########################################## Table of Contents ########################################### 1. Conferences 1.1. LISA Symposium X 1.2. School on Approaches to Quantum Gravity, Maresias, Brasil 1.3. Quantum Gravity in the Southern Cone VI, Maresias, Brasil 1.4. Essential Cosmology for the Next Generation: Cosmology on the Beach, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico 1.5. School on Cosmology Tools, Madrid, Spain 2. Jobs 2.1. Simons Junior Professor of Mathematics or Mathematical Physics at ESI, Vienna 2.2. EADS Postdoctoral Prize Fellowship in Gravitational-Wave Astronomy at ICTS-TIFR 2.3. PhD position in quantum gravity, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg 2.4. PhD Fellowships in Physics at the University of Trento (Italy) 3. News 3.1. Living Reviews in Relativity: Quantum-Spacetime Phenomenology 3.2. Announcing Finesse 1.0 3.3. Presentations Chalonge Meudon Workshop 2013 Warm Dark Matter 3.4. Obituary for Mauro Francaviglia ============================================== 1. Conferenes ============================================== 1.1. LISA Symposium X --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/?p=8396 Starting: 2014-05-18 to 2014-05-23 Location: Gainesville, FL, USA Additional Information: http://www.phys.ufl.edu/lisasymposiumx/ Contact: lisasymposium[AT]phys.ufl.edu The LISA Symposium is an open conference which is dedicated to the science and technology of space-based gravitational wave detectors targeting the 10uHz to 1Hz frequency range. The 10th International LISA Symposium will be held at the Hilton Conference Center in Gainesville from May 18-23, 2014. The registration website will open December 2013. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.2. School on Approaches to Quantum Gravity, Maresias, Brasil --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/06/04/school-on-approaches-to-quantum-grav... Starting: 2013-09-02 to 2013-09-09 Location: Sao Paulo, Brazil Additional Information: http://www.ictp-saifr.org/?page_id=2371 Contact: secretary[AT]ictp-saifr.org The school on Approaches to Quantum Gravity (http://www.ictp-saifr.org/qgschool) will take place in Sao Paulo, Brasil from September 2 to 9, 2013. It will discuss several approaches to resolving the complications of quantum gravity which involve different communities of physicists. In addition to lectures by leaders of the different approaches, there will be daily discussion sessions on selected topics. The school is intended for advanced graduate students and researchers and will be followed by the Quantum Gravity in the Southern Cone VI workshop in the Beach Hotel of Maresias from September 11-14. There will be financial assistance for participants from the region. Lecturers: Abhay Ashtekar (IGC, Penn State) The Very Early Universe Juan Maldacena (IAS Princeton) AdS-CFT Alejandro Perez (CPT, AMU Marseille) Loop Quantum Gravity Martin Reuter (Mainz) Asymptotic Safety John Schwarz (Caltech) String Theory Rafael Sorkin (Perimeter) Fundamentally Discrete Spacetime Erik Verlinde (Amsterdam) Entropic Gravity Deadline for application: 30 June 2013 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.3. Quantum Gravity in the Southern Cone VI, Maresias, Brasil --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/06/04/quantum-gravity-in-the-southern-cone... Starting: 2013-09-11 to 2013-09-14 Location: Maresias, near Sao Paulo, Brazil Additional Information: http://www.ictp-saifr.org/?page_id=3519 Contact: secretary[AT]ictp-saifr.org Description: Quantum mechanics and general relativity are among the most successful theories ever constructed in physics. When they are combined to describe quantum gravity several problems arise. This meeting will provide a place for physicists from different communities to present their findings. Organizers: Rodolfo Gambini (Universidad de la Republica, Montevideo), Carmen Nunez (Universidade de Buenos Aires and IAFE, Buenos Aires), Jorge Pullin (Louisiana State University), Victor Rivelles (Universidade de Sao Paulo), Jorge Zanelli (CECS, Valdivia and Universidade Nacional Andres Bello) Speakers: Gerardo Aldazabal (CA Bariloche) Jorge Alfaro (PUC, Santiago) Abhay Ashtekar (Penn State U.) Max Banãdos (PUC, Santiago) Nathan Berkovits (ICTP-SAIFR/IFT-UNESP) Steven Carlip (U. Calif. at Davis) Marc Casals (CBPF Rio de Janeiro) Diego Correa (U. La Plata) Bianca Dittrich (Perimeter & MPI Potsdam ) Jose Edelstein (Santiago de Compostela U.) Gaston Giribet (U. Buenos Aires) Alejandro Perez (CPT Marseille) Aleksandr Pinzul (U. Brasilia) Martin Reuter (I. Physics, U. Mainz) Jorge Russo (ICREA, Barcelona) Rafael Sorkin (Perimeter & Syracuse U.) to be confirmed Kelly Stelle (Imperial College) Daniel Sudarksy (UNAM, Mexico City) Diego Trancanelli (USP Sao Paulo) Breno Vallilo (Andres Bello U., Santiago) Erik Verlinde (U. Amsterdam) Registration deadline: June 30, 2013 Registration fee: R$ 30 for students and R$ 60 for all other participants. It must be paid in cash upon arrival at the conference. Financial help: We may be able to provide financial help for some Latin-American participants. After registering please send an email to rivelles[AT]fma.if.usp.br stating your needs. Participants from Sao Paulo state must apply until June 1, 2013. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.4. Essential Cosmology for the Next Generation: Cosmology on the Beach, Cabo San Lucas, Mexico --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/?p=8339 Starting: 2014-01-13 to 2014-01-17 Location: Los Cabos, Mexico Additional Information: http://bccp.berkeley.edu/beach_program/index2014.html Contact: bccpcotb[AT]lbl.gov A range of topics in cosmology will be covered at the conference by eminent scholars in the field, with elements of both a winter school and the latest research results. Students and postdocs will present posters and give short talks. We hope that the beauty of the natural and cultural environment will act as a catalyst for young researchers to interact and generate new ideas. We encourage a diverse group of advanced graduate students, postdocs, and researchers interested in attending to look for the Participant Application available around August. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.5. School on Cosmology Tools, Madrid, Spain --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/?p=8363 Starting: 2013-11-12 to 2013-11-15 Location: Madrid, Spain Additional Information: http://workshops.ift.uam-csic.es/iftw.php/inicio/congreso?id=150 Contact: savvas.nesseris[AT]uam.es The aim of the school is to bring young researchers closer to the state-of-the-art tools currently used in Cosmology and as result it is intended for master and fledgling PhD students. The focus will be mainly on the following programs: CosmoMC, CAMB, HEALPix, Recfast, CosmoRec. Lecturers: Jens Chluba, Wenjuang Fang, J.A. Rubiño-Martín, Licia Verde, Gong Bo Zhao Tutors: (Albert) Chia-Hsun Chuang, Savvas Nesseris, Claudia Scoccola. Organizers: Paco Prada, Savvas Nesseris, (Albert) Chia-Hsun Chuang +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ============================================== 2. Jobs ============================================== 2.1. Simons Junior Professor of Mathematics or Mathematical Physics at ESI, Vienna ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/06/28/mathematics-simons-junior-professor/ Deadline: 2013-07-31 Location: Vienna, Austria Additional Information: http://www.esi.ac.at Contact: piotr.chrusciel@univie.ac.at The Erwin Schrödinger International Institute for Mathematical Physics (ESI) of the University of Vienna announces the position of a Simons Junior Professor of Mathematics or Mathematical Physics (full time position under private law, limited to a period of 5 years; funded by the Simons Foundation; the position is available as of January 1st, 2014). The University of Vienna intends to increase the number of women, particularly in high-level positions, and therefore specifically invites applications by women. Among equally qualified applicants women will receive preferential consideration. The Erwin Schrödinger International Institute for Mathematical Physics (ESI) at the University of Vienna is an internationally leading research centre in the fields of mathematics and mathematical physics. Candidates for the Professorship have a PhD and several years of postdoctoral research experience. Teaching at the University of Vienna is expected. The appointed Professor will be affiliated with the Faculty of Mathematics or the Faculty of Physics of the University of Vienna. The administrative load of the appointed Professor will be moderate, while still allowing the Professor to provide a substantial contribution to the running of the ESI. The successful applicant is expected to work in an area of research which is central in the scientific activities of the ESI. Successful candidates will have the following qualifications: - PhD and post-doctoral experience at a university or other research institution (Austrian or equivalent international academic degree in the relevant field) - Outstanding research and publication record, with an excellent reputation as an active member in the international academic community - Experience in designing, procuring and directing major research projects - Experience in university teaching, and willingness and ability to teach at all curricular levels, preferably graduate level, and to further the work of junior academic colleagues The University of Vienna offers - an attractive and dynamic research location in a city with a high quality of life and in a country with excellent research funding provision - an attractive salary - Grant for relocation to Vienna, where appropriate Candidates should send an application containing at least the following documents: - Academic curriculum vitae - Brief description of current research interests and research plans for the immediate future - List of publications together with a) specification of five key publications judged by the applicant to be particularly relevant to the advertised professorship together with an explanation of their relevance b) PDF versions of these five publications provided either as email attachments or through URLs of downloadable copies - List of talks given, including detailed information about invited plenaries at international conferences - List of projects supported by third-party funds - Short survey of previous academic teaching and list of supervised PhD theses University professors will be classified according to the Collective Bargaining Agreement for University Staff into the salary group A1. The salary may exceed the amount given in the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Applications in English or German should be submitted per e-mail (preferably as PDF attachments) to the Director of the Erwin Schrödinger International Institute for Mathematical Physics, Univ.-Prof. Dr. Joachim Schwermer, Boltzmanngasse 9, 1090 Vienna, Austria (joachim.schwermer[AT]univie.ac.at) no later than July 31st, 2013 with reference 2013/1S/ESI. Further information about the ESI can be obtained at www.esi.ac.at. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.2. EADS Postdoctoral Prize Fellowship in Gravitational-Wave Astronomy at ICTS-TIFR ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/07/01/eads-postdoctoral-prize-fellowship-i... Deadline: 2013-07-31 Location: Bangalore, India Additional Information: http://www.icts.res.in/news/details/131/ Contact: ajith[AT]icts.res.in Applications are invited for one EADS Postdoctoral Prize Fellowship at the Astrophysical Relativity group of the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences - Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (ICTS-TIFR) in Bangalore, India. The fellowship is part of the International Teaching and Research Chair titled "Mathematics of Complex Systems", funded by the EADS Foundation. ELIGIBILITY The fellowship is offered in the area of gravitational-wave- physics and astronomy, including analytical- and numerical relativity, high-performance computing, data analysis etc. Candidates are expected to have a PhD in Physics or Astrophysics with an excellent track record. Although PhDs in gravitational-wave physics, relativistic astrophysics, cosmology etc. are preferred, candidates from other areas with strong analytical and computational skills will also be considered. SALARY AND BENEFITS The initial appointment will be for two years, with a possibility of extension up to four years. Renewal for the third year will depend on a comprehensive review of the scientific activity of the Fellow. The salary will be comparable to that of an assistant professor in India (Rs. 50,000 per month during the first year, with 10% increase in subsequent years). In addition, a research grant of Rs. 150,000 per annum is also available, apart from relocation allowances and medical benefits. Fellows can also opt for Institute accommodation or a house rent allowance that amounts to 30% of the fellowship. HOW TO APPLY Interested candidates are requested to apply online (see link below) with their CV, list of publications, a research proposal of not more than two pages, and a covering letter. The nominal deadline is 31 July 2013; but applications will be considered until the positions are filled. The nominal starting date of 1 October 2013 is negotiable. Informal queries may be addressed to P. Ajith (ajith@icts.res.in). ASTROPHYSICAL RELATIVITY AT ICTS The Astrophysical Relativity group includes P. Ajith (faculty member), Bala Iyer, Tarun Souradeep, Rana Adhikari (adjunct faculty), Manjari Bagchi, Chandra Kant Mishra, Archisman Ghosh (senior postdoctoral scholars). K. G. Arun, Sascha Husa and Mark Hannam are visiting associates. Adjunct faculty members and visiting associates are expected to spend from several weeks to a few months every year at ICTS. Several undergraduate and graduate students are also expected to join the group this year. The group has strong involvement in the proposed LIGO-India project, the IndIGO consortium and the LIGO Scientific Collaboration. In addition, the group expects to develop close collaborations with the astrophysics and gravitational physics groups of the neighboring Indian Institute of Science and Raman Research Institute, in addition to other research groups of ICTS. The group is organizing a one-month long ICTS program in numerical relativity during June-July 2013. Such programs are ex pected to be organized regularly. A high-performance computer cluster will be available at the Centre starting from June. In addition, group members will have access to several large clusters in India and abroad. LIVING IN BANGALORE Bangalore, known as the Garden City of India, is the center of India's information technology sector, and is home to many distinguished educational and research institutions. Bangalore is among the most cosmopolitan and demographically diverse cities in India. Due to its high elevation, Bangalore enjoys a pleasant and moderate climate. The city is well connected by road, rail and air to all major Indian cities. Bangalore also has excellent air connectivity to major international cities. A new analysis of faculty salaries at public universities worldwide designed to make comparisons possible by focusing on purchasing power, not pure salaries has found that Indian salaries are among the best in the world, as compared to the cost of living. LINKS Online application form: http://www.icts.res.in/news/details/131/ International Centre for Theoretical Sciences: http://icts.res.in/ Astrophysical Relativity Group at ICTS: http://www.icts.res.in/additional_page/594/ Bangalore: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bangalore Faculty Pay, Around the World: http://tinyurl.com/facultysalaries +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.3. PhD position in quantum gravity, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/06/18/phd-position-in-quantum-gravity-univ... Deadline: 2013-07-15 Location: Erlangen, Germany Additional Information: http://www.algeo.math.uni-erlangen.de/meusburger Contact: catherine.meusburger@math.uni-erlangen.de A PhD position is available in the research group "Conceptual questions of quantum gravity and mathematical structures in three-dimensional gravity" in the Department of Mathematics, University of Erlangen-Nuremberg. The position is a three-year position funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) and does not carry any teaching duties. The research group is part of the Algebra and Geometry Division, the Emmy-Noether Centre for Representation Theory and has close ties with the quantum gravity group in the physics department. In particular, it is part of the interdisciplinary Emerging Fields Project "Quantum Geometry". Applicants must have a European master degree in mathematics or physics or equivalent. They should be strongly motivated to work at the interface of mathematics and physics on topics related to quantum gravity, quantum geometry and representation theory. Applicants with a physics degree must demonstrate an excellent mathematics background. Applicants should send the following documents by email to catherine.meusburger@math.uni-erlangen.de: - Letter of motivation - Curriculum Vitae - List of courses taken, including marks - Summary of their Master thesis - Contact details of two referees . The deadline for applications is July 15 2013, but applications will be considered until the position is filled. Further information can be obtained from the group's website http://www.algeo.math.uni-erlangen.de/meusburger or by contacting catherine.meusburger@math.uni-erlangen.de. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.4. PhD Fellowships in Physics at the University of Trento (Italy) ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/06/19/phd-fellowships-in-physics-at-the-un... Deadline: 2013-09-10 Location: Trento, Italy Additional Information: http://www.unitn.it/en/ateneo/2763/announcement-selection Contact: bruno.giacomazzo[AT]jila.colorado.edu The Physics department at the University of Trento invites applications for PhD fellowships starting in November 2013. The PhD fellowships have a duration of 3 years and a gross salary of 13638.47 EUR per year (about 1000 EUR per month after taxes). The PhD program covers several scientific areas, including also Gravitational Wave Astronomy, Theoretical Physics, and Astroparticle Physics. More details about the doctoral school in Physics can be found at http://www.unitn.it/en/drphys The Department of Physics includes faculty members working on computational astrophysics (Giacomazzo), gravitational wave detectors (Dolesi, Prodi, Vitale, Weber), theory of general relativity and cosmology (Cognola, Vanzo, Zerbini), and astroparticle physics (Battiston, Lazzizzera). Students with interests in one of these areas are strongly encouraged to apply. Applications for the doctoral positions are accepted from candidates, regardless of gender, age, and nationality, who have a Master's degree (equivalent to the Italian "laurea magistrale"). Any degree in Physics or related disciplines will be given preferential status. Applications are also accepted from students who expect to get their degree by October 31 2013. The University of Trento is ranked among the top 5 universities in Italy and it is characterized by an international and diverse student population. The city of Trento is located on the Italian Dolomites and it is very well connected with several destinations in Italy and Europe. The deadline for applications is September 10 2013. The selection will be based on the curriculum of the candidate and on an oral exam (candidates permanently residing abroad by the date of the oral exam may take the exam by phone or videoconference in their country of residence). More information about the application process can be found here: http://www.unitn.it/en/ateneo/2763/announcement-selection +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ============================================== 3. News ============================================== 3.1. Living Reviews in Relativity: Quantum-Spacetime Phenomenology ------------------------------------------------------------ Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/06/14/living-reviews-in-relativity-quantum... Additional Information: http://www.livingreviews.org/lrr-2013-5 Living Reviews in Relativity has published a new review article on "Quantum-Spacetime Phenomenology" by Giovanni Amelino-Camelia on 12 June 2013. Please find the abstract and further details below. ------------------ PUB.NO. lrr-2013-5 Amelino-Camelia, Giovanni "Quantum-Spacetime Phenomenology" ACCEPTED: 2013-05-18 PUBLISHED: 2013-06-12 FULL ARTICLE AT: http://www.livingreviews.org/lrr-2013-5 ABSTRACT: I review the current status of phenomenological programs inspired by quantum-spacetime research. I stress in particular the significance of results establishing that certain data analyses provide sensitivity to effects introduced genuinely at the Planck scale. My main focus is on phenomenological programs that managed to affect the directions taken by studies of quantum-spacetime theories. UPCOMING ARTICLES AT: http://relativity.livingreviews.org/Articles/upcoming.html ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.2. Announcing Finesse 1.0 ------------------------------------------------------------ Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/?p=8344 Additional Information: http://www.gwoptics.org/finesse After more than 13 years of work and 25 releases we are proud to announce version 1.0 of the interferometer simulation tool Finesse! http://www.gwoptics.org/finesse Finesse is a fast and relatively easy to use software to simulate laser interferometers. It can be used for detector commissioning, interferometer design, or simply for learning more about laser optics. It is freely available for many platforms and fully open source. We also provide simple examples and an extensive manual. Of course, we will continue to extend and improve Finesse. This version 1.0 completes the open source release of Finesse after a period of extensive testing and optimising the modeling of higher-order modes for beam shape changes and mirror surface distortions. The future of Finesse lies in the implementation of radiation pressure effects and quantum noise calculations; in fact, we have already started work on this. As always we want Finesse to be useful to the whole community, therefore we need your feedback and suggestions for features that you would find useful or you feel are missing. And if you apply Finesse to an interesting problem we would like to hear about it! Thank you, Daniel Brown, Charlotte Bond and Andreas Freise ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.3. Presentations Chalonge Meudon Workshop 2013 Warm Dark Matter ------------------------------------------------------------ Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/06/18/warm-dark-matter-chalonge-online-con... Additional Information: http://chalonge.obspm.fr/Cias_Meudon2013.html Ecole Internationale d'Astrophysique Daniel Chalonge Online presentations and photo album of the Chalonge Meudon Workshop 2013 Warm Dark Matter Galaxies in Agreement with Observations at the Meudon campus of Observatoire de Paris, CIAS historic Chateau building, 5, 6 and 7 JUNE 2013 Greetings from Paris. We are pleased to inform you that the presentations by the lecturers during the Chalonge Meudon Warm Dark Matter Workshop 2013 are available on line (in pdf format) in "Programme and Lecturers .pdf " in the web site of this Workshop: http://chalonge.obspm.fr/Cias_Meudon2013.html http://chalonge.obspm.fr/Programme_CIAS2013.html Contents: Astronomical observations of galaxies and their evolution, the evidences for Warm Dark Matter (WDM) , cored profiles and the quantum effects in galaxies, cosmological observations, the last Planck results and their implications for neutrinos, structure formation theory, linear and non linear, WDM numerical simulations, particle and nuclear physics candidates of keV WDM, sterile neutrinos, neutrino experiments, MARE and KATRIN. The programmes for WDM detection. Peter BIERMANN, Jacques DELABROUILLE, Hector J. DE VEGA, Elena FERRI, Ayuki KAMADA, Andrea LAPI, Thierry LASSERRE, Alessandro MELCHIORRI, Alexander MERLE, Susanne MERTENS, Sinziana PADUROIU, Brigitte ROCCA-VOLMERANGE, Paolo SALUCCI, Norma G. SANCHEZ, Aurel SCHNEIDER, Nicholas STEINBRINK, Ignacio TRUJILLO The Photo Album of the Workshop capturing moments of the stimulating atmosphere created by all lecturers and participants are posted in the same web site: http://chalonge.obspm.fr/Cias_Meudon2013.html http://chalonge.obspm.fr/albumCIAS2013/index.html We thank all again, both lecturers and participants, for having contributed so much to this Workshop and we look forward to seeing you again in the next meetings of this series With Compliments and kind regards Norma G Sanchez, Hector J. de Vega http://chalonge.obspm.fr ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.4. Obituary for Mauro Francaviglia ------------------------------------------------------------ Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/06/26/obituary-for-mauro-francaviglia/ Additional Information: Mauro Francaviglia was born in Torino, on 22 june 1953 and passed away in Cosenza on 24 June 2013. He obtained his degree in Mathematics at the University of Torino in 1975 and he was a Full Professor at the University of Torino. He has held this position since 1980, when he was 27 years old. His scientific interests covered a wide range of topics, including the application of Differential Geometry in Mathematical Physics, Classical Mechanics, General Relativity and Field Theories, Calculus of Variations, Symmetries and Conservation Laws, Quantization and Thermodynamics. Over 300 lectures held at various Institutions in Italy and abroad. He directed several national and international research projects. Author of over 250 papers, three monographs, 11 encyclopaedia long entries, Editor of 19 volumes of Proceedings and Director of two CIME Courses. He organized 20 national and international conferences, among which several national conferences in General Relativity and the World Conference GR14 in Florence (1995). Member of the Scientific Council of CNR-GNFM (1980-1996). Co-founder (1984) and Managing Editor of "Journal of Geometry and Physics". Life member of the GRG Society, founder (1990) and President (1990-1996 and 2008-2012) of the Italian Society for General Relativity and Gravitation (SIGRAV), he also served as a member of the Board of the International Society for General Relativity and Gravitation (GRG) for nine years (1986-1995). Associate Editor of the "Journal of General Relativity and Gravitation" since 1999 and Managing Editor of the "International Journal of Geometrical Methods in Modern Physics". ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++