The ICCUB is an interdisciplinary center with more than 60 long term scientists, 20 engineers and 80 postdoctoral researchers (55% international) and PhD students (30%international) offering an international and multicultural environment. The ICCUB also hosts a vibrant fundamental research program in cosmology,astrophysics and particle physics, with a strong technology unit supporting our participation in international collaborations in observational astronomy and experimental particle physics.

The Unit of Excellence Maria de Maeztu recognition has been awarded by the Spanish Government in 2020 for the second time to the ICCUB, as a center with a highly competitive strategic research programmes in the frontiers of knowledge. Thanks to this recognition, it is available in the Aid for pre-doc contracts for the training of doctors (FPI 2020 call) the following project, funded by the Ministry of Science and Innovation:

- Strongly Coupled Matter, PI David Mateos, Reference CEX2019-000918-M-20-2

We will investigate the properties of strongly coupled matter in two situations with potential synergies with other lines, especially with gravitational waves.

1. Strongly coupled matter in a cosmological context. Motivations for this come from the QCD phase transition one microsecond after the Big Bang, from the possible existence of Grand Unified Theories beyond the Standard Model, or from the possibility that dark matter is strongly self-interacting. We will pay particular attention to the production of gravitational waves, especially in the presence of phase transitions. There are also potential implications for new production mechanisms of primordial black holes.

2. Strongly coupled matter in neutron star mergers. The gravitational wave signal produced in these mergers depends on the properties of strongly coupled QCD matter, ranging from static ones (equation of state) to dynamical ones (transport coefficients, etc). We will employ a variety of approaches to connect these microscopic properties to the experimental signal detected at LIGO and VIRGO.

Requirements:

Who can apply for a grant for pre-doctoral contracts for the training of doctors 2020?

Applicants may be all those who are enrolled or admitted to a doctoral program for the 2020/2021 academic year, at the time of submission of the application. Applicants may also be all those people who, at the time of submission of the application, not being enrolled or admitted to a doctoral program, are in a position to be on the date on which the contract is formalized, in accordance with article 18.

Employment conditions:

What is the annual gross amount of the pre-doctoral contracts?

The minimum salary compensation that researchers in training must receive will be 16,250 euros gross per year for each of the first two years, 17,410 for the third year and 21,760 for the fourth year.

What is the duration of the aid?

Four years.

More information here

ICCUB offers and promotes a diverse and inclusive environment (for additional information please see the Diversity, equity and inclusion Commission) and strongly encourages women and underrepresented minorities in physical sciences to apply.

Contact: David Mateos (dmateos@icc.ub.edu)