Updated GeoPRISMS Implementation Plan is now available

Updated Version of the GeoPRISMS Implementation Plan is now available
    with a new section for the following primary site:
    – New Zealand (Updated December 23, 2013)
I am pleased to report that after several months of effort, and with excellent input provided by the scientific community, the primary site section for New Zealand as now been updated in the GeoPRISMS Implementation Plan.  This is the last of the five primary site sections to be updated in this document, following the many primary site planning workshops held over the last three years, and the guidance of more than 40 lead writers and untold other contributers.  With this addition, the GeoPRISMS Implementation Plan is now COMPLETE (i.e., no longer a draft), although as a “living document”, it is still subject to further revisions and updates based on community discussions and decisions at future workshops.  This is a wonderful close to my term as GeoPRISMS Chair (technically over on September 30), and I am thrilled to release this to all of you before the new year!
The final version of the Implementation Plan can be downloaded at the following site:
  http://www.geoprisms.nineplanetsllc.com/science-plan.html  (Select the “Implementation Plan” tab)
The full document can be downloaded in pdf format.  The updated New Zealand section, as well as Alaska, Cascadia, Eastern North America (ENAM), and East African Rift System (EARS) sections, also can be downloaded as separate pdfs, as can the revised appendices: A – IP Writing Team, B – IP Workshops, and C – IP Update history.
Please note, NSF GeoPRISMS proposals (including GeoPRISMS Postdoctoral Fellowship proposals) are due July 1, 2014.  You can vew the full GeoPRISMS solicitation on the NSF website at:
  http://nsf.gov/funding/pgm_summ.jsp?pims_id=13516&org=GEO&from=home
And for more information about the types of proposals that will be accepted and when, please see:
  http://www.geoprisms.nineplanetsllc.com/research.html
Please let us know if you have questions.
Juli Morgan, former GeoPRISMS Chair
  and the GeoPRISMS Office (info@geoprisms.nineplanetsllc.com)

Important – submitting proposals for Cascadia Initiative data

Important information for submitting proposals to work on data from Cascadia Initiative
The Dear Colleague Letter for Cascadia Initiative has been updated and is now officially posted at:
The main change is that proposals should be submitted to MGG and/or EarthScope. Rather than submitting to GeoPRISMS, PIs proposing analyses of combined on & offshore data should submit to either MGG or EarthScope; support may be shared between the programs if objectives are in line with both.
This change was made in view of the limited funds available in GeoPRISMS and the fact that the window for major emphasis in that program has shifted to other sites.
For any further information please contact the cognizant program officers (MGG: Bilal Haq and Donna Blackman; Earthscope: Greg Anderson and Maggie Benoit)

REMINDER: GeoPRISMS AGU Townhall Meeting and Community/Student Forum

GeoPRISMS AGU Townhall Meeting and Community / Student Forum

When: AGU Fall Meeting 2013 – Monday, December 9, 6:00 PM

Where: Westin Market Street Hotel, Franciscan Rm 3 – 50 Third St., (between Mission and Market)

Come hear updates about

– The GeoPRISMS Program (Peter van Keken, Bilal Haq)
– The Community Seismic Experiment in the GeoPRISMS ENAM Focus Area (Harm van Avendonk)
– The MARGINS Mini-Lessons Project (Julia Morgan)
– Ongoing GeoPRISMS research from student presenters

Read more →

Town Hall at AGU for Community Input on the Decadal Survey of Ocean Sciences

The National Research Council is conducting a Decadal Survey of Ocean Sciences (DSOS 2015) and wants to hear from you!
The purpose of this decadal study, sponsored by the NSF, is to review the current state of knowledge, identify compelling scientific questions for the next decade, analyze infrastructure needed to address these questions vs. the current NSF portfolio, and identify opportunities to maximize the value of NSF investments.
The DSOS committee feels strongly that this report must be informed by broad and thoughtful community input from across the entire spectrum of ocean sciences supported by NSF. One of the ways we are soliciting community input is through a Virtual Town Hall: http://nas-sites.org/dsos2015/.  The site provides more detailed information on the statement of task, as well as a complete list of the DSOS committee members.  Please go to the website and contribute your comments regarding the top ocean science priorities for the next decade. Thank you!
Although the Virtual Town Hall is the primary vehicle for community input, there is also a Town Hall scheduled at the Fall AGU meeting:
Town Hall for Community Input on the Decadal Survey of Ocean Sciences.
Session number: TH15H
10 December 2013
6:15 PM – 7:15 PM
Moscone West Room 2007

Request for feedback on ENAM Community Seismic Experiment design

                    The ENAM Community Seismic Experiment will involve the acquisition of onshore/offshore, active and passive seismic data focused on the mid-Atlantic Eastern North American rifted margin during a series of field programs in the spring and summer of 2014. The data will be openly available to the community and will also serve as the focus for short courses on active-source data analysis.

The overall location of this study was chosen based on community input from an online poll.  The experiment is designed to acquire data that can be used to address key questions in the GeoPRISMS science plan concerning the formation and post-rift evolution of rifted continental margins at a variety of scales. In particular, this experiment encompasses the rifted margin from unextended continental crust onshore to oceanic crust offshore and spans multiple rift segments along the margin. It also covers several submarine landslides on the continental slope. We now invite suggestions from the community on how this plan might be modified to maximize the science of the program.  Many aspects of the program are tightly constrained by logistical considerations, including allocated ship time, currents and water depths offshore, and the feasibility of line locations onshore.  However, it is still possible for us to make modest adjustments to some line and instrument locations, so we would like feedback from the community on the design of this program.

Please see the website below for maps, GoogleEarth kmz files and descriptions of the experiment plan. If you have comments or suggestions on this plan, please send your comments to one of the PI’s by email by Jan 15, 2014.

http://www.geoprisms.nineplanetsllc.com/enam/community-seismic-experiment.html

We look forward to your feedback.

ENAM CSE PI’s:
Harm Van Avendonk (UT Austin), harm@ig.utexas.edu
Beatrice Magnani (SMU), mmagnani@mail.smu.edu
Donna Shillington (LDEO), djs@ldeo.columbia.edu
Dan Lizarralde (WHOI), danl@whoi.edu
Matt Hornbach (SMU), mhornbach@smu.edu
Jim Gaherty (LDEO), gaherty@ldeo.columbia.edu
Brandon Dugan (Rice), dugan@rice.edu
Mareen Long (Yale), maureen.long@yale.edu
Anne Bécel (LDEO), annebcl@ldeo.columbia.edu
Maggie Benoit (TCoNJ), benoit@tcnj.edu
Steven Harder (UT El Paso), harder@utep.edu
Gail Christeson (UT Austin), gail@ig.utexas.edu

IODP Mini-Workshop at the AGU Fall Meeting

IODP Drilling to Basement in the Aleutian Basin: What can we learn from the Sedimentary Section?

When: Wednesday, December 11, 2013 – 6:00PM – 9:00PM

Where: Marriott Marquis (780 Mission Street), Room Sierra E

Conveners: Bob Stern (UT Dallas), Dave Scholl, Ginger Barth, Dan Scheirer (USGS)

This meeting is being convened to discuss pre-proposal IODP 825-Pre (Establishing the Age and Origin of the Aleutian Basin, Bering Sea). The proposal plans to explore the tectonic development of the Aleutian Basin by drilling into one of the central ridges of the Vitus Arch and sample, determine ages, and further characterize the nature of Aleutian Basin basement rocks. Sampling the Aleutian Basin seafloor requires drilling through ~1 km of sediment, which is expected to range back to at least Oligocene time, and probably older. These sediments provide a wide range of rich research opportunities — such as a continuous high-latitude climate record extending back to early Cenozoic time, diagenesis of silica-rich sediments, methane hydrates, etc.

We invite scientists who are interested in these studies to attend the mini-workshop and to discuss ideas and potential collaborations. Attendance is free. Food will be provided.

For further information, please contact Robert Stern (University of Texas at Dallas, rjstern@utdallas.edu)
http://usssp-iodp.org/workshop/aleutian-basin/

GeoPRISMS AGU Townhall Meeting and Community / Student Forum

GeoPRISMS AGU Townhall Meeting and Community / Student Forum

When: AGU Fall Meeting 2013 – Monday, December 3, 6:00 PM

Where: Westin Market Street Hotel, Franciscan Rm 3 – 50 Third St., (between Mission and Market)

Come hear updates about

– The GeoPRISMS Program (Peter van Keken, Bilal Haq)
– The Community Seismic Experiment in the GeoPRISMS ENAM Focus Area (Harm van Avendonk)
– The MARGINS Mini-Lessons Project (Julia Morgan)
– Ongoing GeoPRISMS research from student presenters
Read more →

The ExTerra White Paper Draft is now available

                    Dear GeoPRISMS Community

Following on the successful ExTerra 2013 workshop prior to this summer’s Goldschmidt conference, we have updated the ExTerra white paper. You can find the white paper draft on our website: http://www.geoprisms.nineplanetsllc.com/scd/exterra.html . We are working to finalize the white paper this month and would appreciate any comments you might have before the AGU meeting, ideally by December 9.

GeoPRISMS is having a Town Hall meeting at AGU on Monday evening, December 9 from 6-9 pm in the Franciscan Ballroom of the Westin Market Street Hotel (http://www.geoprisms.nineplanetsllc.com/agu-townhall.html). We would like to encourage all of you interested in ExTerra to come to this town hall meeting as a way to get together with each other and also to find out more about what’s happening with GeoPRISMS.

Thank you

The GeoPRISMS Office,

Maureen Feineman (mdf12@psu.edu)
Sarah Penniston-Dorland (sarahpd@umd.edu)


www.geoprisms.nineplanetsllc.com

Faculty Positions, Postdoctoral and Graduate Fellowships

1)    Marine Science Faculty Positions – Coastal Carolina University
2)    Faculty Position in Experimental Earth Science – Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University
3)    Assistant Professor, Tenure Track in Geophysics – California State University, Fresno
4)    Postdoctoral Fellowship and Graduate Fellowship – University of Rhode Island / Smithsonian

PLEASE NOTE, NEW JOB ANNOUNCEMENTS (USUALLY) WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO THE GeoPRISMS LISTSERV ON THE 1st AND 15th OF EACH MONTH.

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1)    Marine Science Faculty Positions – Coastal Carolina University

•    Tenure-Track Position: Assistant Professor of Marine Science

The Department of Marine Science at Coastal Carolina University invites applications for a tenure-track position as Assistant Professor of Marine Science with a specialization in Coastal or Marine Geology. The appointment will be effective August 2014. We seek a highly motivated individual with a commitment to undergraduate and graduate education that embraces the teacher scholar model and provides active learning experiences in the classroom as well as in field and research opportunities.
Applicants must have a Ph.D. in Marine Science or related field. Applicants with expertise in any sub-discipline of Marine Geology are invited to apply, although specializations in sediment transport, physical/numerical modeling, geomorphology or coastal geology are particularly encouraged. This position will be expected to teach introductory and upper division courses in the undergraduate Marine Science program and develop a viable externally funded research program in their specialty actively involving undergraduate and graduate students. Prior experience with distance learning would be beneficial.
Marine Science is one of the largest undergraduate departments within CCU and is committed to collaborative, interdisciplinary research and education. The Burroughs and Chapin Center for Marine and Wetland Studies and the School of Coastal and Marine System Science maintains a broad array of instrumentation and support staff well equipped for broad pursuits especially in geophysical seafloor and sub-bottom mapping, hydrodynamic observation and modeling, hydrogeology, and water quality analysis.
Coastal Carolina University is a public comprehensive liberal arts institution located just nine miles from the Atlantic coast resort of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. CCU enrolls more than 9,400 students from 45 states and 56 nations. The University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the baccalaureate and selective master’s degrees of national and/or regional significance in the arts and sciences, business, humanities, education, and health and human services and a Ph.D. degree in Coastal & Marine System Science.
Candidates should submit a letter of application, a current CV, copies of all transcripts, and a statement of teaching philosophy and research interests electronically at: http://jobs.coastal.edu. Review of applications will begin December 18, 2013 and continue until the position is filled.

Coastal Carolina University is an EO/AA employer.

•    Tenure-Track Position: Assistant/Association Professor of Coastal & Marine Systems Science

The School of Coastal and Marine Systems Science (SCMSS) at Coastal Carolina University invites applications for a tenure-track position as Assistant/Associate Professor of Coastal and Marine Systems Science. Appointment will begin August 2014.
Applicants must have a Ph.D. in a relevant field. The successful candidate will develop a sustained externally funded research program in their individual focus area, partner cooperatively on interdisciplinary teams within the new School (http://www.coastal.edu/scmss/) and provide instruction and supervision of masters and doctoral students. Applicants are sought with research and graduate interests in coastal and marine systems with preference for individuals that will contribute to and complement existing strengths of the School. Professionals with expertise in coastal engineering are also eligible to apply. Prior experience with distance learning would be beneficial.
The SCMSS houses the Center for Marine and Wetland Studies (http://bcmw.coastal.edu/), Waccamaw Watershed Academy, Environmental Quality Laboratory and related graduate programs. The School maintains a broad array of instrumentation and support staff well equipped for broad pursuits especially in geophysical seafloor and sub-bottom mapping, hydrodynamic observation and modeling, hydrogeology, and microbial and water quality analyses. A new 54′ research vessel is coming on line soon.
Coastal Carolina University is a public comprehensive liberal arts institution located just nine miles from the Atlantic coast resort of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Coastal enrolls more than 9,400 students from 45 states and 56 nations. The University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the baccalaureate and selective master’s degrees of national and/or regional significance in the arts and sciences, business, humanities, education, and health and human services and a Ph.D. degree in Marine Science.
Interested candidates should submit a letter of application, curriculum vitae, statement of research interest and contact information for at least three professional references, electronically at http://jobs.coastal.edu. Review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled.
Coastal Carolina University is an EO/AA employer.

•    Lecturer Position: Department of Marine Science

Coastal Carolina University invites applications for a Lecturer position in the Department of Marine Science. This position is a nine-month appointment with benefits and will begin August 2014. The Department of Marine Science is committed to collaborative, interdisciplinary education and research and seeks a highly motivated individual with a commitment to undergraduate teaching.
Applicants must have a M.S. or Ph.D. in Marine Science or a related marine field. The lecturer position may teach introductory marine science laboratory courses and may assist with the coordination of those courses and supervision of graduate teaching assistants. Additional teaching responsibilities may include a combination of introductory lectures and upper level laboratories in the marine science core. Preference will be given to applicants qualified to teach introductory and upper level marine biology or marine geology courses and laboratories. Further information about Coastal Carolina University and Marine Science can be found at http://jobs.coastal.edu/marine. Prior experience with distance learning (including laboratory) would be beneficial.
Coastal Carolina University is a public comprehensive liberal arts institution located just nine miles from the Atlantic coast resort of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Coastal enrolls more than 9,400 students from 45 states and 56 nations. The University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools to award the baccalaureate and selective master’s degrees of national and/or regional significance in the arts and sciences, business, humanities, education, and health and human services and a Ph.D. degree in Marine Science.
Candidates should submit a letter of application, a current CV, unofficial transcript, and a statement of teaching philosophy electronically at: http://jobs.coastal.edu. Review of applications will begin December 18, 2013 and will continue until the position is filled.
Coastal Carolina University is an EO/AA employer.

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2)    Faculty Position in Experimental Earth Science – Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences and the Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory of Columbia University

The Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences seeks applicants for a faculty position in Experimental Earth Science, at any rank from tenure-track assistant professor through full professor with tenure. We seek candidates who apply experimental laboratory approaches to the understanding of natural processes. We are open to a broad set of research topics relating to the application of chemical thermodynamics and reaction kinetics over a wide range of temperature and pressure, from the Earth’s crust to its deep interior. Examples of appropriate subjects include experimental igneous/metamorphic petrology, fluid-rock interaction, hydrothermal systems, geochemical environment of the early Earth, origins of life, natural resources, hydrocarbon reactions at elevated temperatures and pressures, chemical and physical volcanology. The successful candidate will be expected to teach foundational courses that support the discipline.
Minimum requirements are demonstrated scientific creativity and potential to build and sustain an innovative research program, a Ph.D. in a geoscience-related field, and capability to teach at undergraduate and graduate levels. The review of applications will begin December 2, 2013, and continue until the position is filled. For more information and to apply for this position, please visit our online site at: academicjobs.columbia.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=58478
Questions can be addressed to Steven Goldstein (steveg@ldeo.columbia.edu), chair of the search committee.
Columbia University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer.

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3)    Assistant Professor, Tenure Track in Geophysics – California State University, Fresno

We seek a Geophysicist to contribute to the geology degree programs, and complement existing strengths in tectonics, paleomagnetism, structural geology, petrology, sedimentary geology, engineering geology, geomorphology, paleoclimatology, and hydrogeology.  Incumbent is expected to develop a research program involving undergrad and Master’s level grad students. Teaching responsibilities at the lower division level may include introductory geology, and at the upper division level, the candidate will be expected to teach Geophysics. Other upper division or graduate level courses will depend on the candidate’s field of expertise. Requirements: Earned doctorate (Ph.D.) in Geology, Geophysics, or related Earth Sciences field. Qualifying degrees must be from an accredited institution or foreign equivalent. Must demonstrate excellence in research and scholarly activities, and demonstrate the ability to work with diverse faculty, staff, and students. Application materials must be on file by 1/13/14. For more info and to apply, visit http://apptrkr.com/407855.

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4)    Postdoctoral Fellowship and Graduate Fellowship – University of Rhode Island / Smithsonian

We are seeking candidates to join our research team and work collaboratively on an NSF-GeoPRISMS funded project to explore the influences of water, oxygen fugacity, and composition on calc-alkaline differentiation, with a focus on the Alaska-Aleutian Arc. Two opportunities are available:

(1) Graduate Research Fellowship in Geochemistry. We are currently seeking a PhD student to participate in a multi-disciplinary study of magmatic oxidation state and its relationship to calc-alkaline differentiation and formation of continental crust in the Aleutian arc, with emphasis on the records preserved by natural lavas and melt inclusions. Funding is available for a minimum of three years of study toward a PhD in oceanography at the University of Rhode Island, Graduate School of Oceanography, with joint work to be done at the National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution.  The student will be jointly mentored by Drs. Katherine Kelley (URI/GSO) and Elizabeth Cottrell (NMNH/Smithsonian). The student will have the opportunity to develop skills and new techniques in microanalytics (XANES, LAICPMS, EMP, FTIR), providing a broad education and research base in petrology/geochemistry. Graduate applications for URI/GSO are on-line at http://www.gso.uri.edu/academics/apply and applicants are encouraged to submit their applications by 15 January, 2014. Applicants attending AGU in 2013 are encouraged to contact Dr. Kelley at kelley@gso.uri.edu to arrange an in-person interview.

(2) Postdoctoral fellowship in experimental petrology based in the Department of Mineral Sciences at the Smithsonian Institution – National Museum of Natural History (NMNH).  Two years of support are available. The successful candidate will work collaboratively with the team on all aspects of the project with primary responsibility for carrying out an experimental program related to calc-alkaline differentiation at moderate pressures (~2 kb) using Mo-Hf-C alloy cold-seal pressure vessels. The postdoc will also have the opportunity to develop skills in microanalytics (XANES, LAICPMS, EMP, FTIR). Applicants should send a cover letter, CV, graduate transcript (unofficial transcripts accepted), and the names and email addresses of three references to Liz Cottrell at CottrellE@si.edu. Applicants should indicate in their cover letter the date by which they anticipate having their doctoral degree conferred. Review of applications will begin on January 30th but individuals attending AGU in 2013 are encouraged to contact us in advance to arrange a meeting. The Smithsonian is an equal opportunity employer.