Hughes Medal
The Hughes Medal is awarded by the Royal Society of London "in recognition of an original discovery in the physical sciences, particularly electricity and magnetism or their applications". Named after David E. Hughes, the medal is awarded with a gift of £1000. The medal was first awarded in 1902 to J. J. Thomson "for his numerous contributions to electric science, especially in reference to the phenomena of electric discharge in gases", and has since been awarded over one-hundred times. Unlike other Royal Society medals, the Hughes Medal has never been awarded to the same individual more than once.
The medal has on occasion been awarded to multiple people at a time; in 1938 it was won by John Cockcroft and Ernest Walton "for their discovery that nuclei could be disintegrated by artificially produced bombarding particles", in 1981 by Peter Higgs and Tom Kibble "for their international contributions about the spontaneous breaking of fundamental symmetries in elementary-particle theory", in 1982 by Drummond Matthews and Frederick Vine "for their elucidation of the magnetic properties of the ocean floors which subsequently led to the plate tectonic hypothesis" and in 1988 by Archibald Howie and M. J. Whelan "for their contributions to the theory of electron diffraction and microscopy, and its application to the study of lattice defects in crystals".
List of recipients
Source:| Year | Name | Rationale | Notes |
| 1902 | "for his numerous contributions to electric science, especially in reference to the phenomena of electric discharge in gases" | ||
| 1903 | "for his long continued experimental researches on the electric discharge in liquids and gases" | ||
| 1904 | "for his invention of the incandescent lamp, and his other inventions and improvements in the practical applications of electricity" | ||
| 1905 | "for his experimental researches in electrical science, including electric vibrations" | ||
| 1906 | "for her experimental investigations on the electric arc, and also on sand ripples" | ||
| 1907 | "for his contributions to exact physical measurement" | ||
| 1908 | "for his discoveries on the nature of electric discharge in rarefied gasses" | ||
| 1909 | "for his researches on electrical standards" | ||
| 1910 | "for his researches in electricity and electrical measurements" | ||
| 1911 | "for his work on nuclei in dust-free air, and his work on ions in gases and atmospheric electricity" | ||
| 1912 | "for his investigations in technical electricity" | ||
| 1913 | "for his share in the invention of the telephone, and more especially the construction of the telephone receiver" | ||
| 1914 | "for his researches on electric induction in gases" | ||
| 1915 | "for his important contributions to, and pre-eminent position in, electrical science" | ||
| 1916 | "for his researches in experimental electricity" | ||
| 1917 | "for his researches in connexion with X-ray radiation" | ||
| 1918 | "for his researches in molecular physics" | ||
| 1919 | "for his researches in terrestrial magnetism" | ||
| 1920 | "for his work in experimental physics, and especially thermionics" | ||
| 1921 | "for his research in theoretical physics" | ||
| 1922 | "for his discovery of isotopes of a large number of the elements by the method of positive rays" | ||
| 1923 | "for his determination of the electronic charge and of other physical constants" | ||
| 1924 | not awarded | — | — |
| 1925 | "for his determination of fundamental electrical units and for researches in technical electricity" | ||
| 1926 | "for his pioneer work in the scientific investigations of radiotelegraphy and its application to navigation" | ||
| 1927 | "for his work on the X-rays and the development of highly efficient apparatus for their production" | ||
| 1928 | "for his work on X-ray spectra" | ||
| 1929 | "for his invention and development of methods of counting alpha and beta particles" | ||
| 1930 | "for his studies on the abnormal scattering of light" | ||
| 1931 | "for his pioneer work on the elucidation of crystal structure by X-ray analysis" | ||
| 1932 | "for his researches on radioactivity" | ||
| 1933 | "for his researches into the effect of the Heaviside layer upon the transmission of wireless signals" | ||
| 1934 | "for his work as a physicist and technician on long-wave X-rays" | ||
| 1935 | "for his research that resulted in the discovery of the physical existence of electron waves through long-continued investigations on the reflection of electrons from the crystal planes of nickel and other metals" | ||
| 1936 | "for his discovery of the Schrot Effect in thermionic emission and his invention of the screen-grid tetrode and a superheterodyne method of receiving wireless signals" | ||
| 1937 | "for his work on the development of the cyclotron and its application to investigations of nuclear disintegration" | ||
| 1938 | and | "for their discovery that nuclei could be disintegrated by artificially produced bombarding particles" | |
| 1939 | "for his important discoveries in connexion with the diffraction of electrons by matter" | ||
| 1940 | "for his discovery of the Compton Effect; and for his work on cosmic rays" | ||
| 1941 | "for his fertile application of the principles of quantum theory to many branches of physics, especially in the fields of nuclear and collision theory, in the theory of metals and in the theory of photographic emulsions" | ||
| 1942 | "for his outstanding contributions to the knowledge of the electrical structure of matter, his work in quantum theory, and his experimental studies of the neutron" | — | |
| 1943 | "for his distinguished work in nuclear physics and mastery of methods of generating and applying high potentials" | ||
| 1944 | "for his fundamental contributions to the study of the structure and properties of surfaces, and for his important work on the electrical ignition of gases" | ||
| 1945 | "for his work on atmospheric electricity and of other physical researches" | ||
| 1946 | "for his distinguished researches into fluorescent materials and into the production of high frequency electro-magnetic radiation" | — | |
| 1947 | "for his distinguished contributions to nuclear physics, particularly the discovery of artificial radioactivity and of neutron emission in the fission process" | ||
| 1948 | "for his distinguished contributions to atmospheric physics and to the development of radar" | - | |
| 1949 | "for his distinguished work on the photography of particle tracks, and in connexion with the discovery of mesons and their transformation" | ||
| 1950 | "for his contributions to theoretical physics in general and to the development of quantum mechanics in particular" | ||
| 1951 | "for his distinguished work on the quantum theory, particularly its application to the optical and magnetic properties of matter" | — | |
| 1952 | "particularly for his distinguished studies on the disintegration of atomic nuclei, particularly those using the Wilson cloud chamber technique" | — | |
| 1953 | "for his important contributions to the development, both theoretical and experimental, of the physics of the Earth" | ||
| 1954 | "for his distinguished and original experimental researches in radio astronomy" | ||
| 1955 | "for his distinguished contributions to atomic and molecular physics, particularly in regard to collisions involving the production and recombination of ions" | — | |
| 1956 | "for his distinguished work in many fields: the melting point formula and theory of specific heats; ionisation of stars; meteors and temperature inversion in the stratosphere" | ||
| 1957 | "for his distinguished work on dynamical oceanography" | ||
| 1958 | "for his distinguished contributions to many branches of classical physics" | — | |
| 1959 | "for his distinguished contributions in the field of low temperature physics" | — | |
| 1960 | "for his distinguished contributions to radio astronomy both in the study of solar and of cosmic ray emission" | — | |
| 1961 | "for his distinguished work on the physical properties of metals, particularly in relation to mechanical deformation and to the effects of irradiation" | ||
| 1962 | "for his distinguished studies of electrical and magnetic phenomena and their correlation with atomic and molecular properties" | ||
| 1963 | "for distinguished work on early computers" | — | |
| 1964 | "for his distinguished contributions to quantum mechanics and the theory of fundamental particles" | ||
| 1965 | "for his distinguished experimental and theoretical investigation in nuclear structure and high energy physics" | — | |
| 1966 | "for his numerous discoveries of major importance in theoretical nuclear physics which he has made" | ||
| 1967 | "for his distinguished contributions to cryophysics, especially his discoveries in superconductivity and superfluidity" | ||
| 1968 | "for his distinguished fundamental work in theoretical physics, and especially on quantum electrodynamics" | ||
| 1969 | "for his distinguished work in low-temperature physics and in thermodynamics" | ||
| 1970 | "for his distinguished contributions to theoretical atomic and molecular physics and its applications to atmospheric physics, plasma physics and astrophysics" | ||
| 1971 | "Robert Hanbury Brown, for his distinguished work in developing a new form of stellar interfrometer, culminating in his observations of alpha virginis" | ||
| 1972 | "particularly for his discovery of the remarkable properties of junctions between superconducting materials" | ||
| 1973 | "for his distinguished contributions to the development of the electron microscope thin film technique for the study of crystal defects and its application to a very wide range of problems in materials science and metallurgy" | ||
| 1974 | "for his outstanding contributions to cosmic ray and elementary particle physics" | ||
| 1975 | "for his distinguished contributions to the theory of the basic particles of matter" | ||
| 1976 | "for his distinguished contributions to the application of general relativity to astrophysics, especially to the behaviour of highly condensed matter" | ||
| 1977 | "for his outstanding contributions to radioastronomy, including the discovery and identification of pulsars" | ||
| 1978 | "for his pioneering contributions to the science of X-ray crystallography, in which his work has made a profound impact on its development and application, and for his original contributions to lattice dynamics and its relation to phase transitions, which stimulated a new and fruitful field of results" | ||
| 1979 | "for his distinguished studies of the conformations of computer molecules in solution by the use of nuclear magnetic resonance" | ||
| 1980 | "for his ultra-precise measurements of the muon magnetic moment, a severe test of quantum electrodynamics and of the nature of the muon" | — | |
| 1981 | and | "for their international contributions about the spontaneous breaking of fundamental symmetries in elementary-particle theory" | |
| 1982 | and | "for their elucidation of the magnetic properties of the ocean floors which subsequently led to the plate tectonic hypothesis" | |
| 1983 | "for his highly influential and original contributions to quantum field theory, particularly the Ward identity and the Salam-Ward theory of weak interactions" | ||
| 1984 | "for his distinguished work on relativity, especially for his discovery of the so-called Kerr Black Hole, which has been very influential" | ||
| 1985 | "for his contributions to theoretical particle and nuclear physics, and his discovery that particle-like entities simulating the properties of baryons can occur in non-linear meson field theories" | — | |
| 1986 | "for the creation of algorithms including MULTAN and SAYTAN which are used world-wide to solve the majority of reported crystal structures" | — | |
| 1987 | "for his many important experimental investigations into the fundamental properties of semiconductors especially low-dimensional systems, where he has elucidated some of their unusual properties like electron localization and the Quantum Hall effects" | — | |
| 1988 | and | "for their contributions to the theory of electron diffraction and microscopy, and its application to the study of lattice defects in crystals" | — |
| 1989 | "for his outstanding contributions to our understanding of the structure and interpretation of quantum theory, in particular demonstrating the unique nature of its predictions" | ||
| 1990 | "for his fundamental contributions to theoretical astrophysics including seminal theoretical studies of the role of electromagnetic induction in cosmic systems" | ||
| 1991 | "for his contributions in three main areas of science — nuclear physics, the discovery of gamma-ray resonances, and the use of colliding molecular beams to study chemical reactions" | ||
| 1992 | "for his theoretical research in atomic physics and leadership of the Opacity Project" | ||
| 1993 | "for his pioneering use of resonant scattering techniques to make extremely precise measures of Doppler velocity shifts in the solar photosphere" | ||
| 1994 | "for his many contributions to solid-state physics, in particular his ingenious and technically demanding experiment which verified the Ahoronov-Bohm effect concerning the behaviour of charged particles in magnetic fields" | — | |
| 1995 | "for his work on the electronic structure of solids, in particular by exploiting low temperature techniques, particularly the De Haas Van Alphen effect, defining the Fermi surface of many metals" | — | |
| 1996 | "for his contributions to chemical physics, in particular to long-range intermolecular forces, non-linear optics, problems related to the polarizability of the helium atom, the interpretation of NMR spectra, and the applications of ab initio computations" | ||
| 1997 | "for his fundamental work on X-ray diffraction physics and for his developments of the techniques of X-ray topography, in particular in studying defects in crystal structures" | ||
| 1998 | "for his distinguished experimental and theoretical investigations of the hydrodynamics of rotating fluids and the application of such basic studies to the understanding of motions in the atmosphere and interiors of the major planets" | ||
| 1999 | "for his landmark discoveries concerning the nature of active galactic nuclei, the physics of the intergalactic medium and of the interstellar gas in primordial galaxies. He is noted also for his exceptional contributions to the development of astronomical instrumentation including the Image Photon Counting System, a revolutionary electronic area detector for the detection of faint sources, which gave a major impetus to optical astronomy in the United Kingdom" | ||
| 2000 | "for his contributions to the field of materials chemistry, in particular, in relation to studies of the electronic and magnetic properties of transition metal oxides and high temperature superconductors. His work has been an inspiration to a generation of Indian scientists" | ||
| 2001 | "for his contributions to the field of nanometre and atomic scale mechanics. He invented and developed the technique of nanoindentation thereby revolutionising the mechanical characterisation of ultra-small volumes of materials. This has had a major influence on those industries concerned with thin film and coating technologies" | ||
| 2002 | "for his contributions to the theory of atomic and molecular process, and in particular its application to astrophysics. His studies of energy depositions provide the key to understanding emissions from terrestrial aurorae, planetary atmospheres and comets" | — | |
| 2003 | "for his distinguished work as a solid state chemist. He has made seminal contributions to fields including superconductivity and the behaviour of metal nanoparticles, and has greatly advanced our understanding of the phenomenology of the metal-insulator transition" | ||
| 2004 | "for his outstanding research, leading the world in the invention, building and development of innovative new Superconducting QUantum Interference Devices, in their theory and in their application to a plethora of fundamental problems and their investigative tools" | — | |
| 2005 | "for his contributions to the understanding of magnetohydrodynamics, especially to the mechanisms determining how magnetic fields can develop from a low background level to substantial amplitude" | ||
| 2006 | "for his work in the fundamental physics of electron transport and the creation of practical electronic devices which can be deployed in advanced systems" | — | |
| 2007 | "for his pioneering work on quantum cryptography and his many important contributions to the theory of quantum computation and other branches of quantum physics" | ||
| 2008 | "for her innovative use of magnetic field data that led to discovery of an atmosphere around one of Saturn's moons and the way it revolutionised our view of the role of planetary moons in the Solar System" | — | |
| 2009 | no award | — | — |
| 2010 | "for his revolutionary discovery of graphene, and elucidation of its remarkable properties" | ||
| 2011 | "for his influential discoveries in the synthetic chemistry of solid state electronic materials and novel microporous structures" | ||
| 2013 | "for his pioneering development of inkjet printing processes for organic semiconductor devices, and dramatic improvement of their functioning and efficiency" | ||
| 2015 | "for many outstanding contributions to our understanding of the early Universe" | ||
| 2017 | "for distinguished work elucidating the fundamental chemistry underpinning energy storage" | ||
| 2018 | "for his distinguished photochemical studies for the design solar energy devices" | ||
| 2019 | "for the design and synthesis of new classes of organic materials with applications in energy storage, energy production and energy-efficient separations" | - |
Note. As of 2011, the Hughes Medal has been awarded biennially.