GREAT-ITN Recruitment: Peking University

Project Title: Archaeology of the Milky Way - The History of the Galactic Disk
Contact:
For application enquiries: Ms Ning ZHANG (zhangn@pku.edu.cn)
Further Details: http://kiaa.pku.edu.cn
Description:
As accretion events build up the Galactic halo they heat the disc, increasing the random velocities of the stars and causing warps and flaring in the outer disc. Stellar streams may survive, such as the Monoceros over-density. By analysing the kinematics of stars especially in the outer disc, we can learn how these processes shaped our Galaxy’s evolution. The Chinese 5-m LAMOST (Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope) will carry out a large spectroscopic survey of stars in the Milky Way starting in 2011. One component of this survey is the Galactic anti-centre survey led by PKU. A unique feature of this survey is that it will amass large amounts of data for the outer parts of the disc. LAMOST is directly relevant to the Gaia mission as it will provide radial velocities for stars that are too faint for Gaia's on-board spectrometer.
The ESR will use LAMOST data, in particular the radial velocity information to dissect the outer disc. The access to proprietary LAMOST data implies that the ESR’s work will have significant international impact. This field of research is relevant to many nodes in this proposal, in particular to UCAM where the PKU ESR will spend 6 months to benefit from UCAM’s experience with spectroscopic surveys.


Important Eligibility Information concerning ESRs:

Early-stage researchers are those who are, at the time of selection by the host institution, in the first four years (full time equivalent) of their research careers. This is measured from the date when they obtained the degree which formally entitles them to embark on a doctorate, either in the country in which the degree was obtained or in the country in which the research training is provided, irrespective of whether or not a doctorate was envisaged. Researchers are normally required to undertake trans-national mobility (i.e. move from one country to another) when taking up their appointment. One general rule applies to the appointment of researchers in a network:

At the time of selection by the host organisation, researchers must not have resided or carried out their main activity (work, studies, etc.) in the country of their host organisation for more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to their recruitment. Short stays, such as holidays, are not taken into account. As far as international European interest organisations or international organisations are concerned, this rule does not apply to the hosting of eligible researchers, however the appointed researcher must not have spent more than 12 months in the 3 years immediately prior to the selection by the host organisation in the same appointing organisation.