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Contact information:
Ms Yella Jovich-Zahirovich
Project Coordinator
Tel. 514-398-7824
Fax. 514-398-7990
Dr. Lyle Whyte
Principal Investigator
Tel. 514-398-7889
Fax. 514-398-7990
Canadian Astrobiology Training Program
Canadian Astrobiology Training Program (CATP) Research Seminars
Videoconferencing. A unique feature of our program that allows us to easily cross disciplines and promote further interdisciplinarity is our ability to hold virtual meetings and share seminars by videoconference. Western has recently purchased a site licence for Wimba Collaboration Suite, allowing live lectures across the internet with sharing of slides and live question and answer sessions. McGill’s Montreal Neurological Institute possesses a teleconference room for similar sharing of courses. Throughout the program a bi-monthly Astrobiology seminar series will be available to all members. Presentations will be given by CATP Co-Is, collaborators, recruits, and invitees and will be videotaped and digitally archived for future viewing to build a strong library of lectures. As the program progresses, the feasibility of sharing established and new courses among institutions will be investigated. Member institutions currently offer or will be offering ideal courses for this program as follows: McGill’s undergraduate Astrobiology course; UWO’s graduate seminar in planetary science, impact cratering course, and a graduate level astrobiology course (in development, Banerjee and Osinski); McMaster, a planned Astrobiology graduate course and planned specialized Exoplanets graduate course (source: NSERC CATP Astrobiology Proposal 2008/09/29)
Seminars 2013-14:
| Date | Presenter | Institution | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
April 30, 2014 |
Dr. George Whitesides |
Harvard University |
TBD |
March 26, 2014 |
Dr. Kevin Hand |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
Icy moons as astrobiology targets |
February 26, 2014 |
Dr. Jennifer Biddle |
University of Delaware |
Deep biosphere |
January 29, 2014 |
Dr. Zita Martins |
University College London |
Impact-generated synthesis of amino acids |
December 18, 2013 |
Dr. Barbara Sherwood Lollar |
University of Toronto |
Ancient water (Postponed) |
November 27, 2013 |
Dr. Rory Barnes |
University of Washington |
|
October 30, 2013 |
Dr. Lyle Whyte |
McGill University |
Seminars 2012-13:
| Date | Presenter | Institution | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
April 24, 2013 |
Dr. Craig Marshall |
University of Kansas |
TBD |
March 27, 2013 |
Dr. Douglas Bartlett |
SCRIPPS Institute of Oceanography |
Exploring Beyond the Abyss on the James Cameron Deepsea Challenge Expedition |
February 27, 2013 |
Dr. Roger Wiens |
Los Alamos NL |
TBD |
January 30, 2013 |
Dr. Ken Stedman |
Portland State University |
|
December 12, 2012 |
Dr. Victoria Meadows |
University of Washington |
|
November 30, 2012 |
Dr. Chris McKay |
NASA Ames Research Center |
The search for life on other planets; update from the Mars Curiosity Rover |
October 31, 2012 |
Dr. Jan Amend |
University of Southern California |
Life Underground: Direct and Indirect Studies of Microbial Function |
Seminars 2011-12:
| Date | Presenter | Institution | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
April 25, 2012 |
Dr. Dawn Sumner |
University of California - Davis |
To be determined |
March 28, 2012 |
Dr. John C Priscu |
Montana State University |
|
February 29, 2012 |
Dr. Andrew Steele |
Carnegie Institution for Science |
|
February 08, 2012 |
Dr. Nilton O Renno |
University of Michigan |
|
December 14, 2011 |
Dr. David J Des Marais |
NASA Ames |
Exploring Mars for evidence of habitable environments and life. |
November 30, 2011 |
Dr. Denis Lacelle |
University of Ottawa |
|
October 26, 2011 |
To be rescheduled |
||
September 28, 2011 |
Dr. Hojatollah Vali |
McGill University |
Seminars 2010-11:
| Date | Presenter | Institution | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
May 31, 2011 |
Prof. Malcolm Walter |
University of New South Wales |
The first two billion years of life on Earth: the view from Australia |
April 8, 2011 |
Dr. Darlene Lim |
NASA Ames Research Center |
|
March 25, 2011 |
Dr. Barbara Sherwood-Lollar |
University of Toronto |
The Network for Inner Space Observatories: a new view of possible astrobiology analog sites |
March 11, 2011 |
Prof. Charles Cockell |
The Open University |
|
February 25, 2011 |
Reading Week |
Study Break |
No Seminar Held |
February 11, 2011 (joint seminar) |
Dr. Greg Slater |
McMaster University |
Investigating Signatures of the Origins and Processing of Volatile Fatty Acids |
February 11, 2011 (joint seminar) |
Dr. Chris Herd |
University of Alberta |
Organic Matter in the Tagish Lake Meteorite: A Unique Perspective on Parent Body Processing |
January 28, 2011 |
postponed to April 8, 2011 |
||
January 14, 2011 |
Dr. Ralph Pudritz |
McMaster University |
|
December 10, 2010 |
Dr. Gordon Southam |
University of Western Ontario |
|
November 26, 2010 |
Dr. Richard Leveille |
Canadian Space Agency |
|
November 12, 2010 |
Dr. Jay Nadeau |
McGill University |
|
October 22, 2010 |
Dr. Ed Cloutis |
University of Winnipeg |
|
October 8, 2010 |
Dr. Lyle Whyte (CATP Principal Investigator) |
McGill University |
Searching for Little Green Bugs and Methane in the Canadian High Arctic |
Seminars 2009-10:
| Date | Presenter | Institution | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
April 23, 2010 |
Dr. Louisa Preston (postdoctoral fellow) |
Centre for Planetary Science and Exploration at the University of Western Ontario |
Microbes in Minerals, Mars and More, explores the detection of biomarkers within rocks up to 400 Ma old using mid infra-red spectroscopy. Biomarkers found within hydrothermal environments, acid mine drainage systems and volcanic glasses will be discussed as well as the history and potential for finding life on Mars and how, if this life was ever present, would be the best ways to detect it |
April 09, 2010 |
Dr. Ed. Cloutis (CATP Co-Investigator) |
University of Winnipeg |
|
March 26, 2010 |
Dr. Lynn Rothschild |
NASA Ames Research Center |
Replaying the tape” is an intriguing ‘would it happen again?’ exercise. With respect to broad evolutionary innovations, such as photosynthesis, the answers are central to our search for life elsewhere. |
March 12, 2010 |
Dr. Victoria Hipkin |
Canadian Space Agency |
|
February 26, 2010 |
Dr. Lyle Whyte (CATP Principal Investigator) |
McGill University |
CATP Introduction: Canadian Astrobiology Training Program |