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Conferences 1.1 The 2013 yearly ICRANet Scientific Meeting on Relativistic Astrophysics 1.2 PCGM 29 at University of California at Davis: registration open 1.3 School of Astroparticle Physics - Gravitational Waves, Observatoire de Haute Provence, France 1.4 VESF School, Gravitational waves, neutrinos and multiwavelenght observations: the new frontier of astronomy, Rome, Italy 1.5 2nd Mediterranean Conference on Classical and Quantum Gravity (2nd MCCQG) 1.6 20th International Conference on General Relativity and Gravitation and 10th Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Waves, Warsaw, Poland 1.7 16th Eastern Gravity Meeting, Toronto, Canada 1.8 16th Capra Meeting on Radiation Reaction in General Relavitiy, Dublin, Ireland 1.9 The Modern Physics of Compact Stars and Relativistic Gravity 1.10 Quantum Fields, Gravity and Information, Nottingham, UK 1.11 IVth School of Astroparticle Physics: Gravitational Waves 1.12 Davis Cosmic Frontier Conferences, Davis, CA, USA 1.13 5th International Symposium on Experimental Gravitation in Nanchang, Jiangxi, China 1.14 Spanish-Portuguese Relativity Meeting (ERE2013) 2. Jobs 2.1 Postdoctoral fellowship in GW data analysis at Rhodes University, South Africa 2.2 Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Relativistic Astrophysics at Southampton 2.3 Max Planck Partner Group Post-doctoral Positions at IISER-TVM, India 2.4 Gravitational Wave Astronomy Research Associate, Cardiff, UK 2.5 PhD Fellowship in Relativity at Southampton 2.6 Postdoctoral position in Theoretical Cosmology at Bilbao, Spain 2.7 Faculty position in theoretical gravitational physics at Guelph/PI 2.8 Postdoctoral Position in High Energy Theory and General Relativity at Beijing Normal University 3. News 3.1 Living Reviews in Relativity: "Foundations of Black Hole Accretion Disk Theory" 3.2 New: IUPAP General Relativity and Gravitation Young Scientist Prize 3.3 The Chalonge School Programme 2013 ================================================================= 1. Conferences ================================================================= 1.1 The 2013 yearly ICRANet Scientific Meeting on Relativistic Astrophysics --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/31/the-2013-yearly-icranet-scientific-m... Starting Sat, Jun 01, 2013 to Wed, Jul 10, 2013 Location: Nice (France), Pescara (Italy), Rome (Italy); July 1-10 Rio de Janeiro Additional Information: http://www.icranet.org/ The 2013 yearly ICRANet Scientific Meeting on Relativistic Astrophysics (June 1-30 Nice, France, Pescara, Italy, Rome, Italy; July 1-10 Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) on the Occasion of the 50th Anniversary of the Kerr solution of the Einstein's equations, in presence of Roy Kerr and of the ICRANet Scientific Committee Organizing Committee: Felix Aharonian (Armenia), Lorenzo Amati (Italy), Giovanni Amelino-Camelia (Italy), David Arnett (USA), Vladimir Belinski (Italy), Carlo Luciano Bianco (Italy), Donato Bini (Italy), João Braga (Brazil), Sandip Kumar Chakrabarti (India), Pascal Chardonnet (France), Valeri Chechetkin (Russia), Christian Cherubini (Italy), Thibault Damour (France), Massimo Della Valle (Italy), Jaan Einasto (Estonia), Francis Everitt (USA), Simonetta Filippi (Italy), Sergio Frasca (Italy), Filippo Frontera (Italy), Jean-Marc Gambaudo (France), Gabriele Gionti (USA), Robert Jantzen (USA), Yipeng Jing (P.R. China), Roy Kerr (New Zealand), Isaak Markovich Khalatnikov (Russia), Hagen Kleinert (Germany), Hyung Won Lee (South Korea), Olivier Legrand (France), John Madey (USA), John Mester (USA), Francois Mignard (France), Charles Misner (USA), Hermann Nicolai (Germany), Mario Novello (Brazil), Alex Pelster (Germany), Elena Pian (Italy), Tsvi Piran (Israel), Elène Politano (Franc e), Vladimir Popov (Russia), Brian Matthew Punsly (USA), Hernando C. Quevedo (Mexico), Johann Rafelski (USA), Piero Rosati (Germany), Kjell Rosquist (Sweden), Jorge Rueda (Italy), Remo Ruffini (Chairman, Italy), Felix Ryde (Sweden), Gerard ’t Hooft (Holland), Marco Tavani (Italy), Lev Titarchuk (USA), Farrokh Vakili (France), Gregory Vereshchagin (Italy), She Sheng Xue (Italy), Shuangnan Zhang (P.R. China) ICRANet (http://www.icranet.org/); is an International Organization devoted to scientific researches in Relativistic Astrophysics. Current ICRANet Members are: Armenia, Brazil, Italy, Vatican, ICRA, University of Arizona, University of Stanford. Current ICRANet Seats are located in: Nice (France), Pescara (Italy, headquarters), Rio de Janeiro (Brazil, including the Brazilian Science Data Center BSDC), Rome (Italy), Yerevan (Armenia). The Research Topics of ICRANet encompasses: Exact solutions of Einstein and Einstein – Maxwell equations, Gamma-Ray Bursts, Relativistic effects in Physics and Astrophysics, Cosmology and large scale structures, Theoretical Astroparticle Physics, Generalization of the Kerr-Newman solution, Black Holes and Quasars, Electron-positron pairs in physics and astrophysics, From heavy nuclei to black holes, From Nuclei to Compact Stars, Supernovae, Symmetries in General Relativity, Self Gravitating Systems, Galactic Structures and Galactic Dynamics, Interdisciplinary Complex Systems. Contributions are accepted on any of the above mentioned research topic. Participation is welcome both of Post-Doc and Researchers (registration fee 300.00 EUR) and of graduate and undergraduate students (registration fee 150.00 EUR). For information please contact secretariat[AT]icranet.org +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.2 PCGM 29 at University of California at Davis: registration open ------------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/30/pcgm-29-2/ Starting Fri, Mar 29, 2013 to Sat, Mar 30, 2013 Location: Davis, CA, USA Additional Information: http://pcgm29.ucdavis.edu Registration is now open for PCGM 29, the 29th Pacific Coast Gravity Meeting, which will take place March 29-30 at the University of California at Davis. The conference website, http://pcgm29.ucdavis.edu, includes a registration form, as well as information about food, transportation, and lodging. The Pacific Coast Gravity Meetings are designed to be very open and informal, aimed at fostering communication among gravitational physicists with varied backgrounds. Students and postdocs are especially encouraged to give short, introductory talks about their research. A prize, sponsored by the APS Topical Group on Gravity, will be awarded for the best talk given by a student at the meeting. If you are interested in attending -- and especially if you would like to give a talk -- please register, to allow us to estimate the attendance and start planning the program. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.3 School of Astroparticle Physics - Gravitational Waves, Observatoire de Haute Provence, France ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/30/school-of-astroparticle-physics-grav... Starting Mon, May 27, 2013 to Sat, Jun 01, 2013 Location: Observatoire de Haute Provence, Saint Michel l'Observatoire, France Additional Information: http://www.cpt.univ-mrs.fr/~cosmo/WEB_EAP_13/EcoleAP-OHP13.html We are pleased to announce the IVth school of Astroparticle Physics, dedicated to Gravitational Waves, to be held during the week of 27 May 2013 on the site of the Observatoire de Haute Provence (France). The school will be focused on multi-messenger astronomy involving gravitational waves. Experts will cover a variety of topics relevant for this challenge of the near future. Besides training young researchers who consider joining this emerging field, the objective of the school is to bring together the various scientific communities, getting them to learn about common interests and building synergies. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.4 VESF School, Gravitational waves, neutrinos and multiwavelenght observations: the new frontier of astronomy, Rome, Italy ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/28/gravitational-waves-neutrinos-and-mu... Starting Mon, Apr 15, 2013 to Thu, Apr 18, 2013 Location: Rome, Italy Additional Information: http://www.roma1.infn.it/teongrav/VESF/SCHOOL2013_WEBSITE/Vesf_School.html Dear Colleagues, the Virgo-EGO Science Forum (VESF) is organizing the 2013 School on "Gravitational waves, neutrinos and multiwavelenght observations: the new frontier of astronomy", to be held on April 15-18, 2013 at the Astronomical Observatory of Rome in Monteporzio Catone (Rome, Italy). In this year's program more emphasis is devoted to the search for the astrophysical counterparts of candidate gravitational wave events detected by Advanced Virgo and LIGO. The goal is to stimulate the interest and foster the collaboration of students and young researchers from both the GW and astrophysical communities in the one of the most challenging and exciting scientific enterprises of the 2010's. The deadline for application is March 10th, 2013. At the school website: http://www.roma1.infn.it/teongrav/VESF/SCHOOL2013_WEBSITE/Vesf_School.html you can find the application form, the school program (also attached to this message), a list of hotels and directions on how to reach the observatory and the hotel. VESF will provide lunches and transportation from the center of Frascati to the Observatory and back every day. Travel, lodging and dinner expenses should be covered by the applicant or by his/her home institution. Participants are requested to make their own hotel reservation (please see the School web site), by March 10th, 2013 (mention that you are participating in the school). Please note that April is high season, and late reservations may be difficult. For any further assistance please contact Dr. Giuliana Giobbi e-mail: Giuliana.giobbi[AT]oa-roma.inaf.it INAF -Osservatorio Astronomico di Roma Via Frascati, 33 00040 Monte Porzio Catone (Roma) Italy With our best wishes Valeria Ferrari and Luigi Stella (School directors) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.5 2nd Mediterranean Conference on Classical and Quantum Gravity (2nd MCCQG) ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/27/2nd-mediterranean-conference-on-clas... Starting Sun, Jun 09, 2013 to Sat, Jun 15, 2013 Location: Veli Lošinj, Croatia Additional Information: http://umbriel.phy.hr/mccqg2 The Mediterranean Conference on Classical and Quantum Gravity aims to bring together, in the attractive setting of the Mediterranean sea, leading experts in all aspect of gravitation, from classical to quantum and from theory to experiment. The first conference in this series took place in Crete in 2009. This conference is the second in the series and will be located in the picturesque town of Veli Lošinj on the island of Lošinj in the north of the Adriatic Sea. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.6 20th International Conference on General Relativity and Gravitation and 10th Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Waves, Warsaw, Poland ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/26/20th-international-conference-on-gen... Starting Sun, Jul 07, 2013 to Sat, Jul 13, 2013 Location: Warsaw, Poland Additional Information: http://gr20-amaldi10.edu.pl/ IMPORTANT DATES Early registration: deadline April 1, 2013 Late registration: deadline May 1, 2013 Early abstract submission: deadline February 15, 2013 Decision on selected proposals: March 15, 2013 Late abstract submission: deadline May 1, 2013 Decision on selected proposals: May 31, 2013 Applying for financial support: deadline February 15, 2013 Decision on financial support: March 20, 2013 PARALLEL SESSIONS - Exact solutions and their interpretation - Mathematical relativity and other progress in classical gravity theory - Modified gravity theories - Complex and conformal methods in classical and quantum gravity - Relativistic astrophysics - Numerical relativity and astrophysical applications - Numerical relativity : methods, theoretical gravity and high energy applications - Analytic approximations, perturbation theory, effective field theory methods and their applications - Observational cosmology - Theoretical/mathematical cosmology - Pulsar Timing Arrays: Latest Developments and Future Directions - GWs: Search Results, Data Analysis and Parameter Estimation - Progress and Challenges in Advanced Ground Based Detectors - Concepts and Research for Future Detectors - Space Based Detectors - Q&A Everything you wanted to know about GWs but were afraid to ask - Multi-Messenger Astronomy of GW Sources - Education and Public Outreach on Gravitational Wave Astronomy - Experimental gravitation - Loop quantum gravity and spin foams - Strings, branes and M-theory - Causal sets, causal dynamical triangulations, non-commutative geometry, and other approaches to quantum gravity - Quantum fields in curved space-time, semiclassical gravity, quantum gravity phenomenology, and analog models PLENARY LECTURES - 51 years ago in Warszawa-Jabłonna (Opening, M. Demiański, Uniwersytet Warszawski) - 51 years after GR3 in Warszawa-Jabłonna (Opening, A. Ashtekar, Penn State University) - Planck results and consequences for cosmology (G. Efstathiou, University of Cambridge) - Present and future cosmological constraints on dark energy (T. Davis, University of Queensland) - Formation of the trapped surfaces (I. Rodnianski, MIT) - Approximate solution-finding methods in higher-dimensional GR (R. Emparan, Universitat de Barcelona) - Dynamics of asymptotically AdS spacetimes (P. Bizoń, Uniwersytet Jagielloński) - Loop Quantum Gravity - soluble theories of quantum gravity (T. Thiemann, Universitat Erlangen-Nurnberg) - Gravity and condensed matter correspondence focusing on Entanglement Entropy (T. Takayanagi, University of Kyoto) - Numerical Relativity and its applications to astrophysics and high energy physics (U. Sperhake, Caltech) - Neutron stars (J. Lattimer, Stony Brook University) - Formation of supermassive black holes (P. Natrajan, Yale University) - Modified gravity as alternatives to dark energy or dark matter (P. Ferreira, University of Oxford) - Black hole micro-states/entropy in string theory (A. Sen, Harish Chandra Research Institute) - Cold atoms for Equivalence Principle tests and GW detection (P. Wolf, Observatoire de Paris) - Event Horizon Telescope (A. Broderick, Perimeter Institute) - Black Hole Inequalities (S. Dain, Medina Allende s/n Ciudad Universitaria, Cordoba) - Status of Advanced (ground based) Gravitational Wave Detectors (M. Evans, MIT) - Space-based Gravitational Wave Detectors (S. Vitale, Universita degli Studi di Trento) - Observational Results from Ground-based Gravitational Wave Detectors (M. A. Bizouard, LAL Orsay / Carleton College) - Pulsar Timing Arrays (M. Mclaughlin, West Virginia University) - Effective field theory for gravitational wave computations (I. Rothstein, Carnegie Mellon University) SATELLITE SCHOOLS AND WORKSHOPS - Conformal Symmetry and Perspectives in Quantum and Mathematical Gravity, http://th-www.if.uj.edu.pl/school/2013/ - School of Gravitational Waves, http://bcc.impan.pl/13Gravitational/ - GR Maple Workshop, http://gr20-amaldi10.edu.pl/index.php?id=23 To register and find more visit our homepage http://gr20-amaldi10.edu.pl/ ORGANIZERS Local organizing institutions: Polskie Towarzystwo Relatywistyczne and Uniwersytet Warszawski For Scientific Organising Committee GR20 (SOC GR20), Scientific Organising Committee Amaldi10 (SOC Amaldi10), Local Organising Committee (LOC GR20/Amaldi10), and Supporting Institutions, see: http://gr20-amaldi10.edu.pl/index.php?id=13 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.7 16th Eastern Gravity Meeting, Toronto, Canada ------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/26/16th-eastern-gravity-meeting/ Starting Fri, Jun 07, 2013 to Sat, Jun 08, 2013 Location: Toronto, Canada The 16th Eastern Gravity Meeting will be held June 7-8, 2013 at the University of Toronto. The format of the meeting will follow previous regional meetings, where all participants may present a talk of approximately 10-15 minutes, depending on the total number of talks. A conference website will be open in a few months, at which time more details, registration information and abstract submission will be available. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.8 16th Capra Meeting on Radiation Reaction in General Relavitiy, Dublin, Ireland ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/25/16th-capra-meeting-on-radiation-reac... Starting Mon, Jul 15, 2013 to Fri, Jul 19, 2013 Location: Dublin, Ireland Additional Information: http://maths.ucd.ie/capra16/ The 16th Capra Meeting on Radiation Reaction in General Relativity will be hosted by the School of Mathematical Sciences at University College Dublin, marking its first return to Ireland since 1999 when the 2nd Capra Meeting was also held in UCD. The meeting will run from the 15th to 19th of July 2013, starting with three days of invited and contributed talks and followed by two days of informal discussions. As usual, the programme will focus on aspects of the self-force in general relativity, but will also seek to explore the promise of a synergy with other approaches to the two-body problem. Following the Capra tradition, the meeting will be informal. There will be no registration fee and no proceedings. The programme will include a few invited review talks, short contributed presentations (20-30 minutes slots) and open discussion sessions. Contributed talks on all aspects of the radiation reaction problem (including related topics such as EMRI astrophysics or data analysis) are welcome. Interested colleagues are encouraged to <a title="Capra 16 registration" href="http://maths.ucd.ie/capra16/registration/">register</a> online at their earliest convenience. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.9 The Modern Physics of Compact Stars and Relativistic Gravity ---------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/19/the-modern-physics-of-compact-stars-... Starting Wed, Sep 18, 2013 to Sat, Sep 21, 2013 Location: Yerevan, Armenia Additional Information: http://indico.cern.ch/confRegistrantsDisplay.py/list?confId=215145 This conference is the second in a series whose aim is 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. As the first conference in 2008, it will take place in Yerevan, Armenia from 18-21 September 2013. Among the social events, there will be a co-memoration of 100th birthday of the founder of the Theoretical Physics Chair at the Department of Physics of Yerevan State University and prominent Armenian scientist Academician Gurgen Serobi Sahakyan. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.10 Quantum Fields, Gravity and Information, Nottingham, UK ------------------------------------------------------------ Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/16/quantum-fields-gravity-and-informati... Starting Wed, Apr 03, 2013 to Fri, Apr 05, 2013 Location: Nottingham, UK Additional Information: http://qfgi2013.weebly.com We are pleased to invite postgraduate researchers, from inside and outside the UK, to exchange ideas on the mathematical aspects of relativistic quantum physics. A special focus will be given to relativistic quantum information, a relatively young field which combines techniques from quantum field theory, quantum gravity, quantum information and quantum optics. Our invited speakers reflect the diversity of areas covered: Prof. Bob Coecke (Oxford) Dr. Ivette Fuentes (Nottingham) Dr. Etera Livine (Lyon) Prof. Tim Ralph (Brisbane) Funding is available to cover accommodation and travel for up to 30 participants. We expect to give all of them the opportunity to contribute either with a talk or a poster. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.11 IVth School of Astroparticle Physics: Gravitational Waves -------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/11/ivth-school-of-astroparticle-physics... Starting Mon, May 27, 2013 to Sat, Jun 01, 2013 Location: Saint Michel l'Observatoire Additional Information: http://www.cpt.univ-mrs.fr/~cosmo/WEB_EAP_13/EcoleAP-OHP13-a.html Thanks to the advent of a second generation of instruments, we are at the dawn of the first direct detection of gravitational waves (GW). GW are expected to be emmitted in violent astrophysical events, possibly in connection with other types of emission, observable in the electromagnetic or neutrino spectra, such as, e.g., GRBs. This motivates correlating future GW observations with those of conventional astronomy. Developing such an multi-messenger astrophysics is a timely effort that can be achieved by bringing together the communities involved in both the observational and theoretical aspects. This school aims at bringing together experts from a wide range of disciplines, including specialists in GW sources and their modelling, high-energy physicists, phenomenologists or observers. The goal is to foster the exchange of expertise between the audience and the speakers representing their own scientific communities, and to contribute to training a new generation of young researchers in these fields. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.12 Davis Cosmic Frontier Conferences, Davis, CA, USA ------------------------------------------------------ Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/05/davis-cosmic-frontier-conferences/ Starting Mon, May 20, 2013 to Sat, May 25, 2013 Location: Davis, CA, USA Additional Information: http://www.cevs.ucdavis.edu/confreg/index.cfm?confid=606&webid=3120%20 This will be a week long event consisting of two back-to-back topical conferences, Mining the Cosmic Frontier in the Planck Era May 20 - 22, 2013 on interpreting Planck data and disucssing its implications for cosmology, and Fundamental Questions in Cosmology May 22 - 25, 2013 on the discussion of fundamentals of cosmic inflation, with a possible satelite workshop in between. The venue will be on UC Davis campus, at Davis, CA, USA. The invited speakers are among the world leaders in cosmology. More information, including the registration, will appear soon on the conference web page. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.13 5th International Symposium on Experimental Gravitation in Nanchang, Jiangxi, China ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/03/5th-international-symposium-on-exper... Starting Sun, Jul 07, 2013 to Sat, Jul 13, 2013 Location: Nanchang, China Additional Information: http://sites.sjfc.edu/iseg5/ This symposium is the 5th in the series that commenced in 1986 in Guanghzhou, followed by Nathiagali (1993), Samarkand (1999) and Cochin (2009). The theme is experimental gravitation covering verifications, proposed experiments, interpretations and extensions of the General Theory of Relativity. Details available in the symposium webpage (http://sites.sjfc.edu/iseg5/). +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.14 Spanish-Portuguese Relativity Meeting (ERE2013) ---------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/02/spanish-portuguese-relativity-meetin... Starting Mon, Sep 09, 2013 to Thu, Sep 12, 2013 Location: Benasque, Spain Additional Information: http://www.benasque.org/2013ere/ We are glad to announce the Spanish-Portuguese Relativity Meeting (ERE2013), an international conference to be held at the Pedro Pascual Center of Science, Benasque, Spain, from September 9 to September 12, 2013. This year the conference is organized by the groups in Barcelona (Departament de Física Fonamental, Univ. Barcelona, Institut de Ciències de l’Espai (CSIC-IEEC), Departament de Física and IFAE, Univ. Autònoma de Barcelona). ERE 2013 will cover most of the areas of modern General Relativity -- from cosmology and gravitational waves, to quantum gravity and the AdS/CFT correspondence and its applications. One of the sessions will be dedicated to the memory of José Alberto Lobo, a much esteemed and sorely missed member of our group and of the Spanish relativity community, who passed away on 30 September 2012. Prof. Lobo played a major role in boosting the research on gravitational radiation in Spain. Please note that the Benasque Center will provide bus transportation from and to Barcelona for participants staying through the entire duration of the conference. The web registration for the workshop is open at the conference website http://www.benasque.org/2013ere/ Registration fees: SEGRE members: 200€ (250€ after 1 July 2013) Non SEGRE members: 250€ (300€ after 1 July 2013) The registration fee will cover bus transportation from and to Barcelona, refreshments, and a conference dinner. If you want to join the SEGRE society (http://www.segre.es/es/presentacion.shtml) you can do so by going to http://www.segre.es/docs/membership.pdf. The meeting will consist of plenary sessions with talks by invited speakers in the morning, and contributed talks in parallel sessions in the afternoon. The list of invited speakers is: Invited Speakers - Carlos Barceló (IAA Granada) - José Juan Blanco-Pillado (U. País Vasco) - Diego Blas (CERN) - Paolo Creminelli (ICTP) * - Karsten Danzmann (Hannover) - Óscar Dias (Saclay SPhT) - César Gómez (IFT-U. Autónoma de Madrid) - Carlos Herdeiro (U. Aveiro) - Don Marolf (UC Santa Barbara) * - Bernard Schutz (AEI Golm) - Alicia Sintes (U. Illes Balears) * * : To be confirmed Participants who would like to contribute a talk in the parallel sessions can apply by submitting a title and abstract in the registration website. The deadline for abstract submission is 15 June 2013. Participants will be informed shortly afterwards whether their contribution has been accepted. There will not be a proceedings volume, but we are considering the possibility that the slides or write-ups of the talks be made available online. The SEGRE society has a limited number of grants to support expenses of some Ph.D. students. The grants can cover the registration fee and/or accommodation and/or travel expenses. The application for financial support can be made through the registration website. Participants will be informed of the decision by 20 June 2013. The Benasque Center for Science provides a stimulating environment for research. Benasque is a picturesque village nestled in the Spanish Pyrenees. The beautiful mountain atmosphere provides for many outdoor activities -- for further information please consult http://www.benasque.org/ We look forward to seeing you in Benasque, The organizers of ERE2013 Roberto Emparan Jaume Garriga Josep Llosa Oriol Pujolas Carlos Sopuerta Enric Verdaguer ================================================================= 2. Jobs ================================================================= 2.1 Postdoctoral fellowship in GW data analysis at Rhodes University, South Africa ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/28/postdoctoral-fellowship-in-gw-data-a... Institution: Grahamstown, South Africa Deadline: Fri, Feb 15, 2013 The Department of Mathematics at Rhodes University has two Faculty members, Prof NT Bishop and Dr D Pollney, working in numerical relativity and particularly black hole mergers. We would like to expand the interests of the group to include other aspects of gravitational wave astronomy, and as a first step we are seeking a Postdoctoral Fellow in data analysis. The position is not for a specific project, and we are interested in candidates with experience in any aspect of gravitational wave data analysis. Rhodes University is a small university (just over 7000 students), which emphasizes postgraduate training and research. It is located 60 km from the coast, between Port Elizabeth and East London in the Eastern Cape province of South Africa. While the main focus of this appointment will be data analysis related to the detection of gravitational waves by laser interferometric facilities, there would also be an opportunity in terms of pulsar timing measurements building on the University’s strong involvement in the SKA project. The amount of the postdoctoral fellowship is R 180,000 per year, and is tax-free so the full amount will be paid out without any deductions. By local standards, this amounts to a good salary. An additional amount of R50,000 has been reserved for expenses, such as relocation costs, conferences, laptop, etc. The fellowship is for one year, renewable depending on performance and funding. Applications should preferably be in the form of a single PDF file attached to an email to Prof NT Bishop (n.bishop[AT]ru.ac.za) with a copy to Dr D Pollney (d.pollney[AT]ru.ac.za). Applications should include * Full CV * Contact details of three referees * A statement (about half a page) of the candidate’s research interests and proposed research work during the Fellowship. The closing date is 15 February 2013, although applications will be considered until the position is filled. The starting date will be as soon as possible thereafter. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.2 Postdoctoral Research Fellow in Relativistic Astrophysics at Southampton ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/22/postdoctoral-research-fellow-in-rela... Institution: Southampton, UK Deadline: Fri, Feb 22, 2013 Additional Information: https://www.jobs.soton.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?ref=196813PJ The Southampton Gravity Group is offering a postdoctoral position in general relativistic astrophysics, starting in the spring or autumn of 2013. The post is initially for 2 years, with extension to 3 years possible subject to future funding. The successful candidate will be expected to undertake research within an STFC-funded project aimed at modelling the dynamics of neutron stars in the context of multimessenger astronomy. The emphasis of the project is on the implementation of realistic microphysics in fully relativistic numerical simulations. The University of Southampton (UK) is home to a large research group in gravitational physics. The Group currently comprises 9 staff members (Nils Andersson, Leor Barack, Carsten Gundlach, Ian Hawke, Wynn Ho, Ian Jones, Kostas Skenderis, Marika Taylor and James Vickers), 5 postdocs and 14 research students. Research in the group covers topics in black hole and neutron star physics, gravitational waves and numerical relativity, with additional expertise in string-inspired gravity and holography. In order to be considered for this post, the applicant must have a PhD or equivalent in Physics, Mathematics or a related discipline, and have a track record of original research in at least one of the following research areas: neutron-star astrophysics, gravitational-wave theory and numerical relativity. The closing date for applications is 22 February 2013 at 12.00 noon. Please visit www.jobs.soton.ac.uk to apply online, quoting reference number 196813PJ. A complete application should include (i) a Curriculum Vitae, including a list of publications; (ii) a brief (<1 page) statement of research interests; and (iii) the names and addresses of three referees. For informal inquiries contact Prof. Nils Andersson, na[AT]maths.soton.ac.uk +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.3 Max Planck Partner Group Post-doctoral Positions at IISER-TVM, India ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/22/max-planck-partner-group-post-doctor... Institution: Trivandrum, India Deadline: Fri, Feb 15, 2013 Additional Information: http://www.iisertvm.ac.in/~cosmograv Max Planck Partner Group on Cosmology and Gravity, IISER-Thiruvananthapuram intends to appoint up to two postdoctoral positions in the areas of early-universe cosmology, classical and quantum gravity. A Ph.D. degree and relevant research experience are required for these posts. The positions can start as early as 1st June 2013. Both these posts are funded under the Max Planck Partner. Currently, the group has 4 post-doctorate fellows and 3 Ph.D. students. The fellows have the opportunity to visit and interact with members of Albert Einstein Institute, Golm. Please see the URL http://www.iisertvm.ac.in/~cosmograv about the group and its activities. The position is available for a period of up to two years. Informal enquiries can be made to S. Shankaranarayanan (shanki[AT]iisertvm.ac.in). Salary: INR 2,64,000 – INR 2,88,000 per annum Deadline: 15 February 2013 To apply please send CV, research statement and have at least two letters of reference sent by email to: shanki[AT]iisertvm.ac.in with the subject “Application for MP-PG positions – Candidate name”. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.4 Gravitational Wave Astronomy Research Associate, Cardiff, UK ---------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/16/gravitational-wave-astronomy-researc... Institution: Cardiff, UK Deadline: Fri, Feb 15, 2013 Cardiff Gravitational Physics (http://www.astro.cf.ac.uk/groups/gravity) is seeking applications to fill an STFC-funded research position. You will have the opportunity to take part in the exciting search for gravitational waves in data from the most sensitive interferometers built to date using state-of-the-art computational infrastructures. Group members play leading roles in efforts to search for signals from the coalescence of neutron star and black hole binaries, supernovae and gamma-ray bursts. They model astrophysical sources of gravitational waves using analytic and numerical relativity and develop search algorithms for their detection and interpretation with current and future detectors. The group is also interested in exploiting gravitational wave observation for strong field tests of general relativity, for cosmography and for understanding neutron star interiors. The emphasis of the post will be on developing search algorithms for the advanced detector era and in taking part in analysis of data from the first engineering and science runs of advanced detectors. The position is available initially for a period of two years and is at the Research Associate level of Grade 6, salary 30,122 - 35,938 GBP per annum. The position is available from March 2013, but the precise starting date is negotiable. Informal enquiries can be made to Professor B.S. Sathyaprakash by email at B.Sathyaprakash[AT]astro.cf.ac.uk The post may be closed early subject to suitable applicants. Further particulars and application forms can be obtained from: http://www.cardiff.ac.uk/schoolsanddivisions/divisions/humrs/jobs/academicre... Closing Date: 15 February 2013 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.5 PhD Fellowship in Relativity at Southampton ----------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/13/phd-fellowship-in-relativity-at-sout... Institution: Southampton, UK Deadline: Thu, Feb 28, 2013 Additional Information: http://www.southampton.ac.uk/maths/postgraduate/research_degrees/apply.page Applications are invited for a PhD position within the Gravity group in the School of Mathematics at the university of Southampton, UK. The PhD position is funded by the European Research Council for a standard duration of 3 years, starting in October 2013. The successful candidate will work with Prof. Leor Barack on analytical and numerical approaches to the problem of radiative dynamics of orbits around black holes in General Relativity, with applications to gravitational-wave astronomy. The University of Southampton (UK) is home to a large Gravity research group, comprising 8 staff members (Nils Andersson, Leor Barack, Carsten Gundlach, Ian Hawke, Ian Jones, Kostas Skenderis, Marika Taylor and James Vickers), 7 postdocs and 14 research students. Research in the group covers topics in black-hole and neutron-star astrophysics, sources of gravitational waves and numerical relativity, as well as string-inspired gravity and holography. Students of any nationality are invited to apply. We prefer applications to arrive before February 28, 2013, although later applications will be considered until the position is filled. Applications should be made online, by following the link on http://www.southampton.ac.uk/maths/postgraduate/research_degrees/apply.page In the online application form please select Programme Type "Research", "FullTime" and type in "Mathematics" in the Search window. Then follow the link under "Apply online" and proceed as instructed. Make sure to indicate "Leor Barack" as the requested supervisor. Contact for enquiries: Prof. Leor Barack School of Mathematics University of Southampton United Kingdom email: leor[AT]soton.ac.uk +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.6 Postdoctoral position in Theoretical Cosmology at Bilbao, Spain ------------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/08/postdoctoral-position-in-theoretical... Institution: Bilbao, Spain Applications are invited for a Postdoctoral position in the area of Theoretical Cosmology beginning in September 2013. The position will be held in the Department of Theoretical Physics at the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU), Bilbao, Spain. The successful candidates are required to hold a PhD at the starting date of the position. Our group includes Ana Achucarro, Jose Juan Blanco Pillado, Juan Luis Mañes, Jon Urrestilla, Manuel Valle, Kepa Sousa and several graduate students. The group also benefits from close ties with other faculty members of the department which includes, Igor Bandos, Mariam Bouhmadi-Lopez, Iñigo Egusquiza, Alex Feinstein, Jesus Ibañez, Ruth Lazkoz, Jose Senovilla and Raul Vera. Our research interests focus on inflationary cosmology, topological defects, string theory cosmology and other fields. The appointment will be for two years. Interested candidates should send a CV, statement of research interests and publication list, and arrange for at least three letters of recommendation to be submitted to: early-universe-cosmo[AT]ehu.es Applications will be accepted until the position is filled. Review of completed applications will begin on January 31, 2013. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.7 Faculty position in theoretical gravitational physics at Guelph/PI ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/08/faculty-position-in-theoretical-grav... Institution: Guelph, ON, Canada Deadline: Mon, Apr 01, 2013 Additional Information: http://www.physics.uoguelph.ca/ Joint Faculty Position in Theoretical Gravitational Physics Department of Physics, University of Guelph Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics The Department of Physics at the University of Guelph and Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics invites applications for a joint position at the Assistant or Associate Professor level in theoretical gravitational physics. This is a tenure-track faculty position at Guelph, combined with an Associate Membership at Perimeter Institute. We are looking for candidates who will complement and reinforce our strengths in this research area. All aspects of theoretical gravitational physics will be considered, but preference will be given to the following areas: numerical relativity, relativistic astrophysics, black-hole physics and astrophysics, applications of effective field theories to gravity, gravitational-wave source modeling and data analysis. Rank will be commensurate with qualifications and experience. The successful candidate will be expected to spend time at both institutions, and will benefit from a reduction in teaching load. The Department of Physics counts 15 faculty members and offers strong undergraduate and graduate programs to the Ph.D. level. The graduate and research programs are enhanced by participation in the Guelph-Waterloo Physics Institute (GWPI) and the Biophysics Interdepartmental Group (BIG). Guelph faculty members are users of many off-campus research facilities including the Canadian Light Source and TRIUMF. Experimental and theoretical research areas include astrophysics and gravitation, biophysics and medical physics, condensed matter physics and material nanoscience, physics education, planetary surface exploration, and subatomic physics. More information is available at http://www.physics.uoguelph.ca. Information about Perimeter Institute is available at http://www.perimeterinstitute.ca. The successful candidate will have a Ph.D. in theoretical physics or a closely related field, postdoctoral experience, and will have demonstrated exceptional strength in independent research. The candidate will also have a proven ability or demonstrated potential for teaching. To apply, submit electronic (PDF) versions of a letter of application, curriculum vitae, statement of research interests, publications list, and names and addresses of three professional references to Eric Poisson, Chair Department of Physics, University of Guelph Guelph, Ontario, Canada N1G 2W1 gravity[AT]uoguelph.ca Consideration of applications will begin on 1 April 2013 but applications will be accepted until the position is filled. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada will be given priority. The University of Guelph is committed to an Employment Equity Program that includes special measures to achieve diversity among its faculty and staff. We therefore particularly encourage applications from qualified aboriginal Canadians, persons with disabilities and members of visible minorities and women. The appointment is subject to final budgetary approval. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.8 Postdoctoral Position in High Energy Theory and General Relativity at Beijing Normal University ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/08/postdoctoral-position-at-beijing-nor... Institution: Beijing, China Deadline: Fri, Mar 01, 2013 The Center for Relativity and Gravitation at Beijing Normal University has one post-doctoral position opening from fall 2013 in the general area of theoretical high energy physics, classical general relativity, and black hole thermodynamics. The appointment will be for two years. The salary is about 5,000-6,000 CN Y per month with possible supplement for housing, depending on funding. We will also offer 20,000 CNY research grant each year. The center consists of 6 faculties: 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 research of the group covers the general area of classical and quantum gravity, black holes and the AdS/CFT etc. Interested candidates should send a CV, a publication list and a statement of research proposal and arrange to have two recommendation letters directly to: sijie[AT]bnu.edu.cn The deadline for all application material is March 1st, 2013. ================================================================= 3. News ================================================================= 3.1 Living Reviews in Relativity: "Foundations of Black Hole Accretion Disk Theory" ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/16/living-reviews-in-relativity-foundat... Additional Information: http://www.livingreviews.org/lrr-2013-1 Living Reviews in Relativity has published a new review article on "Foundations of Black Hole Accretion Disk Theory" by Marek A. Abramowicz and P. Chris Fragile on 14 January 2013. Please find the abstract and further details below. ------------------ PUB.NO. lrr-2013-1 Abramowicz, Marek A. and Fragile, P. Chris "Foundations of Black Hole Accretion Disk Theory" ACCEPTED: 2012-11-15 PUBLISHED: 2013-01-14 FULL ARTICLE AT: http://www.livingreviews.org/lrr-2013-1 ABSTRACT: This review covers the main aspects of black hole accretion disk theory. We begin with the view that one of the main goals of the theory is to better understand the nature of black holes themselves. In this light we discuss how accretion disks might reveal some of the unique signatures of strong gravity: the event horizon, the innermost stable circular orbit, and the ergosphere. We then review, from a first-principles perspective, the physical processes at play in accretion disks. This leads us to the four primary accretion disk models that we review: Polish doughnuts (thick disks), Shakura–Sunyaev (thin) disks, slim disks, and advection-dominated accretion flows (ADAFs). After presenting the models we discuss issues of stability, oscillations, and jets. Following our review of the analytic work, we take a parallel approach in reviewing numerical studies of black hole accretion disks. We finish with a few select applications that highlight particular astrophysical applicati ons: measurements of black hole mass and spin, black hole vs. neutron star accretion disks, black hole accretion disk spectral states, and quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs). UPCOMING ARTICLES AT: http://relativity.livingreviews.org/Articles/upcoming.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.2 New: IUPAP General Relativity and Gravitation Young Scientist Prize ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/13/new-iupap-general-relativity-and-gra... Additional Information: http://www.isgrg.org Deadline for nominations: 15 February 2013 As an affiliated commission (AC2) of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP), the International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation (GRG Society) has been granted permission for an annual IUPAP Young Scientist Prize, to be offered first in 2013. The IUPAP Young Scientist Prizes (see http://www.iupap.org/youngscientist/page_50920.html) recognize outstanding achievements of scientists at early stages of their career. Each prize consists of a certificate citing the contributions made by the recipient, a Medal and 1000 euros. The conditions for the prize are: The IUPAP General Relativity and Gravitation Young Scientist Prize can be for work in any area of relativity and gravitation, theoretical or experimental. On 15 February 2013, nominees must have a maximum of eight years of research experience (excluding career interruptions) following the Ph.D. (or equivalent) degree. They are expected to have displayed significant achievement and exceptional promise for future achievements in relativity and gravitation. Nominations may be made by any member of the GRG Society (other than the nominee) and should be accompanied by a CV, a proposed citation of 30-50 words summarizing the reason for the nomination, a list of publications and a description (about one page long) of the specific achievements of the nominee, who need not be a GRG member. The entire package should be bundled into a single PDF file and emailed to the President of the GRG Society (which is also Affiliated Commission 2 of IUPAP) at m.a.h.maccallum[AT]qmul.ac.uk by 15 February 2013. The award will be made at the GR20 conference. It is important that the selection committee has specific information that allows it to determine what the nominee has contributed and how this will impact the subject. Therefore it will be extremely helpful to the selection committee to receive at least two additional letters supporting the nomination that detail the expected significance of the contributions of the nominee. It is also appropriate to submit additional materials such as published articles. Questions may be addressed to Beverly K. Berger, Secretary, International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation (beverlyberger[AT]me.com). +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.3 The Chalonge School Programme 2013 -------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/01/09/the-chalonge-school-programme-2013/ Additional Information: http://chalonge.obspm.fr THE CHALONGE SCHOOL 22 Years of Activity-Calling for Understanding Science with great intellectual endeavour and a Human Face Welcome to the Chalonge School: A Laboratory of Ideas. Research, Training and Scientific Culture. A beacon pioneering and developping research, projects and training. The programme offers unvaluable international current research view at the forefront of astrophysics and cosmology, international contacts at the highest level and a careful interdisciplinarity, with both Theory and Observations. The programme is open to researchers, post-docs and advanced students of the different disciplines in the field, both theorists, experimentalists, observers. Advanced students, post-docs, young researchers are encouradged to participate. The programme includes scientific culture events and exhibitions. The Programme 2013 is available at http://chalonge.obspm.fr/Programme2013.html http://chalonge.obspm.fr The Chalonge School Team Organizers: Norma G. SANCHEZ, Héctor J. DE VEGA, Maria C. FALVELLA, Alba ZANINI, Marina RAMON MEDRANO, Annalisa PERISSA and other colleagues ..... Technical Support: Djilali ZIDANI, François SEVRE, Nicole LETOURNEUR, Jean-Pierre MICHEL, Sylvain CNUDDE, Emmanuel VERGNAUD, Jèrome BERTHIER, and other colleagues.... The Chalonge School Medal: The Chalonge Medal is coined exclusively for the Chalonge School by the Hôtel de la Monnaie de Paris (the French Mint). Only nine Chalonge medals have been awarded in the 21 year school history. Awarded Daniel Chalonge Medals: Subramanyan CHANDRASEKHAR, Nobel prize of physics. Bruno PONTECORVO. George SMOOT, Nobel prize of physics. Carlos FRENK. Anthony LASENBY. Bernard SADOULET. Peter BIERMANN. John MATHER, Nobel prize of physics. Brian SCHMIDT, Nobel prize of Physics. School Courses, Lectures and Lecturers, Album of Pictures : http://chalonge.obspm.fr With compliments and kind regards