Hertz Thesis Prize
The Hertz Thesis Prize recognizes fellows who publish exemplary doctoral theses with applications to real-world problems.
Since 1981, more than 60 fellows have been recognized for the exceptional work detailed in their theses, some of which has led to patents and the formation of successful companies, and contributed to solutions for major challenges facing society. Winners receive a $5,000 honorarium.
How to Apply
All fellows are eligible during the calendar year that their thesis is completed. To be considered, fellows are required to submit a copy of their dissertation to the foundation after completing their PhD. Contact us to learn more.
Past Winners
2024
Coordination chemistry of Fe–S clusters supported by N–heterocyclic carbenes
2022
Brill--Noether theory over the Hurwitz space
2021
Ligand Field Inversion in Sterically Confined Copper Architectures
2020
New Tools for Understanding and Engineering Complex Microbial Communities
2019
Optimizing Nitrogen-Vacancy Diamond Magnetic Sensors and Imagers for Broadband Sensitivity
Mapping Cell Types, Dynamics, and Connections in Neural Circuits
2018
The Maximal Rank Conjecture
2017
A Developmental Roadmap for the Diversification of Human Tissue fates from Pluripotent Cells
2016
Expansion Microscopy: Improving Imaging Through Uniform Tissue Expansion
2015
Far-From-Equilibrium Phenomena In Protein Dynamics
2014
Engineered outer membrane vesicles derived from probiotic Escherichia coli Nissle 1917 as recombinant subunit antigen carriers for the development of pathogen-mimetic vaccines
Local Imaging of High Mobility Two-Dimensional Electron Systems with Virtual Scanning Tunneling Microscopy
2013
Nanodiamond Imaging: a New Molecular Imaging Approach
2012
Network-Scale Electrophysiology: Measuring and Understanding the Collective Behavior of Neural Circuits
Semiconductor Nanowires: From a Nanoscale System to a Macroscopic Material
Quantum Jumps and Measurement Backaction in a Superconducting Qubit
2011
Lipid-coated micro- and nanoparticles as a biomimetic vaccine delivery platform
A System for the Continuous Directed Evolution of Biomolecules
Cavity-Enabled Spin Squeezing for a Quantum-Enhanced Atomic Clock
2010
Evolution and the Emergence of Structure
2009
Layer-by-Layer Assembly of Nanostructured Composites: Mechanics and Applications
Genetically Engineered Sensors for Non-Invasive Molecular Imaging using MRI
2008
Physically Programmable Surfaces
2007
Coherent manipulation of single quantum systems in the solid state
The Production, Design, and Application of Antimicrobial Peptides
Experimental realization of BCS-BEC crossover physics with a Fermi gas of atoms
2006
Task-Specific Neural Mechanisms of Memory Encoding
2005
Plasma Channel Guided Laser Wakefield Accelerator
2004
Vorticity Structure and Evolution in a Transverse Jet with New Algorithms for Scalable Particle Simulation
2003
New Quantum Monte Carlo Algorithms to Efficiently Utilize Massively Parallel Computers
2002
Quantum Chaos, Transport, and Decoherence in Atom Optics
2001
Fast Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Imaging
2000
Internal State Manipulation for Neutral Atom Lithography
1999
Detection of DNA Hybridization to Oligonucleotide Arrays on Gold Surfaces Using In Situ Surface Plasmon Resonance and Fluorescence Imaging Techniques
1998
Microfabricated Integrated DNA Analysis Systems
1997
Ultrafast Electronic and Structural Dynamics in Solids
In-Situ Studies of Copper Nano-Particles Using a Novel Tandem Ultra-High Vacuum Particle Production Chamber Transmission Electron Microscope
1996
Low-Frequency Noic in High-Tc Superconductor Josephson Junctions, SQUIDS, and Magnetometers
Monolithic Optoelectronic VLSI Ciruit Design and Fabrication for Optical Interconnects
1995
The Movement Rehearsal Paradigm Is a Mental Communication Channel
1994
Robust Loopsharing for Process Control
1992
Development and Applications of Atomic Force Microscopy
Electron Transport in Mesoscopic Conductors
1990
Near Midair Collisions as an Indicator of General Aviation Collision Risk
1989
Sensor and Actuator Selection for Fault-Tolerant Control of Flexible Structures
1988
High-Resolution Studies of the X-Ray Transitions in Highly Charged Neonlike Ions on the PLT Tokamak
Si-SiO2 Interface Trap Anneal Kinetics
Solid-Solid Thermal Boundary Resistance
1987
High Speed Polycrystalline Silicon Photoconductors for On-Chip Pulsing and Gating
Switchable Optical Fiber Taps Using the Acousto-Optic Bragg Interaction
A Guidance Algorithm for Cooperative Tether-Mediated Orbital Rendezvous
Real Time Control of the Permeability of Crosslinked Polyelectrolyte Membranes to Fluorescent Solutes
1986
Radiation Measurements of an Intermediate Energy Free Electron Laser
Spectroscopy of GaAs Quantum Wells
1985
Volterra Series: Engineering Fundamentals
A Failure Detection Algorithm for Linear Dynamic Systems
The Connection Machine
1984
Single-Step Optimal Control of Large Space Structures
Heat Transfer Microstructures for Integrated Circuits
Femtosecond Optical Pulse Generation and Dephasing Measurements in Condensed Matter
1983
Edge Stabilized Ribbon Growth; A New Method for the Manufacture of Photovoltaic Substrates
1982
On the Design of High Performance Digital Arithmetic Units
Automatic Physical Design of Large Wire-wrap Digital Systems
1981
Area-Efficient VLSI Computation
Verification of Timing Constraints on Large Digital Systems
Small Signal Control of Multiterminal DC/AC Power Systems
Physics of Short Wavelength Laser Design