Dr. James Wampler named 2020 Chancellor’s Dissertation Medal Awardee


The Graduate Student Association at UC San Diego has selected Dr. James Wampler as the 2020 Chancellor’s Dissertation Medal awardee for the Division of Physical Sciences.

Wampler’s dissertation, titled “The Search for Novel Superconductivity in Inhomogeneous Materials using Magnetic Field Modulated Microwave Spectroscopy”, focuses on the search for superconductivity in inhomogeneous materials. Most significantly, his dissertation discusses the discovery of superconductive material in two meteorites.

The Chancellor’s Dissertation Medal was inaugurated in Spring 2013 to recognize outstanding doctoral research. Recipients of this prestigious award are chosen based upon the quality of academic research as determined by the impact of the research to the field and/or department; the insight, originality, and creativity shown by the author; the effectiveness of the writing, clarity, and organization of the thesis; and the soundness of the methodology and quality of the data (when applicable).

Up to six awards are bestowed annually based upon a review of faculty committees in the division of arts and humanities; the division of biological sciences including health sciences; Jacob’s School of Engineering; the division of physical sciences; the division of social sciences including Rady School of Management and the School of Global Policy and Strategy; and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography.

“I’m very excited and grateful to win this award. I want to recognize my advisor, Professor Ivan Schuller, who taught me invaluable life skills and was an excellent research advisor,” said Wampler. “I also want to recognize my collaborators—the projects in my dissertation were collaborative efforts, and I would not have gotten anywhere without their hard work. Finally, I want to thank the Air Force Office of Scientific Research for their generous support of my thesis research.”

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