[meteorite-list] NASA, Library of Congress Select First Astrobiology Chair

[Ron Baalke]

April 16, 2012

Dwayne Brown 
Headquarters, Washington      
202-358-1726 
dwayne.c.brown at nasa.gov 

Karen Jenvey 
Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, Calif. 
650-604-4789 
karen.jenvey at nasa.gov 

RELEASE: 12-113

NASA, LIBRARY OF CONGRESS SELECT FIRST ASTROBIOLOGY CHAIR

WASHINGTON -- NASA and the Library of Congress have announced the 
selection of David H. Grinspoon to be the first Baruch S. Blumberg 
NASA-Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology. 

The chair, selected through an international competition, is named for 
the late Nobel Laureate and founding director of the NASA 
Astrobiology Institute, Baruch "Barry" Blumberg. Applications are 
solicited by the Library of Congress and reviewed by a panel jointly 
established by the Library and NASA. The prestigious position was 
created in November 2011. 

Grinspoon will be in residence for a year beginning November 2012 at 
the library's scholarly research organization, the Kluge Center, in 
Washington. He is the curator of astrobiology in the Department of 
Space Sciences at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. Grinspoon 
is a well-known researcher in planetary science and the author of the 
award-winning book "Lonely Planets: The Natural Philosophy of Alien 
Life." 

"Grinspoon's background as an astrobiology researcher, writer and 
communicator of science makes him an ideal choice," said Carl 
Pilcher, director of the Astrobiology Institute at NASA's Ames 
Research Center at Moffett Field, Calif. "This is certainly the start 
of what will become a great tradition of astrobiology chairs at the 
library." 

Astrobiology is the study of the origins, evolution, distribution and 
future of life in the universe. It addresses three fundamental 
questions: How did life begin and evolve? Is there life elsewhere? 
What is the future of life on Earth and beyond? The institute's 
mission is to promote interdisciplinary research in astrobiology, 
train the next generation of astrobiologists and provide scientific 
and technical leadership for NASA space missions. 

"Grinspoon is uniquely positioned to introduce the Library's unique 
multidisciplinary collections on the emerging subject to a wide and 
diverse public," said Librarian of Congress James H. Billington. 

At the library, Blumberg was a founding member of the Scholar's 
Council, a 12-member group of distinguished scholars who advise the 
Librarian of Congress on matters of scholarship. 

Blumberg was awarded the 1976 Nobel Prize in physiology or medicine 
for discovery of the Hepatitis B virus and development of a vaccine 
to prevent Hepatitis B infection. He was the founding director of the 
NASA Astrobiology Institute, serving from 1999 to 2002. 

Grinspoon will examine choices facing humanity as we enter the 
Anthropocene Era, the epoch when human activities are becoming a 
defining characteristic of the physical nature and functioning of 
Earth. His research will include studies of the role of planetary 
exploration in fostering scientific and public understanding of 
climate change and the power of astrobiology as a model of 
interdisciplinary research and communication. 

For more information about NASA's Astrobiology Program, visit: 

http://astrobiology.nasa.gov 

For more information about the Kluge Center of the Library of 
Congress, visit: 

http://www.loc.gov/loc/kluge 
	
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