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AbSciCon 2008 Agenda
A program will be available on site
Monday, April 14
Conference venue available for Focus Group and other meetings
Registration: Noon - 6:00 pm
Tuesday, April 15
Theme: The Astrophysical and Planetary Context for Life
8:00 – 9:30 am: Welcome and Morning Plenary
Life in a Cosmic Context
Speaker: Lord Martin Rees
Organizer: Paul Davies
9:30 – 9:45 am: Break
9:45 – 12:00 pm: Topical Sessions (includes 15 minute break)
4. Astrobiology and Lunar Exploration
6. Astrobiology Missions on Small Satellites, Sounding Rockets, and Balloons
11. Chemical Constraints on the Formation and Evolution of Habitable Worlds
15. The Evolution of the Biogeochemical Cycling of Phosphorus and other
Bioessential Elements: Sources of Bioessential Elements
21. The Habitable Galaxy: Variation in Space and Time
28. Microbial life in Terrestrial Arid Environments
29. The New Mars: Habitability of a Neighbor World–Recent Missions and Discoveries
37. Origin of Life
39. Life in Extreme Environments
12:00 – 1:30 pm: Lunch
12:30 – 1:20 pm: Townhall: The Astrobiology Roadmap
Organizer: John Rummel
1:30 – 3:00 pm: Afternoon Plenary
The Formation of Habitable Solar Systems
Speakers: Anna Frebel, Jeff Hester, Steve Desch, Ed Young
Organizers: Alan Boss and Meenakshi Wadhwa
3:00 – 3:15 pm: Break
3:15 – 5:30 pm: Topical Sessions (includes 15 minute break)
8. Biological and Environmental Signatures in Archean Rocks
Micro- and Trace-fossils, and Chemical Biosignatures
10. Chemical and Biological Determinants of Habitability
15. The Evolution of the Biogeochemical Cycling of Phosphorus and
other Bioessential Elements: Cycles of Bioessential Elements
17. Formation, Composition, and Detection of Habitable Extrasolar Planets-Part 1
24. Inorganic and Organic Biosignatures in Minerals: Organic Biosignatures in Minerals
25. Is the Universe Optimally Right for Life?
29. The New Mars: Habitability of a Neighbor World – The Next Steps
32. Stardust: Organic Matter in Comet 81P/Wild 2
5:30 – 7:30 pm: Opening Reception and Poster Session
7:30 – 9:00 pm: Evening Plenary
The Cultural Context for Astrobiology
Panelists: Connie Bertka, Father Ernan McMullin, Jon Miller, Lord Martin Rees
Moderator: Kathy Sawyer
Organizer: Tori Hoehler
Wednesday, April 16
Theme: The Origin and Evolution of Life
8:00 – 9:30 am: Morning Plenary
The Molecules of Life: A Tribute to Stanley L. Miller and Leslie E. Orgel
Speakers: Gerald F. Joyce, and Jeffrey Bada
Organizer: Antonio Lazcano
9:30 – 9:45 am: Break
9:45 – 12:00 pm: Topical Sessions (includes 15 minute break)
3. Approaches and Technologies to Detect Life on Mars
5. Astrobiology and the Human Exploration of Mars
8. Biological and Environmental Signatures in Archean Rocks:
Morphological, molecular, and Chemical Biosignatures
17. Formation, Composition, and Detection of Habitable Extrasolar Planets-Part 2
24. Inorganic and Organic Biosignatures in Minerals: Mineral and
Chemical Biosignatures, Part 1
26. Mars Sample Return Planning Issues
31. Spectra of Asteroid Belts, Kuiper Belts, and Giant Planets
34. Synthetic Cells and Life's Origins
35. Teaching Astrobiology to Undergraduate and Graduate Students
12:00 – 1:30 pm: Lunch and Poster Session
12:30 – 1:20 pm: Tribute to Imre and Roseli Freidmann
Organizer: Heather Smith
Mars Focus Group -- Organizer: D. Des Marais
Early Earth Focus Group -- Organizers: Kump, S. Mojzsis
Origin of Life Focus Group -- Organizer: A. Pohorille
Organizational Meeting for the NAI Focus Group on Planetary System Formation -- Organizers: A. Boss and E. Young
1:30 – 3:00 pm: Afternoon Plenary
The Evolution of Life: New Approaches to an Ancient Problem
Speakers: Abigail Allwood, Tanja Bosak, Matt Hurtgen, Jason Raymond,
Alex Sessions
Organizers: Dawn Sumner and Shuhai Xiao
3:00 – 3:15 pm: Break
3:15 – 5:30 pm: Topical Sessions (includes 15 minute break)
7. Astrovirology
8. Biological and Environmental Signatures in Archean Rocks:
Chemical Signatures of Environmental Evolutions
12. Comets and Primitive Asteroids: Their Role in Supplying
Water and Pre-biotic Organics to Early Earths
14. Earth Analog Studies for Astrobiology: ASTEP and Beyond Part I
16. Extraterrestrial Organic Chemistry - Biological, Pre-biological, Biological, and Abiological: Organic Chemistry in Interstellar Environments
22. Habitability of Super-Earths
23. Laboratory Analogue Environments for Studying Surfaces:
Atmospheric Processes on Mars and Titan
24. Inorganic and Organic Biosignatures in Minerals: Mineral & Chemical
Biosignatures, Part 2
33. Subsurface Microorganisms in Terrestrial and Extraterrestrial Environments
7:30 - 9:00 pm: Public Presentation; SCCC Theater
Alien Worlds Safari: A Tour Through a Universe of Possibilities
Moderator: Seth Shostak
Speakers: Tori Hoehler, T. C. Onstott, Peter Ward and Jill Tarter
Organizer: Victoria Meadows
Thursday, April 17:
Theme: The Search for Life
8:00 – 9:30 am: Morning Plenary
Weird Life
Speakers: William Bains, Steven Benner
Organizers: John Baross, Jack Farmer & Bob Pappalardo
9:30 – 9:45 am: Break
9:45 – 12:00 pm: Topical Sessions (includes 15 minute break)
2. Advances in Astrobiological Instrumentation Development
13. The Deep Cold Biosphere? Interior Processes of Icy Satellites and Dwarf Planets
14. Earth Analog Studies for Astrobiology: ASTEP and Beyond: Part 2
16. Extraterrestrial Organic Chemistry - Biological, Pre-Biological, and
Abiological: Sampling and Simulations
20. Getting Smarter about Intelligence
23. Laboratory Analogue Environments for Studying Geochemical and
Biological Processes on Planetary Surfaces: Fate of Microbes and Molecules in Martian Regolith
24. Inorganic and Organic Biosignatures in Minerals: Isotope Biosignatures: Part 1
27. Methane and Life?
30. Planetary Protection Constraints for Future Exobiology Missions: Part 1
12:00 – 1:30 pm: Lunchtime Poster Session
12:30 – 1:20 pm: Townhall: The XX Rating of Astrobiology
Organizers: Rosalind Grymes, Mary Ann Liebert & Juan Perez Mercador
1:30 – 3:00 pm: Afternoon Plenary
Life on Exoplanets: What Will Space Missions Tell Us?
Speakers: Lisa Kaltenegger, John Baross, Wesley Traub, Sara Seager
Organizer: Lisa Kaltenegger
3:00 – 3:15 pm: Break
3:15 – 5:30 pm: Topical Sessions (includes 15 minute break)
9. Certified Organic: Astrobiology and the Latest Developments in
Organic Geochemistry, Biochemistry and Organic Assays 11
14. Earth Analog Studies for Astrobiology: ASTEP and Beyond: Part 3
16. Extraterrestrial Organic Chemistry - Biological, Pre-Biological, and Abiological:
Solar System Environments
18. Functional Complexity of Modern Stromatolites and Microbial Mats
19. Future SETI: Technologies, Techniques and Strategies
24. Inorganic and Organic Biosignatures in Minerals: Isotope Biosignatures part 2
30. Planetary Protection Constraints for Future Exobiology Missions:
Panel discussion on Microbial Inventory Approaches
36. Water and Life: Redefining the Habitable Zone of Terrestrial Planets
38. Evolution
7:00 – 8:30 pm: Public Event at San Jose State University
Science Building, Room 142
Origen de la Vida
(Spanish language presentation)
Speaker: Antonio Lazcano
Organizer: Monika Kress
Friday, April 18:
9:00 - 11:00 am: Open House with Continental Breakfast / Tours at 9:30 and 10:30
SETI Institute
515 N. Whisman Rd.
Mountain View CA 94043
(650) 961-6633