The SETI League, Inc. Press Release No. 07-06

SETI League Press Release

SETI League Director Emeritus Honored by Astronautics Academy
For more information contact: Dr. H. Paul Shuch, Executive Director Emeritus
(201) 641-1770, or email info_at_setileague_dot_org

Little Ferry, NJ.., August 2007 -- H. Paul Shuch, the author, educator and engineer who heads up a grass-roots Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence, has been elected to Full Membership in the prestigious International Academy of Astronautics (IAA). A Corresponding Member of the academy since 2003, Prof. Shuch left a successful academic career in 1995 to become Executive Director of the newly founded SETI League, an international nonprofit organization. Currently, as Executive Director Emeritus, he remains responsible for planning and implementing The SETI League's educational, scientific, technology and outreach programs. His elevation to Full Membership in the academy will be formalized at this year's International Astronautical Congress, to be held next month in Hyderabad, India.

The IAA is a scientific institution devoted to fostering the development of astronautics for peaceful purposes, recognizing individuals who have distinguished themselves in a branch of science or technology related to astronautics, and providing programs through which the membership can contribute to international endeavors in the advancement of aerospace science. It was founded in Stockholm in 1960 by the noted aerodynamicist Dr. Theodore Von Karman.

With his elevation to Full Member, Dr. Shuch joins several hundred distinguished space scientists and engineers from 60 countries, including two other SETI League members, in lifetime IAA membership. The academy cooperates, exchanges and conducts joint meetings with national academies, and prepares cosmic planning studies through its six commissions. The academy also organizes many independent international scientific meetings, such as the Humans in Space, Small Satellite, Low Cost Planetary Mission, Realistic Near-term Advanced Scientific Space Mission, and Impact of Space Technology Innovation on Economic Development conferences.

Dr. Shuch was appointed to the IAA's SETI Permanent Study Group in 2000, and currently serves as its co-chairman and webmaster. He has presented papers at nine different IAA meetings in Europe, North America, South America, and Asia, and published articles in its peer reviewed scholarly journal, Acta Astronautica. "This bodes well for SETI," says Shuch of his election to Full Membership, "because it is yet another indicator that our research is being accepted, and respected, by the mainstream scientific community."

SETI scientists seek to determine through microwave and optical measurements whether humankind is alone in the universe. Since Congress terminated NASA's SETI funding in 1993, The SETI League and other scientific groups have been attempting to privatize the research. Experimenters interested in participating in the search for intelligent alien life, or citizens wishing to help support it, should email to join_at_setileague_dot_org, check the SETI League Web site at http://www.setileague.org/, send a fax to +1 (201) 641-1771, or contact The SETI League, Inc. membership hotline at +1 (800) TAU-SETI. Be sure to provide us with a postal address to which we will mail further information. The SETI League, Inc. is a membership-supported, non-profit [501(c)(3)], educational and scientific corporation dedicated to the electromagnetic Search for Extra-Terrestrial Intelligence.

P.S. Tearsheets are always appreciated. Thank you.

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