Categories
Advocacy News Opportunities

We support AstroMundus!

The following open letter has just been approved by the Executive Committee of IAPS in which we support the AstroMundus programme. The programme allows many students in the EU as well as around the globe the opportunity to have a world-class education in astronomy and astrophysics at universities in several countries. As the programme is set to be discontinued, we have written this letter to the European Commission.

A special thanks goes to IAPS member Suzanne Dalgleish, who made us aware of the problem, and to IAPS volunteer Binod Bhattarai for his help drafting the letter.

See the .pdf of the original letter here.

To,

The Education, Audiovisual, and Culture Executive Agency

Unit A3

Avenue du Bourget 1

J59 BE-1049 Brussels

Belgium

 

Date: 10 July 2017

Ref: Open letter of support for the continuation of the AstroMundus programme

It has come to the attention of the International Association of Physics Students (IAPS) that the AstroMundus programme is being discontinued. The AstroMundus programme is undoubtedly a great opportunity for students from all over the world to learn in an excellent international environment and foster the intercultural dialogue and exchanges between students from all over the world.

AstroMundus has been a 2-years ERASMUS+: Erasmus Mundus Joint Masters Degree programme in Astronomy and Astrophysics (120 ECTS). The programme was initiated in 2009 as an Erasmus Mundus Masters Course and has been continuing within the framework of the new Erasmus+ programme of the European Union. The Masters Course was offered by a consortium of four partner universities in Austria, Italy, Germany, and Serbia, with the participation of four research institutions as associated partners in Italy, Serbia, and Germany.

Physics is without a doubt an “exciting intellectual adventure that inspires young people and expands the frontiers of our knowledge about Nature.” (Statement by IUPAP, March 1999). Physics graduates are the pillar to the world’s economy. The fundamental discoveries made by Physics graduates and students are the building blocks to the technological advancements, that will help drive the economy forward and improve the overall quality of life of the whole human civilization. Physics is an essential part of the educational system and of an advanced society and this can only be achieved through support of physics education and research in all countries throughout the world.

AstroMundus students currently carry out their master studies in at least two and up to four of these countries (Austria, Italy, Germany, and Serbia), in a stimulating and scientifically excellent international environment with a four-semester sequence. A limited number of scholarships for the course that will be starting in September 2017 is expected to be funded through the Erasmus+: Erasmus Mundus Joint Master Degree programme of the European Commission and the AstroMundus Consortium. The main objective of the programme has always been to provide top-ranked students with an excellent background in Astrophysics, introduce them to the world of modern astrophysical research, and foster their future career in this field. At the same time, in the spirit of the Erasmus Mundus programmes, it aims to promote cultural exchanges between non-European and European students and academics. This is unprecedented in traditional single-country university studies and a continuation of the programme would lead to a further strengthening of international connections. Thus, the programmes like AstroMundus should be continued with even higher capacities and facilities than that in present so that the deserving and capable young minds could be supported.

Owing to the great success and importance of this programme, we hereby declare this open letter of support to the AstroMundus programme.

WHO ARE WE ?

IAPS is an international, student-run educational association. It comprises students enrolled in a University or similar institution on a physics or physics related course, as well as up to twelve months after receiving a degree from a university or similar institution. We are an association of physics students and student societies from around the globe working to promote peaceful collaboration amongst them. Our members are represented by national and local committees, who meet regularly to ensure the relevance of our activities. We currently have 15 National Committees and 15 Local Committees across the globe along with over 100 individual members from different parts of the world.

The aims of the association are:

  • To encourage physics students in their academic and professional work in an international context;
  • To promote peaceful relations among physics students around the world;
  • To introduce physics students to the international community, help them to build professional relations and foster a collaborative attitude amongst young physicists across the globe.
  • To organise international conferences and events run by physics students for physics students.

We envision IAPS as an international association of many members, who share activities both large and small, and their knowledge and experience with each other on a regular basis; who form a real community through their common interests and needs, and who actively take part in forming their environment.

Through this open letter of support to the AstroMundus programme, IAPS anticipates that the programme will be continued and reach as many students worldwide as possible.

 

On behalf of the International Association of Physics Students,

 

 

Henrik Siboni                                                                                                               Anton Saressalo

IAPS President                                                                                                               IAPS Vice President

Categories
Events News

The IAPS School Day Grant 2016

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We are repeating the IAPS School Day!

10 November is an occasion for you to spread interest in physics and this year’s theme is Environment and Energy. Around the world, members like you will organise activities at schools, universities, and other venues in order to ensure that we will have a new generation of physics students. For inspiration, this is what it looked like last year.

To help you in this endavour, we have decided to make a dedicated School Day Grant. Each member committee can receive up to 500 € with a total of 1500 € given out by IAPS.

The deadline is 19 October.

So do you have an idea for a fun experiment in a local school? Then join us!

Questions are welcome and can be sent to: edu(at)iaps(dot)info

We hope to see you!

Categories
jIAPS News

jIAPS 2016

The new edition of the Journal of IAPS (jIAPS) is now online. Read all about member initiative, IAPS, and science!

Cover 2016.2-1

Categories
News Opportunities

Introducing the IAPS Contact Network!

As you know, IAPS offers grants, volunteering work, and opportunities to gain experiences in an international non-governmental, non-profit association, and help to its members.
To help each student interested in an exchange or starting at a new university, IAPS is establishing a Contact Network. The goal is to have at least one student at each university, willing to help others with information on the university, city, or country. At the same time. it’s always nice to already know a person in the city you move to, e.g. to find good places to hang out.
If you are interested, and we hope you are, please send an email with your name and university to secretary@iaps.info. Only your university will be published, and your name and email address will be provided to an interested student on request to the same email address listed above.
We are looking forward to having a huge network and help as many students as possible.
If you do have questions, suggestions, or comments about the Network, please do let us know.

Categories
Events News

Particle and Astroparticle Physics Autumn Programme (registration deadline 10 July at 1 pm (CEST)

The Particle and Astroparticle Physics Programme is coming to its second edition, this time to be held in the autumn. Following last year’s great success, the Italian Association of Physics Students (AISF) and IAPS will be organising a similar event, also including some new features and further improvements.

During the Programme, 40 students will be visiting the National Gran Sasso Laboratory and the Gran Sasso Science Institute in central Italy and the INFN laboratories in Frascati, Rome. Participants will meet in Rome, then move to the city of L’Aquila by coach and eventually return to Rome for departure. The event will have a focus on astroparticle physics, but a number of other topics will be touched upon, including theoretical physics, nuclear physics, high energy collisions and cosmology. Students will be expected to have a basic understanding of these subjects in order to effectively make the most of the programme.

The complete event programme for 2016 can be downloaded here.

Registration and further information can be found here.

Register no later than 10 July at 1 pm (CEST).

Categories
jIAPS News Opportunities

jIAPS Article Contest – deadline 25 June 2016

Don’t miss out on the opportunity of winning the participation fee for this year’s International Conference of Physics Students! If there’s a physics idea you’d like to share with your colleagues from all around the world, you have a chance to get it published in the journal of the IAPS (jIAPS) – the best article will win the full ICPS2016 participation fee and a place in history!
We will be receiving articles until 25 June 2016.

Find more information here.

Note that you are also very much welcome to send us your article if you don’t want to participate in the contest.

Categories
News Opportunities

Become a Student Ambassador

Having trouble getting your fellow students excited about IAPS and the world of physics students? That is now a thing of the past – introducing the Student Ambassador Program!

If you have ever been part of an IAPS activity, chances are that you found it to be a rewarding experience, which you will cherish for years. However, most physics students have never had that chance, and for whichever reason, they have not been motivated to seek it.

As an Ambassador, you will be part of an international team sharing information about our offers to local student communities all over the world. This can be achieved through, but is not limited to, putting up posters, distributing flyers, telling your colleagues, writing to magazines, getting students involved, and more. Whether you want to focus on your local environment or a larger area is up to you. The workload is defined by your own schedule.

Though not required, you will have easy access to participation in our projects and subbies and you will inevitably help improve and change what it means to study physics. You will receive regular emails with information and material in need of sharing and you will be able to write directly to the PR Subbie and discuss your progress with us. Thus, IAPS will support you with ideas on how to get your community involved while we can all learn from your experience in return. As such, the Ambassador position is also an opportunity to change IAPS as well as making it grow.

Many new students will benefit because of passionate Student Ambassadors and we very much hope that you are willing to join in the efforts.

Write to pr(at)iaps(dot)info if you are interested or want to know more.

Categories
IAPS 2022-2023

Fund your participation at the ICPS 2016

Participating in the ICPS now has even less barriers – introducing the ICPS Worldwide Grant!

The grant is given to help academically gifted, but financially challanged, students to participate in the International Conference of Physics Students. The grant is large enough to cover the participation fee and up to 80 % of the travel expenses for a total of a maximum 1000 €.

Deadline for receiving applications is 20 March. Details are available here.

Also don’t forget to check the jIAPS Article Contest where you can win your participation fee.

Note that, after Monday 29 February (CET), the participation fee is 40 € more expensive. Registration continues until all places are taken. Read more on the ICPS here.

Categories
Events News Opportunities

Register for The International Conference of Physics Students

It is now possible to register for The International Conference of Physics Students which is the main event of IAPS. This year, it will take place 11-17 August in Malta and will offer a wide variety of  lectures, excursions, and social activities with fellow physics students from all across the world.

So far 140 have already registered and acceptances and rejections are expected to be send already on Monday 8 February so be sure to sign up during this week.

Register here.

Note that you can get you registration fee of 190 € plus an excursion refunded by participating in the jIAPS Article Contest until 31 March.

Categories
News Opportunities

Extended deadline for IAPS subbie volunteering

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If you didn’t apply to volunteer in one of our subcommittees (subbies), you still have the chance as the deadline has been extended by a whole week and now ends on 17 January at 13:00 CET. If you are interested, just send an e-mail to the subbie of your interest and tell us what you want to do

Check the specifics of each committee here:

Specific calls for subbies 2015/2016

At the end of the year, all hardworking participants will receive a certificate for their work which you can attach to your CV.

In case you have additional questions, send them to ec (at) iaps.info, we will try to respond as quickly as we can.