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RAS E-CIRCULAR, 2007 May
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* May RAS Meetings / webcasts / RAS-NAM
* RAS Awards - nominations sought (July 31 deadline)
* RAS Council Elections - every vote counts!
* Recent policy issues: Research Council funding cuts
* External meetings: RS Ophiuchi (June 12-14)
Higher-order Statistics in Cosmology (July 20)
* RAS services
* Burlington House
* Three Peaks Walk
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2007 MAY 11 RAS MEETINGS
http://www.ras.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=227#may
All in the Lecture Theatre of the Geological Society
The May Specialist Discussion Meeting is on
"Preserving the UK's Astronomical Heritage"
(10:30-13:30; http://www.astronomicalheritage.org.uk/)
This is followed by the 187th AGM (14:00-15:30; open to Fellows only).
After tea, the subsequent RAS A&G meeting is free and open to all
(16:00-18:00). Presentations will include:
Dr Chris Lintott (Oxford)
Molecules from the Milky Way to the Early Universe
Dr Graham P Smith (Birmingham; 2007 Fowler Prizewinner)
Galaxy Clusters as Cosmological Probes - The Role of Gravitational Lensing
and the 2007 Harold Jeffreys Lecture, by Prof. Alan Hood (St. Andrews):
The Sun: A New Dawn
[Some of the really fresh and exciting images and movies from the new
missions Hinode and Stereo will be shown. Outstanding problems will
be discussed, concentrating on recent research on the emergence of
magnetic fields from the solar interior into the solar atmosphere.]
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MEETING WEBCASTS/PODCASTS
http://www.ras.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=926&Itemid=127
web/podcasts for the following meetings and talks are available on-line:
2007 Feb: The 2007 Presidential Address
The 2007 Bullerwell Lecture
2006 Dec: The 2006 Whitrow Lecture: Our Implausible Universe
2006 Nov: The 2006 Harold Jeffreys Lecture: Titan after the Cassini-Huygens Mission
2007 Jan: Linkages between the Solar Interior and Atmosphere
2006 Dec: RAS 'Young Astronomers' meeting
2006 Nov: Solar-System Exploration by Spacecraft and by Sample Analysis
2006 Oct: The Future of Computational and Theoretical Astrophysics in the UK
2006 Feb: Titan Revealed - Latest findings from Cassini/Huygens measurements
2006 Jan: Life and Death of Star Clusters
Access requires a very simple registration process (solely for
monitoring purposes; we want to know how many people are viewing the
webcasts), and will not lead to any unsolicited emails etc.
Comments on the webcasts are welcome, and should be sent to Ron
Wiltshire ([log in to unmask]).
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RAS NATIONAL ASTRONOMY MEETING 2007
http://www.nam2007.uclan.ac.uk/
Congratulations and thanks to Gordon Bromage, Brad Gibson, and their
colleagues at UCLan for organizing a very successful RAS National
Astronomy Meeting - with over 500 registered participants, it was the
biggest NAM to date, and was noteworthy for (among other things) its
integration of the UK Solar Physics and MIST groups. Public interest,
orchestrated by RAS Press Officer Robert Massey supported by Anita
Heward, was demonstrated by more than 150 reports in the mainstream
media.
See you all again at RAS-NAM 2008, in Belfast.
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RAS AWARDS - NOMINATIONS SOUGHT (JULY 31 DEADLINE)
http://www.ras.org.uk/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=271
Your candidate has to be in it to win it! The RAS Awards Committees
rely on nominations from the Fellowship to bring to their attention
worthy candidates for its awards. Awards for 2008 will be announced
at the start of the year, and nominations are now being sought for:
The Gold Medals ('A' and 'G'),
for outstanding personal research or leadership;
The Herschel Medal,
for investigations of outstanding merit in observational astrophysics;
The Jackson-Gwilt Medal
for the invention, improvement, or development of astronomical
instrumentation or techniques; for achievement in observational
astronomy; or for achievement in research into the history of astronomy
The Chapman Medal
for investigations of outstanding merit in solar-terrestrial
physics (including geomagnetism and aeronomy)
The Fowler Awards ('A' and 'G')
for a particularly noteworthy contribution made in the first
decade or so following the start of PhD work, and recognized soon
afterwards in order to give the career impetus
RAS Awards for Service
to honour individuals who, through outstanding or exceptional
work, have promoted, facilitated or encouraged 'RAS sciences', but
whose achievement does not fall within the criteria of the
Society's other awards.
The RAS Group Achievement Award
A new award, to be awarded from time to time, recognizing
outstanding achievement by large consortia in any branch of 'RAS
sciences', where it is not appropriate to present, jointly, one
of the other awards of the Society.
The Harold Jeffreys Lectureship
Awarded to a distinguished and eloquent speaker in a field of
geophysics or solar-system science.
The George Darwin Lectureship
Awarded to a distinguished and eloquent speaker in a field of
astronomy or astrophysics.
Associateships ('A' and 'G')
to honour any person, eminent in the field of astronomy, by
election as an Associate of the Society.
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RAS COUNCIL ELECTIONS
http://www.ras.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1230&Itemid=1
A reminder to all Fellows that they should vote as soon as possible,
either on-line or by paper (deadlines May 10 & 11, respectively). Any
Fellow who has not received voting papers, or needs assistance on
e-voting, should contact [log in to unmask]
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RECENT POLICY MATTERS: PPARC BUDGET CUTS
http://www.ras.org.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=1209&Itemid=1
Following a consultation exercise through the RAS Forum, the RAS wrote to
Science Minister Malcolm Wicks over cuts to PPARC's budget. His
response can now be read on the RAS web site.
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RS OPH (2006) AND THE RECURRENT NOVA PHENOMENON
http://www.astro.keele.ac.uk/rsoph/
There will be a meeting to discuss the 2006 outburst of RS Oph, and
the recurrent-nova phenomenon in general, at Keele University, 2007
June 12-14 (sponsored by Keele, LJMU, and the RAS). Deadline for
registration is May 31.
HIGHER-ORDER STATISTICS IN COSMOLOGY
http://www.sdss2005.info/higher/
The Institute of Cosmology and Gravitation (ICG) at the University of
Portsmouth is hosting a one-day workshop on higher-order statistics in
cosmology, including use of n-point correlation functions in
quantifying the galaxy distribution, searches for non-gaussianity in
the CMB, and constraining the higher-order terms present in
gravitational lensing.
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RAS SERVICES
It's easy to forget or overlook the wide range of services that the
RAS offers its Fellows, including
- Grants for a wide range of pursuits
http://www.ras.org.uk/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=233
- Substantial discounts with many academic publishers
http://www.ras.org.uk/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=242
- A free "JobList" service
http://www.ras.org.uk/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=221
- Support for scientific meetings throughout the country
http://www.ras.org.uk/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=236
http://www.ras.org.uk/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=233
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BURLINGTON HOUSE
The Society's Burlington House apartments remain closed until the end
of 2007, to allow major refurbishment works to take place. The office
has moved to Hallam Court [77 Hallam, Street, London W1W 5HB], as have
some library services (which are, however, severely restricted).
Post (which will be redirected) should continue to be sent to
Burlington House. Telephone, fax and email addresses are unchanged.
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SPONSORED WALK
http://www.mariecurie.org.uk/events/mountain_challenges/uk_mountain_treks/three_peaks_walk_2007/
Dr Sue Bowler, editor of the Society's journal 'A&G', will be
attempting the 26-mile Three Peaks Walk on July 7, in support of Marie
Curie Cancer Care. She would welcome "encouraging noises, suitable
congratulations/commiserations and, of course, sponsorship if you
like" - [log in to unmask]
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