The Center for Advanced Studies at LMU Munich is a forum for intensive international academic exchange. Its purpose is to promote cooperation with national and international Visiting Fellows who work closely on collaborative projects with LMU professors. In order to intensify cooperation between researchers at LMU Munich and leading experts from other universities, the Center has set up a major new program, the CAS Research Groups.
The CAS Research Group “The Ionisation Structure of Planet Forming Discs and their Atmospheres” was initiated by Professor Barbara Ercolano (University Observatory, LMU) and will commence work in October 2019.
The CAS Research Group enjoys close ties with the recently established DFG Research Unit “Planet Formation Witnesses and Probes: Transition Discs” to address the question of the structure and evolution of protoplanetary disks, the sites of planet formation. The aim of this program is to invite to the LMU Munich internationally renowned researchers who can contribute significantly to the work of this CAS Research Group, specifically with regards to the role of ionisation and magneto-hydrodynamics.
The CAS group will be embedded in the dynamic research environment of the Munich area which includes the LMU as well as two Max Planck’s institutes on Astrophysics and Extraterrestrial Physics (MPA & MPE) as well as the European Southern Observatory (ESO). Visiting researchers will find an open and stimulating research environment in an interdisciplinary setting. The DFG Research Group joins members with expertise in hydrodynamics, radiative transfer, chemistry, dust evolution and observations of planet forming discs. The recently awarded DFG Excellence Cluster Origin, of which Professor Ercolano is one of the 25 PI, links astrophysics, particle physics and biophysics to explore the origin of structures in the Universe to the building blocks of life.
CAS will provide financing and organizational support for visits of between four weeks and six months during the period between October 2019 and September 2020. Travel and accommodation will be paid for, and an expense allowance or other compensation (according to individual agreement) will be provided to cover operating costs or as recompense for any loss of income sustained. Guests will receive a workspace in the Center according to requirement and availability, and will have access to all its facilities.
Applications should consist of a brief outline (1-2 pages) of the expertise, field of exchange and intended contribution to the CAS Research Group. Applications should also contain relevant credentials and a résumé including a list of the most recent publications. In order to strengthen the role of women in research, female scholars are strongly encouraged to apply.