The Astrobiology Science Conference (AbSciCon2015) will be held in Chicago, Illinois, on June 15–19, 2015. The Preliminary Program has been posted to the AbSciCon website. There are also several key dates coming up soon. The deadline for hotel reservations at the group rate is May 15, and the deadline for registration at the reduced rate is May 18.

Several additional activities to be aware of:

Sunday, June 14: Online Learning Workshop – An Afternoon of Exploration: The Future of Science Education, 12:30 – 4:30pm
The presenters are: President’s Professor Ariel Anbar & Exploration Architect Lev Horodyskyj, School of Earth and Space Exploration at ASU. Click here to register for free.

Sunday, June 14: Astrobiology Research Data Management Workshop, 1:00 – 5:00pm
In the last decade the amount of data created, collected, processed, and analyzed during the research process has increased enormously. Given that the lifespan of research data reaches beyond the life of the projects themselves, research data management (preservation, sharing, access, reuse, synthesis) is critical. Effective management of data requires cyberinfrastructure, policies and standards for metadata, interoperability, knowledge discovery, and a supportive scientific community.

This interdisciplinary workshop brings together astrobiology scholars to discuss the issues on research data management, metadata standards and interoperability, the existing data repositories in various domains/disciplines, and best practices. Click here to register for free. For questions contact Estelle Dodson

Monday, June 15: FameLab: Exploring Earth and Beyond Regional Heat: 7:30 p.m. Grand Ballroom
FameLab is a fun-filled day of competition, coaching, and camaraderie that’s all about communicating! It’s something like American Idol for scientists — you give a three-minute PowerPoint-free talk to a panel of judges, and they give you constructive feedback. There’s a communication training workshop as well, so unlike American Idol, everyone wins. Visit the FameLab Website to learn more and to register to compete.

Monday – Tuesday, June 15 – 16, NASA Social Media Event
NASA is inviting 20 of its social media followers to attend a NASA Social Event to have the opportunity to:

  • Take part in the AbSciCon, attend scientist talks, and visit a poster hall and speak directly to scientists about their research.
  • Cheer on participants in FameLab: Exploring Earth and Beyond.
  • Meet NASA and other scientists in-person on a broad range of topics, such as the exploration of Mars, the discovery of alien worlds, and searching for clues to the origin and evolution of life on our own planet.
  • Meet fellow science enthusiasts who are active on social media.

To find out more about this event and to register, visit: http://www.nasa.gov/abscicon-social