Interested Host Institutions

This page contains contact information and program details for interested host institutions.

The NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships provide opportunities for highly qualified investigators within three years of obtaining their PhD to carry out an integrated program of independent research and education. Fellows may engage in observational, instrumental, theoretical, or laboratory research, in combination with a coherent educational plan for the three-year duration of the fellowship. The program is intended to recognize early-career investigators of significant potential and to provide them with experience in research and education that will establish them in positions of distinction and leadership in the community.

Details about the National Science Foundation (NSF) Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships can be found here and elsewhere. Eligibility is limited to citizens or permanent residents of the United States. Applications are submitted through the NSF Fastlane system used for all NSF grant proposals. We recommend that applicants request a Fastlane password and begin to familiarize themselves with the system before the deadline. Fellowships are intended to allow the Fellow to pursue a coordinated plan of research and education tailored around his/her own interests and expertise. These listings are intended only to present new opportunities for research, education, outreach, and collaboration. AAPF applications may designate any eligible host institution; this list merely represents those institutions that have contacted current Fellows asking to be mentioned here.

To add your institution to this list, please send an e-mail to aapf@aapf-fellows.org. Please include contact information, a description of the opportunities you can offer, links of interest, and anything else that seems appropriate. Note that while this website is intended as a service for prospective Fellows, it is not managed nor endorsed by the NSF; rather, it is hosted and has been created by the current Fellows.

Institutions:

2009 and beyond
Older listings

Arizona State University (link)

School of Earth and Space Exploration (link)
Astrophysics (link)
Cosmology (link)
Planetary Sciences (link)

Address:
ASU School of Earth and Space Exploration
PO Box 871404
Tempe, AZ 85287-1404
Telephone: 480-965-5081
Facsimile: 480-965-8102

Contact Person
James Rhoads, Associate Professor
James.Rhoads@asu.edu

Program Description

The School of Earth and Space Exploration (SESE) at Arizona State University welcomes applications for NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships. SESE is home to a vibrant research group in astronomy and astrophysics, both observational and theoretical. SESE astronomers have access to world-class telescopes through the Arizona telescope system, which has a 25% share in the 11m Large Binocular Telescope, 50% in the 6.5m MMT, and 10% in each of the two 6.5m Magellan telescopes. Postdocs in SESE can lead proposals for any of these facilities. Theoretical research in SESE benefits from in-house parallel supercomputing resources. In addition to astronomical research, the school includes faculty in astrobiology, planetary science, geology, geophysics, geochemistry, engineering, and science education.

Astrophysics focus areas at SESE include:

- Computational Astrophysics
- Cosmology, Dark Matter, and Dark Energy
- Star Formation and Evolution
- Galaxy Formation and Evolution
- Formation and Evolution of Planets and Other Solid Bodies

We offer many research opportunities in all of these areas.

SESE includes 11 astronomy and astrophysics faculty members: Steven Desch, Chris Groppi, Lawrence Krauss, Sangeeta Malhotra, James Rhoads, Evan Scannapieco, Paul Scowen, Sumner Starrfield, Frank Timmes, Rogier Windhorst, and Patrick Young. SESE is a new venture, inaugurated in 2006, and seven of these eleven faculty joined ASU between 2006 and 2009. All of the above-named faculty would be glad to act as research sponsors for NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellows. Further growth in astronomy is expected in the coming few years. Astronomy in SESE also includes a half dozen research staff and postdocs, and about 20 graduate students. We maintain strong collaborative ties with ASU’s engineering school. We also have strong ties to the ASU Physics department, including a joint SESE-Physics Cosmology Initiative that ranges from high redshift galaxy observations to theoretical work on inflation and other topics in the physics of the early universe. Our laboratories are home to exploration systems engineers developing next generation instruments for both ground based and space based applications.

Arizona State University is in Tempe, which is part of the Phoenix metropolitan area. The University's surroundings combine big-city amenities, affordable living, a warm climate, and great access to outdoor recreation.

Further information about the faculty, and the research and educational opportunities at ASU’s School of Earth and Space Exploration is available at http://sese.asu.edu/.

Baylor University (link)

Department of Physics (link)
Center for Astrophysics, Space Physics, and Engineering Research (link)

Address:
CASPER
Baylor University
One Bear Place 97310
1320 South 7th Street
Waco, TX 76798-7310
USA

Contact Person
Truell Hyde, Director of CASPER and Vice-Provost for Research
Truell_Hyde@baylor.edu

Program Description

Baylor University's Center for Astrophysics, Space Physics & Engineering Research (CASPER) invites NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship applicants to join its exciting research program. CASPER conducts research in a number of theoretical and experimental areas and offers both basic research as well as engineering and design opportunities. Research groups include the Astrophysics and Space Science Theory Group, the Early Universe Cosmology and Strings Group, the Hypervelocity Impacts & Dusty Plasmas Lab and the Space Science Lab.

Current theoretical research topics include meso and nanostructure formation, complex (dusty) plasmas, gravitoelectrodynamics, protoplanetary/protostellar evolution, grain charging in dense and tenuous complex plasmas, grain coagulation in nebular clouds, ordered grain lattice formation within complex plasmas, wave propagation through ordered and disordered complex plasmas, numerical modeling of hypervelocity impacts, superstrings, string model building, string phenomenology, M-theory, thermodynamics of black holes, nonlinear dynamics at the threshold of black hole formation, dark matter and dark energy, brane worlds, and string cosmology.

Current experimental research topics include laboratory experimentation into meso and nanostructure formation, complex plasmas, protoplanetary/protostellar evolution, grain charging and coagulation in dense and tenuous complex (dusty) plasmas, ordered grain lattice formation within complex (dusty) plasmas, wave propagation through ordered and disordered complex plasmas, dispersion relations as well as low velocity shock physics. Additional research is being conducted in the areas of hypervelocity impact studies, sensor design and calibration as well as prototype design of dust particle accelerators.

Case Western Reserve University (link)

Department of Physics (link)
Department of Astronomy (link)
Center for Education and Research in Cosmology and Astrophysics (link)

Address:
CERCA, Physics Department
Case Western Reserve University
10900 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44106-7079
USA

Astronomy Department
Case Western Reserve University
10900 Euclid Ave.
Cleveland, OH 44106-7079
USA

Contact Persons
Lawrence Krauss, Departments of Physics and Astronomy and Director,
CERCA
krauss@cwru.edu
Earle Luck, Chair, Department of Astronomy
luck@fafnir.astr.case.edu

Program Description

Case Western Reserve University invites candidates for the NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships (AAPF) program to pursue research opportunities at Case. In addition to research programs within the departments of physics and astronomy, Case hosts the Center for Education and Research in Cosmology and Astrophysics (CERCA), a collaborative venture between the physics and astronomy departments at Case and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History. These groups comprise one of the most comprehensive and active groups in astronomy, astrophysics, particle astrophysics, and cosmology in the country.

Research in the Astronomy Department focuses on galaxy formation and evolution, large scale structure, stellar populations and abundances, computational astrophysics, and astronomical instrumentation. We are members of the Sloan Digital Sky Survey and have sole ownership of the Burrell Schmidt wide-field telescope on Kitt Peak.

Active research areas within Physics include almost all areas of astrophysics and cosmology including extragalactic astronomy, galaxy evolution, large scale structure, cosmic microwave background studies, dark matter detection, high energy cosmic rays, neutrino astrophysics, nuclear astrophysics, stellar evolution, gravitational lensing, early universe studies, general relativity, quantum gravity, dark energy, extra dimensions,

Case Faculty working in these areas include Dan Akerib, Corbin Covault, Lawrence Krauss, Earle Luck, Chris Mihos, Heather Morrison, John Ruhl, Richard Schnee, Tom Shutt, Glenn Starkman, Cyrus Taylor, Tanmay Vachaspati and Idit Zehavi. In addition there are 12 postdoctoral and research staff working in this area. Previous NSF AAPF Fellows at Case include: Denise Hurley-Keller (Astronomy) and John Feldmeier (Astronomy). Active Education/Public Outreach programs include collaborations with the CMNH on Planetarium presentations, public observing nights, popular lectures, and public conferences. Case is also the home of SAGES, a seminar-style approach to undergraduate education. Inquiries to any faculty or postdocs are welcome. Case is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer, and applications from women and minorities are strongly encouraged.

Columbia University (link)

Department of Astronomy (link)

Address:
Department of Astronomy
Columbia University
Pupin Physics Laboratories
Mail Code 5246
550 West 120th Street
New York, New York 10027
USA
Telephone: +1(212)854-3278
Facsimile: +1(212)854-8121

Contact Person
David J. Helfand, Department Chair
djh@astro.columbia.edu

Program Description

The Department of Astronomy at Columbia University welcomes NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship applications. The Department has many research opportunities available in the areas of high energy astrophysics, compact objects, large scale structure and cosmology, galaxy formation and evolution, stars and stellar evolution, extrasolar planets, and astronomical surveys and instrumentation. In addition, interested applicants will have the opportunity to participate in the development of the new Frontiers of Science core curriculum at Columbia and/or to mount an active outreach program through a variety of Columbia programs or with the American Museum of Natural History.

The Department currently has twelve faculty members, and a share in the MDM Observatory. We maintain close ties with the Department of Physics at Columbia, the Astrophysics Department at the American Museum of Natural History, and the Goddard Institute for Space Studies; we host the Institute for Strings, Cosmology, and Astroparticle Physics (ISCAP), and the Columbia Astrophysics Laboratory (CAL), as well as a recent initiative, the Columbia Astrobiology Center (CAC). Faculty willing to act as sponsors include Arlin Crotts, Andrie Beloborodov, Greg Bryan, Zoltan Haiman, Jules Halpern, David Helfand, Lam Hui, Laura Kay, Janna Levin, Szabi Marka, Kristen Menou, Amber Miller, Reshmi Mukherjee, Frits Paerels, Joe Patterson, David Schiminovich, Edward Spiegel, and Jacqueline van Gorkom.

Further information about the faculty, and the research and educational opportunities at Columbia is available at the Department's website.

Dartmouth College (link)

Department of Physics and Astronomy (link)

Address:
Dept. of Physics & Astronomy
6127 Wilder Lab
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH 03755
USA
Phone: (603) 646-2854
Fax: (603) 646-1446

Contact Person
Robert Caldwell, Associate Prof. of Physics & Astronomy
robert.r.caldwell_atsign_dartmouth.edu

Program Description

The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Dartmouth invites candidates for the NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships program to consider Dartmouth as their host institution. Department members pursue a range of interests in astrophysics and cosmology. (See http://www.dartmouth.edu/~physics/research/astronomy.html)

Observational/experimental work includes study of the structure and evolution of globular clusters, supernovae and supernova remnants, close binary star systems, general structure of the interstellar medium, and the distribution of galaxies and observational cosmology. The Department has a 25% share in the MDM telescopes at Kitt Peak and an 11% share of the new 10m Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), which has recently obtained first light images. (See http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050905.html)

Theoretical astrophysics and cosmology in the Department involves study of dark energy, quintessence, cosmic microwave background, large scale structure, primordial phase transitions, gravitational radiation, inflation and the early universe. (See http://www.dartmouth.edu/~cosmos)

Indiana University-Bloomington (link)

Department of Astronomy (link)

Address:
Swain West 319
727 E. 3rd Street
Bloomington IN 47405-7105
USA

Contact Person
Catherine Pilachowski, Professor and Chair
catyp@astro.indiana.edu

Program Description

The Astronomy Department at Indiana University welcomes applicants for the NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships (AAPF) program to consider the opportunities offered by our campus. The Department has a 17% share of the outstanding 3.5-m WIYN telescope on Kitt Peak, as well as a substantial interest in the WIYN 0.9-m imaging telescope at the same site. In addition to the WIYN facilities, the Department operates a 16-inch automated telescope and a new 50-inch automated telescope in the Morgan-Monroe State Forest about 12 miles north of campus. These are active research facilities that operate most clear nights.

Our program includes active research in stellar astrophysics, extragalactic astronomy, high energy and particle astrophysics, and dynamics and computational astrophysics. Postdoctoral fellows resident at IUB can participate in our active public outreach program and can gain teaching experience in a supportive environment where teaching is valued. The rich cultural heritage of the IU Bloomington campus and community offers an attractive quality of life coupled with a strong and collaborative research environment.

Indiana University Bloomington is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

Links:
WIYN Observatory: http://www.noao.edu/wiyn/
WIYN 0.9-m Telescope: http://www.noao.edu/0.9m/
Benefits: http://www.indiana.edu/~uhrs/benefits/index.html
Academic Support and Diversity: http://www.indiana.edu/~asd/
Teaching and Learning Technology Center: http://www.indiana.edu/~tltl/
Teaching Support Services: http://www.indiana.edu/~deanfac/tguide.html
The Bloomington Community: http://www.iub.edu/visit/

Michigan State University (link)

Department of Physics and Astronomy (link)

Address:
Physics & Astronomy Dept.
Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI 48824-2320
USA
Phone (517) 355-9200 ext. 2411

Contact Person

Prof. Jack Baldwin, Associate Chair for Astronomy
baldwin@pa.msu.edu

Program Description

The Physics & Astronomy Department at Michigan State University invites AAPF applicants to consider choosing MSU as their host institution. Our astronomy program is centered on a very active Astronomy Group which has 8 permanent faculty members, currently 5 postdoctoral Research Associates, 15 graduate students, and 45 undergraduate astrophysics majors. We carry out theoretical investigations which include use of a campus supercomputer, and observational astronomy using national space- and ground-based telescopes and also in the near future the new SOAR 4m telescope. The Astronomy Group is embedded in a large physics and astronomy department which also includes vigorous programs in nuclear and particle astrophysics.

Michigan State offers strong graduate and undergraduate degree programs in Astrophysics. In addition, we are a land-grant university, and have a strong commitment to public outreach and K-12 education. This effort is spearheaded by our Abrams Planetarium, with its own permanent staff of professional lecturers, and also draws on our newly refurbished on-campus 24-inch telescope. We would welcome participation of an AAP Fellow in any of these activities.

Northwestern University (link)

Department of Physics and Astronomy (link)
Astrophysics Group (link)

Address:
Dearborn Observatory
2131 Tech Drive
Evanston, IL 60208-2900
USA

Contact Person
David Meyer, Professor and Director of Astrophysical Studies
davemeyer@northwestern.edu

Program Description

The Astrophysics Group at Northwestern University currently includes Profs. V. Kalogera, D. Meyer, G. Novak, F. Rasio, R. Taam, M. Ulmer, and F. Yusef-Zadeh, about 10 postdoctoral fellows and many graduate and undergraduate students. We are interested in a wide range of observational and theoretical astrophysics questions, with special focus on: the interstellar medium, its chemistry, magnetic fields, and masers; star and planet formation; infrared, UV and X-ray instrumentation; multi-wavelength studies of the Galactic center region; clusters of galaxies; dense star cluster dynamics; compact objects and X-ray binaries; gravitational wave astrophysics and data analysis; nuclear astrophysics; stellar and binary evolution; hydrodynamics of stellar interactions; and extra-solar planetary systems. Northwestern offers many opportunities for teaching and outreach opportunities, both at the University and elsewhere in the Chicago area. In particular our existing connection with the Adler Planetarium and Astronomy Museum in downtown Chicago provides postdoctoral associates with many possibilities for high-impact outreach activities.

Postdoctoral Fellows at Northwestern receive the same extensive benefits package that is available to all University staff. For information, see http://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/.

Pennsylvania State University (link)

Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics (link)
Center for Gravitational Wave Physics (link)
Institute for Gravitational Physics & Geometry (link)
Particle Astrophysics (link)

Address:
Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics
525 Davey Lab
University Park, PA 16802
USA
Phone: (814) 865-0418

Contact Person
Lawrence Ramsey, Department Head
lwr@astro.psu.edu

Program Description

The Department of Astronomy & Astrophysics at the Pennsylvania State University welcomes applicants for the NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships (AAPF) program to consider Penn State as their host institution. The Department currently has 17 tenure track faculty, four joint appointments with Physics, and several adjunct appointments. In addition there are 25 PhD level researchers in the department. We are a major partner (27% of the observing time) in the Hobby-Eberly Telescope, an 8-meter-class facility for spectroscopic studies in the O/IR. The Department is also the PI institution for the ACIS X-ray CCD camera on Chandra, and is the main University partner in the multi-wavelength gamma-ray burst afterglow satellite Swift, launched in November 2004, whose Mission Operations Center is at Penn State. The Department possesses active groups in observational cosmology, theoretical astrophysics, searches for extrasolar planets, gamma ray bursts, optical and near/IR instrumentation, X-ray instrumentation and data analysis, observations of AGNs, application of advanced statistical techniques to astronomical data, star formation, stellar evolution, gravitational physics, pulsar astronomy, radio instrumentation, computational astrophysics, and ultra-high energy particle astrophysics. We are involved in the Institute for Gravitational Physics and the NSF Physics Frontier Center for Gravitational Wave Physics, as well as in the Auger ultra-high energy cosmic-ray air-shower array and the AMANDA/IceCube ultra-high energy neutrino telescopes at Penn State. Additional information can be found at http://www.astro.psu.edu.

Princeton University (link)

Department of Astrophysical Sciences (link)

Address:
Princeton University
Peyton Hall - Ivy Lane
Princeton, NJ 08544-1001
USA

Contact Person
David Spergel, Professor and Associate Chair
dns@astro.princeton.edu

Program Description

Princeton University Department of Astrophysical Sciences welcomes applications for NSF fellowships. Princeton has a strong tradition in theoretical and numerical astrophysics and is playing a leading role in several major astronomical surveys: Sloan Digital Sky Survey (www.sdss.org); Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (map.gsfc.nasa.gov); Optical Gravitational Lensing Experiment (www.astro.princeton.edu/~ogle) and the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (www.hep.upenn.edu/act). Information about Princeton's faculty and research program is available at http://www.astro.princeton.edu. The Council on Science and Technology supports the development of new courses for undergraduates and hosts postdoctoral teaching fellowships in the sciences (http://www.princeton.edu/~stcweb). The Quest program enhances middle school and elementary school education for area science teachers.

Tufts University (link)

Department of Physics and Astronomy (link)

Address:
Robinson Hall
Tufts University
Medford, MA 02155
USA

Contact Person
William Waller, Research Associate Professor
william.waller@tufts.edu

Program Description

The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Tufts University invites candidates for the NSF Astronomy Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships (AAPF) program to consider joining our small but dynamic group of faculty in Astronomy research and education. Tufts University is a small "Research 1" university in the Boston area that is known for its international outlook and commitment to education. The Department of Physics and Astronomy has faculty engaged in solar, stellar, galactic, extragalactic, and cosmological research. Several of the faculty are leading efforts in astronomy education and public outreach, including collaborative programs with the Tufts Department of Education, Wright Center for Science Education, Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Museum of Science, and other institutions in the Boston area. Interested NSF AAPF candidates are encouraged to contact Dr. William H. Waller by e-mail at (william.waller@tufts.edu).

Links:
Faculty in Tufts Physics/Astronomy Dept.: http://ase.tufts.edu/physics/faculty.htm
Programs in Tufts Education Dept.: http://ase.tufts.edu/education/programs/main.asp
New England Space Science Initiative in Education (NESSIE): http://www.mos.org/nessie

University of California-Berkeley (link)

Department of Astronomy (link)
Department of Physics (link)

Addresses:
Department of Astronomy
601 Campbell Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720-3411
USA

Department of Physics
366 LeConte Hall
Berkeley, CA 94720-7300
USA

Contact People
Don Backer, Department of Astronomy Chair
dbacker at astron.berkeley.edu
Marjorie Shapiro, Department of Physics Chair
mdshapiro at lbl.gov

Program Description

The Departments of Astronomy and Physics at UC Berkeley invite applicants for the NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship program to consider choosing UC Berkeley as their host institution. Berkeley is a large and diverse university with a wide range of opportunities in education and outreach as well as in research. Some of these opportunities are detailed below; we encourage candidates to visit the department websites and contact the department chairs or individual professors for further information or to investigate potential collaborations. The members of the Berkeley Astronomy Department pursue a range of interests in planetary science, astrophysics and cosmology. Observational/experimental work includes study of the atmosphere and ionospheres of comets and the major planets; structure of globular clusters and normal galaxies; active galactic nuclei; pulsar searches, timing, and physical characteristics; supernovae and gamma ray bursts; general structure of the interstellar medium; molecular clouds and associated star formation; distribution of galaxies and observational cosmology; epoch of reionization; extrasolar planets research; and development of IR and mm-wave instrumentation for imaging and spectroscopy. Theoretical activities are similarly diverse and include physics of star formation; large-scale structure; the identity of dark matter; physics of the general interstellar medium, with focus on interstellar shocks; dynamics and appearance of magnetized disks in compact objects (galactic binaries and AGN); physics and evolution of rotation-powered and accretion-powered pulsars. Several faculty members have joint appointments with the Earth and Planetary Science department, where significant planetary science research also occurs. Departmental computer facilities include a unified network of Sun, Linux PC, and Mac workstations. The Radio Astronomy Laboratory (which shares space with the Department) operates the CARMA millimeter array at the Cedar Flat, CA site and the Allen Telescope Array at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory. The Department is a member of the University of California/Caltech consortium operating the Keck Telescope.

Astrophysical research in the Berkeley Physics Department includes magnetospheric physics, space plasmas and fields, experimental cosmology (particularly studies of the cosmic microwave background radiation and of dark matter), infrared spectroscopy and spatial interferometry, and gamma-ray astrophysics. Theorists study the interstellar medium, star formation, radio pulsars, neutron stars, galaxy formation, and cosmology. Much of this work is carried out at the Space Sciences Laboratory and the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory.

Numerous education and outreach groups and facilities exist in the Berkeley area. These include the Society of Physics Students, the Society for Women in the Physical Sciences, the Lawrence Hall of Science, the Chabot Space and Science Center, the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory's Center for Science and Engineering Education, and SEGway at the Space Sciences Laboratory.

NSF Fellows at UC Berkeley are classified as "paid-direct" postdoctoral scholars and are eligible for health insurance with dental and vision benefits, email accounts, parking permits, library privileges, and all other benefits granted to postdoctoral employees. Please see the website of the Visiting Scholars and Postdoctoral Affairs (VSPA) office for more information on postdoctoral benefits at Berkeley.

The following people are current NSF AAPF fellows at UC Berkeley:
Jennifer L. Hoffman, jhoffman at astro.berkeley.edu
(Astronomy/LBL)
Daniel Kocevski, kocevski at berkeley.edu (Physics/LBL)
Matthew Browning (Astronomy)

University of California Davis (link)

Department of Physics (link)
Cosmology Group (link)

Address:
University of California
Department of Physics
One Shields Avenue
Davis, CA 95616
USA
Phone: 530-752-1501 (Physics Dept.)
530-754-2265 (Cosmology)

Contact Persons
J. Anthony Tyson, Department of Physics
tyson at physics.ucdavis.edu
Andreas Albrecht, Department of Physics
albrecht at physics.ucdavis.edu

Program Description

The Cosmology Group in the Department of Physics at UC Davis invites applicants for the NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship program to consider choosing UC Davis as their host institution. Astrophysicists in the Physics Department pursue a range of interests in astrophysics and cosmology. Observational/experimental work includes study of dark matter, dark energy, gravitational physics, the cosmic microwave background, high redshift clusters of galaxies, active galactic nuclei, quasars, strong and weak gravitational lensing, cool stars, and development of optical and IR instrumentation for imaging and spectroscopy. Theoretical activities are similar and include the physics of dark energy, the early universe, the microwave background anisotropy and polarization, and large-scale structure. Departmental computer facilities include a unified network of linux workstations and a large cluster. Researchers in the department collaborate with the Center for Computational Science and Engineering, and with colleagues in other departments such as CS, math, and statistics. The department includes groups working on the Deep Lens Survey and the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, the PLANCK CMB project, the HST GOODS survey, the SDSS, the VLA-FIRST survey, the Virtual Observatory, the MAGIC gamma ray telescope and the CACTUS high energy observatory. Optical, IR, radio, and gamma ray observations are carried out on a number of facilities worldwide. The Department is a member of the University of California/Caltech consortium operating the Keck Telescopes. Postdoctoral scholars can apply directly for observing time at the facilities of the University of California Lick Observatory and, on a collaborative basis, the Keck Observatories.

Our department is part of a new initiative on the UC Davis campus focusing on the frontier of physics and information: a multi-disciplinary collaboration devoted to experimental/observational probes of Dark Energy and Dark Matter. Faculty associated with this initiative are involved in the LSST Project science and technology and work on innovative database mining techniques for exploration and discovery with extremely large cosmological data sets, machine learning, and complex systems. This includes massive Monte Carlo simulations from cosmology to instrument systems, and data interpretation in a cosmological context (phenomenology).

Numerous education and outreach groups and facilities exist at or near UC Davis. These include the Explorit Science Center, the COSMOS
program for gifted high schools students in science and mathematics, Keck-CAVES visualization facility in the physics-geology building, public activities of the Astronomy Club, astronomy and physics presentations at the UC Davis annual Picnic Day (70,000 visitors per year), our Cosmology Open House, LSST related EPO activities, and active education and outreach programs within the physics department.

NSF Fellows at UC Davis are classified as "paid-direct" postdoctoral scholars and are eligible for health insurance with dental and vision benefits, email accounts, parking permits, library privileges, and all other benefits granted to postdoctoral employees. Please see the website of the Postdoctoral Scholars Association at UC Davis for more information on postdoctoral benefits at UC Davis.

University of California Santa Barbara (link)

Kavli Institute of Theoretical Physics (link)

Address:
Kohn Hall
University of California Santa Barbara
Santa Barbara, CA 93106-4030
USA

Contact Person
Lars Bildsten, Professor
bildsten@kitp.ucsb.edu

Program Description

The Kavli Institute for Theoretical Physics (KITP) encourages AAPF applicants working on theoretical astrophysics to consider our institution. Our two previous AAPF fellows have engaged in graduate and undergraduate teaching at UC-Santa Barbara, and the KITP has an existing outreach program with local high schools and the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History that provides excellent K-12 opportunities. The KITP's purpose is to contribute to the progress of theoretical physics, especially in areas overlapping the traditional subfields, in ways that are not easily realized in existing institutions. The scientific work is carried out by approximately 70 members, including the director, deputy director, 5 permanent members, 10-15 postdoctoral members, and 50-60 visiting senior members. Within astrophysics, there is one permanent member (Bildsten) and 3-4 postdoctoral fellows. The UCSB physics department has 7 faculty working across all of astrophysics (http://www.physics.ucsb.edu/~astrogroup/). Most visiting members to KITP are participants in major programs that last 2-5 months, greatly enhancing the number of possible scientific interactions.

Current and future astrophysics programs include: "The SuperNova Gamma-Ray Burst Connection" (Jan-March 2006), coordinated by C. Fryer, S. Kulkarni, K. Nomoto and P. Pinto, "Physics of Galactic Nuclei" (May-Jul 2006), coordinated by M. Haehnelt, S. Hughes, D. Merritt, and R. van der Marel, "Applications of Gravitational Lensing: Unique Insights into Galaxy Formation and Evolution"(Sep-Nov 2006), coordinated by L. Koopmans, C. P. Ma, B. Moore, P. Schneider, and T. Treu, and "Accretion and Explosion: the Astrophysics of Degenerate Stars" (Feb-May 2007), coordinated by L. Bildsten, R. Di Stefano, R. Kirshner, and C. Wheeler. For current information on programs, see http://www.kitp.ucsb.edu/activities. Postdocs at the KITP also have opportunities for international collaborations with CITA and MPA-Garching, and receive computing and office support.

University of Kansas (link)

Department of Physics and Astronomy (link)
Astrobiology Working Group (link)

Address:
Department of Physics and Astronomy
1251 Wescoe Dr. #1082
Lawrence, KS 66045-7582
USA
Phone: (785)864-4626

Contact Persons
Adrian Melott, Professor
melott@ku.edu
Steve Sanders, Chair
ssanders@ku.edu

Program Description

The Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Kansas invites applicants for the NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship program to consider choosing KU as their host institution. KU is a large (~26k students, ~6k graduate students) and diverse university with a wide range of opportunities in education and outreach as well as in research. Some of these opportunities are detailed below; we encourage candidates to visit the department website and contact individual professors for further information or to investigate potential collaborations. The members of the department pursue a range of interests in astrobiology, astronomy, astrophysics and cosmology. The Astrobiology Working Group is an unique collaboration involving members of the department with KU's prominent paleontology program in the Biodiversity Research Center and the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, as well as collaborators in high-energy astrophysics and atmospheric physics at NASA-Goddard. The Astrobiology group focuses on characterizing and detecting possible past impacts of high-energy astrophysical events (including GRB effects) on the Earth's biosphere, and is integrating theoretical and experimental aspects of astrophysics, biogeochemistry, atmospheric/climate studies, and paleontology. Observational/experimental departmental astrophysics centers on stellar populations and abundances, as well as RICE (Radio Ice Cerenkov Experiment), a unique effort to detect ultra-high energy neutrinos in the Antarctic ice. Theoretical activities are similarly diverse and include the large-scale structure of the Universe, including the peculiar velocity field of galaxies, structures in redshift space and the shapes and sizes of voids; solar system studies on X-ray emission and planetary aeronomy; microphysics of gamma-ray bursts including jitter radiation in prompt emission and afterglow and other topics in plasma astrophysics, as well as theoretical studies of long-range propagation of ultra-high energy neutrinos.

Outreach activities include a variety of lecture visits at regional schools and colleges, a very active amateur association, newspaper columns, and an active center of the Quarknet outreach program. Rather than adopting a fixed program, we encourage you here to design and implement your own vision for the of outreach you want, with active support.

Lawrence is a unique community of about 80,000 about 40 miles from Kansas City. The city has a vibrant cultural and artistic life on a scale which is inviting to be a participant as well as a spectator. The area features a continental climate with four definite seasons, substantial recreational activities with nearby watersports, and a moderate cost of living including low housing costs.

University of Michigan (link)

Department of Astronomy (link)

Address:
500 Church Street, 830 Dennison
Ann Arbor MI 48109-1042
734-764-3440 (main office)
734-763-6317 (fax)
USA

Contact Persons
Doug Richstone, Professor, Chair
dor@umich.edu
Jon Miller, Asst. Professor
jonmm@umich.edu

Program Description

The University of Michigan Department of Astronomy invites applicants for the NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowship program to consider choosing Michigan as their host institution. The University of Michigan is a leading and diverse research university which provides many excellent research, teaching, and outreach opportunities. The Department of Astronomy is presently in a growth phase and seeking to amplify and expand its research programs. These include extra-solar planets, star formation, the ISM, galaxies and galaxy formation, compact objects, strong gravitation, jets, and large structure formation and evolution. Beyond its strong observational expertise, the Department of Astronomy is actively engaged in optical and IR instrumentation, and participates in the Magellan Project and the MDM Observatory. The department is committed to outreach at all levels, and these efforts are facilitated by two on-campus planetaria.

University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill (link)

Department of Physics and Astronomy (link)

Address:
Phillips Hall CB #3255
Univ. of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC 27599-3255
USA

Contact Person
Jim Rose, Professor
jim@physics.unc.edu

Program Description

The Department of Physics & Astronomy and the University of North Carolina welcomes Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellows in Chapel Hill. Astrophysics links traditional observational astronomy with theoretical cosmology and experimental nuclear astrophysics. On the observational side, the faculty's research interests overlap with one another, but range from white dwarfs to stellar populations to galaxy evolution to gamma-ray bursts and cosmology. By the spring semester 2006, faculty, postdocs, and students will have access to the 11-meter Southern African Large Telescope, the 4.1-meter SOAR Telescope in Chile, and PROMPT, an array of six 0.4-meter robotic telescopes, also in Chile. PROMPT is designed for rapid follow-up of southern hemisphere gamma-ray bursts, with each telescope simultaneously obtaining photometric information at different wavelengths to promptly determine positions, colors, and photometric redshifts. SOAR is designed to move on to targets within minutes for rapid spectroscopic follow-up work. Observing may be done remotely using the Cox Remote Observing Center at Morehead Observatory. The Goodman Laboratory for Astronomical Instrumentation has built and deployed the Goodman Spectrograph for the SOAR Telescope. The spectrograph is based on very high efficiency VPH gratings, fabricated in the Lab, and which remain a major focus for the instrumentation program. Theoretical efforts in the Department include galaxy mergers, physics of compact objects, and quantum gravity. More details may be found on the Department website, www.physics.unc.edu.

Links:
Astronomy/astrophysics webpage: http://www.physics.unc.edu/research/astro
UNC Observatories: http://www.physics.unc.edu/research/astro/observatories.php
UNC Astronomy and Astrophysics program: http://www.physics.unc.edu/research/astro/intro.php

University of Wisconsin-Madison (link)

Department of Astronomy (link)

Address:
5534 Sterling Hall
475 N. Charter St.
Madison, WI 53706
USA

Contact Person
Andrew Sheinis, Assistant Professor
sheinis@astro.wisc.edu

Program Description

The Department of Astronomy at UW Madison invites candidates for the NSF Astronomy and Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships (AAPF) program to consider joining our growing and dynamic group of faculty and researchers. The Department has a 15% share of the 10m Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), which has recently seen first light (http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/ap050905.html) and a 26% share of the WIYN (Wisconsin-Indiana-Yale-NOAO) 3.5m and 0.9m telescopes on Kitt Peak. The Space Astronomy Laboratory (SAL) provides an existing infrastructure for hardware and software engineering, production, and testing. The current departmental areas of expertise include: stellar astrophysics and star formation, theory and observation of the interstellar and intergalactic media, observational studies of galaxies and cosmology, galactic dynamics, plasma astrophysics and instrumentation. UW Astronomy is home to WHAM, the Wisconsin H-Alpha Mapper and GLIMPSE, the Galactic Legacy Infrared Mid-Plane Survey Extraordinaire, a Spitzer Space Telescope Legacy project involving large-scale galactic structure, star formation, and the Large Magellanic cloud. The following faculty members are interested in talking to potential NSF AAPF Fellows about research opportunities at UW Madison, please see http://www.astro.wisc.edu/ for email addresses and phone numbers: Amy Barger, Matt Bershady, Ed Churchwell, Jay Gallagher, John Hoessel, Alex Lazarian, Bob Mathieu, Ken Nordsieck, Blair Savage, Andy Sheinis, Linda Sparke, Eric Wilcots, Ellen Zweibel.

Interested candidates should also be aware that UW Madison is home to several major NSF funded research projects such as: the Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL), an NSF Center for Learning and Teaching whose mission is the preparation of future STEM faculty who are both forefront researchers and excellent teachers; the NSF Center for Magnetic Self-Organization (CMSO), an interdisciplinary center, focusing on plasma physics processes important in astrophysics; and IceCube, the next generation of high energy neutrino telescopes at the South Pole. The CIRTL PI is Bob Mathieu, and opportunities abound for AAPF collaborations. Contact Ellen Zweibel for information about collaboration and research at the CMSO and Teresa Montaruli in physics, (tmontaruli@icecube.wisc.edu) for information about collaboration and research at the IceCube project. The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

Links:
Center for the Integration of Research, Teaching and Learning (CIRTL): http://cirtl.wceruw.org
Delta Research, Teaching, and Learning Community: http://www.delta.wisc.edu
Space Astronomy Lab: http://www.sal.wisc.edu/
CMSO: http://www.cmso.info/index.htm
IceCube: http://icecube.wisc.edu
GLIMPSE: http://www.astro.wisc.edu/sirtf/
WHAM: http://www.astro.wisc.edu/wham/

West Virginia University (link)

Department of Physics (link)

Address:
West Virginia University
Department of Physics
PO Box 6415
Morgantown, WV 26506
USA

Contact Persons
Duncan Lorimer, Assistant Professor
Duncan.Lorimer@manchester.ac.uk
Maura McLaughlin, Assistant Professor
Maura.McLaughlin@manchester.ac.uk

Program Description

As part of our new research emphasis in Astronomy and Astrophysics we invite applicants to choose West Virginia University (WVU) as their host institution. WVU is a large, vibrant and growing public university (approximately 22,000 undergraduate and 6,000 graduate students). Situated in Morgantown, West Virginia, the University's proximity to both the Green Bank Telescope (GBT) and many other east coast institutions makes it an ideal environment for radio astronomy research. Starting in May 2006, Professors Lorimer and McLaughlin will be undertaking multi-wavelength studies of neutron stars using the GBT, other radio telescopes and high-energy instruments. Projects will include large-scale surveys with Arecibo, Parkes and the GBT, population modeling and development of new search techniques. A dedicated Beowulf cluster will be available to carry out this research.

Theorists and observers wishing to tackle any outstanding problems in neutron star astrophysics are encouraged to apply. In addition to Lorimer and McLaughlin, the group will include a postdoctoral research associate, graduate students and strong links to the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), in particular Dr. Scott Ransom. Because of the close proximity and ties with NRAO, we also encourage applicants with interests in other areas of radio astronomy research.

Yale University (link)

Yale Center for Astronomy & Astrophysics (link)
Department of Astronomy (link)
Department of Physics (link)

Address:
Josiah Willard Gibbs Bldg.
260 Whitney Avenue
New Haven, CT 06520-8121
USA

Contact Person
Meg Urry, Professor of Physics and of Astronomy, and Director, Yale Center for Astronomy & Astrophysics
meg.urry@yale.edu

Program Description

The Yale Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics and the Departments of Astronomy and of Physics at Yale University invite candidates for the NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellowships (AAPF) program to pursue research opportunities at Yale. Conveniently located between New York City and Boston, Yale offers a world-class intellectual environment and access to front-line astronomical facilities, including WIYN, the SMARTS telescopes, Chilean telescopes (through collaboration with the Univ. de Chile), and the Palomar-QUEST survey. Active research at Yale includes cosmology, gravitational lensing, large-scale structure, galaxy evolution, active galaxies, multiwavelength surveys (GOODS, MUSYC, COSMOS, QUEST), gamma-ray bursts, high-energy astrophysics, black holes, local group galaxies, galactic structure, stellar evolution, nuclear astrophysics, astrometry, and solar astrophysics. Faculty working in these areas include Charles Bailyn, Charlie Baltay, Sarbani Basu, Paolo Coppi, Pierre Demarque, Richard Easther, Michael Faison, Jeff Kenney, Richard Larson, Vince Moncrief, Priya Natarajan, Peter Parker, Dan Prober, Rob Schoelkopf, Sabatino Sofia, Andrew Szymkowiak, Meg Urry, Bill van Altena, Pieter Van Dokkum, and Bob Zinn. Yale currently hosts three NSF Astronomy & Astrophysics Postdoctoral Fellows - Eric Gawiser, Kathy Rhode, and Ginny McSwain - along with another ~20 postdocs and research staff. Active Education/Public Outreach programs include public observing nights at the on-campus Leitner Observatory and collaborations with Yale's Peabody Museum of Natural History and the Hayden Planetarium at the American Museum of Natural History. Inquiries to any faculty or postdocs are welcome. Yale is an Affirmative Action/ Equal Opportunity Employer, and applications from women and minorities are strongly encouraged.