2025-Jan-08: The VERITAS Collaboration is pleased to recognize the recipients of the 2022 "Outstanding Contribution Awards". Each year the collaboration recognizes exceptional work by two individuals - a graduate student (the Simon Swordy Outstanding Contribution Award) and a postdoctoral researcher (the Trevor Weekes Outstanding Contribution Award), to "...formally recognize the significant contributions of more early-career members of the collaboration in the critical service work that enables scientific publications of VERITAS, but do not result in any scientific publications directly".
This year's recipients are:
Tobias Kleiner (Simon Swordy Award) - For major contributions to VERITAS during his graduate work, where he pioneered the first implementation of a Gammapy-based extended source analysis for VERITAS. This work required the integration of gammapy software into the EventDisplay-based VERITAS analysis pipeline for background estimation, the development and integration of an interpolator for instrument response functions into the VERITAS DL3 converter software, and extensive validations of extended source analysis with a focus on accurate background estimation and systematics.
Ruo-Yu Shang - (Trevor Weekes Award) - For major contributions to both VERITAS and the SCT, such as advanced analysis techniques for VERITAS, including the development of a novel background estimation method that will be used in studies of large extended sources, paired with the critical work of familiarizing the wider collaboration with the details and use of the Matrix Method by working with students and early career scientists as well as for key contributions to the complex optical-system alignment of the pSCT and additional work to improve the event reconstruction for imaging atmospheric Cherenkov telescopes generally. These efforts are completed in addition to service on the Update to Analysis Policy Committee in 2022 leadership of the Galactic Working Group for 2 years.
Congratulations to Tobias and Ruo-Yu !
Dr. Tobias Kleiner 
Dr. Ruo-Yu Shang
