Stephen Unwin (JPL) -- The American Astronomical Society: A Resource for Our Profession

The AAS serves its 8000 mostly US-based members with a variety of services, some of which may not be familiar to the astronomy community. I am Vice President of the AAS. I serve on the Board of Directors, which sets overall policies and priorities for the Society, and with the other two VPs I plan the scientific content of the two large meetings held each year. I will provide an overview of the Society, and open up at the end to answer questions and discuss topics in our profession in which the AAS has a stake. The Society owns and operates several of the major journals in our field. It has numerous committees and working groups that cover every aspect of the profession, including career advice, support for ethnic, racial and gender minorities, and professional ethics. An active public policy committee serves to represent the interests of astronomers to government agencies and decision makers. There are many opportunities to contribute to the Society’s activities and help ensure that it reflects the values and interests of the membership. I would encourage you to get involved!