James C. McGroddy Prize for New Materials

To recognize and encourage outstanding achievement in the science and application of new materials. This shall include the discovery of new classes of materials, the observation of novel phenomena in known materials leading to both fundamentally new applications and scientific insights, and shall also include theoretical and experimental work contributing significantly to the understanding of such phenomena. The prize consists of $10,000 plus a certificate citing the contribution of the recipient and an allowance for travel to the meeting of the Society at which the award is presented. It is awarded annually.

Establishment & Support

The prize was established in 1997 and is endowed by IBM and the APS Division of Materials Physics.

Rules & Eligibility

The prize is open to scientists of all nationalities irrespective of where their work has been carried out. Nominations will be considered for three review cycles provided the nominator re-certifies the nomination before the next 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 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 or preprints.

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


2024 Selection Committee Members: E. Dan Dahlberg (Chair), Stephen Wilson, Prineha Narang, Paula Giraldo-Gallo, James Hone, and Neil Harrison

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.

2024 Recipient

Harold Y. Hwang
Stanford University



Past Recipients

2023: Emanuel Tutuc
          James Hone
          Kenji Watanabe
          Takashi Taniguchi
2022: Daniel C. Ralph
2021: Darrell G. Schlom
          Ivan Božović
          James N. Eckstein
2020: Mikhail Eremets
2019: Bogdan Andrei Bernevig
          Claudia Felser
          Xi Dai
2018: Rodney S. Ruoff
2017: Paul C. Canfield
2016: Mercouri Kanatzidis
2015: Hideo Hosono
2014: Zhong Lin Wang
2013: Costas M. Soukoulis
          David R. Smith
          John B. Pendry
2012: Robert Cava
2011: Arthur P. Ramirez
2010: Nicola A. Spaldin
          Ramamoorthy Ramesh
          Sang-Wook Cheong
2009: Akihisa Inoue
          William L. Johnson
2008: Arthur F. Hebard
          Jun Akimitsu
          Robert C. Haddon
2007: Arthur J. Epstein
          Joel S. Miller
2006: Alex Zettl
          Hongjie Dai
2005: Yoshinori Tokura
2004: Loren Pfeiffer
2003: Charles M. Lieber
2002: Donald S. Bethune
          Sumio Iijima
2001: Arthur Charles Gossard
2000: M. Brian Maple
1999: Eugene E. Haller
          Thomas Richard Anthony
1994: Albert Fert
          Peter Grunberg
          Stuart Parkin
1993: Gordon C. Osbourn
1992: Harold W. Kroto
          Richard E. Smalley
          Robert E. Curl
1991: Francis J. DiSalvo
          Frederic Holtzberg
1990: Frank Steglich
          Hans R. Ott
          James L. Smith
          Zachary Fisk
1989: J.B. MacChesney
          K.C. Kao
          R.D. Maurer
1988: C. Paul Chu
          J. Georg Bednorz
          K. Alex Muller
1987: Dan Shechtman
1986: Jan Herbst
          John Croat
          Masato Sagawa
          Norman C. Koon
1985: Leo Esaki
          Leroy L. Chang
          Raphael Tsu
1984: J.P. Remeika
1983: David Turnbull
1982: Alfred Y. Cho
          John R. Arthur
1981: LeGrand G. van Uitert
1980: Pol E. Duwez
          Ronald H. Willens
          William Klement, Jr
1979: Bernd T. Matthias
          J. Eugene Kunzler
          John K. Hulm
1978: J.H. Sinfelt
1977: Francis Bundy
          H. Tracy Hall
          Herbert Strong
          Robert H. Wentoff, Jr.
1976: Henry C. Theurer
          William G. Pfann
1975: Heinrich Welker