Issue 17-26, July 2, 2017
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- REMINDER: PLEASE VOTE IN THE 2017 DPS ELECTION
- 34th MEPAG MEETING JULY 10, 2017
- AGU SESSION P045: THE URANUS AND NEPTUNE SYSTEMS AND THEIR RELATION TO OTHER PLANETS
- JWST SOLAR SYSTEM OBSERVATION PLANNING WORKSHOPS
- JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES
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REMINDER: PLEASE VOTE IN THE 2017 DPS ELECTION
The 2017 election for DPS Vice-Chair and Committee is now open, and will
close on July 31st 2017.
Please remember to vote!
Go to https://aas.org/vote/
You will need your AAS member login ID (which defaults to your membership
number), and your password.
If you have trouble voting on line, the AAS can do a proxy vote and vote on your
behalf (send an e-mail to [email protected]). You will still get an automated email
confirmation and a separate manual email, both with who you voted for and a
confirmation number.
You should vote for one of the two candidates for Vice-Chair:
o Reggie Hudson, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
o Linda Spilker, Jet Propulsion Laboratory
The elected Vice-Chair will take his/her functions in October 2017 and will
become the DPS Chair in October 2018.
You should also vote for two of the five candidates for DPS Committee:
o Michele Bannister, Queens University, Belfast
o Terry Hurford, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center
o David Morrison, NASA Ames Research Center
o Michael “Migo” Mueller, Kapteyn Astronomical Institute, Netherlands
o Padma Yanamandra-Fisher, Space Science Institute
The successful candidates will serve on the Committee for three years after
October 2017.
The detailed vitae and position statements for each of the candidates is linked
from the main election page,
It is very important for all DPS Members to participate to these elections, so
please take a moment to vote!
Thank you!
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34TH MEPAG MEETING JULY 10, 2017
July 10th, 2017
8:30am-10:30am PDT
The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM)
has convened a committee to conduct a “Review of Progress Toward
Implementing the Decadal Survey Vision and Voyages for Planetary
Sciences.” This “mid-term review” includes a requirement to assess the
Mars exploration architecture within the planetary science program.
MEPAG perspectives and initial concerns were presented to the
committee at their first meeting on May 4, 2017.
The purpose of this MEPAG virtual meeting is to report to the Mars
community recent MEPAG activities, and to preview MEPAG materials to
be presented to the NASEM committee at their July 13 meeting. This
will include discussion on a statement of concern regarding the state
of Mars exploration in the light of the President’s FY18 budget and
other considerations. A tentative agenda for the virtual meeting is:
* Past and ongoing MEPAG Activities
* Invited MEPAG Presentation to the NASEM July 13 committee meeting
* Statement of MEPAG concerns regarding future Mars exploration
* Planning for future MEPAG meetings and activities this fall
The agenda and WebEx information will be posted at:
http://mepag.nasa.gov/meetings.cfm
Dr. Jeffrey R. Johnson
MEPAG Chair
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AGU SESSION P045: THE URANUS AND NEPTUNE SYSTEMS AND THEIR
RELATION TO OTHER PLANETS
We solicit abstracts to a session at AGU 2017 Fall Meeting titled:
“P045: The Uranus and Neptune Systems, and their Relation to Other Planets”
https://agu.confex.com/agu/fm17/preliminaryview.cgi/Session23867
This session encompasses all aspects of ice-giant systems: the magnetospheres,
satellites, rings, atmospheres, and interiors of Uranus and Neptune; their formation
and evolution; and their relation to other planets in and beyond our solar system.
Uranus and Neptune present us with several mysteries, including how they form,
how their magnetic fields are generated, the energy balance of their atmospheres,
and the nature of their rings and satellites, particularly those seen to be active (Triton)
or with young surfaces (Miranda, Ariel). Radial migration of the ice giants may
have had significant impact on the rest of the solar system. Looking beyond our
system, the Kepler planet-finding spacecraft has shown that ice giants are common
in our galaxy: most planets known today are thought to be ice giants. Observations,
modeling, and theory related to the ice giants will inform the design of missions to
Uranus and Neptune which are currently under consideration.
Conveners: Kunio M Sayanagi, Elizabeth P Turtle, Krista M Soderlund, and
Mark D Hofstadter
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JWST SOLAR SYSTEM OBSERVATION PLANNING WORKSHOPS
Two 2.5 day workshops will be held this Fall for those interested in
proposing solar system observations with the James Webb Space Telescope
(JWST). The first (Nov. 13-15, 2017) will be at the Space Telescope
Science Institute (STScI), in Baltimore Maryland. The second (Dec.
13-15, 2017) will be held at the European Space Research Technology
Center (ESTEC), in Noordwijk, the Netherlands.
Each workshop will include a mixture of presentations about
the promise of JWST for solar system science, specifics on observer
planning tools and observatory capabilities, and hands-on training
and Q&A with the planning tools. Observations of solar system targets
approved for guaranteed-time observers (GTOs) and through the Early
Release Science (ERS) program will be summarized. The workshop is
timed to support JWST cycle-1 open time proposals, which are expected
to be due in February, 2018.
To express interest in either or both of these workshops and receive
future emails, please send a blank email as follows.
STScI workshop:
To: [email protected]
ESTEC Workshop:
To: [email protected]
As further details become available, they can be found here:
STScI workshop:
http://tinyurl.com/JWST-SS-Workshop
ESTEC Workshop:
https://www.cosmos.esa.int/web/jwst-ssws-2017
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JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES
A) TENURE-TRACK FACULTY POSITION IN ASTRONOMY/ASTROPHYSICS
EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY
The Department of Physical Sciences at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
invites applications for a tenure-track faculty position in Astronomy/Astrophysics.
The position may be at any rank, assistant through full professor. Preference will
be given to candidates with observational and/or instrumentation expertise in stellar,
exoplanet and/or planetary astronomy/astrophysics who will use guaranteed access
to the campus 1-m telescope (see observatory.db.erau.edu) and the SARA facilities
in Arizona, Chile and the Canary Islands (see www.saraobservatory.org).
ERAU is located on the eastern coast of central Florida, just north of the Kennedy
Space Center. Information about the Department can be found at
http://daytonabeach.erau.edu/college-arts-sciences/physical-sciences/index.html.
Candidates who can begin in January 2018 are especially encouraged to apply,
but the position will remain open until filled. Applications must be submitted online at:
Submissions must include a cover letter, full CV, statements of teaching
philosophy and research interests, and contact information for at least three
professional references.
Inquiries may be addressed to: Dr. Terry D. Oswalt, Chair,
Dept. Physical Sciences, (386) 226-7571; [email protected]
B) NON-TENURE-TRACK FACULTY OBSERVATORY SUPPORT
SCIENTIST/ENGINEER
EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY
Applications are invited for a position in support of the Embry-Riddle
Aeronautical University’s campus observatory (see observatory.db.erau.edu)
and associated astronomy program on the Daytona Beach campus. The
primary duties are to maintain the campus 1-m telescope and its associated
instrumentation, to regularly update and maintain relevant software, to instruct
new users, to supervise observational astronomy classes and to support our regular
observatory outreach events. Required qualifications include experience with
astronomical optics and instruments, expertise in relevant programming languages,
as well as strong oral, written, and interpersonal skills. Interest in using ERAU’s
guaranteed access to the SARA observatories in Arizona, Chile and the Canary Islands
(see www.saraobservatory.org) for independent education and research projects
would be a plus. Minimum qualifications include a master’s degree in astronomy,
physics, or a related field, and 3-5 years of astronomy-related work experience.
The position is non-tenure-track but permanent, subject to satisfactory annual
reviews. Rank may be assistant or associate professor level depending upon the
candidate’s qualifications.
ERAU is located on the eastern coast of central Florida, just north of the Kennedy
Space Center. Information about the Department can be found at
http://daytonabeach.erau.edu/college-arts-sciences/physical-sciences/index.html.
Candidates who can begin in January 2018 are especially encouraged to apply,
but the position will remain open until filled. Applications must be submitted online at:
Submissions must include a cover letter, full CV, statements of specific
telescope/instrumentation experience, teaching philosophy and research
interests, and contact information for at least three professional references.
Inquiries may be addressed to: Dr. Terry D. Oswalt, Chair,
Dept. Physical Sciences, (386) 226-7571; [email protected]
C) ESA RESEARCH FELLOWSHIPS IN SPACE SCIENCE
The European Space Agency awards several postdoctoral fellowships each year.
The aim of these fellowships is to provide young scientists, holding a PhD
or the equivalent degree, with the means of performing space science
research in fields related to the ESA Science Programmes. Areas of research
include planetary science, astronomy and astrophysics, solar and solar-terrestrial
science, plasma physics and fundamental physics. The fellowships have a
duration of two years, with the possible extension to three years, and are
tenable at the European Space Research and Technology Centre (ESTEC) in
Noordwijk, Netherlands, or at the European Space Astronomy Centre (ESAC)
in Villafranca del Castillo, near Madrid, Spain.
Applications are now solicited for fellowships in space science to begin in
the fall of 2018. Preference will be given to applications submitted by
candidates within five years of receiving their PhD. Candidates not holding
a PhD yet are encouraged to apply, but they must provide evidence of
receiving their degree before starting the fellowship.
ESA fellows are enrolled in ESA’s Social Security Scheme, which covers
medical expenses. A monthly deduction covers these short-term and long-term risks.
The deadline for applications is 2 October 2017.
More information on the ESA Research Fellowship programme in Space Science,
on the conditions and eligibility, as well as the application form can retrieved from
http://cosmos.esa.int/fellowship
Questions on the scientific aspects of the ESA Fellowship in Space Science not
answered in the above pages can be sentby e-mail to the fellowship coordinators,
Dr. Oliver Jennrich or Dr. Bruno Altieri at the address [email protected]
Contact Email:
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Anne Verbiscer, DPS Secretary ([email protected])
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