Resources
Air Travel - NSF Regulations on Domestic and Foreign Carriers
The Fly America Act regulates cases when public employees, including Fellows, are allowed to be reimbursed for travel on foreign airlines. Essentially, the act requires that you travel on a U.S.-flag carrier or on a U.S. carrier’s code-shared flight to the greatest extent possible; however, Open Skies agreements with the EU, Australia, Switzerland, and Japan (detailed in the GSA page above) can mean that these restrictions are not as severe as they used to be.
Annual Reports
How to Get to the Right Page to Submit your Annual Report
- Go to the Research.gov login page
- Login
- Hover over Awards & Reporting, then Click on: Project Reports
- Click on: (your award number)
- Click on: Create/Edit
Joan Schmelz’s Suggestions on Writing Annual Reports
Dear Fellows:
Please recall that every NSF awardee must submit an annual report through Research.gov. The report format identifies several subsections, and you will be prompted to enter a response in each of these. You do not need to provide text in every category, but please respond to all subsections that are applicable to your project. For most of these, a paragraph or two of prose is sufficient, something like 200-300 words. The Major Activities and Significant Results sections should be more substantial, something like 500-600 words. These sections should describe in some detail your research and education/outreach activities. You have the option of attaching PDF files, but please limit these to relevant charts, graphics, or images. Do NOT upload your entire report or subsections of your report as PDFs; use the boxes provided in Research.gov.
The target audience for your report is your program officer, who will use the information to ensure progress on your work. She/he will also use these reports to glean material for NSF annual reports, suitable for Congress and the general public. Be sure to include any interesting activities for this purpose. Since none of the readers of your report are likely to be experts in your particular subfield, please avoid acronyms whenever possible and define them when they are unavoidable. You are free to use general astronomy jargon, but not sub-field specific jargon.
Please take the reports seriously. Be thorough. NSF program officers are often asked to supply examples of what awardees are doing. Future funding levels depend on our ability to prove that we are spending the government’s money wisely, and these reports provide a primary resource for this information.
Check Research.gov to determine the appropriate report deadline date, but let me clarify a potential source of confusion. Research.gov will list a “due date,” which is 90 days prior to the anniversary of the award start date, and an “overdue date,” which is the anniversary of the award start date. Your report is due on the due date and late the day after the due date. The submission of your annual report triggers the processing of your next award increment, so your stipend payments and other allowances may be delayed if you submit your reports late. It is unnecessary to file an annual report during the final year of your fellowship; instead, a final report is due 90 days after your fellowship termination date. Final reports should include a description of the final year of your fellowship activities and may also include any comprehensive activities or results that you would like to highlight from your fellowship tenure.
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions while you are authoring your reports.
Regards,
Joan
—————————————
Dr. Joan T. Schmelz
Program Director
Division of Astronomical Sciences
National Science Foundation
4201 Wilson Blvd., Ste. 1045
Arlington, VA 22230
Tel: +1-703-292-4910
jschmelz@nsf.gov
Education and Public Outreach Resources
Here are some links to E/PO resources, including activities, assessment strategies and tools.
Education and Outreach activity resources:
Peer-reviewed astronomy education activities (astroEDU)
Astronomical Society of the Pacific (ASP) Educational Resources
AAS outreach resources (Includes links to NASA, NSF, Dept of Ed, plus NASA E/PO Metrics)
AAS Resources for Educators (Includes links to more resources for educators inside and outside of classroom)
Harvard-Smithsonian CfA Science Education Department (Another great one-stop shop)
Sky and Telscope Astronomy Education Resources (links to orgs, media, teaching resources, astronomy references, camps)
Sonoma State University Astronomy Teaching Resources
NASA Space-based astronomy educator guide
JPL Education
JPL PlanetQuest Education
NASA Astrobiology Institute Education and Outreach
NASA Wavelength (peer-reviewed Earth and space science resources from NASA for educators of all levels)
Outreach materials:
Celestial Buddies
Space and Astronomy Books for Kids
Science in the classroom: articles from the journal Science annotated for use by teachers
Teaching Education and Professional Development:
Center for Astronomy Education
National Science Teachers Association
Assessment Resources:
Hubble Cycle E/PO Elements of Program Evaluation
PEAR STEM Observational tools
Assessment Tools in Informal Science
HST E/PO Elements of a Program Evaluation
Evaluation Resources for Informal Education (i.e., outside the classroom)
Mentoring:
APS National Mentoring Community
Fellows Email List
In 2015, the AAPF fellows transitioned from an NRAO-managed email list to a Google Group moderated by the fellows themselves. Once the new class of fellows is established (mid-February-ish), invitations to join the list will be sent out (possibly by that year’s Symposium organizers).
Please note that the default settings for a Google Group appear to be to not receive emails, but rather to only see message when you check the group’s page; be sure to change this if you want emails!
Finishing Your Fellowship
If you need to end your fellowship early:
If you will not be completing the entire 3 years of your fellowship (perhaps you got a job – congrats!), submit a Fellowship Action Form which states the new end date of your fellowship and the reason for the change. This will ensure that the reports described in the rest of this page have updated due dates.When your fellowship ends, you have 3 basic things to do:
- Submit a Final Project Report
- Submit a Project Outcomes Report
- Send in a Fellowship Termination Certificate
Final Project Report
The Final Project Report report is just like the Annual Reports (see “Annual Reports” on this page), even including the Changes/Problems section, so follow the instructions/guidelines on that page for filling out the Final Project Report. The report is due by 90 days after your fellowship ends.Project Outcomes Report
The Project Outcomes Report should briefly (in 200-800 words) summarize your project’s “outcomes or findings that address the intellectual merit and broader of impacts of your work.” It should be written for the general public and you have the option of uploading up to 6 images along with your report. It seems similar, but in kind of in an opposite way, to your initial Abstract that you wrote when you got the fellowship. It is also due by 90 days after your fellowship ends.Fellowship Termination Certificate
Section 12 of the AAPF information booklet states: 12. TERMINATION OF FELLOWSHIP A Fellowship Termination Certificate, NSF Form 453 (6/2009), will be made available in the materials sent with the award notice. This certificate must be signed by an appropriate official at the Fellowship Institution, and should show the date the Fellow actually completed Fellowship activities; the Fellowship will be considered to have terminated as of that date. When a Fellow affiliates with more than one institution, a Termination Certificate is required from each institution. Submission of this certificate is necessary to comply with governmental accounting procedures. In the event the certificate is not submitted the Fellow may be requested to return to the Foundation all Fellowship funds which were received during Fellowship tenure. Therefore, “soon” after your fellowship ends, you must fill out and sign the Fellowship Termination Certification, NSF Form 453, found on this page. You also need to get a “Head of Department or Other Official” or “an appropriate official at the Fellowship Institution” to sign the document. This is probably going to be the person who signed your letter of support for the fellowship (or whomever currently holds that position). Once you and the “appropriate official” have signed the document, email it to the current NSF AAPF Program Officer.Health Care and Benefits
Version 2.0 – 1/30/15
In January of 2015, we polled the current fellows to determine the amount they generally pay out of their research/benefits funds for health insurance premiums. All the numeric responses are included in the table below.
There are basically three ways that NSF fellows are getting health insurance.
- Bought personally, either through the Healthcare.gov marketplace, or through another insurance provider. Insurance companies often sell insurance privately via their own websites. These offerings can vary from state to state.
- Insurance through the spouse’s employer. Often these are the cheapest options because employers subsidize healthcare plans for families and spouses. Important Note: One fellow reminds that if you pay your spouse back for subsidized insurance, it counts as supplemental income. Money taken directly from paychecks for healthcare is pre-tax.
- Through the host institution. This option may not be available at every host institution. Some institutions allow existing employees to become “zero-salary” or go on “leave without benefits”. This allows the employee to retain benefits, but they have to pay the entire un-subsidized amount to the university. It seems that some fellows remain employees at their host institutions and therefore pay a reduced rate. Another fellow found a “visiting scholar” plan at his host institution.
In the table, some people are double counted if their insurance situation changed (two people twice, one person three times); I put the prices for 1 year of a situation, even if the total time was less.
$/yr for Premiums | Adults | Children | Total | Through? | Notes | To share on website |
15228 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Institution | Incl dental ($75/month) | |
14048 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Institution | ||
9900 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Independent | ||
8100 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Institution | Incl dental | |
6500 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Independent | ||
6360 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Institution | ||
6300 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Partner (Full Employee Contribution) | ||
6163 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Independent | ||
6000 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Institution | ||
5800 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Institution | Health, dental, vision | |
4860 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Partner (Full Employee Contribution) | Additional 3K deductible, possible 2K to get max out of pocket | |
4750 | 1 | 2 | 3 | Independent | Only medical, no prescription, eye, dental | |
4200 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Institution | ||
3700 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Independent | Incl dental | |
3000 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Partner (Full Employee Contribution) | ||
2988 | 2 | 0 | 2 | Partner (Full Employee Contribution) | Incl dental ($62/month) | |
2280 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Independent | Vision/dental through inst $20/month | |
1400 | 1 | 0 | 1 | Institution | ||
1920 | 1 | 1 | 2 | Partner (Additional Portion of Contribution) |
Version 1.0 – 4/4/03
In the spirit of Kathy Dyer’s web page on taxes for NSF Fellows:
How are benefits, especially health insurance, dealt with as a NSF Fellow?
This was triggered by the following situation:
I am now dealing with an issue I imagine most of you have dealt with: Health Benefits. According to my university (where I’m currently at, and will be for the next year, I will no longer exist after August 15th, as that’s when I switch over to the AAPF money. Their position is that I am no longer an employee, and do not deserve benefits. They will set up COBRA for me, but obviously I’d prefer to stick with the benefits I already have.
So, I’d like to hear how other NSF Fellows have dealt with this issue.
First off, here is the official response I got from Kathy Eastwood from the NSF:
Hi, John
Unfortunately, we have no control over your institution. I think you’ve already hit on the best way to go about this, i.e. to ask other fellows what kind of solutions they have found. Have they considered putting you on as a zero-salary employee? I know at least one place has done that. But it really depends on the rules of the institution.
The only “official” thing I can tell you is to point you towards the program announcement, http://www.nsf.gov/pubs/2000/nsf00136/nsf00136.html (note: this is out of date) where it says that “An institutional allowance of $5,000 per year is paid to the host institution for the purposes of providing fringe benefits, including health insurance for the Fellow, and for expenses incurred in support of the Fellow, such as general purpose supplies and use of equipment and facilities.”
Let me know what happens.
Kathy
From: Christopher Conselice
John,
Congrats!
My experience with the health insurance is that the way to get it varies by institution. I’m lucky in that Caltech will provide me their insurance but I have to pay a bit more, but that’s what the 5k institution money is for. I would see if you could work out a deal to use part of that money to pay the university for providing you insurance.
Chris
Christopher J. Conselice, California Institute of Technology
From: Kristy Dyer
Actually I am on COBRA at NRAO paid for out of the $5000 institutional allowance, and I get the exact same health and dental benefits that everyone else here does. It some ways it’s better — I don’t pay the 40 or 50$/month fee for the insurance.
The one minor worry is that you are only supposed to be on COBRA for 2 years, but NRAO said not to worry they can get around that, and that it won’t even affect my eligibility for COBRA after the NSF Fellowship is over.
So if they think they can make it last > 2 years and if they cover it all out of the allowance, then you should be OK.
Could you do me a favor and collect all the responses you get so that we can put a web page together for the NSF Fellows?
— Kristy Dyer NRAO Socorro
From: Eric Hooper
Hi John,
> My name is John Feldmeier, and I’m one of the new AAPF people.
Welcome to the gang!
> I am now dealing with an issue I imagine most of you
> have dealt with: Health Benefits.
Oh, yeah.
> According to Case Western Reserve University (where
> I’m currently at, and will be for the next year), I will no
> longer exist after August 15th, as that’s when I switch
> over to the AAPF money. Their position is that I am no
> longer an employee, and do not deserve benefits.
That is exactly what University of Texas told me.
> They will set up COBRA for me, but obviously I’d prefer
> to stick with the benefits I already have.
That is what I have done. They take the $5K/year that NSF provides and put it into a university account for me. I then pay the COBRAs and get reimbursed from this account. I’m hoping to use any leftover $$ in that account to contribute to retirement, but I haven’t gotten around to checking into that yet.
> So, I’d like to hear how other NSF Fellows have dealt
> with this issue. If I can show the paperwork people here
I’m afraid that’s not going to get very far. They’re surely bureaucrats whose favorite word is “no.” To make much progress I’m afraid you’ll have to go to at least the department chair and probably to the dean & higher. You can tell them that this is a major national fellowship that you could have taken anywhere and that this attitude of theirs will discourage others from bringing it there. Point out that you’re saving the department around $100K/year in salary, benefits, & overhead (the university is picking up the latter, but not the department directly). I’ve rumbled to my department chair, and supposedly these and other rumblings have reached the university president. I need to gear up for another campaign this spring or summer.
Hopefully other institutions are better at this, so you’ll get some ammo.
Cheers,
Eric
Eric J. Hooper
The University of Texas at Austin, Astronomy Department
From: Kim Coble
john,
sorry for the slow reply. hopefully you’ve gotten some more timely advice. i had the same problem with u of chicago not considering me an employee. it was a long and ugly story but the short version is, after 6 months of haggling with the bureaucracy and being without insurance (!) at all for a while, i ended up getting my own private insurance and being reimbursed by the university from the $5000 (with none skimmed off for overhead or anything).
this actually ended up being pretty nice– my private insurance has better coverage at a cheaper price than the university’s group plan! also, this way i can buy eyeglasses, get my teeth cleaned, etc. from any provider and be reimbursed from the $5000 too. if you’re single this is totally the way to go. if you have a family though, coverage might cost more than $5000.
if you can’t fight the bureaucracy at least get the cobra until you can find private insurance (eg blue cross/blue shield), which can take a month or two to apply for and process.
good luck!!
kim
From: Aparna Venkatesan
Dear John,
Sorry for this late response to your email from a month ago. First of all, congratulations on being awarded this fellowship, and welcome! I hope that I get to meet you and your classmates (AAPF class of ’03) in the near future. It is completely understandable that you wanted to get some feedback on how to set up some of the AAPF paperwork. I too emailed the NSF Fellows about a year ago, because some of the paperwork is set up in a way that is not easy or standard for university administrative staff or the Office of Contracts and Grants to deal with. But, in my experience, setting up the benefits part is the greatest, and likely only, inconvenience associated with this fellowship. The rest of it – being paid directly, and especially being sent the $10K research allowance directly – are wonderful bonuses, because you do not waste time on excessive institutional paperwork and you can make a judgment call as to how you want to spend your research allowance.
One bit of advice that the first year of Fellows gave me which I’ll pass on here: you may want to consider setting up a separate bank account for the $10K research allowance. That way, it will have its own ATM/charge card which you can use to directly charge your travel/research expenses (e.g., conference hotels, meals, or a laptop purchase), and regular bank statements that provide a paper trail and a record of charges. This way, you can easily account for every penny for the research allowance, which will be very helpful for your own book-keeping and also in the event that anyone (NSF, your institution, the IRS), if at all, requests more detail on this annual allowance (which, as I understand, we do not have to count as income towards taxes). Several fellows suggested to me that I keep meticulous records, since this fellowship is set up in an unusual way. One Fellow had written to me last year saying that his $10K research allowance was not only in a separate bank account but that the account’s checks specifically state “NSF Research Account,” with his work address on them. I have my home address on my checks, but this part is totally up to you.
I guess you already know about the tax web page for the Fellows, which is also very helpful.
Regarding the benefits: I too went through months of painful paperwork trail-blazing with the admin. folks here to hold onto my health benefits. I had already been a postdoc at CU-Boulder for 2 years, and so was already in the system, although I am not sure that helped me much. Thanks to the wit, grace and intelligent guesses of some kindly staff here, we have conjured up a special appointment for me (“0% pay, >50% appointment”, i.e., I am a full-time employee but am not paid through CU-Boulder), which allowed me to continue to get health insurance through the University at my regular rates. Unfortunately, I had to give up some other terrific benefits here (like matching retirement funds) as part of this special appointment, but that’s how it worked out. My research supervisor had very kindly offered to make up the excess in benefits costs, should they exceed the AAPF $5K allowance, but this has not been required yet. So the current health insurance setup is that CU bills me monthly, which I pay out of pocket, and then turn in receipts/paperwork to get reimbursed monthly from a grant containing the $5K sent by NSF to CU. I wish they could just bill my grant directly each month but this is how it has been set up. I also bill the $5K benefits allowance for other medical expenses that are not covered by my insurance, by turning in receipts. Any unused funds should roll over to the next year; I have heard that they can potentially be used for retirement contributions, etc., but I do not know how to get this remaining money “out of the system” and into, e.g., an IRA account in my name. Certainly, at my institution, it sounds like this will be a near-impossible task, and the paperwork, if at all it can be done, would be mountainous. Do keep me posted if you find a way around this: I am copying one of your class’s Fellows (Jessica Rosenberg) in on this email, and we are both very interested in what can be done on this issue. Jess is currently a postdoc here and will be keeping her NSF fellowship here, like I did last year. However, the health insurance rates are going up astronomically for us (and have been for the last 2 years) so Jess and I may seek external (private, and not through the University) insurance for next year, in an effort to save our grants some money.
Hope this helps. Congratulations again,
Best wishes,
Aparna.
P.S. I do not mind this being posted at the NSF Fellows web page.
From: Kristy Dyer
If you have “leftover money” don’t try to get it into and IRA — try to get them to put it in TIAA-CREF, which is the retirement plan for educational institutions. It will be easier for them and you can take that with you wherever you go.
— Kristy
From: John Feldmeier
Hello NSF Fellows,
As for me, after fighting the powers-that-be at my own institution, I am also going the COBRA route. My department is picking up the extra cost the COBRA incurs above the $5000, which is darn decent of them. I wish the university people were more understanding.
One place I found some information on COBRA was http://www.cobrainsurance.com/
It’s a commerical site, but has a lot of the basic information about it.
Thanks a lot for your information.
John Feldmeier
From: Kristy Dyer
The problem is that after we have already received the fellowship, moved and settled in, we are a captive audience (we could pick up and move to a new institution but it would be a pain) and they don’t have much motivation to bend the rules for us.
It might actually be better to deal with the health insurance negotiation as you apply for the NSF Fellowship. At that point you can say “Look you are going to get a completely free postdoc — all you have to do is find a way to cover health insurance out of the 5000 institutional allowance” — this could be part of the sponsoring letter which we are required to submit to NSF.
I realize that this would put up an extra hoop for applications to jump through, and Eileen or Kathy would have to get permission to alter the instructions for the application process but it’s too late to negotiate a change in rules once we arrive.
Or here’s another possibility — when award letters go out, a letter could go out from Eileen and Kathy explaining the institutional allowance and “requiring” the institution (someone at the department head or dean level) to certify that the institution will cover the insurance. Now the student has the fellowship, but the institution doesn’t get the student unless they are willing to make this (small) commitment. This would be good in many ways since it allows several months lead time between the award and end of previous insurance. If the institution won’t agree to cover the insurance, then the decision could be left up to the student to take it there, or take it elsewhere. However this would present the strongest case — a letter describing a prestigious national fellowship which could be had for only the cost of insurance which the dean wants approved — that has the highest likelihood of bending inflexible rules.
From: Kathy Eastwood
Be careful, folks.
First, I absolutely agree that this kind of negotiation has to be done up front. When deciding on a host institution, how the benefits would be handled should be part of the discussion. The alternative, as many of you know, is that after the fellowship is offered but before you actually commit to an institution, it is possible to change the choice of host institution if the arrangements are not acceptable.
Second, the host institutional allowance is actually flexible. There have been several cases where the funds were not needed for health insurance because of spousal coverage. The allowance has been used for such things as child-care and departmental computing fees. It really depends on the arrangements you can make with the institution. The money DOES have to be paid to the institution, not to yourself. So having a flexible institution becomes important.
The expectations of this program are laid out in the program announcement. When negotiating, the thing to do is to produce a copy of the program announcement which discusses the intent of the $5,000. Remember that Eileen and I are very restricted in what we can do; I suspect that we would not be allowed to write letters as Kristy described.
Kathy
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
Kathy DeGioia Eastwood, Ph.D.
Program Director, Education and Special Programs
Division of Astronomical Sciences
National Science Foundation
<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>
From: Phil Arras
Hi John,
Sorry for the late reply. I’m still dealing with health care issues for my wife. It might be good to insert the following word of caution for people when they get the fellowship and start to look for health insurance. I’m not sure how it is in other states, but the following is true in California.
It is very difficult for women to obtain health insurance after they become pregnant. They are effectively UNINSURABLE. Commercial health insurance companies will not give them insurance. That is, if you do not already have health insurance when you become pregnant, you will not be able to get it at any price. You can insure paintings, houses, and rock concerts, but not pregnant women.
Furthermore, since you or your spouse is an NSF AAPF fellow, your income level makes you ineligible for state or federal programs for people with low income.
The only option you have left is to pay for pre-natal care and the birth out of pocket. If everything goes well, this may only be $10,000-$15,000 when you include paying the hospital and doctor (suddenly $45K does not seem like so much). However, since you are not insured, the real problem is if everything does not go well.
The moral of the story is make sure you or your spouse has health insurance before you decide to have a baby.
Best,
Phil Arras
Interested Host Institutions
This page contains contact information and program details for interested host institutions.
The NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships provide opportunities for highly qualified investigators within three years of obtaining their PhD to carry out an integrated program of independent research and education. Fellows may engage in observational, instrumental, theoretical, or laboratory research, in combination with a coherent educational plan for the three-year duration of the fellowship. The program is intended to recognize early-career investigators of significant potential and to provide them with experience in research and education that will establish them in positions of distinction and leadership in the community.
Details about the National Science Foundation (NSF) Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships can be found here and elsewhere. Eligibility is limited to citizens or permanent residents of the United States. Applications are submitted through the NSF Fastlane system used for all NSF grant proposals. We recommend that applicants request a Fastlane password and begin to familiarize themselves with the system before the deadline. Fellowships are intended to allow the Fellow to pursue a coordinated plan of research and education tailored around his/her own interests and expertise. These listings are intended only to present new opportunities for research, education, outreach, and collaboration. AAPF applications may designate any eligible host institution; this list merely represents those institutions that have contacted current Fellows asking to be mentioned here.
To add your institution to this list, please send an e-mail to aapf@aapf-fellows.org. Please include contact information, a description of the opportunities you can offer, links of interest, and anything else that seems appropriate. Note that while this website is intended as a service for prospective Fellows, it is not managed nor endorsed by the NSF; rather, it is hosted and has been created by the current Fellows.
Institutions:
2009 and beyond
Older listings
- Baylor University
- Case Western Reserve University
- Columbia University
- Dartmouth College
- Indiana University-Bloomington
- Michigan State University
- Northwestern University
- Penn State University
- Princeton University
- Tufts University
- University of California-Berkeley
- University of California Santa Barbara (Kavli Institute of Theoretical Physics)
- University of Kansas
- University of Michigan
- University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill
- University of Wisconsin-Madison
- West Virginia University
- Yale University (Center For Astronomy & Astrophysics)
Arizona State University (link)
School of Earth and Space Exploration (link)
Astrophysics (link)
Cosmology (link)
Planetary Sciences (link)
Address:
ASU School of Earth and Space Exploration
PO Box 871404
Tempe, AZ 85287-1404
Telephone: 480-965-5081
Facsimile: 480-965-8102
Contact Person
James Rhoads, Associate Professor
James.Rhoads@asu.edu
Program Description
The School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE) at Arizona State University welcomes applications for NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships. SESE is home to a vibrant research group in astronomy and astrophysics, both observational and theoretical. SESE astronomers have access to world-class telescopes through the Arizona telescope system, which has a 25% share in the 11m Large Binocular Telescope, 50% in the 6.5m MMT, and 10% in each of the two 6.5m Magellan telescopes. Postdocs in SESE can lead proposals for any of these facilities. Theoretical research in SESE benefits from in-house parallel supercomputing resources. In addition to astronomical research, the school includes faculty in astrobiology, planetary science, geology, geophysics, geochemistry, engineering, and science education.
Astrophysics focus areas at SESE include:
– Computational Astrophysics
– Cosmology, Dark Matter, and Dark Energy
– Star Formation and Evolution
– Galaxy Formation and Evolution
– Formation and Evolution of Planets and Other Solid Bodies
We offer many research opportunities in all of these areas.
SESE includes 11 astronomy and astrophysics faculty members: Steven Desch, Chris Groppi, Lawrence Krauss, Sangeeta Malhotra, James Rhoads, Evan Scannapieco, Paul Scowen, Sumner Starrfield, Frank Timmes, Rogier Windhorst, and Patrick Young. SESE is a new venture, inaugurated in 2006, and seven of these eleven faculty joined ASU between 2006 and 2009. All of the above-named faculty would be glad to act as research sponsors for NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellows. Further growth in astronomy is expected in the coming few years. Astronomy in SESE also includes a half dozen research staff and postdocs, and about 20 graduate students. We maintain strong collaborative ties with ASU’s engineering school. We also have strong ties to the ASU Physics department, including a joint SESE-Physics Cosmology Initiative that ranges from high redshift galaxy observations to theoretical work on inflation and other topics in the physics of the early universe. Our laboratories are home to exploration systems engineers developing next generation instruments for both ground based and space based applications.
Arizona State University is in Tempe, which is part of the Phoenix metropolitan area. The University’s surroundings combine big-city amenities, affordable living, a warm climate, and great access to outdoor recreation.
Further information about the faculty, and the research and educational opportunities at ASU’s School of Earth and Space Exploration is available at http://sese.asu.edu/.
Baylor University (link)
Department of Physics (link)
Center for Astrophysics, Space Physics, and Engineering Research (link)
Address:
CASPER
Baylor University
One Bear Place 97310
1320 South 7th Street
Waco, TX 76798-7310
USA
Contact Person
Truell Hyde, Director of CASPER and Vice-Provost for Research
Truell_Hyde@baylor.edu
Program Description
Baylor University’s Center for Astrophysics, Space Physics & Engineering Research (CASPER) invites NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship applicants to join its exciting research program. CASPER conducts research in a number of theoretical and experimental areas and offers both basic research as well as engineering and design opportunities. Research groups include the Astrophysics and Space Science Theory Group, the Early Universe Cosmology and Strings Group, the Hypervelocity Impacts & Dusty Plasmas Lab and the Space Science Lab.
Current theoretical research topics include meso and nanostructure formation, complex (dusty) plasmas, gravitoelectrodynamics, protoplanetary/protostellar evolution, grain charging in dense and tenuous complex plasmas, grain coagulation in nebular clouds, ordered grain lattice formation within complex plasmas, wave propagation through ordered and disordered complex plasmas, numerical modeling of hypervelocity impacts, superstrings, string model building, string phenomenology, M-theory, thermodynamics of black holes, nonlinear dynamics at the threshold of black hole formation, dark matter and dark energy, brane worlds, and string cosmology.
Current experimental research topics include laboratory experimentation into meso and nanostructure formation, complex plasmas, protoplanetary/protostellar evolution, grain charging and coagulation in dense and tenuous complex (dusty) plasmas, ordered grain lattice formation within complex (dusty) plasmas, wave propagation through ordered and disordered complex plasmas, dispersion relations as well as low velocity shock physics. Additional research is being conducted in the areas of hypervelocity impact studies, sensor design and calibration as well as prototype design of dust particle accelerators.
Case Western Reserve University (link)
Department of Physics (link)
Department of Astronomy (link)
Center for Education and Research in Cosmology and Astrophysics (link)
Address:
CERCA, Physics Department
Case Western Reserve University
10900 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44106-7079
USA
Astronomy Department
Case Western Reserve University
10900 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44106-7079
USA
Contact Persons
Lawrence Krauss, Departments of Physics and Astronomy and Director,
CERCA
krauss@cwru.edu
Earle Luck, Chair, Department of Astronomy
luck@fafnir.astr.case.edu
Program Description
Case Western Reserve University invites candidates for the NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships (AAPF) program to pursue research opportunities at Case. In addition to research programs within the departments of physics and astronomy, Case hosts the Center for Education and Research in Cosmology and Astrophysics (CERCA), a collaborative venture between the physics and astronomy departments at Case and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. These groups comprise one of the most comprehensive and active groups in astronomy, astrophysics, particle astrophysics, and cosmology in the country.
Research in the Astronomy Department focuses on galaxy formation and evolution, large scale structure, stellar populations and abundances, computational astrophysics, and astronomical instrumentation. We are members of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and have sole ownership of the Burrell Schmidt wide-field telescope on Kitt Peak.
Active research areas within Physics include almost all areas of astrophysics and cosmology including extragalactic astronomy, galaxy evolution, large scale structure, cosmic microwave background studies, dark matter detection, high energy cosmic rays, neutrino astrophysics, nuclear astrophysics, stellar evolution, gravitational lensing, early universe studies, general relativity, quantum gravity, dark energy, extra dimensions,
Case Faculty working in these areas include Dan Akerib, Corbin Covault, Lawrence Krauss, Earle Luck, Chris Mihos, Heather Morrison, John Ruhl, Richard Schnee, Tom Shutt, Glenn Starkman, Cyrus Taylor, Tanmay Vachaspati and Idit Zehavi. In addition there are 12 postdoctoral and research staff working in this area. Previous NSF AAPF Fellows at Case include: Denise Hurley-Keller (Astronomy) and John Feldmeier (Astronomy). Active Education/Public Outreach programs include collaborations with the CMNH on Planetarium presentations, public observing nights, popular lectures, and public conferences. Case is also the home of SAGES, a seminar-style approach to undergraduate education. Inquiries to any faculty or postdocs are welcome. Case is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer, and applications from women and minorities are strongly encouraged.
Columbia University (link)
Department of Astronomy (link)
Address:
Department of Astronomy
Columbia University
Pupin Physics Laboratories
Mail Code 5246
550 West 120th Street
New York, New York 10027
USA
Telephone: +1(212)854-3278
Facsimile: +1(212)854-8121
Contact Person
David J. Helfand, Department Chair
djh@astro.columbia.edu
Program Description
The Department of Astronomy at Columbia University welcomes NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship applications. The Department has many research opportunities available in the areas of high energy astrophysics, compact objects, large scale structure and cosmology, galaxy formation and evolution, stars and stellar evolution, extrasolar planets, and astronomical surveys and instrumentation. In addition, interested applicants will have the opportunity to participate in the development of the new Frontiers of Science core curriculum at Columbia and/or to mount an active outreach program through a variety of Columbia programs or with the American Museum of Natural History.
The Department currently has twelve faculty members, and a share in the MDM Observatory. We maintain close ties with the Department of Physics at Columbia, the Astrophysics Department at the American Museum of Natural History, and the Goddard Institute for Space Studies; we host the Institute for Strings, Cosmology, and Astroparticle Physics (ISCAP), and the Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory (CAL), as well as a recent initiative, the Columbia Astrobiology Center (CAC). Faculty willing to act as sponsors include Arlin Crotts, Andrie Beloborodov, Greg Bryan, Zoltan Haiman, Jules Halpern, David Helfand, Lam Hui, Laura Kay, Janna Levin, Szabi Marka, Kristen Menou, Amber Miller, Reshmi Mukherjee, Frits Paerels, Joe Patterson, David Schiminovich, Edward Spiegel, and Jacqueline van Gorkom.
Further information about the faculty, and the research and educational opportunities at Columbia is available at the Department’s website.
Dartmouth College (link)
Department of Physics and Astronomy (link)
Address:
Dept. of Physics & Astronomy
6127 Wilder Lab
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH 03755
USA
Phone: (603) 646-2854
Fax: (603) 646-1446
Contact Person
Robert Caldwell, Associate Prof. of Physics & Astronomy
robert.r.caldwell_atsign_dartmouth.edu
Program Description
The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Dartmouth invites candidates for the NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships program to consider Dartmouth as their host institution. Department members pursue a range of interests in astrophysics and cosmology. (See http://www.dartmouth.edu/~physics/research/astronomy.html)
Observational/experimental work includes study of the structure and evolution of globular clusters, supernovae and supernova remnants, close binary star systems, general structure of the interstellar medium, and the distribution of galaxies and observational cosmology. The Department has a 25% share in the MDM telescopes at Kitt Peak and an 11% share of the new 10m Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), which has recently obtained first light images. (See http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050905.html)
Theoretical astrophysics and cosmology in the Department involves study of dark energy, quintessence, cosmic microwave background, large scale structure, primordial phase transitions, gravitational radiation, inflation and the early universe. (See http://www.dartmouth.edu/~cosmos)
Indiana University-Bloomington (link)
Department of Astronomy (link)
Address:
Swain West 319
727 E. 3rd Street
Bloomington IN 47405-7105
USA
Contact Person
Catherine Pilachowski, Professor and Chair
catyp@astro.indiana.edu
Program Description
The Astronomy Department at Indiana University welcomes applicants for the NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships (AAPF) program to consider the opportunities offered by our campus. The Department has a 17% share of the outstanding 3.5-m WIYN telescope on Kitt Peak, as well as a substantial interest in the WIYN 0.9-m imaging telescope at the same site. In addition to the WIYN facilities, the Department operates a 16-inch automated telescope and a new 50-inch automated telescope in the Morgan-Monroe State Forest about 12 miles north of campus. These are active research facilities that operate most clear nights.
Our program includes active research in stellar astrophysics, extragalactic astronomy, high energy and particle astrophysics, and dynamics and computational astrophysics. Postdoctoral fellows resident at IUB can participate in our active public outreach program and can gain teaching experience in a supportive environment where teaching is valued. The rich cultural heritage of the IU Bloomington campus and community offers an attractive quality of life coupled with a strong and collaborative research environment.
Indiana University Bloomington is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.
Links:
WIYN Observatory: http://www.noao.edu/wiyn/
WIYN 0.9-m Telescope: http://www.noao.edu/0.9m/
Benefits: http://www.indiana.edu/~uhrs/benefits/index.html
Academic Support and Diversity: http://www.indiana.edu/~asd/
Teaching and Learning Technology Center: http://www.indiana.edu/~tltl/
Teaching Support Services: http://www.indiana.edu/~deanfac/tguide.html
The Bloomington Community: http://www.iub.edu/visit/
Michigan State University (link)
Department of Physics and Astronomy (link)
Address:
Physics & Astronomy Dept.
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-2320
USA
Phone (517) 355-9200 ext. 2411
Contact Person
Prof. Jack Baldwin, Associate Chair for Astronomy
baldwin@pa.msu.edu
Program Description
The Physics & Astronomy Department at Michigan State University invites AAPF applicants to consider choosing MSU as their host institution. Our astronomy program is centered on a very active Astronomy Group which has 8 permanent faculty members, currently 5 postdoctoral Research Associates, 15 graduate students, and 45 undergraduate astrophysics majors. We carry out theoretical investigations which include use of a campus supercomputer, and observational astronomy using national space- and ground-based telescopes and also in the near future the new SOAR 4m telescope. The Astronomy Group is embedded in a large physics and astronomy department which also includes vigorous programs in nuclear and particle astrophysics.
Michigan State offers strong graduate and undergraduate degree programs in Astrophysics. In addition, we are a land-grant university, and have a strong commitment to public outreach and K-12 education. This effort is spearheaded by our Abrams Planetarium, with its own permanent staff of professional lecturers, and also draws on our newly refurbished on-campus 24-inch telescope. We would welcome participation of an AAP Fellow in any of these activities.
Northwestern University (link)
Department of Physics and Astronomy (link)
Astrophysics Group (link)
Address:
Dearborn Observatory
2131 Tech Drive
Evanston, IL 60208-2900
USA
Contact Person
David Meyer, Professor and Director of Astrophysical Studies
davemeyer@northwestern.edu
Program Description
The Astrophysics Group at Northwestern University currently includes Profs. V. Kalogera, D. Meyer, G. Novak, F. Rasio, R. Taam, M. Ulmer, and F. Yusef-Zadeh, about 10 postdoctoral fellows and many graduate and undergraduate students. We are interested in a wide range of observational and theoretical astrophysics questions, with special focus on: the interstellar medium, its chemistry, magnetic fields, and masers; star and planet formation; infrared, UV and X-ray instrumentation; multi-wavelength studies of the Galactic center region; clusters of galaxies; dense star cluster dynamics; compact objects and X-ray binaries; gravitational wave astrophysics and data analysis; nuclear astrophysics; stellar and binary evolution; hydrodynamics of stellar interactions; and extra-solar planetary systems. Northwestern offers many opportunities for teaching and outreach opportunities, both at the University and elsewhere in the Chicago area. In particular our existing connection with the Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum in downtown Chicago provides postdoctoral associates with many possibilities for high-impact outreach activities.
Postdoctoral Fellows at Northwestern receive the same extensive benefits package that is available to all University staff. For information, see http://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/.
Pennsylvania State University (link)
Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics (link)
Center for Gravitational Wave Physics (link)
Institute for Gravitational Physics & Geometry (link)
Particle Astrophysics (link)
Address:
Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics
525 Davey Lab
University Park, PA 16802
USA
Phone: (814) 865-0418
Contact Person
Lawrence Ramsey, Department Head
lwr@astro.psu.edu
Program Description
The Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics at the Pennsylvania State University welcomes applicants for the NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships (AAPF) program to consider Penn State as their host institution. The Department currently has 17 tenure track faculty, four joint appointments with Physics, and several adjunct appointments. In addition there are 25 PhD level researchers in the department. We are a major partner (27% of the observing time) in the Hobby-Eberly Telescope, an 8-meter-class facility for spectroscopic studies in the O/IR. The Department is also the PI institution for the ACIS X-ray CCD camera on Chandra, and is the main University partner in the multi-wavelength gamma-ray burst afterglow satellite Swift, launched in November 2004, whose Mission Operations Center is at Penn State. The Department possesses active groups in observational cosmology, theoretical astrophysics, searches for extrasolar planets, gamma ray bursts, optical and near/IR instrumentation, X-ray instrumentation and data analysis, observations of AGNs, application of advanced statistical techniques to astronomical data, star formation, stellar evolution, gravitational physics, pulsar astronomy, radio instrumentation, computational astrophysics, and ultra-high energy particle astrophysics. We are involved in the Institute for Gravitational Physics and the NSF Physics Frontier Center for Gravitational Wave Physics, as well as in the Auger ultra-high energy cosmic-ray air-shower array and the AMANDA/IceCube ultra-high energy neutrino telescopes at Penn State. Additional information can be found at http://www.astro.psu.edu.
Princeton University (link)
Department of Astrophysical Sciences (link)
Address:
Princeton University
Peyton Hall – Ivy Lane
Princeton, NJ 08544-1001
USA
Contact Person
David Spergel, Professor and Associate Chair
dns@astro.princeton.edu
Program Description
Princeton University Department of Astrophysical Sciences welcomes applications for NSF fellowships. Princeton has a strong tradition in theoretical and numerical astrophysics and is playing a leading role in several major astronomical surveys: Sloan Digital Sky Survey (www.sdss.org); Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (map.gsfc.nasa.gov); Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (www.astro.princeton.edu/~ogle) and the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (www.hep.upenn.edu/act). Information about Princeton’s faculty and research program is available at http://www.astro.princeton.edu. The Council on Science and Technology supports the development of new courses for undergraduates and hosts postdoctoral teaching fellowships in the sciences (http://www.princeton.edu/~stcweb). The Quest program enhances middle school and elementary school education for area science teachers.
Tufts University (link)
Department of Physics and Astronomy (link)
Address:
Robinson Hall
Tufts University
Medford, MA 02155
USA
Contact Person
William Waller, Research Associate Professor
william.waller@tufts.edu
Program Description
The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Tufts University invites candidates for the NSF Astronomy Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships (AAPF) program to consider joining our small but dynamic group of faculty in Astronomy research and education. Tufts University is a small “Research 1” university in the Boston area that is known for its international outlook and commitment to education. The Department of Physics and Astronomy has faculty engaged in solar, stellar, galactic, extragalactic, and cosmological research. Several of the faculty are leading efforts in astronomy education and public outreach, including collaborative programs with the Tufts Department of Education, Wright Center for Science Education, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Museum of Science, and other institutions in the Boston area. Interested NSF AAPF candidates are encouraged to contact Dr. William H. Waller by e-mail at (william.waller@tufts.edu).
Links:
Faculty in Tufts Physics/Astronomy Dept.: http://ase.tufts.edu/physics/faculty.htm
Programs in Tufts Education Dept.: http://ase.tufts.edu/education/programs/main.asp
New England Space Science Initiative in Education (NESSIE): http://www.mos.org/nessie
University of California-Berkeley (link)
Department of Astronomy (link)
Department of Physics (link)
Addresses:
Department of Astronomy
601 Campbell Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720-3411
USA
Department of Physics
366 LeConte Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720-7300
USA
Contact People
Don Backer, Department of Astronomy Chair
dbacker at astron.berkeley.edu
Marjorie Shapiro, Department of Physics Chair
mdshapiro at lbl.gov
Program Description
The Departments of Astronomy and Physics at UC Berkeley invite applicants for the NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship program to consider choosing UC Berkeley as their host institution. Berkeley is a large and diverse university with a wide range of opportunities in education and outreach as well as in research. Some of these opportunities are detailed below; we encourage candidates to visit the department websites and contact the department chairs or individual professors for further information or to investigate potential collaborations. The members of the Berkeley Astronomy Department pursue a range of interests in planetary science, astrophysics and cosmology. Observational/experimental work includes study of the atmosphere and ionospheres of comets and the major planets; structure of globular clusters and normal galaxies; active galactic nuclei; pulsar searches, timing, and physical characteristics; supernovae and gamma ray bursts; general structure of the interstellar medium; molecular clouds and associated star formation; distribution of galaxies and observational cosmology; epoch of reionization; extrasolar planets research; and development of IR and mm-wave instrumentation for imaging and spectroscopy. Theoretical activities are similarly diverse and include physics of star formation; large-scale structure; the identity of dark matter; physics of the general interstellar medium, with focus on interstellar shocks; dynamics and appearance of magnetized disks in compact objects (galactic binaries and AGN); physics and evolution of rotation-powered and accretion-powered pulsars. Several faculty members have joint appointments with the Earth and Planetary Science department, where significant planetary science research also occurs. Departmental computer facilities include a unified network of Sun, Linux PC, and Mac workstations. The Radio Astronomy Laboratory (which shares space with the Department) operates the CARMA millimeter array at the Cedar Flat, CA site and the Allen Telescope Array at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory. The Department is a member of the University of California/Caltech consortium operating the Keck Telescope.
Astrophysical research in the Berkeley Physics Department includes magnetospheric physics, space plasmas and fields, experimental cosmology (particularly studies of the cosmic microwave background radiation and of dark matter), infrared spectroscopy and spatial interferometry, and gamma-ray astrophysics. Theorists study the interstellar medium, star formation, radio pulsars, neutron stars, galaxy formation, and cosmology. Much of this work is carried out at the Space Sciences Laboratory and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.
Numerous education and outreach groups and facilities exist in the Berkeley area. These include the Society of Physics Students, the Society for Women in the Physical Sciences, the Lawrence Hall of Science, the Chabot Space and Science Center, the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory’s Center for Science and Engineering Education, and SEGway at the Space Sciences Laboratory.
NSF Fellows at UC Berkeley are classified as “paid-direct” postdoctoral scholars and are eligible for health insurance with dental and vision benefits, email accounts, parking permits, library privileges, and all other benefits granted to postdoctoral employees. Please see the website of the Visiting Scholars and Postdoctoral Affairs (VSPA) office for more information on postdoctoral benefits at Berkeley.
The following people are current NSF AAPF fellows at UC Berkeley:
Jennifer L. Hoffman, jhoffman at astro.berkeley.edu
(Astronomy/LBL)
Daniel Kocevski, kocevski at berkeley.edu (Physics/LBL)
Matthew Browning (Astronomy)
University of California Davis (link)
Department of Physics (link)
Cosmology Group (link)
Address:
University of California
Department of Physics
One Shields Avenue
Davis, CA 95616
USA
Phone: 530-752-1501 (Physics Dept.)
530-754-2265 (Cosmology)
Contact Persons
J. Anthony Tyson, Department of Physics
tyson at physics.ucdavis.edu
Andreas Albrecht, Department of Physics
albrecht at physics.ucdavis.edu
Program Description
The Cosmology Group in the Department of Physics at UC Davis invites applicants for the NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship program to consider choosing UC Davis as their host institution. Astrophysicists in the Physics Department pursue a range of interests in astrophysics and cosmology. Observational/experimental work includes study of dark matter, dark energy, gravitational physics, the cosmic microwave background, high redshift clusters of galaxies, active galactic nuclei, quasars, strong and weak gravitational lensing, cool stars, and development of optical and IR instrumentation for imaging and spectroscopy. Theoretical activities are similar and include the physics of dark energy, the early universe, the microwave background anisotropy and polarization, and large-scale structure. Departmental computer facilities include a unified network of linux workstations and a large cluster. Researchers in the department collaborate with the Center for Computational Science and Engineering, and with colleagues in other departments such as CS, math, and statistics. The department includes groups working on the Deep Lens Survey and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, the PLANCK CMB project, the HST GOODS survey, the SDSS, the VLA-FIRST survey, the Virtual Observatory, the MAGIC gamma ray telescope and the CACTUS high energy observatory. Optical, IR, radio, and gamma ray observations are carried out on a number of facilities worldwide. The Department is a member of the University of California/Caltech consortium operating the Keck Telescopes. Postdoctoral scholars can apply directly for observing time at the facilities of the University of California Lick Observatory and, on a collaborative basis, the Keck Observatories.
Our department is part of a new initiative on the UC Davis campus focusing on the frontier of physics and information: a multi-disciplinary collaboration devoted to experimental/observational probes of Dark Energy and Dark Matter. Faculty associated with this initiative are involved in the LSST Project science and technology and work on innovative database mining techniques for exploration and discovery with extremely large cosmological data sets, machine learning, and complex systems. This includes massive Monte Carlo simulations from cosmology to instrument systems, and data interpretation in a cosmological context (phenomenology).
Numerous education and outreach groups and facilities exist at or near UC Davis. These include the Explorit Science Center, the COSMOS
program for gifted high schools students in science and mathematics, Keck-CAVES visualization facility in the physics-geology building, public activities of the Astronomy Club, astronomy and physics presentations at the UC Davis annual Picnic Day (70,000 visitors per year), our Cosmology Open House, LSST related EPO activities, and active education and outreach programs within the physics department.
NSF Fellows at UC Davis are classified as “paid-direct” postdoctoral scholars and are eligible for health insurance with dental and vision benefits, email accounts, parking permits, library privileges, and all other benefits granted to postdoctoral employees. Please see the website of the Postdoctoral Scholars Association at UC Davis for more information on postdoctoral benefits at UC Davis.
University of California Santa Barbara (link)
Kavli Institute of Theoretical Physics (link)
Address:
Kohn Hall
University of California Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-4030
USA
Contact Person
Lars Bildsten, Professor
bildsten@kitp.ucsb.edu
Program Description
The Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics (KITP) encourages AAPF applicants working on theoretical astrophysics to consider our institution. Our two previous AAPF fellows have engaged in graduate and undergraduate teaching at UC-Santa Barbara, and the KITP has an existing outreach program with local high schools and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History that provides excellent K-12 opportunities. The KITP’s purpose is to contribute to the progress of theoretical physics, especially in areas overlapping the traditional subfields, in ways that are not easily realized in existing institutions. The scientific work is carried out by approximately 70 members, including the director, deputy director, 5 permanent members, 10-15 postdoctoral members, and 50-60 visiting senior members. Within astrophysics, there is one permanent member (Bildsten) and 3-4 postdoctoral fellows. The UCSB physics department has 7 faculty working across all of astrophysics (http://www.physics.ucsb.edu/~astrogroup/). Most visiting members to KITP are participants in major programs that last 2-5 months, greatly enhancing the number of possible scientific interactions.
Current and future astrophysics programs include: “The SuperNova Gamma-Ray Burst Connection” (Jan-March 2006), coordinated by C. Fryer, S. Kulkarni, K. Nomoto and P. Pinto, “Physics of Galactic Nuclei” (May-Jul 2006), coordinated by M. Haehnelt, S. Hughes, D. Merritt, and R. van der Marel, “Applications of Gravitational Lensing: Unique Insights into Galaxy Formation and Evolution”(Sep-Nov 2006), coordinated by L. Koopmans, C. P. Ma, B. Moore, P. Schneider, and T. Treu, and “Accretion and Explosion: the Astrophysics of Degenerate Stars” (Feb-May 2007), coordinated by L. Bildsten, R. Di Stefano, R. Kirshner, and C. Wheeler. For current information on programs, see http://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities. Postdocs at the KITP also have opportunities for international collaborations with CITA and MPA-Garching, and receive computing and office support.
University of Kansas (link)
Department of Physics and Astronomy (link)
Astrobiology Working Group (link)
Address:
Department of Physics and Astronomy
1251 Wescoe Dr. #1082
Lawrence, KS 66045-7582
USA
Phone: (785)864-4626
Contact Persons
Adrian Melott, Professor
melott@ku.edu
Steve Sanders, Chair
ssanders@ku.edu
Program Description
The Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Kansas invites applicants for the NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship program to consider choosing KU as their host institution. KU is a large (~26k students, ~6k graduate students) and diverse university with a wide range of opportunities in education and outreach as well as in research. Some of these opportunities are detailed below; we encourage candidates to visit the department website and contact individual professors for further information or to investigate potential collaborations. The members of the department pursue a range of interests in astrobiology, astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology. The Astrobiology Working Group is an unique collaboration involving members of the department with KU’s prominent paleontology program in the Biodiversity Research Center and the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, as well as collaborators in high-energy astrophysics and atmospheric physics at NASA-Goddard. The Astrobiology group focuses on characterizing and detecting possible past impacts of high-energy astrophysical events (including GRB effects) on the Earth’s biosphere, and is integrating theoretical and experimental aspects of astrophysics, biogeochemistry, atmospheric/climate studies, and paleontology. Observational/experimental departmental astrophysics centers on stellar populations and abundances, as well as RICE (Radio Ice Cerenkov Experiment), a unique effort to detect ultra-high energy neutrinos in the Antarctic ice. Theoretical activities are similarly diverse and include the large-scale structure of the Universe, including the peculiar velocity field of galaxies, structures in redshift space and the shapes and sizes of voids; solar system studies on X-ray emission and planetary aeronomy; microphysics of gamma-ray bursts including jitter radiation in prompt emission and afterglow and other topics in plasma astrophysics, as well as theoretical studies of long-range propagation of ultra-high energy neutrinos.
Outreach activities include a variety of lecture visits at regional schools and colleges, a very active amateur association, newspaper columns, and an active center of the Quarknet outreach program. Rather than adopting a fixed program, we encourage you here to design and implement your own vision for the of outreach you want, with active support.
Lawrence is a unique community of about 80,000 about 40 miles from Kansas City. The city has a vibrant cultural and artistic life on a scale which is inviting to be a participant as well as a spectator. The area features a continental climate with four definite seasons, substantial recreational activities with nearby watersports, and a moderate cost of living including low housing costs.
University of Michigan (link)
Department of Astronomy (link)
Address:
500 Church Street, 830 Dennison
Ann Arbor MI 48109-1042
734-764-3440 (main office)
734-763-6317 (fax)
USA
Contact Persons
Doug Richstone, Professor, Chair
dor@umich.edu
Jon Miller, Asst. Professor
jonmm@umich.edu
Program Description
The University of Michigan Department of Astronomy invites applicants for the NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship program to consider choosing Michigan as their host institution. The University of Michigan is a leading and diverse research university which provides many excellent research, teaching, and outreach opportunities. The Department of Astronomy is presently in a growth phase and seeking to amplify and expand its research programs. These include extra-solar planets, star formation, the ISM, galaxies and galaxy formation, compact objects, strong gravitation, jets, and large structure formation and evolution. Beyond its strong observational expertise, the Department of Astronomy is actively engaged in optical and IR instrumentation, and participates in the Magellan Project and the MDM Observatory. The department is committed to outreach at all levels, and these efforts are facilitated by two on-campus planetaria.
University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (link)
Department of Physics and Astronomy (link)
Address:
Phillips Hall CB #3255
Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3255
USA
Contact Person
Jim Rose, Professor
jim@physics.unc.edu
Program Description
The Department of Physics & Astronomy and the University of North Carolina welcomes Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellows in Chapel Hill. Astrophysics links traditional observational astronomy with theoretical cosmology and experimental nuclear astrophysics. On the observational side, the faculty’s research interests overlap with one another, but range from white dwarfs to stellar populations to galaxy evolution to gamma-ray bursts and cosmology. By the spring semester 2006, faculty, postdocs, and students will have access to the 11-meter Southern African Large Telescope, the 4.1-meter SOAR Telescope in Chile, and PROMPT, an array of six 0.4-meter robotic telescopes, also in Chile. PROMPT is designed for rapid follow-up of southern hemisphere gamma-ray bursts, with each telescope simultaneously obtaining photometric information at different wavelengths to promptly determine positions, colors, and photometric redshifts. SOAR is designed to move on to targets within minutes for rapid spectroscopic follow-up work. Observing may be done remotely using the Cox Remote Observing Center at Morehead Observatory. The Goodman Laboratory for Astronomical Instrumentation has built and deployed the Goodman Spectrograph for the SOAR Telescope. The spectrograph is based on very high efficiency VPH gratings, fabricated in the Lab, and which remain a major focus for the instrumentation program. Theoretical efforts in the Department include galaxy mergers, physics of compact objects, and quantum gravity. More details may be found on the Department website, www.physics.unc.edu.
Links:
Astronomy/astrophysics webpage: http://www.physics.unc.edu/research/astro
UNC Observatories: http://www.physics.unc.edu/research/astro/observatories.php
UNC Astronomy and Astrophysics program: http://www.physics.unc.edu/research/astro/intro.php
University of Wisconsin-Madison (link)
Department of Astronomy (link)
Address:
5534 Sterling Hall
475 N. Charter St.
Madison, WI 53706
USA
Contact Person
Andrew Sheinis, Assistant Professor
sheinis@astro.wisc.edu
Program Description
The Department of Astronomy at UW Madison invites candidates for the NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships (AAPF) program to consider joining our growing and dynamic group of faculty and researchers. The Department has a 15% share of the 10m Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), which has recently seen first light (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050905.html) and a 26% share of the WIYN (Wisconsin-Indiana-Yale-NOAO) 3.5m and 0.9m telescopes on Kitt Peak. The Space Astronomy Laboratory (SAL) provides an existing infrastructure for hardware and software engineering, production, and testing. The current departmental areas of expertise include: stellar astrophysics and star formation, theory and observation of the interstellar and intergalactic media, observational studies of galaxies and cosmology, galactic dynamics, plasma astrophysics and instrumentation. UW Astronomy is home to WHAM, the Wisconsin H-Alpha Mapper and GLIMPSE, the Galactic Legacy Infrared Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire, a Spitzer Space Telescope Legacy project involving large-scale galactic structure, star formation, and the Large Magellanic cloud. The following faculty members are interested in talking to potential NSF AAPF Fellows about research opportunities at UW Madison, please see http://www.astro.wisc.edu/ for email addresses and phone numbers: Amy Barger, Matt Bershady, Ed Churchwell, Jay Gallagher, John Hoessel, Alex Lazarian, Bob Mathieu, Ken Nordsieck, Blair Savage, Andy Sheinis, Linda Sparke, Eric Wilcots, Ellen Zweibel.
Interested candidates should also be aware that UW Madison is home to several major NSF funded research projects such as: the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL), an NSF Center for Learning and Teaching whose mission is the preparation of future STEM faculty who are both forefront researchers and excellent teachers; the NSF Center for Magnetic Self-Organization (CMSO), an interdisciplinary center, focusing on plasma physics processes important in astrophysics; and IceCube, the next generation of high energy neutrino telescopes at the South Pole. The CIRTL PI is Bob Mathieu, and opportunities abound for AAPF collaborations. Contact Ellen Zweibel for information about collaboration and research at the CMSO and Teresa Montaruli in physics, (tmontaruli@icecube.wisc.edu) for information about collaboration and research at the IceCube project. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.
Links:
Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL): http://cirtl.wceruw.org
Delta Research, Teaching, and Learning Community: http://www.delta.wisc.edu
Space Astronomy Lab: http://www.sal.wisc.edu/
CMSO: http://www.cmso.info/index.htm
IceCube: http://icecube.wisc.edu
GLIMPSE: http://www.astro.wisc.edu/sirtf/
WHAM: http://www.astro.wisc.edu/wham/
West Virginia University (link)
Department of Physics (link)
Address:
West Virginia University
Department of Physics
PO Box 6415
Morgantown, WV 26506
USA
Contact Persons
Duncan Lorimer, Assistant Professor
Duncan.Lorimer@manchester.ac.uk
Maura McLaughlin, Assistant Professor
Maura.McLaughlin@manchester.ac.uk
Program Description
As part of our new research emphasis in Astronomy and Astrophysics we invite applicants to choose West Virginia University (WVU) as their host institution. WVU is a large, vibrant and growing public university (approximately 22,000 undergraduate and 6,000 graduate students). Situated in Morgantown, West Virginia, the University’s proximity to both the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) and many other east coast institutions makes it an ideal environment for radio astronomy research. Starting in May 2006, Professors Lorimer and McLaughlin will be undertaking multi-wavelength studies of neutron stars using the GBT, other radio telescopes and high-energy instruments. Projects will include large-scale surveys with Arecibo, Parkes and the GBT, population modeling and development of new search techniques. A dedicated Beowulf cluster will be available to carry out this research.
Theorists and observers wishing to tackle any outstanding problems in neutron star astrophysics are encouraged to apply. In addition to Lorimer and McLaughlin, the group will include a postdoctoral research associate, graduate students and strong links to the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), in particular Dr. Scott Ransom. Because of the close proximity and ties with NRAO, we also encourage applicants with interests in other areas of radio astronomy research.
Yale University (link)
Yale Center for Astronomy & Astrophysics (link)
Department of Astronomy (link)
Department of Physics (link)
Address:
Josiah Willard Gibbs Bldg.
260 Whitney Avenue
New Haven, CT 06520-8121
USA
Contact Person
Meg Urry, Professor of Physics and of Astronomy, and Director, Yale Center for Astronomy & Astrophysics
meg.urry@yale.edu
Program Description
The Yale Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics and the Departments of Astronomy and of Physics at Yale University invite candidates for the NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships (AAPF) program to pursue research opportunities at Yale. Conveniently located between New York City and Boston, Yale offers a world-class intellectual environment and access to front-line astronomical facilities, including WIYN, the SMARTS telescopes, Chilean telescopes (through collaboration with the Univ. de Chile), and the Palomar-QUEST survey. Active research at Yale includes cosmology, gravitational lensing, large-scale structure, galaxy evolution, active galaxies, multiwavelength surveys (GOODS, MUSYC, COSMOS, QUEST), gamma-ray bursts, high-energy astrophysics, black holes, local group galaxies, galactic structure, stellar evolution, nuclear astrophysics, astrometry, and solar astrophysics. Faculty working in these areas include Charles Bailyn, Charlie Baltay, Sarbani Basu, Paolo Coppi, Pierre Demarque, Richard Easther, Michael Faison, Jeff Kenney, Richard Larson, Vince Moncrief, Priya Natarajan, Peter Parker, Dan Prober, Rob Schoelkopf, Sabatino Sofia, Andrew Szymkowiak, Meg Urry, Bill van Altena, Pieter Van Dokkum, and Bob Zinn. Yale currently hosts three NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellows – Eric Gawiser, Kathy Rhode, and Ginny McSwain – along with another ~20 postdocs and research staff. Active Education/Public Outreach programs include public observing nights at the on-campus Leitner Observatory and collaborations with Yale’s Peabody Museum of Natural History and the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History. Inquiries to any faculty or postdocs are welcome. Yale is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer, and applications from women and minorities are strongly encouraged.
Paperwork Forms
All necessary forms for active NSF AAPF fellows can be found here: http://nsf.gov/mps/ast/aapf_postdoc_information.jsp
Recommended Acknowledgements
Publications
It is recommended that NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Fellows acknowledge their support source in papers, posters and conference proceeding by the use of the following author footnote:
“NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellow”
and under any acknowledgments section by
“XXX is supported by an NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship under award AST-XXXXXXX.”
(Note that in your annual report, as you enter published works you will be asked if each publication acknowledged the NSF and cited the grant number.)
Web Pages
Any web pages are required to have the following disclaimer:
“Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Science Foundation.”
Running the Annual Symposium
Timeline
Basically the work is very much clustered in time: a brief flurry of activity in each of June, October, and January. So it’s a commitment, but a pretty straightforward one to do.- Sometime around May, submit some easy paperwork to the AAS to request the room and catering etc.
- In early summer, submit a grant request to the NSF for some money. Mostly this involves updating the previous year’s submission and resubmitting it. The most complicated part (and it’s not that complicated) is probably dealing with the host university’s grants office bureaucracy.
- In the fall, pick out topics for the discussion panels (with help from the AAPF mailing list) and solicit ideas for panelists and keynote speakers.
- Around October or so, contact panelists and keynote speakers. And contact the AAPFs to see who wants to give a talk. Pick out a banquet location and reserve it.
- in January, run the actual meeting. This is the fun part!
- Coordinate with your university administration to process the travel reimbursements.
Taxes
DISCLAIMER: This is not tax advice. This page is largely anecdotal and has NOT been prepared by a CPA or tax professional. Though CPAs and accountants have been queried for their opinions at several times, no general agreed upon consensus has been met as to the one “right” way to handle the AAPF stipend and allowance. Treat this as a rough guideline, but please consult your own tax preparation professional. We cannot be held accountable for the information listed here. No one who has contributed to this page is an accountant, nor plays one on TV.
Ways To Spend Your Research Fund
Your research fund is some of the most flexible funding you will ever have, and, frankly, the NSF doesn’t want it back (the bureaucracy to return it costs more than the cash itself!). So, spend it!
Here are several suggestions for using your research fund, from the responsible to the fun!
- Health care (obviously) – this can include various types of insurance, gym membership, workout supplies, eyeglasses, other wellness costs (physical therapy, chiropractors, etc.)
- Retirement account
- Moving expenses. These can be more than you might think:
- Airfare (including baggage fees), train fare, gas and tolls associated with the move
- Shipping costs (including insurance on freight shipping) and/or moving van charges
- Packing supplies
- Hotel accommodations for travel related to the move (sometimes it takes all day just to get there!)
- Travel
- Conference fees
- Membership fees to professional organizations like AAS or APS
- Professional development: programming courses, outreach training, etc.
- Page charges
- These can in most cases be paid with a credit card (true for ApJ); just put yourself down as the point person on the contribution form.
- If you pay your AAS membership fee on time you are eligible for a 15% discount on charges for one publication in an AAS journal that year. See here and here for info on eligible journals and how to claim the discount.
- Printing/copying costs (papers, EPO material, posters, etc.)
- Computer(s) & accessories
- Video conferencing equipment
- Ergonomics (e.g. desk chairs)
- Small telescope or other outreach materials
- The Galileoscope program sells inexpensive small telescopes in bulk for distribution to schools and other educational organizations.
- Food and transportation for any volunteers you recruit to help your outreach efforts
- Part of your cell phone bill (assuming you use it for work/EPO-related stuff)
- Part of your car expenses, not just gas/mileage for work trips (assuming you use it for work/EPO-related stuff)