Sholarships in Optical and X-ray astronomy at the University of Tasmania
There are many scholarships avaliable for study at the
University of Tasmania. In particular
there are specific scholarships for undertaking honours or Ph.D. studies in astronomy.
Dave Warren Optical Astronomy Honours scholarship.
Dave Warren, an Associate Fellow in the School of Mathematics and Physics at the University
provides 2 honours scholarships to encourage high-level research in optical (or X-ray) astronomy.
The scholarships are valued at $4,500 each for one year. Interstate students receive a relocation
allowance and a return airfare. For more information about the scholarship and application go to
and or contact the Scolarships Office on (03) 6226 2879 or via
e-mail .
Applications close in late October each year (Oct 30th in 2005).
The honours course work concentrates on Gravitation & Cosmology, and Astrophysics, and
Upper Atmosphere/Ionospheric Physics with a mathematics subject.
An advantage of doing astronomy at the University of Tasmania is that we have full time access to a 1meter class
optical telescope, and two radio telescopes. The group also has extensive experience in x-ray astronomy.
To get an idea of the type of oppurtunities we offer, have a look at description of our current optical and
radio astronomy research, and specific student projects being offered at optical , and radio wavelengths.
If you want to know more feel free to contact
John Greenhill , or
Stefan Dieters or other
staff members.
David Warren Post-Graduate Scholarships in Radio and Optical Astronomy
The School of Maths and Physics at the University of Tasmania is pleased
to invite applications for two post-graduate scholarships for research
in radio and optical astronomy. These offer support for three years of
postgraduate study, at the standard APA rate. The successful applicants
will have completed honours or the equivalent bachelors degree in
physics, astronomy, maths or related subjects.
The University of Tasmania has world class observing facilities in
optical and radio astronomy, including three radio telescopes and two
optical telescopes available for use by students. Researchers at the
University also make heavy use of national and international
observatories, including ground- based and space-based facilities.
Current areas of research interest in radio astronomy include:
- e-VLBI (very long baseline interferometry in real time using optical fibre connections and high speed correlators),
- applications of FPGA technology in interferometry, spectroscopy and de-dispersion,
- studies of the dynamical state of galaxy clusters through radio observations of diffuse radio emission, head-tailed and
other radio galaxies and measurements of the magnetic field via faraday rotation,
- inter-day variable radio sources as probes of the interstellar medium and active galaxy nuclei, and
- tracing the star formation process in the Milky Way using molecular and atomic lines at cm-wavelengths.
In optical astronomy,the University of Tasmania is an active member of the PLANET consortium,
an international group searching for extra-solar planets by the method of gravitational microlensing.
The optical group has close collaboration with the Intstitut d’Astrophysique de Paris and applicants
wishing to work in this field will, if they wish, be able to study for a joint degree under the
Co-tutelle Scheme for French-Australian cooperation in science. Other activities of the group
include short time-scale photometry, and studies of optical counterparts of variable sources
including CV’s and X-ray binary stars. Postgraduate projects include:
- modelling microlensing
light curves to measure exo-planets
- optimising photometry in the search for exo-planets
- study of accreting millisecond X-ray pulsars including a multi-wavelength (X-ray, optical, IR and radio) measurements to
investigate the source of transient synchrotron emission
- Studying period changes in a cataclysmic variable binary system OY Car
- Spectroscopic observations of clusters of galaxies, these will often be part of
multi-wavelength studies involving both radio (see above) and X-ray observations.
Contact: Prof. John Dickey, School of Maths and Physics, John.Dickey@utas.edu.au
or Dr John Greenhill, John.Greenhill@utas.edu.au
For more information see the school website at:
http://www.phys.utas.edu.au/physics/physics_research_astro.html .
For conditions of the award and application proceedures go
here
[
Optical and X-ray Astronomy home page
]
URL: http://www.phys.utas.edu.au/physics/optastr/scholarships.htm
April 2006