CCAPP is proud to announce Abigail Lee (U. Chicago) and Hanjue Zhu (U. Chicago) as the winners of the 2024 Price Prize in Cosmology and Astrophysics!          

Abigail’s research focuses on improving extragalactic distance indicators to provide increasingly precise local measurements of the Hubble constant. She has pioneered the development of a new standard candle, the J-region asymptotic giant branch (JAGB) method, which measures distances via the constant luminosities of carbon-rich asymptotic giant branch stars. In addition to her work on the extragalactic distance scale, Abigail is also developing novel methodologies to extract galaxy age information from evolved stellar populations.

Hanjue studies gas in the universe, focusing on both partially ionized gas during the Epoch of Reionization (EoR) and highly ionized gas (plasma). Using numerical simulations, her research explores the impact of cosmic reionization on the intergalactic medium and galaxies. She also investigates how observations at reionization redshifts can be used to constrain theories of galaxy formation and cosmology. In pursuit of intellectual stimulation, she tackles a variety of questions about the universe and particularly enjoys research that involves theoretical modeling and numerical simulations.

About the Prize

The Dr. Pliny A. and Margaret H. Price Prize recognizes research excellence and exceptional promise in areas related to CCAPP initiatives. Two recipients are selected annually by the CCAPP Science Board based on a review of their research in the areas of cosmology and astroparticle physics. CCAPP hosts Prize recipients for a week during which they give a Price Prize seminar on their research, establish long-term collaborative relationships, and receive a $2,000 honorarium.

Together, Steve Price and his wife Jill Levy created and endowed the Dr. Pliny A. and Margaret H. Price Prize, with generous gifts in honor of Steve's parents, beginning in 2009.