A late post today as it was a long one: an always epic 19 km hike into the centre of the deeply eroded Upheaval Dome impact structure, made more so by the 34oC temps! #ps9605#fieldschool#geology#planetaryscience
What a great day yesterday: down to the floor of Meteor Crater and then around the rim. It’s always a privilege to bring students to this amazing place #ps9605#fieldschool#impactcraters#planetarygeology
After overnight data showed an interruption in helium flow in the SLS interim cryogenic propulsion stage, teams are troubleshooting and preparing for a likely rollback of Artemis II to the VAB at @NASAKennedy. This will almost assuredly impact the March launch window. @NASA will continue to provide updates as they become available.
A Brown University professor just told me the shooting broke out in a review session for her economics class. She relayed an account of the shooting from her TA, who was there. I’ve reported that account here https://t.co/6LnWFfJPnj
On the morning of March 10, 2025, David Draper sat down for what would become one of his final meetings as NASA’s Deputy Chief Scientist. He had no idea what was about to happen.
For the first time, plainclothes security stood guard at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. Across the table sat his team, he watched their faces as they were told that the entire Office of the Chief Scientist was being shut down, and all their jobs were gone.
This is their story: https://t.co/3uxBRqAmJF
Hello, everyone! Thanks for the supportive comments on my post last week about the President's budget request and proposed cancelation of the NSF GRFP program which is funding my Ph.D. studies. All of this is really unnerving and sad. I worked hard to win a competitive NSF graduate research fellowship, and the current administration is now working to take money away from me and many other students.
The field of Heliophysics will face irreversible damage if the budget passees surely affecting many aurora chasing data streams and models we all use. Also, the fundamental science that drives operational space weather tools will be near-impossible to do effectively if the PBR moves forward.
These are just facts and have nothing to do with my views. I am simply stating what will happen if the proposed budget moves forward.
I am attending a webinar tomorrow about the current situation and will provide more details about the timeline for all this to happen, but I DO know that things are still very much in flux, and we may not get any final decision until the end of the year.
In the meantime, I have been working to compile some points on advocacy. Right now, what is most effective is calling your representatives, and the time to call is NOW while the the 2026 Congressional Budget Bill is being put together in the House. An initial budget bill could come out as early as next week. It means a lot for members of the "general" public (You) to speak out against this. Calling your representatives is the most effective way to voice your opinion.
Note that you DO NOT need to be a U.S. citizen to advocate; your representative/senator represents all those who live in their district/state, regardless of their citizenship.
How to find your Representative: https://t.co/WYTBlNaiTV
How to find your Senator: https://t.co/lmPVjto5ik
Attached to this post are two scripts for calling congress about supporting Heliophysics, NASA, and NSF.
📌 One is longer with more details -- to use if a human picks up the phone on the other end.
📌 One is shorter and to the point -- to use if you get voicemail on the other end.
Thanks!
List of 190 Harvard NSF grant terminations ($148 M). Includes 27 CAREER awards, even a Waterman prize. ~ 75 are in math and physics. https://t.co/UVVWyXB3w5
(also check the link for a broader list of NSF award terminations. Figure and link from Dan Garisto).
Basically nuking long-term R&D investments (propulsion, discovery science, aeronautics, workforce) for potential short term gains (boots on the moon) 🫠