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Robert A. Millikan Medal

Established 1962

The Robert A Millikan Medal recognizes those who have made outstanding scholarly contributions to physics education.

The Millikan Medal recipient is asked to make a presentation at the Ceremonial Session of an AAPT Summer Meeting. A $7,500 monetary award, The Millikan Medal, an Award Certificate, and travel expenses to the meeting are presented to the recipient.

Award Winners

2008

2007

 Eric Mazur, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, "The Make-Believe World of Real-World Physics"
David Sokoloff, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR, "Building a New, More Exciting Mouse Trap is Not Enough"
2006 Art Hobson, University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, AR, "Thoughts on Physics Education for the 21st Century"
2005 John S. Rigden, Washington University in St. Louis, MO
"The Mystique of Physics: Relumine the Enlightment"
2004

Kenneth S. Krane, Oregon State University,
"The Challenges of Teaching Modern Physics"
2003

Fred M. Goldberg, San Diego State University,
"Research and Development in Physics Education: Focusing on Students' Thinking"
2002 Simon George, California State University,
"Global Study of the Role of the Laboratory in Physics Educations"
2001 Sallie A. Watkins, University of Southern Colorado,
"Can "Descriptive" End with "A"?", Am. J. Phys. 70, (2002).
2000 Thomas D. Rossing, Northern Illinois University,
"Beauty in Physics and the Arts", Am. J. Phys. 69, 248 (2001).
1999 Alan Van Heuvelen, The Ohio State University,
"Research About Physics Learning, Linguistics, Our Minds, and the Workplace", Am. J. Phys. 69, 1138 (2001).
1998 Edward F. Redish, University of Maryland,
"Building a Science of Teaching Physics: Learning What Works and Why", Phys. Teach. 37, 136 (1999).
1997 David Griffiths, Reed College,
"Is there a Text in This Class?", Am.J. Phys. 65, 1141 (1997).
1996 Priscilla W. Laws, Dickinson College,
Phys. Teach. 34, 470 (1996).
1995 Dean Zollman, Kansas State University,
"Do They Just Sit There? Reflections on Helping Students Learn Physics", Phys. Teach. 33, 421 (1995).
1994 Frederick Reif, Carnegie-Mellon University,
"Understanding and Teaching Important Scientific Thought Processes", Phys. Teach. 32, 454 (1994).
1993 James A. Minstrell, Mercer Island High School,
"Creating an Environment for Reconstructing Understanding and Reasoning about the Physical World", Phys. Teach. 31, 332 (1993).
1992 Robert G. Fuller, University of Nebraska at Lincoln,
"Hypermedia and the Knowing of Physics Standing Upon the Shoulders of Giants", Am. J. Phys. 61, 299 (1993).
1991 Don Herbert, Mr. Wizard Studios,
"Behind the Scenes of Mr.Wizard", Phys. Teach. 29, 488 (1991).
1990 Lillian C. McDermott, University of Washington,
"What We Teach and What Is Learned Closing the Gap", Am. J. Phys. 59, 301 (1991).
1989 Peter Lindenfeld, Rutgers University,
"The Einsteinization of Physics", Am. J. Phys. 58, 300 (1990).
1988 Robert G. Greenler, University of Wisconsin at Milwaukee,
"Beetles, Bubbles, and Butterflies Iridescence in Nature", Phys. Teach. 26, 331 (1988).
1987 Donald Glenn Ivey, University of Toronto,
"Educational Television An Oxymoron?", Am. J. Phys. 55, 1068 (1987).
1986 Mario Iona, University of Denver,
"Why Johnny Can't Learn Physics from Textbooks I have Known", Am. J. Phys. 55, 299 (1987).
1985 James Gerhart, University of Washington,
"Handling Numbers", Am. J. Phys. 54, 492 (1986).
1984 Earl F. Zwicker, Illinois Institute of Technology,
"Life, Learning, and the Phunomenological [sic] Approach"
1983 Gerald F. Wheeler, Montana State University,
"The Emerging Telecommunications Network: New Conduit to Learners", Phys. Teach. 21, 452 (1983).
1982 Paul G. Hewitt, City College of San Francisco,
"The Missing Essential A Conceptual Understanding of Physics", Am. J. Phys. 51, 305 (1983).
1981 Albert A. Bartlett, University of Colorado at Boulder,
"Are We Overlooking Something?", Am. J. Phys. 49, 1104 (1981).
1980 Thomas D. Miner, Garden City High School,(ret.)
"Prides and Prejudices of a Physics Teacher", Phys. Teach. 18, 411 (1980). 
1979 Alexander Calandra, Washington University,
"The Art of Teaching Physics", Phys. Teach. 17, 498 (1979).
1978 Alfred Bork, University of California at Irvine,
"Interactive Learning", Am. J. Phys. 47, 5 (1979).
1977 C. Luther Andrews, State University of New York at Albany,
"Microwave Optics", Phys. Teach. 15, 343 (1977).
1976 Tung Hon Jeong, Lake Forest College,
"Holography", Am. J. Phys. 44, 1026 (1976).
1975 Harold A. Daw, New Mexico State University,
"Physics Instructional Apparatus and Things"
1974 Harald Jensen, Lake Forest College,
"A Retired Physics Teacher Reminisces", Am. J. Phys. 42, 1049 (1974).
1973 Frank Oppenheimer, The Exploratorium,
"Teaching and Learning", Am. J. Phys. 41, 1309 (1973).
1972 Arnold A. Strassenburg, State University of New York at Stony Brook, "The Evolution of Physics Teaching", Am. J. Phys. 40, 1729 (1972).
1971 Harry F. Meiners, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute,
"Problems of Science Education in Underdeveloped Countries", Am. J. Phys. 39, 468 (1971).
1970 Franklin Miller, Jr., Kenyon College,
"A Long Look at the Short Film", Am. J. Phys. 39, 3 (1971).
1969 John M. Fowler, University of Maryland,
"Content and Process in Physics Teaching", Am. J. Phys. 37, 1194 (1969).
1968 Alan Holden, Bell Telephone Laboratories,
"Artistic Invitations to the Study of Physics", Am. J. Phys. 36, 1081 (1968).
1967 Gerald Holton, Harvard University,
"Oildrops and Subelectrons", Am. J. Phys. 35, 905 (1967).
1966 Alan M. Portis, University of California, Berkeley
"Electrons, Photons, and Students", Am. J. Phys. 34, 1986 (1966).
1965 John G. King, Massachusetts Institute of Technology,
"The Undergraduate Physics Laboratory and Reality", Am. J. Phys. 34, 1058 (1966).
1964 H. Victor Neher, California Institute of Technology,
"Millikan: Teacher and Friend", Am. J. Phys. 32, 868 (1964).
1962 Paul E. Klopsteg, Northwestern University,
"The Early Days of the American Association of Physics Teachers"