American Association for the Advancement of Science

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS), society of scientists, founded in 1848 for the purpose of advancing science in the New World in every feasible way. The association emphasizes the unity of interest of workers in all branches of science, which it promotes through the publication of reports and the organization of meetings. One of the largest associations of scientists in the world, it has some 265 affiliated and associated societies, covering the entire field of pure and applied science. It is grouped in 24 sections: mathematics; physics; chemistry; astronomy; geology and geography; biological sciences; anthropology; psychology; education; general interest in science and engineering; social, economic, and political sciences; history and philosophy of science; linguistics and language science; engineering; medical sciences; dentistry and oral health sciences; neuroscience; pharmaceutical sciences; agriculture, food, and renewable resources; industrial science and technology; information, computing, and communication; atmospheric and hydrospheric sciences; statistics; and social impacts of science and engineering. Serving some 10 million scientists, the association publishes the weekly magazine Science, as well as various symposium volumes. It has produced new materials for the teaching of science from kindergarten through the elementary grades.

Headquarters of the AAAS is located in Washington, D.C. There are similar organizations that have been established in several other countries, as, for example, the British Association for the Advancement of Science and the Institut de France.