Richard A. Isaacson Award in Gravitational-Wave Science

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.  Nominations will be considered for three review cycles provided the nominator re-certifies the nomination before the next deadline.

See also the APS Prize and Award Nomination Guidelines.

Nomination & Selection Process

Deadline: Thursday, June 1, 2023

A nomination consists of:

• The nominee’s name, institution, and contact information
• A suggested citation (usually citations do not include the person’s name, and start with “For...”. See the APS prize and award recipients page for examples. Limit the citation to 300 characters or less, including spaces)
• A nomination letter evaluating the nominee's qualifications in the light of the particular features of the prize or award and identifying the specific work or achievement to be recognized
• At least two, but no more than four, letters of support
• Complete a provided demographics form (if known/wish to specify age, gender, race, and ethnicity of the nominee).
• The nominee’s CV or biosketch (optional)
• A list of the nominee’s most important publications (optional)
• Up to five reprints or preprints (optional)

All files must be written in English and uploaded in PDF format. Letters must be on letterhead, dated, and signed physically or with an electronic signature. Include the name of the nominee in the filenames.

Instructions for submitting a nomination are included in the APS Prize & Award Nomination Guidelines.

2024 Selection Committee members: Michael Landry (Chair), Laura Cadonati, Emanuele Berti, Michele Vallisneri, and Steve Liebling