The award panel said Dr Fawcett had demonstrated excellence in research, including a strong publication record, and co-leadership of the working group on active galactic nuclei within the Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI) collaboration.

Dr Fawcett was also recognised for being an "exceptional role model and promoter of increasing diversity in astronomy and physics".

Her lecture topic will be: 'Unveiling the secrets of hidden supermassive black holes'.

Dr Fawcett is a Research Associate in Astrophysics in the School of Mathematics, Statistics and Physics who specialises in dusty quasars and how they influence their host galaxies.

She said: “I feel extremely honoured to have won this year's prize lectureship. Communicating my research to the public is one of the most enjoyable aspects of my job and I strongly encourage all scientists to get involved with science outreach. I'm looking forward to the lecture and hope everyone will find black holes as fascinating as I do!”

Supporting women astronomers

The Caroline Herschel Prize Lectureship was established in 2018 by what is now the Herschel Society, in association with the Royal Astronomical Society (RAS), to celebrate Caroline’s memory by supporting promising women astronomers early in their careers.

Caroline, William's younger sister, started out as his assistant, but in time became recognised as an important astronomer in her own right, was the first to be paid as such, and was awarded the RAS Gold Medal in 1828.

Previous winners of the Caroline Herschel Prize Lectureship include Dr Heloise Stevance, Dr Marie Van de Sande, and Dr Alexandra Amon.

In 2022, Dr Fawcett hosted a talk at Durham Castle by Professor Dame Jocelyn Bell Burnell, a former president of the RAS who earlier this month was appointed a Companion of Honour (CH) in the King’s Birthday Honours.

The talk focused on women in STEM and ways to improve the current gender imbalance.

The Caroline Herschel Prize Lecture is hosted by the University of Bath in November in cooperation with the Herschel Society as part of the university's public lecture series.

Charles Draper, chairman of the Herschel Society, said: "Caroline Herschel turned her brother William's observations of galaxies and other deep sky objects into usable catalogues for future observers.

"She would have been fascinated to see what researchers such as Dr Fawcett can tell us today about the nature of those systems."

Press release adapted with thanks from the Royal Astronomical Society.