PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 5, Number 37 (August 21, 2011) PEN Website: http://planetarynews.org Editor: Melissa Lane Co-Editors: Susan Benecchi, Mark V. Sykes Email: pen_editor at psi.edu o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o 1. First Kepler Science Conference: Call for Abstracts Registration 2. 30 Lectures by Distinguished Astronomers Describe the Latest Research in Everyday Language 3. Career Panel at EPSC/PDS 2011 4. NASA Postdoctoral Fellowships 5. Postdoctoral Researcher: Petrology of Planetary Materials 6. Postdoctoral Researchers in Lunar Science 7. Women and Mars Conference in Washington, D.C. 8. NASA Lunar Science Institute: Lunar Swirls Virtual Workshop 9. Icarus Special Issue Announcement: Terrestrial Analog Studies in Preparation for the Mars Science Laboratory Mission and Beyond 10. 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 FIRST KEPLER SCIENCE CONFERENCE: CALL FOR ABSTRACTS REGISTRATION The First Kepler Science Conference is scheduled for December 5-9, 2011 at NASA Ames Research Center, CA. For information, see: http://kepler.nasa.gov/Science/ForScientists/keplerconference/ Topics include: The Kepler Mission and Exoplanet Statistics Earth-analog and Sub-Neptune-Size Planets Multiple Planet Systems Exoplanet Theory Giant Planets and Planet Atmospheres Eclipsing and Interacting Binaries Stellar Activity and Rotation Asteroseismology Across the HR Diagram Red Giant Oscillations Ensemble Asteroseismology of Solar-Type Stars Abstract submission deadline is September 14, 2011. Conference registration deadlines are as follows: US Citizen and Permanent Resident registration, October 21, 2011 Foreign National Registration -Designated Countries, September 23, 2011 -Non-Designated Countries, October 21, 2011 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 30 LECTURES BY DISTINGUISHED ASTRONOMERS DESCRIBE THE LATEST RESEARCH IN EVERYDAY LANGUAGE Thirty non-technical talks on the latest ideas and discoveries in astronomy are now available as audio and video podcasts free of charge through the web and iTunes. For a complete list and to begin listening, go to: http://www.astrosociety.org/education/podcast/ Speakers include: Frank Drake, who began the experimental search for intelligent life among the stars; Mike Brown, who discovered most of the dwarf planets beyond Pluto (and whose humorous talk is entitled "How I Killed Pluto and Why it Had it Coming"); Natalie Batalha, project scientists on the Kepler Mission to find Earths around other stars; Alex Filippenko (national professor of the year) on finding black holes. The talks are part of the Silicon Valley Astronomy Lectures, jointly sponsored by NASA's Ames Research Center, the Astronomical Society of the Pacific, the SETI Institute, and Foothill College. The four organizations have offered six free public lectures per year for the last 12 years, with the audience ranging from 400 to 900 people. Recent talks have been recorded and made available free of charge as a public service, thanks to an anonymous donor. [Edited for length.] 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 CAREER PANEL AT EPSC/PDS 2011 The Professional Development Subcommittee is sponsoring a lunchtime workshop focusing on working in a foreign country. The program entitled "On Foreign Soil: Working as a Planetary Scientist in Another Country" will include a panel of experts who will talk about their research experiences followed by a question and answer session. Information and advice will be gathered and disseminated to attendees and the broader membership. Mercure Room Monday, 03 October, 12:00–13:30 Please provide your own lunch. Registration is encouraged but not required. The panelists are: Cristina Dalle Ore, NASA Ames/SETI Institute Francesca DeMeo, MIT Wesley Fraser, CalTech Amanda Gulbis, SALT/MIT Sarah Horst, Southwest Research Institute Catherine Neish, APL Please visit the DPS professional development web page for more information: http://dps.aas.org/development or contact Rachel Mastrapa (Rachel.M.Mastrapa@nasa.gov) 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 NASA POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS The next deadline to apply for a NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) fellowship is November 1, 2011. These competitive one- to three-year appointments advance NASA's missions in space science, earth science, aeronautics, space operations, exploration systems, lunar science, and astrobiology. 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 and foreign nationals who hold Lawful Permanent Resident status or who are eligible for J-1 status as a Research Scholar may apply. An H-1B Visa status is not acceptable because the NPP is not an employment program. Stipend rates for Postdoctoral Fellows start at $50,000 per year, with moderate supplements for high cost-of-living areas and for certain academic specialties. Funds are available for relocation expenses, up to a specified limit, and health insurance is available through the program. Fellows also receive $8,000 per appointment year to support travel to conferences, meetings, and other activities that directly support their research. For further information about this opportunity and to apply online, visit: http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc/description/index.htm Questions regarding this opportunity may be submitted by e-mail to nasapostdoc@orau.org [Edited for length.] 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 POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHER: PETROLOGY OF PLANETARY MATERIALS The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI), part of the Universities Space Research Association, invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship in the petrology of planetary materials. The successful candidate will work with Dr. Allan Treiman in NASA-funded efforts, focusing on planetary crusts and magmas, and their volatile constituents; target materials include lunar highlands rocks, Martian meteorites, and terrestrial analogs. These efforts focus on planetary samples, starting with analyses by optical microscopy and electron microprobe; other instruments are available at nearby Johnson Space Center or with external collaborators. The candidate will be encouraged to design and conduct their own research in planetary science, propose for external funding, participate in grant review panels and analysis groups, and become involved with spacecraft missions. The successful candidate will have a recent Ph.D. in petrology or geochemistry; experience with planetary materials is helpful, but not required. The position would be for two years, with possible extension to a third year. Review of candidates will begin on November 15, 2011, with a hiring decision as soon as possible thereafter. Further information can be found on our website: http://www.lpi.usra.edu The Universities Space Research Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 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 POSTDOCTORAL RESEARCHERS IN LUNAR SCIENCE The Universities Space Research Association's Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) invites applications for lunar science and exploration postdoctoral fellowships. Opportunities include: Lunar Surface Geology and Remote Sensing - Using new LRO data; integrating it with existing lunar data to evaluate processes associated with impact cratering and/or planetary differentiation. Experience with orbital remote sensing methods, photometry of lunar materials, and photogeology of lunar or lunar-like terrains preferred. Experimental and/or Analytical Petrology and Geochemistry - Using Apollo and lunar meteorite samples (or synthetic analogues) to evaluate processes associated with impact cratering and/or planetary differentiation. Experience with electron and ion microprobes, and/or LA-ICPMS techniques preferred. Modeling of Impact Cratering Processes - Using hydrocodes and relevant analytical techniques to evaluate different cratering processes on the Moon, to model specific crater or basin-forming events, and potentially guide future exploration scenarios. The successful candidate will be a member of the new LPI-JSC Center for Lunar Science and Exploration (http://www.lpi.usra.edu/nlsi/), one of the core teams within the NASA Lunar Science Institute. Further information, including submission requirements are found at: http://www.lpi.usra.edu Questions regarding science involved in the position, contact Dr. David Kring (kring@lpi.usra.edu) The Universities Space Research Association is an Equal Opportunity Employer. 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 WOMEN AND MARS CONFERENCE IN WASHINGTON, D.C. On November 9-10, 2011, Explore Mars, Inc. will be presenting the Women and Mars Conference at the Jack Morton Auditorium at George Washington University in Washington D.C. Presented by Explore Mars, this conference will bring together women and men from around the space/Mars science and engineering community, as well as educators, industry representatives, and policy experts to discuss such questions and topics as, "Why are so many women interested in Mars exploration?" and "How can 'Mars women' help to advance STEM education for young women and to reach non tradition audiences?" In addition, there will also be a policy discussion, a probable astronaut panel, and updates concerning current and upcoming missions. Speakers will include Rebecca Keiser (NASA), Tiffany Montague (Google), Laurie Leshin (NASA), Lisa May (NASA), Penny Boston (New Mexico Tech), Deborah Bass (NASA), Michelle Viotti (NASA), Susan Niebur (Women in Planetary Science), and many more... To register for this event, please visit the registration page at: www.eventbrite.com/event/1218812501 If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Explore Mars at info@exploremars.org 8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8-8 NASA LUNAR SCIENCE INSTITUTE: LUNAR SWIRLS VIRTUAL WORKSHOP Please save the date and join in the inaugural NASA Lunar Science Institute (NLSI) Workshop Without Walls, Sept. 7, 2011, focusing on one of the Moon's least understood surface phenomena, lunar dust swirls. NLSI Workshops Without Walls are designed to provide the global lunar community with a travel-free format that combines formal talks with discussion periods centered around a lunar topic of interest. The origin and surficial effects of lunar swirls have been discussed for many years, but a universally accepted explanation for their formation remains elusive. The NLSI Workshop Without walls will bring together leaders in the lunar science community to openly discuss and debate the origin as well as the scientific and exploration implications of lunar swirls. The workshop will run from 11:30a - 6:00p EDT (8:30a - 3:00p PDT), Sept. 7, and will begin with an overview talk by Carle Pieters entitled "The Enigmatic Lunar Swirls." Workshop topics include: - Lunar swirl origins - Magnetic anomalies - Space weathering - Mission observations and new measurements - Lunar ion and dust transport Participation only requires an internet web browser. The schedule and connection information may be viewed at: http://lunarscience.nasa.gov/events/lunar-swirls-workshop-without- walls 9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9 ICARUS SPECIAL ISSUE ANNOUNCEMENT: TERRESTRIAL ANALOG STUDIES IN PREPARATION FOR THE MARS SCIENCE LABORATORY MISSION AND BEYOND Deadline for submission: December 1, 2011. In March, a workshop titled "Analogue Sites for Mars Missions: MSL and Beyond" was held in Houston, TX. A summary of the workshop may be found here: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/analogues2011/analogues20113rd.shtml A survey of participants indicated there was sufficient interest in this topic for a special issue of Icarus. Participation in the special issue is open to all, and is not limited to workshop attendees. Submissions will be evaluated based on Icarus' guidelines for authors: http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/622843/ authorinstructions Manuscripts must "contain new research - observational, experimental, or theoretical - concerning the astronomy, geology, meteorology, physics, chemistry, biology, and other scientific aspects of our solar system." Manuscripts that include information about new instrumental techniques, logistics, "exploration science," or other technical matters must primarily focus on new science achieved through these methods. Prospective authors unsure of the suitability of their intended contribution are welcome to submit a short description of it to: icarus@astro.cornell.edu. To assist planning for the review of papers for the special issue, contributors are asked to send a brief letter of intent by October 15, 2011 to icarus@astro.cornell.edu. 10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10-10 PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html November 10-12, 2011 School of Applied Mathematics and Innovation 2011 (SAMI 2011): Celestial Mechanics and Computing Orbits http://ima.usergioarboleda.edu.co/SAMI/SAMI2011.htm Bogota, Columbia February 13-15, 2012 Conference on Life Detection in Extraterrestrial Samples http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lifedetection2012/ San Diego, CA [Editor Note: If there is a planetary-related meeting, conference or workshop of which you think your colleagues should be aware, 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, or * send a request to pen_editor at psi.edu * * To unsubscribe, send an email to pen_editor at psi.edu * * 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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