Prizes & Awards

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:

  1. By producing several majors who have continued in a career in physics,
  2. By authoring an undergraduate physics textbook which has received national recognition for its excellent quality,
  3. By having an outstanding record of service in teaching as determined by the physics faculties at their own and other institutions or
  4. 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.

Past Recipients

  • 2024: Dr. Robert DeSerio, University of Florida
  • 2023: Dr. Erin Bonning, Emory University
  • 2022: Prof. Oana D. Jurchescu, Wake Forest University
  • 2021: Dr. Chris Vuille, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
  • 2020: Dr. Chad Sosolik, Clemson University
  • 2019: Laurie E. McNeil, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
  • 2018: Laurence Cain, Davidson College
  • 2017: Susan Blessing, Florida State University
  • 2016: Kent J. Price, Morehead State University
  • 2015: Lawrence Weinstein, Old Dominion University
  • 2014: Milind Kunchur, University of South Carolina
  • 2013: Stephen T. Thornton, University of Virginia
  • 2012: Mario Belloni, Davidson College
  • 2011: Stephen Robinson, Tennessee Tech
  • 2010: Amer Lahamer, Berea College
  • 2009: Wolfgang Christian, Davidson College
  • 2008: Michael Fowler, University of Virginia
  • 2007: Robert R. Marchini, University of Memphis
  • 2006: Robert Beichner, North Carolina State University
  • 2005: William Brantley, Furman University
  • 2004: N/A
  • 2003: John T. Foley, Mississippi State University
  • 2002: Paul Cottle, Florida State University
  • 2001: Lewis Bloomfield, University of Virginia; David Haase, North Carolina State University
  • 2000: Bascom Deaver, University of Virginia
  • 1999: Kian Dy, UNC-Chapel Hill
  • 1998: L. D. Hendrick, Francis Marion University; E. Irl Howell, Mississippi State University
  • 1997: Ray Hefferlin, Southern College
  • 1996: Wendall Holladay, Vanderbilt University
  • 1995: Joseph Ferguson, Mississippi State University
  • 1994: Lawrence Akers, Univ. of Tennessee, Chattanooga
  • 1993: Worth Seagondollar, North Carolina State University
  • 1992: Marllin Simon, Auburn University
  • 1991: N/A
  • 1990: Wayne Bowers, UNC-Chapel Hill
  • 1989: Richard Patty, North Carolina State University
  • 1988: Joseph Hamilton, Vanderbilt University
  • 1987: Walter Connolly, Appalachian State University
  • 1986: D. Ray Carpenter, VMI; Richard Minnix, VMI
  • 1985: Dan Cross, King College
  • 1984: Donald Edwards, North Carolina A&T Univ.; Peyton Rhodes, Southwestern Univ. at Memphis; Craig Whitlock, Mississippi College
  • 1983: William Alford, Auburn University
  • 1982: Paul Shearin, UNC-Chapel Hill; Robert Greg Hussey, Louisiana State University
  • 1981: William Pollard, ORAU; Stanley Ballard, University of Florida
  • 1980: Rose Mooney-Slater, University of Florida; Alvin Nielsen, Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville
  • 1979: Ron Edge, University of South Carolina; D. C. Swanson, University of Florida
  • 1978: Eric Rodgers, University of Alabama; Jack Taylor, Rhodes College
  • 1977: Ernest Jones, Vanderbilt University; Robert Lagemann, Vanderbilt University
  • 1976: E. Scott Barr, University of Alabama; Myron McCay, Univ. of Tennessee, Chattanooga
  • 1975: Karl Maring, Loyola University; Nelson Fuson, Fisk University
  • 1974: Earl Pinkston, US Naval Academy; Howard Carr, Auburn University
  • 1973: Francis Slack, Vanderbilt University; Edward Burke, Jr., King College
  • 1972: Guy Foreman, University of South Florida; Joe Straley, UNC-Chapel Hill
  • 1971: Fred Allison, Auburn University; Frederick Brown, University of Virginia; Lawrence McAllister, Berry College; Frank Robeson, Virginia Tech

Ethics Conduct Standards

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.