SGAA/SSAA News No 28 - 17/12/2014 _________________________________________________________________________ 1. Travel support SSAA - invitation to apply for grants 2. Call for "Astronomy Outreach" projects 3. Call for for MERAC Funding and Travel Awards 4. 45th Saas-Fee "Advanced Course", registration deadline 31 January 2015 5. EAS membership payment - information 6. General Assembly 2014 - minutes and other information _________________________________________________________________________ 1. Travel support SSAA - invitation to apply for grants In 2015 the SSAA (Swiss Society for Astrophysics and Astronomy) will have some money from the sc|nat available for travel grants. The SSAA now invites applicants to apply until February 20, 2015 to secretary-ssaa∂phys.ethz.ch. The request should provide the date, place, and the reason for the travel, as well as the cost to be covered by the SSAA. There are two types of travel grants: (a) international collaboration (CHF 4000.-) Travel money for international collaboration is preferentially given for travels to meetings where Swiss participation is considered to be useful, for visits at other institutions (for research projects), and observing runs. The person should be a SGAA member and an active researcher in astrophysics. (b) support for young scientists (CHF 5000.-) Travel money for young scientists is given preferentially to Ph.D. students but also young Post-Docs, whereby the money may be used for observing runs, visits to other institutions, conferences, research schools etc. In the application it should be clarified in a few words why this travel is important for the research project of the applicant. Particularly encouraged to apply are young researchers who are in a situation where it is not so easy to get the money from other institutions. Limited additional funding, provided by the SSAA, is also available to support the participation of Swiss astronomers at the upcoming IAU General Assembly in 2015. _________________________________________________________________________ 2. Call for "Astronomy Outreach" projects In 2015, the SSAA offers financial support of up to 6000 CHF for projects on Astronomy Outreach. Funding is possible for diverse outreach projects, including support for exhibitions, the preparation of material for schools, the organisation of events, and alike. Projects will be funded on a competitive basis. Please send a brief project description and your budget request to secretary-ssaa∂phys.ethz.ch. The deadline for the call is: March 31, 2015. Requests may also be supported outside this call, if funding permits. _________________________________________________________________________ 3. Call for for MERAC Funding and Travel Awards The SSAA is pleased to announce its call for MERAC awards. Since 2013 the SSAA committee distributes Funding and Travel Awards (20'000 Euro in total) sponsored by Foundation MERAC (Mobilising European Research in Astrophysics and Cosmology), a nonprofit foundation in Switzerland to recognize, encourage and promote the research and mobility of young European Astrophysicists and Cosmologists. The first recipients of the MERAC awards are listed here: http://www.ssaa.ch/index.php?page=actualites&hl=eng The objectives of the grants are to cover travel costs, participation at international conferences, short stays abroad, costs for collaborations, or alike, to support the development of research projects by young astrophysicists. The grants do not cover expenses for scientific apparatus or equipment. The grants are subject to the following conditions: - The grantee must be employed by or affiliated with a Swiss research institute or University. - The grants must be used to cover project costs, not or only partially covered by other institutions. - The grant has to be used within two years, after which unused funding must be reimbursed to the SSAA. - The grantee provides the SSAA with a financial report and short final report on the use of the grant. - The grantee allows the MERAC Foundation to make his/her biography and project summary public. Applications will be received twice per year (february 1, and september 1). They must include a short biography, a research project description with a summary, and a budget estimate. In case of a multiple applications, the list of other solicited funds shall be given. The applications should be limited to a maximum of 5 pages, in a single pdf file, to be sent to the Secretary of the SSAA, secretary-ssaa∂phys.ethz.ch. _________________________________________________________________________ 4. 45th Saas-Fee "Advanced Course", registration deadline 31 January 2015 The 45th Saas-Fee Advanced Course "From protoplanetary disks to planet formation" will take place 15-20 March 2015, in Les Diablerets, Switzerland. The regular registration is open until 31 January 2015. For more details visit http://isdc.unige.ch/sf2015 Contact: sf2015∂unige.ch The organizers, Marc Audard (University of Geneva), Yann Alibert (University of Bern), Michael R. Meyer (ETH Zurich) _________________________________________________________________________ 5. EAS membership payment - information As of 2015 membership fees for the European Astronomical Society (EAS) are exclusively handled by the EAS. Joint payments for the SSAA+EAS are not possible anymore. Members should have received a corresponding invitation. For payments see http://eas.unige.ch/members.jsp?tab=payment New members are invited to fill the online form at http://eas.unige.ch/members.jsp?tab=become _________________________________________________________________________ 6. General Assembly 2014 - minutes and other information The material (reports, presentations etc.) of the 2014 General Assembly of the SSAA, held 17 oct 2014 at the EPFL, are available on the SSAA website at http://www.ssaa.ch/index.php/eng/Die-Gesellschaft/assemblees The assembly has elected Georges Meynet (UniGE) for President, Kevin Schawinski (ETHZ) as new Secretary, and Kevin Heng (UniBE) as new Treasurer. The next GA will be hosted by the IRSOL, and held 15-16 Octobre 2015 in Locarno. The SSAA committee wishes to thank the outgoing President, Daniel Schaerer, and Treasurer, Yann Alibert for their work for the society. SGAA/SSAA----SGAA/SSAA----SGAA/SSAA----SGAA/SSAA----SGAA/SSAA For more information concerning the SGAA/SSAA, astronomy in Switzerland, and related topics visit our Website http://www.ssaa.ch. For any information and messages to be circulated via the SGAA/SSAA mailing list please e-mail your text to the secretary Kevin Schawinski, e-mail: secretary-ssaa∂phys.ethz.ch in plain ASCII. Thank you ! SGAA/SSAA----SGAA/SSAA----SGAA/SSAA----SGAA/SSAA----SGAA/SSAA
Swiss Society for Astrophysics and Astronomy