The approval at the IAU XXX General Assembly, in Vienna (August 2018) of the proposed amendments to the IAU Statutes, Bye-Laws and Working Rules has introduced a new category of IAU membership, the Junior Member.

A junior scientist who has completed her or his PhD studies between 2013 and 2018 in some branch of astronomy, who is in the initial phase of the career of a professional researcher and has the prospect of becoming a professional researcher in astronomy may be admitted to the Union by the Executive Committee as Junior Member, for a period not exceeding 6 years.

Timeline

• 1 October 2018: invitation of the Presidents of the IAU National Committee for Astronomy (NCA) or Adhering Organization (AO) (whichever applies) and Division Presidents (whenever there is no NCA or AO) to contact their National community or prospective candidates asking to submit applications for Junior membership.
• 31 December 2018: deadline to Accept Applications for Junior IAU Membership. Late proposals will not be taken into consideration.
• 15 February 2019: deadline for the review of applications by the respective NCAs and Adhering Organisations and to send the General Secretary the lists of proposed candidate Junior Members together with the relevant referees’ assessment. These lists will be subsequently reviewed by the Membership Committee.
• 31 March, 2019: deadline for the review by the Membership Committee of the lists of proposed candidate Junior Members and to send the General Secretary the final list of proposed Junior Members.
• May 2019: The final list of proposed Junior Members will be submitted to the Executive Committee for approval during the EC Meeting in May 2019.

Junior Members must indicate at least one Division they wish to join. They can join Commissions and Working Groups according to the same rules as Individual Members, but they cannot hold office within the scientific bodies, except in Commissions or Working Groups specifically established for Junior Members.

It is understood that, given the expected high mobility of Junior Members, their confirmation or the proposal to become a regular Individual Member may be submitted by a different National Member from the first proposer.

More information

The IAU is the international astronomical organisation that brings together more than 13 500 professional astronomers from more than 100 countries worldwide. Its mission is to promote and safeguard the science of astronomy in all its aspects through international cooperation. The IAU also serves as the internationally recognised authority for assigning designations to celestial bodies and the surface features on them. Founded in 1919, the IAU is the world's largest professional body for astronomers.

Contacts

Teresa Lago
General Secretary, International Astronomical Union
Paris, France
Tel: +33 1 43 25 83 58
Email: IAU_GS_2018@iap.fr

Madeleine Smith-Spanier
IAU Database Manager
Paris, France
Tel: +33 1 43 25 83 58
Email: smith@iap.fr

Lars Lindberg Christensen
IAU Press Officer
Garching bei München, Germany
Tel: +49 89 320 06 761
Cell: +49 173 38 72 621
Email: lars@eso.org