The Institute for Gravitation and the Cosmos expects openings for post-doctoral positions starting fall 2014 in the areas of general relativity, cosmology and quantum gravity. The initial appointment will be for one year and is expected to be renewed for another year subject to satisfactory progress and availability of funds. In exceptional cases it has been renewed also for a third year.
The gravitational theory group faculty consists of Abhay Ashtekar, Eugenio Bianchi, Martin Bojowald, Murat Gunaydin, Radu Roiban and Sarah Shandera. In addition Professors Roger Penrose, Jerzy Lewandowski, Alejandro Corichi and Stephon Alexander hold visiting appointments at the Institute. Successful candidates will be encouraged to interact also with mathematicians in the Center for Fundamental Theory and with members of the Center for Theoretical and Observational Cosmology. During the current academic year, the Institute has approximately 25 post-docs (including Drs. Thomas Cailleteau, Marc Gailler, Yaakov Nieman, Sohyun Park, Gabriel Santiago and Wolfgang Wieland in Fundamental Theory). For further information on the Institute, see http://www.gravity.psu.edu/
Current areas of research include loop quantum gravity, mathematical, conceptual and phenomenological issues in cosmology, black hole dynamics, interface of analytical and numerical quantum gravity, supergravity and gravitational aspects of string theory and non-commutative geometry. On the classical side, there is ongoing research on various projects that aim at extending the theoretical frameworks for investigating the global aspects and gravitational waves in asymptotically de Sitter space-times and non-linear aspects of black hole dynamics, with potential applications to numerical relativity. On the quantum side, ideas from loop quantum gravity are being applied to extend the cosmological perturbation theory to the Planck regime, analysis of singularity resolution due to quantum geometry, and the issue of information loss. In addition there is considerable work on theory and observations of the early universe. More generally, the Institute provides a rare forum for stimulating exchanges of ideas between different approaches to quantum gravity and between theoretical and observational cosmologists.
Interested candidates should send a CV, a publication list and a statement of research interests/plans and arrange to have three recommendation letters sent directly to:
Mrs. Randi Neshteruk IGC Post-Doc Applications, The Pennsylvania State University 104 Davey Lab #258 University Park, PA 16802-6300, USA
E-mail applications and letters of reference are preferred provided the material is included as PDF file attachments. They should be sent to igc-applications[AT]gravity.psu.edu
The deadline for receipt of all application material is December 7, 2013. Penn State is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer