<html><head><meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html charset=windows-1252"></head><body style="word-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; -webkit-line-break: after-white-space; "><div><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; "><br></span></div><div><font face="Calibri, sans-serif"><span style="font-size: 15px;">Dear colleagues,</span></font></div><div><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 15px; "><br></span></div><div><div><font size="3">In February, the American University of Sh</font><span style="font-size: 13px;">arjah (in United Arab Emirates) is hosting a major international conference </span><span style="font-size: 13px; ">endorsed by the IAU's (AW-ROAD)</span><span style="font-size: 13px;">, and has the first ever </span><u style="font-size: 13px; font-weight: bold; ">professional astronomy</u><span style="font-size: 13px;"> component. Stellar clusters/populations will be one of the astronomy themes. A number of folks you know are giving talks (check the invited speakers) and there is still room in the schedule for contributed talks. You have until Nov 15th to submit an abstract, but early submission is welcome to help identify the focused astronomy themes according to the received abstracts. (</span><a href="https://www.aus.edu/info/200227/conferences/586/ftaps_2017/3"><span style="font-size: 13px;">https://www.au</span><font size="3">s.edu/info/200227/conferences/586/ftaps_2017/3</font></a><span style="font-size: 12.8px; ">)</span></div><div style="font-size: 12.8px; ">There will be several fascinating excursions arranged to the area. If you’ve not been to Dubai or the region, it’s certainly worth a visit! The campus is lovely and the weather will be fantastic. </div><div style="font-size: 12.8px; "> There is a real interest in getting the Middle East more engaged in astronomy internationally. At the February meeting, will be time for discussions about the future of professional astronomy in the Middle East. A successful, “real” scientific conference in astronomy will be a first step towards networking and starting new collaborations with astronomers in the region.</div><div style="font-size: 12.8px; ">Please share this invite with others you know who might also find the visit and meeting of interest. Please contact Randa Asa'd (<a href="mailto:raasad@aus.edu">raasad@aus.edu</a>) with any questions. </div></div><div style="font-size: 12.8px; "><br></div><div style="font-size: 12.8px; "><br></div><div style="font-size: 12.8px; ">Best Regards,</div><div style="font-size: 12.8px; ">Randa</div><div style="font-size: 12.8px; "><br></div><div apple-content-edited="true"><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">==========================</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">Randa Asa'd, Ph.D</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">Assistant Professor</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">Physics Department</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">American University of Sharjah</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; ">==========================</div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><br></div><div style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: Helvetica; font-size: medium; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal; line-height: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: -webkit-auto; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; "><br></div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline">
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