Scholarships and Awards

Scholarship and Award Winners 2024

Congratulations to all our winners of departmental scholarships and awards in 2024! This list will continue to be updated throughout Summer 2024 as our scholarship recipients send in their acceptance notices. Winners from previous years can be viewed here.

 

Physics & Astronomy Awards

Outstanding Graduating Seniors

Winners:
[Applied Physics] Aryan Chugh
[Astrophysics] Karina Kimani-Stewart
[Professional Physics] Travis Howard

Outstanding M.S. Student

Winner: Conner Dempsey

Outstanding Ph.D. Student

Winner: Tanazza Khanam

Outstanding Teaching Assistant

Winner: Connor Aronoff

Outstanding Professor

Winner: Dr. Yun Suk Eo

 

Physics & Astronomy Scholarships

The Bucy Undergraduate Scholarship in 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 undergraduate students majoring in physics.

Recipients:
Jazlyn Aguirre
Ashley Cleveland
Nicholas McClure

The C.C. and Alma Schmidt Memorial Scholarship

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 undergraduate physics majors of high academic standing.

Recipients:
Samantha Mendez
Enzel Pulparambil Aravind
Kate Vasquez

The Gangopadhyay Undergraduate Endowed 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:
Jane Williams

The Glen Mann Endowed 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 undergraduate students in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Recipients:
Xander Delashaw
Tyler Waddell

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:
Ruben A. Martinez

The Hastings Family Endowed 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:
Ruben A. Martinez

The H.C. Thomas Endowed Scholarship for Physics

Established by Henry C. Thomas, a longtime faculty member in physics, and his wife, Martha Thomas. Dr. Thomas holds the distinction of having served as department chairman for 18 years! The scholarship in his name is awarded to undergraduate students in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.

Recipient:
Rachel Clapshaw

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:
Darby Hanes

The Kenneth Sterne Term Endowed 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:
Xander Delashaw
Evan Marin
Adrian Saldivar
Tyler Waddell

The Little Dolores Ranch Physics and Astronomy Scholarship

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

Recipients:
Odin Schneider
Elizabeth Veraa

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:
Darby Hanes
Ian Wilson

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 incoming and continuing undergraduate students majoring in physics. Preference is given to students with passion for the discipline and an interest in participating in undergraduate research.

Recipients:
Justin Higgins
Caroline Torres-Rodriguez

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:
Eitan Klarich
Caroline Torres-Rodriguez

The Abdul Hakeem Khan Lodhi Endowed Graduate Fellowship

Established by Dr. Arfin Lodhi, a long-time faculty member in the department. (Dr. Lodhi recently celebrated 59 years of service at Texas Tech!) 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
M. Umer Farooq
M. Bilal Siddique

The Bucy Graduate 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:
Imtiaz Ahmad
Connor Aronoff
Victor Ethan Bradley
N. Colby Dennis
Niramay Gogate
Yasir Iqbal
Youngsang "Eric" Ji
Yelbir Kazhykarim
Jessica Lawrence
Miranda Maille
Aaron Mankel
John Morales
Kushagra Narain Nag
Shwetha Nagesh
Eli Pattie
Sandeep Puri
Mansi Sharma
M. Bilal Siddique
Nasir Siddiqui
Yaren Ulu
Kyle Wipfli

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.

Recipients:
Emily Maxey
Taha Moursy

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.

Recipients:
Zachary Brown
Sandeep Puri

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:
Abdul Aziz Momin