Category: Uncategorized

The DPS committee is planning to have a meeting in 2021, so please save the date: 3-8 October, 2021. The DPS Committee is working toward making a go/no go decision on whether to hold the 2021 DPS meeting in person in Providence, RI or as a virtual meeting (similar to the 2020 meeting). In conjunction with the AAS staff, we have established a schedule for making the decision in an effort to allow timely planning for the community and the meeting organizers. After receiving a final risk assessment from the AAS leadership, the DPS Committee will make a decision in spring, and this will in turn enable the AAS staff to complete necessary logistics work and negotiations. After this work by AAS is complete, we anticipate being able to give a final decision to the DPS community by late spring.

 

21 Feb 2021

Issue 21-03, February 7, 2021
+————————————CONTENTS—————————————-+

1. ARECIBO OBSERVATORY REQUESTS FOR ENDORSEMENTS
2. 15TH HELLENIC ASTRONOMICAL CONFERENCE
3. NASA PI LAUNCHPAD
4. BLACK HISTORY MONTH RESOURCES FROM AIP
5. 2021 NASA PLANETARY SCIENCE SUMMER SCHOOL
6. BU SHIELD WEBINAR: NANCY CROOKER AND FRAN BAGENAL
7. JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES

+——————————————————————————————–+

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ARECIBO OBSERVATORY REQUESTS FOR ENDORSEMENTS

Requests for Endorsements by Wednesday February 10 for “The Future of the Arecibo Observatory: The Next Generation Arecibo Telescope White Paper 2021”
 
The Arecibo Observatory (AO) staff, together with members of the scientific community, prepared the white paper “The Future of the Arecibo Observatory: The Next Generation Arecibo Telescope,” which presents a proposal to replace the legacy 305-m Arecibo telescope with a new, unparalleled instrument that will push forward the boundaries of Planetary Science, Space and Atmospheric Sciences, and Astronomy for decades to come. The science requirements presented in the white paper were established from discussions with the community that is in overwhelming agreement on the need to build an enhanced, next-generation radar-radio telescope at the AO site. 
 
This white paper will be presented to the National Science Foundation (NSF)  and will be shared with representatives from the U.S. Congress in February to request support for the construction of the Next Generation Arecibo Telescope (NGAT). The NGAT concept presented here is not intended to be final, but it lays the groundwork for engineering and optical studies to begin.
 
The community support of this white paper is a crucial factor in the future of AO. Thus, we kindly ask you to sign this form of endorsement for the white paper and to share it with your colleagues (and students) in the science community and out of it. Our goal is to collect the majority of endorsements by February 10th. 
 
To access this White Paper and more related information, click here: http://www.naic.edu/ao/ngat 

To endorse this white paper, click here: 
https://forms.gle/uKPF36H3mBwiizrY9
 

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15TH HELLENIC ASTRONOMICAL CONFERENCE

We would like to invite you to participate in the 15th Hellenic Astronomical Conference, which will take place in Patras, Greece, on July 5-8, 2021. 

https://helas.gr/conf/2021/index.php

The Hellenic Astronomical Conference, organized by the Hellenic Astronomical Society (Hel.A.S. – https://helas.gr), is the major scientific event of the greek astronomical community. The conference occurs every two years in a different part of Greece, and brings together scientists with research interests in Astrophysics, Planetary Science, and Space Physics.

Conference sessions
Session 1: “Heliophysics and the Solar System”
Session 2: “Extragalactic Astronomy and Astrophysics”
Session 3: “Cosmology and Relativistic Astrophysics”
Session 4: “Stars, Planets and the Interstellar Medium”

Important dates
Registration & Abstract Submission opens: February 1st, 2021
Abstract Submission closes: April 30th, 2021 
Notification of Abstract Acceptance: May 17th, 2021 
Registration Deadline: May 31st, 2021 
Conference Program: June 18th, 2021

On behalf of the Scientific & Local Organizing committee,

Prof. Vassilis Charmandaris, President of Hel.A.S.

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NASA PI LAUNCHPAD: DEVELOPING YOUR FIRST FLIGHT MISSION PROPOSAL

Important Dates:
Applications due via NSPIRES: March 22, 2021
Workshop Dates: June 14-June 25
Workshop Location: Virtual via WebEx
 
Are you thinking about developing your first flight mission proposal in the next few years but have no idea where to start? If you are a researcher or engineer who would like to submit a NASA space mission proposal in the next few years but don’t know where to start, this June virtual workshop is for you! We are interested in broadening the pool of potential NASA space mission PIs. People with marginalized identities are strongly encouraged to apply. There is no cost to attend the workshop.

PI Launchpad applications and instructions on how to apply are available on the NSPIRES page for this opportunity. All applications must be submitted as a “Notice of Intent” via NSPIRES as a self-contained PDF file that includes your name, organization, and contact information. To create a new account, please see the NSPIRES User Registration Page.
 
Additional details: 

https://science.nasa.gov/researchers/pi-launchpad

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BLACK HISTORY MONTH RESOURCES FROM AIP

In honor of Black History Month, the American Institute of Physics has gathered some resources featuring African American scientists at all levels, from undergraduate students to working professionals to historical figures whose contributions to science and humanity are worthy of celebration.

https://www.aip.org/diversity-initiatives/black-history-month

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BU SHIELD WEBINAR: NANCY CROOKER AND FRAN BAGENAL

Fri Feb. 12th, 2021 2:00 PM EST

“How discoveries are made: Finding the needle in a haystack”

Speaker: Nancy Crooker

Nancy U. Crooker is an American physicist and professor emerita of space physics at Boston University, Massachusetts. She has made major contributions to the understanding of geomagnetism in the Earth’s magnetosphere and the heliosphere, particularly through the study of interplanetary electrons and magnetic reconnection … Crooker was president of the AGU Space Physics & Aeronomy Section from 2004 to 2006 and served on the AGU Board of Directors from 2010 to 2012.

Speaker: Dr. Fran Bagenal

Dr. Fran Bagenal was born and grew up in England. She studied Physics and Geophysics at the University of Lancaster. In 1976, inspired by NASA’s missions to Mars and the prospect of the Voyager mission, she moved to the US for graduate study at MIT. Her 1981 Ph.D. thesis involved analysis of data from the Voyager Plasma Science experiment in Jupiter’s giant magnetosphere and is a research Scientist at the Laboratory of Atmospheric and Space Physics. In addition to the Voyager mission, Dr. Bagenal has been on the science teams of the Galileo mission to Jupiter and the Deep Space 1 mission to Comet Borrelly. 

Registration link: 

https://bostonu.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJYsd-GvqT8jH9fr9zfyVTHZKBM86xnHuv2i

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2021 NASA PLANETARY SCIENCE SUMMER SCHOOL
 
Applications Due April 1st

Offered by the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA, PSSS is a 3-month long career development experience to learn the development of a hypothesis-driven robotic space mission in a concurrent engineering environment while getting an in-depth, first-hand look at mission design, life cycle, costs, schedule and the trade-offs inherent in each.

Science and engineering doctoral candidates, recent PhDs, postdocs, and junior faculty who are U.S. Citizens or legal permanent residents (and a very limited number of Foreign Nationals from non-designated countries) are eligible. Applicants from diverse backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply.

Session 1: May 24-Aug 6

Session 2: May 24-Aug 20

With workload of a rigorous 3-hour graduate-level course, participants spend the first 10 weeks in preparatory webinars acting as a science mission team, and spend the final culminating week mentored by JPL’s Advance Project Design Team to refine their planetary science mission concept design and present it to a mock expert review board.  The culminating week is typically at JPL, however in 2021 it is likely to be virtual due to Covid-19 pandemic conditions.

http://go.nasa.gov/missiondesignschools

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JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES

A) Research Associate 

Planetary Atmospheres, School of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester

https://jobs.le.ac.uk/vacancies/2535/research-associate-in-planetary-atmospheric-science.html
Salary: Grade 7 £34,804 to £40,322 per annum
Funding is available until 31 March 2022 with a possibility of extension.
Closing date:  28 February 2021
 
The School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Leicester invites applications for one or more Research Associates in Planetary Atmospheric Science. 
 
The Research Associates will join the atmospheres team led by Dr. Leigh Fletcher, tasked with addressing the scientific aims of a European Research Council (ERC) grant to explore time-variable processes shaping the atmospheres of the giant planets.  Successful candidates would have existing skills in planetary spectral data analysis and/or numerical modelling expertise of relevance to giant planet atmospheres. 
 
The “GIANTCLIMES” programme investigates natural cycles of meteorology, circulation, and chemical processes shaping the environments of the four giant planets over long spans of time.  Inversions of planetary spectra, from ground- and space-based facilities, will be used to reconstruct these atmospheres in three dimensions to explore their temporal variability and the processes coupling different atmospheric regimes. The successful applicant will be expected to develop and expand on our pipeline for interpreting giant planet observations from the James Webb Space Telescope.  In addition, the applicant will conduct joint analyses of thermal-infrared, near-infrared, and microwave observations of giant planet tropospheres. We are therefore particularly interested in candidates with existing expertise in planetary data analysis, planetary atmospheres, and spectroscopic modelling techniques, but all applicants with a strong background in planetary science are encouraged to apply. 
 
Applications must be made via the link above.  Informal queries are welcome and can be made to [email protected].
 
B) Postdoctoral Researcher

The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) in Houston, TX, run by the Universities Space Research Association (USRA), invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow in Radiative Transfer Modeling in Planetary Atmospheres. 

content/postdoctoral-researcher-0

C) Science Lead

European Space Agency as Science Lead of the Planetary Science Archive and Archive Scientist of a Planetary mission, based at ESAC, near Madrid, in Spain. You can find all the details at 

https://bit.ly/3jtJyqb

The deadline for applications is 16th of March of 2021.

———————————+
Send submissions to:
Maria Womack, DPS Secretary ([email protected])

You are receiving this email because you are a DPS member. To unsubscribe or update your information, please send your request to [email protected]. The more general AAS privacy policy is available online at https://aas.org/about/policies/privacy-policy. Current and back issues of the DPS Newsletter can be found at newsletters

Issue 21-02, January 31, 2021
+————————————CONTENTS—————————————-+

1. DPS AFFILIATE MEMBERSHIPS
2. FREE ICARUS SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR DPS MEMBERS
3. CALL FOR DPS PRIZE NOMINATIONS
4. JWST USER COMMITTEE: CALL FOR NOMINATIONS
5. SOFIA SCIENCE CENTER WORKSHOP: ROCK, ICE AND DUST: INTERPRETING PLANETARY DATA
6. CELEBRATE THE PERSEVERANCE LANDING WITH NASA JPL FEB 18
7. OUTER PLANETS ASSESSMENT GROUP (OPAG) FEB 9-11
8. JPGU: OUTER SOLAR SYSTEM EXPLORATION TODAY AND TOMORROW
9. PLANETARY CULTURE AND CLIMATE SUBCOMMITTEE 
10. UPDATE ON NASA R&A STATUS
11. JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES

+——————————————————————————————–+

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DPS AFFILIATE MEMBERSHIPS

A reminder that individuals who are not members of the American Astronomical Society are eligible to join the DPS as an affiliate member if they belong to other professional societies; see the list at membership. Also, if you are a member of one of these other societies, the DPS Committee encourages you to publicize the DPS Affiliate Membership program within your professional society. The cross-pollination provided by members of our affiliate societies provides exciting opportunities for scientific collaboration.

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FREE ICARUS SUBSCRIPTIONS FOR DPS MEMBERS

Every year, Icarus provides 30 free subscriptions to DPS members. If you are in need of a subscription, please send a request to the Chair of the Publications Subcommittee, Catherine Neish ([email protected]). In that request, please include one paragraph explaining why you need access to Icarus, emphasizing any financial hardships that act as a barrier to access. We anticipate putting out a call for requests every year, but applications will be accepted at any time.

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CALL FOR DPS PRIZE NOMINATIONS 

Deadline: April 1, 2021
 
Every year the DPS recognizes exceptional achievement in our field. Please consider nominating a respected colleague for one of the annual DPS prizes. 
 
The DPS sponsors five prizes:
 
The Gerard P. Kuiper Prize [prizes/kuiper] recognizes and honors outstanding contributors to the field of planetary science.

The Claudia J. Alexander Prize [prizes/alexander] recognizes excellence and achievements by a mid-career scientist. 

The Harold C. Urey Prize [prizes/urey] recognizes and encourages outstanding achievements in planetary research by an early-career scientist.

The Harold Masursky Award [prizes/masursky] recognizes and honors individuals who have rendered outstanding service to planetary science and exploration through – but not limited to – engineering, managerial, programmatic, editorial, or public service activities.

The Carl Sagan Medal [prizes/sagan] recognizes and honors outstanding communication by an active planetary scientist to the general public.

The Jonathan Eberhart Planetary Sciences Journalism Award [prizes/eberhart] recognizes and stimulates distinguished popular writing on planetary sciences.
 
DPS members and the planetary science community-at-large are encouraged to submit nominations for DPS prizes.
 
A complete nomination submitted by the deadline will be considered by the DPS Prize subcommittee for 3 years (i.e. for this year’s award, next year’s award, and the year after that), or for the duration of a candidate’s eligibility, whichever is less. Please fill out the nomination form [prizes/eberhart#Nomination], and it will be submitted to the prize subcommittee. The Eberhart Award has different rules and procedures than the other DPS Prizes, please see its page [prizes/eberhart-nomination-form] for more information. 
 
Scroll to the bottom of prizes for rules and procedures.
 
Questions: Email [email protected]

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JWST USER COMMITTEE: CALL FOR NOMINATIONS 

The JWST User Committee (JSTUC) is responsible for advising STScI and the JWST Project on all aspects of observatory operations. Membership is drawn from the U.S, Canadian and ESA communities, and includes representatives from the JWST instrument teams. Further information can be found here https://www.stsci.edu/jwst/science-planning/user-committees/jwst-users-committee

A number of members are rotating off the committee in the coming year, and STScI is calling for expressions of interest from community members who would like to serve as JSTUC members. Self-nomination is welcome. Submissions should include a cover letter and a one-page curriculum vitae summarizing the nominee’s relevant background and JWST-related interests, and should be submitted by e-mail to [email protected]. There is no restriction on citizenship. Nominations will be considered through April 7, 2021.

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SOFIA SCIENCE CENTER: ROCK, ICE AND DUST: INTERPRETING PLANETARY DATA WORKSHOP

March 23-26, 2021

The SOFIA Science center and the SOC are excited to invite you to the “Rock, Ice and Dust: interpreting planetary data” workshop, which will happen online on March 23, 24, 25, 26 of this year (8-11 am Pacific Time). The objective of this workshop is to bring together observers, modelers and laboratory astronomers to discuss the interpretation of observations of rocks, ices and dust on and around Solar System objects (see description below). The last day will be a moderated discussion on the current tools and needs for this community.

We solicit contributions for posters and short talks (abstract submission deadline: March 9th 2021), and we welcome attendance from scientists at any career level, especially early career scientists. Registration is free but necessary to attend.

Description

How can we leverage multi-wavelength observations, radiative transfer theory and laboratory work to characterize planetary solids? This 4-day virtual workshop will bring together observers, modelers and laboratory astronomers to discuss the interpretation of observations of rocks, ices and dust on and around Solar System objects. A large variety of complementary observational techniques will be featured,  via invited and contributed presentations, as well as different methods to constrain solids’ fundamental properties such as composition, porosity, thermal inertia and grain size distribution. The workshop is organized by the SOFIA Science Center, and a special emphasis will be put on mid- and far-IR data. Each daily 3-h session will include ample time for moderated interdisciplinary discussions. The fourth day will be dedicated to a moderated discussion on databases, archives and public codes.

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CELEBRATE THE PERSEVERANCE LANDING WITH NASA JPL FEB 18

Educators and their students are invited to join the celebration of the landing on February 18, 2021 of the next NASA rover on Mars, named “Perseverance”!  There are many ways to be involved, including our “Mars Student Challenge” with hands-on STEM enrichment activities,  the Mars Photo Booth to picture yourself on Mars, and ways to watch the landing live [https://mars.nasa.gov].  

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OUTER PLANETS ASSESSMENT GROUP (OPAG) FEB 9-11

Outer Planets Assessment Group (OPAG) February 9–11, 2021 Virtual held 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. PST (12:00 p.m.–4:00 p.m. EST).

Meeting Agenda: https://www.lpi.usra.edu/opag/meetings/OPAG2021Feb/

The meeting will focus on aspects of the Decadal Survey that are relevant to OPAG. Status reports will be requested from the Decadal Survey co-chairs and panel chairs.

Registration deadline — February 4, 2021

Registered attendees will receive an e-mail prior to the meeting from Houston Meeting Info with virtual connection information.
https://www.lpi.usra.edu/opag/meetings/OPAG2021Feb/

For more information, contact Meeting and Publication Services USRA/Lunar and Planetary Institute [email protected]

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JPGU: OUTER SOLAR SYSTEM EXPLORATION TODAY AND TOMORROW

Please consider submitting an abstract to the”Outer Solar System Exploration Today, and Tomorrow” online session at the Japan Geoscience Union (JpGU) Meeting 2021 held on 4 June, 2021: http://www.jpgu.org/meeting_e2021/sessionlist_en/detail/P-PS01.html

Our session will discuss a wide range of topics encompassing the giant planets and their moons, including their origins, interiors, atmospheres, compositions, surface features, and electromagnetic fields. To advocate for current and future outer planets exploration (Juno, New Horizons, JUICE, Europa Clipper, Dragonfly and beyond), we also call for discussions on future missions to explore giant planet systems, including how to develop better international cooperation. Discussion in this latter category will include progress in developing a solar sail mission concept for observing the Jupiter system and its Trojan asteroids.

Abstracts can be submitted at the following link:
http://www.jpgu.org/meeting_e2021/presentation.php
– Early submission deadline: 4 Feb (Tue), 23:59 JST
– Final submission deadline: 18 Feb (Tue), 17:00 JST

Conveners:
  – Jun Kimura, Osaka Univ.
  – Kunio Sayanagi, Hampton Univ.
  – Cindy Young, NASA Langley Research Center
  – Fuminori Tsuchiya, Tohoku Univ.

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PLANETARY CULTURE AND CLIMATE SUBCOMMITTEE 

The Planetary Culture and Climate Subcommittee would like to draw members’ attention to URGE (Unlearning Racism in Geoscience), a community-wide network, focused on journal reading and policy design.

https://urgeoscience.org/

URGE is an assembly of local “pods” which will follow URGE’s curriculum based on eight two-week units that incorporate readings, interviews, and discussions among pod members.   This goals of this collective effort are 1) deepening the community’s understanding of the effects on racism in the geosciences, 2) the development of anti-racist strategies through an examination of existing literature, expert opinions and personal experiences and 3) a review of anti-racist policies and strategies in a community framework.

Local URGE pods have already been formed at a multitude of institutions.  The deadline for signing up for your local pod is Friday, February 5th.

PCCS also invites the DPS membership to review the American Institute for Physics’ summary of the 2020 survey of the planetary science workforce.  Links to the survey can be found at

report

Also available are the full results, raw data and summary slides prepared by PCCS members.  The goal of the survey was to gather information on the demographics, education, background employment experience of the current planetary science workforce, both generally and specifically among the DPS membership.

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UPDATE ON NASA R&A STATUS

NASA has presented new data on its research and analysis programs at the recent Planetary Advisory Committee meeting. The presentation slides are publicly available at:
https://www.lpi.usra.edu/pac/presentations/1120/

The DPS Committee encourages review of the materials. We would like to collect feedback on them so that we may refine our strategies for advocacy within the Federal Relations Subcommittee (FRS). Please send comments to the DPS Committee by Feb 15, 2021. If you are interested in working with the FRS to help work on advocacy, please contact the FRS Subcommittee Officer, Kurt Retherford. You can find contact information for the DPS officers here: leadership/officers

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JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES

A) Postdoctoral Research Associate in Planetary Sciences

The Small Bodies Group in the Department of Astronomy at the University of Maryland, College Park invites applications for up to two Postdoctoral Research Associate positions to work with Tony Farnham and Jessica Sunshine on studies involving the composition and evolution of small bodies in the Solar System. 

For more information:
[email protected])

You are receiving this email because you are a DPS member. To unsubscribe or update your information, please send your request to [email protected]. The more general AAS privacy policy is available online at https://aas.org/about/policies/privacy-policy. Current and back issues of the DPS Newsletter can be found at newsletters

Issue 21-01, January 11, 2021
+————————————CONTENTS—————————————-+

1. CALL FOR DPS 2021 PRIZE NOMINATIONS
2. ICARUS NEWS: NEW EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
3. NASA TOWN HALL FOR ‘NO DUE DATE’ POLICY
4. IN MEMORIAM: GEORGE CARRUTHERS (1939 – 2020)
5. JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES

+——————————————————————————————–+

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CALL FOR DPS 2021 PRIZE NOMINATIONS
 
Deadline: April 1, 2021
 
Every year the DPS recognizes exceptional achievement in our field. Please consider nominating a respected colleague for one of the annual DPS prizes. 
 
The DPS sponsors five prizes:
 
The Gerard P. Kuiper Prize [prizes/kuiper] recognizes and honors outstanding contributors to the field of planetary science.

The Claudia J. Alexander Prize [prizes/alexander] recognizes excellence and achievements by a mid-career scientist. 

The Harold C. Urey Prize [prizes/urey] recognizes and encourages outstanding achievements in planetary research by an early-career scientist.

The Harold Masursky Award [prizes/masursky] recognizes and honors individuals who have rendered outstanding service to planetary science and exploration through – but not limited to – engineering, managerial, programmatic, editorial, or public service activities.

The Carl Sagan Medal [prizes/sagan] recognizes and honors outstanding communication by an active planetary scientist to the general public.

The Jonathan Eberhart Planetary Sciences Journalism Award [prizes/eberhart] recognizes and stimulates distinguished popular writing on planetary sciences.
 
DPS members and the planetary science community-at-large are encouraged to submit nominations for DPS prizes.
 
A complete nomination submitted by the deadline will be considered by the DPS Prize subcommittee for 3 years (i.e. for this year’s award, next year’s award, and the year after that), or for the duration of a candidate’s eligibility, whichever is less. Please fill out the nomination form [prizes/eberhart#Nomination], and it will be submitted to the prize subcommittee. The Eberhart Award has different rules and procedures than the other DPS Prizes, please see its page [prizes/eberhart-nomination-form] for more information. 
 
Scroll to the bottom of prizes for rules and procedures.
 
Questions: Email [email protected]

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ICARUS NEWS: NEW EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS

We are pleased to announce two new Editorial Board members of Icarus, David Nesvorny and Julie Brisset. We thank our former Editorial Board members Athena Coustenis and Kevin Hand for their service.
 
David Nesvorny is an Institute Scientist at the Department of Space Studies of the Southwest Research Institute. Dr. Nesvorny conducts research in planetary science by building theoretical models for the formation and early evolution of planets and planetesimals. He has developed methods for the exoplanet detection from transit timing variations.
 
Julie Brisset is a research scientist at the Florida Space Institute (FSI) of the University of Central Florida (UCF), where she works on dust behavior under microgravity conditions for the study of planet formation and regolith. She earned her Master degrees in Aerospace Engineering in 2005 from the ISAE in Toulouse, France and the Technical University of Munich, Germany. After working for several years as an aerospace engineer on ESA ISS payload operations, she started graduate studies in astrophysics at the University of Braunschweig, Germany and received her Ph.D. in 2014. Until 2016, she was a PostDoc researcher at UCF’s Center for Microgravity Research.

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NASA TOWN HALL FOR ‘NO DUE DATE’ POLICY

NASA’s Planetary Science Division will hold a virtual Town Hall meeting on Thursday January 21, 2021 at 1:00 pm ET to discuss  the rollout plan for the elimination of due dates for seven R&A programs (SSO, SSW, EW, PICASSO, PDART, LARS, and Exobiology). These programs will be run under a new No Due Date (NoDD) model, which has been successfully demonstrated by multiple groups at the National Science Foundation.
More information including how to participate is available at:
https://science.nasa.gov/researchers/NoDD
 
https://nasaenterprise.webex.com/nasaenterprise/j.php?MTID=m7b38428f5d8cbba9877dd28055ec460c

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IN MEMORIAM: GEORGE CARRUTHERS (1939 – 2020)

Dr. George Carruthers was an accomplished astrophysicist and engineer, with many contributions to astrophysics and planetary science, and one of only a few African Americans working in the early U.S. space program. He was the principal designer of an ultraviolet camera/spectrograph that went to the moon as part of NASA’s Apollo 16 mission in 1972, in an effort to examine Earth’s atmosphere and the composition of interstellar space, for which he was awarded NASA’s Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal. He continued his instrument development and science research at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory through 2002, when he became a professor at Howard University. His accomplishments included development of an instrument with two far-UV cameras used on the STS-39 space shuttle mission, in 1991, and the first detection of molecular hydrogen in space, via a sounding rocket in 1970. Dr. Carruthers earned many awards for his work, including a National Medal of Technology and Innovation awarded by President Obama. Dr. Carruthers will be remembered as an amazing scientist, engineer, professor and mentor. In particular, he was highly engaged with the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP). He passed on December 26, 2020, at the age of 81. 
 
Notice of Dr. Carruther’s passing from NSBP: https://nsbp.org/news/545345/Dr.-George-Carruthers-Passed-Away.htm
Notice of Dr. Carruther’s passing from NASA: https://www.nasa.gov/image-feature/looking-back-dr-george-carruthers-and-apollo-16-far-ultraviolet-cameraspectrograph 

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JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES

     A) Postdoctoral Scholar Position, Exoplanet Habitability with Aomawa Shields, UC Irvine

planets.ucf.edu or contact the group member closest to your interests.

UCF offers a research-intensive PhD.  Students join research groups upon admission, and a submitted lead-author paper is a candidacy requirement.  UCF has laboratory facilities for regolith, microgravity, and meteorite studies as well as cubesat and ground-based instrumentation.  UCF research instruments have flown on numerous suborbital rockets and the ISS.  Our scientific staff in Puerto Rico leads the effort to rebuild Arecibo and operate its LIDAR and other instruments.  We have strong academic and research mentoring programs, participate in the APS Bridge program, and have strong research ties with NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.  Application review begins 15 January and continues until positions are filled. We are strongly committed to inclusion and diversity.

     C) Research Experiences for Undergraduates in Planetary Sciences

The DPS maintains a website with information for REU Sites that provide summer opportunities in the planetary sciences for undergraduate students. Deadlines for these programs are typically in early February. The website is found here: education/reu-programs

———————————+
Send submissions to:
Maria Womack, DPS Secretary ([email protected])

You are receiving this email because you are a DPS member. To unsubscribe or update your information, please send your request to [email protected]. The more general AAS privacy policy is available online at https://aas.org/about/policies/privacy-policy. Current and back issues of the DPS Newsletter can be found at newsletters

Issue 20-52, December 20, 2020

+————————————CONTENTS—————————————-+

1. MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
2. UPDATE ON NASA R&A STATUS
3. SBAG SECOND CALL FOR EARLY CAREER LIGHTNING TALKS
4. ACS SYMPOSIUM ANNOUNCEMENT: ASTROCHEMICAL COMPLEXITY IN PLANETARY SYSTEMS
5. IN MEMORIAM: KOICHIRO TSURUDA (1937-2020)
6. JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES

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MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

 

As we approach the end of 2020, it’s a good time to reflect and look ahead. 2020 has demonstrated unequivocally the importance of science in all aspects of society. As scientists, we play a key role in advocating for science-based decision-making in our communities. The connections you make with friends, neighbors, and leaders to help them understand the scientific enterprise are vital. It’s not just about sharing our love of planetary science, it’s about sharing the tools of science – critical thinking, impartial evaluation of evidence – that allow people to dispel conspiracy theories and make logical decisions. Thank you for all that you do to bring science to your communities: it matters.

 

The DPS membership’s strength and resilience are apparent in the breadth and scope of planetary science being accomplished in spite of truly challenging circumstances, and in the care people in our community are taking for one another. The highs have been very high, including the first fresh sample from a low-albedo near-Earth object brought safely back to Earth by the Hayabusa2 team, the OSIRIS-REx team’s sample collection from asteroid Bennu, the daring Chang’E lunar sample return mission, the launch of Mars 2020, and many others.

 

The lows have been very low indeed, revealing the cracks in our society caused by inequities along many axes, such as economic and racial injustice and violence. Science is a human process, and the scientific community is not immune from these problems. Efforts to recover from the pandemic must involve addressing these issues, and as a professional society, DPS can and should play an important role in this work.

 

It’s heartening to see DPS members rallying to help each other out in countless ways big and small. As we leave 2020 behind (thankfully) and look ahead to 2021, let’s stay connected and keep checking in with our friends and colleagues to lend a supportive virtual shoulder and ask for theirs in return. Exercise more kindness for yourself and others. Our community is our strength.

 

Stay safe and keep well.

 

Amy Mainzer

 

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UPDATE ON NASA R&A STATUS

 

NASA has presented new data on its research and analysis programs at the recent Planetary Advisory Committee meeting. The presentation slides are publicly available at:

https://www.lpi.usra.edu/pac/presentations/1120/

 

The DPS Committee encourages review of the materials. We would like to collect feedback on them so that we may refine our strategies for advocacy within the Federal Relations Subcommittee (FRS). Please send comments to the DPS Committee by January 15, 2021. If you are interested in working with the FRS to help work on advocacy, please contact the FRS Subcommittee Officer, Kurt Retherford. You can find contact information for the DPS officers here:

leadership/officers

 

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SBAG SECOND CALL FOR EARLY CAREER LIGHTNING TALKS

 

The 24th Meeting of the NASA Small Bodies Assessment Group (SBAG) is scheduled for January 26-27, 2021.

https://urldefense.us/v3/__https:/www.lpi.usra.edu/sbag/meetings/

The meeting includes time 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]), by COB on January 12. 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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ACS SYMPOSIUM ANNOUNCEMENT: ASTROCHEMICAL COMPLEXITY IN PLANETARY SYSTEMS

 

We are delighted to announce that the American Chemical Society symposium: “Astrochemical Complexity in Planetary Systems” is back on, and will be held online during April 5th-16th 2021. The aim is to bring together laboratory, theoretical and observational astrochemists with planetary scientists, to generate insights into the origins of chemical complexity in planetary systems. To submit an abstract for a talk or poster, please visit https://callforabstracts.acs.org/acsspring2021/PHYS before January 19th.

 

Session topics include:

* Chemical Complexity in the Interstellar Medium

* Experimental Techniques for Astrochemistry

* Chemistry of Protoplanetary Disks and Comets

* Complex Chemistry in the Saturnian System

* The Inner Solar System, Asteroids & Meteorites

* Astrobiology & The Prebiotic Earth

* Emerging Techniques for Sample Analysis

 

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IN MEMORIAM: KOICHIRO TSURUDA (1937-2020)

 

From Masato Nakamura/ISAS:

Professor Koichiro Tsuruda passed away on the morning of December 3, 2020, at the age of 83. After conducting VLF observations and research, Dr. Tsuruda created a new method of electric field measurement and installed it on the S-520-9 sounding rocket, the Akebono satellite, and the Geotail satellite, which was a major break-through in solar system plasma science research. He also served as the Director of the Institute of Space and Astronautical Science (ISAS) from 2003 to 2005 and guided the Institute through the difficult period just after it was integrated into the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Dr. Tsuruda had both a gentle personality and a strong resilience in his spirit, and many people loved him. He suffered from Parkinson’s disease in his later years, but he passed away peacefully at home with his family watching over him.

 

From Jim Green/NASA:

As a young NASA researcher who was the deputy Project Scientist on the Global Geospace Science set of satellites I had the pleasure of traveling to ISAS and working with the Geotail scientists where I met Dr. Tsuruda. I was already very familiar with his seminal Akebono wave papers. He was an outstanding scientist who took time to explain a number of key plasma wave concepts to me that I will never forget. We again met when he headed ISAS guiding that nation’s robotic space program with extensive knowledge and skill and forming long lasting relationships with NASA. He is one of our original space pioneers and will be missed.

 

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JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES, OPPORTUNITIES

 

A) POSTDOCTORAL SCHOLAR

Work on Vera Rubin Observatory solar system discovery pipelines and system commissioning. Job opening extended to 5pm PST on Dec. 24th. https://jobregister.aas.org/ad/cd75520f

 

B) POSTDOCTORAL ASSOCIATE AT LOWELL OBSERVATORY

 

Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona is currently seeking applications for a Postdoctoral Associate in Near-Earth Objects Studies.

 

https://lowell.edu/about/employment/

 

Inquiries may be sent to Catie Blazek at [email protected]

 

C) [NASA] GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH: FUTURE INVESTIGATORS IN NASA EARTH AND SPACE SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY (FINESST) UPDATE & REMINDERS 

 

1. A summary document from the optional, pre-proposal teleconference held November 17, 2020, is now available on NSPIRES under “Other Documents.” NOTE: The teleconference summary is not a verbatim transcript. For the reader’s convenience, images of the slides (charts) are added to make it unnecessary to open a separate file. Clarifying annotations have been added along with an appendix with questions and answers (Q&A) received during and in the days following the call through December 14, 2020.

 

2. Reminder: Proposals to FINESST are due by February 4, 2021.

 

Through FINESST, the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) solicits proposals from accredited U.S. universities and other eligible organizations for graduate student-designed and performed research projects that contribute to SMD’s science, technology, and exploration goals funded by the Astrophysics, Earth Science, Heliophysics andPlanetary Science Divisions. Not all SMD Divisions participate in FINESST. The teleconference summary is posted at the FINESST research opportunity homepage at:

 

https://go.nasa.gov/2TNvEmI

 

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Send submissions to:

Maria Womack, DPS Secretary ([email protected])

 

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