54th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference
The 54th Lunar and Planetary Science Conference (LPSC), co-chaired by Lisa Gaddis of the Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) and Eileen Stansbery of the NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC), was held as a hybrid event on March 13–17, 2023, at The Woodlands Waterway Marriott Hotel and Convention Center in The Woodlands, Texas, and in a virtual conference environment. Participation was high, with 2090 registrants (1698 in-person and 392 virtual). Abstract numbers were also high, with 2037 abstracts submitted from 43 countries. LPSC continues to be accessible and important to young scientists, with student participation at more than 34% of total attendance.
Awardees of the LPI Career Development Award. Credit: Lunar and Planetary Institute.
LPSC began with Sunday evening check-in and a welcome event, which gave participants an opportunity to connect with friends and colleagues. Beginning on Monday morning, the conference featured four-and-a-half days of sessions, including topics such as lunar mineralogy and petrology, astrobiology and exobiology, space weathering, dwarf planets and icy moons, and several sessions on Mars and Venus. The complete program and abstracts are available at https://www.hou.usra.edu/meetings/lpsc2023/technical_program/.
Lori Glaze briefed conference participants about the status of NASA’s planetary science programs. Credit: Lunar and Planetary Institute.
The plenary session on Monday afternoon featured the Masursky Lecture, “The Scientific Legacy of the InSight Mission,” by Dr. Bruce Banerdt. The winners of the NASA Early-Career Award, the 2022 Dwornik Award, the 2023 LPI Career Development Award, and the 2023 Pierazzo International Student Travel Award were also recognized. During the Tuesday NASA Headquarters Briefing, representatives from the Planetary Science Division of NASA’s Science Mission Directorate addressed conference attendees.
Conference co-chairs Lisa Gaddis (left) and Eileen Stansbery (right) pose for a photo with Bruce Banerdt, who gave this year’s Masursky Lecture. Credit: Lunar and Planetary Institute.
In-person poster sessions were held Tuesday and Thursday evenings and included topics covered in the oral sessions, as well as topics in other areas such as education and public outreach. A dedicated virtual poster session was held Wednesday evening for virtual and in-person attendees using iPosters and Gather.town. All of the poster sessions offered an opportunity for participants to network and share science.
Lots of science shared during the LPSC poster sessions! Credit: Lunar and Planetary Institute.
Student participation remains high at 34% of total attendance. Credit: Lunar and Planetary Institute.
LPSC Ambassadors used social media to provide real-time coverage of the science presented during the sessions. Combined with a social media feed at the conference venue and within the virtual environment, this coverage allowed attendees to interact and share science results with their social networks.
Visit the 54th LPSC photo gallery at https://www.flickr.com/photos/lunarandplanetaryinstitute/collections/72157721559645461/.