News: The slides for all the talks are provided.

The European Forum of Astronomical Communities is a platform of the EAS to discuss the development of underrepresented astronomy communities in Europe and present the current and new networking opportunities available to European astronomers.
Summary of Goals:
- Maintain the EAS Forum as a platform for discussing ways to support underrepresented astronomical communities in Europe, especially concerning their potential to participate in major infrastructures and outreach programmes, and to increase internationalization.
- Support the professionalisation of astronomy communities in Europe by identifying ways to increase opportunities and access to training, mentoring, exchange schemes, secondments and fellowships, travel and research grants, and to increase diversity in the field.
- Present current research, outreach, industrial and educational networking activities in the field of astronomy available in Europe
- Explore how the European Regional Office of Astronomy for Development (E-ROAD) can support connecting European astronomy institutes to stimulate capacity building. Inspire the underrepresented communities to think about the wider socio-economic impact from the outset to maximise the societal benefit.

Programme

General topics covered during the session:

• ESO: Access to astronomical research infrastructure
• ESA opportunities
• Astrobiology and Europlanet networks
• Opportunities within the OPTICON-RadioNET Pilot
• European Interferometry Initiative
• European COST actions in astronomy
• Activities of the IAU office for development in Europe
• IAU Junior Members (JMs)
• Outreach and educational activities
• Poster presentations

Invited speakers

• Stephane Basa (CNES,FR) - OPTICON RadioNet Pilot, a pilot at the service of the European astronomers PDF Video
• Lukasz Wyrzykowski (Uni.Warsaw, PL) - Time-domain astronomy with the network of small telescopes PDF
• Grazina Tautvaisiene (Uni.Vilnius, LT)- Opportunties of underrepresented countries at the Europlanet Telescope Network PDF
• Michelle Willebrands (IAU, OAD) - The IAU Astronomy for Development network in Europe PDF
• Claudia Paladini (ESO) - Strengthening the European interferometry community PDF
• Carme Jordi (Uni.Barcelona, SP) - The COST Action: Revealing the Milky Way with Gaia PDF
• Gerry Gilmore (Uni.Cambridge, UK- How can ground-based astronomy work with the EC Framework PDF
• Agnieszka Slowikowska (Uni.Torun, PL) - First year of the OPTICON-Radionet Pilot PDF
• Edita Stonkute (Uni.Vilinus, LT) - Europlanet Mentorship platform for early career researchers PDF
• Markus Kissler-Patig (ESAC, SP) -Research Network opportunities through ESA PDF
• Hannah Stacey (MPA, DE) - IAU Junior Members Executive Committee Working Group PDF
• Milena Ratajczak (Uni.Warsaw, PL) - European collaboration in education and outreach PDF
• Areg Mickaelian (BAO, AR) - (poster) Armenia as a link between Europe and European Eastern Partnership countries PDF

Scientific organisers

Rob Beswick - University of Manchester (UK); Hannah Stacey - Max Planck Institute for Astrophysics (DE); Camilo Delgado-Correal - Universidad Distrital Francisco José de Caldas (COL); Wolf Geppert - Stockholm University Astrobiology Centre (SE); Gerry Gilmore - University of Cambridge (UK); Agata Karska - Nicolaus Copernicus University (PL); Carme Jordi - University of Barcelona (SP); Claudia Paladini - ESO; Milena Ratajczak - University of Warsaw (PL); Agnieszka Słowikowska - Nicolaus Copernicus University (PL); Edita Stonkute - University of Vilnius (LT); Grazina Tautvaisiene - University of Vilnius (LT); Michelle Willebrands - Leiden University/IAU (NL); Łukasz Wyrzykowski - University of Warsaw (PL) - Chair;

Contact

Lukasz Wyrzykowski, lw at astrouw.edu.pl