The David Blockus Award
Established in 2007 in memory of David L. Blockus, Ph.D., this prize is presented each year to the outstanding senior physics major, as determined by the faculty of the Department of Physics.
Recipients
2025: RIley Carpenter
2024: Leyang Ding
2023: Robert Cady
2022: Josh Mitchell
The Carl H. Hayn Physics Prize
Established in 1997 by William and Katherine Duffy in honor of Carl H. Hayn, S.J., longtime physics professor at Santa Clara University. The prize is awarded annually to the most outstanding student in the sequence Physics for Scientists and Engineers I, II, and III, as selected by the faculty who teach the sequence.
Recipients
2025: Matthew Okamura
2024: Renee Chapla
2023: Seth Madden
2022: Nicholas Lopatin
The John B. Drahmann Prize in Physics
Established in memoriam in 2001 by Jean Drahmann, this prize is awarded to the graduating senior physics major who best exemplifies the hard-working and earnest values of John B. Drahmann, longtime dean of sciences and professor of physics.
Recipients
2025: Joseph Vollert
2024: Jwwad Javed
2023: Hannah Aguirre
2021: Rob Cady
Sigma Pi Sigma
Sigma Pi Sigma, the national physics honor society, was founded in 1921 at Davidson College in North Carolina. The Santa Clara University chapter was founded in 1969. Sigma Pi Sigma endeavors to help students attain a clearer understanding of the powers of science, to promote further interest in the advanced study of physics, to foster the spirit of scientific research, and to encourage a professional spirit and collegiality among students of physics. Members are selected from the upper 25 percent of their class and must also have a grade point average of 3.3 in physics and mathematics.
2025 Recipients:
Riley Carpenter
Leo Illing
Serena Thompson
Joseph Vollert
2024 Recipients:
Ben Bisconti
Leyang Ding
Daniel Gutierrez-Monge
Jwwad Javed
Ivar Rydstrom
Justin Sun
2023 Recipients:
Robert Cady
Javier Garcia de Castro
Peter Hovland
Skyler Weight
2021 Recipients:
Ben DalFavero
Alexandria Kissas
Josh Mitchell
Vikram Naidu
Pratul Saini
Rob Stallman
Joshua Yaldaei
William T. Duffy, Jr., Award for Achievement in Undergraduate Research in Physics
This award was established in 2020 by Santa Clara University Physics Department faculty, in honor of Emeritus Professor William T. Duffy, Jr. Dr. Duffy led pioneering research efforts at Santa Clara University that spanned nearly four decades until his retirement in 2002. The award recognizes an exceptional research achievement by a graduating senior who demonstrated ingenuity and dedication to their research endeavor.
Recipients
2025: Leo Illing
2020: Robert Newby