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Renée Hložek has been awarded by the in recognition of her significant and sustained early career research in astronomy.

Hložek, an assistant professor at the Dunlap Institute and the David A. Dunlap department of astronomy and astrophysics in the Faculty of Arts & Science, uses data to explore what the universe is made of, its structure, and how it is changing with time.

“Receiving this award just blows me away,” Hložek says. “I work in large collaborations of scientists to build big telescopes so that we can get enough data to answer fundamental questions in cosmology.

“I’m really moved that some of this work is being recognized with the Richer medal.”

One of an international group of scientists building a series of microwave telescopes in northern Chile to observe the afterglow of the Big Bang, Hložek is also part of the Rubin Observatory’s Dark Energy Science Collaboration, which will use to unravel the mysteries of cosmic acceleration.

“This is fantastic recognition of Professor Hložek’s many contributions,” says Dunlap Institute director Bryan Gaensler. “She has had an electrifying effect on Canadian astronomy, and has brought many new ideas, approaches and discoveries to the table. It’s exciting to think that she is still only very early in her career – her future is very bright.”