AAS Members Win 2014 Guggenheim Fellowships

In its 90th annual competition for the United States and Canada, the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation has awarded 177 Fellowships (including one joint Fellowship) to a diverse group of 178 scholars, artists, and scientists. Appointed on the basis of prior achievement and exceptional promise, the successful candidates were chosen from a group of almost 3,000 applicants.

Among the recipients are two AAS members:

• Ray Jayawardhana, Professor of Astronomy and Astrophysics and Canada Research Chair in Observational Astrophysics, University of Toronto. Ray's award is in the category Natural Sciences − Science Writing for a project entitled "Our Cosmic Selves."
• Sylvain Veilleux, Professor of Astronomy and Optical Director, University of Maryland, College Park. Sylvain's award is in the category Natural Sciences − Astronomy/Astrophysics for a project entitled "Miniaturization: The Next Wave in Astronomical Instrumentation."

The mission of the Guggenheim Foundation is to "promote the advancement and diffusion of knowledge and understanding and the appreciation of beauty, by aiding without distinction on account of race, color, or creed, scholars, scientists, and artists of either sex in the prosecution of their labors." Since 1925 the Foundation has granted more than $315 million in Fellowships to almost 17,700 individuals, among whom are scores of Nobel laureates and poets laureate, as well as winners of Pulitzer Prizes, Fields Medals, and other important, internationally recognized honors.

The 2014 Guggenheim Fellowships were announced 10 April in a PDF press release. The Guggenheim Foundation website has a list of all of this year's Fellows sorted alphabetically or by field, as well as a PDF of the ad that ran in the New York Times.

Congratulations, Ray and Sylvain!