Award for Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Research in Biological Physics

To recognize doctoral thesis research of outstanding quality and achievement in any area of experimental, computational, engineering, or theoretical Biological Physics, broadly construed, and to encourage effective written and oral presentation of research results, the Division of Biological Physics will present an award, to be given annually, consisting of $1,500, a certificate citing the contribution made by the Awardee, and a $500 travel allowance ($1000 international) and fee waiver to attend the subsequent March meeting and to present an invited talk based on the thesis work or an extension of that work. Award and travel monies will be presented following the talk. The two runners-up will receive certificates of merit citing their contributions. 

Establishment & Support

The award was established in 2009 by the Division of Biological Physics and is sponsored by members and friends of the Division of Biological Physics.

Background

Biological Physics is one of the most rapidly growing, exciting and interdisciplinary branches of contemporary physics. To encourage the healthy development of this field, the Division of Biological Physics has established an annual award for Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Research in Biological Physics.

Rules & Eligibility

Doctoral students at any university in the United States or abroad who have passed their thesis defense for the Ph.D. in any areas of experimental, computational, engineering, or theoretical Biological Physics, broadly construed, any time from October 1st two years before the year in which the award is to be presented until September 30th in the year before the award is to be presented, are eligible for the award, except for those whose thesis advisors serve on the current Selection Committee. To recognize the fundamentally interdisciplinary nature of biological physics, the applicant, advisor and degree awarded need not be in Physics, but may also be in any appropriate related area, including, but not limited to, Biomedical Engineering, Applied Mathematics, Applied Physics or Biological Physics, Biophysics, Biology, Mathematics, Biochemistry, Chemistry or Chemical Engineering. In the event that the Committee judges no submitted theses to be of sufficient quality, the Committee may elect not to present the award.

Nomination & Selection Process

Nominations must be received by the Chair of the 2009 Biological Physics Thesis Award Selection Committee prior to the deadline for nominations: the first Monday in October each year (October 5th, 2009). Nominations must be submitted as a single PDF file to the Chair of the Selection Committee in an email attachment.

The nomination process is initiated by the thesis advisor. The nomination package consists of the following materials:

1. A letter from the thesis advisor citing the specific contributions of the nominee and the significance of those contributions.
2. A letter from the department chair and/or relevant program director certifying the date of the thesis defense.
3. Two letters seconding the nomination.
4. A manuscript prepared by the nominee describing the thesis research; the manuscript may not exceed 1,500 words (excluding figures and references).
5. An abstract prepared by the nominee suitable for publication in the Bulletin of the American Physical Society; the abstract may not exceed 1,300 characters. The name of the thesis supervisor and the institution should be indicated in a footnote.
6. A full curriculum vitae of the nominee including a publication list.

Nominations are limited to one per year per nominator. Writers of seconding letters may only submit one seconding letter per year.

Timeline

• September 30th—Deadline for thesis defenses for consideration by the Selection Committee
• First Monday in October (October 5th, 2009)—Deadline for nominations
• November 10th—Selection of Awardee and runners up
• November 17th—Notification of Awardee and invitation to March Meeting
• December 2nd—Deadline for acceptance of invitation by Awardee
• March Meeting—Awarding of Prize.

For the 2009/2010 Award, Nominations must be sent to:
Chair: Prof. James A. Glazier
Indiana University
Biocomplexity Institute and Department of Physics
Simon Hall MSB1, 047G
212 S. Hawthorne Drive
Bloomington, IN 47405-7003
USA
Email: glazier@indiana.edu