STROBE Awards

WASHINGTON — Optica, Advancing Optics and Photonics Worldwide, has named Margaret M. Murnane an Optica Honorary Member, the most distinguished of all Optica Member categories. Murnane is recognized for pioneering advances in ultrafast laser technology and XUV science, as well as exceptional service to the optics community through sustained mentorship and leadership. She is currently a Distinguished Professor at the University of Colorado Boulder, USA.

“Margaret is a global leader in ultrafast, high-intensity laser research, but her impact extends far beyond the lab through her mentorship, volunteerism and innovative work with KMLabs,” said Gisele Bennett, Optica’s 2026 President. “It is with great pleasure that I welcome her into the esteemed group of Optica Honorary Members.”

The purpose of the NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) is to help ensure the quality, vitality, and strength of the scientific and engineering workforce of the United States. Since 1952, the program recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students who are pursuing full-time research-based master’s and doctoral degrees in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields, including STEM education. NSF GRFP was established to recruit and support individuals who demonstrate the potential to make significant contributions in STEM, including STEM education. NSF encourages applications from the full spectrum of talent that the U.S. has to offer.

Congratulations to Sally Thompson, an undergraduate student at Fort Lewis College, for receiving Scholar of the Year Award for her research in the Physics Department.

Congratulations to Ke Xu for receiving the 2026 Miller Professorship! The Miller Institute is an interdisciplinary hub at UC Berkeley, bringing together researchers from all areas of STEM, including postdoctoral fellows, UC Berkeley faculty, visiting faculty and senior faculty. The Miller Institute for Basic Research in Science at UC Berkeley offers four primary programs designed to support scientists at various stages of their careers. Through our weekly lunch series, professional development workshops, special events, and our annual symposium, the Miller Institute’s goal is to provide a space for our members to share research across different scientific disciplines.

Anya Grafov, a graduate student in the Kapteyn-Murnane research group at JILA, has received the 2025 Women in STEM Scholarship Award from the Zonta Foothills Club of Boulder County Foundation. The Zonta Women in STEM Award uplifts innovation and celebrates the remarkable accomplishments of women between 18-35 years of age in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields and acknowledge their groundbreaking research, pioneering discoveries, and/or exemplary contributions to advancing knowledge and innovation in a STEM field. By recognizing and supporting these exceptional women, Zonta aims to inspire future generations and foster inclusivity and diversity in the world of STEM. Congratulations, Anya!

ENY ACS recognized Dr. Kwabena Bediako with the 2025 Buck-Whitney Award. Dr. Bediako’s work in magnetic solids offers promising solutions to accelerating energy demand by electronic and computing systems.

This award was established by the Eastern New York ACS section executive committee in 1976. The name of the award, Buck-Whitney, was chosen to recognize two of the most eminent research directors in the section. The purpose of the award is to recognize excellent original contributions to pure and applied chemistry. The recipient is preferably someone who has not yet achieved national recognition as evidenced by a national award from the ACS. The recipient is expected to deliver an address before the meeting at which the award is made.

Prof. Naomi Ginsberg received the W. Albert Noyes, Jr. Distinguished Lecturer honor from the University of Rochester. This lectureship honors Professor Noyes, former chairman of the department, dean of the Graduate School and dean of the College of Arts and Science. Naomi’s talk was titled, “Visualizing and Controlling How Emerging Energy Materials Form, Transform, and Transport Energy at the Nanoscale.”