Carl Sagan Medal for Excellence in
Public Communication in Planetary Science
Image of Carl Sagan copied with permission from a photograph by
Alexander Tsiaras.
This prize is awarded annually (or less frequently) by the Division
for Planetary Sciences (DPS) of the American Astronomical
Society.
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The Carl Sagan Medal (hereafter referred to as the Sagan Medal) was
established by the DPS to recognize and honor outstanding communication
by an active planetary scientist to the general public. It is to
be awarded to scientists whose efforts have significantly contributed
to a public understanding of, and enthusiasm for, planetary science.
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For purposes of this prize, planetary science shall be understood
to refer to the multidisciplinary study of the solar system and its
members, excluding work dealing primarily with the Sun or the Earth.
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Candidates for the Sagan Medal may be of any age or nationality.
Only living nominees will be considered for an award.
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The recipient of the Sagan Medal will be selected by the DPS Committee
using such procedures as it may adopt. The Committee has the sole
authority to select winners, as well as the option not to award the
Sagan Medal in any year, at its discretion.
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The Sagan Medal will consist of a medal with citation and a cash
award in an amount to be determined by the DPS Committee.
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The recipient of the Sagan Medal is expected to present a public
lecture on a subject in planetary science of his or her choosing.
The lecture will normally be given to an interested public audience
at a venue separate from the annual DPS meeting. The specific venue
will be arranged by the recipient and the DPS committee. The DPS
may cover expenses not otherwise reimbursed associated with the
presentation of the medal and the public lecture. In addition, a
plenary talk at the annual DPS meeting is an option.
| Past Sagan Medal Winners |
| 1998 |
W. K. | Hartmann |
| 1999 |
C. R. | Chapman |
| 2000 |
L. | Lebofsky |
| 2001 |
A. | Brahic |
| 2002 |
H. B. | Hammel |
| 2003 |
(no award) |
| 2004 |
D. | Morrison |
| 2005 |
R. | Lopes |
| 2006 |
D. H. | Grinspoon |
| 2007 |
(no award) |
| 2008 |
G. J. | Taylor |
All DPS members are encouraged to submit
nominations for the Sagan Medal.
