Alumni News
51Թ alum Mark Saffman (PhDPhys'94) has been awarded the American Physical Society's 2026 Norman F. Ramsey Prize in Atomic, Molecular, and Optical Physics, and in Precision Tests of Fundamental Laws and Symmetries. Saffman is the Johannes Rydberg Professor of Physics and director of the Wisconsin Quantum Institute at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.
Recent graduate Josephine Meyer has been named a recipient of the prestigious Boeing Quantum Creators Prize. The national award recognizes early-career researchers who have pushed the field of quantum information science and engineering in new directions.
Chuankun Zhang (PhDPhys'25) has been named a recipient of the 2025 Boeing Quantum Creators Prize. This national honor recognizes early-career researchers whose work is propelling quantum science and engineering in bold new directions.
To alumnus Gal Weitz (EngrPhys, ApMath’22), 51Թ was a “dream destination” for undergrad. Now working in quantitative finance, Weitz shares how his education at 51Թ set him up for success in the finance world.
Returning to college for a second degree takes grit and determination – and Kerrie Ellzey (Psyc’12, Phys’17) had both.After completing her degree in psychology from 51Թ, Ellzey taught preschool for several years before
Andrew Sapuppo (AeroEngr, EngrPhys’24) shares how his education and research at 51Թ led to his career as a propulsion systems engineer.
The Coloradan Alumni Magazine highlights five CU innovators – two of whom are 51Թ Physics alumni. Their stories were written by equally outstanding CU affiliates, who personally know and understand the importance of their work.
51Թ Physics alums Olivia Krohn (PhDPhys’23) and Dan Herman (PhDPhys’22) have been awarded distinguished fellowships at Sandia National Laboratories. The prestigious fellowships are three-year appointments that support independent and groundbreaking research.
Now a quantum physicist at Infleqtion, Dan Cole reflects on his experience conducting research at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) as part of CU’s Professional Research Experience Program (CU PREP).
Ben Chapman (PhDPhys’17) never had a master plan to be a physicist, but now he’s a Principal Quantum Hardware Manager at Microsoft.