Solar Physics Division Announces 2026 Hale, Harvey, and González Prize Winners

This post is adapted from several Solar Physics Division press releases:

The Solar Physics Division (SPD) of the American Astronomical Society (AAS) is proud to announce the recipients of its prestigious 2026 awards, honoring outstanding contributions to the field of solar physics. This year's honorees are Dr. Yi-Ming Wang, Dr. Lakshmi Pradeep Chitta, and Dr. Paola Testa, recognized for their groundbreaking scientific achievements and exemplary leadership within the solar physics community. The awards will be presented at the SPD’s 57th meeting, held 9–14 August 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland.

Dr. Yi-Ming Wang of the Naval Research Laboratory has been awarded the 2026 George Ellery Hale Prize for his seminal discoveries and groundbreaking contributions to the study of the Sun’s magnetic fields, the solar wind, the solar-cycle dynamo, and variability in total solar irradiance, as well as for the profound and lasting impact of his work on solar and heliospheric physics. The influence of Dr. Wang’s life-long body of work extends well beyond individual scientific advances. His contributions have directly improved the community’s ability to model and predict the dynamic Sun–Earth environment, supporting more accurate space weather forecasting with broad societal relevance, including impacts on space-based technologies, communications, and infrastructure.

Dr. Lakshmi Pradeep Chitta of the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research is the recipient of the 2026 Karen Harvey Prize, recognizing his pioneering contributions to understanding the magnetic coupling between the Sun’s surface and its atmosphere. Through an exceptional ability to synthesize theory with high-resolution observations, he has made landmark advances in addressing fundamental questions regarding the physical mechanisms that power the solar atmosphere. His work has been particularly influential using novel measurements from the Sunrise balloon-borne solar telescope and Solar Orbiter.

Dr. Paola Testa of the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian has been awarded the 2026 Irene González Hernández Prize, recognizing a mid-career scientist for transformative contributions to solar physics. Dr. Testa is honored for her outstanding mid-career contributions to solar physics and the solar–stellar connection. Through a sustained and influential research program, she has significantly advanced understanding of the heating mechanisms, high-energy emission, and plasma processes in the outer atmospheres of the Sun and other stars. Her work combines high-resolution observations with state-of-the-art numerical modeling, enabling new insights into coronal heating, particle acceleration, and coronal abundance anomalies.

The Solar Physics Division congratulates these distinguished scientists on their achievements and their ongoing contributions to advancing our understanding of the Sun and its impact on the heliosphere. Their work continues to inspire the next generation of solar physicists and drive progress in the study of solar phenomena and space weather.

About the SPD Prizes: The George Ellery Hale Prize recognizes exceptional contributions to the field of solar astronomy. The Karen Harvey Prize honors early-career scientists for significant advances in solar physics research. The Irene González Hernández Prize, established in 2024, celebrates mid-career scientists for transformative contributions to solar research, leadership, and community service.