C-DEBI Newsletter - February 1, 2012

Our second annual review as an NSF Science and Technology Center was extremely successful - thanks to all who helped us show off your research, education and outreach achievements to the reviewers this week! Apply now for our next DEBI Research Coordination Network meeting on Ocean Crust Processes and Consequences for Life! Visit us at the Ocean Sciences Meeting! And see below for other opportunities and hot-off-the-press C-DEBI contributed publications!

1. DEBI RCN Meeting: Ocean Crust Processes and Consequences for Life (Bremen, Germany), June 6-8, 2012
   The DEBI RCN holds annual, theme-based meetings to enable scientists and students to exchange ideas in deep biosphere studies, to learn about practical developments and study opportunities in the field, and to coordinate research and education activities. Each meeting is part scientific conference and part training workshop, both parts focused on a specific theme within deep biosphere research. Our next Research Coordination Network meeting will focus on processes in the ocean crust, from formation to subduction, and consequences for ocean-crust exchange budgets and subseafloor life. This meeting will provide a forum for presenting and discussing the most recent results in ocean crust processes and identifying the most pressing challenges that lie ahead. Specific focus will be on (1) crustal heterogeneity and fluid flow, (2) ocean-crust interactions, and (3) role of microbes in rock alteration. The University of Bremen will be hosting the meeting, and organizers are Heiner Villinger, Ulla Röhl, and Wolfgang Bach. All undergraduate, graduate, postdoctoral and principal investigators interested in the study of ocean crust processes and consequences for life are invited to apply to the meeting. Applications are due March 1, 2012.

2. C-DEBI at Ocean Sciences Meeting (Salt Lake City, UT), February 19-24, 2012
   Come visit us at Booth #4 at the Ocean Sciences Meeting this month! The 2012 Ocean Sciences Meeting is a venue for scientific exchange across broad marine science disciplines, including physical, biological, chemical and geological oceanography, as well as multidisciplinary topics. Presentations will include emerging research on the global ocean and society, including science education, outreach and public policy. Relevant sessions and workshops include:

   • Sunday Workshop EVS01: COSEE Professional Development for Scientists
     (Organizers: J. McDonnell, C. Ferraro)
   • Monday Session 071: Deep-Sea Conservation Imperatives in the 21st Century
     (Conveners: L. Levin, C. Van Dover, C. Smith and J. Ardron)
   • Monday Session 098: The Critical Importance of Community Building in the Ocean Sciences
     (Conveners: C. Meth, K. Ludwig)
   • Tuesday Session 102: Live from the Ocean: Engaging Students and the Public in Active Research Projects at Sea (Organizers: S. Cooper, L. Peart, J. Collins)
   • Thursday Session 112. Ocean Spreading Centers: Connecting the Subseafloor with the Open Ocean (Conveners: S. Bennett, J. Sylvan)
     
   Share your work with the C-DEBI community!

3. Goldschmidt Geochemistry Conference: Earth in Evolution (Montréal, Canada), June 24-29, 2012
   The GEOTOP research center and Montréal are proud to host the 22nd Goldschmidt conference in June 2012 with a focus on the Earth in Evolution. A total of 167 sessions are being hosted or co-hosted within the 23 themes ranging from the Evolution of the Solar System to Geomicrobiology, and from Earth Resources to Geoengineering & Remediation. The deadline for abstract submission has been extended until Friday, February 3.
    
4. Hot Off the Press from the C-DEBI Evolution Theme Team: Prospects for the Study of Evolution in the Deep Biosphere
   Biddle, Sylvan, Brazelton, Tully, Edwards, Moyer, Heidelberg and Nelson argue that the deep biosphere offers a unique opportunity to examine microbial evolution in action. Often, microbial evolution is studied in an environment where numerous factors are controlling the rate of diversification and adaptation, in areas of abundant resources, undetermined connectedness and unknown species interactions. In contrast, the deep biosphere offers an environment where many of the standard forces in ecology are either not in play or much reduced. As examples, we focus on dispersal, activity, metabolic flexibility, and thermodynamic extremes. This Frontiers in Extreme Microbiology publication is C-DEBI Contribution 112.
    
5. A. Hot Off the Press: Life and Death of Deep-Sea Vents: Bacterial Diversity and Ecosystem Succession on Inactive Hydrothermal Sulfides
   Sylvan, Toner and Edwards studied bacterial diversity on inactive hydrothermal sulfide chimney samples from 9°N on the East Pacific Rise to learn their bacterial community composition, potential ecological roles, and succession from active venting to inactive chimneys. Many bacteria on inactive sulfide chimneys are closely related to lineages involved in sulfur, nitrogen, iron, and methane cycling, and two common groups found on active chimneys are nearly absent from inactive vents, where they were replaced by groups likely involved in the elemental cycling mentioned above. Our findings reveal that ecological succession occurs on hydrothermal sulfides after active venting ceases and also imply a potential shift in microbial metabolic guilds. This mBio publication is C-DEBI Contribution 116.
   
   B. Cold, 'Dead' Deep Sea Vents Are Anything But Dead
   Researchers find that they teem with microbial life that is different from bacteria at 'live' sites. Andrea Mustain from OurAmazingPlanet reports on the science from the above publication in Science on MSNBC.com.
    
6. Ocean X-Factor: Life Beneath the Deep Online Workshop for Educators, February 27 - March 16, 2012
   Ocean scientists are starting to explore extreme environments, and they are finding life in amazing places - even far down in the sediments and rocks of the sea floor! In this COSEE-West, C-DEBI and College of Exploration workshop, you will meet “intraterrestrials,” microbes that are expanding our understanding of where life can exist on earth. This workshop is designed especially for educators, with resources for classroom teachers and informal educators and a special focus on materials and teaching ideas for educators of students with special needs. This online workshop is FREE and available 24-7. Log on anytime to see the lectures, investigate the resources, ask questions, and try out activities. Our presenters (Drs. Jan Amend, Katrina Edwards and Geoffrey Wheat) and their grad students will personally answer your questions during the workshop. Each week we’ll post a new presentation and resources, and you can join discussions at any time throughout the workshop.
    
7. Apply for 2012 InterRidge and ISA Student and Postdoctoral Fellowships
   The InterRidge Office is pleased to announce the launch of the 2012 Student and Postdoctoral Fellowship Programme. As part of InterRidge's mission to promote international, collaborative, and interdisciplinary studies of oceanic spreading centers, we invite proposals for InterRidge Student and Postdoctoral Fellowships of up to $5000 US each. Fellowships funded by InterRidge are open to graduate students or postdocs from any nation. There are also three Fellowships being funded by the International Seabed Authority (ISA) Endowment Fund, with the requirement that the graduate student or postdoc is either from a developing country or will assist in training those of a developing country. The application deadline is 31 March 2012.
    
8. Did You Know? Women Increase Their Share of Biological Science PhDs in United States
   Women continue to be awarded the majority of biological science PhDs in the United States, according to the latest data from the National Science Foundation (NSF). Statistics released this week show that 52% of biological science PhDs were awarded to women in 2009, the second year running that more women than men received PhDs in the field and up by almost 2 percentage points from the previous year.