Department of Physics and Astronomy, Northwestern University

🎉We are pleased to announce the winners of the 2025-26 Undergraduate Departmental Awards in Physics and Astronomy which were announced at our annual Majors Dinner. 🎉

Please join us in congratulating the following students:

⭐Isaac Cross- Outstanding Undergraduate Thesis Research in Physics & Astronomy
⭐Haley Shamah- Senior Career Award in Physics & Astronomy
⭐Elijah Platnick- Junior Career Award in Physics and Astronomy
⭐Leka Davis- Physics and Astronomy Scholar
⭐Jonah Kim - Physics and Astronomy Scholar
⭐Abby Pearson - Physics and Astronomy Scholar
⭐Joshua Willis - Physics and Astronomy Scholar

Additionally, congratulations to the following students who received departmental honors from the Weinberg College:

⭐Isaac Cross
⭐Leka Davis
⭐Lucas Kritz
⭐Haley Shamah

📣Announcing our 2025-2026 Outstanding TA Award winners!📣

Congratulations to:
⭐Vedant Kashyap- Outstanding Lab TA
⭐Natalie Love- Outstanding Discussion TA
⭐Sarvesh Upadhyay- Outstanding Discussion TA

We are so grateful for all of our TAs and their hard work this year!

Congratulations to Physics and Astronomy graduate student Elizabeth Moné for receiving a NSF GRFP grant!

Elizabeth works with Professor Claude-André Faucher-Giguère. Elizabeth’s research focuses on astrophysical fluid dynamics of galaxies, specifically focusing on energy transfer in the circumgalactic medium (CGM), the gaseous region surrounding a galaxy.

Congratulations to Physics and Astronomy undergraduate student, Nico Bers! Nico has earned the 2026 Barry Goldwater Scholarship, an honor that supports students who plan to pursue careers in the natural sciences, math and engineering.

Nico conducted research with the Center for Interdisciplinary Exploration and Research in Astrophysics (CIERA), working in the group of Professor Vicky Kalogera. He was mentored by former CIERA Fellow (NASA Einstein Fellow) Sylvia Biscoveanu, now a faculty member at Princeton University. He also is currently conducting research with Professor Elena Murchikova and Research Assistant Professor Mark Gorski.

Looking ahead, Bers plans to pursue a Ph.D. in astrophysics and build a career as a researcher and professor, advancing the study of high-energy astrophysical phenomena and cosmology at the university level.

Please join the Physics & Astronomy Department for the Walter and Christine Heilborn Lecture Series happening on April 22-24, 2026.

Sean Carroll, Homewood Professor of Natural Philosophy of Johns Hopkins University, is this year's speaker. Sean specializes in quantum mechanics, cosmology, and the philosophy of science.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Physics and Astronomy Professor Enectali Figueroa-Feliciano appeared on ChicagoNOW discussing the search for dark matter deep below the Earth’s Surface! Click the link to watch.

Northwestern scientists hunt for dark matter deep below Earth’s surface | ChicagoNOW Scientists at Northwestern University are conducting an experiment deep underground in search of the universe’s mysterious dark matter.

Congratulations to Professor Claude-André Faucher-Giguère for being selected as a 2026 Fellow of the American Astronomical Society!

He has been selected "For significant contributions to a wide range of topics in cosmological hydrodynamics and theoretical galaxy formation, including the circumgalactic medium, black hole feedback, and numerical models of star formation and stellar feedback"

Fellowship in the American Astronomical Society is a great honor and we are so proud of Professor Faucher-Giguère!

Congratulations to Physics and Astronomy Professor Allison Strom for being named a Sloan Research Fellow!

The two-year $75,000 fellowship is one of the most competitive and prestigious awards available to early-career researchers. Selected by an independent panel of senior scholars, recipients represent the fields of chemistry, computer science, Earth system science, economics, mathematics, neuroscience and physics.

Strom’s research group observes galaxies throughout cosmic history to determine their internal properties and growth histories. In this work, she aims to understand why galaxies follow different evolutionary paths.

The Illinois Space Grant Consortium is offering amazing research opportunities in Astronomy and Space Science this summer!

•Open to students who are currently in college and who are U.S. citizens (mandatory)
•Work with a professor in one of several areas of space sciences and astrophysics
•Ten weeks of summer research experience
•Laboratory and supercomputer opportunities
•Scholarship support up to $8,000

For more information, please visit Illinois Space Grant Research Opportunity: Department of Physics and Astronomy - Northwestern University.

Application deadline is Thursday, March 20, 2026!

Congratulations to Professor Vicky Kalogera for receiving the Daniel I. Linzer Award for Faculty Excellence in Service.

Linzer Award recipients have performed extraordinary service that has had a positive impact on the University as an institution and on the members of the university community. This service has significantly enhanced the quality of Northwestern as an educational institution and community of scholars.

Vicky has performed extensive service to the University through various committees and interdisciplinary efforts, including the Provost Search Committee, the Data Science and AI Steering Committee, the Northwestern Network for Collaborative Intelligence, the President’s Advisory Committee on Free Expression and Institutional Speech and the Program Review Council. She also is the Director of CIERA.