ASE's Royal Charter of Incorporation, granted in 2004, recognises the Association as the pre-eminent professional body in the field of science education and gives the following aims: "The promoting of education by the following means: (1) Improving the teaching of science; (2) Providing an authoritative medium through which opinions of teachers of science may be expressed on educational matters; and (3) Affording a means of communication among all persons and bodies of persons concerned with the teaching of science in particular and education in general". As the author starts her year as Chair, she considers the role in the context of what ASE is for. She sees her main role as focusing on the science education priorities and outward face of ASE. Central to that is to continue to build the Assembly as the co-ordinating body responsible for meeting the first of its aims.