Status Report

2021 International Summer School in Astrobiology: Register Today!

By SpaceRef Editor
March 2, 2021
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Searching for Life on Mars: Techniques & Challenges

The 2021 International Summer School in Astrobiology will review and assess the types of techniques that are necessary for detection of biosignatures on Mars, including Raman spectroscopy, the isotopic and chirality analyses that Rosalind Franklin rover will perform, and the advanced techniques needed to analyze samples both in-situ and in Earth-based laboratories.

The central question will be “how can we unequivocally detect biosignatures on Mars?” and the discussions will involve in-situ rovers, sample collecting and return, laboratory analyses on Earth, and the experiments that future human explorers may be able to perform. The lectures will be focused on instrumentation and techniques.

In addition to lectures, during the week the students will participate in discussions about the theme, prepare and present group projects, and take part in an excursion to a relevant astrobiological site near Santander.

Summer School Dates: Monday, September 6, through Friday, September 10, 2021, contingent on travel approval.

The application deadline is Thursday, April 1, 2021
Selections will be made by May 1, 2021
The school is primarily aimed at graduate students in science or engineering, but is open to anyone interested in the origin of life and astrobiology. Applicants requesting NASA Astrobiology Program support must be students affiliated with US institutions.
To apply:
1) Fill out and submit an application form.
2) Have your advisor submit a letter of recommendation.
Questions can be directed to Melissa Kirven from the NASA Astrobiology Program.
The participation of students from ESA Member States, Canada and Slovenia can be funded by the European Space Agency (ESA). Furthermore, students enrolled in Universities from European Union (as well as from other countries belonging to the European Higher Education Area, EHEA) could also be directly funded by the UIMP (Universidad Internacional Menéndez Pelayo). Interested students please contact Victor Parro for further details. The application deadline is TBD.
SpaceRef Editor

SpaceRef staff editor.

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