Prize Recipient

Murtadha Khakoo
California State University, Fullerton

Citation:

"For his challenging and sophisticated experiments in electron-atom collisions that have provided significant tests of atomic theory and for his energetic, sustained mentoring of students in his research."

Background:

BSc Honors (1975) and PhD (1980) both at University College, London (U.K.) Post-doctoral experience: Jet Propulsion Laboratory-Caltech NRC-NASA Resident Research Associate (1981-1984) Electron Scattering Group, Windsor, Canada (1984-1987). Research Assistant Professor: University of Missouri-Rolla, USA (1987 - 1989) Present: 1989- Tenured Professor, California State University, Fullerton, Physics Department Memberships held at present: Member of American Physical Society Member of Council of Undergraduate Research Member of Institute of Physics Significant Grants and Awards: Research Corporation Grant (1990-1992) - $28,000; PI Petroleum Research Fund ACS (1991-93) $20,000; PI Five CSUF Junior/Senior and Mini Grants (1990-present) $20,000; PI NASA Astrophysical Program (1997) $28,000; PI NASA Planetary Atmospheres Research (2002-2004) $40,000 (co-PI) Five NSF_RUI grants (1992-present) $1,300,000 Fellow of American Physical Society (2001) Fellow of U.K. Institute of Physics and Chartered Physicist (2001) Research Highlights: 62 peer reviewed papers published - 25 with undergraduate as authors. Significant (on-going) research on fundamental electron collisions: Monte-Carlo simulation of spin-polarized electron scattering from foil targets Electron-photon coincidence - He 31P and 41P electron-excitation cross-sections Electron-impact excitation and ionization of atomic hydrogen Electron-impact excitation of the rare gases Electron-impact excitation of molecular hydrogen and molecular nitrogen.

Selection Committee:

Michael Ervin Sadler (Chair), Frieda Stahl (12/04), Dhiraj Sardar ('03 winner)(12/04), Enrique Galvez (V. Chair)(12/05), Bruce Callen (12/05)