Category: UKSP Business

Items relating to UKSP

EC-ORP Multi-Facility – Call for Proposals – Single-point access to multiple world-leading Optical/IR/Radio astronomy facilities

Dear all,

We are pleased to announce you the launch of the new ORP Multi-Facility call for proposals!
This call for proposals is aimed at observing programmes that require multiple astronomical observing facilities to deliver unique scientific programmes.

It is an opportunity to request observing time on multiple facilities through a single scientific proposal and evaluation process. Access is provided to more than eighteen individual facilities, including world-class optical, radio and infrared telescopes.

Deadline for submission: 9 April 2024 – at 14:00 UTC/15:00 BST/16:00 CEST
There are no constraints on the scientific areas that can be proposed.
Observation programmes must involve at least two ORP facilities.
Requests for non-simultaneous (non-time-critical) or time-critical/sensitive observations (e.g. contemporary or with the requested cadence) will be considered.

For more information about the call and how to submit a proposal, please visit :
https://www.orp-h2020.eu/ORP-multi-facility-call [orp-h2020.eu]

This call, including radio facilities, is run in coordination with the ORP-CTAC optical facility call for proposals which can be found here : https://www.orp-h2020.eu/optical-call-2024B [deadline 11-March-2024]

Please feel free to pass this information on to anyone who might be interested.

Thank you for your attention. Contact ta-call@orp-h2020.eu for any advice, technical or scientific
questions.

On behalf of the Opticon-RadioNet Pilot project.

Rob Beswick
Professor of Astrophysics, The University of Manchester
Joint-Director, UK’s SKA Science Regional Centre – https://www.uksrc.org
Head of Science Operations & Support, e-MERLIN/VLBI National Radio Astronomy Facility – www.e-merlin.ac.ukcontinue to the full article

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Contribute and Shape Our UKSP Nuggets

As the name suggests, a nugget, like a lump of gold, is a small piece of valuable material. Traditionally, UKSP nuggets primarily acted to summarise published research papers—which is certainly useful— however, going forward we would like to revise what a nugget can be.

Whilst summarising recently authored papers is the most common subject matter, these brief articles can also be used to share more general information on topics relevant to solar physics in the UK. For example, one could treat their nugget as a short review of recent discoveries, publicising new missions or datasets, advancements in analytical and computational techniques, solicitations for collaborations on topics, or perhaps just an interesting solar event that you think should garner more attention from the community.

To summarise: Nuggets should be a way to spark discussion and share ideas within the community, therefore we would like to broaden the scope of what a UKSP nugget can be.

We warmly invite community members of all levels of seniority to publish and share information on any relevant topic, no matter the scale. Please feel free to get in touch with Matthew Lennard (mglennard1@sheffield.ac.uk) or Ryan Milligan (r.milligan@qub.ac.uk).… continue to the full article

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Please add new colleagues to the UKSP mailing list

Dear Colleagues,

As we enter the new academic year, many of us will welcome new PhD students and other colleagues into our solar groups. Please pass this message onto new group members, and please ask them to sign up for the UKSP mailing list using:
https://www.jiscmail.ac.uk/uksp (click on “Subscribe” to join the mailing list).

More information about UKSP can be found on our website:
https://www.uksolphys.org

Recent news items:
https://www.uksolphys.org/news/recent-news-summary/

Current UKSP council members:
https://www.uksolphys.org/about-uksp/

Kind regards,

Natasha Jeffrey, on behalf of the UKSP Council… continue to the full article

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STFC Introductory Course in Solar and Solar-Terrestrial Physics: Updated Guidelines and Proposed Hosts (2023-2029)

https://www.uksolphys.org/summer-schools-rota-guidance/

The MIST & UKSP councils have:

(1) Reviewed the guidelines for the STFC Introductory Course in Solar and Solar-Terrestrial Physics summer school. The new version can be found on the UKSP website and contains information for hosts (confirmed and potential).

https://www.uksolphys.org/wp-content/uploads/SummerSchoolGuidelines_2023_2029.pdf

(2) Updated the list of proposed hosts until 2029.

***Proposed hosts – please check you are happy with the schedule.***

Previous hosts of the introductory (and advanced solar summer school) can now be found here:

https://www.uksolphys.org/wp-content/uploads/Previous_STFC_Summer_School_Hosts.pdf

Kind regards,
UKSP & MIST Councils… continue to the full article

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Please nominate potential candidates for the upcoming Prizes

European Solar Physics Division (ESPD) 2023 Prizes

  • The 2023 ESPD Patricia Edwin PhD Thesis Prize will be awarded to a young researcher whose PhD thesis/viva was defended in 2022.
  • The 2023 ESPD Giancarlo Noci Early Career Prize will be awarded to a young researcher whose PhD was awarded after 01/01/2019 (with possible extension).
  • ESPD Kees Zwaan Inspirational Community Prize will be awarded, with the aim of recognising researchers/technicians/organisations/groups whose contribution goes beyond scientific research in the field of Solar Physics.

The deadline for nominations is February 5th, 2023.

More info is here:
https://www.eps.org/members/group_content_view.asp?group=85203&id=641304

Royal Astronomical Society (RAS)-Thesis Prizes

The deadline for nominations is January 31st, 2023.continue to the full article

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STFC External Innovations Showcase Event, Wednesday 1st March 2023, Royal College of Physicians, Central London

Save the Date – STFC External Innovations Showcase

Join us at an in-person event in London to hear about our exciting funding plans for the next two years:

  • launching our new leading-edge ‘Late-Stage Research and Development Scheme’ joint with Innovate UK, to progress ideas from the STFC Particle Physics, Astronomy and Nuclear Physics (PPAN) community towards market readiness – Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 5-7;
  • launching the next round of our ‘Early-Stage Research and Development Scheme’ to support research and development in the PPAN community TRL 1-5;
  • announcing our plans for the STFC Horizons Programme with a new call with a focus on Net Zero;
  • sharing our plans for the STFC Cluster funding awards based at our world leading facilities in the UK; and
  • giving details of a new Industry Engagement Fund which builds on the success of the Bridging for Innovators (B4I) scheme and will see industry work with our world class facilities and expertise to support industrial challenges.

The showcase event will highlight these opportunities and give you an opportunity to network and ask questions. The event is free to attend, and we would be delighted to see you there.

Secure a place through: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/innovation-showcase-event-tickets-445247696847continue to the full article

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UK Solar Missions Forum 2023 – Request for Community Input

Dear Colleagues,

For many years, a short meeting known as the UK Solar Missions Forum was held yearly to discuss current and future ground and space-based instrumentation projects and bring together different representatives from our community, STFC panels and UKSA.

After a break due to Covid, we want to organise such a meeting in 2023. The meeting will be organised by the UKSP Council and led by Professor Richard Harrison (RAL).

We hope we can use the time to discuss:
– Projects in operation
– Projects in development
– Horizon scanning future projects
– Strategy/planning/updates from UKSA/STFC

We propose that the name of the meeting is changed to ‘UK Solar Instrumentation and Facilities Forum’ to account for all categories we may discuss, including ground and space-based missions (collaborations with e.g., NASA, ESA), as well as new opportunities such as CubeSat development and the opportunities arising for our field with the construction of UK spaceports.

Also, we propose that the meeting could be held as part of a two-day hybrid workshop (1-day for the UK Solar Instrumentation and Facilities Forum and 1-day for a UKSP specialist discussion meeting that promotes the work of early career researchers in the UK).

To organise the meeting, we would value input from the community about e.g., the best time, location and format of the meeting via a very short survey:
https://forms.gle/5X8Jm9cEtPqAm73N9
If possible, please complete the survey by December 15th. Other comments and suggestions can also be added to the survey form (last box).

Kind regards,
UKSP Chair on behalf of Richard Harrison and the UKSP Council.… continue to the full article

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UKSP/MIST List of STFC Introductory Summer School Hosts – Request for Information

Dear Colleagues,

As you know, the STFC Introductory Summer School is held at a different UK institution every year. In the past, the UKSP and MIST councils have compiled a list of potential hosts/bids (over a timeframe of five to ten years).

Our lists are coming to an end (2025). Therefore, we ask the communities to email both Natasha Jeffrey (natasha.jeffrey@northumbria.ac.uk) and Jasmine Sandhu (jasmine.k.sandhu@northumbria.ac.uk) if they are planning to bid for the STFC Introductory Summer School in years 2026–2030. Please send your responses by December 1st, 2022.

Our respective councils can then provide an updated list of potential hosts/bids. Furthermore, we can help to make sure that the school is being held at different geographical locations around the UK and ensure that the schools are being shared equally amongst solar and MIST institutions.

Kind regards,
Natasha Jeffrey and Jasmine Sandhu on behalf of the UKSP and MIST councils… continue to the full article

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