Nininger Meteorite Award
**The Center for Meteorite Studies is pleased to announce that the recipient of the 2006 Nininger Meteorite Award is Nicolas Ouellette, a graduate student working with Steven Desch and Jeff Hester at Arizona State University. Nicolas was among ten undergraduate and graduate students from across the country who submitted papers to the 2006 Nininger Meteorite Award competition. Each submission was reviewed by a panel of experts from a broad array of fields in meteoritical science. The panel cited Nicolas’s paper, entitled “Injection of Supernova Dust into the Protoplanetary Disk” for its exciting and innovative combination of astronomical observations, meteorite isotope chemistry measurements and modeling results to address the origin and distribution of short-lived radionuclides in the Solar System.**
Download a list of the past recipients.
History of the Award
In 1965, Dr. H.H. Nininger and Mrs. Addie D. Nininger endowed the Nininger Science of Meteoritics Fund to the Center for Meteorite Studies at Arizona StateUniversity in order to promote interest in meteorite-related topics among young scientists. The Fund supports the Nininger Meteorite Award, which recognizes outstanding student achievement in the “Science of Meteoritics” as embodied by an original research paper. Past recipients include Harry Y. McSween (University of Tennessee), Edward Stolper (California Institute of Technology) and the recipients of the 2005 Barringer Award (Billy P. Glass, University of Delaware) and Leonard Medal (Joseph Goldstein, University of Massachusetts, Amherst).
Permitted Topics
The original text of the Nininger endowment states that the “Science of Meteoritics embraces all aspects of the study of inert natural matter existing in space, passing through the atmosphere, or having come to Earth from space, together with any or all of the phenomena occasioned by its fall and its effect upon the Earth or upon any other member of the Solar System. Such science shall also be considered to include theoretical consideration as to the origin of such matter and special relationships”. Research topics covered under this description include, but are not limited to, physical and chemical properties of meteorites, origin of meteoritic material and cratering. Observational, experimental, statistical or theoretical investigations are allowed.
Eligibility Requirements
· Applicant must be an undergraduate or graduate student enrolled at a United States college or university.
· The student must be first author of the paper, but does not have to be the sole author.
· Qualifying papers must have been written, submitted or published between November 16, 2006 and December 31, 2007.
· Qualifying papers must cover original research conducted by the student.
Due Date
January 25, 2008
Award Amount
$2500
Submission Instructions
The 2007 Nininger Meteorite Award application opportunity is closed. Please check this site for information regarding the 2008 Nininger Meteorite Award over the coming months.
Email nininger@asu.edu with any questions or comments.