The physics department held its annual awards Monday night, with two new awards showcased this year.

Alan Goldman, professor and chairman of physics and astronomy, presided over the ceremony, with more than 75 people in attendance in Physics Hall.

“I think it’s a good recognition for students who really focus on academics,” said Thomas Kelley, sophomore in physics, recipient of the General Award for Superior Academic Performance and LAS High Scholarship Students.

The first new award was the Mal Iles award. Iles was a physics undergraduate and graduate student at Iowa State from 1973 to 1983, Goldman said. In May 1983, he died unexpectedly of an epileptic attack.

“He was an unusually innovative and inventive person in both his scientific and non-scientific activities,” Goldman said. “His scientific interests included large-scale energy storage and space colonization, while his non-scientific concerns included journalism, mountain-climbing and the Libertarian Party.”

The $1,000 award went to physical science and engineering students who had shown interest in innovations and inventions.

Recipients of the award were Mark Bly, senior in mechanical engineering, Nicholas Mohr, senior in mechanical engineering and Brenton Rothchild, junior in computer engineering.

The second new award was the Thomas D. Rossing award of $500 given to Timothy Nordin, senior in physics. Nordin was awarded as an undergraduate physics major who is preparing to be a high school physics teacher.

Kelley said he thought the awards ceremony was a nice change to have awards for work done in the classroom.

“You don’t really hear about what is focused in the classroom so much,” he said. “That’s the reason we’re here.”