Medals & Prizes

Undergraduates

The Department of Physics, NUS, recently launched a prize which will recognise students for their excellence in experimental physics. The Prize is named in honour of retired Prof Arthur Rajaratnam who headed the Department from 1969 to 1982. Prof Rajaratnam made a gift of S$15,000 to help set up the Prize.

A cash incentive of S$200 will be awarded to two top performing students in Level 2000 experimental laboratory course (PC2193) and Level 3000 experimental laboratory course (PC3193) every year, starting AY2010/2011.

The award is governed by the following conditions:

  1. The award basis:
    • One prize for best performance by a student in level 2000 experimental lab course(s), i.e. PC2193.
    • One prize for best performance by a student in level 3000 experimental lab course(s), i.e. PC3193.
  2. This award is only open to Singaporean & Malaysian students majoring in Physics.
  3. In case of a tie between a Malaysian and a Singaporean student, the award will be given to the Malaysian student.
  4. As the courses are offered in both semesters, all students who have taken the courses in either semester will be considered.

The Department hopes that the Arthur Rajaratnam Prize will motivate more students to pursue physics as a career and contribute to technology-related sectors such as engineering, manufacturing, defense and life sciences.

Dr Phua Kok Khoo will turn 80 years old in 2022. To celebrate the major milestone, his family members would like to donate an endowed gift of S$75,000 to establish 2 awards to encourage and recognize the excellence and academic achievement of our Physics students.

The award is governed by the following conditions:

  1. Subject to rule 3 below, a cash prize of S$2,000 will be given to each of the following:
    • Best graduating undergraduate student in computational physics or theoretical research reading a primary major in Physics
    • Best graduating Master’s Student from MSc (Physics for Technology) or MSc (Physics)
  2. The prize will be awarded by the Board of Undergraduate Studies and Board of Graduate Studies or its nominee.
  3. No award will be made unless there is a candidate of sufficient merit.
  4. This gift shall be governed by the University Statutes and Regulations, specifically, Statute 7 on Gifts to the University and the corresponding Regulation.

Presented in 1974 by the Singapore Institute of Physics, the medal is awarded to the best student who has passed the Examination for the degree of B.Sc.(Honours) in Physics.

  1. The award is made by the Board of Undergraduate Studies on the recommendation of the Board of Examiners.
  2. No award will be made unless there is a candidate of sufficient merit.
  3. In the event of there being more than one candidate of equal merit for the award, the Board will take into account the candidates’ performance in Physics throughout their four years in the University.

Donated in 1973 by Jurong Shipyard Limited, the book prizes (previously known as Jurong Shipyard Book Prize) are awarded to students in the Department of Physics from the proceeds of a capital sum of $5,000. In 1994, Jurong Shipyard Limited donated an additional sum of $15,000 to augment the initial donation.

Six book prizes are available and will be awarded as follows:

  1. Two to the best students in Physics in the Science I Examination for the degree of Bachelor of Science;
  2. Two to the best students in Physics in the Science II Examination for the degree of Bachelor of Science; and
  3. Two to the best students in Physics in the Science III Examination for the degree of Bachelor of Science.

The prizes will be awarded by the Board of Undergraduate Studies on the recommendation of the relevant Board of Examiners. Each prize has a value of $100. They will be in the form of book vouchers.

This gift shall be governed by the University Statutes and Regulations, specifically, Statute 7 on Gifts to the University and the corresponding Regulation.

Donated in 1985 by Lijen Industrial Development Pte Ltd, the medals are awarded from the proceeds of a capital sum of $10,000. In 1998 the award was extended to deserving students from the School of Computing when it was formed.

  1. Subject to there being candidates of sufficient merit, the medals will be awarded to the honours year students with the best academic exercises/projects in each of the disciplines in the Faculty of Science and to deserving students in Bachelor of Computing (Honours) – Computer Science programme.
  2. The medals will be awarded by the Board of Undergraduate Studies on the recommendation of the Board of Examiners for the Honours Examinations in the Faculty of Science and the School of Computing.
  3. The number of medals available for award in any one year will depend on the proceeds from the capital sum. If in any year, the number of awards should be insufficient for distribution amongst the disciplines in the Faculty, the Board of Examiners will select the most deserving candidates after taking into consideration their performance in the Honours examination.
  4. This gift shall be governed by the University Statutes and Regulations, specifically, Statute 7 on Gifts to the University and the corresponding Regulation.

Graduates

Dr Phua Kok Khoo will turn 80 years old in 2022. To celebrate the major milestone, his family members would like to donate an endowed gift of S$75,000 to establish 2 awards to encourage and recognize the excellence and academic achievement of our Physics students.

The award is governed by the following conditions:

  1. Subject to rule 3 below, a cash prize of S$2,000 will be given to each of the following:
    • Best graduating undergraduate student in computational physics or theoretical research reading a primary major in Physics
    • Best graduating Master’s Student from MSc (Physics for Technology) or MSc (Physics)
  2. The prize will be awarded by the Board of Undergraduate Studies and Board of Graduate Studies or its nominee.
  3. No award will be made unless there is a candidate of sufficient merit.
  4. This gift shall be governed by the University Statutes and Regulations, specifically, Statute 7 on Gifts to the University and the corresponding Regulation.

The Materials Research Society of Singapore (MRS-S) was created in 1999 as a not-for-profit organization to serve a rapidly emerging materials science community in Singapore. The Society is affiliated with the International Union of Materials Research Societies (IUMRS). Since its inception the focus of MRS-S has been to promote materials science not only to researchers in Singapore, but also to publicize the niche capabilities of local researchers throughout Asia and further a field. As the MRS-society matures, recognizing the multidisciplinary nature of research, MRS-S has decided to donate an expendable sum of S$30,000 for the award of “Materials Research Society of Singapore Medal”.

A gold medal will be awarded in each academic year to a PhD student attaining the best PhD thesis in the Department of Physics. The medal will be given out starting from the academic year 2009/2010. The award is governed by the following conditions:

  1. The medal will be awarded to student in the Doctor of Philosophy program in the Department of Physics with the most outstanding PhD thesis. The thesis of graduates in each convocation year will be assessed for this purpose by a Selection Committee appointed by the Dean of the Faculty of Science in consultation with the Head of the Department of Physics.
  2. The medal will be awarded by the Board of Graduate Studies on the recommendation of the Selection Committee.
  3. No award will be made unless there is a candidate of sufficient merit.
  4. This gift shall be governed by the University Statutes and Regulations, specifically, Statute 7 on Gifts to the University and the corresponding Regulation.