Post Doc Fellowships | Graduate Research | Undergrad Research | Outreach
Opportunities at The Wisconsin Astrobiology Research Consortium
State-of-the art facilities in isotope geochemistry, geomicrobiology, mineralogy, and computational chemistry, combined with faculty and scientists who have a broad range of expertise, provide exceptional opportunities for research at the post-doctoral, graduate, or undergraduate level. Details on the specific research programs can be found through the links on the left, and contact information for specific faculty and scientists can also be found through the links on the left.
Post-Doctoral Fellowships
 Applications are solicited for post-doc positions at UW-Madison, JPL, and University Georgia-SREL. We already have a vigorous post-doc program at UW Madison, and we anticipate significantly expanding this group through our astrobiology research. In addition to substantial funding for post-docs that we have budgeted in our grant, our team participates in the NASA Postdoctoral Program (NPP), which provides additional funding opportunities. The next deadline for NPP applications is November 1, 2007. Prospective post-docs should first directly contact one of the lead- or co-investigators, who are listed under each research task. A complete list of investigators may be found under the PEOPLE link at the left.
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Graduate Student Fellowships and Teaching Assistantships
 We invite applications from students who have diverse backgrounds in geology, chemistry, biochemistry, microbiology, and materials science who are interested in pursuing the M.S. or Ph.D. degree at UW-Madison. Our graduate students are encouraged to work in several laboratories during their graduate program, as well as conduct field-based research. Many faculty in the Department of Geology and Geophysics have joint appointments in the Microbiology, Chemistry, and Engineering programs at UW-Madison, providing an exceptional opportunity to experience multidisciplinary research. In addition to providing support stipends through grants and Department resources, we have dedicated substantial funding resources for graduate students for field and meeting expenses through generous donations from our alumni. Our alumni also serve an important role in the lives of our graduate students through an innovative mentor program. Additional resources for graduate students pursuing research in astrobiology are provided by a variety of NASA programs.
Finally, our graduate students do know how to take a break from their studies, and there are numerous activities arranged by the graduate GeoClub. Prospective graduate students should first directly contact one of the lead- or co-investigators, who are listed under each research task. A complete list of investigators may be found under the PEOPLE link at the left.
Applications for graduate school are due in early January for the following fall semester. Details about how to apply can be found here.
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Undergraduate Research
We encourage undergraduate students to think about an undergraduate research project. Although senior theses are not required at UW-Madison, about half of our undergraduate majors pursue a research project with a faculty member, either as an independent study project or a senior thesis. There are several funding opportunities for undergraduate research, including the UW-Madison Hilldale Research program, and the Shell Undergraduate Research program that is administered through the Department of Geology and Geophysics.
Information on undergraduate study programs may be found here. Undergraduate students are also encouraged to join the Undergraduate GeoClub, which sponsors a variety of activities.
Those students interested in summer employment at JPL should consider applying for support from the Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowships Program (SURF). Caltech's SURF program introduces students to research under the guidance of seasoned research mentors at JPL. Students experience the process of research as a creative intellectual activity. For a full description with eligibility requirements go to
http://www.surf.caltech.edu/.
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Outreach Opportunities
Our main outreach effort in astrobiology is run through the UW-Madison Geology Museum, in partnership with the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The Geology Museum hosts over 40,000 visitors annually, and has an extensive docent-led tour program that leads tours for over 13,000 K-12 school children each year. As we build our outreach program, we encourage people who are interested in astrobiology and working with young people to contact the Museum tour coordinator Brooke Norsted via e-mail or phone at (608) 262-1412 for information on new opportunities in astrobiology education.
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