Honors

Prizes & Awards

The Forum sponsors two annual APS awards: the Burton-Forum award recognizes outstanding accomplishments in the endeavor to promote public understanding of issues involving the interface between physics and society, and the Leo Szilard Award for Physics in the Public Interest recognizes outstanding accomplishments by a physicist in promoting the use of physics for the benefit of society in such areas as the environment, arms control and science policy. In addition, the Nicholson Medal was established in 1994 by both the Forum and the Division of Plasma Physics "to recognize the humanitarian aspect of physics and physicists".

Joseph A. Burton Forum Award

To recognize outstanding contributions to the public understanding or resolution of issues involving the interface of physics and society.

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Leo Szilard Lectureship Award

To recognize outstanding accomplishments by physicists in promoting the use of physics for the benefit of society in such areas as the environment, arms control, and science policy.

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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.