Call for Participation in GREAT


The European and wider astronomy community, especially those who will benefit from the use of the astrometric, photometric and spectroscopic data from the Gaia satellite, are invited to participate in the process of building a GREAT ESF Research Network Programme (RNP). Specifically this call will gauge community interest in being part of the proposal to the ESF to fund a range of exciting networking and training activities, building the Gaia community. Activities proposed will commence in early 2010 dependent upon succesful support from the ESF.

Partners external to Europe are also welcome to respond to this call, especially if particpation with these groups outside of Europe can be in the framework of activities that they may have occuring in their own counterpart networks.

The ESF RNP will support a broad range of activities including:
  • Science Meetings (Workshops, Conferences, Schools);
  • Grants for Short and Exchange Visits;
  • Publicity, Websites and Publications (paper and digital);

Currently the GREAT steering committee are aiming at a Research Network Programme structured around building science capactity around the key Gaia science areas:

  • Galactic Dynamics
  • Galactic Archeology
  • Stellar Physics and Star Formation
  • Fundamental physics and the Reference Frame
  • Extrasolar planets
  • Solar system
  • The IT Data Challenge from Gaia

The proposers should submit a short (no more than two pages A4) statement of their research interests of relevance to this programme. This should list the research staff likely to be involved with the RNP, along with key Gaia science areas which that institute would be interested in participating. The proposal should indicate whether the group would wish to host / contribute to workshops, conferences, exchange visits, and note in which Gaia related science area that would be. If possible, concrete suggestions for workshops or training school topics would be welcome.

For non European partners, please note how you would provide funds for activities carried out in the framework of this ESF RNP work (please refer to the relevant ESF RNP call section on ‘Proposals with a global dimension’ for further information on this.)

The GREAT steering committee will review the proposals and aim to work with the proposas teams which have suggested work of most relevance to the GREAT programme. These will be incorporated into application to be submited for funding to the GREAT ESF RNP call.

Please send your proposal in pdf format by email to great@ast.cam.ac.uk by the deadline 17.00 GMT Mon 22 Sep 2008.