{"598342":{"#nid":"598342","#data":{"type":"news","title":"Astrobiology Rising at Georgia Tech  ","body":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn the Ford Environmental Science and Technology Building, the office of Martha Grover is three doors from that of Jennifer Glass. Both are Georgia Tech scientists doing research related to astrobiology \u0026mdash; life in the cosmos \u0026mdash; but until last year they hardly talked to each other as researchers with common interests. \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;We are all so busy,\u0026rdquo; says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.chbe.gatech.edu\/people\/martha-grover\u0022\u003EGrover\u003C\/a\u003E, a professor in the School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, a scientific collaborator at the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.centerforchemicalevolution.com\/\u0022\u003ENSF\/NASA Center for Chemical Evolution (CCE)\u003C\/a\u003E, and a member of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/cstar.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ECenter for Space Technology and Research (C-STAR)\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ENow, Grover,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.jenniferglass.com\/Jennifer_Glass\/Welcome.html\u0022\u003EGlass\u003C\/a\u003E, and others at Tech are members of a growing community that\u0026rsquo;s coalescing astrobiology activities across campus. In a public debut of sorts, six members of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/astrobiology.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003EGeorgia Tech Astrobiology\u003C\/a\u003E, as the community calls itself, participated in\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/science.dragoncon.org\/schedule-2017\/\u0022\u003Ethe 2017 Dragon Con\u003C\/a\u003E, the premier pop-culture convention on science fiction and fantasy. They wowed the audience, not by fiction or fantasy or over-the-top costumes, but by progress in answering fundamental questions \u0026mdash; How did life begin? Where else could life exist? All happening right next door to the meeting venue, at Georgia Tech.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe growing visibility of researchers interested in astrobiology is helping Georgia Tech emerge as a powerhouse in the field. At minimum, says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/homes.lmc.gatech.edu\/~knoespel\/\u0022\u003EKenneth Knoespel\u003C\/a\u003E, a historian of science and professor in the Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts, \u0026ldquo;it affirms the importance of this community at Georgia Tech and the importance of astrobiology as a new configuration of disciplines that brings together the natural and human sciences.\u0026rdquo; \u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETEEMING WITH TALENT\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Georgia Tech is clearly recognized as a hub for astrobiology and maybe the one that\u0026rsquo;s growing the most quickly,\u0026rdquo; says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nai.nasa.gov\/directory\/goolish-edward\/\u0022\u003EEdward Goolish\u003C\/a\u003E, the deputy director of the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nai.nasa.gov\/\u0022\u003ENASA Astrobiology Institute\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(NAI), one of the six elements of the NASA Astrobiology Program. People at Georgia Tech, Goolish adds, \u0026ldquo;have been generous with their time and have contributed in important ways when NASA has reached out to the science community for input.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe community includes physicists, chemists, biologists, Earth and planetary scientists, and engineers, as well as historians of science and writers. The scientists are figuring out how life emerged and evolved to the biosphere we know, inventing instruments to detect life outside Earth, and searching for other habitable places in the universe. The science historians and writers are witnessing science in the making and perhaps gathering fodder for the next volume of science fiction.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EBroadly defined, astrobiology is the study of life in the cosmos. Its central questions are \u0026ldquo;What is the origin of life?\u0026rdquo; and \u0026ldquo;Does life exist beyond Earth?\u0026rdquo; Humans have asked these questions since\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/598138\u0022\u003Etime immemorial\u003C\/a\u003E. That they are still around attests to the difficulty of discovering and assembling the pieces of a formidable puzzle: the emergence of a biosphere on a planet.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EHow formidable? According to\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nai.nasa.gov\/directory\/smith-eric2\/\u0022\u003EEric Smith\u003C\/a\u003E, a theoretician in the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nai.nasa.gov\/teams\/can-7\/gatech\/\u0022\u003ENASA Astrobiology Institute\u0026rsquo;s team at Georgia Tech\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;(NAI-GT), understanding the nature of the transition from a planet without a biosphere to one with a biosphere should be central to origins-of-life inquiries. However, he says, \u0026ldquo;a lot of the language to enable that understanding doesn\u0026rsquo;t exist yet.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003ETHREE PILLARS\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAt Georgia Tech, research teams are working across the breadth of questions central to astrobiology. Their activities are exemplified by three specialized research groups: CCE, NAI-GT, and C-STAR.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ECCE is building a community in origin-of-life research, said its director,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/ww2.chemistry.gatech.edu\/hud\/prof-nicholas-v-hud\u0022\u003ENicholas V. Hud\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/594337\u0022\u003Eat a symposium organized by Georgia Tech Astrobiology last month\u003C\/a\u003E. In finding answers, CCE takes two approaches, Hud explained. \u0026ldquo;Bottom up,\u0026rdquo; it starts with geology and chemistry and understanding the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/598138\u0022\u003Eformation\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;of the first polymers of life, which is a major focus of Hud\u0026rsquo;s. \u0026ldquo;Top down,\u0026rdquo; it starts with biology, genetics, and looking back in time at persistent, conserved molecular motifs, as exemplified by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/575811\u0022\u003Ethe work of Loren Williams on ribosomes\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELike digging a tunnel underground from opposite ends and meeting somewhere in between, the two approaches are converging on the coevolution of the biopolymers of life. Chemistry and biology are telling us the same thing, say Hud and Williams, both professors in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry (SoCB) and members of the Parker H. Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience (IBB).\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EAt NAI-GT, \u0026ldquo;we\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/598138\u0022\u003Estart\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;at the level of the cell,\u0026rdquo; says\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/frank-rosenzweig\u0022\u003EFrank Rosenzweig\u003C\/a\u003E, the School of Biological Sciences (SoBS) professor who leads the NASA group. \u0026ldquo;Once you have all this biochemistry wrapped in a cell, what happens then? How do they become associated as multicellular organisms? How do they engage in biochemistries that change the environment? We need to understand the interaction between the evolution of life and the evolution of its abiotic surrounding to have a chance of recognizing life elsewhere.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;Although life on Earth manifests in different forms, all are governed by laws of growth, inheritance, and variability,\u0026rdquo; says Rosenzweig, also a member of IBB. NAI-GT aims to \u0026ldquo;illuminate and interpret these laws via laboratory-based evolution experiments with microbial populations.\u0026rdquo; An example is the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.ratclifflab.biology.gatech.edu\/research%20on%20multicellularity.htm\u0022\u003Eexploration of the origin of multicellularity by experimentally evolving yeast\u003C\/a\u003E, as described in the September symposium by\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/biosci.gatech.edu\/people\/will-ratcliff\u0022\u003EWill Ratcliff\u003C\/a\u003E, an\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/598138\u0022\u003Eassistant professor\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;in SoBS.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EFor C-STAR-affiliated faculty, habitability is one key question. What events and conditions in the abiotic sphere yield environments that support life? The NASA-supported work of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.eas.gatech.edu\/people\/glass-dr-jennifer\u0022\u003EJennifer Glass\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.eas.gatech.edu\/people\/reinhard-dr-chris\u0022\u003EChris Reinhard\u003C\/a\u003E, in the School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences (EAS), exemplify the search for answers in this realm.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhat signals should we monitor in search of life elsewhere in the universe? What tools do we need to probe for signs of life from the comfort of Earth? What hazards should we prepare for if humans were to go to other worlds?\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EIn EAS, C-STAR members and planetary scientists\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/cstar.gatech.edu\/carol-paty\u0022\u003ECarol Paty\u003C\/a\u003E,\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/cstar.gatech.edu\/britney-schmidt\u0022\u003EBritney Schmidt\u003C\/a\u003E, and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/cstar.gatech.edu\/james-wray\u0022\u003EJames Wray\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;are co-investigators of NASA-funded projects to answer these questions. So is C-STAR member\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/cstar.gatech.edu\/paul-g-steffes\u0022\u003EPaul Steffes\u003C\/a\u003E, in the School of Electrical and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/598138\u0022\u003EComputer Engineering\u003C\/a\u003E, as well as C-STAR Director\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/cstar.gatech.edu\/thomas-orlando\u0022\u003EThomas Orlando\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and C-STAR member\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/cstar.gatech.edu\/amanda-stockton\u0022\u003EAmanda Stockton\u003C\/a\u003E, in SoCB.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EWHAT\u0026rsquo;S NEXT\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWith the talent on campus, Georgia Tech is becoming well known in the field of astrobiology. At the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.hou.usra.edu\/meetings\/abscicon2017\/\u0022\u003E2017 Astrobiology Scientific Conference\u003C\/a\u003E, in Mesa, Ariz., last April, the Georgia Tech \u0026ldquo;posse\u0026rdquo; numbered about 30 faculty and students. Last summer, attendees of\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/abgradcon.org\/old_sites\/abgradcon2017\/index.html\u0022\u003EAbGradCon (Astrobiology Graduate Conference) 2017\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;selected Georgia Tech to host the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/abgradcon.org\/about.html\u0022\u003E2018 event\u003C\/a\u003E. This popular meeting for students is funded primarily by the\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/nai.nasa.gov\/\u0022\u003ENASA Astrobiology Institute\u003C\/a\u003E.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe astrobiology community at Georgia Tech is \u0026ldquo;healthy,\u0026rdquo; Smith says. \u0026ldquo;The people in strategic positions have good priorities in the sophistication and intellectual integrity they are trying to support.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe community \u0026mdash; now 85 strong and growing \u0026mdash; is raring to make its presence felt. It has an ambitious schedule for the 2017 - 18 school year, spearheaded by the September symposium.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003ELed by Grover as principal investigator, and with contributions from Glass, Knoespel, Paty, Reinhard, Rosenzweig, Schmidt, Williams, and others \u0026mdash;\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.iac.gatech.edu\/people\/faculty\/burnett\u0022\u003ERebecca Burnett\u003C\/a\u003E, Ivan Allen College of Liberal Arts;\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022https:\/\/www.ae.gatech.edu\/people\/edgar-glenn-lightsey\u0022\u003EGlenn Lightsey\u003C\/a\u003E, School of Aerospace Engineering and C-STAR; and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/centerforchemicalevolution.com\/people\u0022\u003EChristopher Parsons\u003C\/a\u003E, CCE \u0026mdash; their proposal for seven projects received funding from the Georgia Tech\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.gatech.edu\/strategicplan\/spag\u0022\u003EStrategic Plan Advisory Group (SPAG)\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;and the Colleges of Engineering, Liberal Arts, and Sciences.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EThe projects aim to showcase the quality and variety of astrobiology projects at Tech, highlight the social impact of these projects, and strengthen the sense of community among faculty and students. The goals will be achieved through formal gatherings, educational innovations, and public outreach.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026ldquo;As I see it, the point of research universities is to tackle the really important, really deep, and really challenging questions \u0026mdash; the ones at the edge of, or even beyond, our reach; the ones that present not just the possibility but the likelihood of failure,\u0026rdquo; said College of Sciences Dean and\u0026nbsp;\u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/sutherlandchair.cos.gatech.edu\/\u0022\u003ESutherland Chair\u003C\/a\u003E\u0026nbsp;Paul M. Goldbart at the September symposium. \u0026ldquo;It\u0026rsquo;s our duty as administrators to do everything we can to support this kind of truly adventurous research.\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003EWhat the astrobiology community is doing not only is exciting, Goldbart said. But also, \u0026ldquo;it could hardly fit better with the dreams of the College of Sciences and of Georgia Tech.\u0026rdquo;\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Researchers Working Toward the Goals of NASA\u0026rsquo;s Astrobiology Program\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EPlanetary Science and Technology through Analog Research (P-STAR)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jennifer Glass, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Britney Schmidt, School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Amanda Stockton, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EPlanetary Instrument Concepts for the Advancement of Solar System Observations (PICASSO)\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Amanda Stockton\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EExobiology: Early Evolution of Life and the Biosphere\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Frank Rosenzweig, School of Biological Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EExobiology: Evolution of Advanced Life\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; William Ratcliff, School of Biological Sciences\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EExobiology: Prebiotic Evolution\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Loren Williams, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003EExobiology: Methane and Iron Metabolisms in Ancient Oceans\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jennifer Glass\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003ESchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences Faculty Affiliated with NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI)\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jennifer Glass, Chris Reinhard, and Yuanzhi Tang, with University of California, Riverside, team\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; James Wray, with SETI Institute team\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003ENAI Team at Georgia Tech School of Biological Sciences\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Phillip Gerrish\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; William Ratcliff\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Kennda Lynch \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Frank Rosenzweig\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003ENASA Postdoctoral Program Fellows\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Bradley Burcar with Nicholas Hud\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Peter Conlin with William Ratcliff\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Moran Frenkel-Pinter with Loren Williams\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Kazumi Ozaki with Chris Reinhard\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Nicholas Speller with Amanda Stockton\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003E2018 AbGradCon Organizers\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Marcus Bray\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Justin Lawrence\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Bradley Burcar\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Adriana Lozoya\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Anthony Burnetti\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; Kennda Lynch\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Heather Chilton \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Santiago Mestre Fos\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Chase Chivers\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Marshall Seaton\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Dedra Eichstedt\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;Micah Schaible\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Zachary Duca\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Elizabeth Spiers\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Jennifer Farrar\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Scot Sutton\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; Nicholas Kovacs \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;Nadia Szeinbaum\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; \u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp;\u0026nbsp; George Tan, Conference Chair\u0026nbsp;\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\n\u003Cstrong\u003E\u003Cem\u003ENote: This list is not meant to be comprehensive; it represents information that was available as of October 2017.\u003C\/em\u003E\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EPHOTO CAPTIONS\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech at AbSciCon 2017.\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/strong\u003EThis photo shows only some of the Georgia Tech researchers who attended. From left: Cesar Menor-Salvan, Nick Hud, Justin Lawrence, Jacob Buffo, Frank Rosenzweig, Amanda Stockton, Britney Schmidt, Kennda Lynch, Gavin Mendez, George Tan, Jennifer Glass, Zachary Duca, Nadia Szeinbaum, Aaron McKee, Chloe Stanton, and Marcus Bray (Courtesy of Jennifer Glass)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EGeorgia Tech Astrobiology at 2017 Dragon Con.\u003C\/strong\u003E\u0026nbsp;From left: Amanda Stockton, Loren Williams, Kenneth Knoespel, Lisa Yaszek, Chris Reinhard, and Britney Schmidt (Photo by Renay San Miguel)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003EOrganizers and Speakers: \u0026ldquo;Life in the Cosmos\u0026rdquo;\u003C\/strong\u003E\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nTop, from left: Rebecca Burnett, Carol Paty, Kennda Lynch, Jennifer Glass, Martha Grover, Gongjie Li, and Amanda Stockton\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nBottom, from left: Thomas Orlando, Paul Steffes, Frank Rosenzweig, Nicholas Hud, Loren Williams, and William Ratcliff (Photos by Maureen Rouhi)\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","summary":null,"format":"limited_html"}],"field_subtitle":[{"value":"What will a coalescing community of Tech researchers discover about life in the cosmos? "}],"field_summary":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EIn the Ford Environmental Science and Technology Building, the office of Martha Grover is three doors from that of Jennifer Glass. Both are Georgia Tech scientists doing research related to astrobiology \u0026ndash; life in the cosmos \u0026ndash; but until last year they hardly talked to each other as researchers with common interests. Now, Grover, \u003Ca href=\u0022http:\/\/www.jenniferglass.com\/Jennifer_Glass\/Welcome.html\u0022\u003EGlass\u003C\/a\u003E, and others at Tech are members of a growing community that\u0026rsquo;s coalescing astrobiology activities across campus.\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n\r\n\u003Cp\u003E\u0026nbsp;\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"field_summary_sentence":[{"value":"The growing visibility of researchers interested in astrobiology is helping Georgia Tech emerge as a powerhouse in the field."}],"uid":"34554","created_gmt":"2017-11-03 15:11:03","changed_gmt":"2017-11-08 19:26:21","author":"ralu3","boilerplate_text":"","field_publication":"","field_article_url":"","dateline":{"date":"2017-11-01T00:00:00-04:00","iso_date":"2017-11-01T00:00:00-04:00","tz":"America\/New_York"},"extras":[],"hg_media":{"598145":{"id":"598145","type":"image","title":"Life in the Universe (Image by NASA)","body":null,"created":"1509475616","gmt_created":"2017-10-31 18:46:56","changed":"1509475638","gmt_changed":"2017-10-31 18:47:18","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228028","name":"NASA.astrobiology.exo_.jpg__310x232_q85_crop_subsampling-2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/NASA.astrobiology.exo_.jpg__310x232_q85_crop_subsampling-2.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/NASA.astrobiology.exo_.jpg__310x232_q85_crop_subsampling-2.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":23938,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/NASA.astrobiology.exo_.jpg__310x232_q85_crop_subsampling-2.jpg?itok=XnwujOTL"}},"598137":{"id":"598137","type":"image","title":"Georgia Tech at AbSciCon 2017 (Courtesy of Jennifer Glass)","body":null,"created":"1509470667","gmt_created":"2017-10-31 17:24:27","changed":"1509475889","gmt_changed":"2017-10-31 18:51:29","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228026","name":"AbSciCon2017.IMG_6594.crop_.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/AbSciCon2017.IMG_6594.crop_.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/AbSciCon2017.IMG_6594.crop_.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":793939,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/AbSciCon2017.IMG_6594.crop_.jpg?itok=DtW9PU1s"}},"597382":{"id":"597382","type":"image","title":"Georgia Tech Astrobiology at 2017 Dragon Con (Photo by Renay San Miguel)","body":null,"created":"1507921825","gmt_created":"2017-10-13 19:10:25","changed":"1509475861","gmt_changed":"2017-10-31 18:51:01","alt":"","file":{"fid":"227712","name":"DragonCon Astro 2.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/DragonCon%20Astro%202.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/DragonCon%20Astro%202.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":613229,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/DragonCon%20Astro%202.jpg?itok=oFUvooY8"}},"598141":{"id":"598141","type":"image","title":"Organizers and Speakers: \u0022Life in the Cosmos\u0022 (Photos by Maureen Rouhi)","body":null,"created":"1509475031","gmt_created":"2017-10-31 18:37:11","changed":"1509475833","gmt_changed":"2017-10-31 18:50:33","alt":"","file":{"fid":"228027","name":"Astrobiology symposium pictures.jpg","image_path":"\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Astrobiology%20symposium%20pictures.jpg","image_full_path":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/\/sites\/default\/files\/images\/Astrobiology%20symposium%20pictures.jpg","mime":"image\/jpeg","size":190288,"path_740":"http:\/\/www.tlwarc.hg.gatech.edu\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/740xx_scale\/public\/images\/Astrobiology%20symposium%20pictures.jpg?itok=Rr1_3DTY"}}},"media_ids":["598145","598137","597382","598141"],"related_links":[{"url":"https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/594337","title":"Life in the Cosmos: Past, Present, and Future"},{"url":"https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/588111","title":"Nick Hud\u2019s Take on a Grand Challenge of Science "},{"url":"https:\/\/cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/575811","title":"Looking for the Origin of Life Inside a 4 Billion-Old Molecular Machine "},{"url":"http:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/595443","title":"Was the Primordial Soup a Hearty Pre-Protein Stew? "},{"url":"https:\/\/www.cos.gatech.edu\/hg\/item\/589215","title":"NASA Chooses Georgia Tech For New Solar System Research Project "}],"groups":[],"categories":[{"id":"146","name":"Life Sciences and Biology"}],"keywords":[{"id":"722","name":"Astrobiology"},{"id":"9854","name":"Origin Of Life"},{"id":"408","name":"NASA"},{"id":"173529","name":"extraterrestrial life"},{"id":"4896","name":"College of Sciences"}],"core_research_areas":[{"id":"39441","name":"Bioengineering and Bioscience"}],"news_room_topics":[{"id":"71911","name":"Earth and Environment"},{"id":"71881","name":"Science and Technology"}],"event_categories":[],"invited_audience":[],"affiliations":[],"classification":[],"areas_of_expertise":[],"news_and_recent_appearances":[],"phone":[],"contact":[{"value":"\u003Cp\u003EA. Maureen Rouhi, Ph.D.\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nDirector of Communications\u003Cbr \/\u003E\r\nCollege of Sciences\u003C\/p\u003E\r\n","format":"limited_html"}],"email":["maureen.rouhi@cos.gatech.edu"],"slides":[],"orientation":[],"userdata":""}}}