Kathleen Burton

NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, CA

(Phone: 650/604-1731, 650/604-9000) kburton@mail.arc.nasa.gov

NOTE TO EDITORS 99-83AR

ASTROBIOLOGY SYMPOSIUM TO FOCUS ON SEARCHING FOR LIFE

Renowned astrobiologists will discuss recent progress in searching for
life in the universe at a two-day Astrobiology Symposium Dec. 15-16 at the
Moscone Center, 747 Howard St., San Francisco, CA. Press registration will
be held in the Moscone Press Room, MC Room 111.

Sponsored by the American Geophysical Union (AGU), the symposium will begin
at 8:30 a.m. (PST) on Dec. 15 in MC-Room 131 with introductory remarks by
Dr. Michael Meyer, NASA’s program manager for astrobiology. Formal
sessions, which will conclude at noon, feature an overview of astrobiology
by Dr. David Morrison, Director of Space, NASA Ames Research Center,
Moffett Field, CA, and a discussion of astrobiology and evolution by Ames
researcher Dr. Linda Jahnke. An astrobiology poster session will be held
at 1:30 p.m. in MC Hall D.

On Thursday, Dec.16 at 9:30 a.m., a press conference will be held to
discuss “Astrobiology: Oxymoron No More,” in MC Briefing Room, Room 112.
Featured presenters will include:

  • Dr. Rocco Mancinelli, The Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence (SETI)
    Institute, Mountain View, CA and NASA Ames Research Center, Moffett Field,
    CA.
  • Dr. Richard Greenberg, Lunar and Planetary Laboratory, University of
    Arizona, Tucson, AZ.
  • Dr. Bruce Runnegar, Department of Earth and Space Sciences, University of
    California, Los Angeles, CA.

    That afternoon, additional discussion sessions will be held from 1:30 to
    5:00 p.m. in MC Room 132. Several Ames researchers including Dr. Robert
    Wharton (polar environments for life) and Dr. Brad Bebout (microbial
    communities), will be featured. Astrobiology is the multi-disciplinary
    study of the origin, evolution, distribution and future of life in the
    universe. Ames is NASA’s lead center for astrobiology.

    -end-