Researcher training activities planned by the Nordic Network of Astrobiology Graduate Schools

Nordic courses in astrobiology for graduate students will be organised by the Network. These courses will be held in block scheme and at different Nordic Institutions, organised in co-operation by Nordic Researchers and, ideally, include some practical exercises. Such courses would have the following advantages:

• Possibility to get world-leaders as lecturers
• Greater pool of students, selection of best candidates possible
• Availability of field trips and other practical exercises
• Students meet future collaboration partners from other Nordic universities
• Block scheme ensures minimum interference with students´ research projects

Furthermore the highly successful Nordic/NASA summer and winter schools will be continued. The next such events are planned for July 2012 (Iceland) and January 2014 (Hawai'i). Please check this website for announcement.

Graduate courses

The following courses are planned (years and places, if already defined, in brackets):

• Molecules in space (Onsala, Sweden, 2013)
• Impacts and their role in the evolution of our planet and life (Saaremaa, Estonia, 2013)
• Life on deep sea floors (Akureyri, Iceland 2014)
• Exoplanets (Stockhom, Sweden 2014)
• Evolution of Life on Earth out of a cosmic perspective (2015)
• Atmospheres of planets and their satellites (2015)

Furthermore the series of highly successful summer schools (co-organised by Stockholm and Hawai'i will be continuing). The next such events are planned for July 2012 (Iceland) and January 2014 (Hawai'i).

Nordic-NASA Summer School "Water, Ice and the Origin of Life in the Universe", 2-15 July 2012

The next Nordic-NASA summer school is planned to be held in Iceland in July 2012. The course will consist of 3 parts:

• Lectures spanning subjects from the early universe to extremophiles
• Field work on the colonisation of volcanic rocks and glaciers by nmicrobes
• Excursions to geologically interesting sites and new lava fields

Please check this website for announcements.