Phd in Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Science

3 years
Free Access
Via della Ricerca Scientifica, 1 00133 Roma

NEW - Call for Application 2022-23

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This PhD is a joint research program between the University of Rome “Sapienza University of Rome ” and the University of Rome "Tor Vergata", with the collaboration of the National Institute of Astrophysics (INAF).

The aim of the Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Science Ph.D. Program is the formation of a young researcher at a highly competitive international level.
The PhD program covers most of the topics of modern Astrophysics and Space Science of:

  • Galactic and Extragalactic Astrophysics,
  • Gravitation and Cosmology,
  • Solar and Stellar Physics,
  • Space Sciences,

in both their theoretical and observational aspects.

How to choose the thesis topics

Each student ranks 4 possible theses, from the list made available in advance by the hosting institutes. The list offers about 60 possibilities, and includes abstracts and contacts of the proposers. During the first month, the coordinator assigns the topic to each student. Among the ranked theses, the coordinator assigns the highest ranked not yet assigned, starting from the best ranked student in the selection. Most of the times the top ranked is assigned.

Admission to the second year

PhD students start working on the thesis from first year, in close collaboration with the tutor. To pass the end of year evaluation, each PhD student is required to write a review on the scientific issues of specific interest to the topic of the thesis. The same review is presented in the Astrophysics Workshop publicly and in the presence of the entire Teaching Council.

Link to the Sapienza Graduate School

Relevant documents (in Italian)

AVAILABLE THESIS TOPICS

Research Topics of the Phd Joint Program:

  • Astronomical tecniques on Earth and in Space
  • Celestial Mechanics
  • Classical and Relativistic Gravitation
  • Dynamics of Dense Stellar systems and Supercomputing
  • Galaxies and clusters of galaxies
  • High Energy Astrophysics
  • Neutrino Astrophyics
  • Observational and Theoretical Cosmology
  • Planetology and Exoplanets
  • Quasars and Active Galactic Nuclei
  • Solar System Physics
  • Star Formation and Evolution

Coordinator: Prof. Nicola Vittorio

Vice-Coordinator: Prof. Francesco Piacentini

Secretariat:

Board of Faculty of the Phd in Astronomy, Astrophysics and Space Science

Francesco BERRILLI, Giuseppe BONO, Paolo DE BERNARDIS, Marco DE PETRIS, Dario DEL MORO, Viviana FAFONE, Alexis FINOGUENOV, Emanuele GIALLONGO, Stuart JEFFERIES, Roberto, MAIOLINO, Luigi MANCINI, Silvia MASI, Lucio MAYER, Pasquale MAZZOTTA, Alessandro MELCHIORRI, Marina MIGLIACCIO, Dante MINNITI, Enzo PASCALE, Francesco PIACENTINI, Giuseppe PICCIONI, Giampaolo PISANO, Piero RAPAGNANI, Raffaella SCHNEIDER, Oscar STRANIERO, Francesco TOMBESI, Nicola, VITTORIO, Manuela ZOCCALI

XXXVI Cycle

Elenia Pacetti
Marco Mastrofini
Matteo Cantoresi
Giacomo Galloni
Paliwal Aishwarya
Giulia Piccirilli
Alessandro Coletta
Andrea Bocchieri
Claudia Taranto
Umberto De Filippis
Alessandro Moirano
Martina Moroni
Piero Trevisan
Giulia Lovati
Davide Sciotti
Valentina Capalbo
Giulia Gianfagna
Feliciana Sapio
Luca Caponiello
Tommaso Aniello

XXXV cycle

Alessandro Carones
Mario Cirillo
Federico De Luca
Piermarco Giobbi
SungWon Kwak
Riccardo La Placa
Marco Laurenti
Lavanya Nemani
Federico Radiconi
John Rankin
Raffaele Reda
Mirko Stumpo
Alessandro Terreri
Aishwarya Thakur
Alessandro Trinca
Angela Zegarelli

XXXIV Cycle

Crestani Giuliana
D’Ambrosio Andrea
Ferrazzoli Riccardo
Mele Lorenzo
Carron Duque Javier
Sassano Federica
Roberti Lorenzo
Mugnai Lorenzo
Giaré William
Fortuni Flaminia
Ratheesh Ajay
Mordini Sabrina
Munoz Cesar
Huang Liye

For all the information about the exams (dates, places, documents required and evaluation criteria) together with the web site, the name of the coordinator, the available positions and scholarships will be indicated on the PhD course website and on the Italian version of the call, please visit the website: http://dottorati.uniroma2.it/corso.aspx?id_corso=104

Further information at: http://dottorati.uniroma2.it/default.aspx

List of courses / activities for the first year

Title CFU
Dott. Riccardo Coratella - Budgeting Science the funds Universe, Importance in research and innovation - 26/04/2021 to 06/05/2021 6
Prof. Amedeo Balbi - Communicating your results to your colleagues and the public - 10/05-20/05/2021 6
Written review on the scientific topic of the thesis project - September 2021 4
Seminars (at least 6 seminars required) - Feb - Dec 2021 2

Teaching plan:

  • Dr. R. Coratella (CNR)
    Budgeting Science the funds Universe - Importance in research and innovation (10h)
    • 26.04: An introduction to the science funding: the difference between experimental and theoretical science (2 hrs). How expensive to do science is?
    • 28.04: Horizon Europe, Apre, Miur, EIT, JCR, ERC: the world of “crowdfunding”, what they are looking for? (2 hrs)
    • 30.04: The EU opportunities: what’s a science research project? An introduction to the Project Cycle Management (PCM), the Logical Framework Approch (LFA) and the Goal Oriented Project Planning). An application for funding - First part (2 hrs)
    • 04.05: The EU opportunities: what’s a science research project? An introduction to the Project Cycle Management (PCM), the Logical Framework Approch (LFA) and the Goal Oriented Project Planning). An application for funding - Second part (2 hrs)
    • 06.05: Projects evaluation: how to reach the goal? The evaluation process and the project start monitoring (2 hrs)
  • Prof. A. Balbi (Univ. Roma Tor Vergata)
    Communicating your results to your colleagues (and the public) (10h)
    • 10.05 - Introduction. Functional communication and the IMRAD structure (2 hrs)
    • 12.05 - The scientific paper (2 hrs)
    • 13.05 - Organisation, style and common problems (2 hrs)
    • 19.05 - Giving a talk (2 hrs)
    • 20.05 - Interacting with the media and the public (2 hrs)