Wallace L. W. Sargent
Encyclopedia
Wallace Leslie William Sargent (born 1935) is an American
astronomer
. He is often known as Wal Sargent. Although now a U.S. citizen, he was born in Elsham, England. He received his Ph.D. in 1959 from Manchester University before coming to work at Caltech where he has worked ever since (excepting an absence of four years during which he claims to have had to go back to England to find himself a wife, Anneila Sargent
).
Sargent is known for his studies of quasar
absorption lines. He is currently the Ira S. Bowen
Professor of Astronomy at Caltech
.
He has supervised the theses of a number of students while at Caltech, including John Huchra
, Edwin Turner, Charles C. Steidel
, and Alex Filippenko.
He is married to fellow Caltech astronomer Anneila Sargent
.
Named after him
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
astronomer
Astronomer
An astronomer is a scientist who studies celestial bodies such as planets, stars and galaxies.Historically, astronomy was more concerned with the classification and description of phenomena in the sky, while astrophysics attempted to explain these phenomena and the differences between them using...
. He is often known as Wal Sargent. Although now a U.S. citizen, he was born in Elsham, England. He received his Ph.D. in 1959 from Manchester University before coming to work at Caltech where he has worked ever since (excepting an absence of four years during which he claims to have had to go back to England to find himself a wife, Anneila Sargent
Anneila Sargent
Anneila Sargent is a Scottish–American astronomer, who specializes in star formation.-Biography:...
).
Sargent is known for his studies of quasar
Quasar
A quasi-stellar radio source is a very energetic and distant active galactic nucleus. Quasars are extremely luminous and were first identified as being high redshift sources of electromagnetic energy, including radio waves and visible light, that were point-like, similar to stars, rather than...
absorption lines. He is currently the Ira S. Bowen
Ira Sprague Bowen
Ira Sprague Bowen was an American astronomer. In 1927 he discovered that nebulium was not really a chemical element but instead doubly ionized oxygen.-Life and work:...
Professor of Astronomy at Caltech
California Institute of Technology
The California Institute of Technology is a private research university located in Pasadena, California, United States. Caltech has six academic divisions with strong emphases on science and engineering...
.
He has supervised the theses of a number of students while at Caltech, including John Huchra
John Huchra
John Peter Huchra [pronounced HUCK-rah] was an American astronomer and professor. He was the Vice Provost for Research Policy at Harvard University and a Professor of Astronomy at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics. He was also a former chair of the United States National Committee...
, Edwin Turner, Charles C. Steidel
Charles C. Steidel
Charles C. Steidel is an American astronomer, and Lee A. DuBridge Professor of Astronomy at California Institute of Technology....
, and Alex Filippenko.
He is married to fellow Caltech astronomer Anneila Sargent
Anneila Sargent
Anneila Sargent is a Scottish–American astronomer, who specializes in star formation.-Biography:...
.
Honors
Awards- Helen B. Warner PrizeHelen B. Warner Prize for AstronomyThe Helen B. Warner Prize for Astronomy is awarded annually by the American Astronomical Society to a young astronomer for a significant contribution to observational or theoretical astronomy....
(1969) - Heineman PrizeDannie Heineman Prize for AstrophysicsThe Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics is jointly awarded each year by the American Astronomical Society and American Institute of Physics for outstanding work in astrophysics. It is funded by the Heineman Foundation in honour of Dannie Heineman....
(1991) - Bruce MedalBruce MedalThe Catherine Wolfe Bruce Gold Medal is awarded every year by the Astronomical Society of the Pacific for outstanding lifetime contributions to astronomy. It is named after Catherine Wolfe Bruce, an American patroness of astronomy, and was first awarded in 1898...
(1994) - Henry Norris Russell LectureshipHenry Norris Russell LectureshipThe Henry Norris Russell Lectureship is awarded each year by the American Astronomical Society in recognition of a lifetime of excellence in astronomical research.-Previous lecturers:This list of lecturers is from the American Astronomical Society's website....
(2001) - Numerous Others
Named after him
- AsteroidAsteroidAsteroids are a class of small Solar System bodies in orbit around the Sun. They have also been called planetoids, especially the larger ones...
11758 Sargent11758 Sargent11758 Sargent is a main-belt asteroid discovered September 24, 1960, by Cornelis Johannes van Houten and Ingrid van Houten-Groeneveld. It is named after the Caltech astronomer Wallace Sargent; his wife and fellow astronomer Anneila Sargent also has an asteroid named after her, 18244 Anneila.-...