Past Recipients of Department Awards
Ronald Regis Dougherty Memorial Award
The Ronald Regis Dougherty Memorial Award was established in 1979 in memory of Ron Dougherty, Class of ’79. This is not an annual award and is only awarded when there is a truly outstanding physics student.
2021 Recipient: Zalia Cook (For research work on creating a laboratory scaled aquatic electric barrier and studying its effect on invasive species from the Mississippi River to Great Lakes Basin)
2020 Recipient: Joseph Summers
Horan Physics Award
The Horan Physics Award was established in 1953 by John R. Horan. This annual award is given to an outstanding graduating senior physics major in recognition of an exceptional comprehensive performance as a Physics major.
2021 Recipient: Connor Cunningham (For overall academic excellence, and outstanding service to the department and the Physics Students’ organization)
2020 Recipient: Andrew Ducharme
Father Gerst Memorial Award
The Father Gerst Memorial Award was established in 1965 in memory of Father Francis J. Gerst, S.J., S.J., former Chair of Math and Dean of the Graduate School. He was on the Mathematics faculty from 1931 to 1962. This award is presented to students from each of the four classes for academic excellence in the study of physics.
2021 Recipients: Savannah Lehrman and Alex Lewis (freshman level); Melis Jensen, Kiet Anh Nguyen, and Harrison Snyder (sophomore level); Grace Bratrud, Collin Dannheim, and Natalie West (junior level); Ryan Bonate, Luke Ignell, and Serena Watson (senior level)
2020 Recipients: Kaleigh O’Brien, Michael Harris (freshman level); Grace Bratrud, Luke Ignell, Christopher Nguyen (sophomore level); Ryan Bonate, Zalia Cook, Serena Watson (junior level); Szymon Kasperek (senior level)
Service Award
The Service Award is recognition of a graduating student(s) who has demonstrated an exceptional level of commitment and service to the Physics Department.
2021 Recipients: Zalia Cook, Abigail Davenport, and Maria Nowicki
2020 Recipients: Brendan O’Donnell and Maegan Gibbons
Sigma Pi Sigma (Physics Honor Society)
2021 Inductees: Justin Hameline, Andres Jarquin, John Mikos, Harrison Snyder, Collin Dannheim, Turner Mullarkey, Maria Nowicki, Pierce Myers, Tommy Sisk, Kiet Anh Nguyen, Maxwell Thielemier, Katherine Jo Gruchot, Oliver Stitt, Melis Jensen, Savannah Lehrman, Alex Lewis, Jessica Moore, Nicole Todd
2020 Inductees: Joe Summers, Andrew Ducharme, Kaleigh O’Brien, Michael Harris, Grace Bratrud, Luke Ignell, Christopher Nguyen, Ryan Bonate, Zalia Cook, Natalie West, Jonathon Staunton, Mariano Gonzalez, Joe Mazich, Collin Dannheim, Luke Ignell, Joe Mazich, Josh Washington, Mary Woloszyn, Szymon Kasperek, Serena Watson
Ronald Regis Dougherty Memorial Award
The Ronald Regis Dougherty Memorial Award was established in 1979 in memory of Ron Dougherty, Class of ’79. This is not an annual award and is only awarded when there is a truly outstanding physics student.
2021 Recipient: Zalia Cook (For research work on creating a laboratory scaled aquatic electric barrier and studying its effect on invasive species from the Mississippi River to Great Lakes Basin)
2020 Recipient: Joseph Summers
Horan Physics Award
The Horan Physics Award was established in 1953 by John R. Horan. This annual award is given to an outstanding graduating senior physics major in recognition of an exceptional comprehensive performance as a Physics major.
2021 Recipient: Connor Cunningham (For overall academic excellence, and outstanding service to the department and the Physics Students’ organization)
2020 Recipient: Andrew Ducharme
Father Gerst Memorial Award
The Father Gerst Memorial Award was established in 1965 in memory of Father Francis J. Gerst, S.J., S.J., former Chair of Math and Dean of the Graduate School. He was on the Mathematics faculty from 1931 to 1962. This award is presented to students from each of the four classes for academic excellence in the study of physics.
2021 Recipients: Savannah Lehrman and Alex Lewis (freshman level); Melis Jensen, Kiet Anh Nguyen, and Harrison Snyder (sophomore level); Grace Bratrud, Collin Dannheim, and Natalie West (junior level); Ryan Bonate, Luke Ignell, and Serena Watson (senior level)
2020 Recipients: Kaleigh O’Brien, Michael Harris (freshman level); Grace Bratrud, Luke Ignell, Christopher Nguyen (sophomore level); Ryan Bonate, Zalia Cook, Serena Watson (junior level); Szymon Kasperek (senior level)
Service Award
The Service Award is recognition of a graduating student(s) who has demonstrated an exceptional level of commitment and service to the Physics Department.
2021 Recipients: Zalia Cook, Abigail Davenport, and Maria Nowicki
2020 Recipients: Brendan O’Donnell and Maegan Gibbons
Sigma Pi Sigma (Physics Honor Society)
2021 Inductees: Justin Hameline, Andres Jarquin, John Mikos, Harrison Snyder, Collin Dannheim, Turner Mullarkey, Maria Nowicki, Pierce Myers, Tommy Sisk, Kiet Anh Nguyen, Maxwell Thielemier, Katherine Jo Gruchot, Oliver Stitt, Melis Jensen, Savannah Lehrman, Alex Lewis, Jessica Moore, Nicole Todd
2020 Inductees: Joe Summers, Andrew Ducharme, Kaleigh O’Brien, Michael Harris, Grace Bratrud, Luke Ignell, Christopher Nguyen, Ryan Bonate, Zalia Cook, Natalie West, Jonathon Staunton, Mariano Gonzalez, Joe Mazich, Collin Dannheim, Luke Ignell, Joe Mazich, Josh Washington, Mary Woloszyn, Szymon Kasperek, Serena Watson