2010 Grote Reber medal awarded to Alan Rogers

The 2010 Grote Reber Gold Medal for outstanding and innovative contributions to radio astronomy has been awarded to Dr. Alan Rogers, who is a Research Affiliate at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Haystack Observatory. Rogers is being honored for his many pioneering developments in radio and radar interferometry, radio spectroscopy, and for his application of radio astronomy techniques to society.

Rogers received his B.Sc. degree in mathematics and physics from the University College of Rhodesia in 1962, and his S.M. and Ph.D degrees in Electrical Engineering from MIT in 1964 and 1967 respectively. Following a year as a Lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe in 1968, he has since been at the Haystack Observatory where he was the Associate Director until his retirement in 2006.

Rogers is best known for his contributions over many decades to the techniques of very long baseline interferometry. More recently, he developed an innovative radio array which he successfully used to detect the 327 MHz line of interstellar deuterium, capping a 40-year quest for this important astrophysical atomic gas. Currently, Rogers is searching for the low frequency signature characteristic of the cosmic epoch of reionization using a digital spectrometer and a compact broadband dipole. He was also the leader of a program to apply radio astronomy techniques to locate emergency calls from mobile telephones.

“Alan Rogers not only changed the course of radio astronomy but, unlike most research scientists, he devoted considerable time and his unique skills to making life a bit safer for all of us”, said Dr Ken Kellermann of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in the USA.

Rogers is currently running a program to monitor atmospheric ozone using inexpensive consumer satellite TV low noise amplifiers and dishes.

“Alan Rogers has made fundamental contributions to the technology of radio astronomy ever since the earliest days of VLBI back in the 1960s”, said Dr David Jauncey of the Australia Telescope National Facility in Australia. “His work on deuterium will significantly influence future astronomy for many years in the lead-up to the Square Kilometre Array”, Jauncey added.

The 2010 Reber Medal will be presented to Alan Rogers in July 2010 in Hobart, Tasmania, at the annual meeting of the Astronomical Society of Australia. The Reber Medal was established by the Trustees of the Grote Reber Foundation to honor the achievements of Grote Reber and is administered by the Queen Victoria Museum in Launceston, Tasmania. Nominations for the 2011 Medal may be sent to Martin George, Queen Victoria Museum, Wellington St, Launceston, Tasmania 7250, Australia or by e-mail to: martin@qvmag.tas.gov.au to be received no later than October 15, 2010.