Recognizing Women in the Physical Sciences

Every year, AIP awards physical scientists for their leadership and excellence. In recognition of women in the physical sciences, here are the women that AIP honored in 2025 for their contributions to the physical sciences — you can check out some of their stories below.

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Priyamvada Natarajan, winner of the 2025 Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics

AIP and the American Astronomical Society awarded Priyamvada Natarajan the 2025 Dannie Heineman Prize for Astrophysics for her groundbreaking contributions to advancing our understanding of dark matter substructure in galaxy clusters, the formation and fueling of black holes, and their feedback into the surrounding environment.

“I was thrilled and excited to hear about this award, and this recognition from colleagues and peers is very meaningful,” Natarajan said. “I am delighted to be able to celebrate with my mother, who has played a critical role by enthusiastically supporting me unconditionally in everything I have done.”

Natarajan is the Joseph S. and Sophia S. Fruton Professor in the astronomy and physics departments at Yale University and also serves as the chair of the university’s Department of Astronomy.

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Brianna Hauke, recipient of the 2025 Marian Rose Research Scholarship

Brianna Hauke was awarded the inaugural Marian H. Rose Research Scholarship from the Society of Physics Students, an AIP organization. According to Hauke, winning the award has validated her choice of study and strengthened her resolve to give back to the climatology community.

“I hope to use my degree and knowledge to help solve problems in satellite meteorology and to help better prepare forecasters and climate modelers to help save lives and be informed on climate change,” Hauke said.

Hauke is currently a master’s student studying atmospheric science at the University of Wyoming and is planning to graduate in May 2026.

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Ana María Cetto, winner of the 2025 Tate Medal for International Leadership in Physics

AIP awarded Ana María Cetto the 2025 John Torrence Tate Medal for International Leadership in Physics for her outstanding contributions to scientific outreach and cooperation worldwide, including transforming open access through Latindex, championing gender equity through the Organization for Women in Science for the Developing World, and advancing peaceful progress through science.

“The fact that this medal is being given to me for things which I have accomplished in my life that I don’t get paid for — things that I feel responsible to do as a scientist — is very meaningful,” Cetto said.

Cetto is a research professor at the Institute of Physics, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México (UNAM).

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Smitha Vishveshwara, winner of the 2025 Andrew Gemant Award

Smitha Vishveshwara received AIP’s 2025 Andrew Gemant Award for her years of creatively blending science teaching, theater, and art in ways that inspire and communicate the principles and elegance of physics through artistic expression.

“I feel highly grateful to be able to embrace science-art-humanity as a way of life and for all the nurturing influences that made it possible,” Vishveshwara said. “I’m very honored to receive this award and moved by how it resonates with my outlook and our communal practice.”

Currently, Vishveshwara works as a professor of condensed matter physics at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.

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Rebecca Vieyra, recipient of AIP’s 2025 William F. and Edith R. Meggers Project Award

PhET Interactive Simulations project at the University of Colorado Boulder was awarded the $25,000 William F. and Edith R. Meggers Project Award for the proposed project, “Electricity and Magnetism with PhET Interactive Simulations: A Professional Learning Course and Community for Teachers.”

As the director of global initiatives at PhET, Rebecca Vieyra spends a lot of time building relationships with teachers. In addition to overseeing the programs, Vieyra helps secure funding. The Meggers Project Award will allow her team to expand programming and train more teachers to use PhET simulations, something they’re already doing on the ground in over 35 countries.

“I don’t see [the grant] as just an award,” Vieyra said. “For me personally, this is a reflection of the hard work of my team.”

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Stacyann Nelson, winner of the Joseph A Johnson Award

AIP and the National Society for Black Physicists presented Stacyann Nelson with the Joseph A. Johnson Award for her research on the study of gluon dynamics in gold nuclei to understand fundamental properties of hadronic matter at high energies. The award also honors the mentorship of early-career physicists, so Nelson was also recognized for instilling confidence in her students to aspire to become leaders in physics research.

“I am honored to have been selected for this prestigious award that connects me to Dr. Johnson’s scientific contributions and his passion and commitment to nurturing future generations of physicists, especially within the African American community,” Nelson told AIP. “This award is a reminder that success is not only our personal achievements but also those we uplift along the way.”

Currently, Nelson is an assistant professor of physics at Morgan State University.

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This March, AIP is celebrating Women’s History Month by highlighting women in the physical sciences. Check out more stories from accomplished physicists on AIP’s Women’s History Month page .