As a result of the deliberations and discussions during the 23rd. General Assembly of the IAU in The Hague, it was recommended that Commission 14 become a commission of the Executive Committee. The special interdisciplinary role and nature of Commission 14 were in this way recognized and encouraged.
Commission 14 fulfills its role by informing the
astronomical community of new developments in our various fields through
specific involvement and support of IAU Symposia and Joint Discussions,
and by the Reports of the Working Groups. The symposia and JDs are especially
important means by which we acquire and provide information on the needs
for, and availability of, atomic and molecular data.
Joint Discussion (JD1) at the XXIVth. IAU General Assembly, Manchester (UK), Aug. 7-18, 2000