NIST Physics Lab: 2005-2007

Awards and Honors

Nobel

Dr. John (Jan) L. Hall, scientist emeritus in the NIST Quantum Physics Division and a fellow of JILA, a joint research institution of NIST and the University of Colorado in Boulder, CO. Dr. Hall shared the 2005 Nobel Prize in Physics with Theodor W. Hänsch of the Max-Planck-Institute of Quantum Optics, Garching and Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Munich, Germany, and Roy J. Glauber of Harvard University. Hall and Hänsch were cited, "for their contributions to the development of laser-based precision spectroscopy, including the optical frequency comb technique."

Herbert P. Broida Prize (American Physical Society)

In recognition of an outstanding contribution to the field of atomic and molecular spectroscopy or chemical physics

James Bergquist, Time and Frequency Division, 2007 Prize, “for seminal contributions to ultra-high-resolution laser spectroscopy and the realization of accurate optical frequency standards”

I.I. Rabi Award (IEEE Society for Ultrasonics, Ferroelectricity, and Frequency Control) To recognize outstanding contributions related to the fields of atomic and molecular frequency standards, and time transfer and dissemination
	James Bergquist, (far left) 2006 Award, “for seminal contributions to laser spectroscopy and the realization of accurate optical frequency standards” Leo Hollberg, (left) Time and Frequency Div., 2007 Award, “for seminal contributions to optical frequency metrology with the development of ultra stable optical frequency standards and related femtosecond clockwork.”

De Boer Services Gold Pin (International Commission on Illumination (CIE))

Yoshi Ohno, Optical Technology Div., for exceptional administrative and scientific contributions to the physical measurement of light and radiation.

William F. Meggers Award
(Optical Society of America)

For outstanding work in spectroscopy

Jun Ye, Quantum Physics Division, received the 2006 Meggers Award of the Optical Society of America "for development of innovative spectroscopic measurement techniques based on femtosecond optical frequency combs."

Carl Zeiss Research Award

Jun Ye, 2007 Award, for his outstanding applications of femtosecond frequency combs

I.I. Rabi Prize in Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics
(American Physical Society)

To recognize and encourage outstanding research in Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics by investigators who have held a Ph. D. for 10 years or less

Jun Ye, 2007 Prize, for advances in precision measurement, including techniques for stabilizing and measuring optical frequencies, controlling the phase of femtosecond laser pulses, and measuring molecular transitions

Deborah Jin, Quantum Physics Division, 2005 Prize, for her pioneering work in the production of degenerate Fermi gases and exploitation of their novel physical properties

George C. Pimentel Prize for Advances in Matrix Isolation Spectroscopy

Marilyn Jacox, Scientist Emeritus, Optical Technology Division, received the 2005 Pimentel Prize for her many major contributions to matrix isolation spectroscopy, including, most recently, investigations of highly unstable negative ions and negative ion clusters.

Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa), University of Waterloo

Marilyn Jacox,Scientist Emeritus, Optical Technology Division, received the 2006 Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) from the University of Waterloo "for her long and distinguished career in physical chemistry."

The author of more than 175 scientific publications, Dr. Jacox has written a key book on spectroscopic data for transient molecules, such as free radicals, ions and other molecules having a transient existence. Her pioneering work helped to establish the field of matrix isolation spectroscopy for studying such molecules.

European Young Scientist Award

Scott Diddams and Svenja Knappe,
Time and Frequency Division, 2007 Award from the European Frequency and Time Forum, for Diddams’ work on femtosecond laser frequency combs, and for Knappe’s work on chip-scale atomic devices.

The Texas A & M Trotter Prize and Endowed Lecture Series

William D. Phillips, Atomic Physics Laboratory, received the 2006 Trotter Prize from Texas A&M University for pioneering contributions to the understanding of the connections between science and religion and their role in establishing a consistent worldview.

Member of the National Academy of Sciences

Deborah Jin, Quantum Physics Division, for her work in the rapidly advancing field of experimental ultracold fermions

Fellowship of the American Association for the Advancement of Science

Deborah Jin, Quantum Physics Division, for advances in the study of quantum gases and the properties of a Fermi degenerate gas


Alfons Weber, Scientist Emeritus, Physics Laboratory, was elected a 2005 AAAS Fellow for playing an important role in the development of molecular physics as a researcher and as a manager of Federal programs at NIST and NSF.

Fellowship of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences

Eric Cornell, Quantum Physics Division, was elected a 2005 Fellow of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences for preeminent contributions to the science of Bose Einstein condensation and to society at large.

Deborah Jin, Quantum Physics Division, for preeminent contributions to the science of ultracold, degenerate gases.

Fellowship of the American Physical Society

Garnett Bryant, Atomic Physics Division, for seminal contributions to nanooptics and to the theory of semiconductor quantum dots and other complex quantum nanostructures.	Steven Cundiff, Quantum Physics Division, for pioneering work in carrier-envelope phase stabilization of mode-locked lasers and its applications to optical frequency metrology and ultrafast technology.	Kristian Helmerson, Atomic Physics Division, for pioneering work in cooling, trapping, and coherent manipulation of cold atoms and for the development of seminal techniques for the manipulation and control of objects with optical tweezers.


Dietrich Leibfried, Time and Frequency Division, for seminal contributions to the field of quantum information processing using trapped ions, including the demonstration of high fidelity logic gates and the implementation and application of entangled states.	William Ott, Deputy Director, Physics Laboratory, for sustained leadership of the research and service programs of the Physics Laboratory of the National Institute of Standards and Technology	Eric Shirley, Optical Technology Division, for important contributions to the computation of the optical properties of solids from the infrared to the x-ray spectral regions	Eite Tiesinga, Atomic Physics Division, for pioneering work on the measurement and control of cold atomic collisions by scattering resonances.

Fellowship of the Optical Society of America

Steven T. Cundiff, Chief, Quantum Physics Division, was elected a 2005 Fellow of the Optical Society of America "for contributions to ultrafast laser spectroscopy of semiconductors and to carrier-envelope phase stabilization of mode-locked lasers."

Jun Ye, Quantum Physics Division, was elected a 2006 Fellow of the Optical Society of America "for the application of frequency combs and ultrafast and ultrastable lasers to precision measurements and fundamental science."

Fellowship of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America

Yoshi Ohno, Optical Technology Division, for contributions to the metrology of light through development of measurement methods and metrics and education of the lighting metrology community.

Fellowship of the Royal Society of Chemistry

David Nesbitt, Quantum Physics Division, was elected a 2005 Fellow in the Royal Society of Chemists for promoting the advancement of a wider application of chemical science.

Fellowship of the Health Physics Society

Chris Soares, Ionizing Radiation Division, was elected a Fellow of the Health Physics Society in 2006, "for substantial impact on the field of health physics, particularly in the areas of dosimetry, radiation source standardization, and standards development."

Senior Member of the IEEE

John Curry, Atomic Physics Division, was elevated to the grade of Senior IEEE Member in 2005. Only 7.3 percent of the IEEE members hold this grade, which requires experience reflecting professional maturity and significant professional achievements.

International LORAN Association, Best Paper Award

Michael A. Lombardi, Time and Frequency Division, received the 2006 Best Paper Award from the International Loran Association for his outstanding contribution to Loran and the Association in the preparation and presentation of the paper "The Potential Role of Enhanced Loran-C in the National Time and Frequency Infrastructure."

IEEE International Solid-State Circuits Conference Jack Raper Award

John Kitching, Time and Frequency Division, with Clark T.C. Nguyen (DARPA, University of Michigan) received the 2005 Raper Award for Outstanding Technology Directions for the paper titled "Towards Chip-Scale Atomic Clocks."

National Conference of Standards Laboratories International, Best Paper Award

John Kitching, Time and Frequency Division, received a 2005 NCSL Best Paper Award for "Chip-Scale Atomic Clocks at NIST.”

Young Scholars Competition

Jun Ye, Quantum Physics Division, received the 2005 Technological Innovation Prize for Young Scholars for his paper "Optical Phase Control from 10^-15 seconds to 1 second: Precision Measurement Meets Ultrafast Science."

American Physical Society, Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Reserach in Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics

Cindy Regal, (right) University of Colorado and guest researcher in Quantum Physics Division, 2007 Award for, “Experimental realization of BCS-BEC crossover physics with a Fermi gas of atoms”

Ana Maria Rey, (left) a guest researcher in the Electron and Optical Physics Division, received the 2005 American Physical Society Outstanding Doctoral Thesis Award for her University of Maryland Ph.D. thesis research on "Ultracold Bosonic Atoms in Optical Lattices," conducted at NIST.

American Physical Society Best Student-Paper Award (in Experiment)

Chris Langer, a physics graduate student in the Time and Frequency Division, received the America Physical Society’s 2006 Best Student-Paper Award for his paper "Robust Quantum Memory Using Magnetic-Field-Independent Atomic Qubits."

Optical Society of America, New Focus/Bookham Student Award

Virginia O. Lorenz, received the 2006 OSA New Focus/Bookham Student Award for her presentation "Three-Pulse Photo Echo Peak Shift Measurements in Dense Potassium Vapor."

Arthur S. Flemming Awards

Established in 1948, the Flemming Awards honor outstanding Federal employees with no more than fifteen years of government service. Recognized by the President of the United States, agency heads, and the private sector, about ten winners are selected each year from all areas of the Federal service.

David Jacobson, Ionizing Radiation Division, 2006 Applied Science, for applying neutron metrology techniques to address technical barriers to the development of robust and efficient hydrogen fuel cells

Steven Jefferts, Time and Frequency Division, was recognized with a 2005 Flemming Award for outstanding technical and managerial leadership of NIST-F1, the world’s most accurate atomic clock. Dr. Jefferts has led the design, construction, operation, and continual improvement of NIST-F1, the first U.S. laser-cooled frequency standard, from its earliest conception in 1996. NIST-F1, the U.S. national standard for the second, is one of the most visible and widely-used assets of NIST. NIST time, calibrated by the NIST-F1 atomic clock, is used literally billions of times each day for everything from setting consumer timepieces, to ensuring the accurate time-stamping of hundreds of billions of dollars of electronic financial transactions, to coordinating the most precise international time.

Keith R. Lykke, Optical Technology Division, was recognized with a 2005 Flemming Award for the development of novel laser technology for the accurate calibration and characterization of optical instruments used in ground and satellite-based remote sensing, missile defense and targeting, and standards research, development, and dissemination. This technology has led directly to improved values for ocean carbon levels important in climate change research, to innovative high-temperature pyrometers critical to the development of a new International Temperature Scale, and to approaches to reliably correct for stray light affecting the accuracy of multimillion dollar satellite environmental optical sensors.

Yoshi Ohno, Optical Technology Division, was recognized with a 2006 Flemming Award for his innovative research and international leadership in the optical sciences of photometry and colorimetry. In support of NIST's mission to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness, he has developed photometric and colorimetric measurement technology and technical standards to advance the U.S. lighting, imaging and display industries. His research is accelerating the development of solid-state lighting and its promise of 10% reduction in electricity usage in the USA by providing the tools to assess and optimize the performance of novel light sources.

James “Trey” Porto, Atomic Physics Division, 2006 Basic Science, for an experimental program and research team to attack the problem of quantum processing with neutral atoms, establishing NIST’s program in neutral atom quantum information as one of the top in the world

Carl J. Williams, Chief, of the Atomic Physics Division, was recognized with a 2006 Flemming Award for definitive theories of the physics of ultracold atoms and molecules, and their application to precision measurement, atomic clocks, and the new fields of Bose-Einstein and fermionic condensation and quantum computing. He is a world leader in applying quantum mechanics to model the collision of atoms and molecules at temperatures near absolute zero. His work has been highly influential in the burgeoning field of ultracold atomic physics, which has been recognized by two recent Nobel Prizes. The calculations done by Dr. Williams and his associates have guided critical experiments, enabling the attainment of new condensate species and pointing the way to novel quantum information processing applications.

Jun Ye, Quantum Physics Division, was recognized with a 2005 Flemming Award for his contributions to the fields of precision measurement, quantum optics, ultrasensitive detection, and cold molecules. He developed techniques to coherently combine the output of independent lasers and the successive pulses emitted by a single laser. He demonstrated a unified time and frequency spectroscopy of atoms using phase-stabilized femtosecond lasers. Dr. Ye's accomplishments have enabled new advances in chemically-specific microscopy and the design of precision optical instruments and help maintain NIST leadership in the international metrology community.

Bonfils-Stanton Foundation

Recognizes outstanding Coloradans for significant and unique contributions in the arts and humanities, community service, and science and medicine

Deborah Jin,Quantum Physics Division, 2006 Award for Science and Medicine, for her work in the field of ultracold Fermionic gases

Service to America Medals

Presented by the Partnership for Public Service to celebrate excellence in federal civil service

Konrad Lehnert, (left) Quantum Physics Division, was a 2007 finalist for the Call to Service Medal, for pushing the frontiers of measurement science up against the ultimate limits imposed by the famous uncertainty principle of quantum mechanics

William Phillips, (right) Atomic Physics Division, was awarded the 2006 Career Achievement Medal for service as an ambassador for science and the Federal workforce

Presidential Rank Award

The Presidential Rank Award recognizes and celebrates career members of the Senior Executive Service (SES) and other senior career employees who are strong leaders and who consistenly demonstrate strength, integrity, industry, and a relentless commitment to public service. There are two categories, Distinguished and Meritorious. The President makes the selection following a rigorous review process coordinated by the U.S. Office of Personnel Management (OPM).

Robert J. Celotta, Electron and Optical Physics Division, received a 2006 Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Senior Executives and Professionals from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management for scientific and pioneering research in nanotechnology at the National Institute of Standards and Technology.

With more than 200 research publications in electron, atomic, and condensed matter physics, Dr. Celotta is an internationally recognized leader and pioneer in nanoscale science. His work in this area, begun 20 years ago, is directed at measuring the effect of atomic scale systems on the properties of electronic and magnetic devices. He and his group have developed several generations of pioneering scanning-probe and electron-spin polarization microscopes that have defined the state of the art of nanoscale measurement and led to new insights into the performance of magnetic recording devices, magnetic materials, and electronic systems. In 2006, Dr. Celotta was appointed Director of the NIST Center for Nanoscale Science and Technology.

Charles Clark, Chief, Electron and Optical Physics Division, 2007 Award for Distinguished Executive, for establishing SURF III as the Nation’s preeminent facility for ultraviolet radiation measurements and for maintaining a vigorous program of personal scientific research.

James E. Faller, Quantum Physics Division, received a 2006 Presidential Rank Award for Meritorious Senior Executives and Professionals from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management for a career dedicated to precision measurement science, with an emphasis on experimental gravitational physics and tests of fundamental physical laws.

For more than 40 years, Dr. James E. Faller has been a world leader in measuring and understanding gravity. His contributions include verifying Newton’s law of gravitation; devising laser-based methods to measure the Newtonian constant of gravitation; spearheading the use of laser interferometry to measure the acceleration of gravity; and conceiving the on-going lunar laser ranging experiment, which uses retro-reflector arrays placed on the moon by the Apollo astronauts.

Katharine B. Gebbie received a 2006 Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Senior Executives and Professionals from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management for sustained, extraordinary leadership and dedication in creating and managing the NIST Physics Laboratory to an unprecedented level of excellence.

The NIST Physics Laboratory is the Nation’s foremost research laboratory in applying atomic, molecular, optical, and radiation physics to precision measurement science directed at national needs. It provides measurement services and reference data for U.S. industry and the technical community and develops new measurement methods aimed at driving innovation in emerging electronic, optical, and radiation technologies. Dr. Gebbie’s strategic leadership of the Physics Laboratory has resulted in three NIST scientists being awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics in the past 9 years and has vaulted the Physics Laboratory to being the foremost institute in the U.S. in quantum engineering, quantum computing, atomic timekeeping, and radiation metrology.

Paul Julienne, Atomic Physics Division, 2007 Award for Meritorious Senior Professional, for being one of the world’s preeminent theorists in the fields of photoassociation and ultracold collisions

William D. Phillips, Atomic Physics Division, received a 2005 Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Senior Executives and Professionals from the U.S. Office of Personnel Management for his leadership in the development of laser cooling and trapping of atoms and its application to atomic clocks and neutral atom quantum computing.

For his pioneering work in the development of laser cooling of neutral atoms and its application to atomic clocks, and for his leadership in the U.S. effort in neutral atom quantum computing and the study and applications of ultracold degenerate quantum gases; for his contributions to NIST, from leading a dynamic and world-class research group, to working with the NIST Director as a NIST Fellow on issues of importance to the NIST community, and to promoting the relevance of atomic, molecular, and optical physics within the academic, government and industrial scientific communities; and for his commitment to sharing the joy and thrill of scientific discovery with people of all ages from all walks of life.

Presidential Early Career Award

The Presidential Early Career Awards for Scientists and Engineers, established in 1996, is the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on scientists and engineers beginning their independent careers. Sixty awards were given nationally and presented in a White House ceremony.

Joshua Bienfang, (left) Electron and Optical Physics Division, 2006 Award, for outstanding research in quantum communications and experimental quantum cryptography.

J. Trey Porto, (right) Atomic Physics Division, received a 2005 Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers for world-class research on neutral-atom quantum computing and novel quantum properties of atoms in one-dimensional systems, as well as for serving as a mentor to students, postdoctoral fellows, and other researchers.

Washington Academy of Sciences Physical Science Award

Paul Julienne, (right) Optical Technology Division, received the 2005 Physical Science Award from the Washington Academy of Sciences for pioneering studies of the theory of ultracold atomic collisions and its numerous applications that continue to impact forefront research, from Bose-Einstein condensation to atomic clocks.

Albert Parr, (left) Optical Technology Division, received the 2006 Physical Sciences Award from the Washington Academy of Sciences for leadership in developing state-of-the-art optical measurement facilities in support of national programs crucial to the U.S. economy and defense preparedness.

Accenture Government Women’s Leadership Award

Katharine Gebbie, Director, Physics Laboratory, 2006 Award in the Government Visionary category. “In her 15 years of leadership at NIST’s Physics Lab, Dr. Gebbie has repeatedly proven her dedication to the spirit of scientific discovery and teamwork. Under her direction, scientists from NIST have received three Nobel Prizes, and her leadership has led to improvements in the quality of clinical mammography, port entry radiographic devices, and the irradiation of potentially contaminated mail.”

R&D 100 Award

Joshua Bienfang,Electron and Optical Physics Division, 2007 Award, for NIST’s high-speed fiber-based quantum key distribution system, able to transmit at gigabits per second and produce megabits per second of secure key, twice as fast as any other existing quantum key system

Scientific American 50

David Wineland, Time and Frequency Division, in 2006, for his research on quantum computing and for fabricating chips capable of storing just a few ions, paving the way for more elaborate chips that can manipulate ions in more serious numbers

Gold Medal (DoC)

The Gold Medal is the highest honor award conferred upon an employee by the Department of Commerce, for "distinguished performance characterized by extraordinary, notable, or prestigious contributions that impact the mission of the Department of Commerce and/or operating unit and which reflect favorably on the Department."

Lisa R. Karam, Ionizing Radiation Division, received a 2006 Gold Medal, “for her leadership in developing radiation standards and measurement methods needed in the national effort to ensure protection from terrorist attack."

An international expert in radiation measurements, Dr. Karam led the development of a national infrastructure for standards and measurements for radioactivity and ionizing radiation as it relates to countermeasures to potential terrorist attacks using radiological or nuclear material. Dr. Karam’s team developed standards for prevention, detection, response and recovery from radiation attacks as well as standards for x-ray inspection systems for explosives and radiological material. The equipment ranges from hand-held detectors for responders to large portal monitors for cargo containers.

Jabez J. McClelland, Electron and Optical Physics Division, received a 2006 Gold Medal “for pioneering experiments on the fabrication and replication of permanent nanostructures based on an atom optical control of molecular beam epitaxy."

Dr. McClelland led the development of a novel technique of nanostructure fabrication, which integrates laser cooling of atoms with molecular beam epitaxy. This resulted in a new length standard for scanning-probe microscopy, and points the way towards massively parallel fabrication of designer nanostructures.

Thomas Parker and Judah Levine, Time and Frequency Division, 2007, for their “leadership of the NIST time scale, the source of all NIST time and frequency measurements used billions of times each day.”

Joseph Stroscio, Electron and Optical Physics Division, received a 2005 Gold Medal “for the development of new instruments and methods to measure nanostructure properties and for seminal research in nanoscale science and technology."

The innovations in STM instrument design Dr. Stroscio pioneered have found their way into a variety of research and commercial instruments and the methods he developed, e.g., normalized tunneling conductance, are practiced everywhere. His science has had a major influence on STM and STS metrology, the theory and practice of thin film growth, our understanding of magnetic multilayers, and the future of nanofabrication via atom manipulation. This is partially substantiated by the over 4000 citations his STM work has received to date in the scientific literature. No less impressive is the interest of the popular media, which have interviewed him many times on radio and television programs and made use of his impressive and informative images of nanostructures in magazines, websites, and textbooks.

Silver Medal (DoC)

The Silver Medal is the second highest honor awarded by the Department of Commerce, for "exceptional performance characterized by noteworthy or superlative contributions that have a direct and lasting impact."

Raju Datla, Optical Technology Division, received a 2005 Silver Medal “for directing the development of innovative infrared optical measurement technology and standards to support critical national needs in missile defense and climate-change research."

Dr. Datla leads the development of innovative infrared optical measurement instruments, methods, and standards to support critical needs of the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA), the Calibration Coordination Group (CCG), an organization that facilitates the development of standards for DoD, and the U.S. Climate Change Research Program and its lead member agencies, NASA, NOAA, and DoE. These measurements and standards have helped ensure the greatest return on our Nation’s investments in these multibillion dollar programs by establishing and maintaining the quality of infrared optical measurements which determine, for example, the reliability of target identification sensors in missile defense and the accuracy of satellite-measured sea-surface temperatures in climate-change research. Sea surface temperatures are an important measure of the ability of the large thermal capacity of the oceans to mitigate the expected rise in surface temperatures from climate change.

Mitchell L. Furst, Electron and Optical Physics Division, received a 2006 Silver Medal “for outstanding improvements in performance of the NIST SURF III Synchrotron Ultraviolet Radiation Facility."

Dr. Furst is cited for leading a transformation of the capabilities of the Synchrotron Ultraviolet Radiation Facility (SURF) III. Under his leadership since 2001, SURF III has delivered a 20-fold increase in optical output power. Its operational cycle has increased from 4 hours to 30 hours, allowing round-the-clock reliable and unattended operation, and its calibration services have entered new regions. This greater functionality has enabled NIST to effectively address growing customer demand from the semiconductor industry and NASA missions while decreasing staff workload.

Leonard Hanssen,Optical Technology Division, 2007 Silver Medal, “for seminal contributions to infrared measurement science and technical standards in support of civilian and defense applications of remote sensing.”

Edwin Heilweil, Optical Technology Division, 2007 Silver Medal, “for advancing the state-of-theart in terahertz technology and data for applications in defense, homeland security, and manufacturing”

Kristian Helmerson, Atomic Physics Division, 2007 Silver Medal, “for pioneering the field of coherent atom optics and persistent atom currents”

Jeeseong Hwang, Optical Technology Division, 2007 Silver Medal, “for the development of innovative nanotechnology tools for the highly selective and sensitive optical detection of bacterial pathogens”

Time and Frequency Division plus Moreland and Liew photo

John Kitching, Leo Hollberg, Hugh Robinson, and Peter Schwindt, Time and Frequency Division, and John Moreland and Li-Anne Liew of the NIST Electromagnetics Division, received a 2005 Silver Medal “for designing, constructing, and operating the world's first ultra-miniature atomic clocks and magnetometers."

These revolutionary devices promise to dramatically improve a wide range of applications through the use of atomically-precise measurements of time, frequency, magnetic fields and other properties in portable, battery-powered electronic devices. In recognition of the scientific and expected economic impact of this development, the chip-scale atomic clock was recognized as one of the “top science stories of 2004” by media that target both the general public and the technical community, including Discover Magazine, Science News, American Institute of Physics, Popular Science, et al.

Mark Stiles, Electron and Optical Physics Division, received a 2005 Silver Medal, "for exceptional contributions to the theory of magnetic phenomena in nanostructures and thereby furthering US competitiveness in the development of a wide array of magnetic sensors and information storage devices."

Dr. Mark Stiles’ theoretical work provided a complete fundamental understanding of several key areas of nanomagnetics relevant to the information storage industry, including exchange coupling, magnetic multilayer devices, giant magneto-resistance (GMR), and exchange biasing. All of these were crucial to the development of new nanotechnology based devices that have revolutionized the magnetic sensing and information storage industries. As a direct result, the rate of growth in storage density now exceeds one hundred percent per year, which even eclipses the current rapid rate of improvement of computer processor chips.

Bronze Medal (NIST)

The Bronze Medal is the highest honorary recognition available for Institute presentation. The award recognizes work that has resulted in more effective and efficient management systems, as well as the demonstration of unusual initiative or creative ability in the development and improvement of methods and procedures. It is also given for significant contributions affecting major programs, scientific accomplishment within the Institute, and superior performance of assigned tasks for at least five consecutive years.”

Julia J. Bachinski, Quantum Physics Division, received a 2006 Bronze Medal “for excellence in administrative support of science at JILA.”

Ms. Bachinski provides grant administration for 27 JILA Fellows, supervises the JILA staff, and manages a $20 M+ annual budget. She shepherded the extremely complex NIST-CU cooperative agreement through renewal while performing her regular duties without interruption. Ms. Bachinski displays initiative and a can-do attitude. She implemented an improved expenditure tracking system which has greatly facilitated decision making by JILA scientists by providing a “real-time” balance for their funds. When approached for help on complex financial arrangements, she always looks for a way to achieve the scientists’ goals, rather than seeking to minimize her own effort.

Joshua C. Bienfang, Electron and Optical Physics Divison, and Barry J. Hershman, Alan Mink, Anastase Nakassis, and Xiao Tang, Advanced Network Technologies Division, Information Technology Laboratory, received a 2005 Bronze Medal “for outstanding performance in advancing quantum cryptography towards commercial application."

The team is cited for their outstanding engineering achievement in bringing quantum communications from the status of a laboratory demonstration to a technology addressing the needs of modern secure data communications. The team has demonstrated secure cryptographic key distribution over a 700 meter free-space link, and over 1 km of optical fiber, at rates exceeding 1 MHz, about 100 times faster than any previous demonstration. This accomplishment was recognized by the Optical Society of America as being among the most significant achievements in optics in 2004.

Bienfang, Hershman, Mink, Nakassis, and Tang photo

Garnett Bryant, Atomic Physics Division, 2007 Bronze Medal, “for exceptional contributions to the theory of nanomaterials, semiconductor quantum wells, quantum wires, quantum dots, and nanocrystallites.”

Robert Dragoset, Karen Olsen, and Gloria Wiersma, Office of Electronic Commerce in Scientific and Engineering Data (ECSED), Physics Laboratory, received a 2005 Bronze Medal “for pioneering the dissemination of physical reference data on the WWW and for providing outstanding customer service for more than 10 years."

The ECSED office provided the first web accessible reference data at NIST in June 1994. Today there are 30 databases on www.physics.nist.gov/PhysRefData including seminal legacy publications that were converted into electronic form. The online databases receive more than 800,000 web page requests/month. One of the most popular is The NIST Reference on Constants, Units, and Uncertainty, with over 400,000 page requests/month. With input from data providers and customers, a unique graphical user interface is designed for each database to meet the needs of the user community, e.g., the ability to select among multiple data formats or to dynamically generate PDF files, graphs, and data values based upon user-supplied input parameters.

Alex Farrell, Electron and Optical Physics Division, received a 2005 Bronze Medal “for outstanding service to customers of the NIST SURF III Synchrotron Ultraviolet Radiation Facility."

Mr. Farrell is recognized for his outstanding contributions to the SURF III Synchrotron Ultraviolet Radiation Facility. He has consistently mastered many complex details in electronic and vacuum design and construction. His optimism, attentiveness to duty, and can-do attitude have won him the universal admiration of SURF users. He has become an essential member of the operations team, always performing beyond the normal expectations of his position. Mr. Farrell exhibits a work ethic and loyalty to his duties that follows the highest standards of NIST traditions.

Gerald Fraser, Chief, Optical Technology Division, 2007 Bronze Medal, “for leadership in the development of programs, facilities, and partnerships in infrared and optical radiation measurement and standards”

David L. Jacobson, Ionizing Radiation Division, received a 2006 Bronze Medal “for his contribution in developing an advanced neutron imaging facility for fuel cell research.”

Dr. Jacobson's research has led to the development and application of cutting-edge neutron measurement techniques to address key technical barriers adversely affecting the development of robust and efficient hydrogen fuel cells, and has taken a lead role in the development of the world’s most advanced neutron imaging station to study water transport in fuel cells. This facility is now used by most major fuel cell manufacturers and automotive companies, and many universities and national laboratories. Through the research done at this facility, NIST is playing a crucial role in developing alternative power sources for the future, an area of extremely high national priority.

Michael Lombardi (right) and Andrew Novick, (left) Time and Frequency Division, 2007 Bronze Medal, “for development and implementation of the SIM network for precision international time synchronization in North, Central, and South America”

Cameron Miller, Optical Technology Division, 2007 Bronze Medal, “for contributions to the first-ever assessment of the U.S. measurement system’s ability to sustain innovation at a world-leading pace”

J. Trey Porto, Atomic Physics Division, received a 2006 Bronze Medal “for the creation and leadership of a program in quantum information using neutral atoms as qubits."

Dr. Porto created a world-class experimental research team and apparatus to attack the problem of quantum processing with neutral atoms; conceived an approach that is robust and scalable; and developed the toolbox needed for making a simple quantum processor. He has made neutral atom quantum processing a key component of the NIST program in quantum information science and established that program as a world leading effort in neutral atom quantum computing.

Eric L. Shirley and Adriaan C. Carter, Optical Technology Division, received a 2005 Bronze Medal “for developing innovative computational and experimental methods to accurately calibrate infrared sensors used in missile defense."

Drs. Eric Shirley and Adriaan Carter were recognized for their critical contributions for ensuring the accuracy of infrared sensors used to detect and track incoming ballistic missiles in support of the National Missile Defense System. Dr. Carter led a team of scientists in the development of new technology to calibrate the test chambers used in the calibration of infrared sensors for the Missile Defense Agency. Dr. Shirley applied sophisticated electromagnetic models of the test chambers to correct for optical diffraction effects limiting the accuracy of the sensor calibrations.

William P. Slichter Award (NIST)

The William P. Slichter Award, first presented in 1992, is granted for outstanding achievements by NIST staff in building or strengthening ties between NIST and industry.

Steven Grantham, Robert Vest, Charles Tarrio, Thomas Lucatorto, and Shannon Hill, Electron and Optical Physics Division, 2007 Award, “for establishing a firm measurement foundation for EUV reflectometry, optics lifetime characterization, and pulsed radiometry for EUV lithography”

John Burnett, Atomic Physics Division, received the 2006 William P. Slichter Award, “for his pioneering contributions to the development of immersion microlithography."

By providing the microelectronics industry with highly accurate measurements of the index of refraction and associated optical properties of lens materials and fluids at deep ultraviolet wavelengths, Dr. Burnett helped this industry assess the practical feasibility of manufacturing future generations of microelectronics “under water” (and other fluids). Once thought to be an impractical idea, this “immersion lithography” technique is being seriously pursued by the industry because of the significant advantages it affords in reducing the effective wavelength and minimizing the circuit feature size.

Colleagues’ Choice Award (NIST)

The NIST Colleagues' Choice Award recognizes non-supervisory employees at NIST who, in the eyes of their colleagues, have made significant contributions that broadly advance the NIST mission and strategic goals or contribute to the overall health and effectiveness of NIST.

Anita K. Sweigert, Physics Laboratory, received the Colleagues’ Choice Award “for extraordinary dedication to, and administrative support for, the NIST Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program."

SURF was established in the Physics Laboratory 13 years ago to provide summer research internships to under-represented minorities. Now five times larger, it has broadened to include all of NIST. It is committed to providing research experiences to highly qualified young people likely to be society's future leaders, scientists, and engineers. Ms. Sweigert, the secretary to the director of the Physics Laboratory, developed the logistical system for planning and implementing the program. Her attention to detail, knowledge of the program, and ability to communicate effectively with officials and students from hundreds of universities every year, on behalf of all the NIST Laboratories, have provided enormous benefit to the NIST staff.

Samuel Wesley Stratton Award (NIST)

The Samuel Wesley Stratton Award is granted for outstanding scientific or engineering achievements in support of NIST objectives.

Jun Ye, Quantum Physics Division, received the 2006 Stratton Award “for femtosecond comb technology work which merges time- and frequency-domain spectroscopic techniques and is enabling new developments in optical atomic clocks."

Jun Ye was recognized for his innovative and ground breaking work in atomic and molecular physics, precision measurement, and optical physics. Recently he has contributed a series of crucial advances: coherent synthesis of a single pulse from two independent lasers; an optical molecular clock; united time-frequency spectroscopy of cold atoms; “gainless” amplification by coherent addition of femtosecond pulses; and extension of the combs into the ultraviolet. These results form a technological base that NIST will utilize for years to come.

Allen V. Astin Measurement Science Award (NIST)

The Allen V. Astin Measurement Science Award, first presented in 1984, is granted for outstanding achievement in the advancement of measurement science or in the delivery of measurement services.

Howard W. Yoon and Charles E. Gibson, Optical Technology Division, received the 2005 Astin Award “for major advances in the realization and dissemination of the NIST spectral irradiance scale widely used in climate-change research."

Dr. Yoon and Mr. Gibson were recognized for their development and dissemination of a NIST spectral irradiance scale, which has the lowest uncertainties of all the national metrology institutes. This effort required a new approach to realize the scale, using absolute detectors tied to the NIST cryogenic radiometer and a new facility to allow the scale to be disseminated using lamp standards. The climate-change research community will be one of the beneficiaries of this new scale since nearly all near-infrared to ultraviolet remote-sensing measurements worldwide are tied to NIST's spectral irradiance scale.

Edward Uhler Condon Award - 2005 (NIST)

The Edward Uhler Condon Award, first presented in 1974, is granted for distinguished achievement in effective written exposition in science or technology.

Michael A. Lombardi, Time and Frequency Division, received the 2005 Condon Award "for publications aimed at informing not only technical experts and manufacturers about NIST time and frequency services, but also the general public."

Mr. Lombardi was recognized for outstanding lead authorship of two publications describing NIST time and frequency measurement services: "NIST Time and Frequency Radio Stations: WWV, WWVH, and WWVB," G.K. Nelson, M.A. Lombardi, and D.T. Okayama, NIST Special Publication 250-67, and "WWVB Radio Controlled Clocks: Recommended Practices for Manufacturers and Consumers," M.A. Lombardi, A.N. Novick, J.P. Lowe, M. Deutch, G.K. Nelson, D. Sutton, W. Yates, and D.W. Hanson, NIST Special Publication 960-14. These publications describe some of NIST's most widely used services, including both technical details for the experts and clear and compelling explanations for the general public comprising most of the service users.

Eugenne Casson Crittenden Award

Recognizes superior achievement by permanent employees who perform supporting services that have a significant impact on technical programs beyond their own offices

Eyvon Petty, Time and Frequency Division, 2007 Award, “for outstanding support of NIST Boulder programs, including the Boulder SURF Program, Boulder Labs seminars and colloquia, and training Boulder staff.”

Jacob Rabinow Applied Research Award

For outstanding achievements in the practical application of the results of scientific engineering research

John Kitching, Time and Frequency Division, 2007 Award, “for outstanding leadership of NIST’s world-leading chip-scale atomic device program”

Sigma Xi (NIST Chapter) Outstanding Postdoctoral Presentation Award

Benjamin Brown and Patricia Lee, Atomic Physics Division, 2007 Award for their paper, “A two-qubit quantum gate with neutral atoms in an optical lattice”

Sigma Xi Young Scientist Award for Excellence in Scientific Research

Jason Crain, Electron and Optical Physics Division, was the recipient of the 2006 NIST Chapter of Sigma Xi Young Scientist Award for work leading to the discovery of "end states" in one dimensional atom chains and elucidating electronic effects in the length distributions of one dimensional chains of atoms.

Department of Energy Hydrogen Program R&D Award

Muhammad Arif, Ionizing Radiation Division, 2007 Award, for his outstanding achievement in fuel cell research and development

NASA Group Achievement Award - joint with staff of the
Space Telescope-European Coordinating Facility - 2006

Joseph Reader, Craig Sansonetti, and Gillian Nave, (joint with staff of the Space Telescope-European Coordinating Facility) received a 2006 NASA Group Achievement Award in recognition of painstaking efforts to provide maximum scientific value to Hubble Space Telescope data using precision laboratory spectral measurements and physical instrument modeling techniques.

Online: May 2009 - Updated: May 2009