Titanium paternity test fingers Earth as moon's sole parent
A new chemical analysis of lunar material collected by Apollo astronauts in the 1970s conflicts with the widely held theory that a giant collision between Earth and a Mars-sized object gave birth to the moon 4.5 billion years ago.
In the giant-collision scenario, computer simulations suggest that the moon had two parents: Earth and a hypothetical planetary body that scientists call “Theia.” But a comparative analysis of titanium from the moon, Earth and meteorites, published by Junjun Zhang, graduate student in geophysical sciences at the University of Chicago, and four co-authors indicates the moon’s material came from Earth alone.
2011 Schuchert Award to Kevin Boyce
Associate Professor C. Kevin Boyce has won the 2011 Schuchert Award of the Paleontological Society, given for promise and accomplishment by a paleontologist under the age of 40, for his contributions to our understanding of the physiology and evolutionary history of land plants and the evolution of terrestrial ecosystems.
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Geophysical Sciences professors earn Macelwane Medal, Nier Prize
The American Geophysical Union has named Nicolas Dauphas, associate professor in geophysical sciences, as a 2011 recipient of the James B. Macelwane Medal. The Meteoritical Society also has awarded the 2011 Alfred O. Nier Prize to his colleague Fred Ciesla, assistant professor in geophysical sciences. The Meteoriticial Society is devoted to the study of phenomena such as meteorites, comets and asteroids.
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Faculty Positions in the Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
The Department of the Geophysical Sciences at the University of Chicago invites applications for faculty positions in the atmospheric and oceanic sciences. Areas of special interest include, but are not limited to:
• Physical oceanography, including the role of the oceans in Earth's climate system
• Atmospheric science pertaining to aerosols, clouds, or chemistry, with particular emphasis on experimentation or analysis of field measurements
• General circulation and climate dynamics of planetary atmospheres
Candidates must have completed a Ph.D. prior to appointment.
Applicants must apply through the University's Academic Careers website and upload a cover letter; a curriculum vitae; statements of research and teaching interests; and names and contact information for at least three referees. Consideration of applications will begin November 1, 2011. For a position at the rank of Assistant Professor, please apply at academiccareers.uchicago.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=51832. To be considered for a tenured rank, please apply at academiccareers.uchicago.edu/applicants/Central?quickFind=51837. The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer. For more information on the Department, please visit http://geosci.uchicago.edu.
