We wish to thank all of the donors to all Physics Department funds. The Physics Department greatly appreciates the support it has received from alumni and friends over the years. Private gifts provide us with the resources necessary for meaningful enhancements to our programs.
If you wish to donate to one of these, simply click on the fund name. You will then be connected to a secure UW Foundation electronic donor page where the name of the fund you selected will automatically be entered in the funding information box.
UW Foundation Representative
The UW Foundation Representative to the UW-Madison Physics Department is Mae Saul, Associate Director of Development. She can be reached by email at mae.saul@supportuw.org, or by phone at (608) 216-6274
General Funding Areas
Physics Newton Fund – This is a general, unrestricted fund administered by the Department Chair. The purpose of this fund is to aid the Department of Physics in its research, teaching and public service roles. Greatly in need of increased income, due to larger than usual expenditures. Fund No. 132691720.
The Barschall Enterprise Fund – Established in 2005 by Alumnus Jay Davis in honor of the late Emeritus Professor Heinz Barschall, this unrestricted fund will provide the Physics Department Chair with flexibility in areas of need and opportunity when recruiting senior researchers to faculty. Fund No. 132694421.
Chun Lin Atomic Collision Research Fund – Established in 2007 by Professor Lin to encourage and support research on the physics of collision processes of electrons with atoms and molecules, as well as their application to studies of the microscopic behavior of weakly ionized gases. 132694980.
Quantum Computing Research Center Fund – To be used for research in Quantum Computing in the Department of Physics. Fund No. 132697999.
The Wonders of Physics – Established in 1984, the mission of the Wonders of Physics is to generate interest in physics among people of all ages and backgrounds. The Wonders of Physics (TWOP) is an entertaining and educational program, demonstrating key elements of physics. The programs consist primarily of live demonstrations of the key concepts of physics: motion, heat, light, sound, electricity, magnetism, and modern physics. In 2012 TWOP presented over 150 shows and workshops for over 26,000 people. Fund No. 132698078.
Friends of the L.R. Ingersoll Museum of Physics – Established in 2004. The historical Leonard R. Ingersoll Physics Museum was originally established in 1918. Eventually it was housed in two rooms in Sterling Hall. Your donations to this fund will support the acquisition and construction of new exhibits for the expanded museum in Chamberlin Hall. In addition, funds will be used to support activities of the “Friends of the Ingersoll Physics Museum,” including creation of a student tour guide program for visiting school groups. Fund No. 132694069.
Elementary Particle Physics Institute – The purpose of this fund is research and program advancement in the Department of Physics. Fund No. 112691418.
Physics Community-Building Fund – To be used by Chair for purpose of establishing and reaffirming a sense of community among the faculty, staff, students and alumni of the department. Fund No. 112694622.
David Grainger Physics Library Fund provides funding for the acquisition of books and other materials related to physics. Fund No. 132695530.
L.R. Ingersoll Fund provides support for colloquia and seminars in the department. Fund No. 132690387.
Thomas G. Rosenmeyer Cosmology Fund provides support for the Prof. Peter Timbie research group in its teaching, research, and public service roles. Fund No. 112696250.
Raymond G. & Anne W. Herb Endowment for Physics – Created by a former Emeritus Physics Professor and University of Wisconsin graduate, Ray Herb, & his wife, Anne, this fund provides the opportunity to promote advances in Materials Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Fund No. 132692471.
Undergraduate Support
Fay Ajzenberg-Selove Scholarship Fund – This fund will support undergraduate women majoring in or planning to major in astronomy, physics, or astrophysics. A committee with representation from Physics and Astronomy will determine the recipient of this award. Fund No. 132691618.
Dr. Maritza Irene Stapanian Crabtree Undergraduate Scholarship – This fund was created in honor of the late Maritza Stapanian Crabtree, a former graduate of the UW–Madison (BS ’71) to offer other talented young people a chance to follow their dreams. Maritza worked as an undergraduate research assistant in the UW Space Physics Lab when attending UW and went on to be one of the first women admitted to the graduate program in planetary science at CIT. This scholarship is awarded based on merit and need. Fund No. 132693412.
Bernice Durand Undergraduate Research Scholarship – Established in 2003, this undergraduate research scholarship will be giving preference to women or to ethnic minorities in Physics and Astronomy. Fund No. 132693561.
Henry & Eleanor Firminhac Physics Scholarship Fund – Former UW graduate, the late Ralph Firminhac (BS ’41, MS ’42), created this scholarship in memory of his parents, Henry & Eleanor Firminhac. This endowed fund has financial need as the primary consideration, followed by a genuine interest in physics and ability to obtain a degree. Fund No. 132693645.
Liebenberg Family Research Scholarship Fund in Physics – This scholarship will be awarded annually based on merit to a junior majoring in Physics, AMEP, or Astronomy, with preference given to a student interested in Condensed Matter Physics. This scholarship opportunity is for the purpose of promoting undergraduate summer research opportunities. This scholarship may continue through his/her senior year with support for research and travel. Fund No. 132692683.
Hagengruber Fund The Hagengruber Fund was established by Roger Hagengruber (BS Physics 66; PhD Physics 72) in gratitude to the Department of Physics for providing opportunities to fund his education while in school and imparting the skills that led to a long; successful career in the field of physics. This award provides assistance to undergraduate physics students who are Wisconsin residents with financial need; and who show exceptional promise for a future in physics or a related field. Fund No. 132697989.
Board of Visitors Undergraduate Research Support – Physics Board of Visitors Fund for Undergraduate Research – The purpose of this fund is to support undergraduate research in the Physics Department with awards that will assist directed study projects in pure and applied physics, multidisciplinary projects linking physics to such fields as biology, engineering, business, and creative expression, and participation in related conferences. Fund No. 112697824.
Graduate Support
Allan M. and Arline B. Paul Physics Fund provides support to graduate students in memory of Walter Max Borer (MS 1937). The late Mrs. Arline Borer Paul (1914-2012) created an endowment fund, the Allan M. and Arline B. Paul Physics Fund, for graduate scholarships in memory of Walter Max Borer. Walter was Arline’s brother and received an MS degree in 1937, thesis title, Test of A Thermostat Employing Vacuum Tube Amplification. He worked with Professor Roebuck and with Dr. Leland Haworth. We don’t have much information on Walter’s career but we did find that Dr. Leland John Haworth, Ph.D. 1931, was appointed by President Kennedy in 1963 to head the National Science Foundation, which he did from 1963-1969. Fund No. 132697960.
Carl and Brynn Anderson Graduate Physics Fund provides support for graduate student recruitment and retention, travel for study and research, materials for study or research; recognizing achievement in scholarship. Fund No. 132697988.
Cornelius P. and Cynthia C. Browne Endowed Fellowship Fund – This fund benefits the Department of Physics for graduate student financial support. Special preference will be given to students pursuing degrees in Experimental Nuclear Physics or Experimental Physics. Fund No. 132692082
Joseph R. Dillinger Teaching Award – The purpose of the fund is to provide an annual award to an outstanding teaching assistant in the Department of Physics. This fund was established by the family of Professor Joseph R. Dillinger who was a physics professor at the University of Wisconsin. The recipient(s) shall be nominated by the TA Policy and Review Committee and final selection will be made by the Student Awards Committee. Fund No. 132691359
Albert R. Erwin, Jr. – Casey M Durandet Graduate Student Fund – The fund supports graduate students working in experimental high energy physics. Preference will be given to women, applicants with financial need and/or students who may be disadvantaged, and to those showing strong desire and promise. A student whose undergraduate career may have started off slowly, but who demonstrated steady improvement, should be given extra consideration. Fund No. 132697201
Elizabeth S. Hirschfelder Endowment for Physics – The purpose of this fund is to assist women graduate students in Physics at UW – Madison. The Elizabeth Hirschfelder Fund for Graduate Women in Physics (Math and Chemistry as well) was established 2001. Dr. Betty Hirschfelder received a Ph.D. in Math in 1930 from the University of Wisconsin-Madison.Fund No. 132693190
Karl Guthe Jansky & Alice Knapp Jansky Fellowship – Physics/Astronomy – Instituted in 2002, this award will alternate annually between an outstanding student in the Physics Department and an outstanding student in the Astronomy Department who is pursuing an advanced degree. Preference will be given to a student particularly interested in astrophysics/radio astronomy. Fund No. 12693017
Van Vleck Fellowship in Physics – This fund supplements the Department of Physics with additional dollars needed for graduate student financial support. Fund No. 132695370.
Physics Alumni Graduate Award Fund provides support to incoming graduate students who hold Teaching Assistant appointments in the department. Fund No. 112698294.
Robertson Leach Graduate Student Fund provides support for incoming, first year graduate students in the department. Fund No. 132697430.
Graduate Student Recruiting provides assistance in recruitment expenses of Physics graduate students. Fund No. 132692106.
Special Physics Graduate Support Fund (Anderson-Huber Fellowship) provides a number of awards to new graduate students entering the department. This award is in honor of Profs. L. Wilmer Anderson and David Huber. Fund No. 112696443.
Robert M. St. John Graduate Support Fund provides a number of awards to new graduate students entering the department. This award is in honor of Robert M. St. John (Ph.D. 1954). After completing his doctoral research supervised by Professor J. G. Winnas, St. John joined the faculty at the University of Oklahoma where he remained until his retirement in 1990. He is well known for his seminal research work in the field of atomic collisions and gaseous electronics. He served as the Chairman of the Engineering Physics program at Oklahoma for 15 years. Fund No. 132690387.
Graduate Student Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowships (WDGF)
Jeff and Lily Chen Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowship – Created by former University of Wisconsin graduates, Jeff & Lily Chen, this fund provides support to an outstanding graduate student in the Department of Physics.
Raymond G. and Anne W. Herb Wisconsin Distinguished Graduate Fellowships (2) – Created by a former Emeritus Physics Professor and University of Wisconsin graduate, Ray Herb, & his wife, Anne, this fund provides the opportunity to promote advances in Material Science at the University of Wisconsin-Madison through the funding of Physics research assistants in this field.
Endowed Chairs
Bernice Durand Faculty Fellowship — This Fund is named in honor of Bernice Durand, a pioneering female physicist at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and one of the department’s first female professors. The Fund shall support faculty in the Department of Physics. The department will continue to look for opportunities to increase support for the Fund until there is sufficient income to support a Professorship, Chair, or Distinguished Chair. At such time, the Fund will be renamed the Bernice Durand Endowed Professorship (or Chair or Distinguished Chair).
Martin L. Perl Chair
Emanuel Piore Professorship
Dunson K. Cheng Chair in Physics
Carl J. and Brynn B. Anderson Professorship in Physics