Prize Recipient

Gilbert Wilson Collins
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory

Citation:

"For an exquisite series of experiments using high intensity lasers to measure the high pressure properties of hydrogen across the molecular insulator to monatomic metal transition."

Background:

Dr. Collins received his B.S. degree in Physics and Mathematics in 1983 from the University of Cincinnati and his Ph.D. in Physics in 1989 from The Ohio State University. His thesis research focused on diffusion mechanisms and chemical reactions in quantum solids. In 1989 he became a staff scientist at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory where he worked on nuclear spin polarization and relaxation in heavy hydrogen. Since then he has led the development of techniques to control surface structure of materials used in laser fusion targets and worked towards stabilizing high atomic hydrogen concentrations in solid molecular hydrogen for advanced rocket propellants.

More recently, Dr. Collins research has focused on using laser-generated shock waves to study materials under extreme pressure and to probe for new material states at high pressure and temperature. He is currently leader of the Cryogenics Group in the inertial confinement fusion program and project leader for shock timing on the National Ignition Facility.

Dr. Collins is a member of the American Physical Society.

Selection Committee:

Bruce A. Remington (Chair), Charles F. Driscoll, Fred M. Levinton ('97 Recipient), Charles F. Karney (Vice Chair), David A. Hammer