Meenakshi Narain Mentoring Award
This award recognizes exceptional mentoring in particle physics. The mentoring recognized could be in the form of teaching, research, or science-related activities, and the award is intended to acknowledge current and career-spanning achievements.
The award carries with it a prize of $5,000, a certificate citing the contribution made by the recipient, plus travel expenses to attend the APS April Meeting, where the prize is bestowed. It will be presented annually.
Rules and eligibility
Nominations are open to all scientists who have had exceptional impact as mentors of particle physics scientists and students. Nominations will be considered for three review cycles, provided the nominator re-certifies the nomination before the next deadline.
Process and selection
The nomination package must include:
- A cover letter
- The nominee’s CV or biosketch
- A list of past and current mentees
- At least three, but not more than four, seconding letters
Before starting a new nomination or updating a continuing nomination, please review the funding and recognition nomination guidelines. You may then submit your nomination materials using your myAPS account credentials through the APS nomination system.
2025 Selection Committee members are currently being determined.
Selection Committee
- Pavel Nadolsky
- David Miller
- Laura Fields
- Shirley Li
- Kevin Lannon
Establishment and support
This award is named after Professor Meenakshi Narain and is dedicated to recognizing outstanding mentors, particularly those who have supported early-career scientists from underrepresented groups.
The APS Division of Particles and Fields (DPF) established a unit level mentoring award in 2015. Thanks to the generosity of the Heising-Simons Foundation, Narain’s family, friends, and the DPF community, the award was fully endowed and made a Society Level Award in 2024.
Recent recipients
Kevin P. Lannon
2026 recipient
For mentoring and leadership in reforming graduate admissions by championing evaluation criteria that value perseverance, resilience, and drive alongside academic rigor, thereby broadening access while upholding excellence.
Tao Han
2025 recipient
For outstanding mentoring, sustained and caring early-career advising, and a quarter century cultivating the welcoming and supportive Phenomenology symposium.
Robert M. Harris
2024 recipient
For implementing and leading a postdoctoral mentorship program that has greatly enriched the scholarly and professional lives of junior scientists at Fermilab.
David Saltzberg (Unit-Level Recipient)
2022 recipient
For his strong record establishing an exciting physics environment in which he mentored a diverse group of students, postdocs, undergraduates, and junior faculty members, empowering them to realize their full potential as physicists and to push the boundaries of our field.
Rafael Lang (Unit-Level Recipient)
2021 recipient
For his outstanding commitment to mentoring the next generation of scientists, particularly through the development of an exemplary undergraduate research program that has opened the door to dark matter research to hundreds of students; for his mentorship of postdocs and graduate students; and for his far reaching and impactful public engagement activities.
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.
Meenakshi Narain Mentoring Award
Related
Prepare your nomination materials and review the submission process to recognize your colleagues and students.
Prepare your Fellowship nomination materials and review the submission process.
As approved by the Council of Representatives on April 10, 2025.
APS honors exceptional contributions to the physics community, including travel support for students and early career physicists.