From scroom at physics.usyd.edu.au Tue Sep 3 10:23:12 2013 From: scroom at physics.usyd.edu.au (Scott Croom) Date: Tue, 03 Sep 2013 10:23:12 +1000 Subject: [ASA] PhD Opportunities in Astronomy at University of Sydney Message-ID: <52252BF0.3000608@physics.usyd.edu.au> Applications are now open for PhD scholarships at the Sydney Institute for Astronomy (SIfA), within the School of Physics at the University of Sydney. The Sydney Institute for Astronomy (SIfA) has the broadest astrophysical research program in Australia, encompassing projects from the surface of the Sun to the edge of the Universe. SIfA researchers are international leaders in both observational and theoretical astrophysics as well as cutting edge astronomical instrumentation development. SIfA provides a diverse and stimulating environment with over 40 research staff and more than 40 PhD students. SIfA is also the headquarters of the ARC Centre of Excellence for All Sky Astrophysics (CAASTRO, http://www.caastro.org/). Those interested in applying should investigate the broad list of projects discussed at : http://www.physics.usyd.edu.au/sifa/Postgrad Potential students are encouraged to contact the relevant staff members for further details. More general questions can be directed to A. Prof Scott Croom (scroom at physics.usyd.edu.au). PhD scholarships for suitably qualified individuals include full tuition fees and an annual stipend of $24,653AUD for up to 3.5 years. The University also offers funding for research related travel and other costs. For details of the application process please see: http://sydney.edu.au/science/physics/future/courses_pgrad.shtml http://sydney.edu.au/scholarships/research/postgraduate_awards.shtml The deadline for applicants eligible for APA/UPA scholarships is 31st October 2013. ASA members are encouraged to forward this message to any interested parties. -- ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- A/Prof. Scott M. Croom, Email: scroom at physics.usyd.edu.au ARC Future Fellow School of Physics A28, Tel: +61 2 9036 5311 University of Sydney, Fax: +61 2 9351 7726 NSW 2006, Australia WWW: www.physics.usyd.edu.au/~scroom ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- From ahopkins at aao.gov.au Tue Sep 3 14:28:09 2013 From: ahopkins at aao.gov.au (Andrew Hopkins) Date: Tue, 3 Sep 2013 14:28:09 +1000 (EST) Subject: [ASA] [Fwd: STA WELCOMES ALP SCIENCE POLICY] Message-ID: <30151.198.142.228.2.1378182489.squirrel@aaomail.aao.gov.au> ------------------------------ Original Message ------------------------------ Subject: STA WELCOMES ALP SCIENCE POLICY From: "Catriona Jackson" Date: Tue, September 3, 2013 1:52 pm To: undisclosed-recipients:; ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ 03/09/2013 STA WELCOMES ALP SCIENCE POLICY Science & Technology Australia welcomed the ALP science and research policy, released today. STA President Professor Michael Holland said: ?STA has long called for a strategic and sustainable plan for investment in science and research. Such a plan would allow Australia to adapt as the resources boom wanes, emerging stronger, smarter and more resilient. ?Scientists applaud ALP commitments to: Implement a strategy for long-term investment in research and research infrastructure; Commission a review, chaired by the Chief Scientist, to advise government on the most appropriate ways to secure future funding for landmark research facilities, and Implement the recent report from the Chief Scientist, Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics in the National Interest: A Strategic Approach (2013). ?We strongly support the ALP?s statement that science and research 'hold the key to our future global competitiveness and our prosperity and harmony at home'. "Initiatives to bring industry and research closer together through the establishment of a new National Innovation Council and Australian Innovation Partnerships are also welcomed. "Higher education as well as innovation and international education commitments are also included in the raft of announcements made today. ?Australia?s achievements in science, technology and innovation will shape our prosperity in the 21st century, and dictate the kinds of jobs and lives our children will have. ?Support for science should be above politics, a matter of multi-party support. ?We call on the Coalition to tell the public about their vision for a stronger, smarter nation so that voters can make an evidence-based choice on polling day,? Professor Holland said. STA is the peak group for the nation?s 68,000 scientists and those working in technology. STA?s mission is to bring together scientists, governments, industry and the broader community to advance the role, reputation and impact of science and technology in Australia. Full policy detail is available here: http://www.senatorkimcarr.com/latest-news.html _______ Media comment: STA CEO Catriona Jackson ? 0417 142 238 Catriona Jackson Chief Executive Officer Science & Technology Australia Giving voice to Australian Science & Technology for over 27 years www.sta.org.au www.respectthescience.org.au catriona.jackson at sta.org.au T: 02 6257 2891 M: 0417142238 PO Box 259 Canberra City ACT 2601 -- A.Prof. Andrew Hopkins, Head of AAT Science Australian Astronomical Observatory P.O. Box 915, North Ryde, NSW 1670, Australia ph: +61 2 9372 4849 fax: +61 2 9372 4880 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 03092013alpsciencepolicy.docx Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.documen t Size: 364565 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From growell at physics.adelaide.edu.au Tue Sep 3 15:01:31 2013 From: growell at physics.adelaide.edu.au (Gavin Rowell) Date: Tue, 3 Sep 2013 14:31:31 +0930 (CST) Subject: [ASA] CTA (Cherenkov Telescope Array) Workshop in Adelaide Message-ID: CTA (Cherenkov Telescope Array) represents the next step in ground-based gamma-ray astronomy and Australia has recently joined this project. http://www.cta-observatory.org/ A workshop will take place in Adelaide 30 Sept - 1 Oct and you are invited to take part in discussion of relevant issues such as Australia's role in this project and funding plans. The website for this meeting is here: http://www.physics.adelaide.edu.au/astrophysics/CTA/adelaideSept2013/index.html There is no registration fee but for catering purposes, please register at the above website. Looking forward to seeing you in Adelaide! with best regards, Gavin Rowell --------------------------------------------------------------------------- Gavin Rowell ph +61883138374 High Energy Astrophysics Group fax +61883134380 School of Chemistry & Physics gavin.rowell at adelaide.edu.au University of Adelaide 5005, AUSTRALIA web: http://www.physics.adelaide.edu.au/astrophysics/gpr/ --------------------------------------------------------------------------- From john.obyrne at sydney.edu.au Thu Sep 5 07:58:11 2013 From: john.obyrne at sydney.edu.au (John O'Byrne) Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2013 07:58:11 +1000 Subject: [ASA] A new book - Making Waves, the Story of Ruby Payne-Scott, Australian Pioneer Radio Astronomer. In-Reply-To: <2933BBB9-A61D-4F0B-B856-6642477F6B28@sydney.edu.au> References: <2933BBB9-A61D-4F0B-B856-6642477F6B28@sydney.edu.au> Message-ID: A new popular level book 'Making Waves - The Story of Ruby Payne-Scott: Australian Pioneer Radio Astronomer', has been published by ASA member Miller Goss. Payne-Scott is regarded as the first female radio astronomer (and one of the first people in the world to consider radio astronomy) and made classic contributions to solar radio physics. She also played a major role in the design of the Australian government's Council for Scientific and Industrial Research radars, which were in turn of vital importance in the Southwest Pacific Theatre in World War II. From a sociological perspective, her career offers many examples of the perils of being a female academic in the first half of the 20th century. This book is an abbreviated, partly re-written version of 'Under the Radar - The First Woman in Radio Astronomy: Ruby Payne-Scott', also by Miller. In contrast to the original, the new book has a reasonable price of about US $37! There is a Springer web site about the book (www.springer.com/astronomy/book/978-3-642-35751-0) and a digital copy can be found at link.springer.com and bought on-line (or some libraries may provide access). Copies of the book will be awarded to the seven winners of prizes from the ASA meeting in July: Bok Prize - Ben Pope Heisler Prize - Dr Emily Wisniosky Webster Prize - Dr Andrew Green ASA Best student talk - Ms Vanessa Moss ASA Best student poster - Ms Louise Howes Ellery Lectureship - Prof. Rachel Webster Harley Wood Lecturer - Assoc. Prof. Charley Lineweaver Congratulations once again to all our prize winners! These copies are being shipped now. John ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR JOHN O?BYRNE Associate Head (Teaching & Learning) Chair, School Teaching & Learning Committee Secretary, Astronomical Society of Australia Inc. Sydney Institute for Astronomy School of Physics | Faculty of Science THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY Rm 222, 44-70 Rosehill St Redfern H90 (see map) | (alternate: Rm 205, Physics Building A28) Postal address: School of Physics | The University of Sydney | NSW | Australia | 2006 T +61 2 9351 3184 | F +61 2 9351 7726 E john.obyrne at sydney.edu.au | W http://sydney.edu.au/science/physics/~obyrne CRICOS 00026A This email plus any attachments to it are confidential. Any unauthorised use is strictly prohibited. If you receive this email in error, please delete it and any attachments. ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- This email uses 100% recycled words and ideas. Do you really need to print it? ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From andrew.hopkins at aao.gov.au Thu Sep 5 16:36:30 2013 From: andrew.hopkins at aao.gov.au (Andrew Hopkins) Date: Thu, 05 Sep 2013 16:36:30 +1000 Subject: [ASA] Fwd: STA media release - Independence of research funding critical In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <5228266E.1080504@aao.gov.au> -------- Original Message -------- Subject: STA media release - Independence of research funding critical Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2013 16:29:21 +1000 From: Catriona Jackson To: STA Independence of research funding critical Scientists around the nation are profoundly concerned by news today that a Coalition Government would interfere in Australia?s independent system of research-grant funding. STA CEO Catriona Jackson said: ?The Coalition Government has this afternoon confirmed it would, if elected, re-prioritise funding through the nation?s key independent granting body Australian Research Council (ARC). ?Specific research projects - all in the arts and social sciences - have been labeled ?increasingly ridiculous?. But scientists know that the flow of new knowledge is critical to the kinds of ?real word? results that all Australians are proud of, and that the Coalition is calling for. ?It was CSIRO scientist John O?Sullivan?s search for exploding black holes that led to his discovery of wireless technology that has swept the world, and earned Australia $500 million in royalties with probably as much again to come. ?Australians should ask: Do we want politicians picking and choosing which grant proposals deserve funding? ?The Coalition statement raises a number of critical questions: * How would the new grants process work? * Who would make the final funding call? * How much would this new process cost, and would it simply add another political or bureaucratic layer? ?Scientists and research funding agencies understand that Governments set priorities for research and that this is entirely valid given we do not have the resources to fund everything. ?Priority setting is very different from political picking and choosing. ?Only a quarter of research grant bids that go to the ARC each year are successful. Only the best of the very best get through the very careful peer review, expert-driven process.? STA is the peak group for the nation?s 68,000 scientists and those working in technology. STA?s mission is to bring together scientists, governments, industry and the broader community to advance the role, reputation and impact of science and technology in Australia. _____ *05/09/13* *Media comment: STA CEO Catriona Jackson ? 0417 142 238, and STA President Professor Michael Holland 0407 960 782* ** -- A.Prof. Andrew Hopkins, Head of AAT Science Australian Astronomical Observatory P.O. Box 915, North Ryde, NSW 1670, Australia ph: +61 2 9372 4849 fax: +61 2 9372 4880 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 05092013 ARC Coalition .docx Type: application/vnd.openxmlformats-officedocument.wordprocessingml.document Size: 367316 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From swyithe at unimelb.edu.au Thu Sep 5 15:27:55 2013 From: swyithe at unimelb.edu.au (Stuart Wyithe) Date: Thu, 5 Sep 2013 05:27:55 +0000 Subject: [ASA] Reminder: 2016-25 Decadal Plan preparation References: Message-ID: <6E2FDF9C-632B-429D-8423-580D59A2F19E@unimelb.edu.au> Dear Colleagues, The NCA has formulated a proposed structure and timeline for the preparation of the 2016-25 Decadal Plan, which is set out in the attached documents. These were previously circulated to the ASA on the 15th July. The proposed structure and timeline was also described at the ASA ASM on July 11th. This email serves as a reminder that t the NCA is calling for 1) feedback on the timelines and structure of the planning process, and 2) nominations for interest in participation or leadership of the working groups. Thank you to the many of you who have already responded. Please provide feedback (to swyithe at unimelb.edu.au) by the 12th of September. Best regards, Stuart Wyithe (NCA Chair) ==================================== Professor Stuart Wyithe Australian Laureate Fellow Chair, National Committee for Astronomy School of Physics University of Melbourne Vic, Australia 3010 Phone: +61 3 8344 5083 Fax: +61 3 9347 4783 Email: swyithe at unimelb.edu.au science.org.au/natcoms/nc-astronomy.html ==================================== Begin forwarded message: From: Stuart Wyithe > Subject: 2016-25 Decadal Plan preparation Date: 15 July 2013 11:46:33 PM AEST To: "asa at physics.usyd.edu.au" > Dear colleagues, The National Committee for Astronomy (NCA) carries out a formal strategic planning process on a 10-year time scale. This provides the opportunity for Australian astronomy to carry out a stock take of its capabilities, assess its impact both nationally and internationally, provide a vision for the future, and to set priorities and develop strategies on how that vision might be implemented. The document New Horizons, A Decadal Plan for Australian Astronomy 2006-15 has been influential as a tool for presenting our vision to key stakeholders outside the research sector. This includes Australian Astronomy's key stakeholder, the Commonwealth Government, as well as industrial/research partners both nationally and internationally. As the currency of the last Decadal Plan for Australian Astronomy concludes in 2015, it is now time to consider the process for producing the next Decadal Plan, covering the period 2016-25. The NCA has formulated a proposed structure and timeline for the preparation of the 20016-25 Decadal Plan, which is set out in the attached document. The proposed structure and timeline was described at the ASA ASM on July 11th, and the presentation from this talk is also attached to this email. The NCA would now like to call for 1) feedback on the timelines and structure of the planning process, and 2) nominations for interest in participation or leadership of the working groups. The NCA encourages participation in preparation of the Decadal Plan from a broad cross-section of the Australian astronomy community. Please provide feedback (to swyithe at unimelb.edu.au) by the 12th of September. Best regards, Stuart -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: DecadalPlan_timeline.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 114635 bytes Desc: DecadalPlan_timeline.pdf URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: DecadalPlan_2013ASA_presentation.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 3435452 bytes Desc: DecadalPlan_2013ASA_presentation.pdf URL: From renu.sharma at uwa.edu.au Sun Sep 8 23:32:48 2013 From: renu.sharma at uwa.edu.au (Renu Sharma) Date: Sun, 8 Sep 2013 21:32:48 +0800 Subject: [ASA] Live Streaming of ASA Women in Astronomy 2013 Workshop "Pathways to Success" Message-ID: Dear ASA Members, The ASA 2013 Women in Astronomy Workshop "Pathways to Success" will be held on the 11th & 12th of September 2013 in Perth Western Australia and is hosted by the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR). http://asawomeninastronomy.org/wia-workshop-2013/ I am very pleased to share that more than 70 participants have registered and most are from over east. Those of you who cannot join us in person in Perth please note that the workshop will be available online as well. There will be live web streaming of this workshop on Wednesday 11 Sept and Thursday 12 September. Please note the information provided below: - Live-stream at http://asawomeninastronomy.org/meetings/wia-workshop-2013/ and http://www.youtube.com/user/curtinicrar/ - email gmail details to curtin.icrar at gmail.com to be included in the Hangout on the day - For those on Twitter the hashtag is asawia2013 Please take this opportunity to listen to eminent guest speakers from science, astronomy, industry and alternate careers and take part in interactive sessions. Kind regards Renu Dr Renu Sharma GAICD, FLWA Associate Director International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research (ICRAR) Web: http://www.icrar.org/ 7 Fairway The University of Western Australia Crawley WA 6009 Phone: +618 6488 7871 ICRAR is a Joint Venture of Curtin University and The University of Western Australia -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: