Scientists Awarded 2027 Berkeley Prize for Astronomy
The Space Telescope Science Institute (STScI) is celebrating its role in the UNCOVER project, which has been awarded the prestigious 2027 Lancelot M. Berkeley–New York Community Trust Prize for Meritorious Work in Astronomy. This annual prize recognizes exceptional achievements in the field of astronomy.
About the UNCOVER Project
The UNCOVER project, which stands for Ultradeep NIRSpec and NIRCam Observations before the Epoch of Reionization, utilizes NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to conduct in-depth imaging and spectroscopy around Abell 2744, also known as “Pandora’s Cluster.” This massive galaxy cluster acts as a natural magnifying glass, allowing scientists to observe galaxies from the early universe.
The collaboration is being honored for its innovative approach to uncovering the contents of the distant universe through techniques such as:
- Spectroscopic studies revealing galaxies at cosmic dawn.
- Discovering populations of luminous galaxies and supermassive black holes.
Science Goals
The primary objectives of the UNCOVER project include:
- Understanding the physical properties of the universe’s first galaxies.
- Exploring how galaxies contributed to the reionization of the surrounding neutral gas.
- Identifying dust-obscured galaxies at high redshift to probe early star formation.
- Building a comprehensive picture of star formation quenching across cosmic time.
Recognition and Impact
The Berkeley prize has been awarded since 2011 and includes a monetary award along with an invitation to present a closing plenary lecture at the American Astronomical Society (AAS) winter meeting. The 249th AAS meeting will take place in Salt Lake City, Utah, from January 10 to 14, 2027.
The UNCOVER team is based globally and co-led by Sedona Price from STScI. Notable contributions come from STScI astronomers Dan Coe and Susan Kassin, as well as Camilla Pacifici.
The recognition is based on three recent publications in The Astrophysical Journal, detailing:
- An overview of the UNCOVER project and its objectives.
- Findings on the faint “little red dots” examined by JWST, indicating they are predominantly reddened, actively accreting black holes rather than merely dusty star-forming galaxies, which have been found to be more numerous at high redshifts than previously acknowledged.
The prize will be accepted by co-principal investigator Ivo Labbé from Swinburne University of Technology.
For more information, visit the AAS press release here.
Media Contacts
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Christine Pulliam
Space Telescope Science Institute
[email protected] -
Susanna Kohler
AAS Director of Communications & Media Relations
[email protected]
This award highlights the groundbreaking work that UNCOVER is contributing to our understanding of the early universe and the formation of galaxies.
