Category Archives: News and Announcements

CASCA is pleased to announce Professor Arif Babul as the 2026 recipient of the Carlyle S. Beals Award for outstanding scientific achievement.

Professor Babul is a world-renowned leader in physical cosmology, known for his work on the assembly, evolution, and physics of galaxy groups and clusters. He began his career in Canada, earning his Honours BSc in Engineering Science from the University of Toronto in 1985, and is currently a distinguished Professor at the University of Victoria. Throughout his career, Professor Babul has contributed to several ground-breaking discoveries which have reshaped the field of cosmology, including being one of the first to recognize that radiation from early stars and quasars could significantly influence the evolution of cosmic structures, spearheading the realistic treatment of black hole dynamics in cosmological simualtons, and timely investigations into nano-Hertz Gravitational Wave sources that have important implications for current (pulsar timing arrays) and future (Square Kilometre Array) astronomical facilities for which Canada is involved. Beyond his incredible track record of pioneering research, Professor Babul has trained numerous scientists, many of whom currently hold high-level positions in academia and industry, has made significant strides to expand diversity and inclusion in the field, and is an ambassador for Canadian astronomy on the world stage. Professor Babul exemplifies the highest standards of scientific excellence and leadership in the Canadian community.

CASCA is pleased to announce Prof. Laura Parker as the recipient of the 2026 Executive Award for Outstanding Service.

Prof. Laura Parker is an exceptional citizen of the Canadian astronomical community, demonstrated through a quarter century of dedicated service and leadership at the local, national, and international levels. Since her time as Chair of the CASCA Graduate Student Committee in the early 2000s, Prof. Parker has selflessly stepped into service roles, including serving two terms as Director on the CASCA Board, co-chairing the 2025 CASCA Midterm Review, and leading prominent international groups like the Gemini Science and Technology Advisory Committee and the CFHT Science Advisory Council. She has also participated extensively across the CASCA committee portfolio with notable service on the Ground-based Astronomy Committee, the Joint Committee on Space Astronomy, and the Education and Public Outreach Committee. She also co-chaired the LOC for the 2015 CASCA Science Meeting and numerous international scientific meetings. Her generous spirit extends beyond the professional community: she has served as President of the Faculty Association at McMaster University and is currently Acting Associate Dean of Graduate Studies. Prof. Parker also has a long, unwavering history of public outreach, acting as an enthusiastic champion of our field to the Canadian public. Prof. Parker dedicates herself to our astronomical community with a passion and commitment that makes her highly deserving of this honour.

CASCA is pleased to announce Dr. Alan Knee as the recipient of the 2026 J.S. Plaskett Medal for the most outstanding doctoral thesis in astronomy or astrophysics.

Dr. Knee received his PhD in 2025 under the supervision of Dr. Jess McIver at the University of British Columbia, and is now a postdoctoral researcher at the University Michigan. His thesis, entitled “Searches for novel gravitational-wave sources with ground- and space-based detectors,” explores undiscovered gravitational wave sources along diverse fronts, from our own galaxy to the far reaches of the Universe. Knee’s work enables novel insights into the ultra-dense matter of neutron stars, the dynamics of the galactic centre, and the origin of distant LIGO-Virgo sources. Knee’s achievements required building mastery with ground-based and space-based detector instrumentation as well as cutting-edge statistical approaches. In pushing multiple frontiers of disparate gravitational-wave sources, types of detectors, and methodologies, Knee’s PhD thesis is exceptionally broad in the span of its high-impact work.

CASCA is delighted to recognize Dr. Knee’s achievements with this award.

CASCA is pleased to announce Professor Samantha Lawler and Professor Aaron Boley as the 2026 recipients of the Qilak Award for astronomy communications, public education and outreach.

As all Canadian astronomers and astronomy enthusiasts know, the night sky is under threat from light and radio-spectrum pollution, and from the overcrowding of orbits by satellites. In the face of these pressures, it has become crucial to cultivate understanding among both the public and lawmakers about these threats to the practice of astronomy. This is the important task that Profs. Lawler and Boley have undertaken. On issues related to light pollution, the proliferation of satellites and their effects on the night sky, radio spectrum, and orbital environments, they have met with government officials and decision-makers, and they have relentlessly petitioned the Canadian Space Agency, Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada, Transport Canada, the Department of National Defence, and Global Affairs Canada, as well as the U.S. Federal Communication Commission, the UK Space Agency and the UK Civil Aviation Authority. They have also made numerous appearances in the media, produced educational material for schools and presented dozens of public lectures to raise public awareness about these important issues. CASCA is delighted to recognize Prof. Samantha Lawler and Prof. Aaron Boley for these outstanding contributions to the safeguarding of the night sky.

CASCA is pleased to announce that Professor Michel (Mike) Fich is the recipient of the 2026 Dunlap Award for Innovation in Astronomical Research Tools.

This award recognizes his sustained and visionary leadership in developing and ensuring Canadian participation in groundbreaking infrared and mm-scale astronomical instrumentation. Over his career, Professor Fich has been a driving force behind multiple instrumentation initiatives, including Herschel/HIFI, JCMT/SCUBA‑2, and most recently, the Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope at the CCAT‑prime Observatory. Canada’s central participation in these major international initiatives is due in large part to Professor Fich’s tireless and selfless advocacy and leadership on behalf of the Canadian astronomical community. In some cases, without his contributions, the instruments may likely never have been built at all. Across his career, he has secured tens of millions of dollars in research infrastructure funding, led national teams, and enabled generations of scientists to explore the universe at IR/submm/mm wavelengths using instruments that have collectively produced tens of thousands of citations in the scientific literature. Most recently, as Canadian Principal Investigator and member of the Board of Directors for FYST/CCAT‑prime, Professor Fich guided the project from concept to realization, including defining its scientific goals, securing more than ten million dollars in funding, and ensuring Canada’s leadership in key instrumentation. His direct involvement in design reviews, software development, and project management has been central to the telescope’s success. Inaugurated on April 9, 2026, FYST is now positioned to deliver wide field imaging and spectroscopy with unprecedented sensitivity, establishing Canada firmly at the forefront of wide field submillimetre research.