The IAU is delighted to announce that The Kavli Foundation will be supporting the distinguished recipients of the 2024 Kavli Prize in Astrophysics and the Young Astronomers Lunch at the XXXII IAU General Assembly 2024 (IAU GA 2024).

This generous support will be officially recognised at the meeting, where the celebrated Kavli Prize Laureates will present a plenary session dedicated to The Kavli Prize on 12 August 2024. This session will not only honour the laureates’ groundbreaking achievements in astrophysics, but also highlight the critical role of international collaboration and dialogue in the advancement of the discipline.

The Young Astronomers Lunch at the IAU General Assembly is a cornerstone event designed to bridge the gap between aspiring young astronomers and their more experienced counterparts. With an expected attendance of 300 early-career researchers, the lunch offers a unique platform for mentorship, networking, and discussions of career paths and research organisations within the field of astronomy. 

With this support, The Kavli Foundation continues to illuminate the path forward for scientific discovery and collaboration and its aim to advance science for the benefit of humanity. This investment in both established and emerging scientists at the IAU General Assembly underscores a commitment to a brighter future, created by valuing and empowering astronomers at all stages of their careers.

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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.

The Kavli Foundation is dedicated to advancing science for the benefit of humanity. The foundation’s mission is to stimulate basic research in astrophysics, nanoscience, neuroscience and theoretical physics; strengthen the relationship between science and society; and honour scientific discoveries with The Kavli Prize. Learn more at kavlifoundation.org and follow @kavlifoundation.

The Kavli Prize, awarded biennially, honours scientists for breakthroughs in astrophysics, nanoscience and neuroscience — transforming our understanding of the big, the small and the complex. The Kavli Prize consists of USD $1 000 000 in each of the scientific fields. The Kavli Prize is a partnership among The Norwegian Academy of Science and Letters, The Norwegian Ministry of Education and Research, and The Kavli Foundation.

The 32nd General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) is to be held at the Cape Town International Conference Centre from the 6th to 15th August 2024, hosted by the South African National Research Foundation, with support from the Department of Science and Innovation and the African Astronomical Society. This is the first time in the history of the IAU that this triennial event will be held on the African continent and also the first time that it will be openly accessible via online streaming. The 2024 event, which anticipates attendance of some 3000 astronomers, has adopted the core principles of Accessibility (open access, family friendly, hybrid, etc), Impact (small business involvement, education and outreach, astronomy tourism, etc), and Sustainability (green conferencing, climate awareness, building resilience, etc). The program encompasses groundbreaking scientific sessions, symposia, and meetings covering a wide array of topics including Gravitational Wave Astrophysics, Solar Observations, Black Holes and the famous James Webb Space Telescope. More information at www.astronomy2024.org.

Contacts

Katie McKissick
Kavli Foundation 
Email: kmckissick@kavlfoundation.org 

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