Subject: [DPS Members] DPS Mailing #09-16: 2009 Meeting, Decadal Survey, Telecope proposals... Issue 09-16, September 28th 2009 +-----------------------------CONTENTS--------------------------------+ 1) 2009 DPS Meeting: Updates for Attendees 2) Decadal Survey Update 3) NASA IRTF Proposals Due October 1st 4) NOAO 2010A Observing Proposals Due September 30th 5) DPS 2008 Concert DVDs Available 6) ASP Resource Guide to the Moon for Educators 7) 2010 Sagan Fellowships 8) Job Announcements 9) Upcoming Meetings +---------------------------------------------------------------------+ 1---------1---------1---------1---------1---------1---------1---------1 2009 DPS MEETING: UPDATES FOR ATTENDEES DPS Meeting website: http://dps09.naic.edu 1. DPS Business Meeting: The public DPS business meeting will be on Monday, 8 pm to 10 pm, and will include an open discussion of the philosophy for future DPS conference locations. 2. Carbon neutrality fund: Please consider a $30 donation to the carbon neutrality fund for the 2009 DPS meeting to offset its environmental impact. As was the case last year, the money will be used to purchase Reneweable Energy Credits which will enable new construction of renewable energy facilities. Contributions can be made during on-site registration or, if you have already registered, separately at the registration desk. 3. Hotels: Reservations are now closed for El Conquistador and the Fajardo Inn. If you do not have a reservation, please contact Laronda Boyce at [email protected] for assistance. 4. Workshops: The workshop schedule is available at http://dps09.naic.edu/events.shtml. If you have questions about your workshop, please contact Lisa Idem at [email protected]. 5. Midweek Tours: Due to low participation the Catamaran and Snorkeling trips have been canceled. Space is still available for the Old San Juan Walking tour and the El Yunque Rainforest tour. Please visit http://dps09.naic.edu/activities.shtml for more information. 6. Accessing the Internet During the Meeting The Cyber Cafe will be located next to the Registration Desk, and will provide computers for Internet access. In addition to the Cyber Café, wireless internet will be available for use during the meeting. Wireless hot spots will be located throughout most of the public areas of the meeting. The wireless signal name (SSID) and username/password will be printed on the back of your badge. 7. Attendee Badges During the Meeting El Conquistador is a public building, and we cannot control the traffic flow throughout the building. To make sure that the meeting is a safe and enjoyable experience for all attending, we are asking that attendee badges be worn and visible at all times. See you in Fajardo! 2---------2---------2---------2---------2---------2---------2---------2 DECADAL SURVEY UPDATE See http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/CurrentProjects/ssb_052412 The community's response to the request for decadal white papers was remarkable: 199 papers were submitted by the September 15th deadline, and these are now being digested by the survey panels and steering group. All of them can be viewed at http://www8.nationalacademies.org/ssbsurvey/publicview.aspx A reminder that there are several activities at the 2009 DPS meeting related to the decadal survey. These include: * Plenary Town Hall meeting 11:00am - 12:30pm, Monday * Satellites of the Outer Planets Panel: Public Meeting 12:45pm - 2:00pm, Monday * Special White Paper Poster Session 11:00am - 12:30pm, Tuesday * Giant Planets Panel: Community Workshop 12:00pm - 1:30pm, Tuesday * Inner Planets panel: Public meeting 12:00pm - 1:30pm, Tuesday * Debating Priorities for the Decadal Survey in the Area of Primitive Bodies 12:30pm - 2:00pm, Wednesday Updates are posted at http://dps09.naic.edu/decadal.shtml 3---------3---------3---------3---------3---------3---------3---------3 NASA IRTF PROPOSALS DUE OCTOBER 1ST See http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/observing/applicationForms.php Due date for NASA Infrared Telescope Facility proposals for the 1 February 2010 to 31 July 2010 semester is Thursday, 1 October 2009. Available instruments include: (1) SpeX, a 1-5 micron cross-dispersed medium-resolution spectrograph (up to R=2,500); (2) CSHELL, a 1-5 micron high-resolution spectrograph (up to R=40,000); (3) MIRSI, a 5 to 25 micron camera and low-resolution spectrometer (R=100 to 200); (4) NSFCAM2, a 2048x2048 pixel, 1-5 micron camera with a 0.04 arcsec/pixel scale and a circular variable filter; and (5) PI-instruments including a low-resolution 3-14 micron spectrograph and high-resolution spectrographs for 8-25 microns. Information on available instruments can be found at: http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/Facility/ 4---------4---------4---------4---------4---------4---------4---------4 NOAO 2010A OBSERVING PROPOSALS DUE SEPTEMBER 30TH Proposal forms and information for observing time requests for the 2010A semester (February - July 2010) at Gemini North and South, Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory, Kitt Peak National Observatory, and for Community-Access time with the Hale, MMT, Magellan, and CHARA telescopes are available at: http://www.noao.edu/gateway/propinfo.html Standard observing proposals for all facilities available through NOAO in 2010A are due by Wednesday evening, 30 September 2009, 11:59pm MST. 5---------5---------5---------5---------5---------5---------5---------5 DPS 2008 CONCERT DVDS AVAILABLE DVDs of part of the concert performed at last year's DPS meeting are available for $15 by mail, or can be purchased at this year's meeting. The DVD contains “Anillos”, a percussion concerto that celebrated the Cassini Huygens mission as performed by the Cornell orchestra; selected images from the mission are shown while the music is being performed. The video contains interviews with Roberto Sierra, the Puerto Rican composer of the concerto who is chair of Cornell's department of music, and Joe Burns, a member of Cassini's imaging team and a Cornell faculty member. It has images from the exhibit "Spectacular Saturn" and links to several web sites for additional information. The DVDs would make perfect holiday stocking stuffers for friends and family. To order by mail, send a check for $15 per DVD to Elizabeth Bilson, 132 North Sunset Drive, Ithaca, New York 14850. Please include your mailing and e-mail addresses. 6---------6---------6---------6---------6---------6---------6---------6 ASP RESOURCE GUIDE TO THE MOON FOR EDUCATORS An annotated list of resources for helping students and the public to understand and appreciate the Moon is now available on the web site of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific at: http://www.astrosociety.org/education/family/resources/moonguide.html The guide -- for educators, amateur astronomers, and everyone who would like to know more about the Earth's only natural satellite -- covers our scientific understanding of the Moon as a world, the appearance of the Moon in our skies, and tips for observing the Moon through binoculars or small telescopes. It also suggests a few ways to learn more about the Moon in popular culture and historical events. 7---------7---------7---------7---------7---------7---------7---------7 2010 SAGAN FELLOWSHIPS The NASA Exoplanet Science Institute announces the 2010 Sagan Postdoctoral Fellowship Program and solicits applications for fellowships to begin in the fall of 2010. The Sagan Fellowships support outstanding recent postdoctoral scientists to conduct independent research that is broadly related to the science goals of the NASA Exoplanet Exploration area. The primary goal of missions within this program is to discover and characterize planetary systems and Earth-like planets around nearby stars. The proposed research may be theoretical, observational, or instrumental. This program is open to applicants of any nationality who have earned (or will have earned) their doctoral degrees on or after January 1, 2007, in astronomy, physics, or related disciplines. The fellowships are tenable at U.S. host institutions of the fellows' choice, subject to a maximum of one new fellow per host institution per year. The duration of the fellowship is up to three years: an initial one-year appointment and two annual renewals contingent on satisfactory performance and availability of NASA funds. The Announcement of Opportunity, which includes detailed program policies and application instructions is available at the web site: http://nexsci.caltech.edu/sagan/fellowship.shtml Applicants must follow the instructions given in this Announcement. Applications must be submitted electronically through the above website. Inquiries about the Sagan Fellowships may be directed to [email protected]. The deadline for both applications and letters of reference is Thursday, November 5, 2009. Offers will be made before February 1, 2010, and new appointments are expected to begin on or about September 1, 2010. 8---------8---------8---------8---------8---------8---------8---------8 JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS 1) NASA Goddard Planetary Science and Data Management position The Solar System Exploration Division at Goddard Space Flight Center seeks a highly skilled individual to serve as a Space Scientist specializing in planetary studies and science data management. The applicant will provide leadership in management and oversight of scientific data coming through the Planetary Data System (PDS) within the Solar System Exploration Division Data Services Office (code 690.1). The incumbent serves as deputy to the PDS Program Manager within the Solar System Exploration Data Services Office. This is a Full-Time Term (6 year) civil servant appointment. The applicant must possess a skill range that includes planetary science research, program and/or project management, and use and maintenance of standards for managing, archiving and distributing planetary science data. He/she will document and report study results to management in areas such as planetary space science. The individual selected to fill this position will conduct scientific research in planetary science, such as using data archived in PDS. In addition, he/she will consult with all levels of management, Headquarters personnel, other federal agencies and NASA supported missions. This vacancy is being filled through NASA STARS; apply for the position (GS10D0001) at USAJOBS.com beginning Oct 1, 2009. Contact Ed Grayzeck, [email protected] 2) Postdoctoral position, Northern Arizona University The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Northern Arizona University (NAU) seeks an outstanding postdoctoral scholar to work with Professor David Trilling in studies of small bodies in the Solar System, and in particular of the Kuiper Belt. Candidates should have a Ph.D. in astronomy, physics, planetary science, or related field. Desired skills include familiarity with optical and/or infrared observations, large observational datasets, and/or the Kuiper Belt and Kuiper Belt Objects. The successful candidate will work on projects of mutual interest with Professor Trilling and will also lead independent research projects. NAU has full competitive access to all University of Arizona Observatories facilities, including the 6.5-meter MMT and Magellan telescopes, the 2x8.4-meter LBT telescopes, and numerous smaller telescopes. The appointment is expected to be two years with a third year possible. NAU offers an excellent benefits package to postdoctoral scholars. Flagstaff is a beautiful town of 60,000 people nestled at the base of the San Francisco Peaks in northern Arizona and features four seasons of outdoor activities. The Department of Physics and Astronomy is a small, friendly group. To apply, please visit the NAU HR web page http://hr.nau.edu/m/content/view/797/550/ and search for position #558129. Northern Arizona University is a committed Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Institution. Women, minorities, veterans and individuals with disabilities are encouraged to apply. NAU is responsive to the needs of dual career couples. 9---------9---------9---------9---------9---------9---------9---------9 UPCOMING MEETINGS 1) Faraday Discussion 147: Chemistry of the Planets,14 - 16 June 2010 Saint Jacut de la Mer, Brittany, France www.rsc.org/FD147 Call for oral abstracts deadline - 2 October 2009 The event aims to build on the history of successful Faraday Discussions in the area of Astrochemistry (1992, 1998 and 2006), this time focusing on the theme of chemistry of extraterrestrial planets. Themes include: * Planetary exploration: present and future * Ground-based and remote experimental techniques for planetary chemistry * Chemistry of exoplanets * Chemistry of extraterrestrial atmospheres * Surface chemistry, surface - atmosphere interactions and volcanism * Planetary atmospheric aerosols The following invited speakers will be presenting their work at the discussion: Sushil Atreya (Michigan, USA), Darrell Strobel (Baltimore, USA), Nigel Adams (Georgia, USA), Sébastien Le Picard (Rennes, France), Jonathan Lunine (Arizona, USA), Steve Miller (London, UK), Julianne Moses (Houston, USA), François Raulin (Paris, France), Giovanna Tinetti (London, UK) and Roger Yelle (Arizona, USA). The latest ISI citation data give Faraday Discussions an impact factor of 4.6, emphasising their importance as a forum for developing exciting new ideas. For your chance to be published in the journal and discuss your work at the conference submit an abstract for oral presentation. Abstracts for oral presentation (max 1x A4 page) are invited by 2 October 2009 to [email protected] with ‘FD147 abstract’ in the subject line. Abstracts for poster presentation are welcome until 16 April 2010. For further information visit www.rsc.org/FD147 RSC Conferences Tel: 01223 432254 / 432380 Email: [email protected] +---------------------------------------------------------------------+