SSA Membership

Image Credit: NASA/JPL-Caltech/UCLA/MPS/DLR/IDA

The members who join SSA in the first 6 months (By December 1st, 2023) are designated SSA’s Founding Members. With their consent, they are listed perpetually at SSA’s website.

Founding members will receive, in addition to the Student or Full member benefits:

Special Gift
Name listed on the SSA website
SSA Founding member certificate
Special event for Founding Members at AbSciCon
The first 100 Founding members will be listed in the SSA bylaws.

Join SSA

Renew Your SSA Membership

Membership types:

Professional, Full (Supporting)

Benefits: Listed on the SSA website, SSA membership certificate, members virtual meeting (quarterly), SSA Slack membership, SSA Newsletter, Networking Opportunities

Validation: Institutional email address as evidence of an existing affiliation with a scientific or engineering institution or post-secondary institution (universities, community colleges, etc.) or a related degree.

Cost: $100 annually

Student

Benefits: All of the Supporting Member benefits.

Validation: Anyone who qualifies as a full-time student at an educational institution or graduated within the three trailing years and otherwise qualifies for membership under Article III, Section 1, of the Bylaws is eligible to become a Student Member. The student status must be verified by an unofficial transcript.

Cost: $40 annually

Professional, Full (Sustaining)

This membership class is contributing toward society establishment and activities; these funds will be split between establishing the early career travel grant program and the general fund with no less than 30% going to either category.

Benefits: All of the Supporting member benefits plus, a Sustaining Member special gift

Validation: Institutional email address as evidence of an existing affiliation with a scientific or engineering institution or post-secondary institution (universities, community colleges, etc.) or a related degree.

Cost: $ 200 annually

Professional, Full (Patron)

This membership class is contributing toward society establishment and activities; these funds will be split between establishing the early career travel grant fund, the membership support fund, and the general fund, with no less than 20% going to each category.

Benefits: All of the Supporting member benefits plus, a Patron Member special gift.

Validation: Institutional email address as evidence of an existing affiliation with a scientific or engineering institution or post-secondary institution (universities, community colleges, etc.) or a related degree.

Cost: $ 500 annually

Friends of the SSA:

Any individual who is interested in astrobiology but does not specifically qualify under Article III, Section 1, of these By-Laws shall be eligible to become a Friend of the Society. Friends of the Society can attend society events but cannot vote (section …), nor can they be nominated for office. They shall enjoy the other rights and other privileges of membership under annual dues as determined by the Board of Directors. Friends of the SSA may register for any of the 4 types of memberships.

Benefits: All of the benefits for the membership type selected with the exception of voting and being able to be nominated for office.

Validation: None required.

Cost: Same as the cost for a Full Member. See the four different membership types above for the corresponding annual cost.

Membership Terms and Conditions:

The Scientific Society for Astrobiology (SSA) membership is payable annually. Change in membership status is determined by SSA’s Bylaws, Sections 4 (Conditions of Membership) and 5 (Termination of Membership). For members facing financial hardship or with their primary residence in low and lower middle income nations in the World Bank categorization (2023), a fee adjustment can be requested as described in the Bylaws, Section 3 (Levels of Membership), Part f (Applications for Membership Fee Reduction). The membership benefits of each type exclusively target experiential outcomes, community enrichment, or career development.

The SSA offers four professional membership types: Student, Full Supporting, Full Sustaining, and Full Patron, to support different cohorts of the Astrobiology community. As described in the Bylaws, Article III, Section I, members may attend all SSA general member events or meetings, hold elected and appointed positions, and vote key capacities: (a) in elections as defined in Articles VI and VIII of SSA’s Bylaws; (b) on the recall of officers or members of the Board of Directors; (c) on amendments to the Bylaws.