The Irving Weinberg Award

The Irving Weinberg Award is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Irving Weinberg (1919-1995), a leading contributor to the field of space photovoltaic research and development.  He spent most of his professional career at the NASA Glenn Research Center working on advanced solar cell designs and their performance within the radiation environment of space.  A recognized leader in his field, Dr. Weinberg was a brilliant, dedicated individual who worked tirelessly up to the time of his passing on understanding the underlying mechanisms of radiation damage within solar cells and the application of this knowledge toward the improvement of space photovoltaic devices.  This award honors his accomplishments as a researcher, leader, and mentor to a new generation of space photovoltaic scientists and engineers.

The Irving Weinberg Award was established in 1995 and first presented at the Fourteenth Space Photovoltaic Research and Technology (SPRAT) Conference.  The award is presented at every SPRAT conference to an individual who has made significant contributions to the field of space photovoltaics and represents the dedication, diligence, and leadership qualities exhibited by Dr. Weinberg during his career.

This year the Irving Weinberg Award is presented to Dr. Dean C. Marvin.  Dr. Marvin is currently the Principal Director of the Research and Program Development Office at The Aerospace Corporation.  He joined The Aerospace Corporation in 1983, established the Energy Sources and Test Section in 1986 and was promoted to Research Scientist in 1990.  Dr. Marvin transferred to Albuquerque in 1993, supporting the Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Space Technology Directorate as the lead engineer in space power technology programs where he concentrated a considerable amount of his time and talents in support of space photovoltaic R&T development.  Dr. Marvin is well-known for his comprehensive studies on radiation effects in photovoltaic devices.  He was principally involved in a number of solar cell flight experiments (including ASCOT HEO and PASP Plus) and defined/executed the AFRL investment strategy for multijunction solar cell development.  In recognition of his valuable contributions to the space photovoltaic community, we are honored to announce Dr. Dean C. Marvin as a recipient of the Irving Weinberg Award.

For more information, please contact:
Barb Madej
(216) 433-2305