Support for US Astronomers to Participate in the XXIXth General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union

天文学是一项完全国际化的事业；我们共享同一片天空。为了参与国际科学界，美国的研究人员必须与来自世界各地的研究人员会面和合作。国际天文学联合会每三年召开一次大会，会议内容包括专题讨论会、联合讨论、工作组和商务会议。下一次会议将于2015年8月在夏威夷举行，由美国主办（上一次由美国主办的会议是在1988年）。为了确保美国天文学界的积极参与，该奖项将为大约200名美国天文学家提供小额旅行资助。优先考虑初出茅庐的天文学家、来自资助较少的机构的天文学家，以及在国际天文学联合会的管理和相关研讨会的开展中发挥积极作用的天文学家。该计划支持的科学家将来自广泛的教育机构、博物馆、天文馆等。他们从这次会议中获得的经验将与广大美国民众分享，使他们了解天文学的全球性质以及国际合作对科学技术进步的重要性。这项小型旅行资助计划将由美国天文学会（AAS）管理，该协会是美国天文学家的主要专业组织。他们在过去非常成功和经济地管理了类似的项目，拟议的程序确保这些资金将以最小的成本为天文学界提供最大的利益。AAS将征求建议，选择获奖者，发放用于机票的资金，从受助者那里收集收据和会议报告，并准备对整个计划的最终评估和报告。

Astronomy is a fully international endeavor; we all share the same sky. To participate in the international scientific community, American researchers must meet and collaborate with researchers from around the world. Every three years, the International Astronomical Union has a General Assembly accompanied by topical symposia, joint discussions, working groups, and business meetings. The next such meeting, in August 2015, will be held in Hawaii and hosted by the US (the last US-hosted meeting was in 1988). In order to ensure a vigorous participation by the US astronomical community, this award will fund small travel grants to approximately 200 US astronomers. Preference will be given to early-career astronomers, astronomers from less-endowed institutions, and astronomers playing an active role in the governance of the IAU and the conduct of the associated symposia. Scientists supported by this program will come from a wide range of educational institutions, museums, planetariums, etc. The experiences they gain from this meeting will be shared with a broad segment of the US population, exposing them to the global nature of astronomy and the importance of international collaboration to the advancement of science and technology.The small travel grant program will be administered by the American Astronomical Society (AAS), the principal professional organization for US astronomers. They have very successfully and economically administered similar programs in the past, and the proposed procedures ensure that these funds will provide the maximum benefit to the astronomical community at minimal cost. The AAS will solicit proposals, select awardees, issue funds to be used for airfare only, collect receipts and meeting reports from the grantees, and prepare a final assessment and report on the entire program.