Issue 17-10, March 5, 2017
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- MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR: CALL FOR 2017 DPS PRIZE NOMINATIONS
- NOMINATIONS FOR NASA PLANETARY SCIENCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (PAC) DUE MARCH 31, 2017
- APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE 2017 JOHN N. BAHCALL PUBLIC POLICY FELLOWSHIP
- 2017B NASA IRTF CALL FOR PROPOSALS
- ROADMAPS TO OCEAN WORLDS (ROW) TOWNHALL AT LPSC
- SUMMER SCHOOL “IMPACTS AND THEIR ROLE IN THE EVOLUTION OF LIFE”
- UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND MEETINGS
- JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES
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MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR: CALL FOR 2017 DPS PRIZE NOMINATIONS
Every year the DPS recognizes exceptional achievements in our field and
nominations for this year’s prizes will be accepted until April 1, 2017.
Detailed descriptions of each of the prizes and the criteria for nominees for
each can be found at prizes. The nomination form and
instructions can also be retrieved from prizes/nomination-form.
Please contact [email protected] or the prize subcommittee ([email protected])
with questions. Being recognized by our colleagues for exceptional work is a
great honor and inspires outstanding scientific research. Please take the time
to recognize your colleagues for their exceptional work.
Anyone except current DPS Committee members may submit a nomination.
A completed nomination will be retained and considered by the Prize Subcommittee
for three years, or as long as the nominee is eligible, whichever is less. Past nominees
may be re-nominated after the expiration of a prior nomination. For specific details,
see the URL noted above.
Lucy McFadden
DPS Chair
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NOMINATIONS FOR NASA PLANETARY SCIENCE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
(PAC) DUE MARCH 31, 2017
Dear Colleagues:
NASA’s Planetary Science Division (PSD) is announcing the establishment
of the Planetary Science Advisory Committee (PAC), a new committee
replacing the Planetary Science Subcommittee (PSS) of the NASA Advisory
Council, Science Committee (NAC SC). The PAC has been constituted under
the Federal Advisory Committee Act (FACA) and will advise the Planetary
Science Division of the NASA Science Mission Directorate (SMD). On
December 2, 2016, NASA provided notice of their establishment via Federal
Register Notice 16-083.
The Planetary Science Advisory Committee (PAC)
(https://science.nasa.gov/nac/science-advisory-committees/pac ) supports
the advisory needs of the Planetary Science Division (PSD), the Science
Mission Directorate (SMD) and other mission directorates as required, and
NASA Administrator. The scope of the PAC includes all aspects of NASA’s
planetary science program,. In addition to scientific research, the scope also
encompasses considerations of the development of near-term enabling
technologies, systems, and computing and information management
capabilities, as well as developments with the potential to provide long-term
improvements in future mission operational systems. Responsibility for
biological planetary protection is outside the purview of the PAC.
NASA’s PSD is extending the invitation for nominations for service on the
PAC. Interested member of the community are invited to review the charter
and to submit self-nominations for consideration to fill intermittent vacancies
on the committees.
To be considered by NASA, self-nomination packages from interested U.S.
citizens must be sent to NASA as an email and must include the name of the
Planetary Science Advisory Committee (PAC). The deadline for NASA
receipt of all public nominations is March 31, 2017.
The following information is required to be included as part of each
self-nomination package:
(1) a cover email including the name and full mailing and email addresses of nominee;
(2) a professional resume (one-page maximum, included as an attachment); and,
(3) a professional biography (one-page maximum; included as an attachment).
Please submit the nomination as a single package containing the cover email
and both required attachments electronically to the email for the Planetary
Science Advisory Committee (PAC): [email protected]. All
self-nomination packages must be submitted electronically via email to NASA;
paper-based documents sent through postal mail (hard-copies) will not be accepted.
Self-nomination packages that do not include the three (3) mandatory elements
listed above will not receive further consideration by NASA.
The following qualifications/experience are highly desirable in nominees, and
should be clearly presented in their self-nomination packages:
• At least 10 years post-Ph.D. research experience including publications in the
scientific field of the committee for which they are nominated, or comparable
experience;
• Leadership in scientific and/or education and public outreach fields as
evidenced by award of prizes, invitation to national and international meetings as
speaker, organizer of scientific meetings/workshops, or comparable experience;
• Participation in NASA programs either as member of NASA mission science team,
Research and Analysis program, membership on an advisory/working group or a
review panel, or comparable experience;
• Good knowledge of NASA programs in the scientific field of the committee for
which they are applying, including the latest NASA Science Plan (available as a
link from http://science.nasa.gov/about-us/science-strategy/); and,
• Knowledge of the latest Decadal Survey conducted by the National Academies
or other relevant advisory reports for the scientific field of the committee.
Nominees from any category of organizations or institutions within the U.S. are
welcome, including, but not limited to, educational, industrial, and not-for-profit
organizations, Federally Funded Research and Development Centers (FFRDCs),
University Affiliated Research Centers (UARCs), NASA Centers, the Jet Propulsion
Laboratory (JPL), and other Government agencies. Nominees need not be presently
affiliated with any organization or institution.
There will also be member vacancies from time to time throughout the year, and
NASA will consider self-nominations to fill such intermittent vacancies as well.
Nominees will only be contacted should a vacancy be available and it is judged
that their area(s) of expertise is appropriate for that specific vacancy. NASA is
committed to selecting members to serve on the committee based on their
individual expertise, knowledge, experience, current/past contributions to the
relevant subject area and overall diversity of the committee. These appointments
are non-compensated. These are not full-time positions. Successful nominees
will be required to attend meetings of the committee approximately two or three
times a year, either in person (NASA covers travel-related expenses for this
non-compensated appointment) or via telecon and/or virtual meeting medium.
All successful nominees will be required to submit confidential financial disclosure
forms, and undergo conflict of interest reviews by the NASA Office of the General
Counsel, before their appointment can be finalized. Once appointed, successful
nominees will be required to complete FACA training and annual ethics briefings.
Successful nominees who are not U.S. Government employees will be formally
appointed as Special Government Employees (SGEs).
James. L. Green
Director, Planetary Science Division
Jonathan A. R. Rall
Director, Planetary Science Research and Analysis
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APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED FOR THE 2017 JOHN N. BAHCALL
PUBLIC POLICY FELLOWSHIP
If you love writing, giving talks and meeting new people, if you are energetic
and outgoing, if you have an affection for committee meetings and may be
interested in a career in science policy, consider applying for the 2017
Bahcall Public Policy Fellowship. Applications accepted until March 31, 2017.
Please see the post on the AAS Job Register and the AAS online application form
for additional details, and please don’t hesitate to contact Joel Parriott <[email protected]> with any questions.
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2017B NASA IRTF CALL FOR PROPOSALS
The due date for the 2017B semester (August 1, 2017 to January 31, 2018) is
Monday, April 3, 2017. See our online submission form
http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/observing/applicationForms.php,
which is available for proposal submission from 12:00AM on March 01, 2017
until 5:00PM on April 03, 2017 HST. Available instruments include:
(1) SpeX, a 0.7 – 5.3 micron cross-dispersed medium-resolution spectrograph
(up to R=2,500) and imager; (2) MORIS, a 512×512 pixel Andor CCD camera
(60″x60″ field-of-view) mounted at the side-facing window of the SpeX cryostat
that can be used simultaneously with SpeX; (3) iSHELL, a 1.1 – 5.3 micron
cross-dispersed echelle spectrograph (up to R=75,000) and imager. Information
on available facility and visitor instruments and performance can be found at:
http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/Facility. Exposure time calculators for SpeX and
iSHELL are available on the respective instrument webpages.
Please see http://irtfweb.ifa.hawaii.edu/observing/callForProposals.php
for the full text.
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ROADMAPS TO OCEAN WORLDS (ROW) TOWNHALL AT LPSC
The Roadmaps to Ocean Worlds (ROW) team was chartered by OPAG to
identify science objectives for Ocean Worlds and to design a roadmap (or
roadmaps) to explore these worlds to address the identified science objectives.
We will be holding a ROW townhall at LPSC (Thursday, March 23, 12-1PM)
to share our progress and allow for community input. We hope to see you there!
Amanda Hendrix ([email protected])
Terry Hurford ([email protected])
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SUMMER SCHOOL “IMPACTS AND THEIR ROLE IN THE EVOLUTION OF LIFE”
Saaremaa, Estonia
25 July – 3 August
This school will give attendees a thorough introduction into impacts,
impactors, and the role of impacts in the evolution of life.
Apart from lectures, poster presentations, student-led discussions and
excursions to geologically interesting sites several practical
exercises including search for meteorite fragments, microscopy of
pollen in order to assess the ecological consequences of impacts,
petrographic microscopy of impactites, electrometric and georadar
mapping of impact sites, excavation into the boundary layer between the
ejecta blanket and the glacial till as well as excursions to other
geologically interesting sites are planned. The website for the summer
school can be found under:
http://www.nordicastrobiology.net/Impacts2017
Deadline for applications in the 30th April 2017. Please forward this
announcement possibly interested students and early career scientists.
Bursaries are available for students and scientists from the
Universities of Tartu, Turku, Tallinn, Vilnius, Porto, Utrecht,
Bordeaux, Iceland, Stockholm and the Open University.
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UPCOMING WORKSHOPS AND MEETINGS
A) WOMEN IN ASTRONOMY IV:
THE MANY FACES OF WOMEN ASTRONOMERS
Registration is now open for “Women in Astronomy IV: The Many Faces
of Women Astronomers (WiA IV),” a conference sponsored by the National
Radio Astronomy Observatory and the American Astronomical Society (AAS),
with support from the National Science Foundation. The conference will take
place in Austin, Texas 9 – 11 June 2017, immediately following the 2017 AAS
Summer Meeting.
Through extensive use of workshops, panels, and small group discussions,
WiA IV will focus on issues that affect a broad spectrum of women in
astronomy. It will address the challenges specific to women and what
institutions can do to create welcoming, equitable workplaces. Workshops
and breakout sessions will be structured with the aim of producing policy
white papers, tool kits, and resource lists.
The conference website (http://go.nrao.edu/wiaiv) includes: the conference
registration form; the preliminary program; a travel grant application form;
a hotel reservation form for the conference venue, the JW Marriott; and a
poster abstract submission form.
Please note the following key conference deadlines.
Travel grant application: 2 April 2017
Early registration: 15 April
Abstract submission: 9 May
Please help spread the word by circulating this announcement to your
departments and networks. Astronomy professionals at all career levels
and in all settings are invited to participate.
Questions can be addressed to [email protected].
We look forward to seeing you in Austin in June!
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JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES
A) POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCH ASSOCIATE IN GIANT PLANET ATMOSPHERES
Physics and Astronomy Department, University of Leicester
Salary Grade 7 – £32,958 to £38,183 per annum
Full-time open-ended contract subject to external fixed-term funding.
Full Details: goo.gl/DVpnWe
Ref: SEN00830
The Physics and Astronomy Department at the University of Leicester wishes
to appoint a postdoctoral researcher to undertake a programme of original research
in the field of giant planet atmospheric science, utilising remote sensing data
from a range of space- and ground-based observatories. You will join a planetary
science team addressing the aims of a grant awarded by the European Research
Council (ERC) to Dr. Leigh Fletcher. The appointment will initially be for a
period of up to four years.
The “GIANTCLIMES” programme seeks to study the climates of the four giant
planets over large spans of time, allowing us to investigate cycles of meteorology,
circulation, and chemical processes shaping the environments on these worlds.
Inversions of planetary spectra, from the ultraviolet to the microwave, will be used
to reconstruct these atmospheres in three dimensions to explore their temporal
variability and the processes coupling different atmospheric regimes. You will
analyse subsets of data from Juno, Cassini, Spitzer and the James Webb Space
Telescope (among others), complemented by observations from Earth-based facilities.
We are therefore particularly interested in candidates with a background in planetary
atmospheres and spectroscopic modelling techniques, but all applicants with a strong
background in planetary science are encouraged to apply.
You will be expected to carry out independent and collaborative research for this
project and to disseminate the results to the international scientific community.
There will be significant opportunities to collaborate within Leicester’s Planetary
Science team (whose existing research includes planetary magnetospheres,
ionospheres, atmospheres and surface science), Earth Observation group, and
with an international team specialising in radiative transfer and spectral inversion
for planetary atmospheres.
Applications:
In addition to the online application form, applicants are requested to provide:
[1] a CV and publication list; [2] academic references covering your research
career to date; [3] a cover letter detailing how your prior experience and future
research aims are commensurate with the broad aims of the programme outlined
above. Full details on how to apply can be found here: goo.gl/DVpnWe
Informal enquiries are welcome and should be made to Dr. Leigh Fletcher on [email protected]
The closing date for this post is midnight on 5 April 2017.
B) LSST DATA SCIENCE FELLOWSHIP
Dear LSST Community,
I am pleased to announce that applications are now open for the LSSTC
Data Science Fellowship Program! The LSSTC DSFP is a supplement to
graduate education in astronomy, intended to teach astronomy graduate
students essential skills for dealing with big data. Here’s a list of some of
the things LSSTC DSFP students will learn: the basics of managing and
building code; statistics; machine learning; scalable programming, data
management, image processing, visualization, and communication.
Please distribute this announcement widely, and encourage any interested
students to apply! Prospective students don’t need to know anything about
data science to join, they just need to be excited to learn. The LSSTC DSFP
is committed to building a culturally diverse student cohort, and strongly
encourages applications from underrepresented members of the astronomy
community.
To learn more about the program and apply, please visit our website:
http://ciera.northwestern.edu/Education/LSSTC_DSFPOverview.php
The direct link to the application is: https://goo.gl/forms/tQi0L4oYjzXVn7zu1
Application deadline: March 15, 2017
Cheers,
Lucianne Walkowicz, on behalf of the LSSTC DSFP Leadership Team
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Send submissions to:
Anne Verbiscer, DPS Secretary ([email protected])
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