The Max Planck Institute of Germany is advertising for its PhD admissions. They are well recognised internationaly as a seat of excellence in learning. Follow these links below for the project lists (here) and how to apply for a position (here).
myPocketQub project update
Work on the myPocketQub project is continuing and we are still recruiting helpers for construction and design tasks on the satellite we’re aiming to launch in October.
On June 4, 2010, In Education, By membership@ukseds.org
JOB OPENING: Research Staff in Space Plasma Physics at the Space Research Institute, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Graz, Austria.
Space Research Institute (IWF), Austrian Academy of Sciences, invites applications for a postdoctoral research staff position in the area of space plasma physics. The applicant should have completed a Ph.D. by the beginning of the term of appointment and have had experience with data analysis or numerical modeling techniques in space plasma physics or a related field. Experience with team-oriented working environments is desirable. The successful applicant will work on data analysis or modeling relevant to the ongoing multi-spacecraft magnetospheric missions Cluster and THEMIS, particularly targeting science goals applicable to the future MMS mission, in which IWF is involved.
The initial appointment is anticipated for three years, with renewal up to another three years, contingent on performance and funding. Candidates should submit their curricula vitae, publication list, a brief statement of research interests, and names of three individuals who can be contacted for letters of reference.
For application and further information regarding this position, contact Rumi Nakamura.
Review of applications will begin July 31, 2010, and will continue until the position is filled.
Fly Your Thesis
The European Space Agency is proud to announce the third edition of “Fly your Thesis! – An Astronaut Experience”. Through this exciting programme, several teams of university students throughout Europe will be given the opportunity to fly their experiments in microgravity by participating in a series of parabolic flights on the Airbus A300 Zero-G aircraft.
“Fly Your Thesis!” requires each team of students to design a scientific experiment to be performed in microgravity, as part of their Masters/PhD thesis or research programme. In order to apply for the programme, teams should submit their outline proposals using a Letter of Intent template to be found on the website, by the deadline of 12 July 2010.
A Review Board will then select up to 20 teams, who will be invited to elaborate a detailed scientific proposal, with the support of a scientific mentor. As a conclusion to this phase, the teams will present their projects to a review board during a dedicated workshop to be held at an ESA Centre.
After this initial workshop, up to four teams will be selected to further develop and perform their experiment on an ESA Microgravity Research Campaign that will take place in Bordeaux, France, during the spring of 2012. There, the student teams will work in close contact with renowned European scientists carrying out their own research. During the Campaign, the students will accompany their experiments on board for three flights of 30 parabolas, experiencing about 20 seconds of microgravity during each parabola.
During the development of the “Fly your Thesis!” experiments, the participating teams will be supported by ESA’s Education Office, ESA microgravity experts and members of the European Low Gravity Research Association (ELGRA). ESA will offer financial support to cover part of the cost of the experiments, necessary travel and accommodation.
Teams from ESA Member States and Cooperating States are encouraged to register on the ESA Education Office’s project portal and upload their proposals for this programme.
All the information can be found on the website of ESA Education:
www.esa.int/education together with information about many other projects and opportunities organised by ESA Education Office.
Space Connections are organising a two day public engagement event in Bradford, themed “Space in the City”. Through a range of space and astronomy related activities including solar observation, Martian rovers, rocket building and the Space Bus, the visitors to Space and the City will be given information about all the educational space related activities that they can participate in as a next step along the lifelong learning ladder. This pilot event will lead on from the success of the ‘Lift Off Bradford!’ campaign and will be the start of a series of public engagement activities including open lectures and demonstrations as well as the launch of a family challenge.
Location: Bradford Centenary Square
Date: 1st and 2nd June 2010
If you would like to volunteer for this event, or would like more information, then please get in touch with Dave Wright (brohp2@aol.com), or Waheed Akram (waheed.akram@postgrad.manchester.ac.uk). The possibility of reimbursing travel is open to those who reply asap.
Two studentships, funded by the STFC Aurora programme and the Open University are available.
1) “The role of liquid water and salts in periglacial environments on Mars: a remote sensing and laboratory study”
Supervisors: Matt Balme, Charles Cockell, Manish Patel, Axel Hagermann(All Open University)
• Use the latest ultra high-resolution imaging and Digital Elevation Model data from Mars.
• Explore the roles of water and ice in shaping recent martian landscapes.
• Use a Mars simulation chamber to determine the behaviour of hydrated salts and brines under martian conditions and study survivability of microbes.
For more details email Matt Balme (m.r.balme@open.ac.uk) or go to
“Planetary Surfaces Research” at
http://www.open.ac.uk/science/earthsciences/opportunities/studentships/current-projects.php
Applications are being accepted until 28th February 2010.
2) “Redox Couples and the Search for Life on Mars”
Supervisors: Charles Cockell, Matt Balme, Manish Patel (All Open University), Martyn Tranter (Bristol University)
• Investigate energy sources for life on Mars.
• Carry out microbiological experiments to test redox couples under given conditions of temp, pressure etc.
• Use remote sensing data to locate regions where these conditions might plausibly exist now or in the past history of Mars.
• Contribute towards site selection criteria for future missions.
For more details email Charles Cockell (c.s.cockell@open.ac.uk) or go to:
http://cepsar.open.ac.uk/pers/c.s.cockell/
Applications are being accepted until 28th February 2010.
For more information about the Open University, Research and Postgraduate life go to:
Russia Trip
Every year in collaboration with the Youth Space Centre at Bauman Moscow State Technical University we try to send some students on a 10 dayworkshop/exchange program. The dates for the 2010 trip are not yet decided (it will likely be sometime in July) but you can have a look at the details for the 2009 trip to get a idea. More details can be found athttp://www.russiaspacetrip.org/ and look out for a article in the next issue of Aurora from a student who attended in 2009.
Kiruna Summer Space Course 2010
Run by the Department of Physics at Umeå University in Sweden this 3 week long international summer course in ‘Human Spaceflight and Exploration’ is an experience not to be missed. Taking place in the exotic town of Kiruna within the artic circle it will offer much do when your not working hard and meeting new people. The course carries 7.5ECTS points so could be put toward your studies aswell if your University allows.
Course Contents Include:
- History of human spaceflight
- The space environment and its effects on the human body in space
- Life support systems and space suits
- Astronaut selection and training
- Manned space operations
- Space tourism
- Space exploration
For more information go to http://www.irf.se/~carol/summer/
Related sites
