One can only conclude from the small numbers of minority students pursuing degrees and careers in fields such as atmospheric sciences, oceanography, and geology that information about the many outstanding career opportunities available in the earth and space sciences is not reaching these communities. This failure to recruit and retain ethnic and racial minorities, and even women, in these fields...
Jack Farmer's scientific career is clearly on track these days. He's the director and principal investigator of Arizona State University's astrobiology program, funded by NASA. He's also chair of the NASA Astrobiology Institute's Mars Focus Group, heading NASA's efforts to select landing sites with biological potential for the 2003 Twin Mars Exploration Rovers. As a leading exopaleontologist, Far...
flask Back to the Feature Index This set of questions and answers was compiled by a group of MD/PhD program directors to help applicants (and potential applicants) learn more about MD/PhD programs and about the process of applying to them. Some places to obtain additional information are included in the text. All of us wish you good luck in your search for the right career and the right place to ...
BACK TO THE FEATURE INDEX Someday, maybe early in the next decade, human astronauts will emerge from a Mars lander to explore the Red Planet and find answers to life's mysteries. Until then, Devon Island in the Canadian territory of Nunavit may be the closest thing to Mars that we'll find on Earth. At 450 miles north of the Arctic Circle, the eastern portion of Devon Island is covered in ice year...
How rare is it for a recent postdoc to work in an emerging scientific discipline? Or do research on fundamental problems like the origin of life on Earth, the existence of life in other parts of the universe, or the future of life in space? How rare is it to participate on a research team spanning many scientific disciplines, including astronomy, biology, chemistry, geology, genetics, oceanograph...
BACK TO THE FEATURE INDEX Some of the people doing polar research these days have their feet on the frozen ground but their eyes on the skies. Conditions of deep cold significantly reduce the chance of biological contamination, making polar ice an excellent place to gather meteorites. Polar environments have also proven to be good places to develop technologies that may one day be used to explore...
