Deadline for applications is October 15, 2008. There is a $350 registration fee for all conferences.
Biophysics
January 4 - 10, 2009
Single Molecule Biophysics
Organizer: Steven Block, Stanford University
This will be the 5th biennial workshop on Single Molecule Biophysics (SMB) to be held at the ACP, building on successful conferences held 2001, 2003, 2005, and 2007. The meeting highlights recent progress in the field of single molecule biophysics on both its experimental and theoretical frontiers. Among the featured experimental techniques will be advanced fluorescence methods, laser-based optical trapping, magnetic tweezers, scanned-probe microscopy, and approaches to higher resolution. Topics vary somewhat every year. Biological systems covered in past meetings have included mechanoenzymes (myosin, kinesin, and dynein family motors), nucleic acid-based enzymes (polymerases, topoisomerases, helicases, nucleases, ribosomes, etc.), rotary motors (ATP synthases, flagellar motors), nucleic acids (DNA, RNA, ribozymes), and various aspects of molecular physiology (folding/unfolding transitions, binding, signaling, hybridization, and other biostructural changes). This conference traditionally admits a mixture of experimentalists and theorists. Biologists and physicists with either new-found or longstanding interests in biophysics are encouraged to apply. All levels of accomplishment are welcome: the meeting features a lively mix of both students and professors. A strictly-for-fun ski race will be held, along with other meeting activities.
The SMB workshop has been oversubscribed in the past, so a higher priority will be assigned to applicants presenting important new findings and who commit to remain for the full duration of the meeting (Jan. 4-10, 2009). In the event of oversubscription, a limit of two representatives from each participating scientific group (or collaboration) will be adopted. We will attempt to award each participating group (or collaboration) one short talk in the meeting program, which will be based on the abstracts submitted. All attendees are also invited to present posters. To be considered, prospective participants should plan to submit the following information via the application website:
In years past, limited private funds have been raised to help defray a portion of the expenses for junior participants, or for those traveling a very long way. Fund-raising continues and we hope to maintain this tradition. In addition, one junior applicant will receive a merit-based scholarship award from a special endowment fund for the ACP Winter Meetings.
To apply, please go to the "application" link at the top of this page. The deadline for receipt of applications is October 15, 2008. If you would like more information, please visit: http://smb2009.stanford.edu/
Condensed Matter Physics
January 11 - 17, 2009
Unifying Themes in Condensed Matter
Organizers: Andreas Heinrich, Subir Sachdev, Arzhang Ardavan, Barbara Jones
This workshop aims to highlight common physics across a wide range of condensed matter research. There will be particular focus on (i) the transition from quantum to classical magnetism, (ii) non-uniformity, disorder and nanoscale science, (iii) the effects of strong correlations, and (iv) ultrafast phenomena. The schedule and structure of the program will encourage participation across these disciplines; each subject will be introduced by a leader in the field, and there will be extended periods between talks for informal interactions between participants.
To apply, please go to the "application" link at the top of this page. The deadline for receipt of applications is October 15, 2008. If you would like more information, please visit this web site.
Particle/Astronomy
January 25 – February 1, 2009
Understanding the Dark Sector: Dark Matter and Dark Energy
Organizers: Rachel Bean, Carlo Contaldi, Marc Kamionkowski, Mark Trodden, and Jochen Weller
The conference will focus on the latest developments in experimental and theoretical efforts to understand the nature of Dark Energy and Dark Matter and the crucial issue of how current and upcoming precision experiments will directly and indirectly measure their properties.
Key aspects of the meeting will be discussions on synergies between direct and indirect, and terrestrial and astrophysical dark matter detection, and how complementary observational approaches could distinguish between dark energy theories, for example those with gravity and particle based origins.
The aim of this conference is to bring together theorists and experimentalists, from astrophysics and particle physics, to discuss new approaches to understanding the origins of the dark sector - exposing experimentalists to the latest theoretical ideas, and giving theorists a perspective on what is experimentally achievable.
To apply, please go to the "application" link at the top of this page. The deadline for receipt of applications is October 15, 2008. If you would like more information, For more information, please visit this website.
Astronomy
February 1 – 7, 2009
Thirty Years of Magnetars: New Frontiers
Organizers: Silvia Zane, Roberto Turolla, GianLuca Israel, Chryssa Kouveliotou
It has been now almost 30 years since the first spectacular giant flare was detected on March 5th 1979 from SGR 0526-66, the first observational indication of the existence of a magnetar. Since then, the neutron star research, both observational and theoretical, has flourished. In particular, the advent of the latest generation space- and ground-based observatorieshas largely impacted on our knowledge of magnetars and other classes of neutron stars. All these objects are now studied in the whole electromagnetic spectrum, with ground-based radio, optical and infrared telescopes, and with the latest X- and Gamma-ray observatories. Our goal is to bring together observers and theoreticians working in magnetar astrophysics in a conference that will focus on breakthrough research linking astronomy, particle and condensed matter physics.
To apply, please go to the "application" link at the top of this page. The deadline for receipt of applications is October 15, 2008. If you would like more information, For more information, please visit this web site.
Particle Physics
February 8 – 14, 2009
The Year of the Ox (or, Physics in the LHC Era)
Organizers: Yuval Grossman, Beate Heinemann, James Rohlf, Veronica Sanz
The first collisions at the LHC, expected in 2008, will usher in a new era of particle physics, providing the first direct look at the TeV energy scale. The effort to understand the mechanism of electroweak symmetry breaking and the search for new physics beyond the present standard model has brought together experimentalists and theorists working together on a scale not before seen in our field. The LHC will constitute the premier effort in particle physics for the next decade and beyond.
While first LHC collisions will be the big news in 2009, the B factories and Cleo-c will have their full data sets in hand, and we can expect new results from them. Similarly, CDF and D0 will have more data and results to report on. Those experiments will complement LHC searches.
The Aspen 2009 workshop will focuse on New Physics at the TeV Scale and its Signatures at the LHC. We plan on bringing both experimental and theoretical experts on LHC physics. Special attention will be given to collider tools and studies for non-supersymmetric new physics (exotics).
To apply, please go to the "application" link at the top of this page. The deadline for receipt of applications is October 15, 2008. If you would like more information, please visit: http://indico.cern.ch/conferenceDisplay.py?confId=38534
For more information call (970) 925-2585 or email acp@aspenphys.org.