Wednesday, August 8, 2001

U of R's Albert Wang Named a Finalist for 2001 APS Apker Award!

Albert Wang, a U of R Undergraduate Physics and Mathematics double major from the class of 2001, has been chosen as one of three finalists for the 2001 Apker Award. This prestigious award is given by the American Physical Society to an undergraduate who has demonstrated exceptional potential for scientific research through an original contribution to physics.

Wang's nomination was based on his senior thesis in condensed matter theory, Simulation of the Driven Lattice Two Dimensional Coulomb Gas, which was done under the supervision of Prof. Stephen Teitel.

As a finalist, Wang will travel to Washington DC to give a talk on his work at the September 2001 meeting of the APS. He will also receive a $2000 award.

Wang is the fourth student from the University to be named as a finalist for the Apker Award, which coincidentally is named for a U of R Physics and Astronomy 1941 alumnus.

In 1999, Govind Krishnaswami, a U of R Undergraduate Physics and Mathematics double major, was first chosen as one of three finalists for the 1999 Apker Award (see story on department website).

Later, Krishnaswami was declared the winner of the 1999 Apker award (see story in UR Currents, story on APS website, story in Rochester Review, and story on department website).

In 1983, a student of Tom Ferbel, Bob Kowalewski (currently a professor at the University of Victoria, Canada), was also chosen as an Apker finalist.

In the first few years after the initiation of the Apker award in 1978, Robert Wenthworth, a student of Professor Joe Eberly was the first Rochester student to be chosen as an Apker finalist.

More information on the Apker Award and list of past recipients is available at the APS Apker Award Web Page

Article submitted by:
Arie Bodek
8/8/01; 4:42:07 PM

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