NEWS – Recently, the Indian-American astronomer Shrinivas Kulkarni was awarded the Shaw Prize for Astronomy in 2024 for his work on the physics of astronomical transients.

HIGHLIGHTS

• The creation of the Shaw Prize Foundation in 2002 to recognize outstanding contributions in various fields.
• Shaw Prize Categories: Overview of the three annual awards: Astronomy, Life Science and Medicine, Mathematical Sciences.
• Monetary Award: Set at one million two hundred thousand US dollars since 2016.
• Inclusivity: Honors individuals regardless of race, nationality, gender, or religious belief.
• Criteria for Recognition: Recognizes recent distinguished and significant advances, outstanding contributions in research, or excellence in various domains.

ASTRONOMICAL TRANSIENTS

• Definition:
  • Astronomical transients are celestial objects whose brightness changes rapidly over short periods.
  • They are characterized by violent phenomena.
• Purpose of Study:
  • Astronomers study transients to understand the sources of their violence.

They also investigate what these events can reveal about non-transient astronomical phenomena