########################################## Table of Contents ########################################### 1. Conferences 1.1. The migration issue: from protoplanets to supermassive black holes, Cambridge UK 1.2. XIIIth School of Cosmology: The CMB from A to Z — promises and challenges of the CMB as a cosmological probe, Cargese, France 1.3. eXtreme Matter meets eXtreme Gravity Workshop, Bozeman, Montana, USA 1.4. XVI BSCG - Brazilian School of Cosmology and Gravitation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 1.5. IUCSS Workshop on Finsler Geometry and Lorentz Violation 1.6. IV Cosmology and the Quantum Vacuum, Segovia, Spain 1.7. Workshop "Neutron stars and their environments", Caen, France 1.8. Inhomogeneous Cosmologies (2nd announcement), Torun, Poland 1.9. 3rd Karl Schwarzschild Meeting - Gravity and the Gauge/Gravity Correspondence, Frankfurt, Germany 1.10. Geometric Foundations of Gravity in Tartu, Estonia 1.11. 15th Italian-Korean Symposium on Relativistic Astrophysics, Seoul, Korea 1.12. Fifth Galileo-Xu Guangqi Meeting, Chengdu, China 1.13. ICRANet-Minsk workshop on high energy astrophysics, Minsk, Belarus 2. Jobs 2.1. Lectureship in Cosmology or Observational Cosmology at Queen Mary University of London, UK 2.2. Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Cosmology at Queen Mary University of London, UK 2.3. Postdoc position in numerical relativity at the University of Trento, Italy 2.4. Teaching Specialist in Dept. of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Kansas 2.5. Montalcini fellowships for tenure-track positions in Italy 2.6. Assistant professor position in general relativity and quantum gravity at the University of New Brunswick, Canada 2.7. Professor/Reader in Gravitational Wave Science at Portsmouth, UK 2.8. Assistant Lecturer in Gravitational Wave Astrophysics at Monash University, Australia 3. News 3.1. GRTensorIII 2.0: Hypersurfaces and Junctions 3.2. In memory of C V Vishveshwara (Vishu): the black hole man of India 3.3. Living Reviews in Relativity: new major updates published ============================================== 1. Conferences ============================================== 1.1. The migration issue: from protoplanets to supermassive black holes, Cambridge UK --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2017/02/03/the-migration-issue-from-proto... Starting: 2017-05-22 to 2017-02-24 Location: Cambridge UK Additional Information: http://www.ast.cam.ac.uk/meetings/2017/migration.issue.protoplanets.supermas... Contact: migration[AT]ast.cam.ac.uk First announcement: Kavli workshop. The migration issue: from protoplanets to supermassive black holes May 22-24, Cambridge U.K. This workshop is motivated by the broad similarities surrounding the theory of disc mediated migration on scales ranging from protoplanetary discs to galactic nuclei. Migration theory thus underpins our understanding of some of the most topical problems in contemporary astrophysics, i.e. the establishment of planetary system `architecture' and the processes driving the merging of black holes. We invite participants from both the protoplanetary disc and gravitational wave communities to attend this three day meeting which will address theory and numerical simulations of migration as well as its broader implications. We will also discuss new opportunities in both fields for observational calibration of the migration process (e.g. by observations using ALMA,SPHERE, GPI, LIGO, LISA, PTA....). Abstracts for talks/posters should be submitted by 5 March 2017 via the on-line forms available on the conference website. The number of participants is limited; we will inform applicants of the outcome of the selection process by mid March which will also mark the opening of on-line registration. We particularly encourage applications from junior researchers and can offer financial support to those with limited funds. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.2. XIIIth School of Cosmology: The CMB from A to Z — promises and challenges of the CMB as a cosmological probe, Cargese, France --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2017/02/06/xiiith-school-of-cosmology-the... Starting: 2017-11-12 to 2017-11-18 Location: Cargese, France Additional Information: http://www.cpt.univ-mrs.fr/~cosmo/EC2017/EcoleLuminy17_a.html Contact: triay[AT]cpt.univ-mrs.fr MAJOR TOPICS of the School: The CMB landscape: past, present and future. * Understanding of measurement (detection technology, eg bolometers, implementation - cryogenics - overall design to mitigate systematic effects - in imaging - in spectroscopy - acquisition / redundancy strategy) and the basis of data processing to obtain maps and spectra. * Understanding of the sky (foreground contributions (synchrotron, free, AME, galaxy dust, clusters SZ, CIB, ...) and mathematical methods of analysis (including difficulties in estimating errors for nonparametric models). * Theoretical situation, understanding of observational signatures, and their practical use (likelihood, MC sampling, etc.) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.3. eXtreme Matter meets eXtreme Gravity Workshop, Bozeman, Montana, USA --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2017/02/13/extreme-matter-meets-extreme-g... Starting: 2017-08-17 to 2017-08-19 Location: Bozeman, Montana, USA Additional Information: http://www.montana.edu/xgi/ Contact: ncornish[AT]montana.edu XGI Workshop First Announcement: "eXtreme Matter meets eXtreme Gravity" August 17-19, Bozeman Montana The eXtreme Gravity Institute at Montana State University will hold a workshop to discuss methods for constraining the properties of Neutron Stars and the dense-matter equation of state. Like previous XGI workshops, the format will emphasize discussion and exchange of ideas over formal presentations. Each session will be organized around a science question, with a moderator and two discussion leaders. Topics to be covered include gravitational-wave observations of Neutron Star - Neutron Star and Neutron Star - Black Hole binaries, X-ray observations by the NICER mission (set to launch very soon), theoretical calculations of the dense-matter equation of state, and numerical simulations of NS-NS and NS-BH mergers. The meeting is being held immediately prior to the HEAD meeting in Sun Valley, and participants may choose to drive between the meetings, or simply head a little south of Bozeman to view the total eclipse on the 21st of August. Bozeman is a beautiful mountain town a one-hour drive from the North entrance of Yellowstone National Park. The surrounding area offers great opportunities for hiking, fishing, white water rafting, and mountain biking. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.4. XVI BSCG - Brazilian School of Cosmology and Gravitation, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2017/02/14/xvi-bscg-brazilian-school-of-c... Starting: 2017-07-10 to 2017-07-21 Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Additional Information: http://www.ceacbrasil.com/bscg/ Contact: novello[AT]cbpf.br The BSCG was created in 1978 by the efforts of CBPF’s Cosmology and Gravitation Group for the development and enhancement of physicists, and specialized training at doctorate and post-doctorate levels of young researchers, particularly Brazilian and Latin American. In the early BSCG sessions, nearly all students were young and came from Brazilian universities and research centers. Foreign researchers were mostly from Argentina, Colombia, United States, France, Italy, Peru and Russia, and they comprised one third of all participants. The courses, seminars and debate sessions constitute a forum for studies and analysis on the main issues in Cosmology and related areas. Along the years, the BSCG has promoted integration among scientists and encouraged them to review and publicize the work done in major international research centers. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.5. IUCSS Workshop on Finsler Geometry and Lorentz Violation --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2017/02/20/iucss-workshop-on-finsler-geom... Starting: 2017-05-12 to 2017-05-13 Location: Bloomington, Indiana, USA Additional Information: http://www.indiana.edu/~lorentz/lvf17/ Contact: kostelec[AT]indiana.edu IUCSS Workshop on Finsler Geometry and Lorentz Violation An IUCSS Workshop on Finsler Geometry and Lorentz Violation will be held on the campus of Indiana University in Bloomington, Indiana, U.S.A. on Friday and Saturday May 12-13, 2017. The Workshop focus will be on the connections relating Finsler and pseudo-Finsler geometries to field-theoretic descriptions of Lorentz violation. Mathematicians and physicists will summarize relevant aspects of these active subjects and discuss prospects for future advances. The Workshop format is expected to be short talks with time for discussion. A poster session may be organized given sufficient demand. Topics to be discussed at the Workshop are expected to include: - Riemann-Finsler and Lorentz-Finsler manifolds - geometry of spontaneous and explicit Lorentz violation - SME-related pseudo-Finsler and Finsler spaces - Finsler geometry and Lorentz- and CPT-violating field theory - Lorentz-violating dispersion relations and geodesic flows - physical applications of Finsler and pseudo-Finsler spaces - phenomenological constraints on Finsler geometries and Lorentz violation There is no registration fee for this Workshop, but online registration on or before March 31, 2017 is required. The total attendance at the Workshop will be capped due to space limitations at the venue, so early registration is advised to avoid disappointment. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.6. IV Cosmology and the Quantum Vacuum, Segovia, Spain --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=12803 Starting: 2017-09-04 to 2017-09-08 Location: Segovia, Spain Additional Information: http://www.ice.csic.es/research/workshop_segovia/index.html Contact: saez[AT]ice.csic.es This is the fourth edition of a series of workshops focused on different aspects of modern theoretical cosmology, the challenge to be consistent with experimental data and the necessary connection of cosmological theories with the quantum nature of the vacuum. A basic question in modern cosmology is why we do not see vacuum fluctuations at cosmological scales? In addition, should the singularities of cosmological theories treated as necessary ingredients of the classical theory or should these be the indicators of an underlying quantum theory yet to be discovered? In this aspect, in this workshop we aim to bring along all the leading scientists working on these problems and present all the up to date results in these strongly interdependent physics areas. Hence the workshop will cover topics related to modified theories of gravities, other theories of Dark Energy and Inflation, the description of the universe’s evolution in these theories and the elegant and compulsory modification of these within the theoretical framework of quantum gravity, with Loop Quantum Cosmology being the most elegant theory providing up to date a singularity free cosmological evolution. The description and understanding of the quantum vacuum is always a challenge to these theories so the understanding of the main manifestation of the quantum vacuum, the Casimir effect, is always a challenge. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.7. Workshop "Neutron stars and their environments", Caen, France --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2017/02/27/workshop-neutron-stars-and-the... Starting: 2017-05-09 to 2017-05-11 Location: Caen, France Additional Information: https://mode.sciencesconf.org/ Contact: workshops[AT]ganil.fr The workshop shall help the three communities, neutron-star, supernova remnant (SNR), and pulsar wind nebula (PWN) observers and theoreticians, to exchange ideas as well as discussing internal advanced issues. To that end the program will be organized in parallel specialized sessions as well as plenary sessions with reviews and a round table for discussion among the communities. All sessions will be held at Grand Accelerateur National d'Ions Lourds (GANIL), in Caen, France. The sessions will be arranged in such a way to create "focus sessions" around certain topics, among them: radio timing, rotating neutron stars, general relativity and neutron-star modeling, equation of state and nuclear processes, observation at different wavelengths, emission processes, pulsar magnetospheres, supernovae, supernova remnants, pulsar wind nebulae. This year’s edition is devoted to the interplay between astrophysical observations and microphysics inputs for the description of pulsars, neutron stars, SNRs/PWNe. Keynote speakers will highlight recent developments in these subfields. Confirmed speakers to date are: Morgane Fortin (CAMK, Warsaw, Poland), Francesca Gulminelli (LPC Caen, France), Carlos Palenzuela (University of Balearic Islands, Spain). The workshop is supported by the PNHE, GANIL and the greater Caen Council Caen la mer. Scientific Organizing Committee: Fabio Acero (Laboratoire AIM, Gif sur Yvette), Anthea F. Fantina (GANIL, Caen), Marianne Lemoine-Goumard (CENBG, Bordeaux), Fabrice Mottez (LUTH, Meudon), Jerome Novak (LUTH, Meudon), Gilles Theureau (LPC2E, OSUC-Orleans, LUTH and USN, Observatoire de Paris). Local Organizing Committee: Anthea F. Fantina, Sandrine Dubromel, Myriam Grar. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.8. Inhomogeneous Cosmologies (2nd announcement), Torun, Poland --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2017/02/27/inhomogeneous-cosmologies-2/ Starting: 2017-07-02 to 2017-07-07 Location: Torun, Poland Additional Information: http://cosmo.torun.pl/CosmoTorun17 Contact: cosmotorun17[AT]cosmo.torun.pl During 2-7 July 2017 we are gathering experts in inhomogeneous cosmology for a small workshop of about 30 participants at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Torun, the town where Copernicus was born. We wish to map out the most promising directions for analytical, numerical and observational investigations aimed to take into account both structure formation and cosmological expansion within the constraints of general relativity. A key motivating theme will be to discuss the claim, already investigated in numerous peer-reviewed papers, that "dark energy" as inferred from observations is an artefact of assuming an average Friedmannian expansion. New techniques in numerical relativity are beginning to open new perspectives on these questions. We expect talks on the latest developments, vigorous, constructive debate between "one-percenters" and "order-unity" proponents, and practical hands-on tutorials of the Einstein Toolkit and other free-licensed inhomogeneous cosmology software packages. The workshop sessions will start on the morning of Mon 3 July and continue to late afternoon Fri 7 July. Due to the limited number of places available, registration by the early registration deadline of 7 April 2017, including a draft abstract, is strongly recommended. If places remain available, late registration will remain open until the late registration deadline of 9 June 2017 - see http://cosmo.torun.pl/CosmoTorun17 for details. Contact: cosmotorun17 at cosmo.torun.pl Organising committee: Boud Roukema, Eloisa Bentivegna, Krzysztof Bolejko, Thomas Buchert, Mikolaj Korzynski, Hayley MacPherson, Jan Ostrowski, Sebastian Szybka, David Wiltshire Topics will include: * exact cosmological solutions of the Einstein equations * averaging and backreaction in cosmology * numerical cosmological relativity * observational tests +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.9. 3rd Karl Schwarzschild Meeting - Gravity and the Gauge/Gravity Correspondence, Frankfurt, Germany --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2017/02/27/3rd-karl-schwarzschild-meeting... Starting: 2017-07-24 to 2017-07-28 Location: Frankfurt am Main, Germany Additional Information: https://indico.fias.uni-frankfurt.de/event/4/ Contact: nicolini[AT]fias.uni-frankfurt.de The 3rd Karl Schwarzschild Meeting on Gravitational Physics and the Gauge/Gravity Correspondence will be held in Frankfurt am Main, Germany on 24-28 July 2017. The conference will focus on black holes in astrophysics, quantum gravity, and the gauge/gravity correspondence. The meeting will bring together both working specialists in the field and rising young researchers to foster new conversations and collaborations. Invited speakers will deliver plenary talks on the broad topic of black holes highlighting applications to astrophysics, quantum gravity, gravitational waves and strongly correlated systems. In addition to plenary speaker and senior scientist talks, we feature several plenary sessions devoted to the next generation of physicists. The senior scientists will also serve as "mentors" to the attending younger generation of researchers. Due to the limited size of the venue, early registration slots are limited. Early registration will expire on June 11th, 2017, or when the capacity has been reached. Limited financial reimbursement is available, for which participants may submit an application along with their registration. Additional information is available at the website https://indico.fias.uni-frankfurt.de/event/4/ Karl Schwarzschild was a native of Frankfurt who published his first papers while attending the Gymnasium Frankfurt in the late 1880s. The year 2017 will mark the 101st anniversary of the publication of Schwarzschild’s famous solution to Einstein’s equations. The conference venue will be the Frankfurt Institute for Advanced Studies on the modern Riedberg Campus of Goethe University. Karl Schwarzschild Lecturer: Juan Maldacena (IAS) Keynote Speakers: Alessandra Buonanno (MPI Potsdam) Avery Broderick (Waterloo U. & Perimeter Institute) Johanna Erdmenger (University of Wurzburg) Ruth Gregory (Durham University) Jutta Kunz (University of Oldenburg) William Unruh (University of British Columbia) Erik Verlinde* (University of Amsterdam) * to be confirmed Organizing Committee: Piero Nicolini (FIAS and Goethe University, Frankfurt) Matthias Kaminski (University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa) Jonas Mureika (Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles) Marcus Bleicher (FIAS and Goethe University, Frankfurt) International Advisory Committee: Claus Laemmerzahl (ZARM & University of Bremen), Robert Mann (University of Waterloo & Perimeter Institute), Martin Reuter (Johannes-Gutenberg University, Mainz), Dam T. Son (University of Chicago). Herman Verlinde (Princeton University). +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.10. Geometric Foundations of Gravity in Tartu, Estonia --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2017/02/28/geometric-foundations-of-gravi... Starting: 2017-08-28 to 2017-09-01 Location: Tartu, Estonia Additional Information: http://hexagon.fi.tartu.ee/~geomgrav2017 Contact: geomgrav2017[AT]ut.ee Geometric Foundations of Gravity in Tartu is a conference dedicated to the geometric foundations of gravity theories that will take place August 28 - September 1, 2017 in Tartu, Estonia. The aim of this conference is to gather experts on various alternative and modified approaches to gravity, as well as observations. The main topics include: * Gauge theories of gravity (Poincare, teleparallel, ...) * Extended field content and related theories ((multi)scalar-vector-tensor theories, Horndeski, f(R) gravity, generalized Proca, massive gravity and bimetric theories) * Beyond Lorentzian geometry (Finsler geometry, modified dispersion relations) * Observational evidence for GR and beyond The conference is organized by the Laboratory of Theoretical Physics, University of Tartu, Estonia. Invited Speaker are: -Salvatore Capozziello (Napoli, Italy) -Lavinia Heisenberg (Zurich, Switzerland) -Friedrich W. Hehl (Cologne, Germany) -Tomi S. Koivisto (Stockholm, Sweden) -Yuri N. Obukhov (Moscow, Russia) -Sergei D. Odintsov (Barcelona, Spain) -Claus Laemmerzahl (Bremen, Germany) -Jose G. Pereira (Sao Paulo, Brazil) -Frederic Schuller (Erlangen, Germany) Registration will open in the middle of March 2017 on the homepage http://hexagon.fi.tartu.ee/~geomgrav2017 where all details on the meeting are available. We are looking forward to meet you in Tartu in August, the organizing committee: Laur Jaerv Manuel Hohmann Martin Krssak Christian Pfeifer +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.11. 15th Italian-Korean Symposium on Relativistic Astrophysics, Seoul, Korea --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2017/02/28/xiii-international-conference-... Starting: 2017-07-03 to 2017-07-07 Location: Ewha Womans University, Seoul, Korea Additional Information: http://www.icranet.org/ik15 Contact: ik15[AT]icranet.org This symposium started in 1987, then continued for every two years alternatively in Korea and Italy with the support from Korea Science and Engineering Foundation (KOSEF), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), International Center for Relativistic Astrophysics Network (ICRANet) and hosting institutes. Main purpose of this symposium is to accelerate the exchange between scientists of Italy and Korea, especially young researchers. The result of every symposium was published in Journal of Korean Physical Society (JKPS) or in Il Nuovo Cimento B. Traditionally, the subjects of this series of symposium have been mainly theoretical astrophysics, especially in the fields of relativistic astrophysics. In the symposium, results of relevant astrophysical observations and experiments, as well as their theoretical understanding will be presented, including gravitational wave detection experiments in which Korean astrophysicists are actively participating. This year the symposium is held in conjunction with the XIII International Conference on Gravitation, Astrophysics and Cosmology (ICGAC-13), a series of biennial conferences on Gravitation, Astrophysics and Cosmology which takes place in the Asia-Pacific region with the goal to promote cooperation among the member countries and within an international context, to promote high level studies on hot topics and to encourage young physicists on these fields. The first ICGAC meeting was initiated by Prof. Yong Min Cho, Korea, one of the founders of the APCTP, in 1993. The website of the meeting: http://www.icranet.org/ik15 The registration is now open here: http://ntsrvg9-2.icra.it/meetings/registration_ik15.htm +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.12. Fifth Galileo-Xu Guangqi Meeting, Chengdu, China --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2017/02/28/2017-annual-meeting-of-gravita... Starting: 2017-06-25 to 2017-06-30 Location: Chengdu, China Additional Information: http://www.icranet.org/5gx Contact: gx5[AT]icranet.org This year the fifth Galileo-Xu Quangqi meeting will be held jointly with the annual meeting of the Division of Gravitation and Relativistic Astrophysics of the Chinese Physical Society, in the School of Physical Science and Technology, Southwest Jiaotong University, at Chengdu – China on June 25 -30. The meeting is particularly dedicated to recall the roots of the modern scientific research in the East and the West and review the recent progress in one of the most advanced fields of scientific research: the one of relativistic astrophysics. We will review current progress in Relativistic Astrophysics made possible by astronomical observations of the Sun, of the Stars and of the Universe, and the current developments of theoretical studies of gravitation and cosmology as well as other fundamental physics. These results have been achieved thanks to the theories of Albert Einstein and to the unprecedented numbers of observational techniques: in X-ray, Gamma-ray, optical wave-lengths from space based observatories, in radio telescopes wavelengths from telescopes on the ground as well as in particle physics from underground observatories. For information please see web pages of the meeting: http://gra2017.csp.escience.cn/dct/page/70004 http://www.icranet.org/5gx Contact: heyujy[AT]swjtu.edu.cn (China) - gx5[AT]icranet.org (Italy) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.13. ICRANet-Minsk workshop on high energy astrophysics, Minsk, Belarus --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2017/02/28/icranet-minsk-workshop-on-high... Starting: 2017-04-26 to 2017-04-28 Location: ICRANet-Minsk, National Academy of Sciences of Belarus, Minsk, Belarus Additional Information: http://www.icranet.org Contact: veresh[AT]icra.it ICRANet-Minsk workshop on high energy astrophysics will be the first scientific event organized in the new ICRANet center in Minsk, Belarus. It will be a parallel meeting to a larger symposium on nuclear physics at the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus. This workshop is an opportunity for young scientists working in relativistic astrophysics from European and Asian countries to exchange experience and to present results in their fields to the Belarusian scientists. This event will be organized within the 2017 Year of Science, declared by the Presidential decree. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ============================================== 2. Jobs ============================================== 2.1. Lectureship in Cosmology or Observational Cosmology at Queen Mary University of London, UK ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=12772 Deadline: 2017-03-15 Location: London, UK Additional Information: https://webapps2.is.qmul.ac.uk/jobs/job.action?jobRef=QMUL10579 Contact: t.clifton[AT]qmul.ac.uk The School of Physics and Astronomy at Queen Mary University of London is seeking to make a permanent appointment at Lecturer level (equivalent to Assistant Professor level) in the area of Cosmology within the Astronomy Unit (AU). The Astronomy Unit’s major activities cover cosmology, extrasolar planets, planetary formation and dynamics, space and solar plasma physics, and survey astronomy. Research in the AU is supported by access to high quality computing resources in the form of local HPC facilities. The successful candidate will already have shown outstanding research achievements consistent with their current career point. In addition, the ideal candidate will have a proven record of research in cosmology, with a leading role in current and future space-missions and/or ground based surveys, and demonstrated some expertise in data analysis. We aim to appoint someone whose research will complement and enhance the existing theoretical research activities of the cosmology group at QMUL, which include making predictions from early Universe models for comparison with observations, and developing tests of General Relativity for the upcoming surveys that will be conducted by Euclid, the SKA, the LSST and other experiments. The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to the delivery of high-quality teaching within the school in the form of lectures, tutorials, and undergraduate and PhD student project supervision. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.2. Postdoctoral Research Assistant in Cosmology at Queen Mary University of London, UK ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=12773 Deadline: 2017-03-15 Location: London, UK Additional Information: https://webapps2.is.qmul.ac.uk/jobs/job.action?jobRef=QMUL10783 Contact: t.clifton[AT]qmul.ac.uk Applications are invited for the position of postdoctoral research assistant to work in Cosmology on the STFC-funded project “Testing General Relativity with Large-Scale Structures in Cosmology”. Staff in the Astronomy Unit working on this project are Dr Chris Clarkson, Dr Timothy Clifton and Dr Karim Malik. The Astronomy Unit at Queen Mary University of London has active research groups in cosmology, space plasma physics, solar and stellar physics, planetary formation, solar system dynamics, and galaxies, covering both observation and theory. The Unit has access to excellent local computational facilities, including a new cluster of 800 computational cores bench-marked at 4.5 Teraflops. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.3. Postdoc position in numerical relativity at the University of Trento, Italy ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2017/02/13/postdoc-position-in-numerical-... Deadline: 2017-03-05 Location: Trento, Italy Additional Information: http://www.ac.infn.it/job/dettagli_job.php?id=1933 Contact: bruno.giacomazzo[AT]unitn.it Applications are invited for a two-year postdoc position funded by INFN (National Institute of Nuclear Physics) on the topic of "General Relativistic Simulations of Binary Neutron Stars". The postdoc will work with Prof. Bruno Giacomazzo of the Physics Department of the University of Trento (Italy). Candidates will need to have a PhD in Physics, Astronomy, or Mathematics by the beginning of the contract. Candidates with previous experience in numerical relativity, computational astrophysics, or gravitational-wave physics are strongly encouraged to apply. The gross yearly salary for this position is 26197.59 EUR. Candidates that do not already live in Trento will also get 5000 EUR more (before taxes) per year to cover part of their living expenses. Travel funds for international conferences are also available. The position is expected to start possibly in the Summer, but no later than November. Interested candidates should send their full CV and publication list to bruno.giacomazzo [at] unitn.it. Short-listed candidates will be contacted on March 6 in order to get assistance in submitting the required paperwork (in Italian) to INFN for the final evaluation. INFN will need to receive all the paperwork by March 13. IMPORTANT NOTE: Italian-speaking candidates may also apply directly to INFN by following the instructions at http://www.ac.infn.it/job/dettagli_job.php?id=1933 The University of Trento is ranked among the best universities in Italy and it is located in the city of Trento, near the Italian Dolomites. The Physics department is active in a wide range of research topics. In the field of gravitational waves it has groups working on numerical relativity (Giacomazzo), Virgo (Prodi, Perreca), and LISA (Vitale, Dolesi, Weber). More information about the Physics department can be found at http://www.physics.unitn.it/en +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.4. Teaching Specialist in Dept. of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Kansas ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=12784 Deadline: 2017-04-01 Location: Lawrence, KS, USA Additional Information: https://employment.ku.edu/academic/8074BR Contact: shark[AT]ku.edu The University of Kansas is inviting applications for a Teaching Specialist in the Department of Physics & Astronomy. The position is expected to begin as early as August 18, 2017. Required: Ph.D. in Physics, Astronomy, Physics or Astronomy Education, or a closely related field; record of excellence in teaching college-level General Physics & Astronomy courses; excellent organizational and leadership skills; ability to work well with students, faculty, and administrators; and demonstrated written communication skills. For a complete announcement and to apply online go to: https://employment.ku.edu/academic/8074BR. A complete online application includes the following materials: on-line application; C.V.; cover letter that addresses relevant teaching, leadership, and organizational experience; teaching statement; statement of research interests and skills related to pedagogy; transcript copy if degree has been obtained in the last five years; and the names and contact information for three references. Candidates should arrange for at least three letters of recommendation to be emailed to Prof. Chris Fischer at shark[AT]ku.edu or mailed to the Department of Physics & Astronomy, 1251 Wescoe Hall Drive, Room 1082, Malott Hall, Lawrence, KS 66045 USA. Initial review of applications will begin April 1st, 2017, and will continue as needed to ensure a large, high quality, and diverse applicant pool. 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, retaliation, gender identity, gender expression and genetic information in the University’s programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies and is the University’s Title IX Coordinator: the Executive Director of the Office of Institutional Opportunity and Access, IOA[AT]ku.edu, 1246 W. Campus Road, Room 153A, Lawrence, KS, 66045, (785)864-6414, 711 TTY. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.5. Montalcini fellowships for tenure-track positions in Italy ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2017/02/17/montalcini-fellowships-for-ten... Deadline: 2017-03-15 Location: Italy Additional Information: http://cervelli.cineca.it/ Contact: bruno.giacomazzo[AT]unitn.it The new call for the Rita Levi Montalcini programme for the recruitment of young researchers is now open. The deadline is 15/03/2017. Aim: the programme (budget: 5.000.000 Euro) aims at funding 24 new tenure-track positions in Italian universities. Eligibility requirements: applicants should be scholars (of any nationality) who 1) have been awarded their doctoral Degree, or equivalent, after 31/10/2010 and by 31/10/2013; 2) at the date of the application submission, have been permanently and continuously employed abroad (outside Italy) for at least three years in teaching or research activities in qualified universities or research institutions (an interruption of 6 months is allowed). Submission: online submission at https://loginmiur.cineca.it/ The call allows young researchers to list up to five preferred Host Italian Institutions without requiring any prior commitment by them; however, selected applicants enrollment will have to be approved through the commitment of the university department/centre at the Host Institution in order to provide adequate resources. It is strongly recommended, prior to submission, to consider contacting the research groups in the applicant’s area of research at the designed Host universities. For further information on proposals submission for the University of Trento, as Host institution, please write to research.support[at]unitn.it. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.6. Assistant professor position in general relativity and quantum gravity at the University of New Brunswick, Canada ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2017/02/18/assistant-professor-position-i... Deadline: 2017-03-21 Location: Fredericton, Canada Additional Information: https://www.mathjobs.org/jobs/jobs/10054 Contact: math[AT]unb.ca The Department of Mathematics and Statistics at the University of New Brunswick Fredericton invites applications for a tenure-track Assistant Professor position to commence on July 1, 2017, or as negotiated. The Department is seeking applicants in the area of Mathematical Physics, in particular General Relativity and Quantum Gravity. Applicants should have broad interests in applied mathematics, compatible with the research currently being done in the Department. Candidates must have a doctoral degree, postdoctoral experience, and demonstrated excellence in research. Evidence of or demonstrated potential for excellence in teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels is required. The successful candidate will be expected to teach a wide range of courses in mathematics and to develop a strong research program with external funding. Applications should be made through the online system www.mathjobs.org [UNBF-MATHPHYS, job listing 10054] and must include curriculum vitae, list of publications, research program, a teaching statement which includes an account of teaching experience, and four references (with one addressing the teaching record). Candidates are also encouraged to provide web links for up to three selected reprints or preprints, or to upload them to MathJobs.Org. Applications through www.mathjobs.org are preferable and strongly encouraged; in exceptional circumstances applications may also be sent by regular mail or email to: Chair, Department of Mathematics and Statistics University of New Brunswick P.O. Box 4400 Fredericton, New Brunswick Canada, E3B 5A3 email: math[AT]unb.ca Fax: 506-453-4705 Informal inquires about this position can be made to Viqar Husain (vhusain[AT]unb.ca) or Sanjeev Seahra (sseahra[AT]unb.ca). Review of applications will begin on March 21, 2017, and will continue until the position is filled. The position is subject to budgetary approval. All qualified candidates are encouraged to apply; however, Canadians and permanent residents will be given priority. Applicants should indicate current citizen status. The University of New Brunswick is committed to the principle of employment equity. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.7. Professor/Reader in Gravitational Wave Science at Portsmouth, UK ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2017/02/19/professorreader-in-gravitation... Deadline: 2017-03-31 Location: Portsmouth, UK Additional Information: http://www.icg.port.ac.uk/2017/02/professorreader-in-gravitational-wave-scie... Contact: david.wands[AT]port.ac.uk We seek an established leader in gravitational wave (GW) science to create a new research group in the Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation (ICG). This new GW initiative would complement existing research at the ICG, and there is the possibility of making multiple hires in support of this new initiative (see forthcoming advert for senior lecturer in GW science). 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 gravitational wave research, 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 related to gravitational waves; grant funding; leadership; innovation and impact. Applications can be either for a Readership (equivalent to associate professor) or Professorship (full professor) in GW science, dependent on track record to date. We particularly encourage applications 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 Synoptic 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. More information can be found at http://www.icg.port.ac.uk/. 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. 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. For detailed information please go to https://port.engageats.co.uk/Vacancies.aspx and select ZZ602850 - Professor/Reader in Gravitational Wave Science +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.8. Assistant Lecturer in Gravitational Wave Astrophysics at Monash University, Australia ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=12824 Deadline: 2017-03-02 Location: Melbourne, Australia Additional Information: http://careers.pageuppeople.com/513/cw/en/job/556311/assistant-lecturer-in-g... Contact: paul.lasky[AT]monash.edu Applications are invited for a three-year Assistant Lecturer position in Gravitational Wave Astrophysics at Monash University in Melbourne, Australia. The successful candidate will work with Dr. Paul Lasky in the School of Physics and Astronomy, and undertake research in one or more of the following areas: * astrophysics and modelling of gravitational wave sources * analysis of data from LIGO and/or the Parkes Pulsar Timing Array * astrophysics and modelling of neutron star and/or gamma-ray burst physics. The School of Physics and Astronomy at Monash University is home to a large group, including gravitational wave and high-energy astrophysics groups in the Monash Centre for Astrophysics. The successful candidate will also be involved in the ARC Centre of Excellence for Gravitational wave discovery (OzGrav), a new centre funded by the Australian Research Council. The Assistant Lecturer will also make contributions to teaching in the Physics and Astronomy Collaborative learning Environment (PACE), participating in the delivery and coordination of first year physics teaching. All informal enquiries, contact Dr. Paul Lasky (paul.lasky[AT]monash.edu) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ============================================== 3. News ============================================== 3.1. GRTensorIII 2.0: Hypersurfaces and Junctions ------------------------------------------------------------ Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=12798 Additional Information: https://github.com/grtensor/grtensor Hypersurfaces and junction conditions are supported in GRTensorIII 2.0 for Maple. Hypersurfaces can be defined and the extrinsic curvature and constraint equations can be evaluated. Support is provided for timelike, spacelike and null hypersurfaces in a four dimensional spacetime. Junctions of two spacetime manifolds by the identification of a common hypersurface can be performed and the Darmois-Israel junction conditions can be calculated (for null hypersurfaces, the Barrabes-Israel conditions). The stress-energy of any resulting shell and equations for shell evolution can be determined. A number of example worksheets are provided. In most cases they follow the examples provided in "A Relativist's Toolkit" by Eric Poisson. This update brings the features formerly found in the GRJunction package directly into GRTensorIII. GRTensorIII is available on github at: https://github.com/grtensor/grtensor GRTensorIII requires Maple (http://www.maplesoft.com/) The hypersurface and junction documentation can be viewed at: https://github.com/grtensor/grtensor/blob/master/doc/grHyper.pdf Peter Musgrave ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.2. In memory of C V Vishveshwara (Vishu): the black hole man of India ------------------------------------------------------------ Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2017/02/25/in-memory-of-c-v-vishveshwara-... Additional Information: http://www.currentscience.ac.in/php/cissue.php C V Vishveshwara, or Vishu, is associated in the minds of most of us with quasi-normal modes or the ringdown of a black hole. The prediction that his simple calculations made was dramatically verified after 46 years with the discovery of gravitational waves by LIGO. It was almost a year before he breathed his last on 16 Jan 2017 in Bengaluru. It was, therefore, most fortituous that he could experience exhileration and satisfaction of his contribution when the whole world was cheering and applauding. The black hole man of India will be remembered for a long time not only for his seminal contributions to understanding black holes but fondly for the word pictures and the Sydney Harris like cartoons he created to share with his professional colleagues and the lay public the esoteric consequences of Einstein's general theory of relativity. His talks inspired generations of students to a career in science and via the activities at the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium and Bangalore Association for Science Education the inspiration lives on. Vishveshwara was born on March 6, 1938 in Bangalore. He had his schooling there and then went on to Mysore University for further studies. He obtained the B.Sc.(Hons) degree in 1958 and the M.Sc. Degree from Central College of the then Mysore university in 1959. He then went to USA for higher studies. After getting his A.M. from Columbia University, New York, in 1964 he moved to University of Maryland from where he got his Ph.D. in 1968. His thesis advisor was Prof. C.W. Misner, the M of the directory of the universe, MTW. His thesis subject was "Stability of Schwarzschild Metric". After stints as a post doctoral fellow and a visiting faculty member, at Institute of Space Studies (1968-69), Boston University (1969-72) , New York University (1972-74), University of Pittsburgh (1974-76), Vishu returned to Bangalore in 1976 and joined the Raman Research Institute. He moved from there, in December 1992, to the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore as a Senior Professor, from where he retired in 2005. One of the most important and bizarre predictions of General Relativity is the existence of black holes - objects from which nothing can come out including light. It marks a one-way surface which can only be crossed one way but not the other - things can fall in but nothing can come out. A brief historical aside is not out of place to give a flavour of the times when Vishu's important papers were written. Relativity revolutionized our understanding of space and time by first uniting them into a flat four dimensional space-time in special relativity and subsequently for describing gravity making it curved and dynamic in General Relativity. Gravity is no longer an external force but synonymous with the geometry of space-time. In 1915, Einstein finally arrived at the correct field equations completing the quest he began in 1907 to obtain General Relativity, his relativistic theory of gravitation. Mathematically the equations were complicated and so he was surprised that within a year Karl Schwarzscild discovered an exact solution of these equations representing a spherically symmetric, asympotically flat, vacuum solution, whose outer region is strictly static. The solution had an unusual feature that a certain component of the metric vanished while another diverged at what was referred to as the Schwarzschild singularity or better the Schwarzschild surface. Though in 1939 Oppenheimer and Snyder showed that a person who rides through this surface on an imploding star will feel no infinite gravity or see no breakdown of physics there, these results were not taken seriously due to the mental connotation associated with the word `singularity' and due to the simple dust model used in the treatment. These objects were referred to as frozen star in Soviet union and collapsed star in the west. The realization that this was due to a choice of coordinates or a coordinate singularity was long time coming and conclusively settled in 1958 by Finkelstein (and later in 1960 by Kruskal) who discovered a new reference frame for the Schwarzschild geometry. In December 1967 , in his lecture on "Our universe, the known and unknown", John Wheeler christened these objects as Black Holes, an idea that intrigues and fascinates the scientists and the lay public even to this day. General Relativity is a complex mathematical theory and often involves subtleties in its physical interpretation related to the choice of coordinates used in its formulation. Can one use a description using more well-behaved coordinates? Even if mathematically a black hole solution exists, the possibility of it being a physical object in nature depends on whether it is stable. If the black hole is an object from which no information can escape, how can one look for it? Can one provide a mathematically elegant description of the physical effects of a rotating black hole like gyroscopic precesion? Vishu's seminal research center on these topics and earned him the fond title of Black Holy man of India! Among Vishu's classics on this topic is a brief elegant paper using Killing vectors to provide a coordinate invariant distinction between the stationary Kerr and static Schwarzschild black hole cases and the consequent existence of the ergosphere [1]. Regarding this work Jacob Bekenstein commented [2]: "I was familiar with the Vishu theorem that the infinite redshift surface of a static black is always the horizon. At that time black hole physics was just getting started and such neat relations between black hole features were rare. Vishu's theorem was a welcome hard fact in the middle of such folklore and helped clarify in mind what black holes were about. At the conference (GR6) I had a long talk with him and I vividly remember being impressed by the range of research problems he had going simultaneously." Vishu was the first to prove the stability of non-rotating black holes under linear perturbations [3]. Regarding this Brandon Carter remarked [2]: "Vishu was one of the first to appreciate the importance of this problem and who played an important role in persuading others to take the problem seriously as something of potential astrophysical relevance by providing the first convincing proof that at least in one case namely the Schwarzschild solution, such an equilibrium state can be stable." Elaborating further Bernard Whiting wrote [2]: "Vishveshwara's original discussion of stability showed that there was no superficial case establishing the instability basically by dealing with single modes and by demonstrating the positivity of effective potentials. Establishing pointwise boundedness requires use of more refined tools leading to a method that differs markedly in substance but not at all in essence from the relatively simple positive potential approach. Vishu made a number of significant breakthroughs...": Vishu was the pioneer who explored how black holes respond when externally perturbed [4] and proved that regardless of the perturbation, Schwarzschild black holes get rid of any deformation imparted to them by radiating gravitational waves with a frequency and decay time that depended only on their mass. These characteristic waves are technically termed quasi-normal modes, which is why after the announcement of the gravitational wave detection by LIGO Vishu laid the claim to the non de plume "Quasimodo of black holes". Quasi-normal modes are like the dying tones of a bell struck with a hammer and are referred to as the ringdown radiation. Vishu's work is fundamental to our understanding of black holes and began a new chapter in how to study them. Many of us met Vishu during the Einstein Centenary symposium at Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad in 1979. Though we have other wonderful memories of the symposium the most memorable one was Vishu's lecture entitled 'Black Holes for Bedtime'. It was a magical experience; an exotic cocktail of science, art, humour and caricature. Equations were not necessarily abstract and unspeakable and could well be translated in the best literary tradition if you were Vishu! At Raman Research Institute and later Indian Institute of Astrophysics Vishu explored problems in classical general relativity with possible astrophysical implications. Perturbations of black holes in general relativity carry signatures of the effective potential around them and one could look for them by examining neutrinos in gravitational collapse or ultracompact objects. Could one discern possible differences between black hole solutions in general relativity and other theories of gravity by looking at their quasi-normal modes and the properties of their horizons. How different are black hole solutions in cosmological backgrounds from those in the usual asymptotically flat ones. How does one use the Frenet-Serret formalism to study gyroscopic precession, general relativity analogs of inertial forces and characterize black holes in higher dimensions in a covariant and geometric manner. Other mathematical issues studied related to separability of different spin perturbations in general relativity, the role of the Killing tensor in separability of wave equations among others. It was always a pleasure working with Vishu. There was no pressure, no generation gap, a natural possibility to grow and contribute your best, an easy personal rapport, a refreshing sense of humour, an unassuming erudition and most importantly a warm and wonderful human being. Together with J.V. Narlikar, Vishu played a key role in bringing long due recognition to the doyens of general relativity P.C. Vaidya and A.K. Raychauduri. A volume entitled 'Random walk in relativity and cosmology' co-edited by them was released in 1986 at RRI and the royalities from its royalties supplemented by royalties of the International Conference on Gravitation and Cosmology (ICGC) proceedings used to set up the Vaidya-Raychaudhuri endowment lecture of the Indian Association for General Relativity and Gravitation (IAGRG). Vishu was closely involved in the group that initiated, planned and organized UGC Schools on general relativity and cosmology in the 1980's. The motivation was to extend Indian research in exact solutions in general relativity to modern research frontiers in cosmology, early universe and relativistic astrophysics. This led to the ICGC meetings organized every four years because it was recognized that due to limited resources, participation of the Indian researchers in the International Society of General Relativity and Gravitation (ISGRG) meetings was very limited. Creating an opportunity to for the IAGRG community to interact with international experts on front line research areas in relativity and cosmology in India was needed to assist in improving the quality and relevance of general relativity research in India. These meetings also brought out the cartoonist in Vishu during the first ICGC in Goa. Between sessions cartoons would appear on the screen anonymously and by the end of the meeting multiple reprint requests for them! Staid Cambridge University Press was happy to include them in the proceedings and Vishu's cartoons in the ICGC proceedings a treat to look forward to. The series of cartoons on gravitational waves in those proceedings deserves special mention.. Alas they are incomplete since he could not make one after the discovery.. Just on the day he passed away Nils Andersson wrote Vishu an email: "I have recently done something that I think might amuse you. I have written a little book involving Einstein, relativity and a fair bit of fictional freedom. Now, I think it is fair to say that my attitude to this project has been heavily inspired by your story-telling, your drawings and the bathtub book [5]." Vishu's public lectures inspired a number of students all over the country. His lectures at Bangalore Science Forum, started by his Guru Dr H. Narsimiah, always drew huge numbers. He was a best-seller. And, he never disappointed the audience. Without diluting the profound ideas that he would discuss, he would lace the talks with subtle humour that came seamlessly. At Vishu's passing, countless echoed Sathyaprakash who exclaimed "This is devastating. I have lost a teacher, a mentor and a friend. More than anything else we are going to miss his "serious" sense of humour in all walks of life, especially science." Together with a committed group that included Sanjay Biswas, Vishu was involved in bringing out Bulletin Of Sciences from 1983-1993 to set up a forum to seriously address the social impact of science and technology. To find means of sustaining it financially he co-edited with Sanjay Biswas and D.C.V Mallik an interesting volume called Cosmic Perspectives that was dedicated to the memory of M. Vainu Bappu. Together with A. Ratnakar Vishu was instrumental in setting up the RRI Film Club in the 1980's to get access to movie classics from National Film Archives in Pune and from the consulates like the German and French ones. Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium (JNP), Bangalore is a wonderful testament to Vishu's vision which showcases his multi-faceted personality in science communication and education. Starting as its founder director in 1988, Vishu brought together a dedicated and talented team and inspired them to build a world class planetarium scripting unique shows integrating the best in science and astronomy with the best in world and Indian history, art, literature and music. By example he set up high standards for all the JNP personnel and mentored them till the very end. But JNP was not to be just a theatre. It had to play a role in science education in the city. Thus in 1992 Bangalore Association for Science Education (BASE) was set up by Vishu to systematically expose, attract and mentor students from school, high school and colleges for a career in science. It may surprise many that in spite of being a pure theorist, Vishu firmly believed in doing science experiments. Via activities like `Science in Action' he emphasized the importance of bringing out in young students the joy of seeing scientific phenomena. That was a way to attract them to science. In fact this philosophy of 'doing' science underlined every activity that was visualized at JNP in the coming years. SEED (Science Education in Early Development) for middle school children, SOW (Science Over the Weekends) for high school children and at the pinnacle of the educational programmes, REAP (Research Education Advancement Programme) for undergraduate students. SEED, SOW and REAP, all have a very strong presence of experiments that make the programmes dynamic and vibrant and endearing to students. During the last twenty years, all these programmes have seen a steady growth in number of students attending them and also in attracting quality students with a potential to excel in a career in science. No wonder that more than hundred students who passed through JNP are either pursuing PhD programmes or have completed it. Some of them are faculty at institutions such as ICTS, JNCASR and IMSc. Finally, setting up of a science park at JNP was also his initiative. In the original plan drawn up in 1997, Antigravity Cottage that mimics the famous 'Mystery Spot' in the US and some other places had been envisaged. It was realised in 2016. When the gravitational wave discovery by LIGO was announced last year, Vishu was elated. We have never seen him so high, thrilled by the possibility that soon there would be events where the quasi-normal modes would be even more strong. The profoundness of this discovery is in the realization that the black hole, which is purely a geometric object without any hard surface boundary rings under perturbations like a material object. It is indeed the most telling and 'visible' defining property of a black hole. And Vishu was its discoverer. By all accounts, it is a discovery that will go down to textbooks. If that be the benchmark, there are only a few other contributions from India like the Raychaudhuri equation and Vaidya's radiating star that will make the grade. On the other hand this discovery sits alongside the celebrated result that a black hole has no hair -the 'No Hair' theorem. Most important of all, it is one of the few predictions that have been brilliantly verified by the observation of gravitational waves produced by merger of two black holes. The observed profile has very uncanny resemblance with what Vishu had plotted long back in 1970. There are very few predictions which are actually verified by experiment and observation. Vishu's black hole ringdown is one among those few. This is the true and ultimate measure of a seminal insight. We will miss you Vishu even as we try very hard to follow your favorite lines from Machado: Traveller there is no Path, Paths are made by Walking .. Vishu is survived by his wife Saraswati and two daughters Smitha and Namitha. Naresh Dadhich, IUCAA Bala Iyer, ICTS-TIFR [1] Generalization of the "Schwarzschild Surface" to Arbitrary Static and Stationary Metrics, C. V. Vishveshwara, J Math. Phys., 9, 1319 (1968). [2] Black Holes, Gravitational Waves and the Universe, Essays in honor of C.V. Vishveshwara, Eds. B. R. Iyer and B. Bhawal, Kluwer, (1999). [3] Stability of the Schwarzschild Metric, C. V. Vishveshwara, Phys. Rev. D, 1, 2870 (1970), [4] Scattering of Gravitational Radiation by a Schwarzschild BlackHole, C. V. Vishveshwara, Nature, 227, 936 (1970) [5] Einstein's Enigma or Black Holes in My Bubble Bath, C.V. Vishveshwara, Springer-Verlag, Berlin-Heidelberg (2006). Naresh Dadhich Inter-University Center for Astronomyand Astrophysics, Pune 411 007, India Bala Iyer International Centre for Theoretical Sciences - TIFR, Bengaluru 560 089, India e-mail: bala.iyer[AT]icts.res.in Reproduced with permission from CURRENT SCIENCE (Vol. No. 112, 25 February 2017, pp. 866-868). ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.3. Living Reviews in Relativity: new major updates published ------------------------------------------------------------ Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: http://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2017/03/01/living-reviews-in-relativity-n... Additional Information: http://link.springer.com/journal/41114 The open-access journal Living Reviews in Relativity has recently published two new major updates of review articles: “The Kerr/CFT correspondence and its extensions” by Geoffrey Compere (http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s41114-017-0003-2) and “Interferometer techniques for gravitational-wave detection” by Charlotte Bond, Daniel Brown, Andreas Freise and Kenneth A. Strain (http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s41114-016-0002-8). Due to a technical error, the latter was published with a wrong article citation ID, which will be corrected as soon as possible. We would also like to apologize to the authors for the tremendous delays caused by workflow adjustments after the journal transfer to Springer. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++