After a six-year hiatus the Physics and Astronomy Department awarded Dr. Jayanth Banavar ('84) and Christopher Butler ('00) our 2024 Distinguished Alumni Award.

Christopher Butler toured the Levy lab with undergraduate student Yuhao Huang and met with undergraduate students Hannah Leary and Santiago Cane to discuss their research projects. The Department hosted a Graduate Student Luncheon, a lecture given by each alumnus and a Department Social Hour.

An Alumnus Gala was hosted in Christopher Butler's honor at the Allegheny Observatory on Saturday, September 21, 2024. The evening ended with a tour of the Observatory and everyone that attended had the opportunity to look at all the principal telescopes at the observatory, the 30" Thaw refractor, the historic 13" Fitz-Clark refractor and the 24" Keeler Reflector. The startup procedure was demonstrated along with the opening of the dome where 60 second exposures were taken of a globular cluster and the Dumbbell Nebula.

Jayanth Banavar is a theoretical physicist, currently holding the Knight Chair of Physics at the University of Oregon. Banavar has contributed to several areas of interdisciplinary research mechanics. Banavar has served in university administration. He was the department head of physics at Penn State, the dean of the College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences at the University of Maryland, and the Senior Vice President and Provost at the University of Oregon.

Chris Butler is the Senior Director of Sensing and Haptics Hardware Engineering at Apple Inc. in Cupertino CA. Chris specializes in cross-disciplinary new-technology development where physics and multiple engineering disciplines intersect. Chris has extensive experience developing innovative solutions for challenges across several industries including medical devices, display technologies, and consumer electronics.