COLLEGE STATION, Texas — Texas A&M University professors Dr. Tatiana Erukhimova and Dr. Olga Kocharovskaya have received awards for their achievements in physics and astronomy.
Erukhimova received the 2024 Homer L. Dodge Citation for Distinguished Service to the American Association of Physics Teachers (AAPT). This award is presented to members of the AAPT to recognize their contributions to the association.
Erukhimova has been a professor and outreach coordinator in the Department of Physics and Astronomy since 2006. She is credited with developing student resources and course materials, while impacting the relationship that students have with physics. In the past two years, the professor has created a number of viral physics demonstration videos, increasing the physics and astronomy department's social media following.
Her work has led to the creation of multiple educational and scientific outreach programs at the university.
Through a Monday news release, Erukhimova's nominators stated that "[she] has shown incredible enthusiasm and dedication to educating Texas A&M undergraduate students and providing them opportunities to grow outside of the classroom. These efforts also have had immeasurable benefits for graduate students, those in the surrounding community of Texas A&M, and beyond."
Another physics and astronomy professor, Kocharovskaya has received the 2024 Herbert Walther Award which recognizes pioneers in quantum optics and atomic physics. The award is presented by Optica and the German Physical Society (DPG), and awarded by either society in alternate years.
The professor is the first female professor in the Physics and Astronomy department and the first woman to earn this award. Kocharovskaya is acknowledged worldwide as a top quantum optics and laser physics researcher.
Through a Tuesday news release, she is cited "for field-opening contributions to lasing without inversion and electromagnetically induced transparency and for theory and experiments that initiated the field of gamma-ray quantum optics."
In the same news release, 2023 Optica president Michal Lipson said, "An internationally renowned leader, Olga Kocharovskaya, is changing our understanding of quantum optics, laser physics and x-ray optics. Her pioneering work, dedicated service and inspirational mentorship will have a lasting impact on our community and field."
