Prizes

SPD Prizes and Awards

The SPD sponsors the following prizes and awards (see below for detailed listings):

• The George Ellery Hale Prize, awarded to a scientist for outstanding contributions to the field of solar astronomy.
• The Karen Harvey Prize, awarded in recognition for a significant contribution to the study of the Sun early in a person's professional career.
• Two Popular Writing Awards to authors of popular or semi-popular articles on the Sun or the effects of the Sun on the Earth's environment. One award is made to scientists (including both professionals and students) and the other is made to science writers and journalists.
• The Tom Metcalf Lecturer Program: In consultation with Tom Metcalf's family, the Solar Physics Division (SPD) has established the Thomas Metcalf SPD Travel Fund to help support newer members' expenses for attending meetings relevant to solar physics. AAS members can donate here (login required).
• SPD Studentship Awards are given annually to outstanding undergraduate and graduate students who are interested in pursuing a career in solar physics. More details are given on the SPD Students page.
• SPD Certificates of Appreciation will be given for exceptional contributions in a managerial or other non-technical role that significantly advance the discipline of solar physics. Nominations of potential recipients can be submitted to the SPD Committee at any time and should include a written statement of why the individual is deserving of special recognition. The Committee will decide whether a certificate is merited. Typically, no more than one certificate will be awarded in any given year. The certificate will be presented at the next SPD business (members) meeting, and the nomination letter will be published in SolarNews.

The SPD also sponsors a series of Parker Lectures (named after Professor Eugene Parker of the University of Chicago) at SPD Meetings that highlight active fields of solar research.

Past Winners of the Hale Prize  

Links below lead to the Prize citations and, when available, electronic versions of the Prize Talks:

Past Winners of the Harvey Prize

Eligibility and Nominations

Hale Prize

The SPD awards this honorary prize, in memory of George Ellery Hale, to a scientist for outstanding contributions over an extended period of time to the field of solar astronomy. In considering candidates, the Hale and Harvey Prize Committee is to be guided by the impact of the candidates' research in solar physics, general astronomy, geophysics, mathematics, and physics. Any living scientist is eligible to receive the award without consideration of race, sex, nationality or membership in SPD.

The Hale and Harvey Prize Committee will receive proposals for nominations endorsed by two members of the Society. The nomination letter should summarize key papers which form the basis for the proposal as well as a description of the scientific achievements which justify the award. The full CV including referred publication list is also required. Additional supporting letters will enhance the nominations.

Harvey Prize

Each fall, nominations are sought for the SPD early career Karen Harvey Prize, established in May 2002 in honor of the late Karen Harvey, in recognition of a significant contribution to the study of the Sun early in a person's professional career. The prize will be awarded to a person who has not reached 36 years of age, or who has not reached ten years of cumulative professional experience since the PhD or equivalent degree, at the end of the year preceding the award. The award is open to anyone who meets the age or professional experience requirement, without regard to sex, race, nationality or membership in the SPD.

A letter of nomination with supporting letters of endorsement, and full CV including a list of publications should be submitted to the Hale and Harvey Prize Committee who will also be responsible for the selection.

Nominations for the Harvey prize must be updated every year with at minimum an updated CV and cover letter (other additional materials/updates are also encouraged). Nominations for the Hale prize must be updated every three years -- again with CV and nomination letter, and other materials if desired.

A link to an ADS library listing the nominee’s publications is very useful to the committee.

The Hale and Harvey Prize Committee retains the privilege of considering candidates for both prizes not proposed by above process. If a member of the Committee is nominated for one of the prizes, the nomination will be deferred for automatic consideration after the proposed individual has completed his/her term of duty on the Committee.

Hale and Harvey Prize Committee:

• Terry Kucera 2017-2021 (Chair)
• Frank Hill 2017-2021
• Kathy Reeves 2017-2021
• Jiong Qiu 2019-2023
• Tim Bastian 2019-2023