Hugh Van Horn's entire career since 1965 has been dedicated to conducting research into the properties of dense matter and applying that knowledge to objects such as white dwarfs and neutron stars. For almost 30 years, he led a research team investigating these topics at the University of Rochester, and a number of his former students have gone on to distinguished careers in astrophysics themselves. He is personally acquainted with many of the senior leaders in white dwarf research across the globe.

His key contributions to our current understanding of the white dwarfs include (1) demonstrating that these cooling stars crystallize while still at temperatures where they are observable, (2) helping to develop detailed physical models for the properties of dense matter in their surface convection zones and deep interiors, and (3) helping to develop the theory of pulsating white dwarfs to the point where asteroseismological studies are now routinely being used to determine physical properties of these stars.

Dr. Van Horn has co-edited or co-authored several books including: (1) White Dwarfs and Variable Degenerate Stars, ed. H. M. Van Horn and V. Weidemann (University of Rochester: Rochester, NY, 1979); (2) Strongly Coupled Plasma Physics, ed. H. M. Van Horn and S. Ichimaru (University of Rochester Press: Rochester, NY, 1993); and (3) 2020 Vision: An Overview of New Worlds, New Horizons in Astronomy and Astrophysics, H. M. Van Horn and M. Specian (booklet published by the National Academy of Sciences: Washington, DC, 2011).

Traces the development of our scientific understanding of white dwarf stars from their discovery to their use as a tool to learn more about the universe

Places the advances in our understanding of white dwarfs within the context of the revolutionary advances in science during the twentieth century

Emphasizes the importance of advances in technology-especially the development of digital computing and the ability to make astronomical observations from space-in achieving our current understanding of these stars-especially the development of digital computing and the ability to make astronomical observations from space-in achieving our current understanding of these stars