Scholarships
NAU scholarships
Visit the NAU Office of Student and Financial Aid web page for scholarship opportunities available from the university and for other financing options.
Departmental scholarships
Each year, the Department of Astronomy & Planetary Science awards scholarships to deserving undergraduate and graduate students to help fund their education at NAU.
Scholarships for undergraduate students
Adel Physics Scholar Accordion Closed
Arthur Adel (1908-1994) earned a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Michigan in 1933 and shortly thereafter was hired by Lowell Observatory as an atmospheric researcher. He took up residence at Lowell in 1936 after working for the observatory at facilities in Michigan. In 1942 he left Lowell to do wartime scientific research. He returned to Flagstaff and with US Air Force research funding, he established the Atmospheric Research Observatory in 1952 at Arizona State College, becoming the first research professor at what soon became NAU. He retired from NAU in 1976 and with his wife, Katherine, continued to support both the sciences and the arts at NAU. The NAU Adel trust fund provides scholarships for students in Mathematics, and Physics and Astronomy.
Current Recipient Accordion Open
Tanner Rosenberg, Adel Physics Scholar, 2018-19
Past Recipients Accordion Closed
Brian Szutu | 2019 |
Tanner Rosenberg | 2018 |
Olivia Thomas | 2017 |
Connor Auge | 2016 |
Michael Rynders | 2015 |
Wilson Lough | 2014 |
Michael Hastings | 2014 |
Zachery Ulibarri | 2013 |
Carver Thomason | 2013 |
Michael Bishop | 2012 |
John Zanazzi | 2012 |
Matthew Bovyn | 2011 |
Alejandro Ceballos | 2011 |
Sarah Jones | 2010 |
Nicholas Manganelli | 2010 |
Rebekah Cross | 2009 |
Judah Yockey | 2009 |
John Davis | 2009 |
Mallory Vale | 2008 |
Kimberly Ward-Duong | 2008 |
William Blackmore | 2007 |
Jeffrey Mews | 2007 |
Karen Mogren | 2006 |
Heather Morrison | 2006 |
Michelle McMillan | 2005 |
Lydia Mitchell | 2004 |
Brian Kolb | 2004 |
Bedwell Scholars for Astronomy & Physics Accordion Closed
Tom Bedwell (d. 2001) earned a Ph.D. in physics from the University of Nebraska in 1964 and taught in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at NAU from 1964 until he retired in 1982. The Bedwell trust now provides money for several NAU scholarships.
Past Recipients Accordion Closed
Samuel Gilinsky | 2019 |
Mitchell Magnuson | 2019 |
Amy Sanderson | 2018 |
Adrian Luna | 2018 |
Tyler Dawson | 2017 |
Sean Graham | 2017 |
Michael Rynders | 2016 |
Ian Avilez | 2016 |
Stephanie Wood | 2015 |
Samantha Sword-Fehlberg | 2015 |
Elizabeth Gehret | 2015 |
Ryan Blackman | 2014 |
Carver Thomason | 2014 |
Margaret Landis | 2013 |
David Tollefsen | 2012 |
Sarah Jones | 2011 |
Arron Shiffer | 2010 |
Mallory Vale | 2009 |
Karen Mogren | 2008 |
Lydia Mitchell | 2006 |
Brian Kolb | 2005 |
Erika Roesler | 2004 |
Leslie Garrard | 2003 |
Carolyn Parker | 2003 |
Lorenza Levy | 2001 |
Dennis Douglas | 2001 |
Joseph Hall | 2000 |
Bridget Smith | 1999 |
Thommy Greathouse | 1997 |
William Dinyes | 1996 |
Kazuhito Hatano | 1995 |
Evelyn O. Bychinsky Scholar Accordion Closed
Wilfred Alexander Bychinsky (1910 – 2013), with a Ph.D. degree in Electrical Engineering (1933, U. of Michigan) was an inventor, patent holder, and a leading authority on ignition research and development. He established the Evelyn O. Bychinsky Scholarship in 2009 in honor of his sister. The NAU Bychinsky trust now provides funds to support students in Mathematics, and Physics and Astronomy.
Past Recipients Accordion Closed
Megan Gialluca | 2019 |
Heshani Pieris | 2018 |
Tanner Rosenberg | 2017 |
Etude O'Neel-Judy | 2016 |
Richard Hayes Memorial Scholar Accordion Closed
Richard Hayes was a physics and astronomy major at NAU. Tragically, he died in an automobile accident in 2003. His family and friends established a scholarship in the Department of Physics and Astronomy in his memory.
Past Recipients Accordion Closed
Beau Prince | 2019 |
Peter Brosten | 2018 |
Wyatt Medill | 2017 |
Rain Whalen | 2016 |
Devon Remington | 2015 |
Daniel Slosky | 2014 |
Michael Bishop | 2013 |
Ryan Blackman | 2012 |
Justin Kelly | 2011 |
Kimberly Ward-Duong | 2010 |
Luke Myszewski | 2009 |
Physics and Astronomy Scholar of Tomorrow Prize Accordion Closed
The Physics and Astronomy Scholar of Tomorrow Prize, was established by Peter McClean, who was a member of the Northern Arizona University Foundation Board of Directors and the College of Engineering, Forestry and Natural Sciences Leadership Council. This Prize is to support full-time undergraduate students majoring in physics and/or astronomy who excel in their studies and demonstrate academic distinction and leadership.
Slipher Scholars Accordion Closed
Vesto Melvyn “V.M.” Slipher (1875 – 1969) received his Ph.D. from Indiana University in 1909. His entire career was at the Lowell Observatory, which he directed from 1916 to 1952. Much of his attention was devoted to the investigation of astronomical spectroscopy, in particular to the rotations and atmospheres of planets and nebulae. His major contribution was determining that the spectra of the vast majority of external galaxies had red shifts. This crucial discovery laid the foundation for Hubble’s law and the theory of the expansion of the universe.
Past Recipients Accordion Closed
Jonathan Chin | 2019 |
Brittany Harvison | 2019 |
Samuel Gilinsky | 2018 |
Jay Kueny | 2018 |
Adrian Luna | 2017 |
Corrie Vanlaanen | 2017 |
Olivia Thomas | 2016 |
Robert Castellanos | 2016 |
Daniel Brown | 2015 |
Kevin Luna | 2015 |
Matthew Cook | 2014 |
Elizabeth Gehret | 2014 |
Mike Loftus | 2014 |
Ryan Blackman | 2013 |
Jacob McLane | 2013 |
Margaret Landis | 2012 |
Margaret Landis | 2011 |
Kyle McLelland | 2011 |
Gustavo Gandara Montano | 2010 |
David Tollefsen | 2010 |
Gustavo Gandara Montano | 2009 |
Sarah Jones | 2009 |
Joseph Shammas | 2009 |
Arron Shiffer | 2009 |
C. Tyler Diggans | 2008 |
Joseph Shammas | 2008 |
Karen Mogren | 2007 |
Mallory Vale | 2007 |
Kimberly Ward-Duong | 2007 |
William Blackmore | 2006 |
Michelle McMillan | 2006 |
Timothy Calver | 2005 |
Gregory Mace | 2005 |
Joseph Dinius | 2004 |
Owen Dix | 2004 |
Alec Swanson | 2004 |
Owen Dix | 2003 |
Radford Mitchell | 2003 |
Jim Peoble | 2002 |
Nathan Borggren | 2001 |
John Huerta | 2001 |
Jim Peoble | 2001 |
Thomas Butler | 2000 |
Benjamin Espin | 2000 |
Thomas Butler | 1999 |
Joseph Hall | 1999 |
Courtney Phillips | 1998 |
Mike Galoob | 1998 |
Monica Bell | 1997 |
Gary Miller | 1997 |
Gary Miller | 1996 |
Tommy Greathouse | 1996 |
Erica Gibb | 1995 |
Warran Ruppart | 1995 |
Chair’s Scholars Accordion Closed
The Department of Physics & Astronomy awards a number of small merit scholarships each year.
Past Recipients Accordion Closed
Mikhail Baltushkin | 2019 |
Evan Brunsman | 2019 |
Sean Cadigan | 2019 |
Ryan Cummings | 2019 |
Madelyn Hart | 2019 |
Harlan Heilman | 2019 |
Jacob Hyden | 2019 |
Nikolas Lee | 2019 |
Mingyang Li | 2019 |
Jonathan Olson | 2019 |
Adriana Weise | 2019 |
Solvay Blomquist | 2018 |
Jonathan Chin | 2018 |
Jason Deguzman | 2018 |
Neave Flint | 2018 |
Jacob Heneman | 2018 |
Jessi Hoernschemeyer | 2018 |
Timothy Johnson | 2018 |
Christian Knight | 2018 |
Janus Kozdon | 2018 |
Bethany Larson | 2018 |
Mitchell Magnuson | 2018 |
Jake Navas | 2018 |
Anna Ross | 2018 |
Emilee Bovre | 2017 |
Peter Brosten | 2017 |
Ethan Goff | 2017 |
Sam Heck | 2017 |
Jessi Hoernschemeyer | 2017 |
Timothy Johnson | 2017 |
Miles Knight | 2017 |
Anna Ross | 2017 |
Michael Bryant | 2016 |
Heather Charles | 2016 |
Tyler Dawson | 2016 |
Andrew Deverse | 2016 |
Winston Fredrickson | 2016 |
Sean Graham | 2016 |
Ian Morris | 2016 |
Nicholas Pletzer | 2016 |
Corrie Vanlaanen | 2016 |
Robert Voinescu | 2016 |
Connor Auge | 2015 |
Ian Avilez | 2015 |
Robert Castellanos | 2015 |
Heather Charles | 2015 |
Sierra Ferguson | 2015 |
Winston Fredrickson | 2015 |
Sean Graham | 2015 |
Raven Larson | 2015 |
Ian Morris | 2015 |
Etude O'Neel Judy | 2015 |
Nicholas Pletzer | 2015 |
Paige Roe | 2015 |
Olivia Thomas | 2015 |
Robert Voinescu | 2015 |
Rain Whalen | 2015 |
Paul Bossler | 2014 |
Grant Burden | 2014 |
Joseph Fox Dietz | 2014 |
Rebecca Hutchison | 2014 |
Zachery Kane | 2014 |
Tressa Mackin | 2014 |
Jacob McLane | 2014 |
Michael Rynders | 2014 |
Jonathan Solheim | 2014 |
Dustin Story | 2014 |
Stephanie Wood | 2014 |
Nathan Diefenderfer | 2013 |
Angel Garlant | 2013 |
Todd Gonzales | 2013 |
Rebecca Hayes | 2013 |
Rebeca Kinser | 2013 |
Nicholas Kutsop | 2013 |
Katherine Lass | 2013 |
Kevin McLaughlin | 2013 |
Daniel Slosky | 2013 |
Jonathan Solheim | 2013 |
Ryan South | 2013 |
Dustin Story | 2013 |
Ashton Brown | 2012 |
Siera Countryman | 2012 |
Matthew Holtfrerich | 2012 |
Wolf Jehle | 2012 |
Paula Jones | 2012 |
Simon Kelow | 2012 |
Katherine Lass | 2012 |
Ryan Monahan | 2012 |
Gabriel Queener | 2012 |
Nicholas Stantzos | 2012 |
Adam Stavlo | 2012 |
Zachery Ulibarri | 2012 |
Meredith Daw | 2011 |
Angel Garlant | 2011 |
Deborah Hamm | 2011 |
Matthew Holtfrerich | 2011 |
Simon Kellow | 2011 |
Nicholas Kutsop | 2011 |
Katherine Lass | 2011 |
Ryne Melstrom | 2011 |
Ryan Monahan | 2011 |
Erin Monk | 2011 |
Ross Siegel | 2011 |
Nicholas Stantzos | 2011 |
Adam Stavlo | 2011 |
Michael Talbot | 2011 |
David Tollefsen | 2011 |
Leanne Wiley | 2011 |
John Zanazzi | 2011 |
Matthew Bovyn | 2010 |
Anthony Caine | 2010 |
Alejandro Ceballos | 2010 |
Christopher Chambers | 2010 |
Matthew Holtfrerich | 2010 |
Paula Johns | 2010 |
Kendra Kellogg | 2010 |
Simon Kelow | 2010 |
Justin Kelly | 2010 |
Margaret Landis | 2010 |
Hunter Martin | 2010 |
Paul Martin | 2010 |
Kyle McLelland | 2010 |
Ryan Monahan | 2010 |
Erin Monk | 2010 |
Luke Myszewski | 2010 |
Jordan Railsback | 2010 |
Nicholas Stantzos | 2010 |
Luqian Wang | 2010 |
Leanne Willey | 2010 |
Riley Williams | 2010 |
Daniel Young | 2010 |
John Zanazzi | 2010 |
Spencer Campbell | 2009 |
Alejandro Ceballos | 2009 |
Christopher Chambers | 2009 |
Justin Kelly | 2009 |
Nicholas Stantzos | 2009 |
Zachery Timmons | 2009 |
David Tollefsen | 2009 |
Luqian Wang | 2009 |
Kimberly Ward-Duong | 2009 |
Leanne Willey | 2009 |
Aaron Burns | 2008 |
John Davis | 2008 |
Derk Geshell | 2008 |
Mark Henry | 2008 |
Sarah Jones | 2008 |
Aaron Shiffer | 2008 |
Luqian Wang | 2008 |
Kyle Cuff | 2007 |
Derek Geshell | 2007 |
Aaron Shiffer | 2007 |
Kyle Cuff | 2006 |
Derek Geshell | 2006 |
Aaron Shiffer | 2006 |
Pascal Brammeier | 2005 |
Peter Heicksen | 2005 |
Theresa Marler | 2005 |
Karen Mogren | 2005 |
James Rall | 2005 |
Dario Shorty | 2005 |
James Rall | 2004 |
Trent Redinger | 2004 |
Adrienne Hickey | 2004 |
Michelle McMillan | 2004 |
Radford Mitchell | 2004 |
Nobuyuki Oshitani | 2004 |
Christopher Varney | 2004 |
Michael Baker | 2003 |
Glen Cushing | 2003 |
Benjamin Espen | 2003 |
John Huerta | 2003 |
Brian Kolb | 2003 |
Radford Mitchell | 2003 |
Adam Neat | 2003 |
James Rall | 2003 |
Brent Tyc | 2003 |
Christopher Varney | 2003 |
Justin Bagley | 2002 |
Michael Baker | 2002 |
Joanna Bieri | 2002 |
Nathan Borggren | 2002 |
Benjamin Espen | 2002 |
John Huerta | 2002 |
Radford Mitchell | 2002 |
Adam Neat | 2002 |
James Rall | 2002 |
Justin Bagley | 2001 |
Nathan Borggren | 2001 |
Joanna Bieri | 2001 |
Thomas Butler | 2001 |
Nicholas Erhardt | 2001 |
Benjamin Espen | 2001 |
John Huerta | 2001 |
Radford Mitchell | 2001 |
Hamilton Shepard | 2001 |
Christopher Belford | 2000 |
Nathan Borggren | 2000 |
Thomas Butler | 2000 |
Nicholas Erhardt | 2000 |
Benjamin Espen | 2000 |
Joseph Hall | 2000 |
John Huerta | 2000 |
Mark Martellotta | 2000 |
Keith Nowicki | 2000 |
Courtney Phillips | 2000 |
Hamilton Shepard | 2000 |
Erin Stalcup | 2000 |
Christopher Belford | 1999 |
Karen Burnham | 1999 |
Brian Gibbons | 1999 |
Joseph Hall | 1999 |
John Huerta | 1999 |
Mark Martellotta | 1999 |
Keith Nowicki | 1999 |
Courtney Phillips | 1999 |
Bridget Smith | 1999 |
Erin Stalcup | 1999 |
Karen Burnham | 1998 |
Tawnya Ferbiak | 1998 |
Joseph Hall | 1998 |
Courtney Phillips | 1998 |
Bridget Smith | 1998 |
Tawnya Ferbiak | 1997 |
Tommy Greathouse | 1997 |
Courtney Phillips | 1997 |
Bridget Smith | 1997 |
Tommy Greathouse | 1996 |
Tawnya Ferbiak | 1996 |
Tommy Greathouse | 1995 |