HOW TO JOIN IUGG

Every country in which "independent activity in geodesy and geophysics has been developed" is eligible for IUGG membership. We believe that IUGG membership contributes to the scientific well-being of our member countries, and may lead to economic benefits through enhanced exchange of scientific and technical expertise.

A copy of the IUGG Statutes and By-Laws is available on our Web site. According to our Statutes, the following information is required and constitutes an application for membership. If you have specific questions, please contact the IUGG Secretariat.

1. What body (known as the Adhering Organization) shall represent your country to IUGG? Please identify the mailing and e-mail addresses and the telephone and fax numbers of this Adhering Organization. This is usually the principal scientific academy or council for national research. However it can be any other institution or association of institutions, whether non-governmental or governmental, that represents your geodetic and geophysical activities. A country is represented by a single body except under extraordinary circumstances. For examples of Adhering Organizations, please consult the IUGG Yearbook posted on the IUGG web page.



2. The Adhering Organization must establish a National Committee for IUGG and identify at least one officer. Most National Committees identify the President and Secretary of the Committee, but some Committees identify additional officers. Please provide the mailing and e-mail addresses and telephone and fax numbers of all officers. The fax and e-mail address of the officer who will be the IUGG Correspondent on behalf of the National Committee should be identified. The term of these officers is generally, but not necessarily, the same as the IUGG Quadrennium (e.g., 2007-2011).



3. IUGG consists of 8 Associations, each representing a discipline of geodesy or geophysics. These Associations are as follows:
   • International Association of Cryospheric Sciences (IACS/AISC)
   • International Association of Geodesy (IAG/AIG)
   • International Association of Geomagnetism and Aeronomy (IAGA/AIGA)
   • International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS/AISH)
   • International Association of Meteorology and Atmospheric Sciences (IAMAS/AIMSA)
   • International Association for the Physical Sciences of the Oceans (IAPSO/AISPO)
   • International Association of Seismology and Physics of the Earth's Interior (IASPEI/AISPIT)
   • International Association of Volcanology and Chemistry of the Earth's Interior (IAVCEI/AIVCIT)
   Each Association would like to be able to contact a single person who will then represent the interests of that Association within your National Committee. In so far as possible, please provide the mailing and e-mail addresses and telephone and fax numbers of a representative for each Association. In most countries, these individuals are appointed by the National Committee but a more formal election conducted by the Adhering Organization could be held.



4. Please indicate whether you wish to apply to be a regular member or an Associate member. The difference is explained below and in Section II.C.

Regular (paying) member: regular members may send a delegate to quadrennial meetings of the IUGG Council, and vote on matters of business. Scientists from member countries may hold office in the Associations and vote in their business meetings. A regular member pays dues annually according to a scale ("the category") established by the IUGG Finance Committee (shown below) and as explained further in Statute III and By-Law III. An application should specify a category of membership. Countries are expected to subscribe to a category that is consistent with their overall economy and participation at General Assemblies. As a guide to help choose the category, the IUGG Yearbook lists IUGG member countries and their category of membership. A regular member country that misses an annual payment temporarily falls into a special class of membership known as "observers." As of the Year 2007, a single unit of membership is valued at $1630. The Treasurer uses an algorithm to determine the price of a unit of membership (Section III.C), and also reviews the category of membership of regular members at least every quadrennium.

a) The Adhering Bodies to the Union shall pay annually the number of units of contributions assigned to the category in which they adhere, according to the following table.

Associate (non-paying) members: Associate members have no voting rights and persons from Associate countries may not hold office in IUGG or in any of the Associations. On the other hand, scientists are welcome to attend all scientific and social activities at all IUGG and Association meetings, and Associate members are welcome to attend IUGG Council meetings as Listeners. The scientific data and research done within Associate member countries is valued and the opportunities for networking and collaboration with other IUGG Members are enhanced. Associate members receive all of the ordinary correspondence of IUGG, such as notices of forthcoming meetings and information about applications for travel support. Associate membership is welcomed as a first step toward regular membership if a country's economic condition currently does not permit the payment of annual dues.

When the information requested above is ready, please submit your application as a letter to the IUGG Secretary General. The Application will be processed in the following steps (Statutes Section II, section 14):

1. Copies will be sent to the members of the IUGG Executive Committee who will determine the scientific merits of the application.


2. The application and the recommendation of the Executive Committee will be sent to the Adhering Organizations of the IUGG regular members via their National Committees, who will accept or decline the application.

If the vote by correspondence is affirmative, then the country's membership is accepted provisionally, with full rights and privileges of membership, until the next formal meeting of the IUGG Council of member countries when a final vote will be taken. Annual dues are expected to be paid beginning with the year of provisional membership.

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