Hilldale Professorships are given to faculty members who excel in scholarly activity, have records of outstanding research or creative work, and show promise of continued productivity. Recipients receive a salary increase in addition to funding that may be used for research support and teaching release. Appointments are for five years with the possibility of renewal until the individual leaves the university or retires.
Zweibel’s work in theoretical astrophysicist specializes in plasma astrophysics and focuses on evolution of astrophysical magnetic fields, interstellar astrophysics, star formation, cosmic rays and stellar physics.
Tulika Bose honored with Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professorship
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Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professor Tulika Bose
Sixteen professors, including physics professor Tulika Bose, were named to Vilas Distinguished Achievement Professorships, an award recognizing distinguished scholarship as well as standout efforts in teaching and service. The professorship provides five years of flexible funding — two-thirds of which is provided by the Office of the Provost through the generosity of the Vilas trustees and one-third provided by the school or college whose dean nominated the winner. The awards are supported by the estate of professor, U.S. Senator and UW Regent William F. Vilas (1840-1908).
Jim Reardon wins WISCIENCE Lillian Tong Teaching Award
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Each year, the University of Wisconsin–Madison recognizes outstanding academic staff members who have excelled in leadership, public service, research and teaching. These exceptional individuals bring the university’s mission to life and ensure that the Wisconsin Idea extends far beyond the campus and the state. Ten employees won awards this year, including Dr. Jim Reardon, Director of Undergraduate Program with the department of physics.
Jim Reardon’s love of running and his excellence as a physics instructor recently came together in the classroom in a big way with Physics 106: The Physics of Sports, a course he developed and now teaches. The new course applies physical principles to competitive sports, helping students better understand athletic performance. It’s proven exceptionally popular, attracting almost 140 students in only its third semester.
Jim Reardon, director of undergraduate program in the Department of Physics at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, is pictured while teaching during a Physics 106 class held in Chamberlin Hall on March 20, 2024. Kaul is one of ten recipients of a 2024 Academic Staff Excellence Award (ASEA). (Photo by Bryce Richter / UW–Madison)
Reardon’s expertise at course development, his mastery at instruction and his exemplary support of teaching assistants have made him indispensable to the Physics Department. As director of the undergraduate program, he implemented standardized assessments in the department’s large introductory courses. This provided a baseline for successful course modifications and allowed nationwide peer assessment comparisons. As the administrator of the teaching assistant program, Reardon expertly matches the strengths of TAs with the needs of the department.
Reardon is no less valued in the classroom. Students routinely give him the highest of marks. Writes one, “I have never seen a professor or teacher work so effectively and patiently to ensure his students understood the information.”
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“Jim is unique in his broad and ready grasp of the subject matter combined with a passion for teaching and making sure that ALL students have access to that subject matter.”
— Sharon Kahn, graduate program manager, Department of Physics
Vernon Barger elected AAAS Fellow
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This story is modified from one published by University Communications
Barger was elected for “seminal work in studying fundamental particles at colliders and leadership in particle phenomenology, where theory meets experiment.”
This year, 502 scientists, engineers and innovators were chosen from the AAAS membership to be AAAS Fellows. The honor, presented annually since 1874, recognizes efforts to advance science and society, with the fellows chosen to reflect the highest standards of scientific integrity and professional ethics.
“As we celebrate the 150th anniversary of the AAAS Fellows, AAAS is proud to recognize the newly elected individuals,” said Sudip S. Parikh, AAAS chief executive officer and executive publisher of the Science family of journals. “This year’s class embodies scientific excellence, fosters trust in science throughout the communities they serve and leads the next generation of scientists while advancing scientific achievements.”
The new class of fellows will be featured in the April issue of the journal Science, and each new fellow will be celebrated at a September event in Washington, D.C.
Physics major Nathan Wagner awarded Goldwater Scholarship
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This story is modified from one published by University Communications
Physics and mathematics major Nathan Wagner is one of four UW–Madison students named as winners of 2024 Goldwater Scholarships, the premier undergraduate scholarship in mathematics, engineering and the natural sciences in the United States.
The scholarship program honors the late Sen. Barry Goldwater and is designed to foster and encourage outstanding students to pursue research careers.
“I’m so proud of these four immensely talented scholars and all they’ve accomplished,” says Julie Stubbs, director of UW’s Office of Undergraduate Academic Awards. “Their success also reflects well on a campus culture that prioritizes hands-on research experiences for our undergraduates and provides strong mentoring in mathematics, engineering and the natural sciences.”
The other UW–Madison students are juniors Katarina Aranguiz and Scott Chang and sophomore Max Khanov .
A Goldwater Scholarship provides as much as $7,500 each year for up to two years of undergraduate study. A total of 438 Goldwater Scholars were selected this year from a field of 1,353 students nominated by their academic institutions.
Nathan Wagner (Photo by Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison)
Sophomore Nathan Wagner of Madison, Wisconsin
Wagner is majoring in physics and mathematics. Wagner began research in Professor Mark Saffman’s quantum computing lab in spring 2021 as a high school junior. His first-author manuscript, “Benchmarking a Neutral-Atom Quantum Computer” was recently accepted for publication in the International Journal of Quantum Information. In Summer 2023, Wagner started research with the Physics Department’s High Energy Physics Group, working alongside Professor Sridhara Dasu and others on future particle colliders design research. Wagner was invited to present his research at the Department of Physics Board of Visitors meeting in fall 2023. This summer, he will complete a research internship at Argonne National Laboratory near Chicago, focusing on computational physics. Wagner plans to pursue a PhD in physics and a career at a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory researching novel carbon-neutral energy generation, quantum computing and networking, nuclear photonics and computational physics.
About the Goldwater Scholarship
Congress established the Barry Goldwater Scholarship and Excellence in Education Foundation in 1986. Goldwater served in the U.S. Senate for over 30 years and challenged Lyndon B. Johnson for the presidency in 1964. A list of past winners from UW–Madison can be found here.
Three physics students earn 2024 NSF GRFP awards, four students earn honorable mention
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Congrats to Physics PhD student Joyce Lin and undergraduates Brooke Kotten and Lucy Steffes on being awarded the 2024 NSF GRFP! PhD students Owen Eskandari, Sam Kramer, Tali Oh, and Julia Sheffler were awarded Honorable Mentions.
The National Science Foundation (NSF) recently announced the 2024 awards in its Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP), a prestigious and competitive fellowship that helps support outstanding graduate research across the country.
Of those offered awards, 19 are currently UW–Madison graduate students. Seven current UW–Madison undergraduates were also offered the award for their graduate study. Additionally, 33 UW–Madison students were recognized with honorable mentions from NSF.
UW–Madison strongly encourages senior undergraduates and early-career graduate students to apply to this fellowship.
Sanjib Kumar Agarwalla was recently awarded the 2021-2022 Rajib Goyal Prize in Physical Sciences, which “honors Indian scientists who have made a mark in basic and applied sciences research.” The Goyal Prizes were instituted by the late philanthropist Ram S. Goyal to honor Indian scientists and social activists working towards the service of India. Agarwalla [...]
Wasikul Islam, a postdoctoral researcher with Sau Lan Wu’s group
For this award, postdocs write a short article that describes their research for the general public. Interested postdocs apply to submit an article, then receive guidelines and editorial assistance to improve accessibility. Approved articles are posted on the WISL website, and the author receives a $250 award.
Islam’s article, “Navigating Anomalies in the Pursuit of New Physics” shares how particle physicists study the fundamental building blocks of the universe, exploring the complex behaviors of subatomic particles that shape our world.
“As a postdoctoral researcher, my journey is not limited to research alone,” Islam says in the article. “It comes with an important responsibility to share the wonders and experiences of scientific research with diverse communities.”
The dual mission of the Wisconsin Initiative for Science Literacy is to promote literacy in science, mathematics and technology among the general public and to attract future generations to careers in research, teaching and public service. WISL is directed by Professor Bassam Z. Shakhashiri of the University of Wisconsin-Madison Chemistry Department. Programs draw on the concepts developed by Dr. Shakhashiri during many years of innovative work in science education.
Haddie McLean earns Bassam Z. Shakhashiri Public Science Engagement Award
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This post is adapted from one originally published by the Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research
Haddie McLean
Haddie McLean, who is inspiring the next generation of scientists with The Wonders of Physics, has received the Bassam Z. Shakhashiri Public Science Engagement Award.
The award, in its second year, recognizes a UW–Madison faculty and academic staff member (one awarded to each category) who has shown excellence in engaging the public in their work in STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math). Botany professor Simon Gilroy won in the faculty category.
McLean is a UW–Madison alumna with a Bachelor of Science in Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences. She spent over 20 years working as a meteorologist at WISC-TV in Madison, where she honed her science communication skills in front of the camera every day and earned the trust of the public. She joined the Department of Physics in August 2021 as an Outreach Specialist to present The Wonders of Physics traveling show to schools and community groups around the state.
In October 2023, she was promoted to Outreach Program Manager. In her new role, McLean oversees all aspects of The Wonders of Physics outreach program, including the large annual show on campus every February, the traveling show, and securing funding to train undergraduates in the best practices of science communication to broad audiences and expand the program.
McLean’s nominator explains, “Importantly, she shares the science behind the demos — it’s not magic, it’s physics! One of the biggest improvements Haddie has made to The Wonders of Physics is the incorporation of leave-behind kits. These kits, developed with a colleague who is a former high school physics teacher, provide inquiry-based activities related to the show, which help reinforce concepts and allow for more active learning.”
McLean is constantly developing new demos and builds most of them herself with inexpensive items, proving that science outreach doesn’t have to be pricey to be effective. She also collaborates with department outreach staff to create new exhibits for the Ingersoll Physics Museum.
Haddie McLean and Bucky Badger hype up the crowd during the 40th year of The Wonders of Physics. (Photo by Taylor Wolfram / UW–Madison)
For the glass-themed 2022 WiSciFest, McLean created a “walking on broken glass” demo for a live performance on State Street. She broke and tumbled dozens of glass bottles, then filled a plastic tub with them. She first showed that the glass was sharp enough to pop a balloon, then she stepped into the tub. In a glass walk, the weight of your body is spread out over lots of pieces, which have the freedom to move. When you step on a single sliver of glass, your weight is concentrated over that one sharp point.
The audience for the Wonders of Physics shows is, as McLean says, “from pre-K to grey.” She adjusts the contents of her shows for any age and any level of familiarity with physics. She does this by relating physics to real-life concepts, showing her audience how they use physics every day and making sure that everyone knows they, too, can be a scientist if they observe and ask questions.
In addition to performance-based shows, Haddie has partnered with 4-H, UW Extension and many statewide partners to reach under-resourced communities across the state. In two years, she has visited over one-third of Wisconsin counties.
She is a strong partner of the PEOPLE program, developing summer courses for PEOPLE Summer University and traveling to Milwaukee public schools that serve PEOPLE students.
“By meeting students where they are,” her nominator says, “Haddie shows anyone that they, too, can be a physicist.”
The award is named for Bassam Z. Shakhashiri, emeritus professor of chemistry and the William T. Evjue Distinguished Chair for the Wisconsin Idea, in honor of his “Science is Fun” philosophy and long-term commitment to science education and public engagement. Shakhashiri joined the UW faculty in September of 1970 and retired in September 2021.
“Science and society have what is essentially a social contract that enables great intellectual achievements but comes with mutual expectations of benefiting the human condition and protecting our Planet,” says Shakhashiri.
The Bassam Z. Shakhashiri Public Science Engagement Award is supported by the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, the Morgridge Institute for Research and UW–Madison’s Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research.
Baha Balantekin named “Outstanding Referee” of the Physical Reviews journals
Congrats to Prof. Baha Balantekin on being named a 2024 Outstanding Referee of the Physical Reviews journals!
The highly selective Outstanding Referee program annually recognizes about 150 of the roughly 91,600 currently active referees. Like Fellowship in the APS, this is a lifetime award.
In this year, 2024, 156 Outstanding Referees were selected. APS Editors select the honorees based on the quality, number, and timeliness of their reports, without regard for membership in the APS, country of origin, or field of research. Referees are rewarded for their work carried out since 1978, the earliest year for which we have accurate data on referee reports returned. The decisions are difficult and there are many excellent referees who are still to be recognized.
The Outstanding Referee program was instituted in 2008 to recognize scientists who have been exceptionally helpful in assessing manuscripts for publication in the APS journals. By means of the program, APS expresses its appreciation to all referees, whose efforts in peer review not only keep the standards of the journals at a high level, but in many cases also help authors to improve the quality and readability of their articles – even those that are not published by APS.
Other current UW–Madison physics department members who are recipients of this honor include Mark Friesen (2023), Lisa Everett (2021), Deniz Yavuz (2013), and Thad Walker (2009).
