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Nominate
Each year the AAS awards up to 11 prizes and awards — and its annual class of AAS Fellows — on the basis of nominations from the community. Are you considering nominating a colleague or yourself for an award? If so, read on for information and instructions!
General Information
The current prize cycle is named for the following year, i.e., the year in which awards are announced (usually at the January AAS Meeting). You can find detailed information on each prize, including award criteria, eligibility requirements (for some prizes), and the award itself, on the main web page for AAS prizes.
We use a web-based tool called OpenWater to manage the entire end-to-end prize process and keep track of all the individual elements. The forms in OpenWater provide instructions in how to provide the needed information; be sure to follow the links back to the page for the prize of interest for specific details.
A prize nomination comprises three parts; for a nomination to be considered, all three must be complete by the published deadlines. Please start the process in Open Water early — late nominations will not be considered.
- Nomination
This is the responsibility of the Nominator, who initiates the process. The deadline is 30 June. - Nominee package
The Nominee must complete the requested package. The deadline is 15 July. - Letters of Support
In the nomination form, the Nominator selects three people familiar with the Nominee’s work to serve as Letter Writers in support of the Nominee. The deadline for receiving all three letters is 15 July.
This process applies to all prizes and awards, including the annual selection of new AAS Fellows. Some prizes have additional requirements and constraints; see below for details.
Self-nomination is allowed for all AAS prizes. The identity of the Nominator is hidden from the prize committee to eliminate this being a factor in the review.
All nominations remain valid for three prize cycles. Nominators may choose to re-submit if their nomination has expired or if they have additional information for consideration in the review process. Note that the Beatrice M. Tinsley Prize and George Van Biesbroeck Prize are awarded every other year (with Tinsley offered in, e.g., the 2027 and 2029 prize cycles); those nominations remain valid going back four years.
Responsibilities
Nominator Responsibilities
Only AAS members are eligible to submit nominations, either for themselves or for other AAS members, with one exception: the Chambliss Amateur Achievement Award is open for self-nomination by nonmembers.
On the nomination form, the Nominator must provide the following information before the deadline:
- Nominator’s name and email
- Nominee’s name, institution and email
- A paragraph of up to 400 words making the case for the Nominee
- A draft award citation
- Names and emails of three people who have already agreed to each write a Letter of Support for the nomination
The Nominator must check that their chosen Nominee is eligible (as well as qualified) for the award; some prizes have eligibility requirements, as further described below.
The Nominator must obtain agreement from three Letter Writers before submitting the nomination. A nomination is incomplete until all three letters are received. The Nominator can be one of the Letter Writers, except in the case of self-nomination.
Important: the email addresses that the Nominator provides (for the Nominee and the Letter Writers) must be accurate; out of date or incorrect emails will result in an incomplete nomination. The Nominator will be notified by email as each named person competes their part of the process.
Nominee Responsibilities
The Nominee receives a notification of their nomination from OpenWater. They are responsible for providing the items requested on the OpenWater form before the deadline. In general, these items will include the following (though note below for exceptions):
- Mailing address
- Curriculum vitae (CV)
This document should be no more than 2 pages long (in typical font, single-spaced). It is recommended that only the information relevant to the prize in question be included. - A bibliography of the candidate's published articles
This document should be no more than 2 pages long (in typical font, single-spaced). It is recommended that only the information relevant to the prize in question be included. - Abstracts of three publications illustrative of the candidate's merit
- Completed Professional Ethics Self-Disclosure form
See below for prizes that require different or additional information from the Nominee.
Letter-Writer Responsibilities
Each Letter Writer will receive an email from OpenWater (generated by the nomination form) with instructions on uploading a Letter of Support via the link provided. To be properly credited to the nomination, the letter must be uploaded via the form. The letter can either be copied/pasted into the form as text, or it can be uploaded as a PDF.
Important: If the Letter Writer is unable to meet the deadline, they must promptly inform the Nominator, so that the Nominator has enough time to request a letter from someone else. Letters received after the deadline may not be credited to the nomination.
Prizes with Different or Additional Requirements
See the individual prize pages for details.
- Chambliss Amateur Achievement Award
The Chambliss Amateur Achievement Award does not require a bibliography or abstracts of three publications. This award is open for nomination or self-nomination by non-members. - Chambliss Astronomical Writing Prize
This is a prize for book authors. The Nominee is required in OpenWater to provide enough information for the AAS to obtain review copies for the prize committee. - Annie Jump Cannon Award in Astronomy
The Cannon Award is for outstanding research and promise for future research by a postdoctoral woman researcher. It has a specific age limit for PhD receipt year, though suspensions of career progress may be allowed as a factor in determining eligibility. In addition, the Nominee is expected to provide a 5-year plan outlining future research. The text of the plan should be no more than 3 pages single-spaced. With graphics, tables, and references, the total length should be no more than 5–6 pages. - Newton Lacy Pierce Prize in Astronomy
The Pierce Prize has an age limit for the awardee, though suspensions of career progress may be allowed as a factor in determining eligibility. Affiliation with a North American institution is required as of the date the award is announced (usually the January following selection). No individual candidate is eligible for both the Pierce and Warner Prizes. (Candidates for the two prizes are reviewed by a single prize committee.) - Helen B. Warner Prize for Astronomy
The Warner Prize has an age limit for the awardee. Affiliation with a North American institution is required as of the date the award is announced (usually the January following selection). No individual candidate is eligible for both the Pierce and Warner Prizes. (Candidates for the two prizes are reviewed by a single prize committee.)
AAS Fellow Nominations
Eligibility:
See the list of AAS members who are eligible for the next Fellows class. Those who are already AAS Fellows are on this roster for easy sorting.
The following individuals shall be ineligible for election to Fellow:
- Current members of the Selection Committee
- Members of the AAS Board of Trustees
- Current AAS Division officer
- Current full-time employee of the AAS
- Any individual involved in the nomination of members of the Selection Committee.
Categories for recognition include:
- original research and publication,
- significant innovative contributions to astronomical techniques or instrumentation, significant contributions to teaching,
- public education, or
- service to astronomy and for the American Astronomical Society.
Self-nominations are allowed. Nominations are due 30 June for the class of the following year.
Last Updated April 2026 (Note: These instructions have been extensively revised, but changes in the actual prize process are minor.)