Europlanet has opened a call for funding proposals of up to 5000 € to support the activities of its members. Proposals should be submitted by the Chair (or designated representative) of a Europlanet Regional Hub, Committee or Working Group (WG).
The deadline for the call is 16 March 2026. Projects proposed in the current call should be completed by the end of 2026.
Europlanet has launched a new call for Transnational Access (TA), which enables researchers who are members of Europlanet (individual members or staff working for organisational members) to visit participating facilities that offer simulation and analysis capabilities relevant to planetary science.
The Europlanet TA Programme 2026 offers access to 25 facilities in ten internationally renowned research centres in Europe and South Korea. The facilities are tailored for the simulation or characterisation of planetary conditions and materials. The programme supports all travel and local accommodation costs for researchers during their visit to participating facilities.
If you are interested in submitting an application to the Europlanet TA Call 2026, check out the call page to find more information about the call and how to submit your application. Please note that you must contact the facility to discuss the feasibility of your proposal before submitting your application. The call will close on 16 March 2026.
You should plan for your visits to take place between the end of April and December 2026. Please note that some facilities are only available in certain months, or have pre-requirements for applications. See the individual facility pages for details.
Building on the European Commission-funded TA programme from 2009-2024, Europlanet now offers a sustainable programme of annual TA calls funded through membership subscriptions.
For the 2026 Call, we are delight to welcome new institutions and/or new facilities that will be offered for Transnational Access through Europlanet for the first time. These include:
For the full list of facilities, go to the Europlanet TA Call 2026 information page.
EPEC is thrilled to announce the appointment of a new co-chair, Thomas O’Sullivan!
Joining current co-chair Nimisha Verma, Thomas is taking over the post from Jessie Hogan.
An introduction from Thomas:
Hi! My name is Thomas O’Sullivan, and I’m a 2nd year PhD student at the Freie Universität Berlin in Germany. My research focuses on the icy ocean worlds of the outer solar system, aiming to characterise chemistry and habitability, and to understand spacecraft sampling through laboratory and computational approaches. I’ve enjoyed working in several different countries across the world, and I’m enthusiastic about international collaboration in science, leading to my interest in Europlanet. I became involved with Europlanet in 2024, serving as the early careers officer for the German hub, and joining the organising team for EPSC 2025. I’m honoured to join the team as Co-Chair of the Europlanet Early Career (EPEC) network, taking over from Jessie after her amazing work over the past few years. I’m looking forward to working alongside Nimisha, the EPEC and Europlanet teams, and all of the early-career planetary scientists in Europe and beyond!
Application deadline – 30th September 2025
The EPEC network is organised by early career researchers, for early career researchers, and includes volunteers from across the global Europlanet community. EPEC strives to form a strong network of early careers by organising events and creating a platform for early careers to engage with the wider scientific community.
EPEC is led by two Co-Chairs, whose duty is to coordinate EPEC’s events and activities, complete periodic reports on ongoing activities, and liaise with Europlanet’s Executive Board and Executive Office. You will be the primary point of call for EPEC queries about joining, membership, activities and events for both committee and members. EPEC’s Co-Chairs play a crucial role in coordinating the community and its activities, making key decisions to benefit the EPEC network as a whole, encouraging new and innovative ideas and actively expanding the community.
EPEC’s Co-Chairs are responsible for:
EPEC is looking for one elected Committee Co-Chair for the next term to help sustain the Committee activities. The term of the elected EPEC Committee Co-Chair will be two years with an option to extend for an additional year. The expected time commitment of the elected EPEC Chair is approximately two hours per week, with increased commitment expected during EPEC Annual Week and around EPSC.
This is a great opportunity to join a vibrant community of early career researchers, learn valuable leadership skills and work closely with another experienced Co-Chair to help each other make the most of the experience. Europlanet is passionate about providing a supportive environment and a great platform for raising the profile of its early career members.
Eligibility to apply:
To be eligible for this position, you must meet the following requirements:
We encourage applications from a diverse early career community (undergraduates, graduates, doctoral researchers and postdocs).
This form is closed.
A round up of news from Europlanet and the planetary community, including:
News from Europlanet
Community News
The Europlanet Future Research Working Group interviews the Europlanet Early Career Medal Winner, Tim Lichtenberg (extended version of the article here).
Jessie Hogan (The Open University, UK) and Nimisha Verma (DLR, Germany), Co-Chairs of the Europlanet Early Career (EPEC) Network, give a status update and describe future plans to expand EPEC’s community and activities.
Javier Eduardo Suárez Valencia of the University of Padova (Italy) reports how Europlanet’s development of an open-source tool to study the mineralogy of the Moon has led to the discovery of new lunar features.
Anita Heward, Editor of the Europlanet Magazine, introduces a special focus on industry and the importance of academia-industrial links for the planetary science community.
In this edition of Planetary Perspectives, Geraint (Taff) Morgan shares insights on working with industry and knowledge transfer.
Elena Benedetto (University of Geneva/NCCR PlanetS, Switzerland) explores how the NCCR PlanetS Technology and Innovation Platform (TIP) has helped shape innovation, industry relations and instrumentation development for the Swiss community of planetary sciences.
Yoga Barrathwaj Raman Mohan and the team at Blue Skies Space (UK and Italy) describe how the company is taking a new approach to delivering data from science satellites to the global science community.
Mihály Veres, former CEO of Isotoptech, describes how the development of a company to provide research and development, manufacturing and laboratory measurement services has supported research activities from nuclear power to the heart of our Solar System.
James Kingsnorth, Head of Science at Team Tumbleweed (Netherlands), describes how technological innovation by a startup could drive large-scale, low-cost exploration of the Red Planet.
Maximilian Rothenberger, Chief Executive Officer (CEO)/Head of Sales and Jürg Jost, Chief Technology Officer (CTO)/Co-Founder of Spacetek Technology AG (Switzerland), describe how a university spin-out has become a leading innovator in both industrial and space technologies.
In his column on science communication, Thibaut Roger (University of Bern/NCCR PlanetS, Switzerland) discusses how competitions and challenges can link education, outreach and industry.
Stavro Lambrov Ivanovski, Vice President of Europlanet, reflects on two decades of activities and the road ahead for Europlanet.
This workshop aims to provide an introduction to the fascinating world of tardigrades and their relevance in astrobiology.
Through a combination of lectures and hands-on activities, participants will explore the biology of these microorganisms, known for their ability to survive extreme conditions, from freezing temperatures to exposure to the vacuum of space. Their role in astrobiological research will be discussed, highlighting experiments conducted in space and their potential to aid in the search for extraterrestrial life. Water bears, also known as tardigrades, are very small, segmented animals. The largest species is just over one millimetre in length. Water bears live in temporary ponds and droplets of water in soil and on moist plants. They are known to survive under conditions that would kill most organisms – they can withstand temperatures ranging from -272 deg C to +150 deg C, they can be without water for a period of 10 years, and they are extremely resistant to radiation.
In addition to theoretical lectures, the workshop will include a field trip around the Molėtai Astronomical Observatory, where attendees will collect samples from potential tardigrade habitats. Later, in the laboratory, they will learn how to locate and isolate these organisms for microscopic observation, identifying their characteristics and structures while also learning how to cultivate tardigrades at home.
This workshop is designed for university students, researchers, and enthusiasts of microbiology and astrobiology, offering a unique opportunity to understand how extremophiles can provide insights into life on other planets. With a practical and accessible approach, participants will learn about tardigrades and experience their search and analysis firsthand in a real scientific environment.
2 days at the Molėtai Astronomical Observatory, the other 1 day in Vilnius, Vilnius University Life Sciences Center, Lithuania.
20 students from Europe will be selected to attend in person. Additionally, an unlimited number of online participants will be able to join.
Trip Vilnius – Observatory, lodging and food in Molėtai observatory will be provided by Europlanet and Vilnius university for everyone.
The financial support for trip to and from Lithuania can be allocated by our partners:
Key dates:
* More information concerning the reimbursement will be provided for the selected participants personally.
Find out more on the workshop main page.
Europlanet has launched a survey to ask members for feedback on our community services.
Researchers, students, educators and other members of the Europlanet community are asked to share their thoughts about additional services that we can offer in the short term (i.e. next year or two).
The survey supports a bottom-up approach for Europlanet to offer activities that can be led by volunteers, in addition to our core services (e.g. Transnational Access, Europlanet Telescope Network Access, Expert Exchanges, Community activities and training). Proposals for additional activities or specific initiatives will be evaluated by the membership, and the most highly-ranked will be considered in the plan of activities of Europlanet for the coming years.
The survey is open to individual members of Europlanet, as well as staff of organisational members.
While there’s no strict deadline, we plan to announce the first results from the survey during the General Assembly at the EPSC-DPS Joint Meeting 2025 in Helsinki. Therefore, you would like your responses to be considered in this first round, you should complete the survey before 1 September 2025.
Your input will help us tailor our services to better meet your needs.
The results have been announced of a call by the Europlanet Society to support funding proposals of €1000 to €5000 from its Regional Hubs, Committees and Working Groups and the Society Membership.
Six projects have been supported in 2025:
French Hub proposal: Lights, Camera, Early-Career Scientists in Action! (€3,500)
Audiences reached: Early-careers, under-represented states, planetary science community, other research communities, schools and the public.
Ireland-UK Hub proposal: Open University Crew Mission to Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS), Utah (€5000)
Audiences reached: Early-careers, industry, under-represented states, planetary science community, other research communities, amateur community, schools and the public.
Ireland-UK Hub proposal: Defining wet-dry cycles and the impact of desiccation in temporal Mars analogue environments (€4457)
Audiences reached: Early-careers, planetary science community and other research communities.
Northern Hub proposal: Survivors of the Extreme: Tardigrades and the Quest for Extraterrestrial Life (€5000)
Audiences reached: Early-careers, under-represented states, amateur community, other research communities, planetary science community, schools and the public.
Northern Hub proposal: Mercury Laboratory Workshop 2025 (€5000)
Audiences reached: Early-careers and planetary science community.
Spain-Portugal Hub proposal: Iberian Planetary Science & Solar System Exploration Congress (€5000)
Audiences reached: Early-careers, industry, under-represented states, planetary science community, other research communities, amateur community, policymakers, schools and the public.
An additional webinar will take place on 22 May, in collaboration with the IberoAmerican Space Agency Network, on asteroid stellar occultations.
The VIII Iberian Planetary Science & Solar System Exploration Congress (CPESS-8) will take place in Malaga from 26-30 May 2025. CPESS-8 is organised by the Iberian Hub of Europlanet, in collaboration with University of Malaga and will discuss the current state of planetary sciences in Spain and Portugal. The meeting will have a special focus on opportunities for scientific, technological and industrial collaborations at an international level, especially with Ibero-America, with representatives from Spain, Portugal and Latin America. The programme will include sessions on scientific policy with representatives from national Space & Research Agencies, technology sessions with a strong presence of the space industry, and scientific sessions from planetary research groups from the main public institutions. The programme will also include round tables on science-industry synergy, technology development for small missions and lunar exploration, debates on Ibero-American collaboration, early-career events in support of the new generation of researchers, collaboration with amateur astronomers and various education, public outreach and media events, which will enhance the accessibility and visibility of the congress and achieve a greater impact on society.
Find out more about the Committee Funding Scheme.
The EPEC Committee and EPEC Annual Week Local Organising Committee (LOC) are pleased to announce that the 7th edition of Annual Week will be held in person at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin in May 2025. Applications are now officially open!
Dates: 19 – 23 May 2025
Venue: German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin, Germany
Registration period: 21st March – 19th April 2025
The EPEC Annual Week is an opportunity for the EPEC community to better get to know each other, to strengthen their connections with the international science community in a conference exclusively catered to early careers. The programme for EPEC Annual Week 2025 (EPEC AW25) consists of science talks, invited speakers and a chance for our members to present their work in a low-stakes setting to build their confidence and scientific communication skills. Furthermore, the school brings together scientists from different career stages to provide a networking platform where science discussion and collaboration are stimulated via a series of group activities.
Programme for EPEC AW25
The theme for this year focuses on academic and industrial current topics, with a particular focus on planetary missions and as ever, building your network within the planetary community.
Here’s a snapshot of what to expect:
For more information and a preliminary programme, please visit the Annual Week 2025 webpage.
Eligibility
Participants must be enrolled in a B.Sc., M.Sc. course (or equivalent), be currently enrolled in a Ph.D. programme in the field of planetary/space science or have obtained their Ph.D. qualification no more than seven years ago. Note that in order to apply to the training school you are NOT required to be a member of EPEC, although this is encouraged.
Registration
To submit your application, please complete this registration form by the 19th of April.
Successful applicants will be notified via e-mail within a week after the submission deadline. In case of any queries or problems related to the application procedure, please send an email to epec.network@gmail.com, including “EPEC Annual Week Application” in the subject.
We hope to see you there,
EPEC AW25 Organising Committee
Europlanet has opened a call for funding proposals of up to 5000 € to support the activities of its members. Proposals should be submitted by the Chair (or designated representative) of a Europlanet Regional Hub, Committee or Working Group (WG). Projects proposed in the current call should be completed by the end of 2025.
EPEC is thrilled to announce the appointment of a new co-chair, Nimisha Verma!
Joining current co-chair Jessica Hogan, Nimisha is taking over the post from Melissa Merino, who has been in the position since late 2023.
An introduction from Nimisha:
Hello! My name is Nimisha Verma. I am a 2nd year PhD student at the German Aerospace Center (DLR), Berlin and working as part of the MERTIS Team for BepiColombo. During my PhD, I work in trying to combine Geology and Computer Science to study the surface of planet Mercury. Apart from my studies/work, I have always been interested in being involved in extra-curricular activities. I became actively involved with Europlanet in 2024 through the EPSC2024 organizing team and events like the EPEC Annual Week, which deepened my interest in the organization and inspired me to contribute further. I am thrilled to take on the role of Co-Chair for the Europlanet Early Career (EPEC) network. Thank you for this incredible opportunity, and I am eager to embark on this exciting journey!
The EPEC network is organised by early career researchers, for early career researchers, and includes volunteers from across the global Europlanet community. EPEC strives to form a strong network of early careers by organising events and creating a platform for early careers to engage with the wider scientific community.
The EPEC Committee, composed of chairs responsible for leading our activities and events, is led and coordinated by two Co-Chairs, whose duty is to make sure all the active events and activities are functioning nominally, fill periodic reports on ongoing activities, and liaise with the Europlanet Society Executive Board. You will be the primary point of call for EPEC queries about joining, membership, activities and events for both committee and members. EPEC’s Co-Chairs play a crucial role in coordinating the community and its activities, making key decisions that benefit the EPEC network as a whole, encouraging new and innovative ideas and actively expanding the community.
EPEC’s Co-Chairs are responsible for:
EPEC is looking for one elected Committee Co-Chair for the next term to help sustain the Committee activities. The term of the elected EPEC Committee Co-Chair will be two years with an option to extend for an additional year. The expected time commitment of the elected EPEC Chair is approximately two hours per week, with increased commitment expected during EPEC Annual Week and around EPSC.
This is a great opportunity to join a vibrant community of early career researchers, learn valuable leadership skills and work closely with another experienced Co-Chair to help each other make the most of the experience. Europlanet is passionate about providing a supportive environment and a great platform for raising the profile of its early career members.
Eligibility to apply:
To be eligible for this position, you must meet the following requirements:
We encourage applications from a diverse early career community (undergraduates, graduates, doctoral researchers and postdocs).
How to apply:
This call is now closed.
A round up of news from Europlanet and the planetary community, including:
News from Europlanet
• Beyond the Europlanet 2024 Research Infrastructure
• Berlin Welcomes EPSC2024
• Early Career Events at EPSC2024
• Inspired By Other Worlds Arts Contest 2024
• EPSC-DPS 2025
• Incoming Chair of EPSC
• Juice Science Webinar Series
• EPEC Annual Week 2024
• Launch of ESFRI Landscape Analysis 2024
• SPIDER Spies Atmospheric Escape at Venus
Community News
• Ariel Data Challenge 2024
• Workshop at ATOMKI
• Tatra Workshop
• 56th Conference On Variable Star Research
• Europlanet Early Career Prize for Best Iberian Thesis
• Incoming Chair of Germany Hub
• Inspiring Women
• Ireland-UK Hub Meeting
• PLANETOEXOBIO 2024
Niamh Shaw reports on her experiences participating in an expedition into the remote, Mars-like salt pans of Botswana to study the subsurface geology.
This edition of Planetary Perspectives highlights opportunities within space industry for early careers in an interview with Yoga Barrathwaj Raman Mohan (Blue Skies Space Ltd/Europlanet Industry Team).
As the Europlanet Telescope Network celebrates its fourth birthday, Gražina Tautvaišienė (Vilnius University, Lithuania), Guenter Kargl (Austrian Academy of Sciences, Austria) and Anita Heward (University of Kent, UK) reflect on the achievements to date.
Nigel Mason (Coordinator of Europlanet 2024 RI) gives guidance on how to approach embassies and an example of the outcome of a collaboration between embassies in the UK and Hungary.
Uli Köhler (DLR, Germany) reports on an expedition to Iceland that is helping to prepare for NASA and ESA missions to Venus at the beginning of the next decade.
Peter McArdle, Hans Huybrighs, J D Prasanna Deshapriya and Ottaviano Rüsch of the Europlanet Early Careers (EPEC) Future Research Working Group interview Enrica Bonato, who developed the sample return lab at at the German Aerospace Center (DLR) in Berlin.
Nicolas André (Institut de Recherche en Astrophysique et Planétologie, France) and Andrea Opitz (HUN-REN Wigner Research Centre for Physics, Hungary) describe how Europlanet’s SPIDER services are supporting planetary space weather studies and Solar System missions.
Boyko Ranguelov (Bulgarian Academy of Science and Arts, Bulgaria) considers how human senses might respond to objects in the Solar System.
Anita Heward (Europlanet/University of Kent, UK) and Thibaut Roger (University of Bern, Switzerland) report on reactions to an unusual scent at the Swiss Comic Con.
Barbara Cavalazzi (University of Bologna, Italy) reviews a series of workshops organised by Europlanet in Africa and South America.
Riccardo Pozzobon and Matteo Massironi (University of Padova, Italy) explains how Europlanet’s GMAP activity has created infrastructure to support geological mappers around the world.
Thibaut Roger (University of Bern/NCCR PlanetS, Switzerland) examines how to incorporate VR and AR in your outreach and communication.
Ann Carine Vandaele, President of the Europlanet Society, and Nigel Mason, Coordinator of the Europlanet 2024 Research Infrastructure (RI) reveal a new phase for Europlanet.
In this series from the EPEC Communication Working Group, we meet members of the Europlanet Early Career (EPEC) community and find out more about their experiences and aspirations.
Johanna Bürger is a doctoral candidate in physics at the Institute of Geophysics and Extraterrestrial Physics at the TU Braunschweig in Germany.
Johanna’s doctoral thesis deals with the physical and thermophysical properties of lunar regolith, fine-grained material covering the surface of the moon. For her research, she uses remote sensing data, in particular radiometer measurements from the infrared to the microwave range. To interpret the data, she develops thermophysical and radiative transfer models and applies them to derive regolith properties such as grain size and stratification.
Prior to the doctoral program, Johanna received her bachelor’s and master’s degree in physics at TU Braunschweig in 2019 and 2022. During her studies, she spent a semester abroad at the Stockholm University in Sweden and completed a research stay at the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics in Boulder, USA.
One of her key moments that led her to pursue a career in science was very early on, when she attended EPSC-DPS 2019 in Geneva and had the opportunity to give a talk on her bachelor thesis project, in which she used radiometer data from the Rosetta mission to derive optical and physical properties of the subsurface material of comet 67P. Participating in international conferences, connecting with scientists from all over the world and the associated travel is still a great motivation for her. Most recently, Johanna was awarded the prestigious 2024 Zonta International Amelia Earhart Fellowship.
Outside her research, educational equity and equal opportunities are very important matters for her, which is why she co-founded studytutors Braunschweig in 2020, an association that offers free tutoring for children and young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.
Johanna has been part of the EPEC network since the beginning of 2023 and is co-chairing the EPEC@EPSC group, which organizes activities for early career researchers at the annual Europlanet Science Congress.
“I have been a part of the EPEC network since the beginning of 2023 and I am very happy to actively contribute to the community by being a co-chair of EPEC@EPSC. EPEC always creates a great environment and support for early careers at EPSC. With EPEC, I can make full use of my organizational skills and also learn how a large conference like the EPSC is organized. It is a great feeling to be part of this community and I am very happy about the connections and friends I have made!”
JOHANNA BÜRGER
If you are an Early Career member of the Europlanet Society and would like to be featured in an EPEC Profile, find out more about how to submit your profile.
See all the EPEC Profiles.
The Europlanet Early Careers (EPEC) network’s annual training school, EPEC Annual Week, is taking place in Padova, Italy, from 24-28 June 2024.
The meeting is fully hybrid, with in-person and online participants.
The programme started after lunch on Tuesday, with introductions to Europlanet by the Society Vice President, Stavro Ivanovski, and EPEC by Co-Chair, Melissa Mirino, and the EPEC@EPSC Co-Chair, Johanna Bürger.
In the afternoon, participants were challenged to present short pitch introductions to themselves. Timothej Patocka gave the winning pitch and was awarded a prize. The day finished with the first social event: a guided walking tour of the city of Padova .
By Peter McArdle, Hans Huybrighs, Prasanna Deshapriya, Ottaviano Ruesch, and the EPEC future research working group.
The field of sample return is developing rapidly around an increasing number of missions. What facilities and techniques are needed to handle such samples? Will sample return dominate other fields of planetary science? We discussed these questions and more with Dr. Enrica Bonato, who developed the Sample Return Lab at DLR and worked with samples from Hayabusa2 and legacy samples from Luna 24.
I earned my PhD in planetary science, undertaking my research jointly at the Natural History Museum (NHM) in London and the University of Glasgow. My project focused on the thermal metamorphism of carbonaceous chondrites. Following this, I took on a short postdoctoral position at the NHM, where I worked on lithium mining. I am passionate about public engagement, and I explored various outlets for this during my time at the NHM.
After completing my postdoc, I transitioned into the role of lab developer and manager for the newly established DLR sample return lab. When I started this role, there was no lab to speak of! I played a crucial role in planning and outfitting the lab in addition to getting it ready for its intended use as a sample return facility and curation center. As part of my responsibilities at DLR, I am proud to be a member of the Hayabusa 2 and MMX analysis teams.
The key to securing my role as a lab developer manager was ‘delving behind the scenes’ of various instruments during my postdoc. This allowed me to become an independent user of these instruments, by becoming involved in everything from sample preparation, instrument set up and operation to data analysis. Attending numerous training events organised by instrument and software suppliers also proved invaluable experience.
For those intrigued by the prospect of joining sample return missions, I believe being in the right place at the right time is crucial. However, I suggest that early-career researchers (ECRs) with an interest in these missions reach out to existing team members. By doing so, they can explore opportunities to support the mission in various ways.
“I suggest that early-career researchers with an interest in these missions reach out to existing team members.”
Enrica Bonato
We are currently in a golden age for sample return. Multiple missions have successfully returned samples from asteroids (Hayabusa, Hayabusa2, OSIRIS-REx) and the moon (Chang’e 5) in recent years. At the same time new missions are in preparation to return samples from Mars and its moon Phobos (MMX, Mars Sample Return).
I believe that it won’t stop here. In the coming decades, we will witness sample return missions expanding to an increasing number of objects. I am particularly excited about the prospect of sample return missions from Ceres and comets. As part of the sample return mission process, we are also dedicated to enhancing the handling and analysis of samples already on Earth. The collection, transportation, and storage of samples from other planets demand a detailed understanding of material properties, necessitating a new specialisation within the field of planetary science.
I believe that sample return missions will complement other planetary science missions. It’s crucial to bring a diverse array of instruments to the objects we’re interested in. On one hand, we need to assess and identify sites that are intriguing and suitable for sample return. On the other hand, we also need to conduct broader investigations of the objects to provide context for the analysis of the samples.
“We are currently in a golden age for sample return.”
Enrica Bonato
Challenges will come from the new sample environments that we will access and new types of materials that we will sample, for example a potential future sample return mission from Venus’ surface. Building a spacecraft that can land on Venus’ extremely hostile surface and return a sample is extremely challenging. Challenges will also arise from returning a new type of sample: ice. So far the samples returned are rocks. Sampling ices from Ceres, comets or icy moons and keeping them frozen throughout cruise, the landing and later in storage on Earth brings unique challenges. Some of these technologies already exist in other fields, but a lot of new development is needed.
I was the only person working on this project, alongside the grant holder, who also served as my supervisor. Before my involvement, there were already some initial planning and key milestones in place. My goal was to implement and adapt this plan throughout my time at DLR. I focused on specific techniques, aiming to establish a unique and specialised niche for the lab. Considering both the institute’s requirements and the broader scientific community, I selected instruments and managed their procurement. The next step in the project would be to upgrade the lab to a curation facility.
The features are quite similar to an Earth science lab. Analyses often take place in labs at universities or research institutes, not necessarily tailored for a particular incoming sample. One notable distinction is the need for personnel to wear lab clothing and adhere to specific standards in sample handling so as not to contaminate samples.
The sample holders for XRD (X-Ray Diffraction) analysis allow for preparation within a glove box and subsequent analysis of the samples without exposure to air. Additionally, another unique feature is a sample transport shuttle that facilitates vacuum conditions between the Electron Microprobe and SEM (Scanning Electron Microscope), ensuring a controlled environment for the sample.
“Sample return missions will complement other planetary science missions.”
Enrica Bonato
Exciting years ahead for sample return. Thanks Enrica!
More interviews from the Future Research Working Group.
Europlanet is delighted welcome Noah Jäggi as the Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC) Incoming Vice Chair.
An introduction from Noah:
I am a space physicist with a background in geochemistry that connects laboratory experiments to numerical simulations. In 2019 I joined the Europlanet Early Career (EPEC) network and have been an active member since, co-organising early career focused events at EPSC and chairing the EPEC@EPSC working group from 2020 to 2022. In mid-2023 I completed my PhD and decided to become the EPEC treasurer to remain in contact with EPEC projects. Since then, I have moved to the USA for a two-year postdoctoral fellowship, continuing my services as a treasurer for EPEC, and I recently returned to EPEC@EPSC to organise another Science Flash at this year’s EPSC in Berlin. I am looking forward to serving as the EPSC vice chair going forward and am immensely grateful for the warm welcome I received from the EPSC committee.
Dates: 25-28 June 2024
Venue: University of Padua’s Department of Geosciences/Online
Programme: Now Available
The EPEC Annual Week is an event that gathers Early Careers from everywhere in the world, where different seminars and workshops foster a healthy, collaborative, and interactive reflection on topics related to academia and the challenges that early careers face. In 2024, for the first time, it will be held as a hybrid meeting to allow all the people interested to join and participate. The school is organised by the Europlanet Early Career network (EPEC) and provides participants with the opportunity to engage with other young researchers.
The EPEC Annual Week takes place in the spring/early summer of each year in a different location around Europe, and this year Italy will be the host country thanks to the participation of the University of Padua.
The EPEC Annual Week is an opportunity for the EPEC community to better get to know each other, to brainstorm on how to further develop the network in terms of the activities of its working groups and to enhance the interaction with members of the Europlanet Executive Board, who will be invited to give talks throughout the week. Furthermore, the school brings together young scientists from all EU countries and provides a networking platform where science discussion and collaboration are stimulated via a series of group activities.
Participants must be Early Careers (either be in their final year of an MSc course or be currently enrolled in a PhD program) in the field of planetary/space science or have obtained their PhD qualification not earlier than 2017. Note that in order to apply to the training school you are NOT required to be a member of EPEC, although this is encouraged.
The 2024 edition of the EPEC Annual Week will take place in Padua, Italy. Sessions and activities related to the meeting will take place at the University of Padua’s Department of Geosciences. The Department is located just 15-20 mins walk from the city center in Via Giovanni Gradenigo 6.
The programme for this year’s EPEC Annual Week will cover:
Registration has now closed.
Successful applicants will be notified via e-mail within two days after the submission deadline. In case of any queries or problems related to the application procedure, please send an email to epec.network@gmail.com, including ‘EPEC Annual Week application’ in the subject.
EPEC aspires to be a safe and respectful community, and will not tolerate harassment, bullying, discrimination or intimidation in any setting (online or face-to-face).
If you have experienced or have witnessed behaviour which is contrary to the Europlanet Code of Conduct please complete the Breach of Conduct Reporting Form.
The 2024 edition of the EPEC Annual Week will take place in Padua, Italy. Sessions and activities related to the meeting will take place at the University of Padua’s Department of Geosciences. The Department is located just 15-20 mins walk from the city center in Via Giovanni Gradenigo 6.
By plane
Padua is easily accessible from nearby airports. Closest airports are Venezia “Marco Polo” airport (VCE), Treviso “Antonio Canova” airport (TSF), Verona “Valerio Catullo” airport (VRN) and Bologna “Guglielmo Marconi” airport (BLQ).
From Venice “Marco Polo” airport (VCE), Padua can be reached:
From Treviso “Antonio Canova” airport (TSF), Padua can be reached:
From Verona “Valerio Catullo” airport (VRN), Padua can be reached:
From Bologna “Guglielmo Marconi” airport (BLQ), Padua can be reached:
By train
The train station of Padua has daily direct connections through high-speed trains (Trenitalia and Italo trains) with major Italian cities such as Rome (3h 30 mins), Milan (2h), Naples (about 5h), Florence (about 2h), and of course Venice (Venezia) Mestre (15-30 mins).
The taxi waiting stand is right in front of Padua’s train station.
A luggage storage service is open every day from 6 am to 8 pm next to platform 1.
Participants will be accomodated in double rooms with breakfast included at the Hotel “Al Fagiano” located in Padua’s historical city center (Via Antonio Locatelli 45) just a few minutes walk from the Basilica del Santo and Prato della Valle.
How to get from the train station to the hotel and back
Tram stops and numerous bus lines are located close to the hotel. From the Padua train station the easiest option is to take the tram Sir1 in the direction of “Santo” and get off at the “Santo” stop, from there, cross the street and take the 1st street on the right (Via Locatelli) where the hotel is located at n.45. The whole trip takes about 10-15 mins.
How to get from the hotel to the venue and back
The venue is located approximately 25 mins walk from the hotel. Alternatively, you can combine a bus trip and some walking, which will take a similar amount of time.
Possible route from the hotel:
You can do the reverse journey to come back. All the info about bus lines and stops can be consulted on Google Maps or on the Moovit app.
Moving around Padua
The city of Padua has local buses and trams. Timetables, maps, and information on where to buy tickets are available here
If you prefer an alternative and sustainable way to explore the city there are bike sharing (Mobike, GoodBike) and e-scooters (BIT Mobility, Dott) services. More info is available here
Taxi service is also available 24h (Radio Taxi Padova). Short taxi trips within the city center should cost about 10-20 euros. More info is available here.
Consider also downloading the app Moovit for planning your trip.
Padua (Padova, in the Italian language) is located in the center of the Veneto region, close to the lagoon city Venice. Populated since the Roman’s time, Padua is a city rich in history and culture. The city is an UNESCO site for the “Orto Botanico” (Botanical Gardens), which is the oldest in the world, and the “Cappella degli Scrovegni” (Scrovegni Chapel), painted by Giotto in 1305.
Padua is also home to one of the oldest universities in the world and the second oldest university in Italy. Founded in 1222, the University has always played a central role in Astronomical sciences. Many important people visited, taught or studied at Padua: for example Nicolaus Copernicus and Galileo Galilei. Galileo was a professor at the University of Padua, and during his stay in the city, he discovered the four Moons of Jupiter using his telescope: Io, Europa, Callisto and Ganymede.
In 1671 the University of Padova obtained the permission to build an astronomical observatory. Giuseppe Toaldo, priest and professor of astronomy, identified the Torlonga tower as the perfect place (now called “Specola”). In 1777 Torloga became the first observatory of the University, to which was added those of Asiago in 1942 (Cima Pennar) and in 1972 (Cima Ekar).
Details coming soon.
Find out more about past EPEC Annual Weeks.
EPEC Profiles – Nicole Costa
In this series from the EPEC Communication Working Group, we meet members of the Europlanet Early Career (EPEC) community and find out more about their experiences and aspirations.
Nicole Costa is a PhD student in Geoscience at the University of Padova, Italy.
Currently, I am a second year PhD student in Geoscience at the University of Padova. In 2022, I had a fellowship with the Istituto di Astrofisica e Planetologia Spaziali (IAPS-INAF) in Roma as a member of the Ma_MISS team of the ESA ExoMars2022 mission.
I took a Master’s degree (M.Sc.) in Geology and Technical Geology at the University of Padova in 2021 and a Bachelor’s degree in Geological Sciences at the University of Padova in 2019. My current PhD project is focused on understanding the composition and the stratigraphy of the upper part of the Martian North Polar Layered Deposits through the combination of hyperspectral (e.g. CRISM) and radar (e.g. SHARAD) data. The project is integrated with a laboratory analysis: development of set-up for hyperspectral acquisition at low temperatures and creation of icy slabs with Martian Simulants to analyse and compare with Martian spectral data (e.g. CRISM).
During the IAPS fellowship, I was involved in the laboratory spectra acquisition with optical fibres spectrometer prototypes in order to test them for space applications in landers or rovers. I also investigated the different relationships between geological units of the rover landing site, Oxia Planum, through geological maps and sections.
“This is the first time that I’ve worked in an EPEC team. Every year, I’ve attend the EPEC Annual Week and last year I participated in the Europlanet Research Infrastructure Meeting (ERIM). In 2021, I participated at the EPSC, online version. I’m really looking forward to hosting EPEC Annual Week in Padova!”
NICOLE COSTA
More information about Nicole Costa:
Contact: nicole.costa@studenti.unipd.it
If you are an Early Career member of the Europlanet Society and would like to be featured in an EPEC Profile, find out more about how to submit your profile.
See all the EPEC Profiles.We are back! EPEC will once again team up with AbGradE for EPSC 2024, expanding network opportunities for early career scientists and students.
This year we invite you on Sunday, September 8th for a symposium at the Freie Universität comprising of science presentations and a workshop on professional development given by an ESA fellow and a former ESA intern. For a chance to meet your fellow early careers on the first day of EPSC for a career-focused workshop, and make those all important connections from day one, this is an event you don’t want to miss!
The deadline for registration is June 30th and can be accomplished with the following form. The event fee is 10 euros (including snacks, coffee and lunch provided), details on payment will be sent to you after the registration closes.
The extended deadline for abstracts is June 15th. For contributed talks, please send a short abstract (max. 200 words) using the template to abgrade@eana-net.eu. We invite early careers to present the work that they either present as a poster at EPSC2024 or any other project not presented at EPSC2024. Letters of acceptance will be sent out by mid-June.
More information can be found at abgrade.eu/abgradepec24.
We look forward to meeting you all in Berlin for what promises to be our biggest joint event yet!
A round up of news from Europlanet and the planetary community, including:
• New Board Members of the Europlanet Society
• New EPEC Co-Chairs
• Join us on Discord!
• DPS-EPSC Joint Meeting 2023
• EPSC in Berlin and Beyond!
• GMAP Winter School
• Europlanet at Space Tech Expo Europe
• European Space Weather Week
• 1st Europlanet Latin America Workshop
• Europlanet Committee Funding Scheme Results 2023
• Europlanet Prize for Public Engagement 2023
• Farinella Prize 2023
• Students as Planetary Defenders
• Blink of a Star
• Polish Experiments to Fly on ISS
• EXPLORE Apps for Lunar, Stellar & Galactic Research
Stavro Ivanovski (INAF-Trieste Astronomical Observatory, Italy), Angelo Pio Rossi (Constructor University, Germany), Jeronimo Bernard-Salas (ACRI-ST, France), and Anita Heward (DFET, UK) look at how Machine Learning (ML) is revolutionising planetary science.
This edition of Planetary Perspectives finds out more about interests, backgrounds and ambitions for the Europlanet Society of the members of the Executive Board elected and taking up new roles in November 2023.
Gražina Tautvaišienė (Vilnius University, Lithuania), describes how a Europlanet programme is supporting Ukrainian colleagues to continue their research.
Anita Heward (Chair of the ERIM Organising Committee and Europlanet Sustainability Committee) reports on how the Europlanet Research Infrastructure Meeting (ERIM) in Bratislava has helped to lay the foundations for a sustainable Europlanet.
James McKevitt (University of Vienna, Austria and UCL, UK) reflects on the outcomes of the Europlanet Early Career event, EPEC Annual Week, held in Bratislava, Slovakia in June 2023.
The Europlanet Policy Team reports on a policy workshop that took place as part of the Europlanet Research Infrastructure Meeting (ERIM) 2023 last June.
Thibaut Roger (University of Bern, Switzerland) reports on a session at ERIM to initiate a discussion about the ecological impact of astronomy and planetary research activities
Thibaut Roger (University of Bern, Switzerland) and Barbara Cavalazzi (University of Bologna, Italy) bring astrobiology and planetary science to schools in Bratislava.
Jozef Bodlak (Solar System Scope) tells the story behind the Solar System Scope – an app that takes users on an immersive journey with the aim of bringing the grandeur of space to the fingertips of people around the world.
Maarten Roos-Serote (Lightcurve Films, Portugal) shares a unique view behind the scenes of the making of the Juice mission.
Alejandro Luis García Muñoz reports on the Europlanet Summer School 2023 at the Molėtai Astronomical Observatory in Lithuania.
Miloš Obert, Chair of the Slovak Union of Astronomers, reports on the Orionids 2023 astro-camp on meteor observations.
Karolien Lefever and Sylvain Ranvier (BIRA-IASB, Belgium) report on DUSTER, a project that gets to grips with lunar dust in preparation for future exploration missions.
Thibaut Roger (University of Bern, Switzerland) examines how AI can be useful for scientific outreach and communication, as well as the limitations.
Ann Carine Vandaele, President of the Europlanet Society, reflects on sustainability plans for Europlanet.
Europlanet 2024 RI has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 871149.
Europlanet AISBL (Association Internationale Sans But Lucratif – 0800.634.634) is hosted by the Department of Planetary Atmospheres of the Royal Belgian Institute for Space Aeronomy (BIRA-IASB), Avenue Circulaire 3, B-1180 Brussels, Belgium.