Newsletter 20-42

Issue 20-42, September 13, 2020

 

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  1. DECADAL WHITE PAPER ON EXTEDED MISSIONS
  2. INTERNATIONAL OBSERVE THE MOON NIGHT IS SEPTEMBER 26TH
  3. 2021A NASA IRTF CALL FOR PROPOSALS 
  4. ARECIBO OBSERVATORY OBSERVER TRAINING WORKSHOP 
  5. JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES

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DECADAL WHITE PAPER ON EXTENDED MISSIONS

 

Please read and comment: 

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1DqFleFqZgvi-_FrnA075mp32erGZfSE9svTLQvRrr0k/edit?usp=sharing

Please co-sign: https://forms.gle/q9aoNY4mtB1aWVan9

 

There is a tremendous demonstrated value in Extended Missions. They produce excellent 

science at low incremental cost. Additionally, these missions provide early-career scientists 

opportunities for active mission involvement and experience in leadership roles, thus 

increasing diversity at all levels. However, despite NASA’s best intentions, there are 

aspects of their handling of Extended Missions that have detrimental effects to the success 

of those missions. We recommend several specific actions to be taken to ensure the 

financial stability of EMs, for the benefit to science, and to our community of scientists.

 

This will be an update to the 2016 National Academies report on “Extending Science: 

NASA’s Space Science Mission Extensions and the Senior Review Process”. We plan 

to evaluate the recommendations of that study, provide a reminder of those recommendations 

which have not yet been addressed, and add new recommendations.

 

Contact Ingrid Daubar  and/or 

Ross Beyer  with any questions or comments.

 

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INTERNATIONAL OBSERVE THE MOON NIGHT IS SEPTEMBER 26TH

 

Join us for the 11th Annual International Observe the Moon Night on Saturday, 

September 26th! You are invited to join people around the world to learn about 

lunar science and exploration, take part in celestial observations, and honor cultural 

and personal connections to the Moon. This is also a great event to be a virtual speaker!

 

You can participate in International Observe the Moon Night from wherever you are.

Attend or host a virtual or in-person event, or observe the Moon from home. The 

Moon will be close to first quarter – a great phase for evening observing. 

 

Learn more, register your participation, and find recommended activities, tips and 

resources to host and evaluate events, and much more on the International Observe 

the Moon Night website: moon.nasa.gov/observe.

 

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2021A NASA IRTF CALL FOR PROPOSALS 

 

The due date for the 2021A semester (February 1, 2021 to July 31, 2021) is Thursday, 

October 1, 2020. See our online submission form http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/observing/applicationForms.php

which is available for proposal submission from 12:00AM on September 01, 2020 until 5:00PM 

on October 01, 2020 HST. Available instruments include: (1) SpeX, a 0.7 – 5.3 micron cross-dispersed 

medium-resolution spectrograph (up to R=2,500) and imager; (2) MORIS, a 512×512 pixel 

Andor CCD camera (60″x60″ field-of-view) mounted at the side-facing window of the 

SpeX cryostat that can be used simultaneously with SpeX; (3) iSHELL, a 1.1 – 5.3 micron 

cross-dispersed echelle spectrograph (up to R=75,000) and imager. Information on available 

facility and visitor instruments and performance can be found at: http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/instruments

Exposure time calculators for SpeX and iSHELL are available on the respective instrument 

webpages. 

 

Please see http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/observing/callForProposals.php for the full text.

 

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ARECIBO OBSERVATORY OBSERVER TRAINING WORKSHOP

The Arecibo Observatory is hosting a free virtual workshop on October 15-16, 2020 

to train future observers. If you intend to venture into or use in your future research

projects single-dish radio or radar astronomy, please check out our page on this event

and register at 

https://www.naic.edu/ao/blog/gboao-single-dish-and-observer-training-workshops-october-13-16-2020

 

This workshop is intended for professionals or students who already have a basic

knowledge of radio astronomy but would like to learn how to use our observatories

to achieve their upcoming science goals.

 

This workshop is advertised jointly with the Green Bank Observatory, who are hosting

their own training workshop just prior to AO’s (October 13-14, 2020). Feel free to sign

up for both (if you intend to use both telescopes), but please register (at the link) for each
separately! The schedule will also be available at the link after we have a better idea of

the interests of our attendees. For now, the topics covered in AO’s Observer Training

Workshop will include talks and hands-on demos of the following topics:

-Interplanetary Scintillation

-Spectral Line Observations

-Pulsar Studies

-Planetary Radar

-Available Astronomy Instrumentation (receivers, backends)

-AO’s new proposal system

-Observing methods, telescope control software, data reduction software

-History of and future plans for Arecibo Observatory

 

Please note that due to the recent structural damage to the telescope we will be using

existing data rather than running live observations. You may find the press release on

the telescope shutdown via 

https://www.ucf.edu/news/broken-cable-damages-arecibo-observatory/.

 

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JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES

 

A) RESEARCH SCIENTIST, OUTER PLANET MAGNETOSPHERES AND
MOON INTERACTION

The Jet Propulsion Laboratory, California Institute of Technology
invites applications for a Research Scientist position in planetary
science, with a focus on research and instrument/mission development in
the areas of magnetospheres, magnetosphere-moon interactions and
astrobiology.

In this position you will conduct planetary science research with a
focus on modeling of magnetospheric charged particle interactions and
other exogenous weathering effects, and applying such results to inform
remote sensing observations and biosignature detection. It is expected
that the successful candidate would develop an independently-funded
research program and would pursue new mission and/or instrument
opportunities focusing on the exploration of habitable environments in
the Solar System, in particular the icy moons of the Ice Giant planets.

This position requires a Ph.D. degree in space physics, planetary
science, planetary physics, or a related field along with expertise in
outer planet magnetospheres and moon-magnetosphere interactions
(ideally Ice Giants).

 

To view the full description and apply, please visit:
http://jpl.jobs/jobs/2020-12409-Research-Science-Outer-Planet-Magnetospheres-and-Moon-Interactions.
Applications received by October 12, 2020, will receive full consideration.

 

B) ASSISTANT PROFESSOR, OKLAHOMA STATE UNIVERSITY

 

The Department of Physics at Oklahoma State University invites

applications for a tenure track assistant professor position in

astronomy or planetary sciences. The successful candidate should have a

proven track record of research in their respective area and is

expected to attract extramural research funding, publish scholarly

articles, and teach effectively at the graduate and undergraduate

levels. The successful candidate will also be expected to oversee the

department’s Mendenhall Observatory and coordinate outreach activity at

the site:

https://physics.okstate.edu/research/mendenhall-observatory

 

OSU is a Carnegie-R1 comprehensive public research university committed

to increasing the diversity of its faculty (currently 25% of the

Physics Department faculty are from underrepresented groups). The

Department of Physics welcomes applications from outstanding

candidates, who, through their research, teaching, and/or service will

contribute to the diversity and excellence of the Physics Department. A

Ph.D. in Physics or an allied field is required as well as the promise

of excellence in teaching and the ability to mentor underrepresented

students. 

 

An appointment at the Assistant Professor level is expected with a

start date of August 17, 2021. Review of applications will begin on

January 4, 2021 and will continue until the position is filled.

 

Apply at: 

https://apply.interfolio.com/77415

 

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Anne Verbiscer, DPS Secretary ([email protected]

 

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