European Week of Astronomy and Space Science

European Week of Astronomy and Space Science
Name	European Week of Astronomy and Space Science
Genre	Scientific conference
Frequency	Annual
Venue	Various
Location	Europe
First	2013
Organiser	European Astronomical Society

European Week of Astronomy and Space Science is an annual scientific meeting bringing together researchers, engineers, and students from across Europe and beyond to discuss developments in astronomy, astrophysics, and space science. The event unites communities associated with observatories, space agencies, and research institutions to share results, coordinate projects, and train early-career scientists. It is hosted by major organisations and frequently co-located with related meetings to foster interdisciplinary collaboration.

History

The meeting originated from discussions among members of the European Astronomical Society, International Astronomical Union, and national bodies such as the Royal Astronomical Society and Max Planck Society to consolidate separate conferences like those of the Society for Astronomy in Culture and workshops linked to the European Space Agency. Early editions drew speakers from institutions including European Southern Observatory, CERN, Institute of Astrophysics of Andalusia, and Observatoire de Paris. Over time the programme incorporated contributions from projects funded by the European Commission under frameworks interacting with initiatives such as Horizon 2020 and collaborations tied to facilities like Atacama Large Millimeter Array, Very Large Telescope, and Gaia mission teams.

Organisation and Governance

Organisational oversight is provided by governing bodies within the European Astronomical Society and steering committees composed of representatives from universities and institutes such as University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, ETH Zurich, University of Heidelberg, and Institut d'Astrophysique de Paris. Programme committees have included members associated with Max Planck Institute for Astronomy, Institut national de recherche en informatique et en automatique, NASA, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, and national agencies like CNES and DLR. Venue selection and sponsorship involve partnerships with observatories like La Silla Observatory, research infrastructures such as ELT consortia, and funding bodies including European Research Council and charitable foundations like Simons Foundation.

Scientific Programme and Activities

The scientific programme features plenary lectures, parallel sessions, panel discussions, and poster sessions covering topics from observational facilities to theoretical modelling. Themes often reflect work from collaborations on ALMA, SKA, LOFAR, and missions such as Hubble Space Telescope, James Webb Space Telescope, Euclid (spacecraft), and Rosetta (spacecraft). Tutorials and legacy-data sessions present pipelines associated with projects like SDSS, Pan-STARRS, LSST, and software frameworks used by teams at Harvard–Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics, Kavli Institute for Cosmology, and Princeton University.

Conferences, Workshops, and Schools

Parallel workshops and doctoral schools are organised in partnership with academic networks such as Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions, doctoral programmes at University of Bologna, University of Leiden, and summer schools linked to International Space University. Hands-on sessions have included instrument science led by staff from European Space Research and Technology Centre, data reduction courses run by groups from University of Amsterdam and theory bootcamps run by researchers from Caltech, University College London, and Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics. Special sessions and symposia often mirror topics found at COSPAR and the American Astronomical Society meetings.

Participation and Attendance

Attendees comprise researchers, engineers, PhD candidates, and postdoctoral fellows from institutions like Imperial College London, University of Edinburgh, Università di Padova, University of Barcelona, and national observatories such as Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes. Industry partners include representatives from companies collaborating on missions like Airbus Defence and Space, Thales Alenia Space, and technology firms supplying detectors and cryogenic systems. Delegates also include members from intergovernmental organisations such as European Southern Observatory and funding agencies including UK Research and Innovation and Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft.

Awards and Recognition

The event has hosted prize sessions and recognitions conferred by organisations like the European Astronomical Society and partner foundations, sometimes in conjunction with awards such as the Tycho Brahe Prize, Eddington Medal, and early-career recognitions analogous to national prizes from bodies like Royal Society and German Research Foundation. Thesis prizes and best-poster awards often highlight work connected to projects such as Planck (spacecraft), INTEGRAL, and instrument teams from ESO and ESA.

Impact and Outreach

The meeting fosters collaborations that influence observing campaigns at facilities like VLT, ALMA, and SKA Observatory and support mission planning for ESA projects and partner agencies including NASA and JAXA. Outreach activities have included public lectures, press briefings tied to discoveries from missions such as Gaia and Rosetta (spacecraft), and education initiatives involving museums and planetaria like the Science Museum, London and Cité de l'espace. The conference has catalysed cross-institutional proposals to funders such as the European Research Council and informed policy discussions with regional bodies and university consortia.

Category:Astronomy conferences