NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI)

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.

NAI News

1/30 NAI Director’s Seminar: Paul Davies, “Cancer as Metazoa 1.0”

Join us for the next NAI Director’s Seminar!

Date/Time: Monday, January 30, 2011 11:00AM Pacific

Presenter: Paul Davies (Arizona State University)

Abstract:
Cancer is widespread among eukaryotes, and can be successfully tackled only by understanding its place in the story of life itself – especially the evolution of multi-cellularity. In this seminar I will propose a new theory of cancer, drawing on insights from astrobiology. The central hypothesis is that cancer is an organized pre-programmed process driven by a cassette of highly conserved, deeply-evolved ancient genes – genes that are active in early-stage embryo development, and which become inappropriately re-awakened in the adult form. In effect, cancer tumors are atavisms, recapitulating an ancient life form – “Metazoa 1.0” – dating back to the dawn of multi-cellularity. This hypothesis differs fundamentally from the popular notion that cancers are deregulated rogue cells running amok, and explains cancer’s well-known robustness and resilience. It also offers a well-defined target for therapy.

For more information and participation instructions visit: http://astrobiology.nasa.gov/nai/seminars/detail/199 . Participation requires only an Internet connection and a browser.

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In Memoriam: Lynn Margulis, 1938-2011

Evolutionary biologist Lynn Margulis, a long-time member of the astrobiology community, died at her home on November 22. She was 73.

Margulis was brilliant, passionate, dedicated, and insatiably curious, about science, education, and life. A superb communicator as well as an outstanding scientist, she participated in hands-on teaching activities at levels from middle to graduate school, served as a faculty mentor at Boston University for years, gave much of her time to public speaking, and authored numerous books about science for scientific and public audiences, many with her son Dorion. She has been, and will remain, an inspiration to many women and men who have had the privilege of knowing her. She is irreplaceable, and the astrobiology community will miss her very much.

Always a pioneer, Margulis was the first female principal investigator of NASA’s Exobiology Program (predecessor of Astrobiology), initially receiving funding for her research in microbial evolution and organelle heredity in the early 1970s. In 1980, Margulis established a Planetary Biology Internship (PBI) program, which the Exobiology/Astrobiology program has supported since its inception. Through the PBI program, which enables graduate students to work in the laboratories of scientists at NASA facilities and of NASA-supported scientists at universities, Margulis herself mentored many students who are now productive members of the astrobiology community. In 2010, Margulis served as a keynote speaker at a NASA symposium to mark the 50th anniversary of NASA’s Exobiology/astrobiology program. (A video record of this talk is available at: www.livestream.com/astrobiology50th.)

Born and raised in Chicago, Margulis entered the University of Chicago at age 14, receiving her A.B. there in 1957. She earned her M.S. from the University of Wisconsin in 1960 and her Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, in 1963. For many years until her death, she served as Distinguished University Professor with the Department of Geosciences at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. She was elected to the National Academy of Sciences in 1983 and was awarded the National Medal of Science in 1999. In 2008, she was one of thirteen recipients of the prestigious Darwin-Wallace Medal, traditionally bestowed every 50 years by the Linnean Society of London. She was also inducted into the World Academy of Art and Science, the Russian Academy of Natural Sciences, and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Her papers are permanently archived in the Library of Congress in Washington, DC.

Margulis is best known for her work on the theory of symbiogenesis, which describes how microbes evolve by means of long-lasting interactions between organisms, and her collaboration with friend and colleague James Lovelock (also an early Exobiology PI) on the Gaia hypothesis. Her work has contributed to establishing the bacterial origins of both chloroplasts and mitochondria, and her latest research focused on the possible origin of cilia from spirochetes. Among her most recent books are Symbiotic Planet: A new look at evolution (1998) and Acquiring Genomes: A theory of the origins of species (2002), co-written with Dorion Sagan. Her work with K. V. Schwartz provides a consistent formal classification of all life on Earth and has lead to the third edition of Five Kingdoms: An illustrated guide to the phyla of life on Earth (1998). Their evolutionary classification scheme was generated from scientific results of numerous colleagues.

Friends may contribute to the Lynn Margulis Memorial Fund to support students to continue her scientific research. Checks may be sent directly to “Lynn Margulis Memorial Fund” at Northampton Cooperative Bank, PO Box 550, Amherst, MA 01004.

Her family reports that plans are in the works to host a larger public celebration of Lynn’s life and science in the new year.

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2011 NAI Director's Discretionary Fund Selections

The NASA Astrobiology Institute is pleased to announce selections for research awards resulting from its 2011 Director’s Discretionary Fund competition. The selections cover a wide range of research topics, from an examination of microbial succession on islands of floating pumice to defining the habitable zone’s outer edge by combining climate evolution models with models of orbital and obliquity evolution.

Discretionary resources in the fiscal year 2012 NAI budget are extraordinarily limited. Since these are the funds from which we make 2011 DDF awards, we have been limited to a small fraction of the total award amounts of past years. Approximately $250K is allocated for the seven selected investigations described in the link below.

Selections were based on external reviews, with selection priority given to proposals that

• integrate the research of and realize synergies among the current NAI teams;


• expand the scope of NAI research (and the NAI community) in innovative ways, accepting some risk in return for high pay-off potential;


• respond in a timely way to new scientific results or programmatic opportunities;


• develop connections between astrobiology research and other NASA science programs, particularly NASA’s Earth Science Program;


• directly support flight programs, particularly through instrument development;


• use funding particularly effectively, for example through leveraging or building on past investments; and/or


• support early career investigators

For more information and a list of selected research projects: http://astrobiology.nasa.gov/nai/funding/the-nai-directors-discretionary-fund/2011

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NASA Astrobiology Program Minority Institution Research Support (MIRS)

The deadline for the 2012 MIRS Program is March 15, 2012.

The AB Program Minority Institution Research Support (MIRS) program, administered by the United Negro College Fund Special Programs Corporation, provides funded opportunities for researchers from minority institutions to initiate partnerships with researchers in the field of astrobiology. Past MIRS Scholars have worked with researchers at UCLA, NASA Ames, the University of Hawaii, JPL, the University of Wisconsin, NASA Goddard, and Portland State University.

For more information: http://www.uncfsp.org/cms/default.aspx?page=program.view&areaid=12&contentid=811&typeid=NAIMIRS53345

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Recently Published Research from the NAI

Oxygen's Stops and Starts

Panorama of Russia's Imandra/Varzuga Greenstone Belt where FAR DEEP drilling took place. Credit: Victor Melezhik, Geological Survey of Norway/University of Bergen
Based on studies of rock cores, a team of geoscientists that include members of NAI's Penn State Team have determined that oxygen did not appear in Earth’s atmosphere in a single event. Instead, atmospheric oxygen came about in a long series of starts and stops.

The research was conducted using samples collected in the summer of 2007 during the Fennoscandia Arctic Russia – Drilling Early Earth Project (FAR DEEP). Scientists drilled a series of shallow, two-inch diameter cores and overlapped them to create a record of the Proterozoic Eon—2,500 million to 542 million years ago.

“We’ve always thought that oxygen came into the atmosphere really quickly during an event,” said Lee Kump, a geoscientist at Penn State University. “We are no longer looking for an event. Now we’re looking for when and why oxygen became a stable part of the Earth’s atmosphere.”

The research was published in the December 1, 2011 issue of Science Express under lead author Lee Kump.

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Early Life More Complex than Previously Thought

MIT researchers have found hundreds of tiny fossils of the first known ciliates. The ciliates, named tintinnids, resided in hard, flask-shaped shells with bubbled exteriors that likely helped them float.
Image: Tanja Bosak.
Anyone who has taken high school biology has likely come into contact with a ciliate. The much-studied paramecium is one of 7,000 species of ciliates, a vast group of microorganisms that share a common morphology: single-celled blobs covered in tiny hairs, or cilia. These cilia — Greek for “eyelash” — are used to propel a microbe through water and catch prey.

Today these hairy microbes are ubiquitous in marine environments. However, it’s unclear how long ciliates have inhabited Earth: After they die, members of most species simply disintegrate in their watery environs, leaving behind no fossilized remains.

Now, geologists at NAI's MIT Team and Harvard University have unearthed rare, flask-shaped microfossils dating back 635 to 715 million years, representing the oldest known ciliates in the fossil record. The remains are more than 100 million years older than any previously identified ciliate fossils, and the researchers say the discovery suggests early life on Earth may have been more complex than previously thought. What’s more, they say such prehistoric microbes may have helped trigger multicellular life, and the evolution of the first animals.

“These massive changes in biology and chemistry during this time led to the evolution of animals,” says Tanja Bosak, the Cecil and Ida Green Career Development Assistant Professor in MIT’s Department of Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences. “We don’t know how fast these changes occurred, and now we are finding evidence of an increase in complexity.”

Bosak and her colleagues have published the study in the October 21, 2011 issue of the journal Geology.

For more information: http://astrobiology.nasa.gov/articles/early-life-more-complex-than-previously-thought/

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Earth's Early Atmosphere: An Update

Scientists from NAI’s New York Center for Astrobiology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute have used the oldest minerals on Earth to reconstruct the atmospheric conditions present on Earth very soon after its birth. The findings, which appear in the December 1, 2011 issue of Nature, are the first direct evidence of what the ancient atmosphere of the planet was like soon after its formation and directly challenge years of research on the type of atmosphere out of which life arose on the planet.

The scientists show that the atmosphere of Earth just 500 million years after its creation was not a methane-filled wasteland as previously proposed, but instead was much closer to the conditions of our current atmosphere. The findings, in a paper titled “The oxidation state of Hadean magmas and implications for early Earth’s atmosphere,” have implications for our understanding of how and when life began on this planet and could begin elsewhere in the universe.

For more information: http://astrobiology.nasa.gov/articles/earth-s-early-atmosphere-an-update/

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Fossil Record, Meet Molecular Clock

Arthropod expansion in morphological disparity following the Cambrian Explosion of Bilateria, as demonstrated by the Burgess Shale trilobite Olenoides and stem-Chelicerate Sidneyia. Image Credit: Smithsonian Institution, courtesy of Douglas Erwin.
A team of researchers including members of NAI's MIT team have married fossil records with molecular clock studies to reveal a new interpretation of the Cambrian explosion. Collectively these data allow an understanding of the environmental potential, genetic and developmental possibility, and ecological opportunity that existed before and during the Cambrian. The study compares the times of origin of major animal groups (from the molecular clock) with the times of their first appearance in the fossil record. The team shows that the major animal groups first diverged during the Cryogenian, roughly 300 million years prior to their appearance in the fossil record, and acquired the key components of their developmental toolkits early in their history. After a long lag, the groups’ major ecological successes are reflected in the records of the Ediacaran and Cambrian. Their paper appears in the current issue of Science.

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For Students and Young Investigators

Sign up for FameLab Astrobiology—Houston!

We need you in Houston! Sign up today to participate in FameLab Astrobiology at the Lunar and Planetary Institute on January 13th. FameLab is a science communication competition that focuses on building your skills with workshops on good communication practices. The workshop in Houston will be led by the Co-Directors of the National Association for Interpretation. Competitors will present a three-minute piece on their research or an astrobiology-related topic of their choosing. Those topping the competition in Houston will go on to the final at AbSciCon in April...the winner there will go on to the FameLab International final in the UK in June. Lodging and $500 in travel support are available—sign up today at http://astrobiologyfamelab.arc.nasa.gov/. Contact daniella.m.scalice@nasa.gov with any questions.

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Postdoctoral Positions for the Deep Life Initiative of the Deep Carbon Observatory

The Deep Life Directorate of the Deep Carbon Observatory (sponsored by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation) will investigate the microbiology of the rock-hosted subsurface biosphere. Microbial communities contained within rock-hosted subsurface environments may be important conduits for the exchange of carbon and energy between the deep Earth and the biosphere- yet surprisingly little is known of their extent, their identities, or their activities. The research specifically addresses microbial carbon transformations in environments influenced by high hydrogen fluxes and abiogenic production of organic molecules. The research team consists of 17 scientists from 7 countries and contains both field and laboratory components. The Directorate seeks candidates for multiple Postdoctoral positions to work within this cooperative framework.

High Pressure Microbiology: Recently, unique environments deep beneath the continents and oceans have been sampled and we invite applications for a postdoctoral position to develop experimental approaches that will provide novel piezophilic cultivars whose activities can be investigated under in situ pressure-temperature conditions. This is a joint project between Isabelle Daniel’s Lab at the Université Claude Bernard Lyon 1 (France) and Doug Bartlett’s lab at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, San Diego, CA (USA). Candidates should be highly motivated by research on the subsurface biosphere and have experience with experimental microbiology and/or spectroscopy under high pressure conditions.

Molecular Geomicrobiology: We invite applications for a postdoctoral position that will link stable isotope based approaches with metagenomic and transcriptomic studies of microbial metabolism of specific carbon compounds. The postdoc will be based in Matt Schrenk’s lab at East Carolina University (North Carolina, USA) with collaborators at the Marine Biological Laboratory (J. Huber). The postdoc will participate in analysis of samples from the high pH Coast Range Ophiolite serpentinite ecosystem and the Mid Cayman Rise deep-sea hydrothermal system. Applicants should have experience with microbial cultivation, molecular biology, and stable isotope analysis.

Hydrothermal Vent Microbiology: We invite applications for a postdoctoral position in hydrothermal vent microbiology in Julie Huber’s lab at the Marine Biological Laboratory (Woods Hole, MA). The postdoc will participate in analysis of samples from the Mid Cayman Spreading Center, Earth’s deepest mid-ocean ridge, with an emphasis on using next generation sequencing tools to determine microbial community structure and functional repertoire at the site. These data will serve as a vital input for models of energy flow through deep-sea hydrothermal systems and help to constrain the pathways and controlling factors for microbially-mediated carbon cycling in subsurface ecosystems fueled by water-rock reactions. The successful applicant must hold a Ph.D. in microbiology, oceanography, or a related field and possess experience with metagenomic datasets, bioinformatics, and molecular biology.

Deep Subsurface Microbial Biogeography and Evolutionary Processes: We invite applications for two postdoctoral positions focusing on the application of single cell genomic analyses to subsurface communities sampled from deep boreholes and mine sites located in Finland, Canada and South Africa. The postdoctoral research associates will be based at the University of the Free State (Bloemfontein, South Africa) and Princeton University (Princeton, NJ, USA) and also spend time working at the Single Cell Genomics Center at the Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences (Maine, USA). This 2 year research project will involve collection, single cell screening, genome sequencing and bioinformatic comparisons of communities from continental subsurface biospheres. A successful applicant must hold a Ph.D. in microbiology or a related field and have experience in assembly, annotation, and bioinformatics analyses of genomes.

For any of the positions please submit three items to the appropriate contact listed below: (i) a cover letter describing your research goals and your specific motivation to join the project, (ii) a CV, and (iii) contact information for three references, including your Ph.D. supervisor.

High Pressure Microbiology position: Prof. Isabelle Daniel (isabelle.daniel@univ-lyon1.fr)
Molecular Geomicrobiology position: Matt Schrenk (schrenkm@ecu.edu)
Hydrothermal Vent Microbiology position: Julie Huber (jhuber@mbl.edu)
Deep Subsurface Microbial Biogeography: T.C. Onstott (tullis@princeton.edu)
Applications should be received by March 1, 2012, but will be considered on an ongoing basis.

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Ph.D. Opportunities in Molecular Geomicrobiology of the Deep Biosphere

Ph.D. opportunities are available in the molecular geomicrobiology of the deep biosphere in the lab of Matt Schrenk at East Carolina University (North Carolina, USA). The research involves the characterization of high pH (>10), hydrogen and methane-rich ecosystems associated with the serpentinization of ultramafic rocks from the deep Earth and involves multi-disciplinary, international research projects in Canada, Italy, and California. These projects focus on advancing our understanding of the ecology and evolution of microbial communities in the deep biosphere using both molecular and culture-based approaches. Research combines bioinformatics analyses of (meta-) genomic and transcriptomic data with field work and laboratory characterization of novel extremophiles. Applicants with a background in Biology, Earth Sciences, Oceanography, or related disciplines are encouraged to apply.

Applications for the Ph.D. program in Biology at ECU are due April 1, 2012 (http://www.ecu.edu/cs-cas/idpbs/admission.cfm). Please contact Matt Schrenk (schrenkm@ecu.edu) for further information.

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Nordic-NASA Summer School "Water, Ice and the Origin of Life in the Universe"

The summer school “Water, Ice and the Origin of Life in the Universe”, which will be held in Iceland from 2 to 15 July 2012, aims to give participants a thorough high-level introduction into the role of water in the evolution of life in the cosmos, starting from formation of water molecules in space and ending with the evolution of the first organisms. It will bring together students and researchers from a multitude of different science branches, making it a truly multidisciplinary event. The event will be organized by the Nordic Astrobiology Network together with the NASA Astrobiology Institute. Field studies on the colonization of lava fields and glaciers will complement the lectures. The program of the summer school includes:

• lectures by internationally leading scientists covering a broad range of subjects in astrobiology
• investigation of colonization of volcanic rocks and glaciers with in-situ life detection techniques
• excursions to geologically and biologically interesting sites (lava caves, new lava fields)
• 2 poster sessions for students and early career scientists
• participant-led discussions about hot topics

The event is intended for graduate students and early career scientists (up to 5 years after their first Ph. D. in a related field) in fields related to astrobiology. Undergraduate students can also apply, and will be accepted under exceptional circumstances. The event is open to applicants from all nationalities.

Detailed information about the summer school and the application procedure (deadline 31 January 2012) can be found at http://www.nordicastrobiology.net/Iceland2012 .

Successful applicants accepted by the Scientific Committee as participants will receive free lodging, meals and excursions, but will have to organize financial means for their travel to and from Iceland themselves. Course credit awards (ECTS points) for undergraduate and Ph. D. students will be applied for by the course organizers.

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Canadian Astrobiology Training Program MSc, PhD, Post Doctoral Fellow Positions Available

The Canadian Astrobiology Training Program (CATP) is the first Canadian cross-disciplinary, multi-institutional undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral training program in Astrobiology and is a NSERC–funded Collaborative Research and Training Experience Program (CREATE) (2009-2015) located at McGill University, McMaster University, University of Western Ontario, University of Toronto, and the University of Winnipeg. CATP by its very nature will be accomplished through collaborative and integrative research approaches containing elements of geology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, microbiology, and robotics. CATP trainees (~70 graduate & undergraduate students, PDFs over the next 5 years) will be exposed to innovative research and training approaches, combining fieldwork at unique Canadian analogue sites, including those in the high Arctic, with laboratory work at cutting edge analytical facilities at participating university, government, and industry partners. Shared expertise within and among institutions will be provided by means of course and seminar videoconferencing, and interdisciplinary supervision. Professional training will be enhanced by training rotations with our collaborators at CSA, MDA Space Missions, and our international partners, including NASA Ames. CATP highly qualified personnel (HQP) trained in various aspects of astrobiology will be at the forefront of the search for life beyond the Earth. Indeed, CATP will address the recognized lack of HQP in space science and lead to new scientific opportunities and promote Canadian participation in future missions to Mars. The skills acquired through this program will be directly transferable to various other disciplines, such as Earth and environmental sciences, robotics, medicine, and astronomy.

We are presently seeking applicants for Graduate Student Fellowships (MSc and PhD) and Post Doctoral Fellowship (PDF) positions available in 2012.

Successful applicants will have a strong interest in astrobiology and have an excellent background in microbiology/ molecular biology, geology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, and/or robotics or other related disciplines.

Applications will be received until January 25, 2012.

For detailed information on the CATP and how to apply, please visit the CATP website (http://create-astrobiology.mcgill.ca/) or please directly contact:

Mr. Robert Oxley
NSERC CREATE CATP Project Coordinator
McGill University
Telephone: (514) 398 7824
Email: robert.oxley@mcgill.ca

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2012 Research Experiences for Undergraduates Program in Astrobiology and 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.

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The Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research in Astrobiology

Application Deadline: February 1, 2012

The American Philosophical Society and the NASA Astrobiology Institute have partnered to promote the continued exploration of the world around us through a program of research grants in support of astrobiological field studies undertaken by graduate students, postdoctoral students, and junior scientists and scholars.

The Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research in Astrobiology supports field studies in any area of interest to astrobiology by graduate students, postdocs, and early-career scientists and scholars who are affiliated with U.S. institutions. Grants may be used for travel and related expenses, including field equipment, up to $5,000. Applications will be reviewed by a committee that includes 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.

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 website: http://www.amphilsoc.org/grants/astrobiology

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Research Associate and Postdoctoral Positions Available at the Harvard Origins of Life Initiative

Harvard University is launching a research project to study living systems within its Harvard Origins of Life Initiative and the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. The work will be done under the direction of Dr. Juan Perez-Mercader, PI for this project, and brings together approaches for modeling life by using a combined transdisciplinary approach involving Chemistry, Physics, Biology, Computer Science and Engineering. We invite applications for a number of Research Associate and Postdoctoral positions in the areas of Origin of Life, Information Theory, Synthetic/Artificial Life, Physics and Chemistry of Out-of-Equilibrium Phenomena and Chemical Engineering.

It is anticipated that the Research Associate positions will be for at least
3 years with continuation contingent upon strong performance. Each of the Postdoctoral positions is awarded for one year with an option to renew for a second year dependent upon strong performance. All positions are available immediately.

Qualified individuals interested in the above fields and with a demonstrated record of work related to

(1) Experimental and/or Computational Evolution of Chemical Networks,

(2) Chemical Engineering in Microfluidic Environments,

(3) Chemoinformatics and Molecular Design,

(4) Computer Simulation of Partial Differential Equations in Noisy Environments,

(5) Noise Induced Transitions: experimental and theoretical work,

(6) Dynamical Renormalization Group,

(7) Decoupling in Out-of-Equilibrium Systems,

(8) Experimental and Phenomenological Study of Reaction/Diffusion Equations, including instrument development for their chemical/physical characterization,

(9) Experimental Work on Vesicle Formation,

(10) Theoretical Computer Science, including Applications to Digital and Analog Computers,

(11) Information Theory,

(12) Information in Living Systems,

(13) DNA and Soft-Computing,

and

(14) Experimental/ Theoretical Work on Self-assembly and Thermodynamics of Open Systems

can apply electronically by emailing a curriculum vitae, three letters of recommendation and a short (limited to one page) statement of her or his scientific interests to Ms. Ruth Capella (Ruth_capella@harvard.edu) by Monday January 30, 2012. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until all positions are filled. For additional information you may address your specific questions to the address topdownsynthbio@fas.harvard.edu.

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Education and Public Outreach

Beyond the Edge of the Sea, in Wisconsin

Artist Karen Jacobsen interprets her scientific illustrations in the Beyond the Edge of the Sea exhibit, on display at the University of Wisconsin, Madison.
Beyond the Edge of the Sea is a breath-taking exhibit consisting of hand-drawn scientific illustrations from hydrothermal vents experienced first hand by scientist Cindy Van Dover and artist Karen Jacobsen. Making its debut in Madison, WI recently, the exhibit was joined by these two collaborators and local residents reaped the benefits. After the opening reception, Van Dover and Jacobsen joined 350 middle school girls at the Expanding Your Horizons conference, an experience designed to give young women the chance to meet professional women in science. The girls used microscopes to explore and sketch microorganisms found in local lake water. Jacobsen went on to meet with art classes at the University of Wisconsin, Madison and the Madison Area Technical College where she spoke about and demonstrated science illustration techniques.

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For the Astrobiology Community

Call for Nominations to the Executive Committee of the Exoplanet Exploration Program Analysis Group (ExoPAG)

To: Astrophysics and Exoplanetary Science Community
From: Astrophysics Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate, NASA Headquarters
Date: January 2012
Subject: Call for Nominations to the Executive Committee of the Exoplanet Exploration Program Analysis Group (ExoPAG)

Dear Colleagues:

The Astrophysics Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate is pleased to issue this open call for nominations to serve on the Executive Committee of NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program Analysis Group, or ExoPAG. In the coming months, NASA anticipates making four new appointments to the ExoPAG Executive Committee, to replace four current members who will be rotating off the committee after the semi-annual ExoPAG meeting in January (ExoPAG 5; information at http://exep.jpl.nasa.gov/exopag/exopag5). Appointments will be for a period of 3 years.

The ExoPAG is an open, interdisciplinary forum that provides a conduit for community input into NASA’s Exoplanet Exploration Program (ExEP), and for conducting analyses in support of ExEP science objectives and their implications for planning and prioritization of Program activities. The ExoPAG is led by a Chairperson drawn from the membership of the Astrophysics Subcommittee, and an Executive Committee, whose membership is chosen to reflect the broad range of scientific disciplines and interests represented in the field of exoplanet exploration. Together, the ExoPAG Chair and Executive Committee are responsible for capturing and organizing community input, overseeing ExoPAG analyses, reporting ExoPAG findings and inputs to the Astrophysics Subcommittee, and keeping the scientific community apprised of ongoing activities and opportunities within NASA’s ExEP. Detailed information about the structure and function of the ExoPAG can be found on the Web at http://exep.jpl.nasa.gov/exopag.

Nominations for the ExoPAG Executive Committee should be submitted via email to the address: NASA-ExoPAG@nasa.gov. Nominations must include both a cover letter and a one-page CV summarizing the nominee’s relevant background. The cover letter should provide a description of the nominee’s area of expertise and qualifications for service on the ExoPAG Executive Committee. Self-nominations are welcome. The deadline for receipt of nominations is 3 February 2012, with announcement of selections anticipated for late March 2012.

We look forward to working with all of our stakeholders to develop a robust and compelling Exoplanet Exploration Program.

Sincerely,

Douglas Hudgins, NASA HQ
Exoplanet Exploration Program Scientist

Lia LaPiana, NASA HQ
ExoPlanet Exploration Program Executive

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Ocean Deoxygenation, Past, Present, and Future

A front page article and supplemental material were published by the American Geophysical Union in the Nov. 15, 2011 issue of EOS on “Ocean Deoxygenation, Past, Present, and Future.” The article was the product of an NAI-sponsored workshop held at NASA’s Ames Research Center in early 2010. The workshop brought together experts in modern and ancient ocean science to identify and develop synergies between studies of global climate change in the distant past and the present. The full workshop report is also available.

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2nd International Workshop on “Microbial Life under Extreme Energy Limitation”

The 2nd International Workshop on “Microbial Life under Extreme Energy Limitation” will take place at Aarhus University May 6-9 2012. The workshop is intended to bring together scientists and graduate students from diverse disciplines of microbiology, biochemistry, biogeochemistry, and bioenergetic theory with the goal of developing our understanding of the energetic limits to microbial life. This has relevance for the deep biosphere, planetary biology, and microbial ecology in general.

The workshop will comprise invited lectures, contributed talks, an unlimited number of posters, and discussion sessions. Applications to participate are invited before March 1, 2012 in the form of a submitted abstract. The workshop is limited to 80 participants. Priority will be given to participants and abstracts of most relevance to the workshop, taking into account the importance of diversity among disciplines.

For more information: http://www.microenergy2012.org

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TEDxAlbany-John Delano-Is Anyone else out There?

John Delano delivering the talk "Is Anyone Else Out There?" at TEDx Albany on November 12, 2011.
Join John Delano for a new astrobiology talk from TEDx Albany entitled, Is Anyone Else Out There? A survey of astrobiology research topics masterfully conveyed as a “story of us,” the talk ranges from the manufacture of organic molecules in space to extrasolar planets, to hyperthermophilichemolithoautotrophs!

Dr. Delano is a Distinguished Teaching Professor in the Department of Atmospheric and Environmental Sciences at the University at Albany (State University of New York), and is the Associate Director of the NAI’s New York Center for Astrobiology at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He is the author of 60 scientific publications, and has served on many advisory panels for NASA.

To view the talk: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrQY7vQy50M

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Introducing the Habitable Exoplanets Catalog

New from the Planetary Habitability Laboratory at the University of Puerto Rico, Arecibo, the Habitable Exoplanets Catalog is an online database for scientists, educators, and the general public focused on potential habitable exoplanet discoveries. The catalog uses various habitability indices and classifications to identify, rank, and compare exoplanets, including potential satellites or exomoons.

The database suggests over 15 exoplanets and 30 exomoons as potential habitable candidates.

Scientists are now starting to identify potential habitable exoplanets after nearly twenty years of the detection of the first planets around other stars. Over 700 exoplanets have been detected and confirmed with thousands more still waiting further confirmation by missions such as NASA Kepler. Most of these are gas giants, similar to Jupiter and Neptune, but orbiting very dangerously close to their stars. Only a few have the right size and orbit to be considered suitable for any life.

Now the Planetary Habitability Laboratory (PHL) of the University of Puerto Rico at Arecibo (UPR Arecibo) presents a new assessment of the habitability of these worlds as part of its Habitable Exoplanets Catalog (HEC). The catalog not only identifies new potential habitable exoplanets, including exomoons like the Pandora world in the movie Avatar, but also ranks them according to various habitability indices.

For more information: http://phl.upr.edu/projects/habitable-exoplanets-catalog

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Call for Applications: New NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology

The John W. Kluge Center at the Library of Congress is accepting applications and nominations for the new Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology.

Applications and nominations must be postmarked by Monday, February 13, 2012. For guidelines and forms, visit www.loc.gov/loc/kluge/fellowships/NASA-astrobiology.html . Candidates should apply directly using the online form. Nominations should be submitted in writing to scholarly@loc.gov.

The astrobiology chair is a new distinguished senior research position in residence at the Library’s Kluge Center for a period of up to 12 months. This is an appointment made by the Librarian of Congress on the recommendation of a selection committee, which considers both applications and nominations. For the Library’s announcement of the chair, visit http://www.loc.gov/today/pr/2011/11-202.html .

Using the collections and services at the Library of Congress, the chair holder conducts research at the intersection between the science of astrobiology and its humanistic aspects, particularly its societal implications. The astrobiology scholar receives a stipend of $13,500 per month. The tenure is expected to begin in October 2012.

The chair holder is expected to give at least one public presentation in the Washington, D.C. area and to organize workshops, symposia, small conferences or other activities that engage the broader academic community and the public.

The late Dr. Baruch S. Blumberg was the founding director of NASA’s Astrobiology Institute. Blumberg shared the Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine in 1976 for discovering the hepatitis B virus and developing a powerful vaccine to fight it, saving countless lives. He also was a founding member of the Library’s Scholars Council, which advises the Librarian of Congress on scholarly matters.

Through a generous endowment from John W. Kluge, the Library of Congress established the Kluge Center in 2000 to bring together the world’s best thinkers to stimulate and energize one another, to distill wisdom from the Library’s rich resources, and to interact with policymakers in Washington. For further information on the Kluge Center, visit www.loc.gov/kluge/ .

The Library of Congress, the nation’s oldest federal cultural institution and the largest library in the world, holds nearly 147 million items in various languages, disciplines and formats. The Library serves the U.S. Congress and the nation both on-site in its reading rooms on Capitol Hill and through its award-winning website at www.loc.gov . Many of the Library’s rich resources and treasures may also be accessed via interactive exhibitions on a personalized website at myLOC.gov.

The NASA Astrobiology Program supports research into the origins, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe. The NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI), an element of that program, is a partnership among NASA, 14 U.S. teams, and eight international consortia. NAI’s goals are to promote, conduct, and lead interdisciplinary astrobiology research, train a new generation of astrobiology researchers, and share the excitement of astrobiology with learners of all ages.

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Conference on Life Detection in Extraterrestrial Samples

The Conference on Life Detection in Extraterrestrial Samples will be held February 13–15, 2012, at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, San Diego, California.

Purpose and Scope

The return of samples from Mars was the highest-priority flagship in the U.S. Planetary Decadal Survey. It is also a key element in the European Space Agency's (ESA) Mars Robotic Exploration Preparatory Program to prepare Europe's contribution to the international exploration of Mars. Part of planning for a Mars sample return mission includes planning for what will happen to the samples after they have returned to Earth. One of the major scientific questions that will be asked in the analysis of returned martian samples is whether they contain indications of past or present martian life. In addition, international guidelines and agency policies dictate that Mars samples must be subjected to a program of life detection and biohazard analysis before they can be released from strict containment, to protect the environment of the Earth. A better understanding of current and possible investigation strategies and capabilities, including controls and measurements related to life detection in returned martian samples, is important to address both these concerns.

An understanding of planned or possible life detection strategies and measurements has major implications for several decisions related to requirements for the 2018 sampling rover, including strategies and requirements for avoiding contamination of the samples, and sample size needed to carry out the returned sample measurements.

Life detection strategies and capabilities are relevant to a range of scientific activities beyond Mars sample return, including origin of life investigations of both terrestrial and planetary materials. The search for fossils and remnants of early life on Earth benefits greatly from a variety of analytical techniques, and can inform efforts to detect life in planetary materials. Strategies and technologies for life detection can effectively be applied to meteorite studies, addressing questions regarding the organic constituents present in the early solar system as well as possibly shedding light on reports of possible life in meteorites that remain highly controversial.

For more information: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/lifedetection2012/

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Comparative Climatology of Terrestrial Planets

The conference on Comparative Climatology of Terrestrial Planets will be held June 25–28, 2012, at the Hotel Boulderado, located at 2115 Thirteenth Street, Boulder CO 80302.

Comparative Climatology of Terrestrial Planets will explore the differences and similarities between the climates of terrestrial planets in the solar system and beyond. With an emphasis on experimental methods and models, the synergies between Earth science, planetary science, heliophysics, and exoplanet studies will be exploited to identify objectives for future research and missions.

The goal of this conference is to look at climate in the broadest sense possible — by comparing the processes at work on the four terrestrial bodies, Earth, Venus, Mars, and Titan (Titan is included because it hosts many terrestrial processes), and on terrestrial planets around other stars. These processes include the interactions of shortwave and thermal radiation with the atmosphere, condensation and vaporization of volatiles, atmospheric dynamics and chemistry, and the role of the surface and interior in the long-term evolution of climate. Conference talks will compare the scientific questions, methods, numerical models, and spacecraft remote sensing experiments for Earth and the other planets, with the goal of identifying objectives for future research and missions. The conference is an opportunity for planetary scientists to survey current work on the best-studied terrestrial planet, and for climate scientists to reflect on how familiar processes on Earth produce such different outcomes in other “laboratories.”

For more information: http://www.lpi.usra.edu/meetings/climatology2012/

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Workshop: Transiting Planets in the House of the Sun

A Workshop on M Dwarf Stars and Their Planets

Maui, June 3-6, 2012

This workshop will provide an introductory but authoritative review of M dwarf stars and the detection, formation, and potential habitability of their planets. It is principally intended for advanced graduate students and junior postdocs, but investigators at all levels are welcome to apply. The workshop will consist of invited lectures, contributed research presentations, and a field trip to the summit and observatory of Haleakala to observe the transit of Venus across the Sun.

Venue: Institute for Astronomy Maui Maikalani/ATRC, Pukalani, Maui

Convenor: Eric Gaidos

Science Organizing Committee: John Rayner (chair), Eric Hilton, Adam Kraus, Jonathan Williams, Nader Haghighipour, Joost van Summeren

The workshop is limited to 45 participants and selection will be based on relevance of applicant's research to the workshop themes, with preference given to advanced graduate students and junior postdocs. There is no workshop fee, but participants are responsible for their travel and accommodations. Economy (dormitory-style) housing may be available for students upon request. Logistical information will be made available on this website.

To apply, send a CV (2 page max) and conference abstract (1 page max) to: mauitransit@gmail.com before March 1, 2012

For more information: http://www.soest.hawaii.edu/GG/FACULTY/GAIDOS/haleakala.html

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39th COSPAR (Committee on Space Research) Scientific Assembly

The Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) together with the Local Organizing Committee, COSPAR - 2012 cordially invites you to attend the 39th COSPAR Scientific Assembly that will take place from 14-22 July 2012 at the Narayana Murthy Centre of Excellence, Mysore, Karnataka, India.

The following sessions are of particular interest to the astrobiology community – the deadline for abstract submission is February 10, 2012.

B0.2 Mars Exploration
Organizer: R. Stephen Saunders
Lunar and Planetary Institute
rssaunders@earthlink.net

F3.3 Advanced Instrumentation for Astrobiology: ISS, Mars and Beyond
Organizer: Mary Voytek
NASA Headquarters
mary.voytek-1@nasa.gov

B0.6 Astrobiology: Life Signs Detections within Planetary Exploration
Organizer: John Robert Brucato
INAF - Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri, Italy
jbrucato@arcetri.astro.it

F3.6 Astrobiology and Astromaterials as Related to Small Bodies
Organizer: Kensei Kobayashi
Yokohama National University
kkensei@ynu.ac.jp

F3.4 Life in Extreme Environments – Model Systems for Astrobiology
Organizer: Petra Rettberg
DLR, Germany
petra.rettberg@dlr.de

F3.2 Prebiotic Chemistry and the Origin of Life
Organizer: Andrew Pohorille
NASA Ames Research Center
andrew.pohorille@nasa.gov

F3.1 Habitability in the Solar System
Organizer: Rafael Navarro-Gonzalez
Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico
navarro@nucleares.unam.mx

For more information see: http://www.cospar-assembly.org

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