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About the Nottingham Prize
About the Nottingham Prize
The Nottingham Prize was originally established in 1966 from contributions given in memory of Professor Wayne B. Nottingham of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology by his many friends and associates. The prize, currently consisting of a certificate and $1,500, is awarded to the best student paper presented at the conference. This prize represents a seminal honor since many Nottingham winners have gone on to become leaders in the field of surface science. In addition, you and your advisor’s names will be added to the Nottingham Prize Wikipedia website.
A student paper is defined as a paper based on a Ph.D. thesis whose submission date is no earlier than one year prior to the meeting at which the Prize is awarded. Eligible applicants include students who have not yet completed their Ph.D., as well as those who have already completed their degree, provided that the thesis was submitted within the past year. In all cases, the presentation must be based on work from the Ph.D. thesis and not on research conducted subsequently. For this year’s competition, eligible papers must be based on theses submitted no earlier than June 1st, 2025.
All Nottingham contestants must complete and submit the following materials:
1. Register for PEC 2026 before the registration deadline.
2. Submit your abstract with a completed Nottingham Prize competition package as a single PDF file, including:
(i) A cover letter indicating your interest in the Nottingham Prize competition. Include in the letter expected thesis submission and graduation dates.
(ii) A brief vita.
(iii) An extended abstract of approximately 1,500 words for the merit review.
Wayne B. Nottingham (17 April 1899 – 4 December 1964) was a US physics professor at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), specialized on electronics, field electron emission, thermionics, photoelectrics and low pressure equipment. The Nottingham effect in field electron emission is named after him.
The prestigious Nottingham Prize is proudly sponsored by Scienta Omicron this year. As a global leader in Surface Science and Nanotechnology, the company delivers state-of-the-art instruments in Electron Spectroscopy, Scanning Probe Microscopy, and Thin Film Deposition. These advanced capabilities can be seamlessly integrated into fully customized systems, enabling researchers to streamline growth and characterization processes all under true UHV environments. With dedicated sales and service teams across all major markets worldwide, Scienta Omicron supports leading research institutions to accelerate breakthroughs in cutting-edge materials science.
Previous Nottingham Prize Winners
Previous Nottingham Prize Winners
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