Maria Goeppert Mayer Award

To recognize and enhance outstanding achievement by a woman physicist in the early years of her career, and to provide opportunities for her to present these achievements to others through public lectures in the spirit of Maria Goeppert Mayer. The award consists of $5,000 plus a travel allowance to provide opportunities for the recipient to give lectures in her field of physics at up to three institutions and at the meeting of the Society at which the award is bestowed and a certificate citing the contributions made by the recipient. The award will be presented annually.

Establishment & Support

The award was established in 1985 through sponsorship by the General Electric Foundation (now the GE Fund) and generously endowed by Dr. Virginia Trimble in 2019. The award stipend was increased in 2023 through the generous support of national laboratories and the physics community.

Rules & Eligibility

This award is to be given to a woman during the early years of her career, not later than seven years after the granting of the Ph.D. degree (excluding career interruptions), for scientific achievements that demonstrate her potential as an outstanding physicist. The lectures must be given at institutions within the United States or its possessions within two years after the award is made. Nominations are active for three years. The nominee must not have received her PhD earlier than seven years (excluding career interruptions) prior to the nomination deadline. 

Nomination & Selection Process

Deadline: Monday, June 3, 2024

The nomination package must include:

  • A letter of not more than 5,000 characters evaluating the nominees qualifications.

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 or preprints.

To start a new or update a continuing nomination, please see the Prize & Award Nomination Guidelines.

2024 Selection Committee Members: Yingmei Liu (Chair), Angela Hight Walker, Prineha Narang, and Idaykis Rodriguez

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.