Activities

On the occasion of the Academy Day Athens held on July 16, 2022, the IAA 2021 Laurels for Team Achievement was presented to the team of scientists from NASA’s Parker Solar Probe, first mission into the solar corona “to touch the Sun.” Photo: (From left) Marius-Ioan Piso, IAA vice president for scientific activities; Chrysoula Kourtidou-Papadeli, IAA vice president for awards and membership; Nour Raouafi, Parker Solar Probe project scientist, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory (APL); Ralph McNutt, Parker Solar Probe science team member, APL; Thomas Zurbuchen, NASA associate administrator, Science Mission Directorate; Adam Szabo, Parker Solar Probe mission scientist, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; and John Schumacher, IAA president.

The Academy Day Athens took place on July 16, 2022 on the occasion of the COSPAR Scientific Assembly. Many participants from all over the world gathered during this event with scientific lectures, lunch and gala dinner. Scientific program was organized by Ralph L. McNutt, Jr., Chair, Trustee Section 1, Basic Sciences, Athena Coustenis, Trustee Section 1, Basic Sciences and Rosaly M. C. Lopes, Chair Commission 1, Space Physical Science. IAA President John Schumacher, Vice-President Chrysoula Kourtidou-Papadeli and Vice-President Marius-Ioan Piso attended the event and gave IAA certificates to newly elected members during the award honor gala dinner. IAA Laurels for team achievement award were also given on this occasion. Photo: Group picture of the participants in front of the Athens Academy of Sciences.

The International Academy of Astronautics is an independent, nongovernmental organization that brings together the world’s foremost, eminent experts in space-related disciplines for the good of humanity. It is an organization that fosters international cooperation and understanding. The Academy is deeply concerned on the evolution of the conflict involving Russia against Ukraine. Both nations have strong presence in the Academy by their distinguished scientists, engineers and space leaders.  IAA is an organization that deeply respects and values each of our Members. As always we stand in support of any of our colleagues in difficulty and we have a special thought for our Ukrainian colleagues, their families and their communities. Given the continuation of the conflict we have suspended IAA meetings, symposia and conferences in Russia and, due to obvious security reasons, in Ukraine. Our Academy will continue to work collaboratively on its important activities with participation and collaboration among Academicians from across the globe, and as always, we will ensure all of our activities are conducted with the highest ethical standards. The work of our Academy is more important today than ever. We continue our work for the betterment of humanity as we look forward to the immediate restoration of peace. John Schumacher President, International Academy of Astronautics

We have learned of some very troubling news that we thought important to share with you. Two of our distinguished Trustees, Dr. Wang Jinnian and Dr. Wu Meirong, were assaulted, sustained injuries, and are currently in the hospital recovering from their injuries. Several media reports indicate that our colleagues were assaulted because they told their assailant that they would not support his becoming a member of our Academy. We have conveyed to Dr. Wang and Dr. Wu the Academy’s great sadness regarding their injuries, our best wishes for their speedy and full recovery, and our profound respect for their personal efforts to safeguard the integrity and stature of the International Academy of Astronautics. We are reminded that the International Academy of Astronautics is an independent, nongovernmental organization that is based in Paris, France and brings together the world’s foremost, eminent experts in Astronautics for the good of humanity. The Academy has members from 90 nations. It is an organization that fosters international cooperation and understanding. We deeply respect and value each of our Members. We find appalling and totally contradictory to the fundamental principles of the Academy any act of violence or intimidation directed toward any member of the Academy, in particular when it is related to their service as a Member of the International Academy of Astronautics. IAA membership consists of individuals who have distinguished themselves in one of the fields of astronautics or one of the branches of science of fundamental importance for the exploration of space. Election to the Academy is a recognition of an individual’s record of service and achievement, and members are leaders in space and aeronautical activities in their own countries. New members are elected by all full members of the Academy using a confidential peer review and voting process. Membership brings with it the commitment to work with fellow members for the betterment of humankind through the application of the art and science of astronautics.

Newly elected members received their certificate during the IAA Academy Day on October 20, 2019 in Washington DC, USA.

IAA Board of Trustees 2019-2021 on October 20, 2019 in Washington DC, USA. Photo: from left to the right: Jean-Michel Contant, France, Daniel Neuenschwander, Switzerland, John Schumacher USA, James Chilton, USA, Antonio Viviani, Italy, Jeffrey Davis, USA, Ralph McNutt, Jr. USA, Jose R. Braga Coelho, Brazil, Wu Meirong, China, Marius-Ioan Piso, Romania, Shigeki Kinai, Japan, Peter Jankowitsch, Austria, Dumitru-Dorin Prunariu, Romania, Joseph Landon, USA, Elena Fomina, Russia and Francisco Mendieta-Jimenez, Mexico.

Dr. K. Sivan, Chairman ISRO, with a large delegation during the ceremony of inauguration of the IAA subsidiary office in Bangalore, India in August 2019. This branch is devoted to support the Paris headquarters office for the management of the yearly 30 IAA standalone conferences.

IAA spring meetings were held on March 25-28, 2019 in Paris, France. For more detailed information on IAA spring meetings, please see the IAA past list of events. New members were inducted on Tuesday 26 March 2019 during the IAA Award Dinner.

Photo: Dr. Marius-Ioan Piso, IAA Trustee Section 4 Chair, Dr. Jean-Michel Contant, IAA Secretary-General, Mr. Federico Casal, new IAA Honorary Member, Dr. Peter Jankowitsch, IAA President, Prof. Anatoly Perminov, IAA Vice-President Scientific Activities, and Dr. Hiroki Matsuo, IAA Vice-President Finance, during the IAA Award Ceremony Dinner, March 26, 2019, Paris, France.

IAA Academy Day took place on July 14, 2018 in Pasadena, California, USA at the occasion of the COSPAR Congress. Scientific program of the Academy Day is available. Speakers were Ralph L. McNutt. Jr., Rainer Sandau, Karl-Heinz Glassmeier, Susan McKenna-Lawlor, Guenther Reitz, Robert T. Pappalardo, Claire Vallat, Claudio Maccone, Bernard Foing and Arthur M. Dula. The Pasadena Academy Day was followed by an IAA Awards Dinner & Induction Ceremony for newly elected members.