PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 9, Number 15 (April 12, 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. Editorial: Reform ROSES15 Solar System Workings 2. Only One Month to the Humans to Mars Summit 3. NASA Postdoctoral Fellowships 4. EPSC 2015: Mars Geomorphology 5. The Forum for New Leaders in Space Science 6. Small Bodies Assessment Group 13th Meeting: Early Career Travel Support and Agenda 7. Job Requisition - Associate Director I: Arecibo Observatory Planetary Radar Program 8. 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 EDITORIAL: REFORM ROSES15 SOLAR SYSTEM WORKINGS Mark V. Sykes Planetary Science Institute NASA has broken SSW into two Step 2 calls, six months apart, but requires a single Step 1 for both. Program managers then tell PIs to which Step 2 they will propose. This is nonsense. PIs need to plan (by the Step 1 deadline) when they are hiring students, if they can hire certain postdocs, if field sites are available in what timeframe, when they need to be trying to fill funding shortfalls, and many other considerations. Experience teaches that details of research can change significantly in more than 8 months (between the Step 1 and second Step 2 calls). There needs to be a separate Step 1 deadline for the second Step 2 call. Furthermore, the 20 month gap between ROSES14 and ROSES15 calls for PIs relegated to the second SSW Step 2 deadline will seriously harm many disciplines. At least one year of bridge funding should be available to those funded from ROSES12 and ROSES13 in programs merged into SSW in those disciplines relegated to the second Step 2 call, with consideration for others in declining disciplines. Discipline funding within program elements must be tracked. 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 ONLY ONE MONTH TO THE HUMANS TO MARS SUMMIT The Humans to Mars Summit (H2M) will take place May 5-7, 2015 on the campus of The George Washington University in Washington, D.C. Registration and the current agenda are available at the conference website: http://h2m.exploremars.org/ H2M will feature such speakers as - Charles Bolden Buzz Aldrin Jim Green Scott Hubbard John Grunsfeld Andrew Weir (Author of The Martian) William Gerstenmaier Emily Briere (Time Capsule to Mars) Roberto Battiston (Italian Space Agency) Rod Pyle (Author) Melissa Trainer Steve Jurczyk Janet Ivey (Janet's Planet) Jim Garvin Greg Olsen (Private Astronaut) Adam Steltzner Rebecca Keiser and many, many more. Follow the conference on social media via Explore Mars on Facebook: http://facebook.com/exploremarsdotorg and Twitter @exploremars with the hashtag: #H2M2015 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 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/17585 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 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 EPSC 2015: MARS GEOMORPHOLOGY Abstract submissions are now open for the European Planetary Science Congress (EPSC) 2015, 27th September to 2nd October at La Cite des Congres, Nantes, France. The deadline is 29 April 2015, 13:00 CET. We cordially invite you to submit your abstracts to the session TP7 "Mars geomorphology in the late Amazonian epoch". This session aims to explore the recent and current (or even ongoing) surface processes on Mars. Contributions are welcome concerning remote sensing, climate, Earth-analogue, modelling and laboratory studies. Abstract submission: http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EPSC2015/session/19631 Abstract guidelines: http://www.epsc2015.eu/abstract_management /how_to_submit_an_abstract.html Kind regards, Convener: Susan Conway and Co-Conveners: Andreas Johnsson, Jan Raack and Richard Soare 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 THE FORUM FOR NEW LEADERS IN SPACE SCIENCE The Space Studies Board of U.S. National Academy of Sciences' National Research Council and the National Space Science Center of the Chinese Academy of Sciences invite applications for the 2015-16 Forum for New Leaders in Space Science. The Forum's 2015-2016 session will provide opportunities for a highly select group of young Earth and planetary scientists from the United States and China to discuss their research activities in an intimate and collegial environment at meetings to be held in Shanghai, China (9-10 October, 2015) and Irvine, California (16-17 May, 2016). The application deadline is 29 May, 2015. Details can be found at: http://sites.nationalacademies.org/SSB/SSB_086017 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 SMALL BODIES ASSESSMENT GROUP 13TH MEETING: EARLY CAREER TRAVEL SUPPORT AND AGENDA The 13th meeting of the Small Bodies Assessment Group (SBAG) will be held June 29 to midday July 1 in Washington, DC. 1) Early career travel support: We are pleased to be able to offer limited US travel support for a few early career scientists to participate in the SBAG 13 meeting. Interested graduate students, postdocs, and other early career scientists (within 3 years of PhD/MS/BS) should email a one-page letter and a CV to Nancy Chabot by April 24, 2015. 2) As we get the SBAG 13 agenda together, we'd like to give any team that submitted a small body related Discovery mission proposal the opportunity to briefly share their submitted concept with the community on June 30. Please pass this invitation along to any teams you were involved with, and contact Nancy Chabot to be added to the agenda. Also, both the Dawn and New Horizons teams have provided great slide sets: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/sbag/dawn_materials/ http://www.lpi.usra.edu/sbag/new_horizons/ As public interest continues to grow in these missions, please use these slides to share the excitement with the public at any possible opportunity! Nancy Chabot SBAG Chair Nancy.Chabot@jhuapl.edu 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 JOB REQUISITION - ASSOCIATE DIRECTOR I: ARECIBO OBSERVATORY PLANETARY RADAR PROGRAM Location: Arecibo, Puerto Rico, United States Description: USRA is seeking a full time Arecibo Observatory (AO) Head of Planetary Radar to provide the leadership of the AO planetary radar group and associated observatory operations funded by NASA. The duties also include developing and implementing strategic initiatives as part of a single Arecibo Management Team led by the Arecibo Observatory Director. Duties and Responsibilities: * Provides day to day leadership to the scientific and technical staff and employees in the radar group. Sets the tempo, provides direction and develops a team that is oriented to action. * Directs development of data taking hardware and software. Oversees data archiving and routine analysis. * Coordinates activities of the radar group with other observatory programs. * Conducts a vigorous personal scientific research program. * Mentors students, post-docs, and junior scientific staff. * Coordinates NASA requests for observations of objects with other observatory activities. * Represents the Arecibo Planetary Radar program in national and international community forums. All interested candidates must apply directly on our website at: https://usracareers.silkroad.com/ USRA is an Equal Opportunity Employer Minorities/Females/Protected Veterans/Disabled/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity 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 PLANETARY MEETING CALENDAR ADDITIONS Posted at http://planetarynews.org/meetings.html April 14-17, 2015 5th International Workshop on Lunar Surface Applications, Lunar Landers, Lunar Surface Science and ISRU http://www.lsaworkshops.com Cocoa Beach, FL June 9-10, 2015 The Future of Planetary Radio Astronomy with Single-Dish Telescopes https://science.nrao.edu/science/meetings/2015/planetary-radio- astronomy-future/ Green Bank, WV October 5-8, 2015 From Clouds to Protoplanetary Disks: The Astrochmical Link https://cas-events.mpe.mpg.de/indico/event/0/ Berlin, Germany November 1-4, 2015 Geological Society of America Annual Meeting http://community.geosociety.org/gsa2015/home Baltimore, MD [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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