Galactic Center Workshop 2009: A Window Into the Nuclear Environment of Galaxies; October 2009; Shanghai, China

该奖项将为参加2009年10月19日至23日在中国上海举行的“2009银河中心研讨会：星系核环境之窗”国际研讨会的美国学生和早期职业科学家提供旅费和当地费用。研讨会的目的是突出最近对银河系中心和附近星系核区域的研究成果。该会议是每3-4年就该主题领域举行的一系列科学研讨会中最新的一次。最近的亮点包括对银河系中心星际介质的高分辨率和敏感的新调查，通过无线电从x射线的波长，对超大质量黑洞源Sgr A*的大小和结构的新限制，以及对该源的协调监测活动的最新结果。研讨会还将强调发生在我们银河系中心的物理过程与发生在最近星系核心的物理过程之间的关系。会议的形式除了预定的会谈外，还将包括大量的讨论时间。这些讨论由该领域的主要研究人员主持，将集中讨论会议上提出的当前结果的含义和未来的调查方向。本次研讨会旨在促进银河系中心天文学在更广泛的学术界和国际努力。该奖项的资金将支持多达20名初级研究人员（研究生、博士后学者和初级教员）参加本次国际科学研讨会的旅费。旅费支持将使科学界的年轻和活跃的成员有机会在他们科学事业的早期阶段参加这一肯定非常有趣和信息丰富的研讨会。此外，参加者将接触到中国发生的天文活动的广度。本次讲习班将征聘不同群体的发言者和参加者，以代表目前就这一专题进行的研究的多样性。

This award will support travel and local expenses for United States students and early career scientists to attend the international workshop "Galactic Center Workshop 2009: A Window into the Nuclear Environment of Galaxies", to be held on October 19-23, 2009 in Shanghai, China. The purpose of the workshop is to highlight the recent research results on the center of the Milky Way and the nuclear regions of nearby galaxies. This conference is the latest in a series of scientific workshops held every 3-4 years on this topical area. Recent highlights include the high-resolution and sensitive new surveys of the Galactic Center interstellar medium at wavelengths from X-ray through radio, new constraints on the size and structure of the super massive black hole source, Sgr A*, and the most recent results from coordinated monitoring campaigns of this source. The workshop will also emphasize the relationship between the physical processes occurring in our own Galactic Center and those happening in the nuclei of the nearest galaxies. The format of the meetings will include substantial time for discussion in addition to the scheduled talks. These discussions, moderated by leading researchers in the field, will focus on the implications of the current results presented in the sessions and future directions for inquiry.This workshop serves to promote Galactic Center astronomy in wider academic circles and on an international effort. The funding from this award will support the travel costs of as many as 20 junior researchers - graduate students, postdoctoral scholars, and junior faculty members - to attend this international scientific workshop. Travel support will give young and active members of the scientific community the opportunity to attend what will certainly be a very interesting and informative workshop at an early stage in their scientific careers. In addition, the participants will be exposed to the breadth of astronomical activities occurring in China. A diverse group of speakers and participants will be recruited for this workshop in order to represent the diversity of research currently being carried out on this topic.