Student Awards and Honors
Undergraduate Student Awards and Scholarships
Barry Goldwater Scholarship (external)
Arianna Meenakshi McNamara (2022)
Press release - The honors come from the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation, established by Congress in 1986 as a highly coveted award offering up to $7,500 toward tuition and fees to sophomores and juniors. The goal of the Goldwater Scholarship is to provide a continuing source of highly qualified scientists, mathematicians and engineers wishing to pursue research careers in these fields.
The Astronaut Scholarship (external)
Arianna Meenakshi McNamara (2022)
Press release - The Astronaut Scholarship recognizes these students for their remarkable efforts and achievements through hours of research and coursework while in undergraduate studies. As Astronaut Scholars, they will build relationships with scholarship alumni and astronauts, as well as pioneers and leaders in their fields of study. In addition, they recently had a unique opportunity to network with these and fellow scholars across the country at the annual Innovator’s Gala held in August in Florida.
NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) (external)
Swagat Bhattacharyya
The NSF GRFP recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported STEM disciplines who are pursuing research-based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited US institutions. The five-year fellowship includes three years of financial support including an annual stipend of $34,000 and a cost of education allowance of $12,000 to the institution.
Ramdas Award
Justin Copenhaver- nominated by Prof. Jukka Vayrynen
The Ramdas Award award was establish in 2018 by Anant K. Ramdas, the Lark-Horovitz Distinguished Professor of Physics and his wife, Vasanti Ramdas. The purpose of the Ramdas Award is to recognize an exceptional senior who has completed a unique project in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
Judith Peters Humnicky Award
Cameron Shane
Nicholas Sylvester
Erin Smith
Grace Katz
Amelia Binau
Judith Peters Humnicky was relentless in pursuit of hergoals and this award honors her memory by recognizing the persistence, diligence, and hard work necessary to obtain an undergraduate degree in physics and enhances the gender diversity of among the Department’s undergraduates. This award is made possible due to the generosity of Mr. Michael Humnicky (BS1970).
Spira Undergraduate Summer Research Award
Bianca Caminada
This award supports one or more students working on a research project under the supervision of a faculty member in the Department of Physics and Astronomy and/or the Department of Mathematics. The Spira Summer Research Award is made possible thanks to the generosity of Dr. Joel S. (BS1948) and Mrs. Ruth R. Spira.
Lijuan Wang Memorial Award
Bianca Caminada (nominated by Prof. Ken Ritchie)
Meenakshi McNamara (nominated by Prof. Andreas Jung)
The Lijuan Wang Memorial award is given annually to one or more outstanding undergraduate physics majors who promote the gender diversity of the department through participation in Women in Physics. Lijuan Wang was a graduate student in the department from 1989 until her untimely death in 1992.
Ralph Lefler Memorial Award
Benjamin D. Simon (nominated by Prof. Miaoyuan Liu)
Alan Jeffrey Wright (nominated by Dr. David Sederberg)
This award recognizes outstanding undergraduate students in the Department of Physics and Astronomy who have demonstrated interest or commitment in teaching K-12 programs after graduation. The award also recognizes students who significantly contribute to Physics and Astronomy outreach programs offered to K-12 students. Professor Ralph Lefler was a pioneer of physics education at Purdue and the Ralph Lefler Memorial Award is made possible due to the generosity of a group of his former students.
Frederik J. Belinfante Scholarship in Physics
Colton Griffin
This scholarship recognizes outstanding physics upperclassmen. The scholarship is possible due to the generosity of Dr. Robert Newcomb (BS 1955).
Shalim and Paula Sargis Memorial Scholarship
Gabriel Skowronek
The Sargis Scholarship recognizes a physics upperclassman from outside the state of Indiana who also graduated from a U.S. high school. This scholarship is made possible due to the generosity of Dr. James Sargis (BS 1958).
David G. Seiler Physics Scholarship
Grace Francis
The Seiler Scholarship recognizes an outstanding physics upperclassman who is involved in Women in Science or Women in Physics programs. This scholarship is possible due to the generosity of Dr. David G. Seiler (PhD 1969).
Arthur N. Pozner Memorial Scholarship
Meenakshi McNamara
This scholarship recognizes outstanding physics upperclassmen. The scholarship is possible due to the generosity of the Arthur N. Pozner Trust.
Kenneth S. and Paula D. Krane Physics Scholarship
Leland Bednarz
Gabriel Goodwin
The Krane Scholarship recognizes outstanding physics upperclassmen. The scholarship is possible due to the generosity of Dr. Kenneth S. (PhD 1970) and Mrs. Paula D. Krane.
Robert L. Mieher Physics Scholarship
Joshua Friedman
The Mieher Scholarship recognizes outstanding physics upperclassmen and is made possible through the generosity of Dr. Edward B. and Dr. Barbara A. Hale.
Margie and Don Bottorff Undergraduate Physics Scholarship
Faith K. Bergin
Braden L. Garretson
The Bottorff Scholarship is made possible by a gift from Ms. Celeste Bottorff (MS 1975). The scholarship is a 1-year award made to outstanding physics upperclassmen.
College of Science Honors Convocation Student Honorees
- Jaiveer Dutta - Freshman
- Meenakshi McNamara - Sophomore
- Colton Griffin - Junior
- Justin Copenhaver - Senior
College of Science Ambassadors Graduating Seniors
- Allison Earnhardt
- Nicole Osborn
College of Science Championing Diversity Award
- Claire Landgraf
Undergraduate Merit Scholarship
- Chandler Albright
- Peter Salisbury
- Bahaa Elshimy
- Ashley Ortiz
- Amit Rajapurohita
- Danny Kim
Complete list of undergraduate awards for the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
Graduate Student Awards and Scholarships
Karl Lark-Horovitz Award
Chenwei Lv (nominated by Qi Zhou)
Our Department’s most prestigious graduate student honor, the Lark-Horovitz Award recognizes outstanding research accomplishments. The award is possible through the generosity of the faculty as well as the family, friends, and associates of Prof. Lark-Horovitz in memory of his great contribution to the growth and development of the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
Ramdas Prize in Honor of Professor CV Raman
Dr. Abigail Kopec (nominated by Prof. Rafael Lang) She is Post-doctoral fellow at the UC San Diego and her research area is: "Rare Event Searches in Liquid Xenon Time Projection Chambers."
The Ramdas Prize in Honor of Professor CV Ramane recognizes a Ph.D. student or recent alumni for an outstanding dissertation. The Ramdas Prize was established in 2018 by Anant K. Ramdas, the Lark-Horovitz Distinguished Professor (Emeritus) of Physics and Astronomy, and his wife Vasanti Ramdas, to honor Anant's teacher, Nobel Laureate Sir C. V. Raman.
Gabriele F. Giuliani Award
Jared Newton (nominated by Anderzej Lewicki)
Established in 2013 in memory of Prof. 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.
George W. Tautfest Award
Keiichiro Furuya (nominated by Prof. Nima Lashkari)
Dmitry Kondratyev (nominated by Prof. Norbert Neumeister)
This award honors outstanding physics graduate students in high energy particle physics, high energy nuclear physics, or astrophysics. Prof. Tautfest was the leader of the Purdue High Energy Physics group until his death in 1967 at age 41. The award was established in 1969 by his colleagues and the Purdue Alumni Foundation.
H. Y. Fan Award
Sean Myers (nominated by Prof. Gabor Csathy)
The Fan Award recognizes outstanding graduate research in condensed matter physics, biological physics, or AMO physics. The award was established in recognition of Prof. Fan’s many contributions to condensed matter physics, particularly in the area of infrared studies of semiconductors, and to the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
Charlotte Ida Litman Tubis Award
Amanda Depoian-Baxter
The Charlotte Ida Litman Tubis Award was established in her memory by her husband, Prof. Emeritus Arnold Tubis, to promote clear and concise communication of scientific ideas beyond the physics and astronomy community.
Dr. Warner Black Award
Francis Walz (nominated by Prof. Niranjan Shivaram)
The Black Award recognizes graduate students whose research has the potential to bring physics to the people and to 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.
Edward S. Akeley Award
Keiichiro Furuya (nominated by Prof. Nima Lashkari)
This award recognizes outstanding physics graduate students in theoretical physicists. The Akeley Award is made possible through the generosity of Instructor Emeritus Anna M. Akeley.
Akeley-Mandler Award for Teaching Excellence
Dewan Woods (nominated by Andrezej Lewicki)
The Akeley-Mandler Award recognizes exceptional graduate student teaching assistants who excel beyond the mere requirements of the job, investing their effort to ensure that they provide the best education possible to their students. This award is made possible thanks to a gift made by Instructor Emeritus Anna Akeley in memory of her husband, Prof. Edward S. Akeley, and brother, Kurt Mandler.
Lijuan Wang Memorial Awards
Kiranmayi Dixit (nominated by Prof. Arnab Banerjee)
Norhan Eassa (nominated by Prof. Arnab Banerjee)
Amanda Depoian-Baxter (Nominated by Prof. Rafael Lang)
The Lijuan Wang Memorial award is given annually to one or more outstanding graduate student majors who promote the gender diversity of the department through participation in Women in Physics. Lijuan Wang was a graduate student in the department from 1989 until her untimely death in 1992.
Rolf Scharenberg Graduate Summer Research Fellowship
Danielle Dickinson (nominated by Prof. Danny Milisavljevic)
Sai Satyam Samal (nominated by Prof. Jukka Vayrynen)
Hongshan Xu (nominated by Prof. Miaoyuan Liu)
This Fellowship was established in 2017 through the generosity of Wendell and Nancy Lutz and allows 1st- or 2nd-year graduate students to work with a research advisor for a summer prior to joining a research group permanently.
Teaching Academy Graduate Teaching Award for Physics and Astronomy
Amanda Depoian-Baxter
Robert Orlando
This award honors graduate students with teaching responsibilities from across campus for their dedication to Purdue students and their outstanding teaching contributions.
Lee Osheroff Richardson (LOR) Science Prize
Dr. James Nakamura
(PhD Advisor: Prof. Michael Manfra) James is recognized for the first direct observation of anyonic braiding statistics for quasiparticles at the v=1/3 fractional quantum Hall state.
The Lee Osheroff Richardson Science Prize promotes and recognizes the novel work of young scientists working in the fields of low temperatures and/or high magnetic fields or surface science in North and South America.
Springer Thesis Awards
Dr. Cheng-An Chen
(PhD Advisor: Prof. Chen-Lung Hung) Thesis: Probing Nonequilibrium Dynamics in Two Dimensional Quantum Gases
The series “Springer Theses” brings together a selection of the very best Ph.D. theses from around the world and across the physical sciences.
Complete list of graduate awards for the Department of Physics and Astronomy.