Online STEM opportunities for astrobiologists
Get school students excited about astrobiology in I’m a Scientist, Get me out of Here! I’m a Scientist is an online outreach competition where scientists talk with curious school students at imascientist.org.uk, answer their questions, and help raise aspirations towards science. During March’s British Science Week, the UK Space Agency is funding places for scientists in the Space Exploration Zone of the next event, and astrobiology researchers are invited to apply to take part. Apply now to be part of I’m a Scientist, running 6th–17th March, at imascientist.org.uk/scientist-apply...
Read MoreSummer Undergraduate Research Project – University of Leicester
Testing of the Deep Space Petri Pod (DSPP) – John Holt and Dr Graham Wynn Funded by the UK Space Agency, the Deep Space Petri Pod (DSPP) is a novel instrument development project designing a miniature “life support” environment to conduct astrobiology experiments on missions like the upcoming European Space Agency, Phobos Sample Return mission. Working with colleagues at NASA Ames and the universities of Exeter, Nottingham and Westminster, we have successfully built a high fidelity prototype to enable laboratory testing of the instrument concept. The successful candidate will work with...
Read MorePhD Opportunity at the University of Westminster
PhD: Spectroscopic biosignatures of microbial life on Mars Prof. Lewis Dartnell, University of Westminster Astrobiology is the multidisciplinary field of science engaged in the search for life beyond Earth. Our planetary neighbour, Mars, shows extensive evidence for a habitable environment conducive to the origin and persistence of life early in the planet’s history. Mars has, however, since suffered an environmental collapse: the planet today is very cold and dry, and the lack of magnetic field or substantial atmosphere means the surface is bathed in harmful ultraviolet and...
Read MorePhD Opportunities at UCL/Birkbeck
The Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences will have an STFC-funded PhD studentship available in the field of planetary science from 1 October 2017. The successful candidate will be based in the Centre for Planetary Sciences at UCL/Birkbeck which has a strong record in training planetary science PhD students and provides a rich environment in which to develop knowledge in multiple areas of lunar and planetary science. Projects include: (1) characterising the ExoMars 2020 landing site, and (2) identifying and quantifying active surface processes on Mars. Both of these projects will enable...
Read MoreWatch the Barrie Jones Inaugural Award Lecture 2016
For anyone who missed this year’s Barrie Jones Award Lecture a recording of the event can be viewed online here. The Barrie Jones Award recognises an individual’s contribution to society and outstanding achievement in science and outreach through work relating to astrobiology. It was established by the Open University (OU) Department of Physical Sciences in partnership with the ASB with the legacy of the late Barrie Jones (1941–2014), an astrobiologist at the OU, who dedicated much of his career to public engagement and outreach. The inaugural recipient of the award was Lisa...
Read MoreMeeting Announcement: AbGradCon, June 2017
Applications for the 2017 Astrobiology Graduate Conference (AbGradCon) are now open. This year, the conference will be held at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Charlottesville, VA from June 5 – June 9. AbGradCon provides a unique setting for astrobiologically-inclined graduate students and early career researchers to come together to share their research, collaborate, and network, without the presence of senior researchers and PIs. AbGradCon 2017 marks the thirteenth year of this conference. Conference attendees will share their research over a period of two days. Attendees have...
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