Prize Recipient

Stan Woosley
UCSC

Citation:

"For his significant and wide ranging contributions in the areas of stellar evolution, element synthesis, the theory of core collapse and type Ia supernovae, and the interpretation of gamma-ray bursts - most notably, the collapsar model of gamma-ray bursts."

Background:

BA in Physics Rice University 1966
PhD in Space Science - Rice University 1971 "The Explosive Burning of Oxygen and Silicon" advisor Don D. Clayton
Postdoc at Kellogg Radiation Laboratory, Cal Tech with Willy Fowler, 1972 - 1975
I worked with Willy on strictly nuclear physics issues related to the synthesis of heavy elements in stars. In particular, we calculated the set of nuclear reaction rates used for studies of nuclear energy generation and nucleosynthesis throughout the 1980's and most of the 90's.
Assistant Professor Department of Astronomy and Astrophysics, UCSC - 1975 - 1978; Assoc Professor - 1978 - 1983; Professor 1983 - present
Chair same department 1983 - 1987; 1989 - 1991; 1998 - 2003

Research Description:
My research centers on nuclear astrophysics, stellar evolution, supernova models, and gamma-ray bursts. With Fowler, in the mid-70's I calculated the standard set of Hauser-Feshbach nuclear reaction rates used in astrophysics for over 25 years. With Taam, I proposed the thermonuclear model for Type I x-ray bursts and with Wallace, discovered and named the $rp$-process of nuclear flows that occurs there. With Weaver and now Heger, I have for two decades provided the standard set of presupernova models and nucleosynthetic yields from supernovae of all types. With Hoffman, I discovered the neutrino-wind model for the $r$-process and with Haxton, discovered and named the $\nu$-process of neutrino-induced nucleosynthesis. Contemporaneously with Khokhlov, I proposed the delayed detonation model for Type Ia supernovae. More recently, I have been working on multi-dimensional models for supernovae and gamma-ray bursts and invented the currently popular ``collapsar'' model (aka, the hypernova) for bursts.

Selection Committee:

Chair:

Trevor C Weekes
Smithsonian Astrophys Observ
PO Box 97
Amado, AZ 85645-0097
Phone (520) 670-5726
Fax (520) 670-5739
Email: WEEKES@EGRET.SAO.ARIZONA.EDU

Other Committee Members:

Hamish Robertson (12/04)(DNP)
Wick Haxton ('04 winner)(12/04)
Arthur Champagne (v. chair)(12/05)(DNP)
Tony Mezzacappa (12/05)(DAP)