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Author: Marcus Mohring

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Glorious Women Symposium, March 5-6 2026, online

The first international online symposium Glorious Women will be held on March 5-6, 2026. “Glorious Women” will celebrate women scientists in the field of gravitational-wave astronomy.

The purpose of this symposium is to showcase the accessible, real-world role models, which may inspire young people to consider careers in astronomy and astrophysics.

This two-day event will bring together women scientists at different career stages to share their work in gravitational-wave science across various collaborations and research areas. The symposium will also feature panel discussions on “Women’s representation in GW science” and an interactive session “Ask a Woman Scientist”.

Registration is free and will remain open until 27 Feb 2026.

Speakers:

  • Manuela Campanelli (Rochester Institute of Technology, USA)
  • Isabel Cordero-Carrión (University of Valencia, Spain)
  • Shilpa Kastha (Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, India)
  • Ju Li (University of Western Australia, Australia)
  • Maura McLaughlin (West Virginia University, USA)
  • Samaya Nissanke (DESY, Germany)
  • Archana Pai (IIT Bombay, India)
  • Surabhi Sachdev (Georgia Tech University, USA)
  • Andreea Monica Scorta (Institute of Space Science, Romania)
  • Manasa Thirugnanasambandam (IUCAA, India)

Panelists:

  • Debatri Chattopadhyay (Northwestern University, USA)
  • Shanika Galaudage (Northwestern University, USA)
  • Maria Haney (National Institute for Subatomic Physics, The Netherlands)
  • Disha Kapasi (California State University – Fullerton, USA)
  • Lorena Magana-Zertuche (Niels Bohr Institute, Denmark)
  • Debnandini Mukherjee (University of Birmingham, United Kingdom)
  • Isobel Romero-Shaw (Cardiff University, United Kingdom)
  • Kanchan Soni (Syracuse University, USA)
  • Nami Uchikata (University of Tokyo, Japan)

The event is hosted by LIGO-India Education & Public Outreach with support from the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA), Pune, India.

Organizers:

  • Debarati Chatterjee (IUCAA, India)
  • Anuradha Gupta (University of Mississippi, USA)

Symposium Website

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Thematic school GWsNS-2026: Gravitational Waves from Neutron Stars, June 28 – July 3 2026 Station Biologique de Roscoff, France

The thematic school Gravitational Waves emission from proto-neutron stars and Neutron Star mergers (GWsNS-2026) is a graduate school that will cover several aspects of the gravitational wave (GW) emission from neutron stars, with special attention to neutron star mergers and proto-neutron stars. This is the 2026 edition of the event GWsNS-2023 (check the website for the lecture material of the previous edition!), and will take place at the Station Biologique de Roscoff (Brittany, France), a CNRS facility with full conference infrastructure and on-site accommodation.

The rapidly evolving field of multi-messenger astronomy and the arrival of third-generation detectors (like the European Einstein Telescope project and the American Cosmic Explorer) are expected to lead to further advances in both our understanding of neutron star astrophysics and the possibility of constraining theoretical models of ultra-dense matter with astronomical observations.

A complete understanding of the observations expected from third-generation gravitational-wave detectors will only emerge through a close dialogue between theory and data. Achieving this demands a broad and interdisciplinary skill set — spanning nuclear and hadronic physics, numerical relativity simulations, Bayesian inference, and multi-messenger astronomy.
The GWsNS-2026 school aims to bring together both young and experienced researchers wishing to gain a comprehensive view of this rapidly evolving and highly interdisciplinary field.

School Website

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IOP Gravitational Physics Annual Scientific Meeting – Feb 25, 2026

We are pleased to announce the annual scientific meeting of the IOP Gravitational Physics Group, which will take place at the Institute of Physics headquarters in London on Wednesday 25th February 2026. This year's 1-day meeting celebrates the 10th anniversary of the first detection of gravitational waves. The meeting will cover the historical context and impact of the first discovery itself, the highlights of the exciting present of gravitational-wave astronomy, and its bright future prospects.

This meeting welcomes talks from the following speakers:

  • Maria Alessandra Papa(Hannover, Germany) – “The history of Gravitational Wave astronomy and the impact of the first discovery”
  • Stephen Fairhurst(Cardiff, UK / Spokesperson of the LIGO Scientific Collaboration) – “Ground based Gravitational Wave astronomy and the latest results from GWTC-4”
  • Krishnendu NaderiVarium (Birmingham, UK) – “Testing General Relativity, and the nature of exotic compact objects with Gravitational Waves”
  • Niels Warburton (UCD,Dublin / Spokesperson of the LISA Consortium) – “Gravitational self-force and the future prospects of Gravitational Wave astronomy”

This event is open to everyone from all backgrounds whether you are a practicing physicist or if you have an interest in the subject and would like to know more.

Organised by the IOP Gravitational Physics Group

Meeting Website

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GRASS 2026 – GRAvitational-wave Science&technology Symposium, Padova, Italy

The 5th GRAvitational-wave Science&technology Symposium (GRASS 2026) will be held in Padova (Italy) on 22 - 24 June 2026.

The GRAvitational – wave Science&technology Symposia (GRASS) are a series of meetings aimed at exploring the panorama of gravitational-wave related experimental science beyond the next decade; special emphasis is given to open issues and key enabling technologies at the forefront of the most advanced detection techniques. It represents an informal and unique meeting occasion for experts from different fields involved in experimental aspects of future gravitational-wave science and technology.

The GRASS 2026 edition will include topical sessions on advanced optical coatings and material development, modelling and mitigation of stray light noise, reduction of quantum noise and artificial intelligence applications to gravitational waves detectors.
A general session to discuss any other open issue is foreseen as well.

The Symposium is organized by the INFN Padova Unit, with the support of INFN and under the patronage of the Physics and Astronomic dpt. of Padova University.

Symposium Website

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BritGrav 2026, April 9-10 in Cardiff

The 26th BritGrav meeting will be hosted by the Gravity Exploration Institute at the School of Physics and Astronomy at Cardiff University.

The meeting will be held on the 9th and 10th of April 2026.

The aim of BritGrav is to bring together early-career researchers working on all aspects of gravitational physics, including astrophysics, cosmology, general relativity, quantum gravity, gravitational-wave data analysis and instrumentation.

Following the BritGrav tradition, the meeting will consist of short talks, with priority given to PhD students and postdocs. The meeting has no registration fee. Limited funding will be available from the IOP Gravitational Physics Group to support travel for PhD students based in the UK and Ireland. You may request travel support by emailing the organisers. See also the logistics page.

At the end of the meeting, a prize for the Best Student Talk, sponsored by the IOP Publishing Group, will be awarded.

Local organising committee: Fabio Antonini, Isobel-Romero Shaw, Parthapratim Mahapatra, Mukesh Singh, Beth Flanagan, Fani Dosoupolou, Ohkyung Kwon, Sama Al-Shammari, Ruaraidh Dumbreck, Meryl Kinnear

For any enquiries, please contact us:
Isobel Romero-Shaw: romero-shawi(at)cardiff.ac.uk
Fabio Antonini: antoninif(at)cardiff.ac.uk

BritGrav 26 is supported by the Institute of Physics and Cardiff University.

Conference Website

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CosmoVerse@Bilbao 2026, September 15-19

Our understanding of the Universe is at a turning point with the predictions of the standard cosmological model and the observations from different surveys are showing tensions in several key areas. The disagreement is expressed in the value of cosmic expansion as well as in the growth of large-scale structure in the Universe. New cosmological surveys, many of which are European, may expose tension in additional areas of the concordance model. The question of cosmological tensions can be confronted in a number of ways. Firstly, survey data needs to be further analyzed for potential systematic uncertainties or biases. Secondly, there have been numerous advances in approaches to data analysis and statistics, some of which provide less dependence on cosmological models to make cosmological parameter estimates. Lastly, there are a plethora of new proposals from fundamental physics which range from novel neutrino physics to dark energy proposals (and others) which may contribute to a solution to the cosmological tensions problem. These represent the three research themes through which cosmological tensions will either be alleviated or resolved.

Conference Website

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PhD Position at University of Auckland in New Zealand

The University of Auckland in New Zealand is seeking a highly motivated and skilled student with a strong background in physics, mathematics, statistics, computer science, or a related discipline to take on a three-year PhD project that will help us prepare for the next galactic supernova using deep learning.

Core-collapse supernovae are among the most energetic events in the Universe and are expected to produce rich gravitational-wave (GW) signals that encode information about extreme matter, rotation, and explosion mechanisms. Unlike compact binary mergers, these signals are poorly modelled and difficult to detect using traditional matched-filtering techniques. This PhD project aims to develop and apply modern deep learning methods to detect and characterise supernova GW signals in data from ground-based detectors such as LIGO, Virgo, and KAGRA.

The successful candidate will design probabilistic deep learning models to learn physically meaningful signal representations and to perform Bayesian inference in the presence of realistic detector noise and transient glitches. The project will explore how learned latent spaces can be used for detection, parameter estimation, and model comparison, and how these approaches complement existing burst and excess-power searches used by the LIGO–Virgo–KAGRA Collaboration.

This research sits at the intersection of astrophysics, statistics, and artificial intelligence, and will involve close interaction with international GW data-analysis efforts. The student will gain experience in deep learning, Bayesian inference, high-performance computing, and gravitational-wave astronomy, with opportunities to contribute to cutting-edge searches for the first gravitational-wave detection of a core-collapse supernova.

Applicants should have a strong background in physics, mathematics, statistics, computer science, or a related discipline, with an interest in machine learning and astrophysical data analysis. Programming experience (e.g. Python, PyTorch/JAX) is desirable.

The PhD scholarship is available from March 2026 and provides an annual (tax-free) stipend of $35,000 NZD plus tuition fees for three years.

To apply for this scholarship, please send your CV, academic transcript, and a description of yourself to Dr Matt Edwards (matt.edwards(at)auckland.ac.nz).

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NASA, Partners Advance LISA Prototype Hardware

Engineers and scientists at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, completed tests this month on a second early version of a key element of the upcoming LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) mission.

The LISA mission, a collaboration between ESA (the European Space Agency) and NASA, will use infrared lasers to detect gravitational waves, or ripples in the fabric of space-time. The tests involved the frequency reference system, delivered by BAE Systems, that will help control the lasers connecting LISA’s three spacecraft. The lasers must be finely tuned to make precise measurements — to within a trillionth of a meter, called a picometer.

Spacecraft components configured for testing rest on a table.
A prototype laser optical module for LISA (Laser Interferometer Space Antenna) rests on a table after testing at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, in May 2025. Xiaozhen Xu, an engineer with Miller Engineering and Research Corp., works in the background. The smaller box to the right is the laser electronics module. Each of the three LISA spacecraft will have a laser system with a frequency reference component and six laser heads. Credit: NASA/Sophia Roberts

Read the full story at

https://science.nasa.gov/missions/lisa/nasa-partners-advance-lisa-prototype-hardware/

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XVI Einstein Telescope Symposium, June 15-19 2026 in Aachen

The upcoming Symposium will take place in Aachen from June 15th at noon until June 19th early afternoon.

Hosted by the RWTH Aachen University, the event will be held at the central campus of the University in the heart of the city of Aachen.

Registrants can also participate in every session online via a two-way zoom connection. Zoom links for each session can be found as an attachment to the session in the Indico timetable.

Social events:

Early Career Researchers Meeting: Monday, 15.06.2026 Conference Dinner: Wednesday, 17.06.2026

Local Organizing Committee:

Markus Bachlechner, Charlotte Benning, Silke Christ, Ruth Jansen, Robert Joppe, Jan Kelleter, Stefan Krischer, Michael Kubocz, Tim Kuhlbusch, Niklas Nippe, Oliver Pooth, Achim Stahl

We look forward to welcoming all participants, both in person and online, for a productive and engaging meeting!

Symposium Website

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Deputy System Engineer – Scientific Instrumentation for Space Missions at AEI Hannover

The Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics (Albert Einstein Institute) is a world-leading center specializing in gravitational physics, gravitational-wave research, and precision laser interferometry. The institute has more than 400 employees across its Potsdam and Hannover locations. For our Hannover site, we are seeking a:

Deputy System Engineer – Scientific Instrumentation for Space Missions at AEI Hannover

The position is embedded in the “Laser Interferometry in Space” group, which has contributed significantly to missions such as LISA Pathfinder and GRACE-FO and is currently playing a leading role in ESA’s LISA mission. You will join a multidisciplinary and international team working at the forefront of spaceborne gravitational-wave detection.

Your Duties and Responsibilities

  • Support the LISA System Engineer in system engineering activities and progressively assume deputy responsibilities.
  • Coordinate system-level decisions and participate in internal and external technical meetings.
  • Contribute to system design, verification tasks, and technical documentation preparation.
  • Maintain accurate configuration control and documentation.
  • Plan and support Assembly, Integration and Test (AIT) activities.
  • Prepare requirements and procedures for safe hardware handling, shipment, and verification.
  • Operate and verify Ground Support Equipment and test facilities during subsystem and system testing.
  • Participate in verification campaigns at AEI and partner sites.
  • Support Product Assurance (PA) activities, including non-conformance tracking and inspections.
  • Contribute to design reviews, test readiness reviews, and acceptance reviews.
  • Support procurement processes and prepare technical specifications.
  • Collaborate closely with industrial partners, space agencies, and internal project teams.

Your Profile

  • Master’s degree or equivalent in engineering, physics, or a related field.
  • Experience in system engineering, testing, verification, or product assurance.
  • Familiarity with ECSS workflows, test automation, or electronics verification.
  • Hands-on experience with laboratory or test equipment is an advantage.
  • Strong communication skills in English (level C1 minimum); German is an asset but not required.
  • Organisational talent and the ability to manage multiple parallel tasks.
  • Structured and careful working style with strong documentation practices.

We Offer

  • An international, collaborative research environment.
  • Work at the forefront of spaceborne gravitational-wave detection.
  • Regular interaction with ESA, DLR, laboratories, and industrial partners.
  • Access to state-of-the-art laboratories and infrastructure.
  • Competitive salary according to the German TVöD Bund guidelines.
  • Initial 2-year contract with the possibility of extension.

How to Apply
Are you interested? Then we look forward to receiving your online application (cover letter, CV, university certificates, letter of recommendation and other supporting documents) without a photo. Please upload your complete application documents combined into a single PDF on our applicant portal:
https://jobs.aei.mpg.de/245/deputy-system-engineer-scientific-instrumentation-for-space-missions/apply

Questions can be directed to the LISA Program Office (lisa-program-office(at)aei.mpg.de).

The applications received will be considered from January 15th, 2026. The advertisement is valid until the position is filled.

Further information
The Max Planck Society is an equal opportunity employer and is committed to providing employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or disability. The Max-Planck-Society is committed to increasing the number of individuals with disabilities in its workforce and therefore encourages applications from such qualified individuals. For more information about our institute, please visit https://www.aei.mpg.de/.

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