The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science, Berlin (Independent Research Group on Modern Geometry and the Concept of Space; Director: Vincenzo De Risi) announces

Two Post-doctoral Fellowships for one year

in the academic year 2012-2013 (with the possibility to begin as soon as Summer 2012).
 
The Research Group is also accepting proposals for non-funded visiting positions. See the details on the web page of the group.
 
Research projects should concern the history of geometry, the history of mathematical epistemology or the history of the concept of space from the Ancient to the Early Modern Age. Possible topics include:
- The history of elementary geometry and Euclid’s Elements in Antiquity and the Renaissance.
- The philosophy of mathematics from Antiquity to the 18th century.
- The conception of space from Descartes to Kant.
- The beginnings of projective geometry.
- Optics and the theory of vision.
 
A fuller description of the topics and aims of the Research Group can be found here: http://www.mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de/en/research/projects/MRGdeRisi.
 
The Max Planck Institute for the History of Science is an international and interdisciplinary research institute. The colloquium language is English; it is expected that candidates will be able to present their own work and discuss that of others fluently in that language. Applications may however be submitted in German, English, French, or Italian.
 
Candidates should hold a doctorate at the time the position begins, and show evidence of scholarly promise in the form of publications or other achievements. The position is primarily devoted to research, with no teaching and minimal administrative duties. Fellows are expected to take part to the cultural and scientific life of the Institute, to advance their own research project, and to actively contribute to the Group researches.
 
Fellowships are endowed with a monthly stipend between 1.900 € and 2.300 € (fellows from abroad) or between 1.468 € and 1.621 € (fellows from Germany). Please address specific questions to Ms. Claudia Paaß, Head of Administration (paass@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de).
 
Candidates are requested to submit a curriculum vitae (including list of publications), a research proposal on a topic related to the project, a sample writing representative of the candidate’s work (such as a chapter of the doctoral dissertation or a scientific article), and names and addresses (preferably including email) of two referees who have already been contacted by the applicant to assure their willingness to submit letters of presentation if requested, to
 
Max-Planck-Institut für Wissenschaftsgeschichte
Verwaltung, NWG De Risi
Boltzmanstr. 22, 14195 Berlin
 
or by email to: verwaltungsleitung@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de by February 15th, 2012.
 
For questions concerning the research project, please contact Dr. Vincenzo De Risi (vderisi@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de); for administrative questions concerning the position and the Institute, please contact Mr. Jochen Schneider (jsr@mpiwg-berlin.mpg.de), Research Coordinator. Scholars of all nationalities are welcome to apply; applications from women are especially welcomed. The Max Planck Society is committed to employing more handicapped individuals and encourages them to apply.