Awards and Prizes

This list of scholarships and awards is not complete. If you are/were an SF State Physics & Astronomy major who received a scholarship or award that is not listed here, please contact the Department Chair.

Graduate Student Award for Distinguished Achievement

2025: Claire Komori & Kim Long Le
2024: Jessica Agnos & Amir Hashemizad
2023: Brian Merino & Andrew Freeman
2022: Bryce Baker
2021: Jonathan Cabrera Garcia
2020: Wendy Crumrine
2019: Evan Owen
2015: Sam Tsitrin
2014: Diana Madera (CoSE Graduate Hood Recipient)

Department Honoree for Undergraduate Honors Convocation

2025: Vaennessa Nickell
2024: Sergio Lopez
2023: Carissa Avina-Beltran
2022: Hollywood Banayad
2021: Aminatou Dabokemp (CoSE Undergraduate Hood Recipient)
2020: Katelyn Hernandez
2015: David Robinson
2014: Seth Gossage

Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS)

The ARCS Foundation provides scholarships (currently $12,000) to academically outstanding United States citizens pursuing degrees in science, medicine, and engineering.

2024: Peter Haramis
2023: Kameron Gausling
2022: Ken Luu
2021: Ken Luu
2020: Jessica Agnos
2019: Caitlin Kepple
2017: Wendy Crumrine
2016: Shervin Sahba
2015: Shervin Sahba
2013: Arthur Adams
2011: Scott Shermer
2010: Patrick Dunn
2009: Greg Bolloten
2008: Greg Bolloten and Kelsey Clubb
2007: Faustin Carter
2006: Aisha Hunte, Liliana Lopez, and Jack Young

Robert William Maxwell Memorial Scholarships

Maxwell scholarships are awarded to graduate students in the College of Science & Engineering.

2023: Kim Long Le
2021: Lauren Little
2019: Sojin Han & Viviane Costa
2017: Sauraj Jha
2014: Bruce Laughlin
2013: Bruce Laughlin and Victor Rodriguez
2012: Ali Shayegan and Diana Madera
2011: Casey Moore

Frederick Walters Physics & Astronomy Scholarship

This departmental scholarship is awarded annually to undergraduate and graduate Physics & Astronomy majors.

2024: Niah Freeman, Peter Haramis, Sarvesh Shinde

Michael and Greta McKinney Physics & Astronomy Scholarship

This departmental scholarship is awarded annually to undergraduate Physics & Astronomy majors.

2024: Linh Ho, Vaennessa Nickell
2023: Donavon Evans
2022: Hal France, Hind Zeitohn
2021: Carissa Avina-Beltran, Hollywood Banayad, Aidan Morson
2020: Dominic Hernandez
2019: Kevin Fillhouer, Katelyn Hernandez
2018: Hari Bhatt, Jeirus Jose, Michael Scalzi
2017: Brandon Gunn
2016: Megan Tangonan
2015: Ryan Vaught

Dennis Bennett Scholarship in Physics & Astronomy

This departmental scholarship is awarded annually to undergraduate Physics & Astronomy majors.

2024: Orlando Mayen Castaneda
2023: Vaennessa Nickell
2022: No award
2021: Donavon Evans, Hal France

Women in Science & Engineering (WISE) Scholarship

The WISE scholarship, established by Dr. Jan Randall, Professor Emerita of Biology, is awarded annually to an outstanding woman in a graduate STEM program at SF State.

2024: Shvetha Chynoweth
2023: Claire Komori
2013: Diana Madera

College of Science & Engineering Advisory Board Scholarship

The CoSE Advisory Board Scholarship is awarded annually to a deserving graduate student in the College of Science & Engineering.

2024: Niah Freeman

Latinos in Technology Scholarship

The Latinos in Technology Scholarship was established by the Hispanic Foundation of Silicon Valley, a public foundation dedicated to inspiring community philanthropy and engaging people to invest in the educational achievement and leadership development of a thriving Latinx community in Silicon Valley.

2020: Dominic Hernandez

Eden Academic Excellence Award

The Eden Award recognizes and rewards B.S. Chemistry and B.S. Physics majors for excellent performance in upper-division or advanced courses required in the major program.

Fall 2024: Chenghai He, Adam Khan, Spencer Kirkman
Fall 2023: Cristian Rodriguez
Fall 2022: Daniel Castro, Jie Goodrich, Sawyer Kaplan, Kenzaburo Nagahama
Fall 2021: Hollywood Banayad, Aidan Morson
Fall 2020: Darren Brodowy, Aminatou Dabokemp, Alexander Del Rio, Dominic Hernandez, Noel Ibarra, Stephan O'Brian, Stanislav Osipov, Collin Richardson, Ryan Robinson, Arstanbek Tulekeyev, Imani Ware
Fall 2019: Kevin Fillhouer, Andrew Garcia, Katelyn Hernandez, Vincent Hoey, Hamzah Kahn, Nicolas Provenzano, Michael Sanchez, Lily Traktman
Fall 2018: Miguel Mancillas
Fall 2017: Cameron Wong, Brandon Gunn
Fall 2016: Brandon Gunn
Spring 2016: Catherine Alviar, Christopher Batters, Eduardo Palacios, Bowen Yu
Fall 2015: Sean Barulich, Noah Scandrette, Roy Sfadia
Spring 2015: Ho Chan, Conrad Nowak, Dylan Pounds, Daniel Steckhahn, Ryan Vaught, Jiangyan Wu
Fall 2014: Javier Barahona, Amirfarhad Izadi, Connor Poland, David Robinson, Graham Siggins, Jiangyan Wu
Spring 2014: William Conley, Trevor Kelly, Colton Martin, Stephen Nenni, Connor Poland, David Robinson, Graham Siggins, Darius Visher
Fall 2013: Javier Barahona, Drew Bischel, Amirfarhad Izadi, Jordan Jo, Stephen Nenni, Erik Norman, Darius Visher
Spring 2013: Drew Bischel, Timothy Gushue, Stephanie Lauber, Nicholas Mathis, Erik Norman, Kathleen Shreve, Taylor Womble-Dahl
Fall 2012: Seth Gossage, Timothy Gushue, Christian Hansen, Brian Leung, Wu Li Leung, Nicholas Mathis, Kathleen Shreve
Spring 2012: Seth Gossage, Christian Hansen, Zachary Johnson, Brian Leung
Fall 2011: Philip Cala, Drake Cannan, Yingquan He, Mayra Lopez-Thibodeaux, Yann Ly, Victor Rodriguez, Sebastian Rozo
Spring 2011: Drake Cannan, Daniel Cuneo, Victor Rodriguez
Fall 2010: Alex Miller, Howard Nguyen, Matthew Salazar
Spring 2010: Daniel Cuneo, Alex Miller, Howard Nguyen, Steve Pehrson, Matthew Salazar
Fall 2009: Mary Rose Marcaida, Kazue Matsuyama
Spring 2009: Raymundo Becerra, Kazue Matsuyama, Steve Pehrson, Karina Roitman, and Masimi Yoshihara
Fall 2008: Karina Roitman, Jason Smith, and Masimi Yoshihara
Spring 2008: Daniel Shuldman and Elliot Fuller
Fall 2007: Bart Gasiewski, Elliot Fuller, Fred Bates, Jamie Molaro

Bengier Foundation University Scholarship

2019: Kevin Fillhouer

AAPT Outstanding Teaching Assistant Awards

The award is for a free membership in AAPT for one year.

2016: Jack Dillon, Justin Wittrock
2015: Daniel McKeown, Manavjot Singh
2014: Priyanjoli Mukherjee
2012: Scott Shermer
2011: Greg Romine
2010: Patrick Dunn, Andrew Fittingoff, Darrel Lim
2009: Kim Litwin, Polin Yadak
2008: Michelle Krok

Department Graduate Research Scholarship

This departmental scholarship recognized graduate excellence in research in Physics & Astronomy.

2015: Kristian Chung and Justin Wittrock

Peter Chau Graduate Research Scholarship

This one-time scholarship honors the memory of Peter Chau, and recognizes graduate excellence in research in Physics & Astronomy.

2015: Manavjot Singh

Marcy Graduate Research Scholarship