California Space Institute. NASA Specialized Center of Research and Training (NSCORT) in Exobiology Records
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
Copyright
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
Business Number: 858-534-2533
Fax Number: 858-534-5950
spcoll@ucsd.edu
Descriptive Summary
Contributing Institution:
Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego
9500 Gilman Drive
La Jolla 92093-0175
Title: California Space Institute. NASA Specialized Center of Research and Training (NSCORT) in Exobiology Records
Creator:
California Space Institute
Identifier/Call Number: RSS 2300
Physical Description:
3 Linear feet
(3 record cartons)
Physical Description:
1.32 GB
of digital files
Date (inclusive): 1969-2009 (bulk 1992-2003)
Abstract: The NASA Specialized Center of Research and Training (NSCORT) in Exobiology records document the research and work of the
center; including administrative files, event and lecture materials, publications and grants, and site visit materials.
Languages:
English
.
Scope and Content of Collection
The NASA Specialized Center of Research and Training (NSCORT) in Exobiology records document the research and work of the
center; including administrative files, event and lecture materials, publications and grants, and site visit materials.
Arranged in three series: 1) ADMINISTRATIVE FILES, 2) EVENTS, LECTURES, AND TALKS, and 3) GRANTS, PUBLICATIONS, AND REVIEWS
Administrative History
In early 1990s, NASA's Life Sciences Division launched a NASA Specialized Centers of Research and Training (NSCORT) program
with the goal of establishing and funding centers focused on different areas of science relevant to NASA's work. By 1991,
NASA accepted a proposal from a consortium of scientists from UC San Diego, the Salk Institute for Biological Studies, and
The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI). In January 1992, NSCORT in Exobiology was established as part of the California Space
Institute and was administered through Scripps Institution of Oceanography.
The research conducted at the center focused on understanding the origin, evolution, distribution, and future of life in the
universe. The program also supported undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral Fellows; maintained a visiting scholar's program;
arranged seminars, lectures, and other events; and conducted public outreach and education, including curriculum support provided
for Elementary and High School students. The work of the center and its scientists resulted in numerous research papers and
articles. The NSCORT in Exobiology program was so popular that a second NSCORT program focusing on the origins of life was
established in New York a few years later.
Prominent faculty included: Robert D. Tschirgi (Associate Director), William A. Baity (Associate Director), Gusaf Arrhenius,
Leslie Orgel, Tony Keefe, and Gerald Newton.
Directors included: Stanley Miller (1992-1995) and Jeffery L. Bada (1995-2007).
Preferred Citation
California Space Institute. NASA Specialized Center of Research and Training (NSCORT) in Exobiology Records. RSS 2300. Special
Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
Acquisition Information
Acquired 2010.
Publication Rights
Publication rights are held by the creator of the collection.
Related Materials
Stanley Miller Papers, MSS 642. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
Robert Tschirgi Papers, MSS 439. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
Leslie Orgel Papers, MSS 176. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
Gustaf Arrhenius papers , SMC 128. Special Collections & Archives, UC San Diego.
Restrictions
Original media formats are restricted. Viewing and listening copies may be available to researchers.
Subjects and Indexing Terms
California Space Institute -- Archives
California Space Institute
ADMINISTRATIVE FILES
Scope and Content of Series
Series 1) ADMINISTRATIVE FILES: Includes correspondence, meeting agendas and minutes, organizational charts, outreach materials,
press releases and newspaper clippings, and photographs. Arranged chronologically.
Box 1, Folder 1
Portraits and group photographs
ca. 1970-1999
General note
Includes portraits of Gustaf Arrhenius, Stanley Miller (black and white version), Gerald Joyce, Jeffery Bada, and Leslie Orgel.
Also includes group photograph with Alexander Oparin, Stanley Miller, and Jeffrey Bada.
Portrait of Gerald Joyce with DNA model and laboratory equipment
ca. 1999
Portrait of Stanley Miller (color version)
ca. 1999
Box 1, Folder 2
Press release and newspaper clippings
1991-1993
Box 1, Folder 3
NSCORT logo
1992-1994
General note
Includes slides.
Box 1, Folder 4-6
Meeting agendas and minutes
1992-2000
Box 1, Folder 7
Organizational flow charts
1992-2001
EVENTS, LECTURES, AND INTERVIEWS
Scope and Content of Series
Series 2) EVENTS, LECTURES, AND TALKS: Includes posters, flyers, brochures, drafts of lectures and talks, audio and video
recordings, and photographs. Arranged chronologically.
Box 1, Folder 10
Events - Flyers and brochures
1992-1998
General note
Includes flyers from Salk Institute seminar (1992), NSCORT journals club, NSCORT exobiology intern conference, and Stanley
Miller's 70th birthday brochure.
Box 1, Folder 11
Nash, Madeline.
Time Magazine - The origin of life
1993 July-1993 October
Box 1, Folder 12
The NSCORT exobiology program lecture
1994 April
General note
Speech presented at Fifth Symposium on Chemical Evolution as NASA AMES research center, NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 1, Folder 13
Conversations with Michael Meyer
1994 July-2002 March
General note
Includes correspondence regarding NSCORT grant funding, and project continuations.
Box 1, Folder 14-15
Outreach - La Jolla High School - Course in exobiology
1994-1996
General note
Includes planning notes and correspondence, as well as print out of course website.
Box 1, Folder 16
Events and outreach - Photographs
ca. 1995-1996
General note
Includes La Jolla High School students from Steve Brown class, Rincon Indian Reservation students, Summer Symposiums, and
Comet Hyakutake trip.
Box 1, Folder 17
Miller, Stanley M. Prebiotic synthesis of organic compounds and the origin of life - Lecture
1997
Box 1, Folder 18-24
Miller, Stanley M. Celebrating 50 years of prebiotic chemistry - Presentation materials
2003-2004
General note
Includes event posters, budget information, award letter, final report, and event photographs. NASA exobiology grant NAG5-13621.
Box 1, Folder 25
Astrobiology graduate conference
2004 Novmber-2005 September
General note
Agouron Institute grant used for conference funding. Grant number AI-SGIA-26.06.2.
Box 1, Folder 26
Stevenson, David. Origin of the moon - James R. Arnold lecture series
2006 May
General note
Includes presentation abstract and lecturer's profile.
Box 1, Folder 27
Brownlee, Donald E. Stardust, catching a comet and bringing it home - James R. Arnold lecture series
2007 May
Box 1, Folder 28
The adventures of Percy the proton
undated
Audio and video recordings
The Origin of Life
1969
General note
Produced by Encyclopedia Britannica. Includes footage of Stanley Miller and descriptions of research. Running time 10:11.
Box 3, Folder 12
The Origin of Life
2009
General note
Includes correspondence and notes.
Box 3, Folder 13
Polynucleotides and Their Analogs, NSCORT Eschenmoser discussion (Two audiocassettes)
1993 May 28
Box 3, Folder 13
Current State of Origins of Life Research (Two audiocassettes)
1994
General note
Session organized by Jeffery L. Bada for the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Annual Meeting. Session
features Gerald Joyce.
Box 3, Folder 14
Student Reflections on the 1997 NSCORT Undergraduate Reflections Symposium in Exobiology (VHS)
1998 January
General note
Video produced by UCSD-TV and includes interview with Manuelita A. Brown (coordinator of the UCSD Honors Achievement Workshop).
Running time 21:05 (Reflections video ends at 13:30).
Box 3, Folder 15
Robert D. Tschirgi memorial lecture - Crawling out of the RNA World (VHS)
1998 April 17
General note
First in the lecture series, with speaker Thomas R. Cech. Running time 68:12.
Box 3, Folder 16
UCSD Conversations: Lowe, Exobiology, Brown (VHS)
1998
General note
Includes Patrick Ledden talking about exobiology, as well as Manuelita A. Brown and Lisa Lowe talking about their work. Video
produced by UCSD-TV (#3562). Running time 58:00.
Box 3, Folder 17
Robert D. Tschirgi memorial lecture - Gravity is Cool: Why Our Universe is Hospitable to Life (VHS)
1999 July 13
General note
Presented by Freeman Dyson (Institute for Advanced Studies) sponsored by UCSD Exobiology Institute. Video produced by UCSD-TV
(#4138). Running time 78:00.
Box 3, Folder 18
The Search for the Origin of Life: Survival of Life Beyond its Planet of Origin (VHS)
1999 July 16
General note
Speaker is Chris Mckay. Produced by UCSD-TV (#4690), sponsored by NSCORT. Running time 29:00.
Box 3, Folder 19
The Search for the Origin of Life: Searching for Extraterrestrial Life-Lessons from the Earth (VHS)
1999 July 16
General note
Presented by Ken Nealson (JPL Astrobiologist). Produced by UCSD-TV , sponsored by NSCORT. Running time 29:50.
Box 3, Folder 20
NSCORT Summer Symposium (VHS)
2000
General note
Running time 2:40:24.
Box 3, Folder 21
Russell Doolittle - The Revolution of Biology (VHS)
ca. 2000
General note
Video produced by UCSD-TV (#5226) as part of the 40/40 Vision series. Running time 58:00.
Box 3, Folder 22
UCSD Conversations: Evolution, Fighting Prejudice, Treating Performers (VHS)
ca. 2000
General note
Includes Patrick Ledden talking with Christopher Wills and Jeffrey Bada about their book
The Spark Of Life: Darwin And The Primeval Soup, with introduction by introduction by Mary Walshok (Associate Vice Chancellor for Public Programs). Video produced by UCSD-TV
(#5132). Running time 56:42.
Box 3, Folder 23
UCSD Conversations: School of Medicine, Mars Rocks, CONNECT (VHS)
2001 January 16
General note
Video produced by UCSD-TV (#5469). Running time 55:00.
Box 3, Folder 24
The Spark of Life: Darwin and the Primeval Soup (VHS)
ca. 2001
General note
Featuring talk by Jeffrey Bada and Christopher Wills. Video produced by UCSD-TV (#5268) as part of the Perspectives on Ocean
Science series. Running time 49:00.
Box 3, Folder 25
The Search for the Origin of Life: The Habitability of Early Mars (VHS)
undated
General note
Speaker is Michael H. Carr (U.S. Geological Survey). Video produced by UCSD-TV (#4483), sponsored by NSCORT. Running time
25:44.
Box 3, Folder 26
What is Life (VHS)
undated
General note
Video produced by the Discovery Channel, features speaker Jeffrey Bada (NSCORT Director) and includes lab footage. Running
time 12:37.
Box 3, Folder 27
Horizon: Life is Impossible (VHS)
undated
General note
Video produced by BBC Television. Speakers included Stanley Miller, Jeffery Bada, Michael Russel, and Everett Shock. Running
time 15:42.
GRANTS, PUBLICATIONS, AND REVIEWS
Scope and Content of Series
Series 3) GRANTS, PUBLICATIONS, AND REVIEWS: Includes grant proposals, reports, papers, newsletters, and reviews of the center.
Arranged chronologically and in two subseries: A) Grants and Publications and B) Site Visits and Reviews.
Grants - The Chemistry of Early Self-Replicating Systems (Stanley Miller and Jeffery L. Bada)
Box 1, Folder 29
Award notice
1991
General note
Grant number: NRA 90-0SSA-25.
Box 1, Folder 30-42
Proposals, award notices, reports, budgets, and renewals
1992-1998
General note
NASA Grant Number: NAGW-2881. UCSD grant numbers: 91-1435, 93-1117R1, 94-1072, 96-1111, 95-1033. Includes draft report from
Stanley Miller "The Components of the Precursors to RNA".
Box 1, Folder 43-56
Proposals, award notices, reports, budgets, and renewals
1995-2003
General note
NASA grant number: NAG5-4546. UCSD grant numbers: 96-1416, 22723R1, 2003-9732. Includes summer student symposium materials
(2002-2003).
Box 2, Folder 1
Proposal
ca. 2001
General note
Nasa grant number: NRA 96-OLSMA-02
Box 2, Folder 2-3
Award notice and report
2003-2005
General note
NASA grant number: NAG5-12849. UCSD grant number: 2003815. Includes information regarding Jeffery L. Bada's appointment as
Director of NSCORT.
Box 2, Folder 4
Proposal and award notice
2004-2005
General note
NASA grant number: NAG 5-13621. UCSD grant numbers: 20044150.
Box 2, Folder 5-6
Proposal, award notice, and report
2004-2007
General note
Grant number: NNG04GQ41G. UCSD grant numbers: 2005-3065, 2004-4150, 20053065.
Box 2, Folder 7
Arrhenius, Gedulin, and Mojzsis. Phosphate in models for chemical evolution
ca. 1993
General note
Supported by NASA exobiology grants NAGW 2881 and 1031.
Box 2, Folder 8
Robertson, Dworkin, and Miller. Prebiotic synthesis of hydroxymethyluracil and some t-RNA bases
ca. 1993
General note
NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 9
Robertson et al. Prebiotic synthesis of hydroxymethyluracil and some t-RNA bases
ca. 1993
General note
Research presented at fifth symposium on chemical evolution and the origin of life, NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 10
Fan, Mojzsis, and Arrhenius. Confocal study of microaggregates in 2.5 billion year old sediments
ca. 1993
General note
NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 17
T. Arrhenius, G. Arrhenius, and W.J. Paplawsky. Archean geochemistry of formaldehyde and cyanide and the oligomerization of
cyanohydrin
1994 February
General note
NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 18
Lazcano and Miller. How long did it take for life to begin and evolve to cyanobacteria
1994 March 16
General note
NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 19
Arrhenius et al. Nitrogen compounds and mineral induced reactions in biopoesis
1994 April
General note
Research presented at fifth symposium on chemical evolution as NASA Ames research center, NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 20
Becker et al. Fullerenes in the 1.85 billion-year-old Sudbury impact structure
1994 July
General note
NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 21
Rembold et al. Polycytidylate and poly(7-deazaguanylate): A pair of complimentary templates
1994 July
General note
Nasa NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 22
Breaker, Banerji, and Joyce. Continuous in vitro evolution of bacteriophage RNA polymerase promoter elements
1994 October
General note
Ms. Number BI9411272
Box 2, Folder 23
Chakrabarti et al. Production of RNA by a polymerase encapsulated within phospholipid vesicles
1994 December
Box 2, Folder 24
Liu and Visscher. A novel preparation of nicotinamide mononucleotide
1994
General note
NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 25
Kolb, Dworkin, and Miller. Urazole is a potential precursor to uracil
1994
General note
NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 26
Gedulin and Arrhenius. Sources and geochemical evolution of RNA precursor molecules - The role of phosphate
ca. 1994
General note
NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 27
Breaker and Joyce. Minimonsters: Evolutionary byproducts of in vitro RNA amplification.
ca. 1994
General note
NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 28
Newsletters - What's evolving at the La Jolla NSCORT and summer issue
1994-1995
General note
NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 29
Correspondence regarding publications
1994-1996
General note
Includes brochure.
Box 2, Folder 30
Kolb and Orgel. Oligonucleotides as probes for studying polymerization reactions in dilute aqueous solution II. Polycondensations
1995 February
General note
NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 31
McDonald and Bada. A search for endogenous amino acids in the Martian meteorite EETA 79001
1995 March
General note
NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 32
Keefe and Miller. Polyphosphates are unlikely prebiotic reagents
1995 December
General note
NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 33
Braterman et al. Preferential uptake of ammonium ions by zinc ferrocyanide
1995 December
General note
NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 34
Lehman and Joyce. In vitro evolution: Analysis of a phylogeny of Ribosomes
1995
General note
NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 35
Bada, Miller, and Zhao. The stability of amino acids at submarine hydrothermal vent temperatures
ca. 1995
General note
NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 36
Summary of NSCORT collaboration with the UC television stations
ca. 1995
General note
Includes list of UCSD-TV productions
Box 2, Folder 37
Bada and McDonald. Amino acid racemization in the Martian environment: Implications for identification of biomolecules from
an extinct Martian biota
ca. 1995
General note
NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 38
Bada et al. A search for extraterrestrial amino acids in polar ice: A progress report
1996 January
General note
Research presented at the international conference of circumstellar habitable zones, NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 39
Brinton and Bada. A reexamination of amino acids in lunar Solis: implications for the survival of exogenous organics during
impact delivery
1996 January
General note
NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 40
Miller and Lazcano. From the primitive soup to the cyanobacteria: It may have taken more than 10 million years
1996
Box 2, Folder 41
Orgel, Leslie. The origin of life - How long did it take?
1997 June
Box 2, Folder 42
Arrhenius and Paplawsky. Distinguishing between production and dissolution of biogenic calcite - An old problem with new solutions
1997 August
Box 2, Folder 43
Schmidt et al. Information transfer from DNA to peptide nucleic acids by template-directed synthesis
1997 October
Box 2, Folder 44
Schmidt, Nielsen, and Orgel. Information transfer from peptide nucleic acids to RNA by template-directed syntheses
1997 October
Box 2, Folder 45
Krishnamurthy et al. Toward RNA - The Phosphorylation of glycolaldehyde
1997 November
General note
Research presented at NASA ARC symposium, supported by NASA exobiology grant NAGW 1031.
Box 2, Folder 46
Arrhenius et al. Early life environments of Earth and Mars
1997
General note
Research presented at NASA ARC symposium, supported by NASA exobiology grant NAGW 2881.
Box 2, Folder 47
Mojzsis and Arrhenius. Early Mars and early Earth: paleoenvironments for the emergence of life
1997
Box 2, Folder 48
Mojzsis, Stephen. Ancient sediments of Earth and Mars - Dissertation
1997
Box 2, Folder 49
Liu and Orgel. Oxidative acylation using thioacids
1997
Box 2, Folder 50
Orgel, Leslie E. Polymerization on the rocks: Theoretical introduction
ca. 1997-1998
Box 2, Folder 51
Progress report
1997-1998
General note
Includes organization progress report.
Box 2, Folder 52
Koppitz, Nielsen, and Orgel. Template - directed formation of oligonucleotide-PNA-chimeras
1998 May
Box 2, Folder 53
Liu and Orgel. Polymerization on the rocks: B-Amino acids and arganin
1998 June
Box 2, Folder 54
Hill, Bohler and Orgel. Polymerization on the rocks: Negatively charged ?-amino acids
1998 June
Box 2, Folder 55
Liu and Orgel. Polymerization of B-amino acids in aqueous solution
1998
Box 2, Folder 56
Brinton, Catlos, and Bada. The use of the ninhydrin reaction for the elimination of protein amino acids in cosmogeochemichal
samples
undated
General note
Research presented at the Gordon research conference, NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 57
McDonald and Bada. Inhibition of amino acid metabolic enzymes by a-aminoisobutyric acid
undated
General note
NASA NAGW-2881.
Box 2, Folder 58
Miller, Stanley. The components of the precursors to RNA - Annual report
undated
Box 2, Folder 59
NSCORT general organization report
undated
Box 2, Folder 60-68
Annual Review Committee
1991-1999
General note
Includes correspondence, presentation materials, information packets, recommendations, and reports.
Box 2, Folder 69-70
Review Panel
1992-2002
General note
Includes summary of activities and progress reports.
Box 3, Folder 1-7
Review Panel
1992-2002
General note
Includes correspondence, presentation materials, information packets, recommendations, and reports.
Box 3, Folder 8
National Research Council (NRC) review
1995
Box 3, Folder 9
Site visit presentation materials for Jeffery L. Bada
1996
Box 3, Folder 10-11
NASA site visits
1996-2001