Dr. Daniel Pierce of the CNST has been cited as an Outstanding Referee by the American Physical Society (APS). This lifetime APS award was initiated in 2008 "to recognize scientists who have been exceptionally helpful in assessing manuscripts for publication in the APS journals." The program is designed to annually recognize about 130 of APS's approximately 42,000 referees, though larger numbers have been identified during 2008 and 2009, the programs first two "catch-up years." The basis for selection was the quality, number and timeliness of their reports, without regard for membership in the APS, country of origin, or field of research.