Call for one Scientific Initiation Studentship (BIC) in the field of stars and planetary systems

Ref: IA2018-25-BIC

A call for one Scientific Initiation Studentships (Bolsa de Iniciação Científica, BIC) is open at the Centro de Investigação em Astronomia/Astrofísica da Universidade do Porto (CAUP), for Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço (IA).

The position is offered in the context of the FIS/04434 with financial support provided by FCT througt national funds and by FEDER throught COMPETE2020 - Programa Operacional Competitividade e Internacionalização (POCI) and PT2020 Agreement (refª POCI-01-0145-FEDER-007672).

This call is open under the following conditions:

1. Scientific area: stars and planetary systems

2. Requirements for admission: The applicants must be students that have completed the second year of training in the areas of Astronomy/Astrophysics or Physics registered for the first time in one of the following degrees:
    • first cycle (first degree) in astronomy, physics, or related,
    • integrated master in physical engineering, or related.

3. Work plan: IA assembles more than two-thirds of all active researchers working in Space Sciences in Portugal, and is responsible for an even greater fraction of the national productivity in international ISI journals in this area. The research and development effort at the IA includes most of the topics at the forefront of research in Astrophysics and Space Sciences, complemented by work on instrumentation and systems with potential use in Astronomy and Astrophysics.
The derivation of chemical abundances in stars of different metallicities is of prime importance to understand the Galactic Chemical evolution. Moreover, by studying the abundances of different elements in stars with and without planets we can also obtain information about planet formation mechanisms.
The objective of this project is to derive sulphur (S) abundances in a sample of ~1000 stars (150 of them having planets) by using spectral synthesis with the spectral code MOOG. The student will have to develop a simple code that compares synthetic and observed spectra to determine the best fit (with chi2 method or other) in two small wavelength regions where there are sulphur atomic lines. Once the abundances are derived the student will be able to study the evolution of this element with metallicity and age and to compare it to other elements with similar nucleosynthesis and with models. Furthermore, this element is also useful to help constraining planetary interiors (apart from other more important elements such as Mg, Si, C, O and Fe).

4. Legislation framework: The fellowship contract will comply with the 'Regulamento de Bolsas e Investigação da Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia' existing (https://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/docs/RegulamentoBolsasFCT2018.pdf) and 'Lei nº 40/2004, de 18 de Agosto (Estatuto do Bolseiro de InvestigaçãoCientífica)'.

5. Place of work: The work will be developed at the Instituto de Astrofísica e Ciências do Espaço - Porto node under the scientific guidance of Elisa Delgado Mena.

6. Fellowship duration: The scholarship is opened to start as early as 17th September and will finish no later than 31st December 2018, in accordance with the provisions of Regulation of Research Fellowships from the FCT. The BICs cannot be accumulated with any other grant.

7. Monthly allowance: The fellowship amounts to €385,00/month, according to table values of the fellowships awarded directly by FCT (http://www.fct.pt/apoios/bolsas/valores). The fellowship will be paid monthly by bank transfer.

8. Selection method: The candidate is expected to pursue research on the Galactic Chemical evolution and on the impact of planet formation on chemical composition of host stars. Preference will be given to:
Candidates will be assessed by the quality of their CV (30%), their academic record (60%) and the previous experience in research (10%).

9. Selection committee:
    • Nuno C. Santos (Chair)
    • Sérgio S. Sousa
    • Elisa Delgado Mena
     
10. Publication/notification of results: The selected candidates will be notified by e-mail.

11. Deadlines: This call for applications is open from August 10th to August 24th, 2018.

12. Application: Applications may be submitted through this webpage and must include the following information/documents:
    a) Brief curriculum vitae (2 pages) with relevant additional information - this should include explicitly:
        i) the degree in which the student is currently registered and year he/she is attending;
        ii) computacional skills and relevant expertise.
    b) Copy of the student's updated academic record.


Applications from persons with physical disabilities will received equal consideration to the extent their disabilities do not prevent them form performing the defined work tasks.

The position will be granted only if suitable candidates are found.

For inquires please contact Dr. Elisa Delgado Mena.

Publication Date:
25^th July 2018

The period for application submission has ended for this opportunity.