Awards & Recognition

Join a nationally recognized physics and engineering department. 

From major grants to student awards, there are a lot of great things happening in the Bethel physics program. Plus, our graduating class usually ranks among the largest of the undergraduate physics programs in the U.S. (American Institute of Physics).

Grants

• $243,478 — Starting August 2021. National Science Foundation “RUI: Digging Deep for New Physics with the CMS Experiment” Grant to Dr. Julie Hogan.
• $265,341 — 2021-24 National Science Foundation "Developing Optical Devices and Project-based Learning to Improve Undergraduate Students’ Scientific Research and Engineering Design Skills" Grant to Dr. Nathan Lemke
• $297,909 — 2020-23 National Science Foundation "High-Speed Imaging and Spectroscopy of Single Molecules" Grant to Dr. Nathan Lindquist
• $208,260 — 2018 National Science Foundation "Digging Deep for New Physics" Grant to Dr. Julie Hogan
• $500,000 — 2015-18 National Science Foundation "Faculty Early Career Development" Award to Dr. Nathan Lindquist
• $252,393 — 2013-16 National Science Foundation Grant to research new chemical imaging and microscopy techniques
• $143,557 — 2013-15 National Science Foundation Grant for advanced laboratory projects with web-based videos
• $230,000 — 2012-15 National Science Foundation Grant to research fiber lasers and frequency combs
• $80,000 — 2011-13 Air Force Research Laboratory Grant for modeling satellite systems
• $1,868 — 2012 Society of Physics Students Grant for student research on supersonic flow
• $10,000 — SPIE (International Society for Optical Engineering) LaserFest Grant
• $44,500 — CID Inc. grant for Single-photon Cooling of Lithium in a Dipole Trap
• ~$20,000 / year — NASA Minnesota Space Grant Consortium

Awards & Honors

• Chosen Fellow of the American Association of Physics Teachers, Prof. Peterson
• Selected as one of 21 “thriving” physics departments (of 780) by National Task Force on Undergrad Physics
• Heuer Award for Outstanding Achievement in Science Education, Council of Independent Colleges
• American Physical Society Award for Best Student Paper, Jack '11
• Chosen Fellow of the American Physical Society, Prof. Peterson
• Continuing Member of NASA's Space Grant College Consortium, Prof. Hamre Kontak, Bethel University Principle Investigator
• Prof. Peterson elected to Minnesota Science and Technology Hall of Fame, Nov. 2011
• Prof. Peterson elected Senior Member of the Optical Society of America, Nov. 2011
• Nationally elected to Executive Committee of the American Physical Society, Prof. Peterson
• Program Director, NSF, Division of Undergraduate Education, 2010–12, Prof. Peterson
• ALPhA Immersion National Workshop 2013 and 2011 hosted at Bethel and funded by NSF

Notable Graduate School Fellowships

• National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship (NSF GRF). This is one of the most prestigious national awards for graduate students.
  • Princeton, Sarah '17
  • University of Minnesota, Chris '15
  • University of Georgia, Sarah '15
  • Princeton University, Sarah '14
  • University of Minnesota, Daniel '13
  • University of Arizona, Jessica '12
  • University of Minnesota, Lauren '12
  • University of Michigan, Kaysee '12
  • Honorable Mention, University of Minnesota, Nathan '12
• 2013 Willis Lamb Fellowship, University of Arizona, Jessica '12
• 2012 American Association of Physicists in Medicine Fellowship, Jami '11  

Notable Undergraduate Internships

• Summer 2021 - Physics Dept. at University of Delaware -  Quantum Information Student Researcher 
• Summer 2021 - Bakken Medical Device Center, U of Minnesota -  Project Manager
• Summer 2021 - Air Force Research Lab, Kirtland AFB, NM -  University Space Research Associate
• Summer 2021 - University of Colorado, Boulder, CO - Condensed Matter Research REU
• Summer 2018 Cornell University - Spintronis and Magnetic Manipulation
• Summer 2018 Mayo Clinic - Biomedical Engineering
• Summer 2018 Northwestern University - Materials Research Science and Engineering Center
• Summer 2018 Defence Intelligence Agency - Technical Operations, Science and Technology Division
• Summer 2018 Notre Dame, Experimental Nuclear Physics
• 2013 NNIN (National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network) Summer Internship
  
  • University of Minnesota, Andrew '14
• 2013 NNIN International Summer Internship
  
  • National Institute, Tsukuba, Japan, Steve '13
• 2012 NNIN International Summer Internship
  
  • National Institute, Tsukuba, Japan, Lauren '12
• 2012 NNIN Research Experience for Undergraduates
  • University of Colorado, Dan '13
  • University of Minnesota, Steve '14
• 2010-12 National Science Foundation Summer Internships
  • University of Nebraska, Curtis '14
  • University of Minnesota, Andrew '12
  • University of Nebraska Jen '12
  • University of Minnesota, Lauren '12
  • Colorado University, Cassie '13
  • Miami University, Kayse '12
  • University of Colorado, James '11
  • LIGO/Caltech, Nathan '11
  • University of Minnesota, David '11
• 2010-11 Internship at NIST (National Institute of Standards & Technology)
  • Jessica '12
  • Adam '11
  • Sarah '11
• 2010 Minnesota Supercomputing Institute Internship
  • Michelle '12
• 2010 National Science Foundation Summer Internship
  • Duke University, Jessica '12
• 2010 Multispectral Laboratories Summer Internship
  • Oklahoma State, Tim '12