Caltech invites you and other faculty in your department to nominate your top rising junior or senior students of color (those who have been historically underrepresented in STEM including, but not limited to, African American/Black, Latin(x), Native/Indigenous/First Nation, and Hawaiian/Pacific Islander) who may be interested in pursuing a PhD in any division of science and engineering for FUTURE Ignited, an online virtual conference to be held on October 17. Participants in FUTURE Ignited will have an opportunity to engage in short science talks and “day in a life” presentations by current graduate students and to hear from panels of current students and faculty addressing topics including applying to graduate school, challenges of graduate life, financing graduate study, community-building, and much more. For seniors, the program includes small-group follow-up sessions about two weeks later to workshop the elements of graduate school applications. For juniors, the program includes information about Caltech’s WAVE program of summer undergraduate research experiences for students of color. The goal of FUTURE Ignited is to support the ambitions of aspiring young scientists of color and to cultivate a diverse next generation of scientific leaders. We are requesting that you or your colleagues complete a very short nomination form, which can be accessed through our website. Please distribute this announcement among your colleagues and encourage them to submit nominations. The student does not have to be from the same university as the nominator and does not have to be a U.S. citizen or a U.S. based student (we welcome you to nominate a student you may know through a research collaboration, visit, etc.). We strongly prefer nominations from faculty but will also consider nominations from non-faculty and self-nominations. Nominations are due by September 28, 2020.
Congratulations to C-DEBI Senior Scientist Victoria J. Orphan for being honored as a new member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (AAAS)!
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.
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.
Now entering its 16th year, the International Geobiology Course is an intense, multidisciplinary summer course exploring the coevolution of the Earth and it’s biosphere, with an emphasis on how microbial processes affect the environment and leave imprints on the rock record. Participants get hands-on experience in cutting-edge geobiological techniques, learn from a broad team of eminent scientists in the field, and work in research groups to solve relevant questions. Geobiology 2019 begins with a 10-day field trip to the Mammoth Springs area of the Eastern Sierra, to study hot springs, ancient sedimentary rocks and fossils, and the modern biogeochemistry of Mono Lake, as well as the coast near Ventura, CA to see sulfur springs and a world-famous exposure of the Monterey Formation. The course then returns to Caltech in Pasadena for ~2 weeks of laboratory instruction and hands-on experience with many of Caltech’s cutting edge facilities and instrumentation. We finish with 11 days at the Wrigley Marine Center on beautiful Catalina Island, learning from a rotating cast of geobiology instructors and working on project data. Geobiology 2019 is open to all graduate students and postdocs interested in pursuing geobiologic research as a career. We expect to admit 16 participants this year via competitive admissions. Preference is generally given to those in the midst of their program, rather than at the very beginning or end. Postdocs with training in other fields who want to work in geobiology are encouraged to apply. Applicants from around the world, including developing nations, are encouraged to apply. Financial aid is available for those with demonstrated need. Applications are due by February 8, 2019.
Featuring C-DEBI Researcher Victoria Orphan. Investigating Earth’s ancient history. Gaining new knowledge that could help inform the search for life at the edge of our solar system. Comprehending unseen forces that influence our changing climate. Victoria Orphan’s fascination with microbes connects her to all of that.
Victoria Orphan, the James Irvine Professor of Environmental Science and Geobiology, is one of three recipients of the NOMIS Distinguished Scientist and Scholar Award for 2018. The award is presented to “exceptional scientists, supporting them in their exploration of unconventional academic paths, thereby inciting new directions in science,” according to the NOMIS award announcement. “The foundation rewards innovative ideas and approaches that involve interdisciplinary collaboration and apply a broad range of methods, building bridges across the boundaries of the sciences and humanities. NOMIS favors researchers who choose to share their work and knowledge widely and who continuously look for new synergies and opportunities.” Orphan’s NOMIS-supported project, “Understanding Virus-Host Dynamics in Ocean Ecosystems,” will investigate the impact of marine viruses on the transformation of carbon, nitrogen, and sulfur in ocean surface waters and sediments.
There will be a 1-day symposium held at Caltech on June 28 sponsored by the International Geobiology Course. The topic of the symposium is “Signs of Life from the Fringe”, and explores recent efforts to find and/or understand life in extreme environments, the deep subsurface, in deep time, and on Mars. The program includes:
- Dawn Sumner (University of California, Davis): “Thriving in the Fringe Environments of Liquid Water in Antarctica: Photosynthetic Mats in Ice-Covered Lakes”
- Victoria Orphan (California Institute of Technology): “Dead or Alive? Signs of Life from the Deep Biosphere”
- Tori Hoehler (NASA Ames Research Center): “Biosignatures in the Context of Low Energy Flux”
- Jochen Brocks (Australian National University): “The Rise of Algae and the Emergence of Animals”
- Jennifer Stern (NASA Goddard Space Flight Center): “Roving for Breadcrumbs: Seeking Signatures of Life and Habitability on the Surface of Mars”
- Ken Williford (Jet Propulsion Laboratory): “Mars 2020 and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life”
The symposium will be held in the Sharp Lecture Hall on Thursday, June 28 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 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.
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. This year the course will be 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, Cambrian rocks, and Mono Lake, and back down to the coast near Ventura to study sulfur springs and tar seeps, and a world-famous exposure of the Monterey Formation. Two weeks of lab rotations at Caltech will introduce students to cutting-edge analytical techniques, followed by two weeks at the Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island. The 2018 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; financial aid is available for those with demonstrated need. Application deadline: February 9, 2018.
The California Institute of Technology (Caltech), Postdoctoral Scholars Program at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) invites applications for a postdoctoral research position in JPL’s Planetary Ices Group. Dr. Laurie Barge will serve as JPL postdoctoral advisor to the selected candidate. The appointee will carry out research in collaboration with the JPL advisor, resulting in publications in the open literature. The “Becoming Biotic” project, funded by the NSF-NASA Ideas Lab for the Origins of Life, aims to provide the first direct examination of hypotheses regarding the emergence of metabolic pathways. The goal is to attempt to recapitulate ancient metabolic pathways by replacing protein enzymes with non-protein catalysts in early Earth conditions. The two-year project will consist of tasks conducted in a multi-institution effort between JPL, University of Southern California, and Oberlin College. Frequent communication and coordination will be required with the USC/Oberlin Co-I’s and their postdocs and students. The successful candidate will: 1. Identify a set of early Earth conditions under which we will test whether the cofactors can drive metabolic reactions. This will be done jointly with Co-I’s at USC and Oberlin. 2. Test individual cofactors for their ability to catalyze metabolic reactions in the absence of protein enzymes. This Task will also involve the development of synthesis procedures for organic and inorganic cofactors. 3. Measure the kinetics of cofactor-driven reactions for a set of ancient metabolic pathways under several early Earth conditions. 4. Recapitulate an ancient metabolic pathway under several early Earth conditions using cofactors without protein enzymes. Candidates should have a recent Ph.D. in chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, geochemistry or related fields. Most important is direct experience in protein cofactor chemistry outside of cellular environments, mineral synthesis, and anoxic chemical synthesis methods. Candidates should have experience working with analytical methods (particularly 1H liquid NMR) and working with hazardous chemicals (e.g. thioacetic acid, hydrogen sulfide).
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:
- Molecular biology and biogeochemistry of Mono Lake, with an emphasis on sulfur cycle processes in this unusual alkaline lake.
- Microbiology and molecular biology of organisms living in sulfidic and/or hydrocarbon-rich environments.
- Mineral, sedimentologic, and geochemical evidence for life in ancient rocks of the Monterey Formation.
This year the course will be directed by Alex Sessions, Woody Fischer, Victoria Orphan, and Hope Johnson, but remains in a format similar to previous years. It begins with a field trip up the eastern Sierra Nevada to visit hot springs, Cambrian rocks, and Mono Lake, and back down to the coast near Ventura to study sulfur springs and tar seeps, and a world-famous exposure of the Monterey Formation. Two weeks of lab rotations at Caltech will introduce students to cutting-edge analytical techniques, followed by two weeks at the Wrigley Marine Science Center on Catalina Island.
The 2017 course is open to graduate students and postdocs at any level. The cost of the course is US$4000. This year, two fellowships are available to help support postdocs trained in other fields who wish to enter geobiology as a new field of study.
Applications due February 10, 2017.