New and exciting activities in the
McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences
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Recent News From McDonnell Center Fellows
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It is with great sadness that we share the news of the passing of Kenneth Kelton, the Arthur Holly Compton Professor Emeritus of Physics and a fellow of the McDonnell Center for the Space Sciences. Ken joined WashU in 1985 and made pioneering contributions to materials physics, also serving as Department Chair of Physics and the founding director of the Institute of Materials Science and Engineering. He was a deeply respected scientist, leader, and mentor whose brilliance, generosity, and kindness touched many.
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Our heartfelt condolences go to his wife, Emily, and the Kelton family.
A full obituary will be forthcoming in the WashU Record.
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Drilling deep to study the oxygenation of Earth
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David Fike, the Glassberg/Greensfelder Distinguished University Professor of Earth, Environmental, and Planetary Sciences, is leading the American contingent of a massive international drilling project called GOE-DEEP. As the name suggests, the $3.1 million project, funded by the International Continental Scientific Drilling Program and a consortium of national science agencies, will extend deep into the Earth — and deep back in time — to study the remaining traces of the GOE.
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Are there other Earths out there?
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How unusual is Earth, and are we alone in the universe? Those fundamental questions have inspired philosophers and scientists for centuries. Thanks to technological advances, today’s astronomers can do more than merely speculate about other worlds. As of late 2025, astronomers have confirmed more than 6,000 exoplanets, bodies that orbit stars other than our own. “These are real worlds, and some might even have life,” said Paul Byrne. “Maybe they have scientists who are asking the same questions about their place in the universe.”
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Recent Publications by McDonnell Center Fellows
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Katz, J. I., & Krassner, J. (2024). 3 MHz space antenna. RAS Techniques and Instruments, 3(1), 866–873.
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MCSS Postdoctoral Fellowship Opening
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MCSS is hiring a postdoctoral fellow in the broad field of space sciences. We welcome applicants with interests in Astromaterials, Cosmochemistry, or Meteoritics; Experimental, Theoretical, or Observational Astrophysics; Planetary Science; Particle and Nuclear Physics, Cosmology and Gravitation; and Earth as a Planet. In their application materials, the candidate should describe their research interests and list potential collaborators from among the faculty fellows of the MCSS.
Please share this opportunity with your research contacts and encourage qualified candidates to apply by December 20, 2025.
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Cosmic Tricks and Multiwavelength Treats: From Galactic PeVatrons to Solar Axions
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Astrophysics & Space Sciences Colloquium
Jooyun Woo
Columbia University
TODAY, Friday, October 31
9:00am, Compton 241
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| Physics and the Puzzle of Artificial Intelligence
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Saturday Science Lecture
Zohar Nussinov, WashU
Saturday, November 1
10:00am, Crow 201
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| Physics Family Fun Day
Physics Outreach Team
Sunday, November 2
12:00-4:00pm
2nd Floor of Crow Hall
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2025 Robert M. Walker Distinguished Lecture
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The NASA Psyche Mission: Preparing for the Science of an Unknown Object
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Robert M. Walker Distinguished
Colloquium
Lindy Elkins-Tanton
University of California - Berkeley
Wednesday, November 5
4:15pm, Whitaker 100
Refreshments: 3:30pm, Whitaker Atrium
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The NASA Psyche Mission: First Visit to an Unknown World
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Robert M. Walker Distinguished Lectures
Public Lecture
Lindy Elkins-Tanton
University of California - Berkeley
Thursday, November 6
7:00pm, Whitaker 100
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Pulsar Wind Nebulae: a Treasure Trove of High-Energy Astrophysics
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Astrophysics & Space Sciences Colloquium
Niccolo' Bucciantini
Osservatorio Astrofisico di Arcetri
Friday, November 7
9:00am, Compton 241
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| The Physics of Mysterious Cellular Droplets
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Saturday Science Lecture
Trevor GrandPre
Washington University
Saturday, November 8
10:00am, Crow 201
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Subscribe to the MCSS Messenger
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| McDonnell Center Contacts |
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Compiled and edited by Alison Verbeck. Please send any contributions to alison@wustl.edu.
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© 2025 All rights reserved
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