University Fellowships & Prizes
Undergraduate
For more than half a century, student bibliophiles have been receiving prizes for the quality of their book collections, thanks to the generosity of Yale alumnus Adrian Van Sinderen (Class of 1910). In 1957 Mr. Van Sinderen established two prizes, awarding $1,000 to seniors and $700 to sophomores, in order to encourage undergraduates to collect books, build libraries of their own, and read for pleasure and learning. In 2002 a poster competition was established. A $500 prize is awarded to the winning designer of the annual poster announcing the book collecting competition.
DEFOREST PIONEERS (1960). Board of Directors of DeForest Pioneers, Inc., in honor of the outstanding scientific achievements of Lee DeForest, Ph.B. 1896. For a senior physics major for distinguished creative achievement in physics.
2024: Ben McDonough (Physics (Int.) and Mathematics (Int.)) and Rachel Merrill (Physics)
2023: Dash Stevanovich (Mathematics (Int.) and Physics (Int.))
2022: Yiming Zhang (Physics (Int.))
2021: Shantanu Jha (Mathematics & Physics)
2020: Elizabeth Ruddy (Physics (Int.))
2019: Andrew Lingenfelter (Physics (Int.))
2018: Arina Bykadorova Telles (Mathematics & Physics)
2017: Jedidiah Oliver Thompson (Physics (Int.))
2016: Alexandros Mousatov (Physics (Int.))
2015: Christopher Cappiello (Physics (Int.))
2014: Hendrik Kits van Heyningen (Mathematics & Physics)
2013: Dominic Kwok (Physics (Int.)) and William Wilkin (Physics (Int.))
2012: Travis Ing (Mathematics & Physics) and Daniel Kapec (Physics (Int.))
2011: Ivan Kozyryev (Physics (Int.)) and William Zeng (Physics (Int.))
2010: Patrick Madden (Physics) and Matthew Smith (Physics (Int.))
2009: Eli Luberoff (Physics (Int.)), Samuel Post (Physics), and Axel Schmidt (Physics (Int.))
Yale University Library’s Diane Kaplan Memorial Senior Essay Prize is awarded for up to three outstanding senior essays based on research in any Yale University Library special collection. Essays from any academic department on any topic are eligible for consideration.
To be eligible for consideration for prizes, essays must represent substantial use of Yale Library special collections and comprise original research that has been submitted to a Yale academic department in the current academic year. Both one-semester and two-semester senior essays are eligible. Excepting grammatical, spelling, and punctuation fixes, the essay submitted for prize consideration should be the same one submitted to the student’s department. Faculty may encourage students to submit, but the actual submission must be made by the student.
Established in 1939 by friends of F. Wilder Bellamy Jr., B.A. 1937, the prize is awarded to a junior man or woman who best exemplifies the qualities for which F. Wilder Bellamy, Jr. is remembered, including personal integrity, loyalty to friends, and high-spiritedness in athletics, academics, and social life.
- 2021: Charlie Uchno - Physics
- 2020: Miles Waites - Physics
The Franke Program in Science and the Humanities is pleased to award the Franke Fellowship in Science and the Humanities, which is made possible by the generous support of Mr. and Mrs. Richard (‘53) and Barbara Franke. Three to five fellowships of $2,000 will be awarded to rising seniors to support senior essay, research, or art project proposals that explore new and productive intellectual connections between science and the humanities. Interdisciplinary research or art projects should explicitly engage both scientific and humanistic issues or content. Awards are intended to support research during the summer between junior and senior year, or during the following academic year.
2017: Julia Menzel - Physics (Intensive)
The prize is awarded to a Yale College senior for an outstanding essay based on research that makes substantial use of government information. Remember that NASA, NOAA, and other science agencies in the USA and abroad produce data and reports that may make your project eligible, depending on how heavily you use those materials.
HOWARD L. SCHULTZ (1977). Howard L. Schultz, Ph.D. 1937. Awarded to an outstanding senior in the Physics department.
2024
- Jessie Chen, B.S., Physics (Int.) and Computer Science. Advisor: Meng Cheng
- Elsa Durcan, B.S. Physics (Int.) and History of Science, Medicine and Public Health. Advisor: Reina Maruyama
- Sophia Getz, B.S. Economics and Physics. Advisor: Juan Lora
- Argyris Giannisis Manes, B.S., Physics (Int.) and Mathematics. Advisor: Shruti Puri
- Luke Mozarsky, B.S., Physics (Int.) and Statistics & Data Science. Advisor: Helen Caines
- Rose Powers, B.S., Physics (Int.). Advisor: Sarah Demers
- Barkotel Zemenu, B.S., Physics (Int.). Advisor: David Moore
2023
- Olivia Aspegren (Physics (Intensive)),
- Nikhil Harle (Physics (Intensive)),
- Tausif Hossain (Physics (Intensive)),
- Richard Li (Physics (Intensive)),
- Allen Mi (Mathematics & Physics / Elec. Engineering & Computer Science),
- Claire Recamier (Physics),
- Alejandro Simon (Physics (Intensive) / Computer Science),
- Shayaan Subzwari (Physics (Intensive) / Global Affairs),
- Dawson Thomas (Mathematics & Physics),
- Giovanna Truong (Physics (Intensive))
2022
- Amanda Butler (Physics (Intensive)),
- Sarah Dickson (Physics (Intensive)),
- Pablo Garza (Physics), Luke Grossman (Physics),
- Matt King (Physics (Intensive)),
- Daniel Qenani (Physics-Intensive)),
- Jean Wang (Physics (Intensive)),
- Laura Zhou (Physics (Intensive))
2021
- India Bhalla-Ladd (Physics & Philosophy),
- Shoumik Chowdhury (Mathematics & Physics),
- Krish Desai (Mathematics (Intensive) / Physics (Intensive)),
- Gabe Hoshino (Physics (Intensive)),
- Derek Kuldinow (Mechanical Engineering / Physics (Intensive)),
- Isabel Sands (Physics (Intensive)),
- Sukhman Singh (Mathematics & Physics)
2020
- Lukas Baker (Mathematics & Physics),
- Sam Borden (Physics (Int.)),
- Tim Foldy-Porto (Physics (Int.)),
- Stuart Nicholls (Physics (Int.))
- PJ Tuckman (Physics (Int.))
2019
- Henry Reichard (Mathematics & Physics),
- Cady van Assendelft (Physics (Int.)),
- Julia Wei (Physics (Int.)),
- Jacob Zavatone-Veth (Physics (Int.))
2018
- Alexander Atanasov (Physics),
- Nathaniel Barbour (Physics (Int.)),
- William Eckner (Physics (Int.)),
- Aaron Hillman (Physics (Int.)),
- Ilana Kaufman (Physics),
- Gabrielle Roberts (Physics (Int.)),
- Dylan Young (Physics (Int.))
2017
- Anthony Gagliardi (Physics (Int.)),
- Kenneth Jackson (Physics (Int.)),
- Jacob Marks (Physics (Int.)),
- Julia Menzel (Physics (Int.)),
- Grace Pan (Physics (Int.)),
- Carolyn Zhang (Physics)
2016
- Owen Brown (Physics (Int.)),
- Juliana Coraor (Physics (Int.)),
- William De Rocco (Physics (Int.)),
- Miguel Goncalves (Physics),
- Mark Hamilton (Mathematics & Physics),
- Kenan Jia (Mathematics & Physics),
- Gregory Meyer (Physics (Int.)),
- Basil Smitham (Physics),
- Shilong Tang (Physics),
- Anthony Tokman (Physics (Int.))
2015
- Aaron Effron (Physics),
- Maya Fishbach (Physics (Int.)),
- Catherine Harmer (Physics),
- Theodore Papalexopoulos (Physics),
- Robert Pecoraro (Physics),
- Nathan Sitaraman (Physics (Int.))
2014
- Nicolas Aldana (Physics),
- Katherine Lawrence (Physics (Int.)),
- Ryan McKinnon (Physics (Int.)),
- Pearson Miller (Physics (Int.)),
- Nicole Shibley (Physics), Qiwei Claire Xue (Physics), and Steven Zwick (Physics (Int.))
2013
- Emma Alexander (Physics),
- Ellen Klein (Physics (Int.)),
- Rachel Kurchin (Physics (Int.))
2012
- Christopher Ell (Physics),
- Nabeem Hashem (Physics (Int.)),
- Zachary Sethna (Physics (Int.))
2011
- Diana Qiu (Physics (Int.))
- Michael Weiner (Physics (Int.))
2010
- Rebecca Jackson (Physics (Int.)),
- Elizabeth Jerison (Physics (Int.)),
- Susan Scanlon (Physics),
- Michele Trickey (Physics (Int.))
2009
- Adam Bouland (Physics),
- Lauren Rosenblum (Physics),
- Nathaniel Roth (Physics (Int.)),
- Madeleine Udell (Mathematics & Physics)
The Joseph Lentilhon Selden Memorial Junior Award is given each year to a member of the junior class of Yale College whose verve, idealism, and constructive interest in music and the humanities exemplify those qualities for which Selden is remembered. In recent years this award has gone to students especially notable for their contribution in the field of music.
Awardees
2022: Francis Fedora - Physics & Philosophy
2023: Kameron Duncan - Physics (Int.) / Music
2024: Aaron Chizhik - Physics (Int.) / Music
This prize is awarded to a Yale College senior for the best use of maps in a senior essay or equivalent project. When we say “maps,” we mean either geospatial data or using traditional maps — so projects analyzing data collected about a place are OK, as are projects that use historical maps or maps from government science agencies.
Graduate (department awards)
The Physics Department is pleased to announce the Leigh Page Award for Excellence in Graduate Student Teaching, a new annual departmental graduate teaching award. The award seeks to acknowledge and celebrate excellence in graduate student teaching, distinct among the already high standard of teaching that graduate students in the physics department consistently achieve. This award will support the graduate program learning goal that “Students will become educators and communicators with the ability to promote an understanding and appreciation of physics across the university and in society” and help solidify in our community that effective and informed teaching is one of our core values.
Award Description: This is an annual award given by the Physics Department to one or two physics graduate students for excellence in teaching at the undergraduate or graduate level, and/or significant teaching contributions to scientific outreach or public education events. Recipients of the teaching award will receive a $500 prize.
Eligibility: Graduate students in the Department of Physics who have fulfilled the teaching requirement for the program.
Selection Criteria: Excellence in teaching is based on the following criteria, where applicable:
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Establishing an inclusive classroom environment, providing support and flexibility so that all students can thrive.
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Inspiring students to develop the habits and skills of independent thinking and scientific inquiry and engagement.
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Enthusiasm for the craft and practice of teaching, with a focus on continuous development and consistent improvement
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Demonstrated leadership/mentorship of peer educators and encouragement of effective teaching in others
Nomination Process: Nomination letters may be sent by faculty or staff members from teaching or outreach programs, or graduate students may self nominate. Up to two supporting letters can be sent in addition to the nomination letter. Please send nomination and supporting letters to Rona Ramos (rona.ramos@yale.edu), by Friday, August 11th. Letters should address the relevant selection criteria above. The Graduate Student Awards Committee will review applications and select recipients. Awards are presented in the fall during the orientation program for new graduate students.
If you have any questions about the award, please email rona.ramos@yale.edu.
AWARD WINNERS
2022 - Lauren Saunders and Sohan Vartak
2021 - Emma Castiglia and Luna Zagorac
We are pleased to announce a pilot program of Physics Diversity Fellowships for graduate students to promote student efforts in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) in the Physics Department. This pilot program anticipates supporting 2-3 diversity fellows each semester in the 2021-2022 academic year and recognizes that graduate students play an important role in advancing DEIB activities in the Physics Department. The fellowships will be awarded on a competitive basis following an application process and committee review.
Compensation and Commitment: Physics Diversity Fellows will receive an additional $2,500 to their semester stipend and are encouraged to add the distinction as a synergistic professional development activity on their CV. The Physics Diversity Fellowships are modeled after the McDougal graduate teaching fellow program. Fellows typically work 6-8 hours/week in a flexible schedule that fits with most coursework. Proposed projects should be of a scope that is appropriate for the time commitment in one semester and expand on or complement existing department activities. At the end of the semester, a short final report or presentation must be submitted.
Experience: We anticipate several networking events throughout the academic year for the cohort of Yale Physics Diversity Fellows and for participants in a similar pilot program in the Earth and Planetary Science Department (EPS). We plan for the Physics Fellows, along with their colleagues in EPS, to present their projects at an event open to members of both departments at the end of the academic year.
Application Procedure: Applications will be due the semester prior to the proposed work. The application and proposal must be developed together with, and supported by, a faculty mentor (or staff from a campus center like the Poorvu Center for Teaching and Learning) who is responsible for supervising the work during the semester. All graduate students are eligible to apply but we expect that most of the fellowships will be awarded to students in their second year or higher. Applications consist of a short proposal (< 2 pages) and must describe clearly
- Project title and faculty mentor
- Applicant’s motivation for the work proposed
- A well-defined project or set of activities including goals and timelines
- Expected products and outcome of the work
- Methods to assess and measure the impact of the project in the department and beyond
Please submit your completed applications and a letter from your faculty mentor via email to Graduate Registrar stacey.watts@yale.edu by May 31st. For any questions or feedback on your project ideas during the application process please contact graduate program coordinator Rona Ramos rona.ramos@yale.edu. A few examples for potential DEI projects are listed below.
Applications for the fellowships will be evaluated by an ad hoc committee consisting of the graduate program coordinator, registrar, the DGS, faculty lead of the CDC, and Chair. Criteria for selection will include the feasibility and likely impact of proposed projects. Applicants for the Fall fellowships will be notified before July.
AWARD WINNERS
- 2022-2023: Sanah Bhimani
- 2021-2022: Iris Ponce and Sanah Bhimani
Graduate (university awards, prizes, fellowships)
the Dean’s Emerging Scholars Fellowship is awarded to graduate students who exhibit outstanding academic promise and achievement and meet at least one of the following criteria:
- they come from backgrounds that have been underrepresented in their chosen fields of study, including historically underrepresented minority students, first-generation college graduates, students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, or women in STEM fields;
- they plan to pursue research related to issues of diversity and identity, including but not limited to race, ethnicity, gender, socio-economic status, religion, sexual orientation, and ability;
- they have previously been or are currently involved in diversity-related initiatives by volunteering for community service or outreach on a college or university campus.
2019 - Samantha Pagan
2017 - Elena Gramellini
2016 - Brooke Russell
The Leigh Page Prize is offered to first year graduate students in recognition of their fine academic record and for the promise of important contributions to the field of physics.
2020 - Sophia Hollick, Matthew Stortini, and Talia Weiss
2019 - Ryan Mescall, Alex Reda, and Arina Telles
2018 - Daniel Green & Qian Wang
2017 - Yunpeng Ji & Lauren Saunders
2016 - Kelly Backes, Emma Castiglia, Volodymyr Sivak, Sohan Vartak, and Jaya Venkatraman
2015 - Amber Hudspeth, Mariel Pettee, and Daniel Seara
2014 - Shany Danieli, Shilo Xia
2013 - Tonima Tasnim Ananna, Charles Brown, Elena Gramellini, Dandan Ji, Danielle Norcini, Michela Paganini, Meredith Powell, Brooke Russell, Lucie Tvrznikova, and Jared Vasquez
2012 - Derek Murray
2011 - Anna Kashkanova & Xin Li
2009 - Alice Ohlson & Tomomi Sunayama
The Prize Teaching Fellowships recognize outstanding performance and promise as a teacher. They are considered among the most important honors that Yale bestows upon graduate students.
2019-2020: Ryan Mescall
2017-2018: Stefan Krastanov
In Fall 2017, WFF launched its Seed Grant program and began accepting applications from undergraduates, graduate students, postdoctoral fellows, and faculty. These grants identify innovative ways to support the WFF mission by investing in the diverse work of scholars at Yale. We extend this program to support our tripartite mission of fostering gender equity throughout the University via policy initiatives and research; promoting scholarship on women and gender across the university; and promoting mentorship, collaboration, and networking. The program aims to expand research in areas of gender study and build visibility for issues and policies relating to gender in higher education.
2018-2019: Mariel Pettee
Graduate (endowment fellowships)
2021-2022: Rajeeve Erramilli
2020-2021: Sohan Vartak
2019-2020: Kimmy Cushman
The D. Allan Bromley Fellowship is awarded annually to support one or more students in Physics who have advanced to candidacy in the Ph.D. program, with attention to students who exhibit a broader interest than just physics, including, but not limited to, science and public policy, engineering, and applied science. In this way, the recipients will reflect and celebrate Dr. Bromley’s distinguished and honorable persona in the exceptional scope, standing, talent, and character of his distinguished personal, public, and academic life.
The students shall be nominated by members of the faculty of the Physics department, and shall be selected for the fellowship by the D. Allan Bromley Chair in Physics, the Director of Graduate Studies of the Physics department and the Chair of the Physics department. The Bromley Fellowship provides students with summer funding for the year in which they were awarded or similar fractional amount of their graduate stipend in their award year.
The recipients shall be bound by the standards of academic integrity and conduct enshrined in the Yale tradition and specified by the policies and regulations of personal and academic conduct of the Graduate School. Failure to honorably uphold these academic and personal standards, for conduct unbecoming in violation of these standards, shall result in immediate loss of the fellowship.
2023-2024: Gabriel G. T. Assumpção
2022-2023: Hannah Bossi & Talia Weiss
2021-2022: Rajeev Erramilli
2020-2021: Kimmy Cushman
2019-2020: Kelly Backes & Emma Castiglia
2018-2019: Jared Rovny
2017-2018: Savannah Thais & Danielle Norcini
2016-2017: Tonima Ananna & Charles Brown
2015-2016: Alexandru Georgescu
2014-2015: Marco Bonett-Matiz
2013-2014: Emma Ideal & Chris McKitterick
2012-2013: Camille Avestruz
2011-2012: Aaron Mertz
2010-2011: Merideth Frey
2009-2010: Benjamin Zwickl & Stephen Eckel
2021-2022: Chuan Tian
2020-2021: Lauren Saunders
2019-2020: Emily Kuhn
2021-2022: Caitlin Gish
2020-2021: Caitie Beattie
2019-2020: Kyungjoo Noh
For students who have attained high scholastic standing in the fields of Physics and Mathematics.
2021-2022: Vladislav Kurilovich
2020-2021: Connor Hann
2019-2020: Paul Fanto
Awarded to a Yale College graduate studying Physics.
2020-2021: Ariana Telles
2019-2020: Sisi Zhou
Awarded to an outstanding student pursuing a Ph.D. in Physics.
2021-2022: Sheridan Green
2020-2021: Luna Zagorac
2019-2020: Jingping Li
2020-2021: Charles Lomba
2019-2020: William Tyndall, Samantha Pagan, and Lee Hagaman
2021-2022: Grant Schumacher
2020-2021: Sanah Bhimani
2019-2020: Sean Frazier
The Wu Tsai Institute at Yale University supports several new graduate students each academic year in Yale’s Graduate School of Arts and Sciences. Fellows are nominated for a WTI fellowship by their department or program during the admissions process. Any program is eligible to nominate one or more candidates whose research interests align with WTI, including in neuroscience, biology, psychology, cognitive science, data science, computer science, and engineering. Nominations are reviewed and awarded by WTI based on a rubric prioritizing diversity, preparation, promise, and research interest alignment.
Awardees
2022: Carleton Smith
Alumni Awards
The Yale Graduate School of Arts and Sciences presents its highest award, the Wilbur Lucius Cross Medal, to our most outstanding alumni. The medal recognizes distinguished achievements in scholarship, teaching, academic administration and public service, areas in which the legendary Dean Cross excelled. During the fall term medalists spend a day in their departments and receive the medal at a gala dinner.
Physics Winners
2009 William J. Willis, B.S. ’54, Ph.D. ‘58
2003 Gerald Brown, Ph.D. ‘50
1999 Allen L. Sessoms, Ph.D. ‘72
1998 David Lee, Ph.D. ‘59
1991 Joseph Percival Allen, IV, Ph.D. ‘65
1991 W. Edwards Deming, Ph.D. ‘28
1986 Robert Joseph Birgeneau, Ph.D. ‘66
1985 John Paul Schiffer, Ph.D. ‘54
1981 Henry Margenau, Ph.D. ‘29
1976 James Henry Wakelin, Jr. Ph.D. ‘40
1968 William Martin Fairbank, Ph.D. ‘48