The interdisciplinary Astrobiology and Planetary Exploration (APEX) seminars take place during teaching terms 1 and 2, with talks by invited CPS and external speakers on a variety of relevant topics.
The Astrobiology and Planetary Exploration (APEX) seminar series will resume this term from 26th January 2024 on Fridays at lunchtime, 1-2 pm, in room 612 in Birkbeck’s main building on Malet St. As in previous years, we will operate a hybrid (online and in-person) model for both speakers and attendees.
Details of the forthcoming APEX programme can be found below, although we are still finalising some details/dates. The latest information will be advertised in advance of each meeting.
If you are not on our regular mailing lists and are interested in attending these seminars, please contact joanna.fabbri AT ucl.ac.uk.
APEX Programme 2023/24 - Term 2
Fridays, 1-2 pm, room 612 in Birkbeck’s main building on Malet St and online (i.e. hybrid format, unless specified 'online only' below)
26th January | Nick Lane (UCL Div. of Biosciences) | The electrical origins of life |
2nd February | Geraint Jones (UCL MSSL) | The Comet Interceptor Mission |
9th February | Alex Thompson (UCL P&A) | Correcting exoplanet transmission spectra for stellar activity |
16th February | Postponed to 1st March | |
23rd February | Kan Chen (UCL P&A) | Mark Lee (UCL P&A) | Planet gap-opening feedback on disc thermal structure and composition | An abiotic Lunar carbon cycle model |
1st March - Remote speaker | David Kipping (Columbia) | The Observational Search for Exomoons |
8th March | Adrien Morison (Exeter) | Sublimation-driven convection in Sputnik Planitia on Pluto |
15th March | Rachael Hamp (OU) | Icy moons (Enceladus) from subsurface to space |
22nd March - Online only | Brooke Johnson (Université de Liège) | Fossil preservation in Mesoproterozoic and Paleoarchean clay-rich environments analogous to the Noachian of Mars |
As these are research talks, a background in planetary science or related fields is useful to get the most out of the APEX seminars, but we welcome attendance from all those who are interested in these topics, especially our undergraduate and postgraduate students.
APEX speakers
We are always looking for new speakers and stimulating topics in the broad fields of astrobiology and planetary exploration. If you are interested in giving an APEX seminar, we would love to hear from you! Please contact the programme coordinator, Dr Andrew Rushby (a.rushby AT bbk.ac.uk).