########################################## Table of Contents ########################################### 1. Conferences 1.1. Black Holes and Friends, Shanghai, China (2nd announcement) 1.2. Hot Topics in General Relativity and Gravitation, Quy Nhon, Vietnam 1.3. The Modern Physics of Compact Stars and Relativistic Gravity 2015, Yerevan, Armenia 1.4. Geometric aspects of General Relativity, Montpellier, France 1.5. One Hundred Years of Strong Gravity, Lisbon 1.6. (Non-)Universal Properties of Neutron Stars, Bremen, Germany 1.7. The Second Cesar Lattes Meeting, Niteroi-Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2nd announcement) 1.8. Workshop on Binary Neutron Star Mergers, Thessaloniki (2nd announcement) 1.9. Gravitational Wave Physics and Astronomy Workshop (GWPAW) 2015, Osaka 1.10. General Relativity and Gravitation: A Centennial Perspective (2nd announcement) 2. Jobs 2.1. Dennis Sciama Postdoctoral Fellowship, Portsmouth, UK 2.2. Postdoc position at Beijing Normal Univ 2.3. PhD Position at University of Birmingham 2.4. Postdoctoral positions in theoretical physics at CECs, Valdivia, Chile 2.5. PhD position in fundamental physics, Observatoire de Paris 2.6. PhD position in accretion flows onto black holes, Frankfurt, Germany 2.7. Postdoctoral position in X-ray astronomy at Fudan, Shanghai 3. News 3.1. Special MOND volume 3.2. Offer to the members of the International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation (ISGRG): ============================================== 1. Conferences ============================================== 1.1. Black Holes and Friends, Shanghai, China (2nd announcement) --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2015/01/19/black-holes-and-friends-shangh... Starting: 2015-03-30 to 2015-04-01 Location: Shanghai, China Additional Information: http://blackholes2015.fudan.edu.cn/ Contact: bambi[AT]fudan.edu.cn Black holes and relativistic stars are among the most fascinating objects in the Universe and they attract the interest of both physicists and astrophysicists. The workshop will bring together theorists, observers, and experimentalists. The program will include invited talks, contributed talks, and time for free discussions. Invited Speakers: Denis Bastieri (Padua) Heino Falcke (Nijmegen) Lijun Gou (NAOC) Matteo Guainazzi (ESA) Vladimir Karas (Astronomical Institute) Michiel van der Klis (Amsterdam) * Jian-Min Wang (IHEP) Qingwen Wu (HUST) Renxin Xu (PKU) Wenfei Yu (SHAO) Ye-Fei Yuan (USTC) Shuang-Nan Zhang (IHEP) * * To be confirmed +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.2. Hot Topics in General Relativity and Gravitation, Quy Nhon, Vietnam --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2015/01/20/hot-topics-in-general-relativi... Starting: 2015-08-09 to 2015-08-15 Location: Quy Nhon, Vietnam Additional Information: http://www.cpt.univ-mrs.fr/~cosmo/HTGRG-2/index.php Contact: triay[AT]cpt.univ-mrs.fr In this centennial anniversary of General Relativity, our aims are to discuss and review recent developments. The topics include : Mathematical Relativity Black Hole Physics Gravitational waves and Numerical Relativity Quantum Field Theory in Curved Spacetime Quantum Gravity AdS/CFT (gauge/gravity) Correspondence Strings, Branes, and Higher-dimensional Gravitational Theories Modified Gravity Theories Dark Energy and Dark Matter Inflation and the early universe Gravitational Lensing Relativistic Astrophysics. The contributions are either solicited or selected among submitted abstracts. Special emphasis is being placed on active participation by young researchers and post-docs. The program will be available after the deadline of abstracts submission (July 19th, 2015). +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.3. The Modern Physics of Compact Stars and Relativistic Gravity 2015, Yerevan, Armenia --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=10277 Starting: 2015-09-30 to 2015-10-03 Location: Yerevan, Armenia Additional Information: https://indico.cern.ch/event/360350/ Contact: mpcs2015[AT]th.physik.uni-frankfurt.de This conference is the third in a series which aim to bring together people working in astrophysics of compacts stars, physics of dense matter, gravitation and cosmology, observations of pulsars and binary neutron stars and related fields. The first and second conferences were held in 2008 and 2013. This third edition will also host COST "NewCompStar" Working Group II (Nuclear Physics) meeting which will be focused on two topics "Hyperonization and Quarks in Superdense Matter" and "Collective Excitations, Transport, and Superfluidity in Hadronic Phases of Neutron Stars". +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.4. Geometric aspects of General Relativity, Montpellier, France --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=10283 Starting: 2015-09-28 to 2015-10-01 Location: Montpellier, France Additional Information: http://www.math.univ-montp2.fr/~herzlich/GeometricGR Contact: erwann.delay[AT]gmail.com We have the pleasure to announce the thematic school "Geometric aspects of General Relativity" which will take place at the University of Montpellier (France) from September 28th to October 1st, 2015 The goal of the school is to introduce themes of high current interest in mathematical relativity to a broad audience of young mathematicians and researchers in related areas (Riemannian geometry, geometric analysis, minimal surfaces, ...). It will be centered around three 4 hour-long mini-courses. : - Piotr Chrusciel (Vienna, Austria): Introduction to the the mathematical theory of black holes - Michael Eichmair (ETHZ, Switzerland): Horizons in General Relativity - Mu-Tao Wang (Columbia, NY, USA): On the notion of quasi-local mass in General Relativity In addition, a few 1-hour long talks will be scheduled. The school is organized under the "Etats de la recherche" framework of the French Mathematical Society, with the support of the "Thematic schools" program of the French National Center for Scientific Research (CNRS). It is also operated in collaboration with the program "Mathematical General Relativity" taking place at the Henri Poincare Institute in Paris (France) from September 14th to December 18th, 2015. Registration for the workshop is free. Ph. D students are especially invited to attend. We expect to have some financial support for the lodging of some of the younger participants (Ph D students will be our priority). Applications for financial support can be posted within the registration process. Please note, however, that a deadline to apply for a financial support has been fixed to April 9th, 2015. We are looking forward to welcoming you in Montpellier ! The organisers: Erwann Delay, Gautier Dietrich, Jeremie Fougeirol, and Marc Herzlich. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.5. One Hundred Years of Strong Gravity, Lisbon --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2015/01/26/one-hundred-years-of-strong-gr... Starting: 2015-06-10 to 2015-06-12 Location: Lisbon, Portugal Additional Information: http://centra.tecnico.ulisboa.pt/network/grit/stronggr15/ Contact: stronggravity[AT]centra.tecnico.ulisboa.pt In recent years, the field of alternative theories of gravity has been very active. The plethora of proposed modified theories, the challenge in conceiving new experiments, and the corresponding difficulty of probing unexplored regimes where new physics might be revealed, call for a joint effort within the community. The workshop "One Hundred Years of Strong Gravity" will be held at Instituto Superior Tecnico (IST) in Lisbon, from 10-12 June 2015. The aim of the workshop is to bring together leading experts in the area in a highly interactive workshop, with thorough presentations by invited speakers and plenty of time for discussion. The workshop also coincides with the biggest celebrations of the city of Lisbon (Santo Antonio, Friday evening) and it is a wonderful occasion to visit Lisbon. If you are interested in attending the workshop, please register before May 15th. There is no registration fee to attend the workshop. We would like to note that there might be financial support only for invited speakers. Local Organizers: Richard Brito, Vitor Cardoso, Ryuichi Fujita, Rita Sousa Support: European Research Council through grant agreement no. DyBHo256667 ("The dynamics of black holes") and Fundacao Calouste Gulbenkian through the Programa Gulbenkian de Estimulo a Investigacao Científica. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.6. (Non-)Universal Properties of Neutron Stars, Bremen, Germany --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2015/01/29/non-universal-properties-of-ne... Starting: 2015-05-18 to 2015-05-20 Location: Bremen, Germany Additional Information: https://www.zarm.uni-bremen.de/nestar/index.php Contact: norman.guerlebeck[AT]zarm.uni-bremen.de The workshop "(Non-)Universal Properties of Neutron Stars" will take place at the University of Bremen (Germany) from 18th to 20th of May 2015 at the drop tower in Bremen, Germany. The aim of the workshop is to bring together theoretical astrophysicists, observers and nuclear physicist to discuss future prospects of (non-)universal relations of neuron stars. The workshop will also host a meeting of NewCompStar's working group III Gravitational physics theory and observations. Neutron star properties depend sensitively on the modeling EOS and there are new observational facilities available and under development to restrict the realistic EoS. Surprisingly, relations between certain properties of neutron stars were found recently to be approximately universal, i.e., independent of the EoS. For example, the relation between the spin, the moment of inertia, and the quadrupole moment are independent of the chosen EoS up to an accuracy of less than one percent. Currently, it is an active field of research to identify the realm of validity of such universal relations in terms of the complexity of the neutron star model, to find the underlying physical reason, and to explore observational consequences including effects from alternative theories of gravity. You can check the details of the workshop as well as register at https://www.zarm.uni-bremen.de/nestar/index.php The organizers: Terence Delsate, Norman Gürlebeck, Jan Steinhoff +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.7. The Second Cesar Lattes Meeting, Niteroi-Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (2nd announcement) --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2015/01/30/the-second-cesar-lattes-meetin... Starting: 2015-04-13 to 2015-04-18 Location: Niteroi-Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Additional Information: http://www.icranet.org/2cl/ Contact: 2cl[AT]icranet.org This scientific meeting will celebrate the International Year of Light under the aegis of UNESCO, the 100th anniversary of the Einstein Equations as well as the Golden Jubilee of Relativistic Astrophysics. It will take place at CBPF and UFF from the 13 to the 18 of April. Public lectures will be delivered at the The Rio de Janeiro Planetarium as well as, in the following week, at Universities in Brazil including the UFPE in Recife, at UFPB in Joao Pessoa and at IFCE in Fortaleza. The meeting is dedicated to the coordination of the ICRANet Scientific activities in Brazil preceding to the MGXIV meeting in Rome in July 2015. The meeting will cover observational activities in the X, gamma ray and UHECR, theoretical progress in the relativistic astrophysics of Neutron Stars, Black Holes, Gravitational Waves and Cosmology as well as the development of the Brazilian Science Data Center (BSDC). It will address scientific issues from galactic and extragalactic sources and as far back in time as the appearance of the first structures in our Universe. Particular attention will be dedicated to illustrate the recent scientific progress in the Ph.D. thesis within the ICRANet joint International Relativistic Astrophysics Ph.D. program (the IRAP Ph.D. and EMJD Programs). These results will be illustrated by the former students. Recent scientific publications from postdoctoral research at ICRANet centers in Brazil and in Europe will be reviewed. The presence of senior research leaders from Brazil and Europe as well as of the ICRANet faculty will foster the interactions with the Brazilian scientific community at large. The registration is now open at: http://www.icranet.org/2cl/registration.htm The conference website: http://www.icranet.org/2cl/ A preliminary poster can be downloaded at: http://www.icranet.org/2cl/img/poster.pdf +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.8. Workshop on Binary Neutron Star Mergers, Thessaloniki (2nd announcement) --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2015/02/01/workshop-on-binary-neutron-sta... Starting: 2015-05-27 to 2015-05-29 Location: Thessaloniki, Greece Additional Information: http://www.astro.auth.gr/~bns2015 Contact: bns2015[AT]astro.auth.gr Supported by VESF, ERC COST "NewCompStar" and JINA-CEE SECOND ANNOUNCEMENT The summer of 2015 will mark the onset of the first science run of 2nd-generation interferometric gravitational wave detectors and over the next years several such detectors will form a world-wide network. The most promising sources of gravitational waves for these instruments are mergers of compact binaries. In particular, the coalescences of binary neutron star systems are considered to be the most probable events. Through gravitational wave observations, the equation of state of high-density matter is expected to be significantly constrained. But the merger events also include a rich phenomenology, such as r-process nucleosynthesis, magnetohydrodynamic processes and high-energy emission. Ultimately, merger events will be an ideal target for multi-messenger astronomy. The workshop will bring together experts from various fields that are relevant to the astrophysics of binary neutron star mergers, in order to foster interaction and a better understanding of the phenomenology. The presentation and discussion of the latest research results will allow for setting up new observational strategies and for devising new methods for arriving at observational constraints. We encourage the participation of young researchers and for this reason several talks will give a concise overview of particular aspects of binary neutron star astrophysics. The interdisciplinary character of the meeting is reflected in the list of invited review speakers: S. Bose (Washington State) J. Friedman (Milwaukee) T. Janka (MPA Garching) K. Kokkotas (Tuebingen) J. Lattimer (Stony Brook) B. Metzger (Columbia) T. Piran (Hebrew University) S. Reddy (Seattle) L. Rezzolla (Frankfurt) B. Sathyaprakash (Cardiff) M. Shibata (Kyoto) During the workshop, a working group meeting in the framework of the ERC COST action "NewCompStar" will take place (further details on the working group meeting will be announced through the NewCompStar mailing list). The workshop will take place in the new building of the Research Dissemination Center at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki the largest university in Greece. The campus is located in the heart of the city. A number of rooms at selected hotels have been reserved at special conference prices. Please note that the block reservation will be valid until the registration deadline only, so it is advisable to make your reservation before February 28, 2015. After that, rooms will depend on availability of each hotel. Registration and abstract submission can be done through: http://www.astro.auth.gr/~bns2015/registration.html The deadline for registration and abstract submission is February 28th, 2015. There are still a limited number slots for oral presentations available (we will indicate on the registration page when the maximum number is reached, so we advice participants who wish to present an oral talk to register well before the deadline). In March, the official program will be announced. A limited number of travel grants is available for a) students by the Virgo-Ego Scientific Forum (VESF) and b) for working group meeting participants by the ERC COST action "NewCompStar" and c) for nuclear astrophysicists (with preference for participants from JINA-CEE institutes). We are looking forward to meeting all interested participants in Thessaloniki in May! With our best regards, The Organizing Committee N. Stergioulas A. Bauswein P. Iosif G. Tantilian N. Tryfonidis +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.9. Gravitational Wave Physics and Astronomy Workshop (GWPAW) 2015, Osaka --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=10298 Starting: 2015-06-17 to 2015-06-20 Location: Osaka Additional Information: http://www.gw.hep.osaka-cu.ac.jp/GWPAW2015/ Contact: gwpaw2015_support[AT]gwv.hep.osaka-cu.ac.jp One hundred years ago, Albert Einsteins theory of general relativity predicted the existence of gravitational waves. Now, new generation of gravitational-wave detectors are coming online, and are expected to detect strong sources of gravitational waves in the near future. The 2015 Gravitational Wave Physics and Astronomy Workshop (GWPAW) will take place at Osaka, Japan, from 17th to 20th June. The workshop focuses not only on gravitational waves themselves, but also on the physics, astrophysics and astronomy that can be derived from gravitational-wave observations and their counterpart/follow-up observations. The workshop was formerly known as the Gravitational Wave Data Analysis Workshop (GWDAW). This year we will emphasize the science that will be derived from gravitational-wave data analysis and counterpart studies. We look forward to seeing you in Osaka. [ Invited speakers and topics ] Status of Gravitational Wave detectors Matthew Evans (LIGO) Francesco Piergiovanni (Virgo) Takaaki Kajita (KAGRA) Martin Hewitson (eLISA and LPF) Masaki Ando (DECIGO) Dick Manchester (PTAs) Counterpart/follow-up Edo Berger (Short GRB) Shrinivas Kulkarni (Optical-Infrared-radio) Peter Meszaros (X, Gamma) Mark Vagins (Neutrino) GW Data Analysis and Theory Alessandra Buonanno (GW modeling) Maria Alessandra Papa (Data analysis) David Merritt (Sources for low frequency GW) Bruce Allen (Summary talk and organizer of discussion) [ Schedule ] 16th June Optional tour for KAGRA site at Kamioka Reception will be held in the evening, at Osaka. 17th June 1st day of the workshop 18th June 2nd day, banquet in the evening 19th June 3rd day 20th June Final day. The workshop will finish by lunch time. [ Conference venue ] INTEX-Osaka International Conference Hall, (Deadline of the abstract submission is not fixed yet.) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.10. General Relativity and Gravitation: A Centennial Perspective (2nd announcement) --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2015/02/01/general-relativity-and-gravita... Starting: 2015-06-07 to 2015-06-12 Location: Penn State, University Park, PA, USA Additional Information: http://event.gravity.psu.edu/index.shtml Contact: rxh1[AT]psu.edu An international conference to celebrate 100 years of general relativity, entitled General Relativity and Gravitation: A Centennial Perspective will be held at the University Park campus of Penn State from Sunday, June 7 through Friday, June 12, 2015 under the auspices of the International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation (ISGRG) and the Topical Group on Gravitation (GGR) of the American Physical Society. The conference website event.gravity.psu.edu/index.shtml provides the details of the scientific program and social events. It has three separate links for registration, travel support and abstract submission. Each of these tasks has to be completed separately. Because the of the restricted capacity of the main lecture hall, the total number of participants is limited and registration will be closed once this limit is met. Therefore early registration is strongly recommended. We have already reached 40% of this limit. The International Society for General Relativity and Gravitation has graciously agreed to provide travel support to research students and post-docs. This will enable the Local Organizing Committee to make several awards at the level of $300 USD per successful applicant. The checks will be handed out during the conference. The deadline for applications for travel support is is March 1. The applicants will be informed of the final decision by mid-March to enable them to make travel arrangements sufficiently in advance. However, as noted above, we may well have to close the registration soon. If that happens, we will offer these awards only to those applicants who have already registered. Abstracts will be accepted until all sessions are filled. However, beginning February 1, 2015, organizers will begin assigning presenters to the oral presentation sessions. Therefore early submissions are strongly recommended. In the selection process, preference will be given to abstracts submitted by registered participants. Local Organization Committee: Eugenio Bianchi (Co-Chair), Chad Hanna (Co-Chair), Abhay Ashtekar, Martin Bojowald, Randi Neshteruk, Ben Owen Scientific Organization Committee: Abhay Ashtekar (Chair), Beverly Berger, John Friedman, James Isenberg, Malcolm MaCCallum, Peter Saulson +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ============================================== 2. Jobs ============================================== 2.1. Dennis Sciama Postdoctoral Fellowship, Portsmouth, UK ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=10245 Deadline: 2015-02-02 Location: Portsmouth, UK Additional Information: http://www.icg.port.ac.uk/category/current-jobs/ Contact: icg-admin[AT]port.ac.uk 10013883 Dennis Sciama Postdoctoral Fellowship Faculty of Technology Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation Research Fellow Apply online at https://port.engageats.co.uk/ Employment type: Fixed-term (3 years) Employment basis: Full time Salary: 33,242 36,309 GBP Position number: 10013883 Date Published: 12 December 2014 Closing date: 2 February 2015 Start date: 1 October 2015 Interview date: To be scheduled between 9 15 February 2015 We announce our second Dennis Sciama Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation (ICG) at the University of Portsmouth aimed at promising early-career researchers in any area of observational, theoretical and computational cosmology and astrophysics. The successful candidate will have demonstrated excellence in research, complementing and extending the existing ICG research interests and expertise in cosmology and/or astrophysics. Over the fellowship, they will be expected to develop their own opportunities for research and innovation, and help attract external funding to the ICG. The ICG consists of 11 academic staff, 18 postdoctoral researchers and 20 PhD students, and has an active international visitors programme. Portsmouth is a member of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-IV) and the Dark Energy Survey, with involvement in the UK Low Frequency Array (LOFAR:UK), the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) and other major international collaborations, including ESAs Euclid satellite mission and the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). The University of Portsmouth is a member of the South-East Physics Network (SEPnet) and hosts the 2700-core SCIAMA supercomputer. More information is available at http://www.icg.port.ac.uk/ We welcome applications from all qualified applicants, but applications are particularly encouraged from traditionally under-represented groups in science. The University of Portsmouth holds an Athena SWAN bronze award and is an Institute of Physics Project Juno Supporter; these projects show a commitment to introduce organisational and cultural practices that promote gender equality in science and create a better working environment for men and women. Applications (application form, CV, publication list and research statement for the fellowship) should be submitted via the online application system by the closing date, 2 February 2015. Applicants should also arrange for up to three reference letters to be sent by email to icg-admin[AT]port.ac.uk, to arrive by the same date. We expect the fellowship to start 1st October 2015 or as close to that date as feasible. All applications for this position will be processed and conducted in compliance with UK legislation relevant at that time. For detailed information about the vacancy, please select this link: http://www.icg.port.ac.uk/category/current-jobs/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.2. Postdoc position at Beijing Normal Univ ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=10248 Deadline: 2015-03-31 Location: Beijing, China Additional Information: http://physics.bnu.edu.cn/application/research/gravity/index.html Contact: mayg[AT]bnu.edu.cn POSTDOCTORAL POSITION AT BEIJING NORMAL UNIV IN QUANTUM GRAVITY AND QUANTUM COSMOLOGY The Center for Relativity and Gravitation at Beijing Normal Univerisity has one post-doctoral position openning from September 2015 in the areas of quantum gravity and quantum cosmology. The appointment will be for two years. The gravity group consists of Sijie Gao, Wenbiao Liu, Hong Lu, Yongge Ma, Bin Zhou and Jianyang Zhu. In addition, the retired professors Canbin Liang and Zheng Zhao join the academic activities frequently, and professors Abhay Ashtekar, Jerzy Lewandowski, Carlo Rovelli and Thomas Thiemann hold visiting professorships at the Institute. The areas of research in the group concern loop quantum gravity, black hole physics, general relativity, de Sitter spacetime, higher dimensional gravity and cosmology, supergravity, AdS/CFT etc.. For further information on the group, see the webpage: http://physics.bnu.edu.cn/application/research/gravity/index.html Interested candidates should send a CV, a publication list and a statement of research proposal and arrange to have two recommendation letters (one from the PhD advisor of the applicant) sent directly to: Prof. Yongge Ma Department of Physics Beijing Normal Univeristy Beijing 100875 CHINA E-mail applications are also accepted. They should be sent to: mayg[AT]bnu.edu.cn, yonggema[AT]yahoo.com The deadline for receipt of all application material is March 31, 2015. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.3. PhD Position at University of Birmingham ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=10252 Deadline: 2015-02-15 Location: Birmingham, UK Additional Information: http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/research/physics/astrophysi... Contact: jveitch[AT]star.sr.bham.ac.uk The gravitational wave group at the University of Birmingham has an opening for a fully funded PhD student in gravitational wave astrophysics starting Autumn 2015. The Birmingham Astrophysics and Space Research group are active in the full range of gravitational wave science, from ground-based advanced detectors to pulsar timing arrays. Our research covers instrumental science, data analysis and astrophysics of gravitational wave sources. The group has expanded in recent years and now has 6 faculty, 2 research fellows, 5 postdocs and 13 PhD students. We are seeking an excellent student for a PhD project in the data analysis and astrophysical interpretation of gravitational waves from coalescence of compact binaries (black holes and neutron stars). This position has funding for full-time research for 3.5 years, including full coverage of tuition fees for students of any nationality plus an annual stipend. To apply please visit our website at http://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/research/physics/astrophysi... The screening of applications will begin on Feb 15th and continue until a suitable candidate is found. For more information contact Dr John Veitch, jveitch[AT]star.sr.bham.ac.uk +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.4. Postdoctoral positions in theoretical physics at CECs, Valdivia, Chile ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2015/01/17/postdoctoral-positions-in-theo... Deadline: 2015-03-15 Location: Valdivia, Chile Additional Information: http://www.cecs.cl/ Contact: physics[AT]cecs.cl The Centro de Estudios Científicos invites applications for postdoctoral positions in theoretical physics. The date of appointments is flexible between April and November 2015. Applicants should send curriculum vitae, statement of research interests, indicating their preferred time of appointment and should arrange to have three letters of recommendation sent by electronic or regular mail to Professor Jorge Zanelli (physics[AT]cecs.cl), Centro de Estudios Científicos, Av. Arturo Prat 514, Valdivia, Chile. Applications should be received no later than March 15th, 2015. For further information, please contact us at physics[AT]cecs.cl +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.5. PhD position in fundamental physics, Observatoire de Paris ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=10263 Deadline: 2015-02-15 Location: Paris, France Additional Information: http://www.cnes.fr/web/CNES-fr/8784-aces.php Contact: christine.guerlin[AT]lkb.ens.fr Space mission ACES and follow-ups: beyond Standard Model and General Relativity PhD thesis in fundamental physics at SYRTE-Observatoire de Paris, starting in September 2015 Key words: Atomic clocks, Standard Model, General Relativity, numerical simulations, space missions The ACES space mission will bring beginning of 2017 the first cold atom clock in space, PHARAO, onboard International Space Station. It aims at realizing a highly accurate and stable time scale in space. The ACES time scale will be compared to best atomic clocks on ground in more than 7 metrological labs worldwide. The altitude difference between space and ground clocks will allow to measure the gravitational redshift predicted by General Relativity with an unprecedented accuracy, as well as to search for a violation of Local Lorentz Invariance and for a possible temporal variation of the fine structure constant. Following missions are already being considered, with different types of atomic clocks and/or atom interferometers for inertial measurements, such as for example STE-QUEST preselectionned by ESA in 2010 and resubmitted this year (http://sci.esa.int/ste-quest/). In all these experiments, the search for a violation of fundamental principles of modern physics requires the use of a theoretical frame beyond General Relativity and Standard Model. We propose in this PhD thesis to explore one of the most exhaustive theoretical frames, recently used for treating Lorentz invariance: the Standard Model Extension (SME). A complete research program contains the following steps: - getting familiarized with the SME model; - modelizing ACES experiment in the SME; - simulating observable signatures due to violations of Lorentz invariance, and estimate constraints on SME parameters; - including a search for these terms in the (existing) ACES data analysis for obtaining constraints on the SME parameters; - applying this work to the first ACES data expected from 2017; - participating to the elaboration of future missions (such as STE QUEST) to optimize their scientific gain for fundamental physics, in particular for SME tests; - estimating (by numerical simulation) the performances of future missions in this frame. Contact: Christine Guerlin, christine.guerlin[AT]lkb.ens.fr Peter Wolf, peter.wolf[AT]obspm.fr +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.6. PhD position in accretion flows onto black holes, Frankfurt, Germany ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2015/01/25/phd-position-in-accretion-flow... Deadline: 2015-02-28 Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany Additional Information: http://astro.uni-frankfurt.de/relastro/phd-position-in-accretion-flows-onto-... Contact: steidl[AT]th.physik.uni-frankfurt.de The group of Relativistic Theoretical Astrophysics invites applications for one PhD position to carry out research in Relativistic and Computational Astrophysics, at Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The candidates should have a MSc in physics or applied mathematics and a strong background in astrophysics, general relativity and have been exposed to the basics of computational physics. Proficiency in a programming language will be considered an important added value. The successful applicant will be part of a lively research group recently set-up at the Institute for Theoretical Physics at Frankfurt am Main and concentrate on the modelling of accretion flows onto supermassive black holes. The application should comprise a CV, a list of the courses attended, and a summary of the research carried in the MSc. Applicants should also arrange for two letters of reference to be sent to the address below. Applications will be have to be sent by 28.02.2015 for full consideration. The position is expected to start on 15.04.2015, but earlier or later appointments can be negotiated. Applications should be made electronically and sent to Luciano Rezzolla (rezzolla[AT]th.physik.uni-frankfurt.de) and CC-ed to Fr. Astrid Steidl: steidl[AT]th.physik.uni-frankfurt.de +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.7. Postdoctoral position in X-ray astronomy at Fudan, Shanghai ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=10289 Deadline: 2015-03-31 Location: Shanghai, China Additional Information: http://www.physics.fudan.edu.cn/tps/people/bambi/ Contact: bambi[AT]fudan.edu.cn The high-energy astrophysics group at Fudan University (Shanghai, China) has one postdoctoral position for the next academic year. We are looking for a candidate working in X-ray astronomy, either for data analysis of black hole candidates or simulations for a feasibility study of the Chinese XTP mission. Details about projects and activities can be found on the group webpage: http://www.physics.fudan.edu.cn/tps/people/bambi/ Interested candidates should send their CV (including, among other things, date of birth and contact details of 2-3 referees), short statement of research interests and/or experience, and publication list to: Prof. Cosimo Bambi E-mail: bambi[AT]fudan.edu.cn Please arrange also at least 2-3 recommendation letters to be sent separately to the same email address. Applications received by March 31 will receive full consideration. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ============================================== 3. News ============================================== 3.1. Special MOND volume ------------------------------------------------------------ Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2015/01/22/special-mond-volume/ Additional Information: http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/journal/cjp The Canadian Journal of Physics will have a special volume appearing February 2015 which contains 13 articles about Modified Newtonian Dynamics (MOND) written by experts in astrophysics. The articles in this issue elaborate the various astrophysical data which support the MOND program. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.2. Offer to the members of the International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation (ISGRG): ------------------------------------------------------------ Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2015/01/24/offer-to-the-members-of-the-in... Additional Information: http://www.isgrg.org/membership_dues.php ISGRG has commissioned the book "General Relativity and Gravitation: A Centennial Perspective. It will be published by Cambridge University Press later this spring. The editors are Ashtekar, Berger, Isenberg, and MacCallum, and the table of contents can be found at http://event.gravity.psu.edu/book_toc.shtml. This book provides a comprehensive overview of the current state of gravitational physics. Cambridge University Press is offering a 50% discount to members of ISGRG who pre-order the book. Orders must be placed by April 30, 2015. After this date the book will be available at a 20% discount to ISGRG members, just like all other Physics and Astronomy books published by Cambridge University Press. If you are not an ISGRG member and wish to join, please follow the procedure indicated at http://www.isgrg.org/membership_dues.php or contact the ISGRG Secretary (beverlyberger[AT]me.com). ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++