Announcements

NSO Observing Proposal Deadline - 15 November: Service Mode Information
The current deadline for submitting observing proposals to the National Solar Observatory is 15 November 2012 for the first quarter of 2013. Information is available from the NSO Telescope Allocation Committee at P.O. Box 62, Sunspot, NM 88349 for Sacramento Peak facilities ([email protected]) or P.O. Box 26732, Tucson, AZ 85726 for Kitt Peak facilities ([email protected]). Instructions may be found at http://www.nso.edu/observe/. A web-based observing-request form is at http://www.nso.edu/obsreq. Users’ Manuals are available at http://nsosp.nso.edu/dst/ for the SP facilities and http://nsokp.nso.edu/mp for the KP facilities. An observing-run evaluation form can be obtained at ftp://ftp.nso.edu/observing_templates/evaluation.form.txt.

Please note that the NSO will conduct a scheduling experiment at the DST/Sacramento Peak in preparation for ATST scheduling and operations. This experiment in service mode scheduling will take place in the first half of the quarter, leaving only the second half of the quarter available for regular scheduling. For further information on proposing for the experiment, contact [email protected]. The deadline for regular proposals will still be 15 November.

Proposers are reminded that each quarter is typically oversubscribed, and it is to the proposer’s advantage to provide all information requested to the greatest possible extent no later than the official deadline. Observing time at National Observatories is provided as support to the astronomical community by the National Science Foundation.

International Research Experience for US Graduate Students (IRES)
This program is administered by the National Solar Observatory (NSO), sponsored by the National Science Foundation’s (NSF) Office of International Science and Engineering (OISE), and is open to US graduate students in any discipline of astronomy or astrophysics who are US citizens or permanent residents, age 21 years or older, and have a passport. The main goal of the program is to expose potential researchers to an international setting at an early stage in their careers. The program will take place in Bangalore, India, under the auspices of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), a premier national center devoted to research in astronomy, astrophysics and related physics.

The program supports up to four summer research positions for 8 weeks starting 12 June 2013 (this start date is firm). For each participant, the program will provide a stipend of US $500 per week, round-trip air travel to/from India, accommodation, miscellaneous travel (field trips), incidental expenses, and medical expenses/insurance.

Additional information and application materials are available on the Web at http://eo.nso.edu/ires/. All application materials must be received by 30 January 2013.

2013 Carnegie Observatories Graduate Research Fellowship
We announce the continuation of the Graduate Research Fellowship at the Carnegie Observatories in Pasadena, California. This Fellowship provides a stipend to graduate students interested in carrying out all or part of their thesis research under the supervision of a Carnegie Staff member, in residence at Carnegie. We encourage applications from current Ph.D. graduate students in astronomy from an accredited (US or non-US) university, pursuing thesis research in observational astronomy, theoretical astrophysics, or instrumentation development. The student must have completed all requisite coursework and examinations prior to arriving at Carnegie. The Fellowship, beginning in September, 2013, will be awarded for one year and may be renewed for two additional years. Foreign students should note that Carnegie can only consider applicants who hold or are eligible to obtain a J-1 visa.

Carnegie Observatories provides a vibrant environment for vigorous scientific research and academic excellence. Major areas of research include cosmology and the distance scale, physics of active galactic nuclei, searches for massive black holes, galaxy formation and evolution, galaxy groups and clusters, intergalactic medium, star formation, supernovae, star clusters, and nucleosynthesis and chemical abundances of stars.

Carnegie observing facilities at Las Campanas Observatory in Chile include the two 6.5-meter Magellan telescopes, the 2.5-meter du Pont telescope, and the 1.0-meter Swope telescope. In addition, the scientific Staff actively pursues research using a wide range of ground-based and space-based facilities, across the electromagnetic spectrum from radio to X-rays.
The application should include a curriculum vitae, bibliography, brief essay describing the applicant’s current research, research proposal based on a project sponsored by a Carnegie Staff member, transcript of grades, approval letter from the department head of the applicant’s home institution, and three letters of reference. Applications are due by 19 April 2013, 17:00 PST. Full details of the program and application instructions can be found at this web site: http://obs.carnegiescience.edu/fellowships/gradfellowships/.

Email inquiries may be sent to Dr. Luis Ho at [email protected].