12:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.

AbSciCon Primer Sessions (Conf Rm Four)
Sessions will provide background information to increase accessibility of
scientific presentations outside attendees’ areas of expertise and to enhance
interactions among experts in different fields.

12:00 – 12:30 p.m.

Origin of Life, Betül Arslan and Aaron Goldman

12:30 – 1:00 p.m.

Phylogenetics and Metagenomics, Billy Brazelton

1:00 – 1:30 p.m.

Life Detection, Lewis Dartnell

1:30 – 2:00 p.m.

Exoplanets, Tyler Robinson

2:00 – 2:30 p.m.

Organics and Astrochemistry, Geronimo Villanueva

2:30 – 5:00 p.m.

Proposal Writing Workshop
Led by NASA Astrobiology Discipline Scientist, Dr. Michael H. New. Workshop will
provide an overview of proposal opportunities and advice on writing a successful
proposal.

4:00 – 5:00 p.m.

Registration Check-in (Pre-function area)

4:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Speaker Ready Room open (Conf Rm E)

5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Welcome Reception
Georgia Institute of Technology’s
Parker H Petit Institute for Bioengineering and Bioscience
315 Ferst Dr. NW, Atlanta, GA 30332
Georgia Tech Campus
Hosted by Georgia Institute of Technology’s Ribo Evo, Center for Ribosomal Origins
and Evolution. Catch up with colleagues over drinks and hors d’oeuvres. Enjoy live
bluegrass music by the Dappled Grays Band. Catch a Tech Trolley marked
“AbSciCon” from the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center or enjoy a short
walk through the Georgia Tech campus.

7:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Speaker Ready Room open (Conf Rm E)

7:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Registration (Pre-function area)

7:00 – 7:30 a.m.

Session Chairs Breakfast (Conf Rm C)

8:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Oral Sessions

10:00 – 10:15 a.m.

Break

10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Oral Sessions

12:15 – 1:30 p.m.

Lunch

12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

Focus Group Meetings
Thermodynamics, Disequilibrium, and Evolution Focus Group (Conf Rm Two)
Early Earth Focus Group (Conf Rm Four)
Mars Focus Group (Conf Rm Six)

1:00 p.m.

Meeting Mentor Program Meet Up (Conf C and D)

1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Plenary Session: Mission to Mars: Curiosity Sets Out to Explore Gale
Crater (Grand Ballroom)
The Mars Science Laboratory mission will land in Gale Crater on August 5, 2012, just
a little past 10:00 p.m. PDT. In this session, a panel will discuss the mission in terms
of its goals and objectives, its field site, its measurement capabilities and its
importance to astrobiology. Panelists include Project Scientist John Grotzinger,
Sample Analysis at Mars deputy principal investigator Pamela Conrad, and Dawn
Sumner, who is both a co-investigator on the MSL cameras and co-chair of the MSL
Landing Site Working Group.

3:30 – 3:45 p.m.

Break

3:45 – 5:45 p.m.

Oral and Poster Sessions

5:45 – 7:00 p.m.

Social Reception (Prefunction Area and Atrium)

7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Public Event: FameLab Astrobiology—The Finals! (Grand Ballroom)
FameLab Astrobiology is a science communication extravaganza. Over the past few
months, more than 70 early career astrobiologists have gathered at sites across the
USA (and on YouTube) to compete in FameLab Astrobiology preliminaries. Ten have
emerged as finalists. Each finalist will have just three minutes to convey a science
topic to a general public audience. No slides, no charts- just the power of words and
one prop of their choice that will fit in their hands. Through the competitions and
workshops embedded in each event, the heart of FameLab is to provide experience
and training in science communication to the next generation of astrobiologists.
These 10 finalists have gone through two rounds of elimination to get to the highly-
anticipated finals. The winner will compete in the FameLab International final in the
UK this summer. Show your support for your favorite presenter!

7:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Speaker Ready Room open (Conf Rm E)

7:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Registration (Pre-function area)

7:00 – 7:30 a.m.

Session Chairs Breakfast (Conf Rm C)

8:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Oral Sessions

10:00 – 10:15 a.m.

Break

10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Oral Sessions

12:15 – 1:30 p.m.

Lunch

12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

Focus Group Meetings
Virus Focus Group (Conf Rm Two)
Evogenomics Focus Group (Conf Rm Four)
Data Usage Focus Group (Conf Rm Six)
Astrobiology Early Career Town Hall (Conf Rm Seven)

1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Plenary Session: Great Debate: Expanding the Habitable Zone: The
Hunt for ExoPlanets Now and Into the Future (Grand Ballroom)
Astrobiology Magazine hosts a panel of experts to discuss the following questions:
What should the priorities be in the search for planets in the galaxy? How accurate
can we be in identifying habitable, Earthlike worlds around distant stars using current
technology? Rather than focusing solely on Earth-like planets, should the discussion
be expanded to ask where we can find habitable planets?Earth-size planets in Earth-
like habitable zones being only one possibility? The Decadal Survey's
recommendations for planetary missions upset many, but can the astrobiology
community come to an agreement about what missions our priorities should be in the
next decade to find and characterize habitable planets? What is the future of our
search for habitable, alien worlds in light of current budget restraints and mission
planning? With the cancelation of numerous orbiting telescopes, and with current
telescopes like Hubble coming to the end of their lifetime, it is an optimum time for
members of the exoplanet community to discuss the limitations of current technology
and how these limitations can be addressed in the years to come.

3:30 – 3:45 p.m.

Break

3:45 – 5:45 p.m.

Oral Sessions
Lightning Talks I (Grand Ballroom)
Poster Session II (Conf Rm A and B)

5:45 – 7:00 p.m.

Social Reception (Prefunction Area and Atrium)

7:00 – 9:00 p.m.

An Evening with Author Dava Sobel (Grand Ballroom)
Award-winning author and science communicator Dava Sobel will discuss her recent
works including “Galileo’s Daughter” and “A More Perfect Heaven,” as studies of
scientific revolutions and the cultural, political, and individual circumstances that have
given rise to them, and as legacies bequeathed to astrobiology. A book signing will
follow—bring your copies from home or buy them on-site.

7:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Speaker Ready Room open (Conf Rm E)

7:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Registration (Pre-function area)

7:00 – 7:30 a.m.

Session Chairs Breakfast (Conf Rm C)

8:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Oral Sessions

10:00 – 10:15 a.m.

Break

10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Oral Sessions

12:15 – 1:30 p.m.

Lunch

12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

Focus Group Meetings
Astrobiology and Society Focus Group (Conf Rm Two)
Origin of Life Focus Group (Conf Rm Four)
S.A.G.A.N. Meeting (Conf Rm Six)

1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Plenary Session: Honoring Those We Have Lost: Science and
Reflections (Grand Ballroom)
This special plenary session is dedicated to honoring the contributions of community
members whom we have lost recently. The session will include both scientific content
and reflection. Audience participation is welcome.

5:00 – 9:00 p.m.

Conference Social Event at Georgia Aquarium
AbSciCon participants and guests are invited to attend the conference social event at
the Georgia Aquarium. Complimentary shuttle service is provided for your
convenience. Parking, public transportation, and local taxi service are also available.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

4:30 – 7:30 p.m.

Motorcoach shuttles depart Georgia Tech Hotelfor Georgia Aquarium every 30
minutes (on the hour and half hour)

5:00 – 7:00 p.m.

Exclusive after-hours admission to Aquarium exhibits.

6:30 – 8:30 p.m.

Buffet dinner served in the private Oceans Ballroom.

7:30 – 9:00 p.m.

Shuttles depart Georgia Aquarium for local hotels. Shuttles will return to the
following hotels: Georgia Tech Hotel, Renaissance Atlanta Midtown, and
combined stop at Hotel Indigo/ Georgian Terrace. Tickets for this event must be
purchased separately online or at the Conference Registration desk.

7:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Speaker Ready Room open (Conf Rm E)

7:00 a.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Registration (Pre-function area)

7:00 – 7:30 a.m.

Session Chairs Breakfast (Conf Rm C)

8:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Oral Sessions

10:00 – 10:15 a.m.

Break

10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Oral Sessions

12:15 – 1:30 p.m.

Lunch

12:15 – 1:15 p.m.

Focus Group Meetings

1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Plenary Session: How Do We Explain Ourselves? Challenges in
Communicating about Astrobiology
Public interest in astrobiology is strong, and indications are that this interest will grow
as more and more planetary missions focus on searching for evidence of habitability
and life in extraterrestrial environments. This interest cuts across boundaries of age,
class, culture, and gender. Surrounding astrobiology, the world of journalism and
mass communication is rapidly changing. Bloggers, tweeters, and other social media
practitioners who may be Ph.D. scientists or simply interested bystanders are
producing more and more science news and commentary in a free and open, 24/7,
online information environment. How can astrobiologists meet the challenges of
science communication in the 21st century?

3:30 – 3:45 p.m.

Break

3:45 – 5:45 p.m.

Oral Sessions
Lightning Talks II Grand Ballroom

3:45 – 5:45 p.m.

Poster Session III

5:45 – 7:00 p.m.

Mentor/ Mentee Social Hour (Club Room and Lobby)
Sponsored by the International Journal of Astrobiology
This social event will provide a relaxed, informal setting for early career scientists
(i.e. grad students and postdocs) to meet and converse with senior scientists about
their future career paths, life as an astrobiologist, or anything else. We hope to have
a wide distribution of interests and fields, so whether you are a mentor or a mentee,
please come and share your experiences with us! Refreshments will be provided.
This event is open to all, but space is somewhat limited so please sign up at the
conference registration desk when you arrive at the conference. Signing up will help
event organizers facilitate introductions of mentors and mentees with similar
interests.

7:00 – 10:30 a.m.

Speaker Ready Room open (Conf Rm E)

7:00 – 10:30 a.m.

Registration (Pre-function area)

7:00 – 7:30 a.m.

Session Chairs Breakfast (Conf Rm D)

8:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Oral Sessions

10:00 – 10:15 a.m.

Break

10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m

Oral Sessions

12:15 p.m.

Conference Adjourns

8:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Early Evolution of Life I

10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Linking Microbial Ecosystem Biosignatures to the Geologic Record of Early Earth and Mars

1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Plenary Session: Mission to Mars: Curiosity Sets Out to Explore Gale Crater

3:45 – 5:45 p.m.

How Can Astrobiology Help Save the World? A Discussion of Astrobiology and Humanity's Future

8:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Early Evolution of Life II

10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

The Nature of the Last Universal Common Ancestor

1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Plenary Session: Great Debate: Expanding the Habitable Zone: The Hunt for ExoPlanets
Now and Into the Future

3:45 – 5:45 p.m.

Lightning Talks I

8:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Extremeomics: The Biology and Metabolism of Weird Life

10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Icy Worlds: Niches for Biological, Pre-Biological, and Abiological Chemistry

1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Plenary Session: Honoring Those We Have Lost: Science and Reflections

8:00 – 10:00 a.m.

The Origin of Biomolecules in Planetary Environments: From HCN to RNA (Session in Honor
of James Ferris)

10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Exoplanet Habitability

1:30 – 3:30 p.m.

Plenary Session: How Do We Explain Ourselves? Challenges in Communicating about
Astrobiology

3:45 – 5:45 p.m.

Lightning Talks II

8:00 – 10:00 a.m.

Mineralogy as an Indicator of Aqueous Processes on Mars

10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.

Extraterrestial Biomolecules in the New Age of Astronomical Instrumentation