Applications are now open for the next intake of new IAU Junior Members, a category of membership first introduced at the IAU XXX General Assembly in August last year.

Eligible candidates are junior scientists who are in the initial phase of a research career with the prospect of becoming a professional researcher in astronomy. For this round of applications, candidates must have completed their PhD studies in any field of astronomy between 2014 and 2019. Admission by the Executive Committee as a Junior Member will be for a maximum period of six years.

The timeline for application review and admission is as follows:

• 1 October 2019: invitation to the Presidents of the IAU National Committee for Astronomy (NCA) or Adhering Organisation (AO) (whichever applies) and Division Presidents (when there is no NCA or AO) to contact their National community or prospective candidates, asking them to submit applications for Junior Membership.

• 15 December 2019: deadline for acceptance of applications for Junior IAU Membership. Late proposals will not be considered.

• 15 February 2020: deadline for the review of applications by the respective NCAs and Adhering Organisations and forwarding to the General Secretary the lists of proposed candidate Junior Members together with the relevant referees’ assessments. These lists will subsequently be reviewed by the Membership Committee.

• 31 March 2020: deadline for the review by the Membership Committee of the lists of proposed candidate Junior Members and forwarding to the General Secretary the final list of proposed Junior Members.

• May 2020: The final list of proposed Junior Members will be submitted to the Executive Committee for approval during the EC Meeting in May 2020.

• 7 June 2020: Accepted Junior Members announced

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 astronomy in all its aspects, including research, communication, education and development, 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.

Links

• Qualification for Membership and Application Procedure

Contacts

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