Date: Wed, 7 Jun 2006 12:25:04 -0500
Subject: DPS Mailing #06-12: Slate of Candidates for DPS Election...
Greetings, DPS members,
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1) Slate of Candidates for 2006 DPS Election
2) Enceladus Focus Group
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CANDIDATE SLATE FOR 2006 DPS ELECTION
The Nominating Subcommittee, chaired by Rosaly Lopes, has prepared
the following slate of candidates for the next election:
Vice-Chair: Michael J. Mumma (NASA Goddard)
S. Alan Stern (Southwest Research Institute)
Committee: Athena Coustenis (Obs. De Paris--Meudon)
Simon Mitton (University of Cambridge)
Marla Moore (NASA Goddard)
Adam Showman (University of Arizona)
The bylaws provide for the possibility to add candidates by petition.
If you wish to nominate a candidate, I must receive a petition, signed
by at least 20 DPS members (regular or affiliate, but not junior), along
with a statement from the candidate expressing willingness to serve
if elected, by July 8.
This year, following the successful AAS election conducted primarily
via the web, DPS members will have the option of voting online. Voting
will commence in July; the precise dates and instructions for voting
will be forthcoming. Those who wish to vote using paper ballots can
send me email to that effect, and their ballots will be processed
as in previous years. Voting by email will NOT be an option this year.
Please do not attempt to vote online until you have received
further instructions via the e-news.
Many thanks to the Nominating Subcommittee for their hard work and
to the candidates for their willingness to serve.
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ENCELADUS FOCUS GROUP
Following on the recent Cassini discoveries of geysers, organics, and
excess heat emanating from the south polar terrain of Enceladus, and
the exciting implications of these findings for possible subterranean
chambers of liquid water, we are forming an Enceladus Focus group to
begin a community-wide conversation about this fascinating moon.
The goal is to provide a forum devoted to the dissemination and
in-depth discussion of recent Enceladus observations, and their
bearing on the interior/thermal structure and history, geologic
history, chemistry, geyser mechanisms, and other physical properties
and processes, all with an eye towards examining Enceladus as a
body of astrobiological interest and a target for future
planetary exploration.
This group will also consider the questions:
What future observations should be made with Cassini in its extended
mission that would be useful for astrobiological investigations?
What should be the goals and mission scenarios of future robotic
exploration of Enceladus?
If you are interested in being a part of this discussion, please
send an email to
majordomo @ ciclops.org
with the following in the body of the email:
subscribe EnceladusFocus
This will put you on an email list, which is the first step.
If there is sufficient interest, the plan would be to hold our
inaugural meeting at the upcoming October DPS meeting.
We hope you join us.
Carolyn Porco, CICLOPS/Space Science Institute, Boulder, CO
Chris McKay, NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA