Student Awards and Honors

Undergraduate Student Awards and Scholarships

AWM Schafer Prize Winner (external)

Arianna Meenakshi McNamara (2024)

NSF Graduate Research Fellowship (external)

Colton Griffin

Ramdas Award

Colton Griffin

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

Olivia G. Scherrer

Raymond Glowner

John (Jay) Frandina

Suhani Sunder

Eliot D. Hilton

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

Jack Rodgers

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

Marygrace M Fagan

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

Ethan Pinarski

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

William Messman

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

Santiago Lopez

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

Amelia R. Binau

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

Rana Yuvraj

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

Marygrace Fagan

Darin Tsai

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

Mason Giacchetti

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

Arianna Meenakshi McNamara

Melody Shimba

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 Outstanding Student

• Spencer J. Walsh - Freshman
• Marygrace Fagan - Sophomore
• Gabriel Goodwin - Junior
• Grace Francis - Senior

College of Science Ambassadors Graduating Seniors

Colton Griffin

College of Science Championing Diversity Award

Undergraduate Merit Scholarship

• Jack Rodgers
• Ashley Ortiz
• Ian Holda
• Allison Loper
• Joshua Friedman

Science Physics Scholarships

• Ashley Ortiz
• Arianna Meenakshi McNamara
• Allison Loper
• Joshua Friedman
• Santiago Lopez
• Gabriel Skowronek
• Leland Bednarz
• Gabriel Goodwin
• Jaiveer Dutta
• Emanuel Borror

John Martinson Honors College Pillar Award for Outstanding Senior

Bianca Caminada

Purdue Mortar Board Class of 2023 Graduate Support Award

Bianca Caminada

Purdue University Bruce Helfert Memorial Award

Arianna Meenakshi McNamara

Complete list of undergraduate awards for the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Graduate Student Awards and Scholarships

Karl Lark-Horovitz Award

Xingyu Gao- nominated by Tongcang Li

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

Keiichiro Furuya- nominated by Nima Lashkari

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

Danielle Dickinson- nominated by Andrzej 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

Juehang Qin- nominated by Rafael Lang

Zachary Davis- nominated by Dimitrios Giannios

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

Xinchao Zhou- nominated by Chen-Lung Hung

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

Keiichiro Furuya

Juehang Qin

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

Xingyu Gao- nominated by Tongcang Li

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

Guangjie Li- nominated by Jukka Vayrynen

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

Robert Orlando- nominated by Andrzej 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

Riya Riya- nominated by Rafael Lang

Jijun Chen- nominated by David Koltick

Bhagya Subrayan- Nominated by Danny Milisavljevic

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

Abigail Wesolek
Rongjie Li
Kevin Barrow

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.

Purdue University Teaching Academy Graduate Teaching Award

Ravishankar Subramaniam

Razan (Rosie) Hamed

This award honors graduate students with teaching responsibilities from across campus for their dedication to Purdue students and their outstanding teaching contributions. 

Bilsland Dissertation Fellowship

Xingyu Gao (2022-23)

Kunaal Joshi (2022-23)

The Bilsland Dissertation Fellowship provides support to outstanding Ph.D. candidates in their final year of writing.

Award for Most Contribution to Our Graduate Community

Ranadeep Dastidar

Given in Honor of Sandy Formica former Physics and Astronomy graduate advisor who retired last year. Given for For greatest contribution to the graduate community in the department of physics & astronomy.

Fellow into the Purdue University Teaching Academy

Ravishankar Subramaniam

Chambliss Astronomy Achievement Student Award (external award)

Danielle Dickinson

Complete list of graduate awards for the Department of Physics and Astronomy.