National Research Council of the National Academies

Awards for postdoctoral and senior researchers

As you know, the National Research Council of the National Academies sponsors a number of awards for postdoctoral and senior researchers at federal laboratories. These awards provide generous stipends ($42,000 - $72,000 per year for recent Ph.D. recipients and higher for additional experience), and the opportunity to do independent research in some of the best-equipped and staffed laboratories in the country.

We ask your assistance in informing doctoral students and faculty in your department of these opportunities by copying this message to each one.

Detailed program information, including instructions on how to apply online and a list of participating laboratories, is available on the NRC Research Associateship Programs Web site at:

www.national-academies.org/rap

Questions should be directed to the NRC at 202-334-2760 (phone) or rap@nas.edu.

There will be four review cycles annually. Upcoming deadline dates are:

May 1, 2009

August 1, 2009

November 1, 2009

February 1, 2010

Applicants should begin a dialogue with prospective Advisers at the lab as early as possible, before their anticipated application deadline.

Thank you for your assistance.

Sincerely yours,

H. Ray Gamble

Director of the Fellowship Programs

National Research Council

The National Academies

National Research Council of the National Academies, 500 5th Street NW, Keck 568, Washington, DC 20001

25^TH CONGRESS OF THE EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR TREATMENT AND RESEARCH IN
MULTIPLE SCLEROSIS
http://www.congrex.ch/ectrims2009/

Date

Wednesday, September 9 –
Saturday, September 12, 2009

Venue

Congress Center Düsseldorf, Germany (CCD)
www.duesseldorfcongress.de

Call for Abstracts

Deadline for submission of abstracts (online):
May 5, 2009

Dear Colleagues and Friends,

We warmly invite you to the 25^th Congress of the European Committee for Treatment and Research in Multiple Sclerosis (ECTRIMS) which will be held in Düsseldorf, Germany, 9-12 September 2009.

ECTRIMS congresses have over the years evolved into the largest and most important annual international meeting dedicated to multiple sclerosis. As always, we will bring together in Düsseldorf leading international experts in MS research, both scientists and clinicians, to share and discuss recent advances in this fast moving field. Clearly, the ultimate goal of all these efforts is to combat and eventually cure this disabling disease which affects some two million individuals throughout the world.

Düsseldorf on the river Rhine is the capital of North Rhine-Westphalia, the most densely populated federal state in Germany. Düsseldorf was founded in the 12^th century and is a lively business, trade fair, fashion and media centre. From the shopping boulevard Königsallee, the historic “Altstadt” (Old Town), and the fancy media centre “Medienhafen” in the harbour neighbourhood with its leaning Gehry buildings and many hip restaurants and bars, to the late baroque Benrath Palace, there are many places and sites to absorb and enjoy the atmosphere of this bustling cosmopolitan city and its surrounding Rhineland area.

You are certain to have a most successful and constructive ECTRIMS Congress in Düsseldorf in 2009 which will benefit from your active participation.

We again invite you to join us and very much look forward to welcoming you all in Düsseldorf next year!

Hans-Peter Hartung Chair ECTRIMS 2009 ECTRIMS President

Michel Clanet ECTRIMS Vice-President and President-elect

Ludwig Kappos ECTRIMS Secretary

Main Topics

• New therapeutic avenues
• Early treatment
• Imaging
• Neurobiology of MS
• Biomarkers
• Modelling MS pathology
• MS at the interface of inflammation and neurodegeneration
• Cognition: causes of dysfunction, diagnosis and treatment
• Symptom management in MS
• Neurorehabilitation in MS

MaxEnt2009

29th International Workshop on Bayesian Inference and Maximum Entropy Methods in Science and Engineering

July 5-10, 2009
The University of Mississippi, Oxford, Mississippi
http://www.olemiss.edu/conf/maxent2009/

For more than 25 years the MaxEnt workshops have explored the use of Bayesian and Maximum Entropy methods in scientific and engineering applications. All aspects of probabilistic inference, such as techniques, applications and foundations, are of interest. With the rapid growth of computing power, computational techniques such as Markov chain Monte Carlo sampling are of great interest, as are approximate inferential methods. Application areas include, but are not limited to, astronomy and astrophysics, genetics, geophysics, medical imaging, material science, nanoscience, source separation, particle physics, quantum mechanics, plasma physics, chemistry, earth science, climate studies, engineering and robotics. Foundational issues involving probability theory and information theory, and inference and inquiry are also of keen interest as there are yet many open questions. The workshop includes a one-day tutorial session, state-of-the-art lectures, invited papers, contributed papers and poster presentations. Selected papers by the program committee will be edited and published in a book. All the papers will be in English. Contributed papers related to the above topics are being solicited. Especially encouraged are papers whose content is novel, either as to approach or area of application. Abstracts (one page of about 400 words) of the proposed papers should be submitted via this Web site by April 3, 2009.

Links:
MaxEnt Inc
International Society for Bayesian Analysis

MRI Scientist Position
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
University of Toronto

The Sunnybrook Research Institute invites applications for a scientist position as an MR imaging physicist with specific interests in developing MRI techniques and devices. The successful candidate will build or relocate a research program focusing on applications of MRI to basic and clinical research. The candidate will join the Discipline of Imaging Research which is currently comprised of 19 senior faculty and over 200 staff/trainees in a state-of-the-art research facility housing two 1.5 T and two 3 T research-dedicated MRI systems, a combined X-ray / MRI suite dedicated to research on image-guided interventions and an Oxford Hypersense polarizer for a research program on 13C MRI. While no specific MRI focus is specified for this post, emphasis will be placed on developing solid biophysical approaches with applications which align with one or more of the institutional clinical strengths, namely cancer, neuroscience, trauma, musculoskeletal or cardiac. The candidate will build and maintain an internationally competitive research program, foster local and international collaborations, and participate in graduate training through the Department of Medical Biophysics. The candidate must possess a PhD, demonstrated experience in the physics of MRI, and a strong grant portfolio. The candidate will be put forward for an academic position within the Department of Medical Biophysics or other appropriate department of the University of Toronto commensurate with academic focus and achievement.

In keeping with Sunnybrook’s Valuing Diversity Initiative, applications from all qualified persons are encouraged. In accordance with Canadian immigration requirements, this advertisement is directed initially to Canadian citizens and permanent residents. Applicants should submit a covering letter describing current research interests and future research goals, a complete CV, relevant reprints, and the names of three potential references to:

Michelle Lall
For Kullervo Hynynen, PhD
Director, Imaging Research
Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre
2075 Bayview Avenue, M4N 3M5
E-mail: Michelle.Lall@sunnybrook.ca

Deadline for applications is: March 31, 2009 or appropriate