Issue 20-47, October 9, 2020
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- DPS 2020 STUDENT AND EARLY CAREER RECEPTION
- VIRTUAL WOMEN IN PLANETARY SCIENCE DISCUSSION HOUR AT DPS 2020
- LOOKING FOR DPS MEMBERS TO CONNECT VIRTUALLY WITH CLASSROOMS AND OTHER GROUPS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DPS MEETING THIS OCTOBER
- #DPS2020 CAREER CENTER: ADVERTISE YOUR JOB OPENINGS!
- DPS PROFESSIONAL CLIMATE AND CULTURE SUBCOMMITTEE (PCCS) SEEKING NEW MEMBERS
- SBAG EARLY CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
- EXOPLANET EXPLORERS SPEAKER SERIES CALL FOR APPLICATIONS (APPLICATIONS DUE NOV. 5, 2020)
- ARECIBO OBSERVATORY QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER NOW AVAILABLE
- OPENINGS ON OUTER PLANETS ANALYSIS GROUP (OPAG) STEERING COMMITTEE
- PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL FOCUS ISSUE: “OCEAN WORLDS: MOTIVATIONS FOR A MULTI-DECADAL EXPLORATION PROGRAM”
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DPS 2020 STUDENT AND EARLY CAREER RECEPTION
Date: Sunday, Oct. 25
Time: 4 pm Eastern, 3 Central, 2 Mountain, 1 Pacific
Duration: ~1 hour
What: Join us for a pre-conference networking and socializing hour where we will have
the opportunity to meet people from our disciplines (and others!). We will have a general
discussion of professional development topics, an introduction to the format of the conference,
info about virtual jobs board/career center, and a contest for the best virtual background.
A huge thanks(!) to our generous sponsor Southwest Research Institute for supporting
this event. Sign up is required so that we can plan for breakout rooms and send you
information/updates about the event. Please see more details and sign up at
https://forms.gle/rshUeRbMEsK4dVUW8. The deadline to sign up is right before the
event (Sunday October 25 at 4 pm Eastern), but if we get too many people, we may have
to cap the attendance, so sign up early! (There’s no penalty if you can’t attend). We will
update the sign up page according to whether spots are still available. The telecon link
for the event will be sent to all those who sign up and will also be posted on the detailed
schedule for the DPS meeting (not the block schedule). Please do not post the telecon
link in a public place. For any questions please contact Maya Yanez at mdyanez at usc.edu.
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VIRTUAL WOMEN IN PLANETARY SCIENCE DISCUSSION HOUR AT DPS 2020
Date: Monday, Oct. 26
Time: 5:30 pm Eastern, 4:30 Central, 3:30 Mountain, 2:30 Pacific
Duration: ~1 hour
What: Join us for the annual DPS Women in Planetary Science event in its first ever
virtual format. All are welcome! This year we will have professional development
“table topics” covering a wide range of themes based on the attendee interest. A huge
thanks(!) to our generous sponsor AURA for supporting this event again this year.
Sign up is required so that we can plan for virtual “room size”, gauge attendee interests,
and send you information/updates about the event. Please see more details and sign up
at http://bit.ly/DPS_WIPS_2020. The deadline to sign up is right before the event (Monday
October 26 at 5:30 pm Eastern), but if we get too many, people we may have to cap the
attendance, so sign up early! We will update the sign up page according to whether spots
are still available. The telecon link for the event will be sent to those who sign up and
posted on the detailed schedule for the DPS meeting (not the block schedule). Please
do not post the telecon link in a public place. For any questions please contact Kelsi
Singer at kelsi.singer at gmail.com.
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LOOKING FOR DPS MEMBERS TO CONNECT VIRTUALLY WITH CLASSROOMS AND
OTHER GROUPS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE DPS MEETING THIS OCTOBER
In conjunction with the American Astronomical Society Division for Planetary Sciences
(DPS) meeting in October, we are looking for scientists to give virtual presentations to
classrooms and other community groups between October 19 and October 30. These
virtual sessions, lasting 30 minutes to an hour, are intended to connect classrooms and
clubs directly with scientists so you can share more about your science and science careers
and give students a direct connection to a scientist. You can sign up for one or more sessions
here: https://forms.gle/oGnzb1cciuQkYAfN6
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#DPS2020 CAREER CENTER: ADVERTISE YOUR JOB OPENINGS!
At the upcoming DPS meeting (Oct 26-30), we will be hosting a virtual career center
with job resources and opportunities to connect job seekers with job listers.
Employers, this is a fantastic opportunity to advertise your job openings to lots of job-
seeking astronomers, geologists, and space scientists! Please consider listing (for free!)
your job openings in the DPS jobs register here: jobs
Questions: contact [email protected]
https://aas.org/meetings/dps52
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DPS PROFESSIONAL CLIMATE AND CULTURE SUBCOMMITTEE (PCCS) SEEKING NEW MEMBERS
Are you interested in making the planetary science community more diverse and
inclusive? If so, please contact [email protected] by Oct 30 to volunteer to be
part of the DPS Professional Culture and Climate subcommittee (PCCS). A list of
our charge, duties, and expectations can be found at: leadership/climate .
You also can speak with any current PCCS members (listed at above site) and, in
particular, you are welcome to contact Co-Chair Serina Diniega ([email protected]).
At the DPS meeting, PCCS efforts will be described a bit at the DPS Members meeting
(Oct 28, 1-2pm EDT) and with the PCCS Plenary speaker (Oct 30, 12:45-1:40pm EDT).
To express interest in becoming a PCCS member, please send an email to [email protected]
by the end of the DPS meeting (Oct 30), including (1) why you are interested, (2) a
brief description of any EDIA work you’ve already done, and (3) a brief statement on
what you might hope to accomplish with the PCCS. Comments about past or potential
future work by PCCS are also welcomed, as always.
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SBAG EARLY CAREER OPPORTUNITIES
The 24th Small Bodies Assessment Group (SBAG) meeting will be virtual on
26 – 27 January 2021. We have two opportunities at this upcoming SBAG meeting
specifically for the early career small body community:
Invited early-career speakers: We are planning to select up to two early-career researchers
to give invited 15-minute talks (including Q&A). Interested undergraduate students,
graduate students, postdocs, and other early career scientists (within 5 years of terminal
degree) should submit a letter and a CV to the SBAG Early Career Secretary, Terik Daly
([email protected]), via email by COB (5 pm Eastern time) on 20 November 2020.
The letter, which must not exceed 2 pages, should explain how the applicant’s work relates
to the purposes of SBAG, how the applicants plans to contribute to the meeting, and how
the opportunity will advance the applicant’s career. The letter and CV should be combined
into a single PDF attached to the email. We encourage applicants from a diverse range of
backgrounds and experiences to apply.
Lightning Talks: We will provide time on the agenda for early-career scientists and
engineers attending the meeting to introduce themselves and their research to the
community. The talks will be 3 minutes each. If you are interested in giving a lightning
talk, please email the early-career secretary, Terik Daly ([email protected]), at least
two weeks before the meeting. Attach a single slide, in PDF format, with your name,
affiliation, and a figure or two that highlight your research. We encourage presenters
from a diverse range of backgrounds and experiences.
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EXOPLANET EXPLORERS SPEAKER SERIES CALL FOR APPLICATIONS (APPLICATIONS DUE NOV. 5, 2020)
NASA’s Exoplanet Program Analysis Group (ExoPAG) invites postdocs and graduate
students currently at US institutions to participate in the inaugural Exoplanet Explorers
(ExoExplorers) Science Series. This inaugural ExoExplorers cohort, which will run a
pilot program from Jan 2021-June 2021, will present half-hour monthly seminars to the
larger exoplanet community on topics focusing on observation, theory, and instrumentation
in support of the broad themes outlined in the “ExEP Science Gap List”:
https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/internal_resources/1547/ .
Each of the ExoExplorers will receive $1000 compensation for their talk. In addition,
ExoExplorers will be expected to participate in:
- Weekly interactions between members of the cohort
- Monthly informal roundtable discussions with prominent scientists in the exoplanet and educational fields (“ExoGuides”)
- One to two professional development training sessions on topics to be decided by the cohort, such as proposal writing, CV building, and public speaking.
We are seeking applicants that strive for excellence in their research and also for increasing
diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) in the exoplanet science community. As such, we
seek applicants that contribute to exoplanet science through their understanding of the
barriers facing underserved and underrepresented communities.
Members of the ExoPAG Executive Committee (EC) will review and accept up to 10
people for this pilot cohort.
A website describing the program is available at: https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exep/exopag/exoexplorers/
Those who wish to apply should submit a 700-1000 word statement describing 1) your
research and how it supports the broad themes outlined in the ExEP Science Gap List
(and related exoplanet topics), 2) how you would participate in and contribute to the
cohort and its efforts through the activities described above and 3) how you would
leverage these experiences to both become leaders in exoplanet science and to increase
DEI in the broader exoplanet community. Your application will be evaluated based on
how you address these three prompts. Please also include a current CV as part of your
application. Your statement and CV must be PDF format. Applications are due
November 5th, 2020 (midnight Pacific time).
Questions? Please see our FAQ page
(https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/exep/exopag/exoexplorers/exoexplorers-faq/) to view
answers to previously submitted questions or to submit a question. To ensure that all
potential applicants have access to the same information, we will post answers to
received questions on that webpage. The last day to submit substantive questions
about the program, call, or application content is October 30. After this date, we
will only answer procedural questions about the application process.
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ARECIBO OBSERVATORY QUARTERLY NEWSLETTER NOW AVAILABLE
The Fall 2020 Arecibo Observatory Newsletter is now available! Each newsletter
features science highlights and updates about the telescope, staff, and current education
programs. The newsletter also includes articles about recent AO planetary science
observations and publications:
· Cassini Data Solves Mystery of Arecibo Radar Signals on Titan
· A Holistic Approach to Understanding Asteroids: Laboratory, Theory, & Observations
· Analyzing Gravitational Fields Around Small Bodies
· Arecibo Radar Rebounds from Tropical Storm, Pings Near-Earth Asteroid 2020 NK1
You can subscribe to receive future newsletters via email: Join AO Newsletter list.
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OPENINGS ON OUTER PLANETS ANALYSIS GROUP (OPAG) STEERING COMMITTEE
Several openings are available on the OPAG steering committee to replace members
who will be rolling off. All interested candidates are encouraged to apply, particularly
those with expertise in Giant Planet Interiors, Ocean Worlds & Cryospheres (field and
experimental), Astrobiology, and those able to represent Science Mission Directorate
Cross-Divisional interests.
Nominations will be accepted starting on October 9, 2020 and will be due by November
9, 2020. New members will start their service in time for the Spring 2021 OPAG meeting.
Details of the nomination process include providing a one-page letter of interest and a
two-page NASA proposal-style CV that address what community the candidates represent,
and how they will enhance that community’s representation on the steering committee.
A New Members subcommittee of the OPAG Steering Committee will review all of the
nominations and make recommendations to the full Steering Committee. Through the
search process, we will strive to ensure representation across multiple axes to foster an
interdisciplinary, diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible community. Please send
your nominations, with the letter of interest and CV together in a single PDF file, to:
[email protected]. For the file name, please use the format
LastName-FirstName-OPAG.
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PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL FOCUS ISSUE: “OCEAN WORLDS: MOTIVATIONS
FOR A MULTI-DECADAL EXPLORATION PROGRAM”
This Focus Issue aims to demonstrate the need for a coordinated exploration of the
Ocean Worlds, augmenting the content of white papers submitted for the 2023-2032
Decadal Survey with focused discussion and community contributions. We welcome
submissions reviewing the current state of knowledge for particular bodies, outstanding
science questions to be addressed at or within the Ocean Worlds, as well recent advancements
in instrumentation, technologies, and techniques for Ocean Worlds exploration.
We ask authors to consider how their contributed work may fit into or motivate the
coordinated exploration of Ocean Worlds through a formalized program. This may
be through sustained research, development, and analysis funding, enhanced flight
opportunities, or the establishment of fixed, long-term priorities. Potential topics
include but are not limited to the following:
- Science motivation by target or subdiscipline
- Mission concepts or programmatic strategies
- Instrumentation, technologies, and/or techniques
- Technology gaps or needs
- Analog testing sites, technologies, and objectives
Deadline for submission: Feb 10, 2021
PSJ Editor: Faith Vilas
Guest Editors: Shannon M. MacKenzie & Samuel M. Howell
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Send submissions to:
Anne Verbiscer, DPS Secretary ([email protected])
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