Council Approves a New Prize and an New Award

At its November meeting, Council gave approval to a new APS prize and a new award. In both cases, they will begin to be awarded only after the necessary funds have been raised for their endowment.

The new prize is the , named after the late Russian physicist and human rights activist Andrei Sakharov.

The purpose of the prize will be "to recognize outstanding leadership and/or achievements of scientists in upholding human rights."

It is named "in recognition of the courageous and effective work of Andrei Sakharov on behalf of human rights, to the detriment of his own scientific career and despite the loss of his own personal freedom."

It is intended that the prize will be awarded every other year and will carry a stipend of $10,000.

A minimum endowment of $100,000 must be raised before the first recipient can be chosen.

The new award is for excellence in physics education. It was proposed jointly by the APS Forum on Education and the Committee on Education, and, like the Sakharov Prize, received the endorsement of the Prizes and Awards Advisory Committee and the APS Executive Board before being passed by Council.

The award is distinctive in that it is intended to be given primarily to a team or a group (such as a physics department), rather than to a single individual.

The American Association of Physics Teachers already gives numerous awards for excellence in education to individuals.

Among the accomplishments to be recognized by this new award are outreach programs and outstanding teacher enhancement or teacher pre-paration programs. It is envisaged that the award will be given yearly and carry a stipend of $5000.

A minimum endowment of $100,000 will have to be raised.