Europlanet: A Worldwide Community and Research Infrastructure for Planetary Science

What is Europlanet?

Europlanet is a non-profit association that promotes the advancement of planetary science and related fields for the benefit of the community. We are open to individual and organisational members. Anyone with an active interest in planetary science (whether academic or industrial, professional or amateur) is welcome to join.

---

How to Participate

---

Europlanet Offers:

• Mobility programmes, including expert exchanges and research visits to laboratory facilities, telescopes and field sites
• An active community through Regional Hubs, an Early Career Network (EPEC) and Discord
• Professional development, including webinars, training schools, and mentoring
• Opportunities for funding, bursaries and prizes
• Engagement programmes with industry, policymakers, the media, the public and schools
• Conferences, meetings and webinars, including the Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC) – Europe’s largest annual meeting on planetary science.

---

The Europlanet Early Career (EPEC) Network

Organised by early careers, for early careers:

• EPEC Annual Week conference for early careers
• Early career events at the Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC) – Europe’s largest annual meeting on planetary science
• Discord community
• Training schools, webinars, mentoring and professional development
• Discounts, funding opportunities, bursaries and prizes
• Programmes for expert exchanges and access to facilities, field sites and telescopes
• Opportunities for engagement with industry, policymakers, the media, the public and schools

---

Top 10 Reasons for Joining Europlanet

There are lots of reasons why you or your organisation should join Europlanet. Here are our top 10:

1. Europlanet has over 20 years’ experience of catalysing high-impact science, new collaborations and infrastructure developments.
2. Independent evaluation shows that access to facilities and expertise through Europlanet mobility programmes, expert exchanges and networking activities leads to science that would not otherwise have taken place.
3. More than 200 peer-reviewed publications cite Europlanet in the last four years alone.
4. Europlanet has been developed by planetary scientists for planetary scientists. We are a grass-roots organisation offering state-of-the-art facilities and services that have been specifically developed and tailored for our community’s needs with over 25 million Euros funding from the European Commission.
5. Europlanet accelerates career development for early-stage researchers, providing training, mentoring, summer/winter schools, opportunities to carry out research projects, and activities to develop professional networks. The Europlanet Early Career (EPEC) Network supports early career professionals through thematic programmes, short courses, and events, including the EPEC Annual Week.
6. Europlanet is an international network that brings together researchers and infrastructure from five continents (Europe, Africa, Asia, North and South America) to make new connections and research collaborations. Our Regional Hubs build stronger networks of academics and industry related to planetary science and exploration regional and national level. Our active Discord community fosters discussion, highlights jobs and other opportunities and provides multiple ways to engage with peers.
7. Europlanet provides services and tools to support interdisciplinary research related to all aspects of planetary science, from planetary space weather to geological mapping.
8. We are an effective platform for finding partners and forming consortia for funding bids. As a sustainable, legal entity, Europlanet can also participate as a partner in Horizon bids, including co-funding calls, ensuring opportunities for ongoing support and infrastructure development for the planetary community.
9. Europlanet provides a platform to shape policy relevant to planetary science, with a track record of effective input to ESFRI and EC consultations. Input from our Regional Hubs enable us to consider regional and national views in our responses.
10. Europlanet’s dissemination, media and communications channels reach over 2000 professionals working in the field and related communities, and thousands of members of the public. The Europlanet Science Congress (EPSC) is Europe’s largest annual meeting on planetary science and is an international showcase for our community.

---