Welcome to Incoming EPEC Co-Chair – Thomas O’Sullivan
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!
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).
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.
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!
Call for Applications for Europlanet Early Career (EPEC) Committee Co-Chair
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:
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 member of the Europlanet Society;
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).
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.
Who can participate
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.
EPEC Annual Week banner 2024
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.
Programme
The programme for this year’s EPEC Annual Week will cover:
Introductions and sessions on:
Planetary science and industry (with a particular focus on Italy)
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.
Guidelines
Reporting Incidents
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).
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.
How to arrive in Padua
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).
by bus, local buses (E060) departing to the right of the airport exit and arriving at the bus station in Padua (about 1h). Please note that there is no bus service at night.
by private transport, taxi or GoOpti (private or collective) transfer service
by train, with Marconi Express monorail train from the airport to Bologna Stazione Centrale train station and from there with a train to Padua (about 1h 30 mins). Please note that there is no train service at night.
by taxi (about 1h 30 mins).
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.
Hotel info and location
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:
Take Line U13 at “Businello Santo” stop, get off at “Scardeone 2” stop and then walk for 12 mins
Take Line U03 at “Businello 4” stop, get off at “Tommaseo 114” stop and then walk for 5 mins
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.
About Padua
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).
Early Career Event: AbGradEPEC’24 – 8th September 2024
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.
Call for Applications for Europlanet Early Career (EPEC) Committee Co-Chair
The EPEC network is organised by early-career researchers, for early-career researchers, and includes volunteers from across the Europlanet international community, with the support of the Europlanet Society. The focus of EPEC is to form a strong network among young professionals by organizing early-career-relevant events and by engaging in different projects through Working Groups (WGs).
The EPEC Committee, composed of all the WG Co-Chairs, is led and coordinated by two Chairs whose duty is to make sure all the working groups are working nominally, fill periodic reports on ongoing activities, and liaise with the Europlanet Society Executive Board.
The Chair of the EPEC Committee plays a key role in bringing the WGs and their activities together, making key decisions that benefit the EPEC network as a whole, encouraging new and innovative ideas, and expanding the Early Career Network.
The EPEC Committee 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-Chairs 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 averaged over one year. However, an increased commitment is expected during the EPEC Annual Week and the run-up to EPSC.
This is a great opportunity to join a vibrant community of early career researchers and learn leadership and managing skills alongside an experienced Co-Chair who can help you make the most of this experience. The Europlanet Society is a developing community that values its early career members and can help raise their profile in a supportive environment.
Key responsibilities of the elected EPEC Chair:
Liaising with WG Chairs and keeping up-to-date with EPEC WG activities
Engaging in the EPEC forums on WG activities and discussions
The EPEC Committee Chair acts as the main contact person with the Europlanet Society Executive Board
Represeningt EPEC at EPSC (General Assembly) and at the EPEC Annual week
Writing twice yearly reports on EPEC Committee activities (with help of WG Chairs)
Guaranteeing smooth transition with the next EPEC Committee Chair*
*In case the Co-Chairs need to leave EPEC, they should give enough notice to organise the transition
Eligibility to apply:
The candidates for the EPEC Chair position must fulfil the following requirements:
The candidate must be a member of the Europlanet Society
Leadership: You will work with a diverse community and need to make sure all points of view are heard and respected, but if needed you and the other Co-Chair are expected to move the needle towards the best decision for the network;
Weekly availability on Slack: EPEC uses Slack as the main platform for brainstorming and exchange. You should check new messages at least twice per week;
The candidate 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)!
How to apply: If you are interested to become EPEC Co-Chair, please submit your application via the form below by 8th September 2023.
After the deadline, the EPEC committee will meet for a discussion, and will then proceed with a formal vote among the candidates.
The new Co-Chairs will be announced at the joint EPSC-DPS meeting, taking place in San Antonio (TX) between the 1st and 6th of October 2023.
We are talking about Postdoc life. The aim is to help PhD students interested in starting their career in academia have a clear vision of a Postdoc position. You will listen to some of our personal experiences as postdocs in different parts of the world.
The EPEC network is organized by early-career researchers, for early-career researchers, and includes volunteers from across the Europlanet international community, with the support of the Europlanet Society. The focus of EPEC is to form a strong network among young professionals by organizing early-career-relevant events and by engaging in different projects through the different Working Groups (WGs) such as EPEC annual week, EPEC@EPSC, Future Research, Early Career Support, Outreach, Diversity, and Communications.
The EPEC Committee, composed of all the WG Co-Chairs, is led and coordinated by two Chairs whose duty is to make sure all the working groups are working nominally, fill periodic reports on ongoing activities, and liaise with the Europlanet Society board.
The Chair of the EPEC Committee plays a key role in bringing the WGs and their activities together, making key decisions that benefit the EPEC network as a whole, expanding the EPEC Committee by encouraging new and innovative ideas from the EPEC Committee, facilitating progress across the whole Early Career Network.
With the exponential growth in EPEC activities across EPEC working groups since its launch and with the term of our current EPEC committee Co-Chairs ending, the EPEC Committee 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-Chairs 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 averaged over one year. However, an increased commitment is expected during the EPEC Annual Week and EPSC organizing weeks.
This is a great opportunity to join a vibrant community of early career researchers and learn leadership and managing skills alongside an experienced Co-Chair who can help you make the most of this experience. The Europlanet Society is a developing community that values its early career members and can help raise their profile in a supportive environment.
Key responsibilities of the elected EPEC Chair:
Liaising with WG Chairs and keeping up-to-date with EPEC WG activities
Engage in the EPEC forums on WG activities and discussions
EPEC Committee Chair acts as the main contact person with the Europlanet Society Executive Board
Represent EPEC at EPSC (General Assembly) and at the EPEC Annual week
Writing bi-yearly reports on EPEC Committee activities (with help of WG Chairs)
Guaranteeing smooth transition with the next EPEC Committee Chair*
*In case the Co-Chairs need to leave EPEC, they should give enough notice to organize the transition
Eligibility to apply:
The candidates for the EPEC Chair position must fulfil the following requirements:
The candidate must be a member of the Europlanet Society
Leadership: You will work with a diverse community and need to make sure all points of view are heard and respected, but if needed you and the other Co-Chair are expected to move the needle towards the best decision for the network;
Weekly availability on Slack: EPEC uses Slack as the main platform for brainstorming and exchange. You should check new messages at least twice per week;
The candidate 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)!
How to apply: If you are interested to become EPEC Co-Chair, please submit your application via this link by 31st of May 2023 at 7 PM CEST.
After the deadline, the EPEC committee will meet for a discussion, and will then proceed with a formal vote among the candidates.
The new Co-Chairs will be announced at the joint EPSC-DPS meeting, taking place in San Antonio (TX) between the 1st and 6th of October 2023.
We wish you all the best with the applications! If you have any questions, please write us via epec.network@gmail.com
In our second episode dedicated to PhD life, we dig into the primary steps of a PhD, including searching and applications, timing and consequent interviews and tips for the Resume.
The first of a series of episodes dedicated to PhD life. The series is made to help all of those students who are interested in starting a PhD and want to have a better idea about this commitment. We will share our personal experiences that we hope can help you clarify the challenges and the positive aspects of a PhD. We dedicate this first episode to the changes and adjustments that PhD life may request.
The winner of the #PlanetaryScience4All EPEC-EPSC Video Contest 2022 is ’29P & Comet Chasers’ by Cai Stoddard-Jones.
Hi, I’m Cai, a first year PhD student at Cardiff University. I’m from North Wales originally, but made the trek down south in 2017 to start my MPhys. I like to listen to and make music in my free time either singing or playing my guitar. I’m researching comet 29P’s unusual activity, it’s the most observed comet ever yet, we know very little about it. I aim to characterise the comet. In addition, I develop resources and experiments for a project called ‘Comet Chasers’ in Wales. We teach kids about cometary science and giving them LCO telescope time to take their own images. If their images are used by researchers, their schools are credited.
On the second episode of “Stairway to Space”, we talk with Noah Jäggi, chair of the EPEC at EPSC Working Group. We present the activities of our network at the imminent Europlanet Science Congress.
Welcome to the first episode of “Stairway to Space”, the EPEC Podcast. We introduce our network’s activities and we present our new communication effort. Do you want to participate in one of those great projects? Join us now!
4th Europlanet Early Career (EPEC) Annual Week 2022 – Call for Applications
EPEC is pleased to announce the fourth edition of its training school for early-career scientists who work in the field of planetary/space science and engineering.
Details
Dates:13-16 June 2022 Venue:Virtual Deadline for registration:31 May 2022
The school is organised by EPEC, the Europlanet Early Career (EPEC) network. One of the main objectives of EPEC is to form a strong network of young professionals by organising early-career-relevant events and by engaging in different projects through the nine EPEC Working Groups. The EPEC community aims to bring a young voice into the Europlanet Society to shape the future of planetary and space sciences and engineering. More information on EPEC can be found here.
The programme for this year’s EPEC Annual Week will cover:
Introduction, Fundings & How to… Sessions, Social Events, Mental Health, Transnational Access, EPEC Working groups, and much more!
The training school is an opportunity for the EPEC community to better get to know each other and to brainstorm how to further develop the network and the activities of its Working Groups. It is also an opportunity to enhance the interaction with members of the Europlanet Executive Board, who will be invited to give talks throughout the week. The school brings together young scientists from across the EU and beyond, and provides a networking platform where scientific discussion and collaboration can be stimulated via a series of group activities. Download more details of the week’s schedule.
Applicants must either be in their final year of an MSc course (or equivalent), be currently enrolled in a PhD program in the field of planetary/space science or have obtained their PhD qualification not earlier than 2015 (or an equivalent period allowing for parental leave, serious illness and similar delays).
Note that in order to apply to the training school you are NOT required to be a member of EPEC, although this is encouraged. If you fulfil the requirements to be a member and wish to become one, please send an email to epec.network@gmail.com, including ‘EPEC application’ in the subject.
To register for the EPEC Annual Week 2022, please complete this form by May 31st 2022.
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.
We look forward to seeing you at the virtual meeting!
EPEC Annual Week Organising Team
Erica Luzzi, Jacobs University Bremen (Chair) Melissa Mirino, Open University José Eduardo Silva, Observatório Astronómico de Lisboa
Past EPEC Annual Weeks
3rd EPEC Annual Week 2021, Virtual, 7-11 June 2021
The Europlanet Early Career (EPEC) network is organised by early-career researchers, for early-career researchers, and includes volunteers from across the Europlanet international community. The EPEC network is open to all students, doctoral candidates and early-career planetary scientists and space professionals whose last degree (e.g. MSc or PhD) was obtained a maximum of 7 years ago (excluding parental leave, serious illness and similar delays).
One of the main objectives of EPEC is to form a strong network between young professionals by organising early-career-relevant events and by engaging in different projects amongst different focus areas (outreach, diversity, early career support). Furthermore, the EPEC community aims to bring a young voice into Europlanet Society to shape the future of planetary and space sciences and engineering.
Previously, EPEC was formed of working groups, whereas today we exist in a simplified structure after implementing feedback from our members. EPEC is led by chairs who oversee day-to-day operations as well as (co-)chairs who sit on the committee, jointly responsible for an event or activity. In order for our events and activities to run, we are grateful to the help and support of volunteers, who are led by helpful committee chairs to facilitate the running of one of our early career focused activities or events. Any EPEC venture is a focused effort to involve our members, to network, to learn and most importantly to enjoy themselves with our community of planetary scientists and related disciplines.
[Credit – Jessica Hogan]
Get involved with EPEC!
The EPEC Committee are constantly looking for interested early-career professionals who are willing to spend some of their academic time with the organising elements of various EPEC activities. By getting involved with the EPEC Committee, as a committee chair or volunteer, you not only get a chance to build a diverse professional network across Europe and abroad, but also build important soft-skills such as leadership qualities and management experience by working with a very friendly and energetic community.
For any questions and enquiries, and interest to join us in building a stronger early career network, please contact us on Discord (making sure to select the ‘early career’ role} or email epec.network@gmail.com.
If you would like to simply become a member of EPEC: to get attend our events, take part in our activities and benefit from our thriving community, please sign up to the newsletter (see below) and be sure to join us on social media (Discord, Instagram, X) for the latest updates.
Upcoming Events
Follow our newsletter (below) and join us on social media so you do not miss out!
EPEC Newsletter
If you would like to receive news (e.g., about the annual EPEC week or the next activities planned at EPSC), sign into your Europlanet account (the account is free) and toggle the Early Career (EPEC) option in the Subscriptions tab. We will not spam you with emails but send only relevant information regarding signups to major events and activities (co-)organized by EPEC.
EPEC History
Since it’s inception, EPEC formerly was composed of nine working groups, which focused on areas from Outreach, Diversity, Early Career Support, Communications and Annual Week. You will see that these have been reincorporated into EPEC today though our Events and Activities, keeping true to the original mission of EPEC. Find out more about our previous structure here and how EPEC has historically existed as the early career arm of Europlanet.
The Europlanet Early Career (EPEC) network invites you to participate in the third edition of Mentoring@EPSC at the EPSC2021 virtual meeting. Mentoring@EPSC* is an activity organised by EPEC during the EPSC conference which pairs scientists in more advanced stages of their careers with early career scientists to offer the early careers a networking opportunity and a better EPSC experience.
Given the digital nature of the EPSC 2021 and that most of us are still struggling with the effects of the current pandemic, we believe that receiving guidance has become increasingly desired during these difficult times. Mentoring@EPSC aims to fulfill this need by enabling one-to-one meetings between master students, PhD candidates, postdocs and established researchers for informal conversation and exchange of experiences.
Sign up as a MENTEE: if this is your first EPSC conference and you are looking for guidance during the virtual EPSC 2021, if you are a student and are looking for an opportunity to get support in networking and career development, or if you are keen to meet an experienced researcher from a similar scientific field. We will put you in contact with a suitable Mentor to guide you during the conference.
Sign up as a MENTOR: if you are an experienced scientist who has been to numerous international conferences, feel confident navigating them and are willing to share your own experience and networking tips with an early career. You will be requested to meet virtually at least once with your Mentee during the conference.
If you are interested in a long-term mentoring program, please have a look at the Europlanet Mentorship Platform**. For more information on other resources to aid early careers, please check out the Europlanet Early Careers Training and Education Portal using the links below.
Looking forward to welcoming you to the Mentoring@EPSC,
EPEC-EPSC working group
*Mentoring@EPSC is complementary to both the Education Portal and the Europlanet Mentorship program. Mentoring@EPSC provides a short term mentoring opportunity to support early career professionals in navigating the annual EPSC conference and provides a stepping stone into the long term Europlanet Mentorship program.
**The Early Careers Training and Education Portal provides information on PhD positions, job opportunities, summer schools, and meetings relevant to early career professionals working in planetary science and related fields.
The Europlanet Mentorship program aims to help early career scientists to develop expertise, ask questions and discuss career plans with the support of more established members of the planetary community.
Hydrothermal systems are crucial environments for astrobiology: they are thought to be the theatre of life’s origins, host unprecedented polyextremophilic biodiversity, and are key targets in the search for life throughout the Solar System, especially on Mars and icy moons.
Join the first EANA online school to learn about hydrothermal systems from interdisciplinary perspectives at the interfaces of geology, biology and chemistry. From May 17th–21st, 2021, there will be one or two talks each day on a particular aspect of hydrothermal systems.
The school is free of charge and is an ideal opportunity to discover or deepen your understanding of these unique environments. For more information about the lecturers and to register for the school, please visit http://www.eana-net.eu.
The EPEC Communication Working Group is responsible for the presence of all the EPEC activities. The aim of the social media pages is to highlight the contribution of young professionals within the space sector. Currently, we are active on two platforms, Twitter and Facebook, and we plan to expand our presence in the future also in other media, with the objective to reach and connect as many Early Career people as possible. If you would like to get updates for the EPEC activities, job and funding opportunities, new research and open candidacies within our network, follow us and help us to spread the news!!
In the news, we often hear about New Space companies and their goals to ‘revolutionise’ the access and use of space. Think, for example, of Blue Origin and their planned Blue Moon lunar lander. These new opportunities to access planetary bodies are not, however, always considered in the planetary science community as serious options.
We wonder: are private space companies overlooked because there is some uncertainty as to whether they will eventually launch? Is it worth considering such opportunities when we think of the future of planetary science?
Here at the EPEC Future Research Working Group, we want to explore whether New Space companies will affect how we do research in the future. To find out more, we spoke with Dr Thorben Könemann, Deputy Scientific Director of the ZARM Drop Tower Operation and Service Company at the Center of Applied Space Technology and Microgravity (ZARM) in Bremen, and Dr Erika Wagner, payload sales director at Blue Origin in Kent, Washington.
‘Complementary’ is the keyword that Dr Könemann uses to describe the opportunities provided by New Space companies. His engineering team at ZARM integrates and supports microgravity experiments that have also flown onboard Blue Origin’s reusable launch vehicle, New Shepard, and Dr Könemann has been involved in those experiments from the beginning.
‘Blue Origin provides complementary access to space with a different set of boundary conditions for the payload than was previously available,’ Dr Könemann says. ‘Examples of such boundary conditions are: payload mass, duration and quality of microgravity, performance of the vehicle, and finally pricing. The availability of a new option increases the chance of finding a launcher that meets the requirement of an experiment and thus the chance to obtain an opportunity to fly.’
Although those experiments are generally more focused on microgravity research and less on planetary science, ZARM’s experience of becoming involved with Blue Origin still gives us lessons that can be applied to planetary science.
Through talking to Dr Könemann, it is clear that today, we are not necessarily witnessing a radical change in how space missions are developed, but rather an increase in the ways that space can be reached and studied. Flights provided by Blue Origin’s suborbital New Shepard rocket are an example of such new methods.
Dr Könemann states, ‘ZARM reached out early to potential new launch providers a decade ago. We not only contacted Blue Origin but also spoke to other upcoming companies, some of which don’t exist anymore.’
Therefore, even though the flight opportunities from new space companies for planetary science beyond Earth do not exist at present, it does make sense to establish relations with these companies early, so as not to miss out on these new opportunities later down the line.
The Blue Moon lunar lander. Credit: Blue Origin.
Looking at the future and at rockets that can reach deep space, Dr Wagner says, ‘Blue Origin will be able to bring a considerable mass and volume of payload onto the surface of the Moon with the Blue Moon lunar lander. This would offer the opportunity to build heavier and more voluminous instruments.’
This is somewhat contrary to the trend of miniaturisation. It is the view of the EPEC Future Research WG that being aware of these opportunities from now will enable the community to develop instrumentation that makes optimal use of the new diverse platforms when they become available (and planning space missions is a long process – check out our series on the ESA Voyage 2050 white papers).
Dr Wagner also explains that of the 100 experiments to have flown on New Shepard, only 3 were funded by European agencies. Thus, it seems that there is a slower uptake on commercial opportunities in Europe when compared with the USA.
Dr Wagner suggests, “If early career researchers want to see an increase in this uptake, they could enable this change by advocating for the potential use of these new opportunities.”
For example, early career researchers can include these possibilities in white papers for government surveys equivalent to the US decadal survey, or through bodies such as the Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC).
We conclude that new space companies could provide further opportunities in the future to reach our planetary destinations. To make the most of these opportunities, however, it helps to establish connections early, and early career researchers can encourage a move in this direction by advocating for links between planetary science and future launches by private space companies.
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.
