David Sturm Named as Summer 2026 AAPT Fellow

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

College Park, Maryland, United States, April 20, 2026—The Summer 2026 AAPT Fellow Awardee is David Sturm. AAPT Fellows are distinguished physicists, educators, administrators, and communicators who have been recognized for their contributions to the physics education community.

David Sturm is the instructional laboratory and lecture demonstration specialist for the University of Maine Department of Physics and Astronomy.  A member of AAPT and PIRA since the 1990’s, David has a history of distinguished service to AAPT locally and nationally.  David's service shows a long-term commitment to the Apparatus community, including past and current time as chair. He has been an active leader and officer for PIRA.  He has served in various roles in the New England Section In his role as Section Representative for New England he served in a variety of leadership positions between 2012 and 2023.  He has also served in the communities on Laboratories, and Science Education for the Public, and on the Meetings Location, and PTRA Oversight Committees.  From 2017-2021 Sturm served on the AAPT Board of Directors during the pandemic, which was a time when many crucial decisions were made.  Since leaving the Board, he stepped into the Nominations Chair role, at a time when declining membership and smaller conference attendance has raised challenges regarding how our committees are filled.  He has reached out to members, drawing them into roles that develop their leadership and bringing them solidly into AAPT.

Citation: “There are many physics teachers across this country (and beyond) who know of the University of Maine primarily because of how they have been directly and positively impacted by David Sturm. David embodies the AAPT ideal –for members of each of our communities to reach out to the others, to mentor and to learn from one another. He has been foundational to the AAPT experience of everyone in our vibrant PIRA and Apparatus communities. He has always promoted making lecture demonstrations accessible to all physics teachers. He has mentored and supported ALPhA since its very beginnings. He has long been a huge part of the PTRA workshops. Across all sectors of AAPT he has made sustaining connections. All across AAPT, he has made our society a better one.”

About the Award
The criterion for selection of Fellows is exceptional contribution to AAPT's mission, to enhance the understanding and appreciation of physics through teaching. Fellowship is a distinct honor signifying recognition by one's professional peers. Any AAPT member who has maintained an active membership for at least 7 years is eligible for nomination for Fellowship. Nominations are evaluated by the AAPT Awards committee and approved by the AAPT Board of Directors.

About AAPT
AAPT is an international organization for physics educators, physicists, and industrial scientists—with members worldwide. Dedicated to enhancing the understanding and appreciation of physics through teaching, AAPT provides awards, publications, and programs that encourage teaching practical application of physics principles, support continuing professional development, and reward excellence in physics education. AAPT was founded in 1930 and is headquartered in the American Center for Physics in College Park, Maryland.

For more information: Contact David Wolfe, Director of Communications, dwolfe@aapt.org, (301)209-3322, (301)209-0845 (Fax)