ROCKVILLE, MD – The Biophysical Society is pleased to announce that Elizabeth A. Yates, PhD, of the United States Naval Academy, has been named the recipient of the 2025 PUI Faculty Award. Yates will be honored at the Society’s 69th Annual Meeting, being held in Los Angeles, California from February 15-19, 2025.

Yates will be recognized for pioneering biophysical research in bio-inspired materials toward the development of deployable underwater adhesives and tirelessly working to improve the curriculum for USNA's chemistry majors.

“Elizabeth is an inspiration for any PUI faculty who seeks to balance research and teaching, while also providing extraordinary experiences for undergraduates in STEM,” said BPS President Gabriela Popescu of the University of Buffalo. “Her work, which includes the training of all students of the Naval Academy, also offers undergraduates opportunities to work in a national lab setting and to produce publishable results. Her commitment is unwavering, and it is our honor to recognize her with our inaugural PUI Faculty Award.”

About the Award – The PUI Faculty Award, new in 2025, honors excellence in academic research and mentoring by faculty at a primarily undergraduate institution (PUI).

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The Biophysical Society, founded in 1958, is a professional, scientific society established to lead an innovative global community working at the interface of the physical and life sciences, across all levels of complexity, and to foster the dissemination of that knowledge. The Society promotes growth in this expanding field through its Annual Meeting, publications, and outreach activities. Its 7,000 members are located throughout the world, where they teach and conduct research in colleges, universities, laboratories, government agencies, and industry.