(Press-News.org) December 11, 2023, Mountain View, CA -- The SETI Institute announced today the establishment of a new postdoctoral research fellowship program funded by its transformative bequest from Qualcomm Co-founder, Franklin Antonio. The first two fellowships are being announced in conjunction with the American Geophysical Union Conference (AGU) being held this week in San Francisco. The Baruch S. Blumberg Postdoctoral Fellowship for Astrobiology and the William J. Welch Postdoctoral Fellowship for SETI and Technosignatures research will offer early-career scientists a unique opportunity to bring their original research projects to the SETI Institute, fostering academic and professional growth guided by mentorship from leading experts.
“The launch of our own postdoctoral fellowship program represents a pivotal moment in the history of the SETI Institute where we can now internally fund original research in groundbreaking science domains for the next generation,” said President & CEO Bill Diamond. “These first two fellowships mark the beginning of a program that will ultimately extend across all research divisions at the Institute and attract world-class talent to further enhance our science.”
The Baruch S. Blumberg Fellowship, themed "Innovation in Astrobiology and Exploration," focuses on pioneering biosignature detection methods to push the boundaries of current research. The 2024 focus areas include:
Signatures of Coevolution
Universal markers of life
Life and complexity
Biophysical models
Detection pathways (including AI/ML)
Intersections of astrobiology with quantum physics
“The Baruch S. Blumberg Postdoctoral Program Fellowship will tackle the challenge of distinguishing life from non-life in planetary materials,” said Dr. Nathalie Cabrol, Director of the Carl Sagan Center for Research at the SETI Institute. “With the absence of a consensus definition for life, astrobiology has focused so far on proving non-biological origins in biosignature detection. As knowledge and technology advance, the Fellowship seeks to reduce the gray area between life and no-life, a core goal in astrobiology. With this new program focused on innovation in astrobiological exploration, talented young scientists will have the exceptional opportunity to pioneer innovative detection strategies and make critical advances in our quest for life beyond Earth.”
The William J. Welch Fellowship, centered on "Engineering the Future of Cosmic Exploration," emphasizes three critical domains:
Advanced radio astronomical techniques
The interstellar medium
The development of cutting-edge instrumentation and technology in radio astronomy
"The search for technosignatures has long been hindered by the availability of long-term career options for early career scientists,” said Dr. Andrew Siemion, Bernard M. Oliver Chair of SETI Research at the SETI Institute and Director of SETI Research at the University of Oxford. “Our newly announced Postdoctoral Fellowship Program at the SETI Institute, made possible through the generous support of Franklin Antonio and honoring pioneers in the search for life beyond Earth, will serve as a wonderful beacon of opportunity for the next generation of scientists taking on our most profound questions about the universe."
As a world-renowned multidisciplinary institute, the SETI Institute boasts over 100 Principal Investigators specializing in fields such as Astronomy and Astrophysics, Astrobiology, Climate and Biogeosciences, Exoplanets, Planetary Exploration, and Technosignatures. With access to a premier radio telescope array at Hat Creek in Northern California, Fellows benefit from engaging with top researchers and industry experts in Silicon Valley, including developing AI solutions.
These full-time, two-year fellowships offer the potential for an extension based on research progress and institutional approval. Applicants must hold a Ph.D. in a relevant field, showcase a proven research track record, and submit a compelling research proposal. Priority will be given to applicants demonstrating commitment to interdisciplinary research and teamwork.
The application window for the Baruch S. Blumberg Postdoctoral Fellowship opens on January 8, 2024, with a deadline of March 1, 2024. Selected applicants will be notified by April 30, 2024.
For the William J. Welch Postdoctoral Fellowship, applications also open on January 8, 2024, with a March 1, 2024 deadline. Final applicants will be notified by April 1, 2024.
About the SETI Institute
Founded in 1984, the SETI Institute is a non-profit, multi-disciplinary research and education organization whose mission is to lead humanity's quest to understand the origins and prevalence of life and intelligence in the universe and share that knowledge with the world. Our research encompasses the physical and biological sciences and leverages data analytics, machine learning, and advanced signal detection technologies. The SETI Institute is a distinguished research partner for industry, academia, and government agencies, including NASA and the National Science Foundation.
END
SETI Institute unveils two prestigious postdoctoral fellowships: the Baruch S. Blumberg Fellowship and the William J. Welch Fellowship
Fellowships will focus on Innovation in Astrobiology and Exploration and Engineering the Future of Cosmic Exploration
2023-12-11
[Attachments] See images for this press release:
ELSE PRESS RELEASES FROM THIS DATE:
Alaskan allies: Communities unite to protect the areas they love
2023-12-11
URBANA, Ill. — Natural resource management decisions in protected areas impact more than the wildlife and landscapes they’re charged to conserve. They also affect neighbors, who could otherwise hunt, build, or recreate as they choose on their own land. For decades, community members primarily voiced their opinions through brief and impersonal public comment periods. But an initiative led by environmental social scientists at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is putting a new spin on neighborly communication.
“Historically, public land management ...
Researchers find promising candidate to treat irreversible lung and eye diseases in extremely premature infants
2023-12-11
Philadelphia, December 11, 2023 – Advancements in the care of premature babies are leading to improved survival rates. However, the incidence of neonatal diseases with life-long consequences such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) is increasing. A novel study has implicated granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) in both BPD and ROP, making it a promising therapeutic candidate. The results appear in The American Journal of Pathology, published by Elsevier.
BPD, also called chronic lung disease of immaturity, afflicts approximately one third of all extremely ...
Public bodies “overwhelmed” at having to implement human rights laws, study warns
2023-12-11
Statt at public bodies can be “overwhelmed” by having to implement human rights laws into the working of their organisation when staff are in “awe” of legislation, a new study warns.
When laws are viewed as sacrosanct control over interpretation and implementation can be seen as the responsibility of a privileged few, according to the research.
This leads to staff placing greater weight on implementation through processes. Laws are seen as so specialist staff feel they do not have the perceived required knowledge and expertise and cannot be trusted to implement them.
Those who see equality and human rights law as malleable believe they should ...
If a piece of Turkey gets stuck in your throat this Christmas, there is no point in trying to free it with Cola
2023-12-11
Cola. A drink forever associated with the Christmas season. And also, for many, a liquid that can help clear a blocked oesophagus. Something that may be a bit more likely at this time of year. However, research from Amsterdam UMC, published today in the BMJ Christmas Issue, shows that this is not worth wasting the sugary stuff.
"Emergency physician Elise Tiebie, the driving force behind this project, saw online that this was really a rumour, from tip websites to Wikipedia as well as an anecdote in a British newspaper about paramedics saving a life by using cola. I've even heard doctors recommending it,” says Arjan Bredenoord, Professor of Gastroenterology at ...
McGovern Medical School names new neurosurgery chair; Tandon takes on role at UTHealth Houston Neurosciences
2023-12-11
Jacques Morcos, MD, a renowned neurosurgeon from University of Miami Health System, will join UTHealth Houston as the new chair of the Vivian L. Smith Department of Neurosurgery with McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston, effective today.
Morcos will also serve as co-director of UTHealth Houston Neurosciences alongside Louise McCullough, MD, PhD, chair of the Department of Neurology, and will be appointed as the Nancy, Clive and Pierce Runnells Distinguished Chair in Neuroscience.
Nitin Tandon, MD, former chair ad interim of the neurosurgery department, ...
Study: Women-led groups were key to food security during COVID-19 in India
2023-12-11
In March of 2020, India’s government announced a strict lockdown with just four hours notice, including a ban on the informal and traditional food outlets that 80 to 90 percent of Indians rely on for their main source of food.
In a new paper, “Applying the six-dimensional food security framework to examine a fresh fruit and vegetable program implemented by self-help groups during the COVID-19 lockdown in India,” published in the journal World Development, researchers from the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT looked at the effects of a government-backed women’s self-help group program in the state of Odisha, India and how it impacted the six ...
Researchers combine biopolymers derived from the ocean to replace synthetic plastic films
2023-12-11
Materials with enhanced structure derived from crustaceans and seaweed could be part of a next-generation answer to the challenge of replacing petroleum-based plastic films, according to new research from North Carolina State University.
Combining chitosan, a biopolymer that makes crab shells hard, with agarose, a biopolymer extracted from seaweed that is used to make gels, creates unique biopolymer composite films with enhanced strength. The films are also biodegradable, have antibacterial properties, repel water and are transparent. The findings could eventually lead to sustainable packaging films for food ...
Scientists 3D print self-heating microfluidic devices
2023-12-11
MIT researchers have used 3D printing to produce self-heating microfluidic devices, demonstrating a technique which could someday be used to rapidly create cheap, yet accurate, tools to detect a host of diseases.
Microfluidics, miniaturized machines that manipulate fluids and facilitate chemical reactions, can be used to detect disease in tiny samples of blood or fluids. At-home test kits for Covid-19, for example, incorporate a simple type of microfluidic.
But many microfluidic applications require chemical reactions that must be performed at specific temperatures. These more complex microfluidic devices, which are typically manufactured in a clean ...
A cause for the "strange" behavior of cuprates discovered - a step towards more sustainable superconductor applications
2023-12-11
Milan, December 11, 2023 - Taking a significant step forward in superconductivity research, the discovery could pave the way for sustainable technologies and contribute to a more environmentally friendly future.
The study just published in Nature Communications by researchers from Politecnico di Milano, Chalmers University of Technology in Göteborg and Sapienza University of Rome sheds light on one of the many mysteries of high-critical-temperature copper-based superconductors: even at temperatures above the critical temperature, they are special, behaving like "strange" metals. This means that their electrical resistance ...
Know Diabetes by Heart™ collaborative awards funding for community education
2023-12-11
ARLINGTON, VA and DALLAS, December 11, 2023 — The American Diabetes Association® and the American Heart Association® have awarded grants to 10 community organizations to help people living with Type 2 diabetes lower their risk for cardiovascular diseases like heart attack, heart failure and stroke.
The community grants are part of the leading health non-profits’ joint Know Diabetes by Heart™ initiative which seeks to reduce cardiovascular events and deaths among people living with Type 2 diabetes. The grants will help organizations in California, Florida, Georgia, ...
LAST 30 PRESS RELEASES:
Brainwaves of mothers and children synchronize when playing together – even in an acquired language
A holiday to better recovery
Cal Poly’s fifth Climate Solutions Now conference to take place Feb. 23-27
Mask-wearing during COVID-19 linked to reduced air pollution–triggered heart attack risk in Japan
Achieving cross-coupling reactions of fatty amide reduction radicals via iridium-photorelay catalysis and other strategies
Shorter may be sweeter: Study finds 15-second health ads can curb junk food cravings
Family relationships identified in Stone Age graves on Gotland
Effectiveness of exercise to ease osteoarthritis symptoms likely minimal and transient
Cost of copper must rise double to meet basic copper needs
A gel for wounds that won’t heal
Iron, carbon, and the art of toxic cleanup
Organic soil amendments work together to help sandy soils hold water longer, study finds
Hidden carbon in mangrove soils may play a larger role in climate regulation than previously thought
Weight-loss wonder pills prompt scrutiny of key ingredient
Nonprofit leader Diane Dodge to receive 2026 Penn Nursing Renfield Foundation Award for Global Women’s Health
Maternal smoking during pregnancy may be linked to higher blood pressure in children, NIH study finds
New Lund model aims to shorten the path to life-saving cell and gene therapies
Researchers create ultra-stretchable, liquid-repellent materials via laser ablation
Combining AI with OCT shows potential for detecting lipid-rich plaques in coronary arteries
SeaCast revolutionizes Mediterranean Sea forecasting with AI-powered speed and accuracy
JMIR Publications’ JMIR Bioinformatics and Biotechnology invites submissions on Bridging Data, AI, and Innovation to Transform Health
Honey bees navigate more precisely than previously thought
Air pollution may directly contribute to Alzheimer’s disease
Study finds early imaging after pediatric UTIs may do more harm than good
UC San Diego Health joins national research for maternal-fetal care
New biomarker predicts chemotherapy response in triple-negative breast cancer
Treatment algorithms featured in Brain Trauma Foundation’s update of guidelines for care of patients with penetrating traumatic brain injury
Over 40% of musicians experience tinnitus; hearing loss and hyperacusis also significantly elevated
Artificial intelligence predicts colorectal cancer risk in ulcerative colitis patients
Mayo Clinic installs first magnetic nanoparticle hyperthermia system for cancer research in the US
[Press-News.org] SETI Institute unveils two prestigious postdoctoral fellowships: the Baruch S. Blumberg Fellowship and the William J. Welch FellowshipFellowships will focus on Innovation in Astrobiology and Exploration and Engineering the Future of Cosmic Exploration