Awards

Catherine Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal honoring Marcia Rieke, Regents Professor of Astronomy and Elizabeth Roemer Endowed Chair, Steward Observatory at the University of Arizona and Principal Investigator on the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) for the James Webb Space Telescope. Rieke's research has focused on infrared observations of the center of the Milky Way and high redshift galaxies in the early universe. Marcia Rieke is considered by many to be one of the "founding mothers of infrared astronomy,” and it is for her groundbreaking contributions to astronomical research at these wavelengths that she is being recognized and celebrated.  Rieke ultimately received both her undergraduate and graduate degrees in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology before joining the University of Arizona as a postdoctoral fellow in 1976, where she ultimately remained and made her seminal contributions to infrared astronomy. 

Rieke served as Deputy Principal Investigator for the Near Infrared Camera and Multi-Object Spectrometer (NICMOS) on the Hubble Space Telescope and Co-Investigator for the multiband imaging photometer on the Spitzer Space Telescope. Dr. Rieke was also involved with several infrared ground-based observatories, including the Multiple Mirror Telescope Observatory in Arizona.  

Rieke’s leadership is credited for the success of JWST’s Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam). As one of her nominator’s stated, “The NIRCam was the JWST Program’s most challenging instrument development effort. The instrument’s outstanding performance is due largely to the outstanding performance of its PI. Marcia’s consistent focus, diligence, and ‘lead from the front’ approach under extremely difficult technical and programmatic circumstances presents an example for others to follow.”

Rieke has authored 310 refereed publications which have over 30,000 citations. Her deep knowledge and expertise were put into service as Vice Chair for Program Prioritization for the Astro 2010 Decadal Survey Committee’s "New Worlds, New Horizons.”  Her landmark contributions to astronomical research, instrument development, and service to public policy and public outreach have been recognized nationally, being elected a Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences in 2007, a Fellow of the National Academy of Sciences in 2012, and a Legacy Fellow of the American Astronomical Society in 2020.  Dr. Rieke has also been the recipient of numerous prestigious awards, including the NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal (2023) for her contribution to the field of astronomy and key role in the development of cutting-edge instruments for the James Webb Space Telescope. 

Robert J. Trumpler Award to Deborah Lokhorst, who received her doctorate in astronomy from the University of Toronto. Her dissertation, “Ultra-Narrowband Imaging with the Dragonfly Telephoto Array: Toward the Cosmic Web,” is a rare thesis that combines theory, observation, and instrumentation. In her thesis, Lokhorst describes the conception, design, fabrication, and use of an innovative new imaging device for the Dragonfly telescope – an array of lenses working in tandem like the compound eye of a dragonfly – to detect extraordinarily dim astronomical objects.  She designed, machined, and assembled a prototype for a new component of the Dragonfly Telephoto Array that could detect these gases at the observational limit.  Named “the Filter-Tilter,” Lokhorst’s invention helped Dragonfly’s narrowband imager reveal what had been undetectable before – a giant ionized gas cloud surrounding the starburst galaxy, M82.  Lokhorst’s dissertation has also been recognized by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and the Canadian Astronomical Society who jointly presented her with their J.S. Plaskett Medal for most outstanding astrophysics doctoral thesis in Canada. Expanding upon her work on the Dragonfly Telescopic Array, she is now project and science lead for the Dragonfly Spectral Line Mapper with the goal of directly imaging the faintest and largest structures in the Universe.

Nancy Grace Roman Award, in its inaugural year, to Francesca Primas, Full Astronomer at the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and renowned observational astrophysicist studying the formation and evolution of the Milky Way and its satellite galaxies via their chemical histories. The Nancy Grace Roman Award recognizes her extensive commitment and contributions to the promotion of women in astronomy and against gender biases in science.  Primas began her work in gender equity 15 years ago, publishing a study on the status of women at the ESO. This work sparked important discussions and led to the creation of diversity and inclusion initiatives at ESO in which she continues to be actively engaged. Primas went on to serve as an advisor and then chair of International Astronomical Union’s (IAU) Working Group on Women in Astronomy.  To celebrate the 100th anniversary of the IAU, Francesca spearheaded the AstroVoices project. Through the creation of short video clips, this initiative gave over 600 women from 60 different countries an opportunity to share their passion for astronomy with the goal of encouraging young girls to follow their path.   Dr. Primas has organized and participated in numerous task forces, forums, panels, and presentations focused on the status of women in astronomy and strategies for creating safe and encouraging work environments.  She has also been an active member of the American Astronomical Society Committee on the Status of Women in Astronomy.

Klumpke-Roberts Award to Don McCarthy, for his four decades of commitment and dedication to the field of astronomy, impacting the lives and careers of thousands of astronomy enthusiasts throughout his career, as well as bringing his leadership, humility, and determination as a model to emulate those whose lives he touched. Throughout his scientific career, McCarthy has enjoyed explaining technical concepts (like “infrared interferometry” and “brown dwarfs”) to people of all ages. Beginning with his children who wondered what Dad did on mountaintops at night, he sought to provide behind-the-scenes experiences at modern observatories. His most well-known educational endeavor began in 1989, with the development of the teenage Astronomy Camp programs and creating one of the most revered outreach programs in its field.  The Camps still emphasize a hands-on, project-oriented approach at mountaintop observatories. In 2001, the Astronomy Camp model became the foundation for Arizona’s education proposal to build the Near-Infrared Camera (NIRCam) for the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). As a member of the NIRCam Science Team, McCarthy created a 15-year partnership with the Girl Scouts of the USA (GSUSA) to “Train the Trainers” on age-appropriate STEM concepts so that young girls would understand upcoming JWST discoveries and consider STEM careers. Signifying this collaboration, the NIRCam instrument was physically etched “Go Girl Scouts!”

Gordon Myers Amateur Achievement Award to Dan Caselden for reshaping the understanding of what is possible in volunteer-research. A Principal Software Engineer at Netskope by trade, Caselden is also a revered citizen scientist whose dedication to science research began in 2017 when he created an interactive browser tool to visualize data from any part of the sky using imaging from NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer (WISE) and NEOWISE missions. Caselden’s selfless contributions to brown dwarf research, and the timing of the discoveries prior to Spitzer’s retirement in 2020 and prior to the start of JWST’s mission, accentuates his immense technical abilities in machine learning as well as his deep commitment to creating publicly accessible astronomy tools. A continued dedication to supporting citizen science has led Caselden to three important collaborations beyond his “day job” as a computer security researcher.  All on his own time, Caselden is a collaborator at Caltech on the CatWISE astronomical source catalog of over ten years of WISE images; co-investigator on NSF’s NOIRLab’s Backyard Worlds: Cool Neighbors, a NASA-funded, citizen science in development spinoff of Backyard Worlds: Planet 9; and lastly a volunteer affiliate at the American Museum of Natural History as a Research Associate.

Fraknoi Supporters Award to Edna DeVore, former Director of Education and Public Outreach and CEO for the SETI Institute. Longtime friend, advisor, and supporter of the ASP, DeVore has also served on the ASP’s Board of Directors 2007-2013 and currently serves as Board Secretary, a position she has held since 2017. She is honored for her decades of support and dedication to the Society’s mission, including helping the ASP build a national reputation for supporting astronomy education. Working closely with Michael Bennett (ASP’s Executive Director, 2002-2007), DeVore helped the ASP forge a successful 10-year partnership between NASA and the SETI Institute to develop and implement the education and public outreach component for the Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA) mission. DeVore included the ASP in another landmark NASA initiative designed to engaged young girls in astronomy. Spearheaded and lead by DeVore, the principal investigator, this initiative created NASA space science badges for Girl Scouts in grades K-12. The materials and approaches developed for NASA Reach for the Stars are now part of almost all the ASP’s programs and critical to ensuring that astronomy is equally accessible to all regardless of background or ability. DeVore is also being honored for the many decades of mentorship she has provided to ASP staff, and especially to women in the organization.