Moons and mobile laboratories win top prizes at the Institute of Physics awards 2007

The Institute’s President, Peter Saraga, will make a presentation to each of the winners, photographs of which will be available following the event.

The Institute’s annual awards are for individuals who have made outstanding contributions to physics worldwide. (Short citations appear under each medal title).

Dirac Medal and Prize

David Sherrington, Universtiy of Oxford. For his pioneering work on spin glasses, which has led to a better understanding of physical characteristics of glasses and how these disordered structures differ from regular crystals.

This premier award, is given for outstanding contributions to theoretical (including mathematical and computational) physics. The silver gilt medal is accompanied by a certificate and a prize of £1000.

Glazebrook Medal and Prize

Colin Carlile, the Institut Laue-Langevin, Grenoble. For his contributions to neutron science; in particular through his leadership of the Institut Laue-Langevin, the world’s premier source of neutron beams for research.

The Glazebrook Medal, named after the first Director of the National Physical Laboratory, is one of the Institute's three Premier Awards and is made annually for outstanding contributions to the organisation, utilisation or application of science. The silver gilt medal is accompanied by a certificate and a prize of £1000.

Guthrie Medal and Prize

Gilbert Lonzarich, the University of Cambridge. For his contributions to theoretical and experimental condensed-matter physics; in particular for his work on strongly correlated electron systems.

The Guthrie Medal was instituted in 1914 in memory of Professor Frederick Guthrie, founder of The Physical Society, the precursor to the Institute. The silver gilt medal, accompanied by a certificate and a cash prize of £1000, is one of the Institute's three Premier Awards and is awarded annually for contributions to physics by a physicist of international reputation.

Bragg Medal and Prize

Philip Britton, the grammar school, Leeds. For his important contributions to physics education including establishing one of the first physics teacher networks and leading the production of materials to support physics teachers up to GCSE level.

The Bragg Medal is named after Sir Lawrence Bragg who had an international reputation for the popularization and teaching of physics. The bronze medal is awarded annually for significant contributions to physics education and it is accompanied by a certificate and a prize of £1000.

Chree Medal and Prize

Michele Dougherty, Imperial College London. For her contributions to the field of planetary magnetic fields and atmospheres and their interactions with the solar wind, in particular through scientific leadership of the Cassini mission to Saturn and its moons.

The Chree Medal and Prize was instituted in 1939 in memory of Dr Charles Chree, President of the Physical Society 1908-10, by his sister. The award is given for distinguished research in environmental physics, terrestrial magnetism, atmospheric electricity and related subjects, such as other aspects of geophysics comprising the Earth, oceans, atmosphere and solar-terrestrial problems. The medal is silver and accompanied by a certificate and a prize of £1000.

Duddell Medal and Prize

Richard Nelmes, the University of Edinburgh. For pioneering new techniques and instrumentation that have transformed high-pressure structural science, including the production of quantitative diffraction data that can be analysed to pressures beyond a megabar.

The Duddell medal was instituted in 1923 as a memorial to William du Bois Duddell, the inventor of the electromagnetic oscillograph. It is awarded annually to a person who has contributed to the advancement of knowledge through the application of physics, including invention or design of scientific instruments or by the discovery of materials used in their construction or has made outstanding contributions to the application of physics. The bronze medal is accompanied by a certificate and a prize of £1000.

Kelvin Medal and Prize

Charles Jenkins, Australia National University. For the development of the Lab in a Lorry, a self-contained mobile laboratory in which young people take part in hands-on experiments.

This recently established award is made annually for outstanding contributions to the public understanding of physics. The award comprises a bronze medal, a certificate and a prize of £1000.

Mott Medal and Prize

Andre Geim, University of Manchester. For his discovery of a new class of materials: free-standing two-dimensional crystals, in particular graphene

The Mott Medal and Prize was instituted by the Council of the Institute of Physics in 1997 to commemorate the Nobel laureate Sir Nevil Mott FRS, and has been generously endowed by his family. The award is given for distinguished research in condensed matter or materials physics. The award consists of a silver medal, and is accompanied by a certificate and a prize of £1000.

Boys Medal and Prize

Amalia Patanè, University of Nottingham. For her innovative experimental studies of the quantum behaviour of electrons in novel semiconductor heterostructures.

The Boys silver medal and prize of £1000 is named after Sir Charles Vernon Boys who was President of The Physical Society, the Institute's precursor, from 1916–18. It is awarded annually for distinguished research in experimental physics, recognising physicists early in their careers.

Maxwell Medal and Prize

Nigel Cooper, Cavendish Laboratory, University of Cambridge. For his for his work on topological excitations in quantum Hall fluids and related systems, in particular rotating Bose–Einstein condensates.

The bronze medal, awarded annually, is intended to encourage young theoretical physicists early in their careers. It is accompanied by a certificate and a prize of £1000.

Paterson Medal and Prize

Kurt Haselwimmer, Cambridge Magnetic Refrigeration Ltd. For establishing the successful scientific instruments company Cambridge Magnetic Refrigeration.

This annual award was introduced in 1981 in recognition of the importance of the application of physics in industry and is named after the founder of GEC Research Laboratories. The award is made to physicists early in their careers. The bronze medal is accompanied by a certificate and a prize of £1000.