Faculty Awards and Recognition
Pictured left to right: Pierre Sikivie, Neil Sullivan, and Laura Blecha.
Professor Pierre Sikivie wins 2025 Galileo Galilei Medal
Professor Pierre Sikivie of the University of Florida and Professor Leonard Susskind of Stanford University have been awarded the Galileo Galilei Medal 2025 of the National Institute for Nuclear Physics, Italy, and the Galileo Galilei Institute. The prize is awarded “for their work that represents humanity’s persistent efforts to see and understand what may seem invisible, revealing in the process profound connections between the largest and smallest scales of Nature.” Pierre, in particular, is recognized for making “pioneering contributions to our understanding of the cosmos, as did Galileo Galilei, in trying to make the ‘invisible axion’ visible.”
Pierre is also a recipient of the J.J. Sakurai Prize of the APS. He recently retired as Distinguished Professor in the Physics department. The medal honoring Galileo Galilei was established in 2018 by the INFN.
Neil Sullivan is named Distinguished Professor
Distinguished Professors at the University of Florida are named based on an exceptional record of achievement in teaching, research, publication, and engagement in professional and public service on the national and international stage. The title signifies a rare and special accomplishment, acknowledging Professor Neil Sullivan’s excellent and extensive research career in addition to teaching and college administration.
On April 2, Sullivan gave his Distinguished Professor lecture, titled “Quadrupolar Ordering: Solid Hydrogen at Very Low Temperatures.” Following the talk a reception was held to celebrate Sullivan’s recognition.
Laura Blecha wins UFRF Professorship
UF Physics Associate Professor Laura Blecha has been selected for a University of Florida Research Foundation (UFRF) Professorship. These three-year professorships recognize faculty who have developed a distinguished record of research and scholarship that is expected to lead to continuing distinction in their field.
Each term professorship provides a salary supplement along with a research funding allocation of $3000. Our last UFRF awardee in Physics was James Hamlin (2019).