EarthSpace

CAPERCon13 – The ASTRO101 Syllabus ReDesign Institute: Revitalizing and Modernizing Your Introductory Astronomy Course to Improve Diverse Students’ Learning

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 02:53:00 GMT

Type: News or Funding
Description: June 11-13, 2013 – Hilo, Big Island, Hawai’i ---This three day, intensive syllabus-redesign institute is designed to increase professors’ awareness of how to best support diverse student groups learn and engage in astronomy and the geosciences. As an advanced teaching excellence institute designed for college and university faculty with previous experience teaching non-science majors and future teachers, we’ll help one another update and reinvigorates our courses with a new awareness of diverse and non-traditional student needs, flexible teaching approaches, and innovative curriculum materials specifically targeting a rapidly growing and widely diverse student population. Particular attention will be given to research results on how to best serve Native American and Hawaiian indigenous students, as well as other traditionally underrepresented students including those whose first language is not English.

MAX PLANCK RESEARCH GROUP LEADER IN COMETARY SCIENCE

Mon, 25 Mar 2013 22:29:00 GMT

Type: News or Funding
Description: The Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) offers outstanding young scientists the opportunity to set up and lead a Max Planck Research Group (MPRG) in the field of cometary research. In order to foster the scientific exploitation of the Rosetta mission, arriving in 2014 at its target comet, the MPS intends to establish a new MPRG dedicated to cometary science. The new MPRG leader will have the unique chance to play a leading role in the research that is based on the Rosetta data. In close collaboration with the several instrument teams at the MPS he/she is expected to take advantage of the multiple involvements of the MPS in the Rosetta mission and to utilize the corresponding synergies in order to answer the key science questions. The successful candidate will be offered a MPRG for a period of five years with the possibility of twice a 2-years extension after successful evaluation and subject to financial and legal conditions. The group leader will hold a temporary W2 position equivalent to the associate professor level. In exceptional cases a tenured W2 position can be offered.

Dear Colleague Letter: FY 2013 Career-Life Balance (CLB)-Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) Supplemental Funding Requests

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 23:13:00 GMT

Type: News or Funding
Description: Instituted in 2012, NSF’s Career-Life Balance (CLB) Initiative is an ambitious, ten-year initiative that will build on the best of family-friendly practices among individual NSF programs to expand them to activities NSF-wide. This agency-level approach will help attract, retain, and advance graduate students, postdoctoral students, and early-career researchers in STEM fields. This effort will help reduce the rate at which women depart from the STEM workforce. By the end of this ten-year initiative (2021), it is expected that women will represent 41 percent of newly tenured doctoral S&E faculty—the same percentage as the available pool of women S&E doctorate recipients in 2009; and that women of color will comprise 17 percent of newly tenured faculty, the same percentage of their PhD production rate in 2009. Further information on the CLB initiative may be found on the Foundation’s website. The purpose of this DCL is to announce the continuation of the supplemental funding opportunity initiated in FY 2012 for PIs supported in the CAREER program. CAREER Principal Investigators (PIs) are invited to submit supplemental funding requests to support additional personnel (e.g., research technicians or equivalent) to sustain research when the PI is on family leave. These requests may include funding for up to 3 months of salary support, for a maximum of $12,000 in salary compensation. The fringe benefits and associated indirect costs may be in addition to the salary payment and therefore, the total supplemental funding request may exceed $12,000.

STEM Graduate Students Challenged to Submit Innovative Ideas to Improve Graduate Education

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:33:00 GMT

Type: News or Funding
Description: The National Science Foundation is calling for currently-enrolled graduate students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields to share their unique perspectives on graduate education. Entries are solicited for ideas with the potential to improve graduate education and professional development, and can be submitted at the 2013 Innovation in Graduate Education Challenge website by April 15, 2013. Winners will receive prizes from $1,000 to $3,000, as well as national recognition for their ideas.

NASA PLANETARY SCIENCE SUMMER SCHOOL APPLICATIONS

Wed, 20 Mar 2013 00:24:00 GMT

Type: News or Funding
Description: NASA is accepting applications from science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, and doctoral students for its 25th Annual Planetary Science Summer School, which will hold two separate sessions this summer (July 29-August 2 and August 12-16) at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif. During the program and pre-session webinars, student teams will carry out the equivalent of an early mission concept study, prepare a proposal authorization review 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 tradeoffs necessary to stay within cost and schedule while preserving the quality of science. Applications are due April 5, 2013. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals.

NASA SEEKS UNIVERSITY PARTICIPANTS FOR SUMMER ROCKET WORKSHOP

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 01:08:00 GMT

Type: News or Funding
Description: University faculty and students interested in learning how to build scientific experiments for spaceflight are invited to join RockOn 2013 from June 15-20 at NASA's Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia. RockOn 2013 is an annual workshop held in partnership with the Colorado and Virginia Space Grant Consortia. Registration is open through May. "Now in its sixth year, this program provides the basics on building, testing and flying a science payload on a suborbital rocket," said Phil Eberspeaker, chief of the sounding rocket program office at Wallops. "This is an exciting first step for participants to gain hands-on experience in building more complex space experiments. The program provides students with a solid foundation on which to build a future aerospace career." During the program, participants will work together to build experiment payloads to fly on a NASA sounding rocket predicted to reach an altitude of 73 miles. The flight will take place June 20, the last day of the workshop, weather permitting. "The purpose of the program is to bring together university students and instructors, and introduce them to building scientific experiments for space flight," said Chris Koehler, director of the Colorado Space Grant Consortium. "We really get into the basics of building experiments, including developing circuit boards, programming flight code and working together as a cohesive team on space projects."

[NASA] ROSES NRA IS NOW AVAILABLE

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 01:00:00 GMT

Type: News or Funding
Description: NASA's Science Mission Directorate announces the release of its annual omnibus solicitation, Research Opportunities in Space and Earth Science (ROSES) for 2013. Details of the solicited programs are given in the Appendices of this ROSES NRA (see link below). Further information about specific program elements may be obtained from the individual Program Officers listed in the Summary of Key Information for each program element in the Appendices of this ROSES NRA, while questions concerning general ROSES NRA policies and procedures may be directed to Max Bernstein, Lead for Research, Science Mission Directorate, at sara@nasa.gov.

PLANETARY GEOLOGY & GEOPHYSICS UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PROGRAM (PGGURP)

Thu, 21 Feb 2013 00:56:00 GMT

Type: News or Funding
Description: The Planetary Geology and Geophysics Undergraduate Research Program (PGGURP) pairs PGG-funded PIs with qualified undergraduates for 8 weeks during the summer. PGGURP covers the cost of intern travel to and from your institution; room and board; and up to $1000 to help an intern present the results of their research at a national conference. PGGURP mentors are responsible for helping the intern find local housing. Interns are required to submit a 2-page LPSC-style abstract to me at the end of the summer; you are expected to at least proof-read this abstract prior to its submission. To request a PGGURP intern, please email Tracy Gregg (tgregg@buffalo.edu) with the following information by Friday, February 8 (same contact for questions). 1) A brief description of the project you have in mind 2) A list of the essential skills your intern must have to work on this project (e.g., petrology, GIS, a year of calculus, computer programming in a specific language). 3) A list of the desired skills your intern should have to work on this project (skills that you'd like the intern to have, but aren't required).

Surfing the Solar System

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 06:56:00 GMT

Type: Activity
Description: In this treasure hunt game, from the "Family ASTRO" Project, players are given clues in words and pictures to worlds or features in the solar system.

The Discovery of Pluto: Unknown Aspects of the Story

Thu, 14 Feb 2013 06:49:00 GMT

Type: Resource Guide
Description: In this article, Pluto's discoverer Clyde Tombaugh tells the behind-the-scenes story of how he discovered what was once known as the ninth planet.

Seven Concepts for Effective Teaching

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 21:25:00 GMT

Type: Teaching Undergraduates
Description: Seven ideas, culled from astronomy education research, on how to be an effective teacher in the classroom, written especially for those new to teaching.

Ten Science Fiction Writers for Scientists

Wed, 06 Feb 2013 21:16:00 GMT

Type: Resource Guide
Description: This article lists and discusses ten science fiction writers whose stories may be of particular interest to science educators and their students.

Moving FORWARD in SPACE Workshop for Early Career Planetary Faculty

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 20:08:00 GMT

Type: News or Funding
Description: We are pleased to announce the Moving FORWARD in Space Workshop, to be held in the Grogan's Mill Room at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel on Sunday March 17, 2013 A workshop geared toward providing young female scientists with information and skills necessary to attain a tenured professorship in the planetary sciences. Meeting activities will focus on developing networking connections, techniques for more successful writing, acquiring grant funding, sharing of classroom ideas and materials, maintaining work-life balance, and challenges for dual career couples. Attendance will be limited. Although this conference is aimed specifically at female scientists, we encourage all underrepresented minorities in the planetary sciences to apply, as well as dual-career couples. Please contact us at planetary@temple.edu if you have any questions.

2013 Jet Propulsion Laboratory Summer Faculty Research Program (Apply by April 1)

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 22:17:00 GMT

Type: News or Funding
Description: Applications are currently being accepted for NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory 2013 Summer Faculty Research Program. This program provides opportunities for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, or STEM, faculty to engage in research of mutual interest to the faculty member and a JPL researcher. Non-STEM faculty will be considered based on availability. Eligible faculty include those holding a full-time appointment at an accredited university or college in the U.S. There are special requirements for foreign national faculty members to apply. Fellows are required to submit a research report and present their work at the end of the session. The program awards $13,500 fellowships for the 10-week session. A housing allowance will be offered for awardees who live beyond a 50-mile radius of JPL. (Apply by April 1)

AMS Climate Studies Diversity Project Course Implementation Workshop for Qualifying Faculty (Apply by March 15)

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 22:07:00 GMT

Type: News or Funding
Description: (Apply by March 15; May 19-24, 2013, Washington, D.C.) The American Meteorological Society has partnered with Second Nature, administrator of the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment, to implement the AMS Climate Studies course at 100 eligible, minority-serving institutions (MSIs) over a 5-year period. As part of this NSF-supported Diversity Project, AMS is recruiting 25 MSI faculty for the May Course Implementation Workshop. Faculty will be trained to offer the climate course and will hear presentations from top-level NASA, NOAA, and university scientists. The AMS Climate Studies course was developed and pilot tested with NASA Support. All expenses are paid for those selected to attend the workshop, and the AMS Climate Studies license fee is waived for the first two years the course is offered.

NASA Planetary Summer School for Ph.D. Students and Recent Graduates (Apply by April 5)

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 21:55:00 GMT

Type: News or Funding
Description: (Apply by April 5; Two sessions: July 29-Aug. 2 and Aug. 12-16, NASA JPL, Pasadena, Calif.) NASA is accepting applications from science and engineering post-docs, recent PhDs, and doctoral students for its 25th Annual Planetary Science Summer School. During the program and pre-session webinars, student teams will carry out the equivalent of an early mission concept study, prepare a proposal authorization review 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. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals.

NASA Internship Opportunities through OSSI (Apply by March 15)

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 21:52:00 GMT

Type: News or Funding
Description: (Applications due March 15 for Summer Internships; Applications due May 31 for Fall Internships) NASA’s One Stop Shopping Initiative (OSSI) is seeking applications for summer and fall internships. OSSI is a NASA-wide system for the recruitment, application, selection, and career development of undergraduate and graduate students, primarily in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines.

2013 Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships (Apply by Feb. 22)

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 21:49:00 GMT

Type: News or Funding
Description: Caltech’s Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships, or SURF, project introduces undergraduate students to research under the guidance of seasoned mentors at Caltech or NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL). Students experience the process of research as a creative intellectual activity and gain a more realistic view of the opportunities and demands of a professional research career. SURF is modeled on the grant-seeking process. Students collaborate with potential mentors to define and develop a project and to write research proposals. Caltech faculty or JPL staff review the proposals and recommend awards. Students work over a 10-week period in the summer. At the conclusion of the project, each student will submit a technical paper and give a SURF Seminar Day oral presentation.(Apply by Feb. 22)

Galileo: The Man and His Science

Fri, 01 Feb 2013 21:47:00 GMT

Type: Resource Guide
Description: This selective resource guide offers printed and web materials about Galileo.

Astronomical Pseudoscience: A Skeptic's Resource Guide

Thu, 31 Jan 2013 07:43:00 GMT

Type: Resource Guide
Description: Annotated catalog of resources for responding to claims on the fringes of astronomy, such as astrology, UFO's, or the notion that NASA faked the Moon landing.