To foster and recognize excellence in astronomy, the AAS presents honors, awards, and prizes for outstanding contributions to astronomical research, instrumentation, writing, and service.

2023 Prize & Award Winners

Ana Bonaca

For innovative advances in our understanding of the hierarchical formation of the Milky Way and constraints on the galactic potential.

Ana Bonaca

For innovative advances in our understanding of the hierarchical formation of the Milky Way and constraints on the galactic potential.

2023 Helen B. Warner Prize for Astronomy

Brett McGuire

For pioneering research into complex astrophysical chemistry, including foundational work on chiral and aromatic molecules in the interstellar medium. 

Brett McGuire

For pioneering research into complex astrophysical chemistry, including foundational work on chiral and aromatic molecules in the interstellar medium. 

2022 Helen B. Warner Prize for Astronomy

Daniel Scolnic

For his insightful research using supernovae as cosmological probes.

Daniel Scolnic

For his insightful research using supernovae as cosmological probes.

Fred Kavli Plenary Lecture

Emily M. Levesque

For the the upper-level undergraduate or graduate textbook, Understanding Stellar Evolution (IOP Publishing Ltd., 2017).

Emily M. Levesque

For the the upper-level undergraduate or graduate textbook, Understanding Stellar Evolution (IOP Publishing Ltd., 2017).

Chambliss Astronomical Writing Award

Frank Shu

For his seminal contributions to theoretical astrophysics, from the formation of stars and planetary systems to the structure of disk galaxies; for his sustained leadership in the global astronomical community; and for his elegant textbooks that have influenced generations of astronomers.

Frank Shu

For his seminal contributions to theoretical astrophysics, from the formation of stars and planetary systems to the structure of disk galaxies; for his sustained leadership in the global astronomical community; and for his elegant textbooks that have influenced generations of astronomers.

Henry Norris Russell Lectureship

Henny J.G.L.M. Lamers

For the the upper-level undergraduate or graduate textbook, Understanding Stellar Evolution (IOP Publishing Ltd., 2017).

Henny J.G.L.M. Lamers

For the the upper-level undergraduate or graduate textbook, Understanding Stellar Evolution (IOP Publishing Ltd., 2017).

Chambliss Astronomical Writing Award

Karen Meech

For her pioneering work expanding and pushing boundaries in the field of small-body solar-system observational science, and for her transformative contributions that have shaped the broader field of planetary science. 

Karen Meech

For her pioneering work expanding and pushing boundaries in the field of small-body solar-system observational science, and for her transformative contributions that have shaped the broader field of planetary science. 

Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics

Linda Shore

For the nation-wide impact of her work educating teachers as Director of the Exploratorium Teacher Institute, and for the development of novel educational programs aimed at non-astronomers as Chief Executive Officer of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 

Linda Shore

For the nation-wide impact of her work educating teachers as Director of the Exploratorium Teacher Institute, and for the development of novel educational programs aimed at non-astronomers as Chief Executive Officer of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. 

Education Prize

Marta Bryan

For her leadership in observational studies of gas-giant exoplanet formation, evolution, and impact on planetary systems.

Marta Bryan

For her leadership in observational studies of gas-giant exoplanet formation, evolution, and impact on planetary systems.

Annie Jump Cannon Award in Astronomy

Renee Ludlam

For novel explorations of the relativistic universe that have revealed fundamental properties of neutron stars. 

Renee Ludlam

For novel explorations of the relativistic universe that have revealed fundamental properties of neutron stars. 

Newton Lacy Pierce Prize in Astronomy

Shouleh Nikzad

For her pioneering contributions pushing the boundaries of ultraviolet/visible photon-counting charge-coupled devices, her sustained infusion of related technologies across multiple fields, her diligent engineering leadership, and her consistent and attentive mentoring of early-career instrumentation researchers.

Shouleh Nikzad

For her pioneering contributions pushing the boundaries of ultraviolet/visible photon-counting charge-coupled devices, her sustained infusion of related technologies across multiple fields, her diligent engineering leadership, and her consistent and attentive mentoring of early-career instrumentation researchers.

Joseph Weber Award for Astronomical Instrumentation