The Department of Physics recognizes the valuable contribution to science made by graduate student researchers and selects an outstanding graduate student for special recognition each year. The recipient receives an award of $500 and a certificate. The award is made near the end of the spring term.

Eligibility

All graduate students in the Department of Physics and graduate students whose thesis research is supervised by a physics faculty member are eligible for the award.

Criteria

The Graduate Research Award recognizes excellence in research. The research should be of high caliber and should be disseminated to the scientific community. The quality and impact of the science will be considered, as will the efforts to disseminate the research results. Dissemination is interpreted in the widest form: papers in scientific journals and conference proceedings, oral or poster presentations at local, regional, national or international seminars and conferences, a research thesis, technical papers, web dissemination and other interactions that bring the research to the attention and consideration of the wider scientific community.

Procedure

The selection committee solicits nominations from all physics graduate faculty members and from faculty in other departments who supervise the research of physics graduate students. The package consists of the nomination letter, at least one other confidential letter of recommendation, the student's curriculum vitae, and the student's description of the research activities and dissemination (4-page maximum).

Timeline

Nomination packages are due in the Graduate Secretary's office by 4 p.m. on the Friday of the 6th week of spring term. The award is announced in the 10th or 11th week of spring term.

Previous awards

2022-2023

Guanyu Li

2021-2022

Pedram Esfahani

2020–2021

Amit Bashyal & Gregory Giesbers

2019–2020

Jonathan Van Schenck & Mitchell Senger

2018–2019

Tyler Parsotan

2017–2018

Atul Chhotray

2016–2017

Jihan Kim

2015–2016

Christopher Jones

2014–2015

Brian Johnson

2013–2014

Tal Sharf

2012–2013

Michael Paul

2011–2012

Mark Kendrick

Nick Kuhta

2010–2011

Joe Tomaino

2009–2010

Andrew Platt

2008–2009

Andriy Zakutayev

2007–2008

Peter Sprunger

2006–2007

Alexander Govyadinov