Issue 26-03, Apr 24, 2026
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- IN MEMORIAM: YUK L. YUNG
- IN MEMORIAM: PAUL GEISSLER
- CONTACT YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TODAY
- THE PLANETARY SOCIETY DAY OF ACTION
- DPS-58 TRAVEL GRANT AND DEPENDENT CARE APPLICATIONS
- HANNAH WALLACE IS THE 2026 DPS-NSBP SPEAKER AWARDEE
- SAVE THE DATE: WORKSHOP ON THE INTEGRATED SCIENCE OF COMETS
- CALL FOR ABSTRACTS : EUROPLANET SCIENCE CONGRESS 2026
- NASA PLANETARY DATA TRAINING WORKSHOP – INPERSON
- NASA PLANETARY DATA TRAINING VIRTUAL WORKSHOP – INTRODUCTION TO JMARS
- ANNOUNCING LUNAR MISSION DESIGN SEMINAR, LUNADS
- REGISTER FOR THE 25TH MEETING OF THE SMALL BODIES ASSESSMENT GROUP (SBAG) – JUNE 9-11
- WHAT TOOLS, RESOURCES, AND OPPORTUNITIES HAVE BEEN FOUNDATIONAL IN YOUR DEVELOPMENT AS AN ASTROBIOLOGIST?
- APOPHIS T-3 YEARS WORKSHOP – CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
- PLANETARY CRATER CONSORTIUM: REGISTRATION AND ABSTRACTS ARE OPEN
- AAS POLICY UPDATE – APRIL 22, 2026
- REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR FACULTY TEACHING INSTITUTE
- APPLY NOW FOR AN IAU MINI-GRANT – WOMEN AND GIRLS IN ASTRONOMY PROGRAM
- COMMUNITY SURVEY: FIELD-BASED STUDIES & SAMPLE PROCESSING FACILITY
- MERCURY 2026 MEETING: REGISTRATION AND ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS OPEN
- DPS SEEKS A NEW SECRETARY
- TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THE PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL AND ICARUS
- JOBS, POSITIONS, AND OPPORTUNITIES
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IN MEMORIAM: YUK L. YUNG
Yuk L. Yung, professor of planetary science at Caltech and a senior research scientist at JPL, passed away on March 16, 2026, after a brief illness. He was 79. Yung’s research spanned planetary atmospheres, atmospheric chemistry and radiation, planetary evolution, astrobiology, and global climate change, with a strong emphasis on connecting theoretical models to observations. His work led to pioneering insights into the current properties and behavior of solar system atmospheres, as well as their historical evolution. His models of the chemistry of planetary atmospheres have been widely used to interpret the results from spacecraft missions.
Yung’s long career included many seminal contributions, such as the recognition of the roles of trace gases including methane and nitrous oxide in driving the greenhouse effect and anthropogenic global warming on Earth; the first comprehensive explanation of the chemistry of the organic-rich atmosphere of Saturn’s moon, Titan; and the proposal that atmospheric photochemistry on the early Earth created abundant formaldehyde—a key precursor in the chemistry that enabled life. Yung served as a co-investigator of the Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS) Experiment on NASA’s Cassini mission to Saturn, and as a team member on the NASA Orbital Carbon Observatory 2 (OCO-2) mission to map carbon dioxide concentrations on Earth. Yung was also involved with the New Horizons mission to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt and the European Space Agency’s Venus Express.
Yung was born on August 23, 1946, and earned a BS in engineering physics from UC Berkeley in 1969 and a PhD in physics from Harvard University in 1974. After serving as a research fellow and lecturer in atmospheric sciences at Harvard from 1974 to 1977, he joined the Caltech faculty as an assistant professor of planetary science, receiving tenure in 1986. In 2011, he was named the Smits Family Professor. He became a JPL research scientist in 2014 and a senior research scientist in 2015.
Yung was elected as a fellow of several scientific societies, including the American Geophysical Union (2003), the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2005), the Academia Sinica (2010), and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2011). He was honored with a NASA Exceptional Scientific Achievement Medal in 2004 and an Achievement Award from the Chinese-American Engineers and Scientists Association of Southern California in 2014. In 2015, the American Astronomical Society named Asteroid 19370 for Yung, and the DPS awarded him the 2015 Gerard P. Kuiper Prize,, describing Yung as “a founding father of planetary atmospheric chemistry and one of the most influential researchers in the field.”
Over his career, Yung authored over 400 publications and mentored dozens of graduate students and postdoctoral scholars who have gone on to careers in academia, industry, and government laboratories around the world.
He is survived by his wife Shau May Yung, daughter Wing Y. Taketa (BS ’07), and son Wing Chi Yung.
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IN MEMORIAM: PAUL GEISSLER
Husband. Father and grandfather. Scientist. Dancer. Paul Eric Geissler (1955-2026) was all of these and more when he passed away peacefully at home in Flagstaff, Arizona, on March 23, 2026, surrounded by his wife Nadine, his brothers, and his children.
Born February 28, 1955, in New Brunswick, New Jersey, the son of the late Hugo G. Geissler and the late Hazel Irene (Cottrell) Geissler, Paul attended Edison Township High School before wanderlust took him around the world. After meeting the love of his life, Nadine Poludin, they traveled together for three years around the US and Canada before getting married on the mountains of New Zealand. They moved to Tasmania, Australia where they began their 49 years together, raising the first two of their four children. They returned to the United States when Paul began his graduate studies in Planetary Sciences at the University of Arizona, receiving his Ph.D. in 1992.
That began a career that spanned over 30 years in which he felt privileged to participate in the exploration of the solar system, first as a Senior Research Associate at the University of Arizona’s Lunar and Planetary Laboratory until 2003, and then as a Research Geologist at the Astrogeology Science Center of the U.S. Geological Survey in Flagstaff, Arizona. His research focused on the surfaces of Mars and outer solar system satellites, with funding support from multiple NASA data analysis programs. He was affiliated with the Galileo and Cassini Imaging Teams and a Co-Investigator on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter HiRISE camera team. He was also selected as a Participating Scientist on the Mars Exploration Rover mission and served as a Payload Uplink Lead for the close-up cameras on the MER and Mars Science Laboratory science teams. In 2021 he was among those ranked in the top 2% of scientists in the world according to a study by experts at Stanford University. He led or co-authored over 100 peer-reviewed publications and made numerous contributions to the popular press, sharing his scientific knowledge and discoveries with the public. Moreover, Paul was always friendly and easy to work with, inspiring colleagues and students alike.
But it was never all work with Paul. He was a devoted father to his four children and always made time to give each of them his full attention. He was intentional and thoughtful in how he used his time, always prioritizing what would benefit them most. He treated them as equals, truly listening and valuing what they had to say. He extended that attention to his grandchildren as well. He shared with all of them a deep love of the world and the outdoors, hiking, sailing and exploring.
He also brought remarkable energy, kindness, and generosity to the Flagstaff community. Twenty-three years ago, he and Nadine started salsa Rueda classes and the dance group “Rueda en la montaña” that continue today. Paul and Nadine also hosted and served as DJ for the Flagstaff summer event “dancing on the Square” at Heritage Square for the last 15 years bringing together the Latin and swing dancers. He leaves behind a lasting legacy through the many dancers whose lives were positively transformed by his passion and dedication to dance. His influence lives on in every step they take.
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CONTACT YOUR MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TODAY
The President’s Budget Request for Fiscal Year 2027 was released and once again it is proposing substantial cuts to our science agencies. These include a 55% cut to the National Science Foundation, a 47% cut to NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, the elimination of the NASA Office of STEM Engagement, and a 13% cut to the Department of Energy Office of Science. If enacted, these cuts will result in the abdication of US leadership in discovery science, with long-lasting impacts on our national STEM workforce.
Remember that the President’s Budget Request is a proposal from the President to the Congress. Congress is ultimately responsible for deciding annual funding levels through its appropriations process. That process is simply initiated by the President’s proposal.
Our congressional leaders are tasked with representing our interests, and we all have a responsibility, as constituents, to voice our priorities in this budgeting process. Last year, our scientific community spoke up and engaged in strong advocacy in record numbers. It was this groundswell of engagement that led to Congress rejecting such drastic cuts in the budget request and keeping funding for our science agencies relatively flat. This year, we must continue to consistently and forcefully speak out, to remind Congress that leadership in the scientific enterprise cannot be sustained on year-to-year flat budgets. However, it is up to each of us to make those critical arguments to our representatives in Congress.
The AAS provides action alerts as an easy way for you to call and email your members of Congress. We encourage you to both send an email and make a phone call today, and also to share this link with colleagues, friends, and family, encouraging them to express the importance of science and the need for robust support.
Contact Your Members of Congress
There are also currently “Dear Colleague” letters circulating for signatures in the Senate requesting robust funding for various science agencies. You can use our action alerts to encourage your Senators to support Fiscal Year 2027 budgets of $9.9B for the National Science Foundation and $9B for NASA Science.
Finally, though what counts as normal public discourse seems to be growing more belligerent in these times, please be respectful in all your communications with elected representatives. It should go without saying that cordial discourse is the best way to make oneself heard. However, last year, the AAS policy team heard from Congressional staffers that they were sometimes yelled at by scientists. This is not productive, and it tarnishes the reputation of our profession in lasting ways. Similarly, staff at the federal agencies are NOT our enemies in the process, and they have no control over the funding levels that they are expected to plan to. Please remember this in your interactions with them. Let’s continue to be professional as we make our points about the need for science funding.
[Edited Call for action from Dara Norman, AAS President]
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THE PLANETARY SOCIETY DAY OF ACTION
April 20 was the Planetary Society Day of Action. More than 170 dedicated members of The Planetary Society gathered in Washington, D.C., to meet with Congress to Save NASA Science! And you can help from home.
It could not be a more important time to advocate for space! Right now, the FY 2027 budget proposal would slash space science funding by 46% and terminate more than 50 missions. We need your help to stop this threat, again.
The good news? These cuts are not yet official. There’s still time to push back.
We’ve created a simple form to help you write your representative in Congress and ask them to save NASA Science. It only takes a few minutes to make a difference and support your fellow Society members here with me in Washington, D.C.
Together, we are more powerful than any one individual can be. That’s what makes us effective. That’s what makes us a Society.
Thank you for your support,
–Casey Dreier, Chief of Space Policy, The Planetary Society
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DPS-58 TRAVEL GRANT AND DEPENDENT CARE APPLICATIONS
The Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) offers two types of travel grants to support attendance at DPS-58 to be held 25-30 October 2026 in Spokane, Washington, U.S.A. At least 30 travel grants may be awarded at $500-$1500 each.
Hartmann Student Travel Grants support student presentations at the annual DPS meeting. (Postdoctoral scholars may also be eligible, but students are prioritized.) These grants provide a supplement that enables the student to present at the annual meeting, especially in person. Award of a travel grant assumes submission of a DPS abstract, to be described in the application.
Underrepresented Minority (URM) Communities in Planetary Science Travel Grants support attendance by students and professionals who are members of groups that have had inadequate access to the planetary science community. Applications are especially encouraged from members of group(s) whose contributions to STEM may have been overlooked, students and professionals hailing from colleges and non-R1 academic or research institutions that have not traditionally benefited from connections to the planetary science community, and/or students and professionals with degrees in broader STEM disciplines (e.g., chemistry, physics, engineering, mathematics) who are new to the planetary science community. The aim of these grants is to enable in-person or virtual participation at DPS or National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP) – National Society of Hispanics Physicists (NSHP) meetings. Presentation by the applicant is not required but is prioritized.
Applicants for DPS travel grants do not need to be U.S. citizens or permanent residents. Eligible candidates are welcome to apply for both grants, but if selected would receive only one.
Apply at DPS Travel Grants Application | AAS Division for Planetary Sciences. The deadline is 1 July 2026. Award notifications are planned during July (before the registration deadline), but the award team will work with DPS and NSBP-NSHP meeting organizers to accommodate costs should there be delays.
Additionally, DPS offers Susan Niebur Dependent Care grants. These provide financial assistance to qualifying members to facilitate their meeting attendance by offsetting costs for child care, elder care, spousal care, etc., at the meeting location or at home during the DPS conference. Apply for a dependent care grant here.
Community donations are critical for the health of these awards. To donate, please access this link and select the grant you wish to support.
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HANNAH WALLACE IS THE 2026 DPS-NSBP SPEAKER AWARDEE
Within the partnership between the Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) and the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP), Earth and Planetary Systems Sciences (EPSS) section, Hannah Wallace has been selected as the
newest DPS-NSBP Speaker Awardee. Hannah is a senior studying astronomy-physics and physics at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She works with Dr. Hannah Zanowski, an assistant professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences, on topics in planetary atmospheres and oceanography with the objective to investigate modern-Earth-like aquaplanets (exoplanets with ~100% ocean coverage). Hannah’s award-winning 2025 NSBP talk, “Increased Pressure and its Impact on Earthlike Aquaplanets”, focused on her use of ROCKE-3D (Resolving Orbital and Climate Keys of Earth and Extraterrestrial Environments with Dynamics), a coarse resolution General Circulation Model (GCM), to investigate how ocean circulation and thermodynamics would be impacted by changes in atmospheric pressure.
DPS is thrilled to invite Hannah Wallace to speak at the 58th annual DPS meeting, which will be held in Spokane, WA, USA October 25-30, 2026. The full AAS/DPS press release announcing her selection is here
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SAVE THE DATE: WORKSHOP ON THE INTEGRATED SCIENCE OF COMETS
The LPI is pleased to announce the Workshop on Integrated Science of Comets: From Laboratory Studies of Cometary Materials to Remote Observations, to be held September 22–24, 2026, at the Lunar and Planetary Institute in Houston, Texas. The workshop brings together the international community working on interplanetary dust particles, cometary samples, and comet observations. Marking the 20th anniversary of the Stardust sample return, it will highlight two decades of advances in cometary sample science while integrating new insights from space and ground-based observations across optical, infrared, and radio wavelengths, including JWST, Hubble, and major ground-based observatories. By connecting laboratory analyses, multi-wavelength remote sensing, and mission science, the workshop aims to develop a cohesive understanding of cometary materials and their role in Solar System formation, and to define key science priorities for future comet exploration and sample return missions. To submit an indication of interest and learn more, visit: https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/integratedsciencecomets2026/
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CALL FOR ABSTRACTS : EUROPLANET SCIENCE CONGRESS 2026
Amare, The Hague, The Netherlands
6–11 September 2026
Visit the EPSC2026 website: https://www.epsc2026.eu/
Abstract deadline: 13 May 2026, 13:00 CEST
Please consider submitting an abstract for presentation of your recent work at the EPSC2026 Congress, which will take place in The Hague, The Netherlands, 6–11 September 2026. EPSC2026 will be organized as a fully hybrid meeting and will allow virtual access to all oral and poster sessions.
The programme of the congress will contain oral and poster sessions, as well as workshops and panel discussions.
The current list of sessions is organized around the following Programme Groups:
· Terrestrial Planets (TP)
· Outer Planet Systems (OPS)
· Missions, Instrumentation, Techniques, Modelling (MITM)
· Small Bodies (comets, KBOs, rings, asteroids, meteorites, dust) (SB)
· Exoplanets, Origins of Planetary Systems and Astrobiology (EXOA)
· Outreach, Diversity, Amateur Astronomy, and Community (ODAC)
Submit your abstract now by accessing the scientific programme and the abstract submission tool: https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EPSC2026/sessionprogramme
Please browse the list of sessions and identify the session that most closely matches your area of interest; your abstract can be submitted directly to that session.For future deadlines including (early) registration, refer to the deadlines & milestones of the conference.Information on registration and social events, as well as a separate online form for requesting splinter meetings & workshops will also be available soon on the meeting website.Please forward this message to colleagues who may be interested.
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NASA PLANETARY DATA TRAINING WORKSHOP – INPERSON
The NASA Planetary Data Training Workshops project is offering our in-person only May Planetary Data Training Workshop, to be held at Arizona State University in Tempe, Arizona on Tuesday-Friday, May 16-19, 2026. The content will cover training in various software to analyze planetary surface data including JMARS, ArcGIS Pro, ISIS3, QGIS, and techniques for planetary geologic mapping. Two $2000 Travel grants are available for early career participants to build the US planetary workforce. Please visit this webpage for the Reservation form and separate travel grant form:
Registration page for May Workshop, Google form:
https://forms.gle/cjBazDULgtYu9xJ68
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NASA PLANETARY DATA TRAINING VIRTUAL WORKSHOP – INTRODUCTION TO JMARS
The NASA Planetary Data Training Workshops program is offering a virtual workshop, “Introduction to JMARS”, to be held online on Zoom on Thursday, April 30, 2026. JMARS is a planetary-focused Geographical Information Systems (GIS) used to conduct planetary surface research for a variety of objects in the Solar System. To participate in hands-on demonstrations, we encourage participants to register for a free JMARS account and install the software on your computer. Details are included on the Registration page: https://forms.gle/SDZPP57RRrjJpyHFA
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ANNOUNCING LUNAR MISSION DESIGN SEMINAR, LUNADS
RASSLE, the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL) SSERVI node, invites applications for the Lunar Undergraduate/graduate missioN Architecture Design Seminar (LUNADS) – a free, virtual, two-phase experiential program introducing participants to lunar science, systems engineering, and mission design. Applications from university cohorts of 5–10 students are due by May 8, 2026.
Learn more by visiting: https://rassle.jhuapl.edu/LUNA-DS/opportunities.php
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REGISTER FOR THE 25TH MEETING OF THE SMALL BODIES ASSESSMENT GROUP (SBAG) – JUNE 9-11
The SBAG Steering Committee is pleased to invite you to register for the 35th meeting of the Small Bodies Assessment Group. This fully virtual meeting will take place in 3-hour blocks on June 9–11, 2026. The blocks will be staggered as follows to accommodate the wide range of time zones spanned by our community:
June 9: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM EDT
June 10: 12:00 PM – 3:00 PM EDT
June 11: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM EDT
Even with the change in format, the scope of topics on the program will be very similar to previous meetings. We will hear from agency representatives (including Dr. Louise Prockter, Planetary Science Division Director; Dr. Kelly Fast, Acting Planetary Defense Officer; and Dr. Tom Statler, Lead Scientist for Solar System Small Bodies), along with speakers affiliated with major community programs, missions, and activities.
We invite you to register here (at no cost) by June 2 to confirm your attendance at this virtual meeting.
Due to the abbreviated program in this fully virtual format, not all missions, programs, or activities will be featured at SBAG35; those not included this time will be featured in future meetings. In structuring the SBAG35 program, the Steering Committee is prioritizing missions, programs, and activities with major near-term milestones and strong connections to the findings from SBAG34.
Additionally, there will be opportunities for early-career participants to present their research and connect with more senior members of the field. We invite interested early-career researchers to apply here by May 11th to present their work at the meeting or participate in the meeting mentor program.
Please keep an eye on the meeting website, which will be updated in the coming weeks. We look forward to seeing you virtually in June.
All the best,
Terik Daly
SBAG Chair
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WHAT TOOLS, RESOURCES, AND OPPORTUNITIES HAVE BEEN FOUNDATIONAL IN YOUR DEVELOPMENT AS AN ASTROBIOLOGIST?
Focus Area 8 (Early Career and Workforce Development) of NASA Decadal Astrobiology Research and Exploration Strategy Task Force 2 invites feedback on the tools, resources, and opportunities that have shaped your trajectory as an astrobiologist.
Share your feedback by April 30, 2026: https://forms.gle/9q7zLzRRoRufdm389
Feedback will be used to guide discussions of the Early Career and Workforce Development Focus Area. This feedback will be used in aggregate to inform NASA about communication, support structures, and community awareness of tools and resources that enhance workforce development.
Please contact Focus Area 8 Lead, Dr. Christina Richey, if you have any questions: [email protected]
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APOPHIS T-3 YEARS WORKSHOP – CALL FOR ABSTRACTS
The Apophis T-3 Workshop will be held 18-19 June 2026, in conjunction with an ESA Ramses Mission meeting 15-17 June. Both meetings will be hosted by the University of Padua (Italy). Abstract submission through the University of Arizona is now open. Deadline: April 27. Both in-person and virtual presentations will be supported. Abstracts are welcome focusing on ongoing theoretical modeling of measurable outcomes from the April 2029 safe near-Earth passage by the asteroid Apophis, measurement implementation from approved missions, newly funded mission concepts, the international coordination of space operations and Earth-based observations, and public education. The homepage for all Workshop links is:
Workshop Contact: Richard Binzel [email protected]
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PLANETARY CRATER CONSORTIUM: REGISTRATION AND ABSTRACTS ARE OPEN
It’s time to save the date for the upcoming Planetary Crater Consortium (PCC) Meeting this July:
1) The dates for our 2026 meeting are July 15–17. It will be held at the USGS-Flagstaff in Flagstaff, AZ, USA; we will still support remote attendance and speakers. If you would like to consider hosting the PCC at your organization in future years, please come to the meeting with a proposal and we will vote on it.
2) Abstract submission and registration for this year’s meeting are officially open! As with last year, Registration and Abstract submission for this year’s meeting will be handled by Google Form:
Abstracts: https://forms.gle/APaNS8G7ycJxNrQdA
Registration: https://forms.gle/RpGWUMaK6qdkKWKK6
3) The deadline for abstract submission is June 17, 2026. Also keep your calendars open for a potential July 18th field trip in the Flagstaff area.
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AAS POLICY UPDATE – APRIL 22, 2026
The House is beginning to mark up FY 2027 appropriations bills. NASA budget hearings are planned for this week. The AAS and the American Association of Physics Teachers held 45 congressional meetings during Congressional Visits Day.
See the link for the full report.
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REGISTRATION NOW OPEN FOR FACULTY TEACHING INSTITUTE
Registration Now Open: Faculty Teaching Institute, 24–27 June
Are you teaching physics or astronomy at the college level and looking to strengthen your classroom practice? Registration is now open for the next Physics and Astronomy Faculty Teaching Institute, which will be held in beautiful College Park, Maryland, 24–27 June.
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APPLY NOW FOR AN IAU MINI-GRANT – WOMEN AND GIRLS IN ASTRONOMY PROGRAM
The Women and Girls in Astronomy Program, led by Associated Universities Inc. under the International Astronomical Union’s North American Regional Office of Astronomy for Development (NA-ROAD), invites innovative, community-based projects from the North American region that aim to foster inclusion, leadership, and participation of women and girls in astronomy and STEM.
Qualifying projects must align with at least one of the NA-ROAD’s five strategic goals, and they must take place in Canada, the United States, the Caribbean, Mexico, or Greenland. Projects are encouraged to approach astronomy from a unique lens, including — but not limited to — scientific, social, technical, cultural, and artistic perspectives.
Mini-grant amount: $2,000 USD
Deadline to apply: 31 May
Application forms:
Learn more:
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COMMUNITY SURVEY: FIELD-BASED STUDIES & SAMPLE PROCESSING FACILITY
Scientists at Northern Arizona University are conducting a research study gathering views from members of the planetary science community on field-based studies and the interest in a potential centralized facility for sample processing and analysis.
The Field Sample Processing and Analysis (Field-SPA) facility is a concept for a centralized facility to provide baseline sample characterization capabilities. The services offered by Field-SPA are meant to be complementary to more specialized capabilities available
via NASA’s Planetary Science Enabling Facilities (e.g., PRECISE, RELAB, K-ALPHAA).
We are interested in learning about individual experiences, and the barriers members of the community may face when engaging in or planning fieldwork. We are also attempting to determine whether a centralized facility offering sample processing and consultation services would change the way you approach and propose field-based investigations.
All responses are anonymous and we expect this survey to take <10 minutes to complete. You can access the survey using the followinglink: https://qualtrics.nau.edu/jfe/form/SV_7NXhYtVVHy6oX8q
If you have questions about this project or if you have a research-related problem, you may contact Jean-Francois Smekens at [email protected].
Thank you for considering participation.
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MERCURY 2026 MEETING: REGISTRATION AND ABSTRACT SUBMISSIONS OPEN
All researchers and members of the planetary science community are invited to participate in Mercury 2026, the international meeting dedicated to the study of the planet Mercury. This year’s edition will take place from 1-4 September 2026 at KU Leuven, Belgium. Mercury 2026 will bring together scientists involved in observations, modeling, laboratory experiments, and mission data analysis related to Mercury. A particular focus will be placed on the latest developments and
discoveries from ESA-JAXA’s BepiColombo mission.
Registration for the meeting is now open, with early registration rates available prior to June 1, 2026. Abstracts are also now being accepted, with a deadline of June 30, 2026.
Vist the meeting website for more details: Mercury 2026 – An International Meeting on Planet Mercury
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DPS SEEKS A NEW SECRETARY
As she nears the completion of a 3-year term as DPS Secretary, Dr. Denise Stephens has announced that she will be stepping aside from that position to focus on research and teaching.
The DPS seeks a motivated, organized candidate to succeed Dr. Stephens as DPS Secretary. If this impactful position interests you, submit a letter of interest and a CV to DPS Chair Scott Murchie at [email protected] or [email protected]. As DPS Secretary, you would be part of the DPS Executive Committee, helping to lead the division and to formulate rapid responses to planetary community events. Regular duties of the DPS Secretary are to:
- Compile and distribute eNews to DPS members;
- Take minutes of meetings and archive them;
- Maintain DPS records and documents including the DPS Meeting Guide, instruction guides for subcommittees, official Committee and Subcommittee membership lists, letterhead, bylaws, and membership data;
- Oversee membership applications and the membership roster;
- Collected statements from candidates for elected DPS offices identified by the Nominating Subcommittee, circulate them, conduct the annual election, and announce the results;
- Prepare prize certificates and citations; and
- Contribute to the corporate memory of DPS along with other officers.
Nominees are reviewed by the DPS Committee and one candidate will be elected to a 3-year term.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS FOR THE PLANETARY SCIENCE JOURNAL AND ICARUS
The current issues for both DPS-affiliated journals are here:
The Planetary Science Journal:
Issue 4 – Volume 7 – The Planetary Science Journal – IOPscience
Icarus:
Icarus | Vol 448, April 2026 | ScienceDirect.com by Elsevier
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JOBS, POSITIONS, AND OPPORTUNITIES
Job seekers and employers are encouraged to browse DPS’s job listings and advertise open positions **for free** on the DPS job board.
Full details for several new positions can be found on the DPS job board.
A summary of recent job announcements and postdoc opportunities is listed below.
- Postdoc Position at Brown University
The Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences at Brown University invites applications for a University Fellowship in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences. This competitive postdoctoral fellowship will be awarded for a one-year period, with possible extension for a second year. Postdoctoral associates will conduct independent research in association with Brown faculty in Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences. For more information and to apply, please visit:
https://apply.interfolio.com/183852
- NASA SMD Graduate Student Research Solicitation – Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology
Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology(FINESST) F.5 of ROSES-25 solicits proposals from accredited U.S. universities and other eligible organizations for graduate student-designed and performed research projects that contribute to SMD’s science, technology, and exploration goals. The Future Investigator, i.e., the student, shall have the primary initiative to define the proposed FINESST research project and must be the primary author, with input or supervision from the proposal’s Principal Investigator, as appropriate.
ROSES-2025 Amendment 52 releases final text and due dates for Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST) F.5 of ROSES-25, which was previously TBD. For more information, please visit: F.5 Future Investigators in NASA Earth and Space Science and Technology (FINESST).
Neither a notice of intent nor a Step-1 proposal should be submitted. Proposals are due July 14, 2026.
Questions concerning F.5 FINESST may be directed to [email protected].
- Ph.D. Position in Asteroid Modeling and Observations
The Centro de Estudios de Fisica del Cosmos de Aragon (CEFCA) offers a four-year PhD position at the interface of observations and numerical modeling of asteroids.
The observational component involves working with new and archival imaging data to derive astrometric and photometric measurements, identify fast-moving and potentially active objects, and support their rapid characterization. The candidate will contribute to developing analysis tools and selecting targets for follow-up observations.
The numerical component focuses on modeling the dynamical and thermal evolution of asteroids. This includes applying and extending existing models, investigating objects with limited observational constraints, and developing improved methods to estimate physical properties and their uncertainties.
The exact PhD program will be tailored to the candidate’s background and interests, with flexibility in the balance between observational and modeling components, and carried out under the supervision of Dr. Bojan Novakovic.
The position is based in Teruel, Spain, and includes salary, and standard employment benefits in accordance with Spanish regulations, with flexible working hours.
Full further information and application instructions: https://www.cefca.es/cefca_en/reference_0144
- Postdoctoral Position – Planetary Science
The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences at the University of Texas at San Antonio invites applications for a Postdoctoral Fellow position in the Early Earth Laboratory (EEL).
Research areas include cosmochemistry, early Earth geochemistry, and planetary systems modeling. The lab integrates quantitative modeling, geochemical analysis, and experimental approaches to investigate the evolution of planetary bodies and planetary systems.
Review of applications will begin April 30, 2026.
Full posting and application instructions: https://bit.ly/4ctEvTH
- Postdoctoral Associate in Planetary Surface Processes, MIT
The Gaia Lab at MIT invites applications for a Postdoctoral Associate in Earth and Planetary Surface Processes (Cambridge, Massachusetts). Our research focuses on hydrological systems and landscape evolution on Mars, Earth, and beyond, and we encourage applicants with experience in remote sensing, data analysis (including AI/ML), numerical modeling, and/or fieldwork. Applicants are welcome to propose research directions aligned with their own interests. For further details and to apply, visit:
https://mit-gaia-lab-postdoc-ad2026.tiiny.site
For further information on current research, see also:
Deadline for full consideration is May 1, 2026.
- Postdoctoral Position: MERTIS/BEPICOLOMBO Data Analysis and Performance Monitoring
We are pleased to invite applications for a two-year postdoctoral research position at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Berlin, Germany, focusing on MERTIS/BepiColombo data analysis, performance monitoring and contribution to the global map of Mercury surface composition. For more details about the position and to apply, please use this link:
Application deadline: May 3, 2026
- ESA Archival Research Visitor Program
To increase the scientific return from its space science missions, the European Space Agency (ESA) welcomes applications from scientists interested in pursuing research projects based on data publicly available in the ESA Space Science Archives Home – ESDC – Cosmos
The ESA Archival Research Visitor Programme is open to scientists, at all career levels, who are affiliated with institutes in ESA Member States and Cooperating States. All visits must comply with the ESA security directives, which may necessitate additional checks. Early-career scientists and PhD students are particularly encouraged to apply. We encourage applications from women and minorities. The peer-review evaluation process is anonymised to ensure equal opportunities for all applicants.
During their stay, visiting scientists will have access to archives and mission specialists for help with the retrieval, calibration, and analysis of archival data. In principle, all areas of space research covered by ESA science missions can be supported.
Residence lasts typically between one and three months, also distributed over multiple visits. Research projects can be carried out at ESAC (Madrid, Spain) and at ESTEC (Noordwijk, Netherlands). To offset the expenses incurred by visitors, ESA covers travel costs from and to the home institution and provides support for lodging expenses and meals.
Applications received by 30 April 2026, 23:59 UTC, will be considered for visits in autumn 2026 and winter 2027.
For further details, including areas of research and contact information, please refer to COSMOS Visit us! – ESDC or write to the programme coordinators at [email protected]
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Send submissions to: Denise Stephens, DPS Secretary, at this address [email protected]