The IAU and the Shaw Prize Foundation have signed an agreement to continue their cooperative work promoting the science of astronomy. The collaboration was first established in 2019, as a framework for the two organisations to work together towards their shared goals in astronomy.

The Shaw Prize was established in 2002 to recognise active researchers who have recently achieved excellence in, or made outstanding contributions to, their scientific fields. The prize is awarded in three categories of sciences, one of which is astronomy.

The IAU invites winners of the Shaw Prize to give a plenary lecture at an IAU event within a year of receiving the prize, either at the IAU General Assembly, one of the regional IAU meetings, or one of the IAU Symposia, depending on which meeting the topic is most appropriate for.

Under the agreement, the Shaw Prize has so far provided funding for four annual Shaw–IAU Workshops on Astronomy for Education. These activities have been coordinated by the IAU’s Office of Astronomy for Education, in line with the IAU Strategic Plan 2020–2030.

The renewed collaboration agreement will continue for the three-year period 2023–2025, with expanded support for both in-person and hybrid workshops. 

IAU President Debra Elmegreen notes, “We are extremely grateful to the Shaw Prize Foundation for their continued support of astronomy and their collaboration with the IAU. The Shaw Prize plenary lectures are highly valued at the General Assembly, and the Shaw-IAU Workshops have had a huge positive impact on our education efforts.”

More information

The IAU is the international astronomical organisation that brings together more than 12 000 active 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.

Contacts

Lars Lindberg Christensen
IAU Director of Communications
Cell: +1 520 461 0433/+49 173 38 72 621
Email: lars.christensen@noirlab.edu