Scholarships and Awards

Scholarship and Award Winners 2022

Congratulations to all our winners of departmental scholarships and awards in 2022! This list will continue to be updated throughout Summer 2022 as our scholarship recipients send in their acceptance notices. Winners from previous years can be viewed here.

 

Physics & Astronomy Awards

Outstanding Graduating Seniors

Winners:
Alexandria Clark
Madison Howard
Katrina Webb

Outstanding M.S. Student

Winner: Luciano Pinheiro

Outstanding Ph.D. Student

Winner: Manuel Pichardo Marcano

Outstanding Teaching Assistants

Winners:
Fatema Al Salmani
Milinda Pattanayak

Outstanding Professor

Winner: Dr. Thomas Kupfer

 

Physics & Astronomy Scholarships

The Bucy Undergraduate Scholarship

Established by J. Fred Bucy, former President and CEO of TX Instruments and one of the most distinguished alumni of Texas Tech University's physics program, and his wife Mrs. Odetta Greer Bucy. This scholarship is awarded to physics majors who demonstrate high academic performance in high school or college and show potential for contributing to the field of physics.

Recipients:
Darby Hanes
Odin Schneider

The C. C. and Alma K. Schmidt Award in Physics

Established to honor the memory of C. C. Schmidt, a longtime physics faculty member and department chairman who passed away many years ago, and his wife, Alma K. Schmidt. This scholarship was created by the Schmidts' son, Bob Schmidt, by their friends, and by many other members of the Schmidt family and is awarded to incoming or current physics majors with a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Recipients:
Darryl Berry
Amaris McCarver
Eric Murray

The Gangopadhyay Undergraduate Scholarship for Physics

Established by Shubhra Gangopadhyay, a former faculty member in physics who studied semiconductor materials and devices and who cared deeply about student welfare, and her husband, Dr. Keshab Gangopadhyay. This scholarship is awarded to incoming freshmen majoring in physics.

Recipient:
Elizabeth Veraa

The Glen Mann Scholarship in Physics

Established to honor the memory of Glen A. Mann, a longtime faculty member in the physics department who was interested in the experimental infrared spectroscopy of molecules. The scholarship was created by Mrs. Glen Mann, the Mann family, and friends of Glen Mann and is awarded to incoming freshmen with outstanding high school records.

Recipient:
William "AJ" Lee

The Gott Gold Tooth Award

Established by Preston F. Gott, a longtime faculty member in the physics department whose research interests were optics and astronomy. The Gott Gold Tooth Award is meant to encourage young scholars to study astronomy and is typically awarded to a student who has already successfully completed several courses in astronomy.

Recipient:
Clive Binu

The Hastings Family Scholarship in Physics

Established by Dr. Jeffrey Hastings and is awarded annually to a physics major interested in undergraduate research in theoretical condensed matter physics or nanoscience. The scholarship recipient is selected based on a nomination by the student's research advisor and at the recommendation of the department chair. Matching funds for this scholarship were made available by the J. T. and Margaret Talkington Foundation.

Recipient:
Lavonne Mack

The H. C. Thomas Scholarship

Established by Dr. Henry C. Thomas, a retired faculty member who studied experimental nuclear physics and who served as department chairman for 18 years, and by his wife, Martha Thomas. This scholarship is awarded to incoming freshman with high academic potential or continuing physics majors with a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Recipient:
Mikaela D'Onofrio-Cantu

The J. W. Day Memorial Scholarship

Established to honor the memory of J. W. Day, a longtime physics faculty member who passed away many years ago. This scholarship was created by Mrs. J. W. Day, the Day family, and friends of J. W. Day and is awarded to a physics major classified as a junior with a minimum GPA of 3.0.

Recipient:
Clive Binu

The Kenneth Sterne Scholarship in Astronomy

Established in the memory of Kenneth Sterne, a longtime friend of the physics department, by his wife Mrs. Sarah F. Sterne. The scholarship is awarded to students who show an interest in astronomy or to any deserving undergraduate physics major.

Recipients:
Clive Binu
Ruben Martinez
Alexandria Prather

The Little Dolores Ranch Physics and Astronomy Scholarship

Established by anonymous donors. This scholarship will support two undergraduate students in the Department of Physics and Astornomy who are U.S. citizens or permanent residents, have a junior or senior standing, and are recommended by the department.

Recipients:
Mauricio Cerda
Gage Eichman

The Michael Clingan Memorial Scholarship in Physics

Established in the memory of Michael Clingan, a physics student who passed away shortly before he could complete his master's degree at Texas Tech and who was awarded a posthumous degree in December 2018. This scholarship was created by a friend of Michael Clingan, Mr. Ray Robbins Jr., and is awarded to physics majors in good academic standing.

Recipients:
Gabriel Chiselenco
Amaris McCarver

The Roland Menzel Memorial Scholarship

Established in the memory of E. Roland Menzel, a longtime faculty member in the physics department who was well-known in the scientific community for inventing laser detection of latent fingerprints. The scholarship in Dr. Menzel's name was created by his wife, Terry Menzel, the Menzel family, and his many friends and is awarded to undergraduate physics majors with high academic potential.

Recipients:
Aryan Chugh
Darby Hanes
Corvus Koithan
Kayla Spencer

The Sidney Sundell Astrophysics Scholarship

Established by Roger and Esther Lichti to honor the memory of Esther's father, Sidney M. Sundell, a self-taught astronomer who became a member of the Montreal Center of the Royal Astronomy Society of Canada. The scholarship is awarded to undergraduate students actively pursuing research in astrophysics, and each of its recipients pursues a project supervised by a faculty member or postdoctoral fellow.

Recipients:
Amaris McCarver
Kayla Spencer

The Bucy Scholarship in Applied Physics

Established by J. Fred Bucy, former President and CEO of TX Instruments and one of the most distinguished alumni of Texas Tech University's physics program, and his wife Mrs. Odetta Greer Bucy. This scholarship is awarded to new or continuing graduate students in applied physics with high academic potential or accomplishments.

Recipients:
Blessing Akah
Kunal Deshmukh
Leopoldo Diaz
Avery Eddins
M. Umer Farooq
Niramay Gogate
Gabriela Hamilton Ilha Machado
Asma Harun
Adil Hussain
Nafiz Jaidye
Tanazza Khanam
Jessica Lawrence
Yelbir Kazhykarim
Aaron Mankel
Sandeep Puri
M. Bilal Siddique

The David Howe Graduate Fellowship in Physics

Established in memory of David Howe, a physics faculty member who researched experimental nuclear physics and the observational search for gravity waves, by his wife, Dr. A. Isabella Howe, his friends, and the Howe family. This fellowship is awarded to outstanding graduate students.

Recipient:
Kyle Wipfli

The Abdul Hakeem Khan Lodhi Graduate Fellowship

Established by Dr. Arfin Lodhi, a long-time faculty member in the department. The purpose of this graduate fellowship is to recognize excellence in research in nuclear theory or particle physics in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.  Students are eligible for this award after they have completed the first year of doctoral coursework and passed the preliminary exam, with preference being given to a student from Pakistan.

Recipients:
Imtiaz Ahmad
Adil Hussain
Yasir Iqbal
M. Bilal Siddique

The Ron and Nancy Miller Physics Scholarship

Established by Dr. Ron E. Miller and Nancy E. Miller with the purpose of providing scholarships to graduate students pursuing an M.S. or Ph.D. in the Department of Physics & Astronomy. This award is given to a student who has financial need or has been specifically recommended by a faculty or chairperson. The donors have requested that this scholarship be accompanied by a statement that declares: "The motivation for this award and endowment is Christian beliefs in aid, comfort, and support to all mankind."

Recipient:
Tunde Kushimo

The Peter Seibt Memorial Scholarship

Established in memory of Peter J. Seibt, who received his Ph.D. in experimental molecular spectroscopy from Texas Tech and was promoted to Head Technician in the machine shop after many years as a staff member in the physics department. This scholarship was founded by his wife, Tamara Seibt, and his many friends and is awarded to outstanding graduate students working in experimental physics.

Recipient:
Corey Bradshaw