PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 6, Number 1 (January 1, 2012) PEN Website: http://planetarynews.org Editor: Susan Benecchi Co-Editors: Mark V. Sykes, Melissa Lane Email: pen_editor at psi.edu o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o 1. Research Experience for Undergraduates in Astrobiology & Planetary Science 2. NASA Postdoctoral Fellowships 3. IAU 293: Formation, Detection, and Characterization of Habitable Extrasolar Planets 4. Venus Exploration Analysis Group (VEXAG) 5. Postdoctoral Position in Planetary Science 6. USGS Astrogeology Announcement to Hire a New Science Center Director 7. Special LPSC Session -- A Season in the Saturn System: New Discoveries and Seasonal Changes 8. International Workshop Planning -- Mars and the Moon: Changing Perspectives and New Questions 9. 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 RESEARCH EXPERIENCE FOR UNDERGRADUATES IN ASTROBIOLOGY & PLANETARY SCIENCE The SETI Institute is pleased to announce that applications are now open for the 2012 REU (Research Experiences for Undergraduates) program in Astrobiology and Planetary Science. Undergraduate students in fields such as astronomy, biology, geology, chemistry, and physics are invited to apply to spend 10 weeks in the San Francisco Bay area working on a scientific research project in the field of astrobiology or planetary science. Students receive a stipend, travel, and living expenses. Applications are due by February 1, 2012. For more information, visit http://www.seti.org/reu or contact Cynthia Phillips, phillips@seti.org, 650-810-0230. 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 NASA POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) offers scientists and engineers unique opportunities to conduct research at NASA Centers. Each NPP fellowship opportunity is designed to advance NASA research in a specific project related to space science, earth science, aeronautics, space operations, exploration systems, lunar science, or 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, Lawful Permanent Residents, and foreign nationals 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. Stipends 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. Applications are accepted three times each year: March 1, July 1, and November 1. For further information and to apply, visit: http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc/description/index.htm Questions may be submitted by e-mail to nasapostdoc@orau.org 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 IAU 293: FORMATION, DETECTION, AND CHARACTERIZATION OF HABITABLE EXTRASOLAR PLANETS August 27-31, 2012, Beijing Conference website: www.ifa.hawaii.edu/iau293 We are pleased to announce that the abstract submission period has now opened, and we are accepting abstracts for oral and poster presentations. Please visit the abstract submission site at: http://ifa.hawaii.edu/iau293/abstract.html Abstract deadline for contributed talks: March 31, 2012 Abstract deadline for posters: July 31, 2012 Note that the early registration deadline is February 29, 2012. For question and more information contact Nader Haghighipour . 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 VENUS EXPLORATION ANALYSIS GROUP (VEXAG) The December 2011 Newsletter is available at: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/vexag/newsletters/Dec2011/index.pdf 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 POSITION IN PLANETARY SCIENCE The planetary sciences group in the Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences at the University of British Columbia, Vancouver invites applications for a postdoctoral position in planetary geophysics. Candidates should have a Ph.D in geophysics or planetary physics. Areas of particular interest are characterization and modeling of planetary magnetic fields, interior structure of the terrestrial planets, geophysical studies of Mercury using MESSENGER data, and impact processes. The initial appointment is for one year, but the appointment is renewable for an additional year. The position will be available beginning in May 2012 or as mutually acceptable. Review of applications will begin in January 2012 and the position will remain open until filled. Applicants should send (1) a current CV with a list of publications, (2) a list of names, addresses and e-mail addresses of at least 3 references, and (3) a 1-2 page summary of current and proposed research to: Professor Catherine Johnson cjohnson@eos.ubc.ca Department of Earth and Ocean Sciences University of British Columbia 6339 Stores Road Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z4 CANADA http://www.eos.ubc.ca/about/faculty/C.Johnson.html 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 USGS ASTROGEOLOGY ANNOUNCEMENT TO HIRE A NEW SCIENCE CENTER DIRECTOR The incumbent serves as Director of the Astrogeology Science Center (ASTRO) in the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), and manages and directs all scientific activities therein. The USGS ASTRO Science Center conducts the major segment of the USGS's program of scientific research into the geologic nature and history of the planets and satellites in the Solar System. The program encompasses a variety of scientific and technical disciplines including geology, geophysics, computer science, cartography, geodesy, space science, physical science, and remote sensing. This interdisciplinary position may be classified in any of the following professional occupational series; General Physical Science GS-1301; Geophysics, GS-1313; Chemistry, GS-1320; Geology, GS-1350. Astronomers and astrophysicists will typically apply under General Physical Science (GS-1301). This opportunity closes 27 Jan 2012. To find a detailed description of this position and additional information on qualifications and application procedures, please click on the USAjobs link: Former and Current Federal Employees: http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetails/305114500 Non-Federal Employees: http://www.usajobs.gov/GetJob/ViewDetail/305112900 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 SPECIAL LPSC SESSION -- A SEASON IN THE SATURN SYSTEM: NEW DISCOVERIES AND SEASONAL CHANGES LPSC abstracts are due January 10 (5P CST). http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2012/ Please consider submitting an abstract for the following special session: A Season in the Saturn System: New Discoveries and Seasonal Changes Titan and the icy satellites of Saturn have been under careful observation by the Cassini spacecraft for seven years, from southern summer into northern spring. Observations have yielded detections of change in surfaces, plumes, clouds and lakes, as well as important snapshots in time data on moons such as Dione and Rhea. This special session will include presentations concerning new results in the Saturn system, and observations, modeling, and predictions of active processes on the surfaces of satellites in light of seasonal change. Happy New Year, Amanda Hendrix, Dennis Matson, Jani Radebaugh, Bob Nelson, Karl Mitchell (special session co-organizers) 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 INTERNATIONAL WORKSHOP PLANNING -- MARS AND THE MOON: CHANGING PERSPECTIVES AND NEW QUESTIONS Dear Mars Scientists, I am working with colleagues in China and Europe to organize a workshop on scientific studies of Mars and the Moon. The tentative details are: International Workshop on Mars and the Moon: Changing Perspectives and New Questions Beijing, China August 6-10, 2012 The workshop will include scientists from the US, Europe, and China and will encompass all aspects of Mars and Moon science from geophysics and geology to aeronomy and solar wind interactions. The workshop is one week before the AOGS meeting (Singapore) and 2 weeks before the IAU general assembly (Beijing). The US, Europe, and China are all conducting or planning spacecraft missions to Mars. This workshop will concentrate on the science questions that motivate the missions and the data returned from the missions, rather than details of spacecraft investigations. The main body organizing the workshop is the Chinese Academy of Sciences. It would help their planning to have an estimate of US scientists likely to attend. If you are interested and think that you might attend, please send me an email indicating your attendance likeliness: highly likely or possible. Best Regards, Roger Yelle Professor, Department of Planetary Sciences University of Arizona yelle@lpl.arizona.edu [Edited for length.] 9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9-9 PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html March 27-30, 2012 Royal Astronomical Society (UK) & Astronomische Gesellschaft (Germany) National Astronomy Meeting http://www.jb.man.ac.uk/meetings/nam2012/Manchester, UK May 21-22, 2012 Extraterrestrial Life: Beyond our Expectations? http://www.univie.ac.at/EPH/exolife/fileadmin/template/exolife/docs/ workshop_final.pdf Vienna, Austria October 18-20, 2012 Solar System Exploration @50 http://history.nasa.gov/ Washington, DC [Editor Note: If there is a planetary-related meeting, conference or workshop of which 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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