Neta Bahcall, Princeton’s Eugene Higgins Professor of Astronomy has been awarded the American Astronomical Society’s highest honor, The Henry Norris Russell Lectureship!  The award is given for “a lifetime of eminence in astronomical research.”

Bahcall received this award “For her central contributions to determining the average density of matter in the universe and establishing the concordance model of cosmology, and for her dedication to astronomical education and her exemplary service to the community.”

Princetonians who have received this honor in the past include: 

     Henry Norris Russell (he received the inaugural honor in 1946)
     Lyman Spitzer
     Martin Schwarzschild
     Bengt Stromgren
     Jeremiah Ostriker
     Jim Peebles
     John Bahcall
     Jim Gunn
     Bohdan Paczynski
     Scott Tremaine

Neta and John are also the first couple to have both received this award. 

Congratulations, Neta!

To read more about the award and Bahcall’s career, visit the Princeton University website.