ASA Annual Scientific Meeting

One of the principal activities of the ASA is the Annual Scientific Meeting, held in July each year to bring together astronomers from around Australia. The meeting offers the opportunity to stay in touch with developments across the broad range of astronomy in Australia. The meeting includes the Annual General Meeting of the Society and the public Harley Wood Lecture.

 

ASA 2020

Due to COVID-19, the 2020 Annual Scientific Meeting and General Meeting (ASA2020) was held via zoom on 7-8th July. ASA2020 Program.

 

Institutions around the country and in New Zealand are invited to bid to host one of the ASA’s Annual Scientific Meetings. It offers an opportunity to showcase your institution to your colleagues and students. It also shares the organisational effort (and experience!) around the community.

The deadline for submission of bids to host the ASM in the following year is now 31 January of the previous year – e.g. bids for the 2020 ASM must be received by 31 January 2019. This gives Council time to adequately consider any competing bids and suggest improvements, allowing an announcement at the AGM in July.

For many years the ASA Scientific Meeting has been held in the VCC Common Week in early July. In 2014 we trialled a move to later in July, to place the meeting outside the School holidays for many states. A subsequent survey of the membership was evenly split between preference for the earlier and later dates. As a result the Council proposes to allow either period, generally alternating the date of the ASM from year to year, however this will depend on the preferences of the organisers of each meeting.

 

Instructions for Meeting Organisers

An Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) has been held in conjunction with the Society Annual General Meeting (AGM) since the ASA’s formation in 1966. Indeed for many years the ASM was normally called the AGM, but with a business meeting in one of the sessions. In more recent years that business meeting has been called the AGM and distinguished from the larger ASM. In the past, the Society has also organised some other scientific meetings apart from its annual meetings, for example a meeting in Brisbane in May 1970 that, because of its specific title and lack of an AGM session, we choose not to designate as an ASM.

From 1966 to 1969, the annual meetings were in November or December. After a transition in 1970, the ASM/AGM moved to May to coincide with common vacation weeks in a 3 term university year. This timing continued from 1971 until 1987. The 1988 meeting was in August to coincide with the opening of the Australia Telescope (AT). Subsequent meetings have been in July to coincide with common vacation weeks in a 2 semester university year, with the sole exception of the October 1991 meeting.

The change in timing of the ASM in 1970 meant there was no AGM that year and hence the 50th AGM was held in 2016, also marking the 50th anniversary of the foundation of the Society. The counting of the ASM is a bit more complicated, with no separate ASM held in 1990 or 2003 because of major IAU meetings in Australia.

  • Year – Location (Host Institution)
  • 2020 – Virtual ASA via zoom (ASA2020 Program.)
  • 2019 – Brisbane (University of Queensland) ASA2019 web site
  • 2018 – Melbourne (Swinburne) ASA2018 web site
  • 2017 – Canberra (ANU) ASA2017 web site
  • 2016 – Sydney (University of Sydney) ASA2016 web site
  • 2015 – Fremantle (ICRAR/Curtin University)
  • 2014 – Sydney (Macquarie University)
  • 2013 – Melbourne (Monash University) ASA2013 web site
  • 2012 – Sydney (University of New South Wales) ASA2012 web site
  • 2011 – Adelaide (University of Adelaide) ASA2011 web site
  • 2010 – Hobart (University of Tasmania)
  • 2009 – Melbourne (University of Melbourne)
  • 2008 – Perth (University of Western Australia)
  • 2007 – Sydney (Macquarie University)
  • 2006 – Canberra (Australian Defense Force Academy)
  • 2005 – Sydney (University of Sydney) ASM2005 web site
  • 2004 – Brisbane (University of Queensland)
  • 2003 – Sydney (no separate ASM; AGM held within the IAU General Assembly meeting)
  • 2002 – Mollymook NSW (Mount Stromlo and Siding Spring Observatories)
  • 2001 – Lorne VIC (Swinburne University of Technology)
  • 2000 – Hobart (University of Tasmania)
  • 1999 – Sydney (University of Western Sydney)
  • 1998 – Adelaide (University of Adelaide)
  • 1997 – Sydney (University of New South Wales)
  • 1996 – Perth (Perth Observatory)
  • 1995 – Sydney (Macquarie University)
  • 1994 – Canberra (Australian National University)
  • 1993 – Christchurch NZ (University of Canterbury)
  • 1992 – Canberra (Australian Defense Force Academy)
  • 1991 – Melbourne (Monash University)
  • 1990 – Sydney (no separate ASM; AGM held during 5th Asian-Pacific regional meeting of IAU)
  • 1989 – Sydney (University of Sydney)
  • 1988 – Narrabri NSW (CSIRO Radiophysics)
  • 1987 – Canberra (Australian National University)
  • 1986 – Hobart (University of Tasmania)
  • 1985 – Melbourne (Monash University)
  • 1984 – Coonabarabran NSW (Australian National University, AAT, UKSTU)
  • 1983 – Sydney (University of New South Wales)
  • 1982 – Noosa Heads QLD (?)
  • 1981 – Wollongong NSW (University of Wollongong)
  • 1980 – Hobart (University of Tasmania)
  • 1979 – Canberra (Australian National University)
  • 1978 – Coonabarabran NSW (?)
  • 1977 – Melbourne (Monash University)
  • 1976 – Sydney (University of Sydney)
  • 1975 – Parkes (CSIRO Radiophysics)
  • 1974 – Hobart (University of Tasmania)
  • 1973 – Canberra (Australian National University)
  • 1972 – Melbourne (Monash University)
  • 1971 – Sydney (University of Sydney)
  • 1970 – No ASM/AGM
  • 1969 – Canberra (Australian National University)
  • 1968 – Sydney (University of Sydney)
  • 1967 – Canberra (Australian National University)
  • 1966 – Sydney (University of Sydney)