Professor Peter Goldreich of Caltech and the Princeton Institute for Advanced Study is awarded the Shaw Prize in Astronomy 2007 in recognition of his lifetime achievements in theoretical astrophysics and planetary sciences. The variety, depth and breadth of his most important contributions are staggering: the effects of orbital resonances in the solar system, planetary rings, and extrasolar planets; the importance of swing amplification in the explanations of the origin of spiral structure in disk galaxies; the mechanisms by which interstellar masers are produced and can be diagnosed; the electrodynamics of pulsars; the character of the astrophysical turbulence that arises in helioseismology and interstellar scintillation; and the role of the Galilean satellite Io as a source of low-frequency radio bursts from the planet Jupiter. Goldreich is universally regarded as one of the most influential and admired theorists in modern astronomy; indeed, the quality of his work, insights, and accomplishments set the gold standard for the field.

Astronomy Selection Committee
The Shaw Prize

12 June 2007, Hong Kong