[American Astronomical Society](https://aas.org)

June 30, 2026 (Nomination) | July 15, 2026 (Nominee package & Letters of Support)

Gold medal and $1,000 monetary award (shared among authors if applicable)

Recognizes excellence in upper-division undergraduate or graduate-level astronomy textbooks with significant educational impact.

--- ## Description The Chambliss Astronomical Writing Award, presented by the American Astronomical Society (AAS), honors authors of outstanding astronomy textbooks aimed at upper-division undergraduate or graduate students. This award seeks to fill a gap in recognition for scholarly works that serve advanced academic audiences, as opposed to introductory or popular texts. The winning book is recognized for its depth, clarity, logical organization, and the inclusion of effective study aids and exercises that support advanced student learning. The award includes a gold medal and a $1,000 monetary prize, which is shared among co-authors if applicable. --- ## Due Dates - **June 30, 2026:** Nomination (Nominator) deadline - **July 15, 2026:** Nominee package deadline (Nominee must submit CV, bibliography, supporting documents) - **July 15, 2026:** Letters of Support deadline (three letters required) All dates are annual and refer to the next prize cycle. --- ## Funding Amount - **Award:** Gold medal and $1,000 monetary prize - If the winning book has multiple authors, the monetary award is divided and each author receives a certificate. --- ## Eligibility - Candidate books must be astronomy textbooks for an academic audience—specifically, upper-division undergraduate or graduate level. - Books must be currently available in North America. - Self-nominations are allowed. - All award requirements must be met at the time of nomination, and nominations must be fully completed and submitted by the deadline. - Only AAS members may serve as nominators, except for certain other AAS prizes (not this one). - The nominee is required to provide enough information for the AAS to obtain review copies for the prize committee. --- ## Application Process 1. **Nomination (by June 30, 2026):** - Initiated by the nominator (must be an AAS member). - Requires a case statement (up to 400 words), draft citation, and contact details for three letter writers who have agreed to support the nomination. - [Nomination portal](https://aas.secure-platform.com/a/page/AASPrizes) 2. **Nominee Package (by July 15, 2026):** - The nominee must submit: - Mailing address - Curriculum vitae (max 2 pages) - Bibliography of published articles (max 2 pages) - Abstracts of three publications illustrative of merit - Completed Professional Ethics Self-Disclosure form - Information to enable AAS to obtain review copies of the book 3. **Letters of Support (by July 15, 2026):** - Three letters required, uploaded via the nomination system. - The nominator can be one of the letter writers, except in the case of self-nomination. 4. **Review and Selection:** - The Chambliss Astronomical Writing Award Committee reviews completed nominations. - Winners are announced at the January AAS Meeting for the following year. --- ## Additional Information - All nominations remain valid for three prize cycles. - Late or incomplete nominations will not be considered. - The nomination process is managed via the OpenWater platform. - The identity of the nominator is hidden from the prize committee to ensure impartiality. - See the [Nomination Checklist](https://aas.org/grants-and-prizes/nomination-checklist) for detailed instructions. --- ## External Links - [Chambliss Astronomical Writing Award program page](https://aas.org/grants-and-prizes/chambliss-astronomical-writing-award) - [Nomination Instructions & Checklist](https://aas.org/grants-and-prizes/nomination-checklist) - [Nomination Portal (OpenWater)](https://aas.secure-platform.com/a/page/AASPrizes) - [List of AAS Prizes and Awards](https://aas.org/honors-grants-and-prizes) --- ## Contact Information | Name/Role | Email | Phone | Web Contact | |---------------------|-----------------------------|-----------------|-------------------------------| | AAS Secretary (Stephen Unwin) | [aassec@aas.org](mailto:aassec@aas.org) | +1 202-328-2010 | [AAS Contact Page](https://aas.org/contact) | ---

Chambliss Astronomical Writing Award

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