AWARDS FOR BEST PRESENTATIONS DURING GR19
Session Chairs will send their nominations for the best student and post-doc presentations during GR19 to Professor Donald Marolf, the Chair of the GR19 Scientific Committee. He will send an ordered list to the Executive Committee of the Society which will make the final selection soon after GR19, taking into account the geographic, gender and thematic balance. The students prizes, the Hartle Awards are sponsored by Professor James B. Hartle. The post-doc prizes, the S. Chandrasekhar Awards are sponsored by World Scientific.
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THE JÜRGEN EHLERS THESIS PRIZE
for an outstanding Ph.D. thesis in mathematical and numerical relativity will be awarded to
DR NICHOLAS YUNES
The selection committee consisting of David Garfinkle (Chair), Bernd Brügmann, Bala Iyer and Alan Rendall prepared the following citation:
“For pioneering work on a variety of topics involving binary black holes, gravitational radiation, and Chern-Simons gravity”
This prize is sponsored by Springer to honor the memory of Professor Jügen Ehlers. See: http://grg.maths.qmul.ac.uk/grgsoc/ehlersprize.php It carries a certificate and a check for $1,500 and will be awarded during the opening ceremony of the 19th International conference.
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THE BERGMANN-WHEELER THESIS PRIZE
for a outstanding Ph.D. thesis in the broad area of quantum gravity will be awarded to
DR VICTOR TAVERAS
The selection committee consisting of Stephen Carlip (Chair), Gary Horowitz, Theodore Jacobson and Carlo Rovelli prepared the following citation: “For contributions to loop quantum cosmology and the development of a novel extension of loop quantum gravity.”
This prize is sponsored by Classical and Quantum Gravity to honor the memory of Professors Peter Bergmann and John Wheeler, pioneers of the field of quantum gravity. It carries a certificate and a check for $1,500 and will be awarded in the opening ceremony of the 19th International conference.
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THE GWIC THESIS PRIZE
for an outstanding Ph.D. thesis based on research in gravitational waves.
This is an annual award sponsored by the Gravitational Wave International Committee. See http://grg.maths.qmul.ac.uk/grgsoc/gwicprize.php It will be presented during the opening ceremony of the GR19 conference.
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THE BASILIS XANTHOPOULOS INTERNATIONAL AWARD
will be presented to
DR STEFAN HOLLANDS
The committee consisting of Profs. Jorge Pullin (Chair), Piotr Chrusciel, Gary Gibbons, Nikolaos Stergioulas and Clifford Will prepared the following citation:
“For his contributions to the mathematical aspects of gravitational physics, especially concerning the theory of quantum fields in curved space-time. Dr. Hollands’ work helped bring this area of research to a new level of clarity and mathematical rigor.”
The prize is sponsored by the FORTH Foundation, Hellas, to honor the memory of Basilis Xanthopoulos and is given to a scientist, below 40 years of age, who has made outstanding (preferably theoretical) contributions to gravitational physics. See: http://grg.maths.qmul.ac.uk/grgsoc/xanthprize.php
It carries a certificate and a check for approximately $10,000. It will be awarded during the opening ceremony of the conference.
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FELLOWSHIPS
The Society elected 10 Fellows in this first round. According to the rules governing this election, at least five had to be below 45 years of age. The Electors were Beverly Berger (Chair), David Blair, Misao Sasaki, and three ex-officio members Abhay Ashtekar (President), Clifford Will (Deputy president) and Malcolm MacCallum (Secretary). The new Fellows will be inducted during the Business Meeting of the Society.
* Alessandra Buonanno “For leading advances in the theory of general relativistic two-body dynamics and in the production and detection of gravitational waves”.
* Alejandro Corichi “For his significant contributions to loop quantum gravity and his leadership in numerous initiatives for the international gravity community”.
* Gabriela Gonzalez “For her outstanding contributions to the gravitational wave science and leadership in the LIGO Collaboration”.
* James Hough “For outstanding contributions in gravitational wave detection”.
* Don Marolf “For a broad range of insightful contributions to quantum gravity and quantum field theory in curved spacetime”.
* Roger Penrose “For his pioneering contributions to our understanding of global issues in general relativity which form many of the foundations of the modern era of gravitational physics”.
* Frans Pretorius “For his seminal contributions which have transformed the subject of numerical relativity”.
* Carlo Rovelli “For leading contributions to the field of quantum gravity, including loop quantum gravity and spin foam models, and for leadership in creating a vibrant quantum gravity community in France”.
* Madhavan Varadarajan “For his numerous insightful contributions to conceptually difficult and deep problems in classical and quantum gravity”.
* David Wands “For his seminal contributions to theoretical cosmology, particularly in the areas of cosmological perturbation theory”.