George B. Pegram Award
The George B. Pegram Award, first awarded in 1971, was founded by the Southeastern Section of the American Physical Society to honor “Excellence in Physics Education in the Southeast.” The award is named for George Braxton Pegram, a native of Durham, NC, and a graduate of Duke University who was for many years Chairman of the Department of Physics and Dean of the Graduate School at Columbia University. While he was Treasurer of the American Physical Society, Dr. Pegram played an essential role in forming the Southeastern Section of the American Physical Society.
The award recognizes physics educators who have demonstrated outstanding ability in undergraduate education in at least one of the following ways:
- By producing several majors who have continued in a career in physics,
- By authoring an undergraduate physics textbook which has received national recognition for its excellent quality,
- By having an outstanding record of service in teaching as determined by the physics faculties at their own and other institutions or
- By having an outstanding record of service to physics education in the Southeast.
Nomination Information
Nominations should be submitted through the following online form by August 22nd, 2025: https://forms.gle/ZuZ7ySoN9Rs8jxaN7. A complete nomination consists of a CV, a nominating letter, a citation, and up to three supporting letters (a maximum of two pages each). At least one of the letters should be from an institution other than the nominee's home institution. No other supporting documents are required, though they may be included. We particularly encourage you to consider nominating qualified women and candidates from historically underrepresented groups. Nominations will remain active for three years, although updating materials for candidates not selected in a prior year is encouraged.
For any questions, please contact the Vice Chair, Rosa Tamara Branca, at rtbranca@unc.edu.
A list of past winners is included below.