SAGANet (Social Action for Grassroots Astrobiology Network) is a social and collaborative web platform created to connect scientists and science enthusiasts who share interests in the research and culture of

astrobiology Astrobiology, and the related field of exobiology, is an interdisciplinary scientific field that studies the origins, early evolution, distribution, and future of life in the universe. Astrobiology is the multidisciplinary field that investig ...

Background

SAGANet was founded in 2011 by Blue Marble Space Institute of Science scientists Zach Adam, Julia DeMarines, Heshan Illangkoon,

Betül Kaçar Betül Kacar is a Turkish-American astrobiologist and an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin. She directs a NASA Astrobiology Research Center exploring the essential attributes of life, its origins and how they should shape our no ...

, Sanjoy Som, and

Sara Imari Walker Sara Imari Walker is an American Theoretical physics, theoretical physicist and Astrobiology, astrobiologist with research interests in the origins of life, astrobiology, physics of life, emergence, complex and dynamical systems, and artificial l ...

. It was officially launched on April 12, 2012 (51 years after the first launch of a human into space and 31 years after the first launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-1)), and was announced publicly at the 2012 Astrobiology Science Conference. SAGANet is named after the late

Carl Sagan Carl Edward Sagan (; ; November 9, 1934December 20, 1996) was an American astronomer, planetary scientist, cosmologist, astrophysicist, astrobiologist, author, and science communicator. His best known scientific contribution is research on ext ...

(The acronym is used with courtesy of the Carl Sagan Foundation) and builds upon his vision of a citizenry actively engaged in learning about the cosmos. SAGANet is designed to be an immersive virtual community where members interact in an environment of shared learning. SAGANet is currently funded by Blue Marble Space.

Mission

SAGANet seeks to sustain a vibrant community of scientists and science enthusiasts in an inviting environment that supports shared learning. The mission statement for the organization is "To open pathways for curious minds to ask fundamental questions about life in our universe."

Events

SAGANet has organized several events on the site and through various platforms that engage the general public. “Talk to an Astrobiologist” started off as a monthly event where a distinguished scientist is invited to interact with SAGANet members and later evolved with support of the NASA Astrobiology Program to become the YouTube livestream show called ''Ask an Astrobiologist''. Past guests have included

David Grinspoon David H. Grinspoon (born 1959) is an American astrobiologist. He is Senior Scientist at the Planetary Science Institute and was the former inaugural Baruch S. Blumberg NASA/Library of Congress Chair in Astrobiology for 2012-2013. His research f ...

, Paul Davies,

Susan Schneider Susan Lynn Schneider is an American academic and public philosopher. She is the founding director of the Center for the Future Mind at Florida Atlantic University where she also holds the William F. Dietrich Distinguished Professorship. Schnei ...

Kevin Hand Kevin Hand is an astrobiologist and planetary scientist at JPL. He is also the founder of Cosmos Education and was its president until 2007. He was working at NASA Ames when he was inspired to form Cosmos Education in 1999 after getting a grant ...

Charles Cockell Charles Cockell (born 21 May 1967) is a British astrobiologist who is professor of astrobiology in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Edinburgh and co-director of the UK Centre for Astrobiology. Education Cockell receiv ...

, Zibi Turtle, and many others from across the realm of astrobiology research. SAGANet salon was a monthly event where members of the community interacted on topics bordering science and philosophy. In the past, SAGANet has hosted academic seminars from

Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public research university in the Phoenix metropolitan area. Founded in 1885 by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, ASU is one of the largest public universities by enrollment in the ...

and

Stockholm University Stockholm University ( sv, Stockholms universitet) is a public research university in Stockholm, Sweden, founded as a college in 1878, with university status since 1960. With over 33,000 students at four different faculties: law, humanities, so ...

References

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External links

Official websiteS.A.G.A.N. Facebook

Twitter PageBlue Marble SpaceBlue Marble Space Institute of ScienceNASA Astrobiology InstituteThe Carl Sagan Foundation
Organizations established in 2011 Science communication Popular science