Third ArAS School for Astrophysics

The Arab Astronomical Society School for Astrophysics (ArAS SfA), previously named “Arab Winter School for Astrophysics” (AWSA), is an initiative of the Arab Astronomical Society (ArAS). ArAS SfA’s objective is to give students the opportunity to be trained by professional astronomers to make up the shortage of expertise in the field. To give more flexibility to the hosting countries, we decided to change the name of the “Arab Winter School for Astrophysics” (AWSA) to the “ArAS School for Astrophysics” (ArAS SA). This gives the organizers the opportunity to be adapted to the local hosting institutions constraints which are different from an Arab country to another. We propose to organize ArAS SA-3 in Morocco at Cadi Ayyad on 6-11 August 2018, a unique event in the Arab World where students will get the opportunity to meet and learn from astrophysics professors and researchers. They will not only learn about different topics and tools in astronomy but also give them the opportunity to learn about current research projects. We’ll introduce students to virtual observatories and archival databases, which will help foster an international collaboration. We have already established ties with the American Association of Variable Star Observers. This school will strongly help build regional and international research collaborations between students and researchers and ultimately motivate students to consider professional careers in the field.