About the Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Physical Sciences
The Edith and Peter O’Donnell Awards were established in 2006. They are named in honor of Edith and Peter O’Donnell, who were among Texas’ most devoted advocates for excellence in scientific advancement and STEM education. The awards recognize rising star Texas researchers who are addressing the essential role that science and technology play in society and whose work meets the highest standards of exemplary professional performance, creativity and resourcefulness.
The Edith and Peter O’Donnell Award in Physical Sciences honors Texas researchers at academic institutions with a focus in the physical sciences with a $25,000 honorarium, profile video and an invitation to present their research at the TAMEST Annual Conference.
Thanks to a $1.15 million gift from the O’Donnell Foundation in 2022, the O’Donnell Awards were expanded to include an additional science award so that awards could be given each year in both Biological and Physical Sciences categories. Previously, the science award alternated between biological sciences and physical sciences annually.
Most Recent Physical Sciences Recipient
Dr. Zhang studies how millions of electrons in atomically thin materials interact to produce collective quantum effects such as magnetic, superconducting and topological phases. His theoretical predictions have guided and inspired scientists worldwide, leading to major discoveries in condensed matter physics.
One of his breakthroughs showed that a chiral stack of graphene – a material made of just one layer of carbon atoms – can host a remarkably rich landscape of emergent quantum phases. His theory was subsequently confirmed by multiple landmark experiments, establishing unprecedented fertile ground for exploring new forms of topology, magnetism, superconductivity and fractionalization. Dr. Zhang also solved a long-standing mystery in physics by identifying the only known solid-state material that behaves as a weak topological insulator, a rare quantum state predicted two decades ago but never found in any material until his work. In 2022, Dr. Zhang co-invented intelligent optical sensing by combining the light-matter interaction of two-dimensional materials with machine learning, with promising applications in areas such as medical imaging and infrared astronomy. Dr. Zhang’s theoretical work continues to inspire experimental breakthroughs worldwide and reshape our understanding of electronic correlations and topology.
Past Physical Sciences Recipients
Caitlin M. Casey, Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin | 2025
For discovering the most distant and massive galaxies that have reshaped our understanding of early Universe star formation and supermassive black holes.
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Watch Dr. Casey’s Award Acceptance >
Shengqian Ma, Ph.D., University of North Texas | 2024
For his innovative work in the field of decontamination.
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Erez Lieberman Aiden, Ph.D., Baylor College of Medicine | 2023
For dramatically impacting the understanding of genomic 3D structures and the role and processes of the human genome.
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Sarbajit Banerjee, Ph.D., Texas A&M University | 2022
For his utilization of solid-state chemistry and materials science to impact the future of new technologies in energy conversion, energy storage, computing and even artificial intelligence.
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Watch Dr. Banerjee’s Award Acceptance >
Alessandra Corsi, Ph.D., Texas Tech University | 2020
For her paradigm-shifting research on the merger of stars and black holes. Dr. Corsi uncovered a “multisensory” exploration process of our universe, where gravitational waves tell part of the story and light then completes it.
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Watch Dr. Corsi’s Award Acceptance >
Xiaoqin Elaine Li, Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin | 2018
For her research focus on the interaction of light and matter at the nanoscale in quantum materials. Her innovative work has helped create and control materials that can emit one photon at a time.
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Watch Dr. Li’s Award Acceptance >
Alessio Figalli, Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin | 2016
For tackling questions of optimization related to the most economical way to transport and distribute goods or resources. Recently, his work has been applied in meteorology to describe how clouds evolve over time, a discovery that contributes to better models of complex climate phenomena.
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Watch Dr. Figalli’s Award Acceptance >
Zhifeng Ren, Ph.D., University of Houston | 2014
For seminal contributions to five scientific fields: carbon nanotubes, thermoelectrics, zinc oxide nanowires, high temperature superconductivity and molecule delivery/sensing.
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Watch Dr. Ren’s Award Acceptance >
Karl Gebhardt, Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin | 2012
For the discovery that the masses of the central black hole and the inner regions of a galaxy are correlated.
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Paul S. Cremer, Ph.D., Texas A&M University | 2010
For his work including a fundamental understanding of protein adsorption, multivalent binding on lipid membranes, and more.
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Edward M. Marcotte, Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin | 2008
For exceptional contributions to functional genomics and proteomics.
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