2026 APAM Senior Award Winners
Prof. Marc Spiegelman, APAM Chair, presented awards to three outstanding seniors at the 2026 APAM Senior Dinner and Award Ceremony. Each winner was selected by the APAM faculty in recognition of their outstanding academic achievements.
Taifeng (Thomas) Wang, Applied Physics Faculty Award Winner
Taifeng (Thomas) Wang is honored for his exceptional accomplishments in applied physics. A transfer student from Grinnell College, Thomas distinguished himself through a rigorous academic program in Quantum Mechanics and Plasma Physics, outstanding academic performance, and significant research contributions. Working within the plasma physics group, he collaborated with Drs. Hansen, Logan, and Nelson, all of whom praised his technical ability, collegiality, and meaningful impact. Thomas is recognized for his strengths in mathematics, physics intuition, and artificial intelligence, which have supported his research success. He will continue his academic journey at Columbia University, where he is expected to interface more deeply with plasma theories and their applications to fusion plasma behaviors.
Szymon Snoeck, Applied Mathematics Faculty Award Winner
Szymon Snoeck is recognized for his outstanding achievements in applied mathematics, with a strong focus on algorithms and machine learning for high-dimensional data. In his research with Professor Nakul Verma, he studied the limitations of popular data visualization algorithms, resulting in two publications at the 2026 International Conference on Algorithmic Learning Theory and the 2026 International Conference on Learning Representations. He continues to pursue his geometric focus, working on nearest neighbor search with Professor Alexandr Andoni. Next year, he will start his PhD in computer science at the Courant Institute of Mathematical Sciences at New York University. Driven by a passion for geometry, Szymon continues to explore the intersection of theory and application in modern data science.
Zoe Ning Zachko, Rhodes Prize for Materials Science Winner
Zoe Ning Zachko was awarded the Francis B.F. Rhodes Prize for her exceptional proficiency in materials science and metallurgical engineering. A graduating senior at Columbia University, she also pursued minors in applied mathematics and French. Driven by an interest in sustainable technologies, Zoe has engaged in research spanning lithium-ion batteries and catalytic materials. In the Billinge Group, she worked with Dr. Tina Na Narong on machine learning approaches to transition metal oxides, contributing to a publication in npj Materials. She currently conducts research at Brookhaven National Laboratory’s Center for Functional Nanomaterials, developing machine learning methods to accelerate experimental workflows. Beyond research, Zoe is committed to mentorship and STEM outreach, organizing programs for New York City public school students. She will begin her Ph.D. studies at Northwestern University in Fall 2026.
