Carl Sagan Memorial Award

The Carl Sagan Memorial Award is given to an individual who has demonstrated leadership in research or policies advancing exploration of the Cosmos. The Carl Sagan Memorial Award is sponsored by SAIC.

Award Criteria

Recipients:

2022-2025 – No Award Given
2021 – Nicola Fox

For demonstrated leadership in research in the field of Heliophysics advancing exploration of the Cosmos

Picture courtesy of NASA

2020 – Leslie Livesay

For exceptional leadership of space missions that produced technological and scientific breakthroughs of major and lasting importance.

Picture courtesy of NASA

2019 – Michael W. Werner

For scientific leadership of the Spitzer Space Telescope, which has fundamentally changed our understanding of the Universe through infrared observations of the Universe from the Solar System to the most distant galaxies.

Picture courtesy of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory

2018 – No Award Given
2017 – AURA “HST & Beyond” Committee

The 1996/97 study and subsequent published report is widely recognized as the original and most influential activity that led directly to the development of NASA’s premier space observatory of the early 21st Century, the James Webb Space Telescope.

Picture courtesy of AURA

2016 – S. Alan Stern

For his dauntless advocacy and leadership in completing humanity’s initial reconnaissance of the Solar System

Picture courtesy of Southwest Research Institute

2015 – Frank Cepollina

For demonstrated leadership in research or policies advancing exploration of the Cosmos.

Picture courtesy of National Inventors Hall of Fame

2014 – William Borucki

In recognition of his perseverance and incredible professional accomplishments as the key visionary and primary driving force behind Kepler, NASA’s first mission capable of finding Earth-size planets around other stars.

Picture courtesy of NASA

2013 – Eileen K. Stansbery

In recognition of her incredible professional accomplishments in advancing exploration of the Cosmos through outstanding leadership of the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Science Directorate at the NASA Johnson Space Center.

Picture courtesy of SXSW

2012 – Riccardo Giacconi

For outstanding contributions to the scientific understanding of the Cosmos, and for leading the Space Telescope Science Institute from its inception until 1993 and managing the early years of the Hubble Space Telescope’s operations.

Picture courtesy of Nobel Prize

2011 – Charles Elachi

In recognition of his leadership in the development of spacecraft systems studying the solar system, Earth, deep space, and the cosmos; and for pioneering development of synthetic aperture radar applied to Earth and planetary remote sensing in the cosmos.