Division of Astrophysics Fellowship
Fellowship in the American Physical Society is a great honor. In accordance with the APS Constitution, "there shall be elected to Fellowship only such Members who have contributed to the advancement of physics by independent, original research or who have rendered some other special service to the cause of the sciences." All APS members are invited to nominate deserving colleagues as potential Fellows of APS.
Rules and eligibility
Nominating a colleague for APS Fellowship is a way to commend them for excellence in physics and their service to the physics community.
To nominate a colleague for APS Fellowship, you and the additional nominating co-sponsor must be active APS members. The colleague you nominate must also be an active APS member.
Process and selection
To nominate a colleague for APS Fellowship, please include the following:
- The nominee's name
- The co-sponsor's name, and email address
- A 300 character suggested citation that does not include the nominee's name, gendered pronouns, or symbols, and begins with, "For..."
- A 2,500 character paragraph expanding on the citation to indicate the originality and significance of the contributions
- A PDF sponsor's recommendation letter
- The co-sponsor's recommendation letter, which must be uploaded by the co-sponsor
- The nominee's curriculum vitae (CV), which must include academic and employment history, professional honors, a list of principal publications only, and other significant contributions to physics
- Optional: Up to two additional PDF letters of support, which must be uploaded by the letter writers
Selection Committee
- Rebecca Surman
- Michela Negro
- Julian Munoz
- Helena Garcia Escudero
- Justin Vandenbroucke
Recent recipients
Marco Ajello
2026 recipient
For novel work utilizing high-energy astrophysics and multi-wavelength observations to detect and study the growth and evolution of supermassive black holes, understand the sources of high-energy neutrinos, and measure cosmological backgrounds.
Sukanya Chakrabarti
2026 recipient
For novel and sustained contributions to the understanding of dark matter based on the development of extreme-precision dynamical measurements, as well as pioneering considerations of binaries hosting compact objects.
Tesla Jeltema
2026 recipient
For major leadership roles in astrophysics and cosmology, numerous important contributions in several areas of astrophysics, and longstanding dedication to mentorship and the health of the field.
Kerstin Perez
2026 recipient
For groundbreaking advances in particle astrophysics instrumentation and dark matter detection, including novel detectors for GAPS, new NuSTAR analysis techniques, and international leadership in the International Axion Observatory (IAXO); and for exceptional excellence in physics education.
Tristan L. Smith
2026 recipient
For broad contributions to theoretical astrophysics, including seminal work on the Hubble tension and important ideas for gravitational-wave astrophysics and cosmology.
APS Honors recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of the global physics community. Guided by our core values, APS Honors encourages nominations that reflect the full range of talent, distinction, and experience in our field, and supports broad canvassing for professional achievement across diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and expertise.
Nominees for and holders of APS Honors (prizes, awards, and fellowship) and official leadership positions are expected to meet standards of professional conduct and integrity as described in the APS Ethics Standards. Violations of these standards may disqualify people from consideration or lead to revocation of honors or removal from office.
Division of Astrophysics Fellowship
Related
Prepare your nomination materials and review the submission process to recognize your colleagues and students.
Prepare your Fellowship nomination materials and review the submission process.
As approved by the Council of Representatives on April 10, 2025.
APS honors exceptional contributions to the physics community, including travel support for students and early career physicists.