Category: Meetings

FALCON: Registration deadline soon!!!

Our co-organised FALCON event (26th to 29th of June on Iceland) is only 1 month away! That means that the deadline for registration is very soon, specifically 31st of May (next week)!

If you are planning to come, do not hesitate! Registration to our event can be done by the following link: FALCON registration form

The same deadline (31st of May) applies to the travel grant applications which are still OPEN. Grants are expected to be approximately €200 – 400 (final amount may vary). Our grants are not tied to EAI membership, so you are eligible to apply even if your University is not a member of the EAI. Please send your grant application of no more than 250 words as an attachment (PDF or Word document) to abgrade@eana-net.eu. Please title the email ‘FALCON Travel Grant’ and the attachment ‘Surname_Firstname_FALCON’.

Please include the following:
1. Funds available to you via your lab group/University
2. Your nationality/background
3. Distance you will travel to Iceland
4. Confirm whether you want to do a talk or poster (or neither, i.e. simply attending)

For more information please visit our event page https://abgrade.eu/falcon2025/ or send us a message via email at abgrade@eana-net.eu

We are looking forward to meeting you on Iceland!!!

Conference: EANA 2025 in Lisbon, Portugal (October 21-24)

Registration Open!
The 25th European Astrobiology Network Association (EANA) conference will take place in person at Instituto Superior Técnico in Lisbon, Portugal, from 21–24 October 2025.

Join researchers from across Europe for keynote and contributed talks, the Space Factor contest, and poster sessions. This year’s theme is “Astrobiology: From the Field to the Labs and into Space,” but abstracts from all areas of astrobiology are welcome!

📧 Questions? Contact: eana-conference (at) eana-net.eu

> More info here <

Applications open: SPACE INDUSTRY WORKSHOP in Riga (Latvia)


Are you a student or academic interested in space science and industry collaboration? Join the Erasmus+ Blended Intensive Programme (BIP) hosted by Riga Technical University, in partnership with Aalto University and Stockholm University.

📅 In-person workshop: August 18–22, 2025 (Riga, Latvia)
💻 Virtual follow-up: 3 days post-workshop
🎯 Collaborate with space scientists, startups, and industry leaders on real mission design proposals
🎓 Earn 3 ECTS · No participation fees · Erasmus+ mobility funding available

📝 Deadline to apply: May 31, 2025
👉 Apply here

Harding Essay Competition 2025

Are you a UK university student passionate about writing, science, and questioning humanity? The UK Centre for Astrobiology (UKCA) is now accepting entries for its 2025 Harding Essay Competition! This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase your perspective, get featured on the UKCA website, and win prizes.

🎓 Open to both undergraduate and postgraduate students enrolled in UK universities.

📅 Submission deadline: 31st July 2025

📩 Submit your essay to: UKCA-info@ed.ac.uk. Topics can span culture, science, society, engineering, and more — whatever sparks your voice. Visit: www.astrobiology.ac.uk/opportunities/competitions

“Impacts and their role in the origin and evolution of life” Conference (1-4 September 2025, Nördlingen, Germany)

We are pleased to share an exciting invitation to the conference, “Impacts and their role in the origin and evolution of life” which will be held from 1 to 4 September 2025 in the picturesque medieval city of Nördlingen, located within the world-famous Ries crater in southern Germany.

The conference will focus on the role of meteorite and comet impacts in the formation of Earth, its atmosphere, and the evolution of life. The event will feature lectures, discussions, and excursions, allowing participants to present their research during poster sessions.

Conference topics include:

  • Impacts and the early history of the Solar System
  • Impact structures as indicators of target properties
  • Role of impacts in the delivery and formation of the building blocks for life
  • Impact-generated habitats for life
  • Environmental effects of impacts
  • Impacts as threats to life and humankind
  • Geoconservation, education, and outreach related to impacts

There will be two exciting excursions:

  • A one-day excursion around the Ries crater on 4 September
  • A half-day excursion to the Steinheim crater on 2 September, including its famous central uplift feature

Additionally, the conference will offer time for contributed talks, with a special focus on young scientists.

Important Dates:

  • Abstract Submission Deadline: 31 May 2025
  • Registration Deadline: 30 June 2025

For full details and to register, please visit the official website

Update on FALCON: Frontiers in Astrobiology & Origins of Life Conference

Our co-organised FALCON event (26th to 29th of June on Iceland) is only 3 months away!

Registration to our event can be done by the following link until May 31st: FALCON registration form

We want to remind you that the abstract submission deadline of March 31st is approaching soon. For more information, refer to this link: FALCON website

Travel grant applications are now open. Grants are expected to be approximately €200 – 400 (final amount may vary). Our grants are not tied to EAI membership, so you are eligible to apply even if your University is not a member of the EAI. Please send your grant application of no more than 250 words as an attachment (PDF or Word document) to abgrade@eana-net.eu. Please title the email ‘FALCON Travel Grant’ and the attachment ‘Surname_Firstname_FALCON’.

Please include the following:
1. Funds available to you via your lab group/University
2. Your nationality/background
3. Distance you will travel to Iceland
4. Confirm whether you want to do a talk or poster (or neither, i.e. simply attending)

    The deadline for travel grants is May 31st, the same day as our registration deadline. However, we will award grants on a rolling basis from next week.

    Furthermore, event organised accommodation booking deadline has been extended to April 15th, and managed through the BEACON registration platform at the following link, which is also used for the processing of all associated payments of our event: Accomodation registration (through BEACON)

    We want to remind you that on those premises, accommodation will likely still be possible for the same dates but at different rates.

    For more information please visit our event page https://abgrade.eu/falcon2025/ or send us a message via email at abgrade@eana-net.eu

    We are looking forward to meeting you on Iceland!!!

    3rd OHP International Summer School (23-27th June 2025; Observatoire de Haute Provence, France)

    Institut Origines is pleased to announce the 3rd OHP International Summer School. This exceptional event invites you to explore the frontiers of life through an interdisciplinary approach!

    Program highlights: Lectures and round-table discussions featuring renowned experts in prebiotic chemistry, microbiology, exobiology, planetology, astrophysics, philosophy, and law. These sessions will be moderated by an award-winning science journalist, offering a unique opportunity to delve into the fundamental questions surrounding the origin and evolution of life.

    Don’t miss this chance to discover the latest research and connect with scientists from around the world in a unique setting!

    Pre-register via this link: https://institut-origines.univ-amu.fr/fr/formation/ecoles-ete

    Speakers: Chantal Abergel, Mélanie Baroni, James Bradley, Jean-Michel Claverie, Magali Deleuil, Simon Duval, David Ehrenreich, Gaël Erauso, Vincent Hue, Frédéric Laurie, Dominique Leglu, Martina Preiner, Pascal Taranto, Nicolas Thouveny, and more…

    Poster credit: Sarah Anderson

    Summer School “Traces of Early Life” (3-13 June 2025 in Stirling, Scotland)

    Are you passionate about the origins of life and the search for extraterrestrial life? Join the European Astrobiology Institute’s “Traces of Early Life” Summer School, held from 3rd to 13th June 2025, at the picturesque Stirling University in Scotland. Surrounded by the stunning landscapes of Loch Ness, Ullapool, and Durness, this unique programme offers an immersive opportunity to explore the evolution of early Earth, the origins of life, and cutting-edge methods for detecting ancient lifeforms. Engage with world-leading researchers through lectures, hands-on practical exercises, and a 5-day field excursion to geologically fascinating sites.

    The school will include

    • 4 days of lectures
    • excursion to stromatolite sites and other geologically interesting locations a the stunningly beautiful North Coast of Scotland
    • practical exercises
    • poster sessions

    Whether you’re a graduate student, early-career scientist, or senior researcher, this summer school provides an exciting platform to expand your knowledge and network with experts in the field. Apply now for an unforgettable experience in one of the world’s most beautiful regions!

    See details >>here<<

    Application deadline is 1st of March 2025!

    International Clay Conference – Call for Abstracts!

    The International Clay Conference will take place in Dublin 13-18 July 2025, with both in-person and online attendance options.

    One of the sessions, “The Role of Layered Minerals in the Origin of Life – Insights from Terrestrial and Extraterrestrial Environments,” may be of interest to our community.

    📅 Abstract submission deadline: April 11
    🎓 Awards & grants available for travel support
    🔬 Workshops & field trips included

    For more details and registration, click here

    Registrations now open for FALCON: Frontiers in Astrobiology and Origins of Life Conference in Reykjavik (Iceland) 

    Registrations are now open for our very first event in collaboration with the Origin of Life Early-career Network (OoLEN):
    FALCON: Frontiers in Astrobiology and Origins of Life Conference

    What: FALCON: Frontiers in Astrobiology and Origins of Life Conference
    Where: University of Iceland (Askja building), Reykjavík, Iceland
    When: June 26th to 29th, 2025 (before the BEACON conference, which will be held July 1st to 5th) 

    Aimed at early-careers in the fields of astrobiology and origin of life sciences, we will have two full symposium days, interactive workshops, networking opportunities and a day trip in Iceland’s nature!

    Click here to register, and check out the event’s page for more info and updates.

    🇮🇸We look forward to seeing you soon!🇮🇸