########################################## Table of Contents ########################################### 1. Conferences 1.1. Aspects of General Relativity, Harvard 1.2. 16th Canadian Conference on General Relativity and Relativistic Astrophysics, Vancouver, Canada (2nd announcement) 1.3. Estate Quantistica 2016: A conference on classical and quantum gravitation and cosmology, Scalea, Italy 1.4. NRMR16, Oppurg, Germany 1.5. 66th Yearly Meeting of the Austrian Physical Society, Wien, Austria 1.6. 70 & 70 Gravitation Fest, Cartagena, Colombia 1.7. GRavitational-wave Astronomy Meeting in PAris (GRAMPA) 1.8. The 3rd BNU International Summer School on Quantum Gravity, Beijing, China 2. Jobs 2.1. Post-Doctoral Researcher in Nuclear and High Energy Physics at the University of Kansas 2.2. Professor of Physics at University of Portsmouth, UK 2.3. Postdoctoral position in Analogue Gravity at Lancaster University, UK 2.4. Tenure track position in theoretical physics at the University of Trento, Italy 2.5. Lectureships (2) in Mathematical Sciences, Dublin City University 2.6. Postdoctoral Fellow in Mathematical Relativity, Lisbon, Portugal 2.7. Max Planck Prize Postdoctoral Position in Astrophysical Relativity at ITCS, Bangalore, India 3. News 3.1. Remembering Sergio Dain 3.2. 2016 Gravity Research Foundation Awards for Essays results ============================================== 1. Conferences ============================================== 1.1. Aspects of General Relativity, Harvard --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2016/05/08/aspects-of-general-relativity/ Starting: 2016-05-23 to 2016-05-24 Location: Cambridge, MA Additional Information: http://cmsa.fas.harvard.edu/general-relativity-workshop/ Contact: piotr.chrusciel[AT]univie.ac.at The workshop, addressing issues of current interest in general relativity, will take place at the recently opened Center for Mathematical Sciences and Applications at Harvard University. While emphasis will be given on mathematical aspects of general relativity, more general topics will also be discussed. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.2. 16th Canadian Conference on General Relativity and Relativistic Astrophysics, Vancouver, Canada (2nd announcement) --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2016/05/08/16th-canadian-conference-on-ge... Starting: 2016-07-06 to 2016-07-08 Location: Vancouver, Canada Additional Information: http://www.sfu.ca/physics/cosmology/CCGRRA-16/ Contact: ccgrra-16[AT]sfu.ca Dear Colleagues, May 15th is the deadline for early registration for the 16th Canadian Conference on General Relativity and Relativistic Astrophysics (CCGRRA16), 6-8 July 2016, at SFU’s downtown campus in Vancouver, Canada. The registration will remain open until June 30, but the registration fee will be higher after May 15. Please go to register please go to http://www.sfu.ca/physics/cosmology/CCGRRA-16/ A tentative schedule of the invited talks has now been posted on the conference website, as well as the current list of registered participants. As with previous meetings in the series, CCGRRA-16 will bring together Canadian and international relativists for scientific discussion and exchange. The invited talks will cover a broad range of current topics including mathematical and numerical relativity, quantum gravity, relativistic astrophysics, and cosmology. In addition to the plenary lectures, time will be allotted in the afternoons for contributed talks from members of the national and international community. Postdocs and graduate students are especially encouraged to contribute talks and posters. The conference will feature a public talk by Vicky Kaspi on July 6. Make sure to book your hotel room well in advance as July is a popular season for visiting Vancouver. Local information can be found on the conference website: http://www.sfu.ca/physics/cosmology/CCGRRA-16/ We are looking forward to welcoming you to Vancouver in July! Andrei Frolov, Gabor Kunstatter, Levon Pogosian CCGRRA16 Local Organizing Committee +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.3. Estate Quantistica 2016: A conference on classical and quantum gravitation and cosmology, Scalea, Italy --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=11884 Starting: 2016-06-13 to 2016-06-17 Location: Scalea, Italy Additional Information: http://monge.u-bourgogne.fr/gdito/EQ2016/ Contact: giuseppe.dito[AT]u-bourgogne.fr A conference on classical and quantum gravitation and cosmology Mini-courses Michael Bordag - Leipzig Salvatore Capozziello - Napoli Claus Kiefer - Koeln Nicola Napolitano - INAF, Napoli Talks Manuel Asorey - Zaragoza Valdir Bezerra - UFPB Marco Cariglia - UFOP Alberto Cattaneo - Zürich Carola Dobrigkeit Chinellato - Unicamp Julio C. Fabris - UFES Gilberto Kremer - UFPR Peter P. Lavrov - Tomsk Eugênio Bezerra de Mello - UFPB Oliver Piattella - UFES Nelson Pinto-Neto - CBPF Rudnei Ramos - UERJ Ilya Shapiro - UFJF Winfried Zimdahl - UFES +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.4. NRMR16, Oppurg, Germany --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2016/05/19/nrmr16/ Starting: 2016-09-08 to 2016-09-10 Location: Oppurg, Germany Additional Information: https://www.tpi.uni-jena.de/tiki-index.php?page=NRMR16 Contact: david.hilditch[AT]uni-jena.de Workshop on Numerical and Mathematical Relativity, Oppurg, 8-10 September 2016. The aim of the workshop is to give numerical relativists the opportunity to learn about results in mathematical relativity beyond the level that they would typically be discussed by the numerical relativity community, to inform the mathematical community about the current state of the art in numerical simulations and finally to identify problems of common interest. Particular focus points will be: Global results for numerical relativists, The numerical treatment of null-infinity, Critical collapse, State-of-the-art numerical methods. The meeting is being organized by the Relativity group at FSU Jena. We hope to see you in Oppurg in September! +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.5. 66th Yearly Meeting of the Austrian Physical Society, Wien, Austria --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2016/05/20/66-yearly-meeting-of-the-austr... Starting: 2016-09-27 to 2016-09-29 Location: Wien, Austria Additional Information: https://oepg2016.univie.ac.at/program-deadlines/ Contact: piotr.chrusciel[AT]univie.ac.at This is the 66th meeting of the Austrian Physical Society (AuPS). As compared to previous meetings, the scope has been extended to include theoretical and mathematical physics, which of course includes gravitation. There will be plenary talks in the mornings and parallel sessions in the afternoon organized by the various sections of the AuPS. There will be poster sessions on the first and second day of the conference in the late afternoons. The plenary program will include a lecture by Sacha Husa on gravitational waves. A typical example of the program of previous meetings can be found on the webpage of last year's meeting, http://www.oepg2015.at/program/conference-program +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.6. 70 & 70 Gravitation Fest, Cartagena, Colombia --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=11900 Starting: 2016-09-28 to 2016-09-30 Location: Cartagena, Colombia Additional Information: https://eventos.redclara.net/indico/event/637 Contact: emontoya[AT]uis.edu.co On the occasion of Rodolfo Gambini's and Luis Herrera’s 70th birthday. We are organizing the "70 & 70 Gravitation Fest", a conference to take place in Cartagena, Colombia on September 28-30, 2016. Rodolfo and Luis have done an important contribution to the physics in Latin America, their works in classical and quantum theory of general relativity have been fundamental in the context of Latin America. Rodolfo did (with A. Trias) the first loop representation of the Yang-Mills theory, he has been working in Loop Quantum Gravity and foundations of the quantum theory, having developed the Montevideo Interpretation of Quantum Mechanics. Luis has contributed to almost every area in the general relativity and is actively working in relativistic astrophysics. This event will cover many topics that have accompanied Rodolfo's and Luis's careers in Classical and Quantum Gravity, including relativistic astrophysics, general relativity, loop quantum gravity and loop quantum cosmology. The conference will be held in Cartagena, a modern port city on Colombia’s Caribbean coast. At its core is the walled Old Town, with 16th-century plazas, cobblestone streets and colorful colonial buildings. With a tropical climate, the city is a popular beach destination. Invited Plenary Speakers include: Ivan Agullo (Louisiana State University, USA) Miguel Alcubierre (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico) Roberto Aquilano (Universidad de Rosario Argentina) Willians Barreto (Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil y Universidad de Los Andes Merida, Venezuela) Miguel Campiglia (Universidad de la Republica, Uruguay) Jaume Carot (Universitat de les Illes Balears, Spain) Alejandro Corichi (Universidad Nacional Autónoma de Mexico, Mexico) Mario Cosenza (Universidad de Los Andes, Venezuela) Alicia Di Prisco (Univerisidad Central de Venezuela, Venezuela) Justo Ospino (Universidad de Salamanca, Spain) Jorge Pullin (Louisiana State University, USA) Hernando Quevedo (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico) Alvaro Restuccia (Universidad de Antofagasta, Chile) Oscar Reula (Universidad de Cordoba, Argentina) Jorge A. Rueda (Universita di Roma e International Center for Relativistic Astrophysics, Italy) Roberto Sussman (Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico, Mexico) Information regarding registration, abstract submission, accommodation and travel can be found at the web page of the conference https://eventos.redclara.net/indico/event/637 The conference will be held in Spanish. This event is supported by the Universidad Industrial de Santander and the Universidad Tecnologica de Bolivar. With our best regards, The Organizing Committee +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.7. GRavitational-wave Astronomy Meeting in PAris (GRAMPA) --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=11904 Starting: 2016-08-29 to 2016-09-02 Location: Paris, France Additional Information: http://www.iap.fr/vie_scientifique/ateliers/GravitationalWave/2016/index.htm... Contact: barausse[AT]iap.fr GRavitational-wave Astronomy Meeting in PAris (GRAMPA) Second announcement, revised abstract submission/registration deadline The GRavitational-wave Astronomy Meeting in PAris (GRAMPA) will be held at the Institut d'astrophysique de Paris, from August 29th through September 2nd, 2016, and will focus on the physics and astrophysics of gravitational-wave sources for existing and future terrestrial interferometers, pulsar timing arrays, as well as future space-borne missions. It will also explore the synergies of these experiments among themselves and with traditional electromagnetic astrophysics. There is no conference fee, and students/postdocs are encouraged to participate and submit abstracts for contributed talks/posters. Registration and abstract submission is open till July 15, 2016 The list of invited speakers includes: P. Amaro-Seoane (AEI, Golm) N. Andersson (Southampton) S. Babak (AEI, Golm) L. Barack (Southampton) M. Colpi (Milan) S. De Mink (Amsterdam) M. Kramer (MPIfR, Bonn) L. Lentati (Cambridge) S. Nissanke (Nijmegen) D. Psaltis (Arizona) V. Ravi (Caltech) L. Rezzolla (Frankfurt) A. Vecchio (Birmingham) M. Volonteri (Paris) W. Weber (Trento, LPF) C. Will (Florida) Organizing committee: E. Barausse, L. Blanchet, G. Faye, A. Sesana +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.8. The 3rd BNU International Summer School on Quantum Gravity, Beijing, China --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=11933 Starting: 2016-08-15 to 2016-08-20 Location: Beijing, China Additional Information: http://123.206.13.226//summerschool/en/ Contact: qgschool[AT]bnu.edu.cn The 3rd BNU International Summer School on Quantum Gravity will be held at Beijing Normal University (BNU) from 15 to 20 August in 2016. The series of BNU International Summer School is intended to provide a pedagogical introduction for graduate students and young post-docs to certain fundamental topics of quantum gravity. This year’s topics include: Loop quantum gravity, Loop quantum cosmology, Spin foams, Group field theory, Kaluza-Klein theory. Lecturers: Norbert Bodendorfer (Univ of Warsaw, Poland) Sylvain Carrozza (Univ of Bordeaux, France) Muxin Han (Florida Atlantic Univ, USA) Jerzy Lewandowski (Univ of Warsaw, Poland) Chris Pope (Texas & Univ, USA) Edward Wilson-Ewing (Max-Planck Inst for Gravitational Physics, Germany) The working language is English. But participation is limited. Students and young post-docs who are interested to attend the school are invited to look up the registration information and register at the website of the school: http://123.206.13.226//summerschool/en/ The online registration will be open from 3 to 20 of June, 2016. Organization Committee: GAO Sijie (BNU) LU Hong (BNU) LIU Wenbiao (BNU) MA Yongge (Chair, BNU) ZHANG Hongbao (BNU) ZHOU Bin (BNU) Secretaries: HUANGYU Aotian (BNU) LONG Gaoping (BNU) SONG Shupeng (BNU) WANG Xiaobao (BNU) ZHANG Cong (BNU) Contact: qgschool[AT]bnu.edu.cn Yongge Ma On behalf of the Organization Committee Dept of Physics Beijing Normal University Beijing 100875, CHINA Tel: +86-10-58809499 Fax: +86-10-62209742 Webpage: http://physics.bnu.edu.cn/application/research/gravity/LQG/eng/research.html +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ============================================== 2. Jobs ============================================== 2.1. Post-Doctoral Researcher in Nuclear and High Energy Physics at the University of Kansas ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=11870 Deadline: 2016-07-31 Location: Lawrence, KS, USA Additional Information: https://employment.ku.edu/staff/6157BR Contact: c742r922[AT]ku.edu Position Overview: The Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Kansas seeks to fill a post-doctoral researcher position in nuclear and high energy physics. Starting Date: October 1st, 2016, or as soon thereafter as the position can be filled (also negotiable). Length of Appointment: Initial appointment is for one year with the possibility of renewal annually for three subsequent years subject to review. General Responsibilities: Research in nuclear and High Energy Physics. The successful candidate will contribute in several aspects of the high energy physics group's research program including phenomenology, data analysis and event simulation, and publication of research results. Job Duties: Conduct research in experimental high energy and nuclear physics and in phenomenology in collaboration with members of the University of Kansas high energy and nuclear physics group and collaboration members world-wide. This entails participation in relevant facets of the overall research endeavor encompassing the life-cycle of high energy and nuclear physics, ranging from phenomenology related to BSM physics (and especially to the possible diphoton excess observed by the CMS and ATLAS experiments) and to QCD studies (diffraction and small x physics including saturation pheomena), physics event simulation, data analysis, publication preparation, proposal preparation, editorial work, presentation of results, outreach and career development. More specifically, the research will deal with the phenomenology studies at the LHC in the BSM and QCD domains and their possible observations in the CMS/TOTEM experiments. Specific job duties: 60% Phenomenogy studies 30% Participation in the analysis of recent CMS-TOTEM data at 13 TeV 10% Assist the faculty in guiding the group's graduate and undergraduate students. Qualifications: Evaluation of the required qualification and preferred qualification will be made through (1) records of accomplishments entered in CV, (2) description of research and education experience provided in the application materials, (3) references, and (4) publications as appropriate. Required Qualifications for Postdoctoral Researcher: 1. A Ph.D. in physics by date of appointment. 2. Experience in theoretical physics, phenomenogy or experimental high energy physics or related experimental field. At least one publication in phenomenology/theory/experiment will be required and a 3-year experience will be very much appreciated. NOTE: To be appointed at the Postdoctoral Researcher title, it is necessary to have the PhD in hand. Appointments made without a diploma or certified transcript indicating an earned doctorate are conditional hires and are appointed on an interim basis not to exceed 6 months. Preferred Qualifications for Postdoctoral Researcher: 1. Experience in theory and phenomenology: a publication in this domain will be greatly approeciated 2. Experience in software: experience on MC or C++ code will be highly considered 3. Experience and ability in particle physics data analysis or phenomenological prediction 4. Good communication skills. A complete online application include a Cover Letter, Curriculum Vitae (including publications list), Statement of Research Interests and Skills and at least three letters of recommendation – letters should be emailed to Prof. Christophe Royon (c742r922[AT]ku.edu) or mailed to Department of Physics & Astronomy, 1251 Wescoe Hall Drive, Room 1082, Malott Hall, Lawrence, KS 66045 USA. Initial review of applications will begin July 31, 2016. For first consideration, please apply before July 31, 2016. The University of Kansas prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, ethnicity, religion, sex, national origin, age, ancestry, disability status as a veteran, sexual orientation, marital status, parental status, gender identity, gender expression, and genetic information in the university’s programs and activities. Retaliation is also prohibited by university policy. The following persons have been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies and are the Title IX coordinators for their respective campuses: Executive Director of the Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access, IOA[AT]ku.edu , 1246 West Campus Road, Room 153A, Lawrence, KS 66045, 785-864-6414, 711 TTY +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.2. Professor of Physics at University of Portsmouth, UK ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2016/05/12/professor-of-physics-at-univer... Deadline: 2016-07-15 Location: Portsmouth, UK Additional Information: http://www.icg.port.ac.uk/2016/05/professor-of-physics-x2/ Contact: david.wands[AT]port.ac.uk We announce a unique opportunity to recruit one, or more, new Professors of Physics to create a new research group in the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation (ICG). We seek established leaders to start a new initiative in areas such as experimental particle physics, space instrumentation, exoplanets, gravitational waves, or other research areas that are complementary to the existing research of the ICG. There is the possibility of making multiple hires in support of this initiative. The ICG is a world-leading research institute in cosmology and astrophysics. In REF2014 96% of our research outputs were judged internationally excellent or world leading. We are now looking to expand into new areas, supported by external research funding and recently-opened undergraduate courses in Physics. We encourage applications from scientists with a strong background of - high impact publications, - grant funding, - project management, - innovation and impact, - building and mentoring research teams. Applications are particularly encouraged from traditionally under-represented groups in science. The ICG and the University of Portsmouth hold Athena SWAN bronze awards and we are 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. The ICG consists of 12 academic staff, 19 postdoctoral researchers and over 20 PhD students, and has an active international visitors programme. ICG has major involvement in - Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS-IV), - Dark Energy Survey (DES), - Large Synpotic Survey Telescope (LSST), - Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), - ESA’s Euclid satellite mission, - Square Kilometre Array (SKA). The University of Portsmouth is a member of the South-East Physics Network (SEPnet) and hosts the 3704-core SCIAMA supercomputer. You may wish to contact the ICG co-Directors, Profs Bob Nichol (bob.nichol[AT]port.ac.uk) and David Wands (david.wands[AT]port.ac.uk) to discuss this exciting opportunity and your application. More information can be found at http://www.icg.port.ac.uk/ Your application (application form, CV) should be submitted via the online application system by the closing date. Your application will be processed and conducted in compliance with UK legislation relevant at that time. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.3. Postdoctoral position in Analogue Gravity at Lancaster University, UK ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2016/05/15/postdoctoral-position-in-analo... Deadline: 2016-07-03 Location: Lancaster, UK Additional Information: https://hr-jobs.lancs.ac.uk/Vacancy.aspx?ref=A1527 Contact: d.burton[AT]lancaster.ac.uk Applications are invited for a 2-year postdoctoral research position in the Mathematical Physics Group within the Physics Department at Lancaster University, UK. The theme of the post is analogue Hawking radiation in laser-plasmas and the work will be undertaken as part of a wider investigation of novel opportunities offered within the laser wakefield accelerator paradigm at the highest field intensities. The successful candidate will join a UK consortium composed of experimentalists and theorists at the universities of Lancaster, Strathclyde, St Andrews and Glasgow. Informal enquiries can be made by emailing Dr David Burton. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.4. Tenure track position in theoretical physics at the University of Trento, Italy ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2016/05/20/tenure-track-position-in-theor... Deadline: 2016-06-16 Location: Trento, Italy Additional Information: http://www.unitn.it/ateneo/bando-dr-valcomp/40914/valutazione-comparativa-a-... Contact: recruitment[AT]unitn.it The University of Trento has opened a tenure-track position in the field of theoretical physics. Candidates working in relativistic quantum field theory and gravitational theory are particularly encouraged to apply. The position is for 3 years at the end of which the candidate will be evaluated and, if the evaluation will be positive, will be promoted to tenured associate professor. In order to apply candidates need to hold a PhD in Physics (or related area) and have been a postdoc for at least three years. Candidates that worked at least one year outside Italy are strongly encouraged to apply. Knowledge of the Italian language is not required. In order to apply, candidates need to provide the following documents: 1) full curriculum vitae (in English) including full list of publications 2) up to 12 publications in pdf format (candidates are suggested to submit their best 12 refereed publications) 3) a list of three persons that will provide reference letters All the documents have to be submitted online by June 16 2016 via the form available at https://lavorare.unitn.it/rwe2/module_preview.jsp?MODULE_TAG=Valutazione_289... The reference letters should be sent via email to recruitment [AT] unitn.it by the deadline. More details about the application, including the full list of documents, and the selection procedure can be found in the job announcement (both in Italian and English) at http://www.unitn.it/ateneo/bando-dr-valcomp/40914/valutazione-comparativa-a-... In case of questions about the online form, candidates may contact recruitment [AT] unitn.it. More general questions about this position can be sent to Bruno Giacomazzo (bruno.giacomazzo [AT] unitn.it) or Sergio Zerbini (sergio.zerbini [AT] unitn.it). The University of Trento is regularly ranked among the top universities in Italy (first according to the latest national ranking) and it is on the list of the top 200 universities in the world. It has an international population of students and all master courses in the Physics department are taught in English. More information about the Physics department can be found at http://www.physics.unitn.it/en Trento is located in the autonomous region of Trentino, near the Dolomites, and it is very well connected nationally and internationally (the international airport of Verona is 1 hour away by train, while Rome and Munich can both be reached by train in 4 hours). The city of Trento is regularly ranked among the 5 best cities to live in Italy. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.5. Lectureships (2) in Mathematical Sciences, Dublin City University ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=11911 Deadline: 2016-06-10 Location: Dublin, Ireland Additional Information: http://www.dcu.ie/sites/default/files/hr/Lecturer%20MATHS%20%20May%202016.pd... Contact: brien.nolan[AT]dcu.ie Two permanent posts are available in the School of Mathematical Sciences, Dublin City University, in the broad areas of Applied Mathematics and Statistics. The School includes members working in General Relativity and in Theoretical and Computational Astrophysics; applications would be welcome from colleagues working in those domains. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.6. Postdoctoral Fellow in Mathematical Relativity, Lisbon, Portugal ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=11915 Deadline: 2016-06-30 Location: Lisbon, Portugal Additional Information: https://camgsd.tecnico.ulisboa.pt/ Contact: jlca[AT]iscte.pt Postdoctoral Fellow in Mathematical Relativity: A postdoctoral fellowship is available at the Mathematical Relativity Group in the Center for Mathematical Analysis, Geometry and Dynamical Systems (CAMGSD) at IST-ULisboa, Lisbon, Portugal. The position will be funded by the PTDC/MAT-ANA/1275/2014 (GPSEinstein) grant, awarded by the Portuguese Science Foundation, for a period of 12 months, renewable up to a total of 24 months. The Fellowship is within the area of the GPSEinstein grant, namely: global properties of solutions of the Einstein equations, hyperbolic partial differential equations, cosmic censorship and the formation of singularities in general relativity. Starting date: Between October 1, 2016 and January 1, 2017. Conditions of award: - Applicants must have obtained a PhD degree in mathematics or related area and a relevant research record in the areas of the GPSEinstein grant. - Preference will be given to candidates with PhD degrees awarded in the last 6 years. Application: Interested candidates should send the following documents by email to jlca[AT]iscte.pt, before June 30, 2016: - Curriculum Vitae. - Copy of the PhD certificate. - Research proposal. - 1 or 2 letters of recommendation. - Application form: http://ist-id.pt/files/sites/43/id_b1_v1-1_candidatura_bolsa-_inv.doc The Mathematical Relativity Group in CAMGSD: At present, our group is composed of 4 faculty members (Joao L Costa, Pedro Girao, Jose' Natario and Jorge D. Silva), 3 postdoctoral fellows (Artur Alho, Luis F. Costa and Anne Franzen) and 1 PhD student (Pedro Oliveira). +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.7. Max Planck Prize Postdoctoral Position in Astrophysical Relativity at ITCS, Bangalore, India ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=11922 Deadline: 2016-06-15 Location: Bangalore, India Additional Information: https://forms.icts.res.in/postdoc_app Contact: ajith[AT]icts.res.in Applications are invited for a Max Planck Prize Postdoctoral Position in Astrophysical Relativity at the International Centre for Theoretical Sciences (ICTS) of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), located in Bangalore, India. This position is supported by the Max Planck Partner Group in Astrophysical Relativity at ICTS, which operates in collaboration with the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics. The fellowship is offered broadly in the area of gravitational wave physics and astronomy, including analytical and numerical relativity, and theoretical astrophysics. All applicants will be automatically considered for the regular ICTS postdoc positions also. ELIGIBILITY: Applications are invited from highly motivated young scientists with proven track record. Candidates are expected to have a PhD in Physics, Astrophysics or Astronomy with excellent track record. Although PhDs in gravitational-wave physics, relativistic astrophysics, numerical relativity, etc., are preferred, candidates with strong analytical and computational skills, trained in other areas are also encouraged to apply. SALARY AND BENEFITS: The initial appointment will be for two years, with possibility of extension up to a third year, based on the scientific activity of the Fellow. The position carries a monthly salary of Rs. 60,000 and housing allowance of Rs. 15,000. Fellows can also opt for free Institute accommodation in lieu of the housing allowance. Fellows receive health insurance and a research grant of Rs. 200,000 per year. Fellows will also have the opportunity to apply for additional travel and research grants offered by the ICTS as well as the national funding agencies. ABOUT ICTS: ICTS is a new initiative in Indian science, with a mandate to contribute to research excellence by providing a platform and resources to organize various programs in theoretical sciences at the forefront of knowledge. Apart from hosting a large number of visitor-driven academic programs, ICTS boasts a world-class in-house research program. The current in-house research focusses on astrophysical relativity, numerical linear algebra, computational sciences, data assimilation, dynamical systems, nonlinear dynamics, fluid mechanics, mathematical physics and geometry, physical biology, statistical mechanics and turbulence, condensed matter physics, and string theory. ICTS runs strong visitors and associates programs, a highly competitive graduate school as well as a strong postdoctoral program. Providing a vibrant academic environment, the ICTS’s state-of-the-art residential campus is located in Bangalore, the garden city of India, that boasts a pleasant and moderate climate. ICTS maintains close ties with the world-class scholastic ambience of the city ASTROPHYSICAL RELATIVITY AT ICTS: The Astrophysical Relativity group includes Parameswaran Ajith (faculty), Bala Iyer (Simons visiting professor), Archisman Ghosh, Chandra Kant Mishra, Nathan K Johnson-McDaniel, Arunava Mukherjee, Sumit Kumar (postdocs), Abhirup Ghosh, Ajit Kumar Mehta (graduate students) and several visiting undergrad students. K. G. Arun, Sascha Husa, Mark Hannam, Badri Krishnan and Tarun Souradeep are visiting associates. The group’s research interest include gravitational-wave source modeling, data analysis including parameter estimation, tests of general relativity using gravitational-wave observations and astrophysics. The group is an active member group in the LIGO Scientific Collaboration and the IndIGO consortium. The group hosts a 1000 core LIGO Tier-3 grid computing cluster and has access to other high-performance facilities at ICTS. HOW TO APPLY: Interested candidates can apply online with their CV, list of publications, a research proposal (not more than two pages) and a covering letter (PDF). The applicants also need to arrange at least three recommendation letters sent directly to the ICTS. The nominal deadline is June 15, 2016; but applications will be considered until the positions are filled. The nominal starting date of October 1, 2016 is negotiable. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ============================================== 3. News ============================================== 3.1. Remembering Sergio Dain ------------------------------------------------------------ Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2016/05/02/remembering-sergio-dain/ Additional Information: http://springer.com/10714 By GRG's Editors in Chief: It is with profound sadness that we report on the sudden passing away of Professor Sergio Dain, an Associate Editor of the journal General Relativity and Gravitation. He succumbed to cancer on February 24th, 2016. Although only 46, he had already been an internationally recognized relativist for quite some time. Sergio received his Ph.D. from the Universidad Nacional de Cordoba, Argentina in 1999 for his numerous contributions to asymptotically flat space-times and gravitational radiation. Part of his thesis work was carried out at the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute - AEI) in Golm, Germany, under the auspices of a Fellowship of the German Academic Exchange Service. In 2000 he returned to AEI as a post-doctoral research scientist in the Mathematical General Relativity group and remained there till 2007. During this period he made a transition to geometric analysis, specializing in elliptic aspects of Einstein's equations. His very first paper in the area, published as a single author Physical Review Letter, provided a family of initial data representing two spinning black holes. This was followed by a series of papers on conserved quantities in black hole collisions, the close limit approximation, and initial data sets tailored to isolated horizon boundary conditions. He then turned his attention to angular momentum, writing a series of seminal papers establishing inequalities between angular momentum and mass in general relativity. Many of these papers were written after he returned to Cordoba as a faculty member and an independent researcher with CONICET. These influential contributions were recognized by the International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation through an invitation to give a plenary lecture on the subject during the GR20 and Amaldi10 conference, held at Warsaw in 2013, and by the Fields Institute at Toronto, where he gave two invited lectures on the subject in 2015. He was fully engaged in first rate research until the very end. Indeed, his last paper, establishing sharp bounds on the minimum radius of a charged spherical body in general relativity, appeared in Physical Review D on February 23rd, 2016! It not only contains a hard theorem, but also some numerical simulations and a nice discussion of physical implications - a testimony of Sergio's intellectual breadth. Sergio was very engaged in the promotion of Science in Argentina at different levels. In particular, he led the Max Planck partner group at the Universidad Nacional de Cordoba from 2007 to 2012, where he also organized a series of international conferences. Ten students received their graduate degrees under his supervision and he also mentored 4 post-doctoral researchers. Since January 2014, he served on the Editorial Board of General Relativity and Gravitation. He made important contributions to the journal, remaining active on the Board till the very end. The Board fondly remembers him for his spontaneous sense of humor, his uplifting spirit and his passion for general relativity. The Board and Springer deeply regret that the journal will no longer receive his energetic contributions. We extend our sympathies to his family and many friends. Abhay Ashtekar Roy Maartens (Editors in Chief) ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.2. 2016 Gravity Research Foundation Awards for Essays results ------------------------------------------------------------ Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2016/05/13/2016-gravity-research-foundati... Additional Information: http://www.gravityresearchfoundation.org The trustees are pleased to announce the Awards for Essays for 2016. 1. $4,000 - A Frame-Dependent Gravitational Effective Action Mimics a Cosmological Constant, but Modifies the Black Hole Horizon by Stephen L. Adler, Institute for Advanced Study, Einstein Drive, Princeton, NJ 08540; e-mail: adler[AT]ias.edu 2. $1,250 - New Insights into Quantum Gravity from Gauge/Gravity Duality by Netta Engelhardt and Gary T. Horowitz, Department of Physics, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA 93106; e-mail: engeln[AT]physics.ucsb.edu, gary[AT]physics.ucsb.edu 3. $1,000 - Spontaneous Dimensional Reduction in Quantum Gravity by S. Carlip, Department of Physics, University of California, Davis, CA 95616; e-mail: carlip[AT]physics.ucdavis.edu 4.$750 - Quadratic Gravity: from Weak to Strong by Bob Holdom and Jing Ren, Department of Physics, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada M5S1A7; e-mail: bob.holdom[AT]utoronto.ca, jren[AT]physics.utoronto.ca 5. $500 - Axion Experiments to Algebraic Geometry - Testing Quantum Gravity via the Weak Gravity Conjecture by Ben Heidenreich, Matthew Reece, and Tom Rudelius, Department of Physics, Harvard University, Jefferson Laboratory, 17 Oxford St., Cambridge, MA, 02138; e-mail: bjheiden[AT]physics.harvard.edu, mreece[AT]physics.harvard.edu, rudelius[AT]physics.harvard.edu Selected for Honorable Mention this year were (listed in alphabetical order): Ahmed Farag Ali and Saurya Das; Shreya Banerjee, Sayantani Bera, and Tejinder P. Singh; David Berenstein and Alexandra Miller; Evan Berkowitz, Masanori Hanada, and Jonathan Maltz; Matthias Blau and Martin O'Loughlin; Martin Bojowald; Yuri Bonder; Sumanta Chakraborty and Kinjalk Lochan; Lay Nam Chang, Djordje Minic, Chen Sun, and Tatsu Takeuchi; Alessandro Codello and Rajeev Kumar Jain; Geoffrey Compere; F. I. Cooperstock; Roberto Emparan and Marina Martinez; Willy Fischler and Sandipan Kundu; Steven B. Giddings; Eduardo Guendelman, Emil Nissimov, and Svetlana Pacheva; Hal M. Haggard and Carlo Rovelli; Shahar Hod; A. Landry and M. B. Paranjape; Philip D. Mannheim; Samir D. Mathur; T. Padmanabhan and Hamsa Padmanabhan; Don N. Page; Susha L. Parameswaran and Ivonne Zavala; Tsvi Piran; M. M. Sheikh-Jabbari; Douglas Singleton and Steve Wilburn; W. M. Stuckey, Timothy McDevitt, and Michael Silberstein; Tanmay Vachaspati. This announcement and abstracts of award-winning and honorable mention essays will be posted when ready on our web site, http://www.gravityresearchfoundation.org. The five award-winning essays will be published in a special issue of the International Journal of Modern Physics D (IJMPD). They will also be posted at a later date on our web site. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++