Distinguished Professor Susan M. Scott of The Australian National University has been awarded the 2026 AIP Harrie Massey Medal and Prize for her internationally recognised contributions to general relativity, cosmology and gravitational-wave science.

The award recognises “groundbreaking discoveries in the fields of general relativity, cosmology and gravitational wave science, and for her leading role in Australia’s participation in the first detection of gravitational waves.”

Professor Scott’s research has explored some of the most fundamental questions about our Universe, including the nature of gravitational singularities such as black holes, the boundaries of spacetime and cosmological models describing the beginning and end states of the Universe.

She has also played a defining role in establishing gravitational-wave science in Australia. In 1994, she founded the Australasian Society for General Relativity and Gravitation, bringing together theoretical and experimental researchers across the region.

In 1998, Professor Scott initiated Australian research in gravitational-wave data analysis. Her group later contributed key components to the LIGO Data Analysis System that processed the signal from the historic first detection of gravitational waves in 2015.

Her contributions have since spanned searches for gravitational waves from neutron stars, detector characterisation and the electromagnetic follow-up of gravitational-wave events.

Professor Scott is also Editor-in-Chief of Classical and Quantum Gravity and contributes to the Einstein-First education program for school students.

Susan is one of 11 members recognised with 2026 AIP Awards for outstanding accomplishments in research, leadership, education and communication. Read more about the 2026 AIP Award recipients.

The 2026 AIP Awards will be presented at AIP Congress 2026 in Sydney this December.