C-DEBI Newsletter – October 17, 2016

Proposal Calls

C-DEBI: Call for Research Project and Postdoctoral Fellowship Proposals
C-DEBI invites proposals for 1-year research projects (in the anticipated range of $50,000-$80,000) and 1-2 year graduate student and postdoctoral fellowships that will significantly advance C-DEBI’s central research agenda: to investigate the subseafloor biosphere deep in marine sediment and oceanic crust, and to conduct multi-disciplinary studies to develop an integrated understanding of subseafloor microbial life at the molecular, cellular, and ecosystem scales. C-DEBI’s research agenda balances exploration-based discovery, hypothesis testing, data integration and synthesis, and systems-based modeling. C-DEBI research support is provided to “expeditions of opportunity”, and we’ve created a webpage listing potential options for participation. We welcome you to provide information about other expeditions of opportunity to share with the C-DEBI community! Help us further our mission to explore life beneath the seafloor and make transformative discoveries that advance science, benefit society, and inspire people of all ages and origins. C-DEBI welcomes proposals from applicants who would enhance diversity in C-DEBI and STEM fields. This request for proposals is open to all interested researchers at US institutions able to receive NSF funding as a subaward. Proposal deadline: December 1, 2016.

NSF: Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology  (PRFB), Program Solicitaiton
The Directorate for Biological Sciences (BIO) awards Postdoctoral Research Fellowships in Biology 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 FY 2015 and beyond, these BIO programs are (1) Broadening Participation of Groups Under-represented in Biology, (2) Research Using Biological Collections, and (3) National Plant Genome Initiative (NPGI) Postdoctoral Research Fellowships. Full Proposal Deadline Date: November 1, 2016.

NSF: Call For Nominations for the Alan T. Waterman Award
Complete nomination packages, consisting of nominations and four letters of reference, are due by October 21, 2016.

NSF: Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Program Solicitation
Application deadlines: October 22-28, 2016.

DCO: Open Call for Synthesis Proposals
The deadline for pre-proposal submissions is October 25, 2016.

NSF-OCE: Call for expressions of interest regarding provision of marine seismic capabilities to the U.S. research community
Please submit written responses by November 11, 2016.

NSF: Integrated Earth Systems (IES) Program Solicitaiton
Full proposal deadline: November 14, 2016.

Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative: Request for Proposals VI
Letter of Intent Deadline: November 14, 2016.

DCO: Deep Energy Community, Third Call for Proposals
Application deadline: November 20, 2016.

IODP-USSSP: Schlanger Ocean Drilling Fellowships
The submission deadline is December 2, 2016.

NSF: Arctic Sciences Program Solicitation
Proposals accepted anytime.

IODP-USSSP: Proposals for Pre-Drilling Activities and Workshops
The U.S. Science Support Program (USSSP) accepts proposals on a rolling basis for pre-drilling activities and semi-annually for workshops, related to the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP).

Education & Outreach

C-DEBI: Call for Education and Outreach Project Proposals
C-DEBI invites proposals to support education and outreach projects, with a budget of up to $50,000 and a project duration of 1 year. The C-DEBI Education & Outreach Grants Program will fund the development of educational opportunities and materials that are pertinent to deep biosphere research in the subseafloor environment in support of our education and outreach goal to create distinctive, targeted education programs and promote increased public awareness about life below the seafloor. Help us further our mission to explore life beneath the seafloor and make transformative discoveries that advance science, benefit society, and inspire people of all ages and origins. C-DEBI welcomes proposals from applicants who would enhance diversity in C-DEBI and STEM fields. Proposal deadline: December 1, 2016.

IODP-USSSP: Onboard Outreach Program
The USSSP Onboard Outreach Program (formerly known as the Educator Officer 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 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. The current deadline to apply is November 2, 2016.

NSF: Improving Undergraduate STEM Education: Education and Human Resources, Program Solicitation
IUSE: EHR supports a broad range of projects, including: research and development of innovative learning resources; design research to understand the impact of such resources; strategies to implement effective instruction in a department or multiple departments, within or across institutions; faculty development projects; design and testing of instruments for measuring student outcomes; and proposals for untested and unconventional activities that could have a high impact on learning and contribute to transforming undergraduate STEM education. Proposals are particularly encouraged that address immediate challenges and opportunities facing undergraduate STEM education, as well as those that anticipate new structures (e.g. organizational changes, new methods for certification or credentialing, course re-conception, Cyberlearning, etc.) and new functions of the undergraduate learning and teaching enterprise. Exploration and Design Tier for Engaged Student Learning & Institution and Community Transformation proposal deadline: November 02, 2016.

The Hydrographic Society Of America: Student Scholarships
Application deadlines: November 15, 2016.

The Data Incubator: 8-week fellowship
Application deadline: November 17, 2016.

NSF: ADVANCE: Increasing the Participation and Advancement of Women in Academic Science and Engineering Careers (ADVANCE) Program Solicitation
Letter of intent due date: December 14, 2016.

Meetings & Activities

Early Career Researcher Spotlight: Early career C-DEBI scientists learn to navigate the ocean with the National Deep Submergence Facility
In early August 2016, 24 early career scientists set sail from Woods Hole, Massachusetts on research cruise AT-36 to the northwest Atlantic continental slope. There, more than a kilometer beneath the water’s surface, new methane seeps and coral habitat had recently been discovered, and the multidisciplinary team of scientists was eager to conduct a more thorough investigation.The primary aim of the expedition was to train young researchers (and potential future users) on the operational realities and scientific capabilities of National Deep Submergence Facility (NDSF) assets. With this in mind, the Research Vessel Atlantis was filled to the brim with an impressive technical arsenal. The human occupied submersible Alvin shared deck space with the autonomous underwater vehicle Sentry and a number of more standard oceanographic tools; daily plans sought to leverage these complementary capabilities in support of an integrated scientific program. Among the scientific team were several members of the C-DEBI community, including Roman Barco, Anne Dekas, Colleen Hoffman, Sean Jungbluth, and Katrina Twing. Read more.

Goldschmidt2017: Call for sessions suggestions and workshop proposals
Call for session suggestions: The Goldschmidt conference is the most important forum for the discussion of recent results in geochemistry and related fields. The theme leaders have now identified 23 themes and the whole geochemistry community is invited to make suggestions for sessions. Now is your chance to make sure that your area of science is represented at the conference. If you have any questions about the science, or if you want advice about your suggestion, please ask the theme leader (whose details are available on the conference website in their theme). The call for sessions is open now until November 1, 2016. Call for workshop proposals: The Goldschmidt2017 conference in Paris will carry on the tradition of running high quality teaching workshops and seminars on the weekend before the conference. Every year, the Goldschmidt conference draws in thousands of delegates from geochemistry and related subjects: the perfect audience for a workshop that teaches the skills, or discusses the topics, of our community. Is there a workshop or Town Hall meeting that you want to lead? If so, please submit your proposal for review before November 1, 2016.

IODP-USSSP: ECORD Accepting Applications for Facility Board
The European Consortium of Ocean Research Drilling (ECORD) is now accepting applications from active leading scientists from ECORD and the US to serve as Science Board Members of the ECORD Facility Board, the key forum for planning mission-specific platform (MSP) expeditions operated by ECORD. The primary tasks of the EFB are to: (1) recommend MSP expedition schedules, based on ready-to-drill, high-priority science proposals, optimal geographic distribution and costs; (2) assess the Annual ECORD Plan, including operations schedule, data management, publications, core curation, and scientific technical development; (3) advise on long-term planning of MSP expeditions; (4) participate in ECORD reviews of completed MSP expeditions; and (5) liaise with all major entities of IODP. The EFB meets once a year, usually in early spring. The new EFB members are expected to serve for three years, starting 1 January 2017. Travel costs for EFB-related activities are fully covered by the relevant IODP national funding organizations. Application deadline: December 2, 2016.

IODP Workshop: Demystifying the IODP Proposal Process for Early Career Scientists, January 23-25, 2017, Austin, Texas
The application deadline is November 11, 2016.

Employment

Portland State University: Assistant or Associate Professor of Biology
The Department of Biology at Portland State University (PSU) invites outstanding applicants for a Tenure Track Assistant or Associate Professor position in molecular, cellular, or physical biology, whose research program focuses broadly on areas of extremes in cellular environments. Such areas could include cellular responses to toxins or stress, fungal, protist, or other microbial adaptations to novel or pathogenic environments, tumor microenvironments, subcellular microenvironments, as well as other areas of innovative research. The successful candidate will be expected to have a Ph.D. and/or M.D. as well as a strong postdoctoral record, maintain an independent and collaborative grant-funded research program, participate in the Biology graduate program, and contribute to teaching in the cell and molecular biology curriculum at both the undergraduate and graduate level. PSU has strong working collaborations with nearby Oregon Health and Science University and the ability to utilize these collaborative opportunities would be considered a plus but not essential. Review of applications will begin November 1, 2016 and will continue until the position is filled.

Smithsonian: Research Geologist (Biomineralogy)
The Department of Mineral Sciences invites applications for the position of Research Geologist in biomineralogy. Preference will be given to those whose primary research focuses on study of and understanding biologically-mediated minerals and/or biologically-mediated mineral processes using existing or new techniques typically employed in the field of mineralogy or environmental mineralogy. Examples include but are not limited to the impacts of microbial or other biological activity on mineral alteration, mineral weathering, corrosion, mineralization, mineral formation, and metal redox transformations. The selected candidate will be expected to build an outstanding research program, and contribute to the growth and curation of the National Mineral Collection, particularly in the area of biominerals and other environmentally relevant minerals. Applicants should fully utilize the existing analytical strengths of the Dept. of Mineral Sciences, with instrumentation that includes field emission electron microprobe, field emission variable pressure analytical SEM, XRD, FTIR, fluid inclusion heating/freezing unit, cathodoluminescence microscope and spectrometer, biomineralogy laboratory, and experimental high-pressure and hydrothermal laboratories. Application deadline: November 11, 2016.

LDEO: Postdoctoral Fellowships in the Earth and Environmental Sciences
Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University invites applications for Postdoctoral Fellowships in the fields of Earth and environmental sciences. Candidates should have recently completed their Ph.D. or should expect to complete their degree requirements by September 2017. Researchers at the Observatory work to understand the dynamics of the Earth’s chemical, physical and biological systems, from the core to the upper atmosphere, including Earth’s interactions with human society. Our scientists lead research in the fields of solid Earth dynamics; ocean, atmospheric and climate systems; cryospheric dynamics; paleoclimate and biogeoscience. The principal selection criteria for Fellows are scientific excellence and a clearly expressed plan to investigate problems at the forefront of Earth science. Applications from all related fields are welcomed. Fellowships are supported institutionally for 24 months, include a $7,500 research allowance, and carry an annual salary of $64,000. Successful candidates will be encouraged to apply for external funding and may be eligible for further internal awards and positions. LDEO is especially interested in qualified candidates whose record of achievement will contribute to the diversity of the Observatory’s scientific personnel. The deadline for applications is November 14, 2016.

University of California, Santa Cruz: Two Tenure-Track Faculty Positions in the Earth and Planetary Sciences Department
(1) Fresh Water. We are especially interested in applicants who will develop a world class research program involving the physics and/or chemistry of hydrologic systems and processes and will complement and potentially collaborate in areas such as hydrogeology, geomorphology, atmospheric science, climate dynamics, glaciology, and/or biogeochemistry. We welcome applicants who conduct research using laboratory, field, remote sensing, and/or modeling tools. Next review date: November 23, 2016. (2) Global Biogeochemistry. We are especially interested in applicants who integrate and apply computer modeling and/or field and laboratory observations to investigate the interactions of biogeochemical systems/processes across or at the interface of marine and terrestrial environments on regional to global scales, and on human to geologic time scales. Next review date: December 1, 2016.

ExxonMobil: Member of Technical Staff – Microbiology
ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company (EMRE) has an immediate opening for a Member of Technical Staff at its Corporate Strategic Research laboratory located in Annandale, NJ. We are seeking a candidate in microbiology to join a team executing programs aimed at understanding and manipulating microbial metabolism as it applies to the oil and gas industry including petroleum microbiology, bioconversion, and microbial ecology. The successful candidate will participate in both experimental and analytical activities including cultivation and enrichment from environmental samples, and characterization of metabolism and physiology. Opportunities exist to participate in other activities including biofuels and microbial corrosion. A PhD in microbiology, biochemistry, or related field is required. The successful candidate must have a strong background and demonstrated scientific excellence in experimental microbiology and biochemistry. Previous experience with microbiology related to hydrocarbon environments, microbial physiology, molecular ecology, particularly anaerobic metabolism. Postdoctoral or industry research experience is desirable.

U Mass Amherst: Tenure Track Position in Aqueous & Environmental Geochemistry, Department of Geosciences
Review of applicants will begin November 1, 2016 and continue until the ideal candidate is identified.

Washington University in St. Louis: Assistant Professor of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Applications should be received by November 1, 2016 to ensure full consideration.

LUMCON: Faculty Positions
Review of applicants has been extended to November 1, 2016 and will continue until the positions are filled.

Rice University: Wiess Post-Doctoral Research Fellowship, Department of Earth Science
Application deadline: November 15, 2016.

The Ohio State University: Assistant Professor in Earth Sciences

University of Southern Mississippi: Postdoctoral Research Position in Marine Microbial Ecology
Review of applicants will begin immediately and proceed until the position is filled.