National Space Club taps UAH Eminent Scholar Dr. Gary Zank to receive 2024 Distinguished Science Award

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (NOV. 5, 2024) – The National Space Club (NSC), Huntsville Chapter, has selected Dr. Gary Zank at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH) to receive the 2024 Distinguished Science Award. Zank is the Aerojet/Rocketdyne Chair in Space Science, as well as director of the Center for Space Physics and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR). The award was presented at the 36th Annual Dr. Wernher von Braun Memorial Dinner on Oct. 30 during the von Braun Space Exploration Symposium on the campus of UAH, a part of The University of Alabama System.

The honor is presented by the NSC to a scientist who has "made an outstanding contribution in research and discoveries that expands knowledge and understanding of space." Past recipients have included Greek astrophysicist, Dr. Chryssa Kouveliotou, known for advancing knowledge of gamma-ray bursts and magnetars; Steven Squyres, principal investigator of the Mars Curiosity Rover Team; Dr. Martin Weisskopf, principal investigator for NASA's Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE) mission; Dr. Jim Green, director of NASA's Planetary Science Division, and Dr. Thomas Zurbuchen, associate administrator of NASA's Science Mission Directorate.

Zank's interests extend across space physics, plasma astrophysics and plasma physics, ranging from the physics of the solar atmosphere to the interaction of the solar wind with the partially ionized interstellar medium. He and colleagues introduced models that include the coupling of the partially ionized interstellar gas with heliospheric plasma that led to the prediction of the hydrogen wall, a region of interstellar material interacting with the edge of the Sun's heliosphere. The researcher is involved in numerous experimental and observational programs as well, such as NASA's Parker Solar Probe and Interstellar Boundary Explorer (IBEX), as well as the soon-to-be-launched Interstellar Mapping and Acceleration Probe (IMAP) and HelioSwarm missions.

The researcher's work on interstellar pickup ion reflection by interplanetary shocks in the distant heliosphere was confirmed by Voyager 2 to be the primary dissipation mechanism at the heliospheric termination shock, a major boundary in the outer heliosphere where the solar wind slows down due to interactions with the interstellar medium. He has explored turbulence throughout the heliosphere, developing models of magnetohydrodynamics and transport models for turbulence. He has also led research that allows for the modeling of gradual solar energetic particle events in which energetic particles are accelerated by shock waves driven by coronal mass ejections.

In addition, Zank is the principal investigator for the statewide, UAH-led Future Technologies and enabling Plasma Processes Project (FTPP), a five-year, $20 million initiative seeking to propel cutting-edge university plasma physics research and technologies into practical business applications.

"It is a great honor to be recognized by the National Space Club of Huntsville with this award," Zank says. "It is a tribute to the many scientists, postdocs and graduate students with whom I have been fortunate to work throughout my career. As an educator, I applaud the incredible work being done by the National Space Club in promoting youth education across Huntsville and Alabama, and we are all the richer for it."

The National Space Club - Huntsville is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization dedicated to fostering excellence in space activity through interaction between industry and government, and through a continuing program of educational support. Through its programs, activities and awards, NSC Huntsville works to advance space leadership and education by promoting youth education activities that include scholarships, fellowships, internships and educational programs.