November 7, 2025
Dear DPS Members,
Since its founding in 1968, the Division for Planetary Sciences has relied on volunteers from the planetary science community to lead and motivate the organization. Today, DPS needs your leadership to guide and advise on future DPS actions, pathways, and goals. Your perspectives and experiences are critical to the DPS’ ability to grow and reach its full potential as the premier professional organization for planetary scientists.
This year, the DPS Nominating Subcommittee seeks nominations for the positions of Vice Chair, two Committee Members, and Student Representative for terms to begin in October 2026. The requirements for the positions are stated in the official DPS Bylaws.
- Vice Chair: This is a three year total term (one year as Vice Chair, one year as Chair, one year as Past Chair). The role of Vice Chair is to identify future goals for DPS, plan major events, interface with AAS staff, and communicate DPS’ message beyond the planetary science community. Average of 25 hrs/month of work (with more hours needed as the Chair).
- Committee members: Committee members serve a three year term. The role of a Committee member is to provide feedback on DPS initiatives, strengthen the community through event participation, and vote on DPS matters as needed. Average of ~10 hrs/month of work.
- Student representative: One student representative is elected every two years to serve a two year term. The role of the student representative is to voice concerns for early career researchers to the DPS Leadership and provide feedback on DPS initiatives from a student perspective. Average of ~8 hrs/month of work.
The DPS Nominating Subcommittee invites you to nominate yourself or a colleague to one of these positions. Students are especially encouraged to self-nominate. Please email the Nominating Subcommittee ([email protected]) with the name of the potential nominee and a brief description of their eligibility and accomplishments that motivated you to nominate them before December 31, 2025. The DPS Nominating Subcommittee will then reach out to the potential nominee to confirm acceptance of the nomination and discuss the next steps with them.
We know that there are many members of this community that are juggling full responsibilities in uncertain circumstances, and that to serve in a prominent role in the DPS is not a trivial thing to add to a scientist’s workload. Still, we need community members to step into leadership so that DPS can continue to fulfill the purpose of advancing the investigation of the solar system and other planetary systems for decades to come. For a personal story of why running for a DPS leadership role matters now more than ever, please read the statement from the current Vice Chair, Dr. JĀ Grier, which is included after this email.
With deep respect for you as humans and scientists, we thank you for your dedication to the DPS and its mission.
Sincerely,
Jessica Noviello [Chair], Thérèse Encrenaz, and Jodi Berdis
DPS Nominating Subcommittee, 2025-2026
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Vice Chair Dr. JĀ Grier’s Message
This year has brought an unprecedented challenge to the very existence of the profession of planetary science—in fact, to all the sciences. You’ve seen requests for involvement before, but to say that our current circumstances are dire is an obvious understatement. Our professional societies must step up to see how they can best meet this moment, but a professional society does not exist outside of its members. You and I are the DPS, and each one of us is on the line to strive for, and to eventually benefit from, our collective engagement at this time. The leadership of the DPS, including Scott Murchie as our current Chair and with me as Vice Chair, are continuing to ramp up our efforts, and we need your help.
I chose to run for the position of Vice Chair (and ultimately for Chair) understanding the environment into which I was committing myself to action. That is the reason I did it. There is a strong and experienced core of DPS members who have been working for change for many years, and this is manifestly the moment we’ve been most urgently called to put our learning and wisdom into service for our society and our profession. We have a vision and this is more than an invitation. It is a humble request that you join us in making this vision a reality.
I am not the only member who sees the DPS as the most effective lens to focus my present time, efforts, and advocacy. There are many ways in which members can make this vision their own. Please run for an elected office, volunteer time as a member of one of our subcommittees, stay informed about DPS activities on the hill and elsewhere, and keep leadership informed of situations as they arise and evolve. I look forward to working more closely with all of you in the upcoming months and years as we make an important and positive difference for all of science.