Honors

Prizes & Awards

Howard Maxwell Award

The Howard Maxwell Award for Distinguished Service to the Eastern Great Lakes section of the American Physical Society is presented to those members of the Section who have rendered outstanding service to the Section. It is named in honor of Howard Maxwell of Ohio Wesleyan University who rendered nearly two decades of such service.

Past Recipients

  • Fred Trexler, Spring Arbor University, Spring 2018
  • Klaus Fritsch, John Carroll University, Spring 2011
  • Roger Rollins, Ohio University, Fall 2009
  • Barbara Andereck, Ohio Wesleyan University, Fall 2009
  • Paul Sholter, Miami University, Fall 2008
  • Bruce Craver, University of Dayton, Fall 2008
  • Gordon Aubrecht, Ohio State University Marion, Spring 2004
  • Bunny Clark, Ohio State University, Fall 2002
  • Ron Tabak, Youngstown State University, Spring 2002
  • Mike Mickelson, Denison University, Fall 2001
  • Paul Hagelberg, Wittenberg University, Spring 2000
  • Charles Wilson, University of Akron, Spring 1997
  • Cy Rutledge, Mead Corporation, Fall 1994
  • Leonard Jossem, Ohio State University, Fall 1987
  • John Eichelberger, Monsanto Mounds Labs, Fall 1987
  • Samuel Wheeler, Denison University, Spring 1985
  • Thomas Dillman, Denison University, Spring 1985
  • Charles Randall, Ohio University, Fall 1984
  • Wave Shaffer, Ohio State University, Spring 1983
  • Howard Maxwell, Ohio Wesleyan University, Spring 1979

William Fowler Award

The William Fowler Award for Distinguished Research in Physics is to honor those members of the Society with appreciable connections to the EGLS Region at some time in their life, who have done outstanding research in physics. It is named in honor of William Fowler who won the Nobel Prize for Physics in 1983 for his work on stellar nucleosynthesis.

Past Recipients

  • Robert W. Collins, The University of Toledo, Fall 2018
  • Eric Baer, Case Western Reserve University, Fall 2015
  • David Look, Wright State University, Spring 2014
  • Robert Brown, Case Western Reserve University, Spring 2014
  • Howard Jackson, University of Cincinnati, Spring 2012
  • Ernst von Meerwall, University of Akron, Spring 2011
  • Gary Steigman, Ohio State University, Spring 2004
  • Arthur Epstein, Ohio State University, Spring 2004
  • Phil Taylor, Case Western Reserve University, Fall 2003
  • Ron Winters, Denison University, Fall 2002
  • Donald Reynolds, Air Force Research Labs (WPAFB), Fall 1999
  • Bunny Clark, Ohio State University, Fall 1999
  • K. Narahari Rao, Ohio State University, Spring 1993
  • Clifford Heer, Ohio State University, Fall 1990
  • Leslie Foldy, University of Toledo, Fall 1989
  • William Fowler, Caltech, Spring 1986

Doc Brown Young Investigator Award

Doc Brown Young Investigator Award is bestowed once yearly, usually at the spring meeting to young faculty. Awardees will receive a cash prize and a section commendation for outstanding research. The award is named in honor of Robert Brown. Nominees for the Doc Brown Young Investigator Award must simultaneously satisfy all of the following conditions:

  1. Nominees must be a PhD lecturer, tenure-track faculty, or tenured faculty.
  2. Nominees must be an EGLS APS member working at an institution in the EGLS region and within 6 years of their initial appointment at that institution.
  3. Nominees must have at least one publication or conference presentation with undergraduate co-authors from their present institution.
  4. Nominees must be nominated by a tenured faculty member in their department.
  5. Nominees must be present at the EGLS APS meeting where the prize is to be awarded.

Past Recipients

  • Joseph Smith (Marietta College)
    Spring 2024
  • Bhubanjyoti Bhattacharya (Lawrence Technological University)
    Fall 2022

EGLS Undergraduate Student Outstanding Poster Award

The EGLS Undergraduate Student Outstanding Poster Award is given to undergraduate
research poster presenters. One student is considered for the award during the poster
sessions at each of the Spring and Fall meetings. In addition to a section commendation
the award carries a cash prize. To be considered as a student poster award nominee the
following conditions must all be satisfied:
  1. The student must be an undergraduate;
  2. The student must be registered for the meeting;
  3. The student must be listed as the first author on the poster;
  4. The student must be present at the poster during the poster session to answer technical questions about the subject of the poster and their participation in both the work described AND the formatting/creation of the physical poster itself; and
  5. The subject of the poster must be original research, but any subfield of physics is eligible.

Past Recipients

  • Grace Kessler (Grand Valley State University)
    “Impact of Nuclear Level Densities on Astrophysical Reaction Rates”
    Spring 2024

  • Grace M Metz (Case Western Reserve University)
    "Developing and Investigating the Response of an SRAM Dosimeter for Use in Radiation Effects Facilities” 
    Fall 2023
  • Neha Sunil (Miami University)
    "Construction of an Optical Microscope with Video Projector Illumination"
    Spring 2023
  • Eric Johnson (College of Wooster)
    "Avalanche Occurrence on a Conical Bead Pile With Cohesion"
    Fall 2022
  • Owen Boyer (Marietta College)
    "Construction of a Radio Telescope Designed to Observe HI 21 cm Line"
    Spring 2022
  • Kate Okun (Case Western Reserve University)
    "Modeling and Manufacturing Baffle Panels to Reduce the Impact of Sidelobes in CMB Telescopes"
    Fall 2021
  • David Sprenger (John Carroll University)
    "Remote Investigation of the Photoconductivity Mechanisms of Methylammonium Lead Iodide Perovskite Thin Films"
    Spring 2021
  • Skyler Wright (Miami University)
    "Fast Quantum Control of Bose-Einstein Condensates for Inertial Sensing Applications"
    Fall 2020
  • Spring 2020 (none)
  • Brandon Reese (Miami University) 
    "Observation of two superconducting phase transitions in NbNi_{2-x}Cu_{x}Sn Heusler alloys”
    Fall 2019
  • Junjiang Li (Miami University)
    "Numerical Simulations of the Fast Adiabatic Transport of an Ultracold Quantum System"
    Spring 2019
  • Evgeny Pakhomenko (Coe College)
    "Steady-State Method to Measure the In-Plane Thermal Conductivity of Thin Sheet Materials" 
    Fall 2018

                EGLS Graduate Student Outstanding Poster Award

                The EGLS Graduate Student Outstanding Poster Award is given to graduate research
                poster presenters. One student is considered for the award during the poster sessions at
                each of the Spring and Fall meetings. In addition to a section commendation the award
                carries a cash prize. To be considered as a student poster award nominee the following
                conditions must all be satisfied:
                1. The student must be a graduate;
                2. The student must be registered for the meeting;
                3. The student must be listed as the first author on the poster;
                4. The student must be present at the poster during the poster session to answer technical questions about the subject of the poster and their participation in both the work described AND the formatting/creation of the physical poster itself; and
                5. The subject of the poster must be original research, but any subfield of physics is eligible.

                Past Recipients

                • Andrew Messecar (Western Michigan University)
                  “Predicting Synthesis–Structure Relationships in Epitaxially–Grown Semiconductors with Quantum and Classical Supervised Learning”
                  Spring 2024

                • Rakan M Alrashdan (The University of Akron)
                  “Unfolding the rheology and microstructure of bidisperse soft jammed suspensions under shear flow”
                  Fall 2023

                • Mouhamad Hammami (Oakland University)
                  "Neural effect of fatigue on detecting early symptoms of multiple sclerosis"
                  Spring 2023

                • Timothy Hasse (Wayne State)
                  "Molecular dynamics study of MEIG1 interactions with PACRG"
                  Fall 2022
                • Spring 2022 (none)
                • Fall 2021 (none)
                • Margaret McGuire (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, College of Wooster)
                  "Geographic Tongue as a Reaction-Diffusion System"
                  Spring 2021
                • Kristyn Brandenburg (Ohio University)
                  "The Design, Validation, and Future Plans for a New Neutron Detector at Ohio University"
                  Fall 2020

                      EGLS Meeting Award for Undergraduate Student Talk

                      The EGLS Meeting award for Undergraduate Student Talk is given to undergraduate
                      research oral presenters. One student is considered for the award during the contributed
                      oral sessions at each of the Spring and Fall meetings. In addition to a section
                      commendation the award carries a cash prize. To be considered as a student oral award
                      nominee the following conditions must all be satisfied:
                      1. The student must be an undergraduate;
                      2. The student must be registered for the meeting;
                      3. The student must give the oral presentation live during the contributed oral session and answer technical questions about the subject;
                      4. The student must participate in both the work described AND the formatting/creation of the presentation itself; and
                      5. The subject of the oral presentation must be original research, but any subfield of physics is eligible.

                      Past Recipients

                      • Chris Bastajian (Oakland University)
                        ”Magnetic Particle Spectrometer for Characterization of Superparamagnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles”
                        Spring 2024

                      • Alexa Beyer (Youngstown State University)
                        “The Kraft Break Sharply Divides Low Mass and Intermediate Mass Stars” 
                        2023 Fall
                      • Harrison Blake (Ohio State University)
                        "Dynamics of Extreme Mass Ratio Inspiral Resonance Scenarios"
                        2023 Spring
                      • Mahala Wanner (Ohio University)
                        “Table-top Analogues Using Chemical Waves: Electron Drift Velocity“
                        2022 Fall

                      • Mackenzie Scott (Ohio State University)
                        “An intensity interferometry measurement of gamma Orionis (Bellatrix) with the VERITAS telescope array“
                        2022 Spring


                      EGLS Meeting Award for Graduate Student Talk

                      The EGLS Meeting award for Graduate Student Talk is given to graduate research oral
                      presenters. One student is considered for the award during the contributed oral sessions
                      at each of the Spring and Fall meetings. In addition to a section commendation the
                      award carries a cash prize. To be considered as a student oral award nominee the
                      following conditions must all be satisfied:
                      1. The student must be a graduate;
                      2. The student must be registered for the meeting;
                      3. The student must give the oral presentation live during the contributed oral session and answer technical questions about the subject;
                      4. The student must participate in both the work described AND the formatting/creation of the presentation itself; and
                      5. The subject of the oral presentation must be original research, but any subfield of physics is eligible

                      Past Recipients

                      • Payton Linton (The Ohio State University) (Perry Yaney Inaugural Award Winner in this category)
                        ”Lunar Subsurface Ice Detection with Cosmic-ray Showers”
                        Spring 2024

                      • Sofia Splawska (Carnegie Mellon University)
                        “How MOND-like is Quasilinear MOND? Investigating the Vertical Acceleration Field of the Milky Way”
                        2023 Fall
                      • Christopher McDonough (Oakland University)
                        "A single sided Magnetic Particle Imaging scanner for cancer screening"
                        2023 Spring
                      • Sam Carey (Wayne State University)
                        “Quasi-Elastic Electron Nucleus Scattering and the Correlated Fermi Gas“
                        2022 Fall
                      • Mark Johnson (Wright State University)
                        “Experimental and Numerical Studies on the Projective Dye Visualization Velocimetry in a Squared Vertical Tube“
                        2022 Spring

                      EGLS Student Travel Scholarship Application

                      A limited number of student travel scholarships are available to attend the APS EGLS meetings. Travel scholarships will be given to eligible undergraduate students traveling from outside the local area of the host institution to attend the section meeting. Scholarship applications will be considered by the section's Executive Committee on a case-by-case basis based on need. Whenever possible applicants are encouraged to team up with other meeting attendees for travel and lodging purposes. Travel scholarships are limited to one per institution and cover up to a maximum of $100 of travel costs.

                      The deadline for the Spring Meeting EGLS Student Travel Scholarship Application is March 27, 2025 at 11:59 PM ET.

                      Please make sure to register for the meeting. The awards will be given in person at the meeting.

                      Apply here

                      Please contact honors@aps.org with any questions you may have.

                      APS Honors recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of the global physics community.  Guided by our core values, APS Honors encourages nominations that reflect the full range of talent, distinction, and experience in our field, and that we broadly canvass for professional achievement across diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and expertise.

                      APS Logo

                      More from APS


                      Nominations for the Howard Maxwell, William Fowler, and Doc Brown Young Investigator Award should be addressed to:

                      A simple email with the name and position of the nominee shall suffice.

                      Nominees for and holders of APS Honors (prizes, awards, and fellowship) and official leadership positions are expected to meet standards of professional conduct and integrity as described in the APS Ethics Guidelines. Violations of these standards may disqualify people from consideration or lead to revocation of honors or removal from office.