Aysen Tunca Memorial Scholarship

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Applications Due March 15

If this date falls on a weekend, the application is due the following Monday

Recipients:
2024 | 2023 |  2022 |  2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016

Tunay and Catherine - Aysen Tunca Scholarship wedding photo

Scholarship Overview

The Aysen Tunca Memorial Scholarship was established by Aysen's son Tunay and his wife, Catherine, to recognize a female undergraduate student majoring in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) field, excelling in her studies, and demonstrating significant potential.

This scholarship honors Aysen Tunca who was born in Turkey in 1938. She overcame great obstacles in her early life to complete her education at a time when it was not the norm for women to obtain higher education.

Scholarship at a Glance

  • One $2,500 award will be made each year
  • Awarded to a female undergraduate student majoring in a STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) field, excelling in her studies, and demonstrating significant potential.
  • Preferably for a student with a disadvantaged economic background or someone who overcame significant obstacles in her life, or someone who is the first person in her family to go to college or major in a STEM field.

Eligibility

  • Applicants must be female students in the sophomore or junior year of college who are majoring in a STEM field.
  • Applicants must be U.S. citizens or permanent residents who attend a college or university in the United States.
  • Applicants must be undergraduate members of the SPS national organization

Application Procedure

Applicants must complete an online application no later than March 15 (if this date falls on a weekend, the application is due the following Monday). The online system will guide applicants through completing the individual steps of the application process listed below, including requesting letters of recommendation. All pieces of the application must be in by the deadline in order to be considered for the scholarship.

The application consists of several parts:

  • General information form
  • Transcript: An official, current transcript must be sent directly to the SPS Scholarship Program by the applicant’s college or university. Transcripts must be postmarked by the application deadline and mailed to:

SPS Scholarship Program
1 Physics Ellipse
College Park, MD 20740

  • Outline of the physics and related courses the applicant has taken and plans to take
  • Written statement of the applicant’s career objectives
  • Written statement of the applicant’s participation in SPS activities
  • Written statement by the applicant providing evidence of being a student who excels in her studies and has overcome significant obstacles or is a first generation college or STEM student. The statement should be no more than one page.
  • Certification from the Department Chair that the applicant is in good standing with the department and making satisfactory progress toward the degree
  • Two letters of recommendation from faculty members familiar with the applicant and his or her qualifications. The recommenders should comment on the applicant in light of each of the three criteria:
    • high scholarship performance both in physics and overall studies,
    • the exhibition of the potential and intention for continued scholastic development in physics, and
    • active participation in SPS programs.

Selection Criteria

In determining the recipients, the SPS Scholarship Committee shall consider how well the applicant matches the specifications outlined in the award description, in addition to the following criteria:

  1. high scholarship performance both in physics and overall studies,
  2. the exhibition of the potential and intention for continued scholastic development in physics, and
  3. active participation in SPS programs.

Questions

Please address questions related to this award to SPS-Programs [at] aip.org.

About Aysen Tunca

Aysen TuncaMrs. Aysen (Ersoy) Tunca, Esq. was born in Turkey in 1938. She overcame great obstacles in her early life to complete her education at a time when it was not the norm for women to obtain higher education. In 1961 she received her law degree in Ankara University. She was married in 1970 but lost her husband just six years later and went on to raise their two children alone. Despite all these challenges and obstacles, she rose to be the Deputy Attorney General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in Turkey.

Aysen Tunca died in 1991 from breast cancer. Throughout her life, she highly valued public and civil service, and helping the needy and the disadvantaged. She also advocated the promotion of education in science and mathematical disciplines. This scholarship has been established in her memory by her son Tunay Tunca and his wife Catherine (pictured above).

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