Election of members of the African Astronomy Community to serve on IAU structures

Cape Town, South Africa – (August 27, 2021) The African Astronomical Society (AfAS), is excited to congratulate Dr. Solomon Belay Tessema for his election as one of the International Astronomical Union (IAU) Vice-Presidents. In congratulating Dr. Tessema on his election, the AfAS Executive Committee recognises his dedication and efforts in the development of Astronomy and Space Sciences on the continent.We also like to take this opportunity to congratulate members of the African Astronomy Community below that have been elected to serve of various Divisions of the IAU:

  • Division C – Education, Outreach and Heritage: Mirjana Pović (Ethiopia)
  • Division F – Planetary Systems and Astrobiology: Zouhair Benkhaldoun (Morocco) 
  • Division J – Galaxies and Cosmology: Lucia Marchetti (South Africa)

Their elections show the increasingly important role of Africa in the global astronomy endeavour as we move closer towards the first IAU General Assembly to be hosted on African soil in 2024. We wish them well in serving on these important structures of the IAU.
The AfAS Executive Committee