Newsletter Issue 07/2020

Stay healthy and safe!

Coronavirus COVID-19

Operation of RadioNet and its infrastructures is recovering. However, most of the planned events are postponed until 2021 - see our calendar.

RadioNet @ EAS2020

The European Astronomical Society (EAS) Annual Meeting (formerly known as EWASS and JENAM) is one of the largest conferences for European astronomy.

The EAS 2020, which hosted 1777 participants was planned to be held in Leiden/NL, but due to the pandemic was held virtually from 29 June to 3 July 2020.

The Special Session SS2 – European forum of astronomical communities was dedicated to discuss the development of underrepresented astronomy communities in Europe and to initiate a set of pragmatic bottom-up actions to make visible progress wherever possible.

The contribution of RadioNet to the access to radio wavelength facilities as well as to the possibilities of the respective training were presented by S. Garrington (UMAN) and J. McKean (ASTRON/RUG). Watch the presentation here.

© RadioNet

Book "Open Skies: The National Radio Astronomy Observatory and its Impact on US Radio Astronomy" by Ken Kellermann published

"Open skies: NRAO and its impact on US radio astronomy"

The book “Open Skies: The National Radio Astronomy Observatory and its Impact on US Radio Astronomy” by Ken Kellermann has been published by Springer. It documents the history of NRAO from the time of the first discussions in the early 1950s about building a national radio astronomy facility through the construction of ALMA. The emphasis is on the people and politics involved in creation of NRAO and its unique facilities.

The book can be purchased from Springer Open Skies international web site or downloaded for free.

SKA signed HPC Agreement

On Wednesday 22 July 2020, SKAO signed a Cooperation Agreement with CERN, the European Organization for Nuclear Research, GÉANT, the pan-European network and services provider for research and education, and PRACE, the Partnership for Advanced Computing in Europe - to overcome challenges related to the use of high-performance computing (HPC) to support large, data-intensive science projects. Read the full article here.

Funding Opportunities in Chile

To enhance its programme of scientific cooperation with its host country Chile, ESO provides and manages an annual fund devoted to the development of disciplines related to astronomy and technology in Chile. Programmes to be supported fall into many areas, among others funding to postdoctoral programmes, extended scientific visits, academic faculty positions and to support development programmes. More information here.

Deadline for proposals: 4 September 2020.

POLICY NEWS

Commission seeks candidates for the ERC Scientific Council

An independent Identification Committee set up by the EC has begun the search for potential candidates for membership in the Scientific Council of the European Research Council (ERC). The Committee is now directly asking the main representative organisations of the European research community through consultation letters for nominations of suitable candidates. However, it also welcomes nominations from other organisations representing European research. ERC Scientific Council members are appointed by the Commission on the basis of recommendation of the Identification Committee. Nominations are accepted until 30 September 2020. More information here.

Consultation on ERA Roadmap launched

The European Commission launched a consultation on the ERA Roadmap. In the following months, the Commission will publish a communication on re-focussing the ERA. For preparation of this Communication, the Commission has launched a roadmap and an online consultation. Deadline for suggestions is 3 August 2020. More information here.

European Research and Innovation Days

This annual flagship event of the EC will take place on 22-24 September 2020 – this time virtually. The event brings together policymakers, researchers, entrepreneurs and citizens to debate and shape the future of research and innovation in Europe and beyond. Read more and stay tuned.

ACCESS OPPORTUNITIES

RadioNet's Transnational Access programme ensures free of charge access to the best European radio astronomical research infrastructures. This opportunity is open to all European researchers and to some extent to researchers from non-EU countries. More

Virtual Access to ALTA

The Westerbork Apertif Long Term Archive (ALTA) is a brand new facility offering to the world-wide astronomical community free virtual access to data and scientific products produced from all sky surveys of the Northern sky that will be conducted with the new Apertif frontend of the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT), as well as tools to query, further exploit and perform data mining of these products adaptable to diverse research goals.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

ESO – Contract Officer, Deputy Head of Human Resources, Astronomer/Instrument Project Scientist

IRAM - Postdoctoral Research Position in Millimetre Astronomy for NOEMA

SKA – Senior Contracts Specialist and Low AIV Lead Engineer

Check also EURAXESS

UPCOMING EVENTS

supported by RadioNet

• New Trends in Radio Astronomy Instrumentation - virtual or Bonn/DE - September 21, 2020

• CASA-VLBI workshop – Dwingeloo/NL and/or virtual - November 2, 2020

• ADASS2020 – virtual - November 8, 2020

Links to these and to other related events are in our Calendar.

EDITORS:

RadioNet Management
Max-Planck-Institut für Radioastronomie
Auf dem Hügel 69 // DE 53121 Bonn

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RadioNet has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 730562, and contribution from the partner organisations