Dear DPS membership,
The DPS Committee has been working to implement policies to ease the strains the community is feeling as a result of the coronavirus. Please reach out (DPS.Chair@aas.org) if there are further areas in which we can help to support you.
Stay safe and healthy,
Amanda Hendrix
DPS Chair
1. Planning for October meeting in Spokane
These days, many meetings are (understandably) being cancelled, postponed or turned into virtual gatherings. In these uncertain times, the DPS leadership is keeping an eye on the COVID-19 situation in light of our annual meeting in October. We are keeping in close contact with AAS leadership and meeting planning staff with regard to plans for our meeting in Spokane. We are currently moving forward with plans to hold the annual DPS meeting in Spokane in October, 2020. Members of the Spokane LOC recently visited the Spokane Convention Center and reported that the site promises to be great.
You may have heard that the June AAS meeting in Madison has been converted to a fully remote/virtual meeting. If necessary, we will consider whether such measures need to be taken for the DPS meeting. For now, we are holding fast and moving forward with plans. Keep an eye on the Spokane meeting website (https://aas.org/meetings/dps52) for updates, and we anticipate that abstracts will be due in the usual ~July timeframe.
2. COVID-19 Resources for the Planetary Community
The DPS Committee has established a website (https://dps.aas.org/covid19-resources) of resources that may be of assistance to members during the coronavirus crisis. Because cancelled in-person conferences can hinder job-seekers looking to make connections, the website allows members to view job postings as well as to post links to contact info and CVs. We also provide links to resources for researchers and teachers adapting to online work. Please let us know if you have additional resources they would like us to post.
3. Delay in DPS Prize Nomination Submissions
Submissions for DPS prize nomination packages are now due April 15. We have pushed out the deadline by 2 weeks to support those dealing with coronavirus-related issues. Please see https://dps.aas.org/prizes for information about prizes and nominate your colleagues!
22 Mar 2020