5 Sigma Physicist Honor
Every year, APS celebrates a select group of members with the 5 Sigma Physicist Honor for outstanding advocacy that is crucial to maintaining the strength of the scientific enterprise. The APS Five Sigma Physicist Honor recognizes APS members who perform outstanding volunteer advocacy work to help advance APS’s science policy priorities. Honorees must demonstrate substantial and impactful advocacy actions with APS Government Affairs (GA) throughout the year.
Rules and eligibility
Only APS members are eligible for the 5 Sigma Physicist Honor. Honorees must volunteer on behalf of APS advocacy issues and work closely with APS Government Affairs throughout the year prior to being recognized with this honor.
Process and selection
5 Sigma honorees are chosen by the APS Government Affairs team. The team selects volunteers who take substantial and impactful advocacy actions, going above-and-beyond to engage in multiple advocacy activities or to devote substantial time and effort to one advocacy campaign.
Establishment and support
APS has been honoring exceptional advocacy efforts undertaken by our members for nearly 10 years. Created to recognize outstanding advocacy of APS members who go above and beyond to advance issues that are important to the physics community, the 5 Sigma Honor also encourages APS members to volunteer and advocate on behalf of physics.
Recent recipients
Arantxa Pardue
2023 recipient
Made 33 connections with Congress in 2023 on the Keep STEM Talent Act, LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act, and Research and Development Funding.
David Strubbe
2023 recipient
Made 33 connections with Congress in 2023 on the Keep STEM Talent Act, Noyce Scholars Program, Methane Emissions Mitigation and Reduction Act, LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act, and Research and Development Funding.
Elena Long
2023 recipient
Co-authoring the 2015 LGBT Climate in Physics report, which supported APS advocacy on the LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act.
Elizabeth Simmons
2023 recipient
Co-authoring the 2015 LGBT Climate in Physics report, which supported APS advocacy on the LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act.
James Bowen
2023 recipient
Made 33 connections with Congress in 2023 on the Keep STEM Talent Act, Methane Emissions Mitigation and Reduction Act, LGBTQI+ Data Inclusion Act, and Research and Development Funding.
The membership of APS is diverse and global, and the nominees and recipients of APS Honors should reflect that diversity so that all are recognized for their impact on our community. Nominations of members belonging to groups traditionally underrepresented in physics, such as women, LGBT+ scientists, scientists who are Black, Indigenous, and people of color (BIPOC), disabled scientists, scientists from institutions with limited resources, and scientists from outside the United States, are especially encouraged.
Nominees for and holders of APS Honors (prizes, awards, and fellowship) and official leadership positions are expected to meet standards of professional conduct and integrity as described in the APS Ethics Guidelines. Violations of these standards may disqualify people from consideration or lead to revocation of honors or removal from office.