Setting the National Standard for Undergraduate Physics Education

Morgan State University Physics and Engineering Physics Departments Receive American Physical Society Award for Redefining Undergraduate Physics Education Student Success

BALTIMORE — Morgan State University’s Department of Physics and Engineering Physics has been selected to receive the American Physical Society (APS) Committee on Education Award for Improving Undergraduate Physics Education (IUPE), a national recognition honoring departments that demonstrate sustained, evidence-based innovation and measurable impact in undergraduate physics education.

The APS IUPE Award recognizes physics departments, programs, and collaborative teams that implement intentional, long-term improvements that strengthen student learning, increase retention, expand access, and foster inclusive excellence. Awardees are selected based on demonstrated program transformation, documented student success outcomes, and the use of effective, research-supported educational practices.

“Receiving the IUPE Award from APS affirms what we strive for as an institution — that student success is achieved through intentional design, measurable outcomes, and meaningful academic experiences,” said Hongtao Yu, DSc., provost and senior vice president for Academic Affairs at Morgan. “The collective achievement of the Department of Physics and Engineering Physics demonstrates how strong retention, high-impact learning practices, and early introduction to research opportunities can transform student trajectories. This honor stands as a powerful testament to Morgan’s steadfast pursuit of excellence and educational impact.” 

According to the APS Committee on Education, Morgan State’s Department of Physics and Engineering Physics was chosen as “this year’s strongest applicant.”

“The (Morgan’s Physics and Engineering Physics) department has clearly undertaken a purposeful, long-term, and large-scale effort that has resulted in meaningful transformation and impressive outcomes,” said Lioudmila “Mila” Kryjevskaia, chair of the APS Committee on Education. “These include growth in the number of majors over the past six years and a strong emphasis on building community by providing a welcoming, engaging, and supportive environment in which students can thrive.”

The IUPE Award highlights departments that advance undergraduate education through curriculum innovation, active and high-impact learning practices, expanded research and internship opportunities, improved student retention, and broader participation by students from a variety of backgrounds. Applications are evaluated on documented impact, program structure, and sustained educational improvement over multiple years.

“Congratulations to a truly dedicated cadre of educators whose sustained commitment to teaching excellence, curriculum innovation, and student-centered mentorship has built a program where rigor and support go hand in hand,” said Paul B. Tchounwou, Sc.D., dean of the School of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences. “They have intentionally created an environment where students are challenged, encouraged and equipped to excel.”

As part of the recognition, Morgan’s Department of Physics and Engineering Physics will receive an official APS plaque and will also be honored publicly at the APS Global Physics Summit during the “Inclusion in Action: Celebrating Education & Community Impact” event in Denver, CO, later this year.

Added Dean Tchounwou, “This recognition reflects the extraordinary dedication and creativity of our Physics and Engineering Physics faculty. We celebrate their leadership, their scholarly excellence, and their unwavering commitment to advancing undergraduate physics education.”

In addition to this program-level honor, Morgan faculty member Stacyann Nelson, Ph.D., recently received the 2025 Joseph A. Johnson Award for Excellence from the American Institute of Physics and the National Society of Black Physicists (NSBP), further underscoring the University’s impact and leadership in the physical sciences.

About Morgan

Morgan State University, founded in 1867, is a Carnegie-classified high research (R2) institution offering more than 150 baccalaureate, master’s degree, doctorate and certificate programs. As Maryland’s Preeminent Public Urban Research University, and the only university to have its entire campus designated as a National Treasure by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, Morgan serves a multiethnic and multiracial student body and seeks to ensure that the doors of higher education are opened as wide as possible to as many as possible. For more information about Morgan State University, visit www.morgan.edu. 

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Media Contacts:

Larry Jones, Dell Jackson, or Cheryl Stewart for Morgan State University PR
443-885-3022