PLANETARY EXPLORATION NEWSLETTER Volume 11, Number 9 (February 26, 2017) PEN Website: http://planetarynews.org Editor: Mark V. Sykes Co-Editors: Karen Stockstill-Cahill, Elisabeth Adams, Susan Benecchi Email: pen_editor at psi.edu o-------------------------TABLE OF CONTENTS---------------------------o 1. Information Session at LPSC on Post-Doc Opportunities at NASA Goddard 2. New MEPAG Goals Committee Chair 3. Far Infrared Next Generation Instrumentation Community Workshop 4. Planetary GIS Data Specialist Sought 5. Venus Modeling Workshop - Abstract Deadline Extension 6. NASA Postdoctoral Fellowships 7. NASA Postdoctoral Fellowships External Reviewers Needed 8. Nominations for NASA Federal Advisory Committees 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 INFORMATION SESSION AT LPSC ON POST-DOC OPPORTUNITIES AT NASA GODDARD Are you interested in a postdoctoral position at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center? Join scientists from Goddard's Solar System Exploration Division (http://science.gsfc.nasa.gov) for an information session at LPSC on Tuesday, March 21st at Noon in the Grogans Mill Room. We'll discuss available opportunities and pathways, through the NASA Postdoctoral Program, cooperative agreements, and the NAI and SSERVI, as well as professional development opportunities like the Planetary Science Winter School, and other aspects of Goddard that make it a great place to work. If you can't make the lunchtime meeting, we will also hold an informal gathering prior to the Tuesday evening poster session for those that would like to talk more, or who can't make the noontime meeting. We will meet at Grimaldi's Pizza at 5:00 PM for food and discussion. Please email Noah Petro (Noah.E.Petro@nasa.gov) if you have any questions. 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 NEW MEPAG GOALS COMMITTEE CHAIR Mars community members, We are pleased to announce that Dr. Don Banfield (Cornell University) has agreed to serve as the next MEPAG Goals Committee Chair. Dr. Banfield is an atmospheric scientist, who has studied the giant planets and Mars from both remote sensing and in situ perspectives. He has been associated with the Voyager flyby of Neptune, Galileo at Jupiter, and the MER Rovers; was a Participating Scientist for Mars Polar Lander and Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter; and is a Co-I on InSight. He succeeds Dr. Victoria Hamilton (Southwest Research Institution), who we deeply thank for the years of service that resulted in two MEPAG Goals Document revisions (2012 and 2015). The full listing of MEPAG Goals Committee members can be found at: https://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov/about.cfm Thank you, Dr. Jeffrey R. Johnson MEPAG Chair 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 FAR INFRARED NEXT GENERATION INSTRUMENTATION COMMUNITY WORKSHOP Thursday, March 23, 2017 Caltech, Pasadena, California Community input is sought for far-infrared instrument needs across multiple platforms (balloons, SOFIA, sub-orbital, FIR probes). Bring your knowledge of what science gaps we still have in the far-IR and how we can shape our existing and future platforms to get these measurements. We hope to see you there. More information at: https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/~mmacgreg/FIR_SIG/workshop.html Registration is open for the workshop: http://tinyurl.com/FIRNextGen-2017 If you are unable to attend in person, you may join us by Webex. Your inputs will be important contributions to the discussion at the workshop. Please leave your ideas as answers to questions in Section 2 of the registration form: http://tinyurl.com/FIRNextGen-2017 Sign-up is also available for a tour of your SOFIA Observatory in Palmdale, Calif., on Friday, March 24, 2017 morning (transport to/from Pasadena provided). For any questions, contact members of the organizing committee: Kimberly Ennico - kimberly.ennico@nasa.gov Ravi Sankrit - rsankrit@sofia.usra.edu Duncan Farrah - farrah@vt.edu Meredith MacGregor - mmacgreg@cfa.harvard.edu JD Smith - jd.smith@utoledo.edu 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 PLANETARY GIS DATA SPECIALIST SOUGHT Sagan Center at the SETI Institute, Mt. View, California The Planetary GIS Data Specialist is responsible for producing "research ready" cartographic and geospatial data for various projects. This work involves interfacing with the supervisor to determine the data processing strategy for a particular project and then executing that strategy. Responsibilities: Image processing of experimental data records up to map projected images, mosaicking of images, production of digital terrain models from stereo pairs of images, production of other data products derived from the above, production of visualizations of the above data products, and work with supervisor to find the best ways to perform various kinds of cartographic analyses. Qualifications: Masters degree or equivalent experience in geographic information systems, experience working with planetary data, experience with Unix operating systems, experience with the Integrated Software for Imagers and Spectrometers software, and some programming experience (any language). http://www.seti.org/seti-institute/news/seti-institute-hiring -planetary-gis-data-specialist 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 VENUS MODELING WORKSHOP - ABSTRACT DEADLINE EXTENSION Update: In order to avoid conflicts with the SSW deadline, the workshop organizing committee has extended the abstract deadline until Thursday, March 2. Details: Researchers using any combination of analytic, numerical, or empirical modeling to study Venus' orbital environment, atmosphere, surface, or interior are invited to submit abstracts to the Venus Modeling Workshop to be held May 9-11, 2017 in Cleveland, OH adjacent to NASA's Glenn Research Center. This 2.5 day event is being convened for interested researchers to share the state of knowledge, approaches, tools, and data sets currently in use. Discipline-specific roundtable discussions will identify needs for future data products and investigative resources that can enable deeper understanding of the past, present, and future of Venus. Further information can be found at: http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/venusmodeling2017/ 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 NASA POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS The NASA Postdoctoral Program offers US and international scientists the opportunity to advance their research while contributing to NASA's scientific goals. The NPP supports fundamental science; explores the undiscovered; promotes intellectual growth; and encourages scientific connections. 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, planetary science, astrophysics, space bioscience, aeronautics and engineering, human exploration and space operations, and astrobiology. Current research opportunities in planetary science can be viewed here: https://npp.usra.edu/opportunities/?filter_keywords=&filter_fields=145 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. For further information and to apply, visit: https://npp.usra.edu/ Questions: npphelp@usra.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 NASA POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIPS EXTERNAL REVIEWERS NEEDED The NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP), managed by USRA, provides young and more senior scientists the opportunity to work on 1 to 3 year assignments with NASA scientists and engineers at NASA centers and institutes to advance NASA's missions in earth science, heliophysics, planetary science, astrophysics, space bioscience, aeronautics, engineering, human exploration and space operations, astrobiology, and science management. USRA is recruiting well-qualified reviewers for upcoming applications. Reviewers may be asked to review up to 5 applications (each application is 15 pages, including figures and citations; double-spaced). Proposal deadlines are March 1, July 1, and November 1. The reviewer evaluations are submitted online and those who are eligible will receive an honorarium of $50 for each review submitted. Reviewers should have the following minimum qualifications: three (3) years past PhD; 10 or more peer-reviewed publications; at least five (5) peer-reviewed publications as first author; work in a field relevant to NASA; and show national and international prominence through awards and invitations to speak at major scientific meetings. If you are interested in being a reviewer, visit: https://npp.usra.edu/reviewer_connect/ and create an account. For additional questions email nppreviews@usra.edu Feel free to pass this information to colleagues. 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 NOMINATIONS FOR NASA FEDERAL ADVISORY COMMITTEE Due: March 8, 2017 NASA invites public nominations for service on four new Federal advisory committees that advise NASA on science. The four new committees, which were formerly subcommittees of the NASA Advisory Council, are The Astrophysics Advisory Committee (APAC), The Earth Science Advisory Committee (ESAC), The Heliophysics Advisory Committee (HPAC), and The Planetary Science Advisory Committee (PAC). U.S. citizens may submit self-nominations for consideration to fill vacancies on these four new committees. There will be member vacancies from time to time throughout the year, and NASA will consider self-nominations to fill such intermittent vacancies. Nominees will be contacted only if a vacancy should arise and the expertise of the nominees is appropriate for that specific vacancy. The deadline for NASA receipt of all public nominations is March 8, 2017. For more information, please see the federal register notice at: https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2017/02/23/2017-03541 /nasa-federal-advisory-committees 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 23, 2017 Far Infrared Next Generation Instrumentation Community Workshop https://www.cfa.harvard.edu/~mmacgreg/FIR_SIG/workshop.html Pasadena, CA May 9-11, 2017 Venus Modeling Workshop http://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/venusmodeling2017/ Cleveland, OH December 11-15, 2017 AGU Fall Meeting http://fallmeeting.agu.org/2017/ New Orleans, LA [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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