UAH researcher wins major award + has minor planet renamed in his honor

The director of UAH’s Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research (CSPAR), Dr. Gary Zank, was just awarded one of the highest honors within the space science community: the 2026 Committee on Space Research (COSPAR) Space Science Award.

This prestigious award is given out every two years, and honors 1-2 scientists who made remarkable contributions to the field of space science over the course of their lifetime.

“It was a wonderful surprise, as I had not realized that I had been nominated. Since it covers the awardee’s entire career, receiving this medal was very humbling given the great work that so many people have done over their careers.”

_{Dr. Gary Zank, Director of UAH’s Center for Space Plasma and Aeronomic Research}

Over the past 40 years, Dr. Zank has made significant contributions to the theories of turbulence, particle acceleration and energetic-particle transport throughout the heliosphere, as well as creating modern models of the interaction between solar wind and local interstellar medium.

The award isn’t the only way he is being honored — a minor planet within the inner region of the asteroid belt has been renamed 21039 Zank, giving the researcher a permanent place among the same stars he has dedicated his life to studying.

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