Graduate Awards

Graduate Awards

Each year, Illinois Physics recognizes student excellence at a special awards banquet. In 2019, the Fortieth Physics-on-the-Campus Luncheon was held at the Illini Union on Wednesday, April 24. Many of the awards are made possible through the generous support of our alumni.


  • This fellowship supports stellar graduate students who are engaged in promising original research. The fellowship was created by family, friends, and colleagues of Charles P. Slichter to recognize and carry forward his tremendous legacy at the University of Illinois, where he served 57 years on the faculty of the Department of Physics. Slichter exemplified science at its finest—creative, rigorous, curious, and scrupulously honest. He made ground-breaking advances in the fields of condensed matter physics and chemistry and is particularly noted for his pioneering use of nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy to elucidate the structure and behavior of matter at the atomic scale.

    Donny Pearson, 2023 recipient, Charles P. Slichter Fellowship
    Chenxi Huang, 2022 recipient, Charles P. Slichter Fellowship
    Shraddha Agrawal, 2021 recipient, Charles P. Slichter Fellowship
    Di Luo, 2020 recipient, Charles P. Slichter Fellowship
    YearWinners
    2023Donny Pearson
    2022Chenxi Huang
    2021Shraddha Agrawal
    2020Di Luo



  • This fund provides fellowship support for an outstanding physics graduate student. It was generously bequeathed by Donald Jones, an industrial physicist, and F. Shirley Jones, an astronomer, who were the parents of the late Lorella M. Jones, the first woman to attain tenure and a full professorship in physics at the U of I.

    Davneet Kaur, 2022 recipient, Donald C. and F. Shirley Jones Fellowship
    Shaun Lahert, 2021 recipient, Donald C. and F. Shirley Jones Fellowship
    Roshni Bano, 2020 recipient, Donald C. and F. Shirley Jones Fellowship
    George Wong, 2020 recipient, Donald C. and F. Shirley Jones Fellowship
    Joseph Chapman, 2019 recipient, Donald C. and F. Shirley Jones Fellowship
    YearWinners
    2023Xiye Simon Hu
    2022Davneet Kaur
    2021Shaun Lahert
    2020George Wong, Roshni Bano
    2019Joseph Chapman
    2014Brandon Langley
    2010Kevin Mccusker
    2009Not Awarded 2009
    2008Julio Barreiro Guerrero



  • This award, established by Dr. and Mrs. Frank Lederman, recognizes outstanding achievement by a graduate student in condensaed matter physics (both experiment and theory). Dr. Lederman earned his doctoral degree from Illinois Physics in 1975, having written two separate doctoral theses on solid state physics, one on his experimental work and the other on his theoretical work. Lederman went on to a long, successful career in industry. He is especially noted for having led the development of General Electric’s first medical ultrasound system.

    Yao Li, 2023 recipient, Dr. Frank L. Lederman Award
    Garrett Williams, 2023 recipient, Dr. Frank L. Lederman Award
    Xuefei Guo, 2022 recipient, Dr. Frank L. Lederman Award
    Varsha Subramanyan, 2022 recipient, Dr. Frank L. Lederman Award
    YearWinners
    2023Garrett Williams, Yao Li
    2022Varsha Subramanyan, Xuefei Guo



  • This graduate fellowship is awarded to a student who has demonstrated significant ability in research. The fund is named for Harry G. Drickamer, professor of physics, chemistry, and chemical engineering at Illinois and was established by his former students. 

    Marc Klinger, 2023 recipient, Drickamer Research Fellowship
    Soho Shim, 2022 recipient, Drickamer Research Fellowship
    Jackson Ang'ong'a, 2020 recipient, Drickamer Research Fellowship
    Purba Chatterjee, 2020 recipient, Drickamer Research Fellowship
    Fangzhao Alex An, 2019 recipient, Drickamer Research Fellowship
    Eric Meier, 2018 recipient, Drickamer Research Fellowship
    Hu Jin, 2017 recipient, Drickamer Research Fellowship
    YearWinners
    2023Marc Klinger
    2022Soho Shim
    2021Dmytro Bandak
    2020Jackson Ang'ong'a, Purba Chatterjee
    2019Fangzhao Alex An
    2017Hu Jin
    2016Chang-Tse Hsieh
    2015Shu-Han Chao
    2014Hannah Gelman
    2013Xiaoqian Chen
    2012Harrison Mebane, Nir Friedman
    2011Braden Brinkman
    2010Radhika Rangarajan, Thomas Butler
    2009Nicholas Guttenberg
    2008Man Hong Yung, Robert Putman
    2007Onur Hosten, Yang Liu
    2006Chirlmin Joo, Xiaoming Mao
    2005Joseph Altepeter
    2004Bryan Johnson
    2003Tzu-Chieh Wei
    2002Zigurts Majumdar
    2001Janusz Niczyporuk
    1999Boris Fine



  • This fund recognizes outstanding work by a physics graduate student in the area of nuclear physics or nuclear engineering.  Professor Adler held a joint appointment in Physics and Nuclear Engineering from 1958 until his retirement.

    Xiaoning Wang, 2023 recipient, Felix T. Adler Award
    Ching Him Leung, 2022 recipient, Felix T. Adler Award
    Thomas Neulinger, 2021 recipient, Felix T. Adler Award
    Virginia Bailey, 2020 recipient, Felix T. Adler Award
    Jason Dove, 2019 recipient, Felix T. Adler Award
    Thomas Rao, 2018 recipient, Felix T. Adler Award
    Shivangi Prasad, 2017 recipient, Felix T. Adler Award
    Robert Heitz, 2017 recipient, Felix T. Adler Award
    YearWinners
    2023Xiaoning Wang
    2022Ching Him Leung
    2021Thomas Neulinger
    2020Virginia Bailey
    2019Jason Dove
    2018Thomas Rao
    2017Robert Heitz, Shivangi Prasad
    2016Bryan Kerns
    2015En-Chuan Huang, Josiah Walton
    2014Ritoban Basu Thakur
    2013Scott Wolin
    2012Ry Ely, Wah Kai Ngai
    2011Ping-han Chu
    2010Brendan Kiburg, John Koster
    2009David Webber, Mathew Muether
    2008Joshua Rubin, Loren Linden Levy
    2007Jaime Morales, Steven M. Clayton
    2006Soon Yong Chang
    2005Daniel Chitwood , Kazutaka Nakahara
    2004Shannon Cowell
    2003Charles Polly
    2002Elaine Schulte
    2001Frederick Gray
    2000Robert Cadman
    1999Bart Terburg , Christopher Bochna
    1998Benoit Vanderheyden
    1997Jun Forest
    1996Timothy Jones
    1995Brian Pudliner
    1994Rex Tayloe
    1993Joseph Mandeville
    1992Alexander Belic , Bruce Dunham
    1991Sarah Hughes
    1990Daniel Dale
    1989Timothy Walhout



  • This endowed fund, which was created in memory of Gerald Almy, Department Head from 1964-1970, provides support for educational and professional development activities for graduate students.     

    YearWinners



  • This fund supports outstanding work by a graduate student in experimental high energy physics. Giulio Ascoli served the department with distinction from 1950 until his retirement in 1986.  The same student may receive the award for not more than three years. 

    Anabel Romero Hernandez, 2023 recipient, Giulio Ascoli Award
    Dewen Zhong, 2022 recipient, Giulio Ascoli Award
    Matt Zhang, 2020 recipient, Giulio Ascoli Award
    JianCong Zeng, 2019 recipient, Giulio Ascoli Award
    Ruo-Yu Shang, 2017 recipient, Giulio Ascoli Award
    YearWinners
    2023Anabel Romero Hernandez
    2022Dewen Zhong
    2020Matt Zhang
    2019JianCong Zeng, Mazin Khader
    2018Cristina Schlesier
    2017Ruo-Yu Shang
    2015Markus Atkinson
    2014Keith Matera
    2013Ki Lie
    2012Allison McCarn
    2011Arely Cortes Gonzalez
    2010Gregory Thompson
    2009Edwin Rogers
    2008Eric White
    2007Christopher P. Marino
    2006Ulysses Grundler
    2005James Kraus
    2004Trevor Vickey
    2003Carrie Sedlak
    2002Charles Plager
    2001Kevin Lannon
    2000John Strologas
    1999Christopher Cawlfield
    1998Timothy Bergfeld



  • This fund supports outstanding work by a graduate student in condensed matter physics or the physics of electronic devices. John Bardeen served as faculty in Physics and Electrical and Computer Engineering from 1951 to 1975. Bardeen was the first person to ever receive two Nobel Prizes in the same field.  

    Kuan-Sen Lin, 2023 recipient, John Bardeen Award
    Colin Lualdi, 2023 recipient, John Bardeen Award
    Ryan Levy, 2022 recipient, John Bardeen Award
    Xueying Wang, 2021 recipient, John Bardeen Award
    Alex An, 2020 recipient, John Bardeen Award
    Hart Goldman, 2020 recipient, John Bardeen Award
    Ali Husain, 2020 recipient, John Bardeen Award
    Angela Chen, 2019 recipient, John Bardeen Award
    Eli Chertkov, 2019 recipient, John Bardeen Award
    Melinda Rak, 2019 recipient, John Bardeen Award
    Wladimir Benalcazar, 2018 recipient, John Bardeen Award
    Hassan Shapourian, 2017 recipient, John Bardeen Award
    Wenchao Xu, 2017 recipient, John Bardeen Award
    YearWinners
    2023Colin Lualdi, Kuan-Sen Lin
    2022Ryan Levy
    2021Xueying Wang
    2020Ali Husain, Fangzhao Alex An, Hart Goldman
    2019Angela Chen, Eli Chertkov, Melinda Rak
    2018Wladimir Benalcazar
    2017Hassan Shapourian, Wenchao Xu
    2016Malcolm Durkin, Yizhi You
    2015Anshul Kogar, Michael Leblanc
    2014Ian Gilbert, Wade De Gottardi
    2013John Nichol
    2012Serena Eley, Weicheng Lv
    2011Georgios Tsekenis, Joonho Jang, Minjung Kim
    2010Joel Strand, Matthew Brinkley
    2009Marcelo Kuroda
    2008Xiaoming Mao
    2007David Pekker
    2006John Veysey, Michael Lawler
    2005Eun-Ah Kim , Sergey Frolov
    2004Tzu-Chieh Wei
    2003Shashank Misra
    2002William Neils
    2001Justin Gullingsrud



  • This fund shall provide an annual graduate fellowship for an exceptional student in biological physics (experiment or theory).  This Fellowship was established through a generous gift from Illinois alumni, Lonnie and Susan Edelheit.

    Alice Troitskaia, 2023 recipient, L.S. Edelheit Family Biological Physics Fellowship
    Jacob Leistico, 2021 recipient, L.S. Edelheit Family Biological Physics Fellowship
    Sang Hyun Choi, 2020 recipient, L.S. Edelheit Family Biological Physics Fellowship
    Jia Gloria Lee, 2019 recipient, L.S. Edelheit Family Biological Physics Fellowship
    Alex Finnegan, 2018 recipient, L.S. Edelheit Family Biological Physics Fellowship
    Chi Xue, 2017 recipient, L.S. Edelheit Family Biological Physics Fellowship
    YearWinners
    2023Alice Troitskaia
    2022Ayesha Bhikha
    2021Jacob Leistico
    2020Sang Hyun Choi
    2019Jia Gloria Lee
    2018Alex Finnegan
    2017Chi Xue
    2016Hong-Yan Shih
    2015Mehdi Roein-Peikar
    2013Seongjin Park
    2012Maksim Sipos, Tyler Earnest
    2011Hannah DeBerg
    2010Jen Hsin, Jiajie Diao
    2009Patricio Jeraldo Maldonado
    2008Andrew Missel
    2007Anton Arkhipov, Nicholas Guttenberg
    2006Nicholas Guttenberg



  • The Maurice Goldhaber Research Scholar Award recognizes an outstanding graduate student who consistently demonstrates the highest level of performance in a nuclear physics research program. Maurice Goldhaber (April 18, 1911-May 11, 2011) was a professor of physics at Illinois from 1938 to 1950. His remarkable achievements in research, teaching, and science administration made Dr. Goldhaber one of the world's most distinguished nuclear and particle physicists. The Maurice Goldhaber Research Scholar Award at the University of Illinois was instituted on April 18, 2011, in honor of Dr. Goldhaber's centennial birthday.

    Matthew Hoppesch, 2023 recipient, Maurice Goldhaber Research Scholar Award in Nuclear Physics
    Aric Tate, 2022 recipient, Maurice Goldhaber Research Scholar Award in Nuclear Physics
    April Townsend, 2021 recipient, Maurice Goldhaber Research Scholar Award in Nuclear Physics
    Ching Him Leung, 2020 recipient, Maurice Goldhaber Research Scholar Award in Nuclear Physics
    Cameron Blake Erickson, 2019 recipient, Maurice Goldhaber Research Scholar Award in Nuclear Physics
    Virginia Bailey, 2018 recipient, Maurice Goldhaber Research Scholar Award in Nuclear Physics
    Matthew Coon, 2018 recipient, Maurice Goldhaber Research Scholar Award in Nuclear Physics
    Michael Phipps, 2017 recipient, Maurice Goldhaber Research Scholar Award in Nuclear Physics
    YearWinners
    2023Anonymous Recipient, Matthew Hoppesch
    2022Aric Tate
    2021April Townsend
    2020Ching Him Leung
    2019Cameron Blake Erickson
    2018Matthew Coon, Virginia Bailey
    2017Michael Phipps
    2016Akshat Puri
    2012Martin Leitgab
    2011Randall McClellan


  • This fellowship recognizes an outstanding graduate student in condensed matter physics. It was established through the generosity of Miles V. Klein, a distinguished member of the Illinois Physics faculty (1962–2017), who made seminal contributions to our understanding of electronic, vibrational, and magnetic excitations in solids and their mutual couplings.

    Dong Beom Kim, 2023 recipient, Miles V. and Barbara P. Klein Graduate Fellowship
    Caitlin Kengle, 2022 recipient, Miles V. and Barbara P. Klein Graduate Fellowship
    YearWinners
    2023Dong Beom Kim
    2022Caitlin Kengle



  • This award recognizes a physics graduate student who has demonstrated academic excellence. In accordance with the donor's wishes, preference is given to Italian citizens. This award was was endowed by alumnus Renato Bobone. 

    Vincent Hickl, 2022 recipient, Renato Bobone Award
    Simone Mezzasoma, 2021 recipient, Renato Bobone Award
    Angela Barragan Diaz, 2019 recipient, Renato Bobone Award
    Davide Iaia, 2019 recipient, Renato Bobone Award
    Rashni Bano, 2018 recipient, Renato Bobone Award
    Karmela Padavic, 2017 recipient, Renato Bobone Award
    YearWinners
    2023Anonymous Recipient
    2022Vincent Hickl
    2021Simone Mezzasoma
    2019Angela Barragan Diaz, Davide Iaia
    2018Roshni Bano
    2017Karmela Padavic
    2016Ian Mondragon Shem
    2015Yulia Maximenko
    2014Stanimir Kondov
    2013Sylvester Joosten
    2011Cesar Chialvo
    2010Georgios Tsekenis
    2009Hovhannes Khandanyan
    2008Vasilica Crecea
    2007Martin P. Stehno
    2006Madalina Colci O'Hara
    2005Kalin Vetsigian
    2004Anna Celli
    2003Markus Dittrich
    2002Hector Garcia Martin
    2001Gheorghe-sorin Paraoanu
    2000Carlos Lobo
    1999Inanc Adagideli
    1998Tommaso Torelli
    1997Ivar Martin
    1994Benoit Vanderheyden
    1993Ioan Kosztin
    1992Herve Castillo
    1991Philippe Monthoux
    1987Maurizio Mondello
    1986Bruno Crespi



  • This award recognizes the year's outstanding physics teaching or research assistants, and is named after alumnus Dr. Scott Anderson who founded Anderson Physics Laboratories in Urbana in 1944. It was through his initiative as president of our Physics Alumni Association and his generous philanthropy that the Anderson Award was endowed.   Historically this has been given to a TA for outstanding teaching but the award may also be used for an outstanding Research Assistant.

    Will Christopherson, 2023 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Randy Owen, 2023 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Abhishek Hegade, 2023 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Rohit Chandramouli, 2022 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Jia Pern Neville Chen, 2022 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Dmitry Manning-Coe, 2022 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Arjun Raghavan, 2022 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Garrett Williams, 2022 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Danielle Woods,  2022 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Davneet Kaur, 2021 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Rachel Nguyen, 2021 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Scott Perkins, 2021 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Jordan Sickle, 2021 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Wei Wei, 2021 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Guannan Chen, 2020 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Shubhang Goswami, 2020 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Mark Hirsbrunner, 2020 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Will Morong, 2020 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Kai Shinbrough, 2020 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Anuva Aishwarya, 2019 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Rita Garrido Menacho, 2019 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Julian May-Mann, 2019 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Anabel Romero Hernandez, 2019 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Astha Sethi, 2019 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    John Yoritomo, 2019 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Kai Shinbrough, 2020 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Progna Banerjee, 2018 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    John Bowers, 2018 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Yueqing Chang, 2018 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Suraj Hegde, 2018 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Ali Husain, 2018 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Elle Shaw, 2018 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Jackson Ang'ong'a, 2017 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Eli Chertkov, 2017 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Alexandra Cote, 2017 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Dalmau Reig-i-Plessis, 2017 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Samantha Rubeck, 2017 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    Matt Zhang, 2017 recipient, Scott Anderson Award
    YearWinners
    2023Abhishek Hegade, Anonymous Recipient, Anonymous Recipient, Randy Owen, Shreya Arya, Will Christopherson
    2022Arjun Raghavan, Danielle Woods, Dmitry Manning-Coe, Garrett Williams, Jia Pern Neville Chen, Rohit Chandramouli
    2021Davneet Kaur, Jordan Sickle, Rachel Nguyen, Scott Perkins, Shreya Arya, Wei Wei
    2020Guannan Chen, Kai Shinbrough, Mark Hirsbrunner, Sai Paladugu, Shubhang Goswami, Will Morong
    2019Anabel Romero Hernandez, Anuva Aishwarya, Astha Sethi, John Yoritomo, Julian May-Mann, Rita Garrido Menacho, Yang Bai, Zachary Weiner
    2018Ali Husain, Elle Shaw, John Bowers, Progna Banerjee, Suraj Hegde, Yueqing Chang
    2017Alexandra Cote, Dalmau Reig-i-Plessis, Eli Chertkov, Jackson Ang'ong'a, Matt Zhang, Samantha Rubeck
    2016Adithya Kuchibhotla, Brian Wolin, Eric Meier, Farshid Jafar Pour, Michelle Victora
    2015Angela Barragan, Boyce Tsang, Cristian Gaidau, Erik Huemiller, Nicholas Laracuente, Stephen Gill
    2014Andrew Blanchard, Barbara Stekas, Cassandra Hunt, Peter Sahanggamu, Tatyana Perlova, Zachary Dell
    2013Garrett Vanacore, John Jeff Damasco, Onkar Parrikar, Yulia Maximenko
    2012Huihuo Zheng, James Lee, Katherine Crimmins, Ki Lie, Scott Scharfenberg
    2011Duncan Christie, Juan I. Jottar Awad, Philip Powell, Seyyedehrezvan Shahoei, Wade De Gottardi, William Evans
    2010Chris Bouchard, Zhongzhou Chen
    2009Natalie Strand, Robert Putman
    2008Glenn C. Foster (sp07), Robert E. Putman (fa07)
    2006Adam D. Smith, Vadas Gintautas
    2005Nicholas Peters , Timothy Wotherspoon
    2004Peter Fleck , Tamara Gossman
    2003Adam Smith, Eugene Torigoe
    2002Benny Brown , Michael Scott
    2001Christopher Strelioff , Robert White
    2000Joseph Jun , Patrick Hentges
    1999Curtis Shoaf , Kevin Paul
    1998Christopher Bouchard , Eric Potter
    1997Lora Durak , Yung Tae Kim
    1996Michael Stuller , Terrence Chay



  • This award recognizes outstanding work by a graduate student in the area of high energy physics. The award is named for Illinois Physics Professor Emeritus Steven Errede, who contributed to the discovery of the Higgs boson as part of the ATLAS experiment at the Large Hadron Collider at CERN in Switzerland.

    Caroline Owen, 2023 recipient, Steven M. Errede Award
    Asad Khan, 2022 recipient, Steven M. Errede Award
    Elle Shaw, 2021 recipient, Steven M. Errede Award
    YearWinners
    2023Caroline Owen
    2022Asad Khan
    2021Elle Shaw



  • This prize recognizes the year's outstanding nuclear physics graduate student. Professor Pandharipande served with great distinction on our faculty for 34 years.

    Patrick Carzon, 2023 recipient, Vijay R. Pandharipande Prize in Nuclear Physics
    Debora Pias Mroczek, 2022 recipient, Vijay R. Pandharipande Prize in Nuclear Physics
    Travis Dore, 2021 recipient, Vijay R. Pandharipande Prize in Nuclear Physics
    Anabel Romero Hernandez, 2020 recipient, Vijay R. Pandharipande Prize in Nuclear Physics
    Cristian Gaidau, 2019 recipient, Vijay R. Pandharipande Prize in Nuclear Physics
    Akshat Puri, 2018 recipient, Vijay R. Pandharipande Prize in Nuclear Physics
    Yifan Song, 2017 recipient, Vijay R. Pandharipande Prize in Nuclear Physics
    YearWinners
    2023Patrick Carzon
    2022Debora Pias Mroczek
    2021Travis Dore
    2020Anabel Romero Hernandez
    2019Cristian Gaidau
    2018Akshat Puri
    2017Yifan Song
    2016Sarvagya Sharma
    2015Cameron McKinney
    2014Raymond Clay
    2013Philip Powell
    2012Tomoki Ozawa
    2011Beau Meredith
    2010Rebecca Lamb
    2009Abhishek Mukherjee
    2008Jaime Morales