The purpose of the Solar Physics Division (SPD) is the advancement of the study of the Sun and the coordination of such research with other branches of science. The SPD holds annual scientific meetings, awards several different prizes, and supports students in various ways.

NEW

24th May 2022 - AAS Solar Physics Division Announces 2022 Popular Media Awards

The AAS Solar Physics Division (SPD) is proud to announce the winners of the 2022 Popular Media Awards are Colin Stuart, Mara Johnson-Groh, and Joy Ng.

• Colin Stuart is awarded for his article “Solar Trouble: How Well Do We Know the Sun?,” published in the April 2021 edition of Sky & Telescope Magazine.
• Mara Johnson-Groh and Joy Ng are jointly recognized for their article and accompanying video entitled “NASA Enters the Solar Atmosphere for the First Time, Bringing New Discoveries,” published on 2021-12-14 on nasa.gov and YouTube, respectively.

The SPD Popular Media Awards are presented annually to authors of popular articles and new media about the Sun or the relationship between the Sun and Earth. More information about the annual award can be found on the SPD website and how to submit content for consideration for next year’s award. The SPD would like to thank Angela DesJardins and Cooper Downs for their 10 years of service on the Popular Media Awards committee and welcome Erika Palmerio and Trae Winter as new committee members.

15th May 2022 - Family Travel Assistance Available for TESS

Anyone needing assistance for dependent care to enable their attendance at TESS may apply directly to treasurer@spd.aas.org (currently David McKenzie).  This can be used to pay for childcare or other dependent care at the meeting, or to help support a family member's travel for such a purpose.  The amount available has recently been doubled to $800 per request.  Your application should state the amount needed and how it will be used.  Applicable expenses will be reimbursed via check at the meeting. 

26 January 2022 - AAS Solar Physics Division Announces 2022 Hale and Harvey Prizes

The Solar Physics Division (SPD) of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) is proud to announce the 2022 winners of its two most prestigious annual scientific prizes. Dr. Sami Solanki of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research (MPS) in Göttingen, Germany, is awarded the George Ellery Hale Prize for his foundational studies of solar magnetism, its impact on the Sun–Earth system, and magnetic fields of other stars. Dr. Adam Kowalski, who is joint faculty at University Colorado Boulder’s Department of Astrophysical and Planetary Sciences, the Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics and National Science Foundation’s National Solar Observatory in Boulder, CO, is awarded the Karen Harvey Prize for his innovative research into stellar flares towards resolving long-standing problems relating to flares on both the Sun and other stars.

2022 Thomas Metcalf SPD Travel Awards – Call for Applications from Meeting Organizers

Posted by Maria D. Kazachenko | November 15, 2021 | General

The Solar Physics Division (SPD) hereby announces the Thomas Metcalf SPD Travel Award Program for 2022. The Thomas Metcalf Travel Fund was established in 2007 with generous contributions from his family and many others to help early-career scientists attend meetings relevant to solar physics. For this year, two or three meetings will be selected by the Metcalf Travel Award Committee (MTAC) on the basis of brief applications from Meeting Organizers. The total amount available this year is expected to be about $10,000. See the Thomas Metcalf SPD Travel Award page for more details.