Scientist from Tucson-based institute receives career medal from NASA

A researcher from the Tucson-based Planetary Science Institute has received a prestigious, lifetime achievement award from NASA’s Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute.

William Feldman was awarded the 2023 Eugene Shoemaker Distinguished Scientist Medal for career achievements in the study of the moon and the planets, including pioneering work in the search for water in our solar system.

“It is hard to overstate the effect that Dr. Feldman has had on lunar science and planetary science as a whole,” said the citation from the NASA institute. “In addition to contributing to the discovery of water in the lunar polar regions, he nearly singlehandedly founded the field of planetary neutron spectroscopy and pioneered X-ray, gamma-ray and neutron spectroscopic techniques.”

Feldman has assisted on a host of space missions throughout his career, including ACE, Dawn, Lunar Prospector, Mariner 10, Mars Observer, Mars Odyssey, MESSENGER and Pioneer 10 and 11.

The senior scientist emeritus, who joined PSI in 2005, has also authored or co-authored more than 350 scientific papers and served as chairman of NASA’s Solar Probe Science Study Team.

He had an asteroid named after him by fellow researchers: Asteroid (6756) Williamfeldman.

Feldman was previously named as a fellow of the American Geophysical Union and as a lab fellow at Los Alamos National Laboratory in New Mexico, where he still lives.

“I cannot find the proper words to describe the thanks I owe to all of my colleagues that I worked with over the years who made our science achievements possible,” Feldman said in a written statement after being presented with the award on Tuesday. “The Shoemaker medal that we have received is as much owned by them as by me.”

Back to homepage

Subscriber Login

Keep reading with a digital access subscription.

Subscribe now

The award is named after one of the founders of the planetary science field, American geologist Eugene Shoemaker, who died in 1997.

Feldman’s honor capped off a big week for PSI researchers.

On Monday, the private, nonprofit institute announced that PSI senior scientist David Grinspoon has been chosen to lead NASA’s study of the origin, evolution and distribution of life in the universe.

As senior scientist for astrobiology strategy, Grinspoon will direct the agency’s efforts in the field from NASA headquarters in Washington, D.C.

“It’s such an exciting time in the field of astrobiology with discoveries happening at such a rapid pace in our solar system, on exoplanets around other stars, and in the study of origin and evolution of life on our own planet,” said Grinspoon, who joined PSI in 2014 and also has an asteroid named after him. “We have several upcoming planetary missions to promising exploration targets. I’m honored to be given this chance to help guide and expand NASA’s astrobiology research efforts.”

The Planetary Science Institute was founded in Tucson in 1972 by a small group of scientists who split off from an Illinois-based organization. The institute celebrated its 50th anniversary last year as one of the largest firms of its kind in the world, with a staff of 115 scientists in 30 states and 10 countries.