Prize Recipient

Hantao Ji
Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory

Citation:

"For the experimental investigation of driven magnetic reconnection in a laboratory plasma. In this work, careful diagnostic studies of the current sheet structure, dynamics and associated wave activity provide a compre-hensive picture of the reconnection process."

Background:

Dr. Hantao Ji, born in China, received a Bachelor of Science degree in physics from Ehime University (Japan) in 1985, and a Doctor of Science degree in physics from University of Tokyo (Japan) in 1990. After working on the Large Helical Device (LHD) project at National Institution for Fusion Sciences (Japan), he worked on the Madison Symmetric Torus (MST) at University of Wisconsin-Madison, and since 1995 he has been conducting research on the Magnetic Reconnection Experiment (MRX) at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. Dr. Ji has published many papers on laboratory studies of basic physics phenomena observed in space, astrophysical, and fusion plasmas. Currently, his research interests include physics of magnetic reconnection, magnetorotational instability and MHD surface waves in liquid gallium, dynamo effects and conservation of magnetic helicity in self-organizing plasmas, turbulence and associated transport processes, innovative fusion concepts such as Field Reversed Configuration (FRC), and MHD physics in National Spherical Torus Experiment (NSTX). He won Kanbayashi International Fellowship (Japan, 1985-1986), Iwatani Memorial Fellowship (Japan, 1986-1990), and DoE Outstanding Mentor Award (2002). He is a member of APS, AGU, AAAS, and Japan Society of Plasma Science and Nuclear Fusion Research.

Selection Committee:

Ricardo Betti (Chair), Christina Back (12/02), Richard Groebner ('01 Rcpnt) (12/02), Y.Y. Lau (V Chair) (12/03), K. (Dennis) Papadopoulos (12/03)