Awards to the Graduate Students
Akeley-Mandler Awards for Teaching Excellence
These awards have been established to show gratitude for the efforts put forth by those exceptional graduate student teaching assistants who excel beyond the mere requirements of the job, investing their own time and effort to insure that they provide the best education possible to the students who depend on them.
In a large university such as Purdue, a great deal of the undergraduate teaching responsiblity falls to the graduate student teaching assistants. Because of the importance of quality pedagogy in maintaining the university's reputation, it is the intention of this award to motivate graduate students to become better educators. Through recognition of the effort and teaching quality which is already present in many graduate students, this award will encourage others to invest the time and energy required to improve the quality of education which the Department of Physics provides to this university.
These awards are funded by Instructor Emeritus Anna Akeley in memory of her late husband Edward S. Akeley and her late Brother, Kurt Mandler.
Recipients of the Akeley-Mandler Award for Teaching Excellence
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2011 | Christos Deligkaris |
| 2010 | Alyssa Garrelts |
| 2009 | Jacob Hale |
| 2007 | Joshua Mattes |
| 2006 | John Buncher |
| 2005 | John Millis |
| 2002 | Jennifer Coy |
| 2001 | Bernard Griggs |
| 2001 | Rekishu Yamazaki |
| 1999 | Timo Budarz |
| 1999 | Michael Stohler |
| 1998 | Navin Deendyal |
| 1997 | Dale Human |
| 1997 | Michelle Parry |
| 1996 | Richard Flack |
| 1995 | Tom Pekarek |
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Dr. Warner Black Award
This award is given by Ms. Lona Black Koltick in memory of her grandfather, Dr. Warner Black. Dr. Black was born in 1861 and at the age of 2 years, his father died in the civil war. From his humble beginning, his love of education and people strengthened his resolve so that he received a Medical Degree from Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee in 1891. Dr. Black had a great love of the people and used his medical knowledge to help the common person as well as the poor, initially by practicing in the remote areas of Tennessee. In 1902, he ran for the political office of Poor House Physician of Franklin County, Tennessee and was elected.
In 1906, Dr. Black moved this family to “Indian Territory of Oklahoma” where his medical practice helped many people in a region of America that needed the help of this very practical man. As a medical doctor, farmer, proprietor of a general store, peacemaker, politician, teacher, and a man that served the poor and needy, this award will be given to a physicist that is most likely, in a similar way, bring physics to the people and help them improve their lives by using a deep knowledge of fundamental and applied physics to make practical and useful inventions that have a real and lasting impact on the way all people, rich and poor alike, live better lives by the winner’s expected work and sacrifice. This award will be given once each year and will be accompanied with a $200 cash price of recognition. The award winner will be selected by a committee consisting of men and women that have a deep knowledge of physics as well as having practical accomplishments and have served the public in politics or the poor in their communities.
Dr. Warner Black Award Recipients
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2010 | Steven Kane |
| 2009 | Eric Sword |
| 2007 | Seth McConchie |
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Edward S. Akeley Award
This award was established in 1984 for honoring outstanding physics graduate students in theoretical physics.
Instructor Emeritus Anna M. Akeley has provided the means to establish an award account in memory of Professor Edward S. Akeley, her late husband. It is intended that an annual award of $100 is to be made to an outstanding Ph.D. candidate or recent graduate in the area of theoretical physics in the Department of Physics, Purdue University. The award recipient will be chosen each year by a committee of faculty members of the Department of Physics.
Recipients of the Edward S. Akeley Award
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2010 | John Buncher |
| 2009 | Chen Fang |
| 2006 | Stefano Chesi |
| 2005 | George Simion |
| 2003 | Brajesh Rai |
| 2001 | Christopher Tong |
| 2000 | Sadek Mansour |
| 1999 | Alexander Pozamantir |
| 1998 | Michelle Parry |
| 1997 | Samir Ranjan |
| 1996 | Mi-Ae Park |
| 1996 | D. Catalina Marinescu |
| 1994 | Dennis Krause |
| 1993 | Robert Rice |
| 1992 | Donald Jacobs |
| 1991 | Giuseppe Santoro |
| 1990 | Murielle Villeret |
| 1989 | Luc Daemen |
| 1988 | Nivedita Deo |
| 1986 | Yao Wang |
| 1985 | Xiao Dong Zhu |
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George W. Tautfest Award
This annual award was established in 1970 to honor outstanding physics graduate students in high energy physics.
George Tautfest helped pave the way at Purdue University and in the Midwest towards establishing a strong and healthy discipline to investigate the most fundamental interactions of nature. This truly frontier endeavor, high energy physics, challenges the serious and active intellect as thoroughly as any of the problems faced by earlier generations of physicists.
In view of this it is appropriate to remember the important contributions of George Tautfest to science by the establishment of an award in his name that will be presented to a graduate student at Purdue University who shows outstanding promise in high energy physics research, either experimental or theoretical. The award wil be made at yearly intervals, providing a suitable candidate is found by a representative faculty committee to be chosen by the Head of the Physics Department.
Recipients of the George W. Tautfest Award
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2011 | Quan Wang |
| 2009 | Bo Xin |
| 2008 | Terence Tarnowsky |
| 2008 | Jason Ulery |
| 2007 | Viktor Veszpremi |
| 2006 | Anadi Canepa |
| 2005 | Kim Giolo |
| 2005 | Amitava Roy |
| 2004 | Imre Pal |
| 2004 | Carsten Rott |
| 2003 | Ricardo Vasquez |
| 2002 | Arnold Pompos |
| 2000 | Todd Keaffaber |
| 2000 | Naresh Menon |
| 1999 | Mary Bishai |
| 1998 | Ekkehard Gerndt |
| 1998 | Kara Hoffman |
| 1997 | Karoly Banicz |
| 1996 | Mark C. Kruse |
| 1995 | Ting Miao |
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Grodzins Summer Research Award
This award was established in 2003 to provide support of graduate students engaged in research during the summer term. Purdue alumnus and 1998 Honorary Degree Recipient, Lee Grodzins, has given the department funds for the support of this award.
Recipients of the Grodzins Summer Research Award
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2009 | Eric Brown |
| 2009 | Yihong Liu |
Given in honor of Annie Akeley
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2008 | Helin Cao |
| 2008 | David Lomiashvili |
| 2008 | Andrew Irrgang |
| 2008 | Xin Li |
| 2008 | Eric Sword |
Given in honor of Anne Grodzins Lipow
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2007 | Babita Dhayal |
| 2007 | Glynn Bricker |
| 2007 | Chen Fang |
| 2007 | Ben Phillabaum |
| 2007 | Vinh Diep |
Given in honor of Wen Yu Zhang, who directed Lee's doctorate at Purdue (1954).
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2006 | Stefano Chesi |
| 2006 | Gabor Pszota |
| 2005 | Xiangshun Lu |
| 2005 | Joshua Mattis |
| 2005 | Naranbaatar Dashdorj |
| 2004 | Xiangshu Lu |
| 2004 | Kwan Jeong |
| 2003 | Kim Giolo |
| 2003 | Xiangshu Lu |
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H. Y. Fan Award
Established in 1987 and named after Professor Emeritus H. Y. Fan, this award is given annually to a physics graduate student for outstanding research in experimental or theoretical and condensed matter physics.
The Professor H.Y. Fan Award was established in recognition of Professor Fan's many contributions to solid state physics and to the Purdue University Department of Physics. Professor Fan is a pioneer and major contributor to experimental theoretical and condensed matter physics, especially in the area of infrared studies of semiconductors. He has played a major role in the development of the Purdue Department of Physics into a large research oriented department. He came to Purdue in 1948 and in 1963 was appointed the Duncan Distinguished Professor.
The award will recognize demonstrated research abilities and outstanding promise in the research area of experimental or theoretical and condensed matter physics. Any faculty member of the Purdue Department of Physics may nominate, for the award, a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Physics, or a graduate who has received the Ph.d. degree within the last year. The prize will be awarded to the one nominee judged most deserving by a faculty committee appointed by the Head of the Department.
Recipients of the H. Y. Fan Award
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2011 | Nodar Samkharadze |
| 2010 | Chen Fang |
| 2009 | Mason Overby |
| 2009 | Xuefeng Wang |
| 2008 | Sunanda Koduvayur |
| 2007 | Gang Chen |
| 2007 | Xiangshun Lu |
| 2005 | Leilei Peng |
| 2001 | Heejun Jeong |
| 2000 | John Sutter |
| 1998 | Hyungjung Kim |
| 1998 | Ralf Vogelgesang |
| 1996 | Ranbir S. Rana |
| 1995 | Abhilash J. Mayaur |
| 1995 | M. Dean Sciacca |
| 1994 | Qingnan Wang |
| 1992 | Stephen Hoffman |
| 1991 | Jin Liu |
| 1990 | Thomas Gog |
| 1989 | Timothy Meisenheimer |
| 1988 | Eunkyung Suh |
| 1987 | Dwight V. Bartholomew |
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This award was established in 1969, and is given annually to a physics graduate student for outstanding research accomplishments.
The Lark-Horovitz Prize in Physics has been endowed by the gifts of the staff of the Purdue Department of Physics, and the family, friends, and associates of Dr. Lark-Horovitz, in memory of his great contribution to the growth and development of the Purdue Department of Physics. Establishment of the prize is intended to stimulate and encourage graduate work in physics at Purdue by providing an appropriate recognition of unusual achievements in the field.
The Lark-Horovitz Prize in Physics is to be presented at appropriate intervals, of not less than one year, to a graduate student in the Purdue Department of Physics, in recognition of demonstrated ability and exceptional promise in research.
Recipients of the Karl Lark-Horovitz Award
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2011 | Miguel Araya-Arguedas |
| 2010 | Boyang Liu |
| 2009 | Artur Apreseyan |
| 2009 | Ming Zhao |
| 2008 | Youngquan Xue |
| 2007 | Kwan Jeong |
| 2007 | Stefano Chesi |
| 2006 | George Simion |
| 2005 | Manoj Varma |
| 2004 | Stanislav Tsoi |
| 2003 | Victor Pavlunin |
| 2002 | Miroslav Kopal |
| 2001 | Daniel Javorsek |
| 2000 | Maeng Je Seong |
| 1999 | Mihaela Dinu |
| 1998 | Indrajit Lahiri |
| 1997 | Samir Ranjan |
| 1996 | Robert M. Brubaker |
| 1994 | David M. Schaefer |
| 1993 | Brian Todd Huffman |
| 1992 | Ralph Wagoner |
| 1991 | Rodrigo G. Alonso |
| 1990 | Ximing Chen |
| 1989 | Giuseppe LaRocca |
| 1988 | David J. Klepacki |
| 1987 | Qun Shen |
| 1986 | Yongli Gao |
| 1985 | Sudha Gopalan |
| 1984 | Daniel M. Fleetwood |
| 1984 | David C. Peterson |
| 1983 | Kong Thon F. Tsen |
| 1982 | Roger W. Minich |
| 1981 | Leroy D. Chapman |
| 1980 | Belvin S. Freeman |
| 1980 | Wayne I. Imaino |
| 1979 | Enrique Fernandez |
| 1978 | Mark L. Boriach |
| 1978 | Charles P. Beetz |
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Lijuan Wang Memorial Awards
This award was established for the purpose of promoting professional careers in physics for women. It provides teaching awards and travel grants for graduate and undergraduate female physics students.
Named after the late graduate student Ms. Lijuan Wang.
Recipients of the Lijuan Wang Memorial Award
| Year | Recipient | Category |
|---|---|---|
| 2011 | Kari Frank | Graduate |
| 2010 | Sunanda Koduvayur | Graduate |
| 2010 | Laura Boon | Graduate |
| 2009 | Alyssa Garrelts | Graduate |
| 2009 | Cristina Moody | Graduate |
| 2008 | Laura Biedermann | Graduate |
| 2008 | Yu Zheng | Graduate |
| 2007 | Chun Lan | Graduate Research |
| 2006 | Valeria Strarovoitova | Graduate |
| 2003 | Babita Dhayal | Graduate |
| 2002 | Baris Cetin | Graduate |
| 2002 | Anadi Canepa | Graduate |
| 2001 | Marta Zgagacz | Graduate Teaching |
| 2000 | Jennifer Coy | Graduate Teaching |
| 1999 | Jennifer Coy | Graduate Teaching |
| 1999 | Mihaela Dinu | Graduate Research |
| 1999 | Mary Bishai | Graduate Research |
| 1996 | Kathleen Falconer |
Graduate |
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Outstanding 1st or 2nd Year Teaching Assistant
Established in 2013 and named after Professor Gabriele F. Giuliani, this award honors excellence in teaching by first or second year graduate students. These graduate students show dedication and dependability, and, like Professor Giuliani, demonstrate a passion for physics that contributes to a rich learning environment.
Recipients of the Gabriele F. Giuliani Award
| Year | Recipient |
|---|---|
| 2013 | David Blasing |
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