your group's presentation.


2. Reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of the criteria established. Where these good criteria, or should there have been different criteria established?
·         I think that the criteria that was established was good, but the minimal. I think that more criteria should have been established. I realize that a lot of the ideas given during class fit under the two criteria so it was difficult, but I feel that it should have been more specific.

3. Reflect on the strengths and weaknesses of the presentations as a whole. Consider the "yes" and "no" groups as a whole.
·         The presentations as a whole had a lot of information. During the day of presentations that I saw, there wasn’t too much overlap. Most groups had different examples than the others. No one really used the same example from the paper, which was good because there were so many to choose from.

4. Reflect on the group management of your group. What went well, what did not?
·         Good
o    Split up tasks
o    Used Google Docs to all work collectively
·         Bad
o    No specific leader
o    Took a while to split up tasks
o    Members didn’t feel too connected to the project

5. Reflect on the personal "ethic" you felt in your group. Did you believe in your position? Where you arguing against your beliefs?
·         I believed in my position on the fact that this paper was used as a petition support against global warming. I think that global warming/climate change is happening, and so I was happy to be a “no” this is an invalid paper. I did not think that it had consistent data, and had no scientific method.
·         I personally thought that this assignment could have happened in a less time consuming process. I don’t feel that we needed to present this information.
I think it would have been more beneficial for the class to establish criteria like we did, but instead of splitting in presentation groups, but discussion groups. We could have recorded what was discussed. It would have been more informational to

6. Did the class make the correct decision when considering the broader impacts of the global warming/climate change debate? Why?
·         The class vote was “No”. Most people have learned about global warming in science courses and have seen weather patterns that support and agree with the Kyoto Protocol. This environmental treaty is between countries in the United Nations, which set international standards for energy regulations, including emissions, carbon footprints and greenhouse gases. These greenhouse gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, and sulphur hexafluoride, as well as the two groups hydrofluorocarbons and perfluorocarbons. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto_Protocol

7. Explain the statement, "What we do in the US, soon will not matter." Provide evidence to justify this statement.
This statement "What we do in the US, soon will not matter" describes how our country is destroying itself by the overproduction of the land, from drilling and mining, to the pollution we cause to the earth. Other developing countries, such as China, Brazil and Russia are becoming more efficient and less wasteful. I don’t think that this statement is correct. I think that everything the US does matters. There are so many corporations that think only in the present, and about the benefits for themselves, and never think of finding a way for a mutual beneficial relationship between the earth and the corporation. We must thinking of seven generations away, what will the current impacts leave residual in years in the future.

8. Explain this statement, "What we do as individuals, matters." Provide evidence to justify this statement.
This statement “What we do as individuals, matters” is valid. Every individual has impacts on the environment in many different ways. People need to think about their practices and values and readjust to be a more helpful species to the environment. It is depleting all over the world, and it is being a necessity for our plant to not only survive, but also provide us with the soil to produce our food and life. 

Blog Post #2


Penny Presentations: 

Presentation:

1.       What would one cent piece weigh?
a.       3.11 grams 1909
2.       What would 1908 cent weigh?
a.       3.11 grams
3.       What would 1793 cent weigh?
a.       Coinfacts.com
b.      13.48 grams
c.       1793= 100% copper penny
4.       3.11 g 1864-1909 Indian head pennies


Reflection of presentation: 
-I think that some members did not participate as much as others. We didn’t have a project leader for this one, so it was kind of a free for all. Another point that was interesting was four of the six groups got to be in the lab the first day of the project. This gave those groups an advantage to weigh out the pennies and create a mini scientific method for an experiment. The groups who did not fit in the lab had to rely more heavily on the internet. 

Monday, October 10, 2011

Blog Post #5


Professional Development Plan: 

Mission: What is your mission?
·         My purpose or mission is to restore natural areas back to their original state. This may be in the forms of creating policies to keep the lands natural, it may be in the act of physically removing the undesirable plant species, or designing programs that educate youth about why it’s important to continue to preserve and care about the natural landscapes. Incorporate sustainable practices into Forest Service practices.

Goals: What goals do you have to reach the mission? How will this help you feel accomplished?
·         Volunteer restore a stream per year with Trout Unlimited
·         Work on forest restoration with Forest Service
o   Hopefully I can get a job with the USFS after graduation
·         Participating Member of Natural Areas Association
o   Present research at the NAA even after graduated from college

Strategy:
·         Involvement with NAC, GS and Sustainability Specialist position
·         Environmental Science Degree/Plant Science, GIS, SDD
·         Outdoor Classroom ReLEAF grant
·         Graduate UW-Stout (1 year)
·         Attend conferences to continue education growth
·         Graduate School
·         Obtain a career in the US FS

Enduring (Values): What do you value?
·         I value friends, family, social hours, hard work, intelligence, financial freedoms. Also renewable energy to power my home, moss lawns, plants, trees, mountains, and the earth. These things make happiness in my life, and I hope to always be around the wilderness.

Skill list:
Developed:
·         Plant ID/Tree ID
·         Ecology Theories
·         Forest Service
·         GPS
·         Organization
o   Planning
o   Sustainability integration
·         Growing plants

Emerging:
·         GIS
o   ArcGIS programs
o   Analysis
·         Forestry
·         Greenhouse Management
·         Restoration Management
o   Fire- Type 2 Certified
o   Stream- Worked with Trout Unlimited
o   Soil- Outdoor Classroom
·         Water quality
·         Soil Knowledge
·         Science writing/formatting
·         Poster making
·         Grant writing
Missing:
·         Chemistry skills
·         Animal biology
·         CPR and other Certifications
·         Writing for non-profits