April 2018

Issue 84

Academic Staff Member/Postdoctoral Scientist Position

InnoFSPEC Potsdam, the Innovation Centre (ZIK) for fibre based Spectroscopy and Sensing, is a joint initiative of the Physical Chemistry Group at the University of Potsdam (UPPC) and the Leibniz Institute for Astrophysics Potsdam (AIP). In the framework of the BMBF funded project NIRSpectroscopy for the Characterization of light transport in opaque ultraconcentrated dispersions (NIRCLOUD) UPPC invites applications for a: Academic Staff Member/Postdoctoral Scientist; Requisition No.: 219/2018

The position includes a weekly working time of 40 hours (100 %) and is to be filled preferably from 01.05.2018. The salary is determined by the collective bargaining agreement for public employees in Germany (TVL 13 Ost). This is a temporary position up to 31.10.2020 in accordance with the Academic FixedTerm Contract Law (WissZeitVG). The position is suitable for parttime employment.

The research group Innovative fiberoptical sensing (InFaSe) within innoFSPEC has set out to investigate fundamental mechanisms of interaction between light and matter, i.e. absorption, scattering and luminescence. A special emphasis is placed on complex materials like heterophase systems (emulsions and suspensions) with structures in the nano to micrometer regime. For that purpose innovative fiberoptical methods are developed allowing for a physicalchemical characterization of such demanding samples. For example, Photon Density Wave (PDW) spectroscopy is used for the independent and absolute quantification of absorption and scattering properties of strongly light scattering materials.

The position aims at the expansion of our competence in the field of the analytical and numerical description of light transport in strongly scattering and weakly absorbing materials like polymer dispersions or emulsions. The main task within the project NIRCLOUD will be the development of new analytical solutions and numerical methods (e.g. Monte Carlo simulations) for the theoretical description of light transport in these materials. These tools will be used to investigate substantial influences on the light transport like sample boundaries, inclusions, inhomogeneities etc. and hence to achieve a deeper understanding of experimental findings. Vice versa, experimental results can be used to validate the developed models. Finally, the theoretical models will be used in the analysis of experimental results like PDW spectroscopy to determine independently and absolutely the absorption and scattering properties of the above mentioned materials.

More details about the ZIK innoFSPEC and InFaSe group can be found under http://www.innofspec.de.

Candidates should have a Diploma, Master or PhD in physics (Physik), engineering (Ingenieurswissenschaften), applied mathematics (Angewandte Mathematik), or a related discipline, including experience in one or more of the following fields:

-Light scattering

-Modelling of radiative transport in strongly scattering materials (MCsimulation, analytical description)

-Programming for modelling and instrument control (e.g. LabView, C++)

-Laser spectroscopy and optical sensing

-Fibreoptical instrumentation and photonics

-Instrumental analytics (particle sizing, refractive index measurements, etc.)

-Radio frequency electronics

All applicants are expected to possess high interdisciplinary research interest, structured working manner, team spirit, and a willingness to travel (contribution to conferences).

Under the laws of the federal state of Brandenburg, employees under this contract are permitted to dedicate at least 33% of their contract time for their scientific qualification. The University of Potsdam strives to maintain gender balance among its staff. Severely disabled applicants shall receive preference in case of equal qualifications. We expressly invite applications from people with migration backgrounds.

Applications (including motivation letter, CV, certificates, list of publications and presentations) should be submitted before April 20th 2018 to Mrs. Dr. L. Bressel (bressel@unipotsdam.de) in a single pdf file. Submissions lateron are possible, but consideration cannot be guaranteed.

For further information please contact: Dr. L. Bressel (bressel@unipotsdam.de).

Potsdam, 27.03.2018

Meeting

Cosmic Dust XI

https://www.cps-jp.org/~dust/

VENUE: Sagamihara Campus of JAXA, Institute of Space and Astronautical Science, 311 Yoshinodai, Chuoku, Sagamihara 2525210, JAPAN

The campus is located in Sagamihara city, not far from Hakone at the foot of Mt. Fuji, and easy to access sightseeing places such as Yokohama and Kamakura, an ancient capital city.

DATE: Monday, August 13 - Friday, August 17, 2018

OBJECTIVES: This series of Cosmic Dust meetings aims at finding a consensus among experts on the formation and evolution of cosmic dust: where it comes from and where it goes. The meeting is organized by dust freaks who are very enthusiastic not only to make the goal achievable but also to establish a dust community across every scientifically relevant discipline for the development of cosmic dust research. For this reason, the primary objective of the meeting is to bring together professionals who deal with cosmic dust as well as provide an opportunity for participants to develop interpersonal relationships and scientific interactions among themselves.

SCOPE: All kinds of cosmic dust such as

-intergalactic dust

-circumnuclear dust

-interstellar dust

-protoplanetary disk dust

-debris disk dust

-cometary dust

-interplanetary dust

-circumplanetary dust

-stellar nebular condensates

-presolar grains

-micrometeorites

-meteoroids

-meteors

-regolith particles

-planetary aerosols

are the subject of discussion. The meeting is open for any aspects of dust research by means of different methods of studies (insitu and laboratory measurements, astronomical observations, laboratory and numerical simulations, theoretical modeling, data analyses, etc.). Also welcome are papers on dustrelated topics, for example:

-the formation of molecules and their reactions on and their desorption from the surface of a solid substance

-light scattering by nonspherical particles and particulate surfaces

-space missions and instrumentation for measurements of particulates

CONFIRMED INVITED SPEAKERS:

-Paola Caselli (MPE, Germany) The gasdust interplay in the earliest phases of star and planet formation

-Gaspard Duchêne (UC Berkeley, USA) Characterizing dust in debris disks: Recent advances and unsolved issues

-Eli Dwek (NASA/GSFC, USA) The evolution of dust in the local and highredshift universe

-Brandon S. Hensley (Caltech, USA) Modeling dust polarization in the diffuse interstellar medium from the UV to the microwave

-WingHuen Ip (NCU, Taiwan) A postCassini scenario of the Saturnian ringatmosphere interaction process

-Zhibo Jiang (Purple Mountain Observatory, China) Near infrared polarimetry as a probe of interstellar magnetic field

-Meredith A. MacGregor (Carnegie Institution of Washington, USA) Exploring grain and gas properties in debris disks with millimeter interferometry

-Larry R. Nittler (Carnegie Institution of Washington, USA) Presolar stardust in the Solar System

IMPORTANT DATES:

30 April 2018, Deadline for EarlyBird Application

13 May 2018, Deadline for Admissions Application

31 May 2018, Notification of Admissions Decision

1317 August 2018, Cosmic Dust meeting

ADMISSIONS APPLICATION: Please complete online meeting application at the CPS website in order to attend the meeting. The deadline for the application is May 13, 2018, 11:59 p.m. Japan Standard Time (GMT+09:00). Because the number of participants is limited to a maximum of 50, the online application does not guarantee admission to the meeting. Participants will be determined at the discretion of the SOC and all applicants will be notified of the admissions decision by May 31, 2018. Priority will be given to those who contribute oral or poster sessions and retain enthusiasm for discussions throughout the meeting. For further details, please visit the Cosmic Dust website.

https://www.cps-jp.org/~dust/Application.html

REGISTRATION FEE: The early bird rate of 10,000 JPY is available for those who complete both admissions application and abstract submission by April 30, 2018. The registration fee for those who complete admissions application on and after May 1, 2018 is 15,000 JPY. While no payment is required at the time of admissions application and abstract submission, the registration fee should be paid by cash on arrival at the venue. No matter what circumstances are specified, the registration fee will not be waived.

BEST POSTER AWARD: The best poster award will be given to the most excellent content and presentation of a poster at the Cosmic Dust meeting, although higher priorities are given to posters by students and junior scientists. The award winner will be announced in the closing minutes of the meeting.

PROCEEDINGS: The proceedings of the meeting is planned to be published as a special issue of original papers (or in exceptional cases, review articles from invited speakers) in a peerreviewed journal. All participants are strongly encouraged to publish a paper in this special issue of the journal, although paper submission to the proceedings is not obligatory. In recent years, the proceedings were published in Planetary and Space Science:

https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/planetaryandspacescience/vol/100/

https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/planetaryandspacescience/vol/116

https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/planetaryandspacescience/vol/133

https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/planetaryandspacescience/vol/149

SCIENTIFIC ORGANIZING COMMITTEE (SOC):

JeanCharles Augereau (IPAG, France)

Cornelia Jaeger (Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Germany)

Hidehiro Kaneda (Nagoya University, Japan)

Hiroshi Kimura (Chitec/PERC, Japan) [Chair]

Ludmilla Kolokolova (University of Maryland, USA)

Aigen Li (University of MissouriColumbia, USA)

Takafumi Ootsubo (ISAS/JAXA, Japan)

LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITTEE (LOC):

Hiroki Chihara (Osaka Sangyo University)

Takayuki Hirai (Chitec/PERC)

Hidehiro Kaneda (Nagoya University)

Hiroshi Kimura (Chitec/PERC)

Hiroshi Kobayashi (Nagoya University)

Takaya Nozawa (National Astronomical Observatory of Japan)

Tomomi Omura (Kobe University)

Takafumi Ootsubo (ISAS/JAXA) [Chair]

Hiroki Senshu (Chitec/PERC)

Takashi Shimonishi (Tohoku University)

Ryo Tazaki (Tohoku University)

Koji Wada (Chitec/PERC)

Shigeru Wakita (EarthLife Science Institute/Tokyo Institute of Technology)

CONTACT INFORMATION: dustinquiries@cps-jp.org

Please mind that any email attachment will be blocked.

BRIEF HISTORY:

The Cosmic Dust meeting started in 2006 as a session called Cosmic Dust of the 3rd AOGS (AsiaOceania Geoscience Society) annual meeting in Singapore. Dust freaks have kept on organizing the session at subsequent AOGS meetings in Korea (2008), India (2010), and Taiwan (2011). The Cosmic Dust series has been recognized as the most successful session of the AOGS Planetary Sciences Section. In 2012, the time was ripe to be free from organizing restrictions on the AOGS meeting. From that time on, the Cosmic Dust meeting is totally independent of any international conference. The past meetings on Cosmic Dust have been held in a relaxed and joyful atmosphere. So will be the coming one!