UA Professor Awarded Daniel Chalonge Medal in Paris

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — An international school of astrophysics presented the Daniel Chalonge Medal 2009 to an adjunct University of Alabama professor during a recent ceremony in Paris, France.

Dr. Peter Biermann, adjunct professor in UA’s department of physics and astronomy, won the honor for his contributions to astrophysics and the Chalonge School in Paris.

Coined specifically for the Chalonge School by the French mint, the medal was awarded to Biermann for his “pioneering, impressive and multiple contributions to astrophysics,” according to the school.

Biermann’s work in astrophysics includes studies of high energy particle acceleration, cosmic rays, black holes and galaxies. His work on astrophysical dark matter, one of the Chalonge School’s most discussed topics, has drawn international attention.

Biermann, also a professor at Bonn University, in Germany, was given the award during a surprise presentation held in conjunction with the 13^thParis Cosmology Colloquium. The school has awarded the medal seven times, with previous recipients including Subramanyan Chandrasekhar and George Smoot, winners of the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1983 and 2006, respectively.    

The department of physics and astronomy is part of UA’s College of Arts and Sciences, the University’s largest division and the largest liberal arts college in the state. Students from the College have won numerous national awards including Rhodes Scholarships, Goldwater Scholarships and memberships on the USA Today Academic All-American Teams.