Issue 18-50, December 8, 2018

 

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1. OPAG FINDINGS FALL 2018
2. FORUM FOR NEW LEADERS IN SPACE SCIENCE 2019
3. NASA POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP – APPLICATION DEADLINE MARCH 1, 2019
4. SPITZER AT AGU AND AAS
5. JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES

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OPAG FINDINGS FALL 2018

 

The Fall 2018 OPAG findings are now available on the OPAG website:

 

https://www.lpi.usra.edu/opag/meetings/archive/ [1]

 

The next OPAG meeting is scheduled for February 5–6, 2019, in Washington, DC.

Additional details will be provided on the website as they become available.

 

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FORUM FOR NEW LEADERS IN SPACE SCIENCE 2019

 

The National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and

the Space Studies Board of U.S. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering,

and Medicine to invite applications to participate in the 9th and 10th Forums for 

New Leaders in Space Science. The Forums, initiated in 2014, are designed to

provide opportunities for a highly select group of young (<40 years old) space

and Earth scientists to discuss their research activities in an intimate and collegial

environment.  The 9th and 10th Forums will be devoted to Earth observation from

space and planetary science (i.e., studies of the solar system’s planets, satellites,

and minor bodies) and will be held on 15-16 May 2019 (in Beijing, China) and

28-29 October 2019 (in Washington, DC).  Additional details and application

information available at http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/SSB_086017 [2].

Application deadline 31 January 2019.

 

Many thanks,

David H. Smith

Space Studies Board

 

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NASA POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP – APPLICATION DEADLINE MARCH 1, 2019

 

The NASA Postdoctoral Program offers US and international scientists the

opportunity to advance their research while contributing to NASA's scientific

goals.  The NPP supports fundamental science; explores the undiscovered;

promotes intellectual growth; and encourages scientific connections.

 

Selected by a competitive peer-review process, NPP Fellows complete one-

to three-year Fellowship appointments that advance NASA's missions in earth

science, heliophysics, planetary science, astrophysics, space bioscience, aeronautics

and engineering, human exploration and space operations, and astrobiology.

 

Current NPP research opportunities in planetary science can be viewed here:

NPP Planetary Sciences Research Opportunities [3].

 

Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent degree in hand before beginning

the fellowship, but may apply while completing the degree requirements.

U.S. citizens, Lawful Permanent Residents, and foreign nationals eligible for

J-1 status as a Research Scholar may apply.

 

Stipends start at $60,000 per year, with supplements for high cost-of-living areas

and for certain academic specialties. Financial assistance is available for relocation

and health insurance, and $10,000 per year is provided for professional travel.

 

Applications are accepted three times each year: March 1, July 1, and November 1.

 

For further information and to apply, visit: https://npp.usra.edu/ [4]

 

Questions: npphelp@usra.edu [5]

 

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SPITZER AT AGU AND AAS

 

Spitzer at the AGU 

 

Spitzer will be at the NASA's Great Observatories exhibit at the American

Geophysical Union meeting next week. Come hear about Spitzer's capabilities

for doing exoplanet science and science in our solar system.

On Thursday 13 Dec at 12:15 PM, Sean Carey will present "TRAPPIST-1 and

Other Amazing Exoplanet Tales from Spitzer Beyond" at the NASA Hyperwall.  

 

Spitzer at the AAS 

 

Spitzer and IRSA staff will be available to answer questions at the IPAC booth

at the AAS meeting in Seattle, Washington 6-10 January 2019. Come experience

the TRAPPIST-1 exoplanetary system and learn about the Spitzer spacecraft in

its orbit using virtual reality.  There will be a special session on Spitzer as part 

of the Historical Astronomy Division focusing on the process of designing and

building the observatory from the initial ideas to first light. 

"The Spitzer Observatory" Sunday 6 Jan at 2:00 PM, Room 618/619 

The following talks at the NASA Hyperwall will feature results from Spitzer: 

"Spitzer Beyond" by Sean Carey, Wednesday 9 Jan at 9:10 AM

 

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JOBS, POSITIONS, OPPORTUNITIES

 

A) RESEARCH ASSOCIATE IN PLANETARY ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCE
Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Leicester
Full Details:

https://jobs.le.ac.uk/vacancies/718/research-associate-in-planetary-atmospheric-science.html [6] 
Salary Grade 7 - £34,189 to £39,609 per annum
Funding is available from 1 March 2019 to 31 March 2022

Closing date:  14 January 2019

 

The Physics and Astronomy Department at the University of Leicester invites

applications for a Post-Doctoral Research Associate (PDRA) in Planetary

Atmospheric Science.

 

You will join the planetary atmospheres team led by Dr Leigh Fletcher to address

the scientific aims of a European Research Council (ERC) grant to explore time-

variable processes shaping the atmospheres of the giant planets.

The “GIANTCLIMES” programme seeks to investigate the natural cycles of

meteorology, circulation, and chemical processes shaping the environments of

the four giant planets over long spans of time. 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. Potential sub-projects include, but are not limited to:

analysis of multi-instrument data from the Juno and Cassini spacecraft; assessments

of the chemical distributions and radiative energy budgets of the four giants;

numerical simulation of periodic and stochastic meteorological events (including

wave phenomena); spectroscopic mapping techniques from Earth-based observatories;

and assembly of data analysis pipelines to support “Guaranteed-Time” and

“Early-Release” science activities ahead of the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope.

You will be expected to carry out independent and collaborative research for

this project and disseminate the results to the international scientific community.

There will be significant opportunities to collaborate within the Leicester’s

Planetary Science team (whose existing research includes planetary magnetospheres, 

ionospheres, atmospheres and surface science), and with an international team

specialising in radiative transfer and spectral inversion for planetary atmospheres.

 

In addition to the online application form, applicants are requested to provide:

[1] a CV and publication list; [2] two academic references; [3] a one-page cover

letter detailing how your prior experience and future research aims are

commensurate with the aims of the programme outlined above.

Informal enquiries are welcome and should be made to Dr Leigh Fletcher on

leigh.fletcher@le.ac.uk [7] or 0116 252 3585

 

B)  POST DOCTORAL POSITION

      SPACE SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING DIVISION

      SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE

 

https://resapp.swri.org/ResApp/Job_Search_Results.aspx?DETAIL=15-01330 [8]

 

Job code: 15-01330

Job Summary:

Join SwRI’s Space Science and Engineering team by supporting the Lyman

Alpha Mapping Project (LAMP) on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO)

mission as a postdoctoral planetary scientist. Our team's investigations include

a variety of lunar science questions using far-UV albedo maps of the lunar surface.

Topics of study include characterization of volatiles within permanently shaded

regions at the lunar poles, mapping of surface water frost and hydrates, and

identifying regional space weathering effects. The far-UV map and spectra

analyses to be performed include map data product creation and comparisons

with other LRO and lunar datasets for detailed surveys of regions of interest.

Publish results in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at professional

meetings. Lead and/or assist in new business proposals and teaching/mentoring

experience through our UTSA-SwRI graduate program in Space Physics.

Education/Experience:

Requires a PhD degree in Planetary Science, Physics, Astrophysics, Space

Science, Space Physics, Space Instrumentation, or Astronomy with 0 years

experience. Must have at least a 3.0 GPA. Requires a PhD Must have at least

3 years of related academic research. Strong computing and programming

skills with Interactive Data Language (IDL), Python, and/or ArcGIS are required.

Must have experience with imaging and/or spectroscopy from space-based

observations. A background in scientific analysis and publication of planetary

geology, volatiles, and surface reflectance spectral albedo topics is highly

desirable.

This position requires passing the test.

Special Considerations:

This is a 1 year limited term assignment with possible 1 year extension.

 

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Send submissions to: 

Anne Verbiscer, DPS Secretary (dpssec@aas.org [9]) 

 

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