AAL congratulates Professor Rachel Webster, Head of Astrophysics at The University of Melbourne and AAL Board Chair, on being appointed an Officer of the Order of Australia (AO).

Professor Webster was singled out for this award in the 2020 Australia Day Honours List due to her ongoing distinguished service to education in the field of astrophysics, to astronomical research, and to young women scientists.

AAL would like to congratulate Professor Lisa Kewley of ANU, winner of the 2020 James Craig Watson Medal. Awarded by the National Academy of Sciences in Washington DC, Professor Kewley was recognised for her pioneering contributions to the study of galaxy formation and evolution. Amongst her other accomplishments, Professor Kewley produced the first models for star-forming galaxies to include a variable temperature and density distribution within the galaxy.

The director of ASTRO 3D and an ARC Laureate Fellow at ANU’s Research School for Astronomy and Astrophysics, Professor Kewley is the first person in Australia (and in the Southern Hemisphere) to be recognised with this major US award since it was established 133 years ago.

The ACAMAR6 Workshop (scheduled between 11-14 February 2020) has been postponed due to the coronavirus outbreak in China. AAL will update information regarding revised workshop dates as soon as possible.

Workshop themes

• Antarctic astronomy
• Radio astronomy (including ASKAP, MWA, FAST and SKA)
• Optical instrumentation
• Gravitational wave and astrophysics
• Big data challenges

For more information, visit the ACAMAR6 website here.