Awards and Honors
The Department of Physics and Astronomy is proud of the accomplishments of all of our students. Our majors frequently receive awards and recognition for their outstanding academic and extracurricular achievements at Tufts and beyond.
Undergraduate Awards
2025 Recipients:
- Noah Stiegler received the Benjamin G. Brown Scholarship, awarded to seniors who have shown promise in scientific research in fields other than chemistry.
- Sophia Dinn received the Amos Emerson Dolbear Scholarship, which is given to seniors who have shown promise in the field of Electrical Engineering or Physics.
- Leo Sajkov and Avery Hanna received the Class of 1947 Victor Prather Prize, awarded to undergraduate engineering or science majors who have demonstrated excellence in scientific research, enthusiasm for the pursuit of knowledge, and a dedication to scholarly achievement.
- Emma Rabinowitz received the Class of 1911 Prize Scholarship, honoring seniors of engaging personality who, from matriculation as freshmen to their senior year, have made the most progress as measured both by academic record and by successful participation in extracurricular activities of enduring worth.
- Arielle Weinstein received the Class of 1898 Prize, awarded annually to that student in each of the undergraduate colleges who, having completed at least two years at Tufts, has best demonstrated both high scholarly ability and a wide range of intellectual interest and competence.
- Alex Timoney received the Alex Elias Memorial Prize Scholarship, presented to juniors or seniors who best display those high standards in community activities and in athletic and scholarly pursuits for which Alex Elias was well known.
- Simon Webber and Lucas Steinberger received the N. Hobbs Knight Prize Scholarship in Physics, awarded to two upper class students who are majoring in physics and who have demonstrated outstanding ability in theoretical and experimental physics.
2024 Recipients:
- Trisha Musall received the Class of 1911 Prize Scholarship, honoring seniors of engaging personality who, from matriculation as freshmen to their senior year, have made the most progress as measured both by academic record and by successful participation in extracurricular activities of enduring worth.
- Claudia Henry and Param Upadhyaya received the Class of 1942 Prize Scholarship, awarded annually to seniors considered by other undergraduates, faculty, or staff as the most likely to become outstanding university teachers, counselors, or administrators.
- Yun Liu and Alec Plano received the Amos Emerson Dolbear Scholarship, which is given to seniors who have shown promise in the field of Electrical Engineering or Physics.
- Mathis Weber and Yun Liu received the N. Hobbs Knight Prize Scholarship in Physics, awarded to two upper class students who are majoring in physics and who have demonstrated outstanding ability in theoretical and experimental physics.
- This year's recipients of the Howard Sample Prize Scholarship in Physics for outstanding performance in Physics 11 and Physics 12 are:
- Mateo Sufuentes
- Amelia Neiman
- Katerina Varsamis
- Stephanie Gratiano
- Trevor Wallace
- Sona Kocinsky
- Sophia Wax
- Alexis Dutra
- Julian Han
- Steffy Jullian Guyard
- Bode Neumeister
- Lauren Suzuki
- Christopher Bann
- John Berg
- Alana Sendlakowski
- Emma Claus
- Coleman Morrel
- Karim Al-Haffar
- Julian Moody
- Yun Liu
2023 Sigma Pi Sigma
Founded in 1921, Sigma Pi Sigma is a member honor society of the Association of College Honor Societies. It exists to honor outstanding scholarship in physics; to encourage interest in physics among students at all levels; to promote an attitude of service of its members towards their fellow students, colleagues, and the public; to provide a fellowship of persons who have excelled in physics. Election to Sigma Pi Sigma is a lifetime membership, and the society has some 75,000 historical members. We are pleased to honor our Tufts majors who have been nominated for membership in this society.
- Ryan Afzal
- David Corro
- Sophia Dinn
- Luca Grossmann
- Hannah Magoon
- Miles Mamigonian
- Ryan McFarlane
- Rachel Nathan
- Elizabeth Panner
- Leo Sajkov
- Noah Stiegler
- Cooke Tarlton
- Arielle Weinstein
Graduate Awards
Camila Pazos received the 2025 Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Outstanding Academic Scholarship Award.
Anuja Jayasekara received the 2024 Tufts University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Award for Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education.
William Kirby received the 2023 Tufts University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Award for Outstanding Academic Scholarship at the Doctoral Level.
Veritas Gassmann received the 2022 Tufts University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Award for Outstanding Academic Performance at the Masters Level.
Itamar Allali received the 2021 Tufts University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences' Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education award recognizing excellence as a teaching assistant or in other roles such as mentoring undergraduates for students in the arts, humanities, natural sciences, or social sciences.
Andrew Clark Received the 2021 Tufts University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Award for Outstanding Academic Performance at the Doctoral Level.
Mudit Jain received the 2020 Tufts University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Award for Outstanding Academic Performance at the Doctoral Level.
Alec Drobac received the 2020 Outstanding Contribution to Undergraduate Education Award, given by the Tufts University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence as a teaching assistant or in other roles.
Anna Phillips received the 2018 Tufts University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences' Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education award recognizing excellence as a teaching assistant or in other roles such as mentoring undergraduates for students in the arts, humanities, natural sciences, or social sciences.
Jeremy Wachter received the 2017 Robert P. Guertin Student Leadership Award, given by the Tufts University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences to recognize outstanding leadership.
Christopher Burke received the 2016 Outstanding Contribution to Undergraduate Education Award, given by the Tufts University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences to recognize excellence as a teaching assistant or in other roles.
Dave Thomas received a 2015 student award from the North American Thermal Analysis Society. This award recognizes the best original contribution by a graduate student to the advancement of the field of thermal analysis.
Catherine Weigel was selected for the 2014 Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award sponsored by the American Association of Physics Teachers, and received the 2015 Outstanding Contribution to Undergraduate Education Award from the Tufts University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
Wenwen Huang was awarded the 2013 Tufts University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences Award for Outstanding Academic Performance at the Doctoral Level.
Spencer Smith was recognized for his exceptional teaching efforts with the 2012 Tufts University Graduate School of Arts and Sciences' Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education award recognizing excellence as a teaching assistant or in other roles such as mentoring undergraduates for students in the arts, humanities, natural sciences, or social sciences.