The NASA Astrobiology Institute is pleased to announce the selection of 18 proposals for support through the 2008 NAI Director's Discretionary Fund. These awards allocate more than $1.4M toward strategic investments that advance the science of astrobiology, demonstrate impact to NASA's space flight programs or its broader science activities, and/or contribute to NASA's role as a federal R&D agency. The members of the Institute, in collaboration with members of the larger astrobiology community, responded to this year's DDF Call for Proposals with a bold, interdisciplinary, and focused set of proposals.

Continue reading "NAI Announces 2008 Director's Discretionary Fund Awards" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 4:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

"The CheMin mineralogical instrument on the MSL mission and the field-portable TERRA version available for NAI field campaigns"

Speaker: David Blake
Date/Time: Monday, June 30, 2008 11:00AM Pacific

Abstract: Dr. Blake will describe the Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) '09 mission and its CheMin XRD/XRF instrument. A terrestrial field-deployable version of CheMin (called "TERRA") will be available to perform in situ analyses during NAI field campaigns. The TERRA instrument has already been proven to be invaluable on field expeditions to Spitsbergen (Norway), the dry valleys of Antarctica, Canada (twice), and Rio Tinto (Spain).

Continue reading "NAI Director's Seminar" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 3:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Researchers from NAI's Marine Biological Laboratory Team continue their study of the deep biosphere, reporting the latest results in Nature. This new study reveals that bacterial communities dwelling on ocean-bottom rocks are more abundant and diverse than previously thought, especially relative to the overlying water column. The microbes appear to ?feed? on the oceanic crust through seawater-rock alteration reactions involving the oxidation and hydration of glassy basalt. [Source: NAI Newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 3:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The NAI congratulates the faculty sabbatical awardees for the NAI MIRS program for 2008. They are:

Dr. Prabhakar Misra, Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Howard University, who will be working with Dr. Paul Mahafft at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, on a project entitled "Spectroscopy and Analytical Protocols for Organic Molecules of Relevance to the Origin of Life on Mars and Earth."

Dr. Erik Melchiorre, Associate Professor of Geology, California State University, San Bernardino, who will work with Drs. Karen Meech, Mike Mottl and Jim Cowen at the University of Hawaii, at Manoa. His study is entitled, "Planetary Habitability and the Origins of Life: Evaluation of Mineralogical Evidence for Extremophile Colonization within Terrestrial Subduction Zones. "

For more information about the NAI MIRS program see http://astrobiology.nasa.gov/nai/funding/nai-minority-institution-research-support [Source: NAI Newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 3:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Do you Tweet? If so, then you'll be happy to know that you can now follow an @AstrobiologyNAI Twitter stream. If you don't have any idea what the first two sentences in this article are about, keep reading! They refer to a micro-blogging tool called "Twitter," an increasingly popular, instant-messaging service that is quickly becoming the place where news breaks first, outpacing mainstream media.

Continue reading "NAI Twitters and Tweets" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 3:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The NASA Astrobiology Institute is now Twittering at AstrobiologyNAI

Posted by Keith Cowing at 7:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Wandering Poles on Europa

A new study in the May 15th issue of Nature from NAI’s Carnegie Institution of Washington Team reveals that Europa’s poles may not have always been located in the same place. Using images from three NASA spacecraft, Voyager, Galileo, and New Horizons, the study mapped surface features on Europa and matched them with a pattern predicted if Europa had experienced an episode of ~80 degree true polar wander. This movement of the pole and subsequent change in rotation axis is only possible if Europa’s outer shell is decoupled from the core by a liquid layer, so the study also reinforces evidence for the presence of an ocean on Europa.

Continue reading "Recently Published Research from the NAI" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 10:34 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The new integrated website for NASA's Astrobiology Program was launched on Friday, March 21: http://astrobiology.nasa.gov/. The link to the NAI website remains the same: http://nai.nasa.gov and its contents have been redesigned and integrated with the program site. NAI Central staff worked with Astrobiology Program Communications Coordinator, Linda Billings, to design and implement the new website. We're pleased that NAI Central has been able to make this contribution to the Astrobiology Program and the community. We invite you to take a look at the new site and send us your comments, using the page feedback boxes online. [Source NAI newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 8:22 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Full report

Executive Summary

Astrobiology is a scientific discipline devoted to the study of life in the universe--its origins, evolution, distribution, and future. It brings together the physical and biological sciences to address some of the most fundamental questions of the natural world: How do living systems emerge? How do habitable worlds form and how do they evolve? Does life exist on worlds other than Earth?

Continue reading "NASA SSB Report: Assessment of the NASA Astrobiology Institute" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 3:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The NAI has released a Request for Information entitled "Collaborative Technology Tools and Methods For Distributed Interdisciplinary Science." For more information, see: http://astrobiology.nasa.gov/articles/nai-request-for-information/ [Source: NAI newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 8:32 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The NAI announces that it is now accepting proposals for the 2008 Director's Discretionary Fund. Proposals will be accepted through June 1, 2008 and selections will be made by July 1, 2008.

For more information: http://nai.nasa.gov/ddf_2008/

Posted by Keith Cowing at 6:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The NAI is very pleased to announce the selection of three NAI Fellows, who will receive awards through the NASA Postdoctoral Program.

The three Fellows are:

Daiki Horikawa, Advisor: Lynn Rothschild, NAI's SETI Institute Team, Tolerance of tardigrades to extremes: Implications for the existence of multicellular organisms in extraterrestrial environments.

Olivia Mason, Advisor: Jim Cowen, NAI's University of Hawaii Team, Phylogenetic and functional diversity of microorganisms associated with crustal fluids

Steven Mielke, Advisor Nancy Kiang, NAI's VPL - University of Washington Team, Molecular-Environmental Limits of Terrestrial Photosynthesis: Implications for Extrasolar Biosignatures

We welcome the new Fellows to the NAI.

The deadline for the next NAI opportunity for NPP Fellowships is July 1, 2008. For additional information about the program see http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc .

Posted by Keith Cowing at 6:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The NAI announces, through the release of this Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN), an opportunity for the submission of team-based proposals for membership in the Institute. Proposals should clearly articulate an innovative, interdisciplinary, astrobiology research program, together with plans to advance the full scope of NAI objectives as defined in the Institute's Mission Statement.

Continue reading "NAI Cooperative Agreement Notice (Cycle-5) Notices of Intent Due February 22nd" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 10:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The following new papers have been published recently by NAI members. These and other recent NAI funded research are presented on the NAI website and collected in the NAI Research Highlights Archive - http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/research/. In this archive, you can link to the papers and any press materials that may have been generated about them.

Continue reading "Recently Published Research from the NAI" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 1:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Application Deadline - March 7, 2008

The NAI-MIRS Program provides opportunities for researchers from qualified minority institutions to initiate joint partnerships with researchers in the field of astrobiology. The NAI-MIRS program provides summer sabbaticals, follow-up support, and travel opportunities for faculty and students from minority institutions. The application deadline for summer 2008 is March 7th. For more information, visit http://www.nai-mirs.org. [Source: NAI newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 1:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The NAI is pleased to sponsor travel scholarships for four graduate students (senior level) or postdoctoral fellows (with less than two years of postdoctoral training) to attend the Third International Polar and Alpine Microbiology Conference, to be held in Banff, Alberta, Canada, May 11-15, 2008. See the conference website for more details: http://www.polaralpinemicrobiology.com/. Each award will provide up to $2000 to defray the cost of economy airfare from US or Canadian cities and local travel, registration and up to four nights lodging at the workshop venue (shared room, if at all possible). Travel funds will be awarded on a competitive basis.

Continue reading "NAI Travel Scholarships Available for the International Conference on Polar and Alpine Microbiology" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 1:39 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Application Deadline - February 15, 2008

The Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research in Astrobiology, a partnership between NAI and the American Philosophical Society (APS), is now accepting applications for astrobiological field studies for 2008. Graduate students, postdoctoral students, and junior scientists and scholars are eligible to apply for travel and related expenses, up to $5000. For more information, please see http://www.amphilsoc.org/grants/astrobiology.htm

[Source: NAI newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 1:38 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Join us for the next NAI Director's Seminar on Monday, February 4th at 11am PST. The seminar, "The Effect of Protoplanetary Disk Dispersal on Planet Formation," will be given by David Hollenbach of NASA Ames Research Center. For information on how to join the seminar, go to: http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/seminars/seminar_detail.cfm?ID=117.

Continue reading "NAI Director's Seminar: The Effect of Protoplanetary Disk Dispersal on Planet Formation" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 1:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The NAI announces, through the release of this Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN), an opportunity for the submission of team-based proposals for membership in the Institute. Proposals should clearly articulate an innovative, interdisciplinary, astrobiology research program, together with plans to advance the full scope of NAI objectives as defined in the Institute's Mission Statement. The Cooperative Agreement Notice can be accessed at: http://nspires.nasaprs.com

CAN Release Date: January 8, 2008 Notices of Intent Due: February 22, 2008

Proposals Due: April 11, 2008

[Source: NAI newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 1:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On January 8, 2008, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Science Mission Directorate (SMD) is releasing a Cooperative Agreement Notice (NNH08ZDA002C) soliciting new institutional members to the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI).

Continue reading "Proposal opportunity: NASA Astrobiology Institute" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 11:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NASA intends to release a Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN, Cycle-5) soliciting new institutional members to the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI). The CAN will be released early in 2008, and proposals will be due approximately 90 days later. NAI CAN Cycle-5 is responsive to the recommendations of the recent NRC study (Assessment of the NASA Astrobiology Institute, 2007, http://www7.nationalacademies.org/ssb/).

Continue reading "NASA to Release Cooperative Agreement Notice for Membership in the NASA Astrobiology Institute" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 9:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Committee on the Review of the NASA Astrobiology Institute, National Research Council

Full report

Executive Summary: Astrobiology is a scientific discipline devoted to the study of life in the universe--its origin, evolution, distribution, and future. It brings together the physical and biological sciences to address some of the most fundamental questions of the natural world: How do living systems emerge? How do habitable worlds form and how do they evolve? Does life exist on worlds other than Earth? The tremendous breadth and depth of this endeavor requires interdisciplinary investigation in order to be fully appreciated and examined.

Continue reading "NRC Report: Assessment of the NASA Astrobiology Institute" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 12:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NASA intends to release a Cooperative Agreement Notice (CAN, Cycle-5) soliciting new institutional members to the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI). The CAN will be released early in 2008, and proposals will be due approximately 90 days later.

Continue reading "NASA to Release Cooperative Agreement Notice for Membership in the NASA Astrobiology Institute" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 10:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Speaker: Geoff Marcy (University of California, Berkeley)
Date/Time: Monday, December 3, 2007 11:00 AM PST

The measured masses and orbits of the 200 secure exoplanets within 200 parsecs reveal the processes of formation and subsequent dynamics. (One parsec is the distance at which one astronomical unit subtends an angle of 1 second of arc.) Several planets reveal information on their cores and interiors. Multiple-planet systems, especially those in resonances, inform us about migration, scattering, and capture. Planets from 5-14 Earth masses are now detectable, and several have been found. The Kepler Mission and a new 2.4-m "Automated Planet Finder" telescope at Lick Observatory portend the detection of rocky planets.

For more information and connection information: http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/seminars/seminar_detail.cfm?ID=114

[Source: NAI Newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 8:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NAI Central is pleased to announce the news that its recent proposal to the NASA Science Mission Directorate E/PO Program entitled "NASA and the Navajo Nation 2: The Moon" has been selected for funding. This award will enable the continued collaboration with leaders and educators from the Navajo Nation toward the production of educational materials which bring together astrobiology science and Navajo cultural knowledge, in particular of the Moon. For more information, please contact Daniella Scalice, daniella.m.scalice@nasa.gov.

[Source: NAI Newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 8:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Speaker: Ariel Anbar (Arizona State University)
Date/Time: Monday, November 5, 2007 11:00 AM PST

Abstract: Many lines of evidence point to a rapid rise of atmospheric O2 between 2.45 - 2.22 billion years ago (Ga), a transition often referred to as the Great Oxidation Event (GOE). The cause of the GOE is unknown. It could have been an immediate consequence of the evolution of oxygenic photosynthesis. Alternatively, O2 biogenesis may be ancient and the GOE a consequence of an abiotic shift in the balance of oxidants and reductants at the Earth's surface that crossed a critical threshold at that time. In the latter case, oxygenic photosynthesis could have evolved long before the GOE. This debate can be addressed by looking for evidence of localized or short-lived concentrations of O2 before 2.45 Ga.

Continue reading "NAI Director's Seminar: "A Whiff of Oxygen before the Great Oxidation Event"" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 11:53 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The organizers of the 2008 Astrobiology Science Conference are pleased to announce that the deadline for abstract submission has been extended!

The revised deadline for submission of abstracts is December 3, 2007.

Abstracts should be submitted via the conference website (http://abscicon.seti.org), where a complete list of topical sessions can also be found.

Questions regarding submission of abstracts can be addressed to abstracts@seti.org.

Posted by Keith Cowing at 7:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Even though the NAI doesn't operate on an academic year calendar, I can't help but feel that we are starting a "new year" this month. It's not just that I became Director on Sept. 17, 2006, exactly a year ago, but also that one of NAI's most important milestones, presenting our programs to the National Research Council (NRC) committee reviewing the Institute, was completed just before the Labor Day weekend.

Continue reading "NASA Astrobiology Institute Director's Corner" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 7:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The NAI Minority Institution Research Support Program is pleased to announce the selection of LeeAnne Martinez, an Associate Professor of Biology at Colorado State University - Pueblo, a Hispanic Serving Institution. Dr. Martinez plans to begin a genomic analysis of open water diatoms in the laboratory of Jim Lake, of the NAI UCLA team, to explore horizontal transfer of operational genes that may lead to the incorporation of endosymbionts by diatoms. LeeAnne's background includes nitrogen-fixation in diatom mats and this work will support current research at Colorado State-Pueblo. [Source: NAI Newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 12:12 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Maggie Turnbull, a 2004 NAI Postdoctoral Fellow and now an astrobiologist at the Space Telescope Science Institute, was recently named a "Genius" by CNN for her work cataloging stars most likely to develop planets that could support life and intelligent civilizations. Congratulations Maggie!

http://www.cnn.com/2007/LIVING/wayoflife/07/13/genius.scientists/ [Source: NAI Newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 12:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

An international team of researchers including members of NAI's Virtual Planetary Laboratory Team have, using NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope, detected the presence of water vapor on the hot jupiter HD 189733b. Published in Nature, the study's primary author, Giovanna Tinetti, was a 2003 NAI Postdoctoral Fellow. [Source: NAI Newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 12:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The following new papers have been published recently by NAI members. These and other recent NAI funded research are presented on the NAI member portal and collected in the NAI Research Highlights Archive – http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/research/. In this archive, you can link to the papers and any press materials that may have been generated about them.

Continue reading "Recently Published Research from the NAI" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 12:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Science Steering Committee of the 2008 Astrobiology Science Conference (April 15-17, Santa Clara, California, USA) invites proposals for sessions related to the major scientific themes: "The Astronomical and Planetary Context for Life", "The Origin and Evolution of Life", and "The Search for Life in our Solar System and Beyond".

Continue reading "Astrobiology Science Conference (AbSciCon) 2008 Call for Session Topic Proposals" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 5:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The NAI has been called upon to use its expertise in managing a complex, distributed research organization to lead the development of a new web presence for NASA's Astrobiology Program.

Continue reading "NAI Embarks on New Astrobiology Program Website" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 11:38 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NAI is offering ten full-funded scholarships for students who wish to attend the 2007 International Summer School in Astrobiology, Santander, Spain, July 2-6. The topic for this year's school is "Mars Exploration: The next ten years." The summer schools are co-sponsored by the Spanish Centro de Astrobiologia and the NASA Astrobiology Institute. The application deadline is May 31. For more information, please see: http://nai.nasa.gov/UIMP/MarsExpl [Source: NAI Newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 3:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The NAI Minority Institution Research Support (MIRS) Program is pleased to announce the selection of two faculty sabbatical research awards to Abel Mendez, from the University of Puerto Rico, Arecibo, and to Don Walter from South Carolina State University. The NAI-MIRS program, which is funded by the NAI, provides opportunities for researchers, from qualified minority serving institutions, to initiate joint partnerships with researchers in the field of astrobiology.

Continue reading "NAI Announces Two MIRS Sabbatical Awards" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 3:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The NASA Astrobiology Institute is pleased to announce the selection of four new research teams to join the twelve current teams comprising the Institute. The new teams will be led from Montana State University in Bozeman, the University of Wisconsin in Madison, the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, and the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

Continue reading "NAI Announces Selection of New Teams" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 3:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The following new papers have been published recently by NAI members. These and other recent NAI funded research are presented on the NAI member portal and collected in the NAI Research Highlights Archive - http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/research/. In this archive, you can link to the papers and any press materials that may have been generated about them.

If you have an upcoming or recent publication, please tell us about it as soon as possible. We will work with your institution to produce press releases, publicize the paper on the NAI website, and pre-populate your team's annual report with your publication. Please send any information to Daniella Scalice dscalice@mail.arc.nasa.gov [Source: NAI Newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 3:50 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Tullis Onstott of NAI's Indiana-Princeton-Tennessee team was recently named to this year's "Time 100," an annual list of "the 100 men and women whose power, talent or moral example is transforming the world," according to list-maker Time magazine. Onstott, a professor of geomicrobiology in the Department of Geosciences at Princeton University, investigates the physical and chemical limitations on subsurface Earth life, toward developing subsurface life detection strategies for Mars.

Continue reading "NAI Scientists Receive High Honors" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 3:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NASA Selects New Members of Astrobiology Institute

"NASA is awarding five-year grants to four research teams that will become new members of the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI). The new multidisciplinary teams are led by the University of Wisconsin, Madison; the California Institute of Technology, Pasadena; Montana State University, Bozeman; and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Cambridge. For the first 18 months of research, teams will receive $350,000 in funding. The five-year average grant size is approximately $7 million per team."

Posted by Keith Cowing at 4:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The NASA Astrobiology Institute is pleased to announce the selection of 18 proposals for support through the 2007 NAI Director's Discretionary Fund. These awards allocate more than $1.7M toward strategic investments that advance the science of astrobiology, demonstrate impact to NASA's space flight programs or its broader science activities, and/or contribute to NASA's role as a federal R&D agency. The members of the Institute, in collaboration with members of the larger astrobiology community, responded to this year's DDF Call for Proposals with a bold, interdisciplinary, and focused set of proposals.

Continue reading "NAI Announces 2007 Director's Discretionary Fund Awards" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 10:46 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Margaret Tolbert from NAI's University of Colorado, Boulder Team, is receiving the 2007 UC-Boulder Hazel Barnes Prize. This prize is the University's most prestigious faculty award. Tolbert has earned it, UC-Boulder has announced, "for her contributions to understanding the chemistry and climate of planetary atmospheres, including past and present," and "for her teaching and research efforts with undergraduates and graduate students, 15 of whom have won prestigious NASA and Environmental Protection Agency fellowships in recent years." http://www.colorado.edu/news/releases/2007/129.html Congratulations Margaret! [Source: NAI Newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 10:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The following new papers have been published recently by NAI members. These and other recent NAI funded research are presented on the NAI member portal and collected in the NAI Research Highlights Archive – http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/research/. In this archive, you can link to the papers and any press materials that may have been generated about them. If you have an upcoming or recent publication, please tell us about it as soon as possible. We will work with your institution to produce press releases, publicize the paper on the NAI website, and pre-populate your team's annual report with your publication. Please send any information to Daniella Scalice dscalice@mail.arc.nasa.gov [Source: NAI Newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 10:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

One of the most satisfying aspects of astrobiology is the quality of the students and young researchers it attracts. I am particularly gratified by the quality of a recent applicant pool to the NAI Postdoctoral Fellowship Program (a part of the NASA Postdoctoral Program administered by the Oak Ridge Associated Universities) and the individuals we were able to select. I'd like to tell you a little about them.

Continue reading "NASA Astrobiology Institute Director's Corner" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 12:56 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

On February 16th, NAI scientists were featured in a live broadcast of NPR's Science Friday. Tune in to the podcast to hear how astrobiologists are following the water and the energy, trying to target those parts of the planet most likely to harbor life. Plus, learn how the rovers Spirit and Opportunity have changed our ideas about the Martian environment, and what evidence future missions will look for. http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=7453410 [source: NAI Newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 12:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The following new papers have been published recently by NAI members. These and other recent NAI funded research are presented on the NAI member portal and collected in the NAI Research Highlights Archive - http://nai.arc.nasa.gov/research/. In this archive, you can link to the papers and any press materials that may have been generated about them.

Continue reading "Recently Published Research from the NAI" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 1:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The NAI Minority Institution Research Support (MIRS) Program provides opportunities for researchers from qualified Minority Institutions to initiate joint partnerships with researchers in the field of astrobiology. The NAI-MIRS program provides summer sabbaticals, follow-up support, and travel opportunities for faculty and students from Minority Institutions.

Continue reading "NAI Minority Institution Research Support Program Application Deadline - April 2nd" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 1:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The NAI Postdoctoral Fellowship Program provides opportunities for Ph.D. scientists and engineers of unique promise and ability to perform research on problems largely of their own choosing, yet compatible with the research interests of NASA and the member teams of the NASA Astrobiology Institute. The next award cycle in which the NAI will participate has a March 1, 2007 application deadline. For additional information about the program see http://nasa.orau.org/postdoc . [Source: Astrobiology Institute Newsletter]

Posted by Keith Cowing at 1:13 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Please join me in welcoming John Evans as a new member of the NAI Central staff. John is taking over the reins from NAI Resource Analyst, Kaye Faria, who retired this month. Kaye has been at the Institute from its earliest days; we appreciate all of her contributions, and wish her well in her new adventures.

Continue reading "Message from the NAI Director: John Evans Joins NAI Central Staff, as Kaye Faria Retires" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 1:17 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research in Astrobiology, a partnership between NAI and the American Philosophical Society (APS), is open to field studies in any area of interest to astrobiology. Grants may be used for travel and related expenses, including field equipment, up to $5,000. Applications will be reviewed by a committee that includes members of the NAI, the APS, and the wider science community as needed.

Continue reading "NAI Lewis and Clark Fund for Exploration and Field Research in Astrobiology Application Deadline - March 15th" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 1:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Bruce Jakosky, PI of NAI's University of Colorado, Boulder Team, has been selected to develop his Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution, or MAVEN, mission proposal. His was one of just two proposals selected for future robotic missions to Mars.

Continue reading "NAI Principal Investigator Named in Mars Scout Selections" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 8:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Please join me in welcoming Wendy Dolci back to the NAI as our Associate Director for Operations. From 2000-2004, Wendy served as the NAI Operations Manager and then Assistant Director, and played a lead role, during the Institute's formative years, in developing its processes and working methods as a virtual organization. She is very happy to be working once again with the NAI science community and the NAI Central team at Ames.

Continue reading "Message from the NAI Director: Wendy Dolci Selected as NAI Associate Director for Operations" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 8:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The NAI has awarded $4000 to support student participation in "Changes in Ocean and Atmospheric redox state and the evolution of life" session of the 2006 GSA Annual Meeting.

Continue reading "NAI Student Travel Funds Available for 2006 GSA Annual Meeting" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 7:58 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's that time again for NAI's Annual Report. Annual report entries are collected by team and published on the NAI webpage in the "team" section. Reports include science projects, team members, and publications, as well as Education and Public Outreach, Focus Group activities, and other special projects.

Continue reading "Reminder: NAI Annual Report submissions due 7/28/2006" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 7:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Join NAI for the Polycom and WebEx broadcast of the second annual Summer Student Seminar Series. The talks will be given on Friday, July 28th and Friday August 11th at 12:00pm PDT (9:00am HT/1:00pm MDT/2:00pm CDT/3:00pm EDT.)

Continue reading "Second Annual Summer Student Seminar Series Begins July 28" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 7:56 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In October, 2005, NAI began an innovative, pilot project focused on creating educational materials that weave together NASA science and Navajo cultural teachings. To mark the end of the project and the beginning of new collaborations, NAI is hosting a "Sustainability Seminar" in Window Rock, Arizona - the seat of the Navajo Nation - on August 10-11, 2006.

Continue reading "NAI Hosts "NASA and the Navajo Nation" Sustainability Seminar August 10-11" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 7:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

NAI Postdoctoral Fellowship Program Accepting Applications: Deadline August 1
A reminder applications are now being accepted for the August 1 cycle of the NAI Postdoctoral Program, administered by Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU).

Continue reading "Astrobiology EPO, Undergrads, Grads, Postdocs" »

Posted by Keith Cowing at 7:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)