Media Contact:
Ilana Harrus, GSFC
imh@lheapop.gsfc.nasa.gov, 301-286-9649

issued by the High Energy Astrophysics Division of the AAS

May 26, 2004, Greenbelt, MD -- The High Energy Astrophysics Division of the AAS is soliciting nominations for the 4th David N. Schramm Award. Application must be received by June 15, 2004; articles for this award must have been published between January 1, 2003, and May 31, 2004.

The purpose of the David N. Schramm Award is to recognize and stimulate distinguished writing on high-energy astrophysics, in order to improve the general public's understanding in and appreciation of this exciting field of research.

The award consists of a prize of $1,500, and a plaque containing a citation. The publisher of the winning work will receive a certificate honoring the publication in which the work appeared. The award is sponsored by the High Energy Astrophysics Division of the American Astronomical Society. HEAD/AAS will pay the winning author's personal travel expenses so that the award can be received in person at the next HEAD meeting, which will be held September, 8-11, 2004 in New Orleans (Louisiana).

Applications are to be mailed to the HEAD Press Officer at:

David N. Schramm Award Application c/o Ilana Harrus NASA Goddard Space Flight Center Building 2, Code 662 Greenbelt, MD, 20771

The entries will be judged by a committee of distinguished scientists and journalists selected by the Executive Committee of the High Energy Astrophysics Division of the American Astronomical Society (HEAD/AAS). The results will be announced August 9, 2004. The decision of this judging committee will be final.

David Schramm was a distinguished scientist who is widely regarded as the founder of the field of Particle Astrophysics, a discipline where cosmology and particle physics meet. High-energy astrophysics incorporates experimental and theoretical studies of high-energy photons and particles from the cosmos, including the disciplines of X-ray, gamma-ray and cosmic-ray astronomy.