The DPS runs on the efforts of volunteers. We are currently soliciting volunteers for the various positions described below.
In addition to the elected positions, the DPS Committee appoints additional officers that serve for fixed terms. We as a society have had the good fortune to have Andrew Rivkin serve us as our Treasurer since 2011, and Vishnu Reddy serve as our Press Officer since 2010. Both are stepping down at the completion of their present terms.
As the DPS committee considers potential new Treasurers and Press Officers, we want to cast a wide net as possible. To that end if you, or someone who you know, would be both capable and willing to serve the DPS in one of these capacities, then please let us know by emailing me at DPS.Chair@aas.org .
The job of the Treasurer is to track the Division's finances, participate in DPS Committee discussions and business, and to pay claimants from the DPS accounts when needed. The Press Officer's primary duties occur during the annual meeting where they must organize daily press briefings. Lately the job has also included considerable time during the year to coordinate with the DPS Committee, oversee deliberations for the Eberhart Award, and to field press inquiries to the DPS on planetary topics. Both of these officers participate in two DPS Committee telecons per month and attend an annual 2-day DPS Committee meeting in Washington, DC. Both the Treasurer and Press Officer serve for 3-year terms.
The DPS Committee is creating a Subcommittee on Harassment to keep up the momentum from Christina Richey's Masursky Prize lecture at our recent meeting. The charge of this new subcommittee will be to investigate concrete actions that the DPS can take to ensure that our field's professional climate allows for success based solely on scientific merit. I envision that this subcommittee will be populated by a diverse set of creative-thinking DPS Members, so I encourage both men and women as well as junior and well-established people to volunteer (send an email to DPS.Chair@aas.org).
Now's not the time to be shy; if you would be willing to actively contribute to the DPS, please let us know!
Jason W. Barnes
DPS Chair