I hope everyone had a chance to have some down-time with family and friends and perhaps also work hard and focus on something scientific over the holidays. I'm optimistic that we will continue to have the opportunity to pursue exploration of our Solar System and other planetary systems in the year to come, and here's why.
In October, Thomas Zurbuchen was appointed Associate Administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. He comes with broad scientific and organizational leadership experience and I'm encouraged by his leadership already. Last week, NASA announced that two missions were selected to proceed into development in the Discovery Program and a few weeks before that the Announcement of Opportunity for the New Frontiers Program was released. That and a strong Research and Analysis Program provide many opportunities for scientific investigations in our fields of research.
The NASA transition team has landed and is actively preparing for the new administration. Full speed ahead!
Next week we'll open a lottery for 30 free subscriptions to Icarus, the Journal of Solar System research published by Elsevier. At the link, you'll enter your name and a few sentences stating why you want the subscription and that you don't have access to an institutional subscription.
The DPS Committee is in the process of analyzing the exit poll from the Pasadena meeting, for the purpose of improving the meeting to be held in Provo Utah, October 15-20, 2017. Stand-by for that analysis, and thanks to the 353 of the >1400 attendees who responded.
Lucy McFadden
DPS Chair