PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 9, Number 12 (March 22, 2015) PEN Website: http://planetarynews.org Editor: Mark V. Sykes Co-Editors: Melissa Lane, Susan Benecchi Email: pen_editor at psi.edu o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o 1. MAVEN Data Users' Workshop and Project Science Group Meeting 2. Travel Grant Announcement 3. [NASA] PDS - Mars Science Laboratory Release 8 4. Early E-ELT Science: Spectroscopy with HARMONI 5. NASA Postdoctoral Fellowships 6. Registration for Venus Instrument and Lab Measurement Workshop 7. Undergraduate and Graduate Student Travel Awards for Comparative Climatology of Terrestrial Planets Conference #2 (CCTP2) 8. [NASA] Delay of Due Date and 2018 Launch Readiness Date SIMPLEx 9. Director, NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) 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 MAVEN DATA USERS' WORKSHOP AND PROJECT SCIENCE GROUP MEETING The first MAVEN data is scheduled to be released via the PDS in May 2015. We will hold a one-day data users' workshop during the week of 22 June to help new users learn how to access, utilize, and understand the data. In addition, we want to invite scientists who are using MAVEN data to interact with the MAVEN science team at our Project Science Group meeting that same week. Both meetings will be held at LASP in Boulder, Colorado. Specific days that week are still being worked out. The data workshop is open to anybody who wishes to attend. Participation in the PSG is open only to researchers who are actively using MAVEN data. No funding is available to attend either meeting. To express interest in the data users' workshop, or to apply to participate in the PSG, please email bruce.jakosky@lasp.colorado.edu. Participation must be approved in advance, and we cannot accept walk-up participants. 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 TRAVEL GRANT ANNOUNCEMENT The Gerald A. Soffen Memorial Fund is pleased to announce the first 2015 Travel Grant application opportunity for undergraduate and graduate students pursuing studies in fields of space science and engineering. The Travel Grants, in the amount of $500, enable student recipients to attend professional meetings to present their research. The Spring 2015 Travel Grant application deadline is April 1, 2015. Jerry Soffen, a biologist by training, led a distinguished career in NASA, including serving as the Project Scientist for Viking and as an architect for the NASA Astrobiology Institute. The Travel Grant continues Jerry's dedication to educating and involving future generations in space science and engineering pursuits. The electronic application materials and instructions are located on the Soffen Fund website: http://SoffenFund.org Questions regarding the application or application process may be sent to: info@SoffenFund.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 [NASA] PDS - NASA SCIENCE LABORATORY RELEASE 8 The NASA Planetary Data System announces the eighth release of data from the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission, covering data acquired from Sol 708 through Sol 804 (August 3, 2014 through November 10, 2014). This release consists of raw and derived data sets from the following instruments: APXS ChemCam CheMin DAN Hazcam MAHLI MARDI Mastcam Navcam RAD REMS SAM SPICE To access the above data for this release: http://pds.nasa.gov/subscription_service/SS-20150316.html Links to all MSL data sets may be found on the PDS Geosciences Node web site: http://pds-geosciences.wustl.edu/missions/msl/ The data may also be reached from the main PDS home page: http://pds.nasa.gov/ MSL data are archived at the PDS Atmospheres, Planetary Plasma Interactions (PPI), Geosciences, Imaging, and Navigation and Ancillary Information Facility (NAIF) Nodes. PDS offers two services for searching the MSL archives: The Planetary Image Atlas at the Imaging Node allows selection of MSL image data by specific search criteria: http://pds-imaging.jpl.nasa.gov/search The MSL Analyst's Notebook at the Geosciences Node allows searching and downloading of all MSL data in the context of mission events: http://an.rsl.wustl.edu/msl Mailto: pds_operator@jpl.nasa.gov Phone: (818) 393-7165 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 EARLY E-ELT SCIENCE: SPECTROSCOPY WITH HARMONI 29th June - 3rd July 2015 at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History, Oxford UK. This workshop will explore some of the first science that will emerge from the European Extremely Large Telescope (E-ELT) in the next decade. With a 39m diameter primary mirror, E-ELT will be the largest visible and infrared telescope in the world, and its science will be transformational. The primary spectroscopic capability of E-ELT at first light will be provided by the HARMONI instrument, a visible and near-infrared integral field spectrograph that will be capable of working close to the diffraction limit of the telescope (when fed by adaptive optics) or in natural seeing mode. The meeting will bring together experts spanning a wide range of observational programmes, from planetary science to cosmology. Abstract submission deadline for talks - 27th March Early registration payment deadline - 24th April For further information on the draft programme, key dates and local information, please visit the conference web site: http://harmoni2015.physics.ox.ac.uk For any queries about the workshop, please email eelt@astro.ox.ac.uk 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 NASA POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) provides opportunities for scientists and engineers to conduct research largely of their own choosing, yet compatible with the research opportunities posted on the NPP Web site. 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, astrophysics, planetary science, astrobiology, space bioscience, aeronautics and engineering, human exploration and operations, and space technology. An example of one of the research opportunities in planetary science is: https://www3.orau.gov/NPDoc/Catalog/18421 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 $53,500 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 $8,000 per year is provided for professional travel. Applications are accepted three times each year: March 1, July 1, and November 1. The latest NPP Newsletter: http://bit.ly/1Kjlmyr For further information and to apply, visit: http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc/description/index.htm Questions: nasapostdoc@orau.org 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 REGISTRATION FOR VENUS INSTRUMENT AND LAB MEASUREMENT WORKSHOP Reminder that April 7-8th, the dates of the Venus Instruments and Laboratory Measurements workshop, is quickly approaching and if you haven't done so please register soon. Regular registration ends March 24th. Onsite registration at the workshop will also be available but via credit card only. Workshop information is available at: http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/venustech2015/ Looking forward to seeing you there! Organizers 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 UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENT TRAVEL AWARDS FOR COMPARATIVE CLIMATOLOGY OF TERRESTRIAL PLANETS CONFERENCE #2 (CCTP2) Limited student travel support may be available for U.S. citizens or legal residents for this meeting that will be held September 8-11, 2015, Moffett Field, California. Student travel applications should include the following information: 1) A one-page description of how your participation in the meeting will benefit: (a) you professionally and (b) NASA's goals of planetary exploration, particularly Venus; 2) A copy of your draft abstract; 3) Your resume; 4) A statement of endorsement from a faculty member. Student travel applications are due on the same date as the abstracts (April 30), but all application materials should be sent to the conveners (Jeff Hollingsworth, jeffery.l.hollingsworth@nasa.gov; Lori Glaze, lori.s.glaze@nasa.gov; and Shawn Domagal-Goldman, shawn.goldman@nasa.gov). Applicants will be notified of the selections by May 8. Questions about these awards can be submitted to the conveners. 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] DELAY OF DUE DATE AND 2018 LAUNCH READINESS DATE SIMPLEX This amendment to ROSES-2014 delays the Step-2 date for proposals to program element C.21, Small, Innovative Missions for Planetary Exploration (SIMPLEx) and the launch readiness date to July 2018. SLS confirms that the EM-1 launch readiness date will be July 18, 2018. We are very sorry for the inconvenience this has caused to our community of science investigators who are being asked to revise their proposals once more. We hope that the July 2018 date will allow investigators to propose even more compelling science investigations beyond Earth orbit. No additional changes are anticipated. We have also allocated more time for proposers to update proposals to adhere to this launch readiness schedule. Proposers that have already submitted a Step 2 proposal are encouraged to update their proposal and resubmit. The due date for SIMPLEx Step-2 proposals has been extended to April 10, 2015. Go to: http://nspires.nasaprs.com/ It will appear on the RSS feed at: http://nasascience.nasa.gov/researchers/sara/grant-solicitations /roses-2014 Questions concerning this program element may be directed to Janice Buckner at Janice.L.Buckner@nasa.gov or 202 358-0183. [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 DIRECTOR, NASA ASTROBIOLOGY INSTITUTE (NAI) NASA seeks a new Director for the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI). The ideal candidate will be an internationally recognized scientist with proven experience in leading or managing large interdisciplinary research programs or projects, possessed with a vision for leading the Institute into the future. Applicants for this position should have a broad scientific perspective on astrobiology, experience in conducting interdisciplinary scientific research, and demonstrated skills needed to harness the strengths of disparate research communities towards a greater goal. S/he should understand how to grow a research endeavor and respond to changing budget climates while focusing on maximizing the scientific return on NASA's investments in astrobiology. S/he should have experience in leading a diverse staff ranging from established scientists to support personnel, resource planning, and executing budgets and schedules. S/he should be comfortable with modern information technologies and distributed research teams. NASA is particularly interested in applicants who will find ways to infuse astrobiology into NASA flight missions. Interested individuals should apply directly to USAJobs at: http://www.usajobs.gov by May 1, 2015. In the keyword search box, type vacancy number 'AR15S0001.' Select 'Director, NASA Astrobiology Institute', then click 'Apply Online'. 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 June 29 - July 3, 2015 Early E-ELT Science: Spectroscopy With HARMONI http://harmoni2015.physics.ox.ac.u Oxford, UK August 3-7 NBIA Summer School on Protoplanetary Disks and Planet Formation http://www.nbia.dk/phd-school-2015 Copenhagen, Denmark [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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