Award

Irwin Oppenheim Award

This award recognizes outstanding contributions to physics by early career scientists who publish in Physical Review E (PRE). The annual award consists of a $5,000 stipend, a certificate, registration waiver and travel reimbursement to attend the APS March Meeting, and an invitation to speak at the conference.

Rules and eligibility

The award will be granted once a year to the authors of a regular article or Letter published in Physical Review E in the calendar year preceding the year of nomination (e.g., those nominated in 2025 will have published in 2024). This recognition is restricted to researchers with at most 12 years of full-time activity after their Ph.D. as of the date of publication, allowing for career breaks (e.g., due to child or dependent care, major illness, military service, etc.). Authors who are at an even earlier career stage, including in particular graduate and undergraduate students, are eligible as well. All authors of the paper must meet this eligibility criterion, and the authors' CVs must explicitly state the date that the author obtained their Ph.D., and list any career breaks. 

Process and selection

This is a self-nomination and should be completed by the corresponding author. To be considered for this award, please submit an online application form and include the following information:

  • Volume number, article number, and title of article
  • Total number of authors
  • Contact information for each author
  • Ph.D. award date for each author
  • CV, including publication list, for each author. Please ensure that each CV states the Ph.D. award date. When appropriate, periods of inactivity should be indicated on the CV with a brief explanation

A committee consisting of members nominated by relevant units of the American Physical Society and, after the first awarding, a prior recipient will select the winner based solely on the scientific merit of the paper.

Selection Committee

  • Srikanth Sastry (Chair)
  • Izaak Neri
  • Simone Pigolotti
  • Emanuela Del Gado
  • Jean-Luc Thiffeault
  • Kenneth Schweizer
  • Sayak Bose
  • Nikta Fakhri

Establishment and support

The award was made possible by generous contributions from Irwin’s family and friends along with his students, colleagues, and members of the Physical Review E community. Thanks to the gracious support of Irwin Oppenheim's friends and family, we are pleased to announce the award stipend has increased to $5,000.

About Irwin Oppenheim

This best paper award, the first APS award established by a Physical Review journal, honors the founding editor of Physical Review E, Irwin Oppenheim. Under his editorship, the journal grew significantly in both size and scope. A visionary editor, Irwin promoted new areas, including soft matter, biological physics, and complex networks. Physical Review E, with its broad coverage and interdisciplinary scope, continues to embrace Irwin's editorial philosophy, and the journal is an important part of his legacy.

A distinguished scientist, Irwin Oppenheim studied nonequilibrium phenomena and was a leader in statistical physics and kinetic theory. His illustrious career as a Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology spanned more than five decades. Irwin is remembered for his warmth and wisdom as a mentor to many students and postdocs who later went on to become prominent in their field. Appropriately, the Irwin Oppenheim Award recognizes early career scientists.

Recent recipients

Noémie S. Livné

2025 recipient

For the formulation of a geometric theory of mechanical screening in two dimensional solids, which is applicable to a range of systems including granular matter, cellular tissue, and mechanical metamaterials.

Michael Moshe

2025 recipient

For the formulation of a geometric theory of mechanical screening in two dimensional solids, which is applicable to a range of systems including granular matter, cellular tissue, and mechanical metamaterials.

Chiara Cammarota

2024 recipient

For the study of dynamical systems on large networks with predator-prey interactions that are stable and exhibit oscillations.

Andrea Marcello Mambuca

2024 recipient

For the study of dynamical systems on large networks with predator-prey interactions that are stable and exhibit oscillations.

Izaak Neri

2024 recipient

For the study of dynamical systems on large networks with predator-prey interactions that are stable and exhibit oscillations.

See all recipients

APS Honors recognizes and celebrates the accomplishments of the global physics community. Guided by our core values, APS Honors encourages nominations that reflect the full range of talent, distinction, and experience in our field, and supports broad canvassing for professional achievement across diverse backgrounds, perspectives, and expertise.

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 Standards. Violations of these standards may disqualify people from consideration or lead to revocation of honors or removal from office.

Irwin Oppenheim Award

Nominations deadline
June 2, 2025
Type
Award
Category
Early career and students
Amount
$5,000

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