Indian-origin US scientist wins prestigious Shaw Prize in astronomy
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Shrinivas R Kulkarni, an Indian-origin professor of astronomy from the United States, has been awarded the prestigious Shaw Prize in Astronomy for his significant discoveries about millisecond pulsars, gamma-ray bursts, supernovae, and other variable or transient astronomical objects.
Kulkarni, the George Ellery Hale Professor of Astronomy and Planetary Science at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech), will receive this esteemed award. The Shaw Prize Foundation announced the laureates for 2024, highlighting Kulkarni's contributions to time-domain astronomy, which include the conception, construction, and leadership of the Palomar Transient Factory and its successor, the Zwicky Transient Facility. "These projects have greatly enhanced our understanding of the time-variable optical sky."
"The Shaw Prize in Astronomy is awarded to Shrinivas R Kulkarni, for his ground-breaking discoveries about millisecond pulsars, gamma-ray bursts, supernovae, and other variable or transient astronomical objects. His contributions to time-domain astronomy culminated in the conception, construction and leadership of the Palomar Transient Factory and its successor, the Zwicky Transient Facility, which has revolutionised our understanding of the time-variable optical sky," the Shaw Prize Foundation stated.
Other recipients of the Shaw Prize include Swee Lay Thein and Stuart Orkin, who share the Shaw Prize in Life Science and Medicine, and Peter Sarnak, who received the Shaw Prize in Mathematical Sciences. Each prize carries a monetary award of USD 1.2 million.
The 21st annual Shaw Prize presentation ceremony is scheduled for Tuesday, November 12, in Hong Kong.
According to his biography on Caltech's Division of Physics, Mathematics, and Astronomy website, Kulkarni completed his MS at the Indian Institute of Technology in 1978 and earned his PhD from the University of California in 1983. He served as the director of Caltech Optical Observatories from 2006 to 2018.
The Shaw Prize was established by Hong Kong-based film and television personality and philanthropist Run Run Shaw (1907-2014). Shaw founded the Shaw Foundation Hong Kong and The Sir Run Run Shaw Charitable Trust, both dedicated to promoting education, scientific and technological research, medical and welfare services, and culture and the arts.