Prize Recipient

Nathaniel Fisch
Princeton University

Citation:

"For theoretical development of efficient rf-driven current in plasmas and for greatly expanding our ability to understand, to analyze, and to utilize wave-plasma interactions."

Background:

Nathaniel J. Fisch is Professor of Astrophysical Sciences and Director of the Program in Plasma Physics at Princeton University. He also is an Associated Faculty in the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and the Associate Director for Academic Affairs at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory. He Studied Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, where he was an MIT National Scholar, earning his B.S. degree in 1972, his M.S. degree in 1975, and his Ph.D. degree in 1978.

Professor Fisch predicted new ways to drive electric current in hot, magnetized plasma by means of electromagnetic waves. These currents are now used to operate tokamaks continuously and to control heat transport. He is now exploring plasma-based methods of generating extreme laser intensities, plasma thrusters and related plasma devices, and fusion concepts employing magnetically or inertially confined plasma.

A Fellow of the American Physical Society, Professor Fisch received a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1985, the American Physical Society Award for Excellence in Plasma Physics in 1992, the Department of Energy Bronze Medal for Outstanding Mentor in 2002, and the Ernest Orlando Lawrence Award in 2004.

Selection Committee:

Barbara Lasinski (Chair), Ronald Gilgenbach (12/05), Noah Hershkowitz, '04 Rcpnt (12/05), Richard Hazeltine, V. Chair (12/06), Tim Coffey (12/06)