The International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Data Manager (DM) is a technical leader with a high degree of knowledge in geo-sciences and recognized expert in scientific ocean drilling. The incumbent will apply extensive knowledge as a research professional with an in-depth understanding of scientific data, statistics and analysis of on site data recorded in seafloor sediments and rocks and will monitor sub-seafloor environments. As needed, act as a team lead in scientific ocean drilling and multidisciplinary research collaboration of broad scope and complexity. In addition, the position will support on-going efforts to improve data management procedures and the development of decision support tools. The position will contribute and lead scientific journal publications. In collaboration with the Executive Director/Principal Investigator of the Science Support Office, the DM serves a critical and visible role in the IODP management structure. Provide consultation, direction, and advice to research teams and proposal authors, who comprise over one thousand researchers affiliated with about 200 institutions worldwide, in developing and evaluating scientific data sets that support IODP drilling proposals. Formulate strategies to ensure the quality and timely review of site characterization data submitted to the IODP Site Survey Data Bank (SSDB) and serve as the primary Subject Matter Expert (SME) on data in meetings of the IODP Facility Boards and their subsidiaries. Formulate and administer policies and processes in the main Task Areas of the IODP Science Support Office and independently interact with the eight international IODP Program Member Offices to manage their participation in the IODP advisory structure. Filing Deadline: January 27, 2020.
The goal of the RCN program is to advance a field or create new directions in research or education by supporting groups of investigators to communicate and coordinate their research, training, and educational activities across disciplinary, organizational, geographic, and international boundaries. The RCN-UBE program originated as a unique RCN track to “catalyze positive changes in biology undergraduate education” (NSF 08-035) and is now supported by the collaborative efforts of the Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) and the Directorate for Education and Human Resources (EHR). It has been responsive to the national movement to revolutionize undergraduate learning and teaching in the biological sciences as described in the “Vision and Change in Undergraduate Biology Education” report. The RCN-UBE program seeks to improve undergraduate biology in different areas by leveraging the power of a collaborative network. The theme or focus of an RCN-UBE proposal can be on any topic likely to advance the goal of enhancing undergraduate biology education. Collectively, the program has contributed to developing and disseminating educational research resources and modules, to forging of new collaborations, and to sharing of best practices and ideas for scalability and sustainability of activities. These efforts have involved a large cadre of faculty, students, and other stakeholders. Proposed networking activities directed to the RCN-UBE program should focus on a theme to give coherence to the collaboration. Full proposal deadline: January 21, 2020.
Join us for a National Science Foundation (NSF) sponsored workshop focused on the integration of Ocean Observing Initiative (OOI) data into undergraduate teaching of oceanography themes and concepts. Participants will explore a collection of Data Labs created by oceanography professors who attended the 2019 OOI Data Lab summer workshops. Learn from your peers lessons learned on how to effectively teach with data. Participants will share new teaching resources and brainstorm new ideas for how to integrate OOI data into introductory oceanography and Earth and environmental science courses. Professors who teach introductory (100 and 200 level) oceanography courses are encouraged to attend. Participants will receive a $300 stipend (issued post-workshop) along with complimentary light breakfast and lunch. Attendance is limited to 35 people. We will accept online submissions until January 15, 2020 or capacity is reached, whichever is sooner.
The The UCLA SIMS laboratory hosts a 5 day workshop on ion microprobe applications in Earth and planetary sciences, with emphases on microanalytical geochronology and stable isotope geochemistry by large radius magnetic sector SIMS. Arrival and departure dates are Sunday Feb. 24th and Friday Mar. 1st. NSF’s Instrumentation and Facilities program will sponsor costs for travel, accommodation, and course materials for domestic participants. Graduate students and advanced undergraduates (with recommendation letter from an academic supervisor) can apply; applications due December 31, 2019.
We seek to appoint an Associate Professor (or Professorship) of Geobiology to start no later than 31 July 2020, or as soon as possible thereafter. The successful candidate will work at the Department of Earth Sciences and will hold a Fellowship at Wolfson College. The appointment will be initially for 5 years at which point, upon completion of a successful review, the postholder will be eligible for reappointment to the retiring age. We welcome applications from scientists working in all aspects of Geobiology. We encourage applicants with expertise on the influence of life on the Earth system, including but not limited to study of biological revolutions and innovation in Earth history, remote characterisation of biosphere function, the deep biosphere, life in extreme environments, and molecular palaeobiology. We are particularly interested in candidates with a strong track record in using or developing tools such as those presented by the ‘omic’ revolution (e.g. bioinformatics, genomics, proteomics, metabolomics) and/or sedimentary geochemistry/mineralogy to develop our understanding of these biological systems in their geological context. This expertise plays into cutting edge research on the coevolution of the Earth and life in both terrestrial and marine systems either today or in the past, and in understanding the conditions for life on other planets. The closing date for application is December 20, 2019.
The Department of Geosciences at Princeton University announces competition for the 2020-2021 Harry Hess Fellows Program. This honorific postdoctoral fellowship program provides opportunities for outstanding geoscientists to work in the field of their choice. Research may be carried out independently or in collaboration with members of the Geosciences Department. One or more Hess Fellows may be appointed. Applicants must expect to have earned a Ph.D. at the time of the start of the fellowship, but not more than five years before. Current areas of research include: Biogeochemical Cycles, Paleoclimatology, Environmental Chemistry, Paleontology, Isotope Geochemistry, Petrology, Glaciology, Seismology, Geomicrobiology, Tectonics, Mineral Physics, Atmospheric Science, Oceanography, Planetary Science, Geochronology, Earth History. Applications are due on December 15, 2019 but evaluation of applications and interviews of candidates will begin immediately.
The purpose of the Understanding the Rules of Life: Epigenetics (URoL:Epigenetics) program is to enable innovative research and to promote multidisciplinary education and workforce training in the broad area of epigenetics. The URoL:Epigenetics program is a wide collaboration across Directorates/Offices within the National Science Foundation with a focus on understanding the relationship between epigenetic mechanisms associated with environmental change, organismal phenotype, and resultant robustness and adaptability of organisms and populations. Successful projects of the URoL:Epigenetics Program are expected to use complementary, interdisciplinary approaches to investigate how epigenetic phenomena lead to emergent properties that explain the fundamental behavior of living systems. Ultimately, successful projects should identify general principles (“rules”) that underlie biological phenomena within or across scales of size, complexity (e.g., molecular, cellular, organismal, population) and time (from sub-second to geologic) in taxa from anywhere within the tree of life, including humans. URoL:Epigenetics projects must integrate perspectives and research approaches from more than one research discipline (e.g., biology, chemistry, computer science, engineering, geology, mathematics, physics, social and behavioral sciences).The interdisciplinary scope of URoL:Epigenetics projects also provides unique training and outreach possibilities to train the next generation of scientists in a diversity of approaches and to engage society more generally. Letter of Intent Deadline: December 20, 2019.
SSP 1.4 Achievements and perspectives in scientific ocean and continental drilling: Scientific drilling through the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) and the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) continues to provide unique opportunities to investigate the workings of the interior of our planet, Earth’s cycles, natural hazards and the distribution of subsurface microbial life. The past and current scientific drilling programs have brought major advances in many multidisciplinary fields of socio-economic relevance, such as climate and ecosystem evolution, palaeoceanography, the deep biosphere, deep crustal and tectonic processes, geodynamics and geohazards. This session invites contributions that present and/or review recent scientific results from deep Earth sampling and monitoring through ocean and continental drilling projects. Furthermore, we encourage contributions that outline perspectives and visions for future drilling projects, in particular projects using a multi-platform approach. The deadline for abstract submission is January 15, 2020.
As host to one of only three IODP core repositories in the world – the only one in Europe – the MARUM in Bremen is an important hub for marine geoscientists. Taking advantage of this setting, the new ECORD Training Course will provide a “Virtual Drillship Experience” for scientists from academia and industry. This one-week course offers a basic training focusing on the IODP core flow procedures, preparing the participants for participating in an offshore drillship expedition, and instilling them with an appreciation for high standards in all kinds of coring projects. IODP-style lab exercises will form the foundation of the ECORD Training Course following the pattern of the unique “Virtual Ship” approach developed for the Bremen ECORD Summer Schools. The participants will be early career and established scientists from academia and industry from all over the world who have an interest in scientific drilling and development of professional skills in core analysis. The application deadline is January, 17 2020.
The DOE Scholars Program is designed to provide opportunities and attract talented undergraduate and graduate students, as well as recent graduates to appointments that are carefully designed to help prepare participants towards the full range of entry and mid-level research, technical and professional positions within DOE and organizations that support the DOE mission. DOE Scholars Program will introduce highly qualified students and postgraduates to DOE missions, functions, and operations. You will receive a stipend for your living expenses during this educational experience. Payments rates are determined by DOE, and are based on your educational level, skills, and experience. The minimum stipend for undergraduates is $ 600/week and $650/week graduate students and recent graduates. Travel reimbursement of inbound and outbound costs up to $1,000 for participants who live more than fifty miles, one-way, from the assigned hosting site. Depending on your project assignment, duration of appointment and funding availability, you may be eligible to receive an allowance for travel and training. Application deadline: January 3, 2020.
Understanding the Rules of Life (URoL): Predicting Phenotype is one of NSF’s 10 big ideas and is focused on predicting the set of observable characteristics (phenotypes) based on the genetic makeup of the individual and the nature of its environment. The Understanding the Rules of Life: Microbiome Theory and Mechanisms (URoL:MTM) program is an integrative collaboration across Directorates and Offices within the National Science Foundation. The objective of URoL:MTM is to understand and establish the theory and mechanisms that govern the structure and function of microbiomes, a collection of microbes in a specific habitat/environment. This may include but is not limited to host-associated microbiomes, such as those with humans and other organisms, where i) the microbiome impacts host physiology, behavior, development, and fitness; ii) the host influences the metabolic activity, dynamics and evolution of the microbiome, and iii) the environment (biological, chemical, physical, and social) influences and is influenced by both the host and the microbiome. Letter of Intent due date: January 17, 2020.
The Single Cell Genomics Center (SCGC) at Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences will host a week-long bioinformatics course in October 2020. The purpose will be to enable existing and potential users of microbial single cell genomics data to work with their data more efficiently and effectively. Please help us determine potential topics to cover by filling this online survey.
The International Geobiology Course is an intense, multidisciplinary summer course that explores the co-evolution of the Earth and it’s biosphere, with an emphasis on how microbial processes affect the environment and leave imprints in the rock record. Participants get a hands-on learning experience in cutting-edge geobiological techniques including molecular biology, microbiology, geochemistry, and sedimentology and work in research groups to solve real research questions. Themes for this years’ course include: (1) Molecular biology and biogeochemistry of Mono Lake and its sediments;(2) Viruses and microbial biosignatures in hot springs;(3) Sedimentology and ecology of fossil seep environments. The course is directed by Alex Sessions, Woody Fischer, and Victoria Orphan, and will remain in a format similar to previous years. It begins with a field trip up the eastern Sierra Nevada to visit hot springs, Pleistocene sediments, and Mono Lake, across to the central valley to work on ancient seep outcrops. Two weeks of lab rotations at Caltech will introduce students to cutting-edge analytical techniques, such as metagenomics, FISH-SIMS, biomarkers, X-ray spectroscopy, and stable isotopes. We finish with 10 days at the Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island where students pursue research projects based on data collected by the course. The 2020 course is open to graduate students and postdocs at any level. For postdocs, preference will be given to those who earned PhD’s in other fields, and are seeking to enter the field of geobiology. The cost of the course is US$4000 which includes food and lodging; financial aid is available for those with demonstrated need. Applications due February 3, 2020.
The International Society for Subsurface Microbiology (ISSM) is made up of microbiologists, ecologists, geoscientists, and other researchers around the world fascinated by the various aspects of subsurface microbiology, a rapidly expanding field that focuses on microbial life below the surface of the earth. ISSM has organized numerous symposiums on subsurface microbiology in locations as diverse as Germany, Japan, New Zealand, USA and the UK. These symposia are meant to showcase the latest technologies and research in subsurface microbiology, including microbial ecology. The deadline for submitting abstracts (presentations and posters) is December 1, 2019.
Attending the 2019 AGU Fall Meeting in San Francisco, December 9-13, 2019? Be sure to check out these C-DEBI-related sessions of interest:
Moscone South – Poster Hall
Moscone South – Hall D, Centennial Central
Moscone West – 3003, L3
Moscone West – 3003, L3
Moscone West – 2020, L2
Moscone South – Poster Hall
Moscone West – 3012, L3
Moscone South – eLightning Theater II
Moscone South – Poster Hall
Moscone West – 2005, L2
Moscone South – 303-304, L3
Moscone South – 151, Upper Mezz.
Moscone South – 151, Upper Mezz.
Moscone South – Poster Hall
Moscone South – 151, Upper Mezz.
Moscone South – Poster Hall
Moscone West – 3005, L3
Moscone West – 2002, L2
Moscone South – 213-214, L2
Moscone South – Poster Hall
Moscone West – 3005, L3
Moscone South – 213-214, L2
Moscone South – Poster Hall
Moscone South – Poster Hall
Moscone West – 3009, L3
Moscone South – 153, Upper Mezz.
See also the Deep Carbon Observatory’s AGU Fall Meeting Guide and consider attending IODP’s AGU Town Hall, ICDP’s Town Hall, and OOIFB’s Town Hall. and Missing a session of interest? Let us know.
The Geophysical Laboratory invites applications for Carnegie Postdoctoral Fellowships. Current research at the Geophysical Laboratory falls primarily within three overlapping thematic areas: Earth and Planetary Science, Astrobiology and the Origin of Life, and the Chemistry and Physics of Materials at Extreme Conditions. Synergies among these thematic areas, as well as links to many closely related research pursuits at Carnegie’s co-located Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, provide Carnegie Fellows with exceptional opportunities for collaboration. Investigations in earth and planetary sciences focus on the origin and evolution of earth and the terrestrial planets, core formation in planetary bodies, planetary melting and differentiation and the structure and dynamics of planetary interiors. Astrobiology focuses on the conditions and reactions necessary for life to emerge and be sustained on planetary bodies and the detection of life on and in extraterrestrial objects and ancient earth. Studies of the physics and chemistry of materials focus on understanding material behavior at extreme conditions, and the development of new synthesis pathways for novel materials and the design of property-specific materials from first principles. Completed applications for a Carnegie fellowship should be submitted no later than December 1, 2019.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) at the University of California San Diego invites applications to an assistant-level faculty position to be filled in one of the fields described below. We seek a motivated, broad-thinking scientist-educator to establish a vigorous research program and provide intellectual leadership in their field while complementing existing expertise at Scripps and other UCSD departments. SIO is a world-renowned center of marine research with approximately 200 principal investigators leading research programs in various earth, ocean, biological and atmospheric sciences. We are committed to academic excellence and diversity within the faculty, staff, and student body. The department seeks candidates who have demonstrated commitment to excellence by providing leadership in teaching, research, service, and building an equitable and diverse scholarly environment. The successful candidate will develop a vigorous extramurally supported research program, be committed to active teaching and mentoring of graduate students and teach in the marine biology undergraduate major. The successful candidate will have opportunities to interact with SIO’s large-scale interdisciplinary field research programs, including the California Current Ecosystem-LTER, the California Cooperative Oceanic Fisheries Investigations (CalCOFI), and others. We seek to hire in one of the following areas: Fisheries Oceanographer, Protistan Biologist or Sea-Going Benthic Ecologist (see original posting for more details). For full consideration, please apply by December 20, 2019.
With Dr. James Bradley, Queen Mary University of London on “The power of microbial life in marine sediments.” Abstract: Marine sediments harbor more than half of all microbial cells in the ocean, many of which have been shown to survive for millennia – calling into question the limit for life. The energy turnover, i.e. power, of subseafloor microorganisms sets a limit on gene expression, mutation rates, and the survival of rare and novel taxa. However outside of measurements, laboratory experiments and modelling from specific sites, the power of subsurface life is virtually unknown. Here, we simultaneously quantify the distribution, rate and thermodynamic properties of particulate organic carbon degradation, as well as the global distribution of cells, and electron acceptors. Based on these factors, we estimate cell-specific power utilization in all Quaternary sediments. We report extreme and widespread energy-limitation in subseafloor sediments: >80% of cells subsist at powers that are less than the lowest energy flux calculated for any microbial habitat previously. Furthermore, we find global delineation of major subsurface metabolic zones, with stepwise decreases in per-cell power utilization following the redox state of the sediment. We assert that sediments should be considered as critical to understanding the cell-specific minimum power requirement for survival, as well as to predict the habitable boundaries of life on Earth.
Missed the last seminar with Dr. Jessica Labonté on “You are what you eat: a geochemical and microbial study of a 3000-year old stratigraphic sediment succession”? Watch it on YouTube.
The Schlanger Ocean Drilling Fellowship Program offers merit-based awards for graduate students enrolled in a Ph.D. program to conduct research related to the International Ocean Discovery Program. The Fellowship year begins in either June or August (summer or fall semester) and runs one year. During the following summer, at the conclusion of the fellowship, Schlanger Fellows may attend a meeting of the U.S. Advisory Committee for Scientific Ocean Drilling (USAC) to present the initial results of their research and take part in U.S. Science Support Program-related activities. Fellowship awards are $30,000 for a 12-month period and are made to the fellow’s home institution. The entire amount is intended to be applied to the research project, student stipend, tuition, benefits, and, if necessary, related travel. No part of the award is to be used to cover institutional overhead, administrative costs, or permanent equipment. Award start dates can be negotiated on an individual basis—but in general are based on the academic year and following summer. The deadline for submission is December 6, 2019.
The Department of Earth and Environmental Science at Dalhousie University invites applications for the Izaak Walton Killam Postdoctoral Fellowships. Dalhousie University awards annually approximately 5 new fellowships in all disciplines to Canadian or International scholars of superior academic research ability, who have not obtained their PhD degree from Dalhousie, and have obtained their degrees no earlier than Jan 1, 2018. The Department has a long history of demonstrated excellence in research and teaching, with a current emphasis on marine geology/geophysics, petroleum systems, tectonics, high temperature geochemistry/experimental petrology, earth surface processes, environment and human health, and environmental action research. It hosts various analytical and experimental facilities including the newly-established National Seismic Imaging Facility, recently upgraded and expanded facilities for cosmogenic isotope sample preparation, and a new stable isotope biogeochemistry laboratory (Facilities & Laboratories list). The main campus is situated in Halifax – a city known for its youthful spirit, rich history, and scenic waterfront. Information about the Earth and Environmental Sciences department, current faculty, and research and teaching programmes can be found at here. Killam Postdoctoral Fellowships are tenable for two years and currently valued at $55,000 annually including full benefits and a travel allowance for transportation to and from Halifax, a one-time research allowance ($3,000) and a conference travel grant ($1,000). In preparing the research proposal, applicants are expected to discuss potential research projects with the Faculty members in their area of research interest. All documents arranged by the applicant must be forwarded as both an electronic copy and as a hard copy. The application deadline is December 16, 2019.
Stanford Science Fellowships are intended for exceptional early career scientists with great promise who have recently been awarded their PhD (within three years of starting fellowship, but with no more than two years of prior postdoctoral experience) or will be awarded their PhD by the start of the fellowship. Candidates are sought who intend to pursue experimental and/or theoretical research in any natural science discipline. Fellows will hold primary appointments in an academic unit in any participating school appropriate to their research interests. Successful candidates will have a strong record of scientific achievement, clear intellectual drive to advance scientific understanding, and a commitment to engage collaboratively with a diverse community of scholars and transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries. Eight to ten fellows will be selected to start appointments between July 1 and September 1, 2020. International scholars are eligible to apply. Applications must be submitted by November 1, 2019.
The Marine Geosciences Section is looking to hire two new Science Assistants, one for the Marine Geology and Geophysics (MGG) Program and one for the Chemical Oceanography (CO) Program. The Science Assistant will work with either the MGG Program Officers or the CO Program Officers, as well as others in the Division of Ocean Sciences, providing service of value to the Programs and simultaneously developing an understanding of key aspects of the science and engineering enterprise that will be valuable to a future professional scientific career. Science Assistants help to manage the Program’s merit review process and award oversight activities, as well as participate in other developmental assignments including report preparation, working with other parts of NSF and other government agencies, and exchanging information with the scientific research community. Please pass the word along to students or others who might be interested. The ideal candidate will have a Master’s or Bachelor’s degree in marine geosciences or marine biogeochemistry. Backgrounds in other fields of ocean sciences or earth sciences will also be considered. The preferred start date is January 2020, and the position will be for a maximum duration of two years. Statements of interest will be accepted until November 15, 2019.
The School of the Earth, Ocean and Environment at the University of South Carolina seeks applications for a tenure-track faculty position at the rank of Assistant Professor in the area of Marine Population Dynamics in a Changing Climate. The nine-month academic appointment will commence on August 16, 2020. We invite candidates who will apply observational and/or quantitative modeling approaches to study the responses of marine populations to changes in ecosystem conditions at a regional scale. Topics could include, but are not limited to, research that considers relationships among marine ecosystems (including their productivity, resilience, distribution, and composition), physical climate stressors, effects of coastal development, or living marine resource availability. The new faculty member will complement existing expertise in the SEOE addressing adjustment of marine biological resources to various future climate scenarios. The successful candidate will teach undergraduate and graduate courses and direct a vigorous, externally funded research program. Teaching responsibilities will include undergraduate courses in the areas of marine science and/or fisheries, as well as upper-level undergraduate and graduate-level courses in the candidate’s area of specialization. The position will remain open until filled, and the search committee will begin reviewing applications on November 6, 2019.
The School of the Earth, Ocean, and Environment (SEOE) invites applications for a tenure-track, Assistant Professor position in Marine Microbial Ecology beginning August 16, 2020. We seek an individual with outstanding research and teaching capabilities, with broad interests that are likely to include – but are not limited to – one or more of the following areas: microbial community structure and functional diversity, microbial roles in biogeochemical cycles, and/or microbial food web dynamics. The successful candidate will complement, strengthen, and diversify the School’s research program in marine science, will teach undergraduate and graduate courses, and will direct an active, externally funded research program. Teaching responsibilities will include an undergraduate core course in marine science, as well as upper-level undergraduate and graduate-level courses related to the candidate’s specialty. Review of complete applications will begin November 6, 2019.
The Boone Pickens School of Geology at Oklahoma State University invites applications for a tenure-track, assistant professor position in hydrogeochemistry/low temperature geochemistry. The anticipated start date is August 1, 2020. The successful applicant should have a PhD degree in geosciences or related field at the time of appointment. Postdoctoral experience is preferred. We seek an individual with outstanding research and teaching capabilities who uses field and laboratory approaches to assess geochemical or biogeochemical processes that affect aqueous environments. Areas of interest may include geochemical/biogeochemical characterization of surface/subsurface aqueous systems, the influence of human activities on groundwater resources, and produced or high salinity waters. Screening of candidates will begin on October 15, 2019 and will continue until the position is filled.
Goldschmidt is the foremost annual, international conference on geochemistry and related subjects, organized by the Geochemical Society and the European Association of Geochemistry. Session Proposal Deadline: October 18, 2019.
The International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) is now accepting applications for scientific participants on Expedition 392 Agulhas Plateau Cretaceous Climate, aboard the JOIDES Resolution. Agulhas Plateau Cretaceous Climate Expedition 392 is a scientific ocean drilling project that seeks to understand the evolution of Earth’s climate system from the Cretaceous Supergreenhouse into the Icehouse world of the Oligocene through examination of temperature, ocean circulation, and sedimentation changes as pCO2 fluctuated from as much as 3500 parts per million by volume (ppmv) to less than 560 ppmv. The Late Cretaceous was marked by reduced meridional temperature gradients and oceanic sedimentation was punctuated by episodic deposition of organic-rich sediment known as Oceanic Anoxic Events (OAEs); however, whether these events resulted from enhanced productivity or sluggish circulation remains unclear. This expedition also seeks to understand the nature and formation of the Agulhas Plateau as a Large Igneous Province (LIP) following the breakup of Gondwana and its impact on the timing of oceanic gateway opening, which has implications for oceanic circulation, carbon cycling, and global climate during the Late Cretaceous. Expedition 392 is based on IODP Proposals 834-Full2 and 834-Add and will primarily target Cretaceous to Paleogene age sediment and igneous basement at five primary sites on Agulhas Plateau (4 sites) and Transkei Basin (1 site) to examine the nature of Agulhas Plateau basement, opening of oceanic gateways, and evolution of the climate system through the Cretaceous Supergreenhouse and into the Cenozoic. The expedition will take place from 4 February to 6 April 2021. Opportunities exist for researchers (including graduate students) in all shipboard specialties, including but not limited to sedimentologists, petrologists, micropaleontologists, paleomagnetists, petrophysicists, borehole geophysicists, igneous geochemists, inorganic and organic geochemists, and microbiologists. The deadline to apply is December 2, 2019.
The U.S. Science Support Program, associated with the International Ocean Discovery Program, is currently accepting proposals for planning workshops. Proposed workshops should promote the development of new ideas and strategies related to the study of the Earth’s processes and history using scientific ocean drilling. The workshop program encourages wide scientific community involvement to bring a broader and multidisciplinary approach to standing hypotheses and to explore new directions for IODP research and communication. Workshops may focus on a specific IODP scientific theme or topic, or they may focus on a geographic region, integrating multiple topics. Regionally-focused workshops offer opportunities to synthesize scientific results from past expeditions, or to develop drilling proposals for future expeditions. Prospective workshop proponents should consider long-term projected ship tracks in identifying potential geographic areas for focus. Workshops aimed at developing drilling proposals for implementation in the period beyond the current IODP science plan (2023) are welcomed. Funding may be requested for U.S.-based meetings or to support U.S. participants at larger international workshops. Broad-based scientific community involvement, co-sponsorship by related programs, and the active participation of early career researchers are strongly encouraged. The submission deadline is December 1, 2019.
Follow along on IODP Expedition 385 “Guaymas Basin Tectonics and Deep Biosphere” with the cruise blog of Andreas Teske, co-chief scientist and professor in the Department of Marine Sciences at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. This expedition will explore the most famous ocean spreading center in the Gulf of California, Guaymas Basin, by drilling a Northwest-to-Southeast transect across its flanking regions and axial valley. Look for expedition updates and images from the drill ship, the JOIDES Resolution, and for background on this expedition, deep earth science, hydrothermal vents, seafloor spreading in action, and subsurface microbiology and geochemistry. Take this opportunity to follow an exciting expedition probing the inner workings of an active seafloor spreading center!
The Consortium for Ocean Leadership is seeking a Program Specialist to join its Research and Education team. This is a full-time position reporting to the Vice President and Director, Research and Education.nThe Program Specialist provides professional support and specialized knowledge to support NOAA’s Office of Ocean Exploration and Research. The individual works with internal staff, as part of the Ocean Leadership team, as well as colleagues around the nation to support this program. The NOAA Ocean Exploration and Undersea Research Program Act of 2009 established a national ocean exploration program under NOAA. As the lead federal agency for ocean exploration, NOAA, through its Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER), coordinates and builds partnerships with other federal agencies and non‐federal partners to meet the goals and priorities for U.S. ocean exploration. NOAA’s OER program has made significant discoveries and captured public imagination about our ocean environment. COL supports NOAA OER in strategic planning and partnership building with the community of exploration performers and investors, including through organization of and improved continuity between National Ocean Exploration Forums and other community ocean science and technology events.
The International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) explores Earth’s climate history, structure, mantle/crust dynamics, natural hazards, and deep biosphere as described in the IODP Science Plan Illuminating Earth’s Past, Present, and Future. IODP facilitates international and interdisciplinary research on transformative and societally relevant topics using the ocean drilling, coring, and downhole measurement facilities JOIDES Resolution (JR), Chikyu, and Mission Specific Platforms (MSP). Proposals are being actively sought for all three facilities. The JR is currently scheduled into the beginning 2022. Due to the recent facility renewal, we plan to schedule JR expeditions through the end of 2024. The JR is expected to operate in the Equatorial and North Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Mediterranean, Caribbean, and the Arctic in 2021 and 2022, and to complete its circumnavigation with a return to the east Pacific region by 2023, the western Pacific by 2023-2024, and potentially the Indian Ocean by the end of 2024. Proposals for these future operational areas are now needed. MSP expeditions are planned to operate once every other year to recover core from targets that are inaccessible by the other facilities (e.g., shallow water, enclosed seas, inland seas). MSP proposals for any ocean are welcomed. Completely new Chikyu riser proposals (other than CPPs) will not be accepted until after publication of a new post-2023 science plan. We also invite proposals that involve drilling on land and at sea through coordination with the International Continental Drilling Program (ICDP). Investigators are reminded that the interval from the first proposal submission to expedition scheduling is on the order of 4-5 years due to the science and safety review process and required lead time for scheduling, and that adequate site characterization / site survey data are critical for success. Next submission deadline: October 1, 2019.
Scientific ocean drilling is central to the study of Earth’s climate history, tectonic evolution, geohazards, and deep biosphere. In an effort to foster a larger, more dynamic, and more diverse ocean drilling community, we encourage early career researchers to apply to this workshop, Demystifying the IODP Proposal Process for Early Career Scientists: Pacific Ocean. The workshop will begin with a series of speakers explaining the structure of IODP and how early career scientists can become involved in IODP activities, from sailing to expedition proposals. Then, workshop participants will work on the initial stages of developing real drilling proposals in the Pacific Ocean, where the JOIDES Resolution is expected to be operating beginning in 2023-2024. We aim to attract a diverse array of specialists (in geophysics, paleoceanography, deep biosphere, tectonics, etc.) to facilitate interdisciplinary collaborations. Workshop participation support is available from the U.S. Science Support Program for IODP, for a limited number of graduate students and early career researchers (i.e., those who have completed their PhD within the past 10 years) from U.S. institutions and organizations. The deadline to submit has been extended to November 6, 2019.
Scholarships are available to new or recent doctoral graduates in diverse areas of research. Applications will be accepted from doctoral recipients with research interests associated with the following Departments: Applied Ocean Physics & Engineering, Biology, Marine Chemistry & Geochemistry, Geology & Geophysics, Physical Oceanography [flyer]. A joint USGS/WHOI award will be given to a postdoc whose research is in an area of common interest between USGS and WHOI Scientific Staff [flyer]. The Ocean Bottom Seismograph Instrument Center (OBSIC) will award a fellowship for research on the earth’s internal structure and its dynamic processes using seafloor seismic measurements [flyer]. The Ocean Twilight Zone (OTZ) project will award a fellowship for research on midwater ecosystems and processes, including biomass, biodiversity, life histories and behavior, trophic interactions, links to the global carbon cycle, and ways to engage scientists with stakeholders [flyer]. Completed applications must be received by October 15, 2019.
The Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) awards Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology (PRFB) to recent recipients of the doctoral degree for research and training in selected areas supported by BIO and with special goals for human resource development in biology. The fellowships encourage independence at an early stage of the research career to permit Fellows to pursue their research and training goals in the most appropriate research locations regardless of the availability of funding for the Fellows at that site. For applications under this solicitation, these areas are (1) Broadening Participation of Groups Underrepresented in Biology, (2) Interdisciplinary Research Using Biological Collections, (3) National Plant Genome Initiative (NPGI) Postdoctoral Research Fellowships and (4) Integrative Research Investigating the Rules of Life Governing Interactions Between Genomes, Environment and Phenotypes. Proposal deadline November 19, 2019.
The Division of Earth Sciences (EAR) awards Postdoctoral Fellowships to recent recipients of doctoral degrees to conduct an integrated program of independent research and professional development. Fellowship proposals must address scientific questions within the scope of EAR disciplinary programs and must align with the overall theme for the postdoctoral program. The program supports researchers for a period of up to two years with fellowships that can be taken to the institution of their choice (including institutions abroad). The program is intended to recognize beginning investigators of significant potential, and provide them with research experience, mentorship, and training that will establish them in leadership positions in the Earth Sciences community. Because the fellowships are offered only to postdoctoral scientists early in their career, doctoral advisors are encouraged to discuss the availability of EAR postdoctoral fellowships with their graduate students early in their doctoral programs. Fellowships are awards to individuals, not institutions, and are administered by the Fellows. Proposals due September 11, 2019.
With Dr. Jessica Labonté, Texas A&M Galveston on “You are what you eat: a geochemical and microbial study of a 3000-year old stratigraphic sediment succession.” Abstract: Microbes make up the majority of the biomass in sediment, where they play a role in cycling organic carbon and regulate the fluctuation of organic matter. In anoxic sediment, the relationships between geochemical gradients, genomic potential, and virus-host interactions remain understudied and poorly understood. I will present the results of our study of stratified sediments from anoxic sinkhole (Blackwood Sinkhole, Bahamas), where we analyzed the pore water chemistry analysis (nutrients, carbon, nitrogen), microbial community composition (16S rRNA gebe and metagenomics), and virus-host interactions. Through the characterization of the relationships of microbes between each other and with their environment, we aim to identify the role organic and inorganic matter availability plays in shaping viral and prokaryotic communities, as well as how microbial communities shape their environment. Missed the last seminar with Taylor Royalty on “Quantitatively partitioning microbial genomic traits among taxonomic ranks: implications for subsurface microbial communities?” Watch it on YouTube.
The UNOLS Deep Submergence Science Committee (DeSSC) is seeking nominations to fill one membership vacancy that will become open in the fall of 2019. The DESSC is the UNOLS Committee charged with providing oversight and advice to the National Deep Submergence Facility (NDSF) operator on matters concerning utilization, upgrades, and long-term planning of its vehicles (Alvin, Jason, and Sentry). The Committee strives to maintain awareness of the needs of the users for new sensors and equipment to address important scientific questions, and to provide this information to the NDSF operator and the federal agencies. Additionally the Committee works to engage early career scientists and promote outreach initiatives on the use of NDSF vehicles in deep submergence research. Candidates should be experienced in the use of deep submergence vehicles. For additional information about DeSSC, visit the Committee website. For information about committee responsibilities contact the DESSC Chair, Anna-Louise Reysenbach at bwar@pdx.edu or Alice Doyle (alice@unols.org). Terms of office are three years, with the possibility of re-appointment for a second term. The DeSSC has a spring meeting at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and then there is a community meeting prior to the annual AGU meeting each year. Applicants or nominees should submit a brief statement of interest in serving on DeSSC along with a CV to Alice Doyle of the UNOLS office by email (alice@unols.org) by September 13, 2019. Experience using deep submergence facilities should be highlighted in the statement of interest. Committee members are appointed by the UNOLS Chair based on the recommendation of the DeSSC and with the concurrence of the UNOLS Council.
In July 2019, eighteen international delegates comprising the Science Plan Working Group met to produce a Science Plan Structure and Road Map document highlighting the commonalities in the workshop outcomes and indicating a potential way forward towards a new science plan. This Science Plan Structure and Road Map document is now available for community commenting before it will be discussed at the annual meeting of the IODP Forum in Osaka in September 2019. Now is a key moment in which the IODP community can provide input, in particular to the overall new structure of the proposed science plan. In January and March 2020 there will be two other commenting cycles, when successive drafts of the future science plan will be made available to the community on the IODP.org website. As this is a new plan in support of the future generations of scientific ocean drilling researchers, we especially seek input from early- and mid-career scientists. Please respond before August 26, 2019.
The International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) is now accepting applications for scientific participants on Expedition 391 Walvis Ridge Hotspot aboard the JOIDES Resolution. Expedition 391 is a scientific ocean drilling project that seeks to understand the geodynamic significance and origin of the Walvis Ridge (WR), a long-lived hotspot trail that began ~132 Ma at the opening of the South Atlantic Ocean. Because of its duration and volcanic expression, WR is the most influential of Atlantic hotspots and is thought to have a deep mantle plume source that can be projected to the edge of the African large low shear wave velocity province (LLSVP), a hypothesized plume generation zone. The hotspot displays long-lived (since ~70 Ma) isotopic zonation, a characteristic thought to originate at the LLSVP edge, and may be the first example of a hotspot split into three isotopically distinct seamount chains. The hotspot interacted with the Mid-Atlantic Ridge (MAR) for most of its early history, producing both the WR and Rio Grande Rise (RGR). Valdivia Bank, a WR plateau, may have formed with the RGR around a microplate, and this added complexity raises questions about simple plume models and the geodynamic implications of this hotspot trail. Opportunities exist for researchers (including graduate students) in all shipboard specialties, including but not limited to sedimentologists, petrologists, micropaleontologists, paleomagnetists, petrophysicists, borehole geophysicists, inorganic and organic geochemists, and microbiologists. The deadline to apply to sail is October 1, 2019.
Students and postdocs interested in the field of “Exobiology: Early Evolution of Life and the Biosphere” are encouraged to check out opportunities for NASA Postdoctoral Program fellowships to work with several different investigators. Amongst the available mentors for this opportunity, C-DEBI Senior Scientist Beth Orcutt and Associate Director Julie Huber welcome discussion with interested applicants that want to use marine deep biosphere “extreme” environments, particularly in oceanic crust, as analog for studying life on ocean worlds. Please contact C-DEBI Senior Scientist Beth Orcutt (borcutt@bigelow.org, @DeepMicrobe) and Associate Director Julie Huber (jhuber@whoi.edu, @JulesDeep) to discuss your interest in this opportunity. Fellowship applications due Nov 1, 2019.
The Boyd Lab within the Department of Microbiology & Immunology at Montana State University seeks applications for three postdoctoral positions in the areas of microbial physiology and environmental microbiology. We seek to attract exceptional individuals to carry out cutting edge research on one of three recently funded projects: 1) Probing novel pathways of iron sulfur metabolism in model biocatalytic systems, with a focus on interactions between microorganisms and mackinawite/pyrite; 2) Quantifying physiological activity and biodiversity of endolithic microbes in actively serpentinizing rocks recently cored from the Samail Ophiolite, Oman; 3) Characterizing the role of the gut microbiome in mercury demethylation and methylmercury toxicity in humans. These projects are highly collaborative and by their nature, highly interdisciplinary. We seek candidates that are enthusiastic about learning and developing new techniques that integrate across physiological, genetic, voltammetric, proteomic, transcriptomic, bioinformatic, and biochemical disciplines. Potential candidates can contact Dr. Eric Boyd (eboyd@montana.edu) for more information.
This position will focus on carrying out multi-disciplinary and cutting edge research on the role of microorganisms in forming low temperature ore deposits in Spain and Ireland. The position is jointly hosted by the ore genesis group of the Inorganic and Isotope Geochemistry Section and the Geomicrobiology Section at GFZ Potsdam. Initially the position will be for two years with the possibility of an extension. Please submit your application online by August 20, 2019.
Within the scope of an IODP Day at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the “Expedition to Guaymas” Science Symposium will be held the afternoon of September 16, 2019 at the Scripps Forum, UC San Diego. Hear from Guaymas Basin researchers including the team on IODP Expedition 385: Guaymas Basin Tectonics and Biosphere before they set sail.
The National Science Foundation is seeking qualified candidate for an Oceanographer (Program Director) position for the Biological Oceanography Program within the Division of Ocean Sciences (OCE) for the Directorate for Geosciences (GEO), Alexandria, VA. The Program Director will work in a small team of Program Directors who collectively manage the Biological Oceanography Program. The Biological Oceanography Program supports fundamental research in biological oceanography and marine ecology (populations to ecosystems). This is broadly defined as relationships among aquatic organisms and their interactions with the environments of the oceans or Great Lakes. Application closing date: July 30, 2019.
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation’s Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems Initiative and the Simons Foundation Life Sciences Division are jointly soliciting proposals for research on the origin of the eukaryotic cell. In addition to seeking researchers who currently work in these areas, we hope to identify scientists and engineers who have not previously worked on these topics and who would bring novel perspectives, methods and technologies to these important areas of science. The deadline for submitting a proposal is September 30, 2019.
The Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation’s Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems Initiative is solicitating pre-applications to advance development of experimentally tractable model systems in aquatic symbiosis. Additionally, we are seeking information about needs in model systems development through a related survey. In addition to seeking researchers who currently work in these areas, we hope to identify scientists and engineers who have not previously worked on these topics and who would bring novel perspectives, methods and technologies to these important areas of science. The deadline for submitting a pre-application for the Symbiosis Model Systems funding call is August 8, 2019.
The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is a Foundation-wide activity that offers the National Science Foundation’s most prestigious awards in support of early-career faculty who have the potential to serve as academic role models in research and education and to lead advances in the mission of their department or organization. Activities pursued by early-career faculty should build a firm foundation for a lifetime of leadership in integrating education and research. NSF encourages submission of CAREER proposals from early-career faculty at all CAREER-eligible organizations and especially encourages women, members of underrepresented minority groups, and persons with disabilities to apply. Full proposal deadlines: July 17-19, 2019.
The U.S. Science Support Program for IODP is currently accepting nominations for the 2020-2021 Ocean Discovery Lecture Series. For over 20 years, the Ocean Discovery Lecture Series (formerly the Distinguished Lecturer Series) has brought the exciting scientific results and discoveries of the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) to academic research institutions, museums, and aquaria. Since 1991, over 1,000 presentations to diverse audiences have been made through the Lecture Series. Lecture topics range widely, and include monsoon history, ice sheet dynamics, sediment diagenesis, and more. To learn more about the Ocean Discovery Lecture Series and the current lecturers (including deep biosphere researchers Ginny Edgcomb and Brandi Kiel Reese), visit the USSSP webpage. Nomination deadline: July 5, 2019.
Attending the AGU Fall Meeting, December 9-13, 2019? Consider submitting your abstracts (due July 31, 2019) to these deep biosphere-related Session Proposals:
B036 Creating Data Synchronicity Across Earth Microbiome Research
Elisha M Wood-Charlson1, Bonnie L Hurwitz2, Emiley Eloe-Fadrosh3 and Kjiersten Fagnan3, (1)Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States(2)University of Arizona, Agricultural and Biosystems Engineering, Tucson, AZ, United States(3)Joint Genome Institute, Walnut Creek, CA, United States
B046 Exploring microbial ecosystems using cutting edge advances in isotope and omics analyses
James Moran, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States, Paul Dijkstra, Northern Arizona Univ, Flagstaff, AZ, United States and Steven Blazewicz, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA, United States
B047 Exploring the Biotic Fringe
Everett Shock1, Marshall Wayne Bowles2,3, Elizabeth Trembath-Reichert1 and Mark Alexander Lever4, (1)Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ, United States(2)MARUM – University of Bremen, Bremen, Germany(3)Louisiana Universities Marine Consortium, Chauvin, LA, United States(4)ETH Zurich, Department of Environmental Systems Science, Institute of Biogeochemistry & Pollutant Dynamics, Zürich, Switzerland
B059 How Microbial Functional Traits Regulate Terrestrial Carbon And Nutrient Cycling From Local To Global Scales
Yang Song1, Melanie A Mayes1 and Malak M Tfaily2, (1)Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Climate Change Science Institute & Environmental Sciences Division, Oak Ridge, TN, United States(2)University of Arizona, Soil, Water and Environmental Science, Tucson, AZ, United States
B074 Microbial contributions to methane cycling
Christopher Abin, University of Oklahoma Norman Campus, Microbiology and Plant BIology, Norman, OK, United States, Ellen Grace Lauchnor, Montana State University, Civil Engineering, Bozeman, MT, United States and Erika Espinosa-Ortiz, Montana State University, Chemical and Biological Engineering, Bozeman, MT, United States
B076 Microbial Metabolisms and Biogeochemical Processes in Earth’s Subsurface
James Bradley, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States, Cara Magnabosco, Simons Foundation, Flatiron Institute Center for Computational Biology, New York, NY, United States and Nagissa Mahmoudi, McGill University, Montreal, Canada
B085 Omics-Informed Models of Microbial Dynamics and Processes from Cells to Ecosystems
Timothy D Scheibe, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA, United States, Romy Chakraborty, Lawrence Berkeley Nat’l Lab, Berkeley, CA, United States, Pamela Weisenhorn, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, United States and John D Moulton, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos, NM, United States
ED021 Curating the creative: Science, art, and public engagement
Katie Pratt, University of Rhode Island, Graduate School of Oceanography, Narragansett, RI, United States, Darlene Trew Crist, Deep Carbon Observatory, Narragansett, RI, United States and Emma Liu, University of Cambridge, Earth Sciences, Cambridge, United Kingdom
ED024 Efforts to improve and support REU Internship Programs
Valerie Sloan, National Center for Atmospheric Research, Education & Outreach, Boulder, CO, United States, Gabriela Noriega, Southern California Earthquake Center, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States, Diane Y Kim, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA, United States and Kenneth Voglesonger, Northeastern Illinois University, Earth Science and Environmental Science Program, Chicago, IL, United States
EP018 – Earth 4D – a Deep Dive into the Habitability of the Blue Planet
John F Mustard, Brown University, Barbara Sherwood Lollar, University of Toronto, Magdalena R Osburn, Northwestern University
H034 Characterizing Spatial and Temporal Variability of Hydrological and Biogeochemical Processes across Scales
Bhavna Arora, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA, United States and Haruko Murakami Wainwright, Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, CA, United States
OS001 Advancements in Understanding Seafloor Volcanism and Life: Axial Seamount – A Wired Submarine Volcano Observatory
Deborah S Kelley, University of Washington Seattle Campus, School of Oceanography, Seattle, WA, United States and William W. Chadwick Jr, Oregon State University, CIMRS, and NOAA/PMEL, Newport, WA, United States
OS004 Beyond Hydrography: Seafloor Mapping as Critical Data for Understanding Our Oceans
Nicole Raineault, Ocean Exploration Trust, Narragansett, RI, United States, Vicki Lynn Ferrini, LDEO, Palisades, NY, United States, Rachel Medley, NOAA Office of Exploration and Research, Silver Spring, United States and Maria T Judge, Geological Survey of Ireland, Marine Geology, Dublin, Ireland
OS014 General topics in biological or chemical oceanography in poster format
John Crusius, USGS Alaska Science Center at UW School of Oceanography, Seattle, WA, United States and Zackary I Johnson, Duke University, Beaufort, NC, United States
P038 – The New Mars Underground 2.0: Towards a 3D Understanding of the Martian Crustal Subsurface
Vlada Stamenkovic, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Nina Lanza, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Kris Zacny, Honeybee Robotics, John F Mustard, Brown University
V027 Izu-Bonin-Mariana arc system: synthesis and remaining questions
Susan DeBari, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA, United States, Julie Prytulak, Imperial College London, London, United Kingdom, Charles Geoffrey Wheat, NURP/ Univ Alaska, Moss Landing, CA, United States and Shuichi Kodaira, Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Japan
Missing a session of interest? Let us know!
The International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) is now accepting applications for scientific participants on Expedition 386 Japan Trench Paleoseismology, aboard a Mission-Specific Platform (MSP) organized by the ECORD Science Operator (ESO) and jointly implemented with the Institute for Marine-Earth Exploration and Engineering (MarE3) within the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC). Opportunities exist for researchers (including graduate students) in all specialties. While other expertise may be considered, specialists in the following fields are required: sedimentology (with special focus on deep-water and hadal trench depositional environments, sediment fabrics, and X-ray computed tomography), event stratigraphy, micropaleontology (including expertise with siliceous microfossils and benthic foraminifera), tephra stratigraphy, paleomagnetics, stratigraphic correlation, organic geochemistry, inorganic geochemistry, physical properties, geophysics, paleoseismology, structural geology, and microbiology. For the offshore phase of the expedition, we are particularly looking for the following fields: sedimentology, micropaleontology, organic geochemistry, inorganic geochemistry, physical properties, event stratigraphy, stratigraphic correlation, geophysics and microbiology. The deadline to apply is July 19, 2019.
The International Research Experiences for Students (IRES) program supports international research and research-related activities for U.S. science and engineering students. The IRES program contributes to development of a diverse, globally-engaged workforce with world-class skills. IRES focuses on active research participation by undergraduate or graduate students in high quality international research, education and professional development experiences in NSF-funded research areas. The overarching, long-term goal of the IRES program is to enhance U.S. leadership in research and education and to strengthen economic competitiveness through training the next generation of research leaders. This solicitation features three mechanisms; proposers are required to select one of the following tracks to submit their proposal. Track I focuses on the development of world-class research skills in international cohort experiences. Track II is dedicated to targeted, intensive learning and training opportunities that leverage international knowledge at the frontiers of research. Track III supports U.S. institutional collaborations to develop, implement and evaluate innovative models for high-impact, large-scale international research and professional development experiences for U.S. graduate students. Student participants supported by IRES funds must be citizens, nationals, or permanent residents of the United States. Students do not apply directly to NSF to participate in IRES activities. Students apply to NSF-funded investigators who receive IRES awards. To identify appropriate IRES projects, students should consult the directory of active IRES awards. Full Proposal Deadlines: September 10, 2019 (Track I), September 17, 2019 (Track II) and September 24, 2019 (Track III).
There will be a 1-day symposium held at Caltech on Monday, June 24, sponsored by the International Geobiology Course. The topic of the symposium is “Geobiology of Symbiosis” (see PDF for the detailed schedule). The symposium will be held in the Sharp Lecture Hall on Monday, June 24 starting at 9am. It is open to the scientific public and free of charge. You are cordially invited to attend, either in part or for the entire symposium depending on interest. A continental breakfast and buffet lunch will also be served to symposium participants. If you are interested in participating, please click here to RSVP so that we can plan appropriately for food and drink. If you want to just stop by to hear a speaker or two, please feel free and there is no need to respond.
This Special Issue seeks to cover all geobiological aspects of the upper crust (continental and marine) and we invite contributions with relevance to geomicrobiology, isotope geochemistry, microbial-activity-associated geochronology and related geochemical and hydrochemical proxies as well as presentations on new methods, techniques, and experimental approaches in both the modern and ancient crust. We wish to cover a broad spectrum of environments such as ultra-mafic, mafic, and felsic systems, as well as hydrothermal/geothermal areas and sedimentary successions. We encourage contributions related to scientific drilling programs as well as research from underground facilites and deep drillings related to mining activity or nuclear waste disposal, in addition to studies of exposed ancient crust. Astrobiological implications are also encouraged. Deadline for manuscript submissions: September 1, 2019.
We are seeking a highly motivated PhD student and Postdoc (part time) with enthusiasm for bioinformatics and molecular biology. For more info and applications please email Prof. Anne Kaster: anne-kristin.kaster@kit.edu.
Apply for one of four grants totaling $20,000. Winners will receive credit toward any GENEWIZ service, including Next Generation Sequencing, Synthetic DNA Solutions, and Sanger Sequencing. Simply submit a 250-word abstract describing your project. Winners will be announced at the end of GENEWIZ Week (June 14, 2019). Submit your application by June 7, 2019 for consideration.
Study of the early Earth, study of the origin of life. Areas of particular interest are atmospheric chemistry, organic/inorganic/analytical chemistry, combinatorial/computational chemistry and chemical informatics, polymer or catalysis chemistry and biochemistry; synthetic biology, bioinformatics/genome biology, microbial ecology, bioenergetics, and virology; theoretical or modeling work related to emergence of complexity, evolution or innovation. This is not an exclusive list; suitable candidates in disciplines allied to OOL research within these broad themes are encouraged to apply. Application deadline: August 30, 2019.
Janice McDonnell (Science Agent, Department of Youth Development, Rutgers University) leads the next C-DEBI Professional Development Webinar on “How to Use the Broader Impact Wizard: A Tool to Help Advance the Impact of Research in Society.” The access URL for the webinar is http://usccollege.adobeconnect.com/cdebiremote/. Missed the last Professional Development Webinar on “Broadening your thinking and your impact: Tips on how to develop effective outreach programs” with Pete Girguis (Harvard)? Watch it on YouTube.
The Desert Research Institute (DRI) in Las Vegas, NV invites applications for a postdoctoral fellowship in Microbial Ecology. This innovative research aims to tie genomic data to microbial function by examining rates of environmental processes at the level of the individual cell. Our NSF-funded project combines microbiology, environmental biogeochemistry, and bioinformatics, with an emphasis on the continental and marine deep biosphere and biodegradation of contaminants of emerging concern. The successful applicant will join a dynamic project team with collaborators at the Single-Cell Genomics Center (Bigelow Lab, ME) and the University of New Hampshire. This multidisciplinary position is based in DRI’s Environmental Microbiology and Astrobiology Labs, which focus on life in extreme environments, water quality, and molecular archaeology, in collaboration with the University of Nevada Las Vegas, NASA Ames, the University of New Mexico, NASA GeneLab, and the DOE Joint Genome Institute. Our group is well-positioned within the Microbial Ecology, Deep Life, and Astrobiology Communities, providing excellent opportunities for early career recognition, networking, and publishing. To ensure full consideration, application packages should be received by June 8, 2019.
The Hawai’i Institute of Marine Biology (HIMB) within the School of Ocean and Earth Science and Technology (SOEST) at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa, invites applications for a full-time, 11-month, tenure-track faculty position in Theoretical Ecology or Evolution at the rank of Assistant Researcher (Professor). We invite applicants with a vision for integrative and collaborative research and strong mathematical, statistical and computational modelling skills. The successful candidate will be an enthusiastic collaborator with the ability to enhance a broad range of field- and lab-based projects at HIMB. The candidate will work across taxa, spatial & temporal scales, and coupled natural-human systems using existing or novel quantitative approaches. The ideal candidate will have a field component of their own research program and/or a vision for expanding their program by collaborating with HIMB faculty on field-based research. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, population and community dynamics, ecosystem processes, behavior, physiology, population genetics, fisheries, and biogeography.
Deadline: June 24, 2019.
The U.S. Science Support Program, associated with the International Ocean Discovery Program, is currently accepting proposals for planning workshops. Proposed workshops should promote the development of new ideas and strategies to study the Earth’s processes and history using scientific ocean drilling. Workshops may focus on a specific scientific theme or topic, or they may focus on a geographic region, integrating multiple topics. Regionally-focused workshops offer opportunities to synthesize scientific results from past expeditions, or to develop drilling proposals for future expeditions. Prospective workshop proponents should consider long-term projected ship tracks in identifying potential geographic areas for focus. Funding may be requested for U.S.-based meetings or to support U.S. participants at larger international workshops. Broad-based scientific community involvement, co-sponsorship by related programs, and the active participation of early career researchers are strongly encouraged. The submission deadline is June 1, 2019.
The Symbiosis in Aquatic Systems Initiative of the Gordon and Betty Moore Foundation is soliciting pre-applications for investigator awards. Each award will fund research in a single investigator’s laboratory. Our goal with the awards is to provide scientists with the resources and flexibility to pursue innovative, risky research that has high potential for significant conceptual and methodological advances in aquatic symbiosis. We anticipate investigators will generate new technologies, resources, theory, natural history and hypotheses to spark discovery in understanding aquatic organisms and their symbioses. We envision a vibrant cohort of investigators that serves as a source of ideas for the initiative, collaborates among peers, and moves the community towards a more comprehensive understanding how marine and freshwater organisms interact in symbiotic associations involving microbes. We anticipate awards encompassing one or more of three central themes: origins and evolution, mechanisms of symbiotic interactions, and/or ecology and natural history. We are interested in symbioses where at least one partner is a microbe and where the symbiosis takes place in a marine or freshwater environment. We anticipate the initiative will support approximately 12 scientists for five years (2020-2025) who represent both early and established career stages and include both current and emerging leaders in their fields. Investigators will convene at an annual symposium to share research findings and build connections across symbiosis researchers. Awards will range from approximately $200K-$400K/year in direct costs. Pre-application deadline: June 3, 2019.
To further scientific and technological cooperation between the United States and the European Community, the National Science Foundation and the European Research Council signed an Implementing Arrangement on July 13, 2012 to enable U.S. scientists and engineers with NSF-funded CAREER awards and Postdoctoral Research Fellowships to pursue research collaboration with European colleagues supported through EU-funded European Research Council (ERC) grants. Connecting researchers with complementary strengths and shared interests promotes scientific progress in solving some of the world’s most vexing problems. This international research opportunity is mutually beneficial to the U.S. participants and the hosts through cooperative activities during research visits and establishing international research partnerships to enrich future research activities in the U.S. and Europe. Under the Arrangement, the ERC Executive Agency (ERCEA) identifies ERC-funded research groups who wish to host NSF Postdoctoral Research Fellows for research visits of up to one year within their ERC funding. The 2018 Dear Colleague Letter for this opportunity noted that 2018 would be the final year in its current form. NSF is extending the current opportunity for one additional year. NSF intends to announce a new, related opportunity in FY 2020. Requests must be received at NSF at least 3 months prior to the proposed visit, but no later than June 21, 2019, for consideration using Fiscal Year 2019 funds.
Expeditions 390 and 393 are a multidisciplinary and joint scientific ocean drilling project that aims to recover complete sedimentary sections and ~200 m of oceanic crust along a crustal age transect at ~31°S across the South Atlantic Ocean to: (1) investigate the history of low-temperature hydrothermal interactions between the aging ocean crust and the evolving South Atlantic Ocean; (2) quantify past hydrothermal contributions to global geochemical cycles; (3) investigate sediment and basement-hosted microbial community variation with substrate composition and age in the low energy South Atlantic Gyre subseafloor biosphere; and (4) investigate the responses of Atlantic Ocean circulation patterns and the Earth’s climate system to rapid climate change, including elevated CO2 during the Cenozoic. The expeditions will occur from 5 October to 5 December 2020 (Expedition 390) and 6 April to 6 June 2021 (Expedition 393). Opportunities exist for researchers (including graduate students) in all shipboard specialties, including but not limited to sedimentologists, petrologists, micropaleontologists, paleomagnetists, petrophysicists, geophysicists, inorganic and organic geochemists, and microbiologists. The deadline to apply is August 1, 2019.
Don’t miss the first of the 2019 online seminars with Dr. Jeanine Ash (Rice University) on “Making and Breaking Molecules.” Abstract: Gases like molecular oxygen and methane are fundamentally significant to Earth’s habitability and the evolution of life. The concentration of these gases in our atmosphere are the result of constant interplay between the biological and geological process that create and consume them. My work focuses on the enzyme-level processes that make and break these molecules, and how recent advances in isotope ratio mass spectrometry can provide new tools for tracing these process at the global level. In this talk I’ll introduce the concept of multiply-substituted isotopologues (commonly called “clumped” isotopes), and share case studies that show how these tools can be used to illuminate deep biosphere processes.
The Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) program supports active research participation by undergraduate students in any of the areas of research funded by the National Science Foundation. REU projects involve students in meaningful ways in ongoing research programs or in research projects specifically designed for the REU program. This solicitation features two mechanisms for support of student research: (1) REU Sites are based on independent proposals to initiate and conduct projects that engage a number of students in research. REU Sites may be based in a single discipline or academic department or may offer interdisciplinary or multi-department research opportunities with a coherent intellectual theme. Proposals with an international dimension are welcome. (2) REU Supplements may be included as a component of proposals for new or renewal NSF grants or cooperative agreements or may be requested for ongoing NSF-funded research projects. Full Proposal Deadlines: May 24, 2019 and August 28, 2019.
A computational postdoctoral position in Ocean Biogeochemical Modeling is available at the Marine Biological Laboratory, Woods Hole. This NSF-funded, collaborative project with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology will focus on combining thermodynamics and trait-based biogeochemical models to augment an existing marine ecosystem modeling framework (“Darwin model”) developed at MIT. We are seeking an individual with a PhD in oceanography, engineering, applied math or related field who has interest or experience in marine biogeochemical modeling. While not required, knowledge in thermodynamics, numerical analysis and/or optimal control theory will be considered advantageous. The successful candidate will be expected to work collaboratively with teams at both MBL and MIT, but will be employed at MBL. Review of applications will begin July 1, 2019 and continue until the position is filled.
The NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research (OER) is soliciting ocean exploration proposals to address knowledge gaps and support growth in the Nation’s Blue Economy and/or to contribute to Seabed 2030 goals. Proposals are being requested on the following three topics: 1. OCEAN EXPLORATION. Ocean exploration to inform management, sustainable use, and conservation of marine resources in poorly explored deep ocean areas of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone. Areas proposed for exploration and/or initial characterization must be at a minimum depth of 200 meters. 2. MARINE ARCHAEOLOGY. Discovery and characterization of underwater cultural heritage representing past marine-based economic activities or early human occupation to inform decisions on preservation and seabed use, and to identify sources of potential environmental impacts. Marine archaeology proposals can be conducted in any water depth. 3. TECHNOLOGY. Application of new or novel use of existing ocean technologies or innovative methods that increase the scope and efficiency of acquiring ocean exploration data and improve usability of and access to ocean exploration data. Proposed technologies must be applicable to water depths of 200 meters or greater, though testing in shallower water or lab-based test facilities will be supported. The deadline for the pre-proposal submission is May 24, 2019.
The major goal is to bring PhD students and young Postdocs in touch with IODP at an early stage of their career, inform them about the exciting research within IODP as (I)ODP and DSDP have been proven to be the most successful internationally collaborative research programs in the history of Earth sciences, and to prepare them for future participation in IODP expeditions. Such training will be achieved by taking the summer school participants on a “virtual ship” where they get familiarized with a wide spectrum of state-of-the-art analytical technologies and core description and scanning methods according to the high standards of IODP expeditions. In addition, the thematic topic of the summer school will be reviewed by various scientific lectures by the leading experts in the field. Application deadline: June 19, 2019.
The International Society for Subsurface Microbiology (ISSM) is made up of microbiologists, ecologists, geoscientists, and other researchers around the world fascinated by the various aspects of subsurface microbiology, a rapidly expanding field that focuses on microbial life below the surface of the earth. ISSM has organized numerous symposiums on subsurface microbiology in locations as diverse as Germany, Japan, New Zealand, USA and the UK. These symposia are meant to showcase the latest technologies and research in subsurface microbiology, including microbial ecology. The International Society of Subsurface Microbiology is honoured to invite you to its 11th international conference in Utrecht (The Netherlands) in June 2020. Abstracts due in September 2019.
The USSSP Onboard Outreach Program gives formal and informal educators, artists, writers, videographers and other participants the opportunity to spend an entire expedition with an IODP shipboard party and translate their experiences for students and the general public via blogs, videos, social networking sites, live ship-to-shore video events and development of educational resources. Onboard Outreach Program participants are selected through a competitive application and interview process. All expenses for Onboard Outreach Program participants, such as travel to and from the ports of call, and a $10,000 stipend, are paid by USSSP. The selected individual(s) will also be flown to a three-day training session prior to their expedition. Non-US applicants will be directed to their country’s IODP Program Member Office but are still encouraged to apply. We are now accepting applications to sail as an Onboard Outreach Officer on Expedition 387: Amazon Margin or Expedition 388: Equatorial Atlantic Gateway. Application period closes April 26, 2019.
The Simons Foundation invites applications for postdoctoral fellowships to support research on fundamental problems in marine microbial ecology. The foundation is particularly interested in applicants with training in different fields who want to apply their experience to understanding the role of microorganisms in shaping ocean processes, and vice versa, as well as applicants with experience in modeling or theory development. While these cross-disciplinary applicants will receive particular attention, applicants already involved in ocean research are also encouraged to apply. The foundation anticipates awarding five fellowships in 2019. Application deadline: June 14, 2019.
The National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT)’s Early Career Workshops provide a stimulating and resource-rich environment where participants can engage in topical sessions involving effective teaching strategies, course design, establishing a research program in a new setting, working with research students, and balancing professional and personal responsibilities. The Early Career Geoscience Faculty Workshop application deadline is March 24, 2019.
As AGU marks its Centennial in 2019, we return to San Francisco, the home of the Fall Meeting for more than 40 years. Join our diverse community at the newly renovated Moscone Center as we collaborate across borders and boundaries to explore and develop our research. Don’t miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to participate in Centennial presentations and special events that will bring to life the past, present and the future of our science. Today we experience “Science at the Speed of Life.” Fall Meeting will prepare you for what’s ahead: rapid developments in our science, new approaches to observing our Earth and beyond, the introduction of new data streams, growing demand for accessible science, the expansion of convergent science, and more. There is no better place than Fall Meeting to look into the future and develop your skills and your understanding of other disciplines at the same time. At Fall Meeting, we will draw inspiration from each other and will show how earth and space science enables a more resilient and sustainable future for all. Proposal deadline: April 17, 2019.
Pete Girguis (Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology, Harvard University) leads the next C-DEBI Professional Development Webinar on “Broadening your thinking and your impact: Tips on how to develop effective outreach programs.” The access URL for the webinar is http://usccollege.adobeconnect.com/cdebiremote/. Missed the last Professional Development Webinar on “Lessons Learned: Adventures in Online Teaching and Trying to Balance Research & Teaching” with Jason Sylvan (Texas A&M)? Watch it on YouTube.
This workshop will be held in Boothbay Harbor, Maine, on September 22-26, 2019. Workshop goals are to stimulate progress in single cell genomics (SCG) through the exchange of breakthroughs in research applications and method development, with a focus on microorganisms and the prediction of cell’s phenome. During this four-day workshop, we aim to create an opportunity for effective, creative interactions among principal investigators, postdocs and students who utilize microbial SCG in research and/or develop SCG technology, building on the success of our prior SCG workshops that were held in 2007, 2010 and 2015. To ensure the best experience by workshop participants and due to logistical constraints, the number of participants will be limited to 90. Application deadline: March 31, 2019.
The Geochemical Society is offering grants to qualifying students to attend the 2019 Goldschmidt Conference, the world’s largest meeting devoted to geochemistry and related fields. These grants are available to students who meet any one of these criteria: 1) Undergraduate or graduate students who are US citizens or permanent residents and who self-identify as members of underrepresented groups in the science and engineering student population, as designated by the NSF, in this case African Americans, Hispanics, Native Americans, and Pacific Islanders; 2) Undergraduate or graduate students from underrepresented institutions, including Baccalaureate Colleges, M1, M2, M3 universities, tribal colleges or community colleges; 3) Graduate students or postdoctoral scholars working at universities or institutions in the U.S. and its territories on subjects related to planetary science (e.g., planetary geology, cosmochemistry, astrobiology). All applications must be completed by March 15, 2019.
We are opening a call for the selection of current M.Sc. or Ph.D. students along with early career scientists to participate in the NSF funded project AXIAL aboard the R/V Marcus Langseth during the summer of 2019. The 33 day research cruise will allow participation in all facets of ship operation, including deployment of scientific instrumentation, keeping watch during data collection, initial onboard data processing, an onboard reading and discussion group and workshops for mapping and seismic processing. We encourage a diverse group of participants including women and demographics underrepresented in the geoscience community. Applications due April 1, 2019.
UNOLS is pleased to announce that the US National Science Foundation together with the Office of Naval Research and the State of Hawaii have provided funding for a Chief Scientist Training Cruise Opportunity with an emphasis on Biological and Chemical Oceanographic research. The research cruise will take place in June 2019 (15-24 June 2019) aboard the R/V Kilo Moana. The cruise will depart from and arrive into Honolulu, HI. Participants will help plan and execute 10 days of at-sea oceanographic research that will take advantage of shipboard and PI supplied equipment to address scientific questions related to the role of biology in regulating vertical exchanges of bioelements between the upper ocean and the ocean’s interior waters. The research cruise will focus on biogeochemical and ecological dynamics at Station ALOHA (22°45´N, 158°W), field site for the Hawaii Ocean Time-series program in the subtropical North Pacific Ocean. The wealth of contextual information available from decades of research at this field site will help guide the scientific foci for this training cruise. Pre-cruise meetings and workshops will be used to identify participant-specific research questions and objectives. Travel costs and research supplies will be provided. Space is limited. To apply you must be an employee, trainee, or student (U.S. Citizen or permanent resident) at a U.S. institution or a U.S. citizen working abroad. To be considered, applications must be received by March 18, 2019.
The Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) at the University of California San Diego invites applications for a full-time Researcher position to be funded largely by extramural research grants and contracts in any of two areas: 1) Marine aquaculture research including micro and macroalgae, shellfish, or finfish and may include the basic biology of aquaculture species with application for enhanced productivity; 2) Marine “omics” research including applications of genomics, transcriptomics, proteomics and metabolomics to address fundamental questions in ocean biosciences and issues related to human health and the oceans. The Researcher series at SIO parallels the Professor series in terms of expectations for research and service but carries no teaching requirements. Researchers receive nine-month appointments with 25% salary support from institutional sources. Externally funded research programs are expected to provide the remaining salary support, including an opportunity for summer salary. Researchers at SIO often obtain lecturer appointments in the SIO department, which provides a mechanism to serve as a graduate student advisor. For full consideration, please apply by the April 1, 2019.
The University of New Hampshire (UNH) School of Marine Science and Ocean Engineering (SMSOE) of the Institute for the Study of Earth, Oceans, and Space (EOS) invites applications at the rank of Associate or Full Research Professor in the broad area of Marine Science. The successful applicant can expect to interact with faculty from the life sciences, ocean engineering, Earth sciences, and oceanography as well as the social sciences and humanities to address critical coastal and marine science problems in new and coordinated ways. The successful candidate will have a strong track record of research demonstrating outstanding potential for establishing his or her own independent research program and to raise his/her salary from external grants, be a proven programmatic and organizational leader, and a distinguished scientist with international connections and diverse perspectives. While primarily a research appointment, graduate level teaching and research interaction with diverse students is encouraged.
C-DEBI seeks nominations for three speakers for the 2019 program. C-DEBI is continuing the Networked Speaker Series (begun in Fall 2011) as a means to enhance communication and the exchange of ideas among our spatially distributed community. Potential speakers can be nominated by colleagues, mentors, or those mentored by C-DEBI participants; they can also self nominate. Selected C-DEBI Networked Speakers will make a presentation online, using video conferencing tools, with assistance from the C-DEBI main office at USC. Nominated C-DEBI Networked Speakers should be capable of combining compelling visual materials with the ability to communicate effectively to a broad audience. We are particularly enthusiastic about giving young researchers a chance to present work to the C-DEBI community. Being selected to be a C-DEBI Networked Speaker is an honor.
Enjoy a day under the blue whale exploring the five “zones” of the oceans, where a diverse array of marine species and ecosystems can be found at different depths. Find out how temperatures, salinity, and the amount of sunlight changes from zone to zone. Plus, learn how some species can only survive in the oceans’ sunlit uppermost layer, while others must dive deep to find food. The Milstein Science: Layers of the Ocean program includes a 45-foot inflated replica of the JOIDES Resolution from the C-DEBI-supported, travelling, pop-up outreach, In Search of Earth’s Secrets.
For over 20 years, the Ocean Discovery Lecture Series (formerly the Distinguished Lecturer Series) has brought the remarkable scientific results and discoveries of the International Ocean Discovery Program and its predecessor programs to academic research institutions, museums, and aquaria. Since 1991, over 1,000 presentations to diverse audiences have been made through the Lecture Series. For the 2018-19 academic year, an exciting lineup of distinguished lecturers is available to speak at your institution, including C-DEBI researchers Ginny Edgcomb and Brandi Kiel Reese. The topics of their lectures range widely, and include monsoon history, ice sheet dynamics, sediment diagenesis, and more. Open to any U.S. college, university, or nonprofit organization. Application deadline to host an Ocean Discovery Lecturer: May 17, 2019.
This solicitation invites proposals for the creation of international networks of networks in research areas aligned either with one of the NSF Big Ideas or a community-identified scientific challenge with international dimensions. AccelNet awards are meant to support the connections among research networks, rather than supporting fundamental research as the primary activity. Each network of networks is expected to engage in innovative collaborative activities that promote synergy of efforts across the networks and provide professional development for students, postdoctoral scholars, and early-career researchers. There are two proposal categories covered by this solicitation: Catalytic and Full-Scale Implementation. Letter of intent due date: October 30, 2019.
The 2019 Petrophysics Summer School will provide a unique workshop that will bring together experts from both academia and industry to give training in the theory and practice of petrophysics and, notably its applications across both IODP and industry. It will include lectures, discussion groups, and practical exercises on the different elements and data types used in petrophysical analysis. In addition, basic training in an industry-standard software package, Schlumberger’s Techlog, will form a core part of the school. The European Petrophysics Consortium and its collaborators offer this unique training opportunity for a summer school through the provision of technical and scientific expertise in the fields of downhole logging and core petrophysics. The course is open to applicants from the international community, but applications from early career researchers (including PhD students) are particularly encouraged. U.S.-affiliated students and researchers may apply for partial travel support through the U.S. Science Support Program. The deadline to apply for travel support and for the course is April 22, 2019.
CC-RISE is an eight-week, paid, summer research internship program for community college students run by the Center for Dark Energy Biosphere Investigations. Students will gain firsthand exposure to the scientific process by working in a faculty-led research lab at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Woods Hole, MA. In addition to research, students will participate in activities focusing on how to transition from a two-year college to a university and information on graduate school. At the end of the program, students will present their results to an audience of peers and mentors. Applications are due March 29, 2019.
Following a very successful “Geobiology 2017” with 200 registrants, the Geobiology Society will again host a 3-day meeting at the Banff Conference Center. The dates for the conference are June 9-13, 2019. As before, this meeting will be an ideal venue for us to discuss the latest developments in Geobiology and build international collaborations in a relaxed but stimulating environment. Please register to confirm your attendance by April 19, 2019.
Bigelow Laboratory for Ocean Sciences is seeking a postdoctoral researcher to study planetary-scale interactions among the evolutionary, biogeochemical and biogeographic processes of marine bacterioplankton, taking advantage of a unique, massive dataset of single cell genomes. The hired scientist will join Dr. Stepanauskas’ research group and will be engaged in collaborations with Dr. Penny Chisholm’s group (MIT) and other partners. The postdoctoral scientists at Bigelow Laboratory have access to an active professional training program and possibilities for undergraduate student mentoring and teaching. Candidates must have either a PhD degree or a PhD ABD in a relevant field and demonstrated experience in microbial genomics, environmental microbiology and evolutionary biology. Excellent written and verbal communication skills and ability to work harmoniously in a collaborative research team are crucial. The position is offered for a period of two years. We want to fill this position as soon as possible, but the start date may be negotiated. Applicants should submit the following to our online application portal by February 11, 2019.
The Asahiko Taira International Scientific Ocean Drilling Research Prize (The Taira Prize) is given annually to one honoree in recognition of “outstanding transdisciplinary research accomplishment in ocean drilling.” Established in 2014, the Taira Prize is a partnership between the American Geophysical Union (AGU) and the Japan Geoscience Union (JpGU), and is made possible through the generous donation from the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Management International (IODP-MI). The prize is given in honor of Dr. Asahiko Taira of the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology. Deadline to nominate: April 15, 2019.
This training course will encompass the different technical and scientific aspects of downhole measurements and their analysis in scientific drilling, including borehole logging under various conditions and scientific demands, seismic borehole measurements, downhole hydraulic tests, fluid logging & sampling, and fibre optical methods. The training course is recommended for graduate students, PhD students, Early-Careers and Senior Scientists involved in running or upcoming scientific drilling projects. Preference will be given to applicants involved in ICDP drilling projects, applicants from ICDP member countries, developing countries, and those from countries considering ICDP membership. For the successful candidates, expenses including those for travelling, visa, meals and accommodation will be covered by ICDP. The deadline for applications is February 15, 2019.
Registration is now open for the Southeastern Biogeochemistry / Geobiology Symposium. The submission deadline for presenters is February 15, 2019. General registration will remain open through March 16, 2019. For planning purposes early registration is appreciated.
The Division of Integrative Organismal Systems (IOS) recognizes that a lack of methods for analysis of gene function represents an obstacle to progress in a range of diverse non-model organisms. These organisms are important for understanding numerous basic science questions in organismal biology as funded through the Division’s core programs. Enabling Discovery through Genomic Tools (EDGE) is designed to provide support for development of tools, approaches and infrastructure necessary for direct tests of cause and effect hypotheses between gene function and phenotypes in diverse plants, animals, microbes, viruses and fungi for which these methods are presently unavailable. Such approaches are essential to advance understanding of the genomes-to-phenomes relationship, an area relevant to Understanding the Rules of Life: Predicting Phenotype, one of the 10 Big Ideas for future NSF investment. To meet the goal of catalyzing communities to enable direct tests of cause-and-effect hypotheses about genes and phenotypes in organisms for which such tools and infrastructure are presently lacking, EDGE proposals must include training and rapid dissemination plans enabling larger communities of investigators to utilize the newly-developed tools quickly, thereby catalyzing an increase in the capacity of research communities to test cause-and-effect hypotheses about genes and phenotypes in organisms for which such tools and infrastructure are presently lacking. Full Proposal Deadline Date: February 12, 2019.
The NSF Research Traineeship (NRT) program is designed to encourage the development and implementation of bold, new, and potentially transformative models for science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) graduate education training. The NRT program seeks proposals that explore ways for graduate students in research-based master’s and doctoral degree programs to develop the skills, knowledge, and competencies needed to pursue a range of STEM careers. Next letter of intent window: November 25, 2019 – December 6, 2019.
The FRES program will support research in Earth systems from its core through the critical zone. The project may focus on all or part of the surface, continental lithospheric, and deeper Earth systems over the entire range of temporal and spatial scales. FRES projects will typically have a larger scientific scope and budget than those considered for funding by core programs in the Division of Earth Sciences (EAR). FRES projects may be interdisciplinary studies that do not fit well within the core programs or cannot be routinely managed by sharing between core programs. Innovative proposals within a single area with results that will have broad relevance to Earth Science research are also encouraged. Investigations may employ any combination of field, laboratory, and computational studies with observational, theoretical, or experimental approaches. Projects should be focused on topics that meet the guidelines for research funded by the Division of Earth Sciences. Full proposal deadline date: February 21, 2019 .
The Physical Oceanography Program supports research on a wide range of topics associated with the structure and movement of the ocean, with the way in which it transports various quantities, with the way the ocean’s physical structure interacts with the biological and chemical processes within it, and with interactions between the ocean and the atmosphere, solid earth and ice that surround it. Full proposal deadline dates: February 15, 2019 and August 15, 2019.
The Chemical Oceanography Program supports research into the chemistry of the oceans and the role of the oceans in global geochemical cycles. Areas of interest include chemical composition, speciation, and transformation; chemical exchanges between the oceans and other components of the Earth system; internal cycling in oceans, seas, and estuaries; and the use of measured chemical distributions as indicators of physical, biological, and geological processes. Full proposal deadline dates: February 15, 2019 and August 15, 2019.
The Biological Oceanography Program supports fundamental research in biological oceanography and marine ecology (populations to the ecosystems) broadly defined: relationships among aquatic organisms and their interactions with the environments of the oceans or Great Lakes. Projects submitted to the program are often interdisciplinary efforts that may include participation by other OCE Programs. Full proposal deadline dates: February 14, 2019 and August 15, 2019.
The Instrumentation and Facilities Program in the Division of Earth Sciences (EAR/IF) supports meritorious requests for infrastructure that promotes research and education in areas supported by the Division. Under this solicitation EAR/IF will consider proposals for Laboratory Technician Support to provide for optimal and efficient operation of advanced instrumentation, analytical protocol development, and user training for Earth science research instrumentation. Support is available through grants in response to investigator-initiated proposals. Technician support duties that promote human resource development and education are expected to be an integral part of proposals. Efforts to support participation of underrepresented groups in laboratory and/or field instrument use and training are encouraged as part of any described technician’s duties. Proposals from early career (tenure track but untenured) lead investigators are also encouraged. Such proposals will be given due consideration as part of the Broader Impacts merit review criterion. Full proposal deadline date: February 14, 2019
Jason Sylvan, (Assistant Professor, Texas A&M) leads the next C-DEBI Professional Development Webinar on “Lessons Learned: Adventures in Online Teaching and Trying to Balance Research & Teaching.” The access URL for the webinar is http://usccollege.adobeconnect.com/cdebiremote/. Missed the most recent C-DEBI Professional Development Webinar on “Scientific Editing as a Career” with Delphine Defforey (Nature Communications)? Watch it on YouTube.
Attending the Astrobiology Science Conference taking place from June 24-28, 2018 in Seattle, Washington? Submit your abstract to our session and we hope to see you there! Description: Recent discoveries on ocean worlds as well as remnants of ancient aqueous environments on Mars set important foundations in the search for extraterrestrial life. To better prioritize targets for investigation, select high-value analysis sites, and develop exploration strategies for potential ancient or extant biosignatures, a diverse set of analog environments on Earth are extremely valuable. Given the rapidly emerging nature of the field, as well as the ocean world missions under development, key details of how such findings translate into habitability are timely. We welcome in particular abstracts addressing geological contexts or spatial scales that could inform the search for habitable environments or biosignatures on our solar system’s Ocean Worlds. Relevant work will contextualize terrestrial studies – including those pertaining to Pre-Cambrian glacial “Snowball” conditions – within the framework of aqueous paleoenvironments on Mars and our expanding knowledge of celestial bodies like Europa, Enceladus, Titan, Ceres, and Triton. Subjects could include (but are not limited to) geophysical analyses that constrain habitable environments or geochemical gradients, assessments of energetics for past or extant life, the effect of ice cover on physical and chemical processes, or biological activity that could generate diagnostic biomarkers. We also encourage “process-based” abstracts that detail how the exploratory approaches used in terrestrial contexts – such as mission operations, instrument testing, and field site selection – may be mobilized in support of the future astrobiology missions. Abstracts are due March 6, 2019.
As you are aware, scientific ocean drilling is half a century old this year, marked by the maiden voyage of the Glomar Challenger in 1968. Discoveries from scientific ocean drilling through the DSDP, ODP and IODP programs have helped reveal Earth’s history and have been critical to shaping our understanding of how our planet works. But although results from scientific ocean drilling have never have been stronger, addressing future challenges in the Earth sciences will require improved technologies that are not currently available on the JOIDES Resolution. The current phase of scientific ocean drilling will end after 2023, which is only five years away. At that same time the JOIDES Resolution will be 45 years old. In short, we are approaching a critical point with the current science plan expiring and the JOIDES Resolution in need of a replacement. Continuation of scientific ocean drilling beyond 2023 requires planning and action now. We are co-chairing the steering committee Instituting U.S. Scientific Ocean Drilling Beyond 2023 (SOD23+) to lead the U.S. planning for the post-2023 era in scientific ocean drilling and need broad input and support from the U.S. and international communities to consider the scientific plan and our future platform needs. In order to prepare the U.S. community for this critical time, we are organizing a two-day Workshop on May 6-7, 2019 in Denver that will bring together roughly 80-90 U.S.-IODP researchers and perhaps 20 international collaborators from non-U.S. IODP countries. Application window to the Denver3 Workshop opens January 28, 2019 and closes February 15, 2019.
The workshop Anatomy of a Long-Lived Oceanic Arc: Geology, Geophysics and Geochemistry of the Izu-Bonin-Mariana Arc System and Analogs aims to: (1) review the results of extensive drilling by four recent IODP expeditions; (2) review other (non-drilling) approaches used to study the Izu-Bonin-Mariana (IBM) system; (3) present mantle and ocean floor drilling objectives in other systems and synthesize these with IBM results and goals; (4) make comparisons with arc and ophiolite field analogs around the globe; and (5) identify avenues for future collaborative research. The workshop will involve synthesizing results in the IBM arc system and analogous modern systems and outcrop analogs, a mid-week field trip to examine IBM rocks, and targeted discussion of thematic and geographic areas ideal for collaborative research, synthesis papers, and new research proposals. A number of travel support grants will be available for participants from U.S. institutions and organizations. Support for a limited number of international participants will need to be provided by individuals or IODP member countries. In addition to scientists within the IODP community and early career researchers, we also encourage researchers, including field geologists and modelers, who do not normally participate in IODP projects to apply. Workshop participation is open to U.S. and international researchers and the deadline to apply is May 1, 2019.
Undergraduates in Bigelow Laboratory’s summer REU Program spend ten weeks at the Laboratory conducting independent research with guidance from a scientist mentor. Directed by Senior Research Scientist Dr. David Fields, and funded by the National Science Foundation, the REU Program is designed to give students pursuing degrees in the sciences, mathematics and engineering a laboratory-based research experience with an emphasis on hands-on, state-of-the-art methods and technologies. REU students are immersed in the Bigelow community and participate in seminars, field trips, Laboratory outreach programs, social events, and more. Each student in the program is paired with a Bigelow Laboratory scientist based on mutual research interests. During the ten weeks, students work with their mentors to identify a research question, develop a proposal, conduct their research, and prepare an abstract and poster. At the end of the program, students present their poster and give a talk at a student symposium. Research areas vary year to year, but include marine microbiology, ocean biogeochemistry, optical oceanography, remote sensing, bioinformatics, sensory biology and phytoplankton ecology. The 2019 program dates are May 28 through August 2 and will be held at the Laboratory’s East Boothbay campus. Successful applicants receive a stipend, free housing, and funds for travel to and from Bigelow Laboratory. Application period closes February 15, 2019.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) seeks outstanding candidates for a position to fill one of two roles: 1) Organismal Physiologist, or 2) Zooplankton Ecologist/Curator, at Associate Professor rank. Candidates will be evaluated on their potential to establish a vigorous research program and provide intellectual leadership in their field, acquire extramural funds, teach and mentor graduate students, teach in the marine biology undergraduate major, collegiality, and service towards building an equitable and diverse scholarly environment. For full consideration, please apply by January 31, 2019.
Scripps Institution of Oceanography (SIO) at the University of California San Diego (UCSD) seeks outstanding candidates for a position to fill one of two roles: 1) Organismal Physiologist, or 2) Zooplankton Ecologist/Curator, at Assistant Professor rank. Candidates will be evaluated on their potential to establish a vigorous research program and provide intellectual leadership in their field, acquire extramural funds, teach and mentor graduate students, teach in the marine biology undergraduate major, collegiality, and service towards building an equitable and diverse scholarly environment. For full consideration, please apply by January 31, 2019.
Scientific drilling through the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) and the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) continues to provide unique opportunities to investigate the workings of the interior of our planet, Earth’s cycles, natural hazards and the distribution of subsurface microbial life. The past and current scientific drilling programs have brought major advances in many multidisciplinary fields of socio-economic relevance, such as climate and ecosystem evolution, palaeoceanography, the deep biosphere, deep crustal and tectonic processes, geodynamics and geohazards. This session invites contributions that present and/or review recent scientific results from deep Earth sampling and monitoring through ocean and continental drilling projects. Furthermore, we encourage contributions that outline perspectives and visions for future drilling projects, in particular projects using a multi-platform approach. The abstract submission deadline is January 10, 2019.
The Virginia Institute of Marine Science (VIMS), in fulfilling strategic plans for expansion in key areas, is seeking applications for five new faculty positions as part of its three-part mission to conduct interdisciplinary research in coastal ocean and estuarine science, educate students and citizens, and provide advisory service to policy makers, industry, and the public. The School of Marine Science at VIMS is the graduate school in marine science for William & Mary. We invite applications for the following tenure-eligible Assistant/Associate Professor positions in the School of Marine Science: Coastal & Estuarine Ecology, Estuarine/Coastal Physical Oceanography, Marine Chemistry (Two Positions), and Phytoplankton Ecology. For full consideration, application materials are due January 14, 2019.
