AbGradCon offers a unique setting for graduate students and early-career scientists interested in astrobiology research to share, collaborate, and network. Organized and attended by only graduate students, postdoctoral researchers, and select undergraduates, the meeting is an ideal venue to form bonds, share ideas, and candidly discuss the issues that will help shape the future of the field. 

For a preview, go to this YouTube video.

Each meeting location is selected by attendees of the previous year. Georgia Tech offers a unique venue. Attendees will gather in a vibrant campus in the middle of Atlanta, one of the most tech-savvy cities in the U.S.

In addition to a scientific program, plans for AbGradCon 2018 include outreach events at local venues in midtown Atlanta and an educational field trip. Participants can also attend the popular Astrobiology Proposal Writing Workshop, which will take place on June 1-4, 2018.

Georgia Tech is home to the most rapidly growing community of astrobiology researchers in the U.S. From Earth and planetary scientists, to chemists and biologists, the astrobiology community at Georgia Tech, is closely aligned with the NASA Astrobiology Program and the NASA Astrobiology Institute. They seek to answer the full spectrum of the basic astrobiology questions:  How did life begin? Where else could life exist?

“We are very excited to welcome early-career astrobiology researchers from all over the U.S. and beyond,” says George Tan, a Ph.D. student in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry and AbGradCon 2018 conference chair. “We are working very hard to ensure a productive and memorable conference.” 

At Georgia Tech, the following postdocs and Ph.D. students are the organizers of AbGradCon 2018:

               Marcus Bray                    Justin Lawrence
               Bradley Burcar                 Adriana Lozoya
               Anthony Burnetti              Kennda Lynch
               Heather Chilton               Santiago Mestre Fos
               Chase Chivers                 Marshall Seaton
               Dedra Eichstedt               Micah Schaible
               Zachary Duca                  Elizabeth Spiers
               Jennifer Farrar                 Scot Sutton
               Nicholas Kovacs              Nadia Szeinbaum
                                George Tan, Conference Chair 

Outside Georgia Tech, the following are co-organizers of AbGradCon 2018:

Thomas Campbell, St. Louis University
Nicole Chase, Portland State University
Theresa Fisher, Arizona State University
Ben Intoy, University of Minnesota
Jonathan Jackson, Pennsylvania State University
Lin Jin, Boston University
Jay Kroll, University of Colorado, Boulder
Megan Krusor, University of California, Davis
Graham Lau, University of Colorado, Boulder
Mike Lee, University of Southern California
Julia McGonigle, University of Colorado, Boulder
Brett McGuire, National Radio Astronomy Observatory
Shahrzad Motamedi, University of Utah
Rebecca Rapf, University of Colorado, Boulder
Katie Rempfert, University of Colorado, Boulder
Harrison Smith, Arizona State University
Kamil Stelmach, George Mason University
Jennifer Thweatt, Pennsylvania State University