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Oersted Medal

Established 1936

The Oersted Medal recognizes those who have had an outstanding, widespread, and lasting impact on the teaching of physics.

The Oersted Medalist is asked to prepare an Address to be given at the Ceremonial Session of an AAPT Winter Meeting. A $10,000 monetary award, the Oersted Medal, an Award Certificate, and travel expenses to the meeting are presented to the recipient.

Nomination Form

Award Winners

2009
 George F. Smoot, Nobel Laureat and astrophysicist at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory and University of California at Berkeley physics professor
2008 Mildred S. Dresselhaus, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
2007 Carl Wieman, University of British Columbia and University of Colorado "Interactive Stimulations for Teaching Physics: What Works, What Doesn't, and Why"
2006 Kenneth Ford, American Institute of Physics (Ret.), "Love Them to Death."
2005 Eugene D. Commins, University of California, Berkeley, "Those Who Inspire Me."
2004 Lawrence Krauss, Case Western Reserve University, "A State of the Universe Address."
2003 Edward W. Kolb, Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory, "Schroedringer's Alarming Phenomenon."
2002 David Hestenes, Arizona State University,
"Reforming the Mathematical Language of Physics," Am. J. Phys. 71, 104 (2003).
2001 Lillian C. McDermott, University of Washington,
"Research-The Key to Student Learning," Am. J. Phys. 69, 1126 (2001).
2000 John G. King, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
"Observation, Experiment and the Future of Physics," Phys. Teach. 38, 203 (2000).
1999 David L. Goodstein, California Institute of Technology,
"Now Boarding: The Flight from Physics," Am. J. Phys. 67, 182 (1999).
1998 Edwin F. Taylor, Carnegie Mellon University,
"Einstein and Feynman: Attracting Students to Physics," Phys. Teach. 36, 133 (1998).
1997 Daniel Kleppner, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, "The Cat and the Moon," Phys. Teach. 35, 262 (1997).
1996 Donald F. Holcomb, Cornell University,
"Beyond F=ma," Phys. Teach. 34, 199 (1996).
1995 Robert Beck Clark, Texas A&M University,
Am. J. Phys. 63, 588 (1995).
1994 E. Leonard Jossem, Ohio State University at Columbus, Am. J. Phys. 62, 588 (1994).
1993 Hans A. Bethe, Cornell University, Am. J. Phys. 61, 971 (1993).
1992 Eugen Merzbacher, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Am. J. Phys. 60, 297 (1992).
1991  Freeman Dyson, Institute for Advanced Study, Princeton, Am. J. Phys. 59, 490 (1991).
1990 Carl E. Sagan, Cornell University, Am. J. Phys. 58, 720 (1990).
1989 Anthony P. French, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Phys. Teach. 27, 138 (1989) and Am. J. Phys. 57, 586 (1989).
1988  Norman F. Ramsey, Lyman Physics Laboratory, Harvard University, Am. J. Phys. 56, 875 (1988).
1987  Clifford E. Swartz, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Am. J. Phys. 55, 781 (1987).
1986 Stanley S. Ballard, University of Florida, Am. J. Phys. 54, 684 (1986).
1985  Sam Treiman, Princeton University, Am. J. Phys. 53, 816 (1985).
1984 Frank Oppenheimer, The Exploratorium, Am. J. Phys.52, 684 (1984).
1983  John A. Wheeler, Center for Theoretical Physics, University of Texas at Austin, Am. J. Phys. 51, 398 (1983).
1982 I.I. Rabi, Columbia University, New York, Am. J. Phys. 50, 971 (1982).
1981 Robert Karplus, University of California, Berkeley, Am. J. Phys. 49, 810 (1981).
1980  Gerald Holton, Harvard University, Am. J. Phys. 48, 1014 (1980).
1979 Extraordinary Oersted Medal Award: Paul E. Klopsteg, Am. J. Phys. 47, 670 (1979).
1979  Charles Kittel, University of California, Berkeley, Am. J. Phys. 47, 668 (1979).
1978 Wallace A. Hilton, William Jewell College.
1977 H. Richard Crane, University of Michigan, Am. J. Phys. 45, 599 (1977).
1976 Victor F. Weisskopf, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Am. J. Phys. 44, (1976).
1975 Robert Resnick, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, Am. J. Phys. 43, 387 (1975).
1974 Melba N. Phillips, State University of New York at Stony Brook, Am. J. Phys. 42, 357 (1974).
1973 Arnold Arons, University of Washington, Am. J. Phys. 41, 767 (1973).
1972  Richard P. Feynman, California Institute of Technology, Am. J. Phys. 57, 492 (1989).
1971  Uri Haber-Schaim, Education Development Center, Am. J. Phys. 39, 719 (1971).
1970 Edwin C. Kemble, Harvard University, Am. J. Phys. 38, 676 (1970).
1969 Eric M. Rogers, Princeton University, Am. J. Phys. 37, 954 (1969).
1968 Harvey E. White, University of California, Berkeley, Am. J. Phys. 36, 381 (1968).
1967 Edward M. Purcell, Harvard University, Am. J. Phys. 35, 479 (1967).
1966 Leonard I. Schiff, Stanford University, Am. J. Phys. 34, 453 (1966).
1965  Philip Morrison, Cornell University, Am. J. Phys. 33, 702 (1965).
1964  Walter Christian Michels, Bryn Mawr College, Am. J. Phys. 32, 497 (1964).
1963 Francis L. Friedman, Posthumous Award, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Am. J. Phys. 31, 475 (1963).
1962  Francis W. Sears, Dartmouth College, Am. J. Phys. 30, 399 (1962).
1961 Jerrold R. Zacharias, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Am. J. Phys. 29, 345 (1961).
1960 Robert W. Pohl, Gottingen University, Am. J. Phys. 28, 528 (1960).
1959  Paul Kirkpatrick, Stanford University, Am. J. Phys. 27, 390 (1959).
1958  J.W. Buchta, University of Minnesota, Am. J. Phys. 26, 350 (1958).
1957  Mark W. Zemansky, The City College, Am. J. Phys. 25, 349 (1957).
1956 George E. Uhlenbeck, University of Michigan, Am. J. Phys. 24, 431 (1956).
1955  Vernet E. Eaton, Wesleyan University, Am. J. Phys. 23, 322 (1955).
1954 Clifford N. Wall, University of Minnesota, Am. J. Phys. 22, 363 (1954).
1953 Richard M. Sutton, Haverford College, Am. J. Phys. 21, 368 (1953).
1952 Ansel A. Knowlton, Reed College, Am. J. Phys. 20, 267 (1952).
1951 John W. Hornbeck, Kalamazoo College, Am. J. Phys. 19, 324 (1951).
1950 Orrin H. Smith, DePauw University, Am. J. Phys. 18, 254 (1950).
1949  Arnold Sommerfeld, University of Munich, Am. J. Phys. 17, 312 (1949).
1948 William Harley Barber, Ripon College, Am. J. Phys. 16, 105 (1948).
1947 Duane Roller, Wabash College, Am. J. Phys. 15, 176 (1947).
1946 Ray Lee Edwards, Miami University, Am. J. Phys. 14, 108 (1946).
1945 Homer Levi Dodge, Norwich University, Am. J. Phys. 13, 178 (1945).
1944 Roland Roy Tileston, Pomona College, Am. J. Phys. 12, 96 (1944).
1943  George Walter Stewart, State University of Iowa, Am. J. Phys. 11, 89 (1943).
There was no AAPT Meeting in 1942. 
1941 Henry Crew, Northwestern University, Am. J. Phys. 10, 28 (1942).
1940  Robert Andrews Millikan, California Institute of Technology, Am. J. Phys. 9, 38 (1941).
1939 Benjamin Harrison Brown, Whitman College, Am. J. Phys. 8, 41 (1940).
1938 Alexander Wilmer Duff, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Am. J. Phys. 7, 49 (1939).
1937 Edward Herbert Hall, Harvard University, Am. J. Phys. 6, 14 (1938).
1936 William Suddards Franklin, Rollins College, Am. J. Phys. 5, 31 (1937).