Joseph Weber Award for Astronomical Instrumentation
The Joseph Weber Award for Astronomical Instrumentation is awarded to an individual, of any nationality, for the design, invention, or significant improvement of instrumentation (not software) leading to advances in astronomy. No restrictions are placed on a candidate's citizenship or country of residency.
In order that the scientific impact of the instrumentation may be assessed properly, a considerable period of time may have elapsed between the development of the instrumentation and the granting of the award.
Eligibility: Unrestricted.
Criteria:
- Design, invention, or significant improvement of instrumentation (not software) leading to advances in astronomy.
- A considerable period of time may have elapsed between the development of the instrumentation and the granting of the award.
- Impact — how has the instrumentation contributed to advances in astronomy (widely used, or key to the success of major telescope or research program)?
- Innovation or creativity — differs in key ways from previously employed instrumentation, utilizes advanced technology or physics not previously applied in the field, and allows investigations of physical properties that could not be studied before.
Self-nominations are allowed. Nominations are open and are due on 30 June.
View Nomination Checklist View Ethics Self-Disclosure Form
Donate to the Joseph Weber Award for Astronomical Instrumentation Fund
2024 - Paul Goldsmith
2023 - Shouleh Nikzad
2022 - Peter Wizinowich
2022 - Michael Lesser
2020 – Oswald “Ossy” Siegmund
2019 – John D. Monnier
2018 – Rainer Weiss
2017 – Ian S. McLean
2016 – James J. (Jamie) Bock
2015 – Claire E. Max
2014 – Sander Weinreb
Year | Recipient(s) | Citation |
---|---|---|
2013 | Keith Matthews | In recognition of his many contributions to infrared astronomical instrumentation at the Palomar and Keck Observatories. The reliability, sensitivity, and innovative qualities of his instruments have enabled ground breaking scientific discoveries for decades. |
2012 | M. M. (Thijs) de Graauw | For his leadership in the construction of powerful new astronomical instruments including the Short Wavelength Spectrometer on ISO and the Heterodyne Instrument For the Infrared on Herschel. |
2011 | Edward S. Cheng | For his critical contributions to the development of several key instruments on the Hubble Space Telescope. |
2010 | Donald Hall | For his innovative contributions to the development of low noise detectors for observational infrared astronomy that have enabled decades of scientific discoveries. |
2009 | Peter Serlemitsos | For his innovative contributions to X-ray detector and telescope designs that have enabled decades of scientific advances in high energy astrophysics. |
2008 | James R. Houck | For his extraordinary contributions over nearly four decades to major instrumentation for infrared astronomy. From early pioneering rocket experiments and major contributions to IRAS instrumentation to most recently the design and construction of IRS for the Spitzer telescope, Houck's contributions have been seminal to make infrared astronomy among the most exciting in the entire field. Scientifically, Houck's contributions have spanned the range from HII regions to the Galactic Center to extragalactic IR sources. |
2007 | Harvey Moseley | For his extraordinary contributions for over two decades to the development of astronomical detectors covering a huge wavelength range—from X-rays to the submillimeter. These detectors have been used in some of the most successful of space missions from COBE to Spitzer that have profoundly changed our understanding of the universe. |
2006 | J. Roger Angel | For his superlative work spanning two decades on the development of a new generation of large telescopes, his establishment of the Steward Observatory Mirror Lab and a host of extraordinary conceptual ideas that have been turned into practical engineering solutions for astronomy. |
2005 | Stephan Shectman | In recognition of 30 years of development and use of innovative spectrographs, his leadership as Project Scientist for the Magellan telescopes, and the positive impact that his designs and equipment have already had on astronomy. |
2004 | Thomas G. Phillips | For his substantial and pioneering contributions over several decades to the development of millimeter and sub-millimeter wave astronomy. |
2003 | Frank J. Low | For extraordinary ingenuity in the development of infrared instrumentation and observatories, including bolometers, the Lear Jet and Kuiper Airborne observatories, and the IRAS and SIRTF space missions. |
2002 | James E. Gunn | For his outstanding contributions to astronomical instrumentation which have influenced the development of instruments on major telescopes worldwide. |