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

Dennis Bennett Physics & Astronomy Scholarship

This departmental scholarship is awarded annually to undergraduat and graduatee Physics & Astronomy majors. This scholarship is generously funded by alumnus Dennis Bennett. (B.A. Physical Science, 1968).

2025: Chris Albert, Monique Windju
2024: Orlando Mayen Castaneda
2023: Vaennessa Nickell
2022: No award
2021: Donavon Evans, Hal France

Michael and Greta McKinney Physics & Astronomy Scholarship

This departmental scholarship is awarded annually to undergraduate Physics & Astronomy majors. This scholarship is generously funded by friends of the department Michael & Greta McKinney.

2025: Benjarat Chumwong, Linh Ho, Hank Johnson, Orlando Mayen Castaneda
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

Frederick Walters Physics & Astronomy Scholarship

This departmental scholarship is awarded annually to undergraduate and graduate Physics & Astronomy majors. This scholarship is generously funded by alumnus Frederick Walters (B.A. Physics, 1982).

2025: Angela Beatty, Daniel Gilbert
2024: Niah Freeman, Peter Haramis, Sarvesh Shinde

Achievement Rewards for College Scientists (ARCS)

The ARCS Foundation provides scholarships to academically outstanding United States citizens pursuing graduate degrees in science, medicine, and engineering.

2025-26: Ryan Thong
2024-25: Peter Haramis
2023-24: Kameron Gausling
2022-23: Ken Luu
2021-22: Ken Luu
2020-21: Jessica Agnos
2019-20: Caitlin Kepple
2017-18: Wendy Crumrine
2016-17: Shervin Sahba
2015-16: Shervin Sahba
2013-14: Arthur Adams
2011-12: Scott Shermer
2010-11: Patrick Dunn
2009-10: Greg Bolloten
2008-09: Greg Bolloten, Kelsey Clubb
2007-08: Faustin Carter
2006-07: Aisha Hunte, Liliana Lopez, Jack Young

Bay Area STEM Scholarship

2025: Minique Windju

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

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

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 2025: Kaleb Abdullah, Joel Hurtado, Junjie Lin, Kelly Sarmento,
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

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

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