January 8, 2026 — Southwest Research Institute’s Dr. Alan Stern, a planetary scientist and associate vice president in SwRI’s Space Sector, has been named a Fellow of the American Astronomical Society (AAS). Fellows are recognized for their original research and publications, innovative contributions to astronomical techniques or instrumentation, significant contributions to education and public outreach, and other noteworthy service to astronomy.
“I am deeply honored and humbled to be named an AAS Fellow,” Stern said. “I owe the lion’s share of my professional success to Southwest Research Institute.”
Stern was recognized this year for his leadership in space science and instrumentation to study the outer solar system, culminating in the successful NASA New Horizons mission to Pluto and the Kuiper Belt, and for long-term service to the community.
The honor is bestowed on fewer than 0.5% of the membership of AAS each year.
Stern is the principal investigator of NASA’s New Horizons mission, which returned new data and spectacular imagery of Pluto and its moons as well as the Kuiper Belt object Arrokoth. Stern has served as a member of the U.S. National Science Board since 2018. He has played a leadership role on 15 NASA and European Space Agency (ESA) missions and served on the science teams of 15 other U.S. and ESA space missions.
Stern has also twice served as board chairman of the Commercial Spaceflight Federation (CSF) and in 2024 he received the CSF’s James Kuzma Space Community Advocacy Award in recognition of his contributions to commercial spaceflight. In 2007 and 2008, he led the NASA Headquarters Science Mission Directorate, overseeing 93 flight missions and more than 3,000 grants. In November 2023, Stern conducted suborbital research aboard the Virgin Galactic commercial spaceship Unity.
In both 2016 and 2007, TIME Magazine named Stern as one of the 100 most influential people of the year. He also received the 2016 NASA Distinguished Public Service Medal, the space agency’s highest civilian honor. Stern has written four books including “Chasing New Horizons,” published in 2018.
The AAS is an international organization for professional and amateur astronomers established in 1899, which now has more than 8,000 members across the globe. The organization named a new class of Fellows on January 8th.
For more information, visit Space Research & Technology or contact Mike W. Thomas, +1 210 522 2255, Communications Department, Southwest Research Institute, 6220 Culebra Road, San Antonio, TX 78238-5166.