Jocelyn Bell Burnell's male colleagues were given a Nobel in 1974 for her discovery of radio pulsars. Now, one of the world's top scientists is receiving some retroactive respect: a Breakthrough Prize and nearly $3 million in award money.

She's being given the award for her "fundamental contributions to the discovery of pulsars, and a lifetime of inspiring leadership in the scientific community," according to a statement from the prize board.

Bell Burnell told USA TODAY she was "literally speechless" when she learned she would receive the honor. She said she plans use her prize money to set up a scholarship for women, ethnic minorities and refugee graduate students through the Institute of Physics.

Women and minorities are underrepresented in astronomy and science leadership, she said, and she'd like to change that.

"If you have a diverse group of people, it’s more robust and more successful and more flexible," she said.

Decades ago, Bell Burnell discovered pulsars when she was a graduate student at the University of Cambridge as she gathered data on a new radio telescope. Anthony Hewish, who was working with Bell Burnell at the time, and Sir Martin Ryle, who was told about the discovery, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1974. Hewish was credited with "his decisive role in the discovery of pulsars" even though Bell Burnell first discovered the regular pulses of radio waves.

Bell Burnell said she was not eligible for the Nobel at the time because students could not receive awards.

The discovery was the first identifying how neutron stars could be observed, Edward Witten, chairman of the Breakthrough Prize Selection Committee said in a statement. The pulsars are stars nearly the size of a major city and packed with neutrons.

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Pulsars are also a kind of clock — extremely precise, helping astrophysicists map the galaxy, the Breakthrough Prize notes.

The Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics also was awarded to Stephen Hawking.

Bell Burnell will be formally recognized for the award at a ceremony Nov. 4.

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