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Policies

Laboratory Astrophysics Division (LAD)

Policies of the Laboratory Astrophysics Division (hereinafter called "the Division") and the LAD Committee (hereinafter called “the Committee”).

I. Nominating Committee

  1. When selecting candidates, conflicts of interest between any member of the nominating committee and any selected candidate should be avoided, whether actual or just perceived.
  2. Typical examples of conflicts of interest are family relationship such as a spouse, child, sibling, or parent.
  3. For the purpose of nominations, scientific collaboration and/or shared scientific affiliation with a candidate are not considered conflicts of interest.

II. Meetings of the Division

  1. The Science Organizing Committee (SOC) is generally the LAD Committee, augmented by additional members as necessary to ensure the desired representation of disciplines for the meeting being planned.
  2. SOC members are not eligible for invited talks (except winners of a prize, award, or other honor).
  3. SOC members are not eligible for contributed talks.
  4. No individual may give an invited talk two years in a row (except winners of a prize, award, or other honor in the second year).
  5. A session is not permitted to have two invited speakers from the same institution. A chair and a speaker from the same institution is acceptable.
  6. Invited speakers are selected based on their scientific accomplishments, but with an eye toward enhancing diversity.
  7. Diversity includes, but is not limited to, institutional, geographical, career stage, gender, and ethnic representation.

III. Prizes, Awards, and Other Honors

  1. The Division shall establish a Laboratory Astrophysics Prize to be awarded to an individual who has made significant theoretical or experimental contributions to laboratory astrophysics over an extended period of time. The Division shall award the prize, normally, on an annual basis. The prize will include a cash award, a citation, and an invited lecture by the recipient at a meeting of the Division. Each year the Committee shall decide the specific disciplines eligible for the Laboratory Astrophysics.
  2. The Division shall establish an Early Career Award to be given to an individual who has made a significant theoretical or experimental contribution to laboratory astrophysics early in their professional career. Recipients must have no more than 10 years of professional experience since their Ph.D. or equivalent degree, as of the end of the year of the award. The Division shall give the award, normally, on an annual basis. The award will include a cash award, a citation, and an invited lecture by the recipient at a meeting of the Division. Each year the Committee shall decide the specific disciplines eligible for the Early Career Award.
  3. A nomination package for the Laboratory Astrophysics Prize or Early Career Award must include:
    1. A nomination letter, including a one-sentence proposed citation.  Only one signator allowed.
    2. Two letters of support. Additional letters will not be considered. Only one signator per letter allowed.
    3. A summary of the significant aspects of the nominee’s career (not to exceed 5 pages total including figures and bibliography).
    4. A curriculum vitae.
    5. A publication list.
      Additional material (such as reprints, etc.) will not be considered.
  4. Nominations for the Laboratory Astrophysics Prize or early Career Award shall remain valid for three consecutive years, or as long as the nominee is eligible, whichever is less.
  5. The Division shall establish a Dissertation Prize to recognize an outstanding theoretical or experimental doctoral dissertation (or the equivalent) in laboratory astrophysics. The prize will be awarded to an individual who has completed their Ph.D. or equivalent degree in any of the three calendar years immediately preceding the award year. The Division shall give the award, normally, on an annual basis. The prize will include a cash award, a citation, and an invited lecture by the recipient at a meeting of the Division.
  6. The nomination package for the Dissertation Prize must include:
    1. A nomination letter, including a one-sentence proposed citation.  Only one signator allowed.
    2. Two letters of support.  Additional letters will not be considered. Only one signator per letter allowed.
    3. A summary of the thesis (not to exceed 5 pages including figures and bibliography).
    4. A statement from the nominee’s university stating that the PhD or equivalent degree has been awarded.
    5. A curriculum vitae.
    6. A publication list.
      Additional material (such as reprints, etc.) will not be considered.
  7. Nominators, letter writers, and nominees may be based anywhere in the world and need not be AAS or LAD members.
  8. Self-nominations are allowed and encouraged for all prizes and awards.
  9. Deceased nominees are not considered.
  10. The Secretary of the Division shall send out a call for nomination packages, typically sixteen weeks before the deadline for nominations.
  11. For the Laboratory Astrophysics Prize and the Early Career Award, the opening date for nominations for a coming calendar year is typically early March in the current year and the closing date is typically early July 1st in the current year.
  12. The awardees for the Laboratory Astrophysics Prize and Early Career Award are typically selected by early October so that the necessary information for the press release can be collected in time for the AAS January meeting announcement of prize winners.
  13. For the Dissertation Prize, the opening date for nominations for a coming calendar year is typically early September in the current year and the closing date is the end of December in the current year.
  14. The awardee of the Dissertation Prize is typically selected by mid February of the award year so that the title and abstract information can be provided to the AAS before the abstract submission deadline for the regular LAD meeting, generally held jointly with the AAS summer meeting.
  15. Selection of all prize, award, and honor recipients will be made by the Prize Committee of the Division as specified in Article V.5 of the Bylaws
  16. The Past-Chair shall select the members of the Prize Committee after the closing date for nominations in a given calendar year.
  17. Members of the Prize Committee shall be selected so as to avoid any actual or perceived conflicts of interest such as family relationship, scientific collaboration, or shared scientific affiliation with a candidate.
  18. LAD Officers in the Chair line, the LAD Secretary, and any other members of the LAD Executive Committee involved in the Honors Committee should refrain from nominating candidates or submitting letters of support to avoid any potentially perceived conflict of interest.  The LAD Treasurer and Members-at-Large are normally allowed to nominate candidates or provide letters of support, provided they are not serving on the Honors Committee.