Astrobiologists Receive Accolades

Please join the NASA Astrobiology Program in congratulating five scientists on their recent awards and accolades! Sue Brantley from Penn State was elected into the National Academy of Sciences in May, 2012; Dave Des Marais will receive the 2012 Alfred Treibs Award from the Geochemcial Society for achievements in organic chemistry; Lisa Kaltenegger of the Max Planck Institute received the Heinz Maier-Leibnitz Prize from Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft in May, 2012 given to outstanding early career scientists in Germany; Sara Seager from MIT was awarded the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Prize in the Physical Sciences from Tel Aviv University in June, 2012 for her brilliant theoretical studies, including analysis of the atmospheres and internal compositions of extra-solar planets; and Jim Kasting was awarded the Evan Pugh Professorship at Penn State, given to faculty members who are nationally or internationally acknowledged leaders in their fields of research or creative activity, have demonstrated significant leadership in raising the standards of the University with respect to teaching, research or creativity, and service, and demonstrate excellent teaching skills with undergraduate and graduate students who have subsequently achieved distinction in their field.