[SPA] SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER, Volume XXV, Issue 65

Thu Oct 11 18:22:11 PDT 2018

AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION
SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER
Volume XXV, Issue 65
Oct.11,2018

***********************************************************************

Table of Contents

1. October 19 Deadline for Response to RFI: SMD Strategic Plan for Scientific Data and Computing

2. MEETING: SMD Workshop on Maximizing the Scientific Return of NASA Data, October 30th-31st

3. JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Fellow in Space Physics, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, NL, Canada

4. JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Position in Radio and Ionospheric Research

5. JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Fellowships in Space Physics

6. Three New RHESSI Science Nuggets

***********************************************************************

Announcement Submission Website: http://goo.gl/forms/qjcm4dDr4g

1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1

October 19 Deadline for Response to RFI: SMD Strategic Plan for Scientific Data and Computing

From: Janet Kozyra (Janet.Kozyra at nasa.gov)

Request for Information
Solicitation Number: NNH18ZDA017L
Release Date: September 18, 2018
Response Date: 11:59 PM Eastern Time October 19, 2018

The NASA Science Mission Directorate requests information, comments and suggestions to assist in the development of a Strategic Plan for Scientific Data and Computing. The objective of the Strategic Plan is to articulate a whole-of-SMD 5-year strategy that has four overall goals:  

(1) Improve discovery and access for all SMD data for immediate benefit to science data users and to improve the overall user experience.  

(2) Identify large-scale and cross-disciplinary/division science users and use cases to inform future science data system capabilities.  

(3) Enable strong theory programs that are firmly based on NASA’s observations.  

(4) Modernize science data and computing systems to improve efficiency and enable new technology and analysis techniques for scientific discovery and commercial use.

The Strategic Plan for Scientific Data and Computing is intended to span the range of activities within the Science Mission Directorate, including opportunities for cross-disciplinary science investigations. Respondents in all fields of NASA science, engineering, industry, and academia are encouraged to think broadly about future capabilities and needs in order to ensure a range of views. NASA will use your response to aid in programmatic decisions about future investments for data and computing, including partnerships with private sector and philanthropic organizations. 

This RFI is not to be construed as a commitment by the Government nor will the Government pay for information solicited. No proposals will be awarded funding as a result of this RFI.  This RFI is open to responses from all parties including commercial entities, international organizations, academia, NASA Centers, and other government agencies. The full text of the RFI and response instructions can be found on NSPIRES at:  https://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary!init.do?solId={B896B39A-F430-1916-2247-B791CE3D5FBF}&path=open. Responses will be accepted only if submitted via NSPIRES. Responses provided by email, mail or other means will not be accepted. 

Questions concerning this RFI may be addressed to Kevin Murphy, Science Mission Directorate, NASA, Washington, DC 20546; Email: hq-smd-data-computing-rfi at mail.nasa.gov and Ellen Gertsen, Science Mission Directorate, NASA, Washington, DC 20546; Email: hq-smd-data-computing-rfi at mail.nasa.gov. 

2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2-2

MEETING: SMD Workshop on Maximizing the Scientific Return of NASA Data, October 30th-31st

From: Bob McGuire (robert.e.mcguire at nasa.gov)

NASA’s Science Mission Directorate (SMD) seeks to expand human knowledge through new scientific discoveries in order to understand the Sun, Earth, Solar System, and Universe.  SMD, in partnership with the Nation’s science community, conducts scientific studies of the Earth and Sun from space, returns data and samples from other bodies in the solar system, and peers out into the vast reaches of the universe.  Each of the four Science Divisions within SMD generates, analyzes, and archives large amounts of data to support unique science objectives and delivers data and scientific results to millions of users around the world.

In the past, management of data and computing resources has been conducted based on the specific needs of each mission or Division, with limited consideration for enabling inter-disciplinary research.  SMD seeks to develop a new Strategic Plan for Scientific Data and Computing to guide the evolution of the array of data and computing systems supporting research across the four science areas within SMD over the next five years.  To inform this work, SMD is hosting a Workshop on Maximizing the Scientific Return of NASA Data on October 30th and 31st in Washington, D.C.  The workshop will bring together thought leaders from academia, industry, and government to gather community input on a new, whole-of-SMD approach that leverages advances in information technology to enable groundbreaking scientific research. 

To find out more information about this event and to register, please go to https://www.eventbrite.com/e/workshop-on-maximizing-the-scientific-return-of-nasa-data-tickets-50865373702. Registration is free, but space is limited.

3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3-3

JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Fellow in Space Physics, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, NL, Canada

From: Danny Summers (dsummers at mun.ca)

A position of Postdoctoral Fellow in Space Physics is available in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, Canada. Candidates should have a Ph.D. in space physics, plasma physics, or related field. Experience is required in one or more of the following :  radiation belt physics, Earth's magnetosphere, solar wind, planetary magnetospheres, kinetic theory, MHD, computer simulations. Initial
appointment is for one year, renewable subject to satisfactory performance and budget. Please send letter of application, statement of research interests and CV, and have at least three letters of reference sent, to Professor Danny Summers, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St John's, NL, Canada A1C 5S7. 

4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4-4

JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Position in Radio and Ionospheric Research

From: Brett Isham (bisham at bayamon.inter.edu)

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering of Interamerican University of Puerto Rico, located on the Bayamon campus near San Juan, has an opening for a postdoctoral faculty position in radio and ionospheric research.  Required qualifications are a PhD, relevant research experience, and proficiency in spoken English or Spanish.  Appointments are for one year and may be renewed for a second year, contingent on continued funding.  The anticipated start date is mid-January 2019.  

The successful candidate will participate in the development, implementation, and use of high-frequency radio techniques, with a principle goal of producing HF radar images of the ionosphere and HF radio images of stimulated ionospheric turbulence, in conjunction with the VIPIR HF radar in eastern Puerto Rico and the high-frequency ionospheric modification transmitter at the Arecibo Observatory.  Other duties include teaching one or two BS or MS-level classes per year.  The Bayamon campus emphasizes innovative and effective teaching strategies.

Atmospheric research programs at the Bayamon campus also include the study of aerosols in the boundary layer, atmospheric electricity from the troposphere to the ionosphere, and plasma instabilities in the auroral ionosphere.  In addition, the campus has a CubeSat program which offers opportunities to develop collaborations and proposals to fly instruments for ionospheric and space research, and an optical laboratory is available on campus at the Interamerican School of Optometry.  The Arecibo Observatory is a 90-minute drive from campus, the NOAA VIPIR HF radar, located at the USGS San Juan Observatory, is a 60-minute drive, and the Puerto Rico Photonics Institute is a 50-minute drive.  

Applications should include a one-page cover letter, a CV, brief statements discussing research and teaching interests and relevant experience, copies of up to five selected publications, copies of university transcripts or diplomas, contact information for three professional references, and a completed Interamerican University employment application form.  The application deadline is Friday November 9. 

To obtain a copy of the application form, for information about submission and deadlines, and for other questions, please contact Prof. Brett Isham at bisham at bayamon.inter.edu. 

Interamerican University of Puerto Rico supports equal opportunity in employment and encourages applications from all interested and qualified individuals. 

5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5-5

JOB OPENING: Postdoctoral Fellowships in Space Physics

From: Linghua Wang (wanglhwang at pku.edu.cn)

The Institute of Space Physics and Applied Technology (ISPAT) at Peking University in Beijing is seeking applicants for Boya Postdoctoral Fellows in Space physics, to conduct original research addressing the origin, acceleration, transport, and wave-particle interactions of suprathermal and energetic particles at the Sun, in the interplanetary medium, and/or in the planetary magnetosphere. The successful candidates will analyze in situ and remote-sensing measurements related to suprathermal and energetic particles from Wind, ACE, STEREO, RHESSI, Parker Solar Probe, Van Allen probes, MMS, etc.. The candidates are also expected to publish papers in peer-reviewed scientific journals, present results at scientific meetings and workshops, and perhaps support the development of space-borne energetic particle instruments. 
The appointment will be for two years, renewable for a third year subject to a performance evaluation and the availability of funding.

Salary: 300,000 Chinese Yuan (CNY) plus benefits of health, welfare and housing
Start date: September 1 2019 to July 1 2020 
Requirements: (1) a PhD degree in physics, space physics, plasma physics, astrophysics or a related discipline, completed or expected by effective date; (2) previous research experience in space plasma physics, solar and heliospheric physics, or magnetospheric physics, related to suprathermal particles (preference may be given to candidates also with experimental hardware experience in these fields); (3) expertise in scientific programming, e.g., in IDL and FORTRAN.

Qualified applicants should submit a CV (including a full publication list), brief summary of research experience, plan of future research, and two confidential letters of recommendation (including one from the applicant’s Ph.D. supervisor), to Linghua Wang (wanglhwang at pku.edu.cn) and Qiugang Zong (qgzong at pku.edu.cn). The application deadline is December 15, 2018. 

6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6-6

Three New RHESSI Science Nuggets

From: Hugh Hudson (hhudson at ssl.berkeley.edu)

No. 332, “Photospheric response to a flare,” by Mike Wheatland: Sudden changes in the magnetic field in the lower atmosphere associated with particle acceleration.

No. 333, “Coronal hard X-ray sources revisited,” by Brian Dennis. Reporting some over-interpretation of the evidence for “coronal thick targets”.

No. 334, “White-light emission and non-thermal electrons,” by Kyoung-Sun LEE. An intimate relationship between accelerated electrons and visible continuum emission.

See http://sprg.ssl.berkeley.edu/~tohban/wiki/index.php/RHESSI_Science_Nuggets listing the current series, 2008-present, and http://sprg.ssl.berkeley.edu/~tohban/nuggets/ for the original series, 2005-2008. We publish these at roughly two-week intervals and welcome contributions, which should be related, at least loosely, to RHESSI science.

***** SUBSCRIPTION AND ANNOUNCEMENT REQUESTS *****

The AGU Space Physics and Aeronomy (SPA) Section Newsletter is issued approximately weekly. Back issues are available at:

http://spa.agu.org/category/newsletters/

To request announcements for distribution by the newsletter, please use the online submission form at:
http://goo.gl/forms/qjcm4dDr4g

To subscribe to the newsletter, please go to the web page at:
http://lists.igpp.ucla.edu/mailman/listinfo/spa
(Do not use this web page to post announcements.)

NOTE: Due to the large number of SPA-related sessions at major conferences, the SPA Newsletter can no longer accept announcement requests for individual sessions at AGU, AOGS, COSPAR, EGU, or IAGA Meetings. Titles and web links (if available) of these sessions will be distributed in a special issue of the Newsletter before the abstract deadline.

SPA Web Site: http://spa.agu.org/

SPA Newsletter Editorial Team: Peter Chi (Editor), Guan Le (Co-Editor), Sharon Uy, Marjorie Sowmendran, Todd King, and Kevin Addison

*************** END OF NEWSLETTER ****************