Highest Presidential Honor Bestowed on Steward Observatory Astronomers
Honor Highlights the Department's Preeminence in Theory, Data and Computation
Steward Observatory professors Gurtina Besla and Kaitlin Kratter are among this year’s PECASE recipients honored this January for their cutting-edge astronomy research in galaxy evolution and star and planetary formation, respectively.
Earlier this month, Steward Observatory professors Gurtina Besla and Kaitlin Kratter both received the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (PECASE)—they are two of only 400 scientists and engineers across the nation honored by former President Biden for their innovative research. U of A was notably well-represented on the awardee list this year: Paloma Beamer, professor at the U of A College of Public Health, received a PECASE as well. PECASE is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on outstanding scientists and engineers early in their careers. “Each of us is nominated in recognition of both the excellent work that has already been done, and our great potential for future excellence” said associate professor of astronomy Erika Hamden, who also won a PECASE in 2019. “This is a huge honor, and the small pool of people that can be considered for it is very exclusive.”
Astronomy Professor Gurtina Besla
Gurtina Besla, Ph.D. Associate Professor, Astronomy and Associate Astronomer, Steward Observatory
Dr. Gurtina Besla, a professor in the Department of Astronomy and an astronomer at Steward Observatory, was recognized for her groundbreaking work in theoretical astrophysics. Her research, supported by the National Science Foundation (NSF) CAREER award, delves into the evolution of the Milky Way and its satellite galaxies, advancing our understanding of galaxy evolution and the properties of dark matter. Dr Besla is also the director of the TIMESTEP undergraduate professional development program and the MESCIT math tutoring program for Native American scholars.
Astronomy Professor Kaitlin Kratter
Kaitlin Kratter, Ph.D. Professor, AstronomyAstronomer, Steward Observatory Professor, Applied Math GIDP
Dr. Kaitlin Kratter—a professor in the Department of Astronomy, astronomer at Steward Observatory and affiliate of the Graduate Interdisciplinary Program in Applied Mathematics—was celebrated for her innovative theoretical studies of star and planet formation. Her work, supported by NASA, leverages large scale numerical simulations to help explain the origin of the diverse populations of multi-star systems and exoplanets in our galaxy.