"Is it possible to have life on other planets? When I say life, I am referring to any type of life-human life, bacteria, etc. "
Welcome to the NAI Newsletter! The Newsletter is a compendium of announcements, events, updates, and news items related to the NAI and its research. If you have news items or suggestions you can send them to the editor, Marco Boldt at: Marco.Boldt@nasa.gov.
Newsletter for March 6, 2006
- AbSciCon 2006 Student Poster Competition Request for Judges
- The Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research in Astrobiology
- The NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) Europa Focus Group holds Two-day Workshop
- New Website for NAI's Ames Team
- Book on NAI Makes "Best Book" List
- Proceedings for Protostars and Planets V Available
- Former NAI/NRC Postdoctoral Fellow joins University of Arizona
- NAI Research Highlighted on Popular NASA Website
- NAI Helps Bring Together Astrobiology and Navajo Cultural Teachings
- MESSENGER Mission to Mercury Seeks Educators
- NAI Supported Radio Show Goes Satellite
- Computational Astrobiology Summer School
- New Astrobiology REU Program at SETI Institute
- NAI Teams Offer Summer Workshops for Educators in Astrobiology
AbSciCon 2006 Student Poster Competition Request for Judges
The NAI is pleased to once again be sponsoring the Student Poster Competition at AbSciCon 2006. There will be 1st, 2nd and 3rd place selections with awards of $1,000, $750 and $500 respectively. Participation by members of the astrobiology community in the judging of these posters is a very important part of this event. This message is a request for volunteers to be poster judges for the various meeting themes.
Please volunteer to be a student poster judge by contacting David Morrison (dmorrison@arc.nasa.gov) AS SOON AS POSSIBLE. This poster competition is always a highlight of the meeting for the students, providing motivation, encouragement, and most of all, recognition to the most promising astrobiologists of the future - and is a rewarding investment of time for the judges. For more information about the competition please go to the AbSciCon website section: http://abscicon2006.arc.nasa.gov/student_comp.html
The Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research in Astrobiology
The Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research in Astrobiology is a joint program between the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) and the American Philosophical Society (APS) providing research grants in support of astrobiological field studies undertaken by junior scientists less than 5 years beyond their Ph.D. Non-NAI members are also eligible to apply.
The Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research in Astrobiology is open to field studies in any area of interest to astrobiology. Grants may be used for travel and related expenses, including field equipment up to $5,000. Applications will be reviewed by a committee made up of members of the NAI, the APS, and the wider science community as needed. Recipients will be designated as Lewis and Clark Field Scholars in Astrobiology.
Deadline: March 15 Additional information, including the application forms and instructions is available at the APS's Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research in Astrobiology page. (http://www.amphilsoc.org/grants/astrobiology.htm)
The NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) Europa Focus Group holds Two-day Workshop
Organized by Ron Greeley, Chair of the Europa Focus Group (EFG), the workshop was held February 27-28 just outside the gates to NASA Ames Research Center. Over 110 researchers participated in this working meeting, representing the full scope of expertise needed to define the science requirements, and general mission planning, for the future exploration of Europa. In addition to the five invited talks, breakout sessions addressed specific sub-topics centered on: Europa Science Objectives, Astrobiology Payloads for Orbiters and Landers, and Europa Lander Concepts. Approximately 50 posters were also presented. The EFG chair, Ron Greeley of Arizona State University, is also a steering committee member of the Outer Planets Assessment Group (OPAG) and it is expected that the workshop outcomes will be reported to OPAG at their upcoming meeting, May 4 & 5. A very successful public lecture, Europa: Life Beneath the Ice? featuring five paricipants of the workshop, enlightened a crowd of about 250 people on Sunday evening.
New Website for NAI's Ames Team
The NAI Team at NASA Ames Research Center recently launched their new website: http://www.amesteam.arc.nasa.gov . It chronicles current research, team members, and E/PO efforts, and features a photo gallery.
Book on NAI Makes "Best Book" List
Life As We Do Not Know It: The NASA Search For (And Synthesis Of) Alien Life, by NAI University of Washington Team PI Peter Ward, was recently named to the list of "Twenty Best Books of 2005" by Library Journal. Ward joins celebrated authors Jared Diamond, Joan Didion, and 25 others on this list. http://www.libraryjournal.com/article/CA6298434.html
Proceedings for Protostars and Planets V Available
University of Hawaii NAI Team members Bo Reipurth, Klaus Keil and Dave Jewitt have assembled and edited the Proceedings for the
NAI-sponsored Protostars and Planets meeting held last October in
Hawaii.
For more information: http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/UHNAI/ppv.htm
Former NAI/NRC Postdoctoral Fellow joins University of Arizona
The NAI extends its congratulations to Alexander Pavlov, a former NAI/NRC Postdoctoral Fellow. Pavlov has recently joined the University of Arizona faculty and team.
Recently Published Research from the NAI
A Window into the Subsurface Microbial Population
A new paper this week in PNAS highlights a collaboration between NAI Lead Teams at Penn State, University of Rhode Island, UCLA, and the Marine Biological Laboratory. Their research reveals that heterotrophic Archea dominate the scene in a variety of biogeochemically distinct sedimentary regions, and may constitute a significant portion of the prokaryotic biomass in Earth's subsurface. Ecosystem-level carbon budgets suggest that community turnover times are on the order of 100-2,000 years.
Life in the Deep Subseafloor
In a new study published in this week's PNAS, researchers from NAI's University of Rhode Island Lead Team report the vertical and geographical distribution of microbes in deeply buried marine sediments of the Pacific Ocean Margin. Sediment cores from the Peru and Cascadia Margins were obtained, and thousands of clones were studied to describe the nature of the biomass in areas with and without methane hydrates. The data suggest that prokaryotic communities from methane hydrate-bearing sediment cores are distinct from those in hydrate-free cores. This study is an important step in understanding the role of biology in Earth's essential biogeochemical processes.
Astrobiology EPO, Undergrads, Grads, Postdocs
NAI Research Highlighted on Popular NASA Website
Research on ancient zircons from the Jack Hills in Western Australia was featured on NASA's Earth Observatory website this week: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/ . Implications from the research point to mild conditions on the early Earth, which contradicts the currently held view of a tumultuous, hell-like Hadean. The work was supported through NAI's UCLA Team.
For more information: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Study/Zircon/
NAI Helps Bring Together Astrobiology and Navajo Cultural Teachings
NAI was awarded a 2005 NASA Explorer Institute grant from HQ's Office of Education for the project entitled "NASA and the Navajo Nation." At a workshop held recently in Window Rock, AZ, the seat of the Navajo Nation, NASA and Navajo educators came together for training with newly developed, "dual-learning" materials that integrate NASA astrobiology science and Navajo cultural teachings. These materials break new ground for NASA by linking ancient teachings with astrochemistry and stellar evolution; they were developed collaboratively by NAI Central and ArtReach International in Herndon, VA. A local newspaper, The Gallup Independent, covered the event: http://www.gallupindependent.com/2006/feb/021106nsadne.html For information on the project, contact Daniella Scalice
MESSENGER Mission to Mercury Seeks Educators
The MESSENGER mission to Mercury is recruiting 30 practicing teachers or teacher trainers to become the next cadre of MESSENGER Educator Fellows. These Fellows help bring the excitement of this challenging mission to classrooms nationwide by training teachers on the Solar System-focused education materials written in support of the mission. http://btc.montana.edu/messenger/teachers/fellows.php
NAI Supported Radio Show Goes Satellite
The NAI-supported SETI Institute radio show, "Are We Alone?," has just signed a contract with Discovery Channel Radio to air on Sirius Satellite twice each week with an additional live interview once a week. The show is also podcast with downloads available on the Discovery Channel website. The Discovery Channel Radio is a sister to Discovery Channel TV and is one of the few media outlets devoted to coverage of science & technology. "Are We Alone?" focuses on current topics in astrobiology and is hosted by Seth Shostak of the SETI Institute. http://www.seti.org/site/pp.asp?c=ktJ2J9MMIsE&b=178892
Computational Astrobiology Summer School
Honolulu, Hawaii
July 24 - August 11, 2006
Applications due: March 31, 2006
The University of Hawaii Astrobiology Institute (UH-NAI) is hosting the
Computational Astrobiology Summer School from July 24 until August 11, 2006.
This is an excellent opportunity for graduate students in computer science
and related areas to learn about astrobiology, and to carry out substantial
projects related to the field.
Program
The first two weeks of the program will be an intensive introduction to the
field of astrobiology. NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI) scientists will
present their work, and the group will discuss ways in which computational
tools (e.g. models, simulations, data processing applications, sensor
networks, etc.) could improve astrobiology research. In the final week,
participants will define their projects, with the help of the participating
NAI researchers. Suitable projects will be significant team or individual
programming efforts that result in useful tools for astrobiology research.
For more information and application, please go to following website:
http://www.ifa.hawaii.edu/UHNAI/cass.htm
New Astrobiology REU Program at SETI Institute
The SETI Institute is pleased to announce, pending successful receipt of funding, a new Research Experience for Undergraduates program in Astrobiology beginning this summer. Students will perform research in fields ranging from astronomy to biology to planetary science. The 10-week program will take place from mid-June to mid-August 2006, and students will receive a stipend, travel expenses, and housing. Qualified undergraduate students in their sophomore or junior year are invited to apply. Applications will be considered beginning March 20th. Please see http://www.seti.org/REU for more information.
NAI Teams Offer Summer Workshops for Educators in Astrobiology
From Hawai'i to Massachusetts, the NAI is producing hands-on, in-the-field, in-the-lab workshops for educators this summer. The workshops feature cutting edge astrobiology research delivered by NAI scientists and education professionals, as well as inquiry- and standards-based activities ready for your classroom.
For more information: http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/teachers/index.cfm
French Conference on Exobiology
A national conference on exobiology organized by the Groupement de Recherche en Exobiologie will take place in Orleans, France from the 22 to May 24, 2006. For more information: http://www.exobio.cnrs.fr/article.php3?id_article=63
Planetary Protection: Policies and Practices
April 18-20, 2006
Joseph M. Long Marine Laboratory
(Seymour Center)
100 Shaffer Road
Santa Cruz, California 95060
This NASA-developed course is designed to familiarize current and future planetary protection practitioners with the NASA and COSPAR Planetary Protection Programs. The course will review all applicable policies, practices and procedures necessary to implement a successful planetary protection program and will emphasize integration of the managerial, administrative and laboratory components of planetary protection.
For more information: http://nai.nasa.gov/coursesconferences/#planetaryprotection
Registration Deadline: March 31, 2006
MEPAG Meeting #15
Wednesday-Thursday, April 19-20, 2006
Holiday Inn, Monrovia, California
The next meeting of the Mars Exploration
Program Analysis Group (MEPAG), is scheduled for April 19-20, 2006 at the
Holiday Inn in Monrovia, California (close to JPL). Because of the number
of important issues we need to discuss, we are tentatively planning for the
meeting to extend two full days.
For more information: http://mepag.jpl.nasa.gov/Mars_Community/index.html
Biosignature Session at Spring AGU
A special biosignature session will be held at the Spring AGU 2006 in Baltimore on May 23-26 (http://www.agu.org/meetings/ja06). The abstract submission deadline is on March 1st.
The session is intended to bring together expertise in both traditional (C/N/H) and non-traditional isotope (S-33, O-17, Mg, Fe, Mo, etc.) systems as well as chemical, morphological biosignatures, studies of extreme environments (e.g., Mars analogue, deep-biosphere, hot springs) and ancient rocks (e.g., >3.2 Ga).
We are looking forward to invited talks from:
Barbara Sherwood Lollar, U. of Toronto
Ed Young, UCLA
Paul Mahaffy, NASA Goddard
Ruth Blake, Yale
We strongly encourage student contributions, and we have some funding available from the NASA Astrobiology Institute to assist with conference costs for students. Interested students should inquire with the session chairs for more details.
