Eric Becklin, a UCLA professor emeritus in physics and astronomy, has been selected for the American Astronomical Society’s 2017 Henry Norris Russell Lectureship. The prize is given annually to an astronomer on the basis of a “lifetime of eminence in astronomical research.”
Becklin’s citation says the honor recognizes his “pioneering discovery work in the area of infrared astronomy, in contexts ranging from studies of the galactic center, galactic star-forming regions, evolved stars, brown dwarfs, and exoplanets, to the environments of obscured galactic nuclei, and his leadership role in turning infrared astronomy into a fundamental tool for understanding astronomy and astrophysics.”
He will be presented with the award at the society’s next winter meeting in January 2018.
Becklin has served as chief science adviser for the NASA mission SOFIA.