Prize for Industrial Applications of Physics

Awarded to an individual, or individuals, for applications of physics in an industrial setting. The purpose of the prize is to recognize excellence in the industrial application of physics, and thereby to publicize the value of physics in industry, to encourage physics research in industry, and to enhance students' awareness of and interest in the role of physics in commercial product development.

The Prize consists of $10,000 and a certificate citing the contribution for which the Prize was awarded. In addition, an allowance is made for the expenses incurred by the recipient(s) to attend the APS meeting at which the Prize is presented. The APS Prize will be presented in odd-numbered years, with the first Prize awarded in 2009.

Establishment & Support

The initial Prize for Industrial Applications of Physics (IAP) was established in 1977 by the American Institute of Physics (AIP). This prize is awarded biennially. A new biennial APS Prize was established by vote of Council in 2007, with the APS and AIP prizes awarded in alternate years. Both prizes are supported by a grant from the General Motors Corporation.

Rules & Eligibility

The Prize will be awarded for innovative, leading-edge applications of physics to emerging technologies. It is not necessary for the application to have already achieved commercial success, but it should have demonstrated potential for significant impact. Although nominees need not now be working in industry, the contribution for which they are cited must have been made while their principal employment was in industry. The recognized contribution may be a product, a process, or a tool enabling practical application of physics. Nominees need not be APS members, and there is no restriction with regard to geography or nationality.

Nomination & Selection Process

In order to encourage a broad spectrum of nominations, and in particular nominations from smaller companies as well as larger ones, the nomination process will involve two steps. In the first step, nominators are asked to fill out a web-based form, giving a brief description of the nominee(s), and the significance of the work that is being cited. This description is limited to 1000 words, and one additional letter of support, of no more than 500 words, may accompany the nomination. Self-nominations are encouraged.

These preliminary nominations are due by April 1 of the year preceding the presentation of the Prize. From among these nominations, the selection committee will choose a small number of finalists by May 1. The finalists will be notified and their names made public, subject to the consent of the individual finalists, through the APS web site. No more than one nominee per company can be selected as a finalist in any prize cycle.

The nominators of the finalists will be invited to submit more extensive nominations, including biographical information, relevant lists of publications and patents, and up to two more letters of support. These materials are due by July 1. The committee will then recommend one of the finalists to the APS Executive Board, and the recipient of the Prize will be announced after the Board has approved the recommendation, which usually occurs in late September or early October. The Prize will be presented the following spring at an appropriate APS meeting (usually the March meeting). Finalist nominations will remain active through three prize cycles.

Submit a Nomination