February 2017

Application Deadline: February 27, 2017

NASA announces its intent to participate in the 68th International Astronautical Congress (IAC) and requests that full-time U.S. graduate students attending U.S. universities respond to this “Call for Abstracts.”

The IAC – which is organized by the International Astronautical Federation (IAF), the International Academy of Astronautics (IAA), and the International Institute of Space Law (IISL) – is the largest space-related conference world-wide and selects an average of 1000 scientific papers every year. The upcoming IAC will be held September 25-29, 2017 in Adelaide, Australia. NASA’s participation in this event is an on-going effort to continue to bridge NASA with the astronautical and space international community.

This “Call for Abstracts” is a precursor to a subsequent submission of a final paper, which may be presented at the 68th IAC. Student authors are invited to submit an abstract regarding an original, unpublished paper that has not been submitted in any other forum. A NASA technical review panel will select abstracts from those that have been accepted by the IAF. This opportunity is for graduate students majoring in fields related to the IAF research topics. Students may submit technical (oral) presentations and/or posters. Students may submit abstracts that are co-authored with their Principal Investigators. However, the student must be the “lead author,” and only the student will present at the IAC. Students must be available to travel to the conference to represent NASA and their universities. Students must be U.S. citizens, attending a U.S. university, who plan to enter a career in space science or aeronautics. Pending the availability of funding, graduate students selected by NASA to participate in the IAC will be considered for subsidy funding from NASA.

Many students and professors are currently involved in NASA related research that could be considered for this submission. Students submitting abstracts are strongly encouraged to seek advice from professors, who are conducting NASA research and/or from NASA scientists and engineers. Abstracts must be related to NASA’s ongoing vision for space exploration and fit into one of the following IAC categories:

Science and Exploration – Systems sustaining missions, including life, microgravity, space exploration, space debris and Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence (SETI)
Applications and Operations – On-going and future operational applications, including earth observation, communication, navigation, human space endeavors and small satellites
Technology – Common technologies to space systems including astrodynamics, structures, power and propulsion
Infrastructure – Systems sustaining space missions including space system transportation, future systems and safety
Space and Society – Interaction of space with society including education, policy and economics, history and law

The criteria for the selection will be defined according to the following specifications:
– Abstracts should specify: purpose, methodology, results, conclusions and areas for discussion.
- Abstracts should indicate that substantive technical and/or programmatic content is included.
- Abstracts should clearly indicate that the material is new and original; they should explain why and how.
- Prospective author(s) should certify that the paper was not presented at a previous meeting.

Abstracts must be written in English and the length should not exceed 400 words. Tables or drawings are not allowed in the abstract.

NOTE: If you plan to seek assistance from NASA, you must submit to the IAF and to NASA. NASA abstracts must be received no later than 11:59 PM EST on February 27, 2017.

Submit your abstract to the IAF at their website, http://www.iafastro.net by Tuesday, February 28, 2017 (11:59:00 CET).
Submit your abstract to NASA at https://iac.nasaprs.com no later than 11:59 PM EST on Monday, February 27, 2017.

IAC Paper Selection:
Submitted abstracts will be evaluated by the Session Chairs on the basis of technical quality and relevance to the session topics. Selected abstracts may be chosen for eventual oral or poster presentation. Any such choice is not an indication of quality of the submitted abstract. Their evaluation will be submitted to the Symposium Coordinators, who will make acceptance recommendations to the International Programme Committee, which will make the final decision. Please note that any relevance to the Congress main theme will be considered as an advantage.

The following information must be included in the submission: paper title, name of contact author, name of co-author(s), organization(s), full postal address, phone, email of the author and co-author(s). Abstract should specify purpose, methodology, results and conclusions and should indicate that substantive technical and/or programmatic content, as well as clearly indicate that the material is new and original and explain why and how.

Please check the IAF website (www.iafastro.org) regularly to get the latest updates on the Technical Programme.

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Application Deadline: February 28, 2017

Under the leadership of the Executive Director, each of the three Directors of ISSI provides the inspirational scientific environment of the Institute in her/his area of research, namely, (i) Earth Observations, (ii) Physics of the solar system and planetary sciences, and (iii) Astrophysics and Cosmology. The directors are the driving force behind the various activities taking place at ISSI in their fields of research: scientific workshops, forums, working groups and international teams. Their recognized scientific stature ensures the visibility and guarantees the high scientific standards of the Institute.

Scientists whose work correspond to the above profile, working in any area of space sciences in relation to Astrophysics and Cosmology are encouraged to apply.

The new Director is expected to spend about 30% (negotiable) of her/his time working for ISSI at the Institutes premises in Bern, Switzerland, starting in July 2017 or by agreement. The appointment will be for a period of four years renewable once.

Interested scientists should submit their applications (a letter of motivation and curriculum vitae) in one single pdf file, simultaneously to the chair of the Search Committee and the secretariat of ISSI, at their earliest convenience but no later than February 28, 2017.

Further information about the organization of the International Space Science Institute and its activities can be found at: www.issibern.ch.

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Application Deadline: March 1, 2017

The NASA Astrobiology Program element of the NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP) provides opportunities for Ph.D. scientists and engineers of unusual promise and ability to perform research on problems largely of their own choosing, yet compatible with the research interests of the NASA Astrobiology Program.

Applications to the Astrobiology Program are accepted twice each year: March 1 and November 1. Our next opportunity will be March 1, 2016. Note that the Astrobiology Program does not participate in every application/award cycle. For additional information about the program see https://npp.usra.edu/.

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Nominations 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.

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Review of applications will begin March 15, 2017

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral position at Lowell Observatory to work on the physical characterization of near-Earth objects. This position will be supervised by Dr. Nicholas Moskovitz.
The initial appointment is for one year with annual extensions for up to two additional years in the case of satisfactory progress. The position is expected to be split with 80% of the time dedicated to the main program and 20% for any other research of the postdoctoral associate’s choosing. The start date is negotiable, but the preference would be for late Summer or early Fall 2017. This position is funded by a NASA Near-Earth Object Observations grant and comes with a competitive salary with full benefits. Funding is available for computer resources, attending conferences, and observing runs. Postdocs at Lowell Observatory have access to our 4.3m Discovery Channel Telescope (DCT) as well as 1.8m, 1.1m, and 0.9m telescopes. Lowell offers numerous opportunities for involvement in education and public outreach.

The postdoctoral associate will work in collaboration with Dr. Moskovitz and other project team members on an ongoing physical characterization survey of near-Earth objects. This survey is working to build a comprehensive dataset of astrometry, rotational light curves, and spectra for hundreds of newly discovered NEOs. Observations are being conducted at a wide range of facilities including Gemini North and South, the SOAR 4m, and Lowell’s DCT.

A pdf of the position description with instructions to apply can be found at: https://lowell.edu/about/employment/

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Application Deadline: March 20, 2017

Research grants are provided for teams of scientists from different countries who wish to combine their expertise in innovative approaches to questions that could not be answered by individual laboratories.

Two types of Research Grant are available: Young Investigators’ Grants and Program Grants.

Young Investigators’ Grants are awarded to teams of researchers, all of whom are within the first five years after obtaining an independent laboratory (e.g. Assistant Professor, Lecturer or equivalent). Applications for Young Investigators’ Grants will be reviewed in competition with each other independently of applications for Program Grants.

Program Grants are awarded to teams of independent researchers at any stage of their careers. The research team is expected to develop new lines of research through the collaboration. Up to $450,000 per grant per year may be applied for. Applications including independent investigators early in their careers are encouraged.

More information is available at http://www.hfsp.org/funding/research-grants.

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Application Deadline: March 26, 2017

Rising sophomores through Ph.D. students as of fall 2017 who participate in the 2017 APLNASA Intern Program will work at the APL facility in Laurel, Maryland, and will contribute to NASA missions and space-related research work. Talks by key mission engineers and scientists, along with tours of APL and other activities, will be provided throughout the summer. Interested intern candidates must be U.S. citizens, be in high academic standing (3.0 GPA or higher), and have successfully passed a background check (criminal, social security, and driving record).

For all the internship information, visit: http://www.jhuapl.edu/NASAIntern/

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Application Deadline: March 31, 2017

The Early Career Fellowship (ECF) program supports the development of individual research programs of outstanding scientists early in their careers and stimulates research careers in the areas supported by the Planetary Sciences Division. This Program is based on the idea that supporting key individuals is a critical mechanism for achieving high impact science that will lead the field forward with new concepts, technologies, and methods.

This program consists of two components with two different submission procedures: the first is the one-page application to be an “Early Career Fellow” (ECF) and the second is the subsequent submission of a seven-page proposal for start up funds by a previously selected ECF.

Full information can be downloaded from the NSPIRES web page for this program element.

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Application Deadline: March 31, 2017

The Department of Physics and Space Sciences at Florida Institute of Technology invites applications for a permanent faculty position beginning August 2017. This position is at the rank of assistant professor, but higher ranks may be considered for senior or well-established candidates. While applicants from all branches of planetary science will be considered, those with active research involving Mars are strongly encouraged to apply. We are especially interested in applicants with experience that overlaps other research areas in our department, and that can make best use of our available research facilities. These facilities include a large Mars atmospheric simulation chamber and 1-m class telescopes in Florida, Tucson, Chile, and La Palma. Candidates should be committed to excellence in teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and to developing or bringing a leading research program in planetary science. The candidate will also mentor and train students in our Space Sciences masters and doctoral programs, and work closely with the Buzz Aldrin Space Institute. Review of applications will begin immediately, but applications will be accepted until the position is filled.

Florida Tech hosts one of the largest physics and space sciences programs in the U.S. The Department of Physics and Space Sciences has 130 undergraduates and 35 graduate students. Being founded to support NASA, and being only a few miles from the Kennedy Space Center, we are tightly integrated into the federal and private space industry. Information about the department and its current research activities can be found at http://cos.fit.edu/pss/. For more information interested candidates should contact Dr. Daniel Batcheldor. To apply email searchpss@fit.edu with the subject “Position # PSS705”. In a single PDF provide a cover letter, CV, statements of research and teaching experience and interests, and the names and contact information of at least three references. Review of applications will begin immediately, but applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Florida Tech is an equal opportunity employer.

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Applications open early March.

The 2017 International Summer School in Astrobiology will be held at the summer campus of the Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo (UIMP), Palacio de la Magdalena, Santander, Spain from June 26-30. An announcement and solicitation of applications will be available in early March. For a look at the previous summer school programs, visit https://nai.nasa.gov/uimp/,

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Application Deadline: April 3, 2017

NASA is accepting applications from science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, and doctoral students, as well as engineering students within 6-9 months of completion of their masters degree (but not planning to pursue a PhD degree), for its 29th Annual Planetary Science Summer Seminar*, which will be held July 24-28, 2017 at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, CA.

During the program and pre-session webinars, student teams will carry out the equivalent of an early mission concept study, prepare a proposal authorization presentation, present it to a review board, and receive feedback. By the end of the session, students will have a clearer understanding of the life cycle of a space mission; relationships between mission design, cost, and schedule; and the trade-offs necessary to stay within cost and schedule while preserving the quality of science.

Applications are due April 3, 2017. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals. Further information is available at https://pscischool.jpl.nasa.gov/.

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Application Deadline: April 3, 2017

The Astrobiology Early Career Collaboration Awards offer research-related travel support for undergraduate, graduate students, postdocs, and junior scientists. Applicants are encouraged to use these resources to circulate among two or more laboratories supported by the NASA Astrobiology Program (Exobiology and Evolutionary Biology, the NAI, Planetary Science and Technology Through Analog Research, MatiSSE, PICASSO and the Habitable Worlds), however any travel that is critical for the applicant’s research will be considered.  Travelers must be formally affiliated with a U.S. institution.  Requests are limited to $5,000.

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Application Deadline: April 17, 2017

This US National Science Foundation sponsored Antarctic Biology Course will be held during January 2018 in Antarctica, at the United States Antarctic Program’s McMurdo Station. The training program is designed to provide early-career scientists with opportunities to work in Antarctica and to study polar biology. Applications are invited from graduate students currently enrolled in a Ph.D. program and researchers who have completed a Ph.D. within the past five years. This is an international training program, open to all nationalities. Partial support is available to cover the cost of travel from each participant’s home institution. While in Antarctica, full support is provided for room & board and science activities. The emphasis of the Antarctic Biology Course is on integrative biology, with laboratory- and field-based projects focused on adaptations to extreme polar environments. This program will also provide opportunities to understand and appreciate the complexities and logistical challenges of undertaking successful science in Antarctica. A diverse instructional faculty will offer participants the opportunity to study a wide range of Antarctic organisms (bacteria, algae, invertebrates, fish), using different levels of biological analysis (spanning molecular biology, physiological ecology, species diversity, and evolution).

Deadline for receipt of completed applications is April 17, 2017. More information and the on-line application form are at https://www.usfca.edu/arts-sciences/antarctic-biology-training-program and https://goo.gl/forms/7zAH4pzRf85×5Tt62.

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Application Deadline: April 28, 2017

The goals of the Nancy Grace Roman Technology Fellowship (RTF) program in Astrophysics are to provide early-career researchers the opportunity to develop the skills necessary to lead astrophysics flight instrument development projects, including suborbital investigations, in preparation to become Principal Investigators (PIs) of future astrophysics missions; to develop innovative technologies for space astrophysics that have the potential to enable major scientific breakthroughs; and to foster new talent by putting early career instrument builders on a trajectory towards long-term positions. NASA is committed to supporting deserving early career researchers by selecting one or more Roman Technology Fellows every year.

This program consists of two components with two different submission procedures. The first component is the one-page application from an early career individual to be named a Roman Technology Fellow (RTF). The second component is the subsequent submission of a proposal for up to $300K in Fellowship Funds by a previously selected RTF once that individual obtains a permanent or permanent-track position, in order to start a laboratory or develop a research group at the Fellow’s institution.

The PDF can be downloaded from the NSPIRES page.

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Applications may be submitted at any time.

The Solar and Planetary Research Grants (SPG) Program is a flexible, coordinated, and inclusive funding opportunity for disciplinary, interdisciplinary, and multidisciplinary research in the solar and planetary astronomical sciences. The SPG Program provides individual investigator and collaborative research grants for observational, theoretical, laboratory, and archival data studies in the science of our solar system and extrasolar planetary systems. Proposals for projects and tools that enable and enhance research in those areas may also be submitted. Proposals that are solely or predominantly for the acquisition, analysis, or interpretation of space-based data from NASA-supported missions will be returned without review.

Proposals addressing the astronomy and astrophysics of stars, our galaxy, external galaxies, and cosmology will be handled under a companion NSF solicitation, NSF 16-574, Astronomy and Astrophysics Research Grants (AAG), not under the SPG Program. Proposals that address planet formation within circumstellar disks are appropriate for this SPG Program; proposals that address star formation are better directed to the AAG Program and will not be considered by the SPG Program. Proposals submitted to one of these two programs, and deemed more appropriate for the other program, will be routed to the other program and considered during the next proposal submission season for that program. Potential proposers are cautioned that this could delay a proposal considered more appropriate to the AAG Program for up to a year.

Complete information is available at: http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2016/nsf16602/nsf16602.htm?WT.mc_id=USNSF_25&WT.mc_ev=click

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Application open until filled.

Applications are invited for a postdoctoral research associate (job code 0148) in the Dept. of Earth and Space Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, to work on numerical simulations and data analysis to understand the environment in which life originated on the early Earth and on other planets. The position will be supervised by Prof. David Catling.

The postdoctoral associate will work in collaboration with Prof. Catling and other scientists to study the evolution of environmental conditions on the early Earth. This research involves using a variety of biogeochemical data analyses, physical-chemical models, and Bayesian inverse models of the Earth System and atmosphere. Models to constrain environmental conditions during the origin of life and the spread of early life will also be considered in the context of Earth-like planets elsewhere.

Applicants must hold a PhD in Earth and Space Sciences, or an appropriately related field such as Astronomy, Planetary Sciences, or Geophysics. The candidate should have an aptitude for numerical modeling and have appropriate associated skills. A successful candidate will conduct research that will result in publication in the open literature and participation in national or international meetings. The successful candidate will also be encouraged to cooperate with researchers and students in the university’s cross-campus Astrobiology Program.

The initial 12-month full-time appointment is renewable for up to 3 years contingent on satisfactory progress. The initial salary is $60,000 per year. The start date is negotiable, but the position is available from February with a preference to fill the position as soon as possible within 2017.

Applicants should please send (1) a CV, (2) a brief description of relevant research abilities and interests, and (3) contact information for three referees to Prof. David Catling (dcatling@uw.edu). Inquiries regarding this position should also be directed to Prof. David Catling. Review of applications will start Feb 17, 2017, and applications will continue to be reviewed until the position is filled. Applicants must provide proof of the PhD conferral and be within 6 years of receipt of the PhD.

Individuals with disabilities desiring accommodations in the application process should notify Scott Dakins, Department of Earth and Space Sciences, 206-685-2470, or essasst@uw.edu.

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