Professor Ekers had his new role confirmed yesterday at the final meeting of the General Assembly of the IAU in Manchester, England. He will take-up the position of president at the next General Assembly, which will be held in Sydney in 2003.

Lawrence Cram, Professor of Astrophysics at the University of Sydney, says that this is the highest distinction that can be given to an astronomer.

"It is a fantastic achievement. Not only for Ron himself, but also for Australia," Professor Cram says.

"This position is awarded to people who are extremely proficient astronomers at the highest level, who also have great personal skills and a commitment to the value of global collaboration in science."

Professor Cram says that having an Australian in this position is recognition of the great importance of Australian astronomy, and in particular the advances we have made in the fields of radio astronomy and interferometry.

Professor Cram says that Ron's many colleagues in Australia will be delighted by this appointment, which acknowledges his far-reaching past contributions and exciting ideas for the future.

CSIRO Deputy Chief Executive, Dr Ron Sandland says that it is wonderful that one of Australia's scientists is given international recognition in this way.

"We at CSIRO are absolutely delighted about this announcement. Ron has made an enormous contribution to the Australia Telescope which has absolutely thrived under his leadership. He has also made a similar contribution to Australian and international radio astronomy. We are justly proud of him!" Dr Sandland says.

The IAU was founded in 1919. It is the internationally recognised authority overseeing the science of astronomy. Its individual members are professional astronomers all over the World, at PhD level or beyond and active in professional research and education in astronomy.

The IAU has more than 8000 members from 66 adhering countries.

As president-elect Professor Ekers will serve on the executive committee until 2003. He will be president from 2003 to 2006. The IAU headquarters are in Paris but Professor Ekers will remain based in Australia.

Professor Ekers was appointed Foundation Director of CSIRO's Australia Telescope National Facility in 1988. He was born at Victor Harbour, South Australia and graduated from University of Adelaide in 1963. He gained his PhD in astronomy at the Australian National University in 1967.

His professional career has taken him to the California Institute of Technology, the Institute of Theoretical Astronomy in Cambridge, U.K. the Kapteyn Laboratory in Groningen, Netherlands and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, New Mexico, USA. He was director of the VLA (Very Large Array), the largest radio telescope in the USA, from 1980 to 1987.

He has been a member of various advisory and visiting committees in the USA, UK, Canada, France, Germany and the Netherlands. He was Chairman of the International Union of Radio Science Commission J from 1990-1993, Pawsey Lecturer 1990, Oort Professor 1997. Professor Ekers is currently chair of the International Steering Committee for the Square Kilometre Array.

In 1992 he was a member of the Australian Science and Technology Council Working Party on Major National Research Facilities.

He is a member of the National Committee for Astronomy and an Adjunct Professor at the Australian National University. He was elected a Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science and Foreign Member of the Royal Dutch Academy of Science in 1993. Professor Ekers' research interests include extragalactic astronomy, especially cosmology, and galactic nuclei, radio astronomical techniques and image formation theory.

Professor Ekers says his appointment is a good opportunity to increase Australia's international visibility in the field of astronomy.

"It is an opportunity for me to make a contribution to this very accessible area of science by encouraging scientific cooperation at an international level."