Europlanet Transnational Access Call 2026 – Free Access to Facilities
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:
Europlanet Teams Day returns on 12 November 2025! Join us online, for free, for a fast-paced day of networking themed around interactive activities and breakout sessions with our regional hubs, thematic committees and working groups.
Europlanet Teams Day will get the community talking and working together, with an emphasis on upcoming opportunities within Europlanet and within the broader European funding landscape.
Join us on 12 November to meet new collaborators within the Europlanet community, find out about upcoming opportunities and how you can be involved.
‘Impact, Industry Engagement, Research Security and Dual Use’ Workshop at Industriens Hus, Copenhagen
Around 30 representatives of a diverse range of research infrastructures gathered at Industriens Hus, Copenhagen, Denmark and online from 20 – 21 October 2025 for a hybrid workshop ahead of the Research and Technology Infrastructures (RTI) Summit 2025.
The meeting, which was co-organised by Aarhus University, the European Science Foundation and Europlanet, included a workshop on impact evaluation. Presentations and discussions covered industry engagement, research security and Dual Use, as well as upcoming opportunities within Horizon Europe and an update on a new journal focused on RIs.
The session also included an update on a White Paper on Distributed Research Infrastructures, which was discussed at the previous workshop in Krakow in June 2025. The title of the White Paper has been updated to: ‘Towards an Inclusive Framework for Europe’s Research Infrastructures: Embracing diversity in form, theme, and scale.’
In line with feedback from the Krakow meeting, additional adjustments have been made to reflect that issues in visibility in European RI policy for many RIs do not specifically originate from the size but more from the form and the prioritisation of the ESFRI Roadmap RIs and ERICs. The White Paper concludes that: ‘A resilient, adaptable, and dynamic research ecosystem requires strategic support for all RIs.’ The new version has been submitted to the European publication platform Open Research Europe (ORE) for final review.
Images
Presentations
Horizon Europe Updates – Nigel Mason (Europlanet / University of Kent)
Europlanet Evaluation Shows Networking and Collaboration Pave the Way to High Impact Science: Case Study Featured in Nature Astronomy
Evaluation of the impact of the most recent €10-million Europlanet project funded by the European Commission (EC) has been featured as a case study in the journal Nature Astronomy, published today.
The Europlanet 2024 Research Infrastructure (RI) project, which ran between 1 February 2020 and 31 July 2024, provided access to the world’s largest coordinated collection of planetary simulation and analysis facilities, virtual access to data services and tools, funding for upgrades to facilities and programmes, and a range of activities to support the community though networking, training, professional development and access to a telescope network. The project, which involved over 50 partners, was one of the most complex distributed research infrastructures ever funded by the EC.
From proposal stage, an Impact Evaluation Officer – the social scientist Jen DeWitt – was recruited and embedded in the project to delve into and document its results, outcomes and longer-term impacts.
Lonneke Roelofs from the Netherlands visited the Mars Chamber at the Open University, UK, through the Europlanet 2024 RI Transnational Access Programme. Credit: L Roelofs.
The comment piece in Nature Astronomy highlights how having robust evaluation built into a project from the beginning leads to high-impact science and an outwards looking ethos that benefits the whole planetary community. Key findings from the evaluation also show that the networking and personal contacts associated with participation in the project’s activities, particularly the Transnational Access visits to laboratories and field sites, lead to better science, new avenues of research and long-lasting collaborations that would not have otherwise occurred.
“It’s never a straightforward pipeline between funding going in and good science coming out. Many things happen in the middle, and it’s important to understand what those factors are and how they affect the quality and longer-term impacts of the science itself, as well as the researchers doing the work and the wider communities around them,” explained DeWitt. “For students and early-career researchers starting out, these impacts are particularly important as they provide opportunities that would otherwise not be available to them and accelerate their careers.”
The evaluation of Europlanet 2024 RI was structured around five impact areas defined in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reference framework for evaluating research infrastructures, including scientific, technological, training and education, economic and societal impacts. Together with the project management team and activity leads, DeWitt defined key performance indicators that were mapped onto strategic objectives within the impact areas, and these were regularly reviewed, refined and updated over the course of the project. As well as quantitative metrics, like numbers of users and publications, DeWitt also gathered qualitative feedback through open-ended questions in surveys and via interviews.
Europlanet 2024 RI networking workshop. Credit: A Fratti.
Nigel Mason, the Coordinator of Europlanet 2024 RI and its predecessor RI project said: “This project was the last in a series that have received €28 million funding over 20 years from the EC. Although we had collected the metrics required by the EC for all past projects, this time, we wanted a more in-depth understanding of the results and outcomes, in both the short and longer term. To do that, we needed to bring in someone with the right expertise to work with us right from the start.
“Having a dedicated evaluator who had the time and expertise to gather more in-depth feedback meant that we could see how interactions with users developed over time and how the different strands of the project came together and functioned as a whole to support the community.”
The evaluation – and the management of the project itself – was complicated by the world events of 2020-24, including the pandemic, wars in Ukraine and Ethiopia, and the associated financial and societal challenges. Many activities required temporary or permanent adaptations in response to lockdowns, travel restrictions, health issues and personnel changes. Some barriers to impact remained, particularly with respect to widening participation from parts of the community that are under-represented in planetary science, where face-to-face participation and hosting events locally have been shown to be particularly important.
Nonetheless, the evaluation showed impact in all areas monitored, particularly with respect to scientific and training. The project has resulted in over 250 publications and conference presentations to date, and the mentoring, expert exchanges, training programmes and summer schools were all highlighted as being particularly important for early careers and researchers from under-represented countries during the pandemic. Over 90% of Transnational Access visits have resulted in ongoing research collaborations, and two thirds of participants reported that they followed up new avenues of research as a result of their visit.
Understanding what did and did not work for users and how both users and project partners benefited over time were key to delivering a successful project and defining what should come next.
“This evaluation is not just important in explaining to the European Commission – and the public taxpayers – about how their money has been spent and why the results have been beneficial to science and society. It has also had a vital practical use in helping us to identify where we should prioritise limited resources going forwards,” said Europlanet Vice-President, Anita Heward. “Europlanet is now a self-sustaining non-profit association and, if we are to continue to support the planetary community, we need to know where Europlanet’s activities have the biggest impact and best value for money. The evaluation has helped us do this in a robust, evidence-driven way.”
The importance of collaboration and networking in delivering high-impact planetary science was a key finding, with the evaluation helping to identify exactly how and why they are important.
“These results show that the popular stereotypes of scientists as lone geniuses working in isolation are diametrically opposite to how good science happens in practice. Success in research comes through building networks, talking, listening, learning and collaborating with colleagues – especially when it happens at an international and cross-border level. When we are talking to the next generation about careers in science, or to policy makers, the strength and importance of community is something that we should highlight and be really proud of,” said DeWitt.
DeWitt, J., Heward, A. & Mason, N.J. Insights into evaluating a research project through an impact case study of a pan-European research infrastructure. Nat Astron9, 1415–1417 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41550-025-02684-7
Europlanet 2024 RI has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 871149.
Tim Lichtenberg, Benoit Carry and Jean Schneider Honoured by New Europlanet Career Medals
Joint Meeting of the Europlanet Science Congress and the American Astronomical Society’s Division for Planetary Science (EPSC-DPS2025) Press Release.
Europlanet has announced the winners of its inaugural Career Medals, which are designed to honour outstanding contributions from planetary scientists at three stages of their careers.
Dr Tim Lichtenberg is awarded the Europlanet Early-Career Medal in recognition of an interdisciplinary approach that has led to significant advances in the understanding of planetary formation and exoplanet evolution. Lichtenberg’s work has shed light on the influence of radioactive elements on early planetary heating, the distribution of water and other volatile materials in planetary systems, and how planets evolve to become habitable.
Dr Benoit Carry is awarded the Europlanet Mid-Career Medal for his work to characterise the internal structures and compositions of asteroids and planetary small bodies. Carry’s research has given critical insights into the evolution of the early Solar System, as well as making an important contribution to planetary defence efforts and to open science.
Prof Jean Schneider is awarded the Europlanet Lifetime Achievement Medal for his role as one of the ‘architects’ of modern planetary sciences. In addition to pioneering key methodologies for detecting and characterising exoplanets, including transit photometry and transmission spectroscopy, Schneider founded the Encyclopaedia of Exoplanetary Systems, which for thirty years has been a cornerstone resource for the international community.
Noah Jäggi, Chair of the Medal Award Committee said, ‘With this first set of Europlanet Career Medals, we are delighted to be able to recognise the contributions of three individuals who have had such a profound impact, not just on planetary science, but on our whole community. The achievements of our inaugural medallists demonstrate that, at each stage of a career, scientists can make a substantial difference to the field in which they work and to the colleagues that work alongside them. We are proud to honour these truly deserving recipients.’
The awards will be presented next week at the Joint Meeting of the Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC) and the American Astronomical Society’s Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) 2025, which will take place at Finlandia Hall, Helsinki, Finland, from 7-12 September.
Europlanet Early-Career Medal Winner, Tim Lichtenberg
Tim Lichtenberg.
Tim Lichtenberg works as Assistant Professor at the Kapteyn Astronomical Institute of the University of Groningen, where he leads the Forming Worlds Lab. His research bridges geochemistry, geophysics, climate science and exoplanet astronomy, and explores how factors like magma ocean longevity, the balance between oxidation and reduction processes, and core-mantle segregation can influence exoplanetary atmospheres and give insights into planetary evolution and habitability.
Lichtenberg proposed that the presence of aluminium-26 (26Al) during planet formation can heat and dry out embryonic planets. This theory could explain why planetary systems like our Solar System form largely dry terrestrial planets, contrasting with those in which Earth-mass exoplanets become water-rich ocean worlds. These theoretical insights have since been supported by observations of protoplanetary disks, analysis of stellar remnants that have been polluted by planetary debris, as well as evidence from meteorites formed very early in the Solar System’s history. These findings directly impact our understanding of the origin and distribution of long-lived atmospheres on terrestrial exoplanets.
Beyond his scientific achievements, Lichtenberg has shown leadership in community-building, promoting inclusive and team-spirited work environments and open science. He plays key roles in major international initiatives, including the Large Interferometer for Exoplanets (LIFE) project, several James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) programmes, and the interdisciplinary Rocky Worlds meeting series.
Benoit Carry, of the Lagrange laboratory of the Observatoire de la Côte d’Azur (OCA), uses observational and theoretical approaches for understanding the distribution and the compositional diversity of small bodies in planetary systems. His work in interpreting data from major space missions, such as Gaia and Euclid, has been pivotal in advancing our understanding of the formation of the asteroid belt and the evolution of the Solar System.
Carry’s research has enabled more precise asteroid mass determinations, revealing key properties of asteroid interiors and substantially improving the accuracy of threat assessments for potentially hazardous asteroids. His collaborative work on compositional mapping of the asteroid belt has shaped current models of planetary migration and asteroid distribution. As co-chair of the ESA HERA mission’s Working Group on ground-based observations of Didymos, the target of the NASA DART and ESA HERA missions, he has taken a leading role in planning and interpreting asteroid deflection observations that will be vital for future planetary defence efforts.
Alongside the scientific impact of his work, Carry is committed to open science and has developed critical infrastructure for the planetary science community, including tools that enable the real-time classification of astronomical alerts and services that provide comprehensive data on over a million asteroids and dwarf planets.
The Europlanet Mid-Career Medal continues to honour the memory and legacy of the Italian scientist, Paolo Farinella (1953-2000), in whose name the Farinella Prize was awarded from 2011-2024.
Europlanet Lifetime Achievement Winner, Jean Schnieder
Jean Schneider.
Jean Schneider is Emeritus Researcher at the Observatoire de Paris-Meudon. Nearly a decade before the first observation of an exoplanet, Schneider laid the theoretical groundwork for identifying exoplanets through transit photometry. Missions such as CoRoT, Kepler, and TESS have all built on these foundations, leading to the detection of thousands of new worlds, including CoRoT-7b, the first super-Earth with a measured radius.
In 1994, Schneider published the first work proposing transmission spectroscopy, a method of detecting the molecular fingerprints of gases on extrasolar planets by analysing light filtered through the atmospheres of planets passing in front of their host stars. This technique, used on JWST and Hubble data and underpinning the upcoming ESA Ariel mission, has characterised the atmospheres of around 100 exoplanets to date and may help ultimately to answer the question of whether planets other than Earth might harbour life. Schneider also pioneered methodologies for detecting planets around binary stars and exomoons, pushing the frontiers of what could potentially be observed.
Several months before the discovery of 51 Pegasi b in 1995, Schneider created the Encyclopaedia of Exoplanetary Systems, which today includes comprehensive information on over 7,600 planets orbiting other stars and is a unique resource for research, teaching and public outreach around the world.
Throughout his career, Professor Schneider has shown a commitment to building the international collaborations and institutional frameworks required to support the advancement of planetary sciences, serving in many leadership roles for actions, working groups and steering committees at CNRS, ESO and the IAU.
The Europlanet Medals, launched in 2025, honour outstanding contributions to scientific excellence, community building, and outreach from individuals at three different stages of their scientific careers, covering the subjects addressed by the Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC):
Terrestrial Planets
Outer Planet Systems
Missions, Instrumentation, Techniques, Modelling
Small Bodies (comets, KBOs, rings, asteroids, meteorites, dust)
Exoplanets, Origins of Planetary Systems and Astrobiology
The categories are based on the scientific age of a researcher at time of nomination, which is calculated from the year of the last degree in scientific education (MSc, PhD) without counting parental leave, health leave, or time working primarily outside science. Each of the inaugural Europlanet Medal winners receives a plaque and a registration waiver for the EPSC-DPS 2025 Joint Meeting in Helsinki, where they will give a medal lecture.
Images
Tim Lichtenberg. Credit: T Lichtenberg/U. Groningen.
About the Joint Meeting of the Europlanet Science Congress and the Division of Planetary Sciences (EPSC-DPS)
The Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC), established in 2006 as the European Planetary Science Congress, is the largest planetary science meeting in Europe. It covers the entire range of planetary sciences, with an extensive mix of talks, workshops and poster sessions, as well as providing a unique space for networking and exchanges of experiences.
EPSC joined forces for the first time with the American Astronomical Society’s Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS) for a joint meeting in Nantes, France, in 2011. This was followed by DPS-EPSC 2016 in Pasadena, EPSC-DPS 2019 in Geneva, and the return to the United States for the DPS-EPSC 2023 meeting in San Antonio. This year will mark the third iteration of a joint European-based meeting. The intent of the joint meetings is not only to connect the European and North American planetary science communities, but also to consolidate two major meetings and motivate planetary scientists from all over the globe to attend.
Follow on social media (Bluesky, X and LinkedIn) with the hashtag #EPSC-DPS2025 for updates on the meeting.
About Europlanet
Europlanet (europlanet.org) is a non-profit association and membership organisation that provides the planetary science community with access to research infrastructure, services and training. The Europlanet Association Sans But Lucratif (AISBL), established in 2023, builds on the heritage of a series of projects funded by the European Commission between 2005 and 2024 (Grant Numbers 871149, 654208, 228319 and RICA-CT-2004-001637) to support the planetary science community in Europe and around the world.
About the DPS
The Division for Planetary Sciences (DPS), founded in 1968, is the largest special-interest Division of the American Astronomical Society (AAS). Members of the DPS study the bodies of our own solar system, from planets and moons to comets and asteroids, and all other solar-system objects and processes. With the discovery that planets exist around other stars, the DPS has expanded its scope to include the study of extrasolar planetary systems as well. The American Astronomical Society (AAS), established in 1899, is the major organization of professional astronomers in North America. The mission of the AAS is to enhance and share humanity’s scientific understanding of the universe as a diverse and inclusive astronomical community, which it achieves through publishing, meeting organization, science advocacy, education and outreach, and training and professional development.
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:
Communications:
Acting as a central contact node within EPEC and directing people through the network
Managing and posting consistently on social media
Liaising with other EPEC members and Europlanet representatives via email
Creating and updating EPEC sections of the Europlanet website
Building relationships with other early career networks, like AbGradE
Operating a shared email inbox and participating proactively in email exchanges relating to EPEC
Consistent presence on social media, particularly on Discord
Coordinating with other EPEC members to stay up-to-date with new and existing EPEC activities
Reporting to the Europlanet Executive Board and providing input for Europlanet’s annual report
Representing EPEC at events: academic conferences, webinars, outreach presentations etc.
Gathering feedback from participants after events like EPEC Annual Week and EPEC @ EPSC.
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. Theexpected 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:
You must be a Europlanet member;
Leadership: In working with our diverse community, you must ensure that all points of view are heard and respected. If needed, both Co-Chairs must be able to facilitate discussions and make decisions in the best interests of the community;
Availability on Discord: Europlanet and EPEC use Discord as our main platform for brainstorming, community-building and exchange. Please ensure that you engage as consistently and proactively as possible;
You must be an early-career planetary scientist and/or space professional whose last degree (e.g. MSc or PhD) was obtained a maximum of 7 years ago (excluding parental leave, serious illness and similar delays).
We encourage applications from a diverse early career community (undergraduates, graduates, doctoral researchers and postdocs).
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.
MoonIndex: A Tool to Democratise Prospecting for Minerals on the Moon
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.
The Insiders’ Guide to Industry Engagement
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.
Planetary Perspectives: Knowledge Transfer
In this edition of Planetary Perspectives, Geraint (Taff) Morgan shares insights on working with industry and knowledge transfer.
Climbing the Mountain of 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.
Mauve: An Ultraviolet Trailblazer for Commercial Science Satellites Made in Europe
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.
A Laboratory’s Journey into Space
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.
Tumbleweed Rovers – A New Paradigm of Martian Exploration
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.
Spacetek Technology: From Academia to Industrial Innovation
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.
Commkit – Challenge: Inspire the Next Generation
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.
The Last Word – Shaping Our Planetary Identity
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.
Venue
2 days at the Molėtai Astronomical Observatory, the other 1 day in Vilnius, Vilnius University Life Sciences Center, Lithuania.
Participants
20 students from Europe will be selected to attend in person. Additionally, an unlimited number of online participants will be able to join.
Financial support
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:
ESA Academy Short Course Scholarship programme (up to €350 for citizens of an ESA Member State, Associate Member, or Canada) more details HERE
Embassy of Spain in Lithuania (up to €350 for participants from Spainish educational institutions)
Polish Institute in Lithuania (up to €200 for participants from Polish educational institutions)
Key dates:
Launch of the call for abstracts: 5 June 2025
Deadline to submit abstracts: 31 August 2025
Abstract selection announcement: 4 September 2025
Registration opening: 5 June 2025
Registration deadline: 31 August 2025
Workshop dates: 18-20 September 2025
* More information concerning the reimbursement will be provided for the selected participants personally.
These positions represent unique opportunities for Europlanet’s members to shape our growing community and make an impact on the field of planetary science. We encourage all our members to consider an involvement through these roles.
How it works
Applications are open to all Europlanet members (and if you are not yet a member, consider joining as an individual or see if your organisation is already a member). After the deadline, the members of the relevant committees will elect their new chairs from the candidates. Their decisions will be endorsed by the Europlanet Executive Board and announced by early October.
The election results will be announced during the General Assembly at the EPSC-DPS joint meeting in Helsinki/online on Tuesday 9 September 2025. An online ballot will be launched at least 20 days before the meeting, with all Europlanet members encouraged to vote.
The Executive Board is the governing body of the Europlanet Association and Society; Executive Board members are responsible for directing and controlling the affairs and property of Europlanet, including EPSC. The Executive Board consists of five Officers (the President, two Vice-Presidents, the Secretary and the Treasurer) and six other Members, who are elected for a period of four years.
In 2025 the elections will concern three Board Member positions. The Officers of Europlanet thank the outgoing Board Members, Federica Duras, Leigh Fletcher and Melissa Mirino, for their service over recent years.
The call for nominations is now open for potential candidates for the Europlanet Executive Board Member positions. The call will close on 1 August 2025.
Any two Europlanet members may nominate candidates for the election to the Executive Board. Self-nomination is possible and encouraged, and any person nominating a third party should have their agreement that their name can be put forward. Standing as a candidate for Board Member is an important opportunity to help shape Europlanet at an exciting time, so please consider taking on this role!
Workload for the Executive Board members
Executive Board members will meet virtually on a monthly basis to review the activities of Europlanet, its finances and to provide directions on future actions. Executive Board members are expected to follow-up on Europlanet activities relevant to their remit, and report on these activities during the Executive Board meetings.
From time to time, Europlanet Board members will be asked to review funding requests submitted by Europlanet committees and members, as well as bi-annual reports from Europlanet committees and working groups.
Executive Board members are expected to attend the General Assembly (normally timed to coincide with the EPSC meeting) and other virtual meetings during the year (Europlanet Teams Days in November and May) to report on activities of Europlanet to its membership.
Finally, Executive Board members should act as ambassadors of Europlanet, wherever possible, to promote its activities and actively look for collaboration and funding opportunities for the association.
Conflicts of Interest
Executive Board members should declare any potential conflict of interest that could prevent them from acting in the best interest of Europlanet, notably with respect to European and international organisations and funding agencies (e.g. the European Commission, ESA, NASA) and sister organisations.
‘Roadmapping Distributed Research Infrastructures in Europe’ Workshop at SOLARIS, Krakow
Around 30 representatives of a diverse range of research infrastructures gathered at SOLARIS in Krakow, Poland, from 9 – 10 June 2025 for a workshop ahead of the 92nd European Strategy Forum on Research Infrastructures (ESFRI) and the 3rd ESFRI Stakeholder Forum Meetup.
The meeting, which was co-organised by the European Science Foundation, SOLARIS and Europlanet, covered a broad spectrum of aspects on the role of distributed RIs within the European research landscape, as well as challenges and opportunities for laboratories and facilities in those parts of Europe where currently there are fewer RIs.
A key part of the discussion was a draft White Paper on ‘The role and importance of small to medium-sized Distributed Research Infrastructures (DRI) in sustaining European research competitiveness‘. The comments shared during the workshop and beforehand will help guide a light revision of the white paper, retaining the main argument, but sharpening the focus and to better define the boundaries of the commentary. The current version is already available on the European publication platform Open Research Europe (ORE). The new version will be uploaded before the end of June, with the aim of finalising and publishing the updated paper before the end of the year.
We need to make sure we haven’t dropped the ball on anything Europlanet-commuity related for EPSC (e.g. stand, posters, splinters etc)
Presentations also covered upcoming opportunities within Horizon Europe, evaluation of the impact of RIs, perspectives on widening participation, and a new journal focused on RIs. Participants were given a tour of the SOLARIS facility.
Many thanks to Marcin Sikora, Michal Mlynarczyk, Michał Tyrpuła and Joanna Kowalik for their kind welcome to SOLARIS.
About the Europlanet Prize For Public Engagement 2025
The Europlanet Prize for Public Engagement recognises achievements in engaging citizens with planetary science. The Prize is awarded annually to individuals or groups who have developed innovative and socially impactful practices in planetary science communication, engagement or education.
The Europlanet Prize for Public Engagement 2025 will consist of a cash award of €1000, a registration waiver and a travel grant of €250 for the EPSC-DPS 2025 Joint Meeting in Helsinki.
The call is now closed. Winners will be notified by 31 July 2025.
Europlanet Teams Day was the first in a planned series of sessions to facilitate community discussions around how the different bodies of Europlanet can coordinate their activities to serve the planetary science community best. The meeting comprised interactive group brainstorming activities, facilitated dialogues, and breakout discussions focussing on the Regional Hubs, Committees and Working Groups of Europlanet.
The meeting was attended by forty-seven participants (including six of the eleven members of the Executive Board) representing all the bodies of Europlanet:
Benelux Hub
Central Europe Hub
France Hub
German Hub
Ireland & UK Hub
Italy Hub
Northern Europe Hub
Southeast Europe Hub
Spain-Portugal Hub
Swiss Hub
Diversity Committee
EPEC (Europlanet Early Careers)
Outreach Working Group
Industry-Policy Working Group
Machine Learning Working Group
EPSC (Europlanet Science Congress)
Overall, the first Europlanet Teams Day successful in achieving its objectives and as a trial of the interactive format for the meeting. The session was well-attended, participants remained engaged throughout, breakout discussions were productive and relationships were reinforced between the different bodies of Europlanet.
1st Europlanet Teams day Slido wordclouds on how members would describe Europlanet (left) and what members get from Europlanet (right).
The next Europlanet Teams Day is scheduled for 12 November 2025.
Europlanet Community Services Feedback Survey 2025
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.
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.
Results of Europlanet Society Committee Funding Scheme 2025
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.
“Lights, Camera, Early-Career Scientists in Action!” will showcase emerging scientists in a series of engaging 1-minute videos. Each early-career scientist (ECS) presents an “elevator pitch” highlighting their research, followed by another short film in which they share their experiences as ECS. Participants will receive expert guidance on on-camera presence, effective communication, and succinctly conveying the essence of their work.
This project aims to amplify ECS voices by creating accessible and compelling formats for science communication that will be shared on social media platforms. Equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) will be prioritised, ensuring that the produced films reflect these values by showcasing various voices and perspectives within the scientific community. Filming will take place in Grenoble, allowing us to feature ECS from diverse scientific fields, each offering unique insights and making significant contributions.
Encouraging ECS to share their research, experiences, and career paths serves a dual purpose: it enhances their communication skills while demystifying complex geoscience topics, effectively bridging the gap between scientific discovery 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.
A group of early career researchers from the Open University have been funded to become analogue astronauts for two weeks as part of the Mars Desert Research Station (MDRS) crew mission in late Autumn 2025. The MDRS is a renowned facility in Utah operated by the Mars Society, designed to simulate the conditions and challenges of living and working on Mars. They welcome teams who’d like to conduct cutting-edge research and test new technologies that could support the future human exploration of Mars.
The crew includes Dan, a microbiologist investigating properties of microbial communities in a Martian analogue site who’s previously served as a crew member at MDRS, Mara an astrobiologist focusing on planetary protection, Ihor an engineer interested in energy concepts for Mars suits and Nisha (proposer), a planetary scientist studying lake geomorphology on Mars.
The diverse and multidisciplinary crew team comprises two PhD students from the UK, who are members of Europlanet, and two international doctorates from Portugal and Ukraine. The team will carry out publich and schools’ engagement as part of their mission.
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.
Toledo contains small, seasonal lagoons that are chemical analogues for Noachian Mars. Continual desiccation has eliminated Lake Tirez – samples from distinct timepoints also make this site a temporal analogue for the wet-to-dry transition of Mars (Details of this work were published in Nature by Fairen et al 2023). Based on geochemical, mineralogical, microbiological and isotopic data from the other lagoons from 2022, the neighbouring lagoon, Pena Hueca, is though to be also desiccating. This project will re-sample Pena Hueca and nearby lagoons to define the evolution of this potential desiccation, allowing the team to determine if changes in Lake Tirez arose from stochastic or deterministic events, furthering understanding of the desiccation on Mars.
Building on analogue research and OU-CAB collaborations, the team will work with Dr. Felip Gomez to sample this environment. This project represents a training opportunity for incoming PhD students, and an opportunity for co-supervision for a final year PhD student, preparing them for future leadership. Planetary science will be supported via generation of data underpinning a high impact paper.
The project will strengthen research collaborations between an internationally diverse team of researchers (Spain, Turkey, Bulgaria, UK). Further dissemination will be via a series of online videos for the MBG Genetics YouTube series and applying to participate in the Café Scientifique in Madrid in November. The profile of Europlanet would also be grown with a new audience via MBG genetics, engaging with early career researchers in Turkey.
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.
This workshop, which will take place on-site and online from 18 – 20 September 2025, 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.
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.
15 students from Lithuania and five from the Northern Europe Hub will participate in person. Additionally, an unlimited number of online participants can join.
Audiences reached:Early-careers and planetary science community.
The Mercury Laboratory Community consists of researchers working with experiments linked to planet Mercury and to ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission. The community consists mainly of researchers with affiliations in European institutes, but also with US and Japan colleagues. A first workshop was organised at DLR Berlin in 2024 and, with Europlanet support, a second will be organised in autumn 2025. The community has active working groups, and the current major topic is the preparing of a “Mercury Y” blind sample and its characterisations across the laboratories in the community. The results of this campaign will be presented in EPSC-DPS 2025 in Helsinki.
The workshop will involve multiple planetary science laboratories across Europe, developing the European role and creating internation links within Europe, and with US and Japan. Experimental laboratory activities are usually multi-discipline and have connections with industry and fields outside planetary sciences, too. Laboratories host PhD students and early-career researchers who can benefit from European-wide networking in the workshop and the Europlanet funding will be used to support their participation in the workshop, and in the community in general.
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.
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!
Details
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:
Talks and workshops – Experts from their respective fields will be delivering seminars on topics from mission involvement, planetary protection, machine learning to those who have transitioned into industry.
Laboratory visits – Participants get the opportunity to visit the world class laboratories at DLR, Berlin.
Visit to the Archenhold-Sternwarte Planetarium and Natural History Museum in Berlin.
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.
Europlanet Announces Career Medals – Call Now Open
Deadline for nominations: 15 April 2025
Europlanet has launched a new annual set of awards. The Europlanet Career Medals are an opportunity to honour outstanding contributions from individuals of three different scientific career stages to the scientific fields covered by the Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC).
One Europlanet Medal each will be awarded in the categories Early-Career, Mid-Career and Lifetime Achievement. The categories are based on the scientific age of a researcher at time of submission. The Europlanet Mid-Career Medal will honour the memory and the outstanding figure of Paolo Farinella (1953-2000), an extraordinary scientist and person, in whose name the Paolo Farinella Prize (2011-2024) was previously awarded.
Europlanet Executive Office – Invitation to Tender
Europlanet invites proposals to host its Executive Office. The Executive Office is responsible for administrative tasks, communications, membership coordination and technical support for Europlanet activities. Hosting the Europlanet Executive Office presents a unique opportunity to play a central role in Europlanet’s mission, supporting its day-to-day operations and long-term vision.
About Europlanet
Europlanet (europlanet.org) promotes the advancement of planetary science and related fields for the benefit of the community. It is an international non-profit association (AISBL), registered in Belgium, and is open to individual and organisational members. Its core programmes include the provision of access to research infrastructure, virtual tools and services, training and networking activities. It also fosters grass-roots programmes to support the community.
Scope of the Europlanet Executive Office
The Executive Office tasks are presented as a series of four Modules, which could be carried out by a single organisation, or a combination of organisations working together to complete the package of tasks. Knowledge of the planetary and/or international research community is desirable but not essential.
Overall, the staff effort is expected to total around 1 Full-Time Employee (FTE) to cover the Core Modules 1-4 (the Extended Module 2 is expected to require additional time and specialist skills and knowledge of the subject area, so is listed as optional). However, given the range of skills required, it is anticipated that a team of individuals working part time may be needed to provide the complete package of support.
Quotes are invited for hosting the whole Executive Office package, or for specific Modules (e.g. Modules 1-3, Module 4 only, or Extended Module 2).
The contract with Europlanet AISBL to provide the Executive Office services will be for a five-year period, with a review and opportunity to terminate after three years.
Timeline
Call opens: 13 March 2025 Call closes: 23 April 2025 Interviews: 5-23 May 2025 Notification: 31 May 2025 Provisional contract start: 1 November 2025
Submissions
Details of how to prepare your submission and how proposals will be evaluated can be found in the full Invitation to Tender.
Please send your clarification questions and submissions to: Anita Heward, Vice President, Europlanet (aheward@europlanet.org).
You are also welcome to request an informal call to discuss proposals in advance of the submission deadline.
Europlanet Transnational Access Pilot Call 2025 – Free Access to Facilities
Europlanet has launched a new call for Transnational Access (TA), which enables researchers who are members of Europlanet to visit participating facilities that offer simulation and analysis capabilities relevant to planetary science.
The Europlanet TA Pilot Programme 2025 offers access to eight facilities in five internationally renowned research centres in Europe, as well as six facilities in South Korea, 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.
Building on the European Commission-funded TA programme from 2009-2024, this new call is a pilot for a sustainable TA programme that Europlanet will offer the community annually going forwards.
If you are interested in submitting an application to the Europlanet TA Pilot Call 2025, 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 TA facility to discuss the feasibility of your proposal before submitting your application. The call will close on 21 March 2025.
Your visits should take place between 1 May and 31 July 2025.
A report on the pilot programme will be presented at the joint meeting of the Europlanet Science Congress and the Division of Planetary Sciences (EPSC-DPS2025) in Helsinki from 7-12 September 2025.
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.
To find out more about the call and application process, please see the call page.
You can also find out about projects funded in previous rounds of this scheme here.
Europlanet is now offering a new programme of Organisational Membership.
Organisations joining Europlanet have the opportunity to participate in cutting-edge science linked to current and upcoming planetary missions, share facilities and services with an international user community, provide strategic input to help shape policy relevant to planetary research and exploration, and develop collaborations with global partners. Organisational Members are also eligible to participate in funding bids coordinated through Europlanet.
Membership costs are tiered, with reduced rates available for organisations and researchers in Under-Represented States (URS)*.
Organisational Membership entitles organisations and their staff to participate in the following Europlanet Activities:
Mobility and Access
Transnational Access to laboratories and field sites relevant to planetary science
Access to the Europlanet Telescope Network (In-person and Virtual)
Expert Exchanges (Travel, Accommodation and Sustenance)
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.
