APS Honors, Prizes & Awards

APS Honors recognize excellence in contributions to physics research, service, and teaching.

Honors, Prizes & Award Types

Honors for Research | Honors for Service and Teaching | Honors for Early Career and Students | Unit-Level Awards | Deadlines

Honors for Research

Research Prizes

APS Medal for Exceptional Achievement in Research
The APS Medal recognizes contributions of the highest level that advance our knowledge and understanding of the physical universe in all its facets.

Will Allis Prize for the Study of Ionized Gases
The biennial Allis Prize recognizes outstanding research into the microscopic or macroscopic behavior of ionized gases.

Hans A. Bethe Prize
The Bethe Prize recognizes outstanding work in theory, experiment or observation in the areas of astrophysics, nuclear physics, nuclear astrophysics, or closely related fields.

Tom W. Bonner Prize in Nuclear Physics
The Bonner Prize recognizes outstanding experimental research in nuclear physics, including the development of a method, technique, or device that significantly contributes to nuclear physics research.

Oliver E. Buckley Condensed Matter Physics Prize
The Buckley Prize recognizes outstanding theoretical or experimental contributions to condensed matter physics.

Davisson-Germer Prize in Atomic or Surface Physics
The Davisson-Germer Prize recognizes outstanding work in atomic physics or surface physics.

Max Delbrück Prize in Biological Physics
The Delbrück Prize recognizes outstanding achievement in biological physics research.

Mildred Dresselhaus Prize in Nanoscience and Nanomaterial
The Dresselhaus Prize recognizes an outstanding scientist in the areas of nanoscience or nanomaterials.

Einstein Prize
The biennial Einstein Prize recognizes outstanding accomplishments in the field of gravitational physics.

Herman Feshbach Prize in Theoretical Nuclear Physics
The Feshbach Prize recognizes outstanding research in theoretical nuclear physics.

Fluid Dynamics Prize
The Fluid Dynamics Prize recognizes outstanding achievement in fluid dynamics research.

Dannie Heineman Prize for Mathematical Physics
The Heineman Prize recognizes outstanding publications in the field of mathematical physics.

Frank Isakson Prize for Optical Effects in Solids
The biennial Isakson Prize recognizes outstanding optical research that lead to breakthroughs in the condensed matter sciences.

Leo P. Kadanoff Prize
The Kadanoff Prize recognizes scientists whose theoretical, experimental, or computational achievements have opened new vistas for statistical and or nonlinear physics.

James Clerk Maxwell Prize for Plasma Physics
The Maxwell Prize recognizes outstanding contributions to the field of plasma physics.

James C. McGroddy Prize for New Materials
The McGroddy Prize recognizes outstanding achievement in the science and application of new materials.

Lars Onsager Prize
The Onsager Prize recognizes outstanding research in theoretical statistical physics including the quantum fluids.

Abraham Pais Prize for History of Physics
The Pais Prize recognizes outstanding scholarly achievements in the history of physics.

W.K.H. Panofsky Prize in Experimental Particle Physics
The Panofsky Prize recognizes outstanding achievements in experimental particle physics.

Earle K. Plyler Prize for Molecular Spectroscopy & Dynamics
The Plyler Prize recognizes notable contributions to the field of molecular spectroscopy and dynamics.

Polymer Physics Prize
The Polymer Physics Prize recognizes outstanding accomplishment and excellence of contributions in polymer physics research.

Prize for a Faculty Member for Research in an Undergraduate Institution
The Faculty Research Prize recognizes a physicist whose research in an undergraduate setting has achieved wide recognition and contributed significantly to physics and who has contributed substantially to the professional development of undergraduate physics students.

Aneesur Rahman Prize for Computational Physics
The Rahman Prize recognizes outstanding achievement in computational physics research.

Norman F. Ramsey Prize in Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics, and in Precision Tests of Fundamental Laws and Symmetries
The Ramsey Prize recognizes outstanding accomplishments in the two fields of Norman Ramsey: atomic, molecular, and optical physics; and precision tests of fundamental laws and symmetries.

J. J. Sakurai Prize for Theoretical Particle Physics
The Sakurai Prize recognizes outstanding achievement in particle theory.

Arthur L. Schawlow Prize in Laser Science
The Schawlow Prize recognizes outstanding contributions to basic research using lasers to advance our knowledge of the fundamental physical properties of materials and their interaction with light.

Robert R. Wilson Prize for Achievement in the Physics of Particle Accelerators
The Wilson Prize recognizes outstanding achievement in the physics of particle accelerators.

Research Awards

David Adler Lectureship Award in the Field of Materials Physics
The Adler Lectureship Award recognizes an outstanding contributor to the field of materials physics who is notable for high quality research, review articles, and lecturing.

Herbert P. Broida Award
The biennial Broida Award recognizes outstanding experimental advancements in the fields of atomic and molecular spectroscopy or chemical physics.

Stanley Corrsin Award
The Corrsin Award recognizes and encourages a particularly influential contribution to fundamental fluid dynamics.

John Dawson Award for Excellence in Plasma Physics Research
The Dawson Award recognizes a particular recent outstanding achievement in plasma physics research.

George E. Duvall Shock Compression Science Award
The biennial Duvall Award recognizes contributions to understanding condensed matter and non-linear physics through shock compression.

Richard A. Isaacson Award in Gravitational-Wave Science
The Isaacson Award recognizes outstanding contributions in gravitational-wave physics, gravitational-wave astrophysics, and the technologies that enable this science.

Joseph F. Keithley Award For Advances in Measurement Science
The Keithley Award recognizes physicists who have been instrumental in the development of measurement techniques or equipment that have an impact on the physics community by providing better measurements.

Lev D. Landau and Lyman Spitzer Jr. Award for Outstanding Contributions to Plasma Physics
The biennial Landau-Spitzer Award recognizes an individual or group of researchers for outstanding theoretical, experimental, or technical contributions in plasma physics and for advancing the collaboration and unity between Europe and the United States of America by joint research or research that advances knowledge that benefits the two communities in a unique way.

Rolf Landauer and Charles H. Bennett Award in Quantum Computing
The Landauer-Bennett Award recognizes recent outstanding contributions in quantum information science, especially using quantum effects to perform computational and information-management tasks that would be impossible or infeasible by purely classical means.

Irving Langmuir Award in Chemical Physics
The biennial Langmuir Award recognizes outstanding interdisciplinary research in chemistry and physics, in the spirit of Irving Langmuir.

Research Fellowships

M. Hildred Blewett Fellowship
The Blewett Research Fellowship enables women to return to physics research careers after having had to interrupt those careers.

Stanford R. Ovshinsky Sustainable Energy Fellowship
The Ovshinsky Research Fellowship recognizes and offers seed funding for promising exploratory research aimed at energy sustainability.

Research Lectureships

Esther Hoffman Beller Lectureship
The Beller Lectureship provides funding and support to bring distinguished physicists from abroad to present invited talks at APS meetings.

Marshak Lectureship
The Robert E. Marshak Lectureship provides travel support for physicists of any career level (i.e., from graduate student to senior scientist) from developing nations or Eastern Europe invited to speak at APS meetings.

Honors for Service and Teaching

Service and Teaching Prizes

Julius Edgar Lilienfeld Prize

The Lilienfeld Prize recognizes outstanding contributions to physics and exceptional skills in lecturing to diverse audiences.

George E. Pake Prize

The biennial Pake Prize recognizes outstanding work by physicists combining original research accomplishments with leadership in the management of research or development in industry.

Andrei Sakharov Prize

The biennial Sakharov Prize recognizes outstanding leadership and achievements of scientists in upholding human rights.

Service and Teaching Awards

Edward A. Bouchet Award

The Bouchet Award recognizes a distinguished minority physicist who has made significant contributions to physics research and the advancement of underrepresented minority scientists.

Joseph A. Burton Forum Award

The Burton Award recognizes outstanding contributions to the public understanding or resolution of issues involving the interface of physics and society.

FIAP Career Lectureship Award

The FIAP Career Lectureship Award recognizes physicists in industrial and other non-academic careers for their significant contributions to the advancement of physics of a technical, industrial, or entrepreneurial nature and for their demonstrated ability to give interesting and engaging lectures to both experts and non-experts.

Excellence in Physics Education Award

The Education Award recognizes a team, collaboration, or an exceptional individual who has exhibited a sustained commitment to excellence in physics education.

Dwight Nicholson Medal for Outreach

The Nicholson Medal recognizes the humanitarian aspect of physics and physicists created through public lectures and public media, teaching, research, or science related activities.

Jonathan F. Reichert and Barbara Wolff-Reichert Award for Excellence in Advanced Laboratory Instruction

The Reichert Award recognizes outstanding achievement in teaching, sustaining (for at least four years), and enhancing an advanced undergraduate laboratory course or courses at U.S. institutions.

Leo Szilard Lectureship Award

The Szilard Lectureship Award recognizes 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.

John Wheatley Award

The biennial Wheatley Award recognizes the dedication of physicists who have made contributions to the development of physics across the globe.

Meenakshi Narain Mentoring Award

The Meenakshi Narain Mentoring Award recognizes exceptional mentoring in particle physics. The mentoring recognized could be in the form of teaching, research, or science-related activities, and the award is intended to acknowledge current and career-spanning achievements.

Honors for Early Career and Student Research

Early Career Prizes

George E. Valley, Jr. Prize

The Valley Prize recognizes an early-career individual for an outstanding scientific contribution to physics that is deemed to have significant potential for a dramatic impact on the field.

I.I. Rabi Prize in Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics

The biennial Rabi Prize recognizes outstanding early-career research in atomic, molecular, and optical physics.

Early Career and Student Awards

Neil Ashcroft Early Career Award for Studies of Matter at Extreme High Pressure Conditions

The Ashcroft Award Recognizes outstanding theoretical or experimental contributions by an early-career scientist to studies of matter at extreme high pressure conditions.

John H. Dillon Medal

The Dillon Medal recognizes outstanding research accomplishments by early-career polymer physicists who have demonstrated exceptional research promise.

Stuart Jay Freedman Award in Experimental Nuclear Physics

The Freedman Award recognizes an outstanding early career experimentalist in nuclear physics.

Maria Goeppert Mayer Award

The Mayer Award recognizes and enhances outstanding achievement by a woman physicist in the early years of her career, and provides opportunities for her to present these achievements to others through public lectures in the spirit of Maria Goeppert Mayer.

Irwin Oppenheim Award

The Oppenheim Award recognizes outstanding contributions to physics by early-career scientists who publish in Physical Review E (PRE).

Francis M. Pipkin Award

The biennial Pipkin Award recognizes exceptional research accomplishments by an early-career scientist in the interdisciplinary area of precision measurement and fundamental constants and encourages the wide dissemination of the research results.

Henry Primakoff Award for Early-Career Particle Physics

The Primakoff Award recognizes outstanding contributions made by early-career physicists and helps promote the careers of exceptionally promising physicists.

Early Career Award for Soft Matter Research

The Soft Matter Award recognizes outstanding and sustained contributions by an early-career researcher to the soft matter field.

Thomas H. Stix Award for Outstanding Early Career Contributions to Plasma Physics Research

The Stix Award recognizes an early-career researcher who has made outstanding theoretical, experimental, computational, or technical contributions in plasma physics.

LeRoy Apker Award

The Apker Award recognizes outstanding achievements in physics by undergraduate students, and provides encouragement to students who have demonstrated great potential for future scientific accomplishment.

Honors for Dissertation and Doctoral Thesis Work

Andreas Acrivos Dissertation Award in Fluid Dynamics

The Acrivos Dissertation Award recognizes exceptional early-career scientists who have performed original doctoral thesis work of outstanding scientific quality and achievement in the area of fluid dynamics.

Carl E. Anderson Division of Laser Science Dissertation Award

The Anderson Dissertation Award recognizes doctoral research in laser science and encourages the effective written and oral presentation of research results.

Award for Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Research in Biological Physics

The DBIO Dissertation Award recognizes doctoral thesis research of outstanding quality and achievement in any area of experimental, computational, engineering, or theoretical biological physics and encourages effective written and oral presentation of research results.

Dissertation Award in Nuclear Physics

The DNP Dissertation Award recognizes doctoral thesis research of outstanding quality and achievement in nuclear physics.

Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Research in Beam Physics Award

The DPB Dissertation Award recognizes doctoral thesis research of outstanding quality and achievement in beam physics and engineering.

Dissertation Award in Hadronic Physics

The GHP Dissertation Award recognizes outstanding early-career scientists who have performed original research in the area of hadronic physics.

Richard L. Greene Dissertation Award in Experimental Condensed Matter or Materials Physics

The Greene Dissertation Award recognizes doctoral thesis research of exceptional quality and importance in experimental condensed matter or experimental materials physics.

Dissertation Award in Statistical and Nonlinear Physics

The GSNP Dissertation Award recognizes exceptional early-career scientists who have performed original doctoral thesis work of outstanding scientific quality in statistical and nonlinear physics.

Justin Jankunas Doctoral Dissertation Award in Chemical Physics

The Jankunas Dissertation Award recognizes doctoral thesis research of outstanding quality and achievement in chemical physics.

Deborah Jin Award for Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Research in Atomic, Molecular, or Optical Physics

The Jin Dissertation Award recognizes doctoral thesis research of outstanding quality and achievement in atomic, molecular, or optical physics and encourages effective written and oral presentation of research results.

Nicholas Metropolis Award for Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Work in Computational Physics

The Metropolis Dissertation Award recognizes doctoral thesis research of outstanding quality and achievement in computational physics and encourages effective written and oral presentation of research results.

Cecilia Payne-Gaposchkin Doctoral Dissertation Award in Astrophysics

The Payne-Gaposchkin Dissertation Award recognizes doctoral thesis in research in astrophysics, and encourages the effective written and oral presentation of research results.

Marshall N. Rosenbluth Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Award

The Rosenbluth Dissertation Award recognizes exceptional early-career scientists who have performed original thesis work of outstanding scientific quality and achievement in the area of plasma physics.

J. J. and Noriko Sakurai Dissertation Award in Theoretical Particle Physics

The Sakurai Dissertation Award recognizes exceptional early-career scientists who have performed original doctoral thesis work of outstanding scientific quality and achievement in the area of theoretical particle physics.

Mitsuyoshi Tanaka Dissertation Award in Experimental Particle Physics

The Tanaka Dissertation Award recognizes exceptional early-career scientists who have performed original doctoral thesis work of outstanding scientific quality and achievement in the area of experimental particle physics.

The membership of APS is diverse and global, and the nominees and recipients of APS Honors should reflect that diversity so that all are recognized for their impact on our community. Nominations of members belonging to groups traditionally underrepresented in physics, such as women, LGBT+ scientists, scientists who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), disabled scientists, scientists from institutions with limited resources, and scientists from outside the United States, are especially encouraged.

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.