European Astronomical Society
The European Astronomical Society (EAS) is a learned society, founded under the Swiss Civil Code in 1990, as an association to contribute and promote the advancement of astronomy in Europe, and to deal with astronomical matters at a European level. It is a society of individual professional astronomers, and all European astronomers can be members independently of their field of work or country of work or origin. The society offers a forum for discussion on all aspects of astronomical development in Europe, and is the organisation that represents the interests of astronomers in discussions of European-wide developments.
As of 2016, the president of the Society is Thierry Courvoisier (Switzerland). Maarten Baes (Belgium) serves as the EAS Newsletter editor.
Prizes
Since 2008 the European Astronomical Society has awarded the annual Tycho Brahe Prize, named in honour of the influential sixteenth century Danish astronomer Tycho Brahe. The prize is given in recognition of the development or exploitation of European instruments, or major discoveries based largely on such instruments.
Since 2010 the EAS awards the Lodewijk Woltjer Lecture to honour astronomers of outstanding scientific distinction.
Since 2013 the EAS is also awarding the MERAC Prizes for young European astronomers. There are yearly three MERAC Prizes awarded in each of the three categories: Theoretical Astrophysics, Observational Astrophysics, and New Technologies (Instrumental/Computational). The prizes alternate by year for: Best Early Career Researcher Prizes (on odd years) and Best Doctoral Thesis Prizes (on even years).