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Research Awards / Fellowships and Scholarships / Cormack Scholarships
Robert Cormack Bequest Scholarships - 2008 closing date now passed

In 1942 the Society received the estate of Mr Robert Cormack. The Society was directed to administer this Bequest for the purpose of promoting Astronomical Knowledge and Research in Scotland, as far as practicable. 

The following are awarded annually : 

  • six undergraduate Vacation Scholarships 
  • an Undergraduate Research Prize 
  • a Postgraduate Research Prize

Contact the Research Awards Co-ordinator.

Applications for Scholarships to be held during 2008 closed on 25 February 2008. The documents (Regulations and the Application forms) available for download below pertain to the last round of applications; updated ones will be available in the winter of 2008.
Cormack Regulations Word PDF
Cormack Application Word PDF
CORMACK UNDERGRADUATE VACATION RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIPS
2007 Awardees - Robert Cormack Bequest Scholarships
During the summer vacation of 2007, 6 awards were made to undergraduate astronomy students, to enable them to carry out research at various Scottish Universities.

Euan Bennet, Ewan Dickson, Martin McDonald and Laura Porter were based in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Glasgow. Euan carried out research on Wave Mechanics - A New Approach to Modelling the Large Scale Structure of the Universe. and Ewan researched Solar Flare Electron Spectra with Anomalous Dips energy emission from solar flares. Martin carried out research on Automated Feature Tracking in TRACE Solar UV Data, and Laura on Physics of Sungrazing Comets

Judy Ferguson carried out her research in the School of Mathematics and Statistics, University of St Andrews, Application of WKB Theory to 3D MHD.

Jonathan Higgins carried out research at the Institute for Astronomy, Royal Observatory Edinburgh, University of Edinburgh, his subject being, A Monte Carlo estimate of the scattering of intergalactic resonance photons from a central source.

PROJECT AVAILABILITY
The following is a list of Institutions which may have vacation projects available in the areas indicated and the contact person whom you should approach if interested in making an application to carry out a project there.
University of Glasgow

PROJECT AREAS : Solar and astrophysical plasmas; solar x-ray data analysis; stellar mass loss data modelling; cosmology; stellar pulsation and distance indicators; VLF radio astronomy; polarimetry; astrodynamics; image and signal processing; gravitational wave detectors

CONTACT : Professor John C Brown, Astronomer Royal for Scotland, Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ. Tel. 0141 330 5182.

University of St Andrews
Department of Physics & Astronomy

PROJECT AREAS : Cosmology; MOND; galaxy formation; galactic structure; binary stars; active galactic nuclei; stellar surface imaging; stellar coronae; star formation; extra-solar planets

CONTACT ADDRESS : Keith Horne, Physics & Astronomy, University of St Andrews, North Haugh, St Andrews, Fife, KY16 9SS. Tel 01334 463322, Fax 01334 463104

University of Edinburgh

PROJECT AREAS : Cosmology, theoretical and observational; galaxies; quasars and active galactic nuclei; low mass stars and brown dwarfs; high redshift objects; star formation

CONTACT ADDRESS : Professor J S Dunlop , Head of Institute, Institute for Astronomy, University of Edinburgh, Royal Observatory, Blackford Hill, Edinburgh, EH9 3HJ. Tel. +44 (0)131 668 8349. Fax +44 (0)131 668 8264 

Department of Mathematical Sciences
University of Aberdeen

PROJECT AREAS : Mathematical Relativistic and/or non-Relativistic Cosmology 

CONTACT ADDRESS : Professor G S Hall, Department of Mathematical Sciences, Meston Building, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB24 3UE. Tel: 01224 272 748. 

Glasgow Caledonian University

PROJECT AREAS : Celestial Mechanics; Solar System Dynamics; Few-Body Problem

CONTACT ADDRESS : Dr Bonnie Steves, Department of Mathematics, Glasgow Caledonian University, Cowcaddens Road, Glasgow, G4 0BA. Tel: 0141 331 3619.

University of St Andrews

PROJECT AREAS : Solar Physics; Solar Magnetic Fields; Analytical and Computational Models of: solar flares, solar prominences, the solar corona, magnetic waves, magnetic flux tubes, magnetic instabilities, formation of singularities, accretion discs, star forming regions, stellar and galactic winds, jets

CONTACT ADDRESS : Professor Bernard Roberts, Department of Mathematical and Computational Sciences, University of St Andrews, St Andrews, KY16 9SS. Tel: 01334 463716.

University of Strathclyde

PROJECT AREAS : Laboratory Surface Astrophysics, Nanofabrication of Surfaces for Astronomical Applications, Astrochemistry, Chemical Reactivity and Astrobiology, Observations of Star Forming regions with SPITZER & VLT

- Studying Water Ice in Interstellar Regions
- Photo-desorption and Photochemical Reactions of PAHs and Ices under Interstellar Conditions
- Ice Mapping on 1000 AU Scales
- Methanol and Formic Acid in Space; Just what is the relationship?

CONTACT ADDRESS : Dr Helen Jane Fraser, Department of Physics, SUPA (Scottish universities Physics Alliance) University of Strathclyde, 107 Rottenrow East, Glasgow, G4 0NG. G4 0NG. Tel: 0141 548 3420.

PROJECT AREAS : Observations of Prominences and solar mass ejections using the CDS and sumer instruments on the Soho Satellite

Opacity studies of solar active regions using the sumer spectrometer on Soho

CONTACT ADDRESS : Professor Hugh P Summers, Department of Physics and Applied Physics, University of Strathclyde, 107 Rottenrow, Glasgow, G4 0NG. Tel: 0141 553 4196.

PROJECT AREAS : Solar sail trajectories and mission analysis; Spacecraft autonomy for astronomy missions; Small body atmospheric entry dynamics; Interplanetary dust evolution; N-body celestial mechanics

CONTACT ADDRESS : Professor C R McInnes, Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Strathclyde, James Weir Building, Glasgow G1 1XJ. Tel : +44 (0) 141 548 2049. Fax : +44 (0) 141 552 5105

Department of Mathematics & Statistics
University of Edinburgh

PROJECT AREAS : Numerical Hydrodynamics of Astrophysical Objects, eg Accretion on to Black Holes, Mergings of Neutron Star Binaries, Equations-of-State of Matter, Gamma-Ray Bursts

CONTACT ADDRESS : Dr Maximilian Ruffert, Department of Mathematics & Statistics, University of Edinburgh, King’s Buildings, Edinburgh, EH9 3JZ. Tel: +44 (0)131 650 5039 Fax: +44 (0)131 650 6553

Last Updated 11 January 2008
The Royal Society of Edinburgh, 22-26 George Street, Edinburgh, EH2 2PQ.  
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