APRIL 2013 - TOPICS

Obituary: John Hadjidemetriou (1937-2013) X-ray Astronomy position at NOA Graduate Studies in Astrophysics in Crete for 2013-2014 Advanced Astrophysics and Space Physics Degrees in France Upcoming Astronomy Meetings in Greece About this Newsletter

1. OBITUARY: JOHN HADJIDEMETRIOU (1937-2013)

John D. Hadjidemetriou, a major figure in Theoretical Mechanics, passed away peacefully on Thursday, March 21 2013, in Thessaloniki. John Hadjidemetriou was born in Thessaloniki in 1937. He obtained his B.Sc. in Mathematics from the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in 1959, and his Ph.D. in Physics and Astronomy from the University of Manchester in 1965. In 1970 he was elected full professor in the chair of Mechanics of the Department of Physics of the Aristotle University. Prof. Hadjidemetriou published more than 100 papers in international scientific journals and conference proceedings, mostly on the dynamics of the Three Body Problem and the stability of Planetary and Satellite motions. He was coordinator and scientific investigator in several European research projects. He served as Associate Editor of the scientific journal “Celestial Mechanics and Dynamical Astronomy”. Between 1979 and 1991 he was continuously elected as a member of the Scientific Organizing Committee of the Commission of Celestial Mechanics of the International Astronomical Union. He was elected president of the above Commission for the period 2000-2003. He was a founding member of the European (EAS) and the Hellenic (Hel.A.S.) Astronomical Societies. Prof. Hadjidemetriou wrote a two-volume textbook on Theoretical Mechanics and a textbook on the Mechanics of Continuous Media. After he retired, he was granted emeritus status in 2004 by the Department of Physics of the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. In 2008 he was elected as a corresponding member of the Academy of Athens. He is survived by his wife and three children.

2. X-RAY ASTRONOMY POSITION AT NOA

Applications are invited for a 2-year research position at the National Observatory of Athens in the field of high energy astrophysics. Ideally, applicants should have obtained a Ph.D. in astronomy or a related field by the starting date of the appointment. The successful applicant will primarily work in the development of software for the eROSITA instrument onboard the SPECTRUM- RG mission, with Dr. Ioannis Georgantopoulos in Athens, and in close collaboration with Dr. H. Brunner, as well as members of staff and/or software engineers, at MPE in Garching, Germany. The starting date of the post is before August 2013 and the gross monthly salary is 2,500 Euros. Interested candidates should send a curriculum vitae, a list of publications, and a brief description of research interests to Dr. I. Georgantopoulos (ig@noa.gr) before the 22nd of April 2013. Two letters of reference should also be sent to the same address by the application deadline. Informal inquires can also be made at the email address above. The position is funded in the framework of the program "KRIPIS" of the Greek Secretariat of Research and Technology.

3. GRADUATE STUDIES IN ASTROPHYSICS IN CRETE FOR 2013-2014

The Department of Physics of the Univ. of Crete, in collaboration with the Foundation for Research and Technology - Hellas (FORTH) is issuing a Call for Applications for the 2013-2014 Graduate Program in "Advanced Physics". A number of graduate fellowships towards a 1-year Master's Program in "Astrophysics & Space Physics", as well as towards a 3-year PhD Program in Theoretical or Observational Astrophysics are available. For more information on the Astrophysics Graduate Program in Crete please check the following [PDF file]. The application deadline is July 15, 2013. For details about the overall program as well as the application process you may visit the Crete Physics Graduate Program web page at: http://gradstudy.physics.uoc.gr More details on the astrophysics group at the University of Crete are available at: http://astro.physics.uoc.gr

4. ADVANCED ASTROPHYSICS AND SPACE PHYSICS DEGREES IN FRANCE

A number of Universities and Institutes around Paris, such as the Observatoire de Paris, the Université Pierre et Marie Curie, the Université Paris Diderot, the Université Paris-Sud, as well as individual research laboratories are participating in a Master program entitled “Astronomie, Astrophysique et Ingénierie Spatiale”. Specific information on how to be admitted at the different levels follows: The application deadline for “M1” level is 1 June 2013 (see http://master-1.obspm.fr ). There are two different “M2” levels. An “M2 Recherche” which leads mainly to PhD studies, and an “M2 Professionnel” more oriented towards careers in space engineering. The application deadline for “M2 Recherche” is 15 June 2013 (see http://master-recherche.obspm.fr). The “M2 Professionnel” has a running application (see http://osae.obspm.fr). For graduate students who already hold a Master degree (M2), the deadline for application for a fellowship towards a PhD degree is 31 May 2013 (see http://ecole-doctorale.obspm.fr). For more information on the above please contact the Hel.A.S. members Prof. Christophe Sauty and Prof. Yannis Zouganelis. A number of plasma physics laboratories and universities of the Paris region, including the Université Pierre et Marie Curie, the Université Paris-Sud, the Université Versailles Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines, the Institut d’Optique and the Ecole Polytechnique participate in the challenging program of the “M2” level entitled “Plasmas : de l’Espace au Laboratoire.” (see http://plasmas.master-omp.fr). This program deals with theoretical and experimental aspects of astrophysical and space plasmas (solar and magnetospheric physics, stellar evolution, interstellar plasmas), as well as laboratory and cold plasmas. As explained above, after completion of this “M2” program, candidates may apply for a PhD fellowship. The "M2" application deadline is 1 July 2013. For more information please contact the Hel.A.S. member Prof. Yannis Zouganelis.

5. UPCOMING ASTRONOMY MEETINGS IN GREECE

Massive Stars: From α to Ω Rhodes, 10-14 June 2013

2013 Radiation Belts Workshop: Comprehending, Specifying and Forecasting their Dynamics Santorini, 30 June - 4 July 2013

The 11th Hellenic Astronomical Conference Athens, 9 - 12 September 2013

6. ABOUT THIS NEWSLETTER

This Newsletter was sent to all members of Hel.A.S. who have e-mail access. The next edition of the Newsletter will be mailed around May 1st, 2013. Please send your announcements (e.g. appointments/departures, job openings, research opportunities, awards, conferences in Greece) or comments before April 25, 2013. If you do not wish to receive future issues of this Newsletter or the e-mail address to which it was sent is not your preferred one, please inform the Secretary of Hel.A.S.