IGERT: Astrobiology: Life in a Cosmic Context

IGERT：天体生物学：宇宙背景下的生命

• 批准号: 0504219
• 负责人: Woodruff Sullivan
• 金额: $ 254.73万
• 依托单位: University of Washington
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-07-15 至 2012-06-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0504219&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: IGERT; Astrobiology; Life; Cosmic; Context

Astrobiology seeks to understand the origins and history of life in the Universe (including that on Earth), to predict where extraterrestrial life might occur, and to find and study it. The main problems are (1) where to look for life, (2) what to look for, and (3) how to know when you find it. The intellectual merit of this project consists of the effort to investigate these problems. Investigating these questions, however, involves a host of scientific disciplines, many of which do not normally interact with one another. To achieve this, this continuing IGERT-funded graduate training program will have: (1) a strong engineering and instrumentation component, (2) specific training in teamwork and teaching, (3) innovative training in scientific writing, especially for communicating across disciplines and to the general public, (4) improved collaboration with other developing astrobiology programs, both domestic and foreign, and (5) more effective recruiting, mentoring and retention of members of underrepresented groups in science and engineering. This second phase of IGERT support will allow further progress in institutionalizing successful innovative practices in interdisciplinary education. The broader impacts of the project are releated both to basic and applied scientific questions and goals. The questions posed by astrobiology are of great general interest and are among the most fundamental for both scientists and the public because knowing whether life on Earth is unique affects our approach to the stewardship of our own planet and the exploration of our cosmic environment. Astrobiology is also providing the guiding principles behind NASA's redirection of planetary exploration and hence the outcome of this substantial research investment is dependent on training scientists capable of getting the scientific fundamentals right. IGERT is an NSF-wide program intended to meet the challenges of educating U.S. Ph.D. scientists and engineers with the interdisciplinary background, deep knowledge in a chosen discipline, and the technical, professional, and personal skills needed for the career demands of the future. The program is intended to catalyze a cultural change in graduate education by establishing innovative new models for graduate education and training in a fertile environment for collaborative research that transcends traditional disciplinary boundaries.

天体生物学旨在了解宇宙（包括地球上）生命的起源和历史，预测外星生命可能出现的地点，并发现和研究它。主要问题是（1）在哪里寻找生命，（2）寻找什么，以及（3）如何知道何时找到生命。该项目的智力价值在于研究这些问题的努力。 然而，研究这些问题涉及许多科学学科，其中许多学科通常不会相互影响。为了实现这一目标，这个由 IGERT 资助的持续研究生培训计划将包括：(1) 强大的工程和仪器部分，(2) 团队合作和教学方面的具体培训，(3) 科学写作方面的创新培训，特别是跨学科和与公众的交流，(4) 改善与国内外其他正在发展的天体生物学项目的合作，以及 (5) 更有效地招募、指导和保留科学领域代表性不足的群体的成员 和工程。 IGERT 支持的第二阶段将使跨学科教育的成功创新实践制度化取得进一步进展。 该项目更广泛的影响与基本和应用科学问题和目标有关。 天体生物学提出的问题引起了广泛的兴趣，对于科学家和公众来说都是最基本的问题，因为了解地球上的生命是否独特会影响我们管理地球和探索宇宙环境的方法。天体生物学还为美国宇航局调整行星探索方向提供了指导原则，因此这项大量研究投资的结果取决于培训科学家是否能够掌握正确的科学基础知识。 IGERT 是一项 NSF 范围内的计划，旨在应对美国博士生教育的挑战。具有跨学科背景的科学家和工程师，对所选学科有深厚的知识，以及未来职业需求所需的技术、专业和个人技能。该计划旨在通过在超越传统学科界限的合作研究的肥沃环境中建立创新的研究生教育和培训新模式，促进研究生教育的文化变革。