Department of Astronomy faculty member Christopher Kochanek (Professor) has been named as a 2026 Fellow of the American Astronomical Society. 

Prof. Kochanek has been acknowledged for significantly advancing our understanding of the universe through innovative research spanning tidal disruption of stars, gravitational lensing and its applications, galaxy evolution, the structure of quasar accretion flows, massive star evolution and black hole formation, and time-domain astronomy. 

The AAS is honoring 23 members in 2026 for extraordinary achievement and service by naming them AAS Fellows — an honor bestowed on less than 0.5% of AAS’s membership each year. They are being recognized for original research and publications, innovative contributions to astronomical techniques or instrumentation, significant contributions to education and public outreach, and noteworthy service to astronomy and to the Society itself.

"The ongoing mission of the AAS is to enhance and share humanity's scientific understanding of the universe as a diverse  and inclusive community. This 2026 class of Fellows and their collective achievements are key to fulfilling that mission," says AAS President Dara Norman (NSF’s NOIRLab). The 2026 AAS Fellows now represent the seventh class recognized for their personal achievement and extraordinary service to the astronomical sciences and to the AAS.