20 September 2016

Winter Meeting Early Registration & Abstract Submission Ending Soon

229th AAS Meeting

First, a quiz! Which of these facts about the 229th AAS meeting is true?
  1. Galileo is the opening plenary speaker.
  2. Astronomers will confirm the presence of a Dyson sphere around KIC 8462852 during a press conference.
  3. The meeting is starting on a Tuesday evening, not a Sunday.

That’s right, to avoid clashing with the New Year’s Day holiday weekend, the 2017 winter meeting will take place Tuesday–Saturday, 3–7 January, rather than the usual Sunday–Thursday.

The 229th meeting of the American Astronomical Society is only a few months away. Join your colleagues from across the country 3–7 January 2017 in Grapevine, Texas, for an exciting program of plenary talks, sessions, and events. Subjects will range from the origin of our solar system to the origin of the universe, from the first galaxies to light up the universe to the search for life in the galaxy, and from light pollution of our night sky to the solar eclipse of 2017. Plenary speakers will include:

  • Martin Aubé (Cégep de Sherbrooke)
  • Kavli lecture by William Bottke (SwRI)
  • Niel Brant (Penn State)
  • Sean Carroll (Caltech)
  • Megan Donahue (Michigan State)
  • Laura Fissel (Northwestern University)
  • Terry Forbes (Uni. of New Hampshire)
  • Wendy Freedman (Uni. of Chicago)
  • Philip Hopkins (Caltech)
  • Berkeley Prize lecture by Garth Illingworth (UC Santa Cruz)
  • Christopher McKee (UC Berkeley)
  • Karin Öberg (CfA)
  • Jill Tarter (SETI Institute)
  • Alex Young (NASA GSFC)

Plus, you don’t want to miss the "Racism = Prejudice + Power: A Discussion of Racism in the Field of Astronomy" Town Hall and the "NASA's 2020 Decadal Studies: An Update" Special Session.

The early registration deadline for the winter meeting is Thursday, 29 September, so register today to avoid paying higher rates. Find rates and details on the Registration page, and be sure to check out the workshops and events taking place during the meeting, as well. We’re also looking for volunteers to help the meeting run smoothly, and volunteers who work at least 10 hours will receive complimentary meeting registration.

Want to join this amazing program? Submit your abstract for an oral or poster presentation in one of over 50 topical categories by 4 October at 9:00 pm ET. Abstracts submitted after 4 October but before the late abstract deadline on 1 December will be scheduled as posters to be displayed on Saturday, 7 January. Find all of the details on the Abstract Information page.

Speaking of abstracts, volunteer abstract sorters are needed to help ensure abstracts make it into the appropriate oral or poster session. Sorting will start on 10 October and must be completed by 17 October. Sorters are able to complete the process from their own computer and on their own time. If you are interested in volunteering, please email Kathy Cox with the scientific categories that fit your expertise.

Once you’ve registered and submitted your abstract, don’t forget to book your hotel room. The AAS has reserved a block of rooms at the Gaylord Texan Resort & Convention Center for meeting attendees. Book your hotel room by 5 December to ensure the group rate. If you’re looking for a roommate to share lodging expenses at the meeting, use the Roommate Search Forum to find a match.

The AAS does not want the financial burden of child or dependent care to impact members' ability to attend meetings, especially for early career scientists or those at small institutions with limited funding. To help, members may apply for a grant to subsidize dependent care services during a meeting, for use either at the meeting location or at home. Applications for these grants are due 5 December. Learn more about child & dependent care at the winter meeting.

The winter meeting exhibit hall fills up very quickly, so reserve your booth early! Place your booth order by the early deadline of 29 September to save.

After the 227th AAS meeting in Kissimmee, Florida, we asked attendees to complete a post-meeting satisfaction survey, and we listened carefully to your feedback. For the upcoming meeting in Grapevine, we are arranging for lower cost "grab & go" lunch items, discounted prices at restaurants, shuttle service to various Grapevine locations, and promotional offers from many Grapevine merchants, restaurants, and attractions. More details will be provided in future meeting announcements.

Visit the meeting site for more information. See you in Grapevine!

Thank you to our Society Partners: IOP Publishing and Warp Speed Technologies

Thank you to the current sponsors of the 229th AAS meeting: SBIG, Associated Universities, Inc., Ball Aerospace, Northrop Grumman, Astro Haven Enterprises, AURA, Giant Magellan Telescope, and Teledyne Imaging Sensors. To become a meeting sponsor, email Debbie Kovalsky, AAS Director of Exhibits & Development, at [email protected] or call 202-328-2010 x110.