AMEC 2012 - Call for Papers

Dear Colleagues,

It is with pleasure that I invite yo u to submit papers for the 12th Australian Mars Exploration Conference (AMEC 2012), to be held in Canberra over the weekend of Friday, 14th September to Sunday, 16th September.

MSA funds and manages three major technical projects:

• the Starchaser Marsupial analogue rover,
• the MarsSkin analogue spacesuit
• and the Mars-Oz analogue research station, as well as a number of smaller experiments.

MSA members publish widely in peer-reviewed international journals and papers, and conduct numerous public seminars and lectures. The organisation has conducted several expeditions to Central Australia. It has a high media profile, logging tens of impressions on radio, television, the Internet and the print media each year.  It is certified by CSIRO as an Approved Research Institute. Its internet records are being archived by the National Library in Canberra as documents of historical importance.  MSA also participates in international collaborative projects with organisations such as NASA and ESA, including the Spaceward Bound educational initiative and a month-long simulation at the Mars Desert Research Station in Utah.

All papers submitted to AMEC 2012 will be peer-reviewed in accordance with DEEWR guidelines for conference publications. Papers have a Mars focus. The following topics are as suggestions:

• Results from past and present Mars exploration
• Mars analogues and simulations
• Lessons from lunar and Earth orbit missions to Mars
• Preparing for the first human mission to Mars
• Advances in space suit technology
• Use of robots in surface operations
• Human factors in Mars exploration
• Propulsion, communications and life support systems for Mars missions
• Strategies and technologies for surface exploration
• Field science for exploration
• Mars in education 
• Recruiting the next generation of explorers, astronauts, scientists and engineers
• Future trends in project funding
• Remote-area engineering
• Colonization of Mars
• Mars as an inspiration to artists

Instructions for Presenters

This page details information for presenters of accepted papers at the conferance. Oral Presentations:

• If you haven't already, create an account on the MSA website, and log in and register for the conference.  (Registration is required in order to present a valid submission).
• Most presentations will be scheduled to last 20 minutes: 15 minutes for the talk and 5 minutes for questions and change-over.  Selected papers will be allocated 30 minutes.Powerpoint or PDF slides are recommended.
• The presentation room will contain:
  • A computer running Windows XP with Microsoft Office and Acrobat Reader.
  • An LCD video projector.
• Presenters will be able to upload their presentation files onto the presentation computer on the morning of their presentation from 08:15 hrs onwards or during the breaks. An assistant will be in the room to help.
• Presenters are encouraged to bring their presentation files stored on a CD-ROM or USB thumb drive (flash disk).
• Alternatively, presenters can use their own computer if absolutely required. Note that the connection from the LCD projector to the computer is limited to a standard VGA (D-sub 15 pin) connection. Poster Presentations:
• Posters will be displayed during the welcome and poster reception scheduled for the first morning break on the Saturday of the Conferance.
• Presenters are expected to be present at their poster for as long as possible during the welcome and poster reception.
• Available space: 880mm wide x 1200mm high.
• That is, the maximum size of a poster is A0 portrait or A1 landscape (poster boards will accommodate posters of size A0 portrait or A1 landscape, but not necessarily A0 landscape).
• Poster boards and mounting material will be provided.
• Presenters are required to put up their posters before the start of the welcome and poster reception.
• Presenters are responsible for the dismantling of their posters. Posters left after the conclusion of the welcome and poster reception will be disposed of.
• If submitting a paper, please download the Author Guidelines and format your paper according to the guidelines described. Abstracts are to be no more than 1 page and papers of no more than 7 pages in length
• Having written and formatted your submission, save and email to the conference chair  using the following address: vicepresident(at)marssociety.org.au (please replace "(at)" with "@") by 31st of July, 2012  for peer review and assessment for program. Authors should include a brief cover note including their name and contact details.
• Notification of the initial review results will be distributed by 31st August, 2012. This will consist on whether or not your material has been selected for an oral presentation or as a poster.  Full peer review of submitted papers will happen after the conference. Registration and presentation at the conference is a requirement for publication. Looking forward to seeing you at the conference.

Dr. Jonathan Clarke,
Program Chair,
AMEC 2012