########################################## Table of Contents ########################################### 1. Conferences 1.1. IX International Meeting on Lorentzian Geometry, Warsaw, Poland 1.2. 21st Eastern Gravity Meeting, Brooklyn, NY 1.3. IHP Trimester 2018: Analytics, Inference, and Computation in Cosmology, Paris, France 1.4. Chalonge - De Vega Session: Cosmic Head News, Paris, France 1.5. 2018 Rotman Summer Institute in Philosophy of Cosmology, Goderich, Canada 1.6. Numerical Relativity beyond General Relativity, Benasque, Spain (2nd announcement) 1.7. Inhomogeneous Cosmologies III, Krakow, Poland 1.8. Brazilian School of Cosmology and Gravitation (BSCG-XVII), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 2. Jobs 2.1. Tenure track Faculty Position at UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico 2.2. IGFAE Senior postdoc/Junior staff, Santiago de Compostela, Spain 2.3. PhD position in bouncing cosmology, Nottingham, UK 2.4. Lectureship at University College Dublin, Ireland 2.5. PhD position in General Relativity, Otago, New Zealand 2.6. International PhD Program on Astrophysics, Cosmology and Gravitation, Brazil 2.7. Lecturer or Senior Lecturer in Mathematics at Otago, New Zealand 2.8. Postdoctoral positions, Institute of Cosmos Sciences (ICCUB), Barcelona, Spain 2.9. PhD positions in gravitational wave data analysis at Nikhef, Amsterdam, The Netherlands 2.10. Call for postdoctoral positions as part of PPGCosmo program, Brazil 3. News 3.1. Special Issue "Origin of the Universe" 3.2. The Chalong-De Vega Programme 2018: The New Universe 3.3. GRG Editor’s Choice: recent highlight articles 3.4. Living Reviews in Relativity: “Tests of chameleon gravity” 3.5. Attention members of the International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation (ISGRG) ============================================== 1. Conferences ============================================== 1.1. IX International Meeting on Lorentzian Geometry, Warsaw, Poland --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2018/03/06/ix-international-meeting-on-l... Starting: 2018-06-17 to 2018-06-24 Location: Warsaw, Poland Additional Information: https://www.impan.pl/18-lorentzian9 Contact: lorentzian9[AT]impan.pl Lorentzian Geometry is a branch of Differential Geometry with roots in General Relativity and ramifications in many mathematical areas: Geometric Analysis, Functional Analysis, Partial Differential Equations, Lie groups and algebras... Several groups researching on this topic throughout the world have maintained a regular series on international meetings celebrated every two years in Spain, Italy, Brazil and Germany. The edition to be held at the Banach Center will cover topics on pure and applied Lorentzian Geometry such as geometry of spacetimes, solitons, black holes, Einstein equations, geodesics or submanifolds. Poland is a perfect place for our conference, due to the existence of a very strong General Relativity groups, with many people working in Mathematical Relativity. Some of them (Bizon, Jezierski, Kijowski, Nurowski) are organizers of the conference, members of the Scientific Committee, or speakers, while other Polish relativists have expressed their interest in the participation in the meeting. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.2. 21st Eastern Gravity Meeting, Brooklyn, NY --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=13844 Starting: 2018-05-24 to 2018-05-25 Location: Brooklyn, NY Additional Information: http://relativity.liu.edu/egm21/ Contact: steve.liebling[AT]liu.edu The 21st Eastern Gravity Meeting, hosted by Long Island University-Brooklyn, will be held Thursday, May 24 and Friday, May 25, 2018 in Brooklyn, NY. For further information, registration and abstract submission, see http://relativity.liu.edu/egm21/. This annual regional meeting is open to researchers of all levels, from undergraduate students to faculty, in all areas of gravitational physics, including classical, quantum, theory, observation, computation and experiment. The purpose of the conference is to encourage the interaction of researchers in the Northeastern region. The format of the meeting will follow the format of previous regional meetings where all participants may present a talk of approximately 10-15 minutes, depending on the total number of talks. Abstracts will be selected following the order in which they are submitted. Therefore, to maximize chances of acceptance, it would be best to submit an abstract early. There is no registration fee. A prize for the best talk by a student will be given and so please indicate in your registration if you are a student. Matt Lippert (LIU-Brooklyn) Mike Kavic (LIU-Brooklyn) Steve Liebling (LIU-Post) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.3. IHP Trimester 2018: Analytics, Inference, and Computation in Cosmology, Paris, France --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2018/03/14/ihp-trimester-2018-analytics-... Starting: 2018-09-03 to 2018-12-14 Location: Paris, France Additional Information: http://www.ihp.fr/en/CEB/T3-2018 Contact: cosmomath18[AT]ihp.fr Cosmology is about understanding the origin and evolution of the universe and the formation of all structure within it — one of the most challenging intellectual projects undertaken by humanity. To make progress, we need the most powerful mathematical methods available: analytics to guide us through subtle theoretical issues, simulations to compute the detailed quantitative predictions of the theory, and statistical inference to confront these predictions with large cosmological data sets. The IHP trimester entitled “Analytics, Inference, and Computation in Cosmology,” will be dedicated not only to the “what” and the “why” but also, and specifically, to the “how” of cosmological calculation. Is the mathematical toolset of cosmology adequate for the challenges ahead? Where do we need new ideas? Whether it be on advances in analytical techniques, innovative computational methods or new ways to infer cosmological information from cosmological data, this trimester will be an occasion to gather the leading experts from around the world to share their expertise, spark new ideas and collaborations, and equip the next generation of cosmologists with the innovative mathematical tools we need as we enter a new era in precision cosmology. The trimester will consist of an introductory school in Corsica followed by a three month program at the IHP in Paris. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.4. Chalonge - De Vega Session: Cosmic Head News, Paris, France --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2018/03/19/chalonge-devega-session-cosmi... Starting: 2018-03-29 to 2018-03-29 Location: Paris, France Additional Information: https://chalonge-devega.fr/Programme2018.html Contact: chalonge.ecole[AT]chalonge-devega.fr Ecole Internationale d'Astrophysique Daniel Chalonge - Hector de Vega Open Session Cosmic Head News - Actualites Cosmiques Thursday 29 March 2018, 14h at the Cite' Internationale Universitaire de Paris, Maison de l'Argentine, 27 A boulevard Jourdan, 75014 Paris Addressed to researchers in different fields, post-docs, students, teachers, journalists, communicators,... At the Programme of this Session: LISA & LISA Pathfinder results: Prof. Catia GRIMANI (Urbino) What galaxy formation tells us about the Universe. Prof. Cristhopher CONSELICE (Nottingham) What is missing in Cosmology. Prof Nicholas KAISER ( ENS Paris) A new Quantum world at the Planck scale. Prof Norma G. SANCHEZ (CNRS-Observatoire de Paris LERMA) The Kores programme at Turin: Prof Alba ZANINI (INFN-Turin, President of Kores-Ambassador Science & culture Chalonge-de Vega School, City of Turin) ..."Et Ce n'est pas tout": (Citation d'Henri Poincare').... Please find here below the link to the poster/ announcemment and informations of this Session: https://chalonge-devega.fr/Programme2018.html https://chalonge-devega.fr/invitation29mars2018.pdf https://chalonge-devega.fr/OpenSession_290318.jpg Looking forward to seeing you at this Session for a creative, fruitful and stimulating meeting, The Chalonge- de Vega School Team https://chalonge-devega.fr +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.5. 2018 Rotman Summer Institute in Philosophy of Cosmology, Goderich, Canada --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=13896 Starting: 2018-06-11 to 2018-06-20 Location: Goderich, Canada Additional Information: http://www.rotman.uwo.ca/rotman-events/2018-summer-institute/ Contact: rotman[AT]uwo.ca Rotman Summer Institutes bring graduate students together with exceptional faculty from around the world to focus on a topic of special interest. The Rotman Summer Institute of 2018 will be aimed at promoting understanding of and research in issues in the philosophy of cosmology. It will be held from June 11 – 20, 2018, in a picturesque setting on the eastern shores of Lake Huron. The two-week-long Summer Institute will consist in a series of lectures and seminar-style discussions, aimed both at surveying the current state of research in cosmology, and at discussing foundational issues. These lectures and discussions will be led by philosophers and cosmologists. Several roundtables and open discussion sessions will be scheduled to address issues that do not easily fit in any particular session, and to foster cross disciplinary exchanges. Graduate students will have an opportunity to present and discuss their own work at the end of the workshop. The Institute will focus primarily on two new directions for research in philosophy of cosmology. The first regards the role of simulations in cosmology. In order to test a scientific theory, it is essential to extract from that theory precise predictions concerning what would be observed in the world if the theory were true. In many sciences, one can extract such predictions using various sorts of mathematical methods. But the systems that are of greatest interest in cosmology, and astrophysics more generally, are often simply too complex to treat using such methods. In order to extract testable predictions from the Standard Model of cosmology, cosmologists turn to computer simulations. But there are deep methodological difficulties that arise once we start relying on computer simulations, particularly given that in many cases we have no independent way of testing whether the assumptions, approximations, and numerical methods used in these simulations are reliable. The second concerns the status of singularity theorems, and the global structure of spacetime, in light of proposals from quantum gravity theories that “resolve” the initial singularity. This is so despite the fact that there are a number of celebrated theorems in the context of classical general relativity, showing that singularities are “generic” features of general relativity. These theorems follow from basic facts concerning the conditions under which a “trapped surface” can be expected to develop in a relativistic spacetime with attractive gravitation. This situation leads to subtle issues concerning how we expect general relativity to approximate an underlying theory, and how that underlying theory can avoid the conditions assumed in the singularity theorems. Invited speakers at the Institute include a mix of philosophers and cosmologists. This event is made possible by a grant from the John Templeton Foundation, to Chris Smeenk and Jim Weatherall. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.6. Numerical Relativity beyond General Relativity, Benasque, Spain (2nd announcement) --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2018/03/28/numerical-relativity-beyond-g... Starting: 2018-06-03 to 2018-06-09 Location: Benasque, Spain Additional Information: http://www.benasque.org/2018relativity/ Contact: dgerosa[AT]caltech.edu The international workshop “Numerical Relativity beyond General Relativity” will be held at the Benasque Science Center (Spain) on June 3-9, 2018. With the first detections of gravitational waves, we have entered an exciting new era in gravitational physics that enables us to learn about the fundamental properties of gravity with a completely new sense. In particular, it opens up the unique opportunity to probe gravity in its most challenging, strong-field, and dynamical regime. Theoretical predictions of the gravitational wave signal emitted during the late inspiral and merger of compact binaries in models of gravity beyond General Relativity (GR) are crucial to truly put Einstein’s theory to the test. Currently, most beyond-GR predictions are limited to the weak-field regime. How the gravitational waveform would look in the highly dynamical near-merger regime, however, is largely unknown. The latter requires full numerical simulations in beyond-GR theories — a field that is still in its infancy. It is our goal to kickstart this new emerging field in gravitational physics with a workshop on “Numerical Relativity beyond General Relativity.” Therefore, we wish to bring together experts in Numerical Relativity, fundamental tests of gravity, and gravitational wave data analysis to facilitate fruitful future collaborations. Located in the beautiful landscape of the Pyrenees mountain range, the Benasque Science Center will provide an ideal environment to stimulate discussion, strengthen existing collaborations, and initiate new ones. Conference dates: June 3-9, 2018 Registration deadline: April 10, 2018 Accommodation deadline: May 15, 2018 Website: http://www.benasque.org/2018relativity/ +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.7. Inhomogeneous Cosmologies III, Krakow, Poland --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2018/03/29/inhomogeneous-cosmologies-iii... Starting: 2018-09-16 to 2018-09-21 Location: Krakow, Poland Additional Information: http://th.if.uj.edu.pl/indico/event/8 Contact: cosmology[AT]th.if.uj.edu.pl Inhomogeneous Cosmologies meetings are small workshops of about 40 participants which gather experts in inhomogeneous cosmology. This year the workshop will take place during 16-21 September 2018 at the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, Poland. Topics will include: * exact cosmological solutions of the Einstein equations * averaging and backreaction in cosmology * numerical cosmological relativity * observational tests We will also have 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 Monday the 17th of September and continue to late afternoon Friday the 21st of September. Due to the limited number of places available, registration by the early registration deadline of 15th June 2018, including a draft abstract, is strongly recommended. If places remain available, late registration will remain open until the late registration deadline of 24th August 2018 --- see http://th.if.uj.edu.pl/indico/event/8/ for details. Contact: cosmology[at]th.if.uj.edu.pl Scientific Organizing Committee Eloisa Bentivegna, Thomas Buchert, Mikolaj Korzynski, Hayley Macpherson, Jan Ostrowski, Boud Roukema, Sebastian Szybka, David Wiltshire Local Organizing Committee Krzysztof Glod, Szymon Sikora, Sebastian Szybka +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 1.8. Brazilian School of Cosmology and Gravitation (BSCG-XVII), Rio de Janeiro, Brazil --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2018/03/30/brazilian-school-of-cosmology... Starting: 2018-07-16 to 2018-07-21 Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Additional Information: https://www.ceacbrasil.com/bscg/xvii-bscg/ Contact: bscg[AT]ceacbrasil.com The Center for Advanced Studies in Cosmology (CEAC) and the Brazilian Center for Physical Research (CBPF) announce the 17th edition of the Brazilian School of Cosmology and Gravitation to be held in the period from July 16th to 21st, 2018 at CBPF. In this occasion, the Brazilian School of Cosmology and Gravitation will be celebrating 40 years of uninterrupted activity. The BSCG, created in 1978 as the Brazilian School of Cosmology and Gravitation, was initially programmed to have a biannual periodicity, due to its internationalization in the 1980’s, became the Brazilian School of Cosmology and Gravitation (BSCG). Throughout this period, we performed 16 versions of the BSCG, totaling 183 advanced courses in cosmology and related fields. These were undoubtedly years of intense activity and accomplishments. Many young scientists were formed in these schools, and several of them returned to the BSCG as Professors. Thus, was produced a new generation of extremely active researchers, focusing on global issues, looking to the skies and trying to understand the universe in which we live. As science is essentially a collective activity, we have made several collaborations with cosmologists, physicists, astronomers and astrophysicists from several countries: Argentina, Chile, Venezuela, Peru, Uruguay, Mexico, Costa Rica, USA, Canada, France, Italy, England, Japan, New Zealand, Denmark, Bolivia, Portugal, Belgium, Switzerland, Germany and especially the BRICS countries, a block that includes Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The BSCG has enabled the creation of an extremely active forum for scientific and intellectual exchanges between students and teachers, including scientists from different regions of the world, names of great importance in the international scientific community. Our utopia Knowing the universe does not affect our daily life, our life in practice, but it contributes enormously, so that we can transform our smallness in the face of the immensity of the cosmos, through the elevation of our soul. In this way, as the Italian theologian and philosopher Giordano Bruno (1548-1600) dreamed, we could use this knowledge, this dedication to the understanding of the universe, to make human beings less inclined to selfish plans, serving as an instrument capable of both modifying society and building a world in which solidarity is one of the most important values. This is our utopia. At the time, we will be launching the BSCG’s 40th anniversary celebration booklet, which complements a similar publication of the event’s 30 years. Our Committee The BSCG has an international committee of great scientific representation, and is currently formed by the following scientists: E. Kolb (Fermilab, USA), R. Triay (Aix-Marseille Universite', France), A. Dolgov (Istituto Nazionale di Fisica Nucleare, Italy), B. Mashhoon (University of Missouri, USA), U. Moschella (University of Insubria , Italy) and M. Novello (Chairman, CEAC / CBPF). Local committee: M. Novello, S. Joras and M. Makler. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ============================================== 2. Jobs ============================================== 2.1. Tenure track Faculty Position at UNAM, Mexico City, Mexico ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=13835 Deadline: 2018-04-30 Location: Mexico City Additional Information: http://www.nuclecu.unam.mx/ Contact: quevedo[AT]nucleares.unam.mx Faculty Position in Gravitational Physics at ICN-UNAM, Mexico City The Department of Gravitation and Field Theory at the Institute of Nuclear Sciences (ICN) of the National Autonomous University of Mexico (UNAM) in Mexico City, announces the opening of a tenure track Faculty Position in Gravitational Physics. The focus of the position is Gravitational Waves Physics and related subjects (numerical relativity, post-Newtonian approximations, effective one-body approaches to relativistic two-body problems, self-force and corrections to geodesic motion, precision tests and alternative theories). The successful candidate is invited to collaborate with other members of the Department. The successful candidate will play an active role in a program devoted mainly to the study of the two-body problem in General Relativity and alternative theories of gravity, in connection with the interpretation of data from Gravitational Wave detectors of the currently operating devices (LIGO, VIRGO, GEO600) and of the forthcoming ones (LISA, KAGRA, LIGO-INDIA). The position is a tenure track professorship whose level (assistant, associate or full) will be determined by the candidate’s expertise and experience. Salaries are competitive and include tax-free subsidies from funding agencies within UNAM and the Mexican National Science Foundation (Conacyt). The contract package includes health insurance among other benefits. Interested candidates should submit the following documents in a single PDF file to the Department’s head, Prof. Hernando Quevedo (quevedo at nucleares.unam.mx): – full curriculum vitae; – publication list, with the five most significant publications clearly highlighted; – brief description of research interests. In addition, three recommendation letters should be arranged to be sent to the same email address. The review of applications will continue until the position is filled. The Institute offers the successful candidate significant liberties in developing their own research and teaching program and counts with a very low and flexible teaching load. The Department participates in various graduate programs at the university level, including physics, mathematics, astronomy, engineering, philosophy and others. Research grants are available from an internal UNAM funding agency and from Conacyt. An active postdoctoral recruiting program within the UNAM runs twice a year. Large computing (including supercomputers) and extensive library resources are available within the UNAM campus. The successful candidate is expected to apply for research funding and to take advantage of the postdoctoral program to help develop and to strengthen her/his research projects. Currently, the Department’s faculty members are Miguel Alcubierre, Wolfgang Bietenholz, Yuri Bonder, Chryssomalis Chryssomalakos, Jemal Guven, Tim Koslowski, Dario Nunez, Hernando Quevedo, Marcos Rosenbaum, Marcelo Salgado, Christopher Stephens, Daniel Sudarsky, Roberto Sussman, and Alexander Turbiner. In addition, there is a considerable number of postdoctoral fellows and graduate students associated to the Department. The research interests are diverse and include black hole physics, relativistic physics, cosmology, numerical relativity, QFT in curved spacetimes, alternative theories, quantum gravity, lattice field theory, shape dynamics, condensed matter, complex systems, integrable systems, mathematical physics, QCD, foundations of quantum physics, among others. The Department shares building facilities with the High Energy Physics Department, facilitating a close collaboration with its theoretical and experimental branches which focus on related subjects (e.g. dark matter search, neutrino physics, string theory and AdS/CFT duality, cosmic and gamma rays, hadron physics, physics beyond the standard model, etc.). The campus hosts a rich cultural life and ludic activities as well as an array of sport and fitness facilities. The UNAM is an equal opportunity employer. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.2. IGFAE Senior postdoc/Junior staff, Santiago de Compostela, Spain ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2018/03/09/igfae-global-talent/ Deadline: 2018-03-20 Location: Santiago de Compostela, Spain Additional Information: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/10912 Contact: jobs[AT]igfae.usc.es Position at the Galician Institute of High Energy Physics (IGFAE) in Santiago Call for applications - Senior postdoc/Junior staff Gravitational wave research in LIGO/Virgo The Galician Institute of High Energy Physics (IGFAE) in Santiago de Compostela (Spain) invites applications for its Global Talent program. The Institute has been recently awarded a Maria de Maeztu Unit of Excellence from the Spanish Ministry and plans to expand its research activities to the area of Gravitational Waves, among others. We anticipate that one of the Global Talent fellowships will be awarded to an outstanding candidate in the LIGO/Virgo Collaboration. We offer a 3-year contract with salary level equivalent to a Junior Faculty in Spain (extension of the contract will be subject to additional funds). We also plan to open one 2-year regular postdoc and one PhD student positions linked to the offer for gravitational waves. Both positions will be under the supervision of the Global Talent fellow. Besides, the Global Talent position includes research supporting funds for the candidate. Interested candidates, please, apply through Academic Jobs Online https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/10912 before the deadline March 20, 2018 More information about IGFAE http://igfae.usc.es/ Email: jobs[AT]igfae.usc.es +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.3. PhD position in bouncing cosmology, Nottingham, UK ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=13858 Deadline: 2018-04-15 Location: Nottingham UK Additional Information: http://sgielen.wordpress.com Contact: steffen.gielen[AT]nottingham.ac.uk This PhD project is mainly devoted to the study of cosmological inhomogeneities in two different "bounce" scenarios, in which the classical Big Bang singularity is resolved by quantum effects. The first of these scenarios describes the Universe as a "condensate" of a large number of quantum atoms of geometry within the group field theory approach to quantum gravity. The second scenario uses symmetry-reduced models with in which the Universe can make a quantum transition from a contracting to an expanding phase. The project will study cosmological perturbations within these two bounce models, explore potential observational signatures, and focus on the connection to other bounce scenarios and formalisms for quantum cosmology, such as loop quantum cosmology or the no-boundary proposal for quantum cosmology. The PhD studentship is associated to the Royal Society University Research Fellowship project "Addressing the Big Bang singularity in quantum gravity and quantum cosmology" by Dr Steffen Gielen. We are looking for an enthusiastic applicant with a first class degree in Theoretical/Mathematical Physics or equivalent (strong mathematical background is essential), preferably at MSc/MMath level, or equivalent non-UK degree. Candidates with a 2:1 degree can be considered in exceptional cases. Prior research experience in quantum cosmology or cosmological perturbation theory would be an advantage, but is not essential. The studentship is for four years, and covers tuition fees at the Home/EU rate as well as a stipend of currently £14,553 per year. Starting date can be October 2018 or earlier; the position will be open until filled. Review of applications will begin shortly, so early application is strongly recommended. Please write to the email address above if you are interested in applying. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.4. Lectureship at University College Dublin, Ireland ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2018/03/15/lectureship-at-university-col... Deadline: 2018-04-03 Location: Dublin, Ireland Additional Information: http://www.ucd.ie/workatucd/jobs/ Contact: barry.wardell[AT]ucd.ie University College Dublin is seeking to appoint a Lecturer (3 year position) in Statistics/Applied Mathematics within the School of Mathematics and Statistics. This position is part of an ongoing expansion in the areas of Data and Computational Science. UCD School of Mathematics and Statistics is committed to research and teaching across the mathematical sciences, including mathematics, applied mathematics, statistics and actuarial science. The relativity group within the school consists of two permanent faculty (Prof. Adrian Ottewill and Dr. Barry Wardell), a Royal Society University Research fellow (Dr. Niels Warburton), plus several postdocs and students. The successful candidate will be expected to engage in research in Statistics/Applied Mathematics, including supervision of research students and projects, and to contribute to the School’s wide-ranging programme of undergraduate and postgraduate teaching. The position would be ideal for someone working in gravitational wave data analysis, who has experience with statistics and theoretical physics. For more details, please click on the link above and search for Job Ref 010174. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.5. PhD position in General Relativity, Otago, New Zealand ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2018/03/16/phd-position-in-general-relat... Deadline: 2018-09-30 Location: Dunedin, New Zealand Additional Information: http://gravity.otago.ac.nz Contact: joergf[AT]maths.otago.ac.nz The Relativity group at the University of Otago, New Zealand invites applications for a PhD position in General Relativity, in particular on the gravitational wave emissions of rotating neutron stars. The position comes with a 3-year scholarship which covers tuition fees as well as an annual stipend of 25000 NZD. The position is related to a Catalyst:Seeding grant from the Royal Society of New Zealand to J. Frauendiener to work on neutron star mountains and their gravitational wave signals. The project is joint with Prof. Andrew Melatos (University of Melbourne, Australia) and Prof. Susan Scott (Australian National University, Canberra) both members of OzGrav, the Australian Centre of Research Excellence for Gravitational Wave Discovery. We are looking for a motivated person with a degree equivalent to MSc or BSc(Hons) in Theoretical or Mathematical Physics. Good mathematical skills are essential. Prior research experience in General Relativity or relativistic astrophysics is desirable. The starting date of the position is on 1.6.2018. The position will be open until filled. Please send applications (including CV and certificates) or any enquiries to joergf[AT]maths.otago.ac.nz. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.6. International PhD Program on Astrophysics, Cosmology and Gravitation, Brazil ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=13890 Deadline: 2018-05-11 Location: Brazil Additional Information: http://ppgcosmo.cosmo-ufes.org/home.html Contact: ppgcosmo[AT]cosmo-ufes.org PPGCosmo is an international PhD program on Astrophysics, Cosmology and Gravitation that aims to give PhD students the opportunity to develop a successful international scientific career. The research topics range from theoretical to observational aspects of Astrophysics, Cosmology and Gravitation, including participation in collaborations such as LIGO, Euclid, J-PAS and DES. PPGCosmo is a Brazilian program consisting of five institutions from Brazil and four institutions from outside Brazil. The call for applications for four 4-year PhD positions starting in August 2018 is now open. The student will be supervised by a Professor at a Brazilian institution and co-supervised by a Professor at an institution outside Brazil. For the compulsory postgraduate courses the student will be mainly based in Vitória (Espirito Santo, Brazil). It is expected that the student will have opportunities to visit the other Brazilian participating institutions and the co-supervisor's non-Brazilian institution. Please go to http://ppgcosmo.cosmo-ufes.org/home.html for further information. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.7. Lecturer or Senior Lecturer in Mathematics at Otago, New Zealand ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2018/03/22/lecturer-or-senior-lecturer-i... Deadline: 2018-04-20 Location: Dunedin, New Zealand Additional Information: https://otago.taleo.net/careersection/2/jobdetail.ftl?lang=en&job=1800598 Contact: joergf[AT]maths.otago.ac.nz We are offering an opportunity for an academic appointment in Mathematics at the Lecturer or Senior-Lecturer level. The U.S. equivalent level of appointment is Assistant Professor (Lecturer) and Associate Professor (Senior Lecturer). We welcome applications from candidates with research expertise in any area of Mathematics. Research areas of current Mathematics staff include harmonic analysis, fractional calculus with applications, functional analysis, graph theory, mathematical biology, mathematical physics, polar-marine physics, algebraic combinatorics and stochastic PDE. The University of Otago is one of New Zealand's most research-intensive universities. The University values research and research-informed teaching, and teaching assignments and loads are structured accordingly. The University is located in the vibrant southern city of Dunedin, gateway to the beautiful Otago region of New Zealand. We encourage academics to establish and maintain international research connections, and we support this with generous research and study leave. Skills and Experience Candidates for this position should have a PhD in Mathematics, a demonstrated commitment to ongoing mathematical research with a potential to develop a research program of international repute, and demonstrated success and/or aptitude in teaching Mathematics. The successful applicant will be capable of teaching the full range of our Mathematics courses at the undergraduate level, from first-year to Honours courses, and will supervise postgraduate research students. The position will be offered as a confirmation-path (tenure track) position at the level of Lecturer/Senior Lecturer (equivalent to Assistant Professor (Lecturer) and Associate Professor (Senior Lecturer) in the North American system). Further details on the position, the university and the application procedure can be found on the university website at specified URL. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.8. Postdoctoral positions, Institute of Cosmos Sciences (ICCUB), Barcelona, Spain ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2018/03/22/postdoctoral-positions-instit... Deadline: 2018-04-08 Location: Barcelona, Spain Additional Information: http://icc.ub.edu/job/74 Contact: jaume.garriga[AT]ub.edu The Institute of Cosmos Sciences at the University of Barcelona (ICCUB) invites applications for up to two postdoctoral positions in the fields of Gravitation, String Theory, and Cosmology. Outstanding applicants in all research areas will be considered; candidates with a background in gravitational wave research are particularly encouraged to apply. Faculty members of our group include Jorge Casalderrey, Roberto Emparan, Bartomeu Fiol, Jaume Garriga, Cristiano Germani, Jaume Guasch, Raul Jimenez, David Mateos, Alessio Notari, Enric Verdaguer and Licia Verde. For more information, visit our website http://icc.ub.edu Appointments will be for a period of up to 1 year, starting no later than Oct. 1st, 2018. The deadline for application is April 8, 2018. This call will be funded by FPA2016-76005-C2-2-P (AEI/FEDER, UE) and by the Maria de Maeztu program. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.9. PhD positions in gravitational wave data analysis at Nikhef, Amsterdam, The Netherlands ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=13900 Deadline: 2018-05-15 Location: Amsterdam, The Netherlands Additional Information: https://www.nikhef.nl/en/vacancies/ Contact: vdbroeck[AT]nikhef.nl The Virgo group at Nikhef has openings for several PhD students in gravitational wave data analysis. Nikhef is the national institute for subatomic physics in The Netherlands, where approximately 175 physicists and 75 technical staff members work together in an open and international scientific environment. Together they perform excellent theoretical and experimental research in the fields of particle and astroparticle physics. Among the research collaborations Nikhef participates in are the ATLAS, LHCb and ALICE experiments at CERN, the KM3NeT neutrino telescope in the Mediterranean, the Virgo interferometer in Pisa, the XENON Dark Matter detector in Gran Sasso and the Pierre Auger cosmic rays observatory in Argentina. Nikhef is a collaboration between 5 major Dutch universities and the Nikhef research institute. The successful candidates will work on the development of novel methods for analysing gravitational wave data from the LIGO and Virgo detectors, with a view on directly probing the structure of compact objects such as black holes and neutron stars. They will be members of the Virgo Collaboration, and will have full access to all Virgo and LIGO data. A master degree in physics is required, and strong programming skills are highly desirable. The students will be employed by the NWO-I-foundation as junior scientists. They will receive a 4 year contract with a competitive salary. The conditions of employment of the NWO-I-foundation are excellent and can be found on the website of the employer: http://www.nwo-i.nl. The educational programme of the Dutch research school for subatomic physics offers annual graduate schools for PhD students, as well as frequent series of lectures on advanced topics in (astro)particle physics. Qualified applicants are encouraged to apply through the online portal: https://www.nikhef.nl/en/vacancies/. Please be prepared to upload a curriculum vitae and have the email address ready of at least one referee who is willing to send a letter of recommendation on your behalf. The deadline for applications is May 15th, 2018. Further information on these positions can be obtained from Prof. Dr. Chris Van Den Broeck (vdbroeck[AT]nikhef.nl). +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.10. Call for postdoctoral positions as part of PPGCosmo program, Brazil ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=13933 Deadline: 2018-05-06 Location: Vitoria, Brazil Additional Information: http://ppgcosmo.cosmo-ufes.org Contact: ppgcosmo[AT]cosmo-ufes.org The PPGCosmo program anticipates having three-year postdoctoral positions in astrophysics, cosmology and gravitation starting in August 2018. PPGCosmo is a Brazilian program consisting of four institutions from Brazil and five institutions outside Brazil. Its staff comprises 18 faculty members, see ppgcosmo.cosmo-ufes.org/home.html and www.cosmo-ufes.org for details. The monthly salary is Brazilian R$4,100 (tax free). Research topics are: dark matter and dark energy models, extensions and alternatives to general relativity, observational cosmology, primordial universe, cosmic microwave background, large-scale structure, galaxies and galaxy clusters, supernovae, gravitational lensing, tests of homogeneity and isotropy, black holes, quantum field theory in curved space-time, quantum gravity and its applications to cosmology and astrophysics. PPGCosmo participates in the international collaborations DES, LIGO, VIRGO, J-PAS, Euclid e LSST.   The program is based at the Federal University of Espirito Santo (UFES), in Vitoria, the capital of the state of Espirito Santo, Brazil - it is a well-connected and pleasant human-sized city. Postdoctoral researchers usually live at walking distance from both the University Campus and the seaside, in one of the most pleasant neighborhoods of Vitoria. Please note that life costs in Vitória are moderate: near the campus a meal costs about R$5-15, renting a room costs about R$500-700 and renting a studio or a small apartment about R$700-1,500.   To apply, please email a cover letter, C.V. and research statement to the address ppgcosmo[AT]cosmo-ufes.org and have at least two letters of reference sent to the same address. Use the subject "Application for PROFIX fellowship - ". The application deadline is May 6, 2018. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ============================================== 3. News ============================================== 3.1. Special Issue "Origin of the Universe" ------------------------------------------------------------ Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2018/03/09/special-issue-origin-of-the-u... Additional Information: http://www.mdpi.com/journal/universe/special_issues/origin_universe Dear Colleagues, The birth of the universe out of the M-theory landscape remains an important question in modern cosmology. Questions such as “Why are the only three large spatial dimensions?”, “What drives inflation?”, and “Is there observable evidence of the birth of the universe out of the M-theory landscape?” are subjects of active debate. We invite colleagues to submit papers on the following topics: Trans-Plankian inflation Models of inflation Constraints on Inflation effective potentials Brane-world inflation Constraints on Inflation initial conditions Primordial gravitational waves Cosmic dark flow and large-scale structure Origin of the cold spot in the CMB Anomalies in the CMB from inflation and the M-theory landscape Supersymmetric Inflation Primordial nucleosynthesis constraints on the birth of the universe Constraints on time-varying fundamental constants Constraints on anisotropic cosmological models Why are there three large dimensions Prof. Dr. Grant J. Mathews Prof. Dr. Laura Mersini Houghton Guest Editors ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.2. The Chalong-De Vega Programme 2018: The New Universe ------------------------------------------------------------ Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2018/03/19/the-chalonge-de-vega-programm... Additional Information: https://chalonge-devega.fr/Programme2018.html Ecole Internationale d'Astrophysique Daniel Chalonge - Hector de Vega PROGRAMME of the YEAR 2018: THE NEW UNIVERSE - LE NOUVEL UNIVERS New Topics on Quantum Physics in the Universe (i) Quantum physics in stars, galaxies, dark matter and supermassive black holes. The New Synthesis (ii) Quantum physics in cosmology, inflation, primordial gravitational waves, dark energy and the quantum vacuum. The New Synthesis (iii) Quantum computing for the above, theory for big data and other new subjects in the spirit of the Chalonge-de Vega School. The Programme is open to researchers, post-docs, advanced students, theorists, experimentalists, observers. Also open to teachers, journalists, communicators. The Programme and Posters 2018 are available here: https://chalonge-devega.fr/Programme2018.html https://chalonge-devega.fr Scientific support is available here: https://chalonge-devega.fr/Programme2017.html With compliments and kind regards https://chalonge-devega.fr ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.3. GRG Editor’s Choice: recent highlight articles ------------------------------------------------------------ Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2018/03/23/grg-editors-choice-recent-hig... Additional Information: http://www.springer.com/livingreviews/relativity/grg-editors-choice In each volume of the journal General Relativity and Gravitation (GRG), a few papers are marked as “Editor’s Choice”. The primary criteria is original, high quality research that is of wide interest within the community. Three recent articles deserve special attention (free-to-read access until April 15, 2018): Giorgio Sarno, Simone Speziale and Gabriele V. Stagno, 2-vertex Lorentzian spin foam amplitudes for dipole transitions, Gen Relativ Gravit (2018) 50: 43. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10714-018-2360-x Pedro V. P. Cunha and Carlos A. R. Herdeiro, Shadows and strong gravitational lensing: a brief review, Gen Relativ Gravit (2018) 50: 42. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10714-018-2361-9 Dario Brooks, Paul-Christopher Chavy-Waddy, Alan A. Coley, Adam Forget, Daniele Gregoris, Malcolm A. H. MacCallum and David D. McNutt, Cartan invariants and event horizon detection, Gen Relativ Gravit (2018) 50: 37. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10714-018-2358-4 Frank Schulz Publishing Editor GRG ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.4. Living Reviews in Relativity: “Tests of chameleon gravity” ------------------------------------------------------------ Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/2018/03/28/living-reviews-in-relativity-... Additional Information: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41114-018-0011-x The open-access journal Living Reviews in Relativity has published a new review article on “Tests of chameleon gravity” by Clare Burrage and Jeremy Sakstein on 16 March 2018: Burrage, C. and Sakstein, J., "Tests of chameleon gravity", Living Rev Relativ (2018) 21: 1. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41114-018-0011-x ABSTRACT: Theories of modified gravity, where light scalars with non-trivial self-interactions and non-minimal couplings to matter—chameleon and symmetron theories—dynamically suppress deviations from general relativity in the solar system. On other scales, the environmental nature of the screening means that such scalars may be relevant. The highly-nonlinear nature of screening mechanisms means that they evade classical fifth-force searches, and there has been an intense effort towards designing new and novel tests to probe them, both in the laboratory and using astrophysical objects, and by reinterpreting existing datasets. The results of these searches are often presented using different parametrizations, which can make it difficult to compare constraints coming from different probes. The purpose of this review is to summarize the present state-of-the-art searches for screened scalars coupled to matter, and to translate the current bounds into a single parametrization to survey the state of the models. Presently, commonly studied chameleon models are well-constrained but less commonly studied models have large regions of parameter space that are still viable. Symmetron models are constrained well by astrophysical and laboratory tests, but there is a desert separating the two scales where the model is unconstrained. The coupling of chameleons to photons is tightly constrained but the symmetron coupling has yet to be explored. We also summarize the current bounds on f(R) models that exhibit the chameleon mechanism (Hu and Sawicki models). The simplest of these are well constrained by astrophysical probes, but there are currently few reported bounds for theories with higher powers of R. The review ends by discussing the future prospects for constraining screened modified gravity models further using upcoming and planned experiments. Please, visit frequently our relativity channel (http://www.springer.com/livingreviews/relativity) at http://livingreviews.org for other news. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.5. Attention members of the International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation (ISGRG) ------------------------------------------------------------ Announcement on Hyperspace@GU: https://hyperspace.uni-frankfurt.de/?p=13927 Additional Information: ISGRG is about to conduct an electronic vote on (1) amending our constitution and (2) adjusting our dues. The purpose of this note is to ask members who did NOT receive my emailed annual letter on 7 March 2018 or 8 March 2018 (depending on your time zone) to contact me (beverlyberger[AT]me.com). You did not receive the letter for at least one of the following reasons: (1) I do not have a valid email address for you; (2) Your mailer rejected the email; (3) You are not actually a member in good standing; (4) The email is in your Inbox but you missed it. The upcoming vote will start with an email from vote[AT]simplyvoting.com on 2 May 2018 (plus/minus 1 day depending on time zone) and will include a link to the voting website. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++