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

Carl Rodriguez

For fundamental advances on the astrophysical origin of gravitational-wave sources. Rodriguez discerned how repeat mergers of black holes and stars in dense clusters would lead to the existence of massive black holes, a prediction later verified by gravitational-wave detectors. His work has opened new directions in research into gravitational-wave sources and their connection to the formation of both star clusters and galaxies. 

Carl Rodriguez

For fundamental advances on the astrophysical origin of gravitational-wave sources. Rodriguez discerned how repeat mergers of black holes and stars in dense clusters would lead to the existence of massive black holes, a prediction later verified by gravitational-wave detectors. His work has opened new directions in research into gravitational-wave sources and their connection to the formation of both star clusters and galaxies. 

Helen B. Warner Prize for Astronomy

Charles Liu

For his national and international impact as an enthusiastic astronomy educator throughout his career — including his contributions to informal education via his work at the American Museum of Natural History, his numerous popular science books, and his podcast "The LIUniverse"; as well as his contributions to formal education as a professor and mentor. The award also recognizes his service to the astronomy education community as AAS Education Officer and inaugural Chair of the AAS Education Committee. 

Charles Liu

For his national and international impact as an enthusiastic astronomy educator throughout his career — including his contributions to informal education via his work at the American Museum of Natural History, his numerous popular science books, and his podcast "The LIUniverse"; as well as his contributions to formal education as a professor and mentor. The award also recognizes his service to the astronomy education community as AAS Education Officer and inaugural Chair of the AAS Education Committee. 

Education Prize

Dan Caseldan

For his outstanding participation in the Backyard Worlds citizen science projects, including pioneering the application of machine learning to solar neighborhood ultracool dwarf searches; and for the discovery of numerous brown dwarfs that together reshape our understanding of substellar prevalence and diversity in the Milky Way.

Dan Caseldan

For his outstanding participation in the Backyard Worlds citizen science projects, including pioneering the application of machine learning to solar neighborhood ultracool dwarf searches; and for the discovery of numerous brown dwarfs that together reshape our understanding of substellar prevalence and diversity in the Milky Way.

Chambliss Amateur Achievement Award

Daniel Baumann

For Cosmology (2022 Cambridge University Press), a textbook that provides graduate-level cosmology content with the production and features typical of the best new undergraduate texts.

Daniel Baumann

For Cosmology (2022 Cambridge University Press), a textbook that provides graduate-level cosmology content with the production and features typical of the best new undergraduate texts.

2022 Chambliss Astronomical Writing Award

Dennis Zaritsky

For his innovative observations probing the structure and evolution of galaxies.

Dennis Zaritsky

For his innovative observations probing the structure and evolution of galaxies.

Beatrice M. Tinsley Prize

Frederick Seward

For the establishment and implementation of the first open, peer-reviewed Guest Observer program for a Principal-Investigator-led NASA space-based observatory, including developing and refining procedures and policies that later became standard practice for satellite missions.

Frederick Seward

For the establishment and implementation of the first open, peer-reviewed Guest Observer program for a Principal-Investigator-led NASA space-based observatory, including developing and refining procedures and policies that later became standard practice for satellite missions.

George Van Biesbroeck Prize

Jennifer Bergner

For her innovative astrochemical work at the intersection of laboratory experiments, theory, and observations, which has established new pathways to interstellar chemical complexity. 

Jennifer Bergner

For her innovative astrochemical work at the intersection of laboratory experiments, theory, and observations, which has established new pathways to interstellar chemical complexity. 

Annie Jump Cannon Award in Astronomy

John Carlstrom

For his pioneering work on microwave interferometry and his leading role in the development of the South Pole Telescope, which has led to cosmological observations that have improved our understanding of the large-scale structure and behavior of the universe, changing the field for generations to come.

John Carlstrom

For his pioneering work on microwave interferometry and his leading role in the development of the South Pole Telescope, which has led to cosmological observations that have improved our understanding of the large-scale structure and behavior of the universe, changing the field for generations to come.

Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics

Maria Drout

For revealing discoveries of the evolution, influence, and end states of massive stars through the study of explosive transients and resolved stellar populations. Dr. Drout unveiled a class of rapidly evolving transients and the first known population of intermediate mass helium stars stripped in binaries. She developed new techniques to identify and characterize evolved massive stars in elusive phases, thereby revising our views on how stars meet their final fates.

Maria Drout

For revealing discoveries of the evolution, influence, and end states of massive stars through the study of explosive transients and resolved stellar populations. Dr. Drout unveiled a class of rapidly evolving transients and the first known population of intermediate mass helium stars stripped in binaries. She developed new techniques to identify and characterize evolved massive stars in elusive phases, thereby revising our views on how stars meet their final fates.

Newton Lacy Pierce Prize in Astronomy

Neta Bahcall

For her central contributions to determining the average density of matter in the universe and establishing the concordance model of cosmology, and for her dedication to astronomical education and her exemplary service to the community.

Neta Bahcall

For her central contributions to determining the average density of matter in the universe and establishing the concordance model of cosmology, and for her dedication to astronomical education and her exemplary service to the community.

Henry Norris Russell Lectureship

Paul Goldsmith

For his pioneering advancements in millimeter-wave astronomy and astronomical receivers, especially his notable development of quasioptics — in which the wavelength of propagating electromagnetic radiation is comparable to the size of the optical components — that underpins much subsequent work in the field.

Paul Goldsmith

For his pioneering advancements in millimeter-wave astronomy and astronomical receivers, especially his notable development of quasioptics — in which the wavelength of propagating electromagnetic radiation is comparable to the size of the optical components — that underpins much subsequent work in the field.

Joseph Weber Award for Astronomical Instrumentation

Viviana Acquaviva

For the textbook Machine Learning for Physics and Astronomy (2023 Princeton University Press), which provides a useful guide to cutting-edge knowledge and skills at a graduate-student level, packaged in a well-produced and accessible text.

Viviana Acquaviva

For the textbook Machine Learning for Physics and Astronomy (2023 Princeton University Press), which provides a useful guide to cutting-edge knowledge and skills at a graduate-student level, packaged in a well-produced and accessible text.

2024 Chambliss Astronomical Writing Award