Joseph A. Burton Forum Award

To recognize outstanding contributions to the public understanding or resolution of issues involving the interface of physics and society. The award consists of $3,000, a certificate citing the contributions of the recipient, and an allowance for travel to the meeting of the Society at which the award is presented. It will be awarded annually.

Establishment & Support

The Joseph A. Burton Forum Award is named in recognition of the many contributions of Joseph Burton to the society and to the APS as its Treasurer from 1970 - 1985. The award was endowed in 1997 through a donation from Mrs. LeRoy Apker. The award stems from the former Forum Award for Promoting Public Understanding of the relationship of Physics and Society, established by the Forum on Physics and Society in 1974.

Rules & Eligibility

The award is for outstanding contributions to the public understanding or resolution of issues involving the interface of physics and society. Examples include issues of: public education, arms control, energy policy, protection of the environment, international cooperation among scientists, physics education, and the achievement of equity. Candidate nominations remain active for a maximum of three years.

Nomination & Selection Process

The deadline for submission of nominations for the 2011 prize is July 1, 2010.    The nomination must include:

• A letter of not more than 5,000 characters evaluating the qualifications of the nominee(s).

In addition, the nomination should include:

• A biographical sketch.
• A list of the most important publications.
• At least two, but not more than four, seconding letters.
• Up to five reprints and preprints.

There may be additional requirements for particular prizes and awards. Please read the rules carefully.

To complete a nomination click here for the electronic submission form. All files should be in PDF format. Letters can be signed electronically (for example, using an embedded facsimile) or physically. In the latter case they should be digitally scanned. Filenames should include the name of the nominee.

Please contact Shelly Johnston for information on submitting updated material for nominations held-over from the previous selection process.
 
Selection Committee Members: TBA
 
  Nomination Guidelines

2010 Joseph A. Burton Forum Award Recipient(s):
Abdul Nayyar
Sustainable Development Policy Institute
Pervez Hoodbhoy
Quaid-e-Azam University

Past Recipients:

2009:	Patricia Lewis
2008:	Pierre Goldschmidt
2007:	Matthew G. Bunn
2006:	David Albright
2005:	Lawrence Maxwell Krauss
2004:	Peter Zimmerman
2003:	Melba Newell Phillips
2002:	Adrian Melott
2001:	David C. Wright George Lewis Lisbeth D. Gronlund
2000:	Steve Fetter
1998:	Freeman John Dyson Robert Lee Park
1997:	Martin Gardiner
1996:	Kevin Aylesworth
1995:	John P. Holdren
1994:	Gary Taubes
1993:	Harvey Brooks
1992:	Luis Pinguelli Rosa, Alberto Ridner, Fernando de Sousa Barros, and Luis Masperi
1991:	Victor F. Weisskopf
1990:	Richard Wilson
1989:	James Randi
1988:	Ashton B. Carter
1987:	Richard A. Scribner
1986:	Spurgeon Keany, Jr.
1984:	Mike Casper
1983:	Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists
1982:	Philip Morrison
1980:	William Shurcliff
1979:	Jeremy Stone
1978:	Theodore Taylor
1977:	Joel Primack and Frank von Hippel
1976:	Herbert York
1975:	Science News and Comments Staff
1974:	Ralph Lapp