Issue 18-01, January 7, 2018
+————————————CONTENTS—————————————-+
- DPS ENDORSES THE AFRICA INITIATIVE FOR PLANETARY AND SPACE SCIENCES
- CALL FOR WHITE PAPERS ON A FUTURE NASA OPEN-SOURCE POLICY
- JWST UPDATE: MARS NOW A CYCLE 1 TARGET FOR WEBB
- UPDATES FOR NASA OUTER PLANETS ASSESSMENT GROUP (OPAG)
- 2018 APL NASA INTERN PROGRAM
- LPI CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARD
- UPCOMING MEETINGS AND WORKSHOPS
- JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES
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DPS ENDORSES THE AFRICA INITIATIVE FOR PLANETARY AND SPACE SCIENCES
Happy New Year, everyone! I am looking forward to an exciting year for
planetary science including the launch of Insight and the rendezvous of
OSIRIS-REx with Bennu.
I want to start off the year telling you about a relatively new initiative: the
Africa Initiative for Planetary and Space Sciences. DPS is proud to join other
organizations in endorsing this initiative. The purpose of this organization is
to elevate planetary and space sciences across Africa. You can read more about
it here:
https://eos.org/opinions/africa-initiative-for-planetary-and-space-sciences,
and on the AFIPS web site: http://africapss.org
You may be wondering how members of DPS can help support the Africa
Initiative for Planetary and Space Sciences (AFIPS). This is an initiative by
scientists in Africa and we can help if we have projects that could be done
in Africa by students there. AFIPS can help identify a talented student and
a collaborator in Africa that you could partner with. You can get more
information from David Baratoux ([email protected]).
Regards,
Cathy Olkin
DPS Chair
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CALL FOR WHITE PAPERS ON A FUTURE NASA OPEN-SOURCE POLICY
NASA has requested the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering,
and Medicine to investigate and recommend best practices as the Science
Mission Directorate considers whether to establish an open-code policy,
complementary to its current open-data policy. A study committee has
been appointed and solicits white papers. The committee’s statement of
task, membership, activity schedule, and instructions for white papers are at
http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/CurrentProjects/SSB_178892.
The goal of this call is to hear broadly from the community on any relevant
issues, situations, or points of view, to ensure consideration of the full set of
possible consequences of any new NASA open source-policy. For the purpose
of this call, “open-code” and “open-source” refer to computer program source
codes released publicly under an open source license, as defined by the Open
Source Initiative (https://opensource.org/licenses).
To be considered at the committee’s next meeting, white-paper submissions
are due no later than January 12, 2018. The committee strongly encourages
authors to submit white papers by this deadline, but papers will continue to
be received until midnight on January 31, 2018.
Send questions about the project or white paper submissions to: [email protected].
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JWST UPDATE: MARS NOW A CYCLE 1 TARGET FOR WEBB
Mars has been one of the targets for James Webb Space Telescope from
the outset (see white paper at https://arxiv.org/pdf/1510.04619.pdf). But
prior to the launch date change, it was only available in Cycle 2.
With the revised dates, Mars is now available in Cycle 1. Heidi Hammel,
Webb Interdisciplinary Scientist for Solar System Observations, thus
requested that 5 hours of her guaranteed time be reprogrammed for Mars
observations. Webb will obtain NIRCam images at 2.2 and 4.3 microns, as
well as a full NIRSPEC survey (all gratings), employing a mosaic on Mars
of 4 x 4 with the 0.2 x 3.3 slit.
Hammel’s Mars team, led by Geronimo Villanueva (NASA GSFC), expects
detections of both H2O and HDO. According to the current Exposure Time
Calculator, Mars will saturate in some cases, but many regions (both on the
disk and in the spectra) the data should be excellent. This Mars data from
Webb will be made available to the planetary community immediately, in
order to facilitate planning for Mars observations with Webb.
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UPDATES FOR NASA OUTER PLANETS ASSESSMENT GROUP (OPAG)
Next meeting: February 20-22 in Hampton VA; registration and hotel
reservations are now open: http://www.cvent.com/d/mtqcd8
The main OPAG meeting will be Feb 20-21, and February 22 will be technology
forum to identify (and ultimately agree on) technologies that support near-, mid-
and far-term outer planetary system missions.
The agenda will be posted soon at https://www.lpi.usra.edu/opag/. A major topic
of discussion will be revision of the OPAG goals document; a draft will be posted
in advance of the meeting.
Early Career Participant Support available for OPAG Meeting
NASA’s Outer Planets Assessment Group will provide travel grants for a limited
number of interested Early Career participants to attend the OPAG meeting
February 20-22 in Hampton, VA. OPAG plays a key role in sculpting the planetary
science community’s input into NASA activities for outer planets science and
exploration. Thus it is critical for Early Career scientists to attend these meetings
both to learn how NASA and Planetary Science programs operate and to represent
the community that will work on OPAG-relevant projects in the coming decade.
Selected individuals will present a poster at the meeting on a topic of their choosing.
Interested graduate students, postdocs, and other Early Career scientists (within 5
years of PhD/MS/BS) should submit a one page letter of interest and a CV to
[email protected] by January 16, 2018. Recipients will be notified by
~January 20. For more information, email Britney Schmidt at the address above.
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2018 APL NASA INTERN PROGRAM
The Space Exploration Sector of The Johns Hopkins University Applied
Physics Laboratory (JHU APL) in Laurel, MD is now accepting
applications for the APL NASA Intern Program. Rising sophomores through
Ph.D. students as of fall 2018 who are selected will contribute to
NASA-related missions and research work. Talks by key mission engineers
and scientists, along with tours of APL and other activities, will be
provided. Applicants must be U.S. citizens, be in high academic
standing (3.0 GPA or higher), and have successfully passed a background
check. Application opens December 15, 2017 and applications are due by
March 30th, 2018; however, selections are made on a continuous basis,
so interested students should apply as early as possible. For more
information, please visit:
http://www.jhuapl.edu/NASAIntern/
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LPI CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARD
The Lunar and Planetary Institute is proud to announce its 11th LPI Career
Development Award, which is open to both U.S. and non-U.S. applicants.
This award will be given to outstanding graduate students who have submitted
a first-author abstract for presentation at the 49th Lunar and Planetary Science
Conference. While all students are eligible for the award, priority will be given
to exceptional applicants who demonstrate a financial need and/or are from
institutions that do not have a well-established planetary science program.
A travel stipend of $1,000 (for domestic students) and $1,500 (for international
students) will be awarded to the top applicants to help cover travel expenses for
attending the LPSC in March. Awards will be based on a review of the application
materials by a panel of planetary scientists.
Application Deadline is 12 January 2018
For more details, see: https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2018/student-awards/
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UPCOMING MEETINGS, WORKSHOPS
A) EGU GENERAL ASSEMBLY – ABSTRACTS DUE 10 JANUARY 2018
8-13 April 2018
Vienna, Austria
PS3.1 Outer Planets Systems
Please consider submitting an abstract to the session PS3.1 on Outer Planets
Systems of the EGU General Assembly, to be held 8-13 April 2018, in Vienna,
Austria, see:
https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2018/abstractsubmission/28491
The abstract submission deadline is 10 Jan 2018, 13:00 CET. Please note that this
year late abstracts can only be accepted after approval by the Programme Committee;
it also will entail a late abstract fee.
The PS3.1 EGU session welcomes abstracts on the outer planets and Pluto
systems, including their internal structures, atmospheres, magnetospheres, satellites
and rings and coupling processes within those systems. A significant part of the
session will be devoted to the Cassini-Huygens mission, including the Cassini
Grand Finale Mission. Abstracts on observations from space and from the ground
are also solicited. Supporting laboratory investigations and concepts for future
space missions and Earth-based observations are also relevant to this session.
The Conveners: A. Coustenis, S. K. Atreya , O. Witasse , N. Altobelli ,
D. H. Atkinson , J-P. Lebreton , L. Spilker, C. Plainaki
Also please note the Union Symposium: US3 celebrating the Cassini mission
with invited talks on different aspects of the mission :
US3: Cassini and future perspectives for the exploration of the outer solar system
The Cassini-Huygens Mission to Saturn has been an exemplary opportunity
to the success expected from a large space mission built on international
collaboration with ambitious goals. During 13 years, Cassini-Huygens has
returned a huge amount of data that have been analysed and interpreted to
enhance our understanding of the Saturnian system as a whole and not only
(the investigations have bearing to our own planet and the formation of the
Solar System as a whole). The mission ended in a dramatic plunge into Saturn’s
atmosphere on September 15, 2017 sending back in-situ data as long as possible.
The final year of the mission included 20 “Ring-Grazing” orbits just outside the
rings and a series of 22 highly inclined “Grand Finale” orbits with closest approach
between the innermost D ring and Saturn’s upper atmosphere. During the last half
orbit, Cassini’s in-situ instruments were configured to collect atmospheric data until
spacecraft signal was lost. Both mission phases enabled the opportunity for unique
science observations including: probing of gravitational and magnetic field moments
to higher order and precision; determining the ring mass; in-situ sampling of the plasma
environment, upper atmosphere and exosphere; and imaging both Saturn and rings at
high resolution. Already data obtained on these orbits have led to surprising initial
results. This Union Session will feature invited reports on the amazing discoveries
that this mission brought and the new understanding we have gained of the Saturnian
system.
Conveners: Stephanie C. Werner, Özgür Karatekin , Athena Coustenis ,
Linda Spilker , Scott Edgington
__________________________________________________
Please consider contributing to the following session at EGU:
GMPV2.7/PS1.12 Accretion, Differentiation and Volatiles:
constraints on terrestrial planets
Convenors: Hélène Bureau, Mohamed Ali Bouhifd, Ramon Brasser,
George Helffrich, Vincenzo Stagno
This session aims to provide a multidisciplinary view on the earliest stage
of the formation, dynamics and chemistry of the Earth and inner planets,
and on the modern volatile cycling in the deep Earth. Session description:
The early evolution of the Solar System witnessed the emergence of
planetesimals, followed by the assembly of differentiated protoplanets and
eventually the coalescence into the embryonic terrestrial planets. Much remains
unclear of the nature of this primordial accretion and evolution. More especially,
about the significant role played by volatile elements (H, C, N, S, halogens) that
are significant ingredients necessary for the habitability of planets. The storage
and cycling of volatiles in Earth and other planetary bodies depend on the structure
and stability of volatile-bearing minerals and fluid/melts at high pressure and
temperature either at mantle or core conditions. The origin and behaviour of
volatiles during Earth’s accretion and its differentiation is determinant but still
not well constrained.
Submission URL: https://www.egu2018.eu Deadline: 10 January 2018
B) PLANETARY SESSIONS AND FIELD TRIP AT 2018 GSA SOUTHEASTERN SECTIONAL MEETING
The 2018 Southeastern Sectional meeting of the Geological Society of America
includes two planetary-themed sessions, a post-meeting field trip, and many
opportunities for students and professionals. The section meeting will be held
April 12th and 13th, in Knoxville, Tennessee, USA. The University of Tennessee’s
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences looks forward to hosting all.
Conference information, including abstract submission, registration, activities,
may be found at the conference website: https://www.geosociety.org/se-mtg
Themed Sessions:
T14. Geologic Mapping from the Appalachians to the Planets: we seek abstracts
that focus on the variety of techniques, data sets, and findings from terrestrial and
planetary geologic mapping. This themed session bringing together terrestrial and
planetary geoscientists offers a unique opportunity to share our diverse knowledge
and skills, and an opportunity to create new collaborative efforts.
T15. Planetary Surface Processes: we welcome abstracts about planetary surfaces
and the geomorphologic processes that shape them (e.g., aeolian, fluvial, impact,
lacustrine, mass wasting, space weathering, tectonic, volcanic). Planetary data
analyses, laboratory experiments and/or modeling relevant to planetary
geomorphology, and investigations into terrestrial analogs are all welcome.
Post-meeting Field Trip:
Revisiting the Flynn Creek Impact Structure, Jackson County Tennessee.
Principal organizer: Steven J. Jaret, Stony Brook University; co-organizer:
David T. King, Jr., Auburn University.
Abstracts are due January 16th, 2018
C) ASIA OCEANIA GEOSCIENCES CONFERENCE (AOGS)
3-8 JUNE 2018
HONOLULU, HAWAII
ABSTRACTS DUE 19 JANUARY 2018
Conference website: http://www.asiaoceania.org/aogs2018/public.asp?page=home.htm
AOGS2018 SESSION PS05: Ring systems of the solar system objects and exoplanets
Session Description: The Grand Finale of the Cassini mission gave us super
close-up views of the Saturnian rings, the best ever achieved. The suite of
scientific instruments including the imaging experiments at different
wavelengths, radio science and particles-and-fields experiments provided
unprecedented detailed information on the ring structures and ring-satellite
and ring-atmosphere interaction effects. Not to be outshone, the JUNO
mission to Jupiter has also obtained a treasure trove of data on the plasma
and dust environment of the Jovian rings. And the intriguing ring systems
of Uranus and Neptune need to a new look in view of the push for a space
mission to these icy giants. If we add the recent discovery of rings around
some Centaurs and search for exoplanetary rings, there is a wide range of
interesting topics to be explored under the sunny Hawaiian sky.
Conveners:
Dr. Wing-Huen Ip (National Central University, Taiwan),
[email protected]
Prof. Larry Esposito (University of Colorado Boulder, United States), [email protected]
Prof. Keiji Ohtsuki (Kobe University, Japan), [email protected]
AOGS2018 SESSION PS6: Magnetospheres, Atmospheres, Exospheres of
Outer Planets and Their Satellites
This session welcomes papers about magnetospheres, atmospheres, exospheres
of outer planets and their satellites with special emphasis on observations (both
from space and from the ground), modelling, and theoretical interpretation.
Abstracts on satellite interactions with their neutral and charged environments,
supporting laboratory investigations and concepts for future spacecraft missions
and investigations are also relevant to this session. We especially welcome papers
about the Cassini mission Grand Finale time period as well as results from the
most recent Juno data.
Conveners: Dr. Norbert Krupp (Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Germany),
[email protected] Dr. Linda Spilker (Jet Propulsion Laboratory, United States),
[email protected] Dr. Scott Bolton (Southwest Research Institute, United States),
[email protected] Prof. Sushil Atreya (University of Michigan, United States),
AOGS2018 SESSION PS-12: From Dust to Planets: The first hundred million
years of the solar system
The formation and early evolution of the Solar System has been an active
topic of investigation. Only recently the community has begun to put together
a consistent and coherent picture its first 100 million years. This time span
witnessed the emergence of chondrules, planetesimals, protoplanets and
eventually the coalescence into the embryonic terrestrial planets. The terrestrial
planets were bombarded by leftover material, including the Moon-forming event
on the Earth and a collosal impact on Mars that created its satellites and
hemispheric dichotomy.
Much remains unclear. Questions arise about the timing of chondrule and
chondrite formation, the amount of material mixing in the disc, the final bulk
composition of the terrestrial planets, the possible migration of the giant planets,
and much more. We aim to integrate views and data from cosmochemistry,
geochronology, thermal modelling and dynamics to formulate a coherent
timeline of the earliest epoch of our planetary system.
AOGS2018 SESSION PS-14: Planetary Data in the Big Data Era
This session is about all aspects related to planetary science data, including,
but not limited to, data collection, cataloging, archiving, sharing, searching,
manipulation, mining, and the related software tools. We welcome abstracts
on any data-related topics. A tremendous amount of data is being generated
every day in planetary science researches. Data technologies are playing
more and more important roles in planetary researches, especially in the big
data era. Archiving and public release of all data from planetary science
exploration missions as well as ground-based observing and laboratory
facilities have been recognized to be of great importance and broad community
interest. Data archives provide long-term preservation of a broad variety
of raw and high-level data products, with the ultimate goal of facilitating
analyses using data covering long time-baselines and multiple observations
for the new phenomena and scientific objectives emerging in future times.
The collection, archiving, and public release of ever-growing amount of
planetary data will ultimately enable the applications of big data technologies
in planetary science research. This session is a forum to discuss the new
developments in activities, technologies, and concepts related to planetary
science data.
Conveners: Jian-Yang Li (Planetary Science Institute, United States),
Ludmilla Kolokolova (University of Maryland, United States),
Sebastien Besse (ESA, Spain)
AOGS2018 SESSION PS-19: Rosetta, Comets, and Other Icy Bodies
In this session we aim to understand the formation, evolution and diversity
of icy bodies large and small and place them into context with the rest of
the solar system. These distant, cold worlds are slow in divulging their
secrets. Space missions flying past and orbiting the giant planets have
revealed a diverse icy satellite system, with some clearly showing activity.
The ROSETTA mission revealed many of the secrets of comet 67P/C-G,
and more icy active bodies are regularly found inside of Jupiter’s orbit. In
recent years, ground-based observations have also made rapid progress in
detecting water-related features. It is an exciting time to synthesize what
we have learnt so far, highlight key points of agreement and contention,
and to provide recommendations for future studies. We aim to integrate
views and data from space missions, thermal and internal modeling,
dynamics and observations to formulate a coherent picture of the state of
icy bodies in the solar system and what they can tell us about the formation
and evolution our own world.
Conveners: Bin Yang (Chinese Academy of Sciences, China), Arika
Higuchi (National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, Japan), Ramon
Brasser (Earth Life Science Institute, Japan)
D) COSPAR 2018 42nd Assembly – 60th Anniversary
Pasadena, California, 14-22 July 2018
ABSTRACTS DUE 9 February 2018
Session B1.2 Pluto and Charon: The New Horizons Mission Results
The session will consist of six solicited review papers and ten or more
contributed papers. While the review papers will focus on results and
insights from New Horizons, contributed papers on Pluto, Charon, and
Kuiper Belt objects both related to the mission, as well as those not
specific to the spacecraft results will be considered. Papers will be
selected for presentation from the abstracts received, and notification
of selected papers will be sent to authors on March 31, 2018, together
with the final program. The specific date for Session B1.2 has not yet
been assigned.
Abstracts for contributed presentations at Session B1.2 are due on
February 9, 2018, and must be submitted on the COSPAR website—
full details for abstract submission, as well as the detailed description
of the content of the session are available at
https://www.cospar-assembly.org
Session organizers: Dale Cruikshank and Alan Stern
COSPAR Event B5.4 : Ice Giant Systems at COSPAR 2018
With the culmination of the unprecedented simultaneous exploration
of two gas giant planets by Juno and Cassini, the time has come for the
first comprehensive exploration at the next frontier of our Solar System:
the ice giants, Uranus and Neptune. These tantalising destinations
provide extreme atmospheric configurations (one powered by internal
heat, the other experiencing the strangest seasons in the Solar System),
magnetospheres unlike any other worlds, fine-scale and delicate rings,
and a plethora of icy satellites that might be expected to be just as rich
as those found orbiting the giant planets. Recent orbital, flyby, and probe
mission concepts have helped to reignite scientific interest in the international
community, along with extensive use of ground- and space-based facilities
(including the forthcoming JWST) to characterise these distant worlds.
We invite presentations discussing new insights and future observational
and mission requirements for the Solar System ice giant planets and their
applicability to exoplanetary and brown dwarf science. We welcome
presentations on ice giant topics including (but not limited to) observational
and theoretical studies of planetary origins and interiors; atmospheric
dynamics and meteorology; chemistry and composition; magnetospheres
and auroras; and wider ice giant system science (icy satellites and rings).
Presentations on future mission concepts for these distant worlds are also
encouraged.
[NB: this ice giant session B5.4 complements other COSPAR events in
sub-commission B5 – Juno (B5.1); Cassini (B5.2); and ocean worlds (B5.3),
available here:
https://www.cospar-assembly.org/admin/symposium.php?symposium=73]
E) SAVE THE DATE FOR–NASA’s 3rd Comparative Climatology of
Terrestrial Planets: From Stars to Surfaces (CCTP-3)
DATES: August 27-30, 2018
LOCATION: LPI, Houston, TX
WEBSITE: https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/climatology2018/
NASA’s 3rd Comparative Climatology of Terrestrial Planets: From
Stars to Surfaces (CCTP-3) conference will promote cross-disciplinary
conversation on climate processes at work on terrestrial planets both
within our solar system and in extrasolar systems. The conference will
synthesize present and past research in terrestrial climate science
including solar/stellar influences. Also, it will provide a multidisciplinary
forum for the identification of future research needs and missions.
CCTP-3 will continue the dialogue and interactions started at the two
previous conferences, CCTP-1 and CCTP-2. Scientists from all aspects
of climatic processes research – including planetary science, heliophysics,
Earth science, and exoplanet astronomy – are encouraged by NASA’s
Science Mission Directorate (SMD) to participate in and contribute to
this conference.
F) Pluto After New Horizons : July 12-16, 2019 (Friday-Tuesday)
The dates for the international science conference on the Pluto system
and the Kuiper Belt have been moved to July 12-16, 2019.
Please mark your calendars accordingly!
Unfortunately, these new dates span a weekend, but that was unavoidable
owing to conflicts with two other major conferences (a lunar conference
coinciding with the 50th anniversary of Apollo 11 and the Ninth International
Conference on Mars).
There will be a reception commemorating the 4th anniversary of the Pluto
flyby during the evening of July 14th.
The venue remains the same: The Johns Hopkins University Applied
Physics Laboratory in Laurel, MD, USA.
This conference will provide an opportunity to summarize our understanding
of the Pluto system and the Kuiper belt following the New Horizons
encounters with Pluto and 2014 MU69.
Contributions spanning all relevant research on the Kuiper belt, including
both observations and theory, will be solicited.
The conference will also serve as a nucleus for a forthcoming volume
“Pluto After New Horizons” in the University of Arizona Space Science Series.
With a projected 2020 publication date, this new book will be the successor
to “Pluto-Charon” published in 1997.
A registration website with further details will be set up this
summer, approximately one year prior to the conference.
Again, please put this conference on your calendar and join us at the
Kossiakoff Center at APL in mid-July 2019!
With best regards,
Hal Weaver (JHU-APL), Alan Stern (SwRI), Rick Binzel (MIT)
(on behalf of the SOC)
For further information, contact [email protected]
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JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES
A) NASA HQ PLANETARY POSITION VACANCY IS NOW OPEN –
SCIENCE MISSION DIRECTORATE
NASA Science Mission Directorate positions for Program Scientists in the
Planetary Science Division are now open. The Planetary Science Division
(PSD) is encouraging the community to join the division in supporting the
Nation’s scientific exploration of our Solar System. The PSD is responsible
for disciplines that studies geology and geophysics, cosmochemistry, planetary
astronomy and atmospheres, Mars exploration, astrobiology, planetary
instrument technology development, and planetary data investigations.
Program scientists are expected to perform a range of planning duties in the
Planetary Missions and Research and Analysis (R&A) Programs. Duties may
include: Developing, reviewing, and providing recommendations for proposed
program requirements, expected results, and budgetary estimates; Initiating and
monitoring research contracts, grants, and cooperative agreements; Providing
expert advice to management on strategic planning and program development.
Program Scientists will represent scientific disciplines to NASA senior
management and serve as advocates for the communities’ scientific interest.
These positions are being filled at the GS/14-15 level (salary range $112,021
– $161,900). In addition to the basic education requirements, applicants must
also have one year of specialized experience equivalent to the next lower grade,
which has equipped the applicant with the particular competencies needed to
successfully perform the duties of the positions described above. Appropriate
details are listed in the announcement.
Applications will be accepted only through USAJobs.gov.
Schedule: Open January 2, 2018, to February 2, 2018.
For current Federal employees:
NASA Announcement Number HQ18C0015
http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/487663600
For US citizens and US nationals:
NASA Announcement Number HQ18D0004
http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/487663800
B) POSTDOCTORAL POSITION REACTION DYNAMICS & PLANETARY SCIENCES,
University of Hawaii at Manoa, USA
The Reaction Dynamics Group, Department of Chemistry & W.M. Keck
Research Laboratory in Astrochemistry, University of Hawai’i at Manoa,
invites applications for one postdoctoral position. The appointment period
is initially for one year, but can be renewed annually based on availability
of funds and satisfactory progress as defined by first author publications.
The salary is competitive and commensurate with experience. Successful
applicants should have a strong background in experimental reaction
dynamics, UHV technology, and pulsed (tunable) laser systems. Experience
in labview programming and/or Autocad/SolidWorks is desirable. The goal
of the experiments is to probe the formation of complex organic molecules
in Solar System ices and/or the synthesis of water on the moon via interaction
of ionizing radiation with low temperature ices and silicates, respectively.
Reaction products will be probed via tunable vacuum ultraviolet photoionization
generated via four wave mixing schemes.
Solid communication skills in English (written, oral), a publication record
in internationally circulated, peer-reviewed journals, and willingness to work
in a team are mandatory. Only self-motivated and energetic candidates are
encouraged to apply. Please send a letter of interest, three letters of
recommendation, CV, and publication list to Prof. Ralf I. Kaiser, Department
of Chemistry, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822-2275, USA
[[email protected]]. Applicants must demonstrate their capability to prepare
manuscripts for publications independently. The review of applications will
start January 15, 2018, and continues until the position is filled. A description
of our current research group can be found at
http://www.chem.hawaii.edu/Bil301/welcome.html.
Only complete applications will be reviewed.
C) JOINT UTSA/SWRI GRADUATE PHYSICS PROGRAM IN SAN ANTONIO, TX
Since 2004, a physics graduate program has been offered in partnership
between the University of Texas San Antonio (UTSA) and Southwest
Research Institute (SwRI). UTSA is the second largest component
university of The University of Texas System, with an enrollment of
more than 28,000 students. SwRI’s Space Science and Engineering
Division is a leader in space physics and planetary science research
with major involvement in numerous NASA missions. The participation
by SwRI offers students a chance to be involved in many of the most
exciting ongoing NASA missions (Juno, MMS, LRO, Van Allen Probes,
New Horizons, TWINS, IBEX) and future missions (e.g., Europa Clipper,
JUICE, Bepi Columbo, Solar Probe).
UTSA/SwRI graduate students can engage in data analysis and instrument
design & calibration, and even lead their own projects. Some past or current
projects include (for example): analysis of Cassini observations of Enceladus’
water vapor plume, design of a new ion mass spectrometer, interpretation of
the first New Horizons measurements from Pluto, and investigation of
reconnection in Earth’s magnetosphere. During one year, the students in our
laboratory class got to perform the calibration on one of the IBEX instruments
now flying and obtaining phenomenal new observations of the interstellar boundary.
Our areas of space physics include:
Solar & Heliospheric physics
Planetary Science
Magnetospheric physics
Space Science instrumentation
Astrophysics
Our website is http://www.utsa.edu/physics/, with the joint program details at http://grad.space.swri.edu.
The deadlines for application: 1 February 2018 for entry in Fall 2018.
1 October 2018 for entry in Spring 2019. Application procedures and
additional information: –
Visit http://graduateschool.utsa.edu/admissions/graduate-application/ and
http://grad.space.swri.edu/application/how_to_apply.html –
Or contact Professor Mihir Desai at [email protected] or +1 210 522 6754.
You are welcome to talk directly to current graduate students at
Financial support is available to students through Research Assistantships
while conducting research for SwRI’s Space Science and Engineering Division (http://www.swri.edu).
D) MAGNETOMETRY SCIENTIST
NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
Application Deadline: February 4, 2018
content/magnetometry-scientist
MAGNETOMETRY SCIENTIST POSITION OPEN: The Planetary
Magnetospheres Laboratory of the Solar System Exploration Division
(SSED) at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) located in Greenbelt,
Maryland has a position open for a Magnetometry Scientist, at either the
Junior or mid-career levels. The Solar System Exploration Division conducts
theoretical and experimental research to explore the solar system and
understand the formation and evolution of planetary systems. For more
information about the duties of this position and requirements or to apply
please see:
http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/487865100 (GS-13 position)
and
https://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/487885200 (GS-15 position)
We will be hiring a single individual, at either a junior or mid-career level, to
fill this position. More Information about the SSED can be found at
http://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/solarsystem Specific questions about the SSED
and this position can be directed to [email protected]
E) USRA/LPI POSTDOCTORAL FELLOW IN PLANETARY SURFACE PROCESSES
Lunar and Planetary Institute
Houston, TX
Application Deadline : March 21, 2018
The Universities Space Research Association’s Lunar and Planetary Institute
invites applications for a postdoctoral fellow in modeling of planetary surface
processes. The successful candidate will join Dr. Edgard Rivera-Valentín in
several projects related to simulating planetary surface process on Mars and
the icy moons of Saturn. Projects are interdisciplinary in nature and involve
numerical simulations of planetary surface processes and responsibilities in
spacecraft data analysis and data management. Applicants should have a recent
Ph.D. in planetary science, astronomy, physics, geosciences or a related field.
Experience in numerical modeling and proficiency in programming languages
is required; experience with MATLAB and IDL is desirable. Candidates with
demonstrated experience in a wide array of subfields in planetary science are
encouraged to apply. Candidates from underrepresented groups in STEM and
those with a demonstrated history of efforts to improve diversity and inclusion
in STEM are particularly encouraged.
Interested applicants should apply to the posting at
https://usracareers.silkroad.com/ and must submit a cover letter, CV with list
of publications, a statement of research interests and plans, and a list of at least
three professional references. Review of candidates will begin on March 21, 2018.
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Send submissions to:
Anne Verbiscer, DPS Secretary ([email protected])
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