Awards for contributions to advanced laboratories

SPS-AAPT-ALPhA Award

Link to SPS-AAPT-ALPhA Award Website

This award was established to recognize outstanding work in the development of an advanced laboratory apparatus or experiment by an undergraduate physics student or group of students at their home institution within the United States. Recognition will also be given to the supervising faculty.

Recent recipients:

  2018: Natalie Ferris, Dickinson College
  Project: Double-slit interference with partially-coherent light
  Advisers: David Jackson and Brett Pearson

  2016: Ryan Scott, Rochester Institute of Technology
  Project: The Hong-Ou-Mandel Effect
  Advisers: Edwin E. Hach, III and Stefan Preble

  2015: Brandon Thacker, California State University, Chico
  Project: The Mechanical Chaotic Oscillator
  Adviser:  Eric Ayars

The award is given annually, if a worthy candidate or group of candidates is nominated. A standing committee designated by the Executive Boards of AAPT and ALPhA is responsible for the selection. Nominations of qualified women and members of underrepresented minority groups are especially encouraged.

TeachSpin, Inc. has agreed to fund this award for the first five years. AAPT and ALPhA are soliciting contributions to fully fund a permanent endowment for the award.

Jonathan F. Reichert and Barbara Wolff-Reichert Award for Excellence in Advanced Laboratory Instruction

Link to Reichert Award Website

This award is to recognize and honor outstanding achievement in teaching, sustaining, and enhancing an advanced undergraduate laboratory course or courses at US institutions. The course(s) should provide a broad selection of experiments in a range of the various interest areas of physics. This award was established in 2012 and endowed with support from Jonathan F. Reichert and Barbara Wolff-Reichert.

Recent Recipients:

2021:  Linda Barton, Rochester Institute of Technology

2020:  Enrique Galvez, Colgate University

2019: Heather J. Lewandowski, University of Colorado Boulder

2018: Kurt Wick, University of Minnesota

2017: Richard Peterson, Bethel University

2016: Van D. Bistrow, University of Chicago