Workshops
The Center for Astrobiology hosts workshops to address priority issues in astrobiology. The Center brings together small groups of approximately thirty – established researchers, graduate students and young researchers, even K-12 teachers – for a few days of intense interaction to educate, collaborate and generate research ideas. The workshops mix presentations, discussions and informal gatherings to promote productive collaborations, which extend beyond the short workshop.
Upcoming Workshops
From Stardust to Stardust: Evolution of Organic Chemistry from Interstellar Space to Returned Comet Samples
Date: Spring 2009
Location: B2 Institute, Biosphere 2 Oracle, Arizona
The workshop will bring together radioastronomers, infrared astronomers, and cosmochemists who study cometary and other primitive samples to discuss the pathways of evolution of organic molecules beginning in the interstellar medium and ending in the primitive bodies of our solar system. Co-conveners are John Robert Brucato of Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (INAF)-Osservatoio Astrofisico di Arcetri and Jonathan Lunine of the Center.
Participants will confront the various issues related to how organic molecules are formed and evolve in space, how much and what kind of processing occurs as material enters the primordial solar system, the extent to which cometary material preserves the original organic makeup of interstellar grains, in what way such material has been further processed, whether comets are a good candidate for delivering bulk of Earth's pre-biotic organic inventory, and what is the extent and complexity of organic chemical evolution in interstellar versus solar system material.
For more information about the proposed workshop, contact Jonathan Lunine.
