NEMA–III: Advancing Astronomy and Astrophysics in North East India

The North East Meet of Astronomers (NEMA–III) was jointly organized by Assam Don Bosco University and IUCAA during 5–7 October 2017 at St. Anthony’s College, Shillong, with the aim of promoting astronomy and astrophysics research in North East India. The meet brought together 41 students, researchers, and faculty from leading institutions across the region and featured five technical sessions, invited seminars, and colloquia covering contemporary topics such as cosmology, galaxy and star formation, black holes, numerical relativity, and gravitational-wave astronomy. In addition to outlining the vision of the NEMA series during the inaugural session, the program included interactive discussions and feedback sessions that offered mentoring on effective scientific communication, ultimately fostering academic interaction, inspiring young researchers, and strengthening regional research capacity in astronomy and astrophysics.