Sent electronically to Individual Members on July 4, 2006
by Ron Ekers, President and Oddbjørn Engvold, General Secretary
One of the innovations in XXVIth IAU General Assembly in Prague is the Special Sessions on Hot Topics (SPS4). The process of selecting a scientific program while satisfying the many IAU stakeholders, combined with the complexity of organizing major meetings such as the IAU GA, means that the process had to start long before the meeting. Scientific symposia were proposed in mid 2004 – more than 2 years ago. This is longer than the time scale for some of the most exciting developments in our field so we have kept two time slots for presentations of new results which do not fit into the scientific symposia or joint discussions already scheduled, or which have occurred too recently to have been included in these programs.
We have allocated two 3hour slots on Friday, August 18th (SPS4a) and Tuesday, August 22nd (SPS4b). Presentations of new results will be possible in these sessions for "Hot Topics" which will be selected between now and the beginning of the meeting in Prague. Selection of contributions will be based on recommendations to me by the relevant Division Presidents. Obviously it will not be possible to include these in the printed program or abstract book but we shall be able to continually update the GA website
Further announcements will also be made in Dissertatio cum Nuncio Sidereo III, the official daily newspaper of the IAU General Assembly 2006.
The format will be oral presentations with maximum length of 30 min. Team presentations, panel discussions or even debates will be considered. A few slots will be reserved for allocation during the meeting so if it is really new and exciting be prepared – we may be able to get it in.
If you have something to contribute contact the relevant Division President .
IAU Information Bulletin n° 98 is now available .