Please see here the latest updates with regards to STFC’s transition to the new Funding Service and the overarching Simpler and Better Funding Programme. As we have now transitioned all of our regular funding opportunities, this will be our final community update.

 … continue to the full article

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Please see below for an announcement on our outreach initiative, which includes major contributions from the UKSP community.

We are delighted to present Orbyts very first Impact Report!
Read the Orbyts Impact Report 2017-2023 here: https://www.orbyts.org/impact

Over the past six years we have seen the programme enable a transformational impact on young people, researchers and teachers alike and we’re excited to share that with you here.

To date, Orbyts has created 100+ research partnerships, empowering 1500+ school students. We’ve increased inclusivity in post-16 STEM uptake, where students Orbyts engaged are 50+% girls, 50+% pupil premium, and identified from 48+ ethnicities. We have grown with new Hubs in North East England and Leicester, alongside expansion of our London Hub.

Read the report for all the statistics on Orbyts, spotlights on the ground-breaking research being led by students, and all the exciting plans for Orbyts in 2024!

We’d like to extend our thanks to all those who have and continue to support Orbyts, without whom this work would not be possible. In particular we would like to thank all the researchers and teachers for all their time and hard work. We also gratefully acknowledge support from all of our funders, including the UCL Access and Widening Participation Office, the Ogden Trust, UK Space Agency, European Research Council, EPSRC, and STFC.

Orbyts currently sits precariously positioned with no financial support beyond our upcoming 2024 programme. If you think that Orbyts might be something you would like to support, then we would love to hear from you at info@orbyts.org.… continue to the full article

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Do you want to play a role in developing and delivering national and international science programmes?

Apply now to become a member of STFC Advisory Bodies and Peer Review Panels!

The details of the call on our webpage https://www.ukri.org/about-us/stfc/how-we-are-governed/advisory-boards/call-for-applications/

Deadline 20 May 2024

STFC and UKRI are committed to promoting equality, diversity and inclusion and the diversity of its panels is a key focus.
If appropriate STFC may open the call up again to encourage a wider pool of applicants and to ensure that we have a balance across the different range of representation and experiences we are seeking.

We encourage to share these details with everyone in your networks and teams.

If you have questions about this call, please contact psg@stfc.ukri.org… continue to the full article

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Hello all,

Over the last few years, we have been working on a new governance structure for the SunPy Project. This determines the leadership structure for the SunPy Project and how decisions are made within the project.

Having largely reached consensus on the original draft, we have now written up a final version of this revised governance structure on GitHub. You can read this version and provide comments here: A New Governance Structure: SEP 2 Revision. The objective is to get a final review on the text and to give the community a way to express their approval (or disapproval) of these changes before they are accepted. We are not expecting to make substantive changes to the text at this point.

We invite the entire solar physics community to read and offer comments on this SunPy Enhancement Proposal and approve the revised governance plan if you think it is an improvement to the existing SunPy governance structure.

We kindly request that you provide feedback prior to 26 April 2024.

Thank you,

Stuart Mumford

Lead Developer, The SunPy Project… continue to the full article

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INVITATION
The Space Partnership has initiated a process to develop the Space Science roadmaps. If you’re interested in contributing, we invite you to join our monthly Roadmaps review calls. These calls will provide you with the latest updates and an opportunity to share feedback. If you are unable to attend the calls, there will also be an opportunity to provide feedback on the final roadmaps. For more details and to register, please sign up here.

Kind Regards,

Nusaiba Al Wardi
Space Partnership Associate PM… continue to the full article

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Dear colleagues,

This is a reminder about the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) council elections.

RAS fellows will have been contacted about voting already, and the deadline for voting is midday on Friday, May 10, 2024.

It is important for the solar community to have representation on the RAS council, and this year, we have one member of our community standing for election as councillor: Dr Iain Hannah (University of Glasgow).

Kind regards,

UKSP Council… continue to the full article

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Dear colleagues,

The deadline for most Royal Astronomical Society (RAS) awards is July 31, 2024.

This deadline covers the following medals, awards, lectures, and fellowships:

Gold Medal (G)
Chapman Medal (G)
Agnes Mary Clerke Medal (A/G)
Fowler Award (G)
Early Career Award (G) (previously the Winton Award (G))
Group Award (G)
Service Award (G)
James Dungey Lecture
Honorary Fellowship (G)

We encourage the community to nominate colleagues. Please contact the council (via natasha.jeffrey@northumbria.ac.uk) if you require help with your nomination.

A list of eligible solar prizes, including RAS prizes, can be found here:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/15QyZ4LZ0Zxv3HV_S2tNCTltXC91f_Ib-/edit#gid=1221167536

Kind regards,
UKSP Council… continue to the full article

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After community feedback, UKSA has amended parts of the 2024 Exploration Science AO.

Please note the following changes:

• change of the final deadline to 9 May 2024
• change of the science overview deadline to 18 April 2024 and clarification of requirements
• clarification regarding eligibility of mission preparation activities
• clarification regarding award duration and end date
• changes regarding number of applications applicants can submit
• changes regarding suggested reviewers
• removal of the requirement to have post doctoral research associates (PDRAs) as co-investigators on PDRA grants
• changes regarding eligibility of resubmissions in the 2025 Exploration Science call

Best regards,
Alma Puts Keren… continue to the full article

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We strongly encourage our colleagues to nominate a deserving colleague for the following awards:

Fred L. Scarf Award

This prize is annually awarded to one honoree in recognition of an outstanding thesis result that contributes directly to solar-planetary science. Honours include a $1,000 monetary prize. (https://www.agu.org/honors/scarf)

Nominees must be an active AGU member and completed requirements for a Ph.D. degree (or other terminal degree) during the 17-months prior to the award presentation year.

Only the nominee’s research advisors are eligible nominators.

AGU Union Fellow

AGU members who have made exceptional contributions to Earth and space science through a breakthrough, discovery, or innovation in their field. Fellows act as external experts, capable of advising government agencies and other organizations outside the sciences upon request. (https://www.agu.org/honors/union-fellows)

Nominees must be an experienced scientist and an established leader in the field (minimum eligibility criteria is more than 10 years post PhD) and an AGU member for the past three consecutive years.

Nominators/co-nominators must be active AGU members.… continue to the full article

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The UK Space Agency Exploration Team is hosting a Mars Exploration open community session to look back at past Mars Exploration endeavours significant to the UK as well as looking ahead, to help UKSA shape the future of UK Mars Exploration Science.

UKSA Mars Exploration Open Community Session
Thursday 6 June 2024
10:00-16:30
Natural History Museum, London

This event will also be an opportunity to celebrate and thank Sue Horne MBE, former Head of Space Exploration at UKSA, who is retiring at the end of March.

Agenda
Morning: Overview of key missions, and their UK Science community
Afternoon: Looking at future opportunities for the Mars Science community & Discussion session on the future of Mars Science in the UK

To ensure we are able to cater appropriately, please include your contact details in this form to indicate you are attending, and to receive further information about the event.

Many thanks and best regards,
Alma Puts Keren… continue to the full article

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