Awards > Current Awardees

2025 AWARDEES

This year, AVS honors the following awardees:

MEDARD W. WELCH AWARD

Ian S. Gilmore, National Physical Laboratory, “For pioneering advances in molecular imaging by mass spectrometry with impact in biomedical research and novel devices and championing international standardization”
 

This award recognizes and encourages outstanding accomplishments in the fields of interest to AVS. The award consists of a cash award, a medal, a plaque, and an honorary lectureship at a regular session of the International Symposium.

Bio
 


JOHN A. THORNTON MEMORIAL AWARD AND LECTURE

Ellen R. Fisher, University of New Mexico, “For exceptional contributions to the advancement and understanding of plasma chemistries and plasma-surface interactions in thin film deposition and surface modification”

This award recognizes outstanding research or technological innovation in the areas of interest to AVS, with emphasis on the fields of thin films, plasma processing, and related topics. The award consists of a cash award, a plaque, and an honorary lectureship at a regular session of the International Symposium.

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PETER MARK MEMORIAL AWARD

Nicholas Glavin, Air Force Research Laboratory, “For pioneering and innovative synthesis approaches for 2D materials and heterostructures enabling flexible high-power electronic devices, ultra-sensitive sensor devices, ferroelectric memory, and advanced electronic and optoelectronic devices”
 
This award recognizes outstanding theoretical or experimental work by an early career scientist or engineer. The award consists of a cash award, a plaque, and an honorary lectureship at a regular session of the International Symposium. 

Bio

2025 AVS FELLOWS

AVS Fellows are Platinum Members who have made sustained and outstanding technical contributions in areas of interest to AVS.
Gerardo Brucker, MKS Instruments, Inc.
“For profound impact on vacuum technology, mass spectrometry, and gas analysis, including developing AVS short courses, recommended practices, and leadership within the Vacuum Technology Division”




 
Brian Holloway, Intellectual Ventures
“For outstanding sustained technical contributions and management in interdisciplinary areas of science and technology including basic science, technology development, and commercialization of materials, interfaces, and processing”




 
R. Mohan Sankaran, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
“For pioneering work in the study and application of non-equilibrium plasmas for chemical and materials synthesis”





 
Udo D. Schwarz, Yale University
“For critical and sustained contributions to scanning probe microscopy, with remarkable impact in fields ranging from fundamental studies of friction to surface reactivity and catalysis”




 
James Tobin, University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh
“For crucial contribution to present understanding of 5f electron states in actinides by means of advanced spectroscopic methods”





 
Steven Vitale, United States Military Academy
“For outstanding contributions in the areas of plasma physics and solid-state devices, developing novel processing technology to create fast switching and ultralow power microelectronics for national security”




 

2025 AVS NATIONAL STUDENT AWARD FINALISTS

There are five (5) top-level named Graduate Student Awards and three (3) Graduate Research Awards, listed below. The recipients of these awards are determined after a general competition with all the graduate research applicants and a presentation to the Awards Committee.  
 
  • RUSSELL AND SIGURD VARIAN AWARD
  • NELLIE YEOH WHETTEN AWARD
  • DOROTHY M. AND EARL S. HOFFMAN AWARD
  • DOROTHY M. AND EARL S. HOFFMAN SCHOLARSHIPS
  • GRADUATE RESEARCH AWARDS 
The Finalists are:
 
Marshall Frye
Georgia Institute of Technology





 
Pulkita Jain
New York University





 
Andrew Messecar
Western Michigan University





 
Gabriel Parker
University of Illinois Chicago





 
Sanzeeda Baig Shuchi
Stanford University





 
Joshua Wagner
University of Chicago





 
Zhifei Yang
University of Minnesota Twin Cities





 
Li Zhang
Georgia Institute of Technology







AVS FORTY YEAR CLUB

The Forty-Year Club consists of current AVS Platinum members who have been active in the Society for 40 years or more. 
For a complete list click here

For more information on any of the awards or recognition mention above, please contact Angela Klink, AVS, angela@avs.org.