This award recognizes outstanding contributions in gravitational-wave physics, gravitational-wave astrophysics, and the technologies that enable this science.
The annual award consists of $5,000, a certificate, travel reimbursement and a registration waiver to attend the APS April Meeting to give an invited talk and accept the award.
Establishment & Support
This award has been made possible through the generous support of Kip S. Thorne and Rainer Weiss. It honors the contributions of Richard Isaacson, retired Program Director of Gravitational Physics at the National Science Foundation, to the development of LIGO and to the entire field of gravitational-wave physics.
Rules & Eligibility
Any scientist or engineer who has made outstanding contributions to gravitational-wave physics and/or gravitational-wave astrophysics, or to the technologies which enable gravitational-wave science, is eligible. It is preferred that the award be given to a single person, but if deemed appropriate by the selection committee, the award may be shared by two or more people when all recipients have contributed roughly equally to the work being honored.
Richard A. Isaacson Award Recipients:
| 2020 | Bruce Allen Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics; University of Wisconsin “For pioneering and decisive contributions to the development and successful implementation of analysis techniques required to detect and interpret gravitational-wave signals.“ |
| 2020 | Bernard Schutz Cardiff University “For pioneering and decisive contributions to the development and successful implementation of analysis techniques required to detect and interpret gravitational-wave signals.“ |
| 2019 | Stanley E. Whitcomb LIGO Laboratory “For extraordinary contributions to the conceptualization, design, construction, commissioning, and operation of the LIGO detectors; and for his stewardship of the global gravitational wave community, including developing the partnership between LIGO and Virgo, and establishing LIGO-India.“ |
Information about the Richard A. Isaacson Award on the APS Homepage