Newsletter 15-23 - AAS Division for Planetary Sciences

Issue 15-23, May 30, 2015

+—————————————CONTENTS————————————+

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR AND EDUCATION AND PUBLIC OUTREACH OFFICER
NASA SEEKING REVIEWERS FOR PSD ROSES PROPOSALS
STUDENT TRAVEL GRANTS FOR IAU IN HONOLULU, HI
CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR RETURNED SAMPLE SCIENCE BOARD FOR MARS 2020
OPAG NEWSBRIEF
JOBS/POSITIONS OPPORTUNITIES
UPCOMING MEETINGS & WORKSHOPS

+——————————————————————————————–+

1———1———1———1———1———1———1———1———1———1

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR AND EDUCATION AND PUBLIC OUTREACH OFFICER

Everyone Can and Should do Outreach

One of our goals is to get every DPS member involved in outreach. Our field is naturally appealing to the public, and potentially engaging to those who aren’t already convinced to support science in general.
There are many effective ways use your expertise, strengths, and time to reach out. The list below can
help you decide what’s right for you and pick the resources you need to get started. Have your own ideas
or don’t see an opportunity listed? Please send us your ideas ([email protected] or [email protected] ), and we will include them in a future DPS Newsletter.

Public Events:

*Talking in non-traditional settings. Recent talks by DPS members include a presentation at an art show comparing landforms in S. Utah with those on Mars and Titan, and a talk on water in the Solar System at a water-wise festival in S. California. Volunteer to give a talk anytime anywhere!
*Naked-eye star parties. There is no need to set up a bulky telescope. Invite people to come to a “Naked
eye star show” at a Nature Center, boy scout event, hike, etc. Ask people to bring binoculars and show
them the Moon; the Galilean moons; any planets that are up; different colored stars, any stars that have exoplanets or are doubles, the Andromeda nebula, etc.

Social Media:

*Google chats with classrooms or hangouts, Reddit ask me anything (AMA)
*Twitter and other social media
*Wikipedia: become an author

Policy Issues:

*Local school district
*Professional Societies

Outreach Organizations and Their Resources:

*Demonstrations of planetary science events (kitchen comets; Solar System sizes; craters; seehttp://nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov/download-list.cfm

Daily Life:

*Talking to anyone who will listen: your seatmate on an airplane; your relatives;
your organizations (scouts; PTA; faith groups; local library….)

Bonnie Buratti

DPS Chair

Bonnie Meinke

DPS Education and Public Outreach Officer

2———2———2———2———2———2———2———2———2———2

NASA SEEKING REVIEWERS FOR PSD ROSES PROPOSALS

The Planetary Science Division is now seeking volunteers to serve as reviewers for
proposals from the following ROSES-2015 programs:

All of these opportunities to review currently and others in the future can be found at
http://science.nasa.gov/researchers/volunteer-review-panels/

Finally, proposers may also Suggest Reviewers for ROSES Planetary Science Proposals at http://science.nasa.gov/researchers/suggested-reviewers/

3———3———3———3———3———3———3———3———3———3

STUDENT TRAVEL GRANTS FOR IAU IN HONOLULU, HI

The SETI Institute, with support of the NASA Astrobiology Institute,
offers travel grants for undergraduate and graduate students to attend
the IAU 2015 meeting in Honolulu, HI. Awards limited to students
making oral or poster presentations on themes related to the search
for life in the universe: astrobiology, exoplanets, planetary systems,
and bioastronomy. To apply, go to:

http://www.seti.org/seti-institute/forms/iauaas-student-travel-grant-application

Deadline: June 15, 2015.

4———4———4———4———4———4———4———4———4———4

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS FOR RETURNED SAMPLE SCIENCE

BOARD FOR MARS 2020

Individuals are invited to apply for membership on the Returned Sample

Science (RSS) Board for the 2020 Mars science rover mission (hereafter

Mars 2020). This strategic mission is intended to investigate an astrobiologically

relevant ancient environment on Mars to decipher its geological processes and

history, including the assessment of its past habitability and potential for

preservation of biosignatures within accessible geologic materials. The rover

also has an objective to collect a set of scientifically compelling samples for

possible return to Earth by a potential future mission. Mission details are available
at: http://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/mission/overview/

Preparation of the most scientifically compelling samples for possible future

analysis on Earth necessitates careful inputs and community engagement, and

to this end, the Mars 2020 project will create a board of scientists drawn from

the diverse array of disciplines likely to be involved in the study of returned samples.

To apply submit a 2-page (11-point font, 1-inch margins) Letter of Application

and a CV by July 15, 2015 to [email protected] with the subject line

“Mars 2020 Science Team RSS Board” after having read the instructions at
http://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov/announcements/2020DearColleague_RSS-F.pdf

5———5———5———5———5———5———5———5———5———5

OPAG NEWSBRIEF

Dear Colleagues,

Our next OPAG meeting will be 24–26 August at JHU/APL.

OPAG is now in NCTS. Please input your request in NCTS as soon as possible.

Another announcement: There is a training opportunity to learn to generate

digital elevation models using HiRISE stereo image data. This training is being

offered by the USGS Astrogeology Science Center. For additional information

and sign-up instructions, please see

http://astrogeology.usgs.gov/facilities/photogrammetry-guest-facility.

A reminder: we have a new capability on our website for group discussions.

Go to the menu tab titled “OPAG Discussion Board”
(https://www.lpi.usra.edu/forums/viewforum.php?f=2).

This will be a place for us all to post our thoughts and especially our vision

for the future. Please use it to say what you think!! Right now the over-arching

science themes part of our new science goals document is under construction —

I will be looking to this discussion board for inspiration.

Sincerely,

Candy Hansen

OPAG Chair

6———6———6———6———6———6———6———6———6———6

JOBS/POSITIONS OPPORTUNITIES

A) POSTDOC POSITION AVAILABLE:

ASTEROID OBSERVATIONS IN THE GAIA ERA

The Laboratory Lagrange at the Observatoire de la Cote d’Azur (Nice,
France) calls for applications for a Postdoctoral Fellowship funded by
the French Space Agency (CNES), in the field of solar system science
connected to Gaia. The position is for one year renewable once, based
on adequateness of the applicant. The Postdoctoral Fellow will
contribute to projects that explore data on Solar System objects
produced by the Gaia mission, and the use of Gaia astrometry for the
exploitation of Earth-based techniques, e.g stellar occultations, to
investigate asteroid physical properties.

Qualifications: candidates will be ranked according to their
achievements in their doctoral research, record of refereed
publications and independent research abilities. The applicants must
have earned a Ph.D. degree in physics/astrophysics, with a solid
background in observational and numerical approaches, good
interpersonal skills and some experience in working within
collaborative environments.

Target start date: November 1st, 2015, negotiable.
Deadline for application: July 1st.
For details, see:

https://lagrange.oca.eu/spip.php?article1024

7———7———7———7———7———7———7———7———7———7

UPCOMING MEETINGS & WORKSHOPS

A) SUMMER SCHOOL IN SOFTWARE SYSTEMS FOR ASTRONOMY

The University of Hawaiʻi at Hilo Physics and Astronomy Department offers

the two week course (July 20-31). The course covers software design and

implementation of telescope and instrument control systems, observation

planning tools, and software for analyzing and archiving astronomical data.

A full course description and instructions for enrollment are given at:

http://phys.uhh.hawaii.edu/Summer2015/index.php#courseA

Submitted by Al Conrad.