PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 2, Number 59 (December 7, 2008) PEN Website: http://planetarynews.org Editor: Matt Balme Co-Editors: Mark V. Sykes, Nic Richmond Email: pen_editor at psi.edu o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o 1. Venus Science and Technology Definition Team Open House Meeting at Fall AGU 2. Planetary Geomorphology Image of the Month Now Available 3. Job Opportunity: Earth & Space Science Instructor, Florida Gulf Coast University 4. Next MEPAG Meeting March 3-4, 2009 5. Job Opportunities: Two Assistant or Associate Professors in Solid Earth Geophysics and Planetary Sciences, Harvard University 6. Lunar Geochemistry and Chronology: a Sample and Remote Sensing Data Perspective at Goldschmidt Conference 2009, Davos, Switzerland 7. Planetary Meeting Calendar Additions o---------------------------------------------------------------------o 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1 VENUS SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY DEFINITION TEAM OPEN HOUSE MEETING AT FALL AGU The Venus Science and Technology Definition Team is nearing completion of its final report, to be delivered to NASA in late January 2009. The report will detail the science objectives, mission architecture, payload, and costs of a flagship mission to Venus. There will be a meeting at the Fall AGU meeting in San Francisco, open to all interested members of the community. The meeting will be held on Wednesday, December 17 from 12:30 to 1:30 in the San Francisco Marriott, room Pacific J. 2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2 PLANETARY GEOMORPHOLOGY IMAGE OF THE MONTH NOW AVAILABLE The December 'Image of the month' is now available at the IAG's Planetary Geomorphology web page http://www.psi.edu/pgwg/images/dec08image.html This month's topic is on Cryovolcanic features and processes on Titan Past images and captions are available at http://www.psi.edu/pgwg/images/index.html 3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3 JOB OPPORTUNITY: EARTH & SPACE SCIENCE INSTRUCTOR, FLORIDA GULF COAST UNIVERSITY Applications are invited for Earth & Space Science Instructor at Florida Gulf Coast University. Main responsibility will be the support of the laboratory General Education classes in the field of Earth and Space Sciences. We are currently developing an Earth and Planetary Science program. The successful candidate must be an outstanding teacher of lower division physics, astronomy and geology courses and be willing to develop or adopt innovative science reform teaching methods. A M.S. or higher in Physics, Astronomy, Geology or closely related field from a regionally accredited institution or equivalent accreditation. The closing date for receipt of applications is 01-11-2009. Further details are available at: https://jobs.fgcu.edu/applicants/jsp/shared/frameset/Frameset.jsp? time=1228233048910 [Editors' Note: This URL extends over two lines] 4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4 NEXT MEPAG MEETING MARCH 3-4, 2009 The next MEPAG meeting will be held March 3-4, 2009 in Rosslyn, VA. Please save the date on your calendar. A more detailed description of the meeting including hotel information will be sent out in early January. 5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5 JOB OPPORTUNITIES: TWO ASSISTANT OR ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS IN SOLID EARTH GEOPHYSICS AND PLANETARY SCIENCES, HARVARD UNIVERSITY Institution: Harvard University, Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences Position Title: Assistant or Associate Professor in Solid Earth Geophysics and Planetary Sciences The Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences at Harvard University invites applications for two tenure-track faculty positions at the assistant or associate professor level (untenured) in the fields of solid Earth geophysics and planetary sciences. We seek exceptional scientists and educators who work with theoretical, laboratory or observational approaches, and have a broad view of Earth and planetary systems. We anticipate hiring one candidate in each of the subject areas, but also encourage applicants who contribute to both disciplines. Candidates should submit an application form and supporting material electronically. The supporting material should include a statement of research and teaching interests, curriculum vitae, and the names and contact information (including email addresses) of three references. To apply, visit: http://www.eps.harvard.edu/jobs.php. Review of applications will begin on January 5, 2009. We particularly encourage applications from or nominations of women and minorities. Harvard University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. For more information about the Department, please visit www.eps.harvard.edu. 6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6 LUNAR GEOCHEMISTRY AND CHRONOLOGY: A SAMPLE AND REMOTE SENSING DATA PERSPECTIVE AT GOLDSCHMIDT CONFERENCE 2009, DAVOS, SWITZERLAND Dear Community, As co-conveners of the " Lunar Geochemistry and Chronology: A Sample and Remote Sensing Data Perspective" Session at the upcoming Goldschmidt conference 2009, Davos, Switzerland, from June 21st-26th, we would like to invite you to participate in this session and submit an abstract by February 22nd, 2009 (23:59 UTC). Accepted abstracts will be published in Geochimica et Cosmochmica Acta. The focus of the session is: Lunar geochemistry and chronology have been revitalized in recent years by global data obtained from orbit: Clementine, Lunar Prospector, SMART-1, Kaguya, Chang'e-1, Chandrayaan-1 and soon LRO; samples that represent previously unsampled/uninvestigated compositional domains (e.g. meteorites); and new and improved analytical techniques allowing analyses of the smaller Apollo and Luna Samples. The aim of this session is to further explore synergies between different data sets for the evolving understanding of the formation and early differentiation of the Moon, lunar mantle and crust evolution, and lunar (and Earth) impact history. For more information on this session see: http://www.goldschmidt2009.org/themes?theme=1&showDescriptions= true#session_01e [Editors' Note: This URL extends over two lines] For more information on the conference and themes see: http://www.goldschmidt2009.org/index 7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7-7 PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS January 12-13, 2009 Inaugural Meeting of the NASA Small Bodies Assessment Group http://www.lpi.usra.edu/sbag/ Adelphi, MD March 3-4, 2009 Mars Exploration Program Analysis Group (MEPAG) http://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov/meeting/mar-09/index.html Washington, DC June 21-26, 2009 Goldschmidt Conference http://www.goldschmidt2009.org Davos, Switzerland August 24-26, 2009 International Conference on Space Technology http://www.icspacetechnology.com/ Thessaloniki, Greece September 21-25, 2009 Deciphering the Universe through Spectroscopy http://www.aip.de/AG2009/ Potsdam, Germany September 21-25, 2009 Asteroid-Comet Hazard - 2009 http://www.ipa.nw.ru/conference/ach2009/ St. Petersburg, Russia November 30 - December 4, 2009 Fifth Workshop on Lidar Measurements in Latin America http://www.lidar.camaguey.cu/wlmla/5w/w5en_main.htm Buenos Aires, Argentina [Editor Note: If there is a planetary-related meeting, conference or workshop that you think your colleagues should be aware of, please send the date, title, URL and location to pen_editor at psi.edu.] *********************************************************************** * * The Planetary Exploration Newsletter is issued approximately weekly. * Current and back issues are available at * * http://planetarynews.org * * To subscribe, go to http://planetarynews.org/pen_subscribe.html * * To unsubscribe, go to http://planetarynews.org/pen_unsubscribe.html * * Please send all replies and submissions to pen_editor at psi.edu. * Announcements and other messages should be brief with links to URLs * for extended information, including detailed descriptions for job * announcements. 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