IAU Affiliation
IAU NATIONAL MEMBERS are organizations representing the professional astronomical community in a country or territory on a permanent, interim or observer basis and desiring to promote their astronomical communities' participation in international astronomy. They serve as the institutional interface between the IAU and the respective astronomy community and are admitted by vote of existing National Members. National Members collectively determine the policy, governance and finances of the IAU through the General Assembly and pay annual contributions. For further details, please refer to the IAU Statutes, Bye-Laws and Working Rules. Applications for admission to the IAU as a National Member can submitted until eight months before the next ordinary General Assembly. For further details, please refer to the Application Procedure for National Membership.
IAU INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS are professional scientists who are active in some branch of astronomy. They are admitted to the Union by the Executive Committee following an annual call for new IAU Members (1 October - 15 December), and upon the endorsement by the relevant National Member or, in cases when the normal procedure is not applicable, the relevant IAU Division President. For further details, please refer to the Qualification for Membership and Application Procedure and the IAU Working Rules (section III). Individual Members are affiliated with at least one IAU Division and may join up to three IAU Commissions (joining a fourth Commission is possible if the latter belongs to Division B or C). They may join any IAU Working Group upon the approval of the relevant Working Group Chair. Individual Members have voting rights at the General Assembly on scientific matters.
IAU JUNIOR MEMBERS are scientist who recently (within the six years preceding the year of application) completed their PhD studies and are in the initial phase of their professional researcher career in some branch of astronomy. They are admitted to the Union by the
Executive Committee, for a period not exceeding six years, following an annual call for new IAU Members (1 October - 15 December), and upon the endorsement by the relevant National Member or, in cases when the normal procedure is not applicable, the relevant IAU Division President. For further details, please refer to the Qualification for Membership and Application Procedure and the IAU Working Rules (section III). Junior Members are affiliated with at least one IAU Division and may join up to three IAU Commissions (joining a fourth Commission is possible if the latter belongs to Division B or C). They may join any IAU Working Group upon the approval of the relevant Working Group Chair. Junior Members have voting rights at the General Assembly on scientific matters.
IAU HONORARY MEMBERS are individuals who have substantially and significantly contributed to the development of the astronomical research in their country. They are nominated by National Members once every triennium. Honorary Members are not professional astronomers (see article III c. of the Working Rules) and not eligible for IAU Individual Membership. They are exempted from choosing the affiliation to IAU Divisions and do not have voting rights. By 1st October of the year preceding a General Assembly, National Members will be invited to submit candidatures for Honorary Members. For further details, please refer to the IAU Working Rules.
IAU ASSOCIATES are individuals who are not eligible for IAU Membership but are actively involved in the work of the IAU through the affiliation with an IAU Division, IAU Commission or IAU Working Group. Associate status is temporary and offered by invitation only. It can be reconfirmed at the time of the ordinary General Assembly for the next triennium. For further details, please refer to the IAU Working Rules (section XII).