There’s a place for everyone at ATEC

There’s a place for everyone at ATEC
If you’re an Alpha developer, you’ve no doubt heard about our yearly Alpha Technology and Education Conference (ATEC), and maybe even attended one yourself. This year’s conference took place in Atlanta from Sept. 4-6.

Every year, Alpha Five developers from around the world converge for a few days to share best practices, tools, tips, and techniques. But the conference emphasizes more than just theories and concepts of Alpha Five development. Rather, we show developers how to take full advantage of Alpha as both a desktop and Web database development program.

Sound good, but not sure if a full conference is the right place for you to learn more about Alpha Five? Our very own Jerry Brightbill attended this year, and wrote up a fairly detailed summary of his overall impressions of this year’s conference attendees. Here are his notes.

Most of the attendees were not full-time programmers. A significant portion were employees of companies where IT or application development was only a part of their jobs. The people in this category used Alpha Five mainly to fill a specific business need, and only learned enough about the product to meet that need. They had limited resources available to commit to a solution.

Nearly all of the application development was on the desktop using the built-in DBF data format, and most coding was limited to action scripting and simple Xbasic. Networked applications were common, but many were using terminal services or some type of VPN, rather than loading runtimes on users’ computers and using shadowed configurations.

Most of the small companies represented had some type of IT department, even if it was only one person working at it part time. This IT function typically limited the computer configurations allowed on the users’ computers, and was often tasked to do everything as cheaply as possible, which may be why few used runtimes loaded on multiple computers.

There were a few people there who could be considered full-time developers, but most were desktop only. Even the full-time developers used only limited parts of the capabilities of Alpha Five. Some had a commercial product, and limited their knowledge to the requirements of that product.

There were a couple developers who were doing Web development. Interestingly, these developers did almost no desktop development other than reports. A couple had worked on some hybrid solutions, but quickly moved to browser-based-only development.

A number of people were running most of their business processes using databases based on some version of Alpha Five, but very few of these systems could be considered “integrated.” Most were built piecemeal with little initial specification development or overall design.

Other data platforms, such as Excel, Lotus Notes, and paper-based processes, were common elements of the overall “system” in use. Most of the interest and focus appeared directed at solving a specific problem, and not on efficient overall design.

Since most of these systems were used by a limited number of users in a controlled environment, a number of elements considered critical in a commercial application were often not a concern. These limited interest areas included usability, scalable designs, limiting user access to program elements, etc.

Some people could be considered “dabblers” or “hobbyists.” Overall, the attendee makeup was heavily weighted to people using Alpha Five as a tool to solve a business problem. Previous conferences tended to have a larger proportion of the “hobbyist” element.

Many people expressed interest in alternative data platforms, but cost was a major concern. For that reason, many were looking at open source solutions, such as MySQL. Very few even considered more robust enterprise solutions as SQL Server or Oracle.

There was a lot of interest in Web development, primarily as an alternative to internal networked applications. Surprisingly, there wasn’t a large amount of interest in public Internet applications, but that may be because of the makeup of the attendees. Apparently some of the companies hired outside consultants to build limited public Web sites.

Most of the attendees recognized they have to learn new technologies, and the sessions on Web development and SQL were very well received. But there was a reluctance to move away from what they were doing now. As is common in small business, most were working on at least one generation old technology, and many were using Alpha Five Version 7 and Alpha Five Version 8.

A surprising number had not upgraded, as they felt they didn’t need Web capabilities or SQL support and the older versions worked adequately. There was some interest in future developments, but most wanted solutions they could use now.

The main reason given for not moving to Web or SQL was the learning curve. Many of the people were fairly new to database development in general, and had struggled to reach the knowledge levels they had achieved. The concept of learning any additional techniques was daunting.

The overall format of hands-on, two-hour training sessions was very popular. Approximately 50 to 60 percent of the people in each section actively participated, while others just watched the projection screens and followed the learning guides. In some sessions, the percentage was much higher, and some a little less. Each session included discussion periods that introduced a number of topics.

Most attendees expressed the importance of face to face discussion periods, such as question and answer periods, breaks, lunch, and even evening sessions. There was a lot of networking when sessions were not being held. All of the sessions seemed to have a lot of interaction between the instructors and the people in the session.

As you can see, Alpha Conferences are excellent learning environments for developers of all stripes and skill sets. I encourage you to attend the next one. You’ll be glad you did, and smarter, too!

Portable Fireworks 8
Fireworks 8 Portable | 35.27 MB Macromedia created Fireworks as a complete graphics applications aimed towards Web designers.It offers more advanced image control than existing packages, such as Photoshop or CorelDraw, for work that specifically relates to the Internet. Fireworks enables web designers to produce high quality images, export them in a variety of file formats while retaining

Administrators define the field

Administrators define the field
A panel of deans and directors from Kansas City educational institutions met at the School of Education Monday evening, affording students interested in college administration careers a chance to discuss the field’s challenges and opportunities.

The conversation was sponsored by UMKC’s Career Services Center and featured four panelists with extensive credentials in higher education administration including: UMKC’s Vice Provost for Academic Programs, Mary Lou Hines-Fritts, William Jewell College’s Assistant Dean of Students and Director of Residence Life, Ernie Stufflebean, Rockhurst University’s Assistant Dean of Students, Sean Grube, and Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley’s Dean of Administrative Services, Thomas Walker.

LiveScience: Era of Scientific Secrecy Near End
Era of Scientific Secrecy Near End / By Robin Lloyd, LiveScience Senior Editor / posted: 02 September 2008 11:30 am ET

Secrecy and competition to achieve breakthroughs have been part of scientific culture for centuries, but the latest Internet advances are forcing a tortured openness throughout the halls of science and raising questions about how research will be done in the future.

The openness at the technological and cultural heart of the Internet is fast becoming an irreplaceable tool for many scientists, especially biologists, chemists and physicists — allowing them to forgo the long wait to publish in a print journal and instead to blog about early findings and even post their data and lab notes online. The result: Science is moving way faster and more people are part of the dialogue.

[snip]

Open Science

The open science approach forces researchers to grapple with the question of whether they can still get sufficient credit for their ideas, said physicist Sabine Hossenfelder, co-organizer of a conference on the topic set to begin Sept. 8 at the Perimeter Institute in Ontario, Canada.

[BTW: I Will Be Attending This Unique Conference Science in the 21st Century: Science, Society, and Information Technology [http://tinyurl.com/6ll8fb] / Look For Conference-Related Postings on the _Scholarship 2.0_ Blog [http://scholarship20.blogspot.com/] within the next two weeks]

[snip]

Open science is a shorthand for technological tools, many of which are Web-based, that help scientists communicate about their findings. At its most radical, the ethos could be described as “no insider information.” Information available to researchers, as far as possible, is made available to absolutely everyone.

Beyond email, teleconferencing and search engines, there are many examples: blogs where scientists can correspond casually about their work long before it is published in a journal; social networks that are scientist friendly such as Laboratree and Ologeez; GoogleDocs and wikis which make it easy for people to collaborate via the Web on single documents; a site called Connotea that allows scientists to share bookmarks for research papers; sites like Arxiv, where physicists post their “pre-print” research papers before they are published in a print journal; OpenWetWare which allows scientists to post and share new innovations in lab techniques; the Journal of Visualized Experiments, an open-access site where you can see videos of how research teams do their work; GenBank, an online searchable database for DNA sequences; Science Commons, a non-profit project at MIT to make research more efficient via the Web, such as enabling easy online ordering of lab materials referenced in journal articles; virtual conferences; online open-access (and free) journals like Public Library of Science (PLoS); and open-source software that can often be downloaded free off Web sites.

[BTW: Several Of These Innovations Have Been Profiled In My SciTechNet(sm) Blog [http://scitechnet.blogspot.com/] and/or The Scholarship 2.0 Blog [http://scholarship20.blogspot.com/]

The upshot: Science is no longer under lock and key, trickling out as it used to at the discretion of laconic professors and tense PR offices. For some scientists, secrets no longer serve them. But not everyone agrees.

Networked Cyborgs

Just a few decades ago, as a scientist, here is how you did your work: You toiled in obscurity and relative solitude.

[snip]

However, today, more and more scientists, as well as researchers in the humanities, operate like transparent, networked cyborgs. Background research is mostly done online, not in the library. Some data and preliminary research might be posted online via a blog or open notebook. Early write-ups of the work might be announced to the public, or at least discussed online with peers. And these early write-ups might also be posted to an online publication that is not peer-reviewed in the strict sense.

[snip]

“In areas like my own subfields of theoretical physics,” said MIT physicist David Kaiser, “the only constraint [on how rapidly one generates research papers] is, ‘Did you have more coffee that day?’ We aren’t usually held up trying to get an instrument to work, or slogging through complicated data analysis.”Most people think faster is better, but there are other issues.

Is It A Good Thing?

There is “no question” that all efforts to make science more open are positive for the progress of science, says open science proponent and chemist Jean-Claude Bradley at Drexel University in Philadelphia, who posts his lab notebook online and started a blog in 2005 called UsefulChemistry where he and his colleagues regularly discuss chemistry problems as well as Web 2.0 tools and the technical and philosophical issues they raise.His online notebook and blog definitely make it easier to communicate with colleagues, he said. Such sharing also makes it easier for others to “replicate” scientists’ work — try it themselves and convince themselves that you are right. And this replication issue is one of the principles behind scientific research. Anyone who has written down a recipe for a friend knows that we all tend to spell things out more clearly when sharing them than we would if we were just taking notes for ourselves in our own shorthand.

Open science also has the potential to prevent discrimination in access to information. Arxiv, the site for posting pre-print physics papers, was started in 1991 by Cornell physicist Paul Ginsparg, then at Los Alamos National Laboratory, to help provide equal access to prepublication information to graduate students, postdocs and researchers in developing countries.

[BTW: Paul Ginsparg will be one of several Major Players attending/presenting at The Conference [http://science21stcentury.org/abstracts.html]]

[snip]

And open science benefits the public, Bradley said. He tries to keep his posts fairly accessible (although this is not the case for all open notebooks and open science blogs).

[snip]

“It’s not clear to me that professional scientists or people in academic institutions have a monopoly on good ideas,” he said. “There are very smart people outside of academia, for example hobbyists or people in industry who could contribute, and having more contributors can only help. The same applies to interdisciplinary and cross-disciplinary approaches.”

[snip]

Drawbacks of Open Science

One of the biggest fears of nearly all researchers is that someone else hears what you’re doing and beats you to publication. That means you wasted a lot of time (and most researchers work extremely long hours, so loss of productivity is especially painful and can also harm one’s chances for getting a job or promotion or funding for the next research project). Once you publicly reveal your thoughts, data or experimental results, some say, you lose control over ownership of that information. This topic is covered by an area of law called intellectual property, as well as patent law, and there can be significant money to be fought over when it comes to patents.

Hossenfelder, the conference organizer, says she knows of several examples in which scientists have had an idea for something, talked about it openly and then somebody else has published the fleshed-out idea first without giving any credit beyond an acknowledgment to the original idea-holder. Acknowledgments don’t advance careers.

However there are solutions to this, she said. For instance, the prominent scientific journal Nature encourages authors to include brief summaries of which author contributed what to a project. Some say that online posts provide a time-stamped record of when an experiment was documented. Those stamps can easily be arbitrarily altered after the fact, but it might also be possible to “lock” posts at a certain date after which they could not be changed without some sign-off permission to break the lock, Hossenfelder said. [snip]

Fear of Losing Peer Review

Another drawback of open science can be that results go public before they should. In science, experimental results are frequently proven wrong by subsequent work. Yet even peer review cannot ensure against this, nor can it prevent outright fraud, as proven by a 2005 case involving a South Korean scientist who claimed to have achieved the first cloning of a human embryo. A later examination of his work showed he had fabricated his results.

[snip]

“The social system of science has become so complicated, unregulated and dispersed in terms of geography and disciplines, so peer review has been elevated to a principle that unifies a fragmented field,” Biagioli said.

[snip]

And today, Arxiv, one of the most frequently cited examples of open science, has no peer review for individual papers, but it has begun to add in some constraints on allowable authors. The site used to allow anyone with email addresses associated with academic institutions to post their papers. Now, authors of research papers who post in Arxiv are vetted before they can post for the first time. In some ways, things are tightening up when it comes to openness in physics, Kaiser said. In any case, the function of print journals, in physics at least, is changing.

“Ease of sharing everything prior to peer review is flourishing, and in my opinion very few physicists are reading journals for information these days,” Kaiser said. “Journals have largely lost their information function.”

[snip]

For The Good Of Truth, Humanity, Economies?

Another argument in favor of open science is sort of a big picture issue for humanity, scientific truth and economies, Neylon said.

“Making things more open leads to more innovation and more economic activity, and so the technology that underlies the Web makes it possible to share in a way that was never really possible before, while at same time it also means that kinds of models and results generated are much more rich,” he said.

This is the open source approach to software development, as opposed to commercial closed source approaches, Neylon said. The internals are protected by developers and lawyers, but the platform is available for the public to build on in very creative ways.

“Science was always about mashing up, taking one result and applying it to your [work] in a different way,” Neylon said. “The question is ‘Can we make that as effective as samples data and analysis as it does for a map and set of addresses for a coffee shop?’ That is the vision.”

[http://www.livescience.com/culture/080902-open-science.html]

Thanks to Sabine Hossenfelder For The HeadsUp !

[http://friendfeed.com/rooms/science21]

SPARC Webcast: The Right to Research: Engaging Students on the Topic of Access to Research

SPARC Webcast: The Right to Research: Engaging Students on the Topic of Access to Research
“Today’s students have come of age in the Internet era. Access to knowledge is the norm for them, rather than the exception. Students recognize how the lack of access is detrimental to research and education, and how the subscription-only model can conflict with the ethic of the academy, which is to share knowledge with everyone. I hope this guide will engage students and help them become more active participants in the campus conversation.”

(Gavin Baker, author of The Right to Research) / [http://www.arl.org/sparc/students/]

The Right to Research: Engaging Students on the Topic of Access to Research

August 6, 2008 / Wednesday / 1:00PM – 2:30PM (Eastern)

With: Gavin Baker, Graduate, University of Florida and SPARC Outreach Fellow ; Nelson Pavlosky, Law Student, George Mason University, and SPARC Summer Intern ; Heather Joseph, Executive Director, SPARC.

Moderator: Jennifer McLennan, Director of Communications, SPARC

Today’s college students – both undergraduate and graduate –possess tremendous potential for shaping the future of scholarly exchange. Appreciating student perspectives on information sharing and access to research can help to advance library outreach programs. In partnership with student leaders, SPARC has developed The Right to Research – a campaign that encourages student engagement and provides a suite of materials to help libraries connect with students on the topic of access to research. The goal of The Right to Research is to explore ways that libraries and students might advance new opportunities to work together in creating a more open system of scholarly communication.

Please join us for the latest installment in The Right to Research campaign. At this online event, student leaders Gavin Baker and Nelson Pavlosky will lead a discussion on: why working with students is critical to advancing the discussing of access to research; how to effectively engage students on campus and what resources are available; and specific actions to take next semester – including an announcement of our next nationwide on-campus event to raise awareness.

This invitation is open to SPARC members and other libraries only. You’ll need access to a phone and a Web browser to participate. Access details will be sent to registrants. Limited to 100 participants. Register by end of day, Friday, August 1, 2008 at [http://www.arl.org/sparc/meetings/event_registration.shtml]

Questions and comments may be directed to Jennifer McLennan (jennifer@arl.org).

Source [http://www.arl.org/sparc/media/08-0722.shtml]

Webcast Slides [http://www.arl.org/sparc/bm~doc/student_engagement_v3_08-aug.pdf]

New Opportunities at The University of Sydney (lecturer)
The School of Mathematics and Statistics is a large School with diverse research strengths. We invite applications for two positions in* ** Statistics* (Ref No. 139797) and one position in *Financial Mathematics* (Ref No. 139804). These are opportunities to contribute to the growth of the School and its international research standing in these areas.

The current areas of research in Statistics and Probability are asymptotic approximations and limit theorems, applied probability, including applications in financial mathematics, time series, extreme value theory, generalized linear models, bioinformatics and biological models. Current research interests related to Financial Mathematics include asymptotic methods, computational mathematics, dynamical systems, ordinary differentialequations and partial differential equations.

For more information or to apply online, please visit:

- Statistics (Ref No. 139797) -http://positions. usyd.edu. au/steam139797em ail

- Financial Mathematics (Ref No. 139804) - http://positions. usyd.edu. au/steam139804em ail

*Closing Date:* 24 October 2008

Warm Regards,

*Natalia Rosa*| Junior Researcher

*SYDNEYRECRUITMENT*

The University of Sydney | NSW | 2006

Level 3 | The Box Factory| 1-3 Ross St

P 61 2 9561 9117 | 9351 5880

E n.rosa@usyd. edu.au

File #58647C190C2E25

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PhD Position in Accounting - University of Amsterdam

PhD Position in Accounting - University of Amsterdam
PhD Position in Accounting
University of Amsterdam Faculty of Economics and Business / Amsterdam Business School
Amsterdam, 1018WB (Noord-Holland) , hours per week

Job description
The project is entitled: The Construction of Assurance Expertise on Sustainability

The past decade has seen the emergence of practice in assurance on sustainability reports (‘sustainability assurance’) with high profile professional accountancy bodies such as the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board, placing the development of a sustainability assurance standard near the top of its strategic agenda. This in-depth longitudinal field study aims to enhance our theoretical and empirical understanding of the processes surrounding the emergence of sustainability assurance. Empirically, the study will examine the role and focus of key actors in the emergence of assurance concentrating on: how competing claims to professional expertise in sustainability assurance have been constructed and legitimised; the dominant and shifting assurance discourses; and how target audiences have reacted to these discourses. Theoretically, the study will draw on frameworks derived from Actor Network Theory and neo-institutional theory. The study calls for a broad range of research methods competencies, particularly in qualitative methods, an excellent ability think conceptually, competence in research liaison with organizations and high level individuals, and excellent external presentation skills.

Requirements

Required education/skills: University Graduate

* Master’s (MSc) in the area of accounting (or equivalent) with excellent examination results in both course work and the MSc thesis component;
* Interest and experience in field research (for example, in the MSc thesis);
* Demonstrated Mastery of both written and spoken English;
* Conviction to complete the requirements toward a PhD degree within four years.

Job type: Research / Advising
Workfield(s) :
- Teaching & Research(Scientific discipline: Economics)

Organization
University of Amsterdam
Faculty of Economics and Business / Amsterdam Business School
The University of Amsterdam (UvA) is a university with an internationally acclaimed profile, located at the heart of the Dutch capital. As well as a world center for business and research, Amsterdam is a hub of cultural and media activities. The University of Amsterdam is a member of the League of European Research Universities.

The Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) at the Universiteit van Amsterdam (UvA) provides academic courses in accounting, finance, management, marketing, economics, and econometrics. It also conducts international research in these areas. The Amsterdam Business School and the Amsterdam School of Economics form part of the FEB.

Conditions of employment
Employment basis: Temporary for specified period
Duration of the contract: see below
Additional conditions of employment:
The appointment will initially be for 18 months, to be extended to a total of 4 years upon excellent performance (an evaluation will be held after 14 months). The salary will be in accordance with the University regulations for academic personnel, and will range from € 2,000 (first year) up to a maximum of € 2,558 (final year) gross per month. The collective employment agreement of the Dutch universities will be applicable. The PhD thesis should be finalised within four years. In this period, the candidate will also be expected to do some teaching (20% of the time).

Additional Information
Additional information about the vacancy can be obtained from:

Professor Brendan O’Dwyer
Telephone number: 31 20 525 4260
E-mail address: b.g.d.odwyer@ uva.nl

Or additional information can be obtained through one of the following links:

* About the organization (http://www.uva. nl/start. cfm/la=en/ th=main)
* About the department (http://www.abs. uva.nl/)
* About the function (http://www.uva. nl/vacatures/ vacatures. cfm/6FFD1F92- 1321-B0BE- 6890350BCDF7D43B)

Application
You can apply for this job before 21-11-2008 (dd-mm-yyyy) by sending your application to:

University of Amsterdam Business School, Personnel Department
Bernadette Clemens
Roetersstraat 11
1018 WB Amsterdam
The Netherlands
E-mail: applications- feb@uva.nl

When applying for this job always mention the vacancynumber AT 08-5037.

Follow up on Duke’s Motion and Two Other Items
The Administration’s Motion Denied

As predicted, the judge in the civil suits denied the Duke administration’s motion to sanction opposing counsel for an alleged violation of Rule 3.6. (See previous post.) Here are details from the News and Observer and the Chronicle.

I wrote a letter to the Chronicle in which I call the actions by Duke’s counsel unprofessional. Understand that this motion was not a request for relief from any alleged harm. The administration’s lawyer denied in court that the motion was a request for a gag order. The motion was solely an attack on the integrity of Charles Cooper and his colleagues and, as I suggested in the previous post, one that had no basis in law. A bar complaint is a very serious matter touching on both the character and professional qualifications of an attorney. It should not be made lightly and certainly not to try and score a rhetorical point.

The administration’s motion is also a mean spirited cheap shot against the players who were also specifically targeted. Although Rule 3.6 only applies to attorneys, the motion requested that the court make a finding that “Plaintiffs and their counsel” violated Rule 3.6 and the local rule incorporating it. It accuses them of violating one of the same rules that their tormentor and the administration’s erstwhile codefendant, Mike Nifong did.

While the administration’s attorneys were rummaging through the Rules of Professional Conduct, perhaps they missed Rule 3.1:

A lawyer shall not bring or defend a proceeding, or assert or controvert an issue therein, unless there is a basis in law and fact for doing so that is not frivolous, which includes a good faith argument for an extension, modification or reversal of existing law.

Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 11(b)(2) has a similar requirement.

It is hard to see the administration’s motion as a good faith argument for the extension, modification or reversal of existing law. Interpreting a statute or rule is a matter of reading the text, which is entirely controlling, and there was no suggestion that the language used is vague or ambiguous. Duke’s argument that the spirit of the rule was violated, even if it were true, is utterly beside the point. Moreover, Rule 3.6(b)(2), the public documents exception, appears specifically intended to operate as a safe harbor rule for lawyers trying to comply with the general rule stated in Rule 3.6(a). Finally, even if the court did announce a new rule, it could not give it retroactive effect.

What we are left with the administration is attempting to try the case in the media under the guise of upholding the exact opposite principle. For the administration, appearances have always been the only thing that mattered. Still, this is a new low.

Elmo a Citizen

Congratulations to Moezeldin Elmostafa, or “Elmo” as he affectionately came to be known to supporters of the accused players, who recently became a US citizen. He was also recently named “Hero of the Year” by Reader’s Digest magazine. Durham needs more citizens like him.

Elmo was the taxi driver who picked up Reade Seligmann from the party and was able to help document Reade’s alibi. After Reade’s alibi came to light, Mike Nifong sent two detectives working on the lacrosse case to arrest Elmo on a stale warrant. When they arrested him, they asked him if he “had anything new to say about the lacrosse case.” When he said no, they then took him to a magistrate. He was eventually found innocent at trial.

I hope that the recent renewed publicity will focus attention on one loose end that remains in making Nifong fully accountable for his conduct. Attempting to alter the testimony of a witness is obstruction of justice. While Nifong’s ethical misconduct was addressed by the North Carolina Bar, he has never been made to account for his criminal conduct. Also suspicious was Nifong’s conduct in relation to another witness, the second dancer Kim Roberts. The same day that Nifong personally intervened to have her bail reduced on an unrelated criminal charge, she started giving an account that contradicted her earlier statement to police that no rape had occurred.

Elmo’s case also should be instructive to those who saw Nifong as some sort of champion for social justice because he was targeting affluent or supposedly affluent people. As an immigrant looking to become a citizen, Elmo was one of the most vulnerable people in our society. A criminal conviction of any kind could have resulted in his deportation and permanent exclusion from the United States. Yet, Nifong was as willing to maliciously prosecute him for his own purposes as he was Reade, Collin and David. Indeed, given the fact that Elmo refused to change his story when pressured by police, Nifong’s decision to prosecute him anyway was purely vindictive.

Amended Complaint

Bob Ekstrand who is representing three of the players in the civil suits recently filed an amended complaint which contains additional allegations and information. It also contains embedded audio and video exhibits. Warning! It is a huge file (121 MB). Such is the extent of the misdeeds of Duke and Durham’s leaders.

PhD Position in Accounting - University of Amsterdam

PhD Position in Accounting - University of Amsterdam
PhD Position in Accounting
University of Amsterdam Faculty of Economics and Business / Amsterdam Business School
Amsterdam, 1018WB (Noord-Holland) , hours per week

Job description
The project is entitled: The Construction of Assurance Expertise on Sustainability

The past decade has seen the emergence of practice in assurance on sustainability reports (‘sustainability assurance’) with high profile professional accountancy bodies such as the International Auditing and Assurance Standards Board, placing the development of a sustainability assurance standard near the top of its strategic agenda. This in-depth longitudinal field study aims to enhance our theoretical and empirical understanding of the processes surrounding the emergence of sustainability assurance. Empirically, the study will examine the role and focus of key actors in the emergence of assurance concentrating on: how competing claims to professional expertise in sustainability assurance have been constructed and legitimised; the dominant and shifting assurance discourses; and how target audiences have reacted to these discourses. Theoretically, the study will draw on frameworks derived from Actor Network Theory and neo-institutional theory. The study calls for a broad range of research methods competencies, particularly in qualitative methods, an excellent ability think conceptually, competence in research liaison with organizations and high level individuals, and excellent external presentation skills.

Requirements

Required education/skills: University Graduate

* Master’s (MSc) in the area of accounting (or equivalent) with excellent examination results in both course work and the MSc thesis component;
* Interest and experience in field research (for example, in the MSc thesis);
* Demonstrated Mastery of both written and spoken English;
* Conviction to complete the requirements toward a PhD degree within four years.

Job type: Research / Advising
Workfield(s) :
- Teaching & Research(Scientific discipline: Economics)

Organization
University of Amsterdam
Faculty of Economics and Business / Amsterdam Business School
The University of Amsterdam (UvA) is a university with an internationally acclaimed profile, located at the heart of the Dutch capital. As well as a world center for business and research, Amsterdam is a hub of cultural and media activities. The University of Amsterdam is a member of the League of European Research Universities.

The Faculty of Economics and Business (FEB) at the Universiteit van Amsterdam (UvA) provides academic courses in accounting, finance, management, marketing, economics, and econometrics. It also conducts international research in these areas. The Amsterdam Business School and the Amsterdam School of Economics form part of the FEB.

Conditions of employment
Employment basis: Temporary for specified period
Duration of the contract: see below
Additional conditions of employment:
The appointment will initially be for 18 months, to be extended to a total of 4 years upon excellent performance (an evaluation will be held after 14 months). The salary will be in accordance with the University regulations for academic personnel, and will range from € 2,000 (first year) up to a maximum of € 2,558 (final year) gross per month. The collective employment agreement of the Dutch universities will be applicable. The PhD thesis should be finalised within four years. In this period, the candidate will also be expected to do some teaching (20% of the time).

Additional Information
Additional information about the vacancy can be obtained from:

Professor Brendan O’Dwyer
Telephone number: 31 20 525 4260
E-mail address: b.g.d.odwyer@ uva.nl

Or additional information can be obtained through one of the following links:

* About the organization (http://www.uva. nl/start. cfm/la=en/ th=main)
* About the department (http://www.abs. uva.nl/)
* About the function (http://www.uva. nl/vacatures/ vacatures. cfm/6FFD1F92- 1321-B0BE- 6890350BCDF7D43B)

Application
You can apply for this job before 21-11-2008 (dd-mm-yyyy) by sending your application to:

University of Amsterdam Business School, Personnel Department
Bernadette Clemens
Roetersstraat 11
1018 WB Amsterdam
The Netherlands
E-mail: applications- feb@uva.nl

When applying for this job always mention the vacancynumber AT 08-5037.

Research Doctoral Fellowship - University of Teeside
Research Doctoral Scholarships

The University of Teesside is offering three full-time Research Doctoral Scholarships across the broad theme of business applied to any area of the public, private or voluntary sectors or partnership working between them. Key areas of research strength within Teesside Business School (TBS) are around public sector management, public governance, HRM, urban and rural regeneration, leisure and tourism, marketing, organisational learning, leadership and strategy. Applications in these areas would be particularly welcome. The award/s will be for a period of three years and include fees (home/EU or international rate) and an annual stipend of £12,940. It is anticipated that the successful candidates will, through their research, also contribute to the delivery of business and/or business-related programmes within TBS for a maximum of 6 hours a week. Successful applicants should be in a position to take up the scholarship by November 2008.

For an informal discussions about these studentships please contact Dr Tom Mordue, Assistant Dean (Research), Teesside Business School: T.Mordue@Tees. ac.uk. Phone: +44 (0)1642 342808.

Research Doctoral Scholarships applicants should have at least an upper second class honours degree or equivalent qualification and ideally a postgraduate qualification. The minimum English language entry level is IELTS 6.5 with no grade below 6.0 or equivalent.

To apply for a scholarship you must contact the Graduate Research School for an application form:

University of Teesside Research Doctoral Scholarships
Graduate Research School
University of Teesside
Middlesbrough
Tees Valley
TS1 3BA
UK
Email: graduateresearchsch ool@tees. ac.uk or tel: +44 (0)1642 738033

Closing date: 27 October 2008

Student As Scholar | Scholar As Student

Student As Scholar | Scholar As Student

Erasmus Mundus Scholarships 2009/2010

Erasmus Mundus Scholarships 2009/2010
http://ec.europa. eu/education/ programmes/ mundus/projects/ index_en. html
http://eacea. ec.europa. eu/static/ en/mundus/ index.htm

Erasmus Mundus

List of Masters Courses selected under Action 1

Interested students are invited to contact the coordinators of the
courses concerned for further information on admission conditions,
application forms and scholarships. Erasmus Mundus scholarships are
available for all courses published on this site.

Year of selection, Title, Website

2008 ASC - Master of Science: Advanced Spectroscopy in Chemistry
http://www.master- asc.org/
2008 CIMET - Color in Informatics and MEdia Technology
http://www.master- erasmusmundus- color.eu/
2008 CLE - Master/Laurea Specialistica en Cultures Littéraires
Européennes http://www.cle. unibo.it/
2008 EMAE - European Master in Applied Ecology http://www.master-
emae.org
2008 EMARO - European Master in Advanced Robotics
http://emaro. irccyn.ec- nantes.fr
2008 EMBC - Erasmus Mundus Master of Science in Marine Biodiversity
and Conservation http://embc. marbef.org
2008 EMDIREB - European Master in Diagnosis and Repair of Buildings
http://www.emdireb. eu/
2008 EMMEP - Erasmus Mundus Minerals and Environmental Programme
http://www.emmep. org/
2008 EMQAL - European Joint Master in Quality in Analytical
Laboratories http://cursos. ualg.pt/emqal
2008 EMSRHS - European Master in Sustainable Regional Health Systems
http://ErasmusMundu s.tprs.vu. lt
2008 EMTTLF - European Master’s in Transnational Trade Law Finance
http://www.transnat ional.deusto. es/EMTTL
2008 EU4M - European Union Master’s Course in Mechatronic and Micro-
mechatronic Systems http://www.eu4m. eu
2008 EUMAINE - European Master of Science in Nematology
http://www.eumaine. ugent.be/
2008 EURHEO: European Masters in Engineering Rheology
www.uminho.pt/ eurheo
2008 GIM - MSc in Global Innovation Management
http://www.globalin novationmanageme nt.org/
2008 IM in NLP & HLT - International Masters in Natural Language
Processing and Human Language Technology http://tesniere. univ-
fcomte.fr/a_ master_mundus. htm
2008 IMHS - International Master in Horticultural Sciences
http://www.imahs. unibo.it
2008 IMMSSET - International Master in Materials and Sensors Systems
for Environmental Technologies http://erasmusmimms set.webs. upv.es/
2008 MACLANDS: MAster of Cultural LANDScapes http://master-
erasmusmundus- maclands. univ-st-etienne. fr/
2008 MAIPR: Master of Arts in International Performance Research
http://www2. warwick.ac. uk/fac/arts/ theatre
2008 MATHMODS - Mathematical Modelling in Engineering: Theory,
Numerics, Applications http://www.mathmods .eu
2008 MCEMESV - Master Conjoint Erasmus Mundus en Etude du Spectacle
Vivant http://www.ulb. ac.be/philo/ artst-mundus
2008 MUNDUS URBANO - Interdisciplinary Erasmus Mundus Master Course
International Cooperation and Urban Development http://www.mundus-
urbano.eu/
2007 Comem Erasmus Mundus MSc - Coastal and Marine Engineering and
Management http://www.comem. tudelft.nl
2007 DILL - International Master in Digital Library Learning
http://dill. hio.no/
2007 EURMed (Etudes Urbaines en Régions Méditerranéennes)
http://erasmus- mundus-eurmed. univ-cezanne. fr/
2007 European Masters Course in Software Engineering
http://www.fi. upm.es/emse
2007 European Master in Animal Breeding and Genetics (EM-ABG)
http://www.emabg. wur.nl/
2007 FAME - Functionalised Advanced Materials and Engineering
http://www.fame- master.com
2007 GEMMA: Master’s Degree in Women’s and Gender Studies
http://www.ugr. es/~gemma/
2007 IMESS: International Masters in Economy, State and Society
http:/www.imess. eu/
2007 IMMIT: International Master in Management of Information
Technology http://www.immit. eu/default. htm
2007 JEMES - Joint European Master Programme in Environmental
Studies http://www.tuhh. de/eciu-gs/ pro_joint_ jemes.html
2007 LCT- European Masters Program in Language and Communication
Technologies http://lct-master. org
2007 MA Human Rights Practice (Erasmus Mundus)
http://www.roehampt on.ac.uk/ admissions/
2007 MaMaSELF - Master of Materials Science exploiting European
Large Scale Facilities http://mamaself. univ-rennes1. fr
2007 Master of Science in Computational Mechanics
http://www.cimne. com/cm-master/
2007 Master of Science in Geospatial Technologies http://geotech. uni-
muenster.de
2007 ME3 - European joint Masters in Management and Engineering of
Environment and Energy http://webi. emn.fr
2007 Mundusfor - Formation de professionnels de la formation
http://www.ugr. es/~mundusfor/
2007 MUNDUS MAPP - Erasmus Mundus Master’s in Public Policy
http://www.mundusma pp.org/
2007 OPSCITECH: Optics in Science and Technology http://www.master-
optics.eu/
2007 Philosophies allemande et française dans l’espace européen
http://www.europhil osophie.eu/
2007 SAMHC - Advanced Masters in Structural Analysis of Monuments
and Historical Constructions http://www.msc- sahc.org/
2007 SUFONAMA - Sustainable Forest and Nature Management
http://www.sufonama .net
2007 TPTI: Techniques, Patrimoines, Territoires de l’industrie:
Histoire, Valorisation, Didactique http://www.tpti. eu/
2006 AGRIS MUNDUS - Sustainable Development in Agriculture Masters
Course http://www.agrismun dus.eu/agris- mundus/
2006 ATOSIM : Atomic Scale Modelling of Physical, Chemical and Bio-
molecular Systems http://www.erasmusm undus-atosim. cecam.org/
2006 CoDe - Joint European Master in Comparative Local Development
http://www.unitn. it/mastercode/
2006 EMIN - Economics and Management of Network Industries
http://www.upcomill as.es/emin/
2006 Erasmus Mundus Master of Science in Photonics http://www.master-
photonics.org/
2006 EUROCULTURE http://www.eurocult uremaster. org
2006 Europubhealth – European Public Health Master
http://www.europubh ealth.org
2006 FUSION-EP European Master in Nuclear Fusion Science and
Engineering Physics http://www.em- master-fusion. org/
2006 IMIM : International Master in Industrial Management
http://www.imim. polimi.it/
2006 M.A. Degree in Economics of International Trade and European
Integration http://webhost. ua.ac.be/ eitei/
2006 MA LLL - European Master’s in Lifelong Learning: Policy and
Management www.dpu.dk/malll
2006 Master of Bioethics http://www.masterbi oethics.org/ index.html
2006 M.E.S.C.: Materials for Energy Storage and Conversion
http://www.u- picardie. fr/mundus_ MESC/
2006 MONABIPHOT - Molecular nano- and bio-photonics for
telecommunications and biotechnologies http://www.ens-
cachan.fr/monabipho t/
2006 MSPME, Masters in Strategic Project Management
http://www.mspme. org/
2006 NordSecMob - Masters programme in Security and Mobile Computing
http://www.tkk. fi/Units/ CSE/
2006 PHOENIX EM - Dynamics of Health and Welfare http://mundus-
healthwelfare. ehess.fr/
2006 QEM - Models and Methods of Quantitative Economics
http://www.univ- paris1.fr/ rubrique1297. html
2006 SUTROFOR - Sustainable Tropical Forestry Erasmus Mundus Masters
Course http://www.sutrofor .net/
2006 VIBOT – European Master in Vision and Robotics
http://www.vibot. org
2006 WOP-P - Master on Work, Organizational and Personnel Psychology
http://www.erasmusw op.org/
2005 AMASE: Joint European Masters Programme in Advanced Materials
Science and Engineering http://www.amase- master.net/
2005 Crossways in European Humanities http://www.munduscr ossways.eu
2005 EMMAPA: Erasmus Mundus Master in Adapted Physical Activity
http://www.erasmusm undus.be
2005 EMM-Nano - Erasmus Mundus Master of Nanoscience and
Nanotechnology http://www.emm- nano.org/
2005 Erasmus Mundus Masters – Journalism and Media within
Globalization: The European Perspective
http://www.MundusJo urnalism. com
2005 EuMAS - European Masters Course in Aeronautics and Space
Technology http://www.aerospac emasters. org/
2005 EUROMIME: European Master in Media Engineering for Education
http://www.euromime .org
2005 European Master in Global Studies http://www.uni-
leipzig.de/zhs/ erasmus_mundus
2005 GEM: Geo-information Science and Earth Observation for
Environmental Modelling and Management http://www.gem- msc.org/
2005 International Master “Vintage”, Vine, Wine and Terroir
Management http://www.vintagem aster.com
2005 MA SEN, Master’s in Special Education Needs
http://www.roehampt on.ac.uk/
2005 Master of Applied Ethics http://www.maeappli edethics. eu/
2005 Master of Industrial Mathematics http://www.esim. info
2005 MESPOM: Masters of Environmental Sciences, Policy and
Management http://www.mespom. org
2005 MSc in Network and e-Business Centred Computing
http://www.sse. reading.ac. uk/
2005 SEFOTECH.nut: European MSc in Food Science, Technology and
Nutrition http://www.sefotech nut.org/
2005 SpaceMaster - Joint European Master in Space Science and
Technology http://www.spacemas ter.eu
2004 ALGANT - Algebra, Geometry and Number Theory http://www.math. u-
bordeaux.fr/
2004 CoMundus - European Master of Arts in Media, Communication and
Cultural Studies http://www.comundus .net/
http://www.mediastu dieseurope. net/
2004 EMCL - European Master’s Clinical Linguistics http://www.emcl-
mundus.com
2004 EMMME - Erasmus Mundus Master of Mechanical Engineering
http://www.emmme. com
2004 EMMS - Joint European Masters Programme in Materials Science
http://www.tuhh. de/eciu-gs/
2004 EuMI - European Master in Informatics http://www.eumi-
school.org/
2004 EURO-AQUAE - Euro Hydro-Informatics and Water Management
http://www.euroaqua e.org
2004 European Joint Master in Water and Coastal Management
http://cursos. ualg.pt/eumscwcm /index.htm
2004 European Legal Practice - LL.M. Eur http://www.elpis. eu/
2004 European Master in Law and Economics http://www.emle. org
2004 European Masters Programme in Computational Logic
http://european. computational- logic.org
2004 HEEM - European Masters Degree in Higher Education
http://www.uv. uio.no/hedda/
2004 IMRD: International Master of Science in Rural Development
http://www.imrd. ugent.be/ home/index. html
2004 International Master’s in Quaternary and Prehistory
http://web.unife. it/progetti/
2004 MEEES - Master’s in Earthquake Engineering and Engineering
Seismology http://www.meees. org
2004 MERIT - European Master of Research on Information and
Communication Technologies http://www.meritmas ter.org
2004 MSc EF Master of Science in European Forestry
http://gis.joensuu. fi/mscef
2004 NOHA MUNDUS - European Master’s Degree in International
Humanitarian Aid http://www.nohanet. org/
2004 tropEd - European Master of Science Programme in International
Health http://erasmusmundu s.troped. org

Nifong Trial Verdict
Breaking News: Durham DA Michael Nifong was found guilty on 27 of the 32 ethical charges brought against him by the NC Bar. An AP report indicates the following:

Mike Nifong broke numerous rules of professional conduct during his disastrous prosecution of three Duke University lacrosse players falsely accused of rape, committing “deceit and misrepresentations,” a disciplinary committee ruled Saturday.

Selected Videos:
David Evans Sr. State Bar Testimony
Mary Ellen Finnerty State Bar Testimony
Nifong Says He should Be Disbarred
Disciplinary Board Disbars Nifong
Duke Lacrosse Defense Attorneys News Conference
Selected articles:
Comments of Disciplinary Panel’s ChairmanThe New York Times
Bar Accepts Nifong’s Offer to Surrender Law License WRAL
N.C. panel disbars Duke prosecutor AP
Former Duke Prosecutor Nifong Disbarred June 18, ABC News
Bar strips Nifong of his law license Newsobserver
Findings KC Johnson
Duke prosecutor: He should be disbarred AP
Nifong Accepts Disbarment KC Johnson
Committee: Duke prosecutor broke rules AP
Verdict KC Johnson

PhD in DSP for Digital Terrain Elevation Data-NLDA/Delft

PhD in DSP for Digital Terrain Elevation Data-NLDA/Delft
Ph.D. Research Assistantship to Explore the Potential of DSP for Digital Terrain Elevation Data at the Netherlands Defense Academy and Delft University of Technology

With today’s digital signal processing capabilities, it becomes possible to optimize the performance parameters of a navigation system for a particular set of intended applications. The Netherlands Defense Academy and the Delft University of Technology are providing an opportunity of a Ph.D. research assistantship to explore opportunities in the field of Terrain Reference Navigation (TRN) by using digital signal processing techniques that were originally developed for the acquisition and tracking of GPS signals.

The goal of the research is to contribute to the creation of a design framework which can be used to match technology and processing concepts to a particular set of navigation system performance requirements. The focus lies on exploring the potential of various digital signal processing concepts for matching a set of distance measurements with a stored database of the environment.

The candidate should hold a Master’s degree in electrical engineering, computer science,
applied mathematics or any other relevant study with substantial knowledge on data
processing. Research will be conducted both at the Netherlands Defense Academy and at
Delft University of Technology. Leaders of the project are established researchers in the
field of applied mathematics, geomatics and electronics. Contact Prof. P.J. Oonincx, Netherlands Defense Academy, at [pj.oonincx AT nlda.nl]. More information about the Netherlands Defense Academy can be found here http://www.nlda. nl