Smilodon Award has been established by an anonymous donor and shall be used to provide scholarship support to undergraduate students who are majoring in physics.
Preference will be given to students who express an interest in pursuing a career or graduate degree in physics. It is the Donor's preference that the Fund provides two scholarships each semester. Should the Fund produce less than $1,000 annually, it is the Donor's preference that the Department award the funds available between tworecipients.
WHAT IS A SMILODON?
Smilodon is the most famous prehistoric predator, instantly recognizable by its elongated canine teeth. Often mistakenly called the saber-toothed tiger, this carnivore was not closely related to modern tigers or any other living cat species. It belonged to a distinct evolutionary branch of extinct felines that dominated the Americas during the Pleistocene Epoch, or Ice Age. The genus name Smilodon translates roughly to “scalpel tooth,” a fitting description for its specialized weaponry.