Oct 15 2014
Recent University of Minnesota graduate Michael J. Veit has won the 2014 Leroy Apker award of the American Physical Society. The prestigious Apker award recognizes outstanding achievements and potential for future scientific accomplishment in physics by undergraduate students. Only two winners are selected, one from a Ph.D.-granting institution, and one from a non-Ph.D-granting institution.
Michael Veit. Credit:Annie Bartels
The award consists of $5,000, an allowance for travel to the meeting of the Society at which the award is being presented, and a certificate citing the work and school of the recipient
Veit recently earned his Bachelor's of Science degree in Physics with high distinction. During his time as an undergraduate, he worked for more than two years in Professor Martin Greven's laboratory, were he grew crystals and pursued state-of-the-art charge transport measurements of cuprate superconductors. It was this research on the class of superconductors which have an anomalously high superconducting transition temperature that earned him the Apker Award. Veit's work culminated in a senior honors thesis, and he graduated summa cum laude, with a dual degree in Mathematics and a minor in Chemistry. His research contributions have earned him co-authorship on numerous publications.
"Winning this award is an incredible honor to me. I was incredibly grateful for even being selected as a finalist and having the amazing opportunity to present my work in person. I would especially like to thank Dr. Martin Greven for giving me the tremendous opportunity to work in his lab as well as nominating me for this award. I would also like to thank Dr. Mun Chan who I worked very closely with during my time in Dr. Greven's lab, and much of my work would not have been possible without him. Finally, special thanks go to my friends and family for their support throughout my college career."
For his academic achievements, Veit has also been recognized with numerous University of Minnesota scholarships and awards, including the Jeffrey Basford Scholarship and the Hagstrum Award in Physics for overall achievement. Veit is currently attending Stanford University, where he has been awarded a competitive Stanford Graduate Fellowship and plans to pursue a Ph.D. in the Applied Physics Department.
Source: http://www.physics.umn.edu/