Welcome to ASROC 2014 Annual Meeting

The 2014 Scientific Assembly of the Astronomical Society of the Republic of China (ASROC2014) will be held at Experimental Forest of National Taiwan University on May 23 (Friday) – 25 (Sunday), 2014. This is the annual event for all astronomers and astrophysicists in Taiwan to demonstrate their most recent discoveries and observations, to report their latest research results and to exchange ideas, also to organize cooperation when desirable. Oral presentations and conference posters in all areas of astronomy and astrophysics are solicited. ASROC2014 is an excellent venue, too, for students, in particular graduate students, to present their research findings or progress from their thesis studies.

The meeting will include plenary talks, scientific and educational sessions, poster presentation, and a business meeting. The featured plenary speakers are 1) Prof. Debra Fischer of Yale University and a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Prof. Fisher is a well-known astronomer and one of the pioneers in extrasolar planet search. Prof. Fischer has discovered hundreds of extrasolar planets including the first known multiple planet system in 1999. Prof. Fischer also led an international consortium searching for extrasolar gas giant planets and detected more than 30 new hot Jupiters orbiting metal-rich stars. 2) Prof. Neal Evans II, the Edward Randall, Jr. Centennial Professor in Astronomy of University of Texas at Austin. Prof. Evans is the world leading expert in low-mass star formation and he has published more than 250 refereed papers including a review article on star formation in the Annual Review of Astronomy & Astrophysics. Recently Prof. Evans used the Spitzer and Herschel infrared/submillimeter space telescopes to study individual low-mass stars and their planetary systems. The titles of plenary talks are "How will we find another Earth?" and "Progress in Understanding the Formation of Low Mass Stars", respectively.

In the Assembly, the Society will also present the 1st Heaven Quest Award to Director Paul T.P. Ho of ASIAA for his distinguished contribution to astronomical research, and the 1st Heaven Talk Award to Taipei Astronomical Museum for its outstanding contribution to astronomy education and popularization of astronomy. In addition to the scientific agenda, the afternoon of May 24 (Sat) is reserved for group discussions or group excursions at choice; a conference banquet will be held later in the evening and all meeting participants are welcome to attend. Exhibitions of astronomical books and instruments are also planned during the meeting.

ASROC2014 website is now open for registration and abstract submission. The deadline for online registration is April 15 and for abstract submission, March 31. Participants of the scientific assembly should submit their abstracts and register on-line. A registration fee of NT$1,000 (NT$800 for students) should be paid on site. The LOC will help to reserve 4-person suite in the student dormitory; participants who would like to use this service should inform the LOC (service@www.asroc.org.tw) before April 15; discount rate is offered for all rooms in the Education Center. For more detailed information and update, please visit the ASROC2014 website at http://www.asroc.org.tw/asroc2014/en/.