Dr. Goodman presents Mr. Cataldi with the Chair's Award

· Congratulations to the winners of this year's Physics Staff Awards. Mr. John Cataldi, technical supervisor, received the Chair's Award for Outstanding Physics Staff for his many contributions to the mechanical development group and Mr. Randy Holder,engineering technician in the mechanical development group, received the Sibylle Sampson Physics Staff Award for his excellent work on the fabrication of an 11,000 gallon wave tank for the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Ms. Jane Hessing, administrative assistant for the graduate student services office, received the Department of Physics' first annual Special Award for Service to the Students. All award winners were honored with their awards on June 11, 2004 at the annual Staff Appreciation Luncheon.

Dr. S. Bhagat hugs Ms. Margaret Lukomska, thanking her for 15 years with the condensed matter group

The luncheon also distributed service awards to those physics staff who have contributed their talents to Physics at Maryland for 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 or 35 years. The Department sincerely thanks the award recipients -- and all of its dedicated staff members -- for their very hard work.

Please click here for a listing of award winners and nominees.

· Congratulations to Dr. Matthew Hill, who earned his PhD in physics from the University of Maryland in 2001, was selected to receive the Distinguished Alumni Award from Brookdale Community College in Lincroft, New Jersey. He received this honor at the college's commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 16, 2004. Dr. Hill currently holds a research faculty position in the Space Physics Research Group of the University of Maryland Department of Physics.

Master Jordan Hailey Scherr

· Congratulations to Dr. Rachel Scherr, faculty research assistant in the physics education research group, and her husband on the birth of their first son. Jordan Hailey Scherr weighed in at 8 lbs 3 oz. on Friday, July 2, 2004 at 6:32 am. Mother and baby are both doing very well.

· Congratulations to alumnus Dr. Dean Zollman, who earned his PhD in nuclear theory at the University of Maryland in 1969. He was awarded with the National Science Foundation's Director's Award for Distinguished Teaching Scholars (DTS), the foundation's highest honor for teaching and research excellence.

Zollman, who is currently the chair of the Kansas State University Department of Physics, was one of only eight recipients of the award. He was recognized for his outstanding physics education research and curriculum development. His emphasis on the use of technology in teaching physics has influenced the instruction of undergraduate and graduate physics students as well as non-physics majors and future K-12 teachers.