Issue 19-01, January 12, 2019
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- REMINDER: RENEW YOUR AAS/DPS MEMBERSHIP FOR 2019
- THE DPS COMMITTEE REMINDS YOU TO VOTE IN THE AAS ELECTION
- DISCOVERY DRAFT AO COMMENT PERIOD EXTENDED: MESSAGE FROM THE AA
- ASTRO2020 DECADAL SURVEY CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
- SIGN UP FOR AAS CONGRESSIONAL VISITS DAY 2019
- CALL FOR ABSTRACT: ABSCICON JUNE 24-28 2019 IN BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON, USA
- JGR PLANETS: SCIENCE ENABLED BY THE LUNAR RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER CORNERSTONE MISSION
- GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN DELAY FOR CASSINI SPECIAL ISSUE
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REMINDER: RENEW YOUR AAS/DPS MEMBERSHIP FOR 2019
If you haven’t renewed your AAS/DPS membership for 2019 by the end of February,
your AAS/DPS membership will be suspended and your member benefits cut off.
Renewals after that date will incur a $10 late fee and you will no longer receive
the DPS Newsletter until you renew.
Each year, the DPS loses about 300 members at this time. Avoid the hassle
of renewing before the annual meeting and do so before March. Renew today!
If you have any questions about your dues or benefits, or need assistance
when logging in, please contact the membership team by email at
[email protected] or by phone at 202-328-2010. Thank you!
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THE DPS COMMITTEE REMINDS YOU TO VOTE IN THE AAS ELECTIONS
Don’t forget to vote in AAS elections. The DPS is the largest AAS division.
The following DPS members are candidates for AAS Officers and At-Large Trustees:
President – Chick Woodward
Vice President – Stephen Unwin
Secretary – Alice K.B. Monet
At-Large Trustee – Hannah Jang-Condell
Balloting closes at 11:59 pm EST on 31 January 2019
https://aas.org/posts/news/2018/12/vote-2019-aas-election
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DISCOVERY DRAFT AO COMMENT PERIOD EXTENDED: MESSAGE FROM THE AA
NASA Associate Administrator Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen has released the
following tweet about the upcoming Draft Discovery AO comment period:
#NASAScience released a draft “Announcement of Opportunity” (AO) in
December to solicit mission proposals for our Planetary Science Division’s
Discovery Program. At this time, the comment period will be extended.
More information will be shared once available.
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ASTRO2020 DECADAL SURVEY CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
The 2020 Decadal Survey in Astronomy and Astrophysics (Astro2020) is seeking
nominations for the survey committee and panels. Consideration of nominations
will begin January 22, 2019.
In winter 2019, the National Academy of Sciences will appoint a steering committee
as well as scientific and programmatic study panels to carry out the seventh decadal
survey in astronomy and astrophysics. The study will survey the current state of the
field, and identify research priorities and make prioritized recommendations for
programs to be carried out in the 2020 – 2030 timeframe. The survey’s prioritization
of research activities will include consideration of scientific opportunities, as well as
an independent assessment of cost, budget and technical readiness. The principal
sponsors of the survey are NASA, NSF and the DOE.
Previous astronomy and astrophysics decadal surveys have been conducted with
a steering committee, as well as panels that provide scientific and programmatic
evaluations, prioritizations, as well as input on the state of the profession. Although
the structure of the panels has not yet been determined, we anticipate a similar need
for this survey, and we seek nominees with a broad range of relevant scientific,
technical and management expertise. Service is open to scientists, engineers and
other experts, including those working for a government agency if (1) they have
relevant expertise, and (2) their service will not appear to compromise the
independence and objectivity of the study. The NAS strives to appoint diverse
committees and we welcome suggestions that might advance this objective.
In order to identify individuals with the necessary expertise, we are seeking
nominations (including self-nominations) for the steering committee as well
as the panels. To nominate yourself, or a colleague, please fill out the nomination
form using the link below:
https://www.surveygizmo.com/s3/4703010/ASTRO-2020-Decadal-Survey-CALL-FOR-NOMS
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SIGN UP FOR CONGRESSIONAL VISITS DAY 2019
Every year the AAS brings volunteers to Washington, DC, for Congressional
Visits Day (CVD) to advocate for federal support of their science with their
members of Congress. This year the AAS CVD will be held Monday-Wednesday,
11-13 March 2019. Would you like to advocate for the research efforts, education
programs, and facilities in the planetary sciences that enable STEM engagement
and innovation across disciplines and sectors? Then read on, and sign up today!
The AAS aims to select at least 15 volunteers who balance the program by
division membership, location, career stage, and experience. Find more details
and the CVD 2019 Sign-Up Form at:
https://aas.org/posts/blog/2019/01/call-volunteers-congressional-visits-day-2019
Sign-ups are open now through 26 January 2019. Selected volunteers will be
notified in mid-February 2019. Note that: You must be an AAS member; You
must be eligible to vote in the United States; Business attire is required; The
AAS will cover the majority of travel expenses for volunteers selected to
participate, as our budget allows; and Submitting the form does not guarantee
you a slot in this year’s CVD. Also look ahead for AAS participation in the
Science-Engineering-Technology (SET) Working Group CVD sometime in
May-June 2019 (exact dates TBD).
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CALL FOR ABSTRACT: ABSCICON JUNE 24-28 2019 IN BELLEVUE, WASHINGTON, USA
Session Title: “Computing the rise of life: On and beyond Earth”
Session ID: 65503
Among the recommendations in the recent National Academy of Sciences
(NAS) report on the science strategy for astrobiology is to incorporate more
sophisticated methods for the study of biosignatures (novel and/or agnostic).
A comprehensive chemical perspective into such a study requires investigation
of a wider variety of reactions and processes that can feasibly and safely be
performed in the laboratory. This is also the case for origins of life chemistry in
which the diversity of proposed environments and processes relevant to prebiotic
chemistry span a tremendous parameter space. In these situations, high-fidelity
chemical simulations are essential, especially for defining biosignatures or origins
of life research that can withstand the scrutiny their conclusions may bring.
With the increasing power of supercomputers and with the introduction of
advanced chemical theories, simulations at all levels are currently being developed
at a rapid pace. The role of simulations is two-fold: they provide detailed mechanistic
explanations of observations, and they predict phenomena that are difficult, if
not impossible, to observe in the laboratory.
This session seeks papers that offer existing/novel theoretical models or computational
works that address the chemical and environmental conditions relevant to astrobiology.
This includes computational work related to prebiotic chemistry, the chemistry of
early life, the biogeochemistry of life’s interaction with its environment, chemistry
associated with biosignatures and their false positives, and chemistry pertinent to
conditions that could possibly harbor life (e.g. Titan, Enceladus, Europa,
TRAPPIST-1, habitable exoplanets, etc.).
Session Link: https://agu.confex.com/agu/abscicon19/prelim.cgi/Session/65503
Conveners: Shiblee Barua, Shawn Domagal-Goldman, Der-you Kao, Conor Nixon,
Paul Romani (all from NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt MD)
Submission Guidelines:
https://connect.agu.org/abscicon/program/abstract-submission-guidelines
Abstract DEADLINE: Wednesday, 23 January 2019, 11:59 P.M. ET
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JGR PLANETS: SCIENCE ENABLED BY THE LUNAR RECONNAISSANCE ORBITER CORNERSTONE MISSION
A special collection of the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets titled
“Science Enabled by the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Cornerstone Mission”
is now open for submissions. The deadline for submission is 15 March 2019.
Please help us celebrate the upcoming LRO 10th anniversary by submitting to
this special collection!
This issue will include new studies enabled or enhanced by data from the
Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) third extended science mission, the
Cornerstone Mission. The Moon is a witness plate to the history of the Earth-Moon
system and the cornerstone for understanding processes affecting airless
bodies in the Solar System. During the Cornerstone Mission, LRO scientists
have focused on measuring and examining fundamental processes present on
the Moon that operate throughout the Solar System, including processes that
are active today and those that began billions of years ago. Papers for the
special issue are encouraged from the LRO science team and members of the
community who use LRO data to study lunar and other airless body processes.
https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/hub/jgr/journal/21699100/features/call-for-papers
Manuscripts should be submitted through the GEMS website. For additional
information please contact any of the organizers.
Thank you,
-Benjamin Greenhagen, Rachel Klima, Cesare Grava, and Brett Denevi
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GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN DELAY FOR CASSINI SPECIAL ISSUE
Dear colleagues and attendees of the Cassini Science Symposium in Boulder,
August 2018:
Because of the government shutdown, the deadline for submissions to the
special Icarus issue on Cassini Mission Science Results (now 15 January 2019)
will be extended until after the shutdown ends. Icarus will continue to accept
submissions… and reviewers are encouraged to complete their reviews in the
meantime. Both authors and reviewers may need to work a little faster to meet
the planned schedule for publication this fiscal year.
Sincerely, the Editors
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Send submissions to:
Anne Verbiscer, DPS Secretary ([email protected])
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