Newsletter 15-24

Issue 15-24, June 4, 2015

 

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  1. DPS MEMBER WILLIAM J. BORUCKI WINS 2015 SHAW PRIZE IN ASTRONOMY
  2. SMALL BODIES ASSESSMENT GROUP (SBAG) OPEN POSITIONS
  3. JOBS/POSITIONS OPPORTUNITIES
  4. UPCOMING MEETINGS & WORKSHOPS

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DPS MEMBER WILLIAM J. BORUCKI WINS 2015 SHAW PRIZE IN ASTRONOMY

 

Congratulations to DPS member William J. Borucki of NASA Ames Research

Center who was announced on Monday as the 2015 winner of the Shaw Prize in

Astronomy for his conceiving and leading the Kepler mission, which greatly

advanced knowledge of both extrasolar planetary systems and stellar interiors. 

When contacted, he said of winning the prize that “it has been a pleasure to see the

science community use the Kepler results to produce a cornucopia of discoveries.” 

The Shaw Prize (http://www.shawprize.org/) has been called “The Asian Nobel”,

and has awarded prizes of $1,000,000 in Astronomy, Biology, and Mathematics

since 2002.  Present DPS members who have prevously won the Shaw Prize include

Geoff Marcy in 2005 and Peter Goldreich in 2007.

 

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SMALL BODIES ASSESSMENT GROUP (SBAG) OPEN POSITIONS

 

Dear SBAG community,

 

The SBAG Steering Committee is composed of members that represent the

diverse nature of the SBAG community, and each member serves a multi-year

term. There are three positions open on the SBAG Steering Committee starting

in August 2015. We are looking for candidates in the following areas:

 

* SBAG Technology Lead – Responsible for leading SBAG roadmap activities

related to technology, for contributing technology input to guide SBAG meeting

agendas, and for providing technology expertise at SBAG meetings and Steering

Committee discussions. Three-year term.

 

* Comet Science Expert – Serve as a SBAG Steering Committee member and

provide specific expertise on topics and issues related to cometary science, to

complement the expertise of the continuing Steering Committee members.

Three-year term.

 

* Early Career Secretary – An individual who recently received an advanced

degree or an exceptional graduate student, with responsibilities to assist the chair

with logistical details associated with SBAG and SBAG meetings. Two-year term.

 

To indicate your willingness to serve in any of these positions, please email

Nancy Chabot ([email protected]) and include a CV by June 22, 2015.

 

Best wishes,

Nancy Chabot

SBAG Chair

http://www.lpi.usra.edu/sbag/

 

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JOBS/POSITIONS OPPORTUNITIES
 

A) POST-DOCTORAL POSITION FOR MARS COLOR/PHOTOMETRY

 

Applicants are invited to apply for a postdoctoral position associated 

with MRO’s High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE), located 

at the Lunar and Planetary Laboratory at the University of Arizona. 

The research emphasis will be on surface and atmospheric photometric 

normalization and color analysis, leading to new standard and special 

data products, and related research. This work is also needed in 

preparation for the Colour and Stereo Surface Imaging System (CaSSIS) 

on the ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter.

 

Experience in remote sensing and image processing is required. 

Independent research is also encouraged in other areas related to 

planetary geology and surface processes. Work on terrestrial or other 

planetary analogs and quantitative studies using digital topography, 

spectral imaging, and other data are encouraged. Experience in analysis 

of Mars remote-sensing datasets is desirable. Researchers with primary 

experience and training in terrestrial remote sensing are welcome.

 

To apply, go to: 

 

https://www.uacareertrack.com/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp?time=1432754767378

 

For further information contact Alfred McEwen ([email protected]

or Shane Byrne ([email protected])

 

B) FREELANCE EDITORS – EARTH, ATMOSPHERIC AND PLANETARY SCIENCES

 

Deadline:  June 29, 2015

 

content/freelance-editors-earth-atmospheric-and-planetary-sciences

 

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UPCOMING MEETINGS & WORKSHOPS

 

A) ESO Workshop, Garching, Germany, 30 November – 4 December 2015

 

The objective of this workshop is to prepare that part of the community

interested in Solar System research for making the best use of the Extremely

Large Telescopes (ELTs). In complement to many successful space planetary

missions, ground-based observations are still essential for understanding the

physico-chemical properties of Solar System objects.

The workshop coincides with the end of the primary mission of three potentially

pivotal interplanetary space missions, Rosetta with the first landing on a comet, 

New Horizons with the first visit to a trans-Neptunian dwarf planet and DAWN 

now in orbit around Ceres. The main objective is to prepare the planetology

community to make the best use of the new generation of ELTs and special emphasis

will also be given to other ground-based facilities (e.g., ALMA) and to ground

and space synergies. A second objective will be to review the specific constraints

raised by Solar System observations with the E-ELT (e.g., as examples of fast

moving objecs), and to address relevant recommendations to the E-ELT Project Office.

More details can be found on the workshop webpage or by email.

The deadline for abstract submission has been extended to 30 June 2015 and

 the registration deadline is 31 October 2015.

 

The webpage is: www.eso.org/sci/meetings/2015/solsys2015.html

 

B) LUNAR AND SMALL BODIES GRADUATE CONFERENCE 2015 –

ANNOUNCEMENT AND ABSTRACT SUBMISSION DEADLINE

 

Registration is now open for the 6th Annual Lunar and Small Bodies

Graduate Conference (LunGradCon 2015) to be held on Monday, July 20,

2015 at the NASA Ames Research Center, preceding the NASA Exploration

Science Forum (ESF). With the expanded interests of the Solar System

Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), the scope of this year’s

LunGradCon is expanded to include both lunar and small bodies science.

LunGradCon provides an opportunity for grad students and early-career

postdocs to present their research on lunar and small body science in a

low-stress, friendly environment, being critiqued only by their peers. In

addition to oral presentations, the conference presents opportunities for

professional development and networking with fellow grad students and

postdocs, as well as senior members of SSERVI. A limited amount of

funding will be provided for travel and lodging costs. The deadline for

registration and abstract submission is June 5th 2015, 11:59 PM PDT.

 

For more details, please visit:

http://impact.colorado.edu/lungradcon/2015/

or email any questions to: [email protected].

 

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Send submissions to:

Anne Verbiscer, DPS Secretary ([email protected]

 

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Anne J. Verbiscer
Research Associate Professor
Department of Astronomy
University of Virginia
Charlottesville, Virginia 22904-4325