Oersted Medal
Encyclopedia
The Oersted Medal recognizes notable contributions to the teaching of physics
. Established in 1936, it is awarded by the American Association of Physics Teachers
. The award is named for Hans Christian Ørsted
. It is the Association's most prestigious award.
Well-known recipients include Nobel laureates Robert Andrews Millikan, Edward M. Purcell, Richard Feynman
, Isidor I. Rabi, Norman F. Ramsey, Hans Bethe
, and Carl Wieman
; as well as Arnold Sommerfeld
, George Uhlenbeck, Jerrold Zacharias, Philip Morrison
, Melba Phillips
, Victor Weisskopf, Gerald Holton
, John A. Wheeler, Frank Oppenheimer
, Robert Resnick
, Carl Sagan
, Freeman Dyson
, Daniel Kleppner
, and Lawrence Krauss, and Anthony French
, David Hestenes
, Robert Karplus
, Robert Pohl
, and Francis Sears
.
The 2008 medalist, Mildred S. Dresselhaus, is the third woman to win the award in its 70-plus year history.
Physics
Physics is a natural science that involves the study of matter and its motion through spacetime, along with related concepts such as energy and force. More broadly, it is the general analysis of nature, conducted in order to understand how the universe behaves.Physics is one of the oldest academic...
. Established in 1936, it is awarded by the American Association of Physics Teachers
American Association of Physics Teachers
The American Association of Physics Teachers was founded in 1930 for the purpose of "dissemination of knowledge of physics, particularly by way of teaching." There are more than 10,000 members that reside in over 30 countries. AAPT publications include two peer-reviewed journals, the American...
. The award is named for Hans Christian Ørsted
Hans Christian Ørsted
Hans Christian Ørsted was a Danish physicist and chemist who discovered that electric currents create magnetic fields, an important aspect of electromagnetism...
. It is the Association's most prestigious award.
Well-known recipients include Nobel laureates Robert Andrews Millikan, Edward M. Purcell, Richard Feynman
Richard Feynman
Richard Phillips Feynman was an American physicist known for his work in the path integral formulation of quantum mechanics, the theory of quantum electrodynamics and the physics of the superfluidity of supercooled liquid helium, as well as in particle physics...
, Isidor I. Rabi, Norman F. Ramsey, Hans Bethe
Hans Bethe
Hans Albrecht Bethe was a German-American nuclear physicist, and Nobel laureate in physics for his work on the theory of stellar nucleosynthesis. A versatile theoretical physicist, Bethe also made important contributions to quantum electrodynamics, nuclear physics, solid-state physics and...
, and Carl Wieman
Carl Wieman
Carl Edwin Wieman is an American physicist at the University of British Columbia and recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics for the production, in 1995 with Eric Allin Cornell, of the first true Bose–Einstein condensate.-Biography:...
; as well as Arnold Sommerfeld
Arnold Sommerfeld
Arnold Johannes Wilhelm Sommerfeld was a German theoretical physicist who pioneered developments in atomic and quantum physics, and also educated and groomed a large number of students for the new era of theoretical physics...
, George Uhlenbeck, Jerrold Zacharias, Philip Morrison
Philip Morrison
Philip Morrison, was Institute Professor Emeritus and Professor of Physics Emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology .-Early life and education:...
, Melba Phillips
Melba Phillips
Melba Newell Phillips was an American physicist and science educator. She completed her doctoral studies under J. Robert Oppenheimer and was also known for refusing to testify before a U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee's subcommittee on internal security, her actions leading to her dismissal by...
, Victor Weisskopf, Gerald Holton
Gerald Holton
Gerald Holton is Mallinckrodt Research Professor of Physics and Research Professor of the History of Science, Emeritus, at Harvard University.Born 1922 in Berlin, he grew up in Vienna before emigrating in 1938...
, John A. Wheeler, Frank Oppenheimer
Frank Oppenheimer
Frank Friedman Oppenheimer was an American physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project, was a target of McCarthyism, and was later the founder of the Exploratorium in San Francisco. He was the younger brother of J...
, Robert Resnick
Robert Resnick
Robert Resnick is a well-respected physics educator and author of physics textbooks.He was born in Baltimore, Maryland on January 11, 1923 and graduated from the Baltimore City College high school in 1939. He received his B.A. in 1943 and his Ph.D. in 1949, both in physics from Johns Hopkins...
, Carl Sagan
Carl Sagan
Carl Edward Sagan was an American astronomer, astrophysicist, cosmologist, author, science popularizer and science communicator in astronomy and natural sciences. He published more than 600 scientific papers and articles and was author, co-author or editor of more than 20 books...
, Freeman Dyson
Freeman Dyson
Freeman John Dyson FRS is a British-born American theoretical physicist and mathematician, famous for his work in quantum field theory, solid-state physics, astronomy and nuclear engineering. Dyson is a member of the Board of Sponsors of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists...
, Daniel Kleppner
Daniel Kleppner
Daniel Kleppner, born 1932, is the Lester Wolfe Professor Emeritus of Physics at MIT and co-director of the . He is the winner of the 2005 Wolf Prize in Physics , and the 2007 . Prof. Kleppner has also been awarded the National Medal of Science . Together with Robert J. Kolenkow, he authored a...
, and Lawrence Krauss, and Anthony French
Anthony French
Anthony Philip French is an emeritus professor of physics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He was born in Brighton, England....
, David Hestenes
David Hestenes
David Orlin Hestenes, Ph.D. is a physicist. For more than 30 years, he was employed in the Department of Physics and Astronomy of Arizona State University , where he retired with the rank of Research Professor and is now emeritus....
, Robert Karplus
Robert Karplus
Robert Karplus was a theoretical physicist and leader in the field of science education.-Early life:Robert Karplus was born in Vienna, where he lived until the German occupation of Austria in 1938. He emigrated with his mother and brother to escape the Anschluss...
, Robert Pohl
Robert Pohl
Robert Wichard Pohl was a German physicist.In 1938 Robert Pohl and Rudolf Hilsch, from the University of Göttingen, built the first functioning solid-state amplifier using salt as the semiconductor ....
, and Francis Sears
Francis Sears
Francis Weston Sears was an American physicist. He was a professor of physics at MIT for 35 years before moving to Dartmouth College in 1956 and is best known for co-authoring a frequently tapped into introductory physics textbook with Mark Zemansky, often referred to as Sears and Zemansky...
.
The 2008 medalist, Mildred S. Dresselhaus, is the third woman to win the award in its 70-plus year history.
Medalists
- William Suddards Franklin – 1936
- Edward Herbert Hall – 1937
- Alexander Wilmer Duff – 1938
- Benjamin Harrison Brown – 1939
- Robert Andrews Millikan – 1940
- Henry Crew – 1941
- none awarded in 1942
- George Walter Stewart – 1943
- Roland Roy Tileston – 1944
- Homer Levi Dodge – 1945
- Ray Lee Edwards – 1946
- Duane Roller – 1947
- William Harley Barber – 1948
- Arnold SommerfeldArnold SommerfeldArnold Johannes Wilhelm Sommerfeld was a German theoretical physicist who pioneered developments in atomic and quantum physics, and also educated and groomed a large number of students for the new era of theoretical physics...
– 1949 - Orrin H. Smith – 1950
- John Wesley Hornbeck – 1951
- Ansel A. Knowlton – 1952
- Richard M. Sutton – 1953
- Clifford N. Wall – 1954
- Vernet E. Eaton – 1955
- George E. Uhlenbeck – 1956
- Mark W. Zemansky – 1957
- J. W. Buchta – 1958
- Paul Kirkpatrick – 1959
- Robert W. Pohl – 1960
- Jerrold R. ZachariasJerrold R. ZachariasJerrold Reinach Zacharias was an American physicist and Institute Professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.-Career:Zacharias was involved in both the Radiation Laboratory at MIT and the Manhattan Project...
– 1961 - Francis W. SearsFrancis SearsFrancis Weston Sears was an American physicist. He was a professor of physics at MIT for 35 years before moving to Dartmouth College in 1956 and is best known for co-authoring a frequently tapped into introductory physics textbook with Mark Zemansky, often referred to as Sears and Zemansky...
– 1962 - Francis L. Friedman – 1963
- Walter Christian Michels – 1964
- Philip MorrisonPhilip MorrisonPhilip Morrison, was Institute Professor Emeritus and Professor of Physics Emeritus at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology .-Early life and education:...
– 1965 - Leonard I. SchiffLeonard I. SchiffLeonard Isaac Schiff was born in Fall River, Massachusetts on March 29, 1915 and died on Jan 21, 1971.He was a physicist best known for his book Quantum Mechanics.-Education:...
– 1966 - Edward M. Purcell – 1967
- Harvey E. White – 1968
- Eric M. RogersEric M. RogersEric M. Rogers was a British physics educator and teacher. He is perhaps best known for his book Physics for the Inquiring Mind...
– 1969 - Edwin C. KembleEdwin C. KembleEdwin Crawford Kemble was an American physicist who made contributions to the theory of quantum mechanics and molecular structure and spectroscopy...
– 1970 - Uri Haber-Schaim – 1971
- Richard P. Feynman – 1972
- Arnold Arons – 1973
- Melba N. Phillips – 1974
- Robert ResnickRobert ResnickRobert Resnick is a well-respected physics educator and author of physics textbooks.He was born in Baltimore, Maryland on January 11, 1923 and graduated from the Baltimore City College high school in 1939. He received his B.A. in 1943 and his Ph.D. in 1949, both in physics from Johns Hopkins...
– 1975 - Victor F. Weisskopf – 1976
- H. Richard Crane – 1977
- Wallace A. Hilton – 1978
- Charles KittelCharles KittelCharles Kittel is an American physicist. He was a Professor at University of California, Berkeley from 1951 and has been Professor Emeritus since 1978.- Life and work :...
– 1979 - Paul E. KlopstegPaul E. KlopstegPaul Ernest Klopsteg was an American physicist. The asteroid 3520 Klopsteg was named after him and the yearly Klopsteg Memorial Award was founded in his memory....
– 1979, Extraordinary Oersted Medal Award - Gerald HoltonGerald HoltonGerald Holton is Mallinckrodt Research Professor of Physics and Research Professor of the History of Science, Emeritus, at Harvard University.Born 1922 in Berlin, he grew up in Vienna before emigrating in 1938...
– 1980 - Robert KarplusRobert KarplusRobert Karplus was a theoretical physicist and leader in the field of science education.-Early life:Robert Karplus was born in Vienna, where he lived until the German occupation of Austria in 1938. He emigrated with his mother and brother to escape the Anschluss...
– 1981 - I. I. Rabi – 1982
- John A. Wheeler – 1983
- Frank OppenheimerFrank OppenheimerFrank Friedman Oppenheimer was an American physicist who worked on the Manhattan Project, was a target of McCarthyism, and was later the founder of the Exploratorium in San Francisco. He was the younger brother of J...
– 1984 - Sam TreimanSam TreimanSam Bard Treiman was an American theoretical physicist who produced important research in the fields of cosmic rays, quantum physics, plasma physics and gravity physics. He made major contributions to the understanding of the weak interaction and he and his students are credited with developing...
– 1985 - Stanley S. BallardStanley S. BallardStanley S. Ballard was an American physicist, specializing in optics. He was president of the Optical Society of America in 1963 and of the American Association of Physics Teachers during 1968–69. In 1986 he was awarded the Oersted Medal...
– 1986 - Clifford E. Swartz – 1987
- Norman F. Ramsey – 1988
- Anthony P. French – 1989
- Carl E. Sagan – 1990
- Freeman DysonFreeman DysonFreeman John Dyson FRS is a British-born American theoretical physicist and mathematician, famous for his work in quantum field theory, solid-state physics, astronomy and nuclear engineering. Dyson is a member of the Board of Sponsors of the Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists...
– 1991 - Eugen MerzbacherEugen MerzbacherEugen Merzbacher is an American physicist. He received his licentiate from University of Istanbul in Turkey in 1943 and taught high school in Ankara for the next four years. In 1947 he moved to the United States to attend Harvard University, where he earned his physics M.A. and Ph.D....
– 1992 - Hans A. Bethe – 1993
- E. Leonard Jossem – 1994
- Robert Beck Clark – 1995
- Donald F. Holcomb – 1996
- Daniel KleppnerDaniel KleppnerDaniel Kleppner, born 1932, is the Lester Wolfe Professor Emeritus of Physics at MIT and co-director of the . He is the winner of the 2005 Wolf Prize in Physics , and the 2007 . Prof. Kleppner has also been awarded the National Medal of Science . Together with Robert J. Kolenkow, he authored a...
– 1997 - Edwin F. TaylorEdwin F. TaylorEdwin F. Taylor is an American physicist known for his contributions to the teaching of physics. Taylor was editor of the American Journal of Physics, and is author of several introductory books to physics...
– 1998 - David L. Goodstein – 1999
- John G. King – 2000
- Lillian C. McDermott – 2001
- David HestenesDavid HestenesDavid Orlin Hestenes, Ph.D. is a physicist. For more than 30 years, he was employed in the Department of Physics and Astronomy of Arizona State University , where he retired with the rank of Research Professor and is now emeritus....
– 2002 - Edward W. Kolb – 2003
- Lawrence Krauss – 2004
- Eugene D. Commins – 2005
- Kenneth Ford – 2006
- Carl WiemanCarl WiemanCarl Edwin Wieman is an American physicist at the University of British Columbia and recipient of the Nobel Prize in Physics for the production, in 1995 with Eric Allin Cornell, of the first true Bose–Einstein condensate.-Biography:...
– 2007 - Mildred S. Dresselhaus – 2008
- George SmootGeorge SmootGeorge Fitzgerald Smoot III is an American astrophysicist, cosmologist, Nobel laureate, and $1 million TV quiz show prize winner . He won the Nobel Prize in Physics in 2006 for his work on COBE with John C...
– 2009 - Not Awarded - 2010
- F. James RutherfordF. James RutherfordF. James Rutherford is a science professor. He is the founder of AAAS's Project 2061, a long-term effort to reform Science education in the United States....
- 2011 - Charlie Holbrow - 2012