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4 November 2025
AAS Announces the Resignation of Chief Executive Officer Dr. Kevin B. Marvel
The American Astronomical Society (AAS) today announced that Dr. Kevin B. Marvel, the Society’s Chief Executive Officer, will step down from his position effective 9 January 2026. He will be transitioning to take up duties as the Executive Director for the Society for Neuroscience in March 2026.
Dr. Marvel joined the AAS in August 1998 and was promoted to Executive Officer (later Chief Executive Officer) in July 2006. Over the course of nearly two decades, he has led the Society through a period of significant growth and transformation, advancing its mission to enhance and share humanity’s scientific understanding of the universe as a diverse and inclusive astronomical community.
Under Dr. Marvel’s leadership, and with the engaged efforts of volunteers and staff members, the AAS has:
- Successfully transitioned its journal publications from the University of Chicago Press to IOP Publishing, realizing substantial savings and enhanced publishing performance.
- Sustainably expanded AAS staff from 13 to 42 professionals, supporting the Society’s broadening portfolio of programs and services.
- Acquired Sky & Telescope magazine and its associated businesses, strengthening the Society’s connection with the broader astronomical community, including amateurs and the general public.
- Converted all AAS journals to open access, ensuring the widest possible dissemination of astronomical research and establishing a publication support fund to enable scientists to publish even when financial resources are scarce.
- Established new publications like the high-impact Planetary Science Journal, the innovative Research Notes of the AAS, and AAS Nova, the AAS's astronomy research news site.
- Broadened and enhanced the Society’s conferences, services, and programs, fostering inclusion, innovation, and professional excellence across the field.
Reflecting on his tenure, Dr. Marvel says, “It has been one of the great honors of my life to serve the astronomical community through the AAS. Together, we’ve built a stronger, more inclusive organization — one that supports astronomers at every career stage and advances the frontiers of knowledge. I am deeply grateful to our dedicated staff, volunteer leaders, and members for their partnership and trust over the years. We have accomplished great things together.”
Dr. Dara Norman, current President of the AAS, expressed appreciation for Dr. Marvel’s contributions. “Kevin has been key in guiding the AAS through significant and forward-looking evolution. His steady leadership has positioned the AAS for continued success, and his clear commitment to the AAS, in the service of the membership, has left a lasting foundation on which to build. On behalf of the Board of Trustees and the entire membership, I thank him for his extraordinary dedication and impact.”
The AAS Board of Trustees will announce plans for identifying and appointing a successor in the coming weeks. For more information about the Society and its activities, please visit https://aas.org.
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Images:
https://aas.org/sites/default/files/2025-11/KevinMarvel_0.jpg
Kevin Marvel, Chief Executive Officer of the American Astronomical Society. Photo courtesy of Kevin Marvel.
The American Astronomical Society (AAS), established in 1899, is a major international organization of professional astronomers, astronomy educators, and amateur astronomers. Its membership of approximately 8,000 also includes physicists, geologists, engineers, and others whose interests lie within the broad spectrum of subjects now comprising the astronomical sciences. The mission of the AAS is to enhance and share humanity’s scientific understanding of the universe as a diverse and inclusive astronomical community, which it achieves through publishing, meetings, science advocacy, education and outreach, and training and professional development.