########################################## Table of Contents ########################################### 1. Conferences 1.1. Recent Developments in Gravity, Mykonos, Greece 2. Jobs 2.1. Postdoctoral position in Quantum Gravity and Quantum Cosmology, Beijing 2.2. Postdoctoral positions in numerical relativity at the Academy of Athens 2.3. PhD positions in gravity/cosmology/astrophysics at Fudan University 2.4. PhD Fellowship in Relativity at Southampton 2.5. Postdoc position in numerical relativity at the University of Trento (Italy) 2.6. Postdoctoral positions in numerical relativity and computational astrophysics at the Rochester Institute of Technology 2.7. Postdoctoral Research Associate in Gravitational-Wave Astronomy and Astrophysics, Syracuse 2.8. Max Planck Partner Group Post-doctoral Positions at IISER-TVM, India 2.9. Post-doctoral and Ph.D. positions in Gravitational-Wave Astronomy at the AEI 2.10. Postdoctoral positions in Relativistic and Computational Astrophysics, Frankfurt, Germany 2.11. Postdoc in Quantum Gravity at the Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands 2.12. Two gravity postdocs at the University of Nottingham 3. News 3.1. GWIC Thesis Prize and Stefano Braccini Thesis Prize for 2013: Call for Nominations 3.2. REMINDER: The IUPAP General Relativity and Gravitation Young Scientist Prize ============================================== 1. Conferenes ============================================== 1.1. Recent Developments in Gravity, Mykonos, Greece --------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/12/14/recent-developments-in-gravity/ Starting: 2014-09-17 to 2014-09-20 Location: Mykonos Island, Greece Additional Information: http://neb.hsrgc.gr/16/ Contact: gravitygreece[AT]gmail.com This is the 16th biennial Hellenic conference “Recent Developments in Gravity (NEB 16)”. The purpose of the conference will be to discuss the present status and latest developments in relativity, gravitation and cosmology. The program will consist of invited, keynote, and contributed talks. Invited/Keynote Speakers: L. Amendola, L. Barack, M. Bojowald, A. Calder, V. Ferrari, V. Kalogera, J. Lattimer, D. Lust, M. Maggiore, D. Oriti, L. Rezzolla, B. Schutz, M. Shibata, T. Sotiriou Organizing Committee: T. Apostolatos [CHAIR], K. Kokkotas, M. Sakellariadou, N. Stergioulas, E.C. Vagenas +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ============================================== 2. Jobs ============================================== 2.1. Postdoctoral position in Quantum Gravity and Quantum Cosmology, Beijing ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2014/01/01/postdoctoral-position-quantum-gravit... Deadline: 2014-03-01 Location: Beijing, China Additional Information: http://physics.bnu.edu.cn/application/research/gravity/english%20version/ind... Contact: mayg[AT]bnu.edu.cn The Center for Relativity and Gravitation at Beijing Normal Univerisity has one post-doctoral position openning from fall 2014 in the areas of quantum gravity and quantum cosmology. The appointment will be for two years. The gravity group consists of Sijie Gao, Wenbiao Liu, Hong Lu, Yongge Ma, Bin Zhou and Jianyang Zhu. In addition, the retired professors Canbin Liang and Zheng Zhao join the academic activities frequently, and professors Abhay Ashtekar, Jerzy Lewandowski, Carlo Rovelli and Thomas Thiemann hold visiting professorships at the Institute. The areas of research in the group concern loop quantum gravity, black hole physics, general relativity, de Sitter spacetime, higher dimensional gravity and cosmology, supergravity, AdS/CFT etc.. For further information on the group, see the webpage: http://physics.bnu.edu.cn/application/research/gravity/index.html Interested candidates should send a CV, a publication list and a statement of research proposal and arrange to have two recommendation letters (one from the PhD advisor of the applicant) sent directly to: Prof. Yongge Ma Department of Physics Beijing Normal Univeristy Beijing 100875 CHINA E-mail applications are also accepted. They should be sent to: mayg[AT]bnu.edu.cn, yonggema[AT]yahoo.com The deadline for receipt of all application material is March 1st, 2014. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.2. Postdoctoral positions in numerical relativity at the Academy of Athens ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/12/16/origin-of-astrophysical-magnetic-fie... Deadline: 2013-12-31 Location: Athens, Greece Additional Information: http://www.academyofathens.gr/ecHome.asp?lang=2 Contact: icontop[AT]academyofathens.gr Applications are now open for two postdoctoral research positions at the Research Center for Astronomy and Applied Mathematics of the Academy of Athens on the numerical study of magnetic fields around astrophysical black holes. Applicants with previous experience in numerical magnetohydrodynamics (preferentially in general relativity) are particularly encouraged to apply. Starting date: January 2014. Termination date: September 26, 2015. The positions will be funded by the “Excellence” program of the Greek secretariat of Research and Technology. Applications should be sent to the Research Commission of the Academy of Athens (Solonos 84 str. – 3rd floor, Athens 10679, Greece) before December 31 2013, and should include a curriculum vitae, a brief statement of current and future research interests and up to three letters of recommendation. Questions and inquires: Dr. I. Contopoulos (e-mail: icontop[AT]academyofathens.gr; tel.: +30 2106597167; fax: +30 2106597602). +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.3. PhD positions in gravity/cosmology/astrophysics at Fudan University ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/12/02/phd-positions-in-gravitycosmologyast... Deadline: 2014-01-10 Location: Shanghai, China Additional Information: http://www.physics.fudan.edu.cn/tps/people/bambi/Site/Job_Opportunities.html Contact: bambi@fudan.edu.cn The gravity/cosmology/astrophysics group at Fudan University (Shanghai, China) has a few PhD positions for the next academic year (starting in September 2014) for non-Chinese students. The successful candidates must have a Master degree in Physics or in a related area before September 2014. Courses and research are conducted in English. The PhD program normally lasts for 3 years, but it can be extended to 4-5 years. Applications from candidates with interest/experience in any research area of gravity, cosmology, high energy astrophysics, and quantum field theory will be considered. The group currently consists of 3 faculty (Cosimo Bambi, Antonino Marciano, Leonardo Modesto), 4 postdocs (Stefano Giaccari, Daniele Malafarina, Leslaw Rachwal, Naoki Tsukamoto), and several graduate and undergraduate students. Interested candidates should send their CV (including, among other things, date of birth and nationality) and a short statement of research interests and/or experience to: Prof. Cosimo Bambi E-mail: bambi[AT]fudan.edu.cn Please arrange also at least 2 recommendation letters to be sent separately to the same email address. Applications received by January 10 will receive full consideration. Enquires can be sent to Cosimo Bambi (bambi[AT]fudan.edu.cn), Antonino Marciano (marciano[AT]fudan.edu.cn), or Leonardo Modesto (lmodesto[AT]fudan.edu.cn).Some of the possible research projects can be found here: http://www.physics.fudan.edu.cn/tps/people/bambi/Site/Job_Opportunities.html Further details: Shanghai is the most international city in China. It has been recently developing as a forefront for scientific research in Asia, and will continue in the next years. Fudan University is one of the most selective and prestigious universities in China. The group joins the effort of founding a new theoretical physics center at Fudan, led by Prof. Yong-Shi Wu, who holds a joint position as Distinguished Professor at the University of Utah in the United States and as a Special Appointed Professor of Physics at Fudan. Housing: the successful candidates can live in the international student dormitory inside the campus at very convenient rental rates. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.4. PhD Fellowship in Relativity at Southampton ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/?p=8968 Deadline: 2014-02-28 Location: Southampton, UK Additional Information: http://www.southampton.ac.uk/stag Contact: leor[AT]soton.ac.uk Applications are invited for a PhD position within the Gravity group in the School of Mathematics at the university of Southampton, UK. The PhD position is funded by the European Research Council for a standard duration of 3 years, starting in October 2014. The successful candidate will work with Prof. Leor Barack on analytical and numerical approaches to the problem of radiative dynamics of orbits around black holes in General Relativity, with applications to gravitational-wave astronomy. The University of Southampton (UK) is home to a large Gravity research group. The group comprises 9 staff members (Nils Andersson, Leor Barack, Carsten Gundlach, Ian Hawke, Wynn Ho, Ian Jones, Kostas Skenderis, Marika Taylor and James Vickers), 9 postdocs and 15 research students. Research in the group covers topics in black-hole and neutron-star astrophysics, sources of gravitational waves and numerical relativity, as well as string-inspired gravity and holography. Students of any nationality are invited to apply, but full funding is guaranteed only for EU nationals. We prefer applications to arrive before February 28, 2014, although later applications will be considered until the position is filled. Applications should be made online, by following the link on http://www.southampton.ac.uk/maths/postgraduate/research_degrees/apply.page In the online application form please select Programme Type "Research", "FullTime" and type in "Mathematics" in the Search window. Then follow the link under "Apply online" and proceed as instructed. Make sure to indicate "Leor Barack" as the requested supervisor. Contact for enquiries: Prof. Leor Barack School of Mathematics University of Southampton United Kingdom email: leor[at]soton.ac.uk +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.5. Postdoc position in numerical relativity at the University of Trento (Italy) ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/12/03/postdoc-position-in-numerical-relati... Deadline: 2014-01-27 Location: Trento, Italy Additional Information: http://www.unitn.it/en/ateneo/bando/32797/department-of-physics-call-for-the... Contact: bruno.giacomazzo[AT]unitn.it The Department of Physics at the University of Trento invites applications for a 2-year postdoc position starting on or around September 2014. The postdoc will work with Dr. Bruno Giacomazzo on numerical simulations in full general relativity of magnetized compact objects (such as neutron stars and black holes). Previous experience in general relativistic simulations of compact objects is required for this position. The net salary will be ~2500 EUR per month (the gross salary of this fellowship will be 33000 EUR per year). Travel funds are also available for the entire duration of the project. The deadline for applications is January 27 2014 at 12 pm Italian time. Applicants should have a PhD in Physics or related areas. Candidates that will obtain their PhD before the contract starts can also apply. Full details about the selection process (which may include also a Skype interview) can be found at http://www.unitn.it/en/ateneo/bando/32797/department-of-physics-call-for-the... Application and required documents: 1) application form to be downloaded at http://www.unitn.it/files/download/32796/domanda.pdf 2) a copy of the applicant's ID card or other form of identification 3) curriculum vitae (dated and signed by the applicant) 4) publication list (dated and signed by the applicant) 5) a research program 6) copy of PhD certificate or a declaration to certify that the title will be achieved by the starting date of the contract All documents must be sent in one of the following ways: 1. by fax to +39 0461 281699. Those using fax may send extended files containing only research program, curriculum vitae, list of publications, and PhD certificate in zipped form to ateneo[AT]pec.unitn.it (application form and ID cannot be sent via regular email). Please mention in the email "Application for Research Fellowship DFI – Decree n. 148 – 02.12.2013" and that you sent the application form and ID via fax. 2. by courier service (e.g., DHL, FedEx, UPS, Italian "raccomandata con ricevuta di ritorno") to the following address (please write on the envelope "Application for Research Fellowship DFI – Decree n. 148 – 02.12.2013"): Al Direttore del Dipartimento di Fisica, Ufficio Contratti – Serv. Amm. per la Didattica e la Ricerca Polo Collina, Università degli Studi di Trento, Via Sommarive 14, 38123 TRENTO, ITALY 3. by Italian certified email to ateneo[AT]pec.unitn.it using ONLY an Italian PEC email address (e.g., see https://www.postacertificata.gov.it in Italian). Please mention in the subject "Application for Research Fellowship DFI – Decree n. 148 – 02.12.2013". Applicants should also arrange to have three reference letters sent via email directly to bruno.giacomazzo[AT]unitn.it. Applicants are also encouraged to notify bruno.giacomazzo[AT]unitn.it once they have sent their applications. Please note that all the application material has to be received by the deadline (particularly important if you are applying via courier service). Any question about this position and the application process can be sent directly to bruno.giacomazzo[AT]unitn.it. The University of Trento is ranked among the top 5 universities in Italy (first for quality of research according to national rankings). The city of Trento is located on the Italian Dolomites and it is very well connected with several destinations in Italy and Europe. Moreover the city of Trento has been recently ranked as the best place to live in Italy (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trento). More information about the Physics Department of the University of Trento can be found at: http://www.unitn.it/en/dphys +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.6. Postdoctoral positions in numerical relativity and computational astrophysics at the Rochester Institute of Technology ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/12/03/postdoctoral-positions-in-numerical-... Deadline: 2014-01-31 Location: Rochester, NY, USA Additional Information: http://ccrg.rit.edu/spotlight/jobs Contact: ccrg-postdoc@ccrgweb.rit.edu The Center for Computational Relativity and Gravitation (CCRG) at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) anticipates filling one postdoctoral positions in the area of numerical relativity and computational astrophysics in the coming year. We are looking for postdoctoral candidates interested in working on relativistic magneto-hydrodynamics (GRMHD) simulations of accretion disks around supermassive black hole mergers and jet dynamics. This work will have direct impact on electromagnetic observations of active galactic nuclei and is part of ongoing collaborative research effort with Johns Hopkins University. There are currently eleven senior researchers working in a broad range of areas of gravitational physics and astrophysics at the CCRG. Six faculty members work in numerical relativity and/or gravitational-wave science: Manuela Campanelli, Joshua Faber, Carlos Lousto, Yosef Zlochower, John Whelan, and Hans-Peter Bischof (a visualization expert), plus a new faculty in the area of gravitational wave data analysis, as well as four postdoctoral fellows: Miguel Zilhao, Scott Noble, Jason Nordhaus, and James Healy, and several Ph.D. students. The successful postdoctoral candidates will have the opportunity to collaborate on a broad range of research topics in gravitational physics. Our group is involved in several large collaborations, including the LIGO Scientific Collaboration (LSC), The Einstein Toolkit Consortium, a Petascale computing project with NCSA, the NINJA (Numerical Injection Analysis) project, and the NRAR (numerical relativity-analytical relativity) collaboration. The positions are for two years and renewable depending on satisfactory performance and the availability of funds. CCRG researchers have access to several computing cluster facilities at national computing centers such as XSEDE and BlueWaters as well as a dedicated 1600-core cluster hosted at the Center. More information about the CCRG is available at http://ccrg.rit.edu/ and about Rochester at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rochester,_New_York Applications should consist of a cover letter, a brief statement of research interests, a curriculum vitae including publication list, and at least three letters of recommendation. All materials should be sent electronically as soon as possible to: ccrg-postdoc[AT]ccrgweb.rit.edu Enquiries can be addressed to the center's Director: Manuela Campanelli, manuela[AT]astro.rit.edu Center for Computational Relativity and Gravitation, School of Mathematical Sciences, and School of Physics and Astronomy, Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) 85 Lomb Memorial Drive Rochester, New York 14623 USA Review of completed applications will begin as soon as available and will continue until a suitable candidate is found. RIT is committed to equal employment opportunity and affirmative action. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.7. Postdoctoral Research Associate in Gravitational-Wave Astronomy and Astrophysics, Syracuse ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/?p=9037 Deadline: 2013-12-17 Location: Syracuse, NY, USA Additional Information: http://www.gravity.phy.syr.edu/ Contact: psaulson[AT]syr.edu The Syracuse University Gravitational-Wave Group invites applications for a postdoctoral research position in gravitational-wave astronomy and astrophysics, starting September 1, 2014 or possibly earlier. The initial appointment will be for one year, renewable up to three years contingent on continued funding and satisfactory performance. The Syracuse University Gravitational-Wave Group consists of faculty members Stefan Ballmer, Duncan Brown and Peter Saulson, senior scientist Peter Couvares, research assistant professor Ryan Fisher, 3 postdocs and 9 graduate students. The group is a member of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration and has a broad range of research interests in gravitational-wave astronomy including: searches for gravitational waves with Advanced LIGO, astrophysics of compact object binaries, detector characterization, and next-generation detector development. The Syracuse group has excellent computing and laboratory facilities and operates a 2000 CPU core cluster with 170 GPUs for gravitational-wave astrophysics and LIGO analysis. The successful candidate’s research will be focused on development of search and parameter estimation techniques for gravitational waves using the Advanced Laser Interferometer Gravitational-wave Observatory (aLIGO), the interface between numerical relativity and gravitational-wave astronomy and the physics of gravitational-wave sources. For full consideration qualified candidates must complete an online management application at www.sujobopps.com (job #070925) and attach their curriculum vitae, list of publications and a statement of research interests. Application materials should be submitted by January 15, 2014 for full consideration, but the screening process will continue until filled. Syracuse University is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Members of minority groups and women are especially encouraged to apply. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.8. Max Planck Partner Group Post-doctoral Positions at IISER-TVM, India ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/12/11/max-planck-partner-group-post-doctor... Deadline: 2014-01-17 Location: Trivandrum, India Additional Information: http://www.iisertvm.ac.in/~cosmograv Contact: shanki[AT]iisertvm.ac.in Max Planck Partner Group on Cosmology and Gravity, IISER-Thiruvananthapuram intends to appoint up to two postdoctoral positions in the areas of early-universe cosmology, classical and quantum gravity. A Ph.D. degree and relevant research experience are required for these posts. The positions can start as early as 1st April 2014. Both these posts are funded under the Max Planck Partner Group. Currently, the group has 4 post-doctorate fellows and 3 Ph.D. students. The fellows have the opportunity to visit and interact with the members of Albert Einstein Institute, Golm. The position is available for a period of up to two years. Informal enquiries can be made to S. Shankaranarayanan (shanki[AT] iisertvm.ac.in ). Tenure: 2 years Salary: INR 2,64,000 – INR 4,20,000 per annum Group Page: http://www.iisertvm.ac.in/~cosmograv Deadline: 17 January 2014 To apply please send CV, research statement and have at least two letters of reference sent by email to: shanki[AT] iisertvm.ac.in with the subject “Application for MP-PG positions – Candidate name”. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.9. Post-doctoral and Ph.D. positions in Gravitational-Wave Astronomy at the AEI ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/?p=8998 Deadline: 2014-01-10 Location: Potsdam, Germany Additional Information: http://www.aei.mpg.de/1121114/gwjobs2014 Contact: buonanno[AT]aei.mpg.de As a result of the recent appointment (starting in September 2014) of Prof. Alessandra Buonanno as director of the "Astrophysical and Cosmological Relativity" division of the Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute) in Potsdam, several postdoc appointments will be available beginning September 2014. The positions are available at different levels, depending on experience and seniority. Students who wish to pursue a Ph.D. in gravitational-wave astronomy are also invited to apply. The "Astrophysical and Cosmological Relativity" division will focus on several aspects of gravitational-wave astronomy, including (i) theoretical gravitational dynamics (post-Newtonian theory, gravitational self-force approach, perturbation theory and effective-one-body formalism), (ii) numerical simulations of gravitational-wave sources, (iii) source modeling and analysis of data from gravitational-wave detectors, and (iv) astrophysics of compact objects. Members of the division will have the opportunity to join the LIGO Scientific Collaboration through the group's membership. They could also be involved in Pulsar-Timing-Array projects and the eLISA mission, which was recently approved by ESA. A strong visitor program will be established to create a lively and vibrant research environment. In brief, the relevant research areas for these positions are: - Gravitation Theory - Analytical Relativity - Numerical Relativity - Gravitational-Wave Data Analysis and Phenomenology - Relativistic Astrophysics The gravitational-wave data-analysis research includes work on the detection of continuous gravitational-wave signals, led by Dr. Maria Alessandra Papa's group. Postdoctoral candidates interested in this research topic are also encouraged to apply. The "Astrophysical and Cosmological Relativity" division has high-performance clusters to run numerical-relativity simulations, and carry out source modeling and data-analysis studies. The "Astrophysical and Cosmological Relativity" division will have interactions with the "Observational Relativity and Cosmology" division led by Prof. Bruce Allen and the "Laser Interferometry and Gravitational Wave Astronomy" division led by Prof. Karsten Danzmann, which are located at the Albert Einstein Institute in Hannover. The "Astrophysical and Cosmological Relativity" division will have also ties with the Physics Department at the University of Maryland, notably the gravitation theory and experimental groups, and the Joint Space-Science Institute. To apply for a postdoctoral position please fill out this form: https://lotus1.aei.mpg.de/job-form.nsf/gwpostdocjobs.xsp and upload a curriculum vitae, list of publications and statement of past, current and future research interests. Applicants would need to indicate the names of three referees for recommendation letters. Referees will be notified by email on how to upload the letters (in case of problems referees could send the letters directly to gwjobs[AT]aei.mpg.de). If you are interested in doing a Ph.D. at the AEI please fill out this form: https://lotus1.aei.mpg.de/job-form.nsf/gwstudentjobs.xsp and upload a curriculum vitae, list of publications and statement of past, current and future research interests. Applicants would need to indicate the names of three referees for recommendation letters. Referees will be notified by email on how to upload the letters (in case of problems referees could send the letters directly to gwjobs[AT]aei.mpg.de). Contact: Mrs. Ute Schlichtung Max-Planck-Institut fur Gravitationsphysik Albert-Einstein-Institut Am Muehlenberg 1 D-14476 Golm Germany email gwjobs[AT]aei.mpg.de Candidates are encouraged to apply as soon as possible. The deadline for full consideration is January 10, 2014. The search will continue until positions are filled. The Max Planck Institute encourages applications from women and members of underrepresented groups. For further information please send an email to Alessandra Buonanno (buonanno[AT]aei.mpg.de) This advertisement can also be found here: http://www.aei.mpg.de/1121114/gwjobs2014 +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.10. Postdoctoral positions in Relativistic and Computational Astrophysics, Frankfurt, Germany ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/12/14/postdoctoral-positions-in-relativist... Deadline: 2014-01-31 Location: Frankfurt, Germany Additional Information: http://numrel.aei.mpg.de/jobs Contact: rezzolla[AT]th.physik.uni-frankfurt.de The Department of Relativistic Theoretical Astrophysics at the Institute for Theoretical Physics in Frankfurt anticipates the opening of several postdoctoral positions to carry our research in Relativistic and Computational Astrophysics, at Frankfurt am Main, Germany. The newly founded department is chaired by L. Rezzolla and presently includes D. Alic, F. Galeazzi, F. Guercilena, B. Mundim, A. Tsokaros, and A. Zhydenko. Very close connections and collaborations are present with the Albert Einstein Institute in Potsdam. The candidates should have a PhD in astrophysics, physics or applied mathematics and research experience in numerical simulations in numerical relativity, relativistic hydrodynamics and MHD. Scientific-computing skills are essential, as well as a theoretical background in relativistic hydrodynamics and MHD. Candidates with knowledge in alternative theories of gravity and accretion flows onto compact objects are particularly encouraged to apply. The successful candidates will contribute to the modelling of the radiative emission from the galactic center and to the modelling of the multi-messenger emission from inspiralling binaries of compact objects. Applicants should upload a CV, a publication list, a research summary and proposal, and should arrange for 3 letters of reference to be sent to the address above. The deadline for applications is Jan. 31st, 2014 and appointments will begin in the fall of 2014. Applications should be made electronically and sent to: Fr. Astrid Steidl steidl[AT]th.physik.uni-frankfurt.de For further information please email Luciano Rezzolla (rezzolla[AT]th.physik.uni-frankfurt.de) +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.11. Postdoc in Quantum Gravity at the Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/?p=9016 Deadline: 2014-01-07 Location: Nijmegen, The Netherlands Additional Information: http://www.hef.ru.nl/~rloll/Web/jobs/jobs.html Contact: r.loll[AT]science.ru.nl A postdoctoral position in quantum gravity and quantum geometry will become available at the Institute for Mathematics, Astrophysics and Particle Physics (IMAPP) of the Radboud University Nijmegen, starting in autumn of 2014. See the website for more details and how to apply. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 2.12. Two gravity postdocs at the University of Nottingham ------------------------------------------------------------- Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/?p=9042 Deadline: 2014-01-15 Location: Nottingham, UK Additional Information: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/jobs/currentvacancies/ref/SCI1345 Contact: kirill.krasnov[AT]nottingham.ac.uk Two postdoctoral positions are available at the University of Nottingham, to work with Prof Kirill Krasnov on the ERC funded project “Diffeomorphism invariant gauge theories, asymptotic safety and geometry”. The successful applicants will be expected to contribute to the development of the gauge-theoretic approach to General Relativity and perturbative quantum gravity in this formalism. Two full-time posts are available from the 1 September 2014 or as soon as possible thereafter and will be offered on a fixed-term contract for a period of 24 months. Informal enquiries may be addressed to Prof Kirill Krasnov email: kirill.krasnov[AT]nottingham.ac.uk. When applying, please arrange the letters of reference to be sent to this address. However, please note that applications sent directly to this email address will not be accepted. See the link provided for more information on how to apply. For information about the research group that the postdocs will be joining see http://www.digt.org/. For information about the School of Mathematical Sciences and its other research groups, some of them in related areas, see: http://www.nottingham.ac.uk/mathematics/index.aspx. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ ============================================== 3. News ============================================== 3.1. GWIC Thesis Prize and Stefano Braccini Thesis Prize for 2013: Call for Nominations ------------------------------------------------------------ Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/12/18/gwic-thesis-prize-and-stefano-bracci... Additional Information: https://gwic.ligo.org/thesisprize/ The Gravitational Wave International Committee is pleased to announce that nominations for the 2013 GWIC Thesis Prize and for the 2013 Stefano Braccini Thesis Prize are now open. Both prizes recognize outstanding PhD theses in the general area of gravitational waves. To better serve the community, GWIC and the Friends of Stefano Braccini have moved to coordinate the two Prizes. From now on, there will be a common call for nominations, and all theses submitted will be considered for both awards by a joint selection committee. Two winners will be selected, with the GWIC Thesis Prize emphasizing the impact of the research on the field of gravitational wave science, while the Braccini Thesis Prize will be awarded with an emphasis on innovation. Members of the gravitational wave community are invited to nominate students who have performed notable research on any aspect of gravitational wave science. Theses will be judged on 1) originality and creativity of the research, 2) importance to the field of gravitational waves and gravitational wave detection, broadly interpreted, and 3) clarity of presentation. Each winner will receive a certificate of recognition and a prize of US$1,000. Since 2010, GWIC has recommended the GWIC Prize Thesis for the book series Springer Theses. Subject to certain qualifications, Springer Theses publishes exceptional Ph.D. theses in the physical sciences in their entirety. Beginning in 2013, the Braccini Prize winner will also be recommended to Springer. If accepted, the winner will receive an additional €500 from Springer upon publication. Eligibility: Both prizes are award on a calendar year basis. Theses should have been accepted by their institutions between 1 January 2013 and 31 December 2013. It is expected that many of the nominations will come from the member projects of GWIC, but this is not a requirement. Nominated theses may be in any language. A committee selected from the gravitational wave community will evaluate the nominations and select the winner. The selection committee will make all determinations about eligibility. Nominations: Nominations should be submitted to the selection committee chair (Andrea Possenti) by 15 January 2014. The nomination package consists of (i) the thesis, (ii) a letter of nomination, preferably from the thesis advisor, and (iii) an optional supporting letter from another scientist familiar with the work. The nomination and supporting letters should describe the importance and novelty of the research and how it supports GWIC’s goal to support the development of gravitational-waves as an astronomical tool. Electronic submission of the the thesis and letters is strongly preferred. Electronic copies of the nomination materials may be sent to gwic-braccini-prize@oa-cagliari.inaf.it, with a copy to stan@ligo.caltech.edu. Please note the following two restrictions on the names of files which can be handled at these addresses: i) The filename cannot contain more than 1 dot (i.e "."). A file like mythesis.pdf is ok, while a file like my.thesis.pdf will be rejected. ii) The filename cannot contain blank spaces, i.e. a file like "my thesis.pdf" will be rejected. If electronic submission is impossible, please contact stan@ligo.caltech.edu for instructions concerning paper submission. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ 3.2. REMINDER: The IUPAP General Relativity and Gravitation Young Scientist Prize ------------------------------------------------------------ Announcement on Hyperspace@AEI: http://hyperspace.aei.mpg.de/2013/12/30/reminder-the-iupap-general-relativit... Additional Information: Nomination Deadline: 1 February 2014 As an affiliated commission (AC2) of the International Union of Pure and Applied Physics (IUPAP), the International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation (ISGRG) offers an annual IUPAP Young Scientist Prize. The IUPAP Young Scientist Prizes recognize outstanding achievements of scientists at early stages of their career. Each prize consists of a certificate citing the contributions made by the recipient, a medal and 1000 euros. The conditions for the prize are: The IUPAP General Relativity and Gravitation Young Scientist Prize can be for work in any area of relativity and gravitation, theoretical or experimental. On 1 February 2014, nominees must have a maximum of eight years of research experience (excluding career interruptions) following the Ph.D. (or equivalent) degree. They are expected to have displayed significant achievement and exceptional promise for future achievements in relativity and gravitation. The primary nominator must be a member of the International Society on General Relativity and Gravitation. Nominations may be made by any member of ISGRG (other than the nominee) and should be accompanied by a CV, a proposed citation of 30-50 words summarizing the reason for the nomination, a list of publications and a description (about one page long) of the specific achievements of the nominee, who need not be an ISGRG member. The entire package should be bundled into a single PDF file and emailed to the Secretary of ISGRG, beverlyberger[AT]me.com, by 1 February 2014. The winner will be announced on 14 March 2014 and the award made shortly thereafter. The official presentation of the award will be made at the GR21 conference in 2016. Through the generosity of Prof. Abhay Ashtekar (Penn State U), an Ashtekar Travel Award of $1000 will be presented to the winner as partial support for travel to GR21. It is important that the selection committee has specific information that allows it to determine what the nominee has contributed and how this will impact the subject. Therefore it will be extremely helpful to the selection committee to receive at least two additional letters supporting the nomination that detail the expected significance of the contributions of the nominee. It is also appropriate to submit additional materials such as published articles. In the case of co-authored or multi-authored publications, it is essential for nominators and supporters to discuss the nominee's precise contributions, if known, in addition to the work's overall significance. ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++