AURA Membership
AURA was founded in 1957, with the encouragement of the National Science Foundation, by a group of U.S. universities with a common interest to create astronomical observing facilities that would be available for use by all qualified researchers from U.S. institutions and universities on the basis of scientific merit.
Today, there are 49 U.S. Member Institutions and 2 International Affiliate Members which comprise the Member Institutions of AURA. The President of each Member Institution designates a Member Representative and Alternate who represent their institution to AURA. Together, the Member
Representatives act upon membership applications, elect new members to AURA’s governing bodies, and serve on AURA committees.
Member Representatives attend the AURA Annual Meeting held every April In Tucson, Arizona to participate in elections, and discuss topics pertinent to AURA and the profession of astronomy.
Affiliation with a Member Institution is not required for receiving research time on the federally funded telescopes AURA manages. AURA’s Centers award telescope time through a merit-based process.
Boston University
California Institute of Technology
Carnegie Institution for Science
Carnegie Mellon University
Cornell University
Fisk University
Georgia State University
Harvard University*
Indiana University*
Iowa State University
Johns Hopkins University
Keck Northeast Astronomy Consortium
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Michigan State University
Montana State University
New Jersey Institute of Technology
New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology
New Mexico State University
Ohio State University*
Pennsylvania State University
Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile**
Princeton University
Rutgers University
Smithsonian Astrophysical Observatory
Stanford University
Stony Brook University
1993
1972
1997
2017
2016
2010
2008
1957
1957
1992
1982
2018
1981
1997
2005
2010
2018
1999
1957
1990
1997
1959
1999
2017
2012
1986
Texas A&M University
Universidad de Chile**
University of Arizona
University of California at Berkeley
University of California at Los Angeles
University of California at Santa Cruz*
University of Chicago*
University of Colorado
University of Florida
University of Hawaii
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
University of Maryland
University of Michigan*
University of Minnesota
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
University of Pittsburgh
University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at San Antonio
University of Toledo
University of Utah
University of Virginia
University of Washington
University of Wisconsin*
Vanderbilt University
Yale University
2014
1992
1972
2007
2023
1957
1957
1977
2002
1978
1980
1986
1957
1995
1995
2012
1972
2019
2016
2023
2003
1986
1957
2010
1958
* Original members ** International Affiliates