Support Yourself and Your AAS Colleagues in 2021

The American Astronomical Society comprises not only professional scientists and engineers but also science educators and outreach specialists, students from high school to graduate school, emeritus faculty and other retirees, amateur astronomers and citizen scientists, and a variety of other astronomy enthusiasts — more than 8,000 people across 55 nations. The year 2020 hasn’t gone as expected for any of us.

Since March, some of our members have been furloughed or laid off, had their income reduced, become primary caregivers to family members who have contracted COVID-19 or other illnesses, and/or have children learning at home. All of us at the AAS Executive Office hope you have been able to stay safe and healthy during this unprecedented time. We want you to know we are here for you.

As AAS Executive Officer Kevin Marvel mentions in the AAS 2019 Annual Report, he spent some time reviewing the minutes of our governance meetings and summaries of early AAS conferences during past crises, including World War I, World War II, and the 1918 flu pandemic. He found upbeat and positive descriptions of how Society leaders of the time focused on ensuring that our community moved forward despite the challenges they faced.

It is now membership renewal season. The AAS is well positioned to persist and to support our members’ success in 2021. Early in the year, the Strategic Assembly will have revised the Society’s strategic plan, and we’ll have a new set of specific goals to achieve. This will be more important than ever as we move through and beyond the current crisis. In the meantime, the AAS continues to work on behalf of members by developing new resources and content, rethinking how to facilitate the exchange of knowledge, fostering community, and advocating for everyone working in the astronomical sciences. 

Over the next several months, we’ll add detail about these areas in posts about the 2021 membership renewal cycle and in emails to those who have yet to renew. In November Alumni, Amateur, Educator, and Emeritus Members with addresses in the United States can expect renewal reminders in their mailbox. Members with addresses outside the US and those in the remaining membership classes will receive PDF invoices via email. Mailing through the USPS is tricky this year, especially when many universities and colleges are closed. Renewals are welcome online as well. If you have questions or need assistance with your login or renewal, please email the membership team or call us at 202 328-2010 x106 or x109.

We kindly ask for your continued support by renewing your AAS membership for 2021. Our Society is strong because of you, and together we’ll emerge from these times nimbler than before.