Crosspost: Dara Norman to Receive 2026 Arthur B.C. Walker II Award

Today's crosspost is from the AAS and announces Dara Norman's selection as the 2026 Arthur B.C. Walker II award winner.

Dara Norman served as the AAS president from 2024 until June of this year. She is also the Deputy Director of the NoirLab Community Science and Data Center. Her research focuses on AGN environmental triggers and galactic evolution, while she has also been a leader and advocate for science. The award honors African-Americans or scientists of African descent for their outstanding dual contributions to science and to their efforts towards advocacy and inclusion in STEM. It is given by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific. Dr. Arthur B.C. Walker was a solar physicist and longtime Stanford professor who mentored many students, with a focus on mentoring female and minority students. 

AAS President Dara Norman opens AAS 248 in June in Pasadena, CA.
Photo: AAS.org

"The Arthur B.C. Walker Award honors an African American scientist whose research has substantially contributed to astronomy or related fields, and who has demonstrated a substantial commitment to promoting diversity and inclusion in STEM. The 2026 recipient of the Arthur B.C. Walker II Award is Dr. Dara J. Norman, Director of the Community Science & Data Center (CSDC) at the National Science Foundation’s National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research Laboratory (NOIRLab), for her scientific contributions, visionary leadership, and commitment to broadening participation in astronomy and related sciences."

Read the full post at https://aas.org/posts/news/2026/09/dara-j-norman-receive-2026-arthur-bc-walker-ii-award.