The American Humanist Association announced its 2019 Isaac Asimov Science Award will go to Pamela Gay for her work in astronomy and technology, and for playing an important role in creating a more informed and progressive society by communicating science to the public.

Gay, a Senior Scientist at the Planetary Science Institute, is an astronomer, writer, and podcaster focused on using new media to engage people in science and technology.

“To receive an award named after Isaac Asimov is a particular honor. My own love of science originated in a love of science fiction and a desire to learn what science in that fiction could be made possible,” Gay said. “Today I hope to find ways to inspire future writers to write new stories using modern science. It is through these future histories that we so often learn how science can potentially corrupt, but also advance and liberate our society.”

Gay is co-host of the Astronomy Cast podcast and one of the streamers for the CosmoQuestX Twitch channel, which are now programs at PSI. She leverages these platforms to educate people and invite them to do science on CosmoQuest.org. This website allows everyday people to map out other worlds and find the safe places to land a spacecraft and the scientifically interesting places to explore.

“Humans are one people sharing one sky, and there is simply too much universe for scientists to try and understand without help,” she said. “As a scientist, I work to communicate science to the public, making the world my classroom. Then I invite those people to help us explore the universe with me through citizen science.”

Gay will receive the award at the American Humanist Association’s 78th Annual Conference June 7 at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.