Royal Astronomical Society Gold Medal 2026 Winners

CELEBRATING TWO VISIONARY SCIENTISTS

The 2026 Royal Astronomical Society Gold Medal, one of world’s most Prestigious honors in the field of astronomy and geophysics has been awarded to Shrinivas Kulkarni and Andrew Jackson. The award recognizes their remarkable scientific contributions and long- term impact on our comprehension of the universe and the forces that currently sculpt our earth.

From their ground breaking research modern astronomy and geophysics have been transformed paving the way for successive generations of scientists and driving innovation across numerous areas of earth and space sciences.

Pioneering the Modernization of Astronomy by Prof. Shrinivas Kulkarni

Professor Shrinivas Kulkarni has earned international recognition for his revolutionary contributions to the realm of observational astronomy and astrophysics. He has been instrumental in the discovery and investigation of some of the most powerful and short-lived phenomena in the cosmos.

His research has pioneered in the field of neutron star, pulsar, gamma- ray bursts, fast radio bursts, and faster astronomical events. Professor Kulkarni’s research has pioneered advanced time domain astronomy projects and large scale sky surveys, revolutionizing the discovery of rapidly evolving celestial phenomena.

His visionary approach has enabled scientists to observe the universe in unprecedented detail, providing new insights into stellar evolution, black holes, gravitational- wave counterparts and the origins of some of the universe’s most powerful explosions. His research still has irreversible impacts on current astrophysical studies and next- generation astronomical observatories. 

Prof.Andrew Jackson: Leading the next generation of Geophysics

Professor Andrew Jackson is internationally renowned for his groundbreaking studies in geophysics, particularly related to earth’s magnetic field and the dynamic processes occurring beneath our planet’s surface.

His pioneering work has yielded profound knowledge of the body of earth’s inner core, the complex phenomena around changes in geomagnetic field behaviour and generated a nuanced understanding that drives interactions between planetary magnetic systems. Professor Jackson has advanced scientific knowledge of processes driving the dynamics of Earth’s interior via sophisticated computational modelling, observation and theory.

His findings have refined geomagnetic models that underpin navigation technologies, satellites and space weather predictions. Apart from its practical applications, his work has advanced our scientific understanding of the Evolution of earth and even held planetary researchers study details of magnetism throughout the solar system.

Lasting implications for science and society

The translational potential of curiosity driven research can be witnessed most vividly in the contributions made by professors Kulkarni and Jackson. Professor Kulkarni has expanded humanity’s knowledge about the universe through his discovery of stunning cosmic events, while Professor Jackson has provided new insights into the workings of our very own planet.

Collectively their work represents a level of scientific excellence that transcends disciplinary boundaries. Their discoveries have enabled a number of interdisciplinary researches and technical developments within disciplines such as astronomy, geophysics, planetary science, physics and computational modeling.

Inspiring the Next Generation of Scientists

Apart from their extraordinary contribution in their research, both Kulkarni and Jackson are known to be good mentors and academic leaders having inspired thousands of young scientists. A fantastic generation of future astronomers and geophysicists is being developed thanks to the commitment to education and research, and their findings will probably add to their legacy.

Acknowledgment of Contributions in the Field of Astronomy and Geophysics

Royal Astronomical Society Gold medal 2026 for Professors Shrinivas Kulkarni and Andrew Jackson is a great tribute to two outstanding scientists who have made their lives full of inventions, academic prowess and tireless commitment to science. Their work allows humanity to have an understanding of how the Universe and Earth operate.

With astronomy and geophysics on the verge of very detailed observations (and computation), Professor Kulkarni and jackson’s pioneering efforts will continue to inspire generations of scientists hoping to unravel the secrets of our own earth and beyond.