[SPA] SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER, Volume XXVII, Issue 19

[Newsletter Editor]

AMERICAN GEOPHYSICAL UNION
SPA SECTION NEWSLETTER
Volume XXVII, Issue 19
Mar.28,2020

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Table of Contents

1. Nominations for AGU Awards - Deadline April 15

2. NSF/AGS Update March 2020

3. NASA Heliophysics Mission Design School Pilot Application Deadline Extended to April 13

4. JOB OPENING: Research Scientist in Electric Field Group at NASA/GSFC 

5. JOB OPENING: Ionosphere Scientist - Sensor Developer at The Aerospace Corporation

6. RHESSI Nuggets in March 2020

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


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Nominations for AGU Awards - Deadline April 15

From: Christina Cohen (cohen at srl.caltech.edu)

Our community has an abundance of extraordinary scientists, some of which you may know personally.  I urge you to nominate these deserving individuals for one of the appropriate AGU Union or SPA awards.

The deadline for nomination submission for the Union awards has been extended to April 15 (www.agu.org/Honor-and-Recognize/Honors/Union-Awards/#1)

The SPA award nominations are due at the same time, April 15 (connect.agu.org/spa/awards/spa-section-awards).  These include
- Fred Scarf award for outstanding dissertation research
- USA Basu early career award for outstanding research on the Sun-Earth system
- International Basu early career award for outstanding Sun-Earth system research in a developing country
- SPARC education and public outreach award
As well as the Nicolet and Van Allen lectures

Union Awards to consider include:
- Spilhaus Award given in recognition of ‘enhancement of the public engagement with Earth and space sciences.’
- Africa Award given to an early career scientist from the African continent in recognition of ‘completing significant work that shows the focus and promise of making outstanding contributions to research in space science.’
- Lal Medal given in recognition of ‘outstanding Earth and/or space sciences research by a scientist belonging to and working in a developing country.’
- Macelwane Medal given in recognition for ‘significant significant contributions to the geophysical sciences by an outstanding early career scientist.’
- Simpson Medal given in recognition of ‘significant contributions to the Earth and space sciences by an outstanding mid-career scientist.’
- Fleming Medal given in recognition for ‘original research and technical leadership in geomagnetism, atmospheric electricity, aeronomy, space physics, and/or related sciences.’
- Bowie Medal given in recognition for “outstanding contributions for fundamental geophysics and for unselfish cooperation in research.”


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NSF/AGS Update March 2020

From: Michael Wiltberger (mwiltber at nsf.gov)

Dear Colleagues,

We hope that you are doing well during this difficult period. 

NSF staff are teleworking and we hope to provide the AGS community with uninterrupted service while the impacts of COVID-19 are being felt.  Please do not hesitate to contact us on regular issues related to the NSF proposal and review process.  However, NSF is deferring to institutional rules and regulations for how to deal with schedules, budgets, and other impacts of COVID-19.

I’m enclosing some information that may be of potential interest to you.

Stay safe and be well!

Anjuli S. Bamzai, Director, Division of Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences (AGS)

NSF notice on COVID-19:
The Foundation has issued Important Notice No 146 to the Community Regarding COVID-19. NSF has also issued additional guidance on NSF’s implementation of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Memorandum (M-20-17), entitled, Administrative Relief for Recipients and Applicants of Federal Financial Assistance Directly Impacted by the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) due to Loss of Operations. NSF has implemented flexibilities authorized by OMB from specific administrative, financial management and audit requirements contained in 2 CFR Part 200, Uniform Administrative Requirements, Cost Principles and Audit Requirements for Federal Awards without compromising accountability requirements.

Questions about the policies described in the NSF Guidance should be directed to policy at nsf.gov. NSF is working to update existing FAQs and other resources to reflect NSF’s new guidance and will keep staff and the community informed at:nsf.gov/coronavirus

Two Job Opportunities in AGS:
•        Permanent position in our NCAR & Facilities Section. This is open until April 6th. 
•        IPA rotator position in the Physical and Dynamic Meteorology program. Preference will be given to CVs collected by April 10th.

Funding opportunities relevant to the AGS community:
•        DCL – Geoscience Opportunities for Leadership in Diversity – Expanding the Network (GOLD-EN)
•        Spectrum Innovation Initiative: National Center for Wireless Spectrum Research (SII-Center)
•        EPSCoR Research Infrastructure Improvement Track 4: EPSCoR Research Fellows (RII Track-4)

Resources on distance learning:
Many institutions have transitioned to distance learning for the remaining of the 2019/2020 academic calendar.  Our Geosciences program director for Education & Diversity shared resources available through the Science Education Resource Center (SERC) and the National Association of Geoscience Teachers (NAGT) that may be of useful to you during this time.  These can be accessed at: https://serc.carleton.edu/teachearth/teach_geo_online/index.html


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NASA Heliophysics Mission Design School Pilot Application Deadline Extended to April 13

From: Leslie Lowes (Leslie.L.Lowes at jpl.nasa.gov)

Now through April 13, 2020, NASA is encouraging applications for the Heliophysics Mission Design School (HMDS), an early-career development pilot opportunity to help prepare the next generation of heliophysics science and engineering mission leaders.  This experience is an adaptation of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory’s long-running Planetary Science Summer School, focused on high-priority heliophysics content and mission design.  Participants learn the process of developing a hypothesis-driven robotic space mission in a concurrent engineering environment while getting an in-depth, first-hand look at mission design, life cycle, costs, schedule and the trade-offs inherent in each.

Science and engineering doctoral candidates, recent Ph.D.s, postdocs, junior faculty, and certain master’s degree students, who are U.S. Citizens or legal permanent residents (and a very limited number of Foreign Nationals from non-designated counties), are eligible.  Applicants from diverse backgrounds are particularly encouraged to apply. Partial financial support is available for a limited number of individuals.

Session 1: Preparatory Sessions Jun 22-Aug 28.  Culminating Week at JPL Aug 31-Sep 4

Session 2: Preparatory Sessions Sep 7-Nov 6.  Culminating Week at JPL Nov 9-13

Roughly equivalent in workload to a rigorous 3-hour graduate-level course, participants spend the first 10 weeks in preparatory webinars acting as a science mission team, prior to spending the final culminating week at JPL being mentored by JPL’s Advance Project Design Team, or “Team X” to refine their heliophysics mission concept design, then present it to a mock expert review board.

To apply and learn more about the NASA Science Mission Design Schools:
http://go.nasa.gov/missiondesignschools 


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JOB OPENING: Research Scientist in Electric Field Group at NASA/GSFC 

From: Rob Pfaff  (Robert.F.Pfaff at nasa.gov)

The Electric Field Group at the NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center seeks applicants for a research scientist position to work full time and be employed as a contractor.  In collaboration with scientists at Goddard, the successful candidate will conduct research with in situ measurements of DC and AC electric fields, magnetic fields, and plasma density data in both ionospheric and magnetospheric physics.  The researcher is expected to join a vibrant team that anticipates proposing for several future sounding rocket and satellite (small and medium size) electric field experiments.   Research activities include, but are not limited to, experimental investigations of: (1) DC and quasi-DC electric fields and currents at all latitudes, local times, and altitudes; (2) AC plasma waves and instabilities, and (3) fundamental electrodynamic processes in the upper atmospheres/ionospheres/magnetospheres of all planets, for which the earth serves as the most accessible analog.  Accordingly, this research complements past, ongoing, and future scientific/space weather research at Goddard.

An experimentalist is particularly sought who is familiar with spaceflight hardware and seeks to develop and expand her/his understanding and expertise of the electric field double probe technique.  Related expertise with respect to spacecraft charging simulations is desirable.  In addition to experimental work, this researcher will analyze electric field data on hand at Goddard, including that from the C/NOFS, DE-2, Van Allen Probes, FAST, and Polar satellites as well as from over 50 sounding rockets.

The selected candidate will have a PhD in space physics or similar field with an emphasis on experimental physics.  The candidate will have demonstrated knowledge of data analysis through publication in refereed journals.  He/she should have good verbal and written communication skills as well as experience in data visualization tools and languages such as Python, C++, MATLAB, and/or IDL.  

The selected candidate will be resident at the NASA/GSFC in Greenbelt, Maryland, and be employed as a contractor via an existing cooperative agreement.  Women and minority candidates are encouraged to apply. 

The position is full-time and includes full benefits. Salary is commensurate with qualifications and experience.  For full consideration, submit a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three references to Rob Pfaff at Robert.F.Pfaff at nasa.gov.  Informal inquiries via e-mail are welcomed.


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JOB OPENING: Ionosphere Scientist - Sensor Developer at The Aerospace Corporation

From: Joe Mazur (joseph.mazur at aero.org)

Join our team as we help shape the future of space exploration and applications. We are seeking a creative and motivated researcher with ionosphere and related expertise. This role involves conducting fundamental and applied space science research to solve hard problems related to effects of the space environment on space system design and operation.  The position focuses on magnetosphere-ionosphere-thermosphere coupling research, radio-frequency propagation through the ionosphere, and the development of innovative magnetometers and GNSS-based sensors. The role also includes reporting on scientific and application results through direct interactions with customers and corporate leadership, participation in scientific conferences, and through peer-reviewed publications.

Apply at: https://careers.aerospace.org/job/El-Segundo-Space-Scientist-Sensor-Developer-CA-90245/640596900/


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RHESSI Nuggets in March 2020

From: Hugh Hudson (hugh.hudson at glasgow.ac.uk)

No. 372: “Heating of the Solar Photosphere during a White-Light Flare”, by Jan Jurak: the best-ever spectrum of the flaring photosphere.

No. 373: "SOL2017-09-04 (M5.5) 2017 as a Source of Relativistic Electrons and Protons,” by Alexei Struminsky: Flare-accelerated particles, rather than SEPs, energize sustained gamma-ray emission.

No. 374: "Using overlappogram data to find hot flare plasma,” by Louise Harra: imaging Fe XXIV at high resolution with the EIS slot data

We welcome contributions to the RHESSI Nuggets, and the topics may wander some distance away from specifically RHESSI results if they are generally interesting. See http://sprg.ssl.berkeley.edu/~tohban/wiki/index.php/RHESSI_Science_Nuggets for these and others. Comments about specific flares can be found by searching for their SOLyyyy-mm-dd identifier from this home page.


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