Chambliss Amateur Achievement Award

The Chambliss Amateur Achievement Award is presented for an achievement in astronomical research made by an amateur astronomer — that is, a person not employed in the field of astronomy in a professional capacity — and who is resident in North America. The key factor in deciding the recipient will be that the work contributes to the advancement of the science of astronomy. The award consists of a silver medal.

Candidates for the Chambliss Amateur Achievement Award may be nominated by non-members.

History: 

Rules for the Amateur Achievement Awards were approved at the 208th AAS Meeting in Calgary, Alberta, June 2006.

Eligibility:

  • Candidate must be an amateur astronomer — that is, a person not employed in the field of astronomy in a professional capacity.
  • Candidate must be a resident of North America.

Criteria:

Astronomical research:

  • Did the nominee make a significant contribution?
  • Did their research contribute to the advancement of astronomy?

Sharing research with the community:

  • Were results shared with the community in some way (e.g., at public events, by publication, or shared on social media)?
  • Were results published in professional journals with (professional) colleagues?

Self-nominations are allowed, as are nominations by non-members. For questions, please contact the AAS Secretary.

Nomination Deadline: 30 June

Nomination Process

View the Nomination Instructions
Submit Nomination

Support

Consider Volunteering to Serve on the Award Committee

Award Winners

2025 - Richard Donnerstein

For his significant contributions to the detection of diffuse, low surface brightness galaxies as part of the Systematically Measuring Ultra-Diffuse Galaxies (SMUDGes) Project.

2024 - Dan Caselden

For his outstanding participation in the Backyard Worlds citizen science projects, including pioneering the application of machine learning to solar neighborhood ultracool dwarf searches.

2020 – Dennis Conti

For his outstanding observational, computational, and educational contributions to exoplanet studies.

2018 – Donald G. Bruns

For his successful recreation of, and improvement upon, Eddington's iconic deflection-of-light experiment during the 2017 total solar eclipse, which represents a tour de force in careful observing and calibration.

2016 – Daryll LaCourse

For significant contributions to exoplanet research as a leading member of the Zooniverse Planet Hunters program.

2014 – Mike Simonsen

For his multiyear Z CamPaign dedicated to the long-term study of Z Camelopardalis stars, the results of which, published in the Journal of the AAVSO, promises to have a long-lasting impact on the field of accretion-disk theory.

2012 – Kian Jek

For his work in the Kepler Mission's Planet Hunters program that has been instrumental in the discovery of several planets that had been missed by the Kepler pipelines.

2011 – Tim Puckett

For his efforts in developing & leading the Puckett Observatory World Supernova Search program to understand some of the most important & intriguing objects in the Universe, & the advancements in astrophysics & cosmology that have been made possible.