Student Awards
Each year, the Department of Physics and Astronomy gives out the following awards in recognition of our outstanding majors. These awardees are selected by the Student Award Committee. Some of these awards are named after a distinguished emeritus or alumnus. A brief description of these awards follow. View past winners of these awards.
An award given to the best graduate student in the Department of Physics and Astronomy.
The award recipient's name will be added to the department permanent award roster and a plaque will be presented at the annual Department Awards and Commencement Reception.
An award given to a graduating senior majoring in Physics and Astronomy in recognition of their academic excellence. The award recipient's name will be added to the department permanent award roster and a plaque will be presented at the annual Department Awards and Commencement Reception.
Daniel Raponi was a promising physics major who transferred into our program as a sophomore in spring 2007. He was a bright individual who showed potential for exceptional work. In his two physics classes, he displayed a good understanding of the material and a genuine interest in the subject. He had close friends with whom he willingly helped when they had difficulties with the subject. Daniel found the CSUN environment to his liking and was starting to enjoy his college experience when he was suddenly, and much too early, taken away from us. In honor of his remembrance, the Raponi family has established an endowment to reward an outstanding Physics major, who like Daniel, has demonstrated hard work, great achievement, and dedication within the study of Physics.
In recognition of where Daniel was in his career as a student, the Daniel Raponi Scholarship will be awarded to the student who has excelled in the three introductory Physics classes taken by the major and who, at an early stage has made valuable contributions to the department. The recipient must be continuing on to the upper division courses in the major.
The award recipient's name will be added to the department permanent award roster and a certificate will be presented at the annual Department Awards and Commencement Reception. A check for $5,000 will be disbursed to the recipient of this award. The student will be responsible for any taxes due.
An award given to the outstanding Teaching Associate in the department. The Physics Graduate Student must be enrolled in at least 3 units per semester and be in good academic standing. The recipient's name will be announced at the annual Department Awards and Commencement Reception.
An invitation to the student to join Sigma Pi Sigma - the national physics honor society with close ties to the Society of Physics Students. Prospective members of this honor society are selected on the basis of character and scholastic achievement. Undergraduates must maintain a 3.25 GPA in the core upper division physics classes and graduate students must maintain a 3.625 GPA in the core graduate classes. They must also be in the top 1/3 of the graduation class.
The recipients will be invited to dinner after the induction ceremony.