MIT: Independent Activities Period: IAP

IAP 2018 Activities by Sponsor - Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences

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Electron Microprobe Analysis on the JEOL JXA-8200 Superprobe

Nilanjan Chatterjee, Principal Research Scientist

Add to Calendar Jan/19 Fri 01:00PM-03:00PM 54-1221

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up

This session is to introduce new users to the JEOL JXA-8200 Superprobe. It will involve hands-on instructions on the electron microprobe, and a discussion on wavelength and energy dispersive spectrometry, and imaging with back-scattered electrons, secondary electrons, x-rays (elemental mapping) and cathodoluminescence. Please fill out the form located here, or e-mail Dr. Chatterjee at nchat@mit.edu if you plan to attend.

Sponsor(s): Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences
Contact: Nilanjan Chatterjee, 54-1216, 617 253-1995, NCHAT@MIT.EDU


Image Analysis in the Geosciences

Matej Pec, Assistant Professor

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required
Attendance: Participants must attend all sessions

The aim of the workshop is to familiarize participants with a number of image processing and analysis methods which will allow them to derive quantitative measurements from images. We will focus on the analysis of rock microstructures from sedimentary, metamorphic and igneous rocks. We will cover the topics of image segmentation, area and volume estimation, size and shape analysis and much more. The workshop consist of morning lectures and afternoon hands-on practice. The participants are encouraged to bring their own images of samples they would like to analyze. Participants taking the course for credit should registrer for 12.S591 and will be required to finish a short project.  

Sponsor(s): Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences
Contact: Matej Pec, 54-720, 617-324-7279, mpec@mit.edu


Image Analysis in the Geosciences

Add to Calendar Jan/22 Mon 09:00AM-05:00PM 54-819
Add to Calendar Jan/23 Tue 09:00AM-05:00PM 54-819
Add to Calendar Jan/24 Wed 09:00AM-05:00PM 54-819
Add to Calendar Jan/25 Thu 09:00AM-05:00PM 54-819
Add to Calendar Jan/26 Fri 09:00AM-05:00PM 54-819

Origin of Life Seminar Series

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions

A series of hosted lectures from leaders in the Origin of Life community, focusing on various dimensions of one of the most challenging problems in the biological and planetary sciences.  Topics will include the origin of cells, metabolism, replication and proteins, as well as the geochemical conditions on the Early Earth that led to prebiotic and early biotic systems.  Enrolled students will attend 4-5 seminars during IAP, actively engage in Q & A sessions with invited speakers in a panel format, and collaborate on creating an Origins of Life online blog resource highlighting the work of invited speakers. Instructor: G. Fournier

 

Sponsor(s): Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences
Contact: Professor Greg Fournier, 54-1016, 617 324 6164, g4nier@mit.edu


RNA and Protein: Molecules in Mutualism

Add to Calendar Jan/10 Wed 04:00PM-05:00PM 54-915

Dr. Loren Williams, Professor

Institution: School of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology

Contact: loren.williams@chemistry.gatech.edu

Title: RNA and Protein: Molescules in Mutualism

 


RNA World: Emergence & Evolution of RNA

Add to Calendar Jan/11 Thu 04:00PM-05:00PM 54-915

Dr. Irene A. Chen, University of California, Santa Barbara

Evolutionary outcomes are difficult to predict, largely because the effect of any possible mutation is unknown. In other words, understanding evolution requires detailed knowledge of the relationship between sequence and activity, or the fitness landscape. Inspired by the RNA World of early life, we study the emergence and evolution of functional RNAs. 


What is

Add to Calendar Jan/29 Mon 04:00PM-05:00PM 54-915

Dr. Anna Wang, NASA Postdoctoral Program Fellow

Title: "What is "I": the role of compartmentalisation in the origins of life"

Institution: Department of Molecular Biology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard University

Contact: awang@molbio.mgh.harvard.edu

 


planetary battery for the origins of lif

Add to Calendar Feb/02 Fri 04:00PM-05:00PM E25-605

Dr. Vlada Stamenkovic, Simons Collaboration on the Origins of Life Postdoctoral fellow

Title: The planetary battery for the origins of life: the example of Mars

Institution: Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology & Jet Propulsion Laboratory

Contact: eriduu@gmail.com

 


Solar Observing

Michael Person, Shuo Zhang, Postdoctoral Associate, Paul Hemphill, Postdoctoral Associate

Enrollment: Unlimited: No advance sign-up
Attendance: Participants welcome at individual sessions
Prereq: none

Join us for daytime stargazing! We will have solar telescopes set up so you can safely observe our closest star, the Sun. Swing on by for a quick look, and feel free to stay and chat with MIT astronomers over cups of cocoa.

Weather permitting on the following 3 dates:

Monday, January 22 
12noon-2pm
location: MIT North Court

Tuesday, January 23
12noon-2pm
location: Upper Plaza Area outside of MIT Student Center W20

Thursday, January 25
12noon-2pm
location: MIT North Court

Sponsor(s): Kavli Institute for Astrophysics , Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences, Wallace Astrophysical Observatory
Contact: Debbie Meinbresse, 37-241, 617 253-1456, MEINBRES@MIT.EDU


Solar Observing

Jan/22 Mon 12:00PM-02:00PM (CANCELED)
Jan/23 Tue 12:00PM-02:00PM (CANCELED)
Add to Calendar Jan/25 Thu 12:00PM-02:00PM North Court

Join us for daytime stargazing! We will have solar telescopes set up so you can safely observe our closest star, the Sun. Swing on by for a quick look, and feel free to stay and chat with MIT astronomers over cups of cocoa.

Weather Permitting


Tour of Wallace Astrophysical Observatory

Michael J Person

Add to Calendar Jan/24 Wed 07:00PM-11:00PM Wallace observatory

Enrollment: Limited: Advance sign-up required

Come tour the heavens at MIT's George R. Wallace Jr. Astrophysical Observatory located 45 minutes northwest of Boston in Westford, MA. Use various telescopes from 14" to 24" for both visual observing and electronic imaging of the moon, stars, and other celestial bodies. Required signup via website: http://web.mit.edu/wallace/iaptour/

Sponsor(s): Wallace Astrophysical Observatory, Earth, Atmospheric and Planetary Sciences
Contact: Michael J Person, wao-iap-tour@mit.edu