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

June 30, 2026: Nomination submission deadline | July 15, 2026: Nominee package submission deadline | July 15, 2026: Letters of Support deadline

Honorific award; no monetary prize specified.

Recognizes individuals for innovative and impactful advances in astronomical instrumentation (excluding software) that have significantly advanced astronomy.

--- ## Description The Joseph Weber Award for Astronomical Instrumentation, presented by the American Astronomical Society (AAS), honors individuals for the design, invention, or significant improvement of astronomical instrumentation (excluding software) that has enabled advances in astronomy. The award celebrates innovative and impactful contributions, considering the originality, technological advancement, and broad impact of the instrumentation on the field. There are no restrictions on citizenship or residency, and self-nominations are permitted. --- ## Due Dates - June 30, 2026: Nomination submission deadline (must be submitted by nominator) - July 15, 2026: Nominee package submission deadline (nominee must provide required materials) - July 15, 2026: Letters of Support deadline (all three letters must be received) --- ## Funding Amount - This is an honorific award; no monetary prize is specified. --- ## Eligibility - No restrictions on candidate's citizenship or country of residency. - Awarded to individuals (not groups) for the design, invention, or significant improvement of astronomical instrumentation (not software). - The instrumentation must have led to advances in astronomy, with consideration given to its impact, originality, and technological innovation. - A considerable period may have elapsed between the development of the instrumentation and the granting of the award. - Self-nominations are allowed. - All requirements must be met at the time of nomination, and nominations must be fully completed and submitted by the deadline. --- ## Application Process - **Nomination**: Must be initiated by an AAS member (self-nomination allowed). The nominator provides: - Nominator and nominee details - A paragraph (up to 400 words) making the case for the nominee - Draft award citation - Names and emails of three people who have agreed to write Letters of Support - **Nominee Package**: The nominee must submit: - Mailing address - CV (max 2 pages) - Bibliography of published articles (max 2 pages) - Abstracts of three representative publications - Completed Professional Ethics Self-Disclosure form - **Letters of Support**: Three letters from individuals familiar with the nominee’s work, submitted via the nomination portal. - All components must be submitted via the [AAS Prizes Nomination Portal](https://aas.secure-platform.com/a/page/AASPrizes). --- ## Additional Information - The identity of the nominator is hidden from the prize committee. - All nominations remain valid for three prize cycles. - Late or incomplete nominations will not be considered. - Detailed nomination instructions are available on the [AAS nomination checklist page](https://aas.org/grants-and-prizes/nomination-checklist). --- ## External Links - [Award Details and Criteria](https://aas.org/grants-and-prizes/joseph-weber-award-astronomical-instrumentation) - [Nomination Instructions](https://aas.org/grants-and-prizes/nomination-checklist) - [AAS Prizes Nomination Portal](https://aas.secure-platform.com/a/page/AASPrizes) - [AAS Honors, Grants & Prizes](https://aas.org/honors-grants-and-prizes) --- ## Contact Information | Purpose | Contact | |---------------------|--------------------------------------------| | General Inquiries | [AAS Contact Page](https://aas.org/contact) | | Award-specific | [AAS Secretary](mailto:aassec@aas.org) | | Phone | +1 202-328-2010 |

Joseph Weber Award for Astronomical Instrumentation

Sign in to see full grant listing