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Srinivas Bettadpur bags American Geophysical Union’s 2024 Whitten Medal
He will be awarded at the AGU24 honors ceremony on Dec 11.
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Srinivas Bettadpur. / Image - University of Texas at Austin
The American Geophysical Union (AGU) has recognized Srinivas Bettadpur, an Indian-American professor at the University of Texas at Austin, with the 2024 Charles A. Whitten Medal.
Awarded every two years, the medal recognizes senior scientists who have made significant contributions to research on the form and dynamics of Earth and planetary bodies.
Bettadpur, an expert in orbital mechanics and space geodesy, has been at the forefront of research that uses space-based metrology and remote sensing to model Earth’s dynamics. His work has advanced the design of space missions and the analysis of space geodetic data, playing a pivotal role in understanding global and regional phenomena.
As the head of the newly established Quantum Pathways Institute, funded by NASA, Bettadpur is leading efforts to develop quantum sensing technologies aimed at improving climate measurement by observing atoms in space. He also leads UT Austin’s contributions to the U.S./German GRACE-Continuity mission, which aims to improve spaceborne gravity field measurements, with a launch planned for 2028.
In addition to his scientific achievements, Bettadpur serves as the president of the International Association of Geodesy’s Commission-2 (Gravity Field) for the 2023-2027 term. His career accolades include the NASA Exceptional Public Achievement Medal and the European Geosciences Union’s Vening-Meinesz Medal.
“These recipients have transformed our understanding of the world, impacted our everyday lives, improved our communities and contributed to solutions for a sustainable future,” remarked Lisa J. Graumlich, AGU president.
Bettadpur holds a PhD in aerospace, astronautical/space engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, an MS in the same field from the University of Oklahoma, an MTech from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, and a B.Tech. in mechanical engineering from Punjab Engineering College.
Bettadpur will be honored during the AGU24 Honors Ceremony in Washington, D.C., on Dec. 11, 2024, where over 25,000 attendees from more than 100 countries will gather to celebrate the achievements of this year’s recipients.
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